Chapter 17: The White Immortal Palace Part 2

“So, the Azure Princess plans to visit the White Immortal Palace twice a week…”

“Originally, a Taoist master came to the Azure Dragon Palace twice a week to teach me the art of Taoist magic, but it seems it has become difficult to receive further teachings from him anymore.”

The tea gatherings held twice a month were a time for the princess consorts of the four great palaces to engage in conversation together.

Even if you become the mistress of one of the four palaces, it does not mean that just anyone can handle the position.

It’s a constant process of self-improvement, maintaining the dignity befitting a mistress of the palace, and interacting with mistresses from other palaces… While it sounds prestigious, it’s often an arena for the princess consorts to engage in subtle confrontations.

Historically, it has been rare for the princess consorts to get along, so the exchanges at these tea gatherings frequently contain veiled barbs.

And when the princess consorts were at odds with each other, it was common for their headmaids to also have strained relationships… On the day of the tea gatherings, the headmaids would put their souls into dressing up to show off their mistresses.

This was because the authority of the headmaids was often directly linked to that of their mistresses.

As a result, the occasions when the princess consorts shine the brightest are at gatherings like these, where the mistresses of each palace come together.

“I hope they’ll speak positively about it at the council meeting as well. It seemed they found my Taoist magic quite interesting during the last birthday ceremony.”

“Indeed. I was quite taken aback myself. I never dreamed that the Azure Princess would be such a master of Taoist magic.”

“I was equally surprised by the Vermilion Princess’s swordsmanship. It was so quick I could hardly follow with my eyes, and I found myself applauding without even realizing it.”

The location was the Vermilion Bird Palace. Traditionally, tea gatherings were hosted in rotation by the four great palaces.

Whenever a tea gathering was held in a palace, the maids would light up with eagerness and start cleaning and polishing every nook and cranny to ensure that their mistress’s space was both luxurious and dignified, leaving no room for her to feel outdone.

The maids’ burning passion was felt in the tea room of the Vermilion Bird Palace as well.

With its clean table decorated with Vermilion Bird embroidery, a fine sandalwood tea table, and red tea sets, it exuded the unique spirit of the Vermilion Bird Palace while maintaining elegance.

Each folding screen was embroidered with intricate flower patterns, and the hanging curtains added a touch of antiquity without being overly extravagant.

We are the maids serving this very beautiful Vermilion Princess. They seemed to proclaim with a resonant confidence.

Even if it might be overwhelming for the Vermilion Princess herself, it was deemed proper in such moments to proudly declare the capabilities of her maids.

The seating was arranged around a round tea table with four spots but one remained empty.

The places for the Vermilion Princess, White Princess, and Azure Princess were determined long ago, but the seat for the Black Princess was still vacant.

In fact, despite the talk of a war of nerves and all, it was unlikely for any deep grudges to have formed among the princess consorts who had only entered the inner palace for a few years or less.

It was only later that political conditions and the dynamics within the inner palace might lead them to exchange cold glares, but for now, it was only natural for them to strive to get along with each other.

After all, beginnings were always beautiful. It was the journey and the end that posed challenges.

Nonetheless, the Vermilion Princess was not only beautiful in appearance but also in character.

Despite historical accounts painting the inner palace as a place filled with conflict, politics, and scheming… she decided to make it a peaceful place with no problems as long as she was there.

“The heavenly dragon dance performed by the White Princess was truly divine. The high officials talked of nothing else for a while.”

“Haha, you flatter me too much.”

The person who smiled elegantly and gave a short answer to the Vermilion Princess’s words was White Princess Ha Wol.

Then the White Princess added quietly,

“The golden hairpin suits you very well. It has found its perfect owner.”

“It’s too fine a piece for me.”

As expected, the Vermilion Princess replied humbly and shook her head.

She then glanced over the gathered princess consorts once more.

I had hoped to foster closer relationships to create a more harmonious atmosphere, but it’s clear that some will be difficult to befriend…

The Azure Princess of the Azure Dragon Palace sat demurely with her lips hidden behind the sleeve of her robe. She was wrapped in an elegant blue fabric with a white silk shoulder ornament draping down. The plum branch-shaped jade hairpin in her bluish hair spoke volumes of her headmaid’s exquisite taste.

