Chapter 242 – Homecoming (2)

Paengsoso pressed her body against mine and whispered in my ear.

“Jin-ga said she made a promise with Hong-unni. She said she’ll either return to Hong-unni’s world or wait until Hong-unni gives up and then they’ll have a proper wedding.”

“Ah!”

I had already accepted her as my wife, so I didn’t immediately recall.

Right. That happened.

“Seriously…Jin-ga really forgot about it?”

“It’s not that I forgot, but I already consider myself married.”

“Even if you consider yourself married, there’s a huge difference between a lover’s relationship that’s close to a common-law marriage and a couple who actually had a wedding ceremony.”

When Paengsoso lightly rebuked me, Hong Yeon-hwa, who had been puffing up her cheeks until a moment ago, chimed in.

“That’s exactly what Lady Jin said! You have to brag to your followers, and you’ll have to have a child someday, won’t you? But to forget about it…!”

Hong Yeon-hwa tapped my knee with her small palm.

She doesn’t even try to hide her annoyance anymore.

Come to think of it, I might have been a little short-sighted.

In today’s society, there’s a huge difference between a lover’s relationship that’s close to a common-law marriage and a couple who actually had a wedding ceremony.

Moreover, the perception of childbirth is different from modern times. It’s more like…a necessity.

“A child…”

I had thought about having one someday, but I can’t quite imagine it.

First, I have to soothe Hong Yeon-hwa’s soft, chubby cheeks.

***

After a few days of carriage travel, we finally arrived at our destination.

There’s everything you need, but the size of the village is modest, like a typical rural village. Almost at the level of having the basics?

Even if you call it a danger, it’s a relatively peaceful rural village with only a few ruffians.

That’s Changto Village.

“Phew….”

I got off the carriage and looked around for a moment.

Hmm. Nothing seems to have changed.

It’s natural since it hasn’t been that long, and it’s far from Gwangdong Province where the battle of Jinsadaejun took place.

To be honest, it’s just my hometown in name only. I spent much more time living in the mountains with my teacher, so I don’t have any special attachment to this place….

But still, it’s nice to see it just the way I remember it.

If there’s anything that’s changed since then, it must be me.

“We’ve finally arrived.”

“Is this Jin-ga’s hometown?”

“Hehe. We passed by this place before and went straight to the house where Sanggong lived.”

“Wow…it’s really a rural village. Is this where Jin-rang grew up?”

The four beautiful women who descended from Paengga’s carriage, so pretty that their eyes could be blinded, spoke one by one.

The people of Changto Village who had gathered in front of me began to murmur, wondering if I was really who they thought I was and what my relationship was with the four women who had arrived with me.

I listened with one ear and let it go with the other, responding to Samayeryeong’s question.

“It’s a little different. I was born here, but I grew up in the mountains with my teacher.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

I shrugged my shoulders and showed her my back, as she looked at me with a puzzled expression.

“It’s nothing. When I was young, I lost my parents and lived like a beggar for a few months before my teacher took me in. But my teacher’s house was a bit far away, so I lived a little further away from everyone else.”

“Uh…um….”

Samayeryeong looked like she might have misspoken.

I chuckled and gently tickled her chin.

“Hehe. Are you worried about me? You’re so kind.”

“Hey! Don’t treat me like a puppy just because I’m worried about you, you arrogant prince!”

Samayeryeong’s face turned bright red, and she tapped my foot before quickly moving away.

Sigh…Hong Yeon-hwa and Paengsoso would have liked that.

Feeling a little down, I tickled Hong Yeon-hwa’s chin.

“Mm? Oh…do it a little more. Yeah, right there…mmm….”

Hong Yeon-hwa moaned softly, her eyes narrowing.

I tried it on Paengsoso next.

“Huh? Jin-ga, me too? Um…hehe….”

She was momentarily taken aback, but then leaned in and lifted her chin towards me.

See? She likes it too.

Confidently, I reached out to Samayeryeong again and…

Smack!

She slapped my hand away.

That’s not fair.

