FNSS ~ 09

Chapter ~ 09

‘This is bad!’

Tears welled up once again in the corners of Hyerang’s eyes.

Just then, Jaein’s gaze turned toward the table.

It was a watchful look, as though she were checking whether Hyerang had eaten her food properly.

“Hic, I-I didn’t do it on purpose…”

Hyerang spoke in a trembling voice, terrified.

At that moment, Jaein raised her hand.

Startled, Hyerang shrank back and squeezed her eyes shut.

But then—

Pat—

She felt a soft hand gently stroking the top of her head. A warm, pleasant fragrance drifted from somewhere.

Still curled up tightly, Hyerang cautiously opened her eyes.

Jaein was smiling beautifully at her.

“Do you like cucumbers?”

“Huh?”

“You seem to like cucumbers.”

Jaein pointed toward the table, which was filled with cucumber dishes.

“Th-that…”

Hyerang rolled her eyes around hesitantly.

Would Jaein get angry if she said she didn’t like them?

Just as Hyerang lowered her head in fear—

“Even on a day this cold, the Muk King’s Palace is filled with precious cucumbers, isn’t it?”

Jaein turned her gaze toward the maids.

“The King specially had these cucumbers prepared and sent for the young lady.”

“The King himself?”

“Yes. They are precious foods that others cannot even get enough of to eat. And yet, how disrespectful of her to leave the King’s kindness like that.”

The maids chattered excitedly.

Jaein smiled sweetly.

“You’re right. Each and every one of those cucumbers must contain the blood and sweat of the people. How could anyone leave them behind? You truly are maids with such deep loyalty.”

“Just as expected, Jaein understands our hearts! We spoiled the young lady too much, and she became such a picky eater that it has been a headache for us as well.”

At Jaein’s praise, the corners of the maids’ mouths stretched into wide smiles, and they looked at Hyerang triumphantly.

“Hic!”

The moment Hyerang’s eyes met the maids’, another hiccup escaped her mouth.

Just then, Jaein looked down at the cucumber salad that had fallen onto the floor and spoke.

“Since the food the gunju is supposed to eat has fallen on the ground, shall we bring out another serving?”

At those words, which struck Hyerang like a bolt from the blue, she froze.

“No. Now that I think about it, bring out all the cucumbers.”

All the cucumbers?

Hyerang’s vision went dark.

[Report on Civilian and Military Horse Casualties Caused by Monster Attacks Along the Northwestern Border]

Seo Heon pressed gently against his temple as he read the report.

‘The monster attacks have increased again just because I was away for a few days.’

Whenever he was absent from the Muk King’s residence, the monsters from Yogok would cross over.

‘Although I taught the Seonwi Guard the Seongeom, I’m still the only one who can properly use it.’

The reason he, a man who could not even speak, had become the feudal king of Muk.

It was because his presence suppressed the monsters.

‘If only I could communicate through words, I could pass down the Seongeom to the Seonwi members much faster…’

His throat began to feel constricted again.

Overcome by a suffocating frustration, as though something were gripping his windpipe, he opened the window.

At that moment, a long shadow descended onto the windowsill.

‘A crow?’

But there was a red string held in the crow’s beak.

‘What is that…?’

A red hair tie embroidered with winter jasmine flowers.

It was unmistakably Hyerang’s.

‘Why does that bird have something belonging to Hyerang…?’

Just as an ominous feeling began to creep over him, the crow carrying Hyerang’s hair tie flew high into the sky.

Hyerang remembered a nightmare she often had.

She would wander around looking for her mother and father, only for the terrifying Muk King, wearing a frightening mask, to appear. The Muk King would approach her like a ghost before slowly removing his eerie mask.

The true identity of the Muk King hidden beneath the mask was—

A cucumber monster!

‘It’s so scary!’

The green-faced cucumber monster would suddenly shout, “Waaah!” and swallow Hyerang in a single bite.

And now, there were cucumbers piled all over the table.

‘A mountain of cucumbers…!’

There were so many cucumber dishes that the table could rival the spread at any banquet.

