TYDS 13

Chapter 13

“L-Lady… would you like me to pour your tea?”

Right. Her name was Gong-myo.

Back then too, she had those drooping eyes.

“…Young lady?”

My instincts had been right.

It was a good thing I kept Gong-myo close. The memories had resurfaced because of Tang Dam, but the clue to the truth lay with Gong-myo.

‘How did Gong-myo survive?’

Had she known in advance that the war would begin?

If so, since when?

“Young lady……”

“Hm?”

Ah. After Jo-man left, I had fallen too deeply into my thoughts while retracing my memories.

I could see Gong-myo holding the teapot awkwardly, unsure of what to do.

‘…Surely it isn’t starting already.’

Then what would happen?

Was all of this behavior just an act? Impossible.

“Myo-myo.”

When I called Gong-myo by a nickname, her eyes widened.

The corners of her stiff lips curled up slightly. It was rather cute.

“Do you have any relatives outside the Tang Clan?”

“…Pardon?”

Gong-myo blinked rapidly and moved her lips.

“I’m not really sure. I’m an orphan….”

“Ah.”

I nodded. Somehow, her answer made me feel sorry.

In any case, there was no way someone had simply rescued Gong-myo.

‘At some point, someone must have approached her.’

Someone who knew the truth.

I stared blankly into space. The memories still flickered before my eyes.

She had been crying.

But why?

“Young lady, this is mallow tea. It’s nutty, so… um, it’s good. Please try it.”

Gong-myo carefully set the teacup down.

My reflection shimmered in the blue-tinted tea.

If the future couldn’t be changed, then I would die too.

‘That’s strange.’

I didn’t feel the urge to escape immediately.

Steam drifted through the air, brushed past Tang Dam, and slipped out the window.

Was this what Tang Dam had felt too?

I have to protect them. Even if it’s only me.

My brothers.

My nanny.

My father, who might love me.

‘…My clan.’

Holding the warm cup in both hands, I took a sip.

“It really is nutty.”

The rich flavor spread across my tongue so strongly it almost tasted sweet.

“The color is… pretty too, isn’t it?”

Gong-myo asked with a pleased smile.

I nodded and took another sip.

‘But can I really trust tea given by Gong-myo?’

The thought crossed my mind briefly, but I dismissed it immediately.

For some reason, it didn’t feel like Gong-myo would ever harm me.

It was only instinct, so I still needed to be careful, but…

‘Well. It’s not like she’d poison me right in front of Tang Dam.’

Shrugging, I crunched the rest of the sweets in my mouth.

“Hm.”

Rolling the round confection around my mouth made me think of my brothers.

By now they were probably busy preparing for the Tang Clan Assembly. Since I had managed to save the servants, maybe there was something I could do to help too.

Gwiheon and Tang Rim were investigating everyone connected to the hallucination herb incident.

‘Just what did they uncover for the physician to be replaced, and even the maids too….’

Even the location of the rear garden well had been changed.

“I want to help too….”

I murmured quietly, and both Tang Dam and Gong-myo turned to look at me.

“Young lady, is something troubling you?”

Seeing my sullen expression, Gong-myo asked carefully.

Hmm. Could I answer her honestly?

‘Well, we’ll keep being together anyway. I can’t hide it forever.’

I tightly tied shut the pouch of sweets and boldly declared,

“I miss my brothers!”

“Oh my.”

“Why haven’t they come lately?”

I tilted my head as I asked.

“Uh, well….”

Gong-myo only blinked helplessly, unable to answer. Naturally, since she didn’t know either.

“They are busy.”

Tang Dam answered in her place.

I looked at him at his calm reply.

“Because of the Tang Clan Assembly?”

“That is correct.”

“Because of the poisonous herb that was in my room?”

“Yes.”

“Poisonous herb?!”

Listening quietly until now, Gong-myo gasped and covered her mouth.

Tang Dam and I looked at each other.

“Yes. They are trying to discover which faction was involved in it.”

To be precise, they were probably searching for proof that Tang Seo-o and Gyogyo were involved.

“M-Martial sir. Is it really alright to tell the young lady such things?”

Gong-myo lightly tugged at Tang Dam’s shoulder with trembling fingers as she asked.

Tang Dam looked down at her and replied dryly,

“I believe it is better for her to know than remain ignorant.”

“B-But….”

Fidgeting anxiously, Gong-myo looked at me.

“Hmmm.”

Regardless, I rested my chin on my hand and sank into thought.

‘They probably traced whoever brought the hallucination herb into the storage house.’

That would’ve been where the investigation began.

If I wanted to help, it would be better to look into something else.

‘Huh? Come to think of it….’

I took the box of hallucination herbs. Then how did they brew hallucination herb tea for me?

