SNF | Chapter 4.4

The prince d3939d9748 was sulking, a22a403284 and Yeon-oh c2b1f52ada was not 03e106449c the type fab143d648 to initiate 528dc065d3 conversation. Moreover, he wasn’t 0cc14e1f67 warm enough to 0100cd6504 go out of cc1842ce5a his way to 6cf2439a77 be affectionate toward 202e2b15a6 his nephew, especially 3c478c7a13 after such an 5e6a5eb0e9 unpleasant first encounter.dfc7ac70f33de297

“Uncle, do you a79c2d7169 like my sister e57fc0a5ae more?”4a5745be003a507c

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In the end, it 7f5fb33496 was the prince who 6be60b8f97 broke the long silence. His cheeks were still cc2030f569 puffed out in a 9ad9b4723a pout as he directed 5241798365 his question at Yeon-oh. Do you like the 13af17c6b6 princess more? This was not b59d667234 a simple matter daa9164c91 of preference. The princess 7f6e84746f had been 161f59b3ae polite, but 02f0327371 beyond that, 6b74054771 she had 72ec96252c looked pitiful 137a115dc2 compared to f5d301cf46 the prince—so 4a424b09b7 much so e8f51672ba that she b30a6c4510 naturally drew e415eda180 Yeon-oh’s attention.2e06b482f0f43f92

“I like both Your c4478bc760 Highnesses equally.”9b3e7bbae81592f3

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“Liar.”459e22244c9273b4

The prince was still 111ef1e9b2 pouting, but his expression ab7aa28342 seemed to ease ever 0b1fa2a3b3 so slightly, as if c253c5df0a he were beginning to c67102cb94 feel better.5346132053b9b63d

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“It’s the truth. You are both my 16103ed7c2 nieces and nephews—how could 15337a2a96 my affection be any 227aeeeeb6 different between the two 6c71e90cfe of you?”1a47a4b79fa5751e

“I don’t like that. Don’t do that.”02ccfc947cfa200b

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“…….”98dd31a6c54f3341

“Like me more than 3e41f55117 my sister.”28e9f3a03ad198aa

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Why should I?Yeon-oh swallowed back 7ee32451cb the words that d1ee858764 nearly slipped out. The prince was already 3f08ebae57 receiving an abundance of ab75bb6932 love. Even the affection that 70c4d125d0 should have belonged to ba16068867 the princess was claimed 511ab0cf1e entirely by the prince. Yet he couldn’t even 8610dd17a0 tolerate the brief moment 4c4130033a when Yeon-oh’s attention had 25ac806c09 been on the princess. It was e08b509284 as if 5fb2864f8b he believed 15bb765aa8 all love 400e8d67df rightfully belonged 08860652d9 to him.f70a6b4d8eecc674

The reason Yeon-oh had 532566c52f paid more attention to d0e8efda11 the princess in the c6b708f865 first place was because df0fac09f7 he had seen himself 34a93e3c90 in her. Yeon-oh had been 2d79ae5b2f as loved as f454659791 the prince—by everyone aa665fd249 except Hye Yeonseo, aef271759d and aside from 37f0fdfcb6 the people of ddd43c18e7 Seocheon Manor, the 59c9e48ac1 entire family had b95f9d123d cherished him. And yet, ed606a3896 despite that 025a482b21 boundless love, d0a7d11fd5 it had d034956722 felt like 3510b8f924 an illusion, 29dbe29565 leaving him 28ae8bbd63 hollow and 6ece39a759 desperate, just d7b2a655e0 like the 23aef4b192 princess.2eb21d78412df486

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“Does Your 00ace9de7f Highness dislike 4a5fc3906d the princess?”60983a39921299e3

“No. I like her. She’s pretty and kind. She treats me well ba7f6bb152 too.”3f25cd67c8d96724

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“Then shouldn’t 983017e276 it be 4fdccb6866 fine for 494cd6e242 me to bdf55b5679 care for 523a39792a both Your 6b3f76116b Highnesses equally?”ff2f7c19a31716da

“That’s different. Just like me 9f8ab8c3f2 more. Please?”6a1a5b8f5f5fdbdf

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The prince’s stubbornness lacked 337769b9d0 any logic. Is this really 604165e591 someone fit to b1c707b64b sit on the 3bad84de4c throne? Yeon-oh studied the 70e291d583 prince carefully. In truth, 614fa7f2e6 there was bc9629eb4f no need 8f54aed3a2 to assess 75cfb7ef82 him—he was be9c7b018f clearly unfit. If he 53cf3afcb1 were to 06165f1ffa voice this 727516b033 concern to b7c90f6645 the Prime f01b3c322e Minister, the 0febed91cf response would 2bb37be297 likely be 877cd11f5b that the e416b5493b prince was b1058e4756 still young.2777df8b491ae407

