5

Eunha hadn't slept a wink all night. Whenever she closed her eyes, the words of the owner would echo in her mind and when she opened them, she saw the face of her beautiful sister.

Furthermore, her eyes were swollen red, as if she had cried all night, indicating a weary day. A courtesan belonged to the lowest class of society. No matter how lavishly adorned and loved she may be, she was still considered among the lowliest of the low.

To be treated as such, yet still referred to as a flower of Buyeongan hall without being broken. The more she thought about it, the more frustrated Eunha became.

"How could someone as esteemed as you entrust me with the task of being a jongisu? Surely, you are more familiar with western languages than I am."

"He's blind."

"Eh? He's blind?"

"Yes. Once I heard that, it made sense why he was searching for someone to read to him... And if you refuse, among my distant relatives, there's someone who is exceptionally skilled in western languages...!"

"Oh no! Who said I would refuse? I was just curious. I need to know about the master as well in order to work properly."

The owner gave Eunha some time to think, assuring her that it wouldn't be a difficult task. From Eunha's perspective, it was an offer with no reason to refuse. It involved no extortion of money, seemed to come from a higher social class and the owner vouched for it.

Yet, why did she find herself hesitating repeatedly?

Looking at the neatly arranged books on one side of the room, Eunha turned her coat inside out and stepped outside. Seating herself on the doorstep, she looked up at the brightly lit sky, pursed her lips and tore at them.

In truth, she knew the answer to her hesitation. Even though she loved books, there was a reason she didn't want to earn money through the job of a reader.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about! How could I conspire with the madam?! My Lord, I am truly unjustly accused. I am just a reader! I can swear it on my children. All I did was read books for the madam!"

Perhaps, around this time. Standing still in the freezing cold, where staying put made limbs numb, it was a day when her father was dragged to prison for adultery with the noblewoman and received a severe flogging. Watching her father being beaten, Eunha cried loudly with her sister. She even tried clinging to the lord's clothes, begging to spare her father's life, but all that came back was a harsh kick.

It was a shameful curse.

That day, her father faced a beating in front of both children, only to meet his end. At that time, she didn't know who the noblewoman involved with her father was, nor did she understand what the sin of such a relationship meant.

The shame she felt when she later remembered that the servants had called the woman 'madam' was too strong to describe in words. So after that day, Eunha stopped pouring alcohol on her father's grave.

Eunha pressed her forehead against her knees and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to hold back tears. If her father hadn't committed such a mistake, there would be no reason for her sister to become a kisaeng and she wouldn't be pondering such concerns.

"Eunha, what are you doing out here in the cold?"

Eunha raised her head at the voice of Yongi, who opened the door. Looking at Eunha with a dazed expression, Yongi sighed and came outside, wrapping Eunha in a tight embrace to warm her cold body. With gentle hands, she swept Eunha's small head, assuring her that everything was fine. She comforted her, saying it was just a frightening dream.

As the sun's rays emerged, the frosty spiderwebs retreated and the frozen ground momentarily thawed.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

"Chunhee, I'm not feeling well today. It seems like a mild cold has caught up with me."

Chunhee, looking sympathetically at the pale-faced Yongi, quickly rushed to fetch a warm cup of tea.

Coughing and struggling to sit up, Yongi's condition made Eunha feel helpless and she hastily put on a male outfit. She was determined to bring a physician to see Yongi as soon as possible.

However, despite her sickly complexion, Yongi stopped Eunha.

"I think I'll take this opportunity to rest. Don't worry about me, just get some good medicine for the cold on your way back."

"Unnie, don't say that. I'll get a physician for you, yes? Why are you calling it a mild cold? You have a high fever!"

"It's precisely because of moments like this that I can't take a break. I'd rather endure being unwell for a long time."

"Don't talk like that! How can I wish for you to be sicker?"

Determined, Eunha leaped forward and gently laid Yongi on the heated floor. After covering her with a blanket, she wrung out a wet cloth and placed it on Yongi's forehead.

Upon this, Yongi tightly held Eunha's hand and reached under her jacket, pulling out a few coins to hand over.

"Isn't today market day? Go out, buy some sweets, borrow a book you like. If there's a pretty ribbon, get it. I'll tie it for you."

"Oh, I don't need this kind of money."

"It's for the errands. Get some medicine for yourself on your way back."

Despite her continuous coughing and visible discomfort, Yongi smiled beautifully.

With a heart full of worries and unable to do anything, Eunha left Yongi in the care of Chunhee, who had brewed some bellflower tea. Only then could she leave the courtesan house. Even so, she looked back several times with concern.

Chunhee, the handmaiden assigned by Madam, took good care of Yongi. While they had met at the courtesan house, she trusted Chunhee to look after Yongi meticulously.

Eunha hurried her steps. Once she met the owner of the bookstore and accepted the job as a jongisu, she could also pay her respects to the Lord. Wearing men's clothing felt a bit uncomfortable, but she had been told that the blind nobleman wouldn't mind. So, the attire of a jongisu wouldn't matter much. After all, putting on a skirt wouldn't enhance her reading skills.

