Chapter 33

Reunion

The surroundings were dark. She couldn’t see anything, so she lay still and blinked her eyes.

Where is this?

Young-young lifted her head and looked around. Nothing was visible. Somewhere, she heard a bird chirping. Is it night or dawn? She couldn’t figure it out. It was cold. Young-young curled up into the blanket. Then suddenly the light came closer. When she looked to the side in surprise, it was a brazier.

“Are you cold? The water is being heated. I’m going to give you hot water, so please wait a little bit.”

It wasn’t a familiar face, but it wasn’t an unfamiliar face either. The middle-aged woman smiled faintly and gently stroked Young-young’s hair. Young-young raised her head and looked at her, muttering “Court Lady Yoon.” I remember her saying that her Sa Heon-young called her that way.

“Yes, I am Court Lady Yoon.”

“Where is this?”

“This is the residence of the Song family. I have nowhere to go……, I’m sorry.”

Song family mansion?

Young-young tilted her head.

“Where in the house of the Song family?”

“The mansion of your father, Song Geun-ryang. This is the guest room.”

Young-young was startled and got her body up. Her whole body was throbbing, but that wasn’t the problem. There were no guests and she entered the room, and if her father or the Madam finds out, they will be surprised. She will not be safe not only herself, but also this woman. Young-young groaned and crumbled, grabbing Court Lady Yoon’s wrist.

“Get up now.”

Court Lady Yoon asked curiously, “Yes?” But Young-young shook her head quickly.

“You have to run away. Come on, get up. If my father and the Madam saw us,”

“Who are you talking about seeing?”

Young-young exclaimed, feeling frustrated.

“I mean, my father! My father,”

It was frustrating for Court Lady Yoon as well.

“How can the dead Song Geun-ryang harm Your Highness?”

Dead, Song Geun-ryang?

Young-young, who had stood up on her knees, slumped down. Is he dead? Seeing Young-young’s eyes widened, Court Lady Yoon realized.

She didn’t know…….

She heard rumors that King Mun was in love, but was it that much? It was such a big incident that Yang-an was turned upside down, but the person involved in the incident did not even know about it.

“Dead…… , is he dead? Wh, what happened?”

Her father, who runs the biggest drugstore, took care of his body like gold, but how did he happen to die? Young-young, who was confused, regained her senses.

“Then, Madam,”

“She’s dead.”

“…….”

“The entire Song family is dead. Because the mortal sin of growing and selling herbs was revealed,”

Herbs…….

Youngyoung rolled her eyes.

‘The herb is a drug prohibited by national law, and those who eat it, grow it, and neglect it are all subject to death.’

Sa Heon-young clearly said that. So shouldn’t she have to die too? Young-young looked at Court Lady Yoon with anxious eyes. Fortunately, Court Lady Yoon didn’t seem to know that she had ever eaten the herbs.

“Actually, this place is forbidden to enter, but there was no place to avoid people’s eyes.”

“Because I am deposed?”

The woman who knew nothing asked her with her face.

Court Lady Yoon said, “Yes,” and nodded her head. She wanted to make the miserable life of this woman a little less miserable in the future.

She’d rather be happy. She doesn’t know anything, and she’s a little foolish, so she’ll suffer less.

Court Lady Yoon carefully dragged the woman down. Even though Court Lady Yoon was the attendant of the Empress who tortured her, she lay there without any doubt with a gentle face. Court Lady Yoon put hot water in the hot-water bath, wrapped it around with a cloth, put it in the woman’s arms, and placed the blