“She’s a very perceptive maid. Let her work in the inner quarters from now on.”

At these words, Woo-hye let out a dry laugh.

“Are you teasing me?”

“Huh…? I wasn’t.”

“What you just said made it sound like I wasn’t that pretty, but since I’m good at flattering people, you want to keep me close.”

“I meant it sincerely, so don’t doubt it.”

Sincerely. What was this damned sincerity that even when she heard it clearly with her own ears and trusted him, it still felt so unconvincing?

‘With this man, I think you have to look at his actions, not his words, to see what’s sincere.’

Usually, when someone’s words and actions don’t match, their mouth says sweet things while their actions are terrible – but with San-gyeong, it was the opposite. His words were harsh, but his actions were sweet as honey.

For some reason, Woo-hye became angry. A goal suddenly formed in her mind: she had to hear honeyed words from his lips.

“Then please tell me clearly what you meant so that I don’t misunderstand.”

San-gyeong rubbed the corner of his eye – an unmistakably awkward gesture.

What was one supposed to say at times like this?

He had the distinct feeling that he had to get this answer right.

“You look nice. As pretty as the peach blossoms outside.”

Woo-hye smiled in satisfaction at his reluctant confession.

Then she suddenly became curious about San-gyeong’s appearance.

He must have dressed up quite a bit today as well. She wondered how well he wore his wedding clothes.

Her curiosity was so great that she even considered taking the paralysis pill Mokcheon had given her earlier – just to have a look at him. A childish thought, but one that stirred deep within her.

“What about you, my lord?”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t see what you look like, so I’m curious to see what you look like now.”

San-gyeong replied flatly,

“Just wearing a little more jewellery than usual. That’s all.”

Before she knew it, he had removed the last of his hair ornaments and Woo-hye turned around.

“Can I touch you?”

“…Touch what, exactly?”

“Your face, my lord. I’m curious to see what you look like.”

“There is no need to be curious. Unlike you, I have an ordinary face.”

Woo-hye had already seen Cheong-un’s appearance through a portrait. But the image in her mind had begun to fade, and more than just a picture, she wanted to feel that the person really existed – through touch.

“I want to feel you for myself.”

They sat side by side on a floor platform, usually with a low table between them, but both had shifted to the left so that he could remove her hair ornaments.

San-gyeong’s back was against the wall. Whether Woo-hye knew it or not, she put her hand on his thigh and leaned in. He had no room to move back.

“Are you okay?”

He quickly grabbed her shoulders to keep her from getting any closer.

“Wait… You’re satisfied just by touching my face?”

Woo-hye nodded, and with a look of resignation, San-gyeong took her hand.

“Just for a moment.”

He guided her hand to his cheek and let her touch his face.

“Is that enough?”

Of course it wasn’t.

‘Does your face fade when I touch it? Or do you just hate being touched by me? Why are you so stingy?’

Annoyed, Woo-hye brushed his hand away.

“Don’t joke with me, my lord.”

She knelt on the platform and cupped his cheeks with both hands – a very serious posture.

San-gyeong almost pointed out that putting both legs on the platform was against etiquette, but decided against it. He had a feeling that if he said anything, she would just climb right onto his lap.

Her cool hands moved slowly down his cheeks.

She felt the smooth texture of his skin under her fingers, the gentle warmth and the subtle contours that brushed against her palms – enough to surprise her a little.

‘Why is his skin so smooth?’

Having rarely touched another person’s face, it was difficult to form a clear picture in her mind – especially of a man’s.

To get a better sense of the shape, Woo-hye placed her fingers above his eyebrows and slowly traced them sideways.

‘That’s strange. Why does he seem handsome?’

With her eyes, she could only see the nearby lanterns clearly – everything else, including the man in front of her, was just a dark blur.

But the sensations she felt through her hands were vivid and clear.

“Your eyelashes are long.”

“……”

“They tickle my palm.”

What caught San-gyeong’s attention more than the hand touching his face was the other hand slowly sliding down to his neck.

The coolness of her hand on his warm skin sent shivers down his spine and made him instinctively tense.

His whole body began to stiffen from the growing tension.

Wanting to end this strange situation quickly, San-gyeong asked in a slightly lower, more demanding voice than before.

“Can you really tell something by touching like this?”

“I’m trying to imagine. Your skin is smooth, your nose is high and your lips are…”

Woo-hye gently touched her own lips as if comparing.

San-gyeong’s gaze naturally fell on her red lips.

Her mouth, slightly parted in concentration, was gently pressed by her finger.

Her plump lower lip revealed a glimpse of her small, white teeth.

“They feel a bit full.”

Feeling like he had seen something he shouldn’t have, San-gyeong closed his eyes.

“Hmm? You’re clenching your jaw.”

“……”

“Did I touch something wrong? Are you in pain?”

The blush from Woo-hye’s fingertips left a faint red mark on his cheek.

