Seolyeong responded skillfully to the Namgung family's gatekeeper.
"Miss Namgung Soyo has arrived. Please inform the head of the family of this as soon as possible."
"Hmm. Miss Namgung Soyo's carriage, you say? That's strange. She was scheduled to return home under our family's escort. Why don't I see any of the guards?"
You could hear the suspicion in his voice, even without straining to listen. Seolyeong cleared her throat loudly and yelled, ensuring everyone could hear.
"You ask where all the escort warriors of the Namgung family have disappeared to? I shall tell you. They're all dead! Assassins attacked Soyo on the way here!"
Everyone, the gatekeeper and even passersby, jumped and gasped.
Young and old, men and women, everyone peered at the beat-up old carriage parked in front of the Namgung family gate, whispering.
"Assassins? Did she just say that all the Namgung family's escorts were killed by assassins?"
"Whose carriage is that, that family escorts were assigned to?"
"Beats me. I heard it was one of Namgung's daughters... Wait, Namgung had a daughter?"
Seolyeong puffed out her chest proudly and yelled at the gatekeeper.
"If you understand, open the gate! Soyo's been badly cut by an assassin's blade. She needs a doctor, now!"
"Okay, okay! I got it, just keep it down! I'll tell the Young Master right away!"
The commotion got the gate open quickly enough, but Yeo-il, listening to it all, was lost in thought.
'They hear about assassins and just tell us to wait? Seriously?'
Even if she is illegitimate, you don't say that to a daughter of a prominent family. And reporting to the Young Master instead of the head of the family? What kind of nonsense is that?
A little later, the gatekeeper returned and said.
"The Young Master says to bring Soyo inside."
The Namgung family gate creaked open slowly. Yeo-il nodded slightly, and Chang-a, giving her a firm nod as if to say 'I got you,' took her hand. Then, in a voice as loud as Seolyeong's, she shouted.
"She's blind! So everyone, servants and guards, keep it down!"
"Namgung's daughter is blind?"
"Wow."
More people crowded around, whispering and sighing.
Chang-a helped Yeo-il down, her eyes tightly closed. Nearby people who got a good look at her face gasped even louder than they'd been sighing.
"It's flat ground, no obstacles. You're good to go."
"Thank you."
She smiled broadly, leaning on Chang-a, and the servant turned red, ducking his head. Yeo-il heard a soft sigh from behind her.
"I had no idea Soyo was blind. Looks like Chang-a and I are going to be busy for a while."
Seolyeong was right. Soyo was blind, having lost her sight in an accident as a baby.
She hadn't anticipated it at all, not until the day she saved Chang-a. So, Yeo-il had to keep her eyes shut and have Chang-a help her navigate this new place.
"Pity's the easiest way to get people on your side, so it's not all bad."
"Yeah, yeah, what could be bad for you, Miss."
Just then, a harsh voice came from about eight steps away.
"Did you just say assassins?"
"Yes, Young Master. The warriors who went to retrieve Miss Soyo were killed by assassins..."
"Ha! What a joke! Our Namgung family warriors, wiped out by assassins? Not some random, unskilled bum, but our guys? No way! I don't buy it. Who's spreading that garbage?"
The servant, terrified, pointed at Soyo, who was walking towards them.
A boy, eighteen at most, stomped up, glaring at Soyo, and started grilling her.
"Hey. I'm Namgung Huimyeong, the third son, the legitimate one. Are you that Namgung Soyo who was supposed to be here yesterday? And is it really because of assassins that you're late?"
Namgung family's Namgung Huimyeong.
Upon hearing the familiar name, Yeo-il quickly recalled the information Chang-a had told her.
[The head of the Namgung family has three sons, and among them, the third son, Namgung Huimyeong, is said to be the most headstrong in both personality and swordsmanship. He's arrogant and makes people uncomfortable… and immature, they say?]
You could hear the doubt and suspicion in his voice; he was going to be a pain. Yeo-il remained silent.
"Are you ignoring me? Answer me!"
"Or are you deaf? I'll ask again: are you late because assassins killed all the guards?"
She still didn't answer, even after he kept pressing.
"You're so frustrating! Open your mouth and answer me, Namgung Soyo!"
Finally, he roared right in her face, and Yeo-il, as if she'd been waiting for it, stepped back and fell on her rear. His eyes widened.
"Ah, Miss! Miss! Are you okay?"
"…I’m okay, Chang-a. Just a little startled."
"M-Miss Soyo is blind, and she's hurt from the trip! And you're treating her like this? Is this how everyone in this family acts?"
Namgung Huimyeong's face turned bright red, like an apple, at Chang-a's accusation.
"What? You, a mere servant, talking to me like that! When was I rough…!"
It was then.
"What's all the noise?"
A young man, dressed just as finely as Namgung Huimyeong, stepped between them.
He was a little shorter and had a kinder face than Namgung's third son. He clicked his tongue and scolded Namgung Huimyeong.
"Third Brother. Were you bothering Soyo? She's our little sister. You can't just do whatever you want."
"What do you take me for, Brother Choomyeong! I was just asking some questions, and then she just fell over…"
"Good, but keep it down. They'll hear you outside."
Yeo-il, getting up slowly, repeated the name the guy had called him.
Namgung Choomyeong, the second son.
[Everyone said Namgung Choomyeong, the second son, was the best of the three. All the merchants were singing his praises. Smart, wise, kind, good with a sword… what else? Anyway, he seemed like a really good guy.]
As Chang-a said, Namgung Choomyeong's first words to Yeo-il weren't just polite formalities.
"Are you okay, Soyo? …Wait, what happened to your left arm? Is that blood?"
"Assassins attacked Soyo on the way."
"What? Assassins? Oh my god! Here, let me…"
Right away, Namgung Choomyeong scooped Yeo-il up. He wobbled a little, perhaps she was heavier than he expected, but he caught his balance and hurried off.
"Assassins! Good thing a doctor's already here. Let's get you treated before that gets infected. Third Brother, you too, come on!"
Yeo-il, in his arms, asked quietly.
"Thank you. Are you… Namgung Choomyeong?"
"Yeah, I'm your second oldest brother, Namgung Choomyeong. I figured you'd forgotten me; we met when you were so little, but you remember!"
A little later, Namgung Choomyeong threw open a door as if he were trying to break it down and yelled to someone inside.
"Brother! Did you hear? Soyo was attacked by assassins! She needs a doctor, now!"
A tall young man sitting in a chair turned around.
The man who'd been called was very tall, with a healthy complexion and sharp eyes. He'd been looking at some books, but he just nodded calmly.
"Hmm? Yeah, I heard. Haha! Couldn't shake off last night's hangover, so I called for the doctor. Good timing, huh? But who's this beautiful woman…"
"This is Namgung Soyo. Seriously, Brother, lay off the booze. It's going to kill you."
"A little alcohol won't kill me, don't worry."
Namgung Choomyeong sat Yeo-il down in a chair by a round table. Even though she couldn't see, she heard a strangely cold voice.
"So, you're Namgung Soyo, the fourth child."
There was only one person Namgung Choomyeong would call 'brother'.
Namgung Jeokmyeong, the Young Master, the next head of the family.
The three Namgung brothers were all together.
