SAFBIAN Ch 19

Chapter 19

 

After being fiercely rebuked, Geumhu turned the blame on Haban instead.

“This is all because Your Majesty is frequently absent from the imperial palace. Isn’t it only natural that rats run rampant in a storehouse without an owner?”

Geumhu answered calmly, taking a sip of tea with a loud gulp. He savored the taste and leisurely set the cup back down. However, his pale skin that had never seen sunlight and the dark circles under his eyes showed the hardships he had endured.

“That’s why I placed you in that position after cutting off the heads of those who opposed it. Retrieve the stolen grain and capture the rats—lock them up.”

Haban waved his hand dismissively as if it was bothersome. Though Geumhu always responded in a contrary way like that, he had probably already identified the culprit.

As expected, Geumhu let out a small sigh and picked up the discarded scrolls.

“By the way, wouldn’t it be better if you just moved your office back to where it used to be?”

“Why?”

Haban had set up a private office in the emperor’s personal palace, even though there was already an official imperial office where ministers could request audiences. It was more convenient for him in terms of movement and, more importantly, it kept the emperor’s work shrouded in secrecy.

The prime minister still sat in for the emperor in the official office to handle memorials, and because of that, the ministers criticized the emperor even more.

“Not only is it risky to carry important memorials all the way here, but I feel like I’m going to get stabbed in the back at this rate.”

“I told you not to be concerned with appearances and just do your work. If anyone’s being troublesome, cut off their head.”

“That’s something only Your Majesty can do. I’m just a prime minister. What good would it do me to make more enemies?”

For a position where an elderly statesman would barely suffice, someone barely out of boyhood had taken the seat. And to them, it seemed the emperor wasn’t even interested in governing, so it was only natural that every morning meeting without him turned into a tense battle of wits.

The imperial palace in the emperor’s absence was truly a battlefield.

“List a few of the culprits.”

“Why are you throwing it on me again?”

“Then keep getting bitten.”

“Not that I was refusing.”

From not far away, Geumhu moved his brush. The way he swiftly wrote down names without hesitation made it seem like he had been waiting for the emperor to give that order.

“Haah…”

While flipping through several remaining scrolls, Haban suddenly grew irritated.

He thought he’d forget if he didn’t see it, but how could such a lowly fox keep getting on his nerves for days? He realized with disbelief that last night, he had even strained to hear if the creature was crying.

“It’s curious. That someone could get under Your Majesty’s skin like this.”

“What nonsense is that?”

Geumhu nonchalantly met Haban’s fierce gaze.

“I’m saying, if that’s how you feel, why don’t you just go see the fox.”

“Pointless talk. Do you have too little work?”

“Do you think I have two bodies!”

Usually composed, Geumhu finally snapped. He hadn’t been home in three days because of work!

But even if he said that, the emperor would just offer to prepare quarters for him in the palace, so Geumhu swallowed his complaint. His mother must be waiting outside the gate for him every night.

“Didn’t you say dying while working was your wish?”

More accurately, he had said he wanted to serve the nation until the day he died and that he didn’t want a deposed crown prince to block his path.

On the day Haban, by imperial decree, became a deposed crown prince, Geumhu had boldly spoken in front of him—and it was thanks to that moment that he had become prime minister.

“That’s for later. For now, I’m busy being filial while my parents are still alive.”

“So you’re going through with the arranged marriage then? Even though your heart belongs to someone else.”

“….”

At those words, Geum’s face turned pale, and he bit his lips hard.

Just then, Jippyeong entered the office. He had returned from personally checking on the soldiers stationed around the emperor’s palace.

“Uh… are you two arguing again?”

“Survival instincts alone won’t keep you alive if you’re that oblivious.”

Geumhu muttered quietly. Realizing he was the one being insulted, Jippyeong ruffled his friend’s hair with his calloused hands.

“Don’t speak so insolently to His Majesty. I don’t want to be the one to arrest you.”

“What’s there to worry about? If I ever get arrested, you’ll be tied up beside me.”

Given how Haban usually spoke, there was no refuting that. Geumhu flicked his eyes toward the side, gesturing for Jippyeong to go away.

“Sigh.”

How could he ever win against someone who didn’t even yield to His Majesty? Jippyeong moved to his designated spot behind Haban.

The large office fell into silence once more, except for the soft sounds of paper being turned—flutter, flutter. The black were the letters, the white was the paper.

