Chapter 98: Vice General Part 1

– Your Highness, you must survive!

The girl who was drenched in rain, broke through the field of demonic spirits, and tried to save Crown Prince Hyeon Won to the very end.

While everyone trembled in fear, she alone darted through the scene with her eyes shining… she even created an opening for Crown Prince Hyeon Won to retreat back to the main palace.

During the Black Moon Unit incident, she personally charged in and saved him. And long ago…during the birthday ceremony, she rescued him when he was trapped under a rock.

Seol Ran, the apprentice maid who entered Cheongdo Palace and saved Crown Prince Hyeon Won countless times… she had already become an irreplaceable asset to him.

“……”

As he sat alone in the inner chamber of the Crown Prince’s palace and stared blankly at the gold-embroidered paper doors, everyone outside those doors seemed to be nothing more than an enemy.

Henchmen of high officials who would try to exploit him at any time, spies sent to the Crown Prince’s Palace to keep an eye on him, or even maids bought off by one of the high officials.

In this place, full of those who would abandon him the moment true danger came…. Seol Ran who risked her life time and again to save him was already someone special.

“…How many allies do I truly have in this palace…?”

Crown Prince Hyeon Won muttered to himself. He rested his head on the pillow as he gazed up at the ceiling.

Though the entire vast palace revered him, he felt an aching loneliness in his heart.

The bond between a ruler and loneliness is inseparable.

He had learned this countless times while studying the principles of kingship, but whether his heart could accept it was an entirely different matter.

***

The position of the Heavenly Maiden had become vacant.

In the Cheongdo Empire that worshipped the Heavenly Dragon, it was absolutely unacceptable for the grand Heavenly Dragon Hall to be without a mistress.

However, it wasn’t as simple as just appointing anyone to the role of Heavenly Maiden.

To become the mistress of Heavenly Dragon Hall, one had to awaken to the energy of the Heavenly Dragon, know how to wield it skillfully, have their character and abilities recognized, receive the emperor’s approval, and satisfy the scrutinizing eyes of the numerous high officials.

Since such a qualified individual was extremely rare, when an important position like this suddenly became vacant, they typically found someone to temporarily fill the role.

This person wouldn’t be a fully chosen Heavenly Maiden, but at least someone who could fill the empty seat in Heavenly Dragon Hall for the time being.

Of course, even if it was a temporary appointment, sitting in the seat of the mistress of Heavenly Dragon Hall was no small matter.

If they tried to place a mediocre individual in the role, they would face fierce opposition, so they had to choose someone who already had a certain level of recognition among the people.

In the end, after considering various qualifications, it was inevitable that the mistresses of the Four Great Palaces would be considered.

These were the women who could maintain their position as the mistress of one of the Four Great Palaces while also acting as the temporary mistress of Heavenly Dragon Hall.

Vermilon Princess In Ha Yeon, Azure Princess Jin Cheong Lang, White Princess Ha Wol, and Black Princess Po Hwa Ryeong.

The names of those four people were the subject of heated debate in the council meeting for several days.

Vermilon Princess In Ha Yeon was the most authoritative one of the princess consorts, and she was also an excellent candidate to temporarily take the seat of the mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall, but the fact that she came from the Jeongseon clan posed an issue.

The Jeongseon clan already held many high-ranking positions, and if they handed over even the position of the temporary Heavenly Maiden to them, the balance of power inside the palace would tilt entirely in their favor.

Let alone the other clan, even the emperor did not view such a situation favorably.

Since the Chief Councilor was quick to notice these things, he didn’t actively push for his daughter either.

For similar reasons, White Princess Ha Wol was also bound to face opposition.

If someone from the Inbong clan were placed in that position, it was certain that the Jeongseon clan would strongly protest.

In the end, it was difficult to elevate someone closely tied to a powerful clan.

Although it might have been possible with a strong enough push, it seemed rather foolish to risk one’s entire political career for a temporary Heavenly Maiden position.

Due to these political dynamics, the Vermilion Princess and the White Princess naturally fell off the list of candidates.

That left only two.

Jin Cheong Lang, who came from an ordinary family, and Po Hwa Ryeong, an orphan of commoner birth.

Both were suitable to temporarily assume the position of the Heavenly Maiden without leaning towards any particular faction.

One of the two people would sit in the lofty Heavenly Jade Pavilion as the temporary Heavenly Maiden.

Though a temporary position, it was still the seat of the Heavenly Maiden. A role that upheld the foundation of the country.

Depending on who took that seat, it would inevitably have a significant impact on the inner palace and even the main palace.

In short, for the time being, the power structure within the palace would be reshaped based on who supported Jin Cheong Lang or Po Hwa Ryeong.

Who would become the Heavenly Maiden?

Would it be Jin Cheong Lang or Po Hwa Ryeong?

Ultimately, in the political arena, choosing sides was often no different from placing bets in a gambling house.

Even the high officials who each had different thoughts could not help but fall into deep thought.

