The Empress chuckled, catching her stare, and Hwayeong offered a faint smile before raising her teacup.
‘Frightening, yes—but on matters like this, we get along quite well.’
As she quietly took a sip, she thought to herself: ‘Thank god she’s my kind of people—we’ll be seeing plenty of each other.’
Just then, the Empress glanced out the window and said gently, “It’s gotten late. You should head back.”
“Then I’ll take my leave.”
“Go safely.”
After offering a final bow, Hwayeong followed the court lady out of the tea room and departed Daeyeong Lodge.
She was worried about Sinyeong, who was still burning with fever—but staying overnight wasn’t an option. She’d just have to check in tomorrow.
As she made her way back, she found herself thinking that while the diagnosis was obvious, he really had collapsed at the worst possible moment.
And at that, a quiet laugh escaped her.
“Seriously... he really is something else.”
* * *
