Chapter 9
It had been exactly fifteen days since they set out on their journey. Finally, they reached their destination.
“Thank you, young master. Thanks to you, we arrived safely. How long will you be staying here?”
“Well…”
Dokgo Ryong turned his head to glance at Eunsowol, who was basking in the affection of the guards.
The more brightly she smiled, the deeper his gaze sank.
“I won’t stay long.”
“I see. We plan to stay for about three days before returning to Namyang. I heard that you usually reside there. If you happen to be heading to Namyang, please join us before mid-afternoon three days from now. We’d be honored to have your company again.”
“Sure.”
After finishing the conversation with the caravan leader, Dokgo Ryong walked over to Eunsowol.
“Thanks to you, our journey wasn’t boring at all.”
“Now, there are a lot of people around, so make sure you stick close to me, okay?”
He pressed a few coins into her hand.
“It’s not much, but buy yourself some sweets. Reminds me of my own daughter… This trip was a real joy thanks to you.”
“Wow! Thank you so much!”
Having grown quite close to the guards over the past two weeks, Eunsowol found herself showered with treats and pocket money.
She wriggled her lips into a big grin and ran over to Dokgo Ryong.
“Uncle, Uncle! Look! I’m rich now!”
“Save it up. You might need it later.”
“Okay! I will! Uncle, do you want some sweets too?”
She offered him one of the treats she had received, but Dokgo Ryong shook his head.
“Uncle, where’s your house? Is it far from here?”
Eunsowol brushed off the crumbs sticking to her hands as she asked.
Dokgo Ryong looked down at her, his lips slightly parting as if to speak.
“First, let’s get you some new clothes.”
Eunsowol tilted her head in confusion.
“Aigoo, clothes really do make the person! You look adorable!”
“She’s already cute, but now she looks even more precious!”
The shop assistants fussed over Eunsowol, showering her with compliments.
Dokgo Ryong had brought her into a fabric shop, and she now stood in front of a mirror wearing new clothes.
She gazed at her reflection.
She had thought the clothes she received for free at the inn were fine, but the silk garments she wore now were on a completely different level.
The vibrant pink skirt bloomed like flower petals, and the pristine white top paired with dainty embroidered shoes made her look just like a young lady from a prestigious family.
‘When he said new clothes, I thought he meant something simple… Why buy something this extravagant?’
She was happy to wear something pretty, but surely these weren’t cheap.
“By the way, where’s Uncle?”
Stepping out of the dressing room, Eunsowol looked around — but Dokgo Ryong was nowhere to be seen.
Before she could search, the entire shop suddenly fell silent.
The chattering clerks and browsing customers all froze, their mouths clamped shut.
And soon, Eunsowol realized why.
“Uncle…?”
Dokgo Ryong appeared, no longer dressed in his usual black, but wearing a deep teal long robe embroidered with dragons.
It should have been difficult to pull off, but he wore it flawlessly.
His messy hair was now neatly tied back with a heroic headband, and…
“…Uncle, you look like a noble prince!”
“Do I look convincing?”
“You look amazing! Even more handsome than before!”
Even in his old travel-worn clothes, he had been strikingly handsome, but now, he seemed to radiate a glow, like a hero stepping out of a storybook.
“Uncle, did you put something on your face?”
“Put what on?”
“Your face is glowing!”
“So basically, I look neat. Do you like the clothes?”
“I love them! They’re beautiful! But… Aren’t we going home? Why did we get dressed up?”
“…Because I don’t want to be looked down on.”
“Huh?”
She tilted her head at his cryptic words, but Dokgo Ryong said no more. Instead, he picked up a hair ornament shaped like a flower and gently tucked it into her hair.
“There. Now, let’s go.”
Dokgo Ryong paid the rather hefty bill without hesitation and walked outside with Eunsowol in tow.
Naturally, their appearance drew everyone’s attention.
“Uncle, people are staring.”
“Ignore them.”
At first, Eunsowol didn’t understand why. But when she caught sight of their expressions and where their gazes landed, she realized.
‘Even with the black hat covering most of his face, it’s not enough to hide him.’
Dokgo Ryong’s appearance was simply too striking.
Even with only half his face visible, his beauty was unmistakable, and the powerful aura he exuded made it impossible for people to look away.
‘…Are they looking at me too?’
Thinking of her own reflection from earlier, she had to admit she had looked quite cute herself. Still, flustered by the attention, she clung tightly to Dokgo Ryong.
They walked for a long while before he finally came to a stop.
“Wow…”
A towering stone wall stretched endlessly before them, and over its top peeked massive, ornate buildings.
Guards stood at the gates — clearly not an ordinary residence.
Dokgo Ryong approached the gatekeeper.
“State your name and purpose.”
Without a word, Dokgo Ryong removed his hat.
His looks were so mesmerizing that even the male guards visibly faltered.
“Tell the master inside,” Dokgo Ryong said coolly, “that Dokgo Ryong has returned.”
The gatekeepers’ astonishment twisted into pure shock.
“W-What did you say?”
The younger guard, seemingly around Dokgo Ryong’s age, tilted his head in confusion, but the older one, well past forty, looked like he’d seen a ghost.
He swallowed nervously, staring at Dokgo Ryong with wide eyes.
“If you’re an impostor,” the senior guard warned, “you’ll be severely punished. If you don’t want a beating—”
“I said, go tell them.“
As the guard tried to intimidate him, Dokgo Ryong unleashed a terrifying aura that pressed against the man’s throat.
The guard turned pale.
“…P-please wait here.”
Hurriedly, the senior guard rushed inside, leaving the younger one behind, who kept stealing anxious glances at Dokgo Ryong.
Having witnessed the whole exchange, Eunsowol tightened her grip on the hem of Dokgo Ryong’s robe.
“…Uncle.”
Dokgo Ryong stood with his arms crossed, not sparing her a glance.
“Is this… Dokgo Manor?”
Only then did he lower his gaze slightly toward her.
“Yeah.”
At that single word, Eunsowol felt her heart sink with a heavy thud.
A creeping unease climbed up her legs and gripped her throat.
‘…No. It can’t be.’
There’s no way Uncle brought her here just to leave her.
He had said they would go home together, hadn’t he? They had both gotten dressed up for this visit — it had to mean something.
‘It’s too early to lose hope.’
Almost twenty days.
That was how long she’d been with Dokgo Ryong.
Long if you thought about it, short if you didn’t — but during that time…
