Woon could not hold back and finally shouted.

Soon Young, startled, glanced at the maids standing next to her with lowered heads.

“I told them to go easy, but it seems those girls went a bit too far. Later, I will…”

Before Soon Young could finish speaking, Woon drew his sword from its scabbard.

The sharp blade sliced through the air with a chilling sound.

Seo Yeom stepped in front of the prince.

“Your Excellency. You must restrain yourself.”

“Get out of my way!”

At the prince’s fierce command, Seo Yeom reluctantly stepped aside.

In that moment, Woon swung his sword at the maids.

Terrible screams were heard as the maids collapsed to the side.

Red blood flowed from the arms of the fallen maids.

“Y-Your Highness. What are you doing!”

“I must correct their behavior. How can I let slaves who dare lay hands on royalty go unpunished?”

“Don’t you know that disgracing them is the same as disgracing me?”

“If you know that so well, why did you let those who reduced my wife to this state go unpunished? Consider yourself fortunate that I ended it with just this, when I wanted to tear them to shreds right here.”

Woon thrust the sword at Seo Yeom as if throwing it and glared at Soon Young.

“I warn you, if something like this happens again, then, I won’t end it like this. Don’t even think about seeing that person again.”

“How can you try to sever the bond between parent and child?”

“Parent? What parent in this world treats their child like that? Don’t call or look for her again. I won’t allow it.”

As the surroundings grew quiet, he approached Eun Seol’s side.

When Seo Yeom quickly rushed over to support her, he raised his hand to stop him.

“Step back.”

He knelt down, cupped her cheek, and wiped away her tears.

“…Your Excellency.”

“Why are you here like this? Don’t worry now that I’m here.”

He lifted her fallen form into his arms and began to walk.

As he was about to pass by Soon Young, he paused for a moment.

“Don’t seize innocent people, and control that shameful Minister of War instead. Aren’t you curious what he’s doing and where on his wife’s birthday?”

“What do you mean by that?”

“If you’re curious, ask him yourself.”

Woon left behind the trembling Soon Young and came outside.

Seo Yeom was waiting in front of the main gate.

“I’ve prepared a palanquin.”

“No need. I’ll ride slowly on horseback, so you go ahead and tell Lady Eom to prepare a bath.”

“Yes, Your Excellency.”

“And have that child who came looking for me stay at the palace for now, don’t send her away.”

* * *

While waiting for Eun Seol who was bathing, Woon called for the maid who had come to the palace again.

“You said your name was Yeori? Come closer and sit down.”

The maid sat down cautiously, her face full of fear.

“Has that person often experienced days like today?”

“W-Well…”

“There’s no need to be afraid. I won’t send you back to the Minister’s house. So speak truthfully without worry.”

It was strange when she suddenly sent away her attendants saying she would sleep over, but he thought there must be a reason.

However, on a stormy night, a maid came seeking help to save her mistress.

The maid’s story was enough to drive him mad when he didn’t know what was going on.

“Since she was young, the young lady was beaten by the madam for no reason. She was hit for crying, hit for eating, and when angry about other things, the madam would take it out on the young lady. There was never a day without bruises on her body or tears in her eyes.”

“Haa! Those crazy… Are they even human!”

“When the young lady was about seven years old, she was scolded by the madam because of me and locked in the storehouse, and that day there was thunder and lightning like today.”

“What, thunder and lightning?”

“Yes, the young lady was terrified and fainted several times. Even when people were called, no one went because they feared the madam.”

The maid wept bitterly.

Woon waited until the maid stopped crying.

Anger was rising, but he gritted his teeth and endured.

“I was so scared thinking the young lady would die. She didn’t wake up for ten days. After that day, on nights with thunder, she would stay awake all night with the lights on, unable to sleep.”

Suddenly, memories of the past came to mind.

Now he understood why Eun Seol had trembled so fearfully on that stormy night.

He had treated such a hurt and scarred person so cruelly.

Anger boiled over and Woon’s voice was sharp.

“What was that so-called father doing all this time?”

“The master showed no interest in the young lady. He knew she was being abused by the madam but didn’t intervene, and rather scolded her fiercely if she caught his eye. The young lady was practically abandoned from birth. The master never once looked for her or even called her name.”

He couldn’t believe how a father could do such a thing, even after hearing it.

Come to think of it, it was strange.

Whenever he went to see Yoon Tae Soo to see Eun Seol, he always only talked about Eun Joo.

Not once did he mention Eun Seol, and while he called for Eun Joo, he never called for Eun Seol.

