Chapter 6

“Good. You should have done this from the beginning.”

General Maeng looked pleased as he gazed at the warehouse filled with coal.

‘Spring has arrived, so they’ll be careless about keeping track of it anyway. All I have to do is cut the coal rations by finding fault with the soldiers during training.’

The corners of his mouth lifted at the thought of selling the diverted coal at a good price.

“General, but if His Highness the Ink King finds out about this…”

“What can that mute king do? He can’t even conduct a proper interrogation.”

General Maeng scoffed at the warehouse keeper’s concern.

‘I’ll finish the ledger properly for now, then go to the tavern tonight and enjoy myself.’

As they reached the Ink King’s Palace, he was lost in pleasant thoughts about the money weighing down his pockets.

Then—

Thud.

“Oh!”

A woman coming around the corner collided with him.

“Where are you looking when you walk?!”

Just as irritation surged through him—

‘Huh?’

Skin that gleamed like white jade.

Eyebrows as distinct as though they had been painted with a brush.

Clear eyes like crystal.

‘This isn’t just some ordinary servant.’

After thinking for a moment, he realized.

‘Oh-ho. Is this the Jae-in the Ink King supposedly brought back from the Imperial Capital?’

Despite her simple clothing, an air of elegance could be seen in the way she carried herself.

‘I expected him to bring back some nobody, but she’s quite something.’

General Maeng softened his previously scowling expression.

“To think I would encounter such a beauty in the Ink King’s Palace. I am Maeng Tak, General of the Western Guard.”

He extended his hand cordially, but the Jae-in folded her hands and bent her knees in a formal greeting.

“I am Jin Soa, the Jae-in.”

General Maeng awkwardly rubbed his hand against his thigh.

“But why is a Jae-in wandering around the palace all alone?”

“Well, I was looking around by myself and ended up getting lost.”

“What are you looking for? I’ll escort you.”

General Maeng offered, as though doing her a great favor.

‘Heroes are always fond of beautiful women.’

‘Keeping a beauty by one’s side is practically a virtue of a hero.’

“Then could you guide me to where His Highness the Ink King is?”

Tsk. She must want to receive even a little of the king’s favor just because she’s a Jae-in.

‘Even that cursed mute attracts women now that he wears a crown.’

Hiding his true thoughts, General Maeng readily accepted the Jae-in’s request.

“His Highness does not normally allow people to get close to him. No wonder a Jae-in like you might feel lonely.”

He lowered his voice and courteously adjusted his clothes as he led the way.

“Is that so?”

“Heh-heh. If you ever have anything troubling you, come find me anytime. There’s nothing that happens in the Ink King’s Residence that I don’t know about.”

“Knowing that there is nothing General Maeng does not know is reassuring.”

Soa smiled faintly.

After returning from the Imperial Capital,

Seoheon had no time to recover from the fatigue of the journey before dealing with the mountain of official business that had accumulated.

Following behind her lord as they left the side hall, Chief Steward No discreetly examined his master’s face.

Beneath the dark iron mask,

his lips remained tightly sealed as always.

‘I heard there was a monster attack on the way back.’

Yet His Highness did not show even the slightest sign of fatigue.

Just as Chief Steward No was swallowing a sigh—

Seoheon stopped walking.

In the distance, Jin Soa was walking beside General Maeng.

“Why are those two together…?”

The wrinkles on Chief Steward No’s forehead deepened.

There was no one in the Ink King’s Residence who did not know that General Maeng was excessively fond of women.

Chief Steward No composed himself uneasily and glanced to the side.

Seoheon, who had been watching them, silently resumed walking.

At that moment, the two approached and bowed in greeting.

“Why are the Jae-in Jin and General Maeng together?”

“Heh-heh. She was wandering around because she did not know her way around the Ink King’s Palace, so I helped her. She said she wanted to see His Highness.”

Leaving Maeng Tak, who was smiling broadly, aside, Soa bowed politely.

“I came to make a request of His Highness.”

Seoheon quietly looked at her.

“I came from the southern region, so I am particularly sensitive to the cold. Would it be possible for me to receive just a little more coal?”

Soa asked while pulling her cloak tighter around herself.

Chief Steward No smiled kindly.

“For such a minor matter, you could have simply told your maidservant. Why did you come here personally?”

“Well, the maidservant told me that there was not enough coal in the warehouse.”

At Soa’s troubled expression as she lowered her gaze, General Maeng’s face stiffened.

Chief Steward No adjusted his glasses with a bewildered expression.

“How could that be? Although the Ink King’s Residence is a harsh and barren place, our coal supply is the best in the entire empire.”

“But when I passed by the military barracks today, I saw the soldiers shivering from the cold because they did not have enough coal.”

“Pardon…?”

Chief Steward No was so flustered that he adjusted his glasses again.

Coal supplies were directly connected to the soldiers’ health and morale.