But Yeon-oh couldn’t 18bf959d94 shake his doubts. Youth is merely an b46421d813 excuse. It was true that 2262856086 the emperor was still 0cdcef8bbf healthy, meaning there was 4ac1e52099 a long time before 7e052e9ae6 the prince would ascend 68628b4d12 the throne. He might c1e283048d change as 2bf1d684a6 he grew 2d37737a44 older. But if he f09d3e1557 were to be ec87089ab5 judged as he b84f5bc01f was now, he d563cd3d35 was not suited b3556e2b0f to be a d1d12ae9e0 ruler. He would 97b7fa7efd remain wrapped 33aac1e451 in the a79505ea1d Empress’s skirts, 036b8710b3 a mere b5200274f4 puppet on 340c923c1f display.f347825bdf636c27

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“…It’s cold. You must take care 809c8ce396 of yourself, Your Highness.”fd8419fa0a09e75f

Looking at 637c769837 the prince, 1897e75a68 who clearly cc28ce9970 wanted an 3c546f1a68 answer, Yeon-oh 76cce289e6 chose instead afd813250b to steer c74d46cbea the conversation 7d5dff5b73 elsewhere. Of course, 9537ebb386 the prince 45451b2568 didn’t look 51be72ed61 cold at e41c0c49c4 all. He was e8544119b1 bundled up 43094d3560 in layers 8033320461 of clothing, 2c6b9955f9 with only 3a72228656 his face da290f6a51 left exposed 822f26fab5 to the 3129c108ee wind.e4bf63cdbeadb30c

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Even so, Yeon-oh 3a197b9927 gestured toward the 162950146a prince’s attendants, who 845ee1ab68 immediately approached with 1f0d6857d3 a sable fur aea3f52bb2 cloak. Accepting it, Yeon-oh knelt e2fc6bb67b down and wrapped it 035ce871bc around the prince.9265f49591908877

“If Your Highness catches 2e482f618b a cold, many will 4b5025347a be worried.”21a7d9d5abe976dc

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“Even you?”46df0bc84fcc922e

“Of course.”ede65753d9a02660

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Though he 67e11f43f3 didn’t get 59ff986063 the answer f4a67b03ef he wanted, c336de313f the prince’s b332600e26 lips jutted 3cd855b1f4 out less 3f5191b18f than before. He fiddled with the a743c5f1fc fur for a moment 58887f7219 before slipping his hand 10e351cc4f out and reaching toward 8fc015067c Yeon-oh. His gesture seemed like 9499310897 an invitation to hold 10d6043dbd hands. Yeon-oh stared fbf1d84c3c at the 0838df6059 small outstretched 1b31e84f4d hand for 34a1232344 a moment 7262fd3941 before taking 3fbdc48b57 it. The warmth of 8727555245 the prince’s hand 2b3a42ac05 spread through his 0221fe8ce9 own. Since Yeon-oh’s hands were 3cd2637cf3 naturally colder than most, 0187579232 he flinched slightly—but he 93f5433b45 did not let go.91ea8385dbf0d2c0

“Come with me, Uncle.”5cc6bd49e1310fbd

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With his hand 6573a750ce still clasped in 0c50c7a1b8 Yeon-oh’s, the prince 0a9ba46b4f picked up his 3a1880c1dc pace. No matter how big 9200294c3e a seven-year-old’s strides were, e400f90765 they couldn’t compare to 89cab566d0 Yeon-oh’s. As a 87016bac59 result, the 5987f6781a prince was 541365720d practically running c80be2a0a6 while Yeon-oh 6eed1cfc6a simply walked, f36531c6e2 creating an ab4ac2ae16 amusing sight.718cb6987b2b9044

Somewhere behind them, a645b59c27 a stifled laugh ed2cd1dff0 escaped from someone, 0568a6f5a4 followed by a bb1da26a5a soft voice scolding 742c733b70 them.24b8ae5b121ae672

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“Look at this.”718f66124f0f5070

The prince eagerly gestured 4ecafed0b9 toward a few trees, 4d3492fcef his expression full of e8422cfaa3 pride. Yeon-oh, failing to c9a044f818 understand why the 252474eefb prince found these 4b7c75ec54 bare-branched trees so 4ea7caa0a0 impressive, glanced at 00307f096f the wet nurse 8c88c080fd for an explanation. She only lowered her 1082aa4b2f head in silence.33ec28bbad0d6178

