STGL Ch 3

Taerok burst into genuine laughter.

“Don’t waste your precious concern on me. You’ll surely regret that expenditure someday. It would be better to use it for yourself, or for your beloved family.”

Nanyoung hesitated, then, figuring it was alright since Taerok had lifted him up before, wrapped his arms around his uncle’s neck.

A child’s heartbeat is faster. Unconsciously drawn in, Taerok heard Nanyoung’s pulse, something he neither wanted nor was curious about.

“Aren’t you… my family too, Uncle?”

A world he could never reach. A relationship he could never understand.

He had countless such experiences and encounters with such people in his life, but it was the first time he felt it so viscerally. Even when he felt they couldn’t understand each other, even when he met his fiancée and thought, “We’ll loathe each other,” he simply accepted it and moved on. But now, because Nanyoung was holding him, he couldn’t turn away.

The warmth was unpleasant. Unpleasant, yet strange. Taerok frowned, then, as usual, let out a long sigh. When he taught Nanyoung, he ended up doing countless such foolish things.

“Let’s stop here for today.”

Taerok finally pulled Nanyoung away and said,

“Since you don’t seem to have any intention of concentrating.”

“…That’s not true.”

It was. Having been hit where it hurt, Nanyoung averted his gaze, resembling a puppy that had misbehaved.

Taerok gestured for someone to remove the wooden sword and his bow from the floor. He untied the string that held his sleeves together and dropped it; someone swiftly picked it up.

Watching his uncle, who looked ready to leave the palace at any moment, Nanyoung gathered a little more courage. With a child’s logic, he believed that since his uncle had hugged him and he had hugged his uncle, they were now closer. The next step would be an invitation. Sharing something they liked, or doing something together.

Nanyoung gently tugged on his uncle’s sleeve. Taerok, without looking at Nanyoung, untied the string on his other wrist and muttered,

“Don’t tug like that. Look at me when you speak.”

“Uncle, they brought in fresh cucumbers to the royal kitchen. They say they’re very sweet and delicious.”

Knowing it was a shy invitation to share them, Taerok feigned ignorance.

“And?”

If Saon, who hadn’t accompanied him today, had been present, he would have asked, “Why are you so childish only with your nephew, Grand Prince?”

“So…? Um…”

Nanyoung was flustered by the unexpected response. Nanyoung, accustomed to affection and indulgence, found his elder, though also a son of the king, difficult to deal with due to their vastly different natures.

“Um… they also have watermelon. It’s sweeter than cucumber.”

“Of course watermelon is sweeter than cucumber. So? So what, young prince?”

Taerok still wasn’t looking at Nanyoung. He stubbornly kept his gaze fixed forward. The eunuch grumbled inwardly, “Such a petty and childish man,” while the court ladies standing before Taerok quietly giggled. It was because Taerok was smiling wryly, though very subtly.

“Unccle…”

“If you have a request, speak clearly.”

“…Come visit me. At my quarters.”

The invitation, finally blurted out, melted into a near-pleading request. Taerok finally let out a soft chuckle. He lowered his hand and took the child’s warm, slightly damp hand that was holding his sleeve.

“Alright.”

Even a gruff acceptance was still an acceptance, and Nanyoung’s face lit up.

🌱

After inviting Taerok once, Nanyoung would often invite him to his quarters for tea or to sample the latest offerings from the royal kitchen. For every ten invitations, Taerok would visit about twice. The delicacies from the royal kitchen usually found their way to the Grand Prince’s residence as well. Even if they were leftovers, there was more than enough for a single Grand Prince.

This day was another one where Taerok had visited Nanyoung’s quarters after being pestered ten times. Nanyoung was meticulously scooping out the seeds of an oriental melon with a small brass spoon.

“If you eat melon seeds, your stomach will hurt.”

He spoke diligently, even though no one had asked. Taerok was lounging by the window, his arm resting on the sill. He observed Nanyoung’s movements, then casually remarked,

“That’s because the melon seeds will grow inside your stomach.”

Nanyoung’s hand froze. He looked up at him with a bewildered expression. Taerok chuckled, amused and slightly exasperated that Nanyoung had taken his casual remark, intended as a tease, seriously.

