A Restless Tranquility

“Your heart must have been deeply grieved. Your health is already fragile, and I feel as though I mistakenly arranged such a gathering to begin with.”

A gaze filled with profound worry swept over my face. Seeing his expression, I couldn’t help but feel that my poker face was working rather flawlessly.

“Not at all. I can only offer my gratitude for your timely assistance, Your Highness.”

“Return and rest for today. It would be best to bring this gathering to an end right here.”

If he was willing to do that, it was more than fine by me.

However, unable to let my sheer joy show, I remained silent. Prince Eighteenth mistook my silence for lingering distress and gently placed his hand over mine, patting it soothingly.

“Next time, I shall ensure we arrange a private gathering—just the family of the Mangeum Bank and myself.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

I nodded and shifted my gaze toward my family, but for some reason, a somewhat sorrowful air clung to all of their expressions.

Intending to signal that I was perfectly fine, I offered a subtle, reassuring smile. But upon seeing my expression, my father squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

When he opened them, he glared back toward the cowering officials with a terrifyingly cold expression I had never seen him wear before.

‘…’

‘I have a strange feeling he completely misinterpreted the signal I just sent.’ Yet, watching my father glare at the officials while gnashing his teeth, I couldn’t help but feel a wave of warmth spread through my chest.

“Young Master Seo-yul.”

dishonesty“Yes?”

Perhaps I had focused on my father for a beat too long. At the sudden call, I immediately turned my head. Prince Eighteenth, meeting my eyes, stopped his patting motion and wrapped his hand completely around mine, enveloping it in a warm, firm grip.

“Return and rest. You look terribly fatigued.”

“…No, Your Highness. How could I possibly leave you—”

“I have granted you permission, so do not concern yourself with this place.”

“Yes.”

As a proper Korean, etiquette dictated that I should politely refuse at least three times, but a single rejection felt like more than enough for this body.

Fearing that stretching it out to three times might actually cause Prince Eighteenth to change his mind, I quickly nodded. Only then did he release his hold on my hand.

“Though I wish to accompany you to the very end, I shall look forward to our next meeting.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Go on.”

Watching me, Prince Eighteenth urged me once more. Soon after, I slipped out of the banquet hall alongside my older brother, who had quietly stepped up to my side.

“Tomorrow, I shall pay a visit to your family estate personally.”

‘…’

Before we could fully exit the premises, Prince Eighteenth’s bone-chilling voice echoed from behind us. Though I couldn’t see it, the mere thought of those bureaucrats shivering violently with their foreheads pressed against the floor made me incredibly smug.

Leaving the banquet hall with a thoroughly lightened heart, we arrived at the front of the pavilion building to find Yeo-ui and Jin-cheong waiting for me.

“Escort Yul safely back to the detached pavilion.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

“…Yul.”

“I am perfectly fine.”

My brother looked so deeply pained and pitiful on my behalf that it actually made me feel a bit embarrassed.

I hadn’t suffered a single scratch from the ordeal, so seeing everyone else look so profoundly wounded while I was perfectly fine made me quite uncomfortable.

When I smiled genuinely to show that I was truly unbothered, my brother’s expression grew immensely complex.

Staring at his face—which held a chaotic mixture of fury, self-reproach, and profound relief—I shook my head as he began to apologize, explaining that he couldn’t walk me all the way back because of the remaining damage control he had to handle.

“I have Yeo-ui and Jin-cheong with me.”

“Right.”

Hearing my usual, spirited voice, my brother’s tense expression visibly softened. I gave his hand a tight, reassuring squeeze before letting go, then turned to walk toward the detached pavilion with Yeo-ui and Jin-cheong.

“Did you manage to eat a lot of delicious food, Young Master?”

“Well, something like that.”

‘It wasn’t exactly delicious food, but I certainly swallowed a fair share of absolute nonsense.’

When I offered a nonchalant response to Yeo-ui’s question, he quickly fell silent. Walking down the suddenly quiet path, I quietly reflected on the events that had just transpired.

‘…’

While it didn’t quite match the sheer chaos of my very first day returning to Hefei, today certainly felt like it had packed quite a punch.

