Chaotic Nights

Chaotic Nights — Chapter 112. Don’t Interfere

Translator: Atlas

Weekly Chapter 6/6

When they reached the chambers, Yuljae placed his index finger to his lips.

He had asked her not to make any sound.

Yongi held her shoes in her hands.

Could a warrior kill someone in this way?

Yongi was astonished because Yuljae didn’t make the slightest sound. They crossed the backyard connected to the forest to reach the chambers unnoticed.

It implied that her presence wasn’t desired, but she only cared about meeting Eunha.

Yongi followed as best she could. She smelled the smell of sulfur.

The day she had received her first client as a courtesan, she had smelled this scent at the hot springs where the courtesan’s owner had taken her. Perhaps the hot springs on that mountain were connected to this place?

Although she was curious, Yongi did not ask.

She approached the door where Yuljae was waiting for her.

“Warrior.”

“Enter.”

“This is…”

“There is no place in this house safer than my room.”

In the darkroom there was a space with tools for sharpening swords. Several identical military uniforms were also hung there. Yongi felt a little uncomfortable in the man’s room, but there was no alternative.

She entered the room with her head bowed down. Yuljae closed the door. Yongi, who crouched in a corner, waited for her vision to adjust to the darkness.

Yuljae lit the oil lamp. Although there was no brazier in the room, the floor was quite warm.

“Thank you. I won’t cause you any trouble.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

“Which room is Eunha in?”

“She’s with Jihak.”

Yongi imagined her sister’s situation.

Yuljae curiously observed the woman.

Though she was dressed in silk, her humble nature could not be hidden. But she looked so pure that she did not look like a courtesan. She was like a daffodil blooming in the mud.

Although he could not understand that she was frightened. Eunha’s image was overlaid with the face of the woman staring out the window with her hands clasped.

He told her to wait a moment, then left the room.

Yuljae walked to the kitchen with a confident stride. There was no one in the kitchen, but he found some things like gyeongdan. Yuljae placed them on a soban.

In the dark corridor he could see the light seeping in from the Lord’s room. Yuljae briefly glanced at the shadows beyond the paper windows.

Why do these girls look so much alike?

He swallowed this question whose meaning he could not understand.

When he opened the door, Yongi’s eyes widened.

Yuljae set down the soban he had brought before her.

“Eat. I don’t know how many times the rumbling of your stomach startled me.”

“I haven’t even been able to drink water all day today.”

“Even water…?”

The warrior stood up with a sigh. A sad smile came across Yongi’s face when she saw the gyeongdan and the five-colored yakgwa placed on the soban. She looked like she was going to cry as she looked at the yakgwa.

Yuljae, who left the room, came to the yard. He called out to Gari who was there.

“Why did you call me?”

“There is a woman in my room.”

“Huh?”

“Ensure her well-being. If you keep this a secret…”

Yuljae took out a coin, then placed it in Gari’s hand.

“I’ll give you more.”

Gari’s face lit up as she took the money. She nodded with her mouth closed. When he saw Gari enter the chambers, he placed the mask hanging around his neck.

He climbed the north wall because he had heard a presence. The shadows searched for the one who shot from the arrow, so this presence must have been someone else.

He was right. There was someone with an oil lamp walking around the north wall. He seemed to be desperately searching for something. The man wearing a light red robe was Yoon Shihoon. Two escorts accompanied him.

The scholar sat on the ground with a devastated expression. Soon after, Yoon Shihoon left with his escorts.

He is nothing like the Defense Minister.

Yuljae, who paid no mind to it, climbed onto the roof.

The body of the person who was decapitated would be returned to his home. And soon the rumor would spread that Jihak was not completely blind.

Yuljae stared into the dark forest. This night felt long.

That was when he saw Eunha emerge from his chambers. Eunha, dressed in a single cotton outer garment, ran toward the west annex. Yuljae followed her across the roof. When Eunha reached the annex, she searched among the rocks near the oak tree.

As Yuljae was about to move, a whistling sound interrupted his movement. He forgot about Eunha, and went to where Jihak was.

Jihak, who opened the window, emptied the ashes from the pipe.

“Don’t interfere. No matter what she does.”