What is this old man saying now? He’s keeping the location of the hideout secret from the 13th Prince? Didn’t he previously reveal my hideout location to his disciple quite naturally?

I’m suspicious of why the Yu family head is suddenly being so generous.

I stared intently at the Yu family head. Perceptively noticing my thoughts, he laughed heartily and said,

“Actually, I knew before that the Imperial Tutor wanted to keep the hideout location to yourself. It was written all over your face.”

What?

“But the talk of living in ten households didn’t seem right. So I deliberately informed the 13th Prince about the hideout location as well.”

I stared blankly at the Yu family head, then managed a forced smile.

“Seeing how your actions differ from last time, it seems I’ve received a better evaluation from you than before.”

“Yes. I’ve completely changed my assessment of the Imperial Tutor.”

It’s not great that he previously evaluated me poorly, but it’s fine since he says he evaluates me positively now.

Life gets too stressful if you dwell on every little thing from the past. Concluding that it’s best to focus on the positive, I replied,

“That’s good.”

The Yu family head grinned, then got up and walked over to a drawer. After rummaging inside, he came back and handed me two sheets of paper he had taken out.

“Aren’t these land deeds?”

The two papers the Yu family head gave me were land deeds. Not for purchase, but contracts for leasing for several years.

Seeing my surprised look, the Yu family head explained freely,

“These are the hideout locations. As I said before, it’s not easy to find hideouts that I consider safe enough. I’ll give you more as I find them.”

[This is the timeline separator]

After the matter was resolved.

Instead of going straight home, I went to find Sun An to tell him about how the Yu family head had found hideouts for me. I felt I should let him know how things were turning out.

“To be honest, I didn’t do much besides getting hit with the inkstone. The real work was done by Yu Dong Baek, who is your avatar. But it feels awkward that I’m the one receiving praise.”

After listening to the tumultuous events leading up to his exoneration, Sun An immediately praised me when I finished my story.

“Don’t say that. If it weren’t for you, Elder Brother Dong Baek wouldn’t have stepped in at all. Yet you say you didn’t do anything.”

“He wouldn’t have stepped in? But he said he’d prefer you to marry the 9th Princess.”

Ah. That wasn’t said by Yu Dong Baek, but by the 13th Prince. I got the speakers a bit mixed up. But Sun An won’t know, so I should keep quiet.

Fortunately, Sun An didn’t notice anything strange and immediately snorted coldly,

“Of course he’d say that. But he still wouldn’t have helped me. He’d be happier if I couldn’t become the successor due to personal issues rather than being unable to due to marrying the 9th Princess.”

“Your family situation is really complicated.”

Sun An packed up a bundle of his family’s potato snacks that I like.

“Here. Take these home to eat while you get some rest. You look a bit pale.”

Sun An’s concern was quite appropriate.

From the evening I confirmed things were going well, I started getting a fever, then felt nauseous again and my head began throbbing.

My mother was alarmed and called for a doctor, who asked if I was crazy.

Hearing that, I belatedly remembered what the royal physician had told me.

– If you take the medicine regularly, apply the ointment consistently, rest well and don’t overexert yourself, you should recover in about twenty days.

But after returning home, I hadn’t taken the medicine, applied the ointment, rested, or avoided overexertion for several days. No wonder I collapsed.

After the doctor left, my mother issued an extreme prescription.

“I’ll tell your father about your condition when he goes to the palace. You are to rest at home until you fully recover.”

“I’ll be fine if I take it easy with activities.”

“Once you start activities, you never take it easy.”

Since my mother seemed very worried, and I also felt like my insides were turning over, I ultimately decided to follow my mother’s wishes.

Afterwards, I was holed up in my room for about four days, eating food that was brought to me, rolling around in bed, and reading books when I got bored.

Though Lin Hwa somehow managed to take away the potato snacks Sun An had packed for me, leaving me with just one to eat, it was the most leisurely time I’d had since regressing.

‘You’d think that after regressing, I should be using my future knowledge to rack up all sorts of achievements. Is it okay to spend time like this?’

But this period was actually more peaceful than before regressing… There’s not really any useful information. Even if there was, it would be hard to actively do anything since I can’t let my disciple find out.

Ah yes. Having regressed, yet having to be mindful of another regressor.

‘Still, life is precious. Yes. If you die, becoming Imperial Tutor is all for naught!’

[This is the timeline separator]

Unlike Yo Yohwa, who was enjoying some rare leisure time with peace of mind, her mother Sa Heum was growing more anxious as time passed.

“My lady, what’s the matter?”

One day, when she couldn’t fall asleep properly and kept tossing and turning in bed, the Yo family head asked, unable to bear it any longer.