There had been too much for them to have set some aside beforehand.

Then there was only one conclusion. There had to be another hidden stash.

“Let’s go!”

I stuffed the pouch carefully into the side table drawer and strode forward energetically.

“Huh? Young lady, where are you going?”

“Mhm. For a walk!”

Gong-myo hurried after me.

“But your body still hasn’t fully recovered….”

Unlike the hesitant Gong-myo, Tang Dam stepped ahead and opened the door for me.

“It is best to move your body during times like this.”

“But….”

Their opinions conflicted.

While the two stared at each other, I quickly slipped out into the hallway between them.

My steps were surprisingly determined.

I truly had something to do now.

‘I’ll find it myself. That evidence.’

What kind of place was best for hiding something?

‘It won’t be in the storage house. It was discovered once already. Then this time, they probably hid it somewhere no one would ever look.’

If I were Gyogyo, where would I hide it?

The Poison Hall, where toxic herbs were gathered? Or the Medicine Hall, filled with ingredients with similar scents?

“Huff… haa!”

After wandering around restlessly, I was already short of breath.

“Young lady, are you tired?”

“Nn, I’m okay.”

I wiped the sweat from my forehead as I answered.

But even after hearing me, the worry didn’t leave Gong-myo’s face.

Tang Dam seemed the same, staring down at me intently.

The two exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.

Then—

“Forgive my rudeness.”

My body suddenly lifted into the air.

Tang Dam easily picked me up and placed me over one shoulder.

“Wah!”

Startled, I grabbed onto his sideburns.

“Wah! Ah! ……Whoa!”

My head tilted back and forth several times before I found my balance, and then an astonishing view unfolded before me.

“It’s so high up!”

My view had risen high enough to see beyond the wall rooftops.

I could even see the laundry maids walking in the distance.

“Young lady, are you alright?”

“Yes!”

I looked down between Gong-myo and Tang Dam and grinned.

“This is fun!”

Excited, I kicked my feet.

“Where would you like to go?”

Tang Dam asked.

I stretched my neck and looked around.

I couldn’t decide easily. We probably couldn’t visit both places today.

“Hm?”

Beyond the wall, I spotted a long ladder.

The ladder leaned diagonally toward the sky, and it wasn’t standing still—it was moving.

“Huh?”

Below it, workers were carrying the ladder on their shoulders.

Behind them, horses dragged piles of logs stacked like mountains.

“What are they doing?”

When I pointed toward them and asked, Gong-myo bounced up and peeked over the wall.

“Ah, they’re building watchtowers, young lady.”

“Watchtowers?”

“Yes. So from high places—um, you can clearly see below. Like you can right now, young lady.”

I already knew that. What I wanted to know was why.

There were already dozens of watchtowers built into both the outer and inner walls. Why did they need more?

“There are already so many tall ones.”

I pointed at the towers jutting upward.

Now that I looked carefully, several of them appeared newly built.

“Umm… they’re making them taller. So they can see farther away.”

At Gong-myo’s explanation, I nodded unconsciously.

‘They’re strengthening surveillance.’

Because they had only recently been attacked by remnants of the Demonic Cult.

‘Really, our clan never has a peaceful moment.’

When fighting the Demonic Cult, they had defended the front lines, which led to grudges from surviving remnants and surprise attacks afterward.

And not long after that, they were exterminated under accusations of colluding with the Demonic Cult.

‘When I think about it, it really makes no sense.’

What truth was hidden underneath all this? Had we been framed?

It was possible some outside force had plotted to destroy the Tang Clan.

‘Come to think of it….’

But they wouldn’t even need schemes.

We were already weakened. Even the clan head wasn’t present.

It wouldn’t have been strange if an unorthodox sect or another poison clan had invaded to take advantage of that weakness.

Then why were there no signs of that happening?

“Hey, Myo-myo. Those things, the tall ones.”

I pointed at the watchtowers as I spoke.

“They’re being built because Mother died, right?”

“…Young lady…!”

Gong-myo looked shocked by my question.

Maybe because I seemed to be accepting Mother’s death properly.

Tang Dam also seemed shaken, his grip tightening slightly.

“They’re being built to protect us, right? So if bad people come, they can drive them away. Right?”

“……”

“But what if they still can’t protect us? Father isn’t here either….”

The two listened silently to my words.

It seemed painful for them that I was worrying about such things.

“That will not happen.”

In a low, steady voice, Tang Dam answered solemnly.

They were not empty words meant to comfort me. He sounded completely certain.

“That’s right, young lady.”

Gong-myo clasped her hands together and stepped closer to me.

Tang Dam tilted his head aside to avoid her face as she approached.

“W-We still have the Poison Sovereign…!”

“The Poison Sovereign?”

I blinked.

“Who’s that?”