SNF | Chapter 2.3

The Empress quickly tried to smooth over the situation, perhaps noticing Yeon-oh’s silence.

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not. Honestly, I should have realized that you must have thought of and missed your mother far more than I did.”

She had been absent from the moment of his birth. There was no way he could feel longing or a sense of loss. But Yeon-oh didn’t bother to argue the point.

“By the way, how are the Princess and the Prince doing? They must have grown quite a bit.”

Yeon-oh deliberately changed the subject. As soon as the conversation shifted to the two imperial grandchildren, the traces of longing on the Empress’s face faded, replaced by warmth.

“They’ve grown a lot. Now that I think about it, you’ve never seen the Prince before, have you?”

“I saw the Princess when she was a baby, but I had already left for Hanam just a few months after the Prince was born.”

“I thought about calling them here today, but they’re busy with their studies, so I decided against it.”

“Dedicating oneself to learning is more important. Seeing them during the Spring Festival won’t be too late.”

He wasn’t particularly fond of children, so he didn’t feel any strong desire to see his niece and nephew. However, it wasn’t something he could outright admit, so he feigned a hint of regret.

“There’s no need to wait until the Spring Festival. I’ll arrange a meeting before then. After all, you’re their uncle. It wouldn’t do for you to meet them for the first time on the holiday.”

“As you wish.”

They weren’t complete strangers, at least. There was still a faint connection of shared blood.

As Yeon-oh mentally calculated the Prince’s age, he could somewhat understand the Empress’s urgency.

By the time the Spring Festival arrived, the Prince would turn eight. In the imperial family, where the principle of legitimate succession was absolute, any prince born after the heir was officially recognized and sent away to rule over a fiefdom upon reaching the age of eight—unless they had committed treason or proved unfit to govern.

Once they left, they could never step foot outside their assigned lands without the Emperor’s permission. This law, established by Emperor Yeong-an hundreds of years ago, was meant to eliminate any potential threats to the imperial succession. It applied ruthlessly to both full-blooded siblings and the children of concubines who had no claim to the throne.

Moreover, the Crown Prince was the legitimate son of the late Empress Jung An, while the young Prince was born of a different mother. To prevent any future conflicts, it was all the more necessary to be vigilant.

Considering these customs, it was uncertain when the Prince would receive his title and be sent away. Seeing him before the Spring Festival didn’t seem like a bad idea. As Yeon-oh nodded in agreement, the Empress let out a soft, satisfied smile.

“He’ll be happy to hear this. I’ve told him about you from time to time, and each time, he’s said he wanted to meet you.”

“Is that so?”

His response was calm, but he found it hard to relate to the sentiment.

Even if they were uncle and nephew, he had never once seen the boy. There was no reason for him to feel anything. Why would it be any different for the Prince?

“Your Majesty, this humble one has arrived.”

“It seems the meal is ready.”

At the sound of the court lady’s voice, the Empress gracefully adjusted the hem of her skirt and stood up. Yeon-oh also rose from his seat, following suit.

“Since I got to see you today, I made sure to have something special prepared.”

Saying so, the Empress extended her hand toward him. Yeon-oh stared at the outstretched hand, unable to gauge her true intentions.

“When you were about three years old, you used to hold my hand and toddle around. Do you remember?”

“……I don’t recall very well.”

Embarrassed by the sudden recollection of childhood memories, Yeon-oh shook his head, pushing away the fragment of memory that surfaced.

“Is that so? Well, what I mean to say is, let’s walk out together, just like back then.”

“Your Majesty, this is the palace.”

“Yes. This is the heart of the inner court, and I am its mistress. But does that mean I can’t even hold my younger brother’s hand after seeing him for the first time in so long?”

“Even so……”

“Come now. Surely you won’t make me turn it into an order, will you? I have no desire to become an Empress who gives commands to her own little brother.”

For Yeon-oh, who only remembered their distant and formal interactions, this was beyond awkward. But he couldn’t just leave her hand hanging there. After a brief hesitation, he reached out and took it. It felt just as unfamiliar as the first time they had held hands.

“Tell me more about your time in Hanam while we eat. I’d love to hear about it.”

With their hands still joined, the Empress spoke softly. Yeon-oh could only nod.

Inside the carriage returning to the mansion, Yeon-oh leaned against the backrest, exhaustion evident on his face. The luncheon had taken longer than expected. As if that weren’t enough, the Empress had even suggested a walk. Despite having no particular topic to discuss between them, she seemed unwilling to let him leave, claiming it felt too soon to part. It was only after he reassured her that they could meet anytime in the future that he was finally able to leave the palace.

