Chapter 38: First Awakening (1)
Since that day, Wi Yeonho’s daily life has become incredibly comfortable.
The Second Prince and Mun Yuhwan seemed to be overwhelmed, cleaning up the mess from that day, but that had nothing to do with Wi Yeonho.
Mun Eunji tried every possible means to catch Wi Yeonho slipping up, but since she had made a clear promise with her own mouth, she couldn’t take action and was only left in frustration.
Had it been Wi Yeonho, he would’ve ignored a promise made under pressure without a second thought. However, Mun Eunji, who had been strictly raised by Mun Yuhwan, seemed to find it extremely difficult to go back on a promise she herself had spoken.
Thanks to that, Wi Yeonho was enjoying the most peaceful and comfortable life he had experienced since entering the Great Scholarly Institute.
Delicious meals were brought to his room every day, and no one nagged him for sleeping in.
It was, quite literally, a paradise.
“There’s no need for nirvana when you have this.”
A cool breeze blew through the open window as Wi Yeonho lay back comfortably under the blanket.
His eyes slowly closed.
The more he slept, the more sleep seemed to find him.
‘I’ve already had breakfast, so just a little nap until dinner…’
Crash!
At that moment, the door burst open.
Wi Yeonho frowned and looked toward the door.
Mun Eunji walked in with a composed expression.
“Get up.”
“…”
“I know you’re not asleep, so stop pretending and get up.”
“Why?”
“Father is calling you.”
“What about my full day of rest?”
“It’s not me calling you, it’s Father. If you have a problem, go argue with him yourself. You’re not seriously saying you can’t go after rolling around for seven days and nights straight, are you?”
“Well, I’m not saying that, but...”
Mun Eunji had no doubt that Wi Yeonho would get up.
But his response once again exceeded her expectations.
“Can’t we reschedule? It’s a hassle.”
“Krrraah!”
Mun Eunji grabbed the blanket wrapped around Wi Yeonho and yanked it off.
Wi Yeonho rolled off the bed and hit the floor with a thump.
“Ow!”
“How can a person not leave their blanket even once for seven whole days! Can’t you see the mark left on it?”
“Blankets are supposed to get those marks.”
“What the hell…”
Mun Eunji staggered in despair.
How had such a person ended up living in her house?
Not that Wi Yeonho cared in the slightest, as he slowly pushed himself up from the floor.
Others might not believe it, but he was human too, and he had a sense of decency.
Even a dog wags its tail at the one who feeds it, so he couldn’t ignore Mun Yuhwan, who fed and housed him.
“Where to?”
Mun Eunji glared at him.
“You’re going like that?”
“So what?”
Wi Yeonho rubbed at the crust clinging to his eyes as he responded.
Mun Eunji forced a smile, veins visible on her forehead.
“You’re going to meet the elders. How about washing up at least?”
“Hmm?”
Wi Yeonho pulled at his clothes and sniffed them.
“Sniff sniff… Seems fine.”
Mun Eunji’s face twitched.
If clothes worn and rolled around in for a week were “fine,” what in the world could be considered not fine?
‘If he were a beggar, I’d at least applaud him for finding his true calling.’
Apparently, he wasn’t even a beggar.
Had Mun Eunji known that Wi Yeonho had been repulsed even by beggar dens, such thoughts wouldn’t have crossed her mind.
“If you don’t want to wash, you don’t have to.”
“Really?”
“Sure. I’ll just scrub this entire room clean with water!”
“Should I step out for a bit then?”
“No need. You’ll help clean. I’ll scrub you down with the rag we use in the outhouse.”
“I’ll wash.”
“Smart choice.”
Muttering complaints, Wi Yeonho headed for the bath.
“Why must people soak their bodies in water anyway?”
A quick wipe with a dry cloth would do. Why go through the trouble of using water?
What an inefficient process.
But as soon as he dipped into the warm water, he started humming. It might be a tragedy for the water to end up bathing someone like him out of all the humans in the world, but that wasn’t Wi Yeonho’s concern.
After a long-overdue bath, Wi Yeonho changed into the clothes Mun Eunji had prepared.
Once dressed in clean white robes with his hair tied up, he had completely transformed into a rather handsome young man.
“…”
“What are you staring at?”
“I’m just surprised.”
“Why? Because I’m good-looking?”
Surprisingly, Mun Eunji nodded without protest.
Wi Yeonho shrugged at her unexpected reaction.
“I am pretty handsome.”
“I’m just shocked at how much you changed just from washing. Makes me wonder how filthy you normally are.”
Wi Yeonho looked dejected.
“I’m not that dirty…”
Mun Eunji completely ignored his nonsense.
“Let’s go. The elders are waiting.”
“Tch.”
Wi Yeonho followed Mun Eunji to Mun Yuhwan’s quarters.
“Father, I’ve brought him.”
“Let him in.”
At the reply, Mun Eunji carefully opened the door and stepped inside. Wi Yeonho entered as well, with a reluctant look on his face.
Inside the room were Mun Yuhwan and the Second Prince.
“Well done. You may leave.”
Mun Eunji gave a formal bow and turned to exit.
Wi Yeonho also bowed and started to leave.
“Not you!”
The Second Prince snapped irritably.
Wi Yeonho poked Mun Eunji in the side.
“They mean you should stay.”
“…They mean you, you idiot!”
“Me?”
Wi Yeonho glanced back, and the Second Prince was glaring at him as if he would devour him whole.
