Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang Novel - Chapter 143

Chapter 143
“What is the matter? What sort of insect is it? Is it a grave issue?”

Princess Gwan-do’s relentless questions only intensified the throbbing in my head. Her piercing stare demanded an immediate response. The true problem, however, was a simple one: how in the world was I supposed to explain this?

I faltered, shooting a helpless look toward my father-in-law. Noticing my discomfort, he swiftly intervened. “Your Highness, might I confer with my son-in-law for a moment? He may be somewhat overwhelmed in the presence of such esteemed company.”

“Ah, very well. Proceed.”

With her permission granted, he leaned close. “What is it, son-in-law?”

“You’ll need to come closer.”

“Closer? Is this truly a matter for such secrecy? The princess is right there…”

“Please, speak as you need.”

Princess Gwan-do offered her reassurance, under the mistaken impression that my youth was the cause of my hesitation. It was true that I appeared young. Yet, concerning this specific topic, I likely possessed more knowledge than nearly anyone else in this world.

Seizing the moment, I drew my father-in-law’s head down and whispered into his ear. “[The insect is called… well, it is not a name fit for a lady’s ears.]”

“[An improper name? What does that mean?]”

“[It is known as… the M-Mating Bug.]”

“…The Mating Bug!?”

My father-in-law’s eyes threatened to leave their sockets. His voice became a hushed, stunned whisper. “[What manner of vulgar insect is that!? First the Kissing Bug, and now the Mating Bug!? Why is it that every insect you discover bears such… scandalous names!?]”

I wondered the very same thing. Honestly. Why did every bug I came across sound like it belonged in some licentious tale? Was this a peculiar curse?

“[I have no idea why it keeps occurring! I swear, I did not name them! They are called that because… well, they are perpetually fastened together, you know… engaged in the act.]”

“[I understand… Still, we cannot possibly tell the princess this.]”

Now that we shared the awkward truth, we had merely exchanged one problem for another. What were we supposed to do? We stared at one another wordlessly before our gazes simultaneously shifted to Princess Gwan-do.

It was then that my eyes fell upon the governor of Akyang, Seo Bin-ak.
‘Just a moment.
Why not inform the governor instead?’

The idea seemed better the longer I considered it. He was, after all, her husband. Surely a married couple could discuss such matters?

I cautiously proposed the idea to my father-in-law. “[What if we tell the governor? He could then relay the information to the princess. As they are married, a conversation of this nature should be acceptable between them.]”

“[Oh! A brilliant notion. Yes, the governor should present no issue.]”

A minor complication remained. We could not simply ignore the princess and begin whispering with her husband right before her. It would be profoundly disrespectful.

“[We must request a more private setting first. Otherwise, it may appear we are disregarding the princess’s authority.]”

Pleased with our devised plan, my father-in-law turned to Princess Gwan-do and made a formal request. “Would it be possible to dismiss the attendants and continue this discussion in private?”

The princess raised an eyebrow. “Oh? It is that serious? I see… Now that I consider it, I have kept you standing here at the entrance. My apologies—I was merely impatient. Let us move inside.”

She escorted us to a reception hall where tea was served. Once the room was cleared, she did not waste a moment. “Very well, we are alone. You may speak freely.”

My father-in-law glanced at me.
…He was indicating that I should be the one to say it.
Fine.

I drew a steadying breath and said carefully, “Your Highness, my apologies, but might I speak with the governor alone?”

“What? Why?” Her eyes narrowed in confusion. “Is it because I am a woman that I cannot hear it?” She sounded genuinely affronted.

I immediately waved my hands in a panic. “N-no! It is not that! It is merely… the insect’s name is somewhat… unsuitable for a lady to hear.”

She blinked. “Unsuitable? Why?”

I swallowed. This was the difficult part. “It is not that I wish to withhold it from you. I merely believe… it would be best if I told the governor first, and he could then convey it to you.”

Princess Gwan-do sighed but eventually nodded. “Fine. Minister, I leave this to you.”

“Y-yes, Your Highness.”

The governor, who had been standing by as silently as a decorative urn, finally stepped forward. I leaned in and whispered the name into his ear.

“[The Mating Bug.]”

“!”

His entire body went rigid. His eyes flew wide, and he jerked upright from his seat. He looked from the princess to me and back again, his voice trembling. “Y-you mean to say… that is their name!?”

“Yes. That is correct.”

—Gulp.

The reception hall fell utterly silent, the sound of his nervous swallow echoing in the space. I had expected him, as her husband, to handle it with maturity. Instead…

He glanced at the princess like a frightened rabbit, then turned to me with a look of sheer desperation. “I-I cannot say it.”

“What?”

He refused outright.

Princess Gwan-do slammed her hands on the table and stood. “What in heaven’s name is happening!? Bin-ak, tell me this instant! If you do not, I shall consider it treason!”

The governor visibly paled. “Y-Your Highness, I-I cannot bring myself to speak it… It would defile your ears…”

“JUST SAY IT!”

“H-how could a scholar of my standing utter such profane words to a lady!? I… I would rather perish!”

“WHAT!?”

Princess Gwan-do stared at him in complete and utter disbelief. And I, watching from the side, could only think…
‘This is infinitely worse than just telling her myself.’

***

“What is it? Why do you hesitate? What kind of insect is it that causes such behavior? Is it a serious matter?”

Princess Gwan-do’s insistent queries only churned the chaos within me. Her expectant gaze was fixed on me, demanding an answer. But how was I ever to explain this?

Seeing my distress, my father-in-law stepped in once more. “Your Highness, allow me a moment with my son-in-law. He may be feeling nervous before a person of your rank.”