How much longer until they arrived? He needed at least a little time to rest before facing Hye Yeonseo. Eight years had passed—surely, she wouldn’t lash out at him the way she used to. And he no longer feared being scratched. Yet, memories of the past had a strange way of creeping up, making him shrink back, unsettling his mind.

As he let out a held breath, the carriage came to a stop. Pulling back the curtain covering the window, he saw the mansion outside. Yeon-oh straightened from the backrest and waited for the door to open. Once it did, he stepped down, crossing the threshold of the mansion at once. He immediately noticed the unusually bustling atmosphere and glanced around.

“The second young lady has arrived.”

“Already?”

At the quiet whisper from the approaching nanny, Yeon-oh almost let his discomfort show but managed to suppress it.

“What about my brother-in-law?”

“The young lady came alone. It seems the lord will come after he finishes his duties at the office.”

“Where is my sister?”

“She’s staying in the quarters she used before her marriage.”

“…Let’s go there.”

Yeon-oh walked ahead, feeling the nanny’s anxious gaze flicker toward him. But he kept his head straight, never once turning back.

How has Hye Yeonseo changed? Now that she was married and had a family of her own, had some of her sharp edges been softened? He tried to picture the sister who must have grown over the years, but all that surfaced was the face of the young girl who used to glare at him with fierce, unrelenting eyes.

“You don’t look well. Are you all right?”

As if her worried glances weren’t enough, the nanny finally voiced her concern.

“The Empress suggested a walk, so I ended up walking longer than expected,” Yeon-oh replied calmly, brushing a cool palm over his chilled cheek.

Even after passing through three inner gates, they had to walk quite a bit more before reaching the quarters where Hye Yeonseo had stayed in her youth.

As Yeon-oh approached, the servants standing guard at the door bowed their heads. Their faces were unfamiliar—likely Hye Yeonseo’s personal attendants.

“Shall I announce your visit?” one of them asked.

Yeon-oh gave a small nod. Soon, a clear voice called out, announcing his arrival. Moments later, the tightly shut door finally opened.

“Come in.”

The girl from eight years ago had become a woman. Her delicate features, slender neckline, and gracefully extended arms—if not for the small mole under her eye, Yeon-oh might not have recognized her as Hye Yeonseo.

“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?”

“…”

“Would you make me some tea? I’d like to try tea brewed by my little brother.”

She spoke in the gentlest tone possible. Still disoriented, Yeon-oh gave a small nod and signaled the attendant. Soon, a teapot with a subtle blue hue was placed between them.

As he finally regained his composure, Yeon-oh followed the proper steps to brew the tea. Holding the blue teapot engraved with delicate floral patterns, he poured the lightly steeped, green-tinged liquid into the empty cup. The tea flowed smoothly, creating a soft, clear sound as it filled the cup. With his gaze lowered, Yeon-oh calmly poured another cup for himself before finally setting the teapot down.

The attendant, who had been discreetly watching from the side, quietly stepped back, carrying the teapot away.

“To think my little brother, who used to only drink tea poured by others, is now serving tea himself. Time really does pass.”

Hye Yeonseo maintained her kind tone, but Yeon-oh could sense the hidden hostility beneath it. The thorns in her words were sharper and more refined than they had been eight years ago.

“Go ahead and drink. The Empress gifted this tea, and its fragrance is wonderful,” Yeon-oh said smoothly, brushing aside her veiled barbs as he took a sip.

Hye Yeonseo, lips slightly parted as if to say something, pressed them together instead. Mimicking his actions, she raised her teacup to her lips.

“It certainly has a lovely aroma, just as you said. As expected of something bestowed by the Empress.”

Her lips barely brushed the rim of the cup before she set it back down. Had there not been a slight sheen of moisture left behind, it would have seemed as if she hadn’t taken a single sip at all.

“You arrived early.”

“My husband thought it would be good for me to leave early and properly reunite with my younger brother. It has been quite some time, after all.”

“But you look heavy with child. You could have stayed longer before coming.”

“Where else could be as comfortable as my family home?”

Even with her skirt’s ample fabric concealing it, his gaze briefly flickered to her rounded belly. Hye Yeonseo smiled faintly and adjusted her clothes.

“Of course, that’s just my husband’s misconception.”

“……”

“How could he think I’d be more comfortable when I have to face you, the one who looks exactly like our mother?”

Any pretense of warmth vanished like smoke, leaving only clear hostility on her face. It was a familiar sight. In fact, the forced kindness had felt so ill-fitting that Yeon-oh found her hostility almost comforting.

“I really thought I could endure you. But the moment I saw you, I realized what a foolish assumption that was. The one who took our mother from me—how could I possibly endure you?”