The Vermilion Princess stole a glance at the headmaid, who stood with her head bowed near the wall behind the Azure Princess. She had heard that headmaid’s name was Hui Yin.

As Azure Princess’s right-hand woman in managing the Azure Dragon Palace, she was reputed by Hyun Dang to be sharp and efficient in her duties.

And as expected, she seemed to have an exceptional understanding of which accessories suited Azure Princess best and which clothes best brought out her elegance.

In this regard, the White Princess from the White Tiger Palace seemed to follow suit.

Pure white silk and a court blue skirt was an outfit that could look common if not styled correctly. However, with a light-yellow outer garment covering her, she looked like a fairy from a traditional fairy tale, perhaps because of the unique mysterious atmosphere of the White Princess.

Her snow-white hair and mysterious blue eyes complemented her always calm demeanor beautifully.

It was no wonder Hyun Dang had risen early in the morning and dedicated the entire day to ensuring the Vermilion Princess’s clothing was perfect.

Even the slightest lack of attention could completely overshadow one at this tea gathering. While appearances weren’t everything, it certainly wouldn’t help to be overshadowed from the start.

The Vermilion Princess was born into the prestigious Jeongseon family and had always been the center of attention wherever she went.

Yet sitting in this gathering, she felt a strange sense of crisis that just a moment’s lapse could see her pushed into a corner.

The Black Princess had not even arrived yet, and already the atmosphere felt challenging.

However, there was nothing good about being intimidated. Even though the situation might feel a little bleak now, getting to know each other could foster a relationship that would turn this into a pleasant tea gathering.

After all, getting started is half the battle. The Vermilion Princess was about to broach the topic of tea and initiate a conversation.

“Vermilion Princess, you see…”

However, it was Jin Cheong Lang from the Azure Dragon Palace who spoke first.

Although she was the youngest, she exuded an indomitable spirit that made her hard to overlook.

“I hear you’re being taught swordsmanship directly from the White Immortal’s guard.”

Her voice was cheerful, befitting her age, yet her words carried an unexpected weight.

The Vermilion Princess sensed something immediately.

According to what she had heard directly from Seol Tae Pyeong in the White Immortal Palace, this young woman seemed to hold a certain favor towards him.

If it was not Seol Tae Pyeong’s excessive self-consciousness at work here, there was a high possibility that her words about going to the White Immortal Palace to learn the Taoist magic contained some kind of ulterior motive.

“Considering your esteemed level, Your Highness, you could certainly seek instruction from warriors of high caliber like those from the Red Palace. Yet, I wonder why you choose to learn from a low-ranking warrior.”

“Why, that’s…”

At that moment, she felt a strange aura at the sight of Jin Cheong Lang smiling softly while covering her mouth with her sleeve.

It felt like a probing. As if she was searching for something.

Even though she was young, her presence exuded a mysterious energy. It felt almost like being in the presence of an immortal.

The Vermilion Princess had come prepared, to some extent, for the White Princess and the Azure Princess… In the end, gatherings like this were likely more about assessing the character of princess consorts from other palaces than anything else.

“I spent about two months learning Taoist magic from a famous Taoist priest from Hanha Mountain, but it turned out he wasn’t the right teacher for me, and he soon gave up on teaching me. Seeking guidance in one’s craft is important, but perhaps it’s also important to find the right person.”

“Warrior Seol has quite the high level and is worthy enough to cross swords with.”

“Is that the only reason?”

The question, as sharp as a dagger, seemed to pierce directly into the heart of the Vermilion Princess.

Her question was asked with such unwavering confidence that it seemed to imply she held some certainty. The Vermilion Princess almost flinched at her confidence, but she managed to maintain her calm and let out a forced smile.

“If I were to ask for instruction on the sword, what more is needed beyond the level of expertise?”

Indeed, that was the truth.

