Chapter 83: Hell Part 5

Seol Ran had faced a life-threatening crisis only three times in her life.

The first was when she went into the mountains to gather herbs as a child.

She was surrounded by a pack of wolves and was in a situation where her neck could have been bitten off and she could have been killed. Just as her legs grew weak and tears started to flow from her eyes, her younger brother Seol Tae Pyeong rushed in and slaughtered all the wolves and saved her life.

The second time was when she was kidnapped by a group of bandits.

They were a vicious group that kidnapped village women and sold them to be slaves. Once again, her brother Seol Tae Pyeong chased after them and killed them all.

The third time was during the Crown Prince’s birthday ceremony.

She was caught in a landslide and buried under rocks, with mountain demonic spirits swarming all around her. Her brother Seol Tae Pyeong fought tirelessly through the night and killed all the demonic spirits in the area.

Whenever Seol Ran’s life was in danger, her brother would appear and utterly destroy anything threatening her. In reality, trying to harm Seol Ran was the same as challenging her formidable brother Seol Tae Pyeong who always stood protectively behind her.

“I have a bad feeling… I need to find another solution…”

Although the White Princess wasn’t aware of all these past events, she intuitively knew that provoking the maid Seol Ran was similar to stirring a hornet’s nest.

She wasn’t ignorant of the ways of the Inbong clan head.

Ha Gang Seok was the type of person who would use every means necessary to recruit someone. He would even resort to take their family hostage if needed.

He must have been thinking of using the slow poison grass. It was a method Ha Gang Seok employed in such situations.

The slow poison grass was a poison that worked slowly. It could have its speed of effect either accelerated or slowed down by the Taoist magic and medicinal skills of Ha Gang Seok.

In other words, once he administered the slow poison grass he had prepared for his target…. it could be like having their life in his grasp.

He would kidnap his target and continuously feed them slow poison grass which would make it impossible for those who cared about the victim to act recklessly.

If he succeeded in feeding slow poison grass to Maid Seol Ran, her devoted brother Seol Tae Pyeong would have no choice but to submit to the demands of the Inbong clan.

Ha Gang Seok formulated this plan and smiled in a sinister way.

“……”

However, the White Princess did not want to go along with Ha Gang Seok’s plan.

Yet, she couldn’t confront him directly. She needed to find another solution.

Is there no other way… Maybe this could be an opportunity…

***

The procession of the Inbong clan’s carriages passed through the Cheongdo Palace.

They were on their way back from visiting the audience chamber of the main palace, where Emperor Woon Sung resided, to present various precious textiles, marine products, and jewels.

Next, the procession entered the Crown Prince’s Palace which was considerably smaller in size compared to before.

Due to palace regulations, the tribute offered to Emperor Woon Sung had to be larger than the one offered to the Crown Prince.

However, the items within were all incredibly valuable treasures.

“We are here to see His Highness, the Crown Prince.”

In front of Crown Prince Hyeon Won who was seated on the wooden throne, the head of the Inbong clan Ha Gang Seok bowed his head deeply and spoke respectfully.

Crown Prince Hyeon Won.

He was the cherished son of Emperor Woon Sung and the one destined to become the ruler of Cheongdo in the future.

His eyes still appeared empty and devoid of any vitality.

Meeting the head of the Inbong clan seemed like a mere obligation rather than something he truly wanted to do.

Since he was not yet an adult, it might have been too early to expect him to possess the dignity befitting a crown prince.

However, his eyes did not resemble those of a young man unfamiliar with the world but rather those of an old man who had seen it all.

Even so, he seems slightly more spirited compared to his childhood. Could there have been some kind of trigger?

Ha Gang Seok observed the state of Crown Prince Hyeon Won while keeping his head bowed.

Opportunities to see Crown Prince Hyeon Won up close were rare.

As the head of the Inbong clan, he felt compelled to mentally record every movement of the imperial family. He couldn’t afford to miss such a situation.

And behind this Crown Prince Hyeon Won who was sitting and studying some scriptures, there was a maid.

It was Seol Ran, the crown prince’s special attendant maid. She was also the sister of Bright Moon General Seol Tae Pyeong.

