This time, it was not Eun Joo but she who laughed out loud.

Eun Joo frowned as she watched her laugh suddenly like a madwoman.

“Do you think the prince will fall for your seduction? Someone like you?”

“It seems you want to keep your pride, but just wait and see who the prince chooses.”

“Eun Joo, come to your senses. You, this is a sickness at this point.”

“Ha, fine. Let’s see how long you can stay so relaxed.”

Eun Joo, who had been laughing bitterly, stood up abruptly. There was a murderous glint in her eyes as she looked at Eun Seol.

Eun Seol spoke in a low voice towards Eun Joo as she was about to turn away.

“Eun Joo, you don’t seem to know, so I’ll tell you. The prince didn’t come home because he likes you. I’m telling you not to misunderstand.”

“What did you just say?”

“I told you not to call me ‘you’! I’m warning you, don’t get cocky. You’ll soon pay for your sins, so just wait.”

Eun Joo, who had flinched momentarily at the sharp rebuke, twisted her lips and sneered.

“Yes, Second Lady. I’ll be waiting. And, just try to keep that position.”

“Eom Sang Gung. The young lady from the Minister of War’s household is leaving, so see her out.”

Eun Joo’s face contorted fiercely as she glared at her.

Eun Joo roughly flung open the door, pushed past Eom Sang Gung who was standing aside at the door, and left the inner quarters.

* * *

Eun Seol waited for Lee Woon, who had returned to the palace quarters earlier and gone to the washroom.

Though her head ached from the incident with Eun Joo during the day, she could no longer remain absent-minded.

All this time, she couldn’t question ‘why’ even as she suffered for no reason.

She had been an unlucky child, an ill-fated child from birth.

Everyone thought so and treated her carelessly.

So even when she was beaten and despised, she thought it was natural.

Now she no longer wants to live like that.

For that, she must change first.

She vowed to become confident, not for anyone else, but for herself.

Now she will protect herself. She will surely protect her place, her love.

And, she will definitely make Eun Joo pay for her sins.

The door opened and the prince entered in his sleeping attire.

She ran and embraced him.

As she pulled his neck and pressed her lips to his, he hesitated for a moment before kissing her back roughly.

In the brief moment their lips parted, she looked up at him intently.

His low voice lingered between their touching lips.

“My lady, I told you such a gaze is dangerous. Did you wait long for me?”

She doesn’t want to lose this man to anyone.

The person who has become her everything, she will protect him proudly.

“Hold me.”

His eyes curved gently as he lifted her body in an instant.

“Even if you tell me to stop, I won’t, so be prepared.”

Instead of answering, she held his neck tightly.

When the air in the room could not get any hotter from the heat the two were emitting, she finally embraced Lee Woon’s neck and sobbed.

Lying on the bed with their gazes locked, he kissed each of her fingers and smiled softly.

“Did something happen today? I thought I was losing my mind from my lady’s fatal seduction.”

“…My lord.”

“Hmm?”

“Promise me you won’t hold any other woman in your heart but me.”

“You should know that my heart and body only respond to you, my lady.”

“Still, please promise me.”

“I promise. For the rest of my life, I won’t even look at another woman other than Yoon Eun Seol.”

His hot lips touched her cheek.

The kiss that started lightly grew hot again, and became increasingly intense.

“If you told me not to hold other women, you should have been prepared for this much.”

Her body responded to his relentless advances, and they loved passionately.

She was happy. She was so happy it brought tears to her eyes that his wholehearted love was for her.

Now she was no longer afraid or anxious about anything.

She felt like she could do anything if she was by this man’s side.

* * *

Lee Woon sat in his office in the outer quarters, listening to Seo Yeom’s report.

“We found the scribe. But we were one step too late. He was found dead in his house a few days ago, apparently murdered by poison.”

“Poison?”

“Yes. It seems they took care of him first, fearing future consequences.”

“Damn it!”

He should have acted sooner, but he had let his guard down.

A curse escaped his mouth before he knew it.

“If poison was used, it’s likely someone they knew. Was there anyone seen visiting the house?”

“We’ve been investigating, but there was no one suspicious. He didn’t seem to be particularly close with anyone around him either.”

Leaning back deeply in his chair, he crossed his arms and stroked his chin. Lost in thought, he narrowed his eyes.

“For now, stop this investigation here.”

“We’re so close, why stop now? Is it alright to stop here?”

It’s not that he wants to stop or that it’s alright to do so.

He wanted to catch them right away and tear them to pieces.

“Wait and see. The one who ordered this will come looking again soon.”

“The one who ordered it…”

“It’s their habit to cling like leeches once they have a weakness to exploit. They never end it with just once. Especially if the one who ordered it is a woman, it will get even worse. If even that becomes difficult, they’ll eventually come to me.”

Seo Yeom nodded, knowing who the one who ordered it was without being told.

Not long ago, he had received a message from Kim Hee Gyeom.