“Then… then I’ll die when it’s fully grown? Because my stomach… will grow…”

“Your stomach won’t grow. But the vines might come out of your mouth.”

Oh dear, young prince. Please don’t take such jokes seriously. You, Your Highness, can just return to your palace after making such jokes, but we’re the ones who have to deal with the young prince crying at night! Sim Eung closed his eyes and screamed internally, his face remaining impassive.

Nanyoung’s face paled with fear, and he stammered,

“Th, then the melon is a monster?”

A monster? Taerok thought, “What nonsense is this?” then realized Nanyoung was referring to the monster story he had told him.

Taerok moved closer and sat in front of Nanyoung. He picked up the dropped spoon and scooped out the remaining seeds. He replied casually,

“Didn’t I say monsters look like us?”

He picked up the hollowed-out melon half and held it to Nanyoung’s lips.

“Does this look like a person?”

“But if it grows out of my mouth, wouldn’t I die? Then it’s a monster… Isn’t something scary a monster?”

Nanyoung, seemingly afraid even of the seedless melon, firmly closed his lips and shook his head. Taerok took a bite of the melon.

“Delicious. I guess monsters are tasty.”

“…….”

He finished the rest of the melon, then scooped out the seeds of another one. He sucked the sweet seeds off the spoon. They went straight into Taerok’s stomach. Nanyoung, his mouth agape in shock, leaned closer, his gaze slowly moving from Taerok’s lips to his throat, and then to his stomach.

“Un, Uncle… You’ll… you’ll die…”

“Die? Return to my palace?”

“No! No, that’s not what I meant…!”

“I told you to speak clearly, young prince.”

Taerok scooped out the remaining melon. He cut the white, boat-shaped piece and held it to Nanyoung’s lips. He closed his lips tightly again and shook his head. Taerok pushed further.

“If you don’t eat this, melon vines will really grow in my stomach and come out of my eyes, nose, and mouth.”

“What does that have to do with me eating it…?”

“You believe melon seeds grow in your stomach, but not my words?”

“…….”

“Come on. Open your mouth.”

Nanyoung’s head drooped hesitantly. Taerok’s head tilted along with his. His voice, urging him to eat, became softer, gentler, and more coaxing. He was enjoying this. He had to admit it now. Taerok thoroughly enjoyed teasing Nanyoung.

“Don’t you want to save your uncle? Are you okay with your uncle dying?”

“Why… why would you say that…?”

Nanyoung was on the verge of tears. This was where he should stop. Any normal person would. However, Taerok wasn’t normal. He was quite twisted. Leaning sideways, almost lying down, he feigned pain and said,

“Oh… I’m dying because of Nanyoung.”

Nanyoung finally burst into tears. Sobbing, he opened his lips. His eyebrows were furrowed, his eyes almost closed, and large teardrops, typical of a child, streamed down his face.

The piece of melon, meant to be shared in two bites, disappeared into Nanyoung’s mouth in four. If the eunuch serving Nanyoung had seen this, he would have panicked, worried about the young prince choking.

Watching Nanyoung eat, Taerok carefully cut the melon into bite-sized pieces. After a while, the plate was empty. All the seeds had gone into Taerok’s stomach. Nanyoung, watching him, would blink his wet eyelashes, look at Taerok, take a bite of melon, look again, and repeat.

Once the plate was empty, Taerok straightened up, stretching his back, which had been hunched over. Then he murmured softly,

“Nanyoung ate it all and saved his uncle.”

“R, really?”

Nanyoung asked between hiccups, his voice still thick with tears. Only then did Taerok offer him warm tea. At his instruction to drink it slowly, Nanyoung held the cup with both hands and sipped it carefully.

Taerok summoned someone to bring a soft cloth soaked in warm water. The eunuchs and court ladies would surely gossip about how Grand Prince Baegan had made the young prince cry. Taerok found that amusing as well. They say people curse the king when he’s not around, so he wouldn’t scold them for gossiping. This was an unexpected side of Taerok. While he was stubborn and strict with the meritorious families, he was rather easygoing with those below him.

Soon, the eunuch entered himself. Taerok took the cloth and wiped Nanyoung’s face.

“Do we have any pickled plums?”

