The True Successor of Throne

~16~ Roaming Around

Seorin finished eating the whole bowl of beef congee. Then she remembered since she arrived at Taehyung's manor, the cooks' food wasn't as delicious as the cooks' food at the Park Manor. It wasn't a surprise because Princess Ji Hoon and Sang-Hee used a lot of money to hire a cook from a famous restaurant in Hanyang. But she was surprised the food Taehyung bought earlier tasted better than the cooks' food at the Park Manor.

Taehyung was happy Seorin liked the food he bought for her. But he knocked her forehead after he heard her say "your manor."

"Rinnie, what is the head cook of your manor?" Taehyung asked. "Do you still see yourself as an outsider?"

Seorin rubbed her sore forehead and glared at Taehyung. But she admitted she wasn't used to thinking of herself as the mistress of Taehyung's manor.

"The cooks in our home didn't make these dishes," Taehyung said. "I bought it at Aroma of Riches on my way."

The mention of 'Aroma of Riches' brightened Seorin's eyes. Before she arrived at the imperial city, she heard of the Restaurant named Aroma of Riches, the best restaurant of Hanyang. After she lived in the Park Manor, she never had the opportunity to eat at Aroma of Riches. She was happy she got to wear clothes from Han's dressmakers and eat food from Aroma of Riches Restaurant.

Taehyung saw the excitement on Seorin's face and he rubbed his chin. "Rinnie, do you want to go there?"

Seorin looked suspiciously at Taehyung. "Can we actually go there?"

"Do you want to see the singers and musicians perform?" Taehyung asked.

"Yes," Seorin said.

"Alright, then we can go," Taehyung said.

On the way to Aroma of Riches Restaurant, Seorin thought about a childhood memory inside the horse carriage. That year a group of singers and musicians visited Daegu to perform. Other children of her age had their mothers take them to see the singers and musicians perform. She wanted to go too but her mother didn't have enough money and her precious pouch was light as a feather. In her sad state, Taehyung stood in front of her and asked, "Do you want to see the singers and musicians perform?"

Seorin couldn't ignore Taehyung after she heard his question and she foolishly nodded her head. Afterward, he actually did take her to see the singers and musicians perform. But they didn't buy tickets at the entrance like other people... they climbed a wall.

That night was cold but Seorin's heart was warm. She sat on the wall and saw the singers and musicians perform on a platform while she ate dried dates. That day she thought life was beautiful... of course, if that thief didn't steal a copper coin from her precious pouch to buy the dried dates then life would have been more beautiful.

"Little sister, I took you to see the singers and musicians perform," that thief said. "But why haven't you thanked me?"

Seorin's childhood memory from that year reminded her to be wary of Taehyung.

"Did you bring enough money?" Seorin asked.

Seorin is worried now that Taehyung was taking her to climb another wall.

Taehyung looked at the Seorin dressed in a man's clothes and wanted to laugh because she couldn't disguise her feminine beauty. He pulled out a paper note worth one thousand silver coins and put it inside her inner robe. "I don't have silver coins. Rinnie, you'll be the host."

Seorin was shocked to see the paper note... how rich is Taehyung?

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Taehyung took Seorin for a stroll around the imperial city.

The streets were crowded with people, there were many sights to see and food to taste. Seorin thought she could relax after leaving the manor with Taehyung. But two of Taehyung's guards followed them around the imperial city so she was forced to act like a gentleman in her disguise.