The Ruler of Darkness

“Hehe, all of this is the field of Wongak Pavilion. Amazing, isn’t it?”

“Do you see these weeds? Despite our daily efforts, they just don’t seem to diminish at all.”

“The smell from these compost heaps is worse than you’d think, right? If you carry it around, the stench clings to your whole body.”

The triplets, leading a group of maids all dressed in work clothes, first visited the field of Wongak Pavilion.

“Now that you all are here, we’ll have to cultivate much more than what we see now.”

“Hehehe. Reviving the neglected field will be helped by these two, Nureongi and Geomdungi.”

Yi-ryeong pointed to the two oxen.

As if responding, the oxen bellowed simultaneously.

“But be warned, Nureongi and Geomdungi are quite fierce.”

Geomdungi snorted aggressively.

“See?”

The head of maid corps stepped forward.

“Ladies, shall we start working on the field now?”

“Of course.”

Hehehe, the triplets let out a sinister laugh.

Moments later.

“Oh, what?! The weeds?! The weeds are disappearing at an alarming rate!”

As the maids in work attire charged in unison, the lush weeds began to vanish in no time.

“These stubborn weeds being uprooted with a single flick of the wrist…?!”

“The hands…! I can’t see the hands!”

“Is this handiwork? Or maybe a grappling technique?!”

At that moment, a few maids approached and asked.

“Should we use the equipment in that barn over there?”

“Eh?! Yes, yes. Of course.”

The farming tools that had been neglected in the barn were pulled out one by one and began to look as good as new.

“What in the world is this skilled handiwork?!”

“Can you feel the touch of a craftsman who has repaired agricultural tools for decades?!”

“The sickles?! The hooks?! The hoes are coming back to life?!”

Some maids climbed up to the barn, started to remove the rotten roof, and began tearing out the windows.

“Team leader, I’ve found the tools from the warehouse over there.”

“If we’re short on tools, let’s ask the craftsmen repairing Wongak Pavilion for help.”

“Then, we might as well get some materials with their cooperation.”

The head maid corps’s work orders were terribly efficient, and the maids were already on the move before she even spoke.

“The barn?! The barn is being reborn?!”

Then, Il-ryeong shouted looking at the field.

“What, what?! People are pulling the plow instead of oxen?!”

“The speed is incredible! And what about this perfectly synchronized teamwork that rivals a professional troupe?!”

As the maids pulling the ox plows dashed through the fields, others behind them delicately adjusted the plows with their skilled hands.

While the triplets marveled at the rapidly forming furrows and ridges, the head maid approached Nureongi and Geomdungi.

“With our maid corps here, these oxen are no longer of any use.”

As she drew a sword from her back, Nureongi and Geomdungi quickly ran and prostrated themselves in front of the spare plows.

“Ah?! These devilish beasts are craving work!”

“No way?! They’ve started to pull the plows themselves!”

Nureongi and Geomdungi clearly had no intention of becoming a snack for the maids.

“Hmm. These are some clever animals.”

The head maid corps sheathed her sword and approached the triplet maids.

“Ladies, since we still have spare hands, how about moving to the next location?”

That snapped the triplet maids back to attention.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“This is just the beginning!”

“It’s all about the basics, the basics!”

The next location they moved to with the remaining personnel was a small lake.

“Now, from this lake, we must supply fresh fish daily. We’ll need to smoke them, dry them, and even make fish sauce.”

“Hehe. Do you see the marks left on this net? The creatures in this lake are fearsome predators that still retain their wild nature.”

“They are tyrants that roam the valleys of Death Valley Mountain, going against the current of the lake. They’re fearsome creatures.”

“Is that so.”

At the head maid’s signal, the maids who had thrown off their work clothes dove into the lake.

“Ah?! The fish?! The fish are flying through the air!”

“What?! To skillfully wield three harpoons at once?!”

“The movements of those maids?! It’s like watching large aquatic animals hunt in packs! They’re driving the fish towards the net!”

“It’s as if the net is alive, breathing, lifting the fish from the water! It’s a bountiful catch! A great bounty!”

The head maid corps looked back at them.

“Where to next?”

* * *

“Ah, no way?! The maids’ quarters! They’re shining like new?!”

“The corridor?! The corridor is dazzling?! Not a speck of dust left even on the window frames in the farthest corners?!”

“The storerooms?! Those dreadful storerooms that we never dared to touch?!”

“And what about these cooking skills?! It’s as if we’re watching masters who have battled with oil and flames all their lives!”

Curious about the commotion, Yeon So-hyeon, who was biting a nail and wielding a hammer, opened a window and locked eyes with the maids scurrying along the exterior walls.

“Excellent.”

As Yeon So-hyeon applauded and praised them, the maids, their faces flushing with pride, began to work at an even more astonishing pace.

Even Jung-ah, who had been touring Wongak Pavilion for supervision, expressed her admiration and great satisfaction.

Wongak Pavilion was being reborn, awakening from its long slumber.

* * *

The triplets sat dejectedly on the stone steps bathed in the sunset.

“…We are now useless beings.”

“…What have we been doing all this time?”

