Chapter 51: Maid Seol Ran Part 3

Wo… wow…

The working conditions in the Great Prison Hall were so dismal compared to the Heavenly Dragon Hall that it was almost pitiful.

It made her realize just how civilized the underground prison of the Red Palace was.

Criminals without proper rank or noble status served their sentences in the Great Prison Hall.

It was a hellish place, filled with various torture rooms, deplorable sanitary conditions, and prisoners who reeked of foul odors.

Naturally, no maid wanted to work in such a place, so there was always a shortage of workers here. Maid Seol Ran who was rumored to have been banished from the Heavenly Dragon Hall had no other place to be assigned but here.

The… the people here look so scary… I better stay away from the cells or I might get hurt…

The prisoners in the Great Prison Hall were all people who had given up on life.

Moreover, most of the maids working in the Great Prison Hall were those who had been pushed out by political and factional struggles in other palaces. This made the atmosphere inevitably gloomy.

It was like an ant hell, where one would desperately want to escape as soon as possible.

For a maid, the Great Prison Hall was such a place.

But that didn’t mean she could lose her spirit.

No matter how hard and tough the environment was, she had to perform her role energetically and cheerfully, in the hope that someday her efforts would be recognized and she could return as an honorable maid of the inner palace again…!

Seol Ran rolled up her sleeves and encouraged herself.

In the future, many trials awaited her…

But she would neither be sad nor angry….! She would live through the present with all her might….! She would become a proud sister in front of Tae Pyeong!

Come forth, cold trials!

Though she whispered to herself with such spirit…

“Is Maid Seol here?”

On her first day of work, Seol Ran saw Hui Yin the headmaid of the Azure Dragon Palace who had come to fetch her.

Who was Headmaid Hui Yin?

She had consistently attended to Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang during her illness and ultimately gained the greatest trust from the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace. Although she almost committed a great sin halfway through, she was able to deeply repent with the help of a passing warrior.

Her neatly tied gray hair and her headmaid’s attire, adorned with elegant embroidery here and there, made it difficult for junior maids to even approach her.

In the presence of a headmaid of one of the four great palaces, ordinary maids were expected to bow their heads out of respect.

However, Headmaid Hui Yin stood calmly in the main hall of Great Prison Hall while waiting for Seol Ran as if it were nothing.

It was absurd for a headmaid of one of the four great palaces to wait for a mere lowly maid.

Seol Ran quickly bowed her head and greeted Headmaid Hui Yin.

The old commander of the Great Prison Hall Ha Shin Il and his two guards were also present…. but Headmaid Hui Yin did not even seem to notice them.

A headmaid often represented the authority of her mistress.

If Headmaid Hui Yin had come all the way to this distant Great Prison Hall…. it must have been at the command of her mistress Jin Cheong Lang.

If she was here as a representative, even the commander of the Great Prison Hall could not treat her carelessly.

“You must be Maid Seol.”

“Th-This maid greets Headmaid Hui Yin.”

“Enough. There’s no need for unnecessary formalities. I never had the opportunity to meet you before, but I heard that you helped when the Azure Princess fell gravely ill.”

When the Azure Princess was bedridden with the divine fever, it was Seol Ran who provided methods to ease her suffering.

It seemed Headmaid Hui Yin had not forgotten that kindness.

“I heard you are the sister of Commander Seol. Such a person should not be working in a rough place like the Great Prison Hall.”

“…Wh-What?”

“The Azure Princess has not forgotten the favor from that time. I have already informed the personnel officer, so when dawn breaks tomorrow, pack your belongings and move to the Azure Dragon Palace.”

It was almost like an order.

Since the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace was directly involved, the personnel officer who managed the maids would not be able to object.

Considering Headmaid Hui Yin had gone to such lengths to say this, it was certain that a letter from the personnel officer would arrive early tomorrow, instructing her to move to the Azure Dragon Palace.

How long had it been since she was expelled from the Heavenly Dragon Hall and now she was being told to enter the Azure Dragon Palace?

Seol Ran was bewildered by the sudden turn of events… but she quickly collected her thoughts with her head lowered.

The Azure Princess has not forgotten Tae Pyeong….!

