I went to the kitchen for a quick errand to get some snacks for Dokgorin, and when I returned, a gisaeng nobleman was in the room.
‘Who is this?’
Dressed in luxurious clothing, with an attractive appearance and a natural air of superiority.
And considering how casually he treated the youngest daughter of the house, Dokgorin, it seemed he was someone of high status.
So, I tried my best to maintain a neutral expression, but this gisaeng nobleman… no, this young master gave me a silver coin as a tip, saying it was for my hard work.
‘Wow, what a windfall.’
It was money I couldn’t earn even in several nights of toil, and this young master just gave it away like it was nothing.
Realizing I made a good career change, I smiled broadly, but noticed Dokgorin’s expression across the way was unusually grim.
‘What’s going on? What’s happening?’
I felt like a frog in front of a snake, or a mouse before a cat.
Dokgorin was looking at the silver coin I held with a sulky expression, seemingly displeased.
But this single coin could feed me for several days, so despite her pressure, I discreetly slipped the tip into my pocket.
Anyway, the conversation between the two of them didn’t seem to be coming to an end, so I decided to wait outside and ended up getting acquainted with the maid accompanying the young master.
“Hello.”
As I spoke first, the maid responded with her hands behind her back.
“Hi, you’re the one who saved the young lady, right?”
“You know about me?”
“Of course! It would be more unusual if I didn’t know. You’re the benefactor who saved the life of the youngest lady, whom the head of the household cherishes most.”
She explained how my name spread among the Dokgo family.
“Do you remember when the lady slipped and fell into the river, and the maid who was nearby?”
Hearing that, I recalled the maid I met just the other day.
The maid who stood by, muttering “What do we do! What do we do!” as Dokgorin fell into the water.
Thinking back, if I hadn’t happened to be passing by, that maid wouldn’t be alive today.
“After she rushed the soaked lady to safety, she praised you for saving her a lot.”
“Hmm.”
At least she had some conscience.
If that maid had been cunning, she would have downplayed my role and blown up her own, but it seemed she hadn’t.
“So, your name has spread among us lowly servants. So it’s okay to take pride in what you did.”
Hearing that made me feel a bit shy.
Not used to receiving compliments, I found myself nervously looking around, when a voice called from inside the room.
“Kyungah! Let’s head back!”
“Yes! Young master!”
Hearing the gisaeng nobleman… no, the young master call, the maid quickly answered, ruffled my hair, and with a wink said,
“See you again.”
I nodded absently, fiddling with the spot she had touched.
It felt complicated being patted on the head by someone no older than twenty.
Once she returned to the room, she came out with the young master.
I kept bowing until he completely left, and only then was I able to lift my head.
“…….”
Still, I didn’t feel bad.
“Chilbok, you can come in now.”
“Yes, Rin lady.”
I watched her figure disappear before heading back into Dokgorin’s room.
*
Upon entering the room again, the tea and snacks were just as they were left.
It seemed they had only sipped tea and had no interest in the snacks.
‘What a waste.’
Thinking that, I pushed the chair back in.
Was it because I briefly caught her gaze?
Dokgorin, still seated at the table, asked me,
“Chilbok, do you want to eat?”
“No, it’s just that I was worried since the Rin lady hadn’t touched any of it.”
The reason I had gone to fetch the snacks was because Dokgorin said she was hungry.
Yet, it seemed Dokgorin hadn’t touched the snacks I brought.
“If you’re not going to eat, should I take it away?”
As I suggested taking the table away, Dokgorin shook her head and patted the empty seat beside her.
“Let’s share it.”
“Me?”
Of course, the “me?” had a lot of implications packed in.
Am I really allowed to share a meal with the lady?
Can I really dare to eat the lady’s snacks?
Shouldn’t it be the lady who eats this instead of me?
And so on.
But with a brazen expression, Dokgorin nodded and forcefully made me sit in the chair.
“Here.”
I stared blankly at the snack she shoved into my hand and, thinking about when I would get another chance to eat something like this, I took a bite.
“…Mmm?”
Delicious.
To be precise, it tasted like honey-soaked flour snacks, but perhaps due to my body being changed, it tasted incredibly good.
