Surviving the Romance Fantasy

It seems that he even checked the abrasions on my forearms in the short time we met on the back wall.

“…Isn’t it dangerous for Nine belonging to the concubines to enter the Palace of the Baekseon recklessly? Why didn’t the sentry stop it?”

“If you are so worried about my treatment, you should have taken care of yourself too! I saw my brother covered in blood, so discipline is important! As a dori who becomes a sister, of course I have to run in one month!”

That is a very dangerous idea.

In the imperial palace, where discipline is valued, such a way of thinking is likely to cause resentment.

However, it wasn’t too much of a concern.

Including this kind of temperament, it would be the basis for rising to the position of Princess Cheondo in the future.

“…I told the sentinel that I was going out on an errand that Rain ordered.”

After looking at this girl named Seolran for a long time, I have a thought.

Indeed, being a romantic heroine is not for everyone.

It’s a bit long to explain in detail, but the Hwyongseolga, the family from Seolran and I, was destroyed. It was an accusation of conspiracy.

Fortunately, my brother and sister were able to escape the purge’s blade.

We were people of Hwa-yong-seol, but we were illegitimate children born to Seol Yi-mun, the head of household, and a cosmetic peddler from the western continent.

In fact, it was a blemish that even pragmatic theorists wanted to hide. That’s the first reason.

Nevertheless, when the blade of the purge fell upon us, Ahyeon, the current Princess Cheondo, showed mercy. This is the second reason.

Princess Ahyeon, a shaman who serves the heavenly dragon, said that there is no need to hold these illegitimate children accountable for their sins.

I don’t know why a country’s princess showed mercy to the illegitimate son of a rebellious family.

I don’t know if the contents were revealed in the original, but I didn’t read that far. There must have been a reason.

In the end, according to Gongnyeo Cheondo’s will, the two illegitimate children came in as chores in the lowest position in the palace.

Its purpose was to serve the imperial palace for the rest of its life. From my point of view, living in the imperial palace was more comfortable, so in a way, it was fortunate.

So, the boy became an apprentice warrior of Baek Seon-gung.

The girl was to enter the concubine’s apprenticeship nine.

…It’s difficult to think of it as a blessed life.

In particular, the heroine, Seol-ran, was a girl who could not be said to have lived a blessed life with empty words.

At the age of seven, Seolran vividly witnessed her family being swept away by the blade of the Immortal.

At the age of nine, I had to hold my younger brother’s hand and wander around begging for the imperial kingdom.

At the age of twelve, he was caught and nearly executed by a military officer.

At the age of thirteen, as an apprentice of nine, I had to stand alone in the palace.

Until he was sixteen, he had to be harassed among the Nines for being a descendant of a rebellious family.

The bullying was so shady that it made me wonder if all the Nine concubines were like that devil.

Usually, a child who is in such an environment is bound to become infinitely ferocious.

Misfortune dyes people evil. Loss and absence are the source of confusion in words.

That’s why, in reality, there were many cases where the rich were rather kind.

Nevertheless, this girl named Seolran never abandoned the goodness of her heart.

She retains such a confident and kind disposition that it’s amazing, to the point where I wonder if she’s going to be able to play a female lead at this level.

“Taipyeong. You are now my only blood relative.”

After jumping off the floor, Seolran put her hand on her waist again and lifted her tiptoe.

On the other hand, I want to pretend to be an authoritative older sister. It is the girl of that age who is not afraid to make a solemn expression.

However, as for me, the inside was completely rotten, and I had turned into a dirty old man.

I came over to this world in my late 20s and lived another 10 years… I don’t know if I’m 15 years old, but I’m a human with a broken head in my mid-30s.

The time has come when love cells and everything are dying, and romance should have died a long time ago. It seems that there is nothing to be moved by this romantic scenery of Qingdao Palace.

So, if you look at a little child who has lived less than 20 years, you can only see it as a dainty thing.

“Isn’t it easy to live as a samurai in Baek Seon-gung? So if you have any troubles, feel free to tell this sister. If Taepyeong is in trouble, this sister will step out and help, no matter what. Hmmm.”

As he pounded his chest with his fist, Seolran snorted a couple of times as if telling him to trust me.

It was this girl’s wish to be a trustworthy older sister in front of her younger brother.

“Ah, yes… sister.”

