Eun Seol only opened her eyes after the sun had risen high in the sky.

She wondered why no one had woken her up as she recalled yesterday’s events.

Someone had called her when she collapsed, losing consciousness from the thunder and lightning.

It was certainly the Grand Prince, but she couldn’t remember what happened next.

She felt so embarrassed for showing such a side of herself when she hadn’t been here long.

He already disliked her, and now she must have looked so unsightly.

Her face felt hot all over.

She let out a deep sigh while cooling her feverish face with both hands.

At that moment, she heard Eom Sang Gung coughing outside the door.

“My lady. It’s Eom Sang Gung.”

“Come in.”

Eom Sang Gung entered carrying a small tray. A bowl of porridge was placed on the tray set before her.

“I prepared some milk porridge in case your stomach was upset. You must finish it all without leaving any.”

“Did His Excellency bring me here yesterday?”

“Yes, they say you had collapsed unconscious at Dowon Pavilion. It could have been serious if they were a little late. Are you feeling alright?”

Eom Sang Gung looked at her with a worried face, but she just fiddled with her spoon without saying anything.

She carefully opened her mouth to ask what she had been curious about since waking up.

“By any chance… did Eom Sang Gung change my clothes?”

It must have been Eom Sang Gung. Otherwise, it’s too dreadful to think about.

But Eun Seol soon found herself at a loss for words at what came out of Eom Sang Gung’s mouth.

“It wasn’t me.”

“Th-then who…”

“I’m not sure either. Whether His Excellency changed them himself or if it was another maid, you should ask His Excellency directly.”

How could she possibly ask that directly?

She already felt she should go thank him, but her face was already burning at the thought of facing him.

“It might not have been His Excellency. Don’t fret about it beforehand. And even if it was His Excellency, what of it? It’s not like married couples avoid each other. He didn’t say he was going out today, so try visiting him in his quarters. But first, finish all your porridge.”

Instead of answering, she nodded and barely managed to empty the bowl of porridge while listening to Eom Sang Gung’s nagging.

.

.

.

After clearing away the tray, she had been contemplating the same dilemma for hours.

She needed to go see the Grand Prince, but couldn’t easily muster the courage.

If nothing else, she wanted to thank him in person for yesterday’s events.

However, contrary to her heart, her body wouldn’t listen.

Feeling like the whole day would pass like this, she steeled her resolve and got up.

“Yoon Eun Seol, this is not something to hesitate over.”

She cast a spell on herself with those words and headed towards his quarters with determination.

When she arrived at his quarters, Seo Yeom, who was standing outside, greeted her and told her to go to the office.

She paused briefly in front of the open office door before slowly entering.

He was sitting with his body deeply nestled in the chair’s backrest, his head tilted back and eyes closed.

If he was sleeping, she didn’t want to wake him. He looked somewhat tired.

“What is it?”

As she took a step back and was about to turn around, his deep, settled voice was heard.

Their eyes met as he raised his head.

He was looking at her with a steady gaze, asking what the matter was.

“I came to thank you. I’m truly grateful for yesterday.”

She barely managed to greet him in a small voice and waited for his response.

He rose from his chair, rubbing his face with both hands.

“When it rains, you should have come to the inner quarters even if you got wet. Did you stay there until that late at night trying to avoid the rain? And in an unconscious state at that.”

“It wasn’t to avoid the rain… I was scared of the thunder and lightning.”

“You hid in such a place because you were afraid of thunder and lightning?”

“I-I’m sorry.”

“Do you know how dangerous what you did was? That place is the most dangerous during a thunderstorm. You could have lost your life. Hah… did you hope to save your life by hiding under wet trees?”

The words from his mouth were cold, but somehow it didn’t feel unpleasant.

Because it seemed, just a little, that he was worried about her.

His gaze, which hadn’t left her since she entered the room, wasn’t as frightening at this moment.

“I didn’t get to check properly yesterday due to the urgency, but are you feeling alright?”

“…Yes.”

She just stared at him blankly, unable to answer properly to his sudden inquiry about her well-being.

Was it her imagination?

His eyes seemed somehow gentle.

She lowered her head and bit her lower lip to hide her reddening face.

“Why are you afraid of thunder and lightning?”

“That… I think I’ve been afraid since I was young.”

“Since you were young?”

“Yes. I tried to fix it, but it didn’t work well… Though it’s a bit better when I’m in a bright place.”

It wasn’t fine at all.

No matter how hard she tried, the memory of that day wouldn’t fade.

When she was about five years old, on that day too, she had been locked in the storage room after being beaten by her stepmother as usual.

Her stepmother always vented her anger towards her father on the young girl.

The beatings without reason were somewhat bearable, but being locked in the dark storage room was terrifying to the point of wanting to die.

That day, like yesterday, it rained heavily.

When she regained consciousness after passing out from the severe beating, she found herself in the dark storage room.

On that night when it was pitch black all around and pouring rain, thunder and lightning roared loudly.

She banged on the door and called for help until her throat was raw, but no one came to rescue her.

Trembling in fear all night, she repeatedly fainted and woke up, eventually losing consciousness.

