Surviving as the Sacheon Dang Clan’s Servant - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 20
Shortly after, I found myself seated in the Reception Room with the two men.
Namgung Hui sat with his fists clenched and resting neatly on his knees, visibly tense.
Dang Un, by contrast, appeared composed. Leaning back against his chair, he sipped his tea with practiced elegance.
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
Someone say something, please. I’m suffocating in this silence.
The awkward quiet stretched on. I bit my lower lip and glanced sideways at Dang Un and Namgung Hui.
Namgung Hui, frozen in place, stared down at his teacup without noticing my gaze. Dang Un, however, caught my eye immediately and smiled faintly.
He’s the elder here—surely he could break the tension a little.
I tugged at Dang Un’s sleeve meaningfully. He tilted his head as if to ask what was wrong.
I pulled his sleeve again.
Just say something, won’t you?
Dang Un blinked at my persistence, then adjusted his formal dress as if he understood.
He retied the cord of his Pipoong Robe and opened his mouth slowly.
“Is the tea to your liking?”
“Yes. It’s excellent tea.”
Namgung Hui answered quickly.
Notably, Namgung Hui hadn’t even touched his teacup.
At least he had the sense to offer empty pleasantries, even without tasting it. That was something.
Undeterred, Dang Un savored the tea’s aroma and spoke with studied gentleness.
“It’s tea from Mongsan. I’m delighted that our Sacheon tea has pleased a visitor who has traveled so far.”
Brother, you don’t look delighted at all.
Despite his mild tone, Dang Un’s gaze was cold.
He was emphasizing that Namgung Hui was an outsider, reminding him that this was Sacheon—Dang territory.
“That is… yes. Please forgive my rudeness.”
Namgung Hui caught the hidden meaning and broke into a cold sweat. Yet Dang Un showed no sign of letting the matter drop.
“Since you’ve sufficiently enjoyed the tea, perhaps you might now tell us which family you belong to? I shall escort you to the Guest Hall where your companions await.”
Roughly translated: ‘So which family are you from? Let me see your parents’ faces.’
I opened my mouth wide at such elegant mockery.
What? I asked him to lighten the mood, not conduct an interrogation. True to Dang blood—the man has a sharp tongue.
Dang Un seemed genuinely displeased that some unknown boy had dared enter the Dang Residence’s inner chambers—no less, the Grand Elder’s quarters—without permission.
“…….”
“…….”
Silence returned.
Now Namgung Hui’s legs were trembling. He seemed terrified that revealing his identity would drag his family’s reputation through the mud.
As I watched the two of them at an impasse, I let out a long sigh.
I had no desire to defend Namgung Hui. Yet if this continued, it could escalate into conflict between families.
Then questions would arise, and when Namgung Hui explained why he’d entered the Dang Residence, my own story would inevitably surface.
That couldn’t happen. Staying dead silent was already difficult enough—I couldn’t afford to expose my existence to all sides.
I forced a smile and grasped Dang Un’s hand.
“Brother, please don’t be angry. I’m the one who called him.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s my friend. When Grandfather was away, I asked him to come visit, but I suppose I didn’t think it through. I didn’t even know you’d be coming today. If you must scold anyone, scold me.”
Dang Un examined me and Namgung Hui with narrowed eyes, as if questioning how I could possibly know a child from another family.
Ah. He knows I don’t have friends.
I hurried to add another explanation.
“I met him by chance a few days ago and we became close. We went to Market Street together. That’s when we decided to be friends.”
“……Really?”
“We even bought Japa and played. He said he’d never tried Sacheon cakes before. Isn’t that right? Or rather—is that right?”
I quickly turned to seek agreement, and Namgung Hui bobbed his head vigorously. Only then did Dang Un’s eyes soften.
“I see. I misunderstood. I thought an outsider visitor was troubling you.”
I smiled silently and brought my teacup to my lips.
‘Misunderstood that he was troubling you’ sounded suspiciously like ‘If I catch you troubling a Dang child, I’ll file an official complaint with your family.’ Or was that just me?
Brother, you’ve got quite the talent for aristocratic maiden rhetoric.
Dang Un’s eyes had already softened into those of a gentle deer, and he turned to advise Namgung Hui.
“Even so, I think it best you return now. The festivities begin tomorrow, and your family elders would worry if you stayed away too long.”
“Yes, of course.”
Namgung Hui answered promptly and leaped to his feet, bowing. His face screamed that he wanted to escape as fast as possible.
I rose to my feet as well.
“I’ll escort you there and return.”
“Yes, go on.”
Dang Un set down his teacup with an easy smile. Then came a sharp crack, and the table sank beneath his weight.
“Un, brother?”
“Nothing to worry about. A fly buzzing around, that’s all.”
The table’s broken. It’s actually broken, brother.
