The festive atmosphere was reaching its peak.

With lively music, delicious food, and accompanying drinks prepared. There could not have been a more perfect banquet.

Hong Woo Geon repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Jung Scholar for arranging such an occasion.

“Thank you for so readily bestowing this kindness.”

Hong Woo Geon poured his homemade liquor into Jung Scholar’s cup.

Jung Scholar downed the brimming cup of alcohol in one gulp.

Lee Gyo Young, who had been watching, stepped forward.

“Let me pour you a drink as well.”

Taking the bottle from Hong Woo Geon, Lee Gyo Young filled Jung Scholar’s empty cup.

“Ho ho ho, you’re being too generous with your flattery over such a small matter.”

Jung Scholar smiled generously and emptied the cup Lee Gyo Young had filled in one shot as well.

Not to be outdone, Yoo Chi Sung rolled up his sleeves.

“I can’t just sit idly by either.”

Snatching the bottle from Lee Gyo Young, Yoo Chi Sung proceeded to fill Jung Scholar’s cup.

Seeing Jung Scholar receive his third cup of alcohol, Kwon Jwa Woo quietly rose from her seat.

Goo Butler, who had been standing below the main hall, quickly approached.

“Do you need anything, my lady?”

“I need to use the privy…”

“Ah, it’s behind the inner courtyard. I can guide you…”

“That won’t be necessary.”

Kwon Jwa Woo waved her hand.

She looked back at Jung Scholar receiving drinks offered by the inspectors.

Whether he had a low alcohol tolerance or not, a flush of intoxication had already risen to Jung Scholar’s eyes.

Goo Butler followed Kwon Jwa Woo’s gaze.

Seeing his master’s disheveled state, Kwon Jwa Woo gave him a small nod.

Understanding the gesture to mean he should stay and attend to his master, Goo Butler quietly stepped back.

Thus, Kwon Jwa Woo left the inner courtyard alone and headed towards the privy as Goo Butler had instructed.

How far had she walked?

At a point where the music and bustling air from the inner courtyard had faded, Kwon Jwa Woo suddenly stopped and looked around. All attention in the house was focused on the inner courtyard.

Thanks to this, she was able to freely roam various parts of Jung Scholar’s mansion.

Kwon Jwa Woo wasted no time in changing direction.

Her destination was the northern backyard of the mansion, thick with coniferous trees.

As Kwon Jwa Woo headed towards the granary in the backyard, the events from a few days ago vividly came to mind.

*

“Did you find it?”

A few nights ago, late at night.

Lee Gyo Young, who had visited Jung Scholar’s house with Yoo Chi Sung, asked Hong Woo Geon upon his return to the guesthouse.

Lee Gyo Young had also been thinking that Jung Scholar was up to something suspicious.

That’s why he deliberately visited Jung Scholar’s house with Yoo Chi Sung and caused a commotion, buying time for Kwon Jwa Woo and Hong Woo Geon to look around the mansion.

To Lee Gyo Young’s question, Hong Woo Geon nodded with an unusually serious expression.

“I found it. I saw with my own eyes what madness that man is up to.”

“Then shouldn’t we arrest and punish him immediately?”

“What if he flatly denies it?”

“What?”

“What if Jung Scholar flatly denies that it was his doing? What if he shifts the blame onto his underlings?”

“…”

Lee Gyo Young silently nodded. Hong Woo Geon’s words made sense.

Though it was a short time, Jung Scholar seemed more than capable of such actions from what they had learned about him.

Moreover, wasn’t he someone who had built up trust in the region over a long time?

He could even claim innocence, saying the visiting secret royal inspectors were trying to frame him.

“So? Do you have any ideas?”

“To catch a tiger, you must enter the tiger’s den.”

“Are you saying you’ll climb over Jung Scholar’s walls again?”

“No. This time, we won’t go secretly, but proudly enter through the front gate.”

“Even if we visit like that, do you think he’ll easily admit his crimes?”

“We must make Jung Scholar confess with his own mouth.”

“How?”

“Drunken truth-telling.”

“Drunken truth-telling?”

Lee Gyo Young mulled over Hong Woo Geon’s words.

Hong Woo Geon explained his plan to him.

“I intend to make him drink. So that he’ll confess on his own.”

“Will that work?”

Lee Gyo Young, who had expected some grand plan, asked with a bewildered expression.

Even if it was drunken truth-telling.

How could someone voluntarily reveal their own fatal criminal acts?

But Hong Woo Geon was certain.

“Just trust me!”

“…”

Though not entirely convinced, they had no other options.

The inspectors had no choice but to follow Hong Woo Geon.

And so, they brewed alcohol according to Hong Woo Geon’s instructions and waited for the feast day.