Realizing I had eaten the entire snack without noticing, I awkwardly tried to get up from the chair.
However, Dokgorin pressed down on my shoulder and said,
“You can have more.”
Then, as if setting the stage, she poured tea into a fresh cup.
“This is called Yongjeong tea; it goes well with the snacks.”
“…Thank you.”
Since the elaborate snack matched my taste more than I expected, I didn’t refuse and picked up a second snack.
And making sure not to make the same mistake as before, I nibbled on the snack carefully, only to find Dokgorin watching me intently with her chin resting on her hand.
Feeling her gaze boring into me, I cautiously asked,
“Rin lady, aren’t you going to eat?”
Then Dokgorin said something mothers often say.
“I’m full just watching you eat.”
“……”
I just don’t get what Dokgorin is thinking.
This isn’t some human feed; how can she not eat and just make me eat the snacks alone?
Anyway, since it was tasty, having finished the snacks, I gulped down the tea and boldly asked,
“May I ask you one thing, Rin lady?”
“Sure. Feel free to ask anything.”
“Why are you being so nice to me?”
The question surprised Dokgorin; her eyes blinked, then she smiled widely and said,
“I told you before, I fell in love at first sight.”
“Don’t joke around.”
It feels weird to say this, but I looked like a drowned rat at that moment.
My hair was white like an old man’s, and I was emaciated from not eating properly.
If someone fell for that sight, they probably had a unique taste.
Especially since younger people are more sensitive to appearances.
But despite my objections, Dokgorin just kept smiling quietly.
‘Looks like she’s not going to answer honestly.’
In the end, I decided to give up first.
Because it didn’t seem like she would answer willingly anyway.
While maintaining this strange standoff, someone knocked from outside.
“Lady, it’s time for your meal.”
At that, Dokgorin gracefully stood up, and seeing her, I scrambled to wipe off the crumbs from my mouth.
Seeing me, Dokgorin asked with a smile,
“Don’t you have room left for lunch?”
I nodded confidently and replied,
“Of course.”
Even though it looks like this, I’m still someone who gets hungry quickly.
*
Lunch surprisingly proceeded in a harmonious atmosphere.
Maybe because my brain is too soaked in web novels, I had this feeling that in wealthy families, there would be strange psychological games where everyone would eat separately, but in reality, that wasn’t the case.
With the head of the Dokgo family, Dokgojin, his wife Tang Miryeong, their eldest son Dokgohyeok, their second son Dokgoseok, and the youngest, Dokgorin, the whole family gathered for a meal that didn’t differ much from an ordinary household.
What surprised me slightly was that the person who had come to Dokgorin’s room earlier and tipped me was Dokgoseok, who played a major role in ruining the Dokgo family in the original story.
In the novel, he was casually described as “a handsome playboy,” but seeing him in reality, that description seemed to fit him perfectly.
“Then let’s meet later after the meal.”
Perhaps because other family members were present, Dokgorin returned to her usual tone and said that to me before heading inside.
Thanks to that, I found myself with nothing to do until Dokgorin finished her meal, and I thought it’d be a good idea to use this time to go to the kitchen and grab a bite to eat.
So, I went to the kitchen and peeked inside when the head cook, who had served me tea before, came over and asked,
“What do you need this time, kid?”
I smiled awkwardly at his question and rubbed my stomach.
“Um… I came because I’m hungry. When do the servants eat?”
The head cook burst out laughing, “Hahaha! You’ve got guts! Asking for food on your first day?”
“Well, we’re all just trying to make a living here.”
“Haha! That’s true! You’re right!”
As he spoke, the head cook patted my shoulder and grabbed something from the table to hand to me.
“What’s this?”
“This is today’s lunch, rice balls. Two per person, so don’t be greedy.”
The head cook placed a rice ball and some pickled side dishes in a small tray and urged me to go and eat.
“…Well, I guess that’s good enough.”
It was more ordinary than what I had hoped for, but given I had barely managed to eat watery porridge just a few days ago, I felt grateful for anything.
I sat on the steps outside and shoved the rice ball into my mouth, recalling the kimchi stew my mother used to make.