“By the way. That fox…”

Seeing the black and white reminded Jipyeong of something he had briefly forgotten.

“Last I checked, it looked to be in really poor shape. The physician said it hasn’t eaten. Maybe it can’t adapt since it’s a wild animal—no matter how good the meat, it won’t take a bite. At this rate, you’d best skin it before it’s too late.”

The paper in Haban’s hand crumpled.

Geumhu let out a short laugh without raising his head. Like a peeled potato. He trained his muscles so fiercely but had no intention of developing tact.

Haban opened a new memorial and resumed his reading, exchanging short opinions with the prime minister. Since Geumhu had already sorted and filtered them, there weren’t many left, but they were all critical matters that required the emperor’s personal approval.

Exhausted after staying up for several nights, Geumhu left first, and Haban finally set down his brush after finishing the last memorial and stood.

When he stepped out, Jippyeong, who had been standing guard outside the office, silently followed. Outside, a welcome drizzle of rain was falling.

Though the sky was dark with clouds, the leaves, soaked with rainwater, gleamed green. The scent of damp soil hung in the air.

‘It’s been dry for so long. This will ease the worry, at least.’

Spring is a crucial season that determines the year’s harvest. Rain during this time was more precious than anything else. No matter how hard one tilled and sowed, if the rain didn’t come, it was all for naught.

The empire’s foundation was agriculture. Though its vast lands fostered various industries and active trade, the people’s lives were most closely tied to farming.

Palace attendants hurriedly began lighting the buildings. Water droplets bounced off the ground, reflecting the warm yellow glow.

Something round and glossy caught Haban’s eyes.

…So hungry.

…Someone, no, save this fox!

‘I may have wanted to return to reality, but starving to death wasn’t part of the plan!’

All for dismissing the original plot? Did it have to come to this?

‘Should I just turn human and follow the original storyline?’

No, are you insane?

‘Still, isn’t that better than dying of hunger?’

Do you really think that’s better?

Dozens of times a day, his thoughts flipped like the back of a hand. When he touched his belly, he could feel his thinned skin, even though he had eaten at least a little every meal.

‘That stingy bastard. Crazy freak…’

“Huuuuh, mmgh, uhhuuuh…”

With a gag in his mouth, Dori mumbled insults toward Haban out of sheer hunger.

“Hey fox, you hungry?”

Haewon, having heard the fox’s disgruntled whimpering, squatted down and took a step closer. Dori, who had curled his snow-white body into a ball and half-buried his head between his fluffy tails, opened his eyes.

“…Sorry. I should’ve taken better care of you.”

Haewon worried about the fox that resembled a pillow of fluff. A creature with such rare white fur—was it really okay to leave him like this until his cheeks sunk in? He was increasingly anxious.

Haewon peered inside through the iron bars.

‘Why hasn’t the captain of the guards, who said he’d speak to His Majesty, given any news?’

When you study under the same master, there’s always someone who envies the more talented.

Maybe they thought he had some secret method in that water bottle he always carried. Of all days, he had packed extra milk today, making it heavier, and of all days, the master had assigned him tons of tasks.

It was annoying to carry, so he had placed the bottle on the desk for a moment—only to return and find it gone without a trace.

Haewon’s shoulders drooped.

‘How is that your fault? The thief is to blame. Why are there people like that in both reality and novels?’

Dori raised a paw as if to console him.

He had just as many experiences of being robbed or losing things. There were many times he was treated like a fool for simply asking to have his things returned. He eventually grew too tired to even get angry and simply accepted it.

The memory of the orphanage came back to Dori, and he deeply sympathized with Haewon’s feelings.

‘I should conserve my strength if I’m going to escape later.’

Sniff.

Dori curled up again, burying his snout in his tail fur.

“He must be really weak. A fox that needs to eat well… This won’t do!”

Feeling sorry for the pitiful creature, Haewon shot to his feet and looked around.

The fox’s cage was located in the most secluded and remote area of Haban’s palace, so there were no attendants nearby. Still, a eunuch would pass by periodically to report to Haban, so he had to be very careful.

Haewon carefully closed the door, then returned to the cage. The fox, who had rested his chin on his front paws, briefly lifted his head and gave a faint wag of his tail.

“Kwang!”

“…Shh.”

Crawling into the cage, Haewon checked Dori’s condition.

Her once-lustrous white fur had grown dull, and his cheeks had hollowed. A fox already malnourished from lack of food now lay limp, looking as if he could die at any moment. It terrified him.