Chapter 86: Geim-Eul Sijaghaja (Let The Games Begi

Life was not easy with the monks, but it was better than being in Nam-Jeon's company any day. I was subjected to endless prayers, chants and transcriptions for the next week. But after that, my workload seemed to have increased almost tenfold and I couldn't take it anymore. I needed to find a way into Nam-Jeon's office to help my brother. But luck seemed to be on my side as I happened to have run into Seon-Ho's colleague that kept trying to visit me until Seon-Ho lost his temper about it. Even back then he still wouldn't behave and act as recklessly as he was now. I had no clothes to wear other than the ones that I had made for myself, so I wasn't expecting him to stare at me a much as he was now. I tried to engage in conversation with him, but he wouldn't talk to me or even look in my direction at all, in fact, he looked like he was downright upset with me. First Dal and now him? What on earth was wrong with these men that I was around nowadays?

"Sir, have I done anything wrong? Why do you refuse to look at me? I do not even know why you stopped coming around?" I had managed to sneak out unnoticed as soon as I saw him and I was more than aware that I was pestering him. But I had to feign interest in him in order to follow him to his office, despite the many witnesses that surrounded us. "Yeon, I truly am disappointed in you. I didn't think that you were that sort of woman?" What are you talking about? Did Seon-ho say something to you?" "I...asked for your hand in marriage. But he laughed at me and informed me of your relationship as clear as day." "What relationship? I have known that man for over a decade, that is all..." "He told me that you are his mistress, and that he will marry you as soon as he can."

Not even I had a good excuse for what he just told me because I was stunned into silence. Didn't this happen in my first year with the Nam's? Why the hell would he say something like that? Even back then? He wasn't even around me that much back then so why...

Seon-Ho. Nam Seon-Ho, the man I loved and protected as much as I could was now in turn trying to ruin my already fragile reputation, but why? And why was he becoming an obstacle in my path? He distanced himself from me when I needed him the most, but any chance I got to myself away from him, he would find some way to sabotage it? And the worst thing was that I really doubted if my own brother knew this side to him, so I had no idea about how to handle this at all.

By the time that I regained my senses, he had already left and I was left on my own to find my way back to the temple where a very angry matron was waiting for me for sneaking out. "You have been sent here for punishment! How dare you leave your post and just..." "Madame, forgive me, but I am not a religious person. I very much doubt that Buddha will take my transcriptions seriously..." "You..." May I ask you, are chants or transcriptions a more effective method of relieving one's sins?" "Chants are more effective." She replied, so I made my way to the idol everyone prayed at to begin my chanting in a rather loud tone of voce. I knew that I was going to get in trouble for this, but now I saw that Seon-Ho's dislike for the palace's practices were more serious than I had anticipated. Everything in the palace stuck to such outdated systems and practises that my father's demise seemed to be determined as soon as he set food in this haunted palace. And the worst thing was that my father was an intelligent man, even more so than Seon-Ho. My poor father, he must have already known what he was getting himself into, especially since never made any attempt to work for the palace until he was personally summoned. And not only did he not have a choice to decline the offer, but he did it to feed his children with no mother figure to help him out at all.

"Will you stop being so disrespectful? You must chant silently." "I have repeated these words only 5 times, but you are all already irritated by it. Then if myself and all of the monks in the world chants or transcribes something again, then won't Buddha himself also become irritated. As I have previously stated, I am not religious, but I do believe that the essence of Buddha scriptures are not in either one of these forms. But from understating it; if one's heart is empty than so their intentions." Not a single person knew what to say or do next, so I had no choice but to keep kneeling on the ground which was beginning to become quite painful. I was either going to be punished or taken out of the place to god only knows where, but it looked like Nam-Jeon had just about enough of me and the feeling was mutual. And the further I stayed away from Seon-Ho right now, the better it was for all of us.

I was about to collapse onto the floor as the monks were still deliberating about my punishment when a prince made his way into the temple and started clapping his hands quite obnoxiously. He was a big and rounded man who had his hair out and a smile that I didn't fully trust. From this description alone, he had to be the second prince, who was loud, obnoxious, a drunkard and didn't care for the throne at all. I would have carried on by calling him a womaniser, but rumour had it that women weren't exactly his type. "Well well, and just who is this fascinating young lady who came up with such a remark..."

