Woo-hye listened quietly and, sensing that the atmosphere wasn’t bad, San-gyeong continued calmly.

“If a verbal apology isn’t enough, you can ask for anything. If it’s in my power, I’ll do it.”

In truth, Woo-hye wasn’t particularly upset about what had happened the day before. She just found it absurd and ridiculous – there was no real sense of offence.

‘Maybe something happened that I didn’t understand.’

But if she brushes it off as nothing, the other person might assume that it really was nothing, and people often end up causing bigger problems later.

She had just wanted to address the issue now, to prevent it from becoming a bigger problem in the future.

What she hadn’t expected was that San-gyeong would take it so seriously.

He had come to a complete stop just to apologise. His calm voice was deeper than usual and his tone was filled with deep regret.

She hadn’t intended to receive such an apology, but hearing his words somehow melted a lump in her chest that she hadn’t even known was there.

It was rather strange. Moments ago she had only intended to bring it up as a precaution – but now, after hearing his apology, she found herself strangely hurt.

So this is what they mean when they say people stretch their legs depending on where they lie.

Seeing that he was willing to coddle her, she couldn’t help but feel annoyed – it was proof that she really was a petty person.

“Why did you behave like that yesterday? You didn’t have to reject me so harshly.”

“I had personal reasons.”

“If it’s something I should know about, wouldn’t it be better to tell me? That way we can avoid the same thing happening again.”

San-gyeong rubbed his face with one hand.

‘This is driving me crazy.’

How could he explain in a dignified way that the ‘personal reason’ was below the belt?

He chose his words carefully.

“I… want to keep my chastity.”

Woo-hye thought he was lying.

How could a man with three illegitimate children talk about chastity with a straight face?

It made more sense that he was just making it up to get what he wanted.

She asked with a mixture of disbelief and dry amusement.

“We’re married. We’re supposed to share a bed. How exactly are you going to keep your chastity? Do you want us to sleep in separate rooms?”

“No. I understand that a married couple is expected to share a bed. I do.”

He began, then paused with a heavy sigh, struggling to find the right words.

Woo-hye frowned, frustration flickering across her face.

Why was he hesitating so much? What was he trying to avoid saying?

Then it suddenly hit her.

“Oh – is that why you avoided me last night? You were afraid we might… consummate the marriage?”

His silence said it all.

“I knew it.”

San-gyeong stared at her, speechless, unsure why he needed to explain at all. The implication made him feel less like a man and more like something base and unthinking – an animal.

Woo-hye tilted her head, studying him with a curious expression.

‘So he’s not impotent.’

If his body was fine, but he still went out of his way to avoid touching her, then maybe… he was trying to avoid getting her pregnant.

‘If it were me, I’d just get it over with. Sleep with him, have the baby as planned and end the marriage. It’d be easier. Safer even for him.’

But San-gyeong was nothing if not noble – almost to a fault. His restraint, his constant politeness… it left her completely perplexed.

For Woo-hye, who had spent her life preparing for disappointment and expecting the worst from people, his behaviour was strange. Unfathomable.

It wasn’t just kindness – it was consistency, conviction.

And that, more than anything, made her uneasy.

‘So there really are people who live and die by their principles.’

She still couldn’t understand how a man with such a scandalous reputation could cling to chastity as if it were sacred. But clearly he believed in it.

Still… she wasn’t convinced he could keep it up forever.

If he had been so tempted on their first night, who knew how long his resolve would last?

‘I don’t want to see him storming out of the room every time, and I don’t like having to act overly formal either.’

Woo-hye preferred extreme solutions. A bold idea came to her.

“Why not just get used to it?”

And then, without warning, she threw her arms around San-gyeong.

‘Oh.’

His body was thicker and firmer than she expected.
At the same time, his waist was slim, making it pleasant to wrap her arms around him.

“…!”

San-gyeong froze, as if her words had struck him straight through the heart.

“If we keep having moments like this, maybe you’ll grow used to it. You’ve already stopped letting any of the maids near me since earlier tonight. But if you keep backing away every time you’re meant to help me change… that puts me in a difficult position, too.”

“This is an improper act.”

“What you just said is even more inappropriate. Have you forgotten that we’re married?”

“……”

“You said you’d do whatever I asked, didn’t you? Then follow my lead. Isn’t it better to at least try?”

San-gyeong had no retort. After all, he had been the one to make the unreasonable request in the first place—now she was simply meeting it with calm, sensible reasoning.

