Chapter 16

* * *
Baengri Euigang returned home later than he’d anticipated. Thinking of how his daughter would already be up from her midday nap and waiting for him, Euigang quickened his pace as he passed through the front gates. But by the time he reached the middle gates, he saw one of his father’s servants waiting with a message for him, prompting him to turn his steps toward Whiteguard Hall.
A servant outside his father’s quarters announced his presence. “My lord, Master Euigang has arrived.”
“Send him in,” Lord Baengri said.
Euigang entered the room, his face hardened. Before he could even pay his respects, he was surprised to see his daughter asleep next to his father. His surprise was only visible in the barest widening of his eyes, but even that was a rare sight for the stoic Baengri Euigang. “Yeon?”
Her tiny mouth twitched as though she heard him calling her name.
“No need to be alarmed. The child came to me,” his father said.
“What? Why would she...” Euigang’s face remained stiff, but a hint of disbelief shone through.
Lord Baengri glanced at his son as he spoke. “What, you thought I dragged her here against her will?”
“It’s not that, it’s just... I don’t understand why she would come to you in the first place.”
“The child puts her father to shame.”
“I’m sorry?”
Lord Baengri rummaged through his pockets and took out a very familiar handkerchief.
“Didn’t Yeon make that?” Euigang asked.
“That’s right. She’s quite talented.”
Euigang was shocked to see the smile on his father’s face. He’d rarely ever witnessed his father expressing his joy so openly.
“Unbelievable. I’ve never seen another child who’d embroider a rabbit for a martial artist,” Lord Baengri chortled.
“What do you mean? Aren’t they flowers and butterflies?” Euigang said, confused.
“What are you talking about? Look, it’s clearly a rabbit!”
“I… see.” Euigang examined the handkerchief, looking less than convinced.
“She tried to sneak it into my room to thank me for sending her to school. I send all five of my grandchildren, and yet only one of them has the decency to show any appreciation!” Lord Baengri took back the handkerchief from his son, pride beaming in his eyes. “Anyway, I told her to stay for a meal. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately but seeing her eat made me hungry as well.”
“I’m glad to hear that, Father.”
“Is that all?”
“I’m sorry?”
Lord Baengri was frustrated yet relieved by his son’s response. His other children would’ve been talking up a storm by now, doing whatever they could to help their child gain more of his favor. It was then that he became sure that the handkerchief that his granddaughter had given him had nothing to do with Euigang. It was her idea and hers alone.
Lord Baengri was overjoyed at this revelation. He looked down at Yeon and sighed. Those pink cheeks moving gently with each shallow breath were too thin, without the plumpness a child ought to have. “Are you really feeding her properly?”
“I’ll make sure she eats more,” Euigang said, indulging his father.
“And make her put down the needle.”
“What?”
“This child is meant for the sword.”
“That’s...”
“If you’re about to say some nonsense about how we need to let her choose her own path, forget it!” Lord Baengri declared.
Euigang remained silent, clamping his mouth shut.
Lord Baengri clicked his tongue. “Enough. What a fool you are. Take her back with you.”
Ignoring his father’s insults, Euigang picked his daughter up from the bed carefully. “Then I shall be taking my leave, Father.”
His father jerked his head in acknowledgment then asked, “Her treatment’s going well?”
“Yes, Father.”
“This is the path you’ve chosen... I hope you won’t regret it.”
* * *
The days continued to grow warmer. The flowers inside the lush green gardens began to blossom and attract honeybees with their sweet scent. Although it felt to me as though only a few days had passed, it was already my first day of school.
It also happened to be my first time leaving the Baengri family residence since my arrival. I hadn’t felt caged, but I must’ve been bored being stuck in a rut, seeing as how I’d been so excited that I couldn’t sleep the night before.
Since it was the first day of school, it had been decided that I would simply attend to say my hellos before returning home. I hadn’t wanted to leave early but had decided to yield to Grandfather’s concern. Father walked me to school himself. When it was time for us to part, he still seemed anxious and left his attendant Eondu with me.
The school was a redecorated estate that had been left abandoned for a long time. As I entered the main hall, a fresh breeze from the forest behind the school blew across my face. Class wouldn’t be starting for a while but plenty of other children were already in the classroom. Most of them seemed to know each other already and were busy talking in small groups.
