Toxin

When I regained my senses, I saw the Black Martial Emperor’s back moving far ahead, and behind me, the sound of a door closing echoed. Beyond the gradually narrowing space, my gaze collided with Veronjubille’s. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Mama,” the court lady, clutching her reddened cheek, cowered in fear and bowed deeply. Veronjubille waved her fan sweetly and said,

“Be careful. If you irritate me again, I’ll peel the skin off your head.”

The dragon-adorned pillars, the floor reflecting light so brightly it was blinding, the court lady with her hair tied in ribbons sobbing pathetically on the ground, and Veronjubille glaring at me fiercely beside her.

The platinum door closed, sealing off all of that scenery. It took a moment for me to comprehend that I was inside while his concubine was outside. I also needed time to collect myself after the spectacle I had been reduced to moments ago and the lingering disgusting sensation still clinging to my body. In a way, I found it amusing. I had survived by selling myself for years to Orumun, and I had once sworn to throw my body at my mother’s murderer to devour him, flesh and blood, to avenge her. If I faltered now over something like this, even a passing dog would laugh at me. This is nothing. Enduring humiliation is something I’m better at than painting.

I repeated that to myself as I turned, and the Black Martial Emperor’s retreating figure scraped against my field of view. Court ladies hurried to open doors, making way for the emperor they revered so fervently. As the luxurious doors opened, a silk road leading to the paradise palace stretched ahead. I wanted to stab a knife into that arrogantly strutting back. I wanted to split his spine in two and chew up every last bit of his insides that spilled out. I could eat that man’s flesh with genuine pleasure.

He entered the room and stretched out on the bedding. I approached quietly, knelt before him, and bowed my head to the floor.

“I apologize for yesterday. I hadn’t been eating properly for a few days, so…”

“They say your kind doesn’t eat their own, but it seems true. Though I thought at least you’d be able to tear into the livestock you’ve been living with.”

More than the condescending tone that treated me like livestock, I was surprised that he still seemed to think I was living in the stables. Surely the bodyguard should have told him by now… Even so, I wondered how he would react if he found out that Raonhiljo had provided me with accommodations. Although he is his half-brother, blood is still blood, and he wouldn’t do anything inhumane, but given his unpredictable nature, it seemed better not to mention it for now. As I was lost in thought, a slow voice interrupted.

“But you endure it unusually well.”

I looked up to see the Black Martial Emperor lighting a long pipe, tilting his head as he struck the flame. He inhaled deeply, enough to slightly hollow out his cheeks, and a thick plume of smoke rose from the slender end of the pipe. I wondered what nonsense he would spout next. As I waited for him to speak, his gaze slowly turned toward me.

“You’re quite ambiguous, you know. Most of the people who offer their nations to me show one of two reactions: either they, like the Chieftain, speak of loyalty while suppressing their obvious hostility, or they, like your comrades, recklessly lash out with murderous intent.”

Despite having a tray nearby for ashes, the Black Martial Emperor flicked his pipe’s ashes onto the floor. He placed the pipe back in his mouth, inhaling the harsh smoke deeply. Gray smoke drifted from his mouth, mingling with the dark gaze he fixed on me.

“But you’re a mystery. You look more like an ordinary painter desperate to sketch me.”

As the smoke swirling in the air concealed his expression like a veil, he added,

“As if you’re deliberately trying to appear that way.”

My heart sank. I had thought that simply suppressing my murderous intent and hatred would be enough, but I was gravely mistaken. In the hazy room, the red embers from the pipe glared at me fiercely. What kind of expression was I wearing right now? What kind of eyes did I have? I stared at the burning tip of the pipe and spoke.

“I’ve grown used to it, so it doesn’t bother me.”

The Black Martial Emperor stopped flicking his ashes and looked at me. I took out my art supplies, spreading them out before me, and continued calmly.

“I’ve grown accustomed to starving, to being called a revolting mongrel, and to being treated like livestock. I’m good at enduring those things.”

I could feel his gaze on me but ignored it. I pulled out the charcoal wrapped in paper and held it in my hand.

“It’s hard to believe the Chieftain’s adopted son is used to starving.”

I had already coordinated with the Chieftain, who had rewritten my past, making me his adopted son.

“There aren’t many people in the world who would treat someone like me, a half-blood with no shared lineage, as their real child. Still, I was able to scrape by, selling my paintings now and then.”

“Did you not inherit your father’s talent?”