“No…”

Just as he answered, she moved her hand past his cheek and touched his ear.

Her fingers caught the long, combed strands of his hair and gently brushed them aside.

Her movements were cautious and delicate.

Unconsciously, San-gyeong swallowed.

At that moment, Woo-hye noticed that something had changed about him – the scent of silver magnolia no longer hung around him.

‘Did he take off his scent?’

While she puzzled over the absence of the familiar scent, San-gyeong gently lowered the hands that had been exploring his face.

It was as if he was holding her back, preventing her from touching him any further.

He changed the subject.

“You should change now.”

Woo-hye replied with a question.

“Excuse me? Don’t you want to help me change?”

“They said Hyang-eum would help you change.”

Woo-hye blinked quickly.

“Well… if the clothes aren’t too complicated, I can manage on my own as long as they are laid out in the right order. But the wedding dresses have a lot of knots, so I’ll need help getting them off.”

“Then let’s do it.”

To be honest, San-gyeong hadn’t thought it would be a problem.

During his missions, he’d often seen women’s n*ked bodies and not once had he been affected.

He assumed that this time would be no different and followed her into the partitioned area.

But as soon as Woo-hye took off her outer robe, he realised that something was wrong.

Woo-hye felt it too. It was a strange situation.

He wasn’t a maid and he couldn’t possibly feel comfortable with San-gyeong helping her change.

“This is… a bit embarrassing…”

The soft rustle of fabric brushing together filled the silence.

As each layer of the intricate wedding dress was removed, more and more of her pale skin showed through the thinning fabric.

San-gyeong furrowed his brow, disturbed by a strange and uncomfortable sensation.

Something was wrong.

As the fabric thinned, Woo-hye clearly felt the touch of his hands and she jumped, her shoulders twitching.

The heat radiating from his close body was too intense. Her previously cool skin now flushed with warmth.

“I’ll do the rest myself.”

San-gyeong realised that Woo-hye was also feeling the same strange heat.

At that moment, a wave of uncontrollable excitement swept through him.

“It’s done.”

With the veins on his neck stretching from sheer restraint, he somehow managed to finish helping her change.

Seeing Woo-hye shivering in the thin nightgown that barely showed her skin, San-gyeong took off his red outer robe and draped it over her.

‘Please.’

He hadn’t said a word for a long time. Not even a breath escaped him. It was so quiet that she almost wondered if he had disappeared silently.

‘Why doesn’t he do something?’

With such a strange tension in the air, shouldn’t there be some kind of reaction?

Although she was surrounded by silence, Woo-hye felt an overwhelming sense of unease.

Then suddenly, breaking the silence, he pulled her into his arms.

“Kyah!”

Her startled heart pounded wildly.

With heavy, purposeful steps – almost as if he were angry – San-gyeong carried her to the bed and gently laid her down.

“I have to take care of something. I’m going out for a moment.”

“What? At this hour?”

In truth, there was nothing he had to do and he couldn’t think of an excuse.

Feeling dizzy, he hastily ended the conversation.

“Get some sleep.”

Then he quickly left the room.

The main residence was tightly controlled by his men. Traps had been set in places where assassins might appear – poison darts would be fired if anyone approached.

Even though every precaution had been taken, leaving the bridal chamber for another location was an impulsive act, completely unlike the usual San-gyeong.

But he couldn’t help himself.

“Damn…”

As soon as he entered a secluded, unused room, he grabbed a dusty old piece of furniture.

The solid wood creaked and cracked loudly, as if struck by an iron hammer.

“Haah… sh*t…”

With trembling hands, he poured the pills straight from the bottle into his mouth.

He had felt it coming since the morning – a feeling of unease. And now it had exploded into a full-blown attack.

No… could this even be called an ” attack”?

San-gyeong looked down at his gr*in with disgust, as if it were something dirty.

Even under the many layers of his ceremonial wedding robes, the hard bulge of his *rection was clearly visible.

It was the first time he had ever been aroused just by looking at someone.

That made it all the more shocking – and repulsive.

To be aroused by a woman he was supposed to treat like a younger sister – it felt like he had committed a shameful sin, and guilt surged through him once again.

‘Just a side effect.’

He leaned his head against the wall, panting heavily.

Even the medicine couldn’t calm his *rousal, and though his hands were shaking violently, he didn’t even touch himself.

That would be a betrayal of his principles.

“Please…”

San-gyeong begged no one.

Her lips, her pale skin, her gentle touch that caressed him like a peach blossom – they haunted him.

He felt like he was going mad.

He lost control of his instincts.

He desperately fought the terrible urge to return to the bridal chamber, to climb on top of her as she lay in bed and give in to the monstrous desire within him.

‘If it comes to that… I’d rather die.’

There was no way he could follow in his parents’ footsteps.

No matter what – never.

“…Haah.”

Eyes closed tightly, he succumbed to the horror of his own thoughts.

That night, San-gyeong never returned to the bridal chamber.