Yeocheong returned to Yeon just as the first light of dawn began to break. The rain had eased a little since it first started, but the overcast sky continued to pour down steadily.

“Crown Princess!”

Upon seeing Yeocheong return drenched, Seon rushed toward him, looking frantic. Despite the chilly weather, sweat was visible on his forehead, indicating that he had been running around searching for Yeocheong for quite some time.

“Where have you been? Do you know how worried I was?”

“Did you find me?”

“Of course I did! You have no idea how worried I was. With the rain like this…! I was just about to call for the soldiers. Oh… is that… General Seok?”

Seon, noticing Jeong Han for the first time, looked surprised. Yeocheong, still trembling slightly, spoke.

“I woke up early and decided to take a short walk, but when the rain started, General Seok kindly helped me.”

“Why didn’t you wake us up?”

“I only intended to get some fresh air for a moment. There was no need to wake everyone just because of that.”

“Even so, the early morning air is still quite chilly. And with the rain… you went out without an umbrella. Do you realize how worried I was, thinking you might collapse somewhere?”

Seon quickly led Yeocheong inside, speaking with concern. Yeocheong calmed him for a moment, then turned slightly to look behind.

“Thank you for bringing me back. As for the clothes and umbrella…”

“It’s nothing. I was simply doing what should have been done. You don’t need to worry about it. The umbrella belongs to the palace, so there’s no need to return it. As for the clothes… I’ll send a servant in a few days to collect them.”

Jeong Han spoke with a deep bow. Even though Yeocheong’s clothes were completely soaked, making him cold and uncomfortable, Jeong Han’s movements remained purposeful and efficient, without any unnecessary gestures.

“Then I’ll be on my way. Please make sure to warm up and rest properly.”

“Travel safely.”

After Jeong Han left Yeon, Yeocheong undressed his wet clothes, warmed himself up, and changed into dry ones. Only then did Seon, who had been anxiously waiting, let out a sigh of relief and spoke quietly.

“Still, it’s really a relief that the General found you. Even though you’re less sensitive to the cold, if you’re caught out in the rain like that, especially in the early morning when it’s still chilly, you could catch a bad cold.”

His health had not deteriorated yet. In the past, around this time, his health would often take a sharp turn for the worse, leaving him bedridden and unable to get out of bed. But this time, perhaps because he no longer felt the unnecessary guilt that used to weigh on him, his condition hadn’t worsened in the same way.

Although there were moments when frustration would rise and he’d experience mild headaches or stomachaches, it wasn’t to the extent that he couldn’t get out of bed like before. At least for now, his health seemed relatively stable.

‘Come to think of it, there has been at least some improvement.’

Yeocheong chuckled softly, staring absently at the brazier that Seon had brought. Not noticing the change in Yeocheong’s demeanor, Seon continued chatting away.

“It’s a good thing that it was General Seok and not someone else.”

“You speak as though you know him well.”

“How could I not know him? He’s quite famous. We’ve been here for almost a month now, and I’ve heard plenty from the children I’ve gotten close to.”

‘It was just a bit tough at first because the palace attendants gave us a hard time, just because we’re not from Yeon. And they mocked us with strange rumors…’

Although they had faced resistance before, things seemed to have smoothed out once the master received favor. The servants had quickly adjusted to being in Yeon. Seon said with a somewhat excited tone:

“After the Crown Prince, he’s the most well-known person in the palace. He may not have a claim to the throne, but he’s from a noble bloodline, has a handsome face, and exceptional abilities. He’s tall and has a physique that could rival any military officer. At first, I even thought he was some general.”

It was only a month, yet Yeocheong found it amusing how Seon spoke as if she had lived in the palace for years. He smiled softly as he listened to her talk.

“Even though he’s a lower-ranking palace attendant, he treats everyone with respect and kindness, especially the younger attendants who look up to him. The senior palace women, too, have great affection for him.”

“Even the senior palace women?”

“When the late king ascended to the throne, His Royal Highness, the Crown Prince, was very much loved by the late king, so General Seok grew up spending much of his time in the palace. I’ve heard that he practically lived here as a child.”