A sister who served as a special attendant maid in the Crown Prince’s Palace and a brother who was the Bright Moon General of the main palace.

Even though they were not from a prestigious family and were from the ruined Huayongseol clan, they had really achieved great success.

Hmm…

Since Crown Prince Hyeon Won kept her close, Ha Gang Seok observed him to see if she was a woman he particularly favored.

However, there was no particular sign of such feelings. Crown Prince Hyeon Won didn’t even glance at Seol Ran, let alone show any concern for her.

Even so… there are too many uncertainties to take a drastic step. If only I could secretly give her slow poison grass, then I could easily get that maid under my control afterward.

Despite appearances, Crown Prince Hyeon Won might actually favor Seol Ran.

Acting rashly and turning the Crown Prince into an enemy right now would be disastrous.

No matter how important Bright Moon General is, he was not worth making an enemy of the Crown Prince of a country.

But… if I can somehow poison her, it wouldn’t matter.

Those afflicted by slow poison grass slowly waste away. Even the imperial physicians would struggle to discern whether it was due to poison or simply the worsening of a chronic illness.

A maid whose health deteriorated would naturally be pushed out of her duties and lose contact with the Crown Prince. Once that happens, it will be much easier to manipulate her.

After all, maids are easy to replace.

Now… how should I cook this up…

Ha Gang Seok bowed his head and smiled in a sinister way.

Ha Gang Seok was a person who had a rough understanding of how the maids’ affairs were handled. Moreover, he was good at scheming and manipulating situations.

“Your Highness! Among this year’s tributes from the Inbong clan is a tea called ‘Dragon’s Tongue’. Its aroma is so exquisite and refreshing that even all the scholars who are studying at the Hall of Great Harmony praised it in unison.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, indeed. With the hope of aiding Your Highness who will bear the weight of the world in the future, we have procured and cultivated the finest tea leaves.”

Words flowed like a river from Ha Gang Seok’s mouth.

Watching Ha Gang Seok who paid meticulous attention to every movement of his lips and every flicker of his eyes as he spoke, one would think he was truly a loyal servant concerned for the Crown Prince.

“However, in the end, tea is something to be enjoyed for its fragrance and taste. No matter how beneficial the tea we have prepared is, if it does not suit Your Highness’s taste, it holds no meaning.”

“.……”

“Our Inbong clan takes great pride when it comes to handling tea leaves. Please savor the aroma and taste and judge it objectively. If it does not please you, we wish to find and present tea leaves that will better suit Your Highness’s preference. That is the pride of our Inbong clan.”

It was unnecessary.

However, the Crown Prince did not even express any particular dislike.

“If that is your opinion, then do so,” Crown Prince Hyeon Won said dismissively. He was that kind of person.

“Prepare the tea set and get ready for a taste test.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Before anything reached the lips of the imperial family, someone had to taste it first.

In such sudden situations, it was usually the special attendant maid of the Crown Prince who took on this role.

The head of the Inbong clan Ha Gang Seok smiled kindly as he looked at the special maid Seol Ran. It meant she should move quickly.

Seol Ran who was sweating slightly bowed her head and said, “I will bring the tea set.”

No matter how much Ha Gang Seok had sold his soul for power, he would not dare commit the madness of poisoning the tea cup meant for the Crown Prince.

Poisoning the Crown Prince just to poison the special attendant maid would be like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.

If you tried to poison the imperial family, you might end up dead. It was better not to do anything you couldn’t handle.

However, where Ha Gang Seok had set his scheme was in the separate cup used by the maids for taste testing.

It was a great disrespect for anyone else to put their lips on the Crown Prince’s tea cup, so the maids would use a small ladle that was about the size of a thumbnail to scoop and taste the contents.

By arranging in advance for someone to tamper with that small ladle, Ha Gang Seok could make sure that only Seol Ran would consume the slow poison grass.

All of this was part of Ha Gang Seok’s plan.

That way, Seol Ran’s life would be in his hands. It would be the key to controlling Bright Moon General Seol Tae Pyeong.

The tea set was prepared, and the tea prepared by Ha Gang Seok was served in a cup.

The luxurious tea, with its white steam rising, was more valuable than dozens of meals for commoners per cup.

