FIB Ch 4 part 2

PR by neji

Heon left the inn, and MoonWon looked out the window from inside.

They had arrived early, so there were still a few days left before the banquet. Of course, she was busy with the clothes she’d wear and any other preparations that needed to be made for the banquet, but MoonWon found there wasn’t much of a difference between being here and being back at the residence.

“Mistress, they said we are to move to a different residence tomorrow.”

Yeori, who had gone out to check on the clothes MoonWon was going to wear at the banquet, returned to the room with some news. MoonWon turned her eyes from the window and looked at Yeori as she asked.

“Where are we going?”

“I heard it’s going to be somewhere a bit further away from here. It seems that the Master does not like it here because it’s right next to the city. Since he doesn’t like noisy places.”

“Really?”

Yeori looked away at MoonWon’s nonchalant answer, but MoonWon merely looked out the window.

MoonWon couldn’t help but think back to the way his eyes had looked when they’d first arrived at this inn. It didn’t look like it was simply because he hated the noise.

She wasn’t sure what he’d seen, but after that day, things seemed to have regressed between them. It was almost like they’d returned to the days right after their marriage. The mood between them was so cold, so she couldn’t approach him or ask him what was wrong. Although MoonWon had set her heart on approaching him first, Heon was still a very difficult man.

“Yeori, there’s somewhere I need to go for a moment. Make the appropriate preparations.”

“Master told you to stay put. If you go out, he’ll definitely scold you.”

At the thought of Heon’s anger, MoonWon hesitated. However, she quickly shook her head.

Knowing Heon’s personality, as soon as the banquet ended, they’d go straight back home. MoonWon had come back to the capital for the first time in several months. She didn’t know what inn they’d move to and where it would be. If not now, then when was she ever going to see SoYoon?

MoonWon’s eyes glanced at the box at her side. She had brought it with her just in case.

“If you’re worried, then you stay here, Yeori.”

“Mistress!”

“It’ll only be a moment. I’ll leave with Hong-yeom and we’ll be back very soon.”

It wasn’t like her to wait anxiously and worry about when she could leave. She could only imagine how angry Heon would be when he found out. However, right now, she wanted to see her family more than her fear of Heon’s rage.

“If you’re going to take Hong-yeom, then go with me. It would be better if I went.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not fine! It would be way better for me to go with you than him.

Yeori couldn’t leave the Mistress in Hong-yeom’s hands when he didn’t even know the basics of how to serve her. Those blue eyes that were still so piercingly clear at night… If he was by the Mistress’s side, they might receive people’s condescension. If this happened, the one who would get in trouble wasn’t Hong-yeom. It was Yeori.

After covering her face with a veil and putting on her cloak, MoonWon took the box and hugged it to her chest as she left the inn. 

She recalled Heon’s stiff face, but she did her best to erase it from her mind. She calmed her trembling heart and began to walk.

* * *

Heon had received an imperial order to come with MoonWon, but he had gone to the Palace by himself.

Although it was only an invitation to come to the Palace, the first thought that went through his head wasn’t the emperor nor the Consort. It was the Crown Prince, JaeHoon.

Since when…? Since when did this anger start to boil whenever it came to MoonWon and JaeHoon? He knew that they had already ended their relationship, and there was no need for him to worry about them. Despite this logic, his emotions went in a totally different direction.

“Master, they said that His Highness is not here.”

“Where did he go?”

“According to the eunuch we have planted here…”

Junghwan suddenly lowered his head and didn’t finish his sentence as he backed away. Seeing Junghwan’s abrupt change in behavior, Heon turned his head and his face hardened.

The woman he couldn’t help but see whenever he came to the Palace. No matter how many times he told her he didn’t want to, she continued to persevere and try to stamp down her presence in his life. Her brilliant face appeared before him.

“The imperial order asked that you come with MoonWon, so why did you come alone?”