“Is this what futility feels like…?”

The Eldest Young Master praised the meal as the best he had ever had, continuously expressing his admiration.

As for their superior, Jung-ah, she was delighted that a system had finally been established in Wongak Pavilion, allowing her to focus solely on her duties.

“Hehe. To think we were the ‘frogs at the bottom of the well,’ it turns out we were those frogs.”

“But at least when frogs are grilled, they taste good.”

“…Perhaps from now on, we should be the ones supporting the maids?”

The girls sighed in unison and lowered their heads.

At that moment, someone approached them cautiously.

“Ladies.”

It was the head maid corps.

“…Hehe. Have you come to mock us?”

“…Please feel free to criticize us.”

“…After all, we’re nothing but defeated dogs.”

The triplet maids looked up at her, their eyes lacking focus.

The head maid corps smiled gently and said,

“Could you possibly teach us martial arts from now on?”

Another maid approached.

“I would be grateful if you could take a look at my swordsmanship as well.”

Yet another maid came forward.

“We’ve heard that you ladies are exceptionally skilled in diplomatic and espionage missions. We’ve never been trained in such specialized areas…”

“We wonder if you could also conduct etiquette lessons for us.”

Upon closer inspection, all the maids were wearing training outfits instead of work clothes.

Tears welled up in the eyes of the triplets as they looked at the maids.

“You all…”

“Do you still need us?”

“Is there a place for us here in Wongak Pavilion?”

The head maid corps bowed her head, surrounded by the sunset glow.

“We are merely maidservants. Everything we have learned so far has been menial tasks; that’s why we’re only skilled in chores.”

The other maids also bowed their heads.

“Please leave the chores to us from now on.”

“So, you ladies can focus on your roles as attendants.”

“Please lead us so that we may become like you!”

The triplets exchanged glances and nodded to each other.

“Alright!”

“Your eagerness to learn is commendable! But you do realize that a maid of Wongak Pavilion is entirely different from maids elsewhere, right?”

“Remember, the path to becoming a true maid of Wongak Pavilion is rough and challenging!”

The maids exclaimed,

“Please, put us through our paces!”

“We will follow you to the end!”

United in spirit, they moved together, chattering and laughing, heading for their training.

Warm sunset light bathed them from above.

* * *

As darkness enveloped Wongak Pavilion, Yeon So-hyeon was reading a book under the light of a lantern.

His study, which had been in complete disarray before, was now meticulously organized, a testament to Jung-ah’s ability to devote her full attention to Yeon So-hyeon.

The faint voices of the triplets and the maids reached Yeon So-hyeon’s ears as he flipped through the pages.

“…What are they doing at this hour?”

As Jung-ah collected the empty teacup in front of him, her eyes gleamed with a golden radiance.

“It seems that lessons on the maids’ fundamental duties are currently underway.”

“…Aren’t they pushing themselves too hard on the first day?”

Jung-ah shook her head at his remark.

“Those children, as long as you, their lord, are watching over them, will never stop or know fatigue.”

A gentle smile formed on her lips.

“Just like me.”

Yeon So-hyeon paused in his page-turning.

He closed the book.

“…There will be tough times ahead, and unforeseen events.”

“Now that your seclusion has ended.”

Almost simultaneously with Yeon So-hyeon looking towards the window, Jung-ah moved to open it.

With the cool night breeze, the laughter of the women drifted in.

A distant building was brightly lit.

The maids’ and the housemaids’ quarters were adorned with lanterns here and there, bringing a sense of liveliness.

After the servants were dismissed, the once gloomy and neglected corners of Wongak Pavilion were once again filled with vitality and the warm presence of people.

“…Each of those children is a valuable asset.”

Jung-ah, more than anyone, knew the deep and warm heart of her lord.

“Indeed.”

She remembered his reaction when he first saw the triplets.

At that moment, the emotions that flickered across his eyes were undoubtedly pain and guilt.

He didn’t show it, but she could feel it.

Every time he encountered ‘created’ children, his heart grew heavier.

That was why Jung-ah deliberately did not assign the triplets as her master’s personal maids.

She knew that every encounter with them brought a deep ache to Yeon So-hyeon’s heart.

And today, when he met the maids, it was no different.

Yeon So-hyeon made a point of promising them.

He promised to cherish and value them.

To make them happy.

To weep for them.

It wasn’t a promise for them, but a vow to himself.

“So…”

Jung-ah placed her hand on her chest and bowed deeply.

“I, this humble servant, will do my utmost to ensure that their lives, their efforts, are not wasted.”

Yeon So-hyeon rose from his seat.

“…Yes. It must be so.”

He walked through the door she had opened, heading to his bedroom.

“Have a good rest.”

“Yes, have a good night too.”

Yeon So-hyeon paused in his steps.

“…The promise I made to them.”

Jung-ah bowed deeply toward his retreating figure.

“Are you referring to that, my lord?”

“…That promise applies to you, to the triplets, to everyone.”

He resumed walking.

Jung-ah bowed deeply once again towards his retreating figure.

Even after he had disappeared from view, she remained bowed.

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