“……”

My heart sank in shock. When I first met the Black Martial Emperor, the Chieftain had mentioned something about me, but I assumed he hadn’t paid any attention and would surely not remember. I didn’t expect him to recall it so precisely. He reassures others, then suddenly tightens the noose around their necks. What kind of man is he…?

Without saying much, the Black Martial Emperor opened a book lying beside the bedding and tossed it onto my knees. It was that strange book with unusual writing.

“Well then, shall we continue? Your hands may be lacking, but your mind seems quite capable.”

It seemed he valued my imagination more than my drawing skills. But that wasn’t something I could tolerate today. I pulled out a sheet of paper and presented it to him. He raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

“I’ve already sketched what I remembered from yesterday.”

The Black Martial Emperor took the drawing and studied it. The paper contained the result of my utmost effort, combining imagination and observation. I had spent a sleepless night, agonizing until my head felt like it would burst, discarding sheet after sheet until I finally completed it.

“I’ll finish what you just gave me by the next time we meet. For now, I’ll draw your portrait, so if you could just position yourself…”

“Do you not understand my words, or are you pretending not to? How should I explain to you that you have no right to choose?”

I clenched the charcoal tightly.

“If you continue to be uncooperative like this… I might not be able to draw the weapon you devised.”

His eyes, which had been focused on the drawing, suddenly shifted and fixed on me.

“If my ears aren’t deceiving me, it sounds like you’re threatening me.”

“That’s not my intent. But if you won’t help me… why did you give me permission in the first place?”

“I’m thinking about that myself right now.”

He muttered lowly, running his fingers through his hair like a comb. Leaving me with that cryptic answer, the Black Martial Emperor resumed studying the drawing. His gaze, firmly fixed, indicated that he was satisfied with the work I had brought. What is he thinking about…? And what will he do when he’s done thinking…? As an uneasy feeling began to grow inside me, I quickly crushed it. I pushed aside the book he had moved earlier. After taking note of the face turned toward me in contemplation of the drawing, I swiftly began sketching on the paper. At that moment, the Black Martial Emperor glanced at the book I had pushed aside and slowly shifted his gaze back to me.

“The Imae Tribe is nothing like what I’ve heard. I didn’t expect such a brave tribe, so completely devoid of fear.”

Although his expression was unreadable, like the back of the paper, his eyes held a strong, vivid intensity that radiated murderous intent. Thanks to that, his face was now turned directly toward me. Perhaps I really had lost my fear.

“Ah, this is perfect. Please hold that pose.”

The Black Martial Emperor’s expression slightly twisted. Ah, what a good expression. I swiftly moved the charcoal in my hand. For some reason, I felt a slight sense of relief.

As soon as I gripped the charcoal, he fell into a deep sleep, completely ignoring my presence. He truly seemed like a mad dog lazily napping. The universal rule is never to mess with a mad dog, so I refrained from waking him unnecessarily. He still didn’t seem willing to cooperate with the portrait, but at least he didn’t throw me out. He slept so deeply that occasionally, he would wake up out of the blue and hastily scribble something in his book, his gaze focused and serious, as if he were an entirely different person. Of course, it didn’t last long before he fell back asleep.

From what I could observe, it seemed he had faced no shortage of assassinations. It was clear he took full responsibility for the consequences of his own actions. In fact, it seemed like he even relished the danger. Although he pretended to let his guard down, after spending several hours with him, I realized just how sensitive he really was. Even the slightest movement on my part caused him to instantly open his eyes and stare at me as if he were about to pierce through me. Just like now…

I had only moved slightly to relieve my aching back, but his previously closed eyes slowly opened. He abruptly reached out, feeling the ground, then brought his pipe to his mouth. He lit it against the candle flame and gave me a look that seemed to ask, “Why are you still here?” Then, with a lazy sigh, he leaned his relaxed upper body against the thick backrest. Seizing the opportunity, I quickly sketched his eyes, which I hadn’t been able to get to earlier.

Objectively speaking, he had a face that would make women swoon and clutch their chests in fever. His large, sharp eyes, without double eyelids, his straight nose, and lips perfect for spitting out sharp words—all features so precisely chiseled it was as if they had been carved with a cold, sharp blade. Even just sitting there, my eyes had to travel down from his head to his toes. When standing face-to-face with him, you’d have to crane your neck to look up at him. Although hidden beneath his royal robes, I could easily imagine his well-trained muscles from his time on the battlefield. His extreme oscillation between laziness and madness exuded a calculated meticulousness.

