128 – EP.6 Festival Night-1

***

The festival started earlier than In-ho thought, probably because it was a world where there were few things to enjoy.

The sun had just risen, but people were already roaming the streets in groups of threes and fives with drinks.

No, it might have been since yesterday.

The festival is said to last for three days.

People from outside come to enjoy it, and since it is one of the few days off in a year, the wallets of the residents who have been tightly closed will be opened.

Maybe that’s why the merchants prepared solidly like soldiers going into battle and finished preparing to greet this passage.

A loud noise came through the tightly closed iron door.

Inho got up and rubbed his dirty eyes.

“……”

He opened and closed his hands a few times.

Unlike yesterday and yesterday, the strength is getting weaker.

Inho, who had been staring at his hand, raised his arm and stretched it.

– smart

“Master, this is Emma. Are you awake?”

“Yes. Come in.”

As soon as the horse fell, the door opened.

Emma brought a small basin of silver.

Inho washed his face with the water he got in the basin and brushed his teeth.

After rinsing his mouth with water, Inho spat out, and Emma held up a basin filled with the water she had finished washing.

“There are no plans to go out today, so I prepared comfortable clothes.”

She left the clothes she had bought in the dressing room the other day.

After the door closed, Inho changed his clothes and left the room.

Carefully going down the stairs, Emma, who had thrown away the water, was preparing breakfast.

Breakfast was warm soup and bread.

Inho’s heart wanted to eat meat from morning to evening, but he regretted that his body couldn’t keep up.

“Cream soup topped with sliced mushrooms and white bread.”

As we sat down at the table, Emma briefed us about breakfast.

“There are other jams you can take.”

She placed a small bowl of apple jam and strawberry jam each.

In-ho scooped up some jam with a knife and smeared it on the bread with his familiar hand movements.

“Emma sit down too.”

At his words, Emma cautiously sat across from him.

Eating alone was awkward, so I started eating with Emma, but she seemed unaccustomed to it yet and made unnatural movements with each meal.

‘Still, it’s much better than the first day.’

On the first day they ate together, Emma’s face stiffened like a robot.

“The bread is delicious. Soft.”

“Yes. It looks pretty well baked.”

Bread is baked in the oven the night before.

“The soup is just right. The seasoning is also good.”

Inho, who ate the soup while messing around with the bread, praised him.

“thank you.”

Emma smiled broadly, as if she was so happy to be praised.

– Waaa!!

Shouts from outside reached the restaurant.

“Are there any games at the festival?”

“There are things like ball kicking and tug-of-war involving village leaders.”

“From this morning?”

“Since the schedule is full, it seems like we are preparing for the qualifiers in advance.”

“I see.”

When In-ho answered casually while eating soup in a row, Emma noticed him.

“Um… Master. If it’s noisy, should we do something?”

“Action? How?”

“I thought adding a wooden board to the window would reduce the sound.”

“It won’t be of any use. And don’t strain yourself. It’s not too loud, so what?”

This time, In-ho said as he tore the bread apart and dipped it in the soup.

“If that’s what the master says.”

Emma, too, must have realized that what she said was unreasonable, and immediately took a piece of bread and put it in her mouth and mumbled.

Except for the noise outside, it was the same breakfast scene as usual.

***

After breakfast, Inho went into the study.

Emma started her morning routine. Today is laundry and groceries day.

– Wow!!

– at there!

– Catch me~

The noise was louder than usual, so Inho, who was writing, often turned his head to look out the window.

There are definitely more people on the streets, and you can see street vendors in the middle.

“Is the festival food a little different?”

He became curious about the food sold by street vendors.

– Coke! Coke!

Taking a sip of the tea Emma brought, Inho coughed.

His cough didn’t stop easily.

– big, big

“Ugh, I thought I was going to die.”

Still holding his uncomfortable neck, he tried to get back into writing.

“what?”

As I turned my gaze, a familiar young man standing in front of the gate caught my eye.

It was Hans.

The day I stayed at the hospital, there was a story I heard from the nurse.

[Because Miss Emma beat Hans.]

Emma’s sudden acceleration, which was somewhat expected.

It was a video even without looking at how Emma’s anger at not being able to keep her owner by her side was expressed.

I’m so confused, how do you think you’ll come back?

He thought the power of love was so great.