“By royal children, do you mean the Crown Prince’s siblings and the children of Princess Yeoryeong?”

“Yes. He’s a direct descendant of the royal bloodline, and since Princess Yeoryeong didn’t inherit the succession rights, there’s really no reason to exclude him.”

It was something Yeocheong hadn’t known despite spending years in the palace. Then again, he had never bothered to pay attention to anything that didn’t involve Jihyuk.

“He’s very popular among the palace attendants. Honestly, I didn’t think much of him before, but… after he helped the Crown Princess today, I think I’ll start liking him too.”

Seon smiled warmly as she noticed Yeocheong had warmed up. After confirming that Yeocheong was comfortable, she excused herself to prepare breakfast and left the room.

“Sowol.”

“Yes, Your Highness?”

“You woke up early to find me, didn’t you? I’m sorry for making you go through all that trouble.”

“Not at all. Why would you apologize to someone like me? It’s only what I should have done.”

Unlike Seon, Sowol wasn’t the type to be overly polite. In the past life, she had considered Sowol someone from her hometown, the only person there besides herself, so she had taken good care of her. But this time, things were different.

Sowol seemed to understand the distance between herself and Seon, who had been serving Yeocheong from a young age. She kept a step back, maintaining a respectful distance. Even though Sowol was a palace attendant and close to Yeocheong, there was still an odd sense of distance that sometimes felt stronger than it should. In the past, Yeocheong had thought it was due to Sowol’s shyness and dedication, but now…

“I wonder if the letter I sent to my mother has arrived by now.”

“By now, someone from Yeon should be on their way with the Queen’s response.”

“I hope we can receive the reply soon.”

At that moment, everything seemed to look like Yeocheong was merely crouching in preparation for surveillance.

‘She said they could only return to Song if I died, so perhaps they secretly wish I would simply disappear overnight.’

For such people, there was no need for sympathy or even a hint of kindness. It was enough to engage with them just enough to not arouse suspicion.

‘But why, why did they need to send a palace attendant to keep an eye on me? And why…?’

“Your Highness, your meal is ready.”

Yeocheong, who had almost drifted too deep into thought, was snapped back to reality by Seon’s voice. After a slightly delayed breakfast, Yeocheong reminded himself that he would need to meet Jihyuk again today.

‘There have been some small changes, even if only a little. So, even though things feel frustrating right now, I shouldn’t rush. I never thought it would be easy anyway.’

Yeocheong knew he couldn’t be as great an actor as Jihyuk. But rather than suffering from the lingering emotions inside him, he figured he could turn them into something useful. The self-loathing wouldn’t disappear, but at least he could put on a convincing act.

Holding hands, meeting gazes, getting used to the embrace—what would come next? Reflecting on the past ten days, Yeocheong made a resolution: no matter what happened, he wouldn’t panic this time.

But once again, things didn’t go as Yeocheong had expected.

***

“I heard you were caught in the rain this morning.”

“I’m embarrassed. I had slept a bit too long last night, and when I woke up early, I decided to go for a short walk by myself. I’m sorry for causing worry.”

“How could one ever predict the ways of the heavens? I was simply worried that you might catch a cold.”

“Fortunately, I was able to take shelter from the rain quickly and returned to Yeon to warm up, so I’m fine now.”

“That’s a relief. Though spring is approaching, the early morning air can still be quite chilly, and I was a little concerned.”

Although Yeocheong had instructed the palace attendants to keep quiet about the matter, he didn’t believe Jihyuk would remain unaware of it forever. There was a chance that someone outside the palace might talk about it.

“My health is not just mine alone, so I shouldn’t neglect taking care of it.”

“Of course. Your health should always come first, but… knowing that you feel that way, I can be a little less worried.”

Jihyuk said with a soft smile. Yeocheong had grown somewhat accustomed to that smile by now.

But what did he mean by “a little less worried”? The words felt slightly off, and Yeocheong tilted his head slightly, sensing the subtle unease. When their eyes met, Jihyuk gave a faint smile.

But it was the words that followed that made Yeocheong freeze in shock, his eyes widening.

“I heard that the date for our first official night together was set this morning, at the annex.”