Inside the Villa, a room had been prepared. It seemed like it had once been a small storage room, with a window the size of a man's head—enough to light a room that small. Perhaps it was small compared to the other rooms in the villa, but even this was a great improvement for Jeagal Seon. Books on various sciences were placed on the desk and on a short shelf.
There was a knock at the door.
"Hello. Do you have a moment?"
"Yes! Please come in."
Midwife Chwi entered the room with a bucket of warm water, a towel, and one of Yeon's dresses.
"I think you'll feel better if you clean up before sunset."
"The Lady gave me the key to the wrist shackle to give to you, but according to the sect's rules, your leg shackle cannot be removed."
"Is there anything I can do for you?"
"No, thank you. Please thank the Lady on my behalf."
It was hard for Chwi. She had spent many years dedicated to raising children, and seeing a broken child like Seon saddened her.
Chwi headed to the villa's kitchen for lunch and encountered Yeon on the way.
"Madam Chwi, did the clothes work for you?"
"Yes, thank you."
"But the Lady didn't say to prepare clothes and a bath for her, only to give her the key to the shackle."
"Sooner or later, she would have said it."
"She's under pressure too."
"Showing kindness to an enemy of the sect looks bad."
"That's true, but still..."
"Yeon, what are you doing here?"
"Oh."
"I'm looking for the young masters."
"They were with me in the courtyard just a moment ago."
"But now I don't know where they are."
Jeagal Seon, after a short bath and changing clothes, began to cover the iron sphere with the cloth from her old dress. Now she wouldn't have to hear its grating scrape every time.
"Cleaning myself with warm water is really nice."
"I used to have to use my drinking water ration."
A sound of something hitting the door came from outside.
"Zhan, is this really necessary?"
"You idiot kid, what do you know?"
"Kids' hands aren't good for knocking."
"You're the stupid donkey-head!"
Zhan, in a clever move, began knocking by bumping his head against the door.
"You damn mule."
But it worked, and Seon opened the door.
"Young masters, what are you doing here?"
Lan answered very quickly:
"We came to see you."
"Ow, my head... Yeah, we came to see you."
When we were coming, the Lady's messenger told me I'm supposed to help educate the Fourth Lady's children. So I'd better treat them well. They're only three years old.
"Young masters, I'm sorry, but perhaps we should meet another time."
"And I think someone is looking for you right now."
"...!"
Lan and Zhan ignored her and entered the room. Lan picked up a book from the lowest shelf, while Zhan began examining the iron sphere (or perhaps trying to ride it!).
Lan randomly opened a page of the book:
"Do you know how to read and write?"
"Yes."
"What is this book about?"
"I'd have to look at it."
"Come here."
"It's about the history of Sichuan, two sects, and one clan."
"The Qingcheng Sect, the Emei Sect, and the Sichuan Tang Clan."
Zhan stood on the sphere and pointed at Seon:
"So you're literate."
"You can read poetry books too."
"Yes."
Let me go along with these kids.
Seon picked up a book of poetry and read a text that would be understandable for children.
Lan was bent over, looking at the other books.
"How old are you?"
"Eleven."
"How long have you been in the sect?"
"Eight years."
Even though she's been a captive in the sect for eight years, she can read poetry books. That's not a skill you learn at three years old. Given her weight and condition, I don't think she's had access to comfort. That means she must have found a way to request books!
"I'm Lan, and that's Zhan."
"Why did you come here?"
Is this a natural way for children to talk? I've never seen a child before, but in books, children aren't like this.
"The Lady requested that I come to the villa."
"Though it's better to ask the Lady herself."
Yeon suddenly opened the door.
"Excuse me, have you seen the young masters...."
"Hah."
"I've been looking everywhere for you."
Lan: "We won't say we were lost if you don't say we were here."
Zhan: "Can we even come here?"
"Not without an escort."
Zhan climbed down from the sphere:
"That part is negotiable."
The first encounter between Seon and the twins wasn't what she had expected, and they were going to see each other more often from now on.