SYM 110
by Emerlyn“The meal is ready. I will come in.”
Cheong-un released the Qi barrier at the sound from outside.
Royal servants of the Prince’s mansion soon brought in the meal. It was rice porridge that was easy to digest and simple side dishes.
“Eunuch Jang told me to deliver this.”
One of the servants bent her knee and offered a small box.
Cheong-un opened the box. Inside were ointment for wounds and a small Pill.
“One is a gold sore medicine to apply to the affected area, and the other is a Pill that stabilizes the mind of the startled and helps restore energy.”
“Tell Eunuch Jang I am grateful. Is the bathwater ready?”
“The bathwater is also ready. You can go to the next room after your meal. We have prepared clothes for you to change into next to it.”
“I understand. You may leave now.”
At Cheong-un’s words, the servants bowed their heads and retreated.
Meanwhile, Eun-hyeon scooped the porridge from the large bowl into a small bowl and tasted it. Perhaps because it was made with digestion in mind, the thin porridge didn’t have much flavor, but it gently soothed his stomach.
“I will apply the medicine after you take a bath. The wound on your wrist will bruise badly.”
Eun-hyeon smiled awkwardly, noticing Cheong-un’s gaze on his wrist.
His wrist, scraped by the rope, was not only covered in red scabs but also bruised.
“…It looks like this, but it doesn’t hurt as much as you think, sir…”
Eun-hyeon spoke as usual, then belatedly realized that the Qi barrier was down and awkwardly added the honorific ending.
Cheong-un looked at Eun-hyeon with a complicated expression.
Cheong-un remained silent after that, watching Eun-hyeon until he finished the bowl of porridge.
“Have you finished your meal?”
“Uh-huh…”
When Eun-hyeon nodded cautiously, Cheong-un rose from his seat.
“Tell me if you get hungry later. Let’s take a bath first. We need to check if there are any more wounds while washing.”
“Huh?”
“I will assist you with your bath.”
“Uh, okay, sure.”
Cheong-un had always taken care of him in various ways while they lived together, so Eun-hyeon didn’t think much of Cheong-un’s offer to assist him with his bath.
As they moved to the next room where the bathwater was prepared, a hot and humid air enveloped them. Moreover, the bathwater was not just water but water infused with medicinal herbs, filling the air with a subtle herbal scent.
“Wait, wait a minute, does assisting with the bath mean you’re going to stay here the whole time?”
Eun-hyeon was about to take off his clothes when he was startled by Cheong-un approaching him.
“Are you suddenly shy now?”
“N-no, it’s not that…”
“You’ve seen much worse all this time, and now you’re blushing over something like this? That’s new. But I have to check your wounds, so it can’t be helped.”
Eun-hyeon wondered if this was right, but he couldn’t say anything to Cheong-un since he had to check his wounds.
Besides, after learning that Eldest Senior Brother was the leader of the Hongbaek Sect, he felt a strange sense of debt towards Cheong-un.
He thought his connection with Kunlun was over, but he seemed to have a strange sense of solidarity regarding Eldest Senior Brother.
Amidst these complex and subtle emotions, Eun-hyeon had no choice but to take off his clothes as Cheong-un instructed.
Eun-hyeon felt Cheong-un’s gaze on his naked body and shuddered.
“There’s a wound here too. Master wouldn’t be able to see it since it’s on your back.”
Cheong-un whispered in a small voice that was barely audible, gently touching the middle of his back. A wound he didn’t even know he had stung the moment Cheong-un’s hand touched it.
“There’s a wound here too. And here too. You have delicate skin and have been injured a lot.”
Shoulder, chest, and thigh.
Cheong-un’s hand traced all the wounded areas. He gently outlined the wounds with a very careful touch, as if tickling them.
Eun-hyeon inhaled sharply. His body tensed with a strange sense of tension.
The careful touch tracing the wounds made him feel more ticklish than pain.
When Eun-hyeon hunched his shoulders, Cheong-un rubbed his trapezius muscles with his thumb.
“I’ll wash your hair first. Lie down in the tub with your head this way. After washing, I’ll apply the medicine and massage your muscles a bit. If you sleep like this, you probably won’t be able to walk tomorrow.”
