TYMIR Ch 13

I swear, it was definitely the sound of an animal. The whimpering sound was indeed that of a young animal, perhaps like a puppy. I just couldn’t figure out what kind of animal it was.

“He seems to be hiding something, but I just can’t figure it out.”

After walking a few steps, Makgae turned around again and looked at the small master’s quarters. The quarters, shrouded in darkness, felt strangely desolate.

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“No matter how much I think about it, it’s strange, so strange.”

Before the sun had even risen, Makgae was sitting on the narrow wooden porch of the servants’ quarters, muttering something to himself. The sound of the animal from last night stubbornly lingered in his mind, and his curiosity made it impossible for him to sleep. The young master’s unusually flustered reaction was one thing, but above all, that pure white fur.

“Why are you like that? If you’re up early, you should go and sweep the yard.”

Suni, finding him suspiciously tearing at his hair since a while ago, cautiously struck up a conversation.

“Sister, can I ask you something?”

“What is it?”

As their eyes met, Makgae stood up as if he had been waiting and moved closer. He got so close that Suni leaned her chin back and her waist recoiled.

“You know, about the young master. Is he secretly raising an animal or something?”

“What kind of nonsense is this kid talking about so early in the morning?”

Suni snorted as if it were ridiculous. It made sense, as she was in charge of all the cleaning, and if he were raising an animal, it was obvious that traces of it would be left behind.

“No, I’m telling you, yesterday I think I heard an animal sound from the master’s quarters.”

“Yesterday? When?”

“At night.”

“Makgae, aren’t you just talking nonsense from a dream you had while sleeping?”

Manseok added, revealing his missing front teeth.

“Right? Manseok oppa thinks so too, right?”

At this, Suni nodded her head as if it were truly strange.

“Hey, really, why doesn’t anyone listen to me?”

Annoyed by their teasing attitude, Makgae flared up in anger and turned his body away. He was sure of what he had heard, and it was infuriating that no one acknowledged it. But he couldn’t honestly confess that he had been secretly tailing him. Frustrated in many ways, he took it out on the innocent wall by kicking it.

“What are you doing there by yourself?”

“You scared me! Uncle Chilbok?”

Startled by the unfamiliar voice, Makgae stepped back as if to flee. Unlike Makgae, who was making all sorts of fuss, Chilbok stopped in his tracks and his eyes glinted coolly.

“Well, it’s just that no one believes what I’m saying.”

Perhaps it was because he had been ignored ever since that Yoonyi fellow arrived. Even though he had never spoken to Uncle Chilbok from the inner quarters before, his mouth moved on its own out of surging frustration.

“There is someone who will listen.”

Chilbok whispered secretly, even holding his breath.

“……Who?”

“Madam Han has something she urgently wants to ask of you, would you be willing to try?”

“M-Madam Han?”

He was just looking for someone to vent to, and suddenly Madam Han is mentioned. Makgae’s jaw dropped to his collarbone. They say when a person is too flustered, their mind goes blank, and that was exactly what was happening. As Makgae froze as hard as a winter icicle, Chilbok, who was looking down at him, added another word.

“You have no idea how much Madam Han has been keeping an eye on you.”

“Sh-she has?”

He had stayed in this house for several years, but he had never had any connection with the superiors. Was this what they meant when they said a pumpkin rolls in with the vine? The corners of Makgae’s mouth rose as if to touch his ears.

“Of course, as you know, Madam Han is even carrying a precious baby now, so soon…….”

Chilbok’s words suddenly cut off. Anyway, isn’t the young master not just a kite with a cut string, but one whose string was as good as cut long ago? Makgae’s torn eyes narrowed even more slyly.

“Just say the word.”

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Yoonyi barely opened his eyes in the warm spring sunlight filtering through the paper window. His body felt exceptionally light, as if he had slept soundly for several days. As he stretched long, a glimpse of pure white skin brushed past his eyes.

Slowly lowering his gaze, he found not a single thread of clothing on his entire body.

“……Ugh.”

