TM | Chapter 12

Since meeting me, he had never sought out another woman. There had even been women who came crying after him when he stopped visiting them. And to them, he had apparently said that his body no longer reacted to them.

Now that I think about it, I was just a replacement for those women.

A slow burn started rising in my gut again.

But thinking about it now was pointless. The more I dwelled on it, the more I felt like I was going to be sick. So I simply cut the thought off.

With that rotting feeling in my chest, I lifted my cup and absentmindedly shifted my gaze. Across from me, Cheongrok—his naturally narrow eyes crinkling in amusement—was laughing so hard he had to cover his mouth with a fist.

I glanced to my side.

Lee Seol was smiling so brightly, his expression was like a flower in full bloom.

And I?

My face was probably rotting away just like my insides.

Cheongrok, as if telling me to fix my expression, winked one eye before turning to Lee Seol with a question.

“I had my suspicions, but since when did you have feelings for Sung-i?”

His blunt and casual words made Lee Seol chuckle softly. He met the gazes of the others before answering.

“I don’t know when exactly I started feeling that way. But I became certain when I was sixteen. Back then, I fell into the lake, and Sung-i saved me. That’s when I knew for sure.”

Saved him, huh… Right, I did.

Officially, the story was that Lee Seol had climbed a tree and fallen into the lake. But in truth, he had thrown himself off a cliff in rebellion after hearing that his name had been listed as a candidate for a concubine selection.

Lee Seol couldn’t swim.

Cheongrok, who had been with him, could do little more than float.

I was the only one who knew how to swim, so I had no choice but to jump in after him. All I had done was grab him and cling to a large rock nearby. I had quickly run out of strength, and we had both nearly drowned.

It was the adults who had pulled us out of the water and saved Lee Seol when he couldn’t breathe.

Thinking back on it now, I felt awkward.

Shifting my gaze, I looked at the faces of the friends I had grown up playing with. Then, I caught sight of Kang Taegwon and curled my lips into a smirk.

Unlike the others, who were making a fuss with endless questions, he was simply drinking in silence.

His posture was stiff, his brows furrowed as he pressed his lips together, as if trying to swallow down the burn rising in his chest.

Lee Seol, whom so many of them had longed for, was now mine.

Lee Seol, whom Kang Taegwon had adored so deeply, was in love with me.

Even Kim Hojun and Go Cheonseong—well-bred men from noble families—had feelings for me.

I had never needed to worry about finding a match.

At least my abeoji and keun hyung wouldn’t have to stress about my marriage anymore.

Maybe I should start learning how to manage household affairs properly…

A bitter chuckle slipped from my lips.

Feeling suffocated, I stood up.

“I’m stepping out for a moment,” I muttered before leaving the room.

This part of the gibang was reserved for gatherings like this, so no gisaeng¹ wandered about. Only a few servants and errand boys were present.

A waiting servant approached me. “Do you need anything, Lord?”

I waved him off. “Go rest.”

Stepping down from the stone platform, I rubbed my face with both hands.

In a fit of frustration, I had accepted Lee Seol’s proposal. And now, it had been made public.

By morning, rumors would spread.

If the elders didn’t oppose it, the marriage documents would soon follow.

Would the Lee Clan, who had always married into the royal family, be willing to accept me?

Ah… right.

Cheongrok’s mother was from the Lee Clan.

The Cheong Clan was well-connected, with ties to many noble families.

It wouldn’t be bad for them to take me in as an in-law.

But still… would they really approve of a match with someone from my insignificant household?

Once the marriage ban rrder is issued, things won’t progress any further. In the meantime, if Lee Seol’s marriage talks proceed, everything could fall apart. Just because the proposal was accepted didn’t mean the marriage was set in stone.

Drunk, my head felt hazy, my vision wavering. I must have had too much to drink in too short a time. Taking a deep breath to clear my mind, I looked up at the sky.

Clouds veiled the moonlight, making the darkness feel even heavier. Instead, I relied on the red lanterns, their glow flickering like embers, as I gazed at the flowers blooming along the stone wall flowerbed.

Then—heavy footsteps shattered the silence. Before I could react, a rough hand seized my arm and jerked me around.

The next thing I saw—Kang Taegwon’s furious gaze. His eyes burned with unrestrained anger.

“You went as far as proposing to me—and now you say you’ll marry Lee Seol?”

His voice shook with fury.

“Was your love so fickle—so easily flipped as the palm of a hand?”

He spat the words without hesitation.

I met his gaze head-on. This was the man who longed for Lee Seol even while lying with me. The same man who dismissed our time together as nothing more than pleasure.

And let’s not forget—he rejected my proposal and looked down on my family.

Heat rose behind my eyes.

The liquor in my veins made it impossible to hold back. And so, my words flowed without restraint.

“Guess so.”

“Think again. No—don’t! Didn’t I say I’d take you back?”

“And who are you to decide? If I marry Lee Seol, it’s a golden opportunity for me!”

“What?”

