As soon as he finished speaking, Eun Seol went into her room to prepare for going out.

Her heart was already fluttering at the thought of going to the marketplace with him, which was exciting enough on its own.

She came out wearing a cloak, with an iris-patterned hairpin neatly tucked into her hair.

Lee Woon quietly instructed Seo Yeom, who was standing outside the palace:

“Don’t follow us. Today I want to be alone with this person. You should go out and get some fresh air too.”

“Will you be alright?”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be back.”

“Then, please be careful.”

As the two left the palace, darkness was slowly settling in.

The breeze that touched their skin was refreshing and cool, as if cooling the air that had been heated during the day.

The sight of people gathering here and there to enjoy Dano seemed unfamiliar to her eyes.

Pushing through the crowd, led by his hand, the first place they visited was an accessory shop in the market alley.

“Hey, bring out the most expensive and beautiful hairpin you have here.”

“Oh my, sir, are you buying a gift for the lady? Let’s see… Take a look at this one.”

The hairpin the man handed over was a jade hairpin engraved with plum blossoms.

Not only was the engraved plum blossom beautiful, but the mysterious color emanating from the jade was truly lovely and beautiful.

“This is such a precious hairpin that I don’t show it to just anyone, but I think it would suit the lady perfectly. In fact, even Prince Jin Heon bought this to give to his wife.”

“Prince Jin Heon?”

“That’s right. They say the prince even stopped visiting gisaeng houses and bought this very hairpin to please his wife.”

“Is that so? But how beautiful must his wife be for the prince to stop visiting gisaeng houses?”

Eun Seol looked back and forth between the prince talking about himself without changing his expression and the man speaking lies as if they were true.

“Seeing how she captured the notoriously lecherous prince, she must be an incredible beauty. Rumors say he keeps his wife hidden in the palace and doesn’t let anyone meet her. Judging by that, she must be extremely beautiful.”

“Now that I hear your words, they make sense. So what does the prince do these days instead of visiting gisaeng houses?”

“Sir, you seem curious too. Well, these days all of Seoul is talking about the prince. People say he’s so infatuated with his wife that he doesn’t even go out. Well, that’s good, isn’t it? I hope the prince has finally settled down. For the sake of his wife, too.”

“My, so that’s the rumor. By the way, while everyone else is criticizing and slandering the prince, why are you taking his side?”

“I’m not taking sides, but one shouldn’t speak carelessly unless they’ve been in that person’s position. And after all, it’s just a rumor, isn’t it?”

“You’re better than me. Well then, shall we take a look at the hairpin the prince bought?”

He picked up the hairpin and examined it from various angles before holding it out to her.

“My lady. What do you think? They say Prince Jin Heon bought this hairpin. Do you like it?”

“…Yes, I like it.”

“Hey, give me this hairpin and that butterfly pendant over there together.”

“Oh my, sir, you have excellent taste. Please wait a moment.”

As he came out after paying, his face looked somewhat pleased.

Her heart began to race as she saw him gently smiling at her.

The cold memories and fear of him were gradually fading away, making her wonder if there was ever a time when she feared his gaze.

“My lady, shall we have a bite to eat over there?”

He took her to a tavern in the corner of the market.

There weren’t many people, so they sat at a nearby table and ordered rice soup.

“My lady, about that… rumor the shopkeeper mentioned earlier.”

“…?”

“Never mind. Please eat a lot.”

She knew what he was trying to say, but she didn’t ask any further.

The man she had seen since coming to Woon Yeon Palace was far from the rumors.

Rather than being dissolute, he was earnest in whatever he did, and the description of a lecherous man obsessed with women didn’t suit him at all.

She didn’t know who spread such rumors or why, but what she did know was that it was all just rumors.

The rumors were no longer important or of interest to her.

What mattered now and made her happy was that he loved her.

The two finished their meal of rice soup and left the tavern.

After walking for a while after leaving the tavern, she turned pale upon realizing there was nothing in her hand.

“My lady, what’s wrong?”

She had left the hairpin and pendant he had gifted her at the tavern.

She couldn’t believe she had made such a mistake.

“It’s alright. I’ll go back and get them. Please wait here for a moment. It won’t take long.”

He reassured her and ran back the way they had come.

* * *

Watching his retreating figure, she felt uneasy for some reason.

As she waited for him anxiously, she suddenly realized that this was a deserted area.

Someone roughly grabbed her arm as she paced nervously.

She turned and met the eyes of a man leering at her maliciously.

The way he twisted his lips into a smile was so evil, like a snake, that it gave her chills.

The staggering man reeked of alcohol.

