Is it said that life is something you cannot foresee even an inch ahead?

If it weren’t for her father’s death, Jwa Woo would have grown up as a precious daughter in a noble house.

But after her father passed away, everything changed.

The family’s fortunes declined day by day, and her mother, bedridden from the shock of her father’s death, passed away a year later.

Jwa Woo suddenly became an orphan who was not an orphan.

All that remained for her was a house, a small field, and an old slave couple with their young granddaughter.

At first, she spent her days in despair, wondering what was the point of living like this.

After living like that for several seasons, she suddenly became curious.

Why did her father die?

Why did no one pay attention to the suspicious circumstances of her father’s death?

So Jwa Woo decided to find out for herself.

Why her father had to face death.

But no one would tell her. No, no one would even meet with her regarding her father’s death.

So she made up her mind.

If they wouldn’t meet her, she would make them come to her.

She decided to become the kind of person they wanted most.

She had been clever since childhood.

“If only that child had been born a boy…”

She had heard her father’s regretful sigh a dozen times a day.

When that intelligence was combined with tireless effort, truly remarkable talent was displayed.

By understanding the trends of the world and the tendencies of the exam administrators, and synthesizing past exam questions, certain ideas of what would appear on the next exam began to form clearly in her mind.

At first, she doubted it.

But the miracle occurred of accurately predicting the exam questions for five state examinations, including regular and special exams. Before long, she had earned the nickname “the Hwaseop Scholar of Myeongye District”.

But the questions about her father’s death remained.

Most of the successful candidates she had helped pass the state exams so far were from families related to the mysterious deaths that occurred in the palace 10 years ago.

Of course, those who had contact with her father around the time of his death, those who were at the scene, and even those who cleaned up the scene.

However, not a single person was willing to tell Jwa Woo the story she wanted to hear.

“It was truly remarkable.”

Woo Geon’s voice cut into Jwa Woo’s reverie.

Shaking the busy thoughts from her mind, Jwa Woo looked at Hong Woo Geon.

Woo Geon smiled a pleasant smile.

It was a smile that could instantly disarm the viewer.

The more Hong Woo Geon’s smile deepened, the sharper and harder Jwa Woo’s gaze became as she looked at him.

But Hong Woo Geon paid no heed to Jwa Woo’s gaze.

He simply spoke leisurely what he wanted to say.

“For one person to produce five successful candidates in five state exams…”

Woo Geon’s eyes were filled with certainty as he looked at Jwa Woo.

Any further denial would only look foolish.

Jwa Woo responded with words that were neither confirmation nor denial.

“Rumors tend to be exaggerated by nature.”

“That’s true.”

Hong Woo Geon nodded as if agreeing.

Seeing him agree so easily, a strange stubbornness bloomed in Jwa Woo’s chest.

Why are you agreeing so easily?

She almost said it out loud.

Jwa Woo hurriedly bit her lip.

Woo Geon crouched down in front of her.

“How on earth did you do it?”

His gaze fixed on Jwa Woo as if looking at some strange creature.

“What do you mean?”

“What methods did you use to make those men pass the state exams?”

“How would I know that?”

“Before meeting you in person, I thought you must be someone with incredible talent.”

Woo Geon met Jwa Woo’s gaze for a moment, then shook his head.

“But that doesn’t seem to be the case.”

“…”

“Then perhaps you used feminine wiles to find out the exam contents in advance…?”

Hong Woo Geon trailed off, then shook his head even more firmly and vigorously than before.

“…That’s even less likely.”

“…!”

This man!

What is he doing, saying such things to someone’s face?

Without realizing it, one of Jwa Woo’s eyes twitched upward in anger.

Then, with a triumphant smile on her lips, Jwa Woo spoke.

“I don’t think your situation is so carefree right now.”

“What’s wrong with my situation?”

Woo Geon turned his gaze toward Jwa Woo.

In that moment, their two gazes became entangled as one.

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All things in the world are governed by cause and effect.

There is a cause, and accordingly, an appropriate effect occurs. This was the utmost common sense that Jwa Woo had learned and practiced until now.

But in this moment, that utmost common sense was shaken.

The moment her eyes met the man’s.

Without any reason, her heart began to race.

For a brief moment, she wondered if it might be due to fear.

But it wasn’t.

The pounding of her heart now was completely different from the emotion felt when experiencing fear or terror.

An unfamiliar and novel emotion.

The confident and somewhat arrogant look in Jwa Woo’s eyes subtly faltered.

Her gaze, which had been directed at Hong Woo Geon, gently shifted to the side.

Had he noticed this subtle emotional fluctuation?

A playful smile settled at the corners of Woo Geon’s eyes.

Somehow, it felt as if she had been emotionally pushed back by her opponent before the fight had even begun.

This man!

There was not the slightest intention to back down here.

Jwa Woo deliberately hid the unfamiliar emotion tickling the edges of her heart. Instead, she rekindled the fire in her eyes that had been fading.

As she glared more fiercely than before, Hong Woo Geon’s voice pierced her ears.

