Chapter 14
Three days later.
It was the day I was going out with Yeom Riri.
Sewol spent the morning carefully combing and arranging each strand of my hair.
“Is going out really something to make such a fuss over?”
“Of course! This is almost your first time going out since coming to Cheonsan. Soon, you’ll become the Lady of the So family, so naturally, you need to be mindful.”
“…I see.”
Perhaps because we had recently shared meals and tea while chatting, Sewol seemed to have grown somewhat familiar with me in just a few days.
She picked out my outerwear for the outing, her face glowing.
“The other attendants always said they felt fulfilled choosing clothes for Madam or Lady Riri. Finally, I have a chance to do the same for you.”
“It’s good that it makes you happy.”
Back at Sangcheondang, I hadn’t noticed any distinctions among the attendants, but it seemed each of them had their own pride and joy in certain tasks.
Sewol carefully selected the few suitable outfits from my limited collection.
“Most of these clothes were made two years ago, so they’re a bit outdated. Still, they should be fine.”
It was a luxurious, vibrant red outfit.
Since I wasn’t particularly interested in clothing, I wore the one Sewol had chosen.
“Wow, red really suits you.”
Next to the delighted Sewol, Okhyang approached, scrutinized me with sharp eyes, and asked,
“Lady, how about accessories made of Youngseol Magnolia with garnet earrings?”
After Okhyang finished, my reflection in the mirror looked completely different from usual.
“It’s fine.”
“Right? All the busy work this morning was worth it.”
They seemed satisfied simply because I looked pretty, but my perspective was different.
Unlike my somewhat fierce past self, I now appeared elegant, youthful, and gentle. This appearance would make others underestimate me, which could be useful in the future.
“Thank you both.”
When I smiled, Sewol flustered and waved her hands.
“It’s only natural that we do this.”
“You’re so beautiful, Lady, that anything suits you.”
Unlike Sewol, Okhyang answered cautiously.
Soon after, Yeom Riri’s attendants arrived.
For Sewol, who had been looking forward to accompanying me, it was like a bolt from the blue.
“Lady has said that it would be better if you went quietly with Okhyang this time.”
Yeom Riri trusted Okhyang, who was from her quarters, but she did not trust Sewol, who was by my side.
This suited me just fine.
Sewol would be watching me under the master’s orders.
“I’ll go buy the sweets myself.”
Instead of replying, Sewol looked at me with moist eyes.
“…I don’t have money, do I?”
Apparently, the only valuable things in my quarters were a few gold items I had brought from home.
“Maybe I can buy some sweets with the gold I have?”
At my words, Sewol’s eyes became even wetter.
“It’s fine, Lady. I was already worried about cleaning the quarters. Don’t worry about me, just go carefully.”
Sewol lowered her head, hiding her disappointment.
“…Then I’ll ask Yeom Sojeo to buy them.”
I patted Sewol’s shoulder and climbed into the carriage.
Yeom Riri, I, Okhyang, and Yeom Riri’s attendants all boarded the same carriage.
“Take this, Sojeo.”
Yeom Riri handed me a white meokri (a hat with a cloth attached).
Because my hair color stood out, I was to cover it with the hat.
“Where are we going?”
“To Honggeumheon on Geumryeong Road. Other martial families come here too, but our family has been dealing with this place for a long time.”
The streets of Cheonsan in the daytime felt different from how they did at night.
As I looked out the window in awe, Yeom Riri cleared her throat.
“Not taking morning walks anymore?”
“I’ve been sleeping in these past few days.”
During that time, I had been practicing mental cultivation, testing how much internal power I could accumulate.
“Next time, come to where I practice swordsmanship. It’s better to meet me there than at the quarters.”
She seemed to have been subtly waiting for me.
“…Are you feeling alright?”
“I’m fine.”
It didn’t seem like a mere polite answer; Yeom Riri’s gaze was different.
As a martial artist who had surpassed one stage, she was ready to become stronger.
If she could master only the ascending martial arts of Hwa Gong, she could easily catch up to Yeom Horyeong. She might even aim for the position of So Family Head.
The problem was that Master Yeom had no intention of teaching her the ascending martial arts.
Soon, we arrived at Honggeumheon.
Upon arrival, a middle-aged woman greeted us.
