As soon as the stern-faced Samayeryeong returned, she explained Hong Yeon-hwa’s situation, which she had been hiding until now.

Although she had a rough idea, Samayeryeong was initially shocked, but she seemed to calm down when she heard that they were going to create a two-way dimensional portal.

If she could return at any time, it wouldn’t be any different from going to a faraway area.

Anyway, they finished their work in Mosanpa safely, and Samayeryeong was convinced, so they headed back to Pangga.

They were flying at a slightly slower speed to accommodate Samayeryeong, who looked tired.

Suddenly, Samamang made a strange noise.

“Highness, what do you think of Samayeryeong?”

“…What?”

It was a meaningful choice of words. Could it be… no, it couldn’t, right?

Not only me, but Hong Yeon-hwa and Pang Soso also looked at Samamang with wide eyes.

Samayeryeong, who was the subject, looked as if she had been stabbed in the stomach and screamed in horror.

“Mom?! What’s that supposed to mean all of a sudden?!”

“Oh? Why are you reacting so sensitively? I was just asking.”

“That doesn’t sound right!”

“Hmm? Oh, I see.”

Samamang finally seemed to understand and waved his hand.

“Ah, that’s not what I meant. I was just curious about how you look to a man’s eyes, Samayeryeong. Your mother can’t see well, so she doesn’t know what you look like.”

“Ah.”

Samayeryeong looked at me hesitantly.

“Are you thinking something weird? I just asked because I was curious about how you look to a man’s eyes.”

“Marriage?! I just crossed the threshold! And even if I did…”

Hong Yeon-hwa and Pang Soso, who were listening with their ears perked up, visibly relaxed at her words, then looked at Samamang with a disapproving gaze.

Samamang said that Samayeryeong lost her sight when she was very young.

She would probably look the same as she did when she was a child inside Samamang.

Even though she was no longer a child.

I sent a message to Hong Yeon-hwa with a slightly embarrassed feeling.

-By any chance, if you have a complete bone transformation, can your damaged eyes be restored?

-Um? Of course, it’s possible, but… to be honest, isn’t it very difficult for Mangi to reach the level of Hyungyeong?

-That’s true.

Hyungyeong is not something that can be achieved just by working hard, nor is it something that can be reached just by being led by someone.

In the first place, even Hong Yeon-hwa had experienced a bone transformation, but didn’t she say that she was stopped just before reaching a complete Hyungyeong?

Then the remaining options are to maximize your natural healing power through medicine or to receive treatment from a skilled physician.

However, even when there was still time left in Samases’ life, they tried every possible method but couldn’t cure him.

So, it’s safe to say that all the methods that can be attempted with money have failed.

No ordinary medicine or physician that can be bought with money can heal Samamang’s eyes.

It’s almost impossible to reach the point of bone transformation, so fixing Samamang’s eyes is practically impossible.

…I knew this already, but it’s still frustrating to think about it again.

As I was trying to swallow the saliva that was about to come out without my knowledge, Samamang started to soothe Samayeryeong in a voice that sounded like he was raising a child.

“Well, there’s no need to rush yet. But at least you should have a rough idea of your worth as a fiancé, right? To do that, Yeon-hwa needs to know your value accurately.”

“That’s…”

Samayeryeong grimaced, but didn’t refute Samamang’s words. She probably knew that he was right.

Samayeryeong’s ultimate goal is the revival of Samases. And marriage is a useful means in many ways, and appearance is one of the factors that increase the value of marriage.

…Even so, it feels too calculating.

Pang Soso, who actually had reservations about the strategic marriage, had a slightly uncomfortable expression.

Just as Pang Soso was trying to intervene in their conversation with a cautious voice.

“But if there is someone you like, Yeon-hwa said there won’t be any strategic marriage plan.”

“…What?”

“Hehe. Did you think your mother would force you to marry against your will? That’s not like her.”

Samamang looked at me with a soft smile.

Yeah. Samamang knows the usefulness of strategic marriage, but he also knows the happiness of being with someone he loves more than that.

Seeing this, Pang Soso, who had been watching, made a momentary blank expression, then smirked and came over to me, poking my ribs lightly.

“That sounds great, Jin Gaka.”

“Well. Whether it’s good or not. It makes me happy every day to have a woman like Soso.”

“Euk…!”

Pang Soso, who received what she gave, looked at me with a sharp gaze. Seeing her pouting lips, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing.

Samamang, who was laughing at me, asked Samayeryeong again.

“So? Is there anyone you like, Yeon-hwa?”

“Um… I… that’s…”

Samayeryeong hesitated and tried to say something, but in the end, she didn’t say anything.

“First of all, Sahwa is pretty.”

Sahmamang smiled contentedly after a moment of hesitation, looking at Jin Sochan.

“Everything is going according to plan.”

In truth, Sahmamang never even considered the idea of a strategic marriage for Sahmayeoryeong.

There was no need to increase their status through a strategic marriage, especially since they had already become one family with Hong Yeonhwa, a celestial being.

Furthermore, Sahmamang already knew who his daughter liked.

Despite her immaturity in experiencing these emotions for the first time and the fact that the person she likes is her mother’s man, Sahmamang now knows that Sahmayeoryeong likes Jin Sochan.

If not, she wouldn’t have been so angry and jealous when she caught them having sex.

Sahmamang had a specific purpose for bringing up this topic.

He wanted to know if Sahmayeoryeong had someone she liked and if not, to pressure her into marrying a man she didn’t know.

Lastly, he wanted Jin Sochan to hear about Sahmayeoryeong’s intellectual appeal from her own mouth.

This incident could be the catalyst for Sahmayeoryeong to confront her emotions that she had been avoiding.

“She has a good body for her height. She’s also very capable. She may grumble at times, but she’ll never turn away when you need her help. She’s a bit awkward in social situations, but she has a kind nature.”

If he’s lucky, Jin Sochan could be the reason Sahmayeoryeong starts to see him as a man.

If she’s already feeling that way, she may even feel jealous when she hears about Sahmayeoryeong’s potential marriage.

Sahmamang, who has had many women in his life, is possessive and jealous himself, which is endearing in its own way.

Of course, Sahmamang has no intention of manipulating their emotions or controlling them from behind the scenes. He doesn’t even think he has the ability to do so.

He just wants to push them forward a bit if they’re hesitating because of his presence, or if they’re trying to hide their emotions. He’ll do whatever it takes.

And if Sahmayeoryeong rejects Jin Sochan, he won’t try to force them together anymore.

“The problem is that when she feels ignored, she becomes sharp and prickly. She tries to crush the other person and her provocative tone reflects her desire to be in control… I don’t care, but most men hate that.”

Sahmamang smiled softly as he read the signs of Sahmayeoryeong relaxing again after feeling a bit uneasy. Jin Sochan’s words about not caring seemed to have put her at ease.

If Sahmamang were to choose the happiest moment of his life, it would undoubtedly be the present.

To love someone sincerely and receive more than that in return, what more could he ask for?

Sahmamang, who experiences a sense of fulfillment every day that he has never felt before, is like any other parent who wishes for their child’s happiness.

“Even if the family tree gets tangled up.”

When he arrives at the palace, Sahmamang decides to have a deep conversation with Sahmayeoryeong, who is lost in thought.

***

As he returns to the palace, he notices that something is amiss. It’s not because of the preparations for the expedition.

“What? Father has woken up?”

It’s because Pang Jihyuk, the eldest son of Pang Sosu and my older brother, has finally woken up.