A splitting headache shook his brain once again. At this, Yoonyi wrapped his head with his palms and curled his back. At that moment, the buried memories of last night faintly resurfaced. The strange heat that had engulfed his entire body as if it were on fire, and the body that felt light enough to fly away, it was as if he had become a different being.

“……No way.”

Did he really turn into a fox last night? Could this be what the Mountain Lord had told him about? Confusion pressed down on his entire body.

“Yoonyi, are you awake?”

Hyowon’s voice came from beyond the paper window. Yoonyi’s empty eyes followed the sound.

“Yes?”

Now that he thought about it, if the sun was that bright, wouldn’t it be at least the Hour of the Serpent (9-11 am)? Hyowon wakes up at the Hour of the Dragon (7-9 am) to be attended to, and he had failed to do even that because he was sleeping……. His already pale face turned bluish like the water of a winter lake. Yoonyi quickly gathered the clothes that were scattered about and threw them on.

“I was just wondering how you are feeling.”

“Ah, young master.”

Just as he was hastily tying the knot of his clothes with his dry hands, the door opened. As expected, Hyowon had his hair neatly braided and was fully dressed.

“I am sorry, I overslept…….”

“Don’t say such things, it’s not even that late. By the way, I was so surprised yesterday.”

As Yoonyi gently lowered his head, Hyowon, who was seated in front of him, let out a deep sigh from his small mouth.

“……Last night?”

Could it be that his unsightly appearance had been discovered? It felt as if his heart had plummeted to the top of his foot with a thud. His slightly parted lower lip trembled.

“Yoonyi, are you perhaps still not feeling well? You just said you had a fever at night and asked for a water pitcher, so I brought it to you.”

Yoonyi’s face instantly lost all its color. It was as if he had learned an intimate secret he shouldn’t have known. Faced with the sight of him trembling so pitifully, thoroughly terrified, he couldn’t bring himself to tell the whole truth. So Hyowon took Yoonyi’s trembling hand in his and spoke calmly.

“……Is that truly what happened?”

Only then did Yoonyi lift his face again.

“Have I ever told a lie? I was so tired yesterday myself, I should have stayed by your side a little longer. I’m sorry, Yoonyi.”

“N-no. Young master. Thank you.”

Hyowon occasionally let out a breath and observed the color of Yoonyi’s face. His strangely awkward reaction was definitely different from the first time. Could it be that he had noticed something? However, Hyowon did not let it show. He believed that when the time came, he would tell him himself.

“Young master……?”

“It’s nothing, thankfully your fever seems to have gone down completely.”

Hyowon naturally reached out his hand and touched Yoonyi’s round forehead. As he felt the usual, slightly cool body temperature, the corners of his mouth gently lifted.

“Yes, in fact, after being sick once, my body feels even lighter.”

“That’s a real relief.”

Hyowon smiled more brightly than ever before.

“Young master. The master has requested your presence in the inner quarters now.”

Just then, Manseok abruptly stuck his head through the slightly ajar gap.

“…My father?”

Hyowon’s expression hardened, as if touched by frost.

“Yes. He asks you to join them for the morning meal. What shall I tell him?”

Everyone in the small master’s household knew that Hyowon found his own father, Lord Kim, difficult. Even the usually impassive Manseok averted his gaze to the floor for no reason.

“I will go now.”

“I’ll go with you, young master.”

A fist that looked as if it hadn’t finished growing trembled slightly. Seeing this, Yoonyi quickly rose to his feet.

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“You’ve come.”

As Hyowon crossed the threshold, Lord Kim’s low voice echoed like it was coming from a cave, as if he had been waiting. He still only offered a cool gaze, showing no particular interest.

“Father, Mother, I hope you had a peaceful night.”

Hyowon approached slowly, his hands neatly folded, staring only at his own feet.

“Yes. The reason I called for you today is none other than your mother, who has specially prepared this occasion for you. Have a seat.”

“Thank you, Mother.”

As Hyowon bowed his waist, Madam Han shyly covered her cheek with the back of her hand.

“I should have shown more consideration sooner. It was delayed a bit as I was not feeling well.”