Sa Heum sat up, let out a heavy sigh, and confessed,

“There were marriage talks between our Yo Yohwa and the 13th Prince, weren’t there? They were paused briefly due to the 9th Princess affair, but once that’s settled, our marriage talks should resume as well.”

“That’s right.”

“Even if not for marriage, our Yo Yohwa is still the Prince’s teacher.”

“That’s right?”

The Yo family head still couldn’t quite grasp what his wife was getting at.

“But when someone is sick and confined at home for days, shouldn’t they at least ask if she’s alright? Not even sending a single dose of medicine. We’re not too poor to buy medicine ourselves, but still, there’s a matter of sincerity… Sun An sent several doses of precious medicine as soon as he heard Yo Yohwa was ill.”

Only after Sa Heum sighed again and spoke did the Yo family head realize what his wife was worried about.

Sa Heum clutched the quilt and finally voiced the concerns she had been worrying about but unable to express,

“Darling. It seems Yo Yohwa has a one-sided crush on the 13th Prince, but the 13th Prince has no interest in Yo Yohwa at all. Is this alright? What if after marriage, the Prince takes a concubine and neglects Yo Yohwa…”

Sa Heum was scared. If Yo Yohwa, who had lived as a man her whole life, was completely pushed aside when the 13th Prince brought in a concubine as beautiful as a celestial maiden with gentle manners from somewhere…

If that happened, Yo Yohwa wouldn’t be able to bear it. The Yo Yohwa she knew would surely…

“She might not be able to control her anger and hit the Prince. Darling, what if Yo Yohwa sees the 13th Prince bring in a concubine, can’t contain her fury, hits the Prince, and then gets arrested and dragged away?”

“Aren’t you being a bit too specific with your worries?”

But since the Yo family head also knew Yo Yohwa had more than enough strength to do so, he became anxious as well upon hearing his wife’s words.

Worried that their daughter disguised as a man might feel intimidated among her male peers due to her smaller build and height, the Yo family head had taken drastic measures in the past.

He asked a martial arts expert who needed to hide from enemies to become his daughter’s teacher, offering to conceal him in their mansion.

Though she didn’t formally become a disciple, that martial artist stayed hidden in their mansion for several years, teaching Yo Yohwa before leaving.

They didn’t publicize this since scholars generally look down on martial artists, but Yo Yohwa became strong enough to take care of herself.

The Yo family head pondered for a while, then smiled gently and patted his wife’s shoulder.

“The reason the Prince isn’t showing interest in Yo Yohwa now is because he doesn’t know she’s a woman. He probably resents being forced to marry someone he thinks is a man. Once he finds out she’s a woman, he’ll respect her as his wife, so don’t worry.”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Are you feeling better now?”

On the fifth day, my mother’s close aide, Maidservant Su Gil, asked as she brought me porridge made with pine nuts and beans.

“I think I can start moving around now. I’ve rested so much that my body feels stiff.”

Maidservant Su Gil relayed this to my mother, who brought a doctor to verify my words.

I was a bit anxious since the royal physician had specified exactly twenty days, but the doctor nodded after examining me and gave permission.

“There’s no need to stay in bed if you don’t overexert yourself.”

Thanks to that, I was finally able to leave my room.

But since the time for entering the palace had already passed, I decided to take one more day off from teaching my disciple and start again tomorrow. I had gained only partial freedom!

After drinking the bitter medicine the doctor left and putting some sugar crumbs in my mouth, I went outside my quarters to enjoy that freedom.

I hadn’t properly heard about the outside news, as I was told not to worry about it.

Neither my mother’s close aide Maidservant Su Gil, nor my often-accompanying male servant Wol Gang, nor my maid Wol Seom told me about outside affairs, though they were cautious around me.

They must have been strictly silenced by my mother or father. In this situation, I was curious how things had progressed with Sun An and the 9th Princess while I was bedridden.

“Yo Yo Hwa!”

But the moment I heard Lin Hwa’s shout, I regretted my decision. I should have just stayed in my room.

As I turned around weakly, I saw Lin Hwa charging at me like a bull.

Lin Hwa rushed right up to my face in an instant and shouted, pointing her finger,

“The marriage talks between the 9th Princess and Elder Brother Sun An have been finalized for certain. They say they’ll set an auspicious date for the wedding as soon as the other older siblings get married! What are you going to do now?!”

So I’m hearing the news about Sun An that I was curious about here. I sighed and asked Lin Hwa honestly,

“What do you mean what am I going to do? They’ll get married, of course.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

“Should I write it down for you?”

“You did it on purpose, didn’t you? You deliberately made him marry the 9th Princess because you didn’t want me to marry Elder Brother Sun An!”

