HWARANG Rewritten✅

44. Confrontation

Chapter 44.
Confrontation.

Seon-woo had never felt more lost and unsure of himself than right now. He had always had a plan and if not, his fourteen-sided dice had given him one. Now all of his moves just seemed to land at a dead end. He would have lost Ah-ro today had it not been for Sa-do and Pa-oh. It was obvious that both of them were there on Ji-dwi's orders.

The owner of the house where Sa-do had sent him to, Jang-sik, came and handed him a bowl of porridge. "Why don't you eat something? Sa-do will be pleased to know that you haven't neglected your health."

Seon-woo looked at the kind face of the middle-aged man. "How do you know Sa-do again?" he asked, trying not to sound too forward or rude.

Jang-sik smiled. "I am a servant in Gakan's household. I have been looking after Sa-do since she was a child." There was no need for secrecy. Sa-do had already told him to be honest with the refugee she sent his way.

The sound of the front gate opening stopped any further conversation. "Ahjussi?" Sa-do peeked her head in before entering. She quickly ran into Jang-sik's open arms. "Thank you so much for keeping them safe."

Jang-sik chuckled as he said, "anything for my favorite daughter."

"Ahjussi! How many daughters do you have to have a favorite?" Sa-do huffed, though a grin spread on her face.

"Ah-ro is inside," the man informed before suggesting, "I think it's better if she stays here for now. If the Queen Dowager is looking for her, she would check her home, not here."

Sa-do nodded in agreement. "Alright. I guess it would be safer for her here, until I speak with Ji-dwi at least." Sa-do finally noticed Seon-woo. Nodding at Jang-sik she joined him on the ground, sitting cross-legged. "Are you alright oraboni?"

"Thanks to you. Did Ji-dwi send you?" He had to confirm and Sa-do's eyes gave him the needed affirmation. Seon-woo was touched that Ji-dwi would go this far for his safety.

"He called you his brother." Seeing his shocked expression, she patted his shoulder empathetically as if she too had been in his position. "Ji-dwi said he would meet you as soon as he sorted out a few things," she informed and he nodded, still trying to sort out the huge number of questions and thoughts that cluttered his mind. "Are you still mad at him?"

Seon-woo looked up at the question and scoffed. "You do realize it's hard to hate him when he says and does all those stupid things right?" he asked rhetorically and Sa-do grinned again and nodded, knowing fully well just how stupid Ji-dwi could get.

Seon-woo left Jang-sik's house after a lot of protests and arguments from Sa-do, who kept insisting that she had to follow him if she were to protect him as he was still in danger. Eventually he had managed to convince her with some help from Jang-sik. He went to see his father, who gave his reasoning for leaving Seon-woo to grow up alone with no name and also for why he would make a good King.

"So you think that a person who not only knows his subjects but has lived has one, would make a good King?" Seon-woo asked. Of course, he wasn't talking about himself right now, but his father didn't need to know that. After saying that he would consider becoming Silla's King he went to see Lord Wih-wa to hear his judgement of Seon-woo being a candidate for the throne but also to check his loyalty to the current King.