“You may not know this, but I have no family. After my parents and older brother, who had gone out to work, died in a forest fire, I was left with no one.” 

“…….” 

This was something Yeocheong didn’t know. There was no reason to know the life of a palace attendant before entering the palace. 

“A house with only one little girl couldn’t possibly be safe. Even as a child under ten, I understood that well enough. So I gathered the few valuables left in the house and begged a merchant close to my parents to take me to the capital. By offering all my jewellery as a bribe, I was able to enter the palace as a low-ranking servant. 

It was a story Yeocheong had never heard before. He had vaguely guessed that she didn’t have a family, but he had never been curious about the details. 

“But even after entering the palace, nothing was easy for a girl without connections or a place to return to. I was shuffled between jobs, and just as I was about to be thrown out for good, I met the Fifth Consort.” 

Seon remembered her meeting with the Fifth Consort. Most palace attendants, even those in low positions, usually had at least one or two connections through family or regional ties. But Seon had no such connections. 

She also had the misfortune of being assigned to a residence where her roommate was friendly with a senior attendant and was extremely territorial. Instead of making new friends, Seon was constantly mistreated and ostracised. 

“Why not bring her to our palace? Besides, two attendants have recently been transferred elsewhere.” 

“Your Highness, but this girl doesn’t seem capable of much. With two gone, we need someone who can at least do her job properly…” 

“Are capable people ever assigned to my palace?” 

The Fifth Consort, who happened to witness Seon’s plight, brought her to her own palace. Had this not happened, Seon would probably have been banished from the palace altogether. 

To the young Seon, who bowed her head in gratitude, the Fifth Consort had said: 

“It’s just that someone so much smaller than my son shouldn’t have to wear such an expression. Don’t make too much of it. If it bothers you, just keep my son company from time to time. He hardly ever gets to talk to kids his age, so at least he’ll have someone to talk to.”

Though her tone was indifferent, her eyes were kind, and Seon knew she would never forget the Fifth Consort’s expression from that moment on. 

Although she didn’t show it, the Fifth Consort and Yeocheong were like family to Seon. The kind-hearted Fifth Consort and the young prince who looked so much like her were Seon’s whole world, her most cherished people. 

Leaving for the Song Empire with Yeocheong was something the other attendants tried to avoid, but for Seon it was a welcome opportunity. She had pleaded with the head lady in waiting, who had confirmed the willingness of the attendants to accompany him, insisting that she wanted to serve Yeocheong. That’s how she came to Yeon. 

“If Your Highness hadn’t taken me in, I would have been thrown out of the palace and would not have survived the year.

“My mother was that kind of person.”

Yeocheong replied, remembering his beloved mother’s face. It was as if a scene he had never seen painted itself in his mind. Surely she would have smiled warmly, as she always did, when she spoke those words. 

“On that day, I swore that I would belong to the Fifth Consort and the Prince, no matter what. Even if I were to die, I wanted to die at their side.” 

“…….” 

“But… I wasn’t good enough. I couldn’t even do that.” 

A single tear, held back for so long, finally slipped down Seon’s cheek. For Yeocheong, the sight was like looking at a reflection of his past self – constantly blaming himself, desperately searching for where he had gone wrong. 

Just as Yeocheong’s world had once revolved around Jihyuk, he realised that he probably had an important place in Seon’s world as well. However, he lacked the strength to protect her to the end. 

“And so… I am so sorry…” 

“…….” 

Yeocheong bit his lip and bowed his head deeply. He was grateful that Seon, who was already in tears, couldn’t see his expression. What if his voice trembled? He struggled to calm himself for a long time, unable to speak right away. 

“I understand… better than anyone else what you must be feeling. How could I not?” 

He had intended to be cruel, to push Seon away so hard that she would see him as a heartless master and give up on him completely. But in the end, Yeocheong couldn’t bring himself to do that. 

“But there are things that must be done. Responsibilities I cannot avoid…” 

“I understand, Your Highness.”

Seon said softly, cutting him off. 

Her acceptance was calm, but her tear streaked face spoke of the pain she was trying to suppress. Yeocheong felt his heart tighten, knowing how much he was asking of her, but unable to change his decision. 

Yeocheong, fumbling with strange justifications that even he couldn’t fully understand, stopped at the sound of Seon’s now calm voice. She wiped away tears and forced a faint smile as she spoke. 

