The scenery of the eastern guesthouse in Yaseong County was divided into before and after Arang’s arrival.

Upon entering the once desolate guesthouse, the first thing to stimulate the senses was a fragrant scent.

This was because Arang, sensitive to smells, had placed incense burners not only in the room but also in the courtyard of the guesthouse. Flowers planted in pots were arranged in the courtyard to bask in the sunlight and breeze, creating a bright atmosphere.

Above all, the wall surrounding the guesthouse brought the biggest change to the place.

The heads of young men from the village, hoping to catch a glimpse of Arang’s beautiful figure, lined the wall like sparrows perched on branches.

Unperturbed by the gaze of these men, Arang came out to the courtyard and gracefully went about watering the plants and adding incense to the burners. With each step she took, small gasps could be heard from somewhere, and the men’s eyes widened at the sight of her delicate hands as she watered the flowers.

“How can a person’s hands be so beautiful?”

“And her beauty? Could even the heavenly maidens be more lovely than this lady?”

Their whispered words reached Arang’s ears. Yet her expression remained unchanged.

These were words she had heard all her life, and would continue to hear.

Born as the precious daughter of a high-ranking Joseon scholar, Arang had lived a privileged life. To her, the opinions of these country men were mere bothersome noise.

The only man she desired was Hong Woo Geon.

How wonderful it would be if Hong Woo Geon said even once, “You’re beautiful, you’re lovely.”

Come to think of it, not once since childhood had those words left Hong Woo Geon’s lips. Occasionally, very occasionally, he had said “Well done, good job,” but never a word about her beauty.

Was Arang not beautiful in Hong Woo Geon’s eyes?

What about her did not meet his standards?

Arang’s delicate brow furrowed.

Just then, a voice interrupted her thoughts.

“Young lady.”

It was her maid, Sa Wol.

“Sa Wol, you’re here.”

Arang acknowledged Sa Wol in a calm and elegant voice, her gaze fixed on the camellia blooming in a pot.

“Have you heard?”

Sa Wol asked abruptly, cutting to the chase.

“Heard what?”

“About young master Geon…”

At this, Arang finally turned to look at Sa Wol.

“What about elder brother Geon?”

“It’s rather embarrassing to say…”

“What is it? Speak up quickly, won’t you?”

“Last night, young master Geon went to the government office, it seems.”

“Why the government office?”

“He suddenly demanded they prepare a feast, they say.”

“He asked for what to be prepared?”

“A feast, a feast!”

“Elder brother Geon wouldn’t do such a thing.”

“That’s what I’m saying. Our young master Geon, how upright and honest he is…”

Sa Wol’s expression turned as if she might cry at any moment as she continued.

“Even the ignorant servants from the kitchen are gossiping, saying we misjudged him. I was so upset… Young lady! Young lady, where are you going?”

Before Sa Wol could finish speaking, Arang had already begun walking away. Surely something must have happened.

Who was Hong Woo Geon? Was he not the grandson of Hong Gil Ju, the minister so cherished by the former king?

Hong Woo Geon’s grandfather had declined to serve in the royal court, fearing corruption from worldly affairs, and retired to the countryside.

Hong Woo Geon’s eldest uncle had once served as the Chief State Councillor, and everyone in the family was praised as a genius.

Perhaps due to his family’s influence?

Hong Woo Geon too had been called a prodigy since childhood.

When they met at age nine, Hong Woo Geon was already studying the Great Learning. Even at just nine years old, he was astute about the ways of the world and clear on right and wrong – this was Hong Woo Geon.

That Hong Woo Geon had asked for a feast to be prepared?

It was unbelievable.

So she had to confirm it herself.

Arang headed towards the western guesthouse where Hong Woo Geon was staying. As her heart raced, her steps quickened.

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“No, no, that’s not it.”

Hong Woo Geon sat on the porch of the guesthouse, shaking his head repeatedly.

In the yard, Lee Gyo Young, Kwon Jwa Woo, and Yoo Chi Sung were washing rice according to his instructions.

Hong Woo Geon was merely sitting and moving his mouth.

“When washing rice, you must wash it five times to the left, four times to the right, then four times to the left again, then three times to the right… How many times do I have to tell you?”

