Flower Dream Chapter 26

“…I wish you could stay a little longer.”

Startled by the honest words that had unintentionally slipped out, Dan Yuha gasped and clamped his mouth shut. Then he rolled his eyes left and right, scanning his surroundings. Even though he knew he was alone in the servants’ quarters, his heart pounded so much that he found himself looking around anyway.

“Phew…”

Only after confirming that no one had heard his muttering did Dan Yuha feel relieved. He hadn’t done anything wrong, yet he couldn’t understand why he was so self-conscious.

If not for what had happened that day, he probably wouldn’t be this bothered…

Dan Yuha wore an ambiguous expression on his face as he fidgeted with the back of his neck with his hand. When he was busy working, he was fine, but when he was alone like this, Shin Ryuwon kept coming to mind. And whenever that happened, the sensation from the first night at Honghwajeong—when Shin Ryuwon, drunk with sleep, had rubbed the tip of his nose against his neck—came flooding back.

“Ugh.”

Dan Yuha bit his lip at the sudden tingling sensation that surged up. That warm breath couldn’t possibly still remain on his skin, yet whenever he thought of Shin Ryuwon, the back of his neck burned as if he had been scalded.

Why on earth was this happening.

Frowning slightly, Dan Yuha swallowed a sigh. He simply couldn’t understand his own condition. That was because, after the first night, he had never had that kind of contact with Shin Ryuwon again.

Taking the incident of the first night as a lesson, Dan Yuha made absolutely sure not to touch him. Even when he felt the urge to wipe the sleeping Ryuwon’s sweat or tidy up around the bed, he held back firmly and only replaced the incense.

Perhaps because of that, there were no more incidents of Shin Ryuwon waking up in the middle of the night. When Dan Yuha returned and reported that, Chief Eunuch Baek and the other retainers were all astonished once again. Judging by their reactions, it seemed that Shin Ryuwon falling asleep to the point of not perceiving another person’s presence was itself considered an impossibility.

He later learned that when Shin Ryuwon’s insomnia was severe, there were countless days when he couldn’t sleep even a single shichen (two hours). With the help of strong sleeping pills, he could barely manage about two shichen, but even then, because his five senses were more acute than others, he would repeatedly fall asleep and wake up.

Hearing that, Dan Yuha was overcome with great sympathy. Even one night of poor sleep was exhausting, yet he couldn’t believe that Shin Ryuwon had endured that kind of life for days at a time, or even months on end.

No, although his symptoms had worsened recently, the Third Prince’s insomnia had been famous for a long time. That meant it was no different from saying he hadn’t had proper rest for over twenty years.

For sleep, not only quantity but quality was important. Even if one slept for four shichen, constantly waking up and falling back asleep would inevitably leave one more exhausted than sleeping soundly for one shichen. Thinking about it that way, Yuha felt even more pained. If he had been in Shin Ryuwon’s shoes, he might have gone mad long ago.

At any rate, Shin Ryuwon had been sleeping soundly for several days thanks to Dan Yuha’s sleeping incense—so it was only natural that the retainers became increasingly favorable toward Yuha as the days passed.

In fact, just yesterday, Hyeok Ryeoa had even brought up the idea of them going together. She had frankly expressed her wish for Dan Yuha to become the Prince’s exclusive perfumer.

“I’m all for it!”

Upon hearing Hyeok Ryeoa’s proposal, Mun Sewon had also nodded enthusiastically. He had even urged Dan Yuha to leave with them in a few days. Even Chief Eunuch Baek, unable to stand it any longer, told them to calm down, but it was no use.

“Hey, you people… You’re making Perfumer Dan uncomfortable. Stop it.”

“Why! In fact, Chief Eunuch Baek, you’d also like that to happen, wouldn’t you!”

“What matters is not my feelings, but Perfumer Dan’s intentions.”

“Hmph, I’m sure Perfumer Dan would want to work with us too?”

Mun Sewon had snorted and looked at Dan Yuha with sparkling eyes.

“Right, Perfumer Dan?”

“Oh, I…”

For a moment, Dan Yuha had almost answered that he wanted to as well. Becoming the Prince’s perfumer had been his long-cherished dream.

But he couldn’t. Although it wasn’t legally prohibited, it was an established belief that the child of someone branded a ‘sinner’ could not work in the royal palace.

“Ah, is it because you haven’t taken the higher examination yet? If that’s the case, there’s no problem! We can just recruit you through special appointment! Since you placed first in the general examination, you already have the basic qualifications… With His Highness’s approval, it’s entirely possible for you to become part of the Third Prince’s Palace!”

Mun Sewon, having guessed Dan Yuha’s hesitation in his own way, had rattled on. Eventually, he had suddenly grabbed the hem of Yuha’s clothes and pleaded.