“Did you come out longing for a man too? If so, this brother can’t just stand by. Let’s go somewhere and have some fun.”

“W-why are you doing this? Let go!”

“Ha, you’re throwing a fit like a real woman. Come here. You look like a widow without a husband. I’ll please you today. Depending on how you do, I might even make you my concubine. So show this brother a good time.”

The man, who seemed to be a nobleman judging by his attire, grabbed her arm and pulled her towards him.

She struggled to break free as she was pulled helplessly, but she was no match for the man’s strength.

If she stayed still like this, she would be dragged away helplessly.

Eun Seol calmed her trembling heart and bit the man’s arm that was pressing against her with all her might.

“Argh! You b**ch, how dare you bite me! I was going to play with you because you looked pretty decent, but you’re getting ahead of yourself.”

Just as the man’s hand was about to grab her hair, Eun Seol closed her eyes tightly in fear, unable to move.

She was terrified, expecting to be hit, but there was no reaction.

This was because someone had grabbed the man’s arm and thrown him to the ground.

The man screamed and cursed.

“Who are you! You b*****d, do you know who I am to dare touch me? Do you want to die!”

“I’m not curious about who you are. It would be better for you to shut up before I tear that blabbering mouth to shreds.”

Eun Seol raised her head, trembling with fear. The one she had been waiting for had come.

Lee Woon’s foot was pressing on the man’s chest, and in his hand was a dagger pointed directly at the man’s throat.

There was a killing intent in his eyes.

“You b*****d, do you know who I…”

“I told you I’m not curious. The moment you know who I am, you’re dead.”

“Ha, it seems you want that woman too. I’ll let you have her. So…”

As the sharp blade grazed the man’s arm and chest, his scream echoed and blood splattered on the ground.

“Y-you b*****d… How dare you… Argh!”

The merciless blade flew towards the back of the man’s hand.

“Say it again. Next time it’ll be your neck.”

Finally realizing the situation, the man began to beg, trembling with fear.

“P-please spare my life. I-I was wrong.”

It seemed he would really kill the man if left alone.

Eun Seol grabbed his arm with trembling hands.

Seeing her pleading with her eyes that it was enough now, his face contorted.

He who seemed unlikely to let go easily finally separated from the man after seeing her trembling like an aspen leaf.

“It would be better if you never appear before my eyes again. Next time, I’ll really kill you. If you understand, get lost!”

His suppressed voice was filled with anger.

The man clutched his bloodied arm and ran away without looking back.

“I shouldn’t have left you alone. Are you hurt anywhere?”

She wrapped her arms around his neck. Tears flowed endlessly.

“I was scared. I was afraid of what would happen if you didn’t come.”

His strong arms embraced her tightly. Like a lie, he had come at that terrible moment.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come sooner. Get on my back.”

“I’m fine.”

“I’m not fine. Come on.”

She reluctantly got on his back. It was broad and warm.

Eun Seol buried her face in his back and asked quietly.

“Isn’t it difficult?”

“It’s not difficult. I’m sorry for letting that happen to you. I shouldn’t have just let him go, I should have killed him.”

“I’m fine now. Did you find the items?”

“For something like that, we almost had a terrible incident.”

“We should thank Lady Eom. The iris root was effective.”

“So that’s how it turned out.”

Eun Seol hugged his neck once more.

“It’s my first time.”

“What is?”

“It’s my first time going out like this on Dano, receiving a gift with sincere feelings, and also…”

“And?”

She couldn’t continue and buried her face deep in his back.

Then, as if confessing, she quietly uttered:

“It’s also the first time someone has truly worried about me and gotten angry on my behalf.”

How could she convey her feelings in words?

At this moment, she wished she could express in words how she felt, but she couldn’t, and it was frustrating.

She thought this happiness wasn’t meant for her. It couldn’t be hers.

No one reached out to a misfit who was even abandoned by her own parents.

In her family, she was called the abandoned child, a dirty and lowly woman, an evil child who brought misfortune like her mother.

It was hell.

That place was a living hell that she wanted to escape from but couldn’t.

Today, the man who had pulled her out of that hellish place felt heartbroken and angry for her sake.

Tears welled up in her eyes.

Eun Seol buried her face deep in his back and quietly sobbed.

She couldn’t stop crying because she was too happy.

He, who had been walking silently until her sobbing stopped, quietly said:

“Um… Shall I make a confession too?”

“…?”

“Actually, this is my first time coming out like this on Dano too. And giving a gift to someone, you’re my first as well.”

His words saying that everything was his first with her touched her heart.

So Eun Seol wanted to gather courage and try something just once, even if it was embarrassing.

“From now on, I hope I will be your first in everything.”