Iho bustled about, pulling out accessories to match the outfit, chatting the whole time.

“I really like Madam. Honestly, I almost clapped back there in the secluded quarters. A woman who comes in person to save her husband – wow, that’s real spirit.”

San-gyeong had tried to help Woo-hye, but in the end it was she who had come to his rescue.

The members of the Black Guard who had witnessed the event all seemed deeply moved.

‘Could this be revenge for what happened at dawn?’

San-gyeong remembered how she had clung to him all night.

‘She was tormented by nightmares… I wonder if she’s all right now.’

He had opened his eyes when she began to toss and turn, letting out a faint whimper.

At first he thought she was ill.

But when he saw her crying, screaming, consumed by hatred and fear, he realised she was having a nightmare.

He knew that Woo-hye had reason to resent Seol Mi-hee and the Dan family, given her upbringing.

But he hadn’t realised that the emotional wounds ran so deep.

‘Could there be more to it than what I’ve discovered so far?’

San-gyeong decided to investigate the Dan family’s affairs more thoroughly and sent out a carrier pigeon.

Meanwhile, Iho took a finely embroidered bag from a wooden box.

A soft scent of silver osmanthus began to waft from it.

“This is the pouch you requested, sir. As it smells similar to the glue, madam probably won’t be able to tell the difference.”

After fastening the pouch to his waist, San-gyeong stepped out into the corridor – just as Woo-hye emerged from her room, holding Hyang-eum’s hand.

Unlike before, she was wearing a soft ivory dress.

“You look beautiful.”

Everyone’s eyes turned to San-gyeong.

Hyang-eum had a look on her face that said, “Finally, he’s talking like a human being.”

Samho’s eyes widened as if he had never expected his master to say such a thing.

As for Iho, he went completely over the top – he gasped, then exclaimed “Oh my!” with exaggerated flair, and finally giggled mischievously with a mischievous grin like a street urchin.

“Really?”

Woo-hye held her skirt playfully, turned and gave a teasing curtsy.

“If my lord likes it so much, I’ll have to wear this all the time from now on.”

Everyone laughed at her words – even Samho’s lips twitched into a faint smile.

The only one who didn’t laugh was San-gyeong.

Though his heartbeat remained calm from the medicine, something strange was creeping through some unknown place in his body. It was an eerie feeling.

Before Woo-hye could tease him again, San-gyeong spoke.

“Let’s go to the reception room.”

***

Gyu-yeong’s maid returned after gathering information from the annex where the sixth prince was staying and brought the news.

“They say Lady Dan flirted with His Highness and was thrown out.”

Everyone instinctively covered their mouths as if they had just heard something scandalous.

Mujin, aware that behind the fanning and dabbing with handkerchiefs was a hidden mockery, just drank his tea and pretended not to notice.

A man was expected to turn a blind eye to the affairs of the inner circle.

Jarim scowled in disgust as she criticised.

“Typical of a sly fox. Didn’t I tell you? Dan Woo-hye was like that even as a child. You can’t hide a vulgar nature.”

Mujin scolded her for her loose tongue.

“It is not proper for a noble lady to judge and slander others based on hearsay. Watch your words!”

Jarim shut her mouth with a sullen expression, showing no sign of remorse.

Gyu-yeong, hiding her clenched fists in the folds of her skirt until her nails dug into her palms, stepped in to support Jarim.

“Can’t you really blame her, Mujin? If Woo-hye tarnishes the reputation of the Dan family, it won’t just be her problem – it will reflect on all of us. And now she’s upset the prince. What if we all end up paying the price?”

She had meant to speak softly, like a proper lady.

But when Mujin took Woo-hye’s side again, anger and resentment slipped through her tone.

Faced with this confusing situation in Doha, where she had no one to rely on, Gyu-yeong felt small, bitter and humiliated.

Jarim was the only one who seemed to understand her.

Now that even her own brother had openly scolded Jarim, Gyu-yeong’s feelings were deeply hurt.

“Dan Woo-hye’s vulgar behaviour could tarnish my reputation too, so how can you call it slander?

At that moment—

“I’m curious. What exactly did I do that was so vulgar?”

“…!”

Gyu-yeong flinched and whipped her head toward the door.
‘When did she get here?’

If there had been the sound of a cane, she would have known that Woo-hye was approaching.

But now Woo-hye was walking without a cane, relying solely on San-gyeong’s hand for support.

