It was the season when the scorching sun beat down.

Heatwaves rose from the parched earth.

In the front courtyard of the police bureau, the chief constable was interrogating a suspect.

“Many have reported that you had illicit relations with a lowborn! Will you still feign ignorance?”

Yeoul, tied to the torture rack, raised her head.

Her once bright eyes had lost their spark, and her face was gaunt and haggard.

For days, she had not been allowed proper food or even water.

Through her parched lips, a weary voice flowed.

“How could I, who has never even held hands with a man, have had illicit relations?”

“Lies pour from your mouth. Look here, bring forth the criminal!”

The constables dragged a man into the front courtyard.

His skin was rough and his teeth were as rotted as corn.

His matted hair was lice-ridden, and his clothes were stained with unknown filth.

The chief constable raised his voice at the man.

“Speak the truth! Is it true that you laid with Han Yeoul, the eldest daughter of Han, the Yejo Chamui?”

“Yes, it is true.”

“If you speak falsely, you will be executed. Do you swear there is not a shred of untruth in your confession?”

“I swear there is not a shred of untruth…!”

The chief constable furrowed his brow.

Then, he turned his gaze to Yeoul.

“Impudent wench! Will you still deny it?”

Yeoul shook her head desperately. Her once fair skin turned even paler.

“I have never seen this man before. I know nothing of this!”

“For a noble lady to defile a yangban’s dignity by fornicating with lowborn trash is a grave crime. This warrants harsh punishment, so send her to the State Tribunal for strict sentencing!”

Yeoul’s world shattered. Her mind reeled as if struck by lightning, and her hands trembled.

The State Tribunal that dealt with traitors. No one who entered there could come out alive.

Being dragged to the State Tribunal for a crime she did not commit was utterly absurd.

“This is unjust. I am innocent, my lord!”

“Lock the criminal in prison!”

“Please, believe my words!”

Even as she was dragged away by the constables, Yeoul cried out pleadingly.

Those gathered looked at Yeoul with contemptuous gazes.

No one heeded the cries of the wrongfully accused.

.

.

.

When darkness fell, the sound of the prison door opening was heard.

As Yeoul raised her head at the presence, a middle-aged scholar in official robes stood before the door.

Yeoul’s eyes brimmed with tears of relief.

“Father…!”

“Come out. I paid the bail.”

Han, the Yejo Chamui.

For a noble like him, getting a daughter out of prison was no difficult task.

As Yeoul tried to stand, Han spoke.

“The groom’s family broke off the engagement. As if you could show your face in public now.”

Rumors of Yeoul’s illicit affair with a lowborn had spread far and wide.

No one would marry their son to a woman with such a reputation.

Han’s voice was tinged with faint anger.

“Is this how you repay the grace of raising you for over a decade? By disgracing my name?”

Han had taken in Yeoul, who shared not a drop of blood with him, as his daughter.

Yeoul’s scandal was nothing short of humiliating for Han.

Han clicked his tongue.

“As expected of one born without roots.”

“……”

Yeoul could not answer and dropped her head to the floor.

With a thud, a silver knife and a bundle were thrown in front of Yeoul.

Yeoul’s pupils shook.

“Leave. Today is the last day I see you as my child.”

Over a decade ago, Han had taken Yeoul in as his adopted daughter at his wife’s earnest request.

But not long after bringing Yeoul, his wife had passed away.

To Han, Yeoul was a being who brought disaster.

He had raised the unwanted Yeoul out of loyalty to his deceased wife.

And now she was to be married into a reputable family.

Just when he thought she would finally be of use, Yeoul had tainted the family’s honor with scandal.

Regardless of the veracity of the rumors, to Han, Yeoul was now a disgraced child.

Even the last vestiges of affection fell away in an instant.

“If such a thing happens again, take your own life then.”

Han’s eyes as he looked down at Yeoul were bitterly cold.

Not a shred of warmth remained in that gaze.

As if even drawing breath was too luxurious for one who shamed the family, Han asked again.

“Understood?”

Something surged up Yeoul’s throat.

She felt wronged and bitter, but Yeoul had never gone against Han’s will.

To remain a good daughter to the end, Yeoul swallowed her resentment.

“…..Yes, I understand.”

A pale hand picked up the silver knife.

The moonlight rising in the night sky was as cold as it was sorrowful.

***

A deserted alley in the market district.

Despite being daytime, the alley was dark and eerie.

Perhaps because of that, Tae was the only one walking through the alley.

However, considering Tae’s tall, sturdy build, the alley’s gloominess seemed no threat at all.

