"The stars are better seen here than from the institution."
"Is that so."
"You didn't know?"
"I never paid attention to it."
"From now on look all you want. Look at the sky — not that over there."
"Mm."
Hwi not even looking at the sky was only looking at Yunseo's face and responding. It was a face he encountered every day and yet he did not know why he kept looking — but he couldn't bring himself to call it out. The moment their eyes met he was also unable to readily turn his gaze elsewhere from him.
Even so at this distance he had no choice but to be disappointed and so casually stroking Hwi's pinky finger he curved the brow corner and gave a short laugh, then fixed his gaze out the window. Yunseo followed his deep brow and sharp jawline with his eyes lengthily, continuing along the standing nape and one by one each line he brought to his cheek.
From inside the vase a fragrance seemed to be drifting. Looking carefully the vase placed there was similar to the one at his own residence. Yunseo confirmed what was below the vase's stand and there was nothing misaligned at the bottom.
"Your Majesty. There is a secret room at my residence."
For a moment Hwi's brow twitched in a flash. Yunseo watched his reaction and asked.
"You knew about it?"
"Yes. I had gone down."
"No. It was too dark."
"Then you don't know where it connects to."
"Where does it connect to?"
"It connects to the bamboo grove."
The bamboo grove was a place that existed at the boundary of Manguwon. Not a simple secret room but a passage — why connected to the outside, the reason could not be known.
"Is it an escape route?"
"It is a place built by Hell to be close to construct a refuge. In case the whole front line collapses it was made with an exit connecting to the outside."
"Ah…… but why is it here?"
"The Emperor must not run away so it is like that."
"But if it were a situation where one had to hurriedly hide in the secret room……"
That the demons had reached even Manguwon — this meant that something unique had happened, that a situation had arisen at the very boundary of the Yongrin not being able to hold. So in that case the secret room was also pointless to use. Going outside there would only be the Emperor waiting and it would be impossible to guarantee his safety.
But someone had built a secret room preparing even this worst case scenario to preserve even a thread of hope. With just the wish that the door of this secret room would never open.
"Then does the imperial palace also have such a passage?"
"There isn't."
Yunseo brought out the story Yeondeok had told him earlier. At that Hwi answered with a wry smile.
"Your young man's imagination is outstanding."
"……Could it be that Yeondeok has also heard rumours."
Learning the background of the secret room, somehow his heart became heavy. Yunseo let out a faint sigh and shook it off and took Hwi's hand and brought it into his palm.
"Will it be cold?"
Of course right now it was summer and his hand was no longer cold. The wind blowing now and then fluttered Yunseo's hair. Hwi took Yunseo's hair in his hand and brought his lips to the end of it. The faint touch of Hwi's brow corner going deeper — Yunseo nestled deeper into Hwi's arms.
10. Convergence
A gentle breeze brushing past, Hyeonbi was watching the target from close range with her bow pulled taut, timing the moment. The serious and sharp feeling that drifted from the face approaching the target like a goshawk made it seem so.
An arrow shot from the training ground hit precisely the centre of the target. Already in the centre of the target many other arrows were buried and the target was at the point of bursting. Yunseo gave an impressed clap.
"Truly outstanding. You're a hundred, a hundred out of a hundred."
"Thanks to Your Majesty watching over me I am grateful and had better results than expected — is it not His Majesty's virtue?"
"The modesty has gone too far. How could such outstanding skill be left behind?"
Yunseo wearing a good-natured smile held up the bow and took aim at the target. The arrow that had flown out of the released bow had gone just slightly off the centre. Swallowing the regret he put the bow he was holding down.
"Who did Hyeonbi learn archery from?"
"I learned at the academy. Those talented people who had dreamed of being Mugwan before coming of age are giving guidance to noble attendants."
"I'd playfully bet that Hyeonbi will be their top student."
Hyeonbi with a calm face bowed her head slightly without denying it. Yunseo when taking out the arrow again from the target heard a small sound. The sound's source — glancing his eyes sideways, noble attendants who had gathered here and there were seen. Their eyes meeting they quickly hid their bodies behind the target.
"We wish to be understood that even if we cannot serve at every level it is with a generous heart — please understand."
"There is nothing to worry about. Only I have never done a thing that deserves their respect. Just not finding it unpleasant is of itself reassuring."
"His Majesty's strength is also the flower spirits' strength — how could it be otherwise."