With a sheepish expression, Wi Yeonho walked back into the room and sat down in front of the Second Prince.
Click.
The door closed, and a strange atmosphere settled over the room.
Mun Yuhwan looked between the Second Prince and Wi Yeonho with a subtle expression, while the Second Prince let out heavy sighs as he glared at Wi Yeonho like he had bitten into something foul.
Wi Yeonho, on the other hand, openly displayed how bothersome the situation was with a look that said, Just get to the point already.
Anyone watching would have thought the two were mortal enemies.
"Grandfather-in-law."
Unable to watch any longer, Mun Yuhwan finally spoke, prompting the Second Prince to sigh deeply.
“Ugh.”
The Second Prince shook his head and reached inside his robe, taking something out.
A small ritual blade made of gold.
For a moment, Wi Yeonho’s eyes sparkled.
However, the Second Prince only held out the ritual blade. He didn’t go further, seeming to hesitate as his hand holding it twitched several times.
“Grandfather-in-law.”
“I know! I know already!”
The Second Prince irritably tossed the ritual blade toward Wi Yeonho.
“Here!”
Without a word, Wi Yeonho picked up the blade from the floor and tucked it into his robe.
The Second Prince stared at him for a moment before speaking.
“Do you even know what that is?”
“Nope.”
“Then what are you doing, accepting it without even asking?”
Wi Yeonho answered with a bright smile.
“It looked expensive.”
“…Is that so?”
“Yes.”
The Second Prince lowered his head deeply, and Wi Yeonho smiled.
“Master always told me—if something looks valuable, grab it first and ask questions later.”
“Grrgh.”
The Second Prince covered his face with both hands.
‘Something’s wrong. I need to rethink this—while I still can!’
He removed his hands and looked closely at Wi Yeonho.
Perhaps Mun Eunji had cleaned him up, because from appearances alone, he looked like a fine young man. With that appearance and the divine presence he’d shown that night, anyone would say he had the aura of a young hero.
But the Second Prince, who knew the laziness, cunning, and sheer audacity hiding beneath that heroic shell, simply couldn’t see him in a good light.
“That sword…”
“No take-backs! Don’t be petty!”
“No, that sword…”
“Surely someone of your stature wouldn’t try to reclaim a gift like a child, right? Surely not?”
“No, what I’m saying is—”
“Ptooey ptooey! I already licked it. Since I licked it, it’s mine now. So!”
“Let me finish, you damn brat! You look like someone destined to doom his entire clan!”
The room shook with the roar, and Wi Yeonho instinctively shrank his neck.
The Second Prince was about to explode, snorting in fury, when Mun Yuhwan calmed him down and helped him regain his composure.
“Grrrrgh!”
Still radiating dislike, the Second Prince half-growled as he spoke.
“That sword is a sacred relic of the Royal Inspectorate. Wherever you go, showing it will get you treated as someone equal to me.”
“…”
“Why? Is there a problem?”
“That’s it?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, isn’t there something more... practically beneficial? Like, I could buy food or a house with it…”
“And?”
“Come on, surely a man of your wisdom understands. I mean, I did help you, right? And if you just hand me this and call it even, that’s a bit stingy, isn’t it? That’s how the world works—you give, you get. Nowadays, things need to be more... material, more grounded. Something like… Ah, this is awkward. It’s really nice, but I can’t say it out loud…”
The Second Prince’s face trembled.
“Money?”
Wi Yeonho clapped his hands in admiration.
“Wow! You’re sharp! No wonder you climbed so high!”
“You want money instead of the sacred relic of the Royal Inspectorate?”
“Well… I mean, I wouldn’t say it quite like that. I have at least a bit of dignity, you know.”
Wham!
Suddenly, the inkstone on the Second Prince’s desk flew through the air toward Wi Yeonho.
Tap!
Wi Yeonho casually caught the flying inkstone and set it on the ground.
“Is this a gift too? Looks expensive.”
“Ahem, that…”
Mun Yuhwan looked anxious.
It seemed to be one of his cherished inkstones.
The Second Prince let out a long sigh.
“I don’t even know if I’m doing the right thing anymore.”
Realizing it was best not to respond to Wi Yeonho’s antics, the Second Prince resumed speaking.
“I’ll say it again—that is a sacred relic of the Royal Inspectorate. Any office you visit will treat you as they would treat me. In other words, I’m granting you a post equivalent to the Grand Inspector.”
“…”
“I heard you plan to travel the Central Plains. With that in your possession, you won’t have to turn a blind eye to injustice.”
“So, to put it simply, more work for me.”
“I’m offering you a government post.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?”
“It’s not.”
“In what way?”
“…Just accept that it’s different.”
The Second Prince gritted his teeth, and Wi Yeonho took a half-step back. But even then, he didn’t forget to add one last remark.
“I’ll take your word for it. One must respect their elders.”
The Second Prince touched his ears. They were probably releasing steam by now.
Mun Yuhwan stepped in to speak in the Second Prince’s place.
“The Royal Inspectorate has long dispatched secret inspectors throughout the Central Plains. The position has been vacant for a while, but I’d like you to take it from now on.”
“Don’t tell me—just with this?”
“I’m not saying we’re calling it even! I’m not! I’ll give you a reward! I’ll sell my house if I have to! You damned turtle of a man!”
The Second Prince’s desperate cry echoed through the Great Scholarly Institute.