Even so, it had been over two years and a few more months beyond that.

By now, she should have started letting go of thoughts about Tae Pyeong and fulfilling her duties as the crown princess consort. Her mind must have settled by now.

Entering the Azure Dragon Palace seems like a bad move…!

Despite everything, Seol Ran accurately assessed the situation.

Seol Ran was an excellent maid. She was skilled with her hands, always confident and lively, and she encouraged those around her.

However, no matter how capable she was, it wasn’t as if she had achieved enough to warrant a sudden transfer from the Great Prison Hall to the Azure Dragon Palace.

Objectively speaking, the main reason the Aure Princess wanted Seol Ran in the Azure Dragon Palace was likely because she was Seol Tae Pyeong’s sister.

If I go into the service of the Azure Princess at this rate, there’s a high chance that I’ll become a big burden to Tae Pyeong!

Having Seol Ran under her control essentially meant having control over Seol Tae Pyeong.

Seol Ran couldn’t bear the thought of becoming Tae Pyeong’s weakness.

So, even if the work at the Great Prison Hall was tough, it suited her temperament better to stay away from the Azure Dragon Palace.

Moreover, wasn’t Seol Tae Pyeong who was involved with the crown princess consorts in a situation where his life was in danger?

She thought that after he spent a long time subjugating demonic spirits, it would have given him some freedom, but the Azure Princess’s unresolved feelings were a big variable.

“Headmaid Hui Yin, I am terribly sorry to say this…!”

As a result, Seol Ran firmly and clearly rejected the proposal.

“I prefer to continue working at the Great Prison Hall!”

“………”

“………”

“…Everyone in Cheongdo Palace who holds a maid position would have jumped at this opportunity.”

“B-But…”

“Are you worried that it might trouble Commander Seol?”

However, Headmaid Hui Yin was not an ordinary person.

As if she could see through Seol Ran’s thoughts, she hit the mark and caused Seol Ran to hiccup once and lower her head deeply.

That’s right. Headmaid Hui Yin also knew better than anyone what kind of person the Azure Princess was.

However, due to her position, Headmaid Hui Yin could not refuse the Azure Princess’s command. Considering that the Azure Princess was particularly more obsessed with Seol Tae Pyeong compared to other crown princess consorts, it was clear she had a tough time.

“Even so… it would be much better to come to the Azure Dragon Palace… I don’t know what would happen if you went to another palace … But if it’s the Azure Dragon Palace, I might be able to mediate somehow.”

Headmaid Hui Yin who was indebted to Seol Tae Pyeong did not want to do anything that would harm him.

Though it was uncertain how the Azure Princess might act, if the headmaid could be an ally, it might be better to go to the Azure Dragon Palace.

“I-Isn’t it already time for the Azure Princess to sort out her thoughts… If the Azure Princess behaves like this, it could be harmful to Tae Pyeong…”

“It’s not that I don’t know that… But it seems the Azure Princess has some kind of secret plan….”

“S…Secret plan… How could such a thing exist…”

“I also thought the same, but…”

Hui Yin and Seol Ran had briefly looked at each other and then each brushed their faces once. There were too many listening ears around to discuss specific details. Speaking only in vague terms felt like merely skimming the surface.

What was certain was that the Azure Princess was plotting something. She was devising a means to embrace Seol Tae Pyeong without giving up her title as crown princess consort.

In fact, keeping him close might not be so difficult. She could make an excuse to have him as a bodyguard or use Seol Tae Pyeong’s position as the Inner Swords Commander to have him visit the Azure Dragon Palace regularly.

If she truly was in a position where just seeing Seol Tae Pyeong’s face made her feel ecstatic… seeing his face often would not be an issue.

However, the fact remained that it was incredibly dangerous, no matter what. Seol Ran was dying of curiosity about what scheme the Azure Princess had devised.

“Anyway… before things get out of hand, agreeing to enter the Azure Dragon Palace right now would be…”

Whoosh, thud.

At that moment, Headmaid An Rim of the Black Tortoise Palace opened the door to the Great Prison Hall and entered the main hall.

“……”

Headmaid An Rim was not on good terms with Headmaid Heyon Dang or Headmaid Hui Yin.