– Did you hear? One of either the Azure Princess or the Black Princess might take the position of mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

– “R-Really…? Just becoming the mistress of one of the Four Great Palaces is like a dream for all the women of Cheongdo Palace, and now they might even take the role of mistress of the Heavenly Dragon Hall…

– They are both beautiful and remarkable, so they must truly live in a different world…

– I wonder how it would feel… It must feel like having the whole world beneath them…

– Exactly… But it seems there are a lot of talks over which one of them will take the position…

– Oh! Headmaid Sel Ran is here!

In the inner courtyard of the Crown Prince’s Palace.

Senior Maid Seol Ran emerged among the busy maids with a graceful and elegant demeanor.

When they noticed her presence, the maids quickly dispersed and disappeared into their respective workplaces.

As their eyes followed her, the young girl walked with dignity; her mind was filled with the tasks she had to complete by the end of the day.

“Hoo…!”

After rolling up her sleeves, the girl led the maids as they crossed the courtyard.

Cleaning the floors, weeding the garden, managing the food supplies, overseeing the attendance records… She sorted through the various practical duties in her mind as she strode forward. As if she didn’t care about the palace politics.

Yet it was this very girl who would one day take the Heavenly Dragon Hall under the sway of her skirt,

Heavenly Maiden Seol Ran.

The girl who had entered Cheongdo Palace as an apprentice maid had become the headmaid most trusted by the Crown Prince before anyone realized it.

***

…I can still hold on. No, it’s getting a bit harder…

It had been over fifteen days since she had discarded the name Ah Hyun and taken her position as a maid in the Hwalseong District under the name of Yeon Ri.

Even when she had served as a senior maid in the White Immortal Palace, she had shown some talent in household chores.

After all, even though she lived as the Heavenly Maiden of Cheongdo, the countless years had shaped her into an individual capable of doing many things.

So it wasn’t that difficult for her even when she was suddenly appointed as the headmaid of Hwalseong District and tasked with managing the other maids.

She was skilled at handling people.

She had long mastered the art of managing subordinates, knowing exactly how to make the best use of those under her command.

Someone who had mentally sparred with the generals and high officials of Cheongdo Palace wouldn’t be troubled by the task of commanding lower-ranking maids and servants.

Besides, she had never been one to be particularly bound by notions of authority, so a sudden drop in status like this wasn’t something she would find too burdensome.

However, more than anything else, it was the food that troubled her. Just as she had expected.

– Psshh

Yeon Ri pressed her lips tightly together as she stared at the steaming bowl of soup rice in front of her.

“Enjoy your meal.”

“……”

Seol Tae Pyeong who was sitting across from her began noisily slurping down his soup rice.

Seol Tae Pyeong’s private life in this Hwalseong District was shockingly humble.

She had wondered why there were so few people working in this grand mansion, only to discover that most of the manpower had been sent to assist in developing Hwalseong District. And so, he was left to take care of himself.

It wasn’t even during his time as the Inner Swords Commander, but now that he had risen to the position of Bright Moon General, he was still living like this?

When she realized that he heated his own water to bathe, prepared his own meals, and did the basic cleaning himself, she couldn’t help but gape in disbelief.

In the end, it was Manager Ha Si Hwa who believed that the current situation was unacceptable and had to be dealt with, so she arranged for Yeon Ri to be appointed as a maid in this place.

No matter how much it was Seol Tae Pyeong’s own choice, the thought of leaving someone of his status, who was soon to be promoted to Vice General, in such a state made Ha Si Hwa feel unqualified as his subordinate.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“…I-I’ll eat now~.”

That’s right. Headmaid Yeon Ri wasn’t a fool.

No one knew better than her how much Seol Tae Pyeong had suffered under her when she was in charge!

To be honest, if someone asked whether there was never a time during her days as a Heavenly Maiden when she didn’t act recklessly, she wouldn’t deny it. She was fully aware of it and had to admit the truth.

In the end, in this situation where the roles of master and servant had completely reversed, it was impossible for her to naïvely believe Seol Tae Pyeong wouldn’t seek any form of revenge.

After all, if she were in his position, she wouldn’t have just let things slide either!

Some kind of retaliation was bound to come, and she needed to be mentally prepared for it!

“…….”

And she could easily predict the form that revenge would take.

Seol Tae Pyeong knew Yeon Ri all too well.

More than anything, he was well aware of how sensitive she was to food, and it wasn’t hard to guess that he would test her mental fortitude to the extreme with this inhumane and barbaric single-meal diet.

That’s why…. she had to savor every remaining meal and bite at the Heavenly Dragon Hall. Because she knew that the moment she entered the Hwalseong District, an eternity of rice soup awaited her in purgatory.

In the countless reincarnations, it was the first time Seol Tae Pyeong had risen to such a position and the first time he was entrusted with the Hwalseong District. From her perspective, everything was uncertain, but…

Still, no one knew better than him that force-feeding Yeon Ri rice soup endlessly was the most efficient way to punish her.

Fufu… you’re acting exactly as I predicted… Tae Pyeong-ah …

Yeon Ri smirked inwardly as she scooped the broth from her nineteenth bowl of rice soup and put it into her mouth.

An expected trial could always be prepared for.

