Chapter 12
“Master Jeok, you shouldn’t take Brother Ryeong’s time over such trivial matters. If you want to go see the flowers in the future, just let me know.”
“…I will.”
My voice trembled slightly. It was a natural reaction, since Hyerin’s emotions still lingered in my heart.
“Riri, I just thought that maybe if we walked together, Master Jeok’s memories might return. Don’t scold him.”
“Brother Ryeong has an important match coming up, so he should focus on martial training. The Fire Demon Technique tends to make a person harsh, and you seem far too kind—I’m a little worried.”
Even within a family, rank is determined by martial skill.
Ryeom Riri subtly implied that Ryeom Hopyeong’s martial arts were inferior.
“Master Jeok, I’m afraid I have some business to attend to, so I’ll be leaving now.”
Ryeom Horyeong bid me farewell with a gentle smile.
“Then I’ll see you next time.”
I nodded in return, and Ryeom Horyeong left.
Ryeom Riri then stepped closer to me.
“Master Jeok, did you really come here just for the flowers?”
I nodded.
“If possible, I thought it would be better to meet Master Ryeom here.”
“Does Brother Ryeong make you uncomfortable, Master Jeok? I thought he treated you well…”
“I don’t really know either.”
He meant that his memories were unclear.
It seemed Riri didn’t know why Ryeom Horyeong approached Hyerin. Apparently, in front of others, Horyeong never openly showed interest in Hyerin.
“…Thanks for your help. I’ll be going now.”
I thought that was enough to plant a seed of curiosity in Riri’s mind as I turned to leave.
“…Wait! Since you’re here, would you like to have tea together?”
Riri asked hastily.
“The magnolia in my study is also beautiful.”
She invited me over. This was probably the first time anything like this had happened since Hyerin came to the Ryeom household.
A short while later, colorful sweets were laid out on the tea table.
Crispy sobyeong—multi-layered pastries fried in oil—spread out like petals, and translucent eun-gwa (candied melon) glimmered like droplets on a pond.
Even within Cheonho Clan, such high-grade sweets were reserved for Grandmaster-level individuals and above, reaffirming that the Ryeom household was a wealthy, prestigious family.
Riri set a teacup shaped like a flower bud in front of me.
She had changed into casual clothes and sat across from me.
“This is my favorite tea.”
It was Dragon Well tea.
She had probably brewed it with rare tea leaves. As the subtle aroma spread across my mouth, my previously tangled thoughts seemed to refresh.
I sipped the tea while glancing around.
‘This is nothing like Hyerin’s study.’
Paintings of flowers and birds hung on the walls, flowering trees were visible outside the window, and shelves were filled with vibrant flowers. Riri had no lack of anything.
Still, documents, ink not yet dry, were neatly stacked on her desk. She had been busy recently due to wedding arrangements.
“Master Jeok, if it’s not rude, may I ask a favor?”
I spoke cautiously.
“Go ahead.”
“I heard there was a sibi who came with me down from the Snow Mountain. Could you check whether the sibi who was expelled from my quarters is doing well?”
My voice trembled slightly, carrying Hyerin’s emotions.
“I can at least confirm if they are alive.”
“That’s enough. Thank you.”
I smiled faintly. Riri looked surprised.
Then, cautiously, she spoke.
“May I also ask a favor?”
What she said next was unexpected.
“You heard that I plan to go out with you three days from now, right, Master Jeok?”
“Yes. You said you needed to buy ornaments for the wedding.”
I wondered why she would make such a suggestion to me, who had been secluded all this time, but there seemed to be another reason.
“Since your family isn’t here, I told my mother that I would take care of their responsibilities. That way, our family’s dignity is maintained.”
In a typical wedding, the bride’s side prepares the dowry, jewelry, and wedding clothes. But I had nothing.
It was even questionable whether the Snow Mountain Jeok family even knew the wedding would take place. So the Ryeom household probably intended to provide me with jewelry to make the occasion proper.
“I plan to be away briefly that day. If anyone asks, say that you were with me the whole time.”
She meant she had a secret errand. The fact that she asked this of me, a stranger, suggested she didn’t want even her parents to know.
“Understood.”
She watched me cautiously, her gaze full of complex emotions.
“Don’t you want to know why?”
Riri’s voice trembled slightly, as if she was asking whether I resented her.
“I’ve lost my memories, so I don’t really know anything.”
“…Ah.”
Riri’s lips twitched slightly.
She had never helped Hyerin openly like Horyeong or Hopyeong, but she hadn’t caused him harm either. She probably felt a little guilty.
“Since someone helped me, I should help someone too.”
I said. Riri let out a quiet laugh, as if relieved.
“We really are like allies, aren’t we?”
Her complex expression softened, and she seemed more at ease.
“When we go out, let’s have tea at a teahouse.”
“Huh? Why all of a sudden…”
“I heard there’s a teahouse where we can rent a room and leisurely enjoy tea. You can admire beautiful flowers and listen to music. How about being alone together there?”
This was my subtle signal to Riri: during our time at the teahouse, she could discreetly go handle her errand.
Riri’s eyebrows lifted in understanding.
“Alright. I’ll reserve a good spot.”
She clearly understood my signal.
“Then I’ll be going now.”
I finished the tea and stood up.
Riri gestured, and her sibi handed a wooden basket to Sawol, waiting outside. It contained colorful sweets.
“Take it back to your quarters and enjoy. I’ll come again next time.”
After parting with Riri, I returned to my quarters with Sawol. By then, Okhyang had finished her errands and was waiting for us.
“She brought some sweets from Master Jeok. Shall we have them with tea?”
“Wow, sounds great! I’ll brew the tea.”
Sawol left, and I exchanged glances with Okhyang. She had handled the letter I gave her properly.
A short while later, we spread the colorful sweets on the table and shared them.
“I’ve never tasted anything this delicious. So sweet!”
Sawol looked ecstatic.
“I’ve had sobyeong at Miss Riri’s quarters before, but it’s my first time trying eun-gwa.”
Okhyang also couldn’t hide her admiration for the refined flavors.
Watching their expressions, I was suddenly reminded of sharing pancakes with Baek-ah.
‘Baek-ah always shared half with me.’
When I asked why, she said:
“Eating together is so much better than eating alone.”
At the time, I thought it was just because Baek-ah was kind, but now I realized she was right.
It’s always better to enjoy food together rather than alone.
Although sweet on the tongue, my heart felt bitter. Memories of Baek-ah weighed heavily in my chest.
“Looks like Master Ryeong returned earlier than expected.”
“Did he usually stay long in his quarters?”
“Yes. On good days, he’d bring books and make recommendations, and on cold days, he’d bring charcoal for the young lady. Oh, and I heard he always had meals with her as well.”
‘No wonder there were novels among the etiquette books for calligraphy practice in the study.’
So those were brought by Ryeom Horyeong.
“Being family, he probably treated the young lady like a younger sibling.”
Sawol said while nibbling on a sobyeong.
‘Younger sibling? Definitely not.’
Horyeong saw me as a woman, though not with romantic desire.
‘What does Ryeom Horyeong hope to gain from me using Yuhwa as bait?’
If Hyerin’s memories were intact, I would know the reason, but now I could only guess.
It would be better if Riri revealed Yuhwa’s fate; that would clarify the truth.
For now, it was more important to inform Riri about the Ryeom household’s secrets.
‘I hope the Eleventh Brother acts without delay.’
I placed a piece of eun-gwa in my mouth and glanced toward Okhyang.