Her hateful face and the fragrance of her powder that smelled so pungent to him… For some reason, when Consort Yu blurted out MoonWon’s name, it irritated Heon.

Not that long ago, she demanded him to get rid of the wench. Now she was acting as if that hadn’t happened at all as she called out her name in such a warm voice. Heon, knowing very well why she was behaving this way, gave her an unpleasant smile.

“It wouldn’t be good for either of us if both of us are bitten, Your Highness Consort.”

“Is something bothering you, dear son? It seems that there is something you’d like to tell your mother in private.”

“I’m merely saying this because I’m afraid you might be very uncomfortable having to flash that fake smile. If you aren’t uncomfortable, please say so.”

“Son.”

“I have nothing to say to you, so I will go and see His Majesty now. And please do your best in the position you are in now. Are you not worried about how others may perceive you if they see you behaving like this?”

Court Lady Yeo swallowed her breath when she heard Heon’s venomous words. Consort Yu may seem calm, but her clenched hands were trembling.

Although this wasn’t the first time she’d been treated like this, whenever Heon’s eyes looked at her like that, her body shuddered. Neither she nor Heon’s deceased father had been like this, but whenever Heon behaved in this way, she felt her breath catch.

“Everyone may leave.”

“I have nothing to say.”

“I have something I’d like to say! As your mother, I have something to say to you.”

“Who are you calling your son?”

Cold snow falling from the winter sky would have been warmer than Heon’s biting remarks. Those icy words seemed to reject any attempt to approach him. If it weren’t for her future, she wouldn’t want to go near him.

“I said everyone may leave.”

The Consort’s unusual roar startled her entourage, and they quickly walked away. Only Junghwan waited quietly behind Heon, waiting for his instructions.

When she saw that Junghwan wasn’t moving, Consort Yu opened her mouth to let out another shout. Before she could do so, Heon let out a sigh and quietly murmured.

“You may go.”

Having received Heon’s order, Junghwan backed away and disappeared.

Heon’s eyes brushed over the Consort’s face and landed on the hand that was holding onto his sleeve. He couldn’t help but compare it to the other woman’s desperate, persistent hand that had clung onto his sleeve like this. Even though it wasn’t worth comparing, for some strange reason, the more he interacted with Consort Yu, the more he felt like he saw MoonWon.

“Heon!”

When Heon snatched his sleeve out of her grasp, Consort Yu’s eyes trembled. However, she did her best to find her composure and began to speak to him in a soothing voice.

“Are you upset because I wasn’t able to convince His Majesty and stop your marriage? Is that why you’re being so cruel to your mother?”

“What is it that you’d like to say to me?”

“I know that you were forced to get married. I was worried about you and decided to meet her myself, but it turned out that she isn’t your average person.”

Possibly due to the fact that Heon seemed to want to escape her as soon as possible, the Consort’s words came out in a hurry.

This woman revealed more of herself depending on the situation. Was this her version of motherly love? Or was she trying to show others that the one who owned Heon wasn’t his newly wedded wife but her?

“Back then, His Majesty was so stubborn, so I wasn’t able to stop him. Since that girl is that attendant’s daughter, how could I be satisfied with her? But it was His Majesty’s order, so I wasn’t able to go against it. This mother of yours will go and take care of it for you, so just wait a little longer.”

“Are you thinking of breaking my marriage?”

“Isn’t it a marriage you didn’t even want? As your mother, how could I not know this?”

Among Consort Yu’s supporters, there was a saying that there wasn’t a blessing better than to be graced with Consort’s beautiful smile. On the other side, her enemies claimed that Consort Yu was ruining the nation and that she needed to be put to death immediately.

Neither side was wrong. To those she saw as valuable, she showed such generosity and mercy. However, to those who were in her way, she patiently bided her time before handing them the most deadly poison.

And Heon knew why she was clinging onto him so tenaciously.

“As expected… Seeing as how I cannot manage that woman myself, it’s no surprise you can’t handle her either.”

“Heon?”