Though she didn’t know when Seol Tae Pyeong would stop his retaliation, Yeon Ri who had anticipated this situation and steeled her heart was able to drink the rice soup with a light heart.

However, everyone has a plan—until they get hit in the face.

“Today’s rice soup has eggs in it~. Looks delicious~.”

“Yeah, enjoy.”

Twenty-three bowls.

“Today, we’ve got some decent pork, so it’s pork rice soup.”

“Wow, wow… looks so good~.”

Thirty-one bowls.

“Homegrown chives and bean sprouts from the Azure Dragon Market.”

“…….”

Thirty-nine bowls…

“Toona shoots.”

“…….”

Forty-six bowls…

“Spinach, water parsley, green onions.”

“…….”

Was this place a temple or the mansion of a high official?

Yeon Ri who was pushed to her absolute limit collapsed on the floor and let out a groaning sound like a dying ghost.

“Hea… Headmaid…”

“Just…just leave me alone for a bit…”

When one of the women who had returned from an outside errand expressed concern for her, Yeon Ri who had been lying there like a withered corpse spoke tearfully.

Yes, there was a profound and peculiar truth that not just anyone could realize.

It was… even if you know it’s coming, it doesn’t make a beating any less painful….

Yeon Ri finally understood that difficult truth.

At this rate, I’m really going to die…! No, actually, the meals seem pretty well balanced, so I don’t think I’ll die… but still, my tongue is going to die…!

Although Yeon Ri had resolved herself to endure any form of retaliation with a determined heart, she was now starting to think it was time to raise the white flag.

She would go straight to Seol Tae Pyeong’s office and plead with tears. She would tell him how truly sorry she was and beg him to let her go just this once. She just wanted to eat like a human, not a goat.

So she would bow and beg for this punishment to stop…!

Yes…! No matter what response I get… I can’t just sit still like this…!

Step-step-step-step,

Sliiiiide

When it came to taking action, Yeon Ri was second to none.

She boldly slid open the paper door to Seol Tae Pyeong’s office and stepped inside.

Seol Tae Pyeong who was sitting in front of a large wooden table and reviewing letters sent from the main palace looked up at her with a puzzled expression on his face.

“What is it? It’s a busy time…”

After glancing around to confirm no one else was present, Yeon Ri walked up and smacked her hands down on the wooden table.

“Tae Pyeong-ah!”

Originally, there was a vast gap in authority between the headmaid and the Bright Moon General, but Seol Tae Pyeong had given her special permission to speak informally when they were alone.

After all, at this point, being overly formal would just feel awkward, and they had lived as equals back in the days at the White Immortal Palace.

“…….”

“I was wrong! Please forgive me!”

Yeon Ri lowered her head and spoke tearfully.

“It’s too much to keep retaliating like this! It’s been nearly two months already! I just… I just want to live like a normal person! Please stop this revenge…!”

After saying that, Yeon Ri waited for Seol Tae Pyeong’s response.

She had already prepared for the possible outcomes.

Oh, Yeon Ri-ah, it must have been really hard for you. I went too far. Seeing how sincere you are, I think you’ve reflected enough, so let’s put an end to this childish retaliation.

Or it could be the opposite.

Oh, come on, you’re whining after this little bit of payback? We’re not done yet, reflect some more!

No matter what kind of reaction she received, Yeon Ri had carefully planned out her next moves.

That was… the mark of a true strategist.

However, Seol Tae Pyeong’s response was not among any of the possibilities Yeon Ri had prepared for.

“…Revenge?”

An awkward silence followed.

“…What revenge?”

“…….”

Seol Tae Pyeong’s expression revealed pure confusion. There was not a trace of sarcasm on his face.

As Yeon Ri took a moment to process what he meant…

Her breath trembled violently.

It was then she realized why Cheong Jin Myeong and Bi Cheon never ate meals at the Bright Moon General’s mansion.

However, since she held the position of Headmaid, she had no choice but to stay attached to the Bright Moon General’s mansion.

“…….”

Soon, a primal fear, one that threatened the very core of human instincts, began to creep up Yeon Ri’s spine.

***

Wow… I didn’t expect it to be this tense…

In a tea gathering that was held after a long time.

The Black Princess who made her way to Vermilion Bird Palace with a light heart swallowed nervously when she noticed the cold atmosphere in the tea room.

“…….”

These days, tensions between the Inbong clan and the Jeongseon clan have been escalating, and the competition for the Heavenly Maiden position between the Azure Princess and the Black Princess has also become a hot topic of discussion.

Compared to when the first tea gathering was held, it was clear that the mistresses of each palace had grown more thoughtful and their minds more complicated, as if they were carefully observing each other’s expressions.

They say the rulers of the Four Great Palaces have never been on good terms throughout Cheongdo’s history… The more time passes, the more I start to understand why…

In the heart of Cheongdo’s turbulent political landscape, the four princess consorts who were backed by various factions could hardly afford to remain on friendly terms with each other.

The Black Princess who was sitting quietly at the center of this storm held back tears.

If only she had stayed in the White Immortal Mountain and lived a simple life gathering herbs, she wouldn’t have been involved in such ruthless affairs…

She couldn’t help but think that.