Throughout the wait, Kwon Jwa Woo couldn’t contain another curiosity.

That night.

The night she secretly climbed over Jung Scholar’s wall with Hong Woo Geon.

What did he see in the backyard granary?

Hong Woo Geon’s expression as he came out of the backyard was gravely serious.

What on earth did he see to make such a face?

*

She must have walked quite a distance while lost in thought.

The granary was visible not far away.

Kwon Jwa Woo took a deep breath. She felt needlessly tense.

To calm her nerves, she lightly fluttered her hands and feet as she approached the granary.

One step, two steps.

The closer she got to the granary, the louder her heartbeat became.

Imagining what might be happening inside the granary, Kwon Jwa Woo reached the front.

Just in case, she gently pushed on the granary door. As expected, it was firmly locked from the inside.

Kwon Jwa Woo headed to the backyard of the granary.

Fearing someone might hear her footsteps, she walked on her tiptoes and even lowered her breathing, focusing all her senses on any signs from inside.

Just then, a loud voice came from inside the granary.

“Please save me!”

The young boy’s voice was full of moisture.

The boy, who cried out for help in a trembling voice, ran to the granary door and tried to open the barred door. But it was useless.

A large padlock was on the bar, and the key to that padlock was with Dolseok.

Dolseok approached the boy with big strides. He lashed the boy’s back with the whip he was holding.

In extreme pain, the child collapsed to the floor without even being able to scream.

“You brats haven’t tasted enough of the whip, have you?”

Dolseok continued kicking and whipping the child who offered no resistance.

The children in the granary could only watch the two in silence. They had neither the courage to save their comrade being beaten by Dolseok nor the will to stop Dolseok’s beating.

Somehow exposed to poison and accustomed to beatings, they knew they were slowly dying but couldn’t leave that place.

Because they had nowhere else to go.

Because there was no one waiting for them.

For children without even a firefly’s worth of hope, that place worse than hell was their home and only sanctuary.

Although they were beaten and coughed up blood every day from fumigating terrible poisons, they didn’t starve here.

It was still a place where living comrades outnumbered dead ones.

A place where there were beings to lean on warmly.

That’s why the children didn’t even dare to run away.

Jung Scholar was using the children’s wretched lives to fill his own belly.

Kwon Jwa Woo’s eyes reddened as she watched the situation inside through the half-open small side door at the back of the granary.

Something hot rose in her throat.

She wanted to open the door right away and push away Dolseok who was beating the child.

But…

Kwon Jwa Woo looked down at her empty hands.

‘Remember, we have no authority. We must endure no matter what we see.’

She recalled Hong Woo Geon’s admonition to the inspectors before coming to Jung Scholar’s house.

In other words, if she rushed in there now, she would be a criminal trespassing into someone else’s granary, and if she stopped Dolseok from beating the children, she would be meddling in someone else’s household affairs.

She was furious.

She felt wronged.

And she had never resented her own helplessness so much.

Hot tears flowed from her eyes at the burning indignation.

Kwon Jwa Woo wiped her eyes with her fist and glared at the granary.

What should she do? How could she stop what was happening in there?

Seeking a solution, Kwon Jwa Woo stood close to the granary wall.

Fortunately, the sound of beating was no longer heard.

Instead, Dolseok’s threats to discipline the children were heard.

The moment she heard Dolseok’s voice threatening to kill not only those who tried to escape but also the other children here immediately, Kwon Jwa Woo unconsciously clenched her fists.

It was at that moment.

A boisterous hand grabbed one of Kwon Jwa Woo’s shoulders. Pulled by the sudden force, Kwon Jwa Woo turned around.

In an instant, Kwon Jwa Woo’s eyes widened.

A death cry-like word escaped her lips.

“You…!”

Jet-black eyes like ripe wild grapes.

A face so white it seemed dusted with powder and bright red lips.

A sharp nose bridge rising proudly and a soft jawline.

The one exuding such a noble appearance was none other than the king.

“What are you doing here?”

The king asked, unconcerned about his surroundings.

At the unexpectedly loud voice, Kwon Jwa Woo hurriedly put her index finger to her lips.

Please be quiet.

The king tilted his head at her silent gesture.

“Why can’t you answer?”

‘I’m spying.’

Instead of speaking, Kwon Jwa Woo pointed at the granary.

Surely he should understand by now.

“Didn’t I ask what you’re doing here?”

The king asked again.

“And what exactly are you doing?”

Kwon Jwa Woo and the king turned at the sudden angry shout.

Since when had he been there?

Dolseok was breathing heavily like a bull as he looked at the two.

Disregarding his appearance, the king pointed at Dolseok.

And asks.

“And who is that fellow?”