If he had been a little more observant, he could have sensed the family atmosphere, but he felt pathetic for not noticing.

At the time, he was too preoccupied with Kim Hee Gyeom hovering around Eun Seol to even think about understanding Eun Seol’s situation.

If he had known she was living in such a hellish home, he wouldn’t have looked at her with such cold eyes. He regretted not giving her even one warm glance.

“Thank you for telling me. You may go now, and from tomorrow, stay by that person’s side.”

“R-Really?”

“If you go back like this, Lady Jung won’t leave you be. I’ll make arrangements for you to stay here, so don’t worry and go rest.”

After the maid left, Woon, who had been lost in thought for a while, quietly called for Seo Yeom.

“You know where the Minister of War is now, don’t you?”

“Yes, he’s been at that place for several days now.”

“Go to Yoon Tae Soo and tell him. I want to see him right now.”

His voice was as cold as his eyes.

* * *

Woon embraced Eun Seol as she came in after finishing her bath.

How scared and hurt she must have been.

For the first time, he felt what anger truly was.

It was a rage he hadn’t even felt towards the assassin who tried to kill him.

When he saw Eun Seol sitting in a mess in front of the storehouse, he almost lost his mind.

He carefully examined her face.

“Ha, what is… Are you in pain anywhere?”

Eun Seol silently nodded.

“I should have noticed earlier and brought you from that house, I’m sorry. If I had known you were in such pain… I was too indifferent.”

“It’s alright now. When I lost consciousness, I thought of you. And then, like a lie, you were in front of me when I opened my eyes. Seeing you angry and hurt for me, I was still happy. So please don’t be heartbroken anymore. But, how did you know to come?”

“A child named Yeori came all the way here. She cried a lot while telling your story. She seemed like a sensitive child. Is she trustworthy?”

When Eun Seol came here, he knew she came without any maids and specially asked Lady Eom.

He had a kind and friendly child placed by her side to help her adapt to the unfamiliar place.

Thanks to Lady Eom and Geum Ok playing that role well, Eun Seol was able to find stability quickly.

If that child Yeori was trustworthy, it might not be bad to keep her by Eun Seol’s side.

“She was very worried about you. Seeing how she ran through the rain to save her mistress, she seems to have a deep heart. Would it be alright to keep her by your side?”

“That child came to our house when she was about five years old. Someone brought her, an orphan with nowhere to go, but she couldn’t remember her parents, family, or even where she came from. She was the only one by my side since I was young. We lived relying on each other like sisters, laughing and crying a lot together. Where is she now? If you send her back, my mother won’t leave her alone.”

“She’s here. I’ve arranged for her to serve you from now on, so you can meet her when day breaks tomorrow.”

Eun Seol looked at him as if she couldn’t believe it.

He brushed back the hair that had fallen over Eun Seol’s forehead.

Eun Seol lowered her head and bit her lip.

He gently loosened her bitten lip with his finger and softly kissed her.

“Don’t bite your lip. If it gets hurt, it’ll be troublesome for me.”

“Will the maids be alright? I’m worried my mother won’t leave them alone.”

“I’m telling you this so you won’t worry, but the maids’ wounds aren’t deep. If I hadn’t done that, they would have suffered worse at your mother’s hands.”

He knew the maids were innocent.

Yet, he pointed his sword at them to clearly show Lady Jung Eun Seol’s position, and to prevent such a thing from happening again.

He had controlled his strength, so they wouldn’t have been cut too deeply.

Yet this kind and timid woman was more worried about the innocent maids who were hurt than her own pain.

“If she’s human, she won’t be able to do anything to the injured children. Are you alright? You must have been very shocked.”

Instead of answering, Eun Seol nodded and looked up at him.

She must have been in a lot of pain and shock, but this much was fortunate.

He cupped Eun Seol’s face with both hands and slowly leaned in.

Just as their lips were about to meet, Seo Yeom called him from outside.

His brow furrowed mercilessly.

“What is it?”

His voice was dripping with thick annoyance as he sighed deeply.

“Your Excellency, you need to go to the guest hall. A guest has arrived.”

“Tell them I’ll be there shortly.”

After curtly responding towards the outside, he immediately turned his gaze back to Eun Seol.

“It seems a guest has come to the guest hall. Go to sleep first.”

“At this hour, who… I understand. Take care.”

“It might be late, so please go to sleep first.”

“I’ll wait. I won’t sleep and will wait until you return.”

“Hmm, I can’t keep you waiting, so I’ll come back quickly.”

He embraced Eun Seol, who said she would wait, and made his way to the guest hall.