This one’s temperament is nothing to scoff at either.
Namgung Hui’s face drained of color at such blatant hostility.
I revised my earlier judgment—Dang Un was not as gentle as I’d believed him to be for a member of the Dang bloodline.
Anyone bearing the Dang name must have something loose in their head.
* * *
Namgung Hui walked toward the Guest Hall in silence, his soul seemingly departed from his body.
He must have been frightened. This was his first time outside his home, and now he’d been scolded by an elder in someone else’s house—his heart was probably racing.
Though to be fair, he deserved it. Perhaps more than a little.
Even as I thought it justified, there was something about his dejected figure that stirred a pang of sympathy.
I walked quietly, giving him space to collect himself. He clearly needed time to settle his emotions.
After worrying his fingers for a long while, Namgung Hui spoke softly.
“Thank you.”
“For what?”
When I feigned ignorance, he answered hesitantly.
“For calling me a friend. If word had gotten out that the young master of the Namgung Family had sneaked over the wall like that, our house’s honor would have been dragged through the mud.”
At least he understood what sort of action would damage his family’s standing.
I laughed softly and offered him comfort.
“Just avoid making mistakes like that in the future.”
Though when we met again at the banquet, Dang Un would recognize him immediately.
The boy believed that slipping past this crisis once meant he’d never be caught—painfully naive.
Namgung Hui spoke despondently.
“I suppose I got carried away. This isn’t Anhui, and I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
“Hmm?”
“I’m sorry for showing up so suddenly. You might have had reasons for not coming out, but I only thought you were ignoring me.”
His unexpected words made me blink. Apparently, he’d been turning today’s events over in his mind all this while.
A true protagonist indeed. Adults struggle to admit fault immediately, yet here he was, doing so at such a young age.
Now that I thought about it, on the day he’d left bruises on my wrist, Namgung Hui had admitted his mistake and apologized without delay.
His manner was rough and his way of dealing with people was clumsy, but he wasn’t a bad sort.
Young as he was, he would likely improve with age.
Having spoken aloud, Namgung Hui blushed at his own words and stammered.
“In any case, I’m grateful for what you did today.”
“Think nothing of it.”
It was something I’d wanted to do anyway, and having Namgung Hui owe me a debt wouldn’t be a bad thing.
Perhaps we’d meet again someday, perhaps not. Who knew if he might help me somewhere down the line?
Assuming, of course, that I lived long enough to see it.
No, I shouldn’t think such gloomy thoughts.
I shook my head to clear the stray worries. In the distance, the Guest Hall where the Namgung Family’s people were staying came into view.
Only then did I remember the letter I’d forgotten about.
“Ah, about the letter—”
“The letter you mentioned—wait, you go first.”
“You first.”
The timing somehow kept slipping away from us.
We looked at each other and laughed awkwardly.
“I’ll speak after you’ve said your piece, young master.”
When I deferred to him, Namgung Hui looked away in embarrassment and fumbled for words.
“The thing is… I wrote that letter late at night, and it was somewhat… no. It wasn’t important anyway, so just forget about it.”
“I see.”
Since I’d never read it, I couldn’t remember it even if I tried. Why was he being so shy about telling me to pay it no mind?
I nodded in understanding, and Namgung Hui whispered his question.
“What were you about to say?”
“It was nothing important either. I was just going to say that even if you write letters, I can’t read them anyway, so please don’t bother. You see, I don’t know how to read.”
At that, Namgung Hui asked in surprise.
“Why not? Weren’t you studying? You had ink all over your hands.”
Ink stains on me?
I jerked my right hand up in alarm and caught sight of my palm and sleeve, both darkened with black smudges.
Anyone looking at it would think I’d plunged my hand into an inkwell and pulled it out—that’s how thoroughly blackened it was.
This is maddening. When on earth will this come off?
I flicked my hand irritably, and Namgung Hui broke into soft laughter.
“You didn’t know? You were the same way a few days ago. You were covered head to toe in ink like someone holding a brush for the first time.”
Of all people, I had to let this shameless fool see me like that. Heat flooded my ears in embarrassment.
I tucked my blackened sleeve behind my back and mumbled my reply.
“…Please forget about it.”
“You can read characters, can’t you? I’ll rewrite it for you—you have to send a reply with the next letter.”
“I told you, I don’t know those characters. I haven’t even finished the Thousand Character Classic yet.”
“Then you’ll finish soon. You can take your time—study and send it when you’re ready. Understood? I’m leaving.”
“Wait, do you have any idea how long that’ll take…? You’re really going?”
Namgung Hui issued his demand for a reply without bothering to hear my protest, then vanished into the Guest Hall.
There was a lightness to his stride, a peculiar eagerness in his departure.
I watched his receding figure with a deflated gaze.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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