He looked down at her in his arms—so small, so fragile compared to his own stature—and asked hesitantly,

“Doesn’t this… bother you?”

But Woo-hye found she didn’t mind at all. In fact, she rather liked the warmth that came with being held like this.

Pressed against his broad chest, she felt a quiet comfort—something unfamiliar, yet deeply soothing. Something she never thought she’d find in the arms of a stranger.

“I…”

She had always liked to hug people – and San-gyeong’s body gave her the best possible feeling of satisfaction.

“I like it.”

Only then did San-gyeong return her hug, slowly but sincerely and with great care.

It was a strange and unfamiliar feeling. Restless, uncertain.

It was such a new sensation that he couldn’t even tell if it felt good or bad – he had no words for it.

The most important thing was whether his body control was faltering or not, but he didn’t feel any noticeable changes.

The medication seemed to be working – at least for now.

Then, suddenly, a memory from a time so distant he wasn’t even sure it was real.

He remembered his father’s rough hands, his mother’s gentle laughter, the peaceful air, the warmth of the sun and the comfort of being held in loving arms…

That dreamlike feeling from long ago came back to him.

So this was human warmth.

He realised that he had forgotten this feeling for far too long.

He sighed at his own narrow-mindedness.

He had always assumed that physical affection between a man and a woman was inherently lewd and inappropriate.

But now that he was experiencing it, this situation was anything but lewd.

It was such a warm and comforting act. San-gyeong began to understand why Woo-hye liked to hug so much.

His arms wrapped completely around her torso – like a lonely child seeking comfort.

There were emotions that could not be expressed by words or looks, but by something deeper.

Woo-hye tightened her grip on his back and stroked it gently.

“See? It’s not so bad, is it?”

“Yes.”

A low, calm voice whispered in her ear – softer and more relaxed than usual.

He’d seemed like an untamed beast before, but now he was more like a big cat.

Well, he was even a bit cute.

With a soft chuckle, Woo-hye patted his back.

“Shall we go to the family shrine?”

Reluctantly, San-gyeong let her go, feeling a strange sense of regret.

They entered the small family shrine, which contained only two ancestral tablets.

With his help, Woo-hye lit the incense and bowed.

“Mother, brother, it’s me, Woo-hye. I have come today with my husband. Surprising, isn’t it?”

San-gyeong looked solemnly at the tablet with Joo-hyuk’s name on it.

‘Dan Joo-hyuk, I’m sorry.’

He was sorry for Joo-hyuk’s death, and even more sorry for teasing the man’s beloved younger sister.

After offering the incense, San-gyeong bowed deeply and respectfully before the two tablets.

‘Next time I’ll come in my true form and apologise properly, Madam Dan. And even though I’m not her real husband, I’ll take care of your sister – so rest in peace, Joo-hyuk.’

After finishing at the shrine, the two returned to the main residence.

“You didn’t sleep last night, did you? You should rest early today.”

“Missing a night’s sleep won’t hurt me.”

“When you’re sleep-deprived, your judgement is clouded. Wouldn’t it be better to stay indoors like a newlywed and not go out, instead of facing guests like this?”

San-gyeong really did feel fine – his stamina was far beyond that of a normal person.

But since he had no way of explaining this without arousing suspicion, he simply followed Woo-hye’s advice.

Until that morning, San-gyeong and Woo-hye had the air of an arranged couple – a little awkward and distant.

But after that hug, the strange tension between them had noticeably eased.

In short, things had become a little more comfortable.

Both San-gyeong and Woo-hye sensed this at the same time.

“I will lead you. Shall we go over the layout of the main quarters together?”

“Sure.”

It was San-gyeong’s suggestion, made as he thought about how they could spend their time together, and Woo-hye readily agreed.

It was something that needed to be done at some point anyway.

“Careful.”

Holding her small hand, San-gyeong led her around so that she could familiarise herself with the layout of the main quarters.

How many steps it took from the bed to the window, what furniture was placed along the walls and in what order, and where the doors were.

Woo-hye was good at memorising the placement of objects, so it didn’t take her long to grasp the internal structure.

“I’ve put up temporary railings in the more dangerous places – it should be a bit safer now.”

“You’re very thoughtful. Thank you.”

Perhaps it was because the atmosphere between them seemed gentler now, but the servants in the main quarters were careful to keep their presence to a minimum during the day so as not to disturb the couple’s time together.