An Rim briefly furrowed her brows as she glanced at Headmaid Hui Yin. She thought she had handled things as quickly as possible, but someone had arrived at the Great Prison Hall before her.

“Are you Maid Seol?”

An Rim spoke in a stern voice and without looking at Headmaid Hui Yin.

“The Black Princess of the Black Tortoise Palace has ordered you to come to the Black Tortoise Palace. As a maid of Cheongdo Palace, you should know better than anyone how great an honor this is…”

Before she even finished speaking, news came from the entrance of the Great Prison Hall that other headmaids had arrived.

Indeed…

A battle to get the junior maid Seol Ran had begun. It was a battle of the crown princess consorts.

The Azure Dragon Palace, the Vermilion Bird Palace, the White Tiger Palace, and the Black Tortoise Palace.

These were the names of the highest palaces that anyone holding a maid position in Cheongdo Palace would want to enter.

The headmaids of each palace sat around in front of the main building of the Great Prison Hall and they were quietly looking down at Seol Ran.

“The Vermilion Princess has granted permission for you to receive the silver hairpin. Only those who are most trusted among the maids serving the owner of the golden hairpin can receive it. Just wearing it will make all the maids of your age look at you with envy.”

“I have no interest in such envious gazes… I only wish to take good care of the sinners here in the Great Prison Hall who are always struggling in pain as they repent for their crimes…”

“Maid Seol, you’d better listen to me. The Vermilion Princess always takes a broad view of things and makes a clear distinction between public and private matters. It would be safer for you to enter the Vermilion Bird Palace rather than going elsewhere.”

In other words, being under the relatively discerning Vermilion Princess would likely prevent major accidents.

However, that was merely the Vermilion Princess’s own opinion.

In Seol Ran’s eyes, whether it was the Vermilion Princess or another crown princess consort, they all seemed likely to cause significant trouble if they got involved with Seol Tae Pyeong.

“You know the Black Princess well, don’t you? She is a close friend of Commander Seol, so whatever happens, she will take good care of you.”

“How could I seek private connections to help me in serving the crown princess consort, who is as majestic as the heavens. I just want to focus on fulfilling my duties.”

“…….”

An Rim couldn’t say anything to counter Seol Ran’s defensive logic. She was indeed speaking the truth.

From An Rim’s perspective, rigid and inflexible as she was, she couldn’t help but feel like a useless bystander in front of Seol Ran who was eloquently stating her principles.

“The White Princess will provide you with a larger salary, and she even promised to recommend you for a good headmaid position when you become a senior maid. If your goal is success, the right answer is for you to join the White Tiger Palace.”

“I have no great ambition for such positions. I simply want to decide for myself where to dedicate my intentions.”

Ironclad defense.

Seol Ran remained resolute while clenching her teeth.

Among the headmaids who were all throwing sweet traps her way, she made it clear she would not go to the Four Great Palaces at any cost.

Indeed, wherever she went, the moment she belonged to one of the Four Great Palaces, she would be as good as a hostage for Seol Tae Pyeong.

Of course, calling it a hostage situation would be an exaggeration, since she would be treated exceptionally well. There was no chance of harm coming to her. In fact, the likelihood of her being pampered was so high that it might make her feel a bit proud, or perhaps not…!!

However, she would never, under any circumstances, block her brother’s path. This was Seol Ran’s own form of resolve.

While kneeling in the center of the main hall, she maintained her integrity and loyalty to the Great Prison Hall.

The sight of her rejecting all of the four palace positions that all other maids envied, all just to comfort the wounds of the sinners of Great Prison Hall until the end… made her look like a heavenly fairy who descended into the mortal world.

Could such a noble and holy person truly exist in Cheongdo Palace?

Ha Shin Il, the head of the Great Prison Hall, was moved to tears.

The fact that she voluntarily remained in this place called the Great Prison Hall, which was avoided by all the maids in the Cheongdo Palace, brought tears to his eyes. How can he not be moved when even her intentions were so noble?

“In all my life, I’ve never seen a maid with such deep intentions…”

The head of the Great Prison Hall spoke with tears in his eyes.

