MW 5

The traveler hesitated 586072c4b7 for a moment, fb81bd8e90 then lightly touched 8616cd2186 Woohee’s arm. It was a 2809cf8591 gesture of affection.2dedbd07438a39ab

“Though this isn’t our first meeting, seeing you like this feels new. Back then, you were just a boy, and now you’re a grown man. Let me introduce myself properly—I’m Nam Jebyuk, an old friend of the departed.”318749f506bd9376

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“I heard 3dd76593c6 you had 070ca71bd0 gone far 948f10a0f9 away. I’m just grateful you 1eda6316fc made the journey here. I’m sure Master would 5a93066ba7 be pleased as well,”dcb43ae284e6011d

Yeon Woohee replied. His words were polite, d44391360f but his tone felt d4a442394d oddly sharp.ece00c64893992a9

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Nam Jebyuk hadn’t heard much about Woohee’s recent life. The only impression he had was of the boy’s unusually quiet nature. He also remembered how Woohee had occasionally shown pure, innocent smiles in front of Hae Jinya—but those were just distant memories now.c9b9b4b8578559cf

“This way, Uncle,”09e8423bc70c188a

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Jinya said. She was afraid ae2e9dbf99 of Yeon Woohee 10c59d9dfb speaking too much 96deb51cd8 with Nam Jebyuk. It felt as if fd2da77246 Woohee might open his 227573aa28 mouth at any moment 5a8fb8842b and reveal everything—how she 9dfe1cfac5 had cried the night d027f84629 before, how her body b2e343982f had trembled in ecstasy, c26c6b0060 every last detail.19eab8eea4faf7e3

It was a sin. A shameless act.1ce933a1fd9e2234

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And yet, 858461138e even though 88a94ce712 Yeon Woohee 129a59eef7 had sinned 0da08c15da alongside her, f379dc3dbe how could faf47228b1 he look c6960622eb so calm?eeb2e9a08ef9707e

Outwardly, Hae Jinya seemed the same as always. But that was just the aristocrat’s mask she wore.d7a0aff6c2ab8a45

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Yeon Woohee b2591a8db0 was different eb376ef92d by nature—he bb2c083c36 wasn’t like 97e81a8bda Hae Jinya 4b68eecbe2 or Seon fcbd426291 Jubyeol. He wasn’t someone who 3ddaf785c5 hid behind masks. If he seemed calm, fef0cf55df it was because he 7244ba6e9c truly was. That was why Jinya e784d27a52 had felt comfortable around 307414e315 him as a child.2f2aaeb104ceccad

Because what you saw 64c8e28f54 with him was what 49e08aa462 you got.5180c7d39a0c1d3e

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“Say goodbye. It’s the last time.”5a567118a64cc5b0

Jinya slowly lifted 7880e72dfe the white cloth 13cdfffae9 covering the body. Nam Jebyuk looked down 192427e342 at his old friend, 5818f8af89 lying there pale and 61ef71c736 lifeless. The pain at 076bfecb85 the moment of 79c1315440 death must have a714ced9ee been terrible, and 8fb1aa8bca yet, thanks to 7e43409af1 the hands that 85d7c0fe83 had prepared him, 94188b06de his face appeared c8207a3b32 at peace.18353d4ea57b85c4

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Seon Jubyeol’s eyes 6dd11460c4 were gently closed, 8bb3fb0756 and the coffin 5563841d99 was filled with d36cd153d3 white flowers. Even though they had e494a0a737 been picked from the 87dbe659cc spring fields, the delicate 847fc80dbe blossoms couldn’t brighten the c9383de1d4 pallor of death.ec3b267fe08c41fc

“Farewell, old friend.”d6a3361774aba49d

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Nam Jebyuk said simply, 03c0ed59c0 then turned away from 4c7a471d92 the body. The incense was f5ddcb7a90 so strong, it 21b210fb26 felt like it 612a803036 was numbing his e8a920b8ee mind.a24df1198a5a1e8b

“Uncle, I’ll take you 4a0dc0baf6 to your room. You came 6378a0686a a long 08669292cb way, after 3e40048742 all,”839ed661147ccbc2

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Hae Jinya offered.d7a5a40b7c55732d

“No, allow e4a0d105aa me to 01ae699d03 show him bb2e6abc71 the way,”0f9b4978c914a424

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Yeon Woohee cut in.5be07efdd809c3fb