"Excuse me, are you there?"

Eunha arrived at the bookstore and called out to the owner, knocking firmly on the tightly closed door. Soon, the owner, carrying a large bundle, appeared from behind.

"Oh, you've come so early?"

The owner held books that had arrived from the West. Eunha's eyes widened as she discovered new books from various bookstores through the diligent owner.

"What precious items are these?"

"Well, these are the ones the gentleman ordered yesterday. I went on a long journey to get them, facing the morning breeze."

"Wow... Next time, please take me along. I'd love to see them."

"Sure, let's do that. But what brings you here so early in the morning? Don't tell me you're trying to accept that task we discussed yesterday?"

Eunha nodded and chuckled confidently.

"After giving it careful thought, I realized how frustrating it must be for a blind man. And hearing that the pay is generous, I became interested in giving it a try."

"Oh, yes. Yes, well thought. Then, shall we go right now?"

"Now?"

The owner, seeing Eunha's eyes widen, raised the bundle he was holding in both hands to eye level and smiled, revealing his teeth.

"Well, I was planning to deliver this anyway. Why not accompany me, greet him and get familiar with his face?"

"I see... Then, please let's take care so that I can return quickly. My sister is unwell and I need to buy medicine for her."

"Why, did she catch a cold?"

"Yes, she's suffering quite severely."

"Tsk tsk."

The owner clicked his tongue and took the lead.

Eunha followed, looking around as the market unfolded. A child selling dried herbs with their mother, displaying various brushes for women who enjoy painting, an artist sketching and a confectioner deftly cutting pumpkin taffy on one side.

Eunha walked alongside the owner, passing by a shop adorned with beautiful silk fabrics. Despite the midwinter chill, everyone seemed to be moving briskly and their energy inexplicably lifted Eunha's spirits.

━━━━⊱⋆⊰━━━━

"Here we are."

The owner who had spoken, and Eunha who had stopped behind him, both had expressions of disbelief on their faces.

"But... I never knew there was such an impressive house in this neighborhood."

"Me neither. Is this really where the master resides? It almost looks like a royal palace."

"Well, well. This place is nothing compared to a palace. It's probably much smaller. Since the guest who has come is not an ordinary person, you should be on your guard too."

Swallowing dry saliva, Eunha, together with the owner, stood before the imposing gate.

"Hello there!"

The owner raised his voice to be heard and shouted. As the gate opened, a man resembling a guard scrutinized the two with suspicious eyes.

"Who are you?"

"Hello. We're from the bookstore. We heard that the master of this place is in need of books and a jongisu."

"Ah, perhaps... Is this person the jongisu?"

The guard looked suspiciously at Eunha, dressed in men's clothing. The owner, bursting into a hearty laugh, nudged Eunha's back.

"Looks like a servant boy, but she's a lady. Understand that she has to wear men's clothing because the world can be cruel. By the way, do you agree the weather is too cold?

The owner complained that they had come too early. Seeing such a tense gentleman for the first time, Eunha also scanned the building with curious eyes.

"I recently boiled some warm water, so you should be able to warm your hands at least. Please come in and wait for a moment."

The two entered the grandiose house, and Eunha closed her gaping mouth in an attempt to suppress her surprise. The mansion appeared even more massive and splendid from the inside than it did from outside.

A staircase built of stacked rocks, and pine trees planted here and there. Moreover, there seemed to be over ten servants bustling around, tending to various tasks.

It was roughly twice the size of the estate where Yoon Doryeong lived. Eunha grew even more curious about the person who lived here. The residence of Lord Yoon was not as grand or large as this, so Eunha couldn't even begin to imagine the power and influence of the owner.

At that moment, a man dressed in plain clothes approached the two standing in the middle of the yard. With a somewhat familiar face, the owner nodded politely in greeting.

"I'm Song from the bookstore. I've prepared the books and the jongisu you requested."

The seemingly unassuming man nodded towards Eunha in response to the owner's words. Eunha couldn't help but feel a shiver down her spine from the sharpness in the man's eyes.

This can't be happening.

"You've worked hard. The master only requests the jongisu to come inside. So, please wait in the guesthouse."

"Uh, yes. Yes, of course."

After two servants took the bundle of books brought by the owner and disappeared, Eunha followed the man. The owner shrugged, expressing uncertainty.

Upon climbing the steps and stepping onto the porch, a narrow and elongated corridor unfolded. Eunha walked through the dim hallway where no light penetrated, feeling as if she could barely catch her breath.

The ordinary thing hanging at the waist of the man, who walked ahead, was not a usual item. Eunha, observing closely the sword with a tiger's shape engraved on the scabbard, didn't notice that the man had stopped and almost bumped into him. The man, with a frown on his face, spoke to her as if to warn her before opening the tightly closed door.

"Do not ask questions, do not chatter, and never rise until given an order. Understood?"