Upon returning to Hanseong, Sejong immediately settled into Gangnyeongjeon Palace.

“Being away for just a few years makes it feel strangely unfamiliar.”

After sharing this light reflection, Sejong surveyed the room before turning to Hyang.

“Did you keep it empty all this time? The palace servants must have worked hard keeping it clean.”

“When done regularly, it takes less effort than one might think.”

“That’s true.”

Nodding lightly, Sejong turned to Hyang.

“Then let’s properly begin work tomorrow.”

“Yes, Father. Please rest well.”

“Very well. You rest too.”

***

Though they spoke of rest, the Gyeongbok Palace became busy that very evening.

With the return of the royal family’s most senior members, the Crown Princess, Yang-won, Yang-je, as well as the Crown Prince’s son and the royal grandsons all visited Gangnyeongjeon and Gyotaejeon to pay their respects.

During this process, Hyang unexpectedly found himself being scolded.

“Wait… is the Crown Prince’s son still unmarried?”

At Queen Soheon’s question, Wan blushed shyly as he answered.

“I apologize.”

“Oh my… tsk!”

Clicking her tongue, Queen Soheon glared at Hyang.

“The Crown Prince’s son still being unmarried! Crown Prince, what exactly have you been doing?!”

At Queen Soheon’s rebuke, Hyang hastily bowed his head and responded.

“I apologize! When we were about to find a match for him, war broke out and things ended up like this!”

“Listen here, Crown Prince! The war broke out this year! And the Crown Prince’s son is already seventeen! If you had any sense, you should have held his wedding before His Majesty departed for the new territory!”

“But he was only thirteen then…”

“Crown Prince!”

At Queen Soheon’s thundering voice, Hyang immediately prostrated himself.

“Yes! I apologize! It was my oversight!”

I forgot! What kind of person Mother is!

Sejong and Queen Soheon were truly a matching couple. In particular, Queen Soheon was a woman who could rightfully be called the “Iron Lady.” Even when her entire family faced extinction by Taejong, who worried about in-laws gaining too much power, she remained dignified. When a great fire broke out in Hanseong, she personally directed operations in Sejong’s absence while heavily pregnant.

That’s why Hyang immediately prostrated himself at Queen Soheon’s thundering voice. Before either Queen Soheon or Sejong when angered, only Princess Jeongso could remain unfazed.

It certainly was my mistake, I suppose.

Hyang inwardly clicked his tongue while receiving Queen Soheon’s scolding.

***

No matter how long he had lived in Joseon, most of Hyang’s values were still calibrated to 21st-century standards. By those standards, where marriage in one’s 30s was common, the late teens were far from marriage age. Rather, marriage in one’s teens would more likely invite disapproving looks.

Thus, Hyang himself had been Sejong’s concern for showing no interest in marriage until his late teens. Had he not been producing results non-stop while secluded in the research institute and Area 51, Hyang would certainly have been forced into marriage before turning 15.

In fact, there had been such movements, but Sejong had blocked them.

“He’s working so diligently, let’s wait a bit longer.”

Sejong, remembering his own youth absorbed in the joy of learning, had stopped it.

“Wouldn’t it be fine if he’s delayed two or three years?”

Then they rushed to marry Hyang when rumors spread that Emperor Xuande had taken an interest in him.

***

Hearing about Crown Prince’s son Wan’s marriage issue, Sejong nodded.

“There certainly is a problem.”

The next day, immediately after the morning court session, Sejong summoned Hyang and the Wan-Deul brothers.

“You know why I called you?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang immediately bowed his head and answered.

“Yes.”

“Tsk!”

Clicking his tongue, Sejong rebuked Hyang.

“Your own disinterest in marriage is one thing, but neglecting the Crown Prince’s son’s marriage is a grave error.”

“I apologize.”

“Don’t create things to apologize for!”

“I apologize!”

“Tsk!”

Clicking his tongue once more, Sejong turned to the Wan-Deul brothers with a gentle expression.

“Yes, you must have suffered much having such an inconsiderate father.”

“Not at all.”

Seeing his grandchildren’s response, Sejong’s expression suddenly turned peculiar.

Wait! Could these boys also…?

Recalling Hyang’s eccentric behavior that could only be described as extraordinary, Sejong asked his grandchildren.

“Do you have any young ladies in mind?”

“I’ve been too busy completing my assigned duties to know much about young ladies.”

“I am the same, Grandfather.”

“I too am the same.”

At the brothers’ answers, Sejong once again glared fiercely at Hyang, who had to prostrate himself again.

“Tsk tsk tsk!”

Yikes! He’s really angry!

“Crown Prince, you and I need to talk more.”

“Yes, Father.”

I’m dead!

Glaring at Hyang as if ready to devour him, Sejong immediately softened his expression and turned to his grandchildren.

“So, you don’t have any young ladies in mind. Then perhaps you have an ideal type?”

“Well, that’s…”

At Sejong’s question, the Wan-Deul brothers blushed and trailed off. Seeing his grandchildren so shy and unsure what to do, Sejong asked again with a warm smile.

“Would you prefer a kind-hearted lady? Or a wise one? Or perhaps one of exceptional beauty?”

After thinking for a moment at Sejong’s question, Wan glanced at Hyang and asked Sejong.

“How did Father answer?”

“It was a masterpiece. I still remember it clearly. He said ‘Either the most beautiful among kind-hearted ladies, or the most kind-hearted among beautiful ladies.'”

At Sejong’s answer, the brothers’ heads all turned toward Hyang. Their gazes were filled with admiration.