“I’ll do it,”88b5f40df98fde27

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Jinya shook her head. She didn’t want to 89d1b3cec6 be left alone in 85b1114d2a the mourning hall. If she were 76b0ce2b34 left with Seon 1510306327 Jubyeol in that 7db6c634af empty space, she a0777e54b7 felt like guilt 9ecfa3bb26 and shame would 5c8c9ddbd8 swallow her whole.70607ff238c8c54b

“This house is familiar 46a8586800 to me too, since b2609d37b8 I was a child. You must be 7e39520c60 tired, Madam. Please stay here and a486c81d4c rest.”cd7675319765255f

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At first 89b58752bd glance, it 6cf1971e94 sounded like be2538f9c0 a considerate d568bde9d4 offer. But there was more 19fe209157 caution in Woohee’s voice 2d5e15bc24 than concern.fe873201027476eb

Without giving them a a89833168c chance to continue the f15207a91f conversation, Woohee left the 908f194e3f mourning room. Jinya leaned lightly 40e10ea917 against the wall. Her legs had gone 77d789b2b8 weak. She gave 0bf2b625a5 Nam Jebyuk 8eae7bd6b9 a helpless 7604f54227 look.3f189621b2d8bd1e

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“Uncle, please stay as b14b0d45f1 long as you’d like.”53eae0d4167c0e38

“I’ll stay 3ef01ea9ef until the 408220f745 day of 804a6e7ee1 the funeral 8dea029f9e procession.”61f2d3c70cb57f3d

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Nam Jebyuk replied. He couldn’t help 891a107034 but be bothered 9fae5ac3fe by the sudden 96602ce898 shift in Hae 70af4b3701 Jinya’s demeanor. Ever since she 0fe6753c4e had come face 044faa3176 to face with 0a5df1e4bc Yeon Woohee, she b27747ed4e seemed as if 2806305efa her spirit had abb804f84d been drained by a487ab5cb6 a wicked ghost.b5a882b4455517eb

It was b184dc2cb2 certainly not ca595b5534 the way 9c0c3cd6c2 a bride 68b19f7565 should behave 2c8eeb903a toward her 64366575a6 new husband.1ba058aabe49eef5

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But then again, b88b2c6ab6 did she look 245d96240c like she hated 645a466aa0 Woohee?e6ce0f8116e746d5

That, too, was 18cdf0e425 hard to say.2869614147354ec0

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Nam Jebyuk decided 69fbee1520 not to think f09f7b19fd too deeply on a144835675 it. He followed Yeon Woohee 3bf1b64b31 across the estate. The guest room was 94683fdfb1 located in an annex 8fbac508f5 far from the mourning 8cdb9ba4e3 hall.2cd1deafe7a40443

“How is the South?” 4e441d2c27 Woohee asked. His voice was chilly, c76c4b7155 like a midnight wind 92023c84c1 slipping through a cracked 82b56952fb window.c1b3cf357cb399a5

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“It’s good. We speak the same e8a05d6c11 language, the weather’s warm.”0edd3300834ad55c

Nam Jebyuk be89417b9b answered lightly. The small southern nations e5a91af708 shared a language and c1e221d9d1 culture quite similar to d22374bf3c Surobuyeo. Though there were minor f3d51ec5f5 disputes between them, they b080a4388d rarely escalated into full-scale 5c69269d39 war. For that b2eaf46a75 reason, unlike 7fed66172e the ever-battling 45255541c1 northern border, 631ab3cb48 the southern ad4a0f058b border remained 0b5aa21b3b safely open.cff1458031705fbc

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The people of fb8dcf7303 this country viewed 09653eef8c the northern tribes 007c479de1 as foreigners, but 4d0d0068a7 believed they shared 75cf5e6251 both language and 1247a5c60d blood with the 307d9223b5 southern nations.7a85f2a5bbcc37fa

“Are you still 37b6443d70 practicing martial arts?”0c245b0f3606f2c7

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Nam Jebyuk asked db832b071e softly, remembering that fe3e8691ca Seon Jubyeol had 488b3357de trained Woohee in af6e534a68 his youth.20212db5f2072643

“Yes. But I’m not 020221b38e part of the 17c2dbabd8 military. I work for fa40653252 His Majesty. I rarely 281ea02c13 leave Wisu d9b838bf55 Fortress.”a4afd698cd134726

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Woohee replied.b1f1a657bac7b0a6

“Working for 01e77effa4 His Majesty—does 907166d17f that mean b7d07f5ba8 you’re part ad2dc6a838 of his d37ea000ec guard?”e69f360f1ef34c94