“If you’re so good at it, why don’t you do it yourself?”

Kwon Jwa Woo, unable to bear it any longer, protested to Hong Woo Geon.

But Hong Woo Geon, as if he hadn’t heard Kwon Jwa Woo’s words, continued his nagging.

“Sir Yoo, you need to submerge your arms deeper into the rice. The residual heat from human hands transfers to the rice, which will bring out a deeper flavor when fermenting the alcohol later.”

“That’s why I’m saying, if you know so well, Sir Hong, you should do it yourself.”

Kwon Jwa Woo shook off the water on her hands and approached Hong Woo Geon.

In that moment, Hong Woo Geon lifted his bottom from the porch, stood up, brushed past Kwon Jwa Woo, and sat down next to Lee Gyo Young.

“I usually don’t do this kind of work myself. But it’s so frustrating, I’ll demonstrate just once.”

Rolling up his sleeves, Hong Woo Geon was approached again by Kwon Jwa Woo.

“Can’t you hear what I’m saying?”

“Is it going to rain?”

Hong Woo Geon suddenly looked up at the sky and said something irrelevant.

“What? Are you acting like this because of yesterday?”

“Yesterday?”

Hong Woo Geon looked at Kwon Jwa Woo with a puzzled expression.

“Did something happen yesterday?”

He had decided to forget about last night’s kiss completely.

With an expression as if he had truly erased it from his mind, Hong Woo Geon blinked his eyes.

“Why? Did you two fight yesterday?”

Yoo Chi Sung showed interest.

Lee Gyo Young didn’t say anything but kept glancing at the two of them.

“No!”

“No!”

It was the first time Hong Woo Geon and Kwon Jwa Woo, who had been at odds all day, agreed on something.

“Something happened, something definitely happened.”

Yoo Chi Sung looked at Hong Woo Geon and Kwon Jwa Woo alternately with suspicious eyes.

“What? What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

Hong Woo Geon dismissed the question with a “hmph” and left his seat.

“What? Weren’t you going to show us how to wash rice?”

Yoo Chi Sung grabbed the hem of Hong Woo Geon’s clothes as he was leaving.

“I changed my mind. The three of you discuss and figure it out yourselves.”

“Oh my, your mood changes as quickly as boiling porridge, as quickly as boiling porridge.”

Watching Hong Woo Geon disappear beyond the middle gate of the guesthouse, Yoo Chi Sung clicked his tongue. Then he began washing the rice submerged in water as Hong Woo Geon had instructed.

“Did nothing really happen?”

Lee Gyo Young, who had been staring blankly at Yoo Chi Sung washing rice, asked Kwon Jwa Woo.

Kwon Jwa Woo shook her head dejectedly.

“Nothing happened.”

“…”

“Really, nothing happened.”

“There’s a saying that strong denial is affirmation.”

“Is that so?”

“Even if I asked what happened… you wouldn’t tell me, would you?”

“You know too much about me.”

“Why? Are you going to kill me secretly like a mouse or a bird?”

“That remains to be seen.”

“Oh my, I’d better watch my back. Hahaha.”

Lee Gyo Young burst into laughter at Kwon Jwa Woo’s small joke.

Kwon Jwa Woo also laughed softly.

At the end of their laughter, Lee Gyo Young asked Kwon Jwa Woo.

“Don’t you feel a bit better after laughing?”

“It seems my complicated feelings have eased a little.”

“Then shall I tell you a method even better than laughter?”

“Is there such a method?”

Kwon Jwa Woo’s eyes sparkled.

Lee Gyo Young, who had been staring intently at those eyes, looked down at Yoo Chi Sung.

“Can you wash the rice by yourself?”

“This little task, how hard could it be?”

“Then is it alright if I go somewhere with Lady Kwon for a moment?”

“Why? What are you two going to do?”

[This is the timeline separator]

“Will this really make my heart feel at ease?”

The place Lee Gyo Young brought Kwon Jwa Woo to was where the soldiers practiced martial arts.

He placed a wooden dummy shaped like a person in front and raised a wooden sword.

“Head, shoulders, arms, knees, legs. Strike in this order.”