Last winter, about three or four times a month, she invited Seol Tae Pyeong to the courtyard of the Vermilion Bird Palace to cross swords with him. Each clash of their blades revealed something new to her and confirmed that there was no better opponent than him for training.

That was the real reason.

After whispering this to herself, the Vermilion Princess’s lips curled into a smile.

“Learning can come from a great teacher or a sparring partner, but in the end, it’s about refining oneself and coming to understand one’s true nature. That, I believe, is the essence of learning.”

Regardless, the Vermilion Princess had made a promise to Seol Tae Pyeong.

If the Azure Princess was likely to be swayed by her youthful love and commit eccentric acts, the Vermilion Princess would do her best to stop her.

There was no ulterior motive behind her actions, just the need to prevent the Azure Princess from visiting the White Immortal Palace for the time being. The Vermilion Princess truly had no other intentions. Truly.

“Receiving instruction from the White Immortal would surely improve the Azure Princess’s Taoist magic skills significantly. However, I’ve heard that the White Immortal is always busy observing the palace’s protective charms and seldom takes on disciples.”

“That, Vermilion Princess, is not for you to worry about. It’s something I should handle myself.”

At that moment, there was a feeling as if the air inside the tea room was getting colder.

The headmaids of the Vermilion Bird Palace, Azure Dragon Palace, and White Tiger Palace all bowed their heads and grew nervous. Among them, the headmaid of Azure Dragon Palace, Hui Yin, was visibly sweating.

It was then that the Vermilion Princess truly realized something.

Though Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang appeared young, and innocent and gave off an air of being easy to deal with,

She had a peculiar sense of pride that refused to back down once she perceived someone as an opponent. She was almost cute in her stubbornness, yet she had a sharp edge to her.

That was the problem. Why did she perceive the Vermilion Princess as an enemy, as if she had done something wrong?

From the Vermilion Princess’s perspective, it was an unfair situation, but from the Azure Princess’s standpoint, it wasn’t quite so simple.

Just as the divine fever bestowed upon Seol Tae Pyeong a robust physique, a natural talent for swordsmanship, and an ability to sense killing intent,

It also gifted Jin Cheong Lang with an innate talent for Taoist magic and exceptional intuition.

As Seol Tae Pyeong was shaped to be a sword master, Jin Cheong Lang was essentially molded to be an immortal.

She might have been underestimated as a cheerful and young girl, but the Azure Princess’s eyes saw through all of the Vermilion Princess’s deceptions.

Each time she spoke of Seol Tae Pyeong, she could discern the hidden feelingd being suppressed deep within her heart.

“Of course, the reason you are worried about my situation is because the Vermilion Princess has a kind heart as vast as the ocean.”

The atmosphere that had been frozen for a moment was relaxed after her words.

Her speech was laced with the art of striking and withdrawing. Where on earth did she learn that at that age?

The girl was merciless toward those she perceived as enemies.

And a rival was, after all, an enemy.

Very Intelligent.

The Vermilion Princess thought as she observed the Azure Princess.

But how could someone so intelligent as her not realize that her own affection could potentially lead to Seol Tae Pyeong’s death…?

The Vermilion Princess decided to acknowledge internally what deserved to be recognized.

Every time she thought of Seol Tae Pyeong, a strange feeling blossomed within her. To be honest, on the nights when they crossed swords, she would find herself in her chamber for quite some time, lying her head on her low table and reminiscing about exchanging blows with him.

The trivial conversations they shared while sitting in the cave, or the memories of swinging swords together as they traversed the White Immortal Mountain would unexpectedly surface in her mind. And sometimes, while she was practicing archery, the sight of his face would flash before her eyes and throw off her aim.

But it was just her heart demons. It is also correct to call it heart demons.

It was merely a fog that clouded her mind temporarily and blinded her eyes.

The Vermilion Princess knew all too well that her feelings, if led astray, could turn into the blade that severs Seol Tae Pyeong’s neck.

The Azure Princess must be aware of this. She was too intelligent not to be.

