"Your Majesty!"Jimin looked up from his desk, blurry-eyed and exhausted. "What is it, Advisor Kim?"
It was still early in the morning but Jimin was already in front of his desk, going through the imperial edicts that needed his approval. He was almost three-quarters of the way down one stack when his brother-in-law suddenly brought him back to reality.
"I have news of the Waekugin!" Minseok said in a flurry, his feline eyes wide and somewhat alarmed.
Jimin shifted in his seat in response. Anything related to the Waekugin always warranted his unsolicited attention.
Once Minseok had caught his breath, he resumed, "Your Majesty" he began, and he swallowed nervously, "they have arrived."
Jimin"s eyes flickered.
Seeing his grave expression, Minseok continued, "Unfortunately, one of them has fallen ill. They are resting in my cousin"s sanatorium as we speak."
"One of them is sick?"
"Yes," Minseok affirmed.
"How long have they been under the care of your cousin? News like this should have been reported to me immediately!"
"I apologise," Minseok mournfully replied. "We did not receive word of the Waekugin"s arrival until recently. The amba.s.sador insisted that they rest first before meeting with Your Majesty."
Jimin let out a long breath as he composed himself. "How are they?" he enquired, worry replacing the agitation that was surging through his being.
"After much observation, my cousin has confirmed that one of the men is suffering from cholera. It seems that the unsanitary practices in dest.i.tute areas near the Galsaek river have led to his unfortunate sickness."
"We should get him proper help immediately" Jimin suggested while fiddling with his ink brush. "The Waekugin are our guests. We cannot have them suffer and accuse us of inadequate hospitality."
Minseok nodded in agreement. "I will send someone to him immediately." He was about to leave when he suddenly remembered something. "Oh, and Your Majesty?"
Jimin glanced up from his papers once more.
"Please be careful when you go on your excursions to the village" Minseok warned. "I must confess that it unnerves me whenever you leave the palace with so little security."
"Zeren is more than enough security" Jimin responded dismissively. "You need not worry."
"I do not doubt your body guard"s ability at all" Minseok quickly replied. "Forgive me if that is how it sounded." He eyed Jimin as he revealed, "What I am more concerned about is Your Majesty"s health. The Waekugin gentleman was able to catch cholera from his travels. From what my cousin has told me, this plague is contagious, and it has the most undesirable symptoms should one be unfortunate enough to acquire it..."