SAFBIAN Ch 57

Chapter 57

“This guy, really—his fur’s pure white and his eyes are golden. The more I look, the more fascinating it is.”

“Huh? Now that you mention it, I think I saw something weird in the middle of yesterday’s chaos.”

“What?”

“No, it was that person, but weirdly, with a fox…”

However, the moment they heard the approaching footsteps of Jipyeong and Haban, the conversation was cut off. The soldiers quickly scattered, and in an instant, only Dori was left behind.

“Looks like you’re having fun.”

Haban had returned with an indifferent expression. However, his gaze as he looked down at Dori held a gentler affection.

Strangely, Dori’s mouth felt dry. A warm sensation spread beneath his belly, and his tail wagged uncontrollably.

“Your Majesty. Will you be moving together with us from here on?”

Until Jipyeong’s voice interrupted, Dori had been staring blankly at Haban.

“Now that we’ve captured him, of course.”

“I should’ve been more thorough in confirming it. My apologies.”

“These are people who’ve been hiding their identities since the late emperor’s time. Unless they thought the situation was in their favor, like yesterday, they might’ve kept hiding to the end. What did you do with him?”

“I’ve sent him to Sal.”

“You’ve done well. Everyone, get something to eat and rest a bit before we depart.”

As Dori listened to the conversation between Haban and Jipyeong, he scratched behind his ear with a hind leg.

He found out later, but the signal flare he had seen behind Haban was actually a call for the rearguard to join them. The rearguard, which had been following at a set distance, had been hiding just a short distance away at the final point.

‘Rearguard? I didn’t know there was such a thing. Pretty sure it wasn’t in the original story either.’

As Dori was lost in thought, a gentle touch lifted the fox into the air. Haban, having entered the tent, placed the fox on the table and stared at him for a moment.

For some reason, Haban’s gaze felt burdensome, so Dori quietly jumped down from the table. However, instead of going far, he curled up at Haban’s feet, prompting Haban to gently scratch the top of his head.

“Once the ritual is over, I’ll be returning to the imperial palace immediately.”

…Damn it.

There were already too many soldiers around to find a chance to escape, and now the schedule was tighter too.

“You saved my life, so I should bestow upon you a new palace.”

‘…Hm?’

“I’ll also give you gold, jewels, and new clothes that you like.”

‘…Huh?’

Wait a minute, this sounds familiar somehow.

“So then…”

Haban stopped there and gave a gentle smile. Without understanding what was going on, Dori aimlessly nibbled at his own wool.

At that moment, a voice called for Haban from outside.

“Ah, they’re here.”

Soldiers came in, lifting the tent flap, and set Haban’s meal on the table. One of them, a soldier with a kind expression, placed a bowl in front of Dori and moved on.

“…Kkang?”

The broth was rich and milky from long boiling, and inside it was an abundant amount of tender chicken breast, clearly from a large bird, gently shredded for easy eating.

‘Normally, Haban gives me my food himself. Who’s this soldier?’

While Dori tilted his head in curiosity, Haban lifted the bowl right in front of him.

Startled, Dori jumped up.

“Ka, kaang? Kkang?”

‘No, I didn’t mean I didn’t want it…!’

He quickly placed his front paws onto the shoes in front of him, and Haban, with his other hand, gently rubbed the fox’s brow.

“They said it’s a special meal prepared for you as a reward for your efforts yesterday. I’ll give it back in a bit, so wait just a moment.”

“Kaang…”

Well, if that’s the case…

Dori licked his lips and backed off slightly, watching what Haban would do. Haban sprinkled some salt and pepper into the bowl, stirred it once with a spoon… and then set it back down?

“Kkang!”

‘You con artist!’

I even saved your life! How could you do this?! If there’s anyone I shouldn’t have trusted in this world, it’s you, Haban!

Furious, Dori smacked the ground with his front paw. Even when Haban picked him up and set him on the table again, Dori turned his head away in a huff, clearly upset.

“Why does it seem like your temper gets worse every day? Don’t be stubborn and try this instead. It’s a fruit that only grows in this region and is hard to preserve, so it’s rare in the palace.”

What Dori caught in a side glance was a fruit about the size of a fist, glowing orange. A sweet and tangy scent tickled his nose.

‘I’ll let it slide this once.’

Reluctantly, Dori opened his mouth.

Jipyeong was busy giving orders to prepare for departure. Dori narrowed his eyes and glared at Jipyeong’s waist.

“You don’t seem to like our commander either, huh?”

A passing soldier spoke to him casually. That wasn’t it—Dori was eyeing the pouch hanging from Jipyeong’s waist, but it seemed to have been misunderstood.