The aroma wafted from the filled cups and it filled the room with its fragrance.

The maids closed their eyes and tried to savor the scent. Such high-quality tea was rare even in the Crown Prince’s palace.

Now… drink…

Ha Gang Seok who was bowing his head smiled slyly to himself.

At that moment, Maid Seol Ran brought the special cup and scooped a bit of the tea.

Freeze

“……”

Seol Ran stared silently at the contents of the special cup for a moment.

Her cold gaze was vastly different from her usually cheerful demeanor.

Ha Gang Seok felt a chill run down his spine.

There was no way for Seol Ran to know what had been done to the special cup.

Nothing seemed out of place during the entire process. This wasn’t her first time taste-testing for the Crown Prince.

Everything was just part of the daily routine.

Nevertheless, there was an odd sense of unease as Seol Ran hesitated.

Did she notice…? But how? There’s no clue at all.

Seol Ran’s eyes gradually sharpened, and Ha Gang Seok couldn’t help but feel the tension in his own.

Ha Gang Seok had to take a moment to steady his breath.

In any case, he couldn’t afford to lose his composure. Just as he was about to think quickly to respond to whatever might happen—

—Whoosh

—Gulp

The moment of reprieve which felt like an eternity was fleeting. Seol Ran then boldly drank the tea in one go.

“It seems there’s no problem.”

After saying that, Seol Ran went back behind the Crown Prince with her hands clasped in her sleeves and her head bowed.

Hoo…

Only then could Ha Gang Seok breathe a sigh of relief. Everything had gone according to plan.

“…….”

However, the brief silence before she drank left a strange sense of unease in Ha Gang Seok’s heart.

***

One day, the prestigious Huayongseol clan which had been famous for its power was destroyed in an instant because of Seol Lee Moon, who suddenly rebelled and went on a killing rampage.

There were only two survivors of the Huayongseol clan who carried the blood of Seol Lee Moon.

Rumors abounded that these two were inside Cheongdo Palace.

In fact, everyone who needed to know already did.

One was Bright Moon General Seol Tae Pyeong of the main palace, and the other was Seol Ran, the special attendant maid of the Crown Prince’s palace.

From the lowly status of illegitimate children of a treacherous clan, the siblings had somehow secured key positions in the palace. And many still pointed fingers at them.

Blood is thicker than water, and if they were descendants of that madman, it was obvious what they would be like. They must have been born with some strange temperament as well.

Those who spoke thus threw stones into their hearts.

Despite the many achievements they had and the many years that had passed, the stigma did not easily disappear. Such was the original sin of a treacherous clan.

However, in some respects, the voices of those who pointed fingers might have been correct.

One was born with the qualities of a Swordmaster, and the other with the qualities of a protagonist.

And those born with something extraordinary tended to grow stronger in the face of trials and schemes.

That was precisely what separated the ordinary from the great.

Sitting far behind the Crown Prince with her head bowed and her lower face covered by her sleeve was Seol Ran, the special attendant maid.

From an angle where others could not see well, the inside of her sleeve was soaked.

─Because she was slowly spitting the tea she held in her mouth into her sleeve.

All the while, she was assessing Ha Gang Seok with a rational and cold gaze. There was a strange glint in her eyes; it resembled the look of Seol Tae Pyeong when he drew his sword.

I felt traces of Taoist magic at the end of the cup. It seems he doesn’t know that I can distinguish Taoist magic. I should thank Taoist Ahn for that.

The lively and energetic look from her childhood remained, but as Seol Ran worked as a special attendant maid, a touch of coldness began to creep into her demeanor.

I don’t know the details, but he’s trying to use me as a weakness to control Tae Pyeong-ah.

Seol Ran was a protagonist (heroine).

And being the heroine of a romance fantasy novel was not something just anyone could do.

***

“Wow, this is the Dragon’s Tonge that came in as a tribute…! The aroma is really nice…! No matter what, the Inbong clan certainly excels at cultivating tea…!”

Meanwhile, in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion of the Heavenly Dragon Hall… Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun was laughing happily while gulping down the luxurious tea that had just arrived.

“It’s delicious…! So delicious…!”

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun simply found the Dragon’s Tonge tea incredibly delicious.

… It was really delicious.