Then, a man quietly appeared behind Tae.

The man trod carefully like a thieving cat, following Tae’s footsteps.

As Tae rounded a corner, the man followed.

The man’s eyes widened in surprise.

“?!”

Tae had vanished.

As if he had sunk into the earth or flown to the sky. It was enough to make a ghost wail.

The man looked around.

Then, from another alley, a rough arm appeared and grabbed the back of the man’s neck.

“Urk!”

With a heavy thud, the man’s back slammed against the wall.

Tae, who had appeared out of nowhere, gripped the man’s collar.

Tae looked at the man with a chilling gaze and asked,

“Whose tail are you?”

The man’s eyes wavered.

The force exuded by Tae seemed to crush his entire body.

“I, I cannot say.”

“Well, I can probably guess without you telling me.”

Tae drew a blade from the scabbard at his waist.

The man’s face turned ashen at the terrifying gleam of the sword.

Tae smiled crookedly and continued,

“But to think you’d tail me. Letting you go unscathed would be too vexing.”

“Please, please…!”

Tae brought the blade to the man’s cheek.

At the touch of the cold steel, the man squeezed his eyes shut.

The moment the man inhaled sharply in fear, Je Hun appeared.

Dressed in military uniform and a bamboo hat, Je Hun bowed to Tae with disciplined movements.

“I found her.”

Tae’s movements stilled.

Tae spoke while keeping his eyes fixed on the man.

“You’re in luck.”

Tae released the man’s collar. Then he nodded curtly.

“Send my regards to Her Majesty the Queen.”

“Huk…!”

The released man scurried away in a flurry.

Tae, who had long taken his eyes off the man, asked as he wiped his blade,

“Did you find the person I asked you to find?”

“Yes. I found her.”

Tae’s hand that was wiping the sword paused.

At this harvest after months, intrigue flashed in Tae’s eyes.

As if to say ‘go on’, Tae nodded and Je Hun continued.

“She’s living under the name Han Yeoul. Her age, gender, background all match the information you provided. She was taken in as the adopted daughter of Han, the Yejo Chamui, at age 10. Her engagement was broken off four months ago due to a scandal, and now she’s been kicked out of the family and lives alone.”

“Hmm…..”

Tae narrowed his eyes.

To think the person he was searching for was so close by.

It seemed the heavens were on his side.

The corners of Tae’s lips curled up dangerously.

“The glory of the Shim family doesn’t have long left.”

“But about that scandal… something doesn’t add up.”

Je Hun tilted his head and continued,

“Upon further investigation, the lowborn she supposedly had an affair with. He had his identity laundered. This reeks of fishiness.”

“Seems we need to look into it further.”

Tae sheathed his cleaned sword.

“Lead the way to where that woman is.”

***

A rural village, far from the capital.

It had already been four months since Yeoul started living here.

The thatched cottage she lived in was so small, it would be cramped with just one person lying down.

But as long as it kept out the rain and provided a place to sleep, it was enough for Yeoul.

In the dusky evening, Yeoul entered the yard carrying a basket of work.

Then, a man who had been hiding pounced and grabbed Yeoul.

Yeoul screamed and the basket fell to the ground.

“What, what are you doing?! Let go this instant!”

Yeoul struggled to break free from the man’s hold.

But the man didn’t budge an inch.

The man leered, showing his yellowed teeth.

“Why act like this when we both know? It’s not like it’ll wear out from use.”

Yeoul’s eyes met those of the villagers beyond the fence.

Desperate, Yeoul cried out as if grasping at straws.

“Save me!”

Contrary to Yeoul’s desperate heart, the people turned a blind eye to her.

Some even clicked their tongues at Yeoul in disapproval.

The man dragged Yeoul into the room.

The door slammed shut with a bang.

“Don’t waste your energy. Isn’t it good when it’s good?”

“Let go!”

Yeoul bit the man’s arm.

The man screamed and flung Yeoul aside.

Yeoul hit her forehead on the floor, but she had no time to feel pain.

Yeoul took out a small silver knife from her bosom and swung it, but the knife just sliced through empty air.

“Why make things difficult when it could end easily if you just behave?”

The man, now more agitated than before, took out a club from his waist and brandished it.

Yeoul squeezed her eyes shut. She couldn’t avoid it.

Right then.

“Ack!”

With the man’s groan, something hot and wet splattered over Yeoul.

At the unpleasant sensation, she opened her eyes and a shower of crimson rained down.

The man who had been threatening Yeoul slowly crumpled. Behind him stood Tae, holding a sword.