At that, I also stopped laughing. It was amazing that he could laugh so innocently even though he had such a childhood.

“As expected, you are trustworthy, Sister Ran.”

“Really… there is no such thing as a soul in a horse… Taepyeong-ah.”

Certainly, being a romantic heroine is not something anyone can do.

*

“right. The commander of the Red Palace said he wanted to see you.”

Perhaps Seolran had really come from such a distance just to apply the plaster, and as soon as the work was over, Seolran was about to return to the concubine as soon as possible.

Seolran got up from her seat after quickly tidying up her clothes, and opened the kitchen door to tell me.

“I’ll visit the enemy palace as soon as it breaks tomorrow.”

“…the future is me?”

“…You must have been surprised to see them dragging the boar carcass away.”

It was definitely the name of an old man with ringworm, but he was careless.

Red Palace is the place where the officers in charge of the internal security of the Qingdao Palace gather. If you were a military officer, it was a place you had to go through at least once in order to succeed.

The future commander there was definitely a reliable and trustworthy person.

“The atmosphere was really good in the backroom with Jang-rae-nim, sister.”

When I said that, Seolran blushed in surprise.

“really! Taepyong is saying that you will be in big trouble too! He is the high official in charge of the Red Palace!”

In the future… I don’t know if he’s really bad for a brother-in-law, but Seol-ran is a demonic woman who eventually seduces the crown prince later.

Saying something like this makes me feel like a villainess… but it doesn’t necessarily mean that badly.

“Anyway, as a Nine, I’m too busy doing my part! So don’t worry about me, Tae-pyeong, if you have a good companion, you must tell this sister!”

“…please…”

“If you work in a beautiful palace like this, don’t you come across a lot of unexpected ties?”

I think I know roughly what Seolran means.

Indeed, Cheongdo Palace is a place where a picture-like scene unfolds wherever you go. It is said that it is a good place for young people who have a romantic love affair to have an accident.

“…You’ve been together for so long, don’t you still know me?”

“…why don’t you know. Still, this sister, Tae-pyeong, wants you to be happy.”

“I am happy enough now, sister. Aren’t you living with a decent salary like this?”

“Isn’t that? Nine concubines and ladies-in-waiting often blushed at the sight of the military officers. If you work in Geumnam’s garden, you must have longed for a reliable man.”

Seolran himself is also a Nine who works at the concubine, and talks about it as if it were someone else’s business.

Since she was a girl who had little admiration for men in the first place, it seemed that she did not understand such a psychology well.

Having endured in an environment where survival is always a priority, it was natural in a way.

“So, Tae-pyeong must have a relationship with you too.”

“…ran sister.”

“…Yes, I will be honest. Even if there is such a person… I can’t imagine Tae-pyeong having feelings for you.”

Seolran held her head and let out a deep sigh.

“Really, how did my one and only precious little brother become such an old man…”

There is no way that anyone will have feelings for a human who walks around the palace covered in wild boar blood in broad daylight.

…It would have been fortunate if he hadn’t been misunderstood as a murderer.

seoltaepyeong (2)

“My name is Seol Tae-pyeong, an apprentice warrior belonging to Baek Seon-gung! I heard that the commander-in-chief is looking for me!”

Among the samurai, the resounding voice and spirit revealed in it were considered basic courtesy.

Two military officers who were standing guard at the entrance of the Red Palace looked at me. The psychology was easily read in the questionable eyes.

His face looked as if he was curious about why the head of the military had personally called such an unheard-of guy.

After instructing me to wait for a while, the two military officers let me in after checking.

Looking at the gymnasium spread out like a yard inside the Red Palace, Mirae was supervising training with dozens of warriors from the Red Palace in front.

Then, when our eyes met, he ordered the warriors to finish training and entered his office.

Making eye contact with me for a moment meant to follow me in.

*

“It’s good that you don’t seem to have any major injuries after fighting that boar.”

Indeed, like the Red Palace where the clumsy military commanders gather, they do not offer a cup of tea.

Rather than being rude, the original Palace was such a place. When men learning actual martial arts are sitting together, unnecessary bravado and ostentatiousness tend to disappear without even knowing.

“Your strength looks great, do you usually train a bit?”

“Even though I am an apprentice warrior, if I want to be named as a military officer in this Qingdao Palace, of course I have to train every day!”