As Haban approached, Dori fidgeted and backed away. Ever since biting the assassin’s leg last night, for some reason, Haban was always nearby or had his eyes on him, which made things difficult.

‘There’s no chance to escape…’

The original plan was to identify the traitor and then use the resulting chaos to run away. If it were a mountain, maybe, but the palace… the escape plan was already dead before it could even start.

After all the things he had to do, things he’d never even done before, and all the emotional stress, Dori felt like he hadn’t gained anything in return. He was left feeling empty.

“We might have to ride again. Will you be alright with that?”

Haban asked, looking him in the eye as if peering into his soul.

Dori recalled yesterday’s arrogant, foul-tempered black horse.

‘No! Haban just doesn’t know! This time it’ll really try to throw me off!’

Dori violently shook his head, prompting Haban to glance at the horse with a troubled expression. The black horse blinked innocently with clear eyes, as if to say it had done nothing wrong.

“I’ll make sure to hold you properly, so don’t worry.”

From over Haban’s shoulder, Dori saw the black horse chewing on something and then spitting it out.

‘Could that horse also secretly be a beastkin?’

Dori seriously pondered the thought.

Fortunately, nothing happened on the way to the altar.

Haban successfully offered his rites to the heavens, and as soon as it ended, he lifted the fox into his arms and climbed into the carriage. Among the supplies the rearguard brought along was the very same carriage Dori had first ridden in.

Thanks to that, Dori had the luxury of smugly mocking the black horse that plodded alongside.

As deep night fell, Yungak climbed over the palace wall. Unlike the hesitation he had shown atop the wall, his movement was light and nimble.

The eunuch who had been waiting for him led him to a secluded cottage at the foot of the mountain. Feeling the presence of peonies surrounding the place, Yungak looked back at the eunuch.

“Wait here until I return.”

The perceptive eunuch bowed deeply. He had been a trustworthy man since Yungak saved his daughter, but Yungak never kept anyone too close, no matter who they were.

Jeokbi had once told him to use anyone but trust no one. Especially not those belonging to the palace. True to those words, she had drunk the poison given to her by one of her own attendants and met her end.

Yungak lightly pushed open the wooden gate and stepped inside. Passing through the yard, he opened the barn door from which dim light leaked out, but what greeted him inside was unexpected.

A large leather bag—and a man standing beside it.

Yungak closed the barn door behind him. The flickering candle, which had danced with the draft, stilled and grew calm.

Silently, Yungak sat at the center table and looked at them.

“I heard your older brother is on his way back.”

“…”

The man who had been inside even before Yungak arrived kept his gaze lowered. That leather bag clearly held a person inside.

“I heard he set out for the palace as soon as the Dongcheon ritual ended. I worried a lot, wondering if he might encounter some rogue on the road.”

“…”

“I had such high hopes for you. Turns out, I was wrong.”

“…”

The man did not remain silent out of defiance, but because he couldn’t respond.

First, the plan had failed. Second, Yungak had no interest in hearing apologies or excuses. That was why the Peonies had no tongues.

The man placed some papers on the table and stepped back slowly.

『 Location 1: Failed 』

『 Location 2: Failed 』

『 Location 3: Failed 』

.

.

.

The stack of papers reached its final page.

Yungak unfolded each note under the lamplight and smiled faintly. His graceful eyes curved into half-moons, and his lips lifted into a gentle arc—an exquisite expression.

But within that smile was a chill, mocking sneer.

What should he do with this?

Yungak gently tapped the table with his arm resting on it.

What’s the use of dwelling on failure? Still, if he were to plan the next move, he needed to know the reason why.

“Open it.”

At Yungak’s command, the man untied the leather bag and reached inside, grabbing a head of hair and dragging out a man.

Though trembling, the man resisted being pulled out, but eventually tumbled to the floor, his arms and legs bound and a gag in his mouth.

“Mm, mmph!”

Upon seeing Yungak’s face, the man grovelled before him.

His broad back trembled pathetically.

“You claimed to be confident, so I gave you one of my cherished Peonies. Yet the outcome was most disappointing.”

“Mm, mmph-mmph!”

When the man urgently tried to explain himself, the other man removed the gag.

The man hastily pressed his forehead to the ground.

“That—that’s not it! The plan was nearly flawless! I was just about to stab the emperor as planned, but that damned fox—!”

“…A fox?”

“Y-yes! That’s right! It was all because of that fox the emperor keeps!”

“…Because of a fox, you say.”

Yungak appeared lost in thought, no longer listening to the man’s explanation, and the man next to him sliced out the other’s tongue and shoved the gag back into his mouth, stuffing him once more into the leather bag.