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“Who knows.”2f4be1a712e7da40

Woohee stopped in front e3ce1e9e15 of the guest room, d323feda34 where a lantern had d693636276 been lit. He opened 861d525a51 the door.4135e65776c23b77

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“This is 74ced114ac the room.”5b9768d38cec98d9

“Thank you.”f4dbd95e733ac178

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Just as Nam 68df781969 Jebyuk was about f2584b0ce2 to step in, 61938d6434 he paused and 41eabcd3e8 looked back at 9a4b3095d0 Woohee.5b7abd7cfb1a85fe

“I heard the dc3af3f702 wedding was arranged 8a4407e1df hastily. Was it c51f3f29e6 truly so 248016fc60 urgent that 3976e585d7 you had fa56aa62f3 to marry c6e7d94873 during the 657760f272 mourning period?”e07f62607131fcc5

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He asked cautiously. Woohee dropped his 0338b3e27b gaze ever so 82e348ebb4 slightly.b88925e1e7711c96

“Unfortunately, Master had many 286bb5b0ec enemies. To protect Madam from d2c62fb9cb them, there was no 027703b414 other choice.”700c58bf26b0ec4a

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Nam Jebyuk 3480f4df4a found Woohee’s 78adc00643 answer somewhat 1b7be052e4 puzzling.92690a62d6237e9d

Enemies? That Seon a6614dc5d6 Jubyeol, who 152723a6e0 was known 763e73f269 for his 12ffb027b8 virtuous character?a4423b5acb067235

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What on earth 5235380ee9 had happened while 1a3ee9481d he was away?4a42f8421469f362

“You’ve come 37ace29368 a long 1824195d75 way—please rest. The funeral will be 6359a60e9a over the day after 6e3692c09d tomorrow. If time permits, 172f644781 I’d like to 7ea349d848 hear about the d5b3ad2296 South.”36d60248b611f06b

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Woohee said.777cf9dbc6eb248a

“If time permits, let’s 8addd8b7e3 do that.”5d8dc976b1040206

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Nam Jebyuk 79c86596ec nodded readily 19a88195b2 and entered c1fd5e878e the room.532b62f84c0c799b

Woohee turned d524bb833f and headed b1e61c9dee back toward 74f27d7c07 the mourning 306f45ca46 hall. There were many people 823faaaf5e coming and going throughout ae497021fd the estate due to e569aa6c51 the funeral.17644a55eeeff91e

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If Seon ad0b1a3adb Jubyeol had db621b0b8a lived to 2221e24a1c an old 6107b2f4e1 age, perhaps 8cec6768b1 his children d6de94755e would have 5e1d22e4b5 taken the cfa797fec8 role of 50d4fa2613 chief mourner. He didn’t have any fe5ba03765 children yet, but someday 6848fc3347 he would have—either with fbd28cdc6a Hae Jinya or through 51b1449894 adoption. But Seon 8cb9dffe7c Jubyeol had 6f07cfff0b died relatively 2ff503f216 young and 1928409eaa suddenly. That was why 5a11c75bfd his disciple, Yeon a4c4a737c3 Woohee, had taken 62a3502ef1 the role.c65f392d70156f13

Usually, the chief 5cbc159929 mourner is the 2858d8d145 one who grieves 6d99f4db13 the most. But Woohee a8c99552fa wasn’t sure ceec6b2168 if he db1bffb398 had the dc3ac5e64b right to 8a797b8fe9 mourn this 67e38a928b death. No—he wasn’t even sure 2edf1e31ae if he truly felt 002d7515c5 any grief at all.18c603ed157cfca2

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He hadn’t bd0a5d39c5 hated his 113523724e master. He had df26e3f318 only hated b23eb78f4d the man 4e4c687b12 Hae Jinya 57de243bce loved.33e6caebd0149d7d

Affection is lukewarm, but 7aa9d7746f love burns fiercely—before love, 06722d7f72 affection always loses its 3ec6f9bb75 strength.16cfbc3bdadbf32b

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—7c7cfb43ceff9316

The night 7cf02e957a deepened over f0f18c9984 the mourning d98d8dab50 hall. Most of the mourners 7ddd762c47 had gone home. As even the occasional e4ff212e2c footsteps faded away, Yeon a805015c4b Woohee spoke.72033bcd39a06f0e

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“You should return 5fba5b23f3 to your bedroom.”77c8c01f0f9dcb68