Consort Yu looked at him in confusion. When he saw this, a crooked smile stretched across his lips.

“What is it that you want from me?”

“What?”

“Seeing as how it’s just the two of us here, why don’t you tell me freely. If I ally myself with you, what do you plan to do?”

Even though she heard the words she’d been waiting to hear, Consort Yu didn’t feel an ounce of happiness as she gazed at Heon. She wasn’t sure what she’d done to irk him this time, but he was a lot more fierce than usual. The scarier he became, the calmer he seemed. Consort Yu’s eyes widened.

“Is your heart wavering towards that child?”

“Since you want to hear it so much, I’ll call you as you’d like, Mother.”

When she heard him call her ‘Mother’, a shiver ran down her spine. Although he was the only son she had given birth to, at this moment, she didn’t want to say another word to him.

Even though she was the one who’d first approached him, she began to back away. Seeing this, Heon grabbed her.

“This was a marriage I chose, and she was the wife I took in.”

“She’s a girl that is destined to marry the Crown Prince. She’s a girl that he fell head over heels for and will not give her away to anyone.”

“……”

“She’s a girl that the Crown Prince still has not forgotten. I’m not sure about now, but no one knows how things will turn out.”

“From what you just told me, it seems that he has already begun to move.”

At his pointed remark, Consort Yu caught her breath. However, her expression quickly returned to normal. Then she confidently opened her mouth.

“Do you think one’s first love is something that disappears quickly? As more time goes by, a first love becomes more earnest and sincere. If it was something I could break the first time, then your marriage is no different.”

Although those words were ridiculous, Consort Yu’s remark pierced deep into Heon’s heart and made a small wound. Even though he knew this was her way of trying to get him to waver, once the suspicion had taken root, it had transformed into rage.

Was MoonWon with JaeHoon right now?

Although his heart was being rocked into chaos, he didn’t let it show on the outside. Consort Yu watched him, waiting for any sign of a crack in his armor. However, Heon didn’t plan on letting her succeed.

“Someone I know abandoned her son and the husband who had been her first love.”

“Y…You!”

Heon turned his eyes away from her. When he saw a man standing not too far away, he let out a sigh.

It was Prime Minister Lee Moon who was leading the charge against Consort Yu. It wasn’t good for Heon to be seen speaking with the Consort in public like this.

Heon knew very well who had sent the assassins to attack him. Although the Consort was someone who he’d like to sever ties with, others saw him and the Consort as one.

“I will take my leave for today.”

“I’m not finished yet.”

“Then speak to the air on your own.”

“Where do you think the Crown Prince went?”

Heon couldn’t stop his breath from catching. Consort Yu looked at Heon with pity in her eyes.

“I heard that as soon as he heard you came here alone, he left the Palace. Who do you think he went to see?”

Heon’s heart turned cold and sank inside his chest. His footsteps quickened.

To Heon’s knowledge, MoonWon wasn’t someone who acted rashly. However, he knew how foolish a maiden’s heart, a first love, could be. 

Having completely turned away from Consort Yu, Heon began to exit the Palace. When Junghwan saw that Heon was walking in the opposite direction of the emperor’s office, he approached him.

“Master!”

“We’re heading back.”

To the shock of everyone, she was the woman that he had taken in as his wife.

A maiden who was supposed to become the Crown Princess. They said that she was the Crown Prince’s lover.

If that was the case, then MoonWon…

Then the Crown Prince who had gone to see her…

Heon unconsciously clenched his fist.

“Master, the imperial order…”

Even Lee Moon, who did not favor Heon, and even the annoying Consort Yu… Even the emperor whose thoughts Heon could not understand… None of them remained inside Heon’s head.

At this moment, there was only one person on Heon’s mind.

“M-Master!”

Despite Junghwan’s calls, Heon’s footsteps grew faster as he exited the Palace.

* * *

“Unnie!”