“Aren’t you going to ask? What is my situation, you say?”

“You’re in the urgent situation of being branded a kidnapper.”

Jwa Woo added in a voice tinged with subtle threat.

“However, if you let me go now, I’ll pretend nothing happened.”

Jwa Woo generously offered her kindness.

But her goodwill was blocked by Woo Geon.

Hong Woo Geon shook his head.

“That’s impossible. Something clearly happened, so how can we say nothing happened?”

“I’m offering to be generous.”

“My conscience won’t allow it.”

“What nonsense are you spouting?”

“Honesty is our family motto.”

“If you end up being dragged to the magistrate’s office, you’ll hardly escape a beating.”

“It’s fine. There’s no one bold enough to dare beat me.”

“…”

What? Seeing him speak so confidently, it seems his backing is no ordinary matter.

But I can’t just back down so easily.

“I hate to say this myself, but I have quite a few acquaintances who receive substantial salaries from the government.”

The implication was clear that if she searched her connections, she would find at least one high-ranking official, so he shouldn’t act recklessly just relying on his backing.

Woo Geon’s lips stretched into another grin.

Looking exactly like a mischievous child, he retorted.

“Our family also receives no less salary than others.”

“We also have many praised martial artists.”

“If you’re talking about swordsmen, our family has quite a few as well.”

Hong Woo Geon countered each of Jwa Woo’s threats in turn.

For a moment, Jwa Woo fell silent.

This is not an easy man. It seems it won’t be easy to get out of this situation.

In that case…

“What do you want?”

At times like this, it was best to ask directly.

As if he had been waiting for this, Woo Geon answered.

“You know there’s a state exam next month, right?”

How could she not know?

That’s what caused this whole mess…

Jwa Woo stared blankly at Hong Woo Geon.

After three years as a writing tutor, you can tell just by looking at someone’s face whether they’ll pass or not.

The man before her certainly didn’t have the look of someone who would fail, but…

“It seems you’re not as smart as you look.”

She said bluntly, peeling back her bangs.

But Hong Woo Geon understood Jwa Woo’s words perfectly.

“No.”

“What?”

“The one taking the exam isn’t me.”

Curiosity and wonder simultaneously appeared in Jwa Woo’s eyes.

“If not you, then who are you so anxious about?”

“Talented individuals. I want to help people living in obscurity pass the exam.”

Hong Woo Geon’s face burned with determination.

Seeing his expression full of earnestness, Jwa Woo asked.

“Could it be a younger brother so dear you wouldn’t feel pain even if you put him in your eye?”

“No.”

“Then an elder brother you respect greatly?”

“Not that either.”

“Then it must be a relative you’re so desperate to help?”

“Even less so.”

Hong Woo Geon shook his head firmly at Jwa Woo’s questions.

“You mean to say you’re going to such lengths for someone who’s neither yourself nor your kin?”

“Because their abilities are too precious to waste.”

“The world is full of talented people.”

“But there are few I can truly call ‘my people’.”

Hong Woo Geon’s face was tinged with regret as he emphasized the words ‘my people’.

Seeing his somewhat anxious appearance, Jwa Woo felt a strange sense of satisfaction.

She wanted to savor this peculiar feeling a bit longer.

“Sometimes people realize their potential late in life. If you wait…”

“Some have already failed the exam several times.”

“Oh my…”

Several times?

Jwa Woo shook her head.

“It seems they’re just not destined for the state exams.”

“That’s why I’d like you to help them pass the exam.”

“How could someone like me, with neither talent nor beauty, do such a thing?”

Her words were laced with barbs.

A corner of Jwa Woo’s tangled heart quietly raised its head.

Ignoring this, Hong Woo Geon responded.

“I thought the Hwaseop Scholar of Myeongye District might be able to.”

Seeing his confident expression, Jwa Woo burst out:

“How can you be so brazen when you’re the one asking for a favor?”

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The night flowed like clouds.

Time passed leisurely through Jwa Woo and Woo Geon’s fierce war of words, and dawn was already resting its chin on the mountain peak.

The nighttime cries that had been heard from afar had long since ceased.

Beyond the closed window, the blue-tinged dawn approached closely.

Perhaps he was tired now.

Hong Woo Geon, who had been alternating between threats and persuasion towards Jwa Woo, rose from his seat.

What is he going to do now?

Jwa Woo stared at him with eyes mixed equally with curiosity and fear.

As if answering her gaze, Hong Woo Geon flung open the door.

At the same time, his voice cut through the air outside.

“Are you out there?”

Soon, a man in black martial attire with a mask appeared before Hong Woo Geon.

“Bring that here.”

“You mean that, sir?”

Hong Woo Geon nodded and urged the man who was asking again.

The man, gauging his master’s mood, disappeared briefly and returned.

When he returned, a heavy-looking sack was slung over the man’s shoulder.

Hong Woo Geon made way for the man and gestured towards the front of Jwa Woo.

Soon, the sack was placed in front of Jwa Woo.

“What is this?”

Hong Woo Geon personally opened the sack to show her.

Jwa Woo’s eyes widened.