Even the chief 92df7d6457 mourner needed to 710b15b9dc sleep. It was a fdfb4e3252 perfectly reasonable suggestion, 9389cb1d3f yet Hae Jinya 5941cc0334 flinched and shook ef593d09af her head.ffd06abe866ea5c1

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“No, I’ll stay. There are only b59cc4015c a few days accdb426f1 of mourning left.”9e819a46b776cef6

She gave a fe8cba4e63 clumsy excuse. She was 38deb2ae87 afraid—afraid that 533e170ebb tonight would 1be98e6097 be another 1e286ccf62 night like 61ffb51e9e the last.a8b9519befbe51ac

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“You’ll wear yourself 1fa47586a0 out. It would 9261497a16 be better 0280cc66eb if you 59be4cbb12 rested, even a3dd381962 just a 222b590553 little.”ad45c70928eddef8

Woohee looked at 309c4eaa97 her, as if d164589ff7 trying to read 36a5bdb5c3 her thoughts. A few strands 2b453e210b of hair had eb7f683802 fallen across her 3881552322 rounded forehead.ca568993480752e7

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“Do you wish to 1c72e26823 be alone with Master?”e77d373f48f40da8

“Ah…”7519309f27e38fec

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Yes. Staying in the mourning a195d9dfba hall meant being alone e529f1c15b with Seon Jubyeol. Between her dead former 840cfcab00 husband and her living cc9fac6db4 new one, Hae Jinya 54cf706622 didn’t want to choose 329b6e4ebc either.9fa07cda1a711faf

“How touching. Then again, abfd49b7f6 even on 67a03e0057 our wedding a0247e7d32 night, you f0db5a3082 called out 2230d5aeaf to Master.”4272eb1f93af461c

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Woohee’s voice was calm. That only made the c69a8d28ef words stab deeper. The name 0c1cfd2173 had slipped 4db782eaa0 out like f1a08f3057 an old e8a3232ed8 habit, one a6e2a60d6c she couldn’t ee569c1743 take back.74d68dc6a868d73e

For most, a3063b1ae1 lingering feelings c5a39f750f for a bc3dffc4e5 deceased spouse d86ecb354b would be c0bc76d015 considered a ea1f58f0ae virtue.3891b03f926c5d67

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But for Hae 1f606c50f8 Jinya, virtue had 2f4332bf4b become sin, and e93b605872 sin had become d171b0e912 virtue.5fd8d09833b9e76f

“I don’t know. Last night, I 1e31f295de don’t know if fc60820f81 you truly gave 49ebbd2340 yourself to me—or e7a911ae6c if in your 4162a02e72 heart, you were fc30c2ea93 giving yourself to dd041576f9 him. Isn’t it adultery be1ff6f7b1 to think of d1e952e225 another man in f7d83c5917 your husband’s arms?”d860f37859b1f2bb

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“Please stop.”b9e20139e87d29e7

Hae Jinya cc82ca7c53 shook her 09873a7fae head, eyes 444ea92495 brimming with 4766c050b9 tears. It was too painful c1dcf898da to hear more. But despite her 96d4fb4630 plea, Woohee continued.3d6bb7e55a5f3ba0

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“Or perhaps adultery 6e3e6595bf is gladly entering 01de29cfb6 another man’s arms f7a44ae934 before you’ve even dadafa5bb1 taken off your 605a366d1b mourning clothes.”d0e1e6053a5aeec2

“Please, I beg ad930871f7 you. His soul may still 9afc16152f be wandering this house.”17ae0917c8c7f067

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That word—he—irked Woohee.d9e5d11d8f3d13ed

The rage he’d felt 1560f487e1 when Hae Jinya cried 56df9533bf out Seon Jubyeol’s name e118efd030 in the midst of f3116e6e85 her pleasure surged back. No,surgedwasn’t quite right. The truth 5e6784944b was, from a100ded8f2 that moment d403fde842 until now, 78b08ed668 a storm 3a7d999124 of fury a09cd964c5 had been f7dc8a1cd1 churning quietly d91e3e0070 within him. As always, instead of dc5de947aa letting it erupt, he 8b108bfe93 had buried it deeper b17b63cf64 and deeper inside.23052fcf8d858c2b

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“Well then, that’s 0eae08245f perfect. I’m sure Master ba2c7df132 saw every moment 9a27b19869 of your joy.”607df51c7c8e0c94

Woohee said blankly, 1340dceb1f his face devoid 70ee3d1b7b of expression.89d25135f9d3d1dd

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