“The deposed Queen Song is confined to the palace…” 

“It is said that she will soon be expelled from the palace.” 

“Tomorrow she will leave the palace…” 

“Gasp.” 

“Your Highness, are you awake?” 

Yeocheong awoke in a cold sweat. He had undoubtedly dreamed vividly to the point of agony, but the moment he woke up, everything that had happened in the hazy dream slipped from his mind. 

“Someone, summon the royal physician.” 

“How long have I been unconscious?” 

“About half a day has passed.”

Yeocheong looked out of the window and saw the sun setting. He wiped the cold sweat from his brow and asked: 

“What happened to Sowol?” 

“She has been confined to the prison for the time being. Since Your Highness seemed unwilling to let others know about the matter, we have handled it discreetly. Not many people know about it.” 

“Well done.” 

Na Gyeong took a handkerchief and helped wipe the sweat from Yeocheong’s face. Feeling unsettled by the absence of the two maids who usually stayed by his side, Yeocheong let out a small sigh. 

“Where is Yeon?” 

“Perhaps because of the shock of the incident with Sowol, she couldn’t regain her composure. I sent her back to her quarters. Should I call for her?” 

“That won’t be necessary.” 

Na Gyeong bowed her head without questioning Yeocheong’s decision. Soon the royal physician arrived and examined Yeocheong’s condition. 

“Your energy has been slightly disturbed, but it’s nothing serious. It seems that the shock caused you to faint.”

“……”

“I will prescribe a tonic to stabilise your energy. If you pay more attention to your meals and take the medicine consistently, your body should recover quickly.” 

The royal doctor reassured him and put Yeocheong’s arm back before packing to leave. Yeocheong watched as the doctor gathered his things. 

“Doctor.” 

“Yes, Your Highness. Is there anything you would like to ask?” 

“You know about herbs and remedies, don’t you?” 

“My knowledge is limited, but I know the basics.” 

The doctor bowed his head humbly as he answered. Observing the gesture for a moment, Yeocheong asked: 

“Do you know a tea called Huayong tea?” 

“Yes, I believe it is a tea especially enjoyed in the Song Empire, Your Highness’s homeland.” 

“What about Myungseocheo?” 

“It is a rare herb, growing only in the northern regions of the continent. It’s not easy to get here.”

The doctor replied with a puzzled look, as if he didn’t know why Yeocheong was asking about such a herb. 

Yeocheong continued. 

“Do you also know its effects?” 

“Hmm… Taken alone, it has the effect of clearing the eyes. However, it’s a rather temperamental herb, so one must be careful when combining it with other medicinal ingredients,” the doctor explained. 

“Then is Huayong and Myungseocheo a good combination for consumption?” 

Yeocheong asked with a glimmer of hope. Although he had no affection left for Sowol, a part of him refused to believe that someone he had once cared for could be so cruel to him. 

“My knowledge is limited, so I cannot say for sure. However, unless Myungseocheo is used with ingredients specifically related to eye health, it generally doesn’t mix well with other substances. To be sure, it would be best to consult someone more experienced with medicinal herbs, but I would advise against taking them together. 

But as always, Yeocheong’s hopes were not fulfilled. While Sowol had claimed that she was only following orders, Yeocheong couldn’t help but feel that she was fully aware of the dangers of mixing the two herbs. 

“I see. Make sure that the prescribed medicine is taken properly. You may leave now.” 

“Yes, Your Highness.” 

The royal physician bowed deeply before leaving Eunpyeong Palace. Left alone in the room, Yeocheong sat in a daze for a long time before a single tear fell from his eye. 

I never thought that she followed me here for a good reason. 

If it had only been bad memories, it would have been easier. But now that it had come to this, the pain far outweighed any sense of relief. 

He had thought she had come to spy on him. He had decided not to get attached to her and had even considered using the information she had against him as a form of revenge. 

But Sowol’s goals were far greater than anything Yeocheong had imagined. She had been sent to Yeon with an ambition far beyond what he had expected. 

Whether the voice he heard before he fainted was the truth or just a hallucination brought on by his despair, it didn’t change the bitter misery that engulfed him.

You can’t ignore a person’s disposition. War involves countless lives, a long period of time, and enormous resources. Even for the emperor of a great nation, starting a war without any justification would lead to consequences he couldn’t handle. 

It doesn’t matter if it’s something trivial or significant. Just one incident, even a fleeting one, that makes the listener angry is enough. 

The words Jeong Han had once spoken resurfaced in Yeocheong’s mind. Maybe, he thought, the fate of the official who supposedly died in Yeon wasn’t that different from his own. 

