SAFBIAN Ch 106

Chapter 106

Srrrk.

At the sound of the door sliding open, Hong and Cheong, who had been standing guard, stepped closer. Haewon had left his post to attend the banquet in his capacity as a royal physician.

“Let him sleep longer. Once he wakes, give him something easy on the stomach.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“And summon Haewon so he can examine him to make sure nothing is amiss. It seems he’s been sleeping for too long for mere fatigue.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

After assigning tasks to Hong and Cheong, Haban gave orders that no other palace attendants were to enter the building, so Dori could rest undisturbed. Then he turned and left.

He made his way back to the banquet hall.

Even with the emperor briefly absent, the banquet continued without interruption.

As Haban returned and sat down silently, the officials who had been stealing glances at the empty seat quickly turned their eyes away.

They were curious about where he had been all that time, but no one dared ask. Kim, the chief eunuch, who had remained in the hall to represent the emperor in his absence, gestured discreetly.

An attendant brought a tray with a fresh glass of liquor. The half-full glass that had been left untouched was removed, and new liquor was poured into the fresh cup. Only then did Chief Eunuch Kim step back.

Once again, the tedious hours dragged on.

Haban, leaning lazily into the wide, cushioned chair, looked over at Geumhu, who had seemed deep in thought for a while. When their eyes met, he gestured for Geumhu to come closer.

Holding a glass of liquor, Geumhu passed by Jippyeong and the princess. As he brushed past, Jippyeong briefly looked back at him but was quickly drawn back by the princess’s touch and awkwardly accepted a drink from her.

Haban had seen it all.

“The Chancellor has worked the hardest to prepare this banquet, yet hasn’t enjoyed it at all. I should pour you a drink myself.”

Haban smiled casually as he filled the cup in Geumhu’s hand to the brim.

“Why that look on your face?”

Receiving liquor from the emperor was a great honor and had to be drunk on the spot.

But Geumhu knew all too well just how strong the liquor Haban favored was. Even the scent wafting up was different—sharper, heavier.

“If Your Majesty acknowledges my efforts, then perhaps you could let me rest for a few days after today?”

“Oh, but if the Chancellor rests, who will manage the affairs of the state?”

Their proximity and the loud music made it so that no one besides Chief Eunuch Kim, who stood right behind Haban, could hear their conversation.

Still, Geumhu couldn’t let his face reflect his irritation. He barely maintained a composed smile.

Seeing that reluctant expression, Haban, who had found the banquet dull until now, finally felt amused.

“There’s no need to be too harsh on yourself. You’re in that position because I want you to do as you please.”

“……”

Geumhu turned away and downed the liquor in a single gulp. Haban poured another for him.

“You can’t possibly misunderstand my intentions. But if you keep hesitating like this, you’ll truly lose what matters.”

“……”

“Is that really what you want?”

“……I am not someone who should covet such things.”

His low reply was tinged with bitterness.

After finishing the second cup, Geumhu was finally dismissed with a wave. Haban turned his gaze toward the princess seated in the guest of honor’s seat.

Beside her, Jippyeong was flustered, utterly overwhelmed by her. There were many reasons, but likely it was because her personality resembled Geumhu’s.

In his past life, Haban had ordered Geumhu to marry her, not Jippyeong.

He hadn’t known where Geumhu’s heart lay, and besides, it would’ve been difficult to overturn the diplomatic marriage that had already been arranged. So he elevated Geumhu’s status and paired him with a princess of Jin Nation.

Haban didn’t know what became of them after his death, but in life, the two had seemed to get along fairly well after their marriage.

At first, he had considered reuniting them like before.

But he changed his mind because of Dori.

Meanwhile, at Yungak Palace, Wonwoo returned and checked the table and room corners for any notes left behind.

Finding nothing meant the plan was proceeding smoothly. Relieved, Wonwoo collapsed into a chair.

‘That damn emperor, he went to see Dori.’

The marks covering Dori’s body were proof enough.

Clenching his fist tightly on the table, Wonwoo anxiously waited for time to pass.

As the banquet neared its end—

At the promised time, Wonwoo took a small pouch and left the room. Inside was a finely ground powder made from dried, flat, round leaves.

A while later, he returned to Yungak Palace with a large sack slung over his shoulder.

Bisol, who had arrived earlier, jumped to his feet.

“What took you so long!”

“We’re in the royal palace. I had to be careful.”

“You know that, yet you came up with this plan?”

Bisol shouted in disbelief. Wonwoo scowled and shoved past him.

“Quiet down.”

With a thud, he dropped the heavy sack to the floor and began removing his eunuch robes, undoing the belt. Bisol grumbled beside him.

“Are you really sure we won’t get caught?”

“Only if you keep your mouth shut.”

“……I really don’t get what you’re thinking. Just hurry and change already. I want to get out of here fast.”

