Even My Life Is Yours Chapter 72

“Wow….”

Hongyo let out an exclamation from her mouth without realizing it. Perhaps because she had only ever seen him wearing his taoist robes, making him look like someone who had been born wearing them since birth, Hongyo’s eyes widened roundly when he appeared wearing casual clothes.

“What are you looking at like that?”

“No, it’s just that it feels like the first time seeing you in casual clothes. You look splendid?”

At that, Jeonghwan scowled fiercely, started to say something, but stopped and closed his mouth. Whether he did or not, Hongyo looked at the men around Jeonghwan and asked.

“By the way, what is everyone gathered here doing? And why were you looking for me?”

Then, Yeoryeong kindly gave her an answer.

“We gathered to have a drink among those of us who can’t go to our hometowns.”

“The Inspector General as well?”

Then, Jeonghwan spoke grumpily.

“Why, am I not allowed to join?”

“No. It’s just a bit surprising.”

“What is?”

“Just that you look a bit different today for some reason….”

Because she had only been harshly scolded while receiving training directly from Jeonghwan lately, she had thought he was always strict and solemn. However, Jeonghwan, sharing conversations with the people around him, looked even more informal than she had thought. Of course, since he held a high position, everyone kept their boundaries, but their faces were comfortable. Hongyo watched that sight with interest, then looked at Yeoryeong, who was pulling her further inside.

“So you’re coming too, right?”

Acting as if there was naturally no choice but to go, she wondered why he was even asking. Hongyo looked at such a Yeoryeong and said.

“If it’s a courtesan house, I’m not going.”

At that, Yeoryeong gave Hongyo a flick on her forehead that didn’t hurt.

“What? No one said we’re going to a courtesan house, so when did you even think of such a thing again? Looking at you quietly, you’re the most sly one. Regrettably, we’re just about to go to a tavern in the marketplace over there to eat and drink to our heart’s content.”

At those words, Hongyo’s ears perked up. Normally she would ponder over it, but having just come out after a fight with Mohyun, her mind was really not in the right place. Rather, it felt like it would be better to be with people at a time like this. Besides, if the Inspector General Excellency was going together, it seemed like there would be no problem at all.

“Fine. Instead, I can’t drink alcohol well, so don’t say too much about me only eating meat.”

“Ehei. What kind of person here would be petty enough to say something about that. Great. Then let’s go quickly!”

As Yeoryeong took the lead, the men followed him closely. In an instant, alcohol came by the jarfuls onto the tables of the men filling the tavern. Yeoryeong, who poured alcohol for each and every one, approached the front of Hongyo and winked. And then, before she could even say anything, he poured the alcohol with a gurgle until the cup overflowed. While a flustered Hongyo hesitated, before she knew it, the bowl was filled to the brim with alcohol.

“It’s because I really like you, brother. Don’t they originally say that you give as much as you like someone.”

And then, before he could get grabbed, he quickly pulled his body away and held his cup high in the air.

“Now, now, everyone knows that we don’t skip the first cup, right? If you can’t empty it all, you’re not even a man.”

That fellow truly! Even though she had said from the beginning that she couldn’t drink alcohol. However, the men who had already held their cups high following Yeoryeong were currently gulping it down while shouting a toast. The men who emptied their bowls in an instant held their wine cups above their heads and shook them out as if to show off. Hongyo, who was watching their reactions, was also about to empty her cup, thinking that she would just have to drink the first cup. As soon as Hongyo, who felt the tipsiness rise in an instant, set her cup down, Yeoryeong, who poured alcohol right away, held his cup and said.

“What fun is it to just drink alcohol? I have brought along various entertainments to enjoy at a drinking party, so how about we try them to foster friendship this time? Let’s make it so the losing side drinks a penalty cup.”

Then, cheers were heard from here and there. She had heard a lot about drinking party entertainments, but it was her first time actually doing it. Whether it was because she was lucky, or because Yeoryeong was inwardly taking it easy on her, she luckily avoided the penalty cup several times, but after drinking two cups consecutively, she ultimately ended up caught in the penalty cup where she had to answer only the truth. Then, with his eyes shining as if he had been waiting only for this moment, Yeoryeong asked.

“Right. There was something I definitely wanted to ask you, brother.”

Yeoryeong, who singled out Hongyo triumphantly, continued speaking.

“Speak honestly. In truth, it’s correct that you have a fiancée, right?”

Then, those who were sprawled out drunk looked at Hongyo with eyes full of interest, as if they had discovered prey. However, Hongyo scowled fiercely as if to say what on earth he was talking about.

“Are you drunk? What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”

At her attitude, in which not a single piece of falsehood could be felt, the men soon lost interest and fell into stories of women among themselves. Among them, there were those who had just married, and there were those who had a lover with whom they had promised a future. However, those who belonged to the still young side merely talked vaguely about their ideal type of woman. Hongyo, who was letting those words flow through one ear, knitted her brows when someone asked her about her ideal type.

“Well. I haven’t thought about it.”

Then, boos poured out as if it made no sense. However, for Hongyo, it was the truth. Although she was born as a woman, she had lived as a man until now, so she had never loved anyone, nor had she felt what was good. If she had to keep living as a man anyway, marriage was something she couldn’t even dream of, so while it was also that she stopped thinking before her head became more complicated, she had never sincerely loved anyone. If she had to say she felt an emotion closest to love at least, would it be Kyungrak after all? However, looking at it now that they met again, just as it was for most of the children who were at the training hall, that was close to admiration. Hongyo, who was pondering with her brows gathered, spoke again.