Seeing MoonWon coming from afar, SoYoon got up and ran towards her without hesitation. SoYoon’s large eyes were wet with tears and glistened like shiny marbles.

MoonWon crouched down to SoYoon’s level as her eyes narrowed apologetically.

“Have you been well?”

Now that she was tightly buried in MoonWon’s embrace, SoYoon burst into tears. MoonWon gently stroked SoYoon’s small back in apology. Possibly due to her heightened emotions, SoYoon would not calm down despite MoonWon’s soothing.

“I thought I’d never see you again.”

“Never see me…? But I’m here because I wanted to see you.”

“But I couldn’t send you letters or go see you. If I hadn’t gotten hurt, you wouldn’t have had to go so far away.”

Although SoYoon’s injury had been the push, MoonWon had definitely not gotten married because of it. MoonWon consoled her sulking sister and shook her head.

It hadn’t been an easy decision. And although it was a bit difficult, she had no regrets.

“If you feel that way, then I feel even more sorry. Don’t ever think that way.”

“But…”

“I’m doing fine. That’s why I was able to come here like this.”

SoYoon swallowed back her tears when she saw MoonWon’s bright smile. MoonWon wiped SoYoon’s tears and gazed down at the sister she hadn’t seen in so long. Although not a lot of time had passed, SoYoon had already grown taller.

“What about Father and Yuhwa?”

“Mother went out, and Father is inside.”

“Let’s go see him.”

A sense of relief that she hadn’t felt since she’d gotten married rushed through her as soon as she got here.

She had come home.

As MoonWon slowly stood up, SoYoon’s hand grabbed hers. Holding SoYoon’s small, soft hand, MoonWon turned around and looked at Hong-yeom and Yeori.

“I’ll be back, so stay here.”

“Is this the younger sister you’ve been speaking about, Mistress?”

SoYoon turned her head when she heard Hong-yeom’s question. When MoonWon nodded, Hong-yeom’s piercing gaze rested on SoYoon.

“She doesn’t look like what you described at all.”

MoonWon burst into laughter. SoYoon, who had been looking up at MoonWon all this time, finally turned her head.

The boy was about a hand’s width taller than her. Despite the fact that he wasn’t like the other children in this neighborhood who had pale skin, the part that drew SoYoon’s interest was his blue eyes that reminded her of the sky.

He was quite pretty to look at, but his words did not match his looks. They were very rough and coarse.

“Unnie, who is he?”

“He’s a child who helps me with my work. You can call him Hong-yeom.”

SoYoon’s eyes returned to Hong-yeom and observed him. A child who stayed by MoonWon’s side… Before MoonWon had gotten married, that had been SoYoon’s job. She felt as if her position had been replaced.

SoYoon wasn’t sure what MoonWon had told him about her, but his eyes were full of dissatisfaction as he looked at her. SoYoon felt a spurt of anger, but he was still a hand’s width taller than her, so she held back. The only one she could trust was MoonWon. SoYoon hid behind MoonWon’s skirts and narrowed her eyes.

“Unnie, he’s a weird kid.”

When Hong-yeom heard this, his eyes narrowed as well. Seeing Hong-yeom’s reaction, SoYoon looked up at MoonWon and smiled.

“But his eyes look pretty.”

“Doesn’t it?”

MoonWon asked back in response to SoYoon’s observation. SoYoon nodded and went back to looking at Hong-yeom.

“It’s as if I’m looking at sparkling sapphires. But I’m not sure what he meant by me not looking like how you described.”

After hearing SoYoon’s remark, MoonWon glanced at Hong-yeom. Unexpectedly, Hong-yeom’s face had turned red, and his face was lowered to his chest. Although he didn’t look it, Hong-yeom was a very considerate child, and he also grew bashful quite easily.

MoonWon gently stroked Hong-yeom’s hair before she held SoYoon’s hand and went inside the house.

* * *

Even though it was far away, a delighted girl’s laughter traveled through the air. It was soon followed by a voice that definitely belonged to MoonWon.