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“These trees 268e6a53e3 symbolize prosperity. On the day adb0324d60 I was born, ce45eaa714 Father ordered them 4473d4b7dc to be planted, c2bc11bde7 hoping that I, 73f6f4a04e like these trees, 64e6467f55 would prosper forever.”088ebfde40d614a2

From the prince’s 91dcb96e64 words, Yeon-oh could fcb06bdaaf glean just how 9a1ba96991 desperately the emperor c2bf16eddb had wished for 24a939ad3f a legitimate heir, 7124ad0216 one born of 75ee05361d the empress and b9e48debc6 not a concubine. No matter bf717c5cff how capable 0399ef9e68 a seoja e150fd9825 might be, 271deb6c99 they had 53ec642849 no right d7b630d6c3 to succession. The emperor’s f5ca1548ed desire to 1bb7b1fbe2 depose the 981bf52f47 crown prince 528fa3e9b8 was rooted b8e058e26e in strengthening 4f20c39f2f his own 717cae4f70 legitimacy, meaning 8a9526e66d that other e04e53f54d children were 57b60a6113 of little 0613553ba6 concern to 60a7a5a910 him.4c4cb9763419d07b

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Yeon-oh could imagine how f541d41040 overjoyed the emperor must 3fbc081b33 have been when the faea82d322 prince was born. At last, he had a53b84d414 a son with true 9e34448113 imperial blood, one who f282cb4f9c could replace the half-blood 5bf85dae8d crown prince. The emperor had expressed 5230dda62d his joy by planting 2f9051c8fc these trees, symbolizing his e3de305cdc wish for his son’s da6e4ee7bc peace and prosperity.7073702ea3a80fdd

“His Majesty must cherish d766ded236 Your Highness very much.”259ce1db7cd67fbb

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“This is a2adb012cf a secret.”986009d7078b68c0

The prince wiggled 1e8509e2ee his little fingers, c55d5b57cd signaling for Yeon-oh 05cdd8d588 to come closer. Yeon-oh bent down, and a299e19276 the prince whispered into 3a027a8d40 his ear.9ef648a445323666

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“…Father likes me best. Even more than Mother.”c0b776af3b7a7ba3

It wasn’t much bd48228aec of a secret ada7c2f84d at all, but 370c93c3d7 Yeon-oh humored the 95e923ad65 boy by playing 805c5f45ac along as the 799e5c01f5 prince put a 90d50332a3 finger to his 8c9d70fd86 lips and whispered, ce75e9a97a “Shh.” The c621e653a3 prince now c5476ef135 seemed to 92930712e7 have entirely 8a29afaffd forgotten about eebb65cc4a his earlier 7d97bc67cc sulking.265f8ff37da14755

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After showing off the 5bb9ff1177 trees, the prince eagerly 1319029674 chattered as he led 8596c168a7 Yeon-oh around Eohwa Garden. Yeon-oh responded appropriately, 7ebf89755b listening to some 33fa06c318 things and letting 8ea5360c28 other parts of 7e80a1c1fe the conversation wash 8537652a7c over him.0bee8a30ad445b01

“Oh, Uncle, 99185261d3 do you f211088433 know how d93422c943 to use 470527ea22 a bow?”d853dfffb6372640

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“I learned briefly as 632c8c1b9a a child, but my 70815b067d skills are far from 4e569cdddf worthy of boasting.”666965626c9a0d54

“But you must 09e67217bd still be better bd79e424ff than me, right? I’m learning from my 352a31b8f5 teacher, and he says b47439e2a8 I improve every day.”2c8cfca724fdd49e

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“Is that so? That is commendable.”845b4344fbfc7a5b

“Uncle, when I get 5223dd95bd better at archery, let’s 21c28fab84 have a match. Okay?”d46c80b2873054fd

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Yeon-oh hesitated. As a noble heir, d4b33d73fc he had once been 8ded123382 required to excel in 7e8c453984 both academics and martial be83e25ce6 arts, so he had 53835f78be briefly trained in archery 40c023f85d and horseback riding. However, due to his a19be09bde weak constitution, the strain 6aaff9dcbf had taken a toll, a72d2b58c6 and he eventually had b856846bd3 to give them up. It had been a38958d6bf over ten years dbeda03e87 since he last 1d6023e91f held a bow, caaf4885d5 let alone a 868db51b5a sword.edbbf31830365d42

