Fortunately, Moyong Muhyeok’s eyes were fixed on Sahyeon, who was still bowing his head. Just for a second, Sahyeon and I locked eyes.
He gave me the faintest nod. Right. Now.
If Moyong Muhyeok picked that thing up and went “Huh, still half-full? Haha,” then Sahyeon’s little sacrifice would’ve been for nothing.
I lunged for the bottle, arm outstretched. For a moment, time slowed—everything, including me, dragged into sharp focus, frame by frame.
I reached with everything I had. My fingers closed around the neck of the bottle, and the second I looked up—of fucking course—I locked eyes with Moyong Muhyeok.
Well. No backing out now.
I forced energy into my hand. I might be weaker than in my last life, but come on, it’s just a damn liquor bottle. There’s no way I couldn’t break this thing.
It was tougher than I expected, but finally, a hairline crack spidered across the surface.
Crack!
With a dull pop, the bottle shattered into pieces. And just like that, the world snapped back into real time.
Which basically meant the tension drained out of me. I exhaled hard, ducking my head. Another crisis dodged. Barely.
“Ahwa! Are you hurt? Your hand—are you alright?!”
Moyong Muhyeok rushed over, eyes wide. What, did he really think his little sister learning martial arts couldn’t handle a bottle without slicing her fingers?
Still, I whipped my head up and cradled my right hand—the one that just smashed that bottle—like it was mortally wounded.
“I hit it and it really stings… I think I’m bleeding.”
Obviously, I wasn’t. Not even a bruise.
But I knew better now. Shit like that wouldn’t matter to Moyong Muhyeok one bit.
He gently wiped down my hand, soaked in liquor, inspecting it all over before letting out a breath of relief.
“Thankfully, no major injury. Still, there might be strain on the bone or muscle, so avoid lifting anything heavy for a while. That includes teacups. Got it?”
Unbelievable. Internally rolling my eyes, I nodded. Meanwhile, Sahyeon had already vanished, slipping off in perfect disguise as a bumbling servant. A few attendants came rushing over to help me up.
Moyong Muhyeok called in the rest of the staff to clean up the mess, then turned and gave the guests a respectful bow.
“My sincerest apologies for the disruption. It seems the servant got nervous, given how many esteemed guests are present. It was nothing serious, so please don’t worry. I’ll extend a personal apology to Jang Clan Manor House for wasting their precious liquor.”
At that, Clan Master Paeng waved a hand with a booming laugh.
“Think nothing of it! The Young Master’s grace in covering for a servant’s mistake—now that’s a generosity rarer than any liquor!”
Jang Clan Manor House may be a branch of the Paeng Clan, but it’s practically under their umbrella. So if Clan Master Paeng said it was fine, there’d be no fallout.
“I’m humbled and grateful to hear that,” Moyong Muhyeok replied with an easy smile.
Lady Paeng quietly approached and handed me a handkerchief, a thoughtful gesture so I could wipe off my soaked clothes.
“That’s a shame—it stained such a lovely dress.”
“It’ll wash out. Thank you.”
“You’re much more candid than I’d heard. That puts me at ease.”
Once she’s married, Lady Paeng will be living here. It’s natural she’d want to know what kind of person I am.
Not that I cared. I was planning to bolt anyway. And I was already kind of exhausted from the last stunt.
There’s still at least another full hour until this damn banquet wraps. I can’t keep cleaning up messes this loud and public.
Actually… is there even anyone trying to hurt Moyong Muhyeok in the first place? What if I’ve just been completely paranoid?
Sure, I’ve been playing it safe just in case—but this is inefficient as hell.
Maybe I should just wait until something does happen to him and then track the bastard behind it…
“Did that scare you? Should I call a physician?”
Her voice jolted me back to the present. Lady Paeng looked up at me with round, soft eyes—like a calf, really. Big eyes like her father’s, but the shape sloped down sweetly.
Shit, what the hell was I thinking just now?
No. I need to keep Moyong Muhyeok safe until the banquet ends. That’s the smart move. For me, and for Lady Paeng.
If nothing else, I’ll consider it a good deed—saving her from becoming a widow before the damn wedding.
“I just want to sit down and rest a bit. I’ll head back.”
“Alright. Let’s talk again later.”
“Yes.”
I gave her a quick nod and returned to where the Dang siblings were seated. Dang Choye had stepped away, so it was just Dang Iheon watching me, worry all over his face.
“Yeonhwa. Why not just tell the Young Master you’re worried about him? You can’t keep this up all evening. He really cares about you—you know he’ll listen.”
“I’ve thought about it… but wouldn’t it just sound ridiculous?”
“No one ignores a warning from someone they care about. I didn’t.”
He wasn’t just saying it—his tone was serious.
True, when I suddenly wanted to start training, even after a life of avoiding martial arts, my family had listened seriously. Maybe they would this time too.
And even if he didn’t believe me, he’d still worry. That would be enough to make him cautious, even subconsciously.
“…Yeonhwa?”
Dang Iheon called my name, still concerned. Instead of answering, I called over Hyangah. I needed her to bring Moyong Muhyeok out for a private word.
True to his doting reputation, Moyong Muhyeok came immediately to where I’d asked. With so many people swarming him, that couldn’t have been easy.
“Ahwa, what is it? Why call me out here alone? Is someone bothering you? Tell me who it is, and I’ll—”
“Who would dare mess with me? I’d kill them. No, it’s not that.”
I sighed deeply.
Looking at his calm, kind face made it harder to speak. Sure, he’s a martial artist—he won’t crumble just because someone’s targeting him—but still…
After a long moment, I finally spoke.
“You might think I’m crazy after this, but I’m doing all this to save someone, so just… hear me out.”
“Hm? What are you talking about?”