“Hmm, as expected, a gentle person is good. As for appearance, I wish they were as white as snow and neat.”

Hongyo thought of Sujin. If she had been a man, a woman like Sujin seemed like she would be closest to her ideal type.

“I wish they smiled well. But then again, I wish they were a firm person with determination, whose center is tightly held.”

Hongyo, who was already drunk, poured out words ramblingly.

“When I am placed in a hard or dangerous situation, I wish they would run to me without even looking back.”

“…….”

“If they are a person who worries about me more than anyone and is someone I can rely on just by being next to me, I could wish for nothing more.”

From a certain moment, the ideal type that even she herself didn’t know was flowing out continuously. Yeoryeong, who was quietly listening to that, chimed in with a fed-up expression.

“Wow. For someone who hasn’t thought about it, it’s remarkably specific.”

Then, Hongyo blankly looked at Yeoryeong with a face that seemed to say, did I do that even though I said it myself? and slapped her own face with both palms.

“I’ll go get some fresh air for a bit.”

And then, without a second word, she stepped outside. Apparently, the heat rising to her face seemed to be due to the fact that she had already emptied three wine cups.

Going outside, Hongyo sat on the wooden veranda and blankly stared at the empty air. Whether it was due to the tipsiness, or because the weather was gradually clearing up, the outside air was not as fierce as before. Since the Beginning of Spring had already passed by now, it was understandable.

‘Is it already spring?’

Somehow, a sign of buds sprouting bit by bit on the dry tree branches was visible. When she raised her head a little more, the moon was visible. Looking at that moon and recalling this day, Hongyo suddenly realized that barely even a few double-hours had passed since she met Mohyun.

She was still disappointed and hurt, but in truth, her foster mother’s words were all entirely correct. If it were revealed that she was a woman, it certainly wouldn’t end with only her suffering the disaster. Not to mention herself and her foster mother, even her grandmother, who would know nothing right now, would find it difficult to avoid that responsibility. Since she received an official post that only men could ascend to with a woman’s body, the crime of violating the laws, mocking the Emperor, and harming the country’s discipline would never end with a light punishment.

Therefore, Hongyo always kept the end at Hwayeonggyeong in mind. However, once she came to know learning, it was difficult to live merely as a hunter like before. Choosing by her own will, she was recognized for her martial arts for the first time. She wanted to do better, and she wanted to become something more useful. However, her own self knew best that she could not do so. It was when she was letting out a long sigh at that frustrating heart. At the end of her vision caught on the tree branches, a certain human figure entered.

“What are you doing here?”

Hongyo, who had been blankly staring at the sky, was surprised to see the face that entered her vision and tried to hurriedly correct her posture. However, Jeonghwan sat down heavily beside Hongyo as if it were nothing, as if he didn’t even care about such things. Rather, at such an attitude, Hongyo became more restless and asked.

“Why is the Inspector General here….”

“I also came out to sober up from the alcohol just like you, brother.”

For that, it was a face that didn’t look drunk at all. But since she had seen him swallowing it almost by the jarful when she last saw him, it was plausible that he might be drunk despite looking like that. Hongyo, feeling awkwardly self-conscious for no reason, swung her legs suspended in the air without realizing it. However, Jeonghwan, who would usually say a word at that sight, also merely glanced at her and had no particular words.

The winter wind, which had only been fierce, had certainly slackened compared to before. Perhaps because of that, Hongyo, who had softened up a bit, slowly brought up her words.

“Although I haven’t been able to say it to the Inspector General, I am always grateful. Thanks to you, it feels like my spear technique skills are increasing bit by bit.”

At those words, Jeonghwan let out a low groan. To say it was a bit, it was actually increasing at a staggering speed. He knew that it had been barely less than a few years since she learned martial arts, so even if others called it a lucky first place, a first place was a first place, and she certainly had talent. Above all….

“It’s thanks to your hard work, brother.”

At the sudden praise, Hongyo’s eyes widened roundly as if surprised. However, the truth was the truth. Since Jeonghwan was a man who didn’t feel shy enough to keep praise only in his heart, he looked at such a Hongyo calmly. Then, rather, Hongyo, who heard those words, became more embarrassed and didn’t know what to do.

“Haha…. Thank you. I didn’t know I would hear such words.”

“One says that what is done well is done well, then what else would one say.”

At those words, Hongyo, as if embarrassed, searched for a place to put her gaze and said.

“In truth, it’s my first time hearing this kind of praise.”

Even taking today alone, the feelings of being hurt because of Mohyun melted away softly at that single word from Jeonghwan. When she attended the training hall, Gamyoung had also given her words similar to this, but it was a bit different from that. She didn’t know that Jeonghwan would give her the words she wanted to hear the most today. Because she was truly grateful for that, the wariness with which she had regarded Jeonghwan a bit difficultly until now completely vanished for just this moment.

“I think I know why people like the Inspector General Excellency.”

Her soft heart, along with the effects of the alcohol, melted away at that single word from Jeonghwan. A wind that was neither cold nor warm disheveled Hongyo’s hair that stuck out between her headband. Hongyo, who had let down her guard before she knew it, looked at Jeonghwan and smiled radiantly. It was an innocent and comfortable child-like smile.

And Jeonghwan could not take his eyes off that face at all.