Not bothering to wipe the sweat on his forehead, Heon stopped in his tracks. Seeing Heon’s reaction, Junghwan approached him.

“Master, the Mistress is…”

“Shh!”

When Junghwan was about to step out after hearing MoonWon’s voice, Heon stopped him. Although it was hard to hear, the laughter definitely belonged to MoonWon. Hearing her laughter for the first time, Heon felt something stir inside him.

Thanks to MoonWon’s mother, Consort Yu had entered the arms of the emperor. Heon’s harmonious household had been shattered. The moment his ill father finally let go of his life, the vultures surrounding the clan came in and frantically devoured everything else.

“Now all that’s left is to finish up.”

The first thing Heon saw when he entered through the open door was MoonWon tying the hair of a young girl who seemed to be her sister. The maiden whose presence didn’t seem to matter to him had at some point become someone his eyes searched for. 

“Can I have this?”

“Why? You don’t like it?”

SoYoon shook her head. She always liked whatever MoonWon gave her.

“No! That’s not it…”

“It looks like the hair tie is too beautiful compared to the person who will be wearing it.”

“Hong-yeom, you…!”

SoYoon bristled at Hong-yeom’s blunt remark. Whether it was because they were the same age or because SoYoon was unreserved, Hong-yeom seemed to enjoy quarreling and teasing SoYoon. Before their family had fallen, Hong-yeom’s behavior would have been seen as rude and impertinent. However, now, both MoonWon and SoYoon didn’t mind it at all.

“All done.”

MoonWon took her hands off of the hair tie and helped SoYoon stand up. With her hair tied into a single braid, SoYoon stood up, the hair tie shaking with her movements.

“I’m glad it suits you.”

When SoYoon heard MoonWon’s words, she gave her a bright smile. However, when she felt the gaze of someone else, SoYoon turned her head. The smile on her lips completely disappeared.

MoonWon followed SoYoon’s gaze, and her face stiffened as well.

“Ah!”

Because she’d been busy doing SoYoon’s hair, MoonWon hadn’t noticed Heon’s arrival.

Noticing his forehead drenched in sweat, MoonWon was surprised to see him look so different from what she was used to seeing.

She felt that he wasn’t even going to look for her, so she merely told the servants that she was going out to see her sister. But it looked like he hadn’t heard about this and had been running around searching for her instead.

Feeling Heon’s fierce aura, SoYoon quickly hid behind MoonWon’s back.

To SoYoon, Heon was merely the man who had forcibly married MoonWon and taken her away. Additionally, Heon was the only one who struck terror in her heart.

“It’s alright.”

When she felt MoonWon’s hand stroke her head, SoYoon turned her stiff face to MoonWon. If there was anyone who was going to get scolded, it would be MoonWon for coming here without permission. 

“Go to Yuhwa. Yeori, can you and Hong-yeom take SoYoon with you?”

Yeori, who didn’t seem to know what to do, took the two children and entered into the inner residence.

Once they had completely disappeared, MoonWon approached Heon and held out her handkerchief.

“I should have received your permission before coming here, but I was in too much of a hurry. I’m sorry.”

Heon hadn’t realized that he had been sweating until he took MoonWon’s handkerchief. When he returned to the inn, he encountered JaeHoon and his people waiting for MoonWon.

As soon as Heon found out that JaeHoon had no idea where MoonWon was, Heon began to make his way towards her house. JaeHoon began to follow Heon, but it wasn’t a difficult task to shake him off.

“Is there something urgent?”

Heon gazed at MoonWon without wiping the sweat off his brow. MoonWon lowered her head. Although she had created this mess because she was afraid she wouldn’t be able to see her sister before returning to the bamboo grove, now that she was standing in front of Heon, she could see what she had done wrong.

“If you’re very angry, please only take it out on me. Yeori and Hong-yeom only followed me here due to my stubbornness.”

“Did you meet anyone else?”