I sat on the wooden doctrine of the office, guided by my future, and talked about the 100-point correct answer.

Mirae, who was sitting on his office desk and listening to the answer, nodded and answered.

“It’s an answer that could only be written in a textbook.”

“…”

“You know enough, but the Red Palace is a place that values reality more than predictions.”

A little bit of rudeness didn’t matter, so it was a story to answer honestly.

“Hmm… If I had to say it, it’s my constitution.”

“I think it would be more appropriate to call it an innate quality or talent rather than a constitution.”

“no. The fit is right. When I was six or seven years old, I suffered from a fever, and after dying, my strength improved a bit.”

The future will know better that it is not a ‘slightly’ increased level.

However, there is nothing wrong with combining the virtue of humility.

“Isn’t it a waste of power to rot in the idle position of Baek Seon-gung? Why didn’t you tell the personnel officer more? At that level, it would be worthwhile to be assigned to the enemy palace and aim for the path to success.”

“I understand that the ability as a military officer and the ability as a soldier are completely different.”

I looked at my answer with an audible voice, as if the future was interesting.

“If you can become a great general just because you are strong, all the great generals left in history will be giants. If you are a truly famous military officer, you should have all of your skills, so I don’t make the mistake of setting my bowl too high just because I have a little talent for my body.”

“Do you know what the military officer’s greatest enemy is?”

Future suddenly changed the flow of the conversation.

“If you teach me, I will engrave it in my heart.”

“It is ignorance. Even those who despise knowledge and virtue, saying they are good at martial arts, come all the way to Qingdao Palace.”

Only when you know your own ignorance can you become a military officer in command of a large army.

It was a word that the future said like a habit.

“You at least know your own ignorance. It is a great talent for a military officer. The strength of the base will be discussed next.”

“…”

“If you want, I’ll give you a seat in the enemy palace. It is a pity that there are no useful people.”

“Isn’t the Red Palace a place where all the warriors of this gigantic Qingdao Palace are struggling to enter? It is surprising to hear that it is a manpower shortage.”

“Where would there be a shortage of people? It’s just that there aren’t enough ‘good’ people.”

Mirae crossed her arms and tapped my forearm with her index finger. It seemed that he was full of dissatisfaction, but he did not want to show it. The position of commander of the Red Palace is also full of worries.

“…thank you for the priceless offer! There is no way that I, who came from a pragmatic scholar, could adapt well to the enemy palace. As you would know if you are in a position at the level of the commander-in-chief, am I not in a position where I am barely stepping into the palace at the mercy of the princess?”

“You are good at making excuses.”

I come from a ruined rebellious family. As an excuse, there is no other shield like this.

However, with a good sense of the future, I realized at once that this was not my sincerity. In any case, it seems that he was not an unmanned man, but he was a sharper human than a longsword worn around his waist.

“It is important to follow examples, but I have already said once that I value yarn more.”

“…not a very good reason.”

“It doesn’t matter, just tell me.”

….

I looked around for a while and talked with difficulty.

“…as much as possible… work as little… earn as much…”

“……”

“…that’s my motto…”

“…”

“I don’t know if the military uniform of the Red Palace is something that any military officer in the palace would want to try on at least once… but I heard that it is very heavy duty.”

It was as if he had confessed openly to the high official that he did not want to work hard.

no i can’t help it It was you who brushed it off.

Now, it would be futile to ask what kind of mindset that was.

“Kuk.”

However, the reaction that came back was unexpected.

Since it is a sincere and stoic future, I honestly thought I would be angry. However, Mirae smiled wildly as if caught off guard.

“hahahaha, hahahahaha. surely. After listening to it, if it was that kind of psychology, it can be explained.”

“…It’s not a way of thinking that I can proudly present, but I was keeping quiet.”

“No, it is. Yes, there is no law saying that being a military officer in Qingdao Palace should not be prudent. Rather, it might be fortunate that I don’t have to go anywhere and get eaten.”

Mirae relaxed his arms and laughed one more time, before finally catching his breath.

He was a warrior commander who only showed a dignified and reliable appearance externally. This impression was unexpected.

“If there are people who blindly recite the contents of scriptures such as loyalty and patriotism, then there must be people like you who argue with everything. Certainly, he’s not the kind of guy to be chained to the enemy’s bow.”