“Welcome, Lady. But who is this…”
“She’s the fiancée of the So Family Head, Jeok Heerin. As I mentioned, we’re here to look at the dowry items.”
“Ah…!”
The shop owner looked at me as if seeing a ghost, then bowed.
“Today, we’ll choose items suitable for a bride.”
“Yes, the third floor is cleared for you. Please feel free to look around.”
The first floor was a fabric store handling fine silks, with dyed silks and custom clothing displayed. The number of visitors was not small.
From the second floor onward, there were accessories made of gold, silver, and jade. Only distinguished guests seemed allowed, and the floor felt quiet.
On the third-floor VIP room, chairs for guests were lined up. Yeom Riri and I sat there, inspecting items brought by the attendants.
Silks, elaborate garments, and jewelry made of jade, gold, and silver were displayed luxuriously.
Yeom Riri seemed to intend to help me, who had no dowry, select a suitable set.
“Jeok Sojeo.”
Yeom Riri looked at me.
“You must cooperate actively, as we need to pick silks and clothing that suit you.”
She stared at me with a persistence as if facing a martial skill that must be mastered today.
‘All this, now?’
I would have preferred to sort through treasures collected across the martial world.
I showed a pitying expression, but she shook her head firmly.
Refusing was not an option.
“Okhyang, help Sojeo change clothes and select silks.”
“Yes, Lady.”
It was my defeat.
I was left to Okhyang helplessly.
Okhyang held the silks against my skin, chose colors, and helped me try on the garments.
“Your skin is fair, so almost any color suits you. But black looks pale, so it’s better to avoid it.”
“Oh, that seems right.”
Okhyang carefully selected each outfit. My role was simply to nod and follow her guidance obediently.
Like a living wooden doll, I tried on the clothes, examined the fabrics, and repeated the process several times.
Even though only an hour or so had passed, it felt like I had tried on every piece of clothing in Cheonsan.
“I can’t wear anymore.”
“You still need to choose a few more.”
The piles of fabric were still abundant. Had these been scrolls of information, I would have welcomed them.
Repeating the same task like a doll drained me as if my internal power had been sapped. I finally declared a rest and sat down.
Meanwhile, Yeom Riri was selecting jewelry with incredible intensity.
“Hmm. This jade shape is okay, but the craftsmanship is not delicate. Can it be reworked?”
Her gaze was sharp and exacting, and even the shop owner could only nod like a parrot under her pressure.
‘It doesn’t seem to make much difference whether it’s reworked or not.’
Wasn’t it enough to just have an appropriate set?
Perhaps my aesthetic sense was lacking; I didn’t understand why Yeom Riri was so particular.
“Jeok Sojeo, how about this hairpin?”
Yeom Riri asked me, testing me. I was fine selecting special items from the treasure store, but women’s jewelry all looked similar, and I didn’t know what to answer.
“It’s pretty. Too fancy for me, though.”
I chose a safe response.
Hearing my answer, Yeom Riri clicked her tongue.
“Look here. The finish on this decoration isn’t clean. You need to check such things before buying.”
“I see. I still have much to learn.”
“Especially check the jade for defects. Otherwise, resale value drops.”
“Ah, understood.”
She then asked, “Do you know how to read the account books?”
I almost said yes, then remembered. Jeok Heerin had not received proper education.
“Probably not.”
Yeom Riri placed the jewelry down and cautiously advised,
“Then you should learn. After our marriage, Sojeo, you’ll take over what I do now.”
Currently, Yeom Riri managed the internal affairs of the Yeomhwa household, but if I became the Lady of the So family, it would be my responsibility.
But would the Yeom family truly let me do that?
‘Even if I married that scoundrel, I wouldn’t be recognized as a proper lady of the house.’
The Yeomhwa family only wanted the bloodline of the Seolsan Jeok family.
Yet Yeom Riri seemed unaware of this and focused solely on the jewelry.
By 2 p.m., I was completely exhausted. Some women felt energized and not hungry while shopping for clothes, shoes, and jewelry, but I didn’t at all.
Unless it was a diamond cloth woven with diamonds at Cheonjamsa.
I was more tired than after a full day of reports at Sangcheondang. I hadn’t realized wedding preparations would be so exhausting.