“Sorry?”

Was it when she clung onto him as if her life depended on it?

Or was it when she first approached him and asked whether he was okay back at the library when he’d shielded her from the falling books?

His relationship with MoonWon didn’t change just because of JaeHoon’s interest in her. Heon still believed that women didn’t belong in his life, and MoonWon was still the child of the woman who had broken his family.

But… he didn’t want to let JaeHoon see the look she had on her face as she gazed at him.

“Is there someone else I need to meet?”

MoonWon’s voice brought him out of his rambling thoughts. She didn’t seem to know anything about this matter, and he didn’t want to tell her about JaeHoon. 

“I never said you couldn’t see your family.”

He should have been angry that she had acted on her own. However, because of her actions, she hadn’t met JaeHoon. The unfamiliar sense of anxiety disappeared as soon as he’d seen MoonWon’s face.

“But wouldn’t it be better for me to send my greetings before we leave?”

MoonWon thought he would yell at her with his sharp voice, but, instead, he seemed calm. Her eyes widened at this unexpected reaction.

Just like the time when he’d held out his hand to her as he asked her to go to the Palace with him, she felt as if she were seeing a hidden emotion peeking through his armor.

Her heart began to race. This feeling was different than when she’d been with the Crown Prince. She felt her face flush.

Since Heon had asked her a question, she needed to answer him. Barely managing to recover, MoonWon opened her mouth when she heard another voice call out.

“And who is this?”

MoonWon flinched when she heard the voice behind her. She wasn’t sure whether SoYoon had told him or if someone else had relayed the message, but YongUn had come out and was approaching them. Having already met with him, MoonWon’s face hardened.

“My Lord Husband, I’ll talk to my Father, so I think it would be best for you to go back first.”

Heon’s eyes narrowed at her sudden change in behavior. It was as if she were trying to keep him and YongUn from meeting. As she stepped away, Heon grabbed her.

“Husband!”

Flustered, MoonWon looked at him. In the meantime, YongUn had come and was now standing right next to them.

“I should have come with her earlier. I apologize for being late.”

“No worries at all. I’m sure you’re busy, so there’s no need to push yourself. Let’s go inside.”

“F-Father!”

“If your husband came, you should have told me. Why are you just standing there? Why don’t you go and bring us some tea. Let’s head in.”

Before MoonWon could stop Heon from continuing this unusual behavior, YongUn grabbed him. Knowing exactly why YongUn was doing this, MoonWon tried to get in between them, but Heon stopped her.

MoonWon helplessly watched the two of them enter inside.

“I’ll take my leave.”

No one knew what Heon and YongUn had discussed between them. However, MoonWon was bothered by the fact that her father’s complexion seemed a lot better after their conversation while Heon’s remained the same.

Did YongUn tell Heon the same thing he told her?

Worried, MoonWon looked at Heon, but he merely listened to YongUn’s words as YongUn held onto his hand. 

“When will you be back?”

SoYoon’s previously smiling face was now cast with a shadow. Her damp eyes looked up at MoonWon, but MoonWon couldn’t do anything about it. Now that Heon was here, she had to leave. Crouching down onto one knee, MoonWon met SoYoon’s eyes and smiled.

“It’s not like I won’t be able to come back forever.”

“But you don’t know when you’ll be back.”

After glancing at Heon, MoonWon lowered her eyes. Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she couldn’t cry in front of SoYoon. If MoonWon ended up crying, SoYoon would burst into tears.

“I’ll be back.”

“If it’s too difficult to come in person, then at least send me some letters.”

When she heard SoYoon’s request, MoonWon looked back at Heon. His conversation with YongUn must have ended because he was now looking at MoonWon and SoYoon. After glancing at him for a moment, MoonWon turned back to SoYoon and nodded her head.

“I’ll definitely send letters.”

She saw Heon’s eyes flash, but MoonWon looked away. Instead, she wiped away SoYoon’s tears and gave her a bright smile.