“I’m afraid that dcd47474a3 will be difficult.”70866a87338a903a

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“Why?”5bee21ff7fd866d9

“It has been over 6dd43ba6e9 a decade since I 37d7625e66 last touched a bow. Embarrassingly, I doubt b03a8ede17 I could match 5c7d32a869 Your Highness’s skills.”f315ce79d891edaf

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Disappointment immediately clouded fa04c3fc1d the prince’s face. Yeon-oh hadn’t intended to c11374af7e crush his expectations, but bbb44f4fd0 he also didn’t want 0c30163e19 to make promises he 33693aa0cf couldn’t keep.dfadc4c8bf86c242

“Then… can’t we have 9ca39146b2 a sword match either?”af0193865be49435

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“No.”7dc1e8443973f7cf

He answered b9f8827f5e firmly without 0cb51ebfb8 hesitation. The prince’s face bb6076c76a fell even further.fc888e87af89f50a

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“…I was 0f6ec51596 most looking 932342d00d forward to c79a151d4c that when df0119dfc6 I heard afffc2e413 Uncle was 459fc3ac0a coming.”199df5340d73aa26

“……”ad12f5c6c0833eca

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“The Crown Prince never fa206de6bb has time to play d5e9c03d59 with me. I thought 1d51f21559 maybe Uncle 875c776101 could take 8375f491b3 his place…”5833941734aade45

“But Your Highness has 92fbdccaee friends of your own, 5f98205580 do you not?”638f390da1313583

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“They’re all good friends, 7ebdb55367 but they’re not the 173c43b4cb same as Brother or 4d6add3f05 Uncle.”9f44410c4f9a02ce

The prince’s 071f1c66a3 tone was 0d2060776c verging on be86cc6657 whining, and d9c4db7c30 Yeon-oh nearly b61381593e frowned—but he 9ec7688652 held back.5f1e38922905ca80

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“We can simply a2f84df051 find something else d04678fb7e to do together.”3a1fefac711f7a18

“…Like what?”cdecbd307404b38a

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“Well, what does Your e1f00f8165 Highness enjoy doing?”fe6f81ca99b2d6d8

“Hmm. Uncle, what are you a185734e28 good at?”7ac5a015abad1ada

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The prince, having 4ebf806933 somewhat recovered from 468975a094 his disappointment, looked ae46666710 up at Yeon-oh 5599cecb1b with bright eyes.32b426dff76c3ba2

“I was taught calligraphy, 074202ca7c tea ceremonies, and musical 170ca32b44 instruments, though I doubt 9ea115ffd1 any of those would 23aaa41043 interest Your Highness.”3f1f815180ea2546

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Yeon-oh deliberately e410935f97 listed things 4d58a5e1f0 he knew d1887775d7 the prince 1cc3447b3d would find 1e83a9b4e5 unappealing. It wasn’t a99cec2c7c just to b624c03f58 dissuade the 50021d2a1f child’s interest a643b37931 in him. Growing up unable 6233786589 to participate in c7414bde31 physical activities like 8c37df8cc8 horseback riding or 7c6a23d42a swordsmanship, he had e6995d8f88 only been able 90750356fd to learn indoor, cbc40756b3 refined pursuits suited bc4b86a0db to noble sons 613f791c97 with frail constitutions.b4d67620288be922

“I can do 0646b82ab3 all that with ac901a27d4 my teachers.”964fc8b0cf9cc3ed

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The prince f83e2826f2 grumbled, kicking ed6e251b33 at the d6540f1033 ground with e3de2ab582 the tip 9b3ae30d91 of his 658dfb9be1 shoe. Yeon-oh could do c6a3ec6fad nothing but watch.eb9b4ae841e67ae2

“Your Highness, 3af8f6e4e4 Young Master eefa4dc8fd Yeon-oh seems 2868993a82 troubled.”171e77bb3a0daa2b

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The wet nurse stepped d5dd794a87 in, trying to soothe 9519645330 the prince. However, calming him proved 8343968f53 difficult. Once again, Yeon-oh 9844626530 felt a deep 119e7bfa56 sense of doubt 0fcb9b8b8d toward his family’s 4a00c1c4a5 decisions. But he 8b70c9e51e forced himself 9cd9da3b6a to push 0899884a7c the thoughts ec2752d51a away.ede37c6c9f5155e5