Just as anticipated, Prince Eighteenth had graced the Mangeum Bank with his presence, and I had been forced to endure a barrage of absurd drivel in the banquet hall before his arrival.

To top it all off, that wretched fool had received a swift, definitive punishment for daring to wag his foul tongue so carelessly.

“You know, this actually makes me feel a bit like a main character.”

“Pardon?”

“A main character, Young Master?”

“No, it’s nothing. I was just letting my thoughts wander.”

It seemed I had muttered that last part aloud without realizing it.

After brushing off Jin-cheong and Yeo-ui’s curious glances, I deliberately pushed away the thought that refused to leave my mind.

Indeed, it was an entirely absurd notion.

Naturally, I was the main character of my own life, but a novel was an entirely different story. For a narrative to revolve around someone else when the true protagonist had already been established?

It was a brief, passing thought, but it truly made no sense at all.

Letting out a soft smirk, I put a bit more strength into my steps as we headed back to the detached pavilion.

Following the unexpected uproar that had erupted on the very first day of Prince Eighteenth’s arrival, the Mangeum Bank had been enjoying days that were more peaceful than ever before.

In fact, my personal schedule had become so utterly vacant that I wondered if it was even possible to be any more idle than this.

“It seems everyone is incredibly busy.”

Neither my family nor Prince Eighteenth—who had boldly claimed he would come looking for me—had set a single foot inside my detached pavilion.

My family’s absence was understandable, but the fact that I was actually thinking about Prince Eighteenth was a testament to just how profoundly bored I truly was.

“Haa.”

As I let out a heavy sigh while staring up at the empty sky, Yeo-ui and Jin-cheong took turns speaking to me.

“It seems everyone has been buried under an immense mountain of work ever since His Highness arrived.”

“I suppose that’s only natural.”

“The Young Master is currently filling in for the Pavilion Lord’s absence, and the Young Lady is said to be personally inspecting the various trading posts currently operating within Hefei.”

“Is that so?”

Come to think of it, my sister’s reputation within Hefei was so outstanding that even my older brother had to take a step back.

It was to the extent that even though the original Geum Seo-yul had thrown countless vicious tantrums over the past five years, many people had endured it solely out of deep respect for my sister.

Thinking about my family brought an instant, irreplaceable surge of pride to my chest.

Gently touching the corners of my lips as they involuntarily curled upward, I turned to ask the two of them.

“What about Mother?”

“She is currently accompanying the Pavilion Lord to show His Highness around the sights of Hefei.”

“I see.”

With even my mother away from the estate, it felt as though I was truly the only soul blessed with an abundance of leisure. I rocked the rocking chair—or rather, what they called a comfort chair in this place—back and forth, staring blankly at the sky before finally speaking.

“Perhaps I should go pay my brother a visit.”

It felt like a wonderful idea to drop by, catch a glimpse of his face after so long, enjoy a quiet cup of tea, and return.

“If you find yourself bored, Young Master, how about taking a stroll to look around the Inner Court?”

Now that was an exceptionally brilliant suggestion.

At Jin-cheong’s words, I immediately nodded in agreement.

“Let’s do exactly that.”

Even if I went out to look around the merchant pavilion, it would only be within the confines of the Inner Court.

Recalling my father’s strict instructions to avoid stepping outside the Inner Court as much as possible following Prince Eighteenth’s arrival, I immediately brushed myself off and stood up.

In truth, exploring the Inner Court merely meant looking at the exact same sights I saw every single day, but surely even that small amount of movement would help improve my stamina…

“Ah.”

“Please speak, Young Master.”

Rising completely from the comfort chair, I turned to ask Jin-cheong.

“Is there any kind of exercise that would be suitable for me to try?”

“Ex… Exercise, Young Master?”

“I feel as though I am becoming far too lethargic. I thought that moving my body a bit more might help improve my health.”

I had expected an immediate answer, but for some reason, the space fell incredibly silent. Heading toward the main gates of the detached pavilion, I turned back with an amused, questioning gaze to look at Jin-cheong, who was trailing quietly behind me.