“I believe so. Shall I bring some?”

“Bring some pickled plum tea. The young prince might get an upset stomach.”

You’re the one who caused it. The eunuch grumbled inwardly, keeping his expression neutral.

“I won’t.”

“I doubt it. You’re the type who catches colds even in summer.”

“…At what age do you… grow up like that?”

“Grow up how?”

Taerok thoroughly wiped Nanyoung’s nose and tossed the cloth into the basin. Nanyoung, his face still puffy, asked again,

“Like you, Uncle. I want to be a man like you.”

Sim Eung, the eunuch who had just entered, had a complicated expression on his face. Regardless of Taerok’s personality or reputation, he was undeniably admirable, even in the eyes of a man. It wasn’t strange at all to admire him. Even the eunuch, devoid of male characteristics, could fully understand Nanyoung’s feelings.

However, Sim Eung also knew. Nanyoung could never become a man like Taerok. Just by looking at him.

“You should grow up like yourself, young prince. Why would you want to be like me? Do you want to grow old unmarried like me?”

“You… you’re going to get married…”

‘I don’t mind if you postpone the marriage, Your Highness.’

He recalled his enigmatic fiancée’s words. Taerok didn’t answer.

“I heard they’re going to bestow a title upon you, young prince.”

Nanyoung was six years old now. It was early, but not too early. The king had personally told Taerok about the bestowal of the title. He had asked Taerok if he had any preferred titles, and Taerok had said he would think about it. He then asked if it wouldn’t be best for His Majesty to decide, and the king had replied,

‘Nanyoung has been very fond of you lately. Wouldn’t he be happy if you chose it?’

“Do you have any favorite characters?”

“Favorite characters?”

Nanyoung thought for a moment, then said,

“Tae (太), Suk (淑), Rok (綠), Heon (憲)!”

Grand Princes usually took their titles from the land bestowed upon them, but it seemed that wouldn’t be the case, judging from the king’s words. So he asked, and received an unexpected answer. ‘Tae’ and ‘Rok’ were simple characters for a child to know, but the others were quite complex.

However, Taerok was more surprised by the choice of ‘Tae’ and ‘Rok.’

“Coincidentally, those are characters from my name. Though their meanings are slightly different.”

“Characters from your name? It’s a coincidence!”

Taerok chuckled at the immediate, unhesitant reply. He gently pinched Nanyoung’s chubby cheek.

“You knew all along. How can the soon-to-be-titled prince lie so shamelessly?”

Nanyoung chuckled nervously, trying to diffuse the situation.

“It’s a coincidence. But my feelings are sincere.”

Taerok suddenly felt the weight of the cheek he was holding and let go.

He was simply humoring the rumor, ‘It seems even the cold-hearted Lee Taerok cares for his nephew,’ because he found it amusing. This sincerity was burdensome.

Taerok stood up.

“Congratulations on your upcoming title.”

Nanyoung stood up as well. Taerok lightly pressed his small, slender shoulder. Even with just a slight touch, Nanyoung slumped back down.

“You’re becoming a proper member of the royal family. A lonely position, where you must constantly prove yourself, yet there are no answers.”

“Uncle…?”

He felt a twinge of guilt. Taerok scoffed at himself, realizing he still had some conscience left. He was about to turn away, but leaned towards Nanyoung again.

“Still, I’ll protect you from the monsters I know. You like the characters from my name, so I should at least make this promise as your elder.”

Nanyoung didn’t understand Taerok’s words. He was still too young.

Taerok turned and left. He told the eunuch he wouldn’t be visiting the palace until the end of the month. Grain in Ear had just passed. The end of the month was still far away.

“The young prince will be disappointed.”

“Nanyoung might be, but you certainly won’t. I’ll be going now.”

Unaware that he had casually used Nanyoung’s name, Taerok stepped down from the platform.

The season for sowing seeds and beginning the year’s farming. Was it a seed of conscience or a hint of humanity that had been sown in Taerok? He wouldn’t know until it grew. Taerok wasn’t a farmer.

Just before the Summer Solstice, on Nanyoung’s birthday, he was bestowed with a title. He received a fertile piece of land, blessed with sunshine and untouched by floods or droughts. He was given the title “Heonui,” derived from the name of the land. Coincidentally, it contained one of the characters Nanyoung liked.