Bisol ruffled his hair, visibly anxious and irritable.

He was more used to sprinting around gathering information than facing danger head-on, which is why even in the merchant guild, he handled intelligence rather than guarding or transporting goods.

Last time, Wonwoo had asked him to escort the eunuch out of the palace. Now he had to disguise that same eunuch as Wonwoo and bring him back into the palace.

He might have refused at first, but he was already an accomplice. It was too late to back out. He just wanted to finish it quickly now.

As soon as Wonwoo removed his robes, Bisol handed him the clothes lying on the table. They were the ones the eunuch had worn pretending to be Wonwoo.

“Here.”

Wonwoo, in turn, held something out to Bisol.

“What’s this?”

Bisol unfolded the cloth he had received. It had been on the table since he arrived, and curiosity got the better of him.

The actual eunuch’s clothing, which should have been returned, was tossed on the floor. But the bundle was carefully wrapped and handed over.

“Ugh—ugh! What the hell is this!”

The moment he realized what it was, Bisol recoiled in disgust. His sensitive fox nose told him exactly what it was—semen from a male.

“Why the hell are you carrying this around?!”

“If I left it there, it’d raise suspicion.”

“Suspicion of what?!”

“There’s just stuff like that. Anyway, rinse it off with water. We can’t just leave it lying around here—we need to dispose of it somewhere else.”

Already fully dressed, Wonwoo tied his hair back and jerked his chin.

If a blanket with Dori’s scent were found in Yungak Palace, suspicion would naturally fall. He didn’t care about Yungak’s fate, but he couldn’t afford to get caught up in it.

Prepared, Wonwoo hoisted the sack back over his shoulder and left Yungak Palace with Bisol. Hoyeon would be waiting somewhere nearby for their signal, so there was no need for farewells.

When they returned to the area where the merchant guild’s wagons were, the workers had already emptied the goods and were stacking empty crates.

All of them were humans, not red foxes.

“This really is the last time. I’m not doing this again.”

Bisol growled and walked ahead. Wonwoo quickly moved to inspect the cart. After all, he was responsible for the wagons entering the palace.

He loaded the sack deep inside the cart and began carefully checking the interior. Just then, a soldier approached, looking suspicious.

“Hey, what are you doing over there?”

“Nothing, sir. We’re just about to leave.”

“Then get moving. Don’t block the way before the gates close.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Bisol had already taken his place at the front. As Wonwoo approached, he started the procession without looking back.

Crrrk, rrrrrk.

The wheels rolled endlessly.

They passed through the inner gate and reached the final large gate, where two guards blocked their path with spears.

“Stop.”

Whether entering or leaving, all cargo had to be inspected.

One guard pulled back the covering, and Bisol’s face went pale. Another opened lids of boxes and jars one by one on the opposite side.

Then came the jabbing—one spear pierced into the cargo, while another poked into the straw used to cushion valuable items.

“……Will it be okay?”

Bisol, trembling, asked Wonwoo nervously.

He had heard they planned to escape with Dori today.

But what if the spears accidentally stabbed the white fox hiding among the cargo? He might find the white fox filthy and cursed, but the human emperor adored him, didn’t he?

“What’s this?”

A soldier pointed to the large, tightly bound sack that Wonwoo had loaded.

Bisol staggered back in shock, looking around as if searching for an escape route. The guards’ expressions darkened.

“Oh, it’s nothing important.”

“That makes it even more suspicious. Open it.”

A sharp spear tip pressed against Wonwoo’s throat.

With a calm expression, Wonwoo gently pushed the spear away and began to untie the sack.

Inside were rolls of thick leather soaked in oil.

“……Nothing suspicious. Proceed.”

Upon hearing that, Bisol’s tense shoulders finally dropped. He turned to Wonwoo, puzzled, but Wonwoo said nothing, simply tying the sack back up and organizing the cargo.

As the workers hurriedly resealed the boxes and jars, the cart began to move again.

At last—the escape was underway.

As they passed through the gate and left the palace behind, Wonwoo resisted the urge to transform into a fox and run full speed ahead.

‘He may be a damn human, but I’m glad I listened to him.’

At first, the plan had been to smuggle Dori out hidden among the goods. But upon hearing this, Yungak had immediately scoffed and objected.

‘Why don’t you just march up to your brother and say, “This fox is mine, I’m taking him with me”?’

‘Then what other method is there?’

‘Well, yours is the most classic method. You just act normal. I’ll take care of the rest.’

It was strange. No matter how powerful the emperor was, everything seemed too convenient.

From being able to roam the palace in eunuch robes to easily accessing the fox’s palace—Yungak had made it all possible.

As if he had been preparing for this for a long time.

‘Not that it matters to me.’

His mate was close. Blood pulsed through his entire body. Wonwoo quickened his steps, desperate to see Dori.

At that moment, Dori, still fast asleep, was being moved somewhere.