Hans pondered for a long time with the mansion bell in front of him.

The confidence he had shown before was nowhere to be found.

“…is gone.”

While contemplating in front of the mansion, Hans turned and disappeared into the street with his shoulders down.

I don’t know if it’s a step back or a permanent step back, but In-ho wanted him to meet a good person in some way.

Although he seemed a little careless, he didn’t seem to have a bad personality.

– smart

While thinking about Hans’ future, Emma knocked on the door of the study.

“Master, is it okay if I go in?”

After finishing her morning routine, Emma asked In-ho.

Is it an illusion that the time to finish the morning routine is getting faster these days? Inho thought.

“Yes. Come in.”

At the same time In-ho stopped talking, Emma opened the door and came in.

“Writing… is it going well?”

With an appropriate distance, Emma sat down in a chair and asked.

“Yes. It will be a masterpiece. I’m sure. It’s a story that announces the perfect return of writer Kang In-ho.”

“If the master appreciates it that much, it must be a work that will be handed down to future generations.”

“Yeah. I think I’m almost done… I’ll start editing tomorrow… Coke!”

– Coke Coke

Inho, who was talking excitedly, coughed.

Inho covered his hand with his mouth.

“Are you okay?”

Emma jumped up and tried to approach him, but In-ho held out a hand against him.

“It’s just a matter of time. Don’t worry.”

In-ho said in a thin, hoarse voice, and Emma did not erase her worried face even as she sat down.

“Emma, I have a question. What kind of food is sold at the street vendor?”

At the owner’s question, Emma put her finger to her chin and thought about something.

“Stick-like bread dusted with sugar and cinnamon powder or steamed rice with seafood… It’s about the size of a salted pork front leg.”

“If you haven’t prepared dinner, shall we eat it?”

“Yes. Then I’ll go out after lunch and get some.”

***

Since we decided to eat the festival food in the evening, we ate lunch similarly to breakfast.

It was because of Emma’s words that if I ate a greasy lunch, I might not be able to eat properly in the evening.

After eating lunch and quickly finishing her afternoon routine, Emma put the fur she bought the other day over her maid outfit and went out.

In-ho waited for her, looking at the street through the study window.

Emma’s shopping took about an hour.

I came with both hands full of something, but the shape of the envelope was different.

It seemed that they had bought several kinds of food for the owner who was curious about the festival food.

Thinking that, since it is street food, it must be well shaped in order to enter the owner’s mouth, Emma carefully arranged the food on the table.

“Oh, it tastes pretty fun.”

When Inho spoke as he put the snack bar into his mouth, Emma ate the snack as well.

“Still, the one made by Emma tastes better.”

“Mu, of course. Even if it’s the same food, I’m confident that if I make it, I’ll make it even more delicious.”

Emma, who was eating snacks, was startled by In-ho’s sudden praise.

“What is that?”

“This is the salted pork foreleg I mentioned earlier.”

“Is it something like Hamong? Can you pass it to me?”

“It’s very salty, so please don’t eat too much at once.”

“okay.”

Inho and Emma ate festival food while chatting.

The sound of children singing outside came from outside.

“Looks like the first day of the festival is coming to an end.”

Hearing the song, Emma said.

“On the first night, the neighborhood kids gather and sing.”

When In-ho looked at her, wondering what she was talking about, Emma gave an additional explanation.

“What about the second and third days?”

“The second day is the day to choose the village queen. The village women gather and dance, and the people who see it throw artificial flowers to the most beautiful dancer.”

“It’s a popular vote.”

Yes, that’s right. Emma replied to In-ho’s words.

“The third day, as you know, is the day when we light the firewood piled up in the center of the village and dance in pairs. At this time, the village queen can dance in the best place.”

“Oh, really.”

“Yes, because we also put on fireworks while dancing. It will be a nice sight. The fireworks can be seen from the master’s room.”

“Okay, then we can watch the fireworks on the last day. Maybe… can I have a drink that day?”

Inho noticed and asked Emma for permission.

“Alcohol… are you talking about it?”

“Yeah, I want to make you feel something.”

“I have some liquor in the cellar… I’ll check it out. If I don’t have any, I’ll get them tomorrow.”

“thank you.”

“Please don’t drink too much instead.”

Emma said what was due.