“Someone’s trying to assassinate the Young Master of the Moyong Clan. You.”
The blunt delivery made his eyes fly wide. Before he could start asking questions, I pushed ahead.
“I think it’s connected to those herbs you took for so long—Motherwort. I found out by accident when I visited Medicine King’s Hall. Anyway, I thought the best chance to catch the culprit was if the banquet kept flowing naturally, so I tried to handle it myself—”
“Wait, wait—”
He cut in, waving a hand. His expression was full of confusion.
“Ahwa. Breathe. Slowly, calmly. This big brother isn’t going anywhere. I don’t think you’re crazy.”
“Oh… okay, uh…”
“So what you’re saying is: someone’s after me, and they might act tonight, and it’s connected to Motherwort. Is that right?”
“Yeah.”
Even though I spat it out with no order or coherence, he somehow got right to the point. No wonder Moyong Wi made him Young Master. It wasn’t just about age.
Moyong Muhyeok stroked his chin, falling silent in thought. Watching him like that made my shoulders gradually tense up.
If he asked, Where did you hear this?, I wouldn’t have a clean answer. None of it would sound credible.
Sure enough, he finally opened his mouth, brow furrowed.
“Ahwa. I have to ask…”
Ah, shit.
“Was all that strange behavior earlier because you thought the liquor might be poisoned?”
“…Huh?”
Oh. Not the worst question he could’ve asked. Still sucks to know he noticed, though.
“Uh, yeah. Just in case. I mean, the wine was from somewhere tied to the Paeng Clan, so I thought maybe I was being paranoid…”
I scratched the back of my neck, embarrassed. I was tapping my toe against the ground when, suddenly, Moyong Muhyeok grabbed my hand.
The warmth startled me, and I tried to pull back, but his grip held firm. He was looking down at me, eyes glossy with emotion.
“Ahwa. How could I possibly die, when you’re this worried about me?”
“God, would you stop saying shit like that? It’s fucking cursed, seriously!”
“Ah, sorry. Sorry. I won’t say it again. My beloved little sister cares for me so deeply—what a foolish thing I said. I’ll take your worries seriously.”
It didn’t feel like empty comfort. Not some condescending pat on the head. It actually felt sincere.
“You… really believe me?”
“Of course I do. Whose words do you think I’m listening to? Don’t worry. I won’t eat or drink anything else, and I’ll stay on guard.”
He was taking it even more seriously than I expected, and my face went hot. I gently pulled my hand free, and he reached up to ruffle my hair, fond and unhurried.
It left me a little dazed. But also, my fingertips—cold with anxiety—were starting to warm up again.
I remembered Dang Iheon’s voice: No one ignores the words of someone they care about.
Moyong Muhyeok’s gaze was full of that same warmth.
“If I stay away too long, it’ll look odd. I’ll head back now, so don’t worry. Alright?”
“…Yeah.”
I watched him walk away for a while.
* * *
When I got back, Moyong Muhyeok was chatting with Lady Paeng, both leaning slightly toward each other. They looked good together, actually.
Dang Iheon asked me how it went. I just nodded vaguely and took my seat.
The crowd had thinned. People were trickling out. The banquet was clearly winding down.
Nice. One more step closer to a clean escape. I’ve got a mental list of the bastards who offered booze or kept pushing it—I’ll start picking them off tomorrow.
I sagged into my chair. Now that the adrenaline dropped, I was starving. Thirsty too. I looked down—my teacup was bone dry.
“Hyangah.”
Weird. She wasn’t there.
“Have you seen Hyangah?”
“Hmm, not sure. She’s been gone a while, I think. She’ll be back soon, I’m sure. Not like she’d get lost in the manor.”
Dang Iheon answered sincerely again. Still, something felt off. Hyangah’s not the type to vanish without a word. Did she suddenly have to pee that bad?
Left with no other choice, I waved down a passing attendant and asked for some water. She looked completely frazzled, and came back way later—with hot tea instead.
Before I could even ask for something cold, she disappeared again. Whatever. Thirst doesn’t negotiate. I raised the cup and downed it all in one go.
The hot tea scraped down my throat.
But within seconds, I knew.
This wasn’t just heat. It was fire, crawling through my bloodstream.
My whole body froze. My vision tilted.
Instinctively, I rolled my eyes sideways—and there she was.
Moyong Sohae.
She was watching me. Not blinking. Just watching me fall. Maybe even smiling.
“…Yeonhwa? Yeonhwa!”
Ah. Something had gone very, very wrong.
Dang Iheon’s voice kept calling me, but it was fading. Fast. A bright flash tore across my sight—and then everything went white.
“Poison… in the tea…!”
“…Ri! Elder—hurry!”
“Stay with us! …hwa!”
Too loud. My skull felt like it was cracking open. I couldn’t breathe. I opened my mouth, barely.
“Shit… this really fucking hurts.”
This wasn’t a bluff. This time, it really fucking hurt.
I felt like I was drowning again—just like when I died before. All the sounds and voices were distant.
My mouth filled with something thick. My nose stung with the smell of blood.
I choked it all out, but even through the pain… I almost laughed.
Are you kidding me? I’m gonna die again?
I forced my eyes to focus, but nothing came back. My body went limp. Sleep crushed down. I was freezing.
If I somehow survive this—or even if I die and wake up in another damn body—I will find the bastard behind this and ruin them.
Then, all of a sudden, I saw faint lanterns lighting one after another in front of me. It didn’t feel like the afterlife… it felt familiar.
“Impressive, right? Total beast, huh? Doesn’t it just ooze ‘heroic spirit’?”
A soft, teasing voice echoed in my ear. I turned.
Sahyeon was grinning, dangling a sugar dragon right in front of my face.
Of course this is what I’d think of at the end. Makes no damn sense.
Just… unbelievable.
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