Taerok sent a gift to Nanyoung’s quarters. A white folding fan, meticulously crafted from shaved sedge and high-quality paper. It was a hot day. Nanyoung repeatedly opened and closed the fan. He would open it slightly, then fully, then fully, then slightly. A butterfly and an orchid were painted on the white paper. Nanyoung traced the painting with his finger, then unfolded the accompanying letter.

「This uncle is skilled with the sword, but not with the brush, so please forgive the clumsy painting.

Congratulations on finally becoming a Grand Prince.」

He claimed to be unskilled with the brush, but it was a lie. His uncle was lying again. Just from the bold strokes and the rough, unhesitating finish, he could picture Taerok. Even though he had never actually seen him sitting at a desk with a brush in hand.

Nanyoung carefully stroked the letter, then pouted.

“It’s been over a month… and he hasn’t congratulated me in person…”

If Taerok had heard this, he might have frowned and said it was typical of a child raised on affection.

But so be it. He hadn’t visited anyway.

Nanyoung, no longer a young prince but a proper Grand Prince, felt melancholic. Was this the loneliness of being a royal, as his uncle had described? If so, he seemed to be learning about loneliness quite early. Since his interactions with his peers were very limited, he couldn’t ask anyone about it and could only keep it to himself.

Still, if his uncle visited, he would ask him. If this was the loneliness he had spoken of. Because his uncle was also a Grand Prince, a royal, and had been the younger brother of a crown prince.

🌱

Grand Prince Heonui, Nanyoung, now eight years old, entered the Royal Academy. The Royal Academy was for the king’s sons and the children born to princesses who didn’t live in the palace. Among them, Nanyoung was the youngest and smallest.

There were no children of Grand Princes. It was because Taerok still hadn’t married. He had told them not to interfere since he had a fiancée, but it was obvious that the Royal Household Administration and the Ministry of Rites were displeased and concerned. Taerok used his duties as an envoy, traveling between countries, as an excuse for not having time.

Nanyoung knew it was an excuse. If he truly didn’t have time, Taerok would have stopped teaching him. However, Taerok was still teaching Nanyoung, and despite that, Nanyoung’s swordsmanship remained abysmal, he still frequently fell ill, and Taerok continued his teasing jokes.

“You’ve given up on becoming a tiger, and I wonder if you can even catch a deer.”

“Uncle, I can hear you…”

Nanyoung mumbled dejectedly.

It had been since spring that he started practicing drawing the bowstring. Even though his second anniversary as a Grand Prince was approaching, Nanyoung still couldn’t fully draw the bowstring. Even with a wooden bow.

Taerok approached. He nocked an arrow to his bow and shot it. Nanyoung’s mouth fell open as he watched. It was flawlessly beautiful. It felt as if his uncle had moved even further away, leaving him behind.

However, Taerok was indifferent, having captivated his nephew once again. He only offered a brief piece of advice.

“Your posture is off.”

Taerok hadn’t changed since they first met. He was still blunt with Nanyoung, with occasional bursts of unexpected gentleness. Perhaps the only change was that he joked a little, just a little, more often now.

“You’re distracted while your elder is demonstrating. Is that how they teach you at the Royal Academy?”

“…No.”

As Nanyoung shook his head, Taerok released the bowstring. Taerok’s target was incredibly far away. A person standing next to the distant target waved a flag, signaling a hit.

“Or is the Royal Academy boring?”

Taerok asked, nocking another arrow. Nanyoung wished he would look at him when he asked such questions. However, Taerok was a lukewarm uncle. Neither warm nor entirely cold.

‘Still, your uncle favors you.’

His elder brother, the crown prince, was kind to him, but occasionally, when he was severely scolded or when he gave a wrong answer during lessons with their father, he would add this at the end of his complaints.

Nanyoung felt a little wronged. Because his uncle had never favored him. It became even clearer as he grew older. Even at eight years old, he knew that his uncle simply spent a little more time with him than with others, not because he favored him.

Nanyoung was eight years old, an age full of desires.

“You’re not concentrating.”

Taerok said.