“So don’t cry and be good to Yuhwa and Father. Alright?”

SoYoon nodded her head. After wiping away the rest of the tears clinging to SoYoon’s eyes, MoonWon stood up.

“We’ll be leaving for now.”

Once Heon said these words, he turned around. MoonWon soon followed. She hesitated and turned around to take another look at YongUn and SoYoon, who had burst into tears in Yuhwa’s embrace.

MoonWon flashed a bright smile in order to console her before turning around and following Heon out. MoonWon saw the carriages that Junghwan had prepared and lowered her head.

“Thank you.”

Heon narrowed his eyes in confusion. When she saw the question in his eyes, MoonWon gave him a shaky smile.

“Thanks to you, my family is now stable and in a much better place. I wanted to thank you long ago, but it seems that I’m only saying it now.”

“……”

“I’ll explain more when we return.”

Although he didn’t show it, MoonWon was sure that he was very upset with her. He probably didn’t want to release his anger in front of the servants and was waiting until they returned to the inn.

MoonWon was thankful that he had at least held back in consideration of her family.

“I’ll take my leave.”

Seeing that Heon wasn’t saying anything in response, MoonWon did her best to calm her breaths.

“Ah!”

Just as she was about to get into the carriage, Heon grabbed her wrist. Before she could ask why he was doing this, Heon dragged her to his carriage.

Completely bewildered by the turn of events, MoonWon merely let herself be thrown into his carriage before he followed her inside. 

“H-Husband!”

As soon as they got inside, the door closed. At Junghwan’s order, the carriage began to slowly move.

* * *

Her surprise only lasted a moment. When the carriage began to move, MoonWon looked out the window.

She watched as her family became smaller and smaller until they were only a dot in the horizon. Her eyes reddened when she could no longer see them. She had gone to visit to see their faces for only a moment, but now that she was leaving, her heart was heavy.

“I’m sorry.”

When he heard her apology, Heon, who had kept his eyes out the window in order to avoid looking at her, turned his head and glanced at her. She looked like she was on the verge of tears as she gave him an awkward smile.

To Heon, the only one he had to call family was his father who was betrayed by Consort Yu when she abandoned him.

He felt a bit awkward being around MoonWon and her very different family dynamic.

“I only wanted to see them for a moment before you returned from the Palace. But because it had been a while since I’d last seen them, it took longer than I thought.”

Thinking Heon was upset with her, MoonWon was in a cold sweat trying to explain herself. However, Heon wasn’t upset at all.

Because MoonWon had gone to see her family, she hadn’t run into JaeHoon.

By that one fact alone, Heon did not plan on criticizing her behavior.

However, when he recalled JaeHoon and how he still hadn’t forgotten about MoonWon, his eyes began to slightly twitch.

Was MoonWon thinking the same as JaeHoon? At the thought, Heon could barely keep a straight face.

“Is there anyone else you have left to see?”

“Excuse me?”

“I’m asking whether you planned on seeing anyone else but was unable to because of me.”

Hearing the same question being repeated over again, MoonWon’s eyes narrowed. Just who else did she have left to see? However, after thinking for a long time, MoonWon shook her head.

“I didn’t have anyone else other than my family. Why are you asking?”

The sharp aura gradually disappeared at her answer. Deep within his heart, her answer had begun to stir an unknown emotion.

‘Relief?’

He’d never become anxious and relieved regarding matters that had to do with someone else, let alone a woman. Maybe he was bothered by her because she had simply become his wife. Whether he liked it or not, maybe his eyes kept being drawn to her because she was by his side.

“Is there someone I need to meet?”

“No. I was mistaken.”

JaeHoon and MoonWon meeting. That must never happen.

At this moment in time, he was more reluctant to see JaeHoon than Consort Yu. Even if it was a selfish thought, it didn’t matter. Even if people sneered at his assertive attempt to claim MoonWon even though she didn’t hold his heart, he didn’t care.