‘…’

Staring at Jin-cheong, whose face was practically swimming with immense awkwardness, I narrowed my eyes into a sharp squint.

“Am I truly that devoid of athletic talent?”

“…If you begin by building a foundation through walking like this, your physical stamina will undoubtedly improve significantly. Once that foundation is laid, I shall personally introduce a few exercises that will be perfectly suited for you, Young Master.”

Seeing how excessively long his introduction was, it seemed I truly possessed absolutely zero talent. But since he had undoubtedly racked his brain to come up with such a delicate response, pressing him any further would only leave him terribly flustered.

Pretending to be entirely indifferent, I simply gave a slow nod.

“Let’s do that, then.”

In truth, when it came to exercise, I retained plenty of knowledge from my life before transmigrating, so all I needed to do was move my body exactly as I remembered. However, this wretched frame was far too frail to endure even the slightest exertion.

It was so pathetic that when I had attempted some light stretching a few days ago, I had ended up completely bedridden for the rest of the day. Because of that, I had merely been asking to see if there was something significantly easier I could try.

“Though, considering you can walk around like this now, it truly is quite a miracle.”

“…Your stamina is not quite so abysmal, Young Master. If you continue consistently from now on, it will undoubtedly improve.”

“Yes, thank you.”

It seemed he had overheard my quiet muttering, as Jin-cheong immediately jumped to my defense. When I let out a soft chuckle and offered my thanks, the rigid tension on his face instantly melted away.

Leading Jin-cheong and Yeo-ui as I leisurely strolled through the Inner Court, I gradually felt my body grow immensely heavy. Even so, returning to the pavilion without completing at least one full lap felt entirely damaging to my pride. Stubbornly forcing my legs to complete the circuit, I finally returned to the detached pavilion and practically threw half my body onto the comfort chair outside the guest hall.

“Young Master, shall I prepare some cold tea for you?”

“That sounds wonderful.”

Downing something icy right now felt like it would perfectly wash away all this lingering fatigue.

At my request, Yeo-ui nodded swiftly and departed from the courtyard with quick steps. As I lay completely slumped against the chair waiting for him, he managed to return with the tea in what felt like a mere blink of an eye.

I immediately accepted the teacup and gulped it down frantically.

“Ah, that’s refreshing.”

Soothing my parched throat made me feel as though I had finally been brought back to life. Furthermore, as the icy liquid rushed into my system, my terribly clouded mind felt instantly cleared.

“Shall I bring you another cup, Young Master?”

“This much is plenty. I intend to bathe immediately, so go have the water prepared.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

Accepting the empty teacup back from me, Yeo-ui immediately turned and walked away briskly once more. As I watched his retreating figure, Jin-cheong, who had remained steadfastly by my side, quietly spoke up.

“You must feel terribly stifled. If there is any specific place within the Inner Court you wish to wander through, please let me know. I shall seek permission from the Pavilion Lord and the Young Master on your behalf.”

“Make sure to explicitly explain to them that it is for the sake of my exercise.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

At the mention of exercise, the corners of Jin-cheong’s eyes crinkled into a soft smile. The explicit hint of amusement in his expression—as if he found me entirely endearing—was a bit embarrassing, but to get exactly what I wanted, a small compromise like this was absolutely nothing.

“Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“Has your heart finally eased a bit now?”

“My heart is always perfectly at ease.”

After all, upon hearing about the events of the banquet a few days late, Yeo-ui and Jin-cheong had been utterly consumed by an immense fury on my behalf.

“What exactly has been eased, Young Master?”

“Are the preparations already finished?”

Yeo-ui, who had just left the courtyard a moment ago, asked as he suddenly walked back in. As I stared at him with wide, surprised eyes, he offered an answer in a thoroughly casual tone.

“It seems they had already been preparing the tea and the bathwater the very moment you returned to the pavilion, Young Master.”

“Is that so?”

Anticipating my needs and preparing everything in advance—there truly was nothing better than this. As I nodded with deep satisfaction, Yeo-ui’s gaze quietly shifted toward Jin-cheong.