“And I asked you a question. Isn’t the Royal Academy enjoyable?”

“…It is enjoyable.”

“I doubt it.”

“It’s truly enjoyable!”

Nanyoung exclaimed hurriedly, as if making an excuse.

“Although they’re all older than me… I still enjoy learning with them.”

Taerok recalled his half-brothers, with whom he hadn’t been particularly close, even when they were growing up together in the palace. He had been distant from them, so he had no interest in their children. He could only vaguely picture their childish forms.

“Is anyone bullying you?”

“No. No one.”

“Even a Grand Prince can be bullied. I won’t scold you for being honest.”

He might scold the bullies. Or rather, he might do something.

Taerok, not even considering the rare jokes he made with Nanyoung, thought he would seem childish saying this.

Nanyoung, unaware of Taerok’s inner thoughts, asked,

“Have you ever been bullied, Uncle?”

Saon, who had refilled the quiver, shook his head.

“Your Highness, your uncle here is not someone who would be bullied.”

“Saon, you talk too much.”

“Isn’t it true, though?”

Taerok sighed and shot another arrow. The flag waved again.

“Young prince, if anyone bullies you, be sure to ask for their name. Remember it and tell your uncle.”

“Teaching the Grand Prince good things.”

Even Taerok’s sarcastic remark didn’t deter Saon.

“You never know. Your uncle might remember it and teach them a lesson.”

Teach them a lesson…? Taerok, who had just thought he might do something to the bullies, felt a chill at the encouragement.

Nanyoung glanced at Taerok, then shook his head. It wasn’t because he was trying to read his uncle’s expression, he was simply curious about it.

“There’s no need for anyone to teach them a lesson for me. I’m a Grand Prince… I’ll take care of myself, and I won’t bother you, Uncle.”

He spoke quite maturely for an eight-year-old. His thoughts seemed mature as well. Saon’s eyes widened slightly in surprise, then he chuckled.

“Well, well. His Majesty is truly virtuous.”

“You’ll die young if you keep running your mouth.”

“Who says I’m running my mouth, Your Highness?”

“I do. Don’t make me end my friend’s life with my own hands. Get out.”

This time, Nanyoung’s eyes widened slightly. It was the first time he had seen his uncle speak like this. It was the first time he realized, even just a little, how much his uncle had been filtering his words around him.

“Now, would you kindly tell me why you’ve been so sullen?”

“Do you… care…?”

“Let’s just say I care, since saying it bothers me would upset you.”

Nanyoung instantly beamed. He was a good-natured child, without a twisted bone in his body. He could have been resentful due to his frail health and frequent illnesses, but he wasn’t.

As he had done when he was younger, Nanyoung stood next to Taerok, holding onto his sleeve. He was still barely half Taerok’s height, even though he had grown, so it didn’t look strange.

“I want to be like you, Uncle, but it seems impossible for me to become such a man, so I was feeling down.”

“That’s the same dream you mentioned before.”

“A dream? Can’t you call it a goal?”

“It’s a dream. There comes a time when you have to wake up.”

He could have been gentler with the child, but he was being mean. Taerok set his bow down and turned to look at Nanyoung. His lower lip was stuck out. He was reminded of the mythical bird with a long tail and a long beak. Taerok pinched Nanyoung’s lip, then let go.

“There’s a suitable place for everyone, and different ways and capacities for growth. You’ll grow in your own way, so don’t be impatient. You don’t have to be like me.”

“But you’re the most manly man I’ve ever seen…”

Taerok raised his eyebrows slightly, then sighed and lowered them.

“Shouldn’t you at least say His Majesty is the most manly?”

“His Majesty is a gentleman, so he’s the most exemplary gentleman.”

“Huh.”

Taerok chuckled in disbelief.

“See? My nephew has found the right words. Since you’re so eloquent, you should become an envoy someday.”

Nanyoung’s eyes lit up at the mention of envoy. Then, as if he had been waiting for this, he bombarded Taerok with questions.

“An envoy? Like what you do, Uncle? What were the places you visited like? Is the sky and earth really endless? I heard there are horses with humps on their backs, is that true?”