After hovering between life and death for ten days, she woke up, and from that day on, whenever there was thunder and lightning, she had to stay up all night with candles lit in her room.

She couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth about this miserable story.

She didn’t want to add this on top of his already unfavorable opinion of her.

“Everyone in Unyeon Palace exists to protect you. Thunder and lightning will not harm you. Even if it’s difficult, try to think that way. Don’t do such a reckless thing like yesterday again.”

“Yes, I’ll try to do so. Then I’ll take my leave now.”

She felt uncomfortable with him sitting there, his gaze fixed on her from the beginning until now, and above all, she disliked the awkward silence.

As she turned her body and took a few steps, she stopped and turned back around.

“Um… there’s something I’d like to ask.”

He stood up from his chair and approached her, telling her to speak.

“Yesterday, did Your Excellency… change my clothes? Eom Sang Gung said it wasn’t her, and told me to ask you.”

“It wasn’t me either. But why is that so important?”

“Ah, if not… never mind.”

She quickly turned around, not wanting to show her reddening face.

But before she could take even one step, she froze at his words.

“If I had changed your clothes… what would you do?”

Not only her face, but even her nape grew hot.

Unable to look at him at all, she turned her back and ran out.

She didn’t see the corners of the Grand Prince’s mouth turning up as he stood behind her.

Nor the small laugh that followed.

* * *

Eun Seol sat on the main porch, grinding ink to paint.

The scent of ink filling the inner quarters was as pleasant as the sunny weather.

The clouds hanging on the distant mountainside looked especially beautiful today.

“What are you thinking about?”

She turned her head towards the sudden sound of a man’s voice.

She could see Seong Won Gun walking towards her, holding something in both hands.

He had visited here before, having many conversations with her and leaving.

As he often came to see the Grand Prince but couldn’t meet him many days, Seong Won Gun naturally became her conversation partner.

At first it was uncomfortable, but now they had become close enough to engage in light banter.

“The weather is really nice. Were you painting?”

Seong Won Gun, sitting on the edge of the porch, asked while looking back and forth between her and the paper.

“I was just thinking. The sunshine is good, and the wind is blowing just right, so I wanted to paint.”

“You’re quite romantic. On such a nice day, could I have a cup of tea?”

“I’ll have them bring out the tea we had before.”

She called Geum Ok to bring out some light refreshments and tea.

The person she had talked to the most since coming here was none other than Seong Won Gun.

Seong Won Gun would drop by unexpectedly on his way, chatting with the Grand Prince or having tea with her when the Grand Prince wasn’t around.

If Eom Sang Gung was the one who helped her adjust to this unfamiliar place, Seong Won Gun was the person who brought vitality to her monotonous daily life.

“Next time you come, please send word in advance. Aren’t you making wasted trips every time?”

“It’s not urgent, so why bother? If my elder brother is here when I come, I’ll see him, and if not, I’ll see him next time. Besides, I get to chat with you like this, so I’m happy.”

“What brings you here today?”

“Some good alcohol came in, so I came to have a drink with my elder brother. He’ll probably come if I wait.”

He placed the bottle of alcohol he was holding onto the porch, and his gaze slowly moved towards the distant mountains.

“Do you know that your gaze is always on something far away whenever I see you? I wonder what you’re thinking about so much… You know what? If you think too deeply, you only increase your worries.”

Seong Won Gun tilted his head slightly and examined her face.

Then he smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth.

“I think we’ve become quite close now, so if you have any troubles, feel free to tell me anytime. Who knows? I might be able to solve them.”

“Really, it’s nothing. The sky was just so pretty, I was looking at it.”

“The real beauty is elsewhere, but it seems only you don’t know it.”

“Pardon?”

“It’s nothing. Oh, I prepared a gift, but I’m not sure if you’ll like it.”

Inside the box he presented as a gift were several brushes neatly arranged alongside an inkstone.

The brush hairs, shiny and straight, looked soft even without touching them.

This was her first time receiving such a gift, so she just stared at the box, not knowing how to react.

Something welled up in her chest.

She, who had been nothing but a nuisance in her family home, was now receiving treatment beyond her station here.

Sometimes she wondered if this was a dream, and if it was, she hoped never to wake up.

“I heard you paint, so I prepared this. It’s a gift to commemorate your entering Unyeon Palace, so don’t feel burdened.”

“Such a precious gift… Thank you so much. I keep receiving things like this…”

“If you feel that way, you can paint me a picture later.”

“My skills are too embarrassing to show anyone. They’re not good enough to give as a gift.”

“Well, they must be better than mine.”

His hearty laughter filled the inner quarters.

As the laughter subsided, he tilted his head to meet her gaze.

“Someone who can laugh like this, why do you always have a face full of worries?”

“Did I look that way? I don’t think so.”

“…But you do.”

Though she denied it in response to his playful words, she couldn’t hide her expression.

Seong Won Gun removed the smile from his lips and, turning his fixed gaze away from her, asked abruptly.

“Is there nothing else you want to do besides painting?”

“There are many things I want to learn and do. But, that’s just a dream.”

“So what if it’s just a dream? Tell me what that dream is.”

Seong Won Gun put down the teacup he was drinking from and gazed at her intently.