After he led her to a seat, she sat down and spoke into the heavy silence with biting sarcasm.

“If you’re going to tear someone down without evidence, it’s better to speak in a lower voice. Your voice echoed throughout the building – it was hard for me to pretend I didn’t hear.”

Gyu-yeong barely stopped herself from shouting at her to shut up.

“No proof? My maid just came from His Highness’s annex with the news! Do you really think you can wriggle out of this with a few flimsy words? What you did today brought shame on the family!”

Woo-hye let out a short laugh.

“Even if what your maid said were true, it would still be a problem. Everyone would think our family was heartless, seeing how little loyalty or sisterly affection you’ve shown.”

Families should protect each other.

But Gyu-yeong didn’t see Woo-hye as family at all. By speaking only of the damage to her own reputation, she made it clear that she saw Woo-hye only as an outsider.

This was in stark contrast to the reputation she had built up of being gentle and virtuous.

Woo-hye did not give her a chance to answer before asking,

“Who is this maid of yours who went to the prince’s annex and brought back such news?”

Hyang-eum’s eyes grew sharp as she scanned the line of maids. When all eyes fell on one in particular, she strode over.

Smack!

“Kyaa!”

The maid crumpled to the floor from the force of the blow.

Hyang-eum sneered coldly,

“Playing fragile now, are you?”

But it wasn’t an act – the maid had actually collapsed under the weight of the blow.

Not that Hyang-eum cared about such things.

“The way you cower now, pretending to be too weak for another blow, says it all. You thought you were above your mistress, didn’t you? Conspiring behind her back as if she were beneath you.”

When the maid burst into tears, Gyu-yeong, unable to hold back, pushed Hyang-eum.

“What do you think you’re doing?! Who do you think you are, hitting my maid?”

Hyang-eum replied boldly.

“This cunning girl dared to slander Madam and create discord between the sisters. If left unpunished, it would appear that you, Lady Gyu-yeong, condoned her actions. So I took it upon myself to beat her.”

“Y-You…!”

If Gyu-yeong denied Hyang-eum’s words, she would be seen as heartless and lacking in sisterly affection.

But if she acknowledged them, she’d be seen as a foolish mistress being manipulated by her maid.

Either way, her carefully cultivated image of gentleness and virtue would take a hit.

As Gyu-yeong trembled with anger, Mujin bowed his head to Woo-hye.

“It is not my place to interfere, but as the oldest among us, I must take responsibility for failing to keep my younger siblings in line. I apologise on their behalf – please find it in your heart to forgive them.”

“Mujin!”

Gyu-yeong shouted in frustration and Jarim shot to his feet in equal anger.

Mujin knew that he would be blamed for this, but decided to step in anyway.

After all, Gyu-yeong was his fiancée and he hoped to resolve the situation without further damaging anyone’s reputation. This was the best he could do.

Woo-hye was ready to push Gyu-yeong even harder, but Mujin’s intervention made her hesitate.

If she backed down now, she’d take the biggest hit.

Everyone in the room would probably gossip that she had flirted with the Sixth Prince and then turned her rage against her younger sister out of shame.

But she couldn’t ignore Mujin’s personal apology either – he had been her late brother’s closest friend.

Just then, San-gyeong, who had been watching silently, seemed to sense her dilemma and spoke.

“Even I have kept silent out of respect for the lady, so I wonder why you, Lord Gyeon, feel the need to speak.”

“Master Cheong-un…”

San-gyeong did not give Mujin a chance to reply.

Thud!

He slammed the teacup in his hand down on the table with enough force to break it.

Amazingly, the cup didn’t shatter – but the wooden table underneath sank slightly, leaving a dent in the exact shape of the cup.

Everyone jumped at the sudden crash and turned to look at San-gyeong.

Despite the violent gesture, his voice was cold and eerie as he spoke.

“Letting it go without determining right and wrong is the same as siding with the perpetrators.”

Clear tea, soaked in his hand, dripped steadily onto the floor.

for a moment, creating the illusion of dripping blood.

Everyone in the reception room froze, their expressions stiff with intimidation.

The murderous aura of someone who could kill without hesitation was something that nobles who had lived their entire lives in the comfort of the capital were completely unprepared for.

Truth be told, he hadn’t intended to reveal so much murderous intent.

“Then I take it, Lord Gyeon, that you agree with the way these two treated my wife like a courtesan?”

The moment he finished speaking, San-gyeong realised –

He was really angry.