Perhaps, like a girl of her age, she was simply drawn to the forbidden allure of “forbidden love” and was unable to differentiate between public and private matters

…. But, even so, wasn’t this a matter of life and death for Seol Tae Pyeong? She couldn’t possibly disregard the welfare of the person she harbored feelings for.

─Could it be that she had some other plan in mind?

For a third-rate warrior, the affection of the crown princess consort was as deadly as poison.

That was an unchanging truth, right?

She might well understand the Azure Princess’s innocent nature, always throwing herself wholeheartedly into everything, but it felt incredibly unfair that she seemed to frolic so freely in the world while he struggled to resist her feelings—

“Aah!”

“Vermilon Princess?”

The Vermilion Princess quickly set down her tea and looked around cautiously.

Observing the Azure Princess’s sleeve, she noticed the crescent-shaped eyes squinting at her.

The way she was quietly observing the Vermilon Princess seemed almost like… the discerning gaze of a sage piercing through her heart.

***

– Tae Pyeong, I have agreed to observe the Azure Princess’s Taoist practices a couple of times a week. Make sure you escort her on the way back and forth.

– She cannot always bring along her entourage of maids, so she will likely bring just a handful, including the headmaid. It shouldn’t be too much trouble.

And so, the thunderbolt struck.

“So, you are the warrior from the White Immortal Palace. I believe I saw you once when I visited there. To have you escort me like this… I am, I am pleased.”

Vermilion Princess.

Weren’t you supposed to help?

“…I will guide you to the White Immortal Palace.”

In front of the inner palace.

Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang’s expression was inexplicably cheerful as she walked toward the outer palace accompanied by her maids for some unknown reason.

Even the clothes she wore were strangely energetic, so anyone who saw her like this would think she was attending a formal event.

As for me, I was moving ahead of the Azure Princess while sweating profusely.

The spring at Cheongdo Palace was breathtaking. Walking among the blooming buds filled the palace with an indescribable romance. Yet, from my perspective, this romantic scene felt cruelly ironic.

I could feel the piercing gaze of the Azure Princes, whom I had encountered before, stabbing me in the back.

Please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me.

“Why is the White Immortal Palace so far away from the inner palace…?”

“It’s boring… Just walking in silence is really boring…”

“Thinking about walking in silence like this every time… It’s really boring…”

Please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me, please talk to me.

It was when I was trudging forward and looking straight ahead to escape the pressure on my back that it happened,

“Come to think of it, you visited the Azure Dragon Palace once when I was laid up in bed.”

Finally, she directed her words toward me.

When she had visited the White Immortal Palace before, it was inappropriate to engage in conversation with the escort warrior in the presence of the White Immortal.

However, citing boredom as a reason to strike up a conversation during the journey seemed completely fine… At this point, I was caught in a bind.

I turned my head stiffly and managed to contain my cold sweat as I nodded curtly. For now, it was best to respond as bluntly as possible.

If I were to directly answer her, ignoring the conversation would become difficult. After all, she held the esteemed position of the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace.

“Ye-Yes…”

“I wish you had acknowledged me back then…”

“A mere warrior like myself should not presume to speak out of turn.”

So I bowed my head and walked forward again.

My responses were brief. I deliberately cut off any chance for further talk between us.

This was exactly what Yeon Ri had drilled into me. Her words echoed fervently in my head as if she had predicted that such a moment would come.

I never thought something like this would come…

Dear Vermilion Princess…

You said you would help me…

“Your loyalty is truly commendable.”

With those words, the Azure Princess abruptly turned her head.

Her expression hidden behind the sleeve of her clothes as she pretended to admire the flowers was oddly flushed.

Perhaps to her, a single compliment on my loyalty was a grand gesture of courage on her part and it warranted a short break.

As we walked along the path of the outer palace garden, she took a deep breath before speaking again.

“…Did you… receive the gift box well…?”

“…Ah, yes… I received it with gratitude.”

Silence fell once more.

Only the sound of our footsteps could be heard.

“I heard you suffered from a divine fever too; can you tell me more about it?”

“I had it briefly as a child but recovered.”

