Chapter 12: The Herbivore with Claws

The King of Hoye, Baek Cheong-mun, was a man who gave the impression of fragility.

With skin that was uncommonly pale and fine for a man, paired with soft auburn eyes and hair, he looked more like a scholar versed in letters than a warrior of arms. If compared to an animal, he seemed closer to a herbivore—perhaps a rabbit or a deer—peacefully grazing in a field.

However, the gaze looking down from the high throne was as sharp as a bird of prey. Fragile or not, a king was still a king.

Cheong-mun accepted the greetings of the Taeseong delegation with half-hearted indifference before his eyes settled on Huiyeon. His gaze was a straight line, as if trying to pierce through her inner thoughts, and Huiyeon felt herself go taut with tension.

“The journey was long, and you must be weary. Why not go and rest?”

His voice was soft, yet it carried a weight that made it difficult to refuse.

“Ah… we arrived a few days ago, so we aren’t tired in the slighte—”

Hwang Mu-gyeong cut in without a hint of tact, but he quickly fell silent when Cheong-mun’s sharp eyes shifted toward him. Fortunately, it seemed he wasn’t entirely devoid of situational awareness.

“I have a distaste for clutter…”

The King’s gaze returned to Huiyeon. The way his auburn eyes scrutinized her so tenaciously made her skin crawl. A subtle, indescribable emotion flickered in Cheong-mun’s eyes before vanishing just as quickly.

“I believe the conversation should be held with the Princess of Taeseong. What do you think?”

It wasn’t a suggestion; it was effectively a command. Therefore, there was only one thing Huiyeon could say. In truth, a private audience was exactly what she had hoped for.

“I shall do as you wish.”

“Good.”

Upon hearing her answer, Cheong-mun immediately rose and strode out of the main hall. Huiyeon wondered if he meant to speak later, but the eunuch who had been standing by the King’s side approached and offered a polite bow.

“Princess of Taeseong, please follow me.”

As Huiyeon moved to follow the eunuch, the sound of Hwang Mu-gyeong’s indignant huffing followed her.

“I am the representative of this delegation… Why does that unlucky…”

He stopped mid-sentence, perhaps because one of his companions covered his mouth, but Huiyeon had no trouble finishing his thought. He was certainly about to say, ‘that unlucky twin wench.’

Huiyeon glanced at the eunuch walking ahead and swallowed a sigh. True to a palace official, his expression remained unchanged; it was impossible to tell if he had heard or not. It was fine for the Taeseong people to insult her among themselves, but doing so here was problematic. While others had some sense, Hwang Mu-gyeong was utterly insolent.

As if it didn’t matter if Huiyeon heard him, Hwang Mu-gyeong had referred to her that way without hesitation since the journey to the palace began. The reason he had dropped his facade of treating her as royalty was obvious: he had likely heard the news of the Hoye royal wedding.

Since the marriage alliance had seemingly evaporated, the people of Taeseong were huddled together, whispering about what else they might have to offer. Hwang Mu-gyeong likely wanted the same thing she did: the “Dragon’s Power” to bring rain to Taeseong.

However, she felt strongly that she couldn’t let Hwang Mu-gyeong continue his antics. Given his arrogant attitude, he would surely bring more harm than benefit.

While she pondered how to handle him, they arrived at their destination. She had expected to be led deep into the palace since he hated “clutter,” but the eunuch brought her to the exact opposite: an open, airy garden.

Under the shade of a tree so large its age was impossible to guess, a table and two chairs were set. They bore clear signs of use, suggesting they hadn’t been placed there just for today, and Cheong-mun, already seated, looked perfectly at home.

“Sit, Princess.”

At Cheong-mun’s voice, Huiyeon realized she had stopped walking and that the eunuch had vanished. With every step, she felt the vitality of the damp grass beneath her feet. It struck her that this was truly Hoye—not the withered Taeseong, where even common weeds were parched.

She had to obtain Hoye’s help.