“Ah, understood. Go on.”

“What is the trouble, son-in-law?”

“Please, come closer.”

“Closer? Must this be secret? But the princess is right here…”

“It is fine. Speak openly.”

Princess Gwan-do offered her permission, assuming my youth was the cause of my flustered state. I did look young. But on this particular subject, I was undoubtedly more knowledgeable than most in this world.

Given the chance, I pulled my father-in-law’s head down and whispered. “[The insect’s name is… simply not appropriate for a lady.]”

“[An inappropriate name? What do you mean?]”

“[It is called… the Mating Bug.]”

“…The Mating Bug!?”

His eyes widened in shock. He leaned in, hissing under his breath. “[What kind of lewd insect is that!? First the Kissing Bug, and now this!? Why must every bug you find have such indecent names!?]”

I shared his frustration. Seriously. Why did every insect I encountered sound like it was from a bawdy story? Was it a curse?

“[I do not know why it keeps happening! I swear, I did not name them! They are called that because… they are constantly attached to one another, you know… mating.]”

“[I see… Still, we cannot simply tell the princess this.]”

Now that we were both privy to the truth, we faced the same dilemma. What were we to do? We stared at each other silently before both turning to look at Princess Gwan-do.

She noticed our troubled expressions and frowned. “What? Why do you both look that way? Simply tell me. Whatever it is, I will forgive you.”

She was plainly trying to act as if nothing was amiss. But after all that convoluted effort… the explosive truth landed back in my lap. It was my fate to deliver this dreadful news.

Since the governor had refused outright, I was the only one left. It would doubtless sound better coming from me than from my middle-aged father-in-law.

‘To hell with it. She told me to say it, so I will say it.’

“The Mating Bug.”

“What!?”

Not only Princess Gwan-do, but even Hwa-eun, widened their eyes in shock. Their ears flushed a brilliant red. The women of this era were already profoundly embarrassed by the mere term “Kissing Bug.” To hear “Mating Bug” spoken aloud must have been a total catastrophe for them.

But since I had already unleashed the bomb, I had to explain it properly. If I did not finish the task now, I would be forced to relive this entire nightmare later. That was not an option.

‘Get it all done at once. I am absolutely not doing this a second time.’

“Here, these are two Mating Bugs we captured earlier. You see how they are connected? That is because they are in the process of mating. They are always mating, hence the name.”

After I finished my calm explanation, Princess Gwan-do fanned her face with her hands. It took her a moment to collect herself before she could ask, “O-okay, now I understand the hesitation… But is there a way to eliminate them?”

“How long have they been appearing?”

“Let me see… It has been approximately eleven days.”

‘Eleven days? Then it should be over soon.’

Love Bugs, scientifically known as Plecia, are a type of Bibionidae fly. They swarm intensely in regions where two rivers converge and temperatures become unusually high. While their vast numbers and bodily fluids cause significant nuisance, they are not true pests. In fact, they are beneficial insects. As larvae, they consume decaying plant matter, helping to cleanse the environment. As adults, they feed on flower nectar and pollen, aiding in pollination.

Their sole significant issue is their acidic internal fluids. If crushed, these fluids can corrode metal surfaces. In my previous life, they were a major problem in Florida, damaging car paint and metal finishes.

But the crucial point was this: if the bugs had already been here for eleven days, their swarming phase was nearly concluded. They typically only last one to two weeks. Male Love Bugs live three to four days, while females survive for about a week. Earlier, I noticed that most of the bugs flying toward the soldiers’ torches were solitary, meaning the majority had already mated and were dying off. In short, the entire crisis would resolve itself within a few days.

I turned back to Princess Gwan-do. “If it has already been eleven days, then you need not do anything at all.”

“Nothing? What do you mean?”

She blinked at me, confused. I decided to provide a full explanation. Even if I wasn’t actually solving the problem, I was here as a consultant and owed her a proper account.

“I will explain why no action is needed. But first, allow me to ask: are there two rivers that meet near Akyang?”

“Yes. The Myo River flows down from Guiyang into Dongting Lake, and the Yangtze River meets Akyang directly.”

“Just as I thought… And has the weather been exceptionally hot this year?”

“Yes! The heat has been unbearable. Many people have collapsed during the day.”

Her answers perfectly matched the conditions for a Love Bug outbreak. I nodded and continued.

*”These insects proliferate in areas where two rivers meet and the weather grows abnormally hot. The heat causes an increase in rotting vegetation, which creates ideal breeding conditions for them. However, they are not pests—in fact, they are beneficial. As larvae, they cleanse dead plant matter. As adults, they help pollinate flowers. Therefore, there is truly no need for excessive concern.”*

Princess Gwan-do’s eyes widened at my explanation. “T-to think you could explain it in such detail… I had begun to suspect you hesitated because you lacked knowledge…”

I gave a slight chuckle and went on. “However, caution is needed when killing them—their bodily fluids are acidic and can corrode metal.”

“I see. I must order the soldiers to take extra care with their weapons.”

With the background established, I delivered the most important part.
*”And the reason you need not act is because… Within the next few days, they will all be dead.”*

“They will all die!?”

“Yes. If you were to go outside now, you would likely see dozens of them already dead on the streets.”

Princess Gwan-do paused, then slowly nodded. “That is true… The servants have been sweeping up piles of them every morning…”

Everything should have been settled. But suddenly, she frowned deeply in thought. Then, she looked at me and asked,

*”But surely there is something we can do? You are an expert on insects. You can certainly devise a solution, can you not?”*

“…Huh?”

She wanted me to invent a task when nothing needed to be done? Now it was my turn to be confused.

‘Wait… what in the world does she mean by that?’