“Ever since you came to Yeon, Your Highness has been so hard on yourself. How could I not know? But… even though I shared a room and worked alongside Sowol, I failed to notice what she was doing. Surely I bear some responsibility as well.” 

“…….” 

“I wish I could stay in the palace, even as a lowly servant… I wish I could continue to serve you, even from afar. But I know it’s greedy of me to ask for more.” 

In just one night, Seon had clearly thought through countless things. She knew that Yeocheong would not change his mind. Despite his seemingly cold words, the subtle trembling of his fingers had told her enough. At that moment, she decided not to burden him any further. 

“So I will abide by your decision, Your Highness. But there is one thing… that I hope you will understand.” 

“…….” 

“No matter where I am, you will always be like family to me. No, more precious than family. Please take care of your health and forgive me if this sounds presumptuous.” 

Seon barely held back the tears that welled up again, forcing a smile instead. It wasn’t that her pain had subsided – it was that she didn’t want to burden Yeocheong any more than she already had. 

“Don’t be too hard on yourself.” 

The moment Yeocheong saw Seon’s smile, he realised he could no longer keep up the mask he had been wearing. He turned his head away from her and said, 

“You can go now. I know you’ll be fine on your own, but… I’ll give you enough money so that whatever you do, you won’t feel like you’re missing out.” 

He knew very well that money wasn’t what she really wanted, but since he couldn’t give her what she wanted, he wanted to at least offer that. 

Seon bowed deeply in gratitude to Yeocheong. As she was about to leave his chambers, Yeocheong remembered something and stopped her with a question. 

anything about them?” 

“I’ve heard of such things, but… I don’t know much about pictographs myself. My hometown was a rural place without them, and even for simple sentences, I wouldn’t know their meanings without someone to guide me.” 

Seon’s answer was sincere, her voice tinged with a hint of apology. Yeocheong nodded slightly and filed the thought away. 

“I see.” 

Yeocheong hadn’t asked about the pictograms because he suspected that Seon was involved in Sowol’s actions. No one knew Seon’s character better than he did. 

“Her tongue.”

He murmured quietly after Seon’s presence had faded. 

Yeocheong had no intention of telling Seon what Sowol had done. It was enough for him to bear the pain alone. 

Even under the strict laws of the palace, cutting off a hand for theft was undoubtedly a severe punishment. It was a situation that could evoke sympathy, even if it involved someone else. For Seon, who had been like family to Sowol, it was natural to lose her composure at such a punishment. 

So when she left the palace, Seon would probably try to find Sowol and offer her some help, however small. But Sowol wasn’t someone with a particularly tight tongue. 

Since Seon didn’t know the pictograms, it would be difficult to convey anything in writing. But a tongue was lighter than a hand. And Yeocheong knew only too well that when Sowol was cornered, her tongue became immeasurably lighter. 

“Is there anyone outside?” 

“Yes, Your Highness.” 

“I have decided on the punishment for the criminal. Summon the official in charge of the punishment to Eunpyeong Palace before the hour of Yu (17:00-19:00).” 

“Understood, Your Highness.” 

Munhee, who had been waiting outside, listened to Yeocheong’s order and left the doorway. When Yeocheong confirmed that the presence outside had completely disappeared, he finally let the tears he had been holding back flow freely. 

Helplessness was always a bitter thing to bear. Intellectually, he knew that letting go was the right thing to do when he couldn’t protect anyone. But the thought that he now had no one in this vast palace whom he could trust completely made it impossible to remain calm. 

‘I hope this is the last time I cry over my helplessness. There’s nothing left to lose now, nothing left to be disappointed in, so maybe it’s better.’ 

Still, he tried to console himself with the thought that at least Seon might have a better life because of this decision. He told himself not to mourn for too long. But his mood didn’t improve and the tears wouldn’t stop. 

“Your Highness, Chief Overseer Seok is here to see you.” 

It was an unexpected visitor that brought Yeocheong back to reality. A man who usually met him under the guise of chance, carefully observing the consciousness of others – why now? Yeocheong’s head spun for a moment before he realised the reason and relaxed. 

‘The chief overseer is in charge of administering the punishment.’ 

It wasn’t Yu‘s hour yet, but since the instruction was to come before then, it was not unusual for him to arrive promptly. 

“Let him in.”

Yeocheong said, wiping away his tears and speaking in a calm tone. 

But although his voice sounded calm, the redness and swelling around his eyes betrayed his emotions – something that couldn’t be hidden so easily.