He had clearly made sure that enough coal was distributed to the soldiers…

“Even the soldiers are conserving coal to help the Ink King’s Residence with its finances. How could I casually take more for myself?”

Soa lowered her head deeply.

General Maeng, who had been listening beside her, bit his dry lips and stepped forward.

“Heh-heh. That is only because I reduced the rations over the past few days to restore discipline. So, Jae-in, there is no need to worry. Just do as Chief Steward No said and—”

“His Highness is here.”

Soa looked coldly up at him and cut him off.

“I will follow His Highness’s wishes, not the general’s.”

General Maeng’s face flushed red.

At that moment, Seoheon, who had been quietly observing the situation, turned around and began walking.

Toward the military barracks warehouse.

“Your Highness!”

Chief Steward No and Soa immediately followed behind him.

‘Damn it. Surely he isn’t going to check the coal himself!’

Growing anxious, General Maeng followed them as well.

“Your Highness, why go all the way to such a shabby warehouse yourself? If there is a shortage, couldn’t we simply move coal from another warehouse to make up the difference?”

General Maeng hurried alongside Seoheon, rapidly offering one explanation after another.

The gaze beneath the mask briefly shifted toward him.

“You have only just returned and must be tired, Your Highness. If you wish, please leave such trivial matters to me.”

General Maeng deliberately laughed heartily.

But Seoheon gave no answer.

The silence was cold and oppressive.

Cold sweat appeared on General Maeng’s forehead.

Seoheon continued walking without responding.

“Y-Your Highness! What brings you all the way here?!”

At the military barracks’ coal warehouse,

the flustered warehouse keeper hurriedly bowed his head.

The officials and soldiers who happened to be there also lowered their heads one after another.

The warehouse keeper noticed General Maeng following behind them and nervously glanced around.

Seoheon quietly nodded.

Chief Steward No immediately conveyed the silent command.

“Open the warehouse.”

Creeeak—

The stone doors opened, and Seoheon’s heavy footsteps echoed inside.

Following him in, Chief Steward No’s eyes widened.

“N-No, how could there be so little coal…?!”

The warehouse was visibly empty.

The warehouse keeper fumbled anxiously for an explanation.

“Th-That’s because this winter was so cold, and we distributed plenty of coal to the soldiers…”

His lengthy excuse made Seoheon’s gaze shift toward the back of the warehouse.

“W-We never asked for more coal, Your Highness!”

The soldiers bowed deeply, insisting on their innocence.

At that moment, General Maeng raised his voice and stepped forward.

“You were recklessly burning coal until yesterday! Isn’t that why I reduced your coal rations as punishment?!”

Under General Maeng’s furious shout, the soldiers could not even open their mouths and simply lowered their heads.

Seoheon’s eyes narrowed as he watched him.

Then—

“For having burned so much coal recently, the weather certainly is remarkably clear.”

Someone spoke as though they had read Seoheon’s thoughts.

It was the Jae-in, Jin Soa.

If this much coal had truly been burned until yesterday, the air should have been thick with smoke and haze.

Yet the air around the Ink King’s Residence was nothing but cold and clear.

“So you’re saying I’m lying now?! What would some Jae-in who came from outside know about this!”

Instead, General Maeng raised his voice even further and pointed roughly at Soa.

Amid the chaos, Seoheon silently opened the warehouse’s records of incoming and outgoing supplies.

‘The numbers don’t add up.’

Someone must have been diverting the coal.

And it had not happened just once or twice.

At that moment, Soa tilted her head and pointed toward one corner.

“…What is that?”

A small piece of metal lay on the floor of the warehouse.

At Seoheon’s glance, Chief Steward No immediately picked it up and handed it to him.

It was a small copper token shaped like half of a tiger.

A Tiger Tally, issued to generals.

The character “Seo” (西) was engraved on it.

Seoheon’s gaze slowly shifted toward General Maeng.

“Why is that here…? Ah, a few days ago, I ordered the soldiers to tidy up my quarters…”

As General Maeng spoke, the atmosphere gradually grew colder.

None of the officials standing behind him dared to defend him.

Then Soa cautiously spoke.

“What a strange thing.”

Her brows drew together as though she were genuinely concerned for General Maeng.

“If the general had lost his Tiger Tally, would that not mean that the Ink King’s military command had effectively been left without its proper seal for several days?”

“N-No, that’s not what I meant…!”

“If someone had happened to enter and leave the military barracks carrying the Tiger Tally during that time, it could have caused a serious incident.”

Soa covered her lips with her fingertips, looking worried.

General Maeng shook his head.

“Wait, that’s not what happened!”

“But…”

Soa quietly looked at the Tiger Tally.

“Are you saying that you truly did not realize your Tiger Tally was missing for several days?”

Thick beads of cold sweat gathered across General Maeng’s face.