Unfortunately, Taerok had no interest in any of Nanyoung’s questions. He had seen horses with humps on their backs, but was it really that fascinating? Was it because he was a child, or were their interests simply that far apart? The thirteen-year age gap, which would never close, felt starkly apparent.

He seemed so curious that he would probably be delighted if he told him about his travels as an envoy, showed him the things he had brought back, or satisfied his curiosity in some way. However, even if he showed him the objects, he didn’t have the confidence to make it interesting enough for Nanyoung.

“…Are you that curious?”

“Yes!”

“Then you should meet my fiancée.”

Why did I say that?

Taerok was flustered by his own impulsive words. However, Nanyoung’s eyes were already sparkling with anticipation. He couldn’t backtrack now that he had raised his hopes so high. This was a change in Taerok, who, just a year ago, would have retracted his statement without hesitation.

“Your fiancée? Are you talking about the woman who will become my aunt?”

“Yes. Although she didn’t join the envoy, she happened to be in the same region with her mother and grandmother.”

He hadn’t traveled with her. He had simply met her once. Considering he had let two years pass by in this superficial engagement, his behavior as a fiancé was atrocious. He wondered, at this point, whether it was Nan Ok or her father who was insistent on maintaining this almost insulting engagement.

“She’s more eloquent than I am.”

“But since you’re not married yet, it wouldn’t be proper to invite her to my quarters.”

“Then you can come to my residence.”

What nonsense…

He regretted his words as soon as he spoke them. His previous statement could have been dismissed as a mere greeting, but this was a truly uncharacteristic suggestion. Even Saon, surprised by the words he never thought Taerok would utter, stopped arranging his bow and turned to look at him.

However, it was too late to retract his statement; Nanyoung’s eyes were sparkling brighter than ever. A river of stars flowed through his eyes. His moist eyes twinkled excitedly.

“Really? Can I really visit your residence, Uncle? Are you really inviting me?”

“…….”

Saon, who was arranging his bow behind Nanyoung, clicked his tongue and shook his head with an expression that clearly said, ‘If you back out now, you’ll make him cry.’ Taerok felt a headache coming on. Nanyoung crying was even more troublesome. Nanyoung’s cries were quiet, without any fuss. However, his sobs were as fragile as a small bird’s trembling chest, yet as persistent as its fluttering wings. They haunted him like phantom sounds even after he left the palace.

“…Yes. Come. But you know it’s proper to send a letter and make an appointment beforehand, don’t you? Since you’re a student at the Royal Academy.”

“Of course! I’ll bring a small… gift for you, Uncle.”

He truly didn’t want anything. Judging by Nanyoung’s flushed cheeks and excitement, it would probably be seasonal produce or fruits. Nanyoung, despite being a Grand Prince, had simple, almost frugal tastes, so the gifts he treasured and offered were always perplexing to Taerok.

“…It’ll be heavy, so just come empty-handed.”

“…….”

His silence indicated he would be stubborn.

Taerok had come to know Nanyoung quite well. He turned around dismissively. He then slung his quiver over his shoulder.

“Practice every day. Even if you’re not good with the sword, you should be able to handle a bow reasonably well as a Grand Prince.”

“Yes!”

“…What have I done?”

“But the young prince is overjoyed. You’re such a good uncle.”

“Shut your mouth. You’ll choke to death on your own tongue.”

“Why do you criticize my loyalty so harshly? I understand the young prince; he’s so lovable.”

“You’re being too verbose. With two Grand Princes here, I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

As if he didn’t know. Saon chuckled playfully.

“And watch your words. He’s His Majesty’s son and a Grand Prince, even if he’s young. He’s not someone you should talk about casually, saying he’s lovable or whatever.”

Once bestowed with a title, he would be treated as a proper member of the royal family. He would live in his own quarters, a considerable distance from his parents. Whether Grand Prince or Prince, they were born as individuals, yet simultaneously part of an inseparable, subordinate chain.

“Being too lovable, too cherished, or too exceptional is not good for a Grand Prince.”

Even if they stood out, those around them wouldn’t leave them alone.

“What about the crown prince?”

“They say he’s benevolent, just like His Majesty. However…”

“However, what?”

Saon leaned closer and whispered,

“He seems to be close to the Princess, but distant from Grand Prince Heonui.”