As the face of the murderer gradually emerged on the blank canvas, it stared directly at me. I didn’t avoid its gaze. With eyes filled with murderous intent and hatred, I stared back at the murderer without blinking. Though it was a killer trapped on paper, I was absorbed in the unexpected breakthrough I had discovered, lost in the moment. I raised my head again to capture the killer’s expression. The Black Martial Emperor was reclining against the backrest, his disheveled hair obscuring his features.

“A little more to the right… Please, look this way just a bit.”

The Black Martial Emperor merely smoked his pipe, leisurely burying himself in the backrest. He was clearly ignoring me. It didn’t matter. One of his legs was bent inward while the other stretched out. If my memory served me right, the extended leg was the one bitten by

. If I could just adjust that leg, I could fix his slouched posture.

“Is your leg not fully healed yet? If it’s not uncomfortable, could you move it inward just a little…?”

His sleepy eyes, still clouded by drowsiness, shifted toward me but did nothing more. Something about dealing with this man triggered a strange sense of defiance in me. His leisurely demeanor grated on my nerves. When drawing a portrait, the subject often struggles to find the right pose, and in such cases, I would usually help them myself. The problem was how he would react. Quietly, I approached him. As I reached out to adjust the leg that had slipped out from under the blanket—

“Ah!”

Like a hawk snatching its prey, a rough hand grabbed my wrist. As he twisted my arm backward, I felt the searing pain of bones and tendons misaligning. I bit my lip to stifle the scream that threatened to escape. His voice, sharp as a well-honed blade, sliced through the air.

“You’d better not touch me with your filthy hands.”

Though his eyes still bore traces of drowsiness, they were now filled with deep contempt and murderous intent. The intense pressure on my wrist felt like it was cutting off my breath. I was momentarily surprised by the rough texture of his palm—those callouses couldn’t possibly belong to a lazy man. But any thoughts about that were quickly pushed aside as the pain in my twisted joints intensified. Suppressing both the agony and the trembling in my voice, I managed to speak.

“When necessary… I adjust the posture myself. If you don’t want me touching you, please cooperate.”

The Black Martial Emperor glanced briefly at his leg, then fixed his gaze on me again.

“Listen, even your stench is offensive.”

“…There’s nothing filthy or offensive about me. Your Majesty always treats the Imae Tribe as if they were plague-ridden, but that’s all baseless.”

One of his eyebrows arched arrogantly.

“No, it’s filthy.”

“It’s not. We are a people who value cleanliness above all. We start each day by cleansing both body and mind and end each day by washing away all the grime and worries that accumulated.”

“Just because you clean doesn’t mean the filth disappears. What’s dirty stays dirty.”

“That’s not true. When the plague wiped out the entire nation, we were the only tribe that—”

“Dirty.”

“We aren’t as unclean as Your Majesty—”

“Dirty.”

With that succinct dismissal, he lay back down on the red bedding. The wings of the phoenix embroidered on the fabric, once lively, were crushed under his weight. As the pressure on my wrist released, blood rushed back in, bringing with it a dull ache and the lingering imprint of his grip, like a burn. If I kept dealing with this man, I might develop a sense of camaraderie with my tribe that I’d never had before. Sometimes I found myself wondering where his bottomless hatred and disdain came from. Of course, no matter the pitiful backstory, nothing could excuse the deeds of a murderer. Then my eyes fell on the Black Martial Emperor’s leg, still stretched out. Staring at it, I suddenly spoke.

“But I saved Your Majesty’s leg by sucking out the poison…”

The Black Martial Emperor stopped moving and turned his gaze toward me. I looked up from his leg and met his cold, expressionless face.

“So… I believe I have a right to one leg, at least.”

The space, thick with smoke, was as dreamlike as a foggy dawn forest. My aimless eyes drifted over the dazzling bedding before settling on the Black Martial Emperor. I gently curled my lips and allowed a faint smile to form. His mouth, which had been tightly closed, slowly hardened, and his eyes, which seemed to hold nothing, suddenly flashed with a blue glare. It was like the calm before an explosion, reminiscent of that day when he had delighted in bloodshed as Jincheonroe…

The sudden silence took my breath away. It seemed I had indeed made a dangerous remark. Or perhaps he disliked my expression, or maybe it was just that my eyes, as he often said, irritated him… Whatever the reason, it was clear that his mood had soured. I slowly lowered my gaze and retracted the smile from my lips. I stepped away from the bed and began tidying the disarrayed surroundings around the hearth. His piercing gaze continued to follow me persistently. I wiped the charcoal stains off my hands with a towel and carefully wrapped the drawing in a silk cloth. After properly placing the organized tools to the right, I bowed to him.