I stuck to brief answers. Silence ensued.

Only the sound of our footsteps could be heard again.

“Have you faced any difficulties in your life as a warrior?”

“Yes, I am very satisfied with my life.”

I answered through clenched teeth. Silence ensued.

There were a few more exchanges, but I adhered to all the principles Yeon Ri had urgently imparted to me. My responses were so effectively curt that they could have severed the thread of conversation entirely. These short answers cut off the conversation so perfectly that even Yeon Ri would have applauded my well-done job if she had seen it.

It couldn’t have been more perfect. You’re doing remarkably well, Seol Tae Pyeong!

It was around the time we turned onto the stone path near the White Immortal Palace.

– Sniffle, sniffle

There, I encountered an entirely unexpected trial in life once again.

I turned around after hearing a strange sound, and the first thing I saw was the astonished face of the headmaid.

When I glanced towards the Azure Princess beyond her, I noticed her eyes which were hidden behind her sleeve were brimming with moisture.

Not being scared in such a situation would mean I am a machine, not a human.

“A…Azure Princess?”

“Sob… sob… sniff…”

“Azure Princess… What… What’s the matter?”

“Oh, it’s… it’s nothing… Not a big deal…”

Tears seemed to overflow from her bright eyes, which had the look of a wounded small animal, and I felt my chest tighten.

“It’s just… No, it’s nothing… But you… when I saw you at the Azure Dragon Palace, you seemed so much more lively and spirited…”

“……”

“I don’t know how this will sound, but… you seem particularly cold to me…”

“……”

Her eyes, once round and full of energy, were now swollen with tears and it was heartbreaking to watch.

All I could do was silently repeat to myself over and over.

Vermilion Princess…

You said you would help me…

***

The Vermilion Princess, who was sitting in the inner chamber of the Vermilion Bird Palace while she was working on her embroidery, paused and let her mind wander.

Then she squeezed her eyes shut to ease her fatigue and took a deep breath before looking up at the sky beyond the window frame.

The Azure Princess’s eyes were strangely cold as she looked at her.

Afterward, she heard that permission had been granted by the high officials in the council meeting for the Azure Princess to learn the Taoist magic from the White Immortal.

Considering the content of the high officials’ meeting, she was probably receiving instruction from the White Immortal starting today.

The only person in this Cheongdo Palace who could teach someone of Azure Princess’s level was White Immortal.

She was well aware of this fact, yet…

I had made a promise to him, but I’ve accomplished nothing.

The time for being swayed by her rising feelings had passed. However, the fact that she had made a promise to Seol Tae Pyeong and yet had done nothing about it weighed on her as a shameful neglect of duty for a lady of the Jeongseon clan.

“……….”

And so she spent a long while making no progress with the embroidery and was simply staring into the void lost in thought.

Eventually, the Vermilion Princess spoke up with a sense of resolve.

“Hyun Dang?”

“Yes, my lady.”

Hyun Dang, the headmaid waiting outside, bowed and entered the inner chamber.

“…. Prepare for us to go out.”

“Do you have a destination in mind?”

She closed her eyes tightly and spoke as if whispering to herself.

Right, it would be a disgrace if I, as a lady of the Jeongseon clan and the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace, failed to uphold even a simple promise. It is time for me to fix it.

“I must visit the White Immortal Palace.”

“…But… the Azure Princess is currently at the White Immortal Palace…”

“I am well aware of that.”

Hyeon Dang trembled at those words, but eventually lowered her head and answered that she understood.

“I will prepare immediately.”

After she closed the door to the inner chamber behind her, Hyun Dang squeezed her eyes shut.

She could roughly guess, just from the look in the Vermilion Princess’s eyes, that she was already caught up in her feelings.

There wasn’t any significant event happening in the palace…

The idea of both the Vermilion Princess and the Azure Princess appearing at the White Immortal Palace over a mere warrior was a bit…. but as the headmaid, Hyun Dang had no choice but to follow her master’s orders.

All she could do was fervently pray with all her heart that this premonition of chaos would turn out to be wrong.