Tae, who had appeared before her eyes, was a head taller than the average man.

His broad shoulders tapered to a slim waist, like Mount Taesan turned upside down.

Drenched in red blood, he resembled a grim reaper.

Tae’s keen, dark eyes looked down at Yeoul.

His blood-red lips moved languidly.

“Are you Han Yeoul?”

A deep, heavy voice like a cave.

The low, pooling timbre invaded Yeoul’s body.

Her mind snapped to alertness. The metallic scent of blood she hadn’t noticed before pulsed strongly.

A person had died. Belated fear overtook Yeoul and her hands trembled.

Tae, whom she wasn’t sure whether to call savior or murderer, roughly wiped the blood splattered on his face.

Once again, Tae threw a question at Yeoul.

“I asked if you’re Han Yeoul.”

Who was he that he knew her name?

The dark eyes fixed on Yeoul gleamed keenly.

The eyes of a predator with prey in sight.

Under the pressure he exuded, Yeoul felt as if her body had frozen.

Yeoul barely managed to move her stiff lips.

“…..I am Han Yeoul.”

Tae wiped his sword on the dead man’s clothes, cleaning off the blood.

The sword, cleansed of any stain, emitted an azure light.

This time, the back of the blade pointed at Yeoul’s chin.

Yeoul shrank back. She felt as if every hair on her body stood on end from head to toe.

Not because of the cold touch of the blade, but because of the uniquely chilling air Tae gave off.

The back of the blade brushed up Yeoul’s cheek, slowly rising.

It was a sufficiently menacing action.

But somehow, she didn’t think he would harm her.

Even as it slid up, the tip of the sword didn’t leave a single scratch on Yeoul’s delicate skin.

Rustle. Only the sound of hair moving could be heard in the quiet room.

The sword tip that had been delicately tracing her cheek gathered Yeoul’s disheveled hair, then stilled.

Tae murmured softly,

“Not bad.”

Tae’s gaze slid down Yeoul’s body as if tracing it.

His gaze stopped at Yeoul’s untied robe strings.

It seemed her robe had come loose earlier from her struggling.

With a person dying before her eyes and Tae’s sudden appearance, Yeoul had been distracted.

So she hadn’t realized the state of her appearance.

Belatedly noticing her robe, Yeoul hastily tied it closed.

But Tae’s eyes wouldn’t leave her robe strings.

Feeling his stare boring into her, Yeoul spoke.

“……Please look away.”

An awkward, uncomfortable air flowed for a moment.

Clang! The sound of a knife dropping cut through the silence.

As Yeoul flinched at the sudden noise, Tae strode towards her with his long legs.

A thick, dense scent of peony assaulted Yeoul’s nose.

At the distance so close their breaths almost touched, Yeoul felt dizzy.

Tae’s hand, a palm larger than hers, grasped Yeoul’s robe string.

Pulling it like that, Yeoul’s body tilted towards Tae.

“Ah…!”

Yeoul teetered and barely regained her balance.

If she hadn’t braced herself, she would have fallen right into Tae’s arms.

Suddenly, an ominous premonition flashed through Yeoul’s mind.

‘Could it be……’

Yeoul had hoped Tae was someone who had come to help her.

But the thought that Tae’s objective might be the same as the man who came earlier made her blood run cold.

Yeoul, who had no intention of meekly submitting like a well-prepared prey, focused her strength on the hand gripping her robe string.

“This is improper. I don’t know who you are, but to treat a noble lady so brazenly…..”

Before Yeoul could finish, Tae pulled the robe string again.

The string slipped from Yeoul’s grasp.

For a moment she thought she would be violated like this.

But then Tae began to retie Yeoul’s robe.

His movements were so delicate and gentle, it was hard to believe they belonged to hands that had killed a person.

As Yeoul blankly watched Tae’s antics, her robe was soon neatly tied.

Having completed his small task, Tae stepped back from Yeoul.

Then he looked her up and down from head to toe.

Finally appearing satisfied, Tae quirked up one corner of his mouth.

“Let me make you an offer.”

Yeoul looked at Tae.

She saw dark eyes like an abyss boring into her.

She couldn’t fathom what scheme he was hiding behind that smile.

She only clearly felt the dangerous premonition.

Barely maintaining her reason, Yeoul gulped down her saliva. Then Tae revealed his dark purpose.

“Become my woman, I, the Grand Prince Gang Sung Tae’s woman.”

At those unexpected words, Yeoul’s heart seemed to sink with a thud.

It was an arrogant command that would not come twice in her life.