“Then… I will see you next week on Saturday.” (Saturday was written as Day of the soil which is more of a traditional term.)

Knowing he wouldn’t acknowledge my farewell, I didn’t wait for a response. My anxious heart urged me to leave the space as quickly as possible. I turned, taking a few steps backward, and then turned around. It was thanks to the Grand Chamberlain’s nagging that I learned not to show my back to the Emperor. The journey to the exit felt like an eternity. Just as I reached the phoenix-patterned door handle halfway…

I sensed no movement. I couldn’t even hear approaching footsteps.

Whoosh—-!!!

The wind whipped past my ears, and the opulent room’s scenery spun around in a dizzying whirl. My hair stood on end as if a beast had stealthily grabbed my neck. For a moment, the thought of dying flashed through my mind.

Crash—!!

Something pressed against my neck. Simultaneously, my body was crushed so forcefully that the door was nearly destroyed. A dark shadow loomed, and a frightening face overwhelmed my vision. The figure who had been rushing toward me suddenly stopped his attack. I froze, on the brink of death. As my vision slowly cleared, I realized just how close he was, enough to distinguish his pupils and irises. My heart pounded wildly in response to the sudden turn of events. He slowly lifted his eyelids. The sound of someone else’s breath scattered near his lips.

“Ha… that was dangerous.”

My eyes widened in shock. My half-open mouth fluttered uselessly. His lips were so close that I could touch them with a slight movement. All I could perceive were his dark, straight-set eyes and his hand gripping my neck and chin precariously. Just then, the Grand Chamberlain’s voice broke the silence from beyond the door.

“Your Majesty. The meal is ready.”

The Black Martial Emperor fixed his gaze on me and spoke in a dry voice.

“Let them in.”

His voice lingered on his lips. As the sound of the door quietly opening came from behind me, the hand gripping my neck released. The Black Martial Emperor returned to the bed with a noticeably slower pace than when he had arrived.

“Hm? What are you standing there idly for? You’re in the way, so move!”

The Grand Chamberlain, entering the room, scolded me for blocking the entrance with my back. I gathered my wits and cleared the way. The young palace maidens, urged by the Grand Chamberlain, arrived carrying dishes that were several times their own size. I tidied up the scattered hearth tools, bowed to the Black Martial Emperor, and left. As soon as I was outside, I heard the door close with a thud behind me. Only then did I become aware of my stiff shoulders and the frantic pounding of my heart. I touched my neck, which felt like it had been branded, and reflected on the earlier situation. That just now… something must have triggered his temper, activating his murderous intent. He could have easily broken my neck without using any tools. It was confusing that he didn’t seem inclined to do so.

As I emerged from the royal quarters, the greenish darkness enveloped everything around me. My mind still unorganized, I was pushed along by the wind as I exited through the side door. At that moment, I encountered the incoming bodyguards. I had heard roughly about them from Naro. The delicate-looking man was ‘Unsa’, the largest and taciturn man was ‘Pungbaek’, and the last one, the cool and handsome “Hyung”, was ‘Usa’. They were all from the same family, with Unsa, Pungbaek, and Usa in that order of seniority, though it was surprising that the delicate-looking man was the eldest. The man who was probably Usa, the one with a dissatisfied expression, spoke up.

“The beef soup today was the worst I’ve ever had. I’d rather dip Pungbaek Hyung-nim’s foot in it; it would be much better.”

“It was really disgusting. Even Pungbaek, who has a strong stomach, ran out to vomit… It seems the palace maid who prepared the meal was a man after all. Late-onset hunger is the most frightening thing, isn’t it?”

The refined-looking guard—who was likely Unsa—said, and Usa, with his lips curled up, stared at Unsa.

“You know better than anyone how frightening the late wind can be. Last night was especially active, burning people’s hearts, and now you’re walking around so casually. It’s rather disappointing for me, Hyung-nim.”

“Shut up. If you keep talking recklessly, I’ll make sure you crawl for the rest of your life.”

Unsa, with his eyes narrowed fiercely, was met with Usa’s deeply colored smile.