And beyond the table overflowing with cucumbers, sitting directly across from her was the Muk King’s lackey.

The Muk King’s lackey sat demurely, as though waiting until Hyerang picked up her spoon and chopsticks, and stared at her.

“D-Do I have to eat all of this?”

Hyerang’s voice trembled as she stared at the enormous spread of food, enough to make the table legs feel as though they might break.

“You cannot leave behind such precious food sent by the King.”

“B-But…”

Hyerang’s face went pale.

Just the smell of cucumbers alone made her feel as though she was going to vomit.

Jaein tilted her head and studied Hyerang’s expression.

“Gunju, are you perhaps feeling unwell?”

“I-I… my, my stomach hurts.”

Hyerang made an excuse through her tears.

No, actually, her stomach really did seem to hurt.

Jaein immediately approached her with a worried expression.

“Oh my, Gunju! Your lips are pale, and your hands are cold as ice.”

Jaein gently took Hyerang’s hands in hers.

At that, the tears Hyerang had been holding back finally spilled over.

“Sniff… I-I don’t want to eat cucumbers…!”

The sleeve where Hyerang had hidden the cucumber salad still smelled of cucumbers, so she could not even bury her face in it. Instead, large tears rolled down her cheeks one after another.

Then the warm hand stroked her head once more.

“Oh dear. It seems the Gunju is quite ill.”

Jaein turned her head and spoke to the maids.

“It seems the Gunju will no longer be able to eat.”

“What? Then what will happen to all this food…?”

“Come to think of it, don’t you want to eat it too?”

“What?”

“I should reward my loyal servants as well. Sit down.”

Jaein smiled sweetly and gestured toward the seats.

“B-But…”

“I said, sit down.”

Jaein tilted her head and pointed at the chairs again.

Reluctantly, the maids shuffled over and lowered themselves onto the chairs.

“Go ahead and eat. It’s not the sort of food you can easily have anywhere.”

The maids awkwardly picked up their chopsticks.

But before long, they began eating the food with gusto.

The cucumber salad was piled so high in a basin that it practically formed a tower. The shredded pork with vegetables contained more cucumber than meat, and even the stir-fried beef was about one-third cucumber.

But to maids who did not dislike cucumbers, it was simply a delicious and plentiful meal.

‘Cucumbers on a cold day like this? What a luxury!’

The maids’ chopsticks became even more enthusiastic.

Jaein looked pleased as she watched them begin eating the food and nodded contentedly.

“Children who work diligently deserve to have blessings like this, too.”

Seeing this, Hyerang stopped sniffling and wiped away her tears.

She was relieved that she did not have to eat cucumbers right away, but she still could not figure out what Jaein was thinking.

‘Is she doing this on purpose because she wants to give the maids something delicious?’

Hyerang looked up at Jaein with eyes reddened from crying.

Jaein continued to watch the maids with satisfaction, encouraging them to eat more of the delicious dishes.

How much time had passed?

The maids finished their meal and put down their chopsticks.

“Thank you, Jaein. We cannot believe you would share such food with us…”

“Was it delicious?”

“Yes. It was so delicious that we ate far too much. I feel as though my stomach is going to burst.”

“Really? But there’s still food left.”

Jaein pointed toward the table.

Even though the maids had eaten until they were full, there was still a great deal of food left.

“No, this is more than enough for us.”

“…What do you mean, no?”

Jaein tilted her head.

“Didn’t I tell you to eat?”

Jaein cast a cold glance toward the remaining food.

The faces of the maids, who had been smiling contentedly with full stomachs, slowly stiffened.

What they had thought was kindness had become an order.

“Wouldn’t it be disrespectful to leave behind the kindness sent by the King?”

Jaein repeated the very words the maids themselves had said earlier.

“B-But, Jaein, there’s enough food here for at least twenty people!”

“So?”

Jaein blinked calmly.

“Would you leave behind food that contains the blood and sweat of the people?”

At Jaein’s gentle smile, the maids’ faces gradually turned deathly pale.