젊은 첩은 여유로운 삶을 원합니다

🪻 06 🪻

🪻 narrator 🪻

"If flowers cannot stay red for ten days, how could a human being remain so?" Jo Yoon says while approaching the twins. He stops before them and places his hands on their shoulders, gripping Rok Soo's tightly. "A flower that withers like that will soon be plucked and thrown away. This palace is no place for a withered flower."

"..."

"..."

Wow. How scary.

Why is he talking so close to my face?

It's enough to make an eight-year-old cry and run to the Emperor.

"We will take your valuable lessons to heart, Your Highness," they say in sync. His eyebrows knit in anger as he stares at the calm twins. Unlike his expectations, they did not cry nor make a fuss after he blatantly threatened them. A smirk curves on his lips as he trashes his brain for another plan. Perhaps if he steals something belonging to them, they'd suffer. Jo Yoon glances at the maid behind them, staring at him.

Fount it.

"Are Your Highnesses close with the maid standing there?" he asks, causing the children to raise their eyebrows. "If not, then I'd like to make a request."

A request?

A request?

"Of course. How could we turn down a precious request from Your Highness?" they reply, causing the man to smirk. He covers his mocking smirk with his hand while staring down at the children, and although his eyebrows are arched to seem like he's troubled, they know he is laughing at them.

"Actually...I've been short on labour lately."

Labour?

How are you short on labour?

As the concubine of the Emperor, you shouldn't be...

...oh.

...you're just trying to steal our servant.

They glance at the pale maid behind them before at one another. After confirming they're thinking the same, they smile at the maid. Their smile of budding farewells caused the maid to shake her head, hoping they'd beg the man to let them keep her. Unfortunately for the maid, her worth as a servant has been reduced to zero after last night. Had it not been for the painful sleep, neither twin would have agreed to get rid of the servant.

"If you're short on labour, why not you take her?"

"Dear me! May I?" he asks, causing Rok Soo to nod. Sanya and Rok Soo mentally fist bump at their teamwork while Jo Yoon cheerfully accepts the maid as a gift. They glance at their ex-maid before sighing, knowing the maid's dreams won't come true now that she's sold to another concubine...a wiser concubine.

Our palace would have been your world, but the same thing cannot be said in Jo Yoon's palace as it would be much worse there. They're strict upon rules and aren't lenient towards their servants, meaning she would be whipped to death if she's not careful.

"Ah. Look at the time. It seems like I should be returning now," Jo Yoon says, causing the twins to nod. After the deal, Jo Yoon whips around, slapping his cape against their faces and forcing them to cover their noses. Thanks to Rok Soo's fortune, his cheek was cut thanks to the man's cape. Rok Soo glances at his sister before handing her a handkerchief, allowing her to hide her face behind the cloth. "Oh?"

"You look like shit."

"?"

"??"

"???"

"??!!"

Garam?!

...my nose...

Cale, shouldn't you...?

Don't worry about your nose.

Let's scan that piece of shit!

Set it ablaze! Fire!

I'm going to kill him!

Stop getting hurt, Cale...

...?

"His...His Majesty Seonbi?" Jo Yoon mumbles while the former reveals himself. Rok Soo stares at Garam's crimson hair with nostalgia before glancing at his outfit. The royal blue silk and tassel hanging on his left ear matched the red-haired man's amethyst irises. It's a superb choice, and Rok Soo applauds the stranger for choosing his outfit wisely. While Rok Soo compliments the man's outfit, the blonde man angrily glares at the embarrassing situation between them.

"YOUR HIGHNESSES, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" Jo Yoon shouts, causing the children to flinch. They tremble under the man's anger but try to control their shivering bodies as Jo Yoon crosses his arms and points at them. "I WAS HERE FIRST, AND YOU BROUGHT ANOTHER GUEST?! NEITHER YOUR AGES CAN EXCUSE YOUR FOOLISH ACTIONS! CONTROL YOURSELVES!"

"...we apologise, Your Highness."

Wow. Imagine lashing your anger at an eight-year-old.

He reminds me of Venion. At least he's not whipping me.

"...you see, I don't understand sarcasm very well, but is there no limit to how irritating you can be?" Garam asks, causing Jo Yoon to widen his eyes. His ruby irises tremble with anger while Garam glares at the latter. "My arrival was never even announced by the courtiers."

"...ugh..."

Was he always this straightforward?

...pfft.

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT ME LIKE THIS! I WILL NOT LET THIS GO UNNOTICED!" Jo Yoon shouts before storming away like a third-rated villain. Their maid follows after Jo Yoon, causing Rok Soo and Sanya to sigh. Their eyes remain on the ground while their hands fold by their abdomen.

"Well then..." Garam rests his hand on his hip, glaring at the two children. Neither twin said anything as the red-haired man studied their reactions. "I came to see what it was like, but I think I've seen enough." They lower their heads and apologise for the inconvenience, causing the man to raise a brow. "You don't owe me an apology, do you?"

"..."

"..."

"It's time for me to leave. Oh, and don't appear before me."

After those harsh words, he leaves their bedroom, allowing the twins to breathe. While Sanya runs to flop on their bed, Rok Soo sits on the wooden bench with an annoyed expression. Despite the chaotic situation, the twins are thankful for concubine Jo Yoon's appearance. He took away an annoying thorn, which means their lives would be easier from then on.

I feel sleepy now that I'm relaxed. Shall I take a nap?

They yawn at the same time, causing tears to prick their eyes. Rok Soo nods off while Sanya rubs her eyes. Just as they are about to fall asleep, a knock interrupts their naptime. The twins glare at the door while the servants on the other side lower their heads.

"Your Highnesses, we will get you ready for bed."

...?

?!