“…….”

Taerok suddenly looked up. The dragon head at the end of the high palace eaves seemed to be opening its jaws to devour the setting sun. The decorative roof tiles, lined up along the ridge, seemed to be either warding off evil spirits or observing the foolish behavior of the people below.

“The crown prince and a Grand Prince are naturally like that.”

A relationship where one side is bound to be uncomfortable. Wasn’t it always like that? Between the king and himself, he was probably the uncomfortable one.

Taerok changed the subject without expressing his opinion.

“It’s raining.”

“Oh. It is. Let’s head back, Your Highness.”

He didn’t quicken his pace. The umbrella made of oiled, durable paper and sedge was quite valuable. Taerok scolded Saon, saying it didn’t matter if they got a little wet.

However, for some, getting a little wet was a big deal. As the summer rain suddenly intensified, drenching Taerok, his gaze inadvertently fell upon Nanyoung, who was standing under the eaves, quietly watching the raindrops fall. Nanyoung, who, knowing he would fall ill if he got even slightly wet, was sheltering under the palace eaves, waiting, whether for an umbrella or a raincoat, he didn’t know.

“…….”

Their gazes met: Taerok, frowning, shielding his eyes from the rain with his hand atop his headwear, and Nanyoung, almost completely dry.

“Uncle.”

Nanyoung cupped his hands around his mouth and called out softly.

“It’s raining heavily. Wait until it stops.”

Taerok didn’t respond. Nanyoung, wondering if his uncle hadn’t heard him, took a deep breath. Taerok, as if to prevent Nanyoung from calling out louder, abruptly turned away and walked off with large strides.

“It seems fine to wait until the rain stops. Why are you in such a hurry?”

“I don’t like the palace.”

“What kind of… nonsense is that, coming from someone who was born and raised here?”

…Nonsense?

However, Saon’s voice was drowned out by a deafening clap of thunder that shook the heavens and earth. It was loud enough to make the ground tremble.

“Is a dragon ascending…?”

“Don’t speak such things casually.”

Taerok snapped. It was thunder loud enough to make one think a dragon was ascending. However, a dragon resided in this palace. Within the palace walls, there should be only one dragon. So, don’t speak of dragons within these walls.

Yet, he was looking back.

Nanyoung, who could never become a three-clawed dragon like the crown prince, nor a four-clawed dragon like the king, was huddled up. The eunuch was holding him and trying to comfort him. Although he knew he would soon compose himself, Taerok unconsciously found himself walking back.

“What’s the point of being so scared of mere thunder, when you’re not even a monster?”

Nanyoung, surprised to find Taerok standing before him, having not heard him approach and having just seen him far away, initially thought he was seeing things. At his bewildered stare, Taerok clicked his tongue and straightened Nanyoung’s shoulders.

“It seems the rain is about to get heavier. My horse might be startled and I might fall, so would it be alright if I took shelter in your quarters for a while?”

“…O, of course, Uncle. You mustn’t fall…”

Coincidentally, hadn’t Taerok’s first fiancée died from a fall from a horse? Taerok hadn’t meant it that way, but Nanyoung, who had recently learned the reason why his uncle remained unmarried, felt a pang of sadness.

A young eunuch, having borrowed an umbrella, came running. Taerok took the umbrella from the eunuch’s unsteady hand. It wasn’t made of oiled paper, but oiled cloth, and was quite heavy.

As Taerok started walking, Nanyoung followed. Taerok, lacking the consideration to adjust his pace to a child’s, ended up walking slightly ahead, no matter how hard Nanyoung tried to catch up. From slightly behind, Nanyoung could see that his uncle’s clothes were already soaked, and his shoes left footprints on the stone path. Nanyoung carefully walked beside the wet footprints, trying to gauge their size.

Everyone said it was difficult to be like his uncle. Then who should he emulate? Which man should he aspire to be? Nanyoung found it hard to give up. No matter how he looked at it, the most ideal man, the one he most wanted to be like, within the palace walls, within Nanyoung’s world, was his uncle, Lee Taerok.

He was even envious of his foot size…

“Young prince.”

