Chương 3: Benevolent Concubine

The peeking sunlight from the leaves of the cherry blossom tree gave warmth to his face. The breeze of the wind gently slapped his cheeks, blowing the long hair threads of dark goldenrod on his forehead at a slow pace.

Sungho remembered leaning on the tree trunk while he sat on the somewhat wet ground. Enjoying the sweet smell of the spring under the shade, feeling the grass waving with his feet as they bathed under the broad daylight before the tiredness of his lids dominated his eyes.

Soon later, the darkness was then replaced with an image that flashed before his mind, reminiscing the moments of his past life.

"Older brother Sungho, hurry up and shoot it!" the youngster beside him furiously whispered. Both of them were hiding behind the large wood log that was resting on the ground.

Taking a deep breath and fixing the handle of the firearm, Sungho placed his forefinger on the trigger while he focused on the target in front of them. He was waiting patiently before striking but his younger brother decided to break his concentration.

"Just shoot!"

Bang! The sound filled the open area. Soon after he pulled the trigger, the animal he was targeting ran from its position and swiftly hid in the forest.

"… I missed," Sungho mumbled to himself as he lowered the rifle, he felt the heat from the forestock by the palm of his left hand.

"Idiotic brother, how could you lose the lone deer? Why did you miss it? It is simply before us!"

"Shut your loud mouth, little brother. It's your fault why we lose the target."

Holding the rifle in his hand, Sungho rolled his eyes to the remarks of his younger brother. Their father tasked Sungho to accompany him on his first hunt; however, it looked like he was the one doing the brat's errand instead.

"Concubine Eun."

A tap from his shoulder broke him off from dreaming. Sungho slowly opened his eyes and he recognized the voice from a middle-aged woman. By hearing the rustle, Sungho knew the woman was standing before him; giving him shade with her clothes' wide sleeve from the sunlight creeping by the spaces of the leaves from the cherry blossom tree.

"Are you taking a nap under the tree again?" asked the court lady while she smiled at him, wrinkles showed on the sides of her eyes.

"Yes."

"It's refreshing here. May this court lady sit beside Her Highness?"

"Of course. I'd be glad to have you in my company, Ms. Chun."

Sungho moved aside for a little and patted the space for the female servant to sit. When he heard the sound of the grass rustling and the gentle thud from the weight of the person he invited as she took a seat, Sungho concluded the court lady was now sitting beside him.

"Her Highness is such an interesting lady. It remains a mystery to me and the maidservants on how the lady can walk her way here."

"I have my feet and legs. These are what brought me here, Ms. Chun."

"Still, Her Highness is blind. Walking is easy, however, without vision, it is quite a challenge."

She was right. It would be difficult to walk without vision. But the lady she was talking with was not the similar lady she had accustomed to.

Sungho remembered waking from the second death he had experienced once again. After he had angered the emperor by speaking the words he was hearing in his ears at that time, he met his second end.

Reminiscing the warmth of the sunlight pervading the thin curtain that made him rouse his bed, feeling the softness of the mattress with skin, Sungho found himself possessing another body.

He brought a hand on his face and trailed it onto his eyes. They were open but his vision was worse. What he meant by worse was he could not see anything except the surroundings were in a state of blur and a bit dark.

Moving his hands before his eyes in a few inches, he could now clearly see his pale hand and slender fingers. Perhaps it was not worse after all. He could still see things if he could bring his face near it. But surely, it was something bad that could lead him to a problem soon.

Sungho stirred his way from the mattress and stood up, only to notice the lightness from his weight. It was then he was certain he had possessed a new body for the second time. What in the heavens was going on that he could control the body of a stranger?

"Why does this keep on happening to me? And for the second time at that…"

He brought his hands forward and frequently patted the air while he made himself near the window. When his fingers felt the thin curtain made of silk, he pulled them on one side.

Soon as he was greeted with the light, it caused him to squint his eyes. When Sungho slowly regained himself, he immediately surveyed the area. But no matter what he did, he could only recognize the colors and he was not able to state the structures.

"Your Highness?" Sungho heard Chun call him. "Are you troubled with something?"

"… Nothing. It's nothing, Ms. Chun."

Sungho tried to tell the court lady of what he was experiencing, saying that he was possessing someone else's mind and body. However, Chun swiftly ignored him and asked the wellbeing of his health.

The people would simply think he was acting funny or crazy if he would say a word about this. Sungho had no choice but to make it a secret to everyone and remind himself to not let anyone know he was not the same person they had known.

"Forgive me, however, Her Highness must drop the formality. Her Highness can simply call me, Chun." Sungho could hear a smile on her voice.

His lips curled up as he answered, "Okay, Chun."