In his past life, however, he had only suffered, clinging tenaciously to a life that refused to end. There had been no reason to gather anyone, and Sowol had probably not been able to return to the Song Empire as originally promised. 

Under the circumstances, he couldn’t confidently claim to have really known Sowol. However, the Sowol Yeocheong knew wasn’t someone who would willingly commit evil acts. She simply put her own interests ahead of the circumstances of others. 

I’ve waited long enough and endured as much as I could. To be honest, I even felt sorry for you for a while… That’s why I went along with your games. But I can’t take it anymore. I feel like I’m losing my mind too! I can’t look at this mess any longer. So just stop. Let’s end this already! We’re finished anyway! How long are you going to pretend to care? 

The bitter memory replayed vividly in Yeocheong’s mind, each word like a dagger, reopening wounds he thought he had buried long ago.

So she must have simply adapted to the situation after things went wrong, and her claim to feel sorry for him may not have been entirely false. But that didn’t change the fact that Yeocheong’s life – or death – had been inconsequential to her. 

“In fact, it would have been better to die quickly, without knowing anything from the beginning.” 

Yeocheong chuckled bitterly as he muttered these words. The very people he had trusted and opened his heart to had hoped for his death. Perhaps the biggest mistake was his own, he thought. 

“Your Highness, it’s Yeon.” 

While these thoughts weighed on his mind, someone knocked on Yeocheong’s door. Yeon, her voice unusually subdued, lingered hesitantly outside. 

Wiping away tears, Yeocheong spoke. 

“Come in.” 

“Your Highness, are you well?” 

Seon entered cautiously, her expression filled with concern as she looked at Yeocheong.

Within half a day, Yeon’s face had turned pale and haggard. Seeing her in such a state, Yeocheong chuckled slightly and said, 

“I should be the one to ask how you’re doing.” 

Just as Yeocheong had felt in his previous life, Sowol was probably more to Seon than just a fellow maid who had come with her from the Song Empire. Of course, it must have come as a shock to her. Maybe he should give her a few days off, Yeocheong thought as he began to speak. 

“You must have been deeply shaken as well. How about taking a few days off -” 

“Your Highness.” 

But before Yeocheong could finish, Seon fell to her knees. Startled, Yeocheong stared at her as she began to plead. 

“Your Highness, I know that Sowol has done wrong. She has clearly made a grave mistake. But to have her wrists slit and branded with a mark…” 

“……” 

“It’s not as if we can pretend that nothing has happened, but this is Sowol we’re talking about. I cannot bear to see her receive such a cruel punishment.” 

Tears welled in Seon’s eyes as she bowed her head deeply, her voice trembling with despair.

Seon bowed her head so low that her forehead touched the ground as she pleaded desperately. Yeocheong hadn’t even decided on Sowol’s punishment yet, but Seon seemed to have already assumed the worst. 

“I know I’m going too far, but… I couldn’t stop myself from speaking. I’m not asking you to spare her punishment, or to let her stay in the palace. Just… just enough for her to survive outside. Enough to keep her alive…” 

Her voice trembled as she spoke. Publicly, Sowol was only guilty of embezzling gifts meant for the queen. Even then, only a handful of people knew. 

If Seon were to learn the full extent of Sowol’s actions, the shock would probably be too much for her to bear. And when that time came, she wouldn’t even be able to beg for mercy on Sowol’s behalf. 

“Your Highness knows better than anyone else that Sowol isn’t really a bad person.” 

Yeocheong looked down at Yeon, who continued to beg for mercy on Sowol’s behalf, her voice filled with desperation. Yes, Seon had been one of the few people to stand by him, both in the past and now. 

And that’s exactly why I can’t let her stay by my side any longer. 

Yeocheong’s heart ached with the weight of his decision, but his expression remained unreadable as he silently looked at Yeon.

“Sowol must pay for her sins. The fact that she followed me here from Song cannot give her immunity.” 

“I understand that. But…” 

“If you’re so concerned about Sowol, then you can take care of her.” 

“…What?” 

Yeocheong’s voice was calm, but the bitterness in his heart was undeniable. He despised the fact that the person who had brought him to the brink of death remained close by, while he could do nothing for the one who had stood by him unwaveringly. 

But Yeon’s plea only strengthened his resolve. She was far too kind and gentle to be dragged down into this abyss with him. 

“Once the investigation is over, Sowol will be expelled from the palace. And when that happens, you will have to leave the palace as well.” 

“Your Highness…!” 

Yeon’s face turned deathly pale, her expression frozen with shock. Yeocheong smiled bitterly and bit his lip lightly, the weight of his decision pressing down on him.