“You’d better not make that face. Spread your legs right here and now…”

“Shut up. Be quiet!”

It was a strange feeling to see them showing such varied expressions, as they always appeared indifferent. Usa, with his eyes blazing, pulled his Hyung-nim’s waist and then belatedly noticed me, but he didn’t seem to care at all. I gave them the customary Hyung-style nod as I passed by.

“When did you move your residence?”

When I turned my head, I saw Unsa looking at me. He was slightly taller than me, so I had to look up a bit.

“You, yes, you. The nameless Imae.”

“……”

“You didn’t go to the annex on your own, did you? Did His Majesty give such an order?”

“No.”

“Indeed.”

Unsa and Usa exchanged glances and clicked their tongues. Thanks to their silence, I had managed to leave Black Martial Emperor’s room safely.

“I appreciate the trouble you went through that day. I also thank you for pretending not to know about His Majesty.”

Unsa furrowed his brows and said,

“Stop with the flattering talk and just answer. Who was it? Who had you stay in the annex?”

To my stubborn silence, Unsa said again,

“I don’t know who that person is, but when someone handles matters that have already been decided by His Majesty, I conclude that they are either someone reckless who doesn’t care about their life or someone who can survive even after defying His Majesty’s wishes. So, who is it?”

“Is it that important?”

“There’s a famous anecdote still talked about.”

Without answering the question, Unsa brought up an unrelated story.

“There was a competent and loyal official with the rank of ‘Wuga’ (牛加). This person embezzled taxes and accumulated them in their own storage, several times. But not long after, they foolishly got caught, and His Majesty promptly had them and their family executed. Very thoroughly. Apart from the embezzlement, they were loyal to His Majesty and personally quite a good person.”

“It was truly horrific when His Majesty ordered me to clean up the entrails that had spilled on the floor. I didn’t see any meat for several days.”

Usa murmured, scrunching his forehead. I, still staring at Unsa, finally opened my mouth.

“Though it was excessive, isn’t it a crime that deserved punishment?”

“Exactly. It was something that should not be overlooked. But it wasn’t necessary to go that far with an uncle. Ah, he was His Majesty’s uncle. That’s why His Majesty personally executed him.”

“……!”

“Earlier, you asked if it was important? At least for that person and for you, it will be. His Majesty hates when what he knows differs from the actual facts, no matter what it is or who is involved. That’s a rule you should never forget.”

I couldn’t say a word. From the story he told and their expressions, it seemed like it was not something to be taken lightly. What would happen if the culprit who moved me to the annex was discovered to be Raonhiljo…? Even a murderer who cruelly killed his own uncle could be a half-brother, so it’s not impossible he would be spared. I wouldn’t be safe either. Even if I moved to the livestock area, the fact that I defied Black Martial Emperor’s wishes wouldn’t be overlooked. My thoughts were suddenly in disarray. Feeling an unpleasant gaze, I turned my head to its source. Unsa, who had been watching me, gave a peculiar smile with his shiny lips.

I couldn’t say anything. From the story he told and the expressions on their faces, it didn’t seem like something to take lightly. If by any chance it were discovered that the person who moved me to Byeolwon was Raonhiljo… what would happen to him? There’s no law that says a murderer who brutally killed his own uncle wouldn’t also kill his half-brother. I probably wouldn’t be safe either. Even if I were to move to Chuksa, the fact that I defied the will of the Black Martial Emperor wouldn’t simply go away. My head suddenly became a tangled mess. I sensed an unpleasant gaze and turned my head toward the source. Unsa, who had been watching me, curved his glossy lips into a strange smile.

“You really do have the face that stirs the urge to hunt. You’re perfectly His Majesty’s type.”

Unsa spoke indifferently and then soon disappeared through the middle gate of the rear garden. As they faded into the darkness, I also began walking. The humid wind clung to my skin, heated by the warm air. Even though the breeze was gentle, I felt a chill.

***

When I returned to my quarters, Naro was hanging by a rope. I barely managed to pull him down in time, and as I comforted him, he broke into sobs, overwhelmed with emotion, before collapsing on the floor, exhausted. His face was painted with a colorful array of bruises and dried blood, like an elaborate landscape painting. It seemed Veronjubille had taken out his anger on him after being coldly turned away by the Black Martial Emperor earlier. I hurriedly applied medicine to him, and as I did, Naro’s eyes gleamed as he asked me how my meeting with the Black Martial Emperor went. Then, somehow, the conversation shifted, and I ended up hearing all sorts of stories.

