Yul-hye lost her parents when she was just ten years old. Her family had a proud lineage of martial nobility. From her great-great-grandfather to her great-grandfather, grandfather and father, her family had faithfully served the Empire for four generations, earning countless honours.

But in her father’s generation, disaster struck her family.

When the late Emperor ascended the throne, Yul-hye’s family had opposed him, choosing instead to ally themselves with his rivals. For this defiance, both her paternal and maternal relatives were ruthlessly murdered. It was a merciless massacre that wiped out her entire clan.

In the midst of this terrible bloodshed, Yul-hye was the only survivor.

“From this day on, you are my niece. Do you understand? No matter who asks, this is what you must say.”

It was Jung Dae-in who had saved her.

Jung Dae-in and Yul-hye’s father had been childhood friends, as close as brothers. From a young age, Yul-hye had looked up to Jung Dae-in as though he were her uncle.

Do-yoon, a year younger than Yul-hye, had often played with her, his small hand in hers as she led him around.

But everything changed in an instant. After losing her parents overnight, Yul-hye was raised as the adopted niece of Jung Dae-in’s family.

Jung Dae-in was a scholar of great renown. Despite achieving the highest rank in the state examination, he chose not to enter the government service. He turned down countless offers of official positions, opting instead for a quiet life devoted to books and mentoring scholars who sought his guidance.

He was a man completely free of greed for wealth. Whatever resources were stored in his household granary, he gave generously to those in need. His joy came from living a simple life and sharing what he had with others.

Jung Dae-in’s integrity and frugality were a natural part of who he was. The only reason his family had any wealth was due to the vast inheritance passed down from his great-grandfather’s generation. Without it, his generosity might have left his family in poverty.

After the devastating firestorm that ravaged the capital and left destruction in its wake, Jung Dae-in decided to sell off his remaining assets. He moved his family and retainers to Gangseo, a remote province far from the chaos of the capital.

It was in this quiet region that Jung Dae-in hoped to spend the rest of his days in peace and seclusion. His wife fully supported his decision, and under her care Yul-hye grew up in Gangseo free from worry.

Jung Dae-in’s gentle kindness, coupled with his wife’s warm and nurturing care, gradually eased the grief, shock and pain Yul-hye felt at the loss of her family.

Yul-hye’s father, on the other hand, was anything but gentle. His temper was rough and fiery, his personality bold and unrestrained. Although her memories of him ended when she was only ten, they were enough to remind her of his fierce and unyielding nature.

Whether intentional or not, her father had always been a distant figure, spending most of his time away from home. He rarely stayed long, leaving Yul-hye with only a handful of fond memories of him.

For Yul-hye, Jung Dae-in and his wife were not only her saviors but also the closest thing to parents she had. They were the people she respected and loved above all else.

Her efforts to care for Do-yoon—holding his hand and guiding him as they grew up—came from a genuine sense of treating him as her younger brother.

While Jung Dae-in, his wife, and Yul-hye found contentment in their quiet life in Gangseo, Doyoon felt the opposite.

“I won’t grow old and die in a backwater like this,” he often said, almost like a mantra.

“I can’t live and die as a nobody in a place like this.”

Do-yoon had carried feelings of inferiority for as long as Yul-hye could remember, even from a young age.

After Jung Dae-in settled in Gangseo, many admirers sought him out, attracted by his esteemed reputation.

These visitors never arrived empty-handed, bringing gifts rare in the region—fine silks, jewelry, and exotic fruits.

However, most of these offerings were given away by Jung Dae-in to help the impoverishedpeople in the area.

At first, Do-yoon seemed unhappy with it.

“I want that too!” 

When exquisite silk arrived, Do-yoon wanted clothes made from it, but Jung Dae-in would sell the fabric and use the proceeds to helped the poor.

Each time, Do-yoon would cry about wanting silk clothes. He envied the toys and small ponies that belonged to the children of visitors who came to see Jung Dae-in.

One particular incident stood out vividly in Yul-hye’s memory.

A visitor had brought their child, and while the adults were deep in conversation, Do-yoon secretly took the small pony the child was riding. When the visitor’s child saw him, the two got into a fight.

After the visitors left, Jung Dae-in scolded Do-yoon harshly, and Do-yoon cried all night. 

That night, it was Yul-hye who stayed by Do-yoon’s side, comforting him—a memory that remained vivid in her mind.

“I want a pony too. I want one of those small ponies for myself. I want to wear nice clothes. I want a silk pouch too. Why won’t Father give me any of that? Am I just some child he picked up off the streets?”

No matter how much Yul-hye tried to console him, her words only made him cry harder.

At the time, Yul-hye had genuinely felt sorry for him.

Do-yoon never showed any interest in associating with children from poor families.

“I’m not like those kids.”

Whenever they loaded sacks of rice onto a cart to deliver to poor families, Do-yoon would grimace and pull back in disgust. He couldn’t even bear it when the children from those families touched his clothes and reacted with obvious disgust.

Instead, he sought to befriend the children of wealthy or influential families. But every time he spent time with them, it only led to comparisons.

Seeing children dressed in finer clothes, surrounded by more toys and luxuries, proudly showing off their wealth—it all fueled Do-yoon’s envy. That envy deepened his feelings of inferiority, and those feelings inevitably turned into conflict.

As a result, Do-yoon couldn’t maintain relationships with those children either. They eventually ostracized him, banding together to bully him. Each time, Do-yoon would grind his teeth and mutter,

“Just wait and see.”

“I’ll take the state exam.”