The headmaids glanced at him and then sighed deeply in secret.

But from the start, Seol Ran’s reason for staying in the Great Prison Hall was not because of any noble intentions. However, the head of the Great Prison Hall had no way of knowing that.

Seol Ran who was bowing her head broke out in a cold sweat.

The respect and favor given by the mistresses of the Four Great Palaces… were they really this terrifying?

Tae Pyeong-ah …

What kind of battles… have you been fighting…?

Her eyes which were filled with unbreakable will began to burn red. Yes, Seol Tae Pyeong had endured even greater pressure than this. How could she, as his older sister, fail to overcome this one challenge?

The Great Prison Hall’s junior maid, Seol Ran.

Her name meant “the orchid that blooms in winter.”

She was a girl born with the integrity of an orchid that stood tall and showed off its noble appearance even in the depths of severe winter.

No matter how much the headmaids of the Four Great Palaces tried, they couldn’t easily break her spirit.

Unless a crown princess consort herself came in person…! Seol Ran would never break her resolve…!

─_The next day, Jin Cheong Lang, the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace personally visited the Great Prison Hall._

She brought along more than thirty maids with her.

With her beautifully cascading bluish-gray hair and the dignified Azure Dragon embroidery on her blue silk robe.

She was a girl as elegant as the finest silk.

“……”

“So, you are Maid Seol.”

All the officials present in the main hall of the Great Prison Hall were startled and immediately bowed their heads to the floor. From the lowly cleaners to the head of the Great Prison Hall, who held the rank of Upper Fourth Rank, everyone.

It was like a bolt from the blue.

“………”

Seol Ran who was bowing her head deeply hid her cold sweat and thought.

No matter how you look at it…

What do I do if she actually comes…?

~House of Seol Tae Pyeong, Upper Fifth Rank Inner Swords Commander~

When the plaque that was neatly inscribed with these words was hung above the front gate of the mansion, the people of Hwalseong District shouted in celebration and clapped.

The mansion of the Inner Swords Commander who was practically the new master of Hwalseong District was finally completed.

In reality, calling it completed was a bit of a stretch, as it was merely a renovation of a house that had previously belonged to a powerful family.

Nevertheless, it was no lie to say that turning what was practically a ruin into a beautifully tended new mansion brought great satisfaction.

Though it was somewhat modest compared to the mansions of truly powerful families, it had all the necessary components, including a main building, an inner chamber, and a separate annex, along with a fairly large inner courtyard, giving it the feel of a respectable residence for someone who had earned a government position.

With five maids and two attendants from the main palace. The mansion was too spacious for such a small number of people.

“Whew…!”

As I wiped my sweat and looked at the front gate, an indescribable sense of fulfillment washed over me.

The residents of Hwalseong District who were also sweating profusely clapped and congratulated me with sincere expressions, which I was truly grateful for.

There was a good reason for their joy.

The first thing I did when I took over the tax authority of Hwalseong District was to write off all unpaid taxes.

Since it was going to be my money anyway, it wouldn’t be a big issue at the court if I didn’t receive it.

However, since people who have been paying faithfully may complain… I decided to forgive them their future taxes in advance.

This was to signal a fresh start with the arrival of a new master.

In exchange for waiving their taxes, I had instructed the residents to participate in the labor needed to build the mansion.

In truth, despite having said so, I also rolled up my sleeves, carried materials, and worked hard alongside them. My willingness to work directly left a positive impression on them.

As we worked together for about a week preparing my mansion, we quickly formed a bond.

The residents of Hwalseong District were simple and diligent in their own way, which I found quite likable.

Settling into a big house like this… it certainly feels like I’ve become an official…

Not long after I returned from the demonic spirits subjugation, the Vice General granted me an extended leave out of consideration.

He wanted me to get Hwalseong District in order and create an environment conducive to focusing on my duties as commander of the inner swords before I officially started working.

Maybe because he rose to his current position through a similar path, he seemed to know exactly what I needed at this point.

That way…. I was able to secure the time to get a hold of the residents of Hwalseong District and prepare the mansion where I would live.

Although I was quite concerned about not being able to keep an eye on the affairs of the main palace during this time, I had managed to handle all the pressing matters and thought I would need to make a move soon.