“Please, become our colleague. This isn’t empty flattery—truly, His Highness’s condition has never been as good as it is these days. I can say with confidence that this is the best it’s been in the five years I’ve served him! His complexion is bright, he’s energetic, he’s less irritable… It’s all thanks to you, Perfumer Dan!”

“Haha, couldn’t it also be the effect of purifying his body with the sacred energy of the small island?”

“That might be a small factor, but…! Your contribution is far greater! I’ll make sure you get a generous salary! And I’ll assign you the best quarters…”

“Hmm, but what if His Highness develops resistance to my sleeping incense? If it stops working quickly, it would mean you’ve hired me for nothing.”

“Ah, that could never happen! There are so many other things you could do besides incense! You could be in charge of preparing His Highness’s tea, or since you’re also a pharmacist, you could take on that work… and in between, you could develop new sleeping incense…! Ack!”

Mun Sewon, who had been pleading with Dan Yuha earnestly, let out a shriek. Hyeok Ryeoa had pressed the back of his neck.

“That’s enough. I feel the same way about wanting to work with Perfumer Dan, but aren’t you being too pushy?”

Having subdued Mun Sewon in an instant, Hyeok Ryeoa bowed her head to Dan Yuha with an awkward expression.

“I apologize, Perfumer Dan. I think I was too hasty. I’ve caused you trouble by bringing up unnecessary matters.”

“Not at all. I’m just grateful that distinguished people like you recognize my abilities.”

Dan Yuha waved his hands hurriedly and smiled shyly. Although he had been flustered by the sudden proposal, honestly, he was happy.

There had been a few people like the Ju Cheongwoo siblings and Ha Seokmun who genuinely supported him, but Dan Yuha had spent his entire life in an environment where most of the tribespeople looked down on him.

As a result, even when he established trade with shops in the capital city, even when he achieved the feat of selling all his prepared goods every time he went to the five-day market, he more often encountered reactions that dismissed his accomplishments rather than praised them.

Perhaps that was why, despite passing the imperial examination with the highest rank, Dan Yuha lacked confidence. That was why he was simply grateful and pleased that Shin Ryuwon’s retainers showered him with praise.

To his own eyes, it seemed like nothing special, yet people in positions far more distinguished than his kept telling him he was doing well, clapping for him—and whenever that happened, Dan Yuha felt, if only for a moment, as if he truly had accomplished something remarkable. Even though it was, in fact, something that not just anyone could achieve.

“Actually… before His Highness arrived, I had some doubts about my own skills. I wondered if passing the examination was just luck… but thanks to all of you, I think I’ve regained a little confidence. Thank you.”

“We should be the ones thanking you. Honestly, it’s surprising. To have such outstanding talent and yet lack confidence in yourself…”

Hyeok Ryeoa looked genuinely puzzled when Dan Yuha expressed his gratitude to her. Mun Sewon, still caught in her grip, felt the same way. He added that if he were Dan Yuha, he would have been insufferably cocky.

“I haven’t spoken with you at length, Perfumer Dan… but I can’t count how many times I’ve already been amazed by your knowledge and skills. You have every right to be proud.”

“I’ll try.”

“And… I hope you’ll give some thought to my proposal. I didn’t make it lightly. If you accept, I will personally petition His Highness on your behalf.”

“Ah…”

“I know leaving your hometown isn’t an easy decision. You don’t have to decide right away—take your time to think it over. Of course, from my perspective, I hope you’ll consider it favorably.”

“Hmm, yes. I understand.”

Recalling the conversation he had shared with the retainers, a faint smile bloomed at the corners of Dan Yuha’s mouth. Contrary to their assumptions, he had no hesitation at all about leaving the small island. He had originally planned to leave once he had established a foundation to stand on his own as a perfumer and pharmacist.

More than anything, Yuha had dreamed of becoming Shin Ryuwon’s perfumer for a very long time. So this was actually a golden opportunity that had come to him.

Nevertheless, the reason he couldn’t readily make a decision was that his situation—as the child of a sinner—still weighed on his mind like a burden. Moreover, he wasn’t confident that he could continue to be of help to the Third Prince in the long run. It was entirely possible that the sleeping incense would lose its effectiveness starting tonight.

If that happened, wouldn’t Hyeok Ryeoa’s proposal just become water under the bridge? At the sudden surge of anxiety, his pinkish eyes dimmed like wilted flowers in an instant.

“…Hey, Yuha!”

“…Huh?”

Startled by the familiar voice calling him, Dan Yuha, who had been lost in thought, lifted his head. There, peeking over the wall, was Ju Cheongwoo’s face.