Eun-hyeon groaned and obediently followed Cheong-un’s instructions.
He didn’t even realize he had any sore spots when he was tense. But as he relaxed with Cheong-un alone, he began to ache and hurt all over.
Eun-hyeon put his body in the tub and laid his head down as Cheong-un instructed.
Cheong-un began to wash Eun-hyeon’s long hair with care. The large hand pressed and massaged his scalp, making him sleepy.
“Ugh, I shouldn’t fall asleep…”
“Sleep if you’re sleepy. I’ll move you to the bed.”
In the quiet bathroom, only the small sound of water created by Cheong-un was heard.
“Heuung, Cheong-un, you know…”
Eun-hyeon’s voice, as if drunk with sleep, trailed off.
“Thank you.”
It was a small, mumbling voice, but Cheong-un understood and paused briefly.
“…And I’m sorry.”
What was he sorry for?
Cheong-un looked at Eun-hyeon, who had completely fallen into a deep sleep with his eyes closed. And he quickly washed Eun-hyeon’s sleeping body.
“Heuung.”
Even in his sleep, Eun-hyeon moved as Cheong-un washed him, then suddenly hugged Cheong-un tightly.
Cheong-un picked up Eun-hyeon and returned to the room. He laid Eun-hyeon on the bed, applied medicine, and dressed him.
He dried his wet hair with his Qi. If he didn’t dry it this way, his hair would stay wet for a long time and he would easily catch a cold.
“…Master, have good dreams.”
Cheong-un infused Inner energy, hoping that Eun-hyeon would have good dreams. And he hoped that he would be in those dreams as well.
* * *
A bright, round full moon hung in the dark sky. It was sometimes darkened by clouds, but it was bright enough to see the surroundings without separate lamps.
Especially today, the Prince’s mansion had hung lamps outside, making it even brighter.
Perhaps they were doing this to prevent night visitors from approaching. Those above a certain level would not be affected by such things.
“Ju-myeong.”
“Ten Thousand Demons Prostrate. What are your orders?”
A quiet answer was heard at Cheong-un’s words.
Of course, the Amhons of the Demonic Sect were not at a level to be bothered by mere lamps.
“Was it difficult to get in?”
“Not enough to worry about.”
“How many Amhons are on standby?”
“Seven Amhons, including myself, are on standby.”
“Seven. Ju-myeong, including you, the Dark Soul Pill will all protect Namgung Eun-hyeon.”
Yoon Ju-myeong was momentarily taken aback. Protecting Namgung Eun-hyeon was what he had been doing so far, so it wasn’t a big problem. But Yoon Ju-myeong had overheard the conversation with the Third Prince.
The Third Prince may not have known all of Cheonma’s skills when he said that, but he was bothered by the fact that he had greatly overestimated the martial prowess of the leader of the Hongbaek Sect.
It was hard to imagine Cheonma losing, but just in case, he thought it would be a good idea to have one or two Amhons accompany him.
“What is it? Could it be that a dog is doubting its master’s skills?”
“Ah, no. How dare I, a lowly person, think about my master’s affairs. I was just wondering if it would be better to bring a contact person in case something happens.”
“A contact person?”
“Aren’t things happening here and there? Surely you will be giving and receiving messages, but I was just worried that it would be cumbersome to fly messenger pigeons or go around yourself every time.”
Cheong-un chuckled and looked at Yoon Ju-myeong.
He could clearly read Yoon Ju-myeong’s thoughts, but he found it amusing that he quickly hid his true intentions and made excuses.
However, as Yoon Ju-myeong said, it was true that it would be annoying and cumbersome to exchange messages directly, so he nodded.
He had audaciously doubted his master and used his head, but he decided to be lenient this time.
“Okay, then one Amhon will follow me. Yoon Ju-myeong, you must protect Eun-hyeon. If anything happens to Eun-hyeon, contact me immediately. Even if it’s the Prince, don’t hesitate in this matter. It doesn’t matter if you reveal the identity of our sect. Make Eun-hyeon’s safety the top priority above all else.”
“Understood.”
Yoon Ju-myeong prostrated himself on the ground.
The moment Cheong-un turned around, Yoon Ju-myeong’s figure blurred and disappeared.