In the vast garden, there was no sign of another soul besides her and the King. She assumed at least one or two royal guards were hidden nearby even if she couldn’t sense them, and she watched in silence as Cheong-mun expertly brewed tea. His hair fluttered softly in the gentle breeze.

She thought it again: he felt like a herbivore. This place suited him much better than the flamboyant red of the main hall.

“It has steeped well. Drink.”

A pale green tea in white porcelain was placed before her. Thinking it a rare luxury to be served tea brewed by a king himself, Huiyeon offered her thanks.

“I shall enjoy it.”

“My tea-brewing skills are superior to the palace servants, so you will find it palatable.”

Huiyeon took a careful sip and realized he wasn’t joking. It was truly the best tea she had ever tasted—though her only point of comparison was what Court Lady Go had made for her. As the warm tea slid down her throat, warmth returned to her body, which had been chilled by nerves.

“However, I am quite curious as to why the Princess of Taeseong has traveled all the way to our kingdom.”

The question was thrown at her the moment she set her cup down, and Huiyeon stiffened again. Though a soft smile played on his lips, his indifferent eyes held no trace of laughter as they scrutinized her.

Despite the efforts of Choyong and the maids Yu-chang had sent that morning, there was not a hint of favor in Cheong-mun’s gaze. Huiyeon opened her lips, feeling truly relieved she was meeting him in private. Had it been otherwise, her whole body would have burned with shame.

“I have come for the very reason you are thinking of, Your Majesty. But it seems I am a step too late.”

At her honest answer, Cheong-mun looked at her with surprise. Seeing that expression, Huiyeon murmured bitterly.

“It is not something I could hide even if I tried.”

“That is true.” Cheong-mun nodded, sipping his tea. “I thought you would return home immediately after hearing of the royal wedding from the General… Why bother visiting the palace?”

His auburn eyes watched her intently, as if observing a specimen. Huiyeon swallowed hard, then took another sip of tea for lack of anything else to do. This time, the cooling tea failed to soothe her nerves. Taking a low breath, she finally spoke.

“I ask that you lend us…… the Dragon’s Power.”

The smile that had been hanging on his lips vanished instantly.

The temperature seemed to drop in a heartbeat. Huiyeon shivered as a chilling sensation, like an invisible blade pointed at her throat, washed over her. Then she realized something: since arriving here, she hadn’t heard a single bird chirp.

Surely…….

Shock and terror surfaced in Huiyeon’s eyes.

“I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not that,” Cheong-mun whispered coldly, a crooked smile returning to his face.

“……It’s not?”

Then what is this? This aura…….

Seeing her confusion, Cheong-mun let out a short, dry laugh. The pressure crushing her gradually thinned, but the sensation of being pierced through remained vivid.

“Shall we call it the ‘Gise’ (spirit/aura) that a powerful martial artist can manifest? It is something like that. Not the Dragon’s Power.”

This strong? This is just the aura of a martial artist?

Huiyeon blinked in disbelief.

“It seems Taeseong lacks proper talent. If you had ever seen a warrior capable of manifesting such an aura fight, you would have recognized it easily.”

It was a mockery, implying that was why her guards had fallen so easily to assassins. Unable to find a rebuttal, Huiyeon bit her lip. Her eyes grew hot with shame; she stared down at her hands clutching her skirt to keep the tears at bay.

Watching her, Cheong-mun reached out, took a sip of his now-cold tea, and set it down with a grimace.

“I cannot grant the Princess’s request.”

“Why……?”

Her bowed head snapped up. Her bloodshot eyes met his cold, shining ones.

“How can I lend you something that does not belong to me?”

“Does Your Majesty truly…… not possess the Dragon’s Power?”

“No. I do not have it.”

His answer was firm, without a single tremor of doubt. Despair clouded Huiyeon’s eyes, but she couldn’t give up yet.

“But…… it is raining. The rain is falling. The Dragon must be somewhere in this land. Is that not so?”

At her desperate question, Cheong-mun’s lips twisted into a smirk.

“If that is the case, do you intend to go and find that Dragon yourself?”

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