This time an arrow hit the centre. Yunseo with an expressionless face was moving his lips and Hyeonbi watching the bow being drawn was looking at him.
"Watching the archery range lately a thought that came to mind — will you hear it?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please speak."
"Wouldn't it be good for Yongrin and flower spirits to have such places together. Before noble attendants come of age it would be good to have the experience of being on the same side as Yongrin, and perhaps it would be helpful in their later life."
Hyeonbi carefully pondering Yunseo's suggestion was silently looking at a spot. Yunseo checking her reaction from the side continued speaking.
"Of course I know that their closeness must not be too great. But if problems arise like the present situation they would rather choose a slightly better direction……"
"Yes, I think it can be considered positively."
"If it's a concern about noble attendants' seating, a separate place would also be fine. That day everyone seemed to be truly enjoying themselves did they not? I hope the noble attendants can also have such leisure."
Hyeonbi's mouth opened in a thin smile. She turned her body shooting one more arrow toward the target.
"Last time after discussing about noble attendants' education with Your Majesty, the young man had something to think about. Will you hear it?"
"Of course I'd like to hear it!"
Yunseo like a child wanting to receive a gift was lighting up his eyes and Hyeonbi laughed quietly.
"Currently noble attendants' education is focused only on handling the sacred sword and treating Yongrin. While martial arts can be learned, only their physical conditioning is more common, and in the case of the arts, beyond talent-level learning it cannot be continued."
"That's so."
"The place that noble attendants feel most swayed and shaken is that their relationship with Yongrin is too focused on. Until now the noble attendants' institution system was protecting noble attendants from the inside while also playing the role of a fence to prevent them from stepping outside their station. But our roots must be solid before all things can stand."
Sunlight was not reaching her but Hyeonbi was not blinking her eyes at all and looking up at the sky. A single falling strand of hair came down on her shoulder letting the breeze shake it and she pushed it behind her ear and turned her gaze to meet Yunseo's.
"So broadening the scope of education through various scholarship and arts so that noble attendants can realise many things at the palace — if done so they can live an even more solid life going forward."
"Good. This person agrees with Hyeonbi's view."
"Then discuss it and try to apply it gradually."
Yunseo nodded his head happily. Having exchanged such a unique answer with Hyeonbi and the fact that their intentions were in accord — this was refreshing. The day's morning sun was so dazzling as to make you want to laugh and Hyeonbi clasped both hands together politely.
"Your Majesty always shares the part the young man has missed and teaches much through it. That the young man has not been shaken easily in the noble attendants' institution, always keeping me feeling good telling me of things I should know — and if Hyeonbi had not been there this person would have truly been at a loss."
"What, that is something I want to say. I see Hyeonbi as a teacher, you know. She has long been supporting the imperial household by sitting on heavy books and reading, and even when many things shook she was never shaken and always made me feel good — and if Hyeonbi had not been there this person would have truly been at a loss."
Truly giving her all in the appeal — as he did so Hyeonbi's brow corner softened. Her laugh was as firm as it appeared yet from the wall as if shedding old paint there was a crumbling kind of tenderness. His chest filled up thickly and about to part his lips Hyeonbi spoke.
"Your Majesty always suffers together and could not share it with anyone, so the young man has always been anxious. Even if not a noble attendant hoping to find a place to lean — that the person is none other than Your Majesty is truly a joyful thing."
"……That story gives me comfort."
"May the two of you always be together, Your Majesty, so that when Your Majesty has difficulties the young man and the noble attendants can be a strength however small."
"Of course that is a strength. This person too will be such an existence for you all."
The heat softened and the gentle sunlight warmed the cheek. A strong wind was blowing outside and from within the bamboo grove on the far wall the white birch tree swung its leaves shaking. From below where the noble attendants had gathered a faint laughter softly rose and spread. Yunseo felt the atmosphere of this space once more and smiled again.
"Your Majesty, a letter has arrived from the young master."
Just having returned from the training ground Yeondeok came in and handed him the letter and Yunseo was briefly at a loss for words. Just thinking of the last meeting with Wonggyeong, his chest was pressing down tight — and it was strange that he had been in contact.
Yunseo swallowed a breath and sat down. He was afraid that reading this letter would ruin the incomparably good feeling of the present. But if his elder brother had contacted him it was unlikely to be for nothing and he could not postpone opening it.
He sent out the court attendants and asked Yeondeok to keep watch. Left alone Yunseo finally opened the letter and looked.