Chapter 69 – Finally, You’ve Come (2)

Finding the house where Eun So-young lived wasn’t difficult.

Even if she lived separately, Nam Gung-se’s mistress was certainly not living in a small and shabby place.

“How did you come here?”

The female warrior with a sword at her waist looked at them suspiciously.

“I am a person named Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong. I have some business with Nam Gung-daebo-in and I have an appointment with her.”

When her mother stepped forward to explain, the warrior opened her mouth with an awkward expression.

“I’m sorry, but the madam is sick and cannot receive guests.”

“Oh, is that so? Actually, my son had a big favor from Nam Gung-daebo-in, so please let her know that I came to see her.”

“…Okay?”

“My son’s name is Kang Yoon. If you mention this name, she will recognize it.”

The female warrior nodded her head and sent someone to bring them in.

It was fortunate that they weren’t dealing with someone who was trying to stop them just because she was pregnant.

Soon, they were able to go inside.

Eun So-young’s heart was pounding.

He really came. To meet her.

As the moon rose and her stomach grew fuller, she tried to convince herself that she wasn’t expecting much, but the baby in her womb was already six months old.

She was sure that his love, which embraced her warmly, was sincere, but she also thought that her heart could cool down as the distance grew.

As she carefully supported her heavy belly, she recalled the short time she spent with him on the way to the reception room.

It was almost all sex from beginning to end. Like animals, they were intertwined with each other’s bodies.

‘He must be happy…’

With each step, the shell of Nam Gung-daebo-in was peeled off, revealing the appearance of a woman, Eun So-young.

When she stood in front of the reception room, Eun So-young opened her mouth with a trembling voice.

“…I’m sorry.”

They were told to come in soon, and the door slowly opened.

He was there, whom she hadn’t seen for a few months.

The man opened his mouth with a gentle smile.

“Long time no see, Nam Gung-daebo-in.”

[I’m here, So-young. I said I would come before our baby is born, didn’t I?]

Eun So-young smiled softly at his welcoming and excited voice, which was completely different from his formal attitude.

“Long time no see, So-hyeop.”

[Finally… you’ve come… to the capital…]

Even through her tear-filled eyes, she could see that his face was even brighter with joy.

Eun So-young asked all the questions she had. They all agreed that it was a story they shouldn’t know, so they quickly left the reception room.

“Long time no see, Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong.”

“Has Nam Gung-daebo-in been well?”

They weren’t particularly close. They had just been acquaintances in their youth, around the same age and social status.

That’s why Eun So-young didn’t think twice about revealing her true identity to the female warrior with a sword at her waist. She assumed Kang Yoon had explained everything to her.

“Um, well…”

Kang Yoon looked embarrassed.

“My parents, Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong and Gocheon Daehyeop, have agreed to become my adoptive parents.”

It was a surprising turn of events. Eun So-young didn’t know how it had come to this, but a disciple of the Sapajeil was going to become the head of the Jungpa?

[So-young, please don’t talk about the abbot to your mother. Just say he’s a deceased monk.]

She understood. But she couldn’t help but wonder how they had dealt with the Hemma side of things. Still, she patiently listened.

“And also…”

“I’ve heard about your relationship with your son, madam.”

Eun So-young was taken aback. She never expected their forbidden relationship to be revealed to anyone.

A relationship that couldn’t be openly acknowledged to anyone.

But Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong’s next words brought her understanding, surprise, and relief.

“Don’t worry. I’m in the same position as you.”

The same position?

[As a mother-in-law?]

Eun So-young turned her gaze back to Kang Yoon, but he was lost in thought.

“Sanggong.”

Eun So-young decided to start with her confession.

“I pretended to be your mother’s son for various reasons…”

“I met Danghyewon Yeohyeop at the palace…”

“And during my training with Paeng Yeonhwa Yeohyeop… No, yes, that’s right. I used the Unghaengi technique as bait…”

It was a process that had to be experienced at some point. The process of revealing the truth.

She had prepared herself for the worst, but it was still difficult.

Eun So-young’s endlessly affectionate eyes seemed to be scoring my words with a stern gaze, like King Mu of Baekje.

Her mother listened to my words and fact-checked them without hesitation if she felt they were distorted.

Wait, did Paeng Yeonhwa tell her mother everything in detail?

“…That’s all.”

“Hmm…”

Eun So-young tapped the table with her finger. Stop with the psychological pressure!

“Sanggong.”

“Yes?”

I was tense.