He told him about Eun Seol’s childhood and her family members, mentioning who might have sent the letter.

From then on, he watched Yoon Tae Soo’s house every day without fail. Decisively, yesterday he heard about Eun Joo from Eun Seol.

He wanted to rush over and finish her off right away, but now he needs to find evidence and witnesses.

“Have them watched without being noticed. They will surely come again.”

“Yes, understood.”

* * *

Not long after, his words became reality.

After experiencing such a horrible incident and seeing no reaction from this side, the one who ordered it began to move.

Lee Woon, who was meeting Kim Woo Seop at Taeseong Trading Company, received an urgent message.

He finally heard the news he had been waiting for.

Lee Woon hurriedly left Taeseong Trading Company and headed for Yongcheon Village.

Although it wasn’t that late, the winter night seemed darker and more eerie.

The place they arrived at was the shed where Eun Seol had been locked up and lost her child.

As they entered, a large man tied to a pillar glared at him.

Lee Woon untied his hat string, tossed it aside, and pulled out a dagger from his chest.

The sharp blade reflected the light ominously.

The man could only blink his eyes without saying a word.

“I’ll warn you only once. I won’t repeat myself, so listen carefully. If you lie, this knife will pierce your heart.”

Lee Woon stood right in front of the man.

“Untie him.”

Seo Yeom quickly untied the ropes binding the man’s body.

Freed, the man looked up at him and sneered.

“Your Highness, is it right to treat an innocent person like this!”

“Innocent… Did you just say innocent?”

“Without any evidence, if you do this… Ack!”

His hand grabbed the man’s wrist and slammed it on the table.

The knife tip plunged into the back of the man’s hand in an instant.

The man screamed in pain.

Lee Woon pulled out the knife stuck in the back of the hand and placed the tip against the man’s neck.

“So I’m trying to find out from now. Is it true that Yoon Eun Joo hired you?”

“I really don’t, don’t know anything. Really.”

The knife tip slashed across the man’s chest. Red blood sprayed everywhere.

“That’s not what I’m asking. Just tell me if it was Yoon Eun Joo who ordered it.”

“I, I really don’t know… Ugh!”

This time, one finger rolled onto the floor.

The man’s face turned white with terror.

Unlike the man who was foaming at the mouth and trembling, Lee Woon’s gaze was unwavering. His voice was chillingly calm.

“I’ll ask again. This time it’s your heart. Was it Yoon Eun Joo?”

Seeing the man hesitate, he changed the direction of the dagger.

Just as he was about to plunge it down, the man desperately cried out.

“Y-yes, it’s true. She said if I just did as told… Haa… she would give me 100 nyang.”

He uttered a harsh curse and plunged the dagger right into the shoulder of the man he was holding.

The man crumpled to the ground.

He wanted to end his life right then and there, but as Seo Yeom blocked his way, he gritted his teeth and stepped back.

“Your Highness, now is not the time.”

“Go and bring that woman Yoon Eun Joo here right now!”

After Seo Yeom left and the man was tied up again, he pulled out the dagger and went outside.

The wind sweeping across his body felt unusually desolate today.

He sighed slowly and looked at the darkening hill path, waiting for Eun Joo.

He had hoped she would at least be human.

He knew she was greedy and selfish, but he never imagined she would be this vicious and cruel.

Her actions were no different from her parents.

How on earth did Eun Seol endure and survive in that hell-like place?

Just thinking about it made his anger rise and his teeth chatter.

How much time had passed?

Eun Joo could be seen coming up the hill towards him.

Eun Joo stood before him, clutching her voluminous skirt with both hands and blushing.

He wanted to stab her heart right away, but he gritted his teeth and endured.

“Your Highness, did you wait long? If I had known you were coming, I would have at least made myself presentable.”

He let out a bitter laugh in disbelief. Her snake-like, wicked smile made his skin crawl.

“Even now, if I accept Your Highness’s heart, will you take me?”

As he said nothing, she seemed to think he was hesitating and took another step closer, looking up at him seductively.

“If you wish, I will become Your Highness’s woman.”

Just as Eun Joo’s arm was about to embrace his waist, she was roughly pushed away by a strong hand.

Eun Joo’s face contorted in shock.

He grabbed Eun Joo’s braided hair roughly and spoke in a suppressed voice.

“There’s a limit even to bullshit. Who did you inherit this vulgarity from? How dare you move that filthy mouth of yours here!”

“Y-Your Highness… What did you just say?”

“Have you forgotten what you did here? Shall I remind you?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Eun Joo’s long hair was cut off by the dagger.

He threw the hair in his hand to the ground while keeping his gaze fixed on Eun Joo.

Eun Joo screamed as she saw her hair on the ground.

“Don’t make a fuss over losing a bit of hair. A child died on that cold floor because of your selfishness.”

“What on earth are you doing!”

Ignoring Eun Joo’s protests, he called for Seo Yeom.

“Open the door!”