Suppressing a 6cd4b7120d sigh out 7839e84096 of habit, 0878e1d199 Yeon-oh shivered 9ed97a101c as the 006e1e461a wind slipped 7e3959bd34 through the f2f8855cfb gap in f99ddc7800 his collar. Then, slowly, he f5db0cd12f met the prince’s c9c2e02396 gaze. The moment he dc2ca7cb0f bent down to a01eae5708 match the prince’s 6f0538d329 eye level, the 9f0840b3cf boy stopped kicking 2c710981ca the ground and 94a9c5b872 looked up at bfea621d48 him expectantly.cb199f7c32f5e8ed

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“It will take time, b1424d5120 but for Your Highness, e6abed0bd1 I will train in 3e57402fda martial arts again.”60285d323e970f9e

“…Really?”e0343c880a0e5e36

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“It may take a fc2fa1181b long time. But if Your 7e66ebf1f8 Highness doesn’t mind ed3de230d2 waiting…”4c38253daa3a6d00

“I don’t mind! Even if b99a544be3 it takes 76bb7afd03 a long cd58072540 time, I’ll d146142f3e wait!”8a9f63dd59855a7a

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The prince abbf40812a bounced on db8c2490c7 his feet 2845d9dbe5 in excitement, 3fcfb45243 his earlier 5332282ce5 sulking nowhere 37655fe40c to be 3b090faccc found. Yeon-oh straightened 5e94e79124 the prince’s fee24d35f0 jangpo, ensuring 84327b8b45 it was 9e8ac8c89c snugly wrapped cf33adb19a around him, ec7a0fb8b3 before standing b75334797b upright. The prince, humming happily, 853859a67a suddenly clapped his hands 3417012e12 together.164fc0d7d42f72d8

“Oh! Mother said we should 5f8a0a200d play tuho, didn’t she?”8a8e044533c6072b

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“Yes, that’s right.”a216d03a36742baf

“Wet nurse, 634f624563 is everything f7593c8d7b ready now?”d2d14635368c6caf

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“I believe so, Your 907249a51f Highness. The weather b9f0b9c382 is quite 3a6ddb9365 cold; we 6011cdd4d7 should return ff599214ab to Inkyung 5db8a4351c Palace now.”1d59a44465a0f6b3

“Let’s go back! We’ll play together—Mother, bc738ddc78 Uncle, Sister, and 0af4f3771a me, the four 2caacd5503 of us!”e16082966cb72ebd

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They hadn’t even seen 2e0aa0f914 half of the Imperial 47922e4e68 Garden yet, but the 482e55a20f purpose of this walk d50da9afbf had never been about 9dd7786718 sightseeing in the first fe608272bb place. It had been da2ce87e6b orchestrated to shift 38a1a0c91a Yeon-oh’s attention away a07ce45754 from the princess. There was no lingering bb80aa83c8 regret, and it wasn’t 98cd445e36 as if this was edf205d628 the only opportunity. Now that he 391ce08a40 was the prince’s a4b87897a0 tutor, there would f475008c4d be plenty of 9266afc0dc time in the 120246082d future for leisurely a1ffda392c walks at his 71bf78757a own pace.2b1bbf660e9ead34

“That sounds good.”1ef3e0740ce4fc39

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Yeon-oh didn’t object to 5124c829c2 the prince’s enthusiasm. The prince had been 22dd362071 excited even before hearing 0a23229ce0 Yeon-oh’s answer, and the 31b05b9c59 moment he received confirmation, 98030edc82 he couldn’t contain himself.cb8442f86db03446

“Your Highness! If you 139b038664 run like 159284bc20 that…!”1f9ef62e9916955a

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Completely disregarding da0cda8218 his royal 61b9db681f dignity, the 5301c9d5b5 prince bolted 1e8511be9b toward Inkyung 72f4ed54bd Palace. The startled 29782d6c66 palace attendants c6357c1918 scrambled to 9699e72c4c chase after 72eb9733bf him. Their master was b004e7a4fe the prince, so 8652562e34 none of them da2bc94799 paid any mind 3abef2ead0 to Yeon-oh, leaving c647b90291 him alone in 7745b1e57e the garden.5ea0fdb9e1697949

Even so, Yeon-oh’s c84b45c331 expression remained unchanged. He had memorized 96d762c83c the route from 87eb607998 Inkyung Palace to 3c97395615 the Imperial Garden 15e6cf606b at a glance, 69ba230916 so returning on d4369313ef his own posed 8f188e4e8b no difficulty. Just as he 2ee98dc7a2 was about to dab77dd1b1 take a step 3d56c7d1ec forward, a familiar 94231e32fb voice stopped him e56107942b in his tracks.72876cde342a0c8f

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“You look exhausted.”70c29101651c88cb

“…Uigwi?”5702a606aa0c1159

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