“I was worried if your promise would be kept. The promise to come see me before our baby is born.”

“The promise was kept, but I still had to listen quietly.”

“During this time, I thought every day about how to raise our child happily as they grew up.”

“In those thoughts, there were times when I imagined you being there, and times when I didn’t.”

“But in the end, I’m so happy you came to see me…”

Eun So-young’s gaze passed over Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong.

“Should I take it as a good thing that you came with another woman?”

My knees were trembling. Eun So-young’s eyes were burning like flames, but my hands and feet were as cold as ice.

On the one hand, I felt relieved. It was better to be angry than to despair endlessly like Danghyewon. It was probably a part of prenatal education.

As expected, the powerful are the hosts, and there is a strong side to their softness…

Thud.

As the sound of my finger tapping the table stopped, my tension reached its peak.

“I’m happy.”

“…What?”

Ignoring my hoarse voice, Eun So-young spoke softly.

“I had a feeling it would be like this. If there’s another pretty woman around, you’ll probably go to her.”

“…”

“It’s strange to complain that it’s unfair when you haven’t prepared for a problem you already expected, right?”

My tense body gradually relaxed, and anticipation filled my chest.

“Congratulations. At least there won’t be anything you don’t want to see twice because of this problem.”

“So-young…”

“But.”

Just as I was thinking about wanting to hug Eun So-young, as if trying to warm my heart like a spring breeze.

The cold returned.

“I can’t just forgive you.”

“Yes…?”

A cold verdict came from Eun So-young’s frozen expression.

“No touching while you’re here. Absolutely not. It’s forbidden with me and with Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong.”

My mother, who had been smiling next to me, suddenly stiffened.

“If you can’t resist the urge, you can leave immediately. It’s not difficult, is it?”

If I said thank you and left, I would probably ask, “Who was that?” when I met her again.

“Well, how can I ask for forgiveness…!”

“I don’t know? It’s the first time I’ve experienced something like this, so I don’t really know.”

It was like telling me to figure it out on my own. I couldn’t even figure out what to say with her attitude, which felt like a blizzard.

“Um, then…”

Eun So-young nodded her head as if telling me to speak.

“Can I at least say hello to our child…?”

Eun So-young stared at me for a moment before nodding her head again.

I approached her, knelt down in front of her, and touched her belly.

“Hello…? Baby, it’s daddy. It’s our first time meeting, right…?”

I touched her swollen belly. I wanted to touch it directly, but I put my hand inside my clothes, afraid of getting a cold response.

“I’m sorry for coming so late. Mom is very angry now… You might have been surprised, but don’t worry too much.”

“…”

“Because Dad did something very wrong, don’t worry too much about the baby… You have to eat a lot and grow up healthy, right?”

And I gave a kiss to her belly, making Eun So-young jump up in surprise.

“No, what…! …No. I’ll go now. I’ll ask Sibi to give me a room, so just follow her.”

Eun So-young hugged her uncomfortable belly and disappeared as if running away.

In the reception room where only two people were left, my mother and I exchanged disappointed looks.

“…Son, do you want to practice martial arts or work hard while you’re here?”

What else would I do? Let’s train hard for the upcoming Guryongjaengpa.

Eun So-young’s heart fluttered with a different meaning than before.

She thought she would feel a great sense of betrayal, but surprisingly, she could endure it. Maybe because she was a disciple of Saekma, she had anticipated that something similar would happen.

It was surprising that he kept another woman by his side, not just himself. It was the behavior of Saekma people not to be obsessed with the woman they touched. But did Gang Yoon ever behave like Saekma?

On the other hand, she felt jealous. Unlike herself, who had gained weight and lost her figure after having a baby, Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong, who could still find wrinkles, was too beautiful.

‘You can’t forgive him every time…!’

Since she realized that she couldn’t live without that man, forgiving him was inevitable.

But she had only properly scolded Danghyewon, Paeng Yeon-hwa, and Jeon Ga-mi-ryeong, and even Paeng Yeon-hwa had only been released after a day.

If she continued to increase the number of women like this…

“Because Dad did something very wrong, don’t worry too much about the baby… You have to eat a lot and grow up healthy, right?”

Eun So-young patted her belly with a smile. She couldn’t forgive him. Never.

‘At least for a while, I have to give him a sharp punishment. If I just bring him here, he’ll think he’s forgiven.’

She tried to erase the warm whisper to the baby in her belly, and Eun So-young was like a judge, calling forth a stern heart.