I wasn’t sure if it was a compliment or not, so I just listened quietly.

So, I want you to be a bit more specific when you say something.

“You’re wearing a sword. Do you know how to use a sword?”

“I just carry it with me as part of my work attire. I have never wielded a sword properly.”

“…So you mean you subdued that wild boar with your bare hands without a sword?”

“…I did use a sword to get him.”

“Where, give me the sword.”

Asking for a sword is to gauge the status of a warrior.

Well-trained and sincere warriors usually had their swords neatly sharp and well-maintained.

I was about to take out the sword in its scabbard to hand it to the future, but my body shuddered.

– flinch

“…why?”

“no. Here is the sword.”

Future accepted my sword, drew it, and looked around.

The blade was very damaged because it was not used well. Mirae lightly told me to always keep the blade sharp, then handed the sword to me again.

“Certainly, the days are very bad. well, that’s it You can’t try to catch someone who says they don’t have a will. I know what you mean.”

“Thank you for your understanding.”

“Oh, and there’s one more thing I’d like to tell you.”

Mirae spoke again hesitantly with his arms crossed.

“At that time… I was the one I saw…”

“Ah… is it me? You really have a pretty face.”

As soon as I confirmed that the story was about Sister Ran, I grinned.

“Unlike the high-ranking maids of the concubine, the appearance is unpainted, and it is truly beautiful.”

“Definitely, but… uh, I really stumbled upon it then, anyway. Needless misunderstandings such as trysts should be cleared up.”

It was an unfamiliar sight for the future.

Mi-rae, who always showed only a strong appearance as a blunt soldier, hesitates for no reason when talking about Seol-ran.

As always, I have no choice but to present a similar impression.

Certainly, being a romantic heroine is not for everyone…

*

What do military officers do when they are off duty?

I’ve heard the nine concubines gossiping about such a topic. This is the story the nine people at the laundry were sharing when they went on patrol near the concubine.

The young military officers in their heads seem to be people like guru who are completely away from the world and immersed in martial arts.

They were talking seriously about meditating face-to-face and going out to punish the scoundrels in the outer palace. The girl’s delusion is freedom, but I wanted to bet that the military officers weren’t apostles of justice, so that made sense.

To tell you the truth, it’s no different that dignified-looking military officers slack off when they’re off duty.

Unless you’re a crazy guy like Mirae, the commander of the Red Palace, you take a break when you’re resting.

Among them, going out of the palace to visit the gibang, sitting together and talking dirty… In any case, there are many people who are far from the dependable warriors that the Nines imagined.

What can I do? A man is such a creature.

If you think about it from that point of view, if you were like me, you belonged to a person who spends his time off work quite soundly.

– Right! right!

The sound of hitting a chopping board down the esophagus.

I was about to cut a large green onion in half.

Besides that, I sliced up some more leafy greens and ginger and tossed the boar’s foreleg into the boiling pot.

As soon as he returned from the Red Palace, the broth he started boiling had already thickened.

All of the ingredients prepared by asking the elders were in good condition. I am always grateful to you for helping me with my only hobby.

Suddenly, I looked up and looked at the window, and I could see a vaguely round moon beyond the window.

It was quite late at night.

The sound of boiling broth. Sitting blankly in front of the fireplace, looking up at the stars and the moon, I felt an unknown warm feeling.

“…to be cheered up tomorrow, I need to eat.”

As it was, he poured the broth into his bowl containing the rice.

Then, slice the flesh of the forelegs, which have become flesh, and put them on top. When I picked one up and ate it, the catch was almost gone thanks to the addition of various spices.

I put a little bit of black pepper powder and black pepper from the main palace. Other than that, it was a valuable item, so I had to save it.

After that, I scooped it up well with a spoon. It looks like common pork soup, but even at this level, it was quite a precious food for a low-level warrior.

I blew in and put it in my mouth and exhaled happily. yes, this is the taste

“Kheer.”

It was around the time when I was just rolling up the rice and putting it in my mouth.

– Dripping!

“Taipyeong! You killed a wild boar and got some meat! Let’s eat sashimi! I served a meal to the senior citizens of the government building and brought back some leftover Dubanjang!”

Just then, the door opened and a woman with a familiar face appeared.