“We will return home as soon as the banquet ends. I’ll let it go this time, but next time, tell me before you go anywhere.”

MoonWon let out a sigh of relief when she saw that Heon wasn’t angry. She cautiously glanced at Heon’s face, but to her surprise, it looked a lot softer than she’d expected.

While it was a little odd to see such a sharp, fierce man look so gentle, since he hadn’t raised his voice and let her blunder go this once, MoonWon was relieved.

“Next time, I will let you know before I go anywhere. And please just ignore the matter with my father. Don’t mind it.”

Heon definitely hadn’t felt another’s presence while he was in the private meeting with YongUn. Had MoonWon overheard them in secret?

“I’m sure my father told you the same thing he told me.”

He had asked them to help him regain his government post.

After grabbing Heon and taking him into a private room, YongUn had asked him for his help in being reinstated. But in that moment, the only thing in his head was a flustered MoonWon. 

Although it was uncomfortable, Heon listened to YongUn until he ended his ramblings.

“Even if it’s not an attendant of the emperor, it would be good for him to obtain a government post. Why are you telling me to ignore this matter?”

MoonWon lowered her eyes. Whether it was because she was trying to find the right words or because she was trying to calm herself as tears threatened to escape her eyes, MoonWon remained silent for a long time.

“It isn’t right to desire something that cannot be obtained. The despair that comes with the disappointment is something that can break you.”

“……”

“My father wasn’t able to endure the collapse of the family and the loss of his government post. After watching over this for two years, I feel that it is foolish to desire something so much.”

After having lost everything, Heon continued to live by looking hostility right in the face. And what about MoonWon? How had she lived? How was she so at peace?

Rather than curiosity, the sense of irritation was a lot stronger. However, he didn’t dislike the MoonWon who was sitting with him right now.

“Even if you say so, in the end, I am the one who will make the decision. There’s no need to worry about it.”

MoonWon’s face hardened at his sharp words, and Heon’s brow twitched. It wasn’t easy to change his behavior and the way he spoke after having been this way for many years. Even though he didn’t plan on hurting her, he hadn’t done anything terribly wrong that warranted him to apologize.

“I’ll tell the others about your letters. You may send them comfortably.”

MoonWon’s stiff face immediately softened, and a bright smile stretched across her lips.

“Is that okay?”

Although her eyes were damp with tears, her genuinely joyful face seemed so unique. He’d merely allowed her to send letters, but she looked like she’d been given the world. Her face was so bright that it was almost blinding.

This was the second time. He felt a strong emotion towards her that he had never felt with another woman. Although it was strange, Heon didn’t hate it. No, if it were up to him, he wanted to draw closer and bask in the light.

“In return, I will do anything you ask, Husband.”

When he heard this, Heon couldn’t stop the smile from forming on his lips. What could she possibly do for him? Even if Heon didn’t give her permission, MoonWon was someone who’d find a way to send her letters out anyway.

“Master, we’ve arrived.”

The carriage stopped in front of the inn. Junghwan opened the door and bowed.

“Ah!”

When MoonWon tried to get out first, Heon stopped her. He got out and looked around as if he were searching for something. Then his eyes turned cold.

“Husband? What…”

MoonWon asked as she stared at her husband, but instead of giving her an answer, Heon got back inside the carriage.

“We’re going to the new residence.”

MoonWon’s eyes widened at his sudden order. Having heard this, Junghwan silently lowered his head.

Although JaeHoon wasn’t here, the inn was crawling with his people.

Even if he tried to ignore it, it bothered him so much that he ultimately could not.

“Did something happen?”

He didn’t want to give JaeHoon a single opportunity to meet MoonWon.

Instead of replying to her, Heon closed his eyes.

Having received his silent answer, MoonWon turned her eyes to the window. She wondered if her guess was true as she looked around, but no matter how much she looked, she couldn’t figure it out.

The carriage began to speed towards the new residence.