So, this is what it’s like. I looked around with curiosity. It was my first time inside, as I’d never had the chance to attend this school in my last life. On one side of the room was a folding screen on an elevated platform, a desk and chair placed in front of it. That’s probably where the teacher will sit... I guess we’re supposed to sit here. The floor desks were equipped with inkstones, ink, and paper, along with cushions to sit on.
As I scanned the room, I met the gazes of the twins, who’d been watching me. They glared at me fiercely before turning around with a scoff.
Soon a little girl approached them to ask, “Why is it just you two? Where’s Riri?”
“She’s got a cold.”
“No! Sick on the first day of school... That’s too bad. Tell her I hope she feels better soon.”
“Ah, Riri’s got a cold? She’s really not coming? But I missed her!”
More children flocked around the twins than anyone else, attesting to the status of the Baengri clan.
I settled at one of the desks and waited for a while before a servant showed up, coughing several times to catch everyone’s attention. “The teacher has arrived.”
The rest of the students scrambled to take their seats, and the door swung open.
* * *
After an hour of introductions, we were given fifteen minutes of recess. I packed up to leave early. The teacher, of course, had already been informed.
The school’s courtyard was rowdy with children gathered for recess, most of them grouped around the flowering trees by the courtyard walls.
“Yes!”
“Good— Aw! You missed it!”
“What are you doing?!”
The twins were at the center of the commotion, with Pyo swinging a long stick in the air as if showing off his swordsmanship.
I looked again. No, that wasn’t what he was doing—Pyo was trying to scare off a bird. Ak soon began to climb the wall, stepping on the back of a kid on his hands and knees on the ground to boost himself up. After a few failed attempts at reaching the tree above, Ak finally gave up and jumped down, kicking at its trunk in anger.
What is he doing? Upon closer examination, I spotted a bird’s nest in the tree’s upper branches. That explained why the bird kept coming back despite Pyo’s wild stick-waving. I watched them for a bit before turning away.
As soon as I left the school grounds, Eondu rushed to my side. “How was everything? How was your first lesson?”
“We just introduced ourselves,” I said.
“It is the first day after all. Shall we go then?” Eondu led the way but turned back with a puzzled look when he realized I wasn’t following behind him.
“Young miss? Why did you undo your hair?”
Untying the buns on either side of my head, I let my hair fall down my shoulders. If I’d known this would happen, I would’ve worn more expensive accessories. I’d dressed modestly today because I’d heard the teacher disapproved of luxury, but I’d had no idea I’d end up regretting it.
My hair ties were of light jade-colored silk decorated with lotus flowers embroidered in gold thread, pearls hanging from the ends. I beckoned Eondu to come closer as I placed the ties in his hand. Even then, I had to tiptoe to whisper into his ear.
He stared at me in bewilderment.
“Please,” I said.
“I suppose it’s not a difficult request... As you wish.”
Eondu went back to the school. I waited a few moments before following him.
As soon as I stepped through the front gate, I could hear the teacher’s servant calling the other children. “Come in, come in. The teacher will be here soon.”
The rambunctious children begrudgingly scurried back into the classroom. Checking to see that everyone was inside, the servant brought up the rear and closed the door.
Eondu quickly approached me. “Young miss, I’ve done as you asked, but may I ask what this is about?”
I beckoned him to follow me and proceeded to walk toward the tree the twins had been gathered around. I looked up and saw that the nest was still intact. The exhausted bird peeked warily out of its nest down at me instead of flying away.
I sighed with relief. “Good. Let’s go ba—”
It was then that I heard chirping nearby.
“What is that sound? I think it’s coming from over here,” Eondu said, leaning down and listening intently as he searched through the bushes. “Young miss! It’s one of the hatchlings. It seems it fell from that nest.” He pointed to a tiny cotton ball of a bird rolling around on the ground. “Lucky little thing, it must have survived by falling into the bushes.”
Hastily stopping Eondu from picking it up, I handed him my handkerchief to use instead. Honestly, I’m not sure about the handkerchief, either... I could only hope that it would be better than handling the baby bird with bare hands.
The baby bird’s chirps abruptly cut off at the touch of human hands. I gazed at it as it wiggled around in the handkerchief, then looked up at the tree. “Can we put it back in the nest?”
“Hmm. It’s been about five years since I last climbed a tree, but what the heck, I’ll do my best.”
“It’s no use.”
Startled at the unexpected voice, Eondu and I turned around to see a boy we hadn’t even heard approach.

Chapter end