According to Naro, before the late emperor’s death, there was a fierce power struggle between the empress dowager—the Black Martial Emperor’s biological mother—and the concubines. The empress dowager’s hatred and jealousy toward Lady Yehui were beyond imagination. Though the empress dowager, a princess from a vassal state, was known for her beauty and grace, it was Lady Yehui who held the late emperor’s heart until his final moments. There were even cautious speculations that Lady Yehui’s son, not the Black Martial Emperor, might ascend to the throne, despite the Black Martial Emperor being the legitimate heir as the empress’s eldest son. However, Black Martial Emperor, who was skilled in both civil and martial arts from a young age, was firmly appointed as the successor and eventually ascended the throne without incident.

“But the thing is, despite His Majesty frequently visiting the concubines’ chambers, there still isn’t an heir.”

Just as I was laying out the bedding, Naro revealed an unexpected fact.

“It seems like His Majesty is so deeply engrossed in war that he has no interest in anything else. What if he never returns from battle? There’d be a fierce fight for the throne. It’d be best for him to have an heir soon, but there’s no sign of one. That’s why there are so many rumors going around. Some say someone is secretly mixing strange herbs into the concubines’ tonics to prevent them from conceiving, while others claim the concubines are using malicious talismans on each other. There are all sorts of theories, but they’re all missing the point! The real reason is something else entirely!”

“What is it…?”

Naro glanced around nervously before lowering his voice and glaring.

“Of course, it’s because His Majesty can’t, you know, get it up! What other reason could there be? Honestly, educated people overthink things too much, and it backfires on them!”

The straightforwardness of his answer made me burst out laughing. After that, Naro continued to share all sorts of gossip—how Veronjubille tormented the palace maids, the secret behind her abnormally prominent chest, and how different her bare face was from her heavily made-up one, which was apparently harder to witness than catching a falling star.

I laughed so hard my stomach ached and my back was drenched in sweat. I hadn’t laughed like that since my mother passed away. Naro resembled my mother so much, not only in appearance but also in the way he spoke, that I wanted to believe he was her reincarnation. To me, Naro was like a small comfort sent by the merciless heavens. After spilling out all his worries, Naro finally fell asleep, exhausted. Although the dawn breeze seeped into the room, I couldn’t fall asleep. Thoughts of the Black Martial Emperor’s earlier actions and how I should face Raonhiljo tomorrow kept me tossing and turning.

When did I first meet Orumun? What was I doing when we met? Ah, yes, the first time I saw him was by the valley near my house. I was washing myself, as it was my father’s death anniversary, when I witnessed Orumun in the forest, entwined with a village maiden. Orumun, vigorously moving his hips, wasn’t even looking at the maiden. A few days later, he dragged me into a hut and forced himself on me, afterward throwing an obscene amount of money at me as he made his proposition. For the next two years, Orumun greedily devoured my body while ensuring my mother’s medicine and our living expenses were taken care of. By the time I realized I was caught in his trap, I was already so entangled that I couldn’t even dream of an escape. Whenever he hit me or burned my skin with his cigarette, I wanted to kill him, but I never could. At times, I wished he’d grow tired of me. But at the same time, I didn’t want that. That was the terror of the snare he had set.

“Is this really true? Can I trust you…?”

A bitter smile formed on my face at the realization that Orumun was the only one I could rely on in this situation. Am I being brainwashed into believing some nonsense, trapped in a foolish delusion? It feels like I’m struggling to walk through a tunnel with no end in sight.

***

The commotion arrived in the late afternoon as heavy rain poured down. The boy, who introduced himself as having come on an errand from Raonhiljo, was carrying an umbrella many times his size on his shoulder, dressed in clothes that looked like a shrunken version of an adult’s official attire. He handed me the umbrella with his tiny hands, and we set off for Byeolwon together, carrying art supplies.

Caught off guard by the sudden downpour, the officials and court ladies who hadn’t prepared umbrellas hurried past, using their robes and hands as makeshift shields. The boy walked on tiptoes, trying to avoid dirtying his shoes in the muddy water. It was no easy task to keep the umbrella over him as he carefully picked his way through the dry patches. Whenever I tilted the umbrella toward him, he would occasionally roll his dark eyes and glance at my head. I thought it might be best to just mention it, as it seemed I would have to endure those looks the entire way.