“Isn’t it embarrassing to do this outside?”

“It’s such a trivial matter.”

“You foolish prince! Just because the other sisters are okay with it doesn’t mean I am!”

“Ah.”

I had made a mistake.

I had been so focused on treating everyone equally that I hadn’t considered that some people might not like the same expressions of affection.

“Sorry. I won’t do it anymore.”

As I nodded my head alone, Samayeryeong suddenly grabbed my sleeve and whispered softly.

“…I’m not saying don’t do it. I just mean, do it when we’re alone. Do I really have to tell you this? You’re such a foolish prince.”

“….”

“What’s with that suspicious smile?”

“Oh, nothing. Lately, I’ve noticed that you’ve become more cutesy, Samayeryeong.”

“Kuk….”

Samayeryeong looked angry for some reason.

Is this really that big of a deal…?

“I don’t know! I don’t understand why the conversation went in this direction, but anyway, does Jin-rang like it here or not?!”

“This is my hometown, but I don’t particularly like it or dislike it. I’m used to it, but it’s a town where I don’t have a single friend.”

As I spoke, Samamang, who had been quietly listening to the conversation, looked surprised.

“Huh? Wasn’t what you said earlier to reassure me, not really true, Sang-gong?”

“Yes. I really don’t have any friends.”

Instead, I have four future wives.

Samamang looked at me with a very sad expression, so I gently stroked her head.

While enjoying that feeling for a moment, the driver finished unloading the luggage from the carriage and neatly organized it.

Paengsoso took a step forward.

“You did a good job. Are you going back to Gwangdong Province now?”

“No. The nobleman said it was okay to return to my hometown. There’s no need to have too many people in Gwangdong Province right now. There is one thing I would like to ask, though…”

“Please tell me, miss.”

Paengsoso took out a letter she had prepared in advance and handed it to the driver.

“Could you please deliver this to my father as soon as possible? Of course, after that, have a drink or two.”

“Oh my. What is all this?”

After giving him a silver coin for the errand, the driver laughed and put the letter in his pocket.

I already knew the contents of the letter, which we had discussed before. When we were fighting with Cheokangumgwi, we had broken a door, and Paengsoso had decided to call a carpenter from her village to fix it. The letter probably contained that information.

There were carpenters in Changto Village, but it would be better to entrust the renovation of the old house to someone with more skill during this opportunity.

After sending off the driver, we could finally go home.

“Oh, before that, let’s buy some dumplings.”

It’s true that I’m not very close to the people of Changto Village, but there is one person who still appreciates me.

Without daring to speak to me, he headed to a nearby tavern, passing through the murmuring crowd.

***

“Mr. Hwang. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.”

“Huh? Isn’t this So-chan’s voice? The villagers are so noisy today! Just wait a moment. I can’t take my hands off right now.”

“Take your time. I came here to buy dumplings anyway.”

As I replied, Paengsoso tilted her head and asked.

“You look happy, Jin-ga.”

“Yeah, like I said. I didn’t have much time to interact with the people here, so I’m not very close to them.”

“I see.”

“But I didn’t meet my parents or my teacher right away. I wandered around, begged for money, did odd jobs, and managed to get a meal that way.”

Being an orphan and getting kicked out of the village or starving to death wasn’t the only option.

Well, that doesn’t mean people will give you food for doing nothing.

In the end, you have to do something, whether it’s begging or working.

Sometimes, there are cases where someone who has a close relationship with their parents who passed away takes care of the child left behind… but my current parents don’t seem to be very sociable.

It reminds me of my childhood in my past life, where I cursed and lived inside.

Anyway, while I was struggling day by day, the owner of a certain inn who pitied me would often give me dumplings.

He is none other than Hwang Daewoong, the owner of this inn.

“Besides, when I came down to the village to buy rice, thanks to Mr. Hwang, I found out that Cheokangumgwi was after Hong Yeonhwa.”

If I had been a little late then, I wonder what would have happened… It’s still dizzying to think about it.

Anyway, now that I’ve succeeded to some extent, I have to repay what I can.