As expected of Father!

“I feel the same!”

“I too feel the same!”

“I also feel the same.”

At the brothers’ answers, Sejong placed his hand on his forehead and sighed.

“Haah~”

“Grandfather?”

“Should we call for the royal physician?”

At the brothers’ flustered reactions to his sigh, Sejong lightly waved his hand.

“It’s nothing. I’ve heard what you want, so I’ll think it over. You may leave.”

“Yes.”

At Sejong’s dismissal, Hyang and the grandsons all bowed and withdrew. Or rather, tried to withdraw.

“Crown Prince, you stay.”

Hyang, who had tried to slip out with the grandsons, turned back with a dejected expression.

“Whew~, now I can breathe.”

“Whew~”

“Haah~”

The Wan-Deul brothers let out long sighs as soon as they left Gangnyeongjeon.

However, when Sejong’s thundering voice shook Gangnyeongjeon, the brothers quickly fled.

“Hey, you bastard!”

***

A few days later, at the Secret Guard headquarters somewhere in Hanseong.

The commander of the Royal Guards and senior officers gathered the Secret Guards to relay Sejong’s orders.

“Orders from above. Investigate young ladies of marriageable age.”

“What?”

“You’re telling us to act as matchmakers?”

While newer recruits looked bewildered, veteran Secret Guards nodded.

“It’s certainly time.”

“No, it’s rather late. Think about the Crown Prince’s son’s age.”

“Is that so?”

After discussing things the new recruits couldn’t understand, the veterans asked the commander and officers.

“Given that we received the orders, are the criteria the same as before?”

“Yes. However, this time the difficulty is higher. We must find matches not just for the Crown Prince’s son but for the two royal grandsons as well.”

“What?”

This time even the veterans looked confused.

“Since the Crown Prince’s son and royal grandsons all missed their marriage age and have the same preferences in women, they want to handle it all at once.”

“Huh?”

While the Secret Guards were gaping at the response, the commander and officers inwardly grumbled while rubbing their heavily bruised eye areas.

Why are we being blamed for the Crown Prince’s son and royal grandsons not being married!

The Crown Prince didn’t give any orders, so why are we being beaten?

Being Joseon’s Greatest Sword is enough! That damn old man is still going strong!

If you want to hit someone, just hit them! Why make excuses about sparring? Oh, my aching body! He deliberately hit all the most painful spots!

The commander and officers had been thoroughly beaten by the former Royal Guard commander who returned with Sejong, raising dust even on a rainy day.

And not long after, the gossipmongers throughout Hanseong once again had to pack their bags for south of the Han River, no, even further south.

This was because the search range had greatly expanded as the Secret Guard organization had expanded nationwide.

While busy searching for matches for the Crown Prince’s son and royal grandsons, one Secret Guard agent had an ingenious idea.

“Section Chief, I have a good idea.”

“A good idea? What is it?”

At the section chief’s question, Dongsik went straight to the point.

“What if we make this official?”

“Official? What? Finding matches for the Crown Prince’s son and royal grandsons?”

“Yes.”

“You fool! Do you forget why we’re called the Secret Guard? Have you forgotten what ‘Secret’ means?”

Despite the section chief’s outburst, Dongsik steadfastly continued his explanation.

“No, I know well. But there’s a limit to what dark-clothed men can discover by searching around, isn’t there?”

“That’s true.”

“So, we find skilled matchmakers and assign them the task. Of course, not connecting directly with us but setting up appropriate intermediaries. Wouldn’t that make things easier?”

“Hmm… that does sound plausible…”

Hearing the proposal, the senior officer nodded while stroking his chin. Seeing this somewhat positive response, Dongsik spoke with more confidence.

“There’s another benefit. Skilled matchmakers can easily enter even noble households’ inner chambers. Wouldn’t we then be able to obtain information that might be missed in pleasure quarters?”

“Huh? Wait a minute?”

At Dongsik’s words, the section chief’s expression showed he’d been struck by the idea.

“Come to think of it…”

Until now, the Secret Guards had obtained most of their information from pleasure quarters. Otherwise, they collected rumors from marketplaces, but these had very low accuracy. However, if they could enter noble houses’ inner chambers, they could certainly obtain information that might be missed even in pleasure quarters.

“It’s good, but there’s a problem. What about the matchmakers? Even with intermediaries, our identity could be exposed if we’re not careful.”

To the section chief’s point, Dongsik immediately responded.

“There are quite a few girls in the gyobang[1] who struggle because they lack beauty or their personality doesn’t suit being gisaeng. We can use them. Initially operate by attaching them to matchmakers to learn the trade, then later operate them disguised as matchmakers or peddlers. In other words, create and operate a Secret Guard organization composed of women.”

“Hmm…”

At Dongsik’s words, the section chief evaluated the feasibility.

Matchmakers certainly can enter deep into noble houses. And I’ve heard they use matchmakers and peddlers to investigate the inner workings of unfriendly families. Let’s see… if we openly conduct matchmaking business, we could avoid suspicion of being spies… there’s potential. I’ve heard the police bureau is also talking about gathering women for similar work.

Having thought that far, the chief made his decision.

“Seems like a good idea. Submit a proposal.”

“What?”

“It’s your idea, so you write the proposal.”

At the section chief’s words, Dongsik’s face fell.

“But I’m completely illiterate!”

“You know Hangul, don’t you?”

“Of course I know Hangul.”

“Then what’s the problem? Submit it within two days.”

“…Yes.”

Suddenly stuck with homework, Dongsik hit his own mouth.

“Ah! My damned big mouth!”