Swish swish, Lee Gyo Young lightly twirled the wooden sword with his fingertips, then properly gripped it and quickly struck the wooden dummy’s head, shoulders, arms, and knees in order.

After striking the entire body of the dummy with the wooden sword in an instant, Lee Gyo Young held out the sword to Kwon Jwa Woo.

“Try it once.”

Kwon Jwa Woo reflexively took the wooden sword.

She had held a wooden sword a few times to act as Hwa Seop Ja of Myeongye district. But it was her first time learning from a real warrior like this. Kwon Jwa Woo was nervous.

“Grip the sword more firmly. If you’re not careful, the sword might fly off from the recoil when you strike.”

“Yes.”

Following Lee Gyo Young’s advice, Kwon Jwa Woo gripped the wooden sword tightly and began to strike the wooden dummy.

Head, shoulders, arms, knees…

It was time to strike the legs, but the wooden sword missed the dummy’s legs.

“Concentrate. The moment you let your mind wander, the wooden sword won’t hit where Lady Kwon intends it to.”

“I understand.”

Kwon Jwa Woo took a deep breath and readjusted her grip on the wooden sword.

Head, shoulders, arms, knees, legs.

This time, she succeeded perfectly.

As Kwon Jwa Woo silently cheered to herself, Lee Gyo Young’s voice was heard.

“Do that a hundred times and then return to the guesthouse.”

Leaving behind words that seemed both a request and an order, Lee Gyo Young left the place.

Kwon Jwa Woo, watching Lee Gyo Young’s retreating back, began to strike the wooden dummy with the wooden sword.

“Head, shoulders, arms, knees, legs. One, two, three…”

Beads of sweat formed on her forehead.

Her arms wielding the wooden sword grew heavier and heavier. But strangely, her heart felt lighter. The more she struck the dummy’s body, the more she felt the weight deeply pressing on her heart lighten.

While focusing on the wooden sword and the wooden dummy, the weight of life and the hardships of existence that had been pressing down on her seemed to fade into the distance.

“…Ninety-nine, one hundred.”

Finally reaching a hundred, Kwon Jwa Woo slumped down on the spot.

Sweat dripped from the tip of her chin. Her entire body was drenched in sweat. Blisters had formed on her palms where she had gripped the wooden sword, without her even realizing. When she touched the blisters with her fingertips, a stinging pain shot through.

But even that pain helped her forget certain memories, so Kwon Jwa Woo felt rather refreshed.

[This is the timeline separator]

“Elder brother Geon.”

The place where Arang found Hong Woo Geon was outside the martial arts training ground attached to the government office.

She looked up at Hong Woo Geon, who was much taller than her, while catching her breath.

Hong Woo Geon’s sharp jawline embodied both beauty and masculinity. That’s why Arang enjoyed looking up at him like this.

As she was momentarily lost, captivated by his beauty, Hong Woo Geon’s voice reached her.

“What’s the matter?”

We agreed not to see each other again here in Yaseong County.

“Is it true?”

“What’s true?”

“Did you really ask for a feast to be prepared, elder brother?”

“Yes.”

“What?”

She thought he would deny it. She thought he would say it was just a baseless rumor.

“Why?”

She asked out of genuine curiosity.

“I wanted to.”

“But why did you want to?”

“Do I have to explain every little thing?”

“Elder brother… you’ve changed. You used to tell me everything, this and that. There were no secrets from me.”

“Did I do that?”

“Yes, you did.”

“I was wrong then.”

“Pardon?”

“I shouldn’t have done that from the beginning.”

“Elder brother…”

“You should go now. People might misunderstand if they see us.”

Arang felt stubborn in the face of Hong Woo Geon’s constant attempts to push her away.

“Let them misunderstand if they want. After all, aren’t we promised to each other in marriage, elder brother?”

“That’s…”

“So this Arang doesn’t care. As long as you’re alright with it, I won’t care what anyone else says.”

Arang suddenly linked her arm with Hong Woo Geon’s. As if she would never let go, very tightly.

It was at that moment.

Thud.

A wooden sword that had fallen to the ground rolled over and stopped at Hong Woo Geon’s feet.

When Hong Woo Geon looked up, Kwon Jwa Woo was standing in front of him.