“Didn’t we have this conversation a few days ago too? Don’t you remember, little sister?”

“Shut up!”

Lin Hwa’s maid Wol Mi and my maid Wol Seom looked at each other and groaned. I tried to think of words to stop Lin Hwa who had entered a rage state, but nothing came to mind.

“Why aren’t you saying anything!”

“You told me to shut up.”

“Don’t pretend to listen to me!”

“Ah, what do you want me to do?”

I looked at Lin Hwa in annoyance and Lin Hwa sneered with an angry expression.

“You’re so selfish, Yo Yo Hwa. Even though you knew I liked Elder Brother Sun An, you ended up making things like this. You just can’t stand to see me do well. Isn’t that right?”

“I’m pretty sure I explained to you in detail before why I set up Sun An with the 9th Princess.”

“But even when Sun An and the 9th Princess later became estranged, you still insisted on bringing them back together. You didn’t need to intervene then. Now that the 9th Princess wouldn’t come looking for you again anyway, if you had left it alone, Elder Brother Sun An wouldn’t have had to marry the 9th Princess!”

“And in return, Sun An and I would have been thoroughly marked by His Majesty the Emperor.”

“See? You selfish person. You sold out Elder Brother Sun An again for your own sake.”

“Then do you want Sun An to be marked by His Majesty and live his whole life unable to take office?”

“Stop using Elder Brother Sun An as an excuse. You only acted for your own sake. Why do you keep making excuses about Elder Brother Sun An, you disloyal bastard?”

My head that had just recovered starts to hurt again. I think I need to rest for a few more days. Or maybe lock that wild horse in a room.

I rubbed my forehead, trying to suppress my boiling insides.

Before I regressed, Lin Hwa and I reconciled after Sun An disappeared and she married another man. After that, we became close sisters.

But now I’m not sure. Since I prevented Sun An from falling into the Seon family’s scheme, he might continue living in this area.

Then won’t my relationship with Lin Hwa be different from before I regressed? Has the future where we reconcile while saving Sun An disappeared?

Feeling like I might really hit Lin Hwa if we kept talking, I just turned away.

But Lin Hwa wouldn’t let me go, like a crazed hunting dog.

“Where are you going? Hey, dog Yo Hwa! Apologize right now! I said apologize! Admit that you did it because you didn’t want Elder Brother Sun An and me to be together and apologize!”

“Has this crazy wild horse really gone mad? Sun An doesn’t want to marry you, so what are you telling me to apologize for?”

As the exchange of words became harsh, my mother, who had heard the commotion, came and screamed.

“Fighting again, fighting again! These girls are fighting again!”

The fight stopped there, but the hateful look in Lin Hwa’s eyes as she looked at me didn’t subside at all.

Leaving that cold gaze behind, I returned to my quarters and lay face down on the bed, covering my ears.

Damn it. I’d rather stay in the quiet, uninhabited Wolmugung!

‘…No. That’s not it.’

[This is the timeline separator]

The next day.

I quickly left the house, being careful of my route to avoid running into Lin Hwa, and went to the palace.

But before going to Wolmugung, Eunuch Song of the Emperor, who had already heard about my entry to the palace, approached first and said,

“Lord Yo. His Majesty is calling for you.”

When I looked at him with the most pitiful expression I could muster, Eunuch Song smiled slightly and discreetly informed me,

“He’s not angry today, so don’t worry.”

“Thank you for letting me know.”

Only after hearing those words did I feel relieved and went to the Emperor’s office. Is the Emperor going to praise me for handling the 9th Princess matter well? I hope it’s something like that.

It would be even better if he praised me and then sent me on a mission to a very distant province. Though that’s unlikely to happen.

Still, just in case, as I entered the Emperor’s office which I was now slightly familiar with, I gauged the position where I had previously been hit by the inkstone and stood behind that spot.

I was looking for a place where the inkstone would lose power if the Emperor threw it again.

However, this time the Emperor truly wasn’t angry. With a pleased expression, he lavished all sorts of praise about my friendship, loyalty, trust, and quick action towards my friend.

The Emperor didn’t seem to know at all that the 13th Prince had intervened in this matter.

I briefly considered whether to step forward and inform him, but chose to remain silent since the 13th Prince was keeping a low profile and I had met him at a gambling house.

This went on for about half an incense stick’s time. Just as I was hoping the praise would end and I’d be dismissed, the Emperor brought up an unexpected topic.

“Seeing you this time, Imperial Tutor Yo, you’re truly exceptional. There are many clever ones. But few who are loyal and righteous. Yo Yohwa. You’re too valuable to just become a prince’s consort and handle family affairs. Rather than getting married, how about changing your position to become my close aide?”

“!”