"My Lord, I am a simple guest of the Lord of the Privy Council, Nam-Jeon. He was unhappy with my behaviour in his home since I come from a humble background and am not knowledgeable in the ways of the noble people, so he sent me here to be punished." Very well, I would like you to accompany for a walk in the imperial gardens so I can learn some more about your thoughts and ideas." Who was I to deny his request? Although the monk's reactions were making uneasy, I had no choice but to go along with it for now.

Despite his less-than-stellar reputation, he was an easy man to talk to and was probably the least scheming member of the imperial family that I had ever come across. I was definitely getting more attention than I was used to with every single pair of eyes watching my every move with the prince and it was a little unnerving. But there was no time to fumble or make a mistake, now that I was far away from Seon-Ho, my mind was no longer clouded and I finally had the chance t help my brother and bring him home.

"You really are different." What do you mean, Your Highness?" "You clearly know of my reputation and yet you are willing to sit and converse with me." "So what? We humans are all a little different from each other." "I am impressed. You do not admire imperial power or power after seeing it, how carefree you are. You are probably the first person not to ask me for anything within the first 5 minutes after meeting me." "My Lord...forgive me. I may in fact have a favour to ask you for. But it is not urgent and I am bound to the temple for another 4 days...." "Well well, you do know how to keep things interesting. But instead of saying at the temple, I would like for you to stay with me for a few days in my residence. I am quite coincidentally free for the rest of the week." "Thank you My Lord, but...your harem..." "That is a good point. Then, I will have no choice but to put you with the maids for now, I hope that will be ok with you..." "Of course, My Lord."

For the rest of the day I dined with the Prince, I rode a horse for the second time in my life and he took me to the imperial library and left me on my own for while. The palace was absolutely abhorrent to me but the library was different, it was a place that the old epileptic Yeon could have only dreamed of setting foot in. Although it was a dream for me to even witness as not many women were allowed to step foot in a place that had so many books, my brother mattered to me a lot more than this. But I suppose it didn't hurt to read a law book or two so I could try to keep myself and my loved ones out of trouble as much as I possibly could.

I was so engrossed in my books that I didn't even realise that Seon-Ho's colleague had snuck in without permission with a very angry look on his face. I barely had the time to get up from my seat before he actually had the nerve to grab me by my arm much more forcefully than even Seon-Ho had ever done before the threw me onto the floor in a fit of rage.

"Tell me! What was your purpose in approaching the prince!" "What on earth are you talking about? He was the one who approached me!" "Is this the kind person you are? You have already given yourself to one man before marriage, you now have your sights set on someone even higher up and yet you will not even cast me a glance! You already live in the Nam mansion and is currently living a life of luxury that nobody else from your class could ever dream of having, isn't that enough for you? Seon-Ho told me himself he will marry you, and now you want to betray him for a prince? Who doesn't even like women?" I had had more than enough from this man as I got back on my feet and gave him such a hard slap that he actually tumbled backwards and knocked over a shelf of books. "My affairs are my own and I will thank you not to interfere with them. You are not my father, my brother, my protector or even an acquaintance of mine! You talk so confidently about how I am betraying a man I have never had relations with, then what about what you are doing right now? Didn't he tell you to stay away from me? And yet here you are, disobeying his orders? I have done nothing to give you hope sir, so walk away and just leave me alone!"

I tried to walk away but he wasn't having that at all. He grabbed me by my arm again and pulled in almost into his chest with a very wild look in his eye that was so similar to Seon-Ho recently...

"I am also a man of noble standing. If you are plotting a rags-to-riches scheme, then it would have been better to have given me a chance. I can give you everything that you want." I could only sigh in frustration as I managed to easy myself out of his grip before kneeling onto the floor to make my intentions known to this man once and for all. "Your humble servant thanks you for this regard. But I am of lowly birth with poor fortune, I dare not to get ideas above my station." That really shocked him, i could tell, but there was no way of knowing what he would do next if the doors hadn't swung open and Seon-Ho of all people didn't make his way inside with a blank look on his face before he turned on his colleague in a split second.