Taerok, now a step and a half ahead, turned around and called him. He had noticed Nanyoung lagging behind, having felt the space beside him empty. His shoulder was wet, rendering the extravagant shelter, more luxurious than the umbrella the young eunuch had borrowed, useless.

Taerok clicked his tongue and returned. He took Nanyoung’s hand and pulled him close. It was a hand that neither his mother nor his father had held since he received his title. Since being told, “Become a proper Grand Prince now,” Nanyoung had been forced to become a royal without any preparation.

The hand holding his, after such a long time, was very large and firm. It didn’t resemble any hand he had held before.

As soon as Nanyoung matched his pace, Taerok let go of his hand.

“Tell me if you’re tired. Or tug on my sleeve like you usually do when you’re displeased.”

Nanyoung replied, “Yes.”

His uncle’s pace, which had been difficult to keep up with just a moment ago, was now manageable. Taerok had slowed down. Taerok found this bothersome and tedious. Weren’t all the servants following behind getting drenched? If he matched a child’s pace, it would take all day to reach his quarters. In the end, Taerok chose what he considered the most efficient method. He picked Nanyoung up. It was the first time since the summer he turned six. Two whole years ago.

“Being a Grand Prince is quite inconvenient, isn’t it? You can’t even run at a time like this.”

“…They say a nobleman shouldn’t be hasty and shouldn’t run recklessly.”

“But even those haughty noblemen would run when they need to use the privy, or when it’s raining like this.”

“I doubt it… I’ve never seen my grandfather run.”

That man is a snake; he should be slithering on the ground. Taerok sneered. However, he wasn’t childish enough to say that to a child.

“What about monsters? Do they run or walk?”

Taerok paused and looked intently at Nanyoung.

“I don’t know. I’ve never seen one.”

“Really? You said you knew what monsters look like, Uncle.”

“Actually, ghosts and monsters can’t enter the palace. How could they build a place where His Majesty resides in a way that allows such evil beings to roam freely? So, the things I’ve seen aren’t monsters, but people.”

“…Not monsters pretending to be people?”

“I haven’t touched them, so I don’t know. If you’re confused, young prince, touch them. I assume they walk on two feet.”

Nanyoung’s expression became serious. It seemed the deafening thunder had faded from his mind.

Taerok’s clothes and gat were quite dirty due to the muddy ground. On the other hand, Nanyoung’s shoes and clothes were clean.

Even carrying a ten-year-old and an umbrella, Taerok didn’t seem exhausted. Once he put the umbrella away, the downpour had stopped as if mocking them.

Taerok handed the umbrella to a courtier and set Nanyoung down on the dry ground under the eaves.

“Judging by the remaining dark clouds, it will probably rain again, but not immediately, so I’ll be going now.”

“Ah, aren’t you coming inside?”

“Didn’t I say I’d only stay until the rain stopped? Go inside. Saon, let’s go.”

“But…”

Then why did you even come this far…? Saon wanted to cry. You used an umbrella, Your Highness, but I didn’t! The complaint rose to his throat, but he swallowed it down.

Taerok, as before, turned and left without a backward glance, leaving Nanyoung behind. He acted as if he would never see him again, yet sometimes turned back like he had just done. Saon thought his master was truly unpredictable.

Nanyoung waited until his uncle’s retreating figure completely disappeared from view before entering his quarters.

After Taerok returned to his palace, the rain started pouring again, even heavier than before. It was no longer a shower, but a downpour. Taerok instructed his servants to carefully manage the embankments surrounding his land, part of his fiefdom, to prevent flooding, then opened a window and poured himself a drink.

Once again, a deafening clap of thunder shook the heavens and earth, threatening to tear them apart. It was almost violent. “Judging by that violent sound, it’s not a dragon ascending, but an imugi falling.”

The resentment of an imugi, a serpentine proto-dragon, that failed to become a dragon was beyond imagination. It was intense and devastating. Such resentment would surely produce this deafening roar as it fell, screaming.

Taerok silently refilled his cup. The clear liquor, oblivious to the raging downpour outside, exuded a fragrant aroma. Taerok’s expression was equally unreadable.

And that night, Nanyoung, having gotten just slightly wet, developed a fever. Just as a small amount of dye could change the color of water, a little rain was enough to make Nanyoung ill.