“The Lee Clan’s third son, said to be more beautiful than flowers. On top of that, the Empress Dowager’s nephew. Why would my family ever refuse? If the Lee Clan produces a 세자빈, their influence will reach the heavens. And my family will bask in that light.”

“Do you think the Lee Clan would allow the marriage if they knew about us?”

His sneering words made a vein pop on my forehead.

“Ha—do you have proof? Any evidence that you and I were ever together?”

Kang Taegwon raised his hand before my face, showing a thick golden ring—intricately carved with silver engravings, its design both ornate and powerful.

But… that was impossible. I had thrown that ring, silk pouch and all, into the mountains just yesterday.

Why was it in his hands?

Shocked, I reached for it, but he lifted it higher. Standing on my tiptoes, I clung to his forearm, trying to snatch the ring from his grasp.

“Give it back.”

“I assume you had it crafted yourself. Which means you’re its rightful owner—and now, it’s in my hands.”

Locking eyes with me, Kang Taegwon continued.

“You proposed to me. That means I’m the one in your heart. Do you really think Lee Seol will still want to marry you once he learns of this?”

His words slithered through the air like a venomous whisper, making my brows furrow. Like the moonlight swallowed by the clouds, his face was consumed by darkness, leaving only those piercing eyes to glow ominously.

There was a time when I had been mesmerized by his beauty. Now, in the shadows, he looked more like a lurking demon.

My drunken mind distorted everything. How could the man I once loved be such a wretched bastard?

Was he really that obsessed with Lee Seol?

Did it anger him so much that I took him away?

Did he not realize that his desire was nothing more than petty greed?

Disgusted by his shamelessness, I spat out my words.

“Say it.”

Kang Taegwon’s brows knit together at my command. Watching his eyes flicker with confusion, I continued.

“No, should I say it? If Lee Seol finds out that his beloved was betrayed, he’ll probably take pity on me. And then, he’ll never look at you again.”

“Do you think the Lee Clan will see it that way?”

The sheer audacity of his words was unbelievable. My anger surged to its peak.

Do you think I’ll fall for your games again?

“Lee Seol!!”

Kang Taegwon flinched at my sudden shout.

A moment later, the door creaked open, and Lee Seol stepped out. The other companions, sensing something unusual, peeked their heads out to see what was going on.

Kang Taegwon quickly pulled his hand away from my arm and took a step back. Lee Seol gazed at us for a moment before descending the stone steps with composed, unhurried steps.

The silence was so deep that the soft rustle of his silk robes brushing against the wind was the only sound that reached my ears.

Gracefully, with not a hint of disorder, he touched the ground and looked at me—his expression calm, his smile gentle.

Feeling my shoulders straighten involuntarily, I opened my mouth to speak.

“I have experience with men.”

“…….”

“If that’s a problem, speak now.”

At the shocking words, the friends in the room rushed out all at once, and Kang Taegwon’s eyes grew so wide that the whites were fully visible. Meanwhile, Lee Seol remained completely unfazed, keeping a gentle smile as he opened his mouth.

“Did you give your heart to that man?”

“At one point, yes. But not anymore.”

“Then that’s fine. It’s not like you’re taking a concubine. I have no intention of blaming you for your past before marriage. As long as you choose to be with me for a lifetime, that alone is enough.”

At Lee Seol’s refreshingly clear response, Yoon Sung pounded his chest with his fist and declared with strength.

“I swear it! Lee Seol, I will live for you alone! No matter what happens, I will share my fate with you!”

Hearing Yoon Sung’s resolve, Lee Seol was so delighted that he didn’t know what to do, his face breaking into a bright smile. Even more dazzling than the splendor of the moonlight and red lanterns was Lee Seol’s laughter.

Cheongrok chuckled and clapped his hands, while the friends watching them cheered. Some praised the determination of these two young men before marriage, while others waved their hands dismissively, teasing that it was too embarrassing to watch.

Yoon Sung turned to look at Kang Taegwon and asked about the last concern that had been thrown at him.

“Won’t your father oppose this, saying that my family isn’t of equal standing?”

“Don’t worry about that. If you accept my proposal, I’ve already decided to reject the marriage offers that have come my way.”

At Lee Seol’s incredibly carefree response, Yoon Sung straightened his back with pride. He met the eyes of Kang Taegwon, the one who had mocked him and tried to humiliate him.

Under his gaze, Kang Taegwon’s lower eyelid twitched, and his twisted expression, beyond awkwardness, barely concealed his frustration.

The alcohol coursing through Yoon Sung’s body only made him bolder. He raised his chin and steeled his gaze. Then, with a radiant smile, he looked straight at Kang Taegwon, as if to rub salt into his wound.

Your vulgar, lowly words amount to nothing. You trampled on my heart, desperate and wild, all because you loved Lee Seol. But look at the outcome. You only saw me as a mere body, but Lee Seol—he sees me as his partner for life.

With his eyes, his expression, and his sheer arrogance, Yoon Sung stared down at Kang Taegwon.