It feels a bit self-serving to say, but recently, my name along with the Vice General’s name has been frequently mentioned, especially around Cheongdo Palace.

It felt like a new star suddenly rising… And while there are some good things about this kind of attention, it also makes me tired when I think about how I will start to be checked by high officials in the palace.

Is he an ally or an enemy?

The high officials of the main palace were always curious about that whenever a new figure emerged in the court.

If an ally, they would seek to recruit them; if an enemy, they would eliminate them.

The essence of politics seems complicated, but thinking about it like this, it’s quite simple.

Yes, come to think of it, it was time for the story of the Heavenly Dragon Love Story to begin.

Even if it seems like the conflict between the Vermilion Princess and Seol Ran will be resolved somehow…. in the second act, Black Princess Po Hwa Ryeong and Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang would start to seriously oppose each other. I needed to prevent such issues in advance while also helping Seol Ran steadily build her qualifications as the Heavenly Maiden.

Come to think of it, I hadn’t seen much of Seol Ran while I was wrapping up the matter of Hwalseong District. Time had flown by so quickly…

I would need to visit the Heavenly Dragon Hall soon to coordinate with the Heavenly Maiden, so after finishing up here, it seemed necessary to meet with both of them.

“Commander Seol, we have aligned the plaque as you instructed. The construction appears to be well completed without any further issues.”

As I sat on the porch, sipping some wine and organizing my thoughts, my adjutant appeared with his head bowed.

He was sent by the warrior commander himself who had personally recommended him as a useful person. He was a young man who had been an apprentice warrior of the Red Palace.

His name was Bi Cheon, and although his martial arts skills were still weak, the warrior commander assured me he would become a useful adjutant with proper training.

“Alright, good job. Go and rest now.”

“No, my lord. I heard there are still many matters to handle in Hwalseong District. Since sunset is still far off, please give me any further instructions now.”

“First, have a drink with me.”

“… Huh?”

Bi Cheon lowered his head as if he was embarrassed.

When I picked up a glass and offered it to him, Bi Cheon hesitated but eventually accepted it.

“I am too lowly in status to accept my lord’s glass.”

“No, it’s fine. You just remind me of my days when I was an apprentice warrior.”

He remembered how, just a few years ago, he used to stumble around as an apprentice warrior which made him oddly inclined to be kind to Bi Cheon.

He poured a drink for Bi Cheon as a token of appreciation and then poured himself a glass of rice wine which he swiftly gulped down.

“So, how long have you been an apprentice warrior at Cheongdo Palace?”

“It hasn’t even been a year yet. There’s so much I need to learn.”

“Right. It’s good to learn slowly and diligently but remember to rest when you need to. If you get hurt, you’ll be the one suffering, understand?”

“Ho-How could I do that? I will always train hard and work harder.”

“You stubborn kid. But do you like soup rice?”

“…What? Soup rice? If I had to say, I do like it.”

“Oh, great. I think we’ll get along well.”

After patting Bi Cheon on the back, I quietly sat down, leaned against the pillar on the floor, and looked around the courtyard.

The sky was high and blue, and the ground was lush and green. As always, I felt that Cheongdo was a truly wonderful place to live.

I think this was a well-made house in a nice location. If I could live peacefully like this without major troubles, there would be no greater happiness…

“Commander Seol.”

At that moment, a maid entered from the main gate and handed me a letter.

It wasn’t just a simple bamboo scroll but an intricately decorated silk scroll. This meant it was something important.

“A letter has arrived.”

“A letter…?”

When I asked that while lightly shaking out my glass, the maid spoke with a troubled expression on her face.

“It’s a letter from the Crown Prince’s Palace.”

The sender was an unexpected figure.

I didn’t imagine anyone would actively try to contact me at this point in time…

Moreover, the sender… it was none other than Crown Prince Hyeon Woon who would become the future master of the main palace.

“……”

I couldn’t help but stop and tremble.

The Crown Prince I knew was now… a person who was no better than a corpse.

Given his status and temperament…. he was certainly not someone who would seek me out first.

I nodded my head slowly and accepted the letter.