Unlike in winter, Madam Han caressed her roundly swollen belly and smiled with her eyes. The sight was so benevolent that Hyowon couldn’t look away.

“Oh, no, Mother. I am more than content as it is.”

Hyowon, with an awkward smile, sat down at the table. As if a feast had been prepared, the wide dining table was lavishly set with delicious-looking food. However, despite the grand feast before him, nothing caught his eye. On the contrary, it was so uncomfortable that sweat kept forming in his palms.

“I am grateful that you think so.”

“Let us eat, my lady.”

Lord Kim personally opened the lid of Madam Han’s rice bowl, who was sitting beside him. The gesture was so affectionate that the servants exchanged glances among themselves and curled their lips into smiles.

“Yes, my lord. Hyowon, you should eat a lot too.”

However, Madam Han’s gaze remained fixed on Hyowon. Her exceptionally dark pupils took on an even deeper shade, to the point of being ominous.

“You know, I had a dream a few days ago, and it was so extraordinary, I believe a son who will greatly elevate our family is about to be born.”

In the middle of the meal, at Lord Kim’s unexpected words, all eyes turned to one spot.

“What kind of dream did you have?”

“My dear, honestly!”

Madam Han severely scolded Yeonim for asking so frivolously. Hyowon just stared blankly, as if he were a person set apart from the rest.

“A huge tiger appeared and dragged a white fox out of the main gate.”

Lord Kim, who seemed to be deep in thought, spoke calmly and then suddenly burst into a hearty laugh. At the same time, clang, Hyowon dropped his spoon. All at once, grains of rice were splattered over his well-dressed durumagi.

“Oh my goodness!”

Yeonim’s startled voice shot up high. At that, a young maidservant who had been standing in the corner approached and first wiped Hyowon with a cloth from her pocket.

“I-I apologize, Father.”

Hyowon bowed his head low. Lord Kim, who was watching him with a displeased look, clicked his tongue.

“Are you alright?”

“Yes. Please don’t worry about it.”

“But, my lord. A tiger is a tiger, but why would a fox also appear?”

Madam Han, who had been silent all along, asked cautiously. Her brow was furrowed, as if she were thoroughly annoyed. Even at a glance, it was clear she was not pleased with the dream.

“My lady, really. The fox is inherently a wicked beast that brings misfortune, so doesn’t the sight of a tiger carrying such a fox out in one bite seem just like a boy who will elevate the family?”

At that, Lord Kim smiled brightly as if he had been waiting and affectionately stroked Madam Han’s swollen belly.

“Ah! You are truly wise, my lord. Of course, the baby to be born will surely be as valiant as a tiger.”

Yeonim’s eyes sparkled as if she were deeply moved.

“My lord, you are too much…”

Only then did Madam Han also relax her frozen expression and her lips curved upwards. In contrast, Hyowon was frozen stiff, unable to move, as if a cold wind had seeped into every joint of his hands.

After the meal, during which he couldn’t tell if the rice was going into his nose or his mouth, Hyowon, who left the table first, was supported by Yoonyi with a dazed face. The fact that his mother’s unborn child was a boy had nothing to do with him. Whether a boy or a girl, his own situation would always be the same.

The problem, however, was that Lord Kim’s dream, which was interpreted as a good omen for them, felt like an ominous one to Hyowon for some unknown reason.

A very small and fragile white fox that only he knew about. That pitiable animal kept appearing in his mind’s eye. Above all, was it just his imagination that his eyes had met Madam Han’s at the very moment the white fox was mentioned?

“Young master, are you alright? Are you perhaps feeling unwell?”

“No, I’m fine. More importantly, Yoonyi. At night, no, just try not to frequent the inner quarters too much.”

“Did something happen?”

“It’s just that, as mother’s due date gets closer, everyone seems to be taking extra precautions, so it would be best for us to be careful too.”

That autumn, when the two people’s different forms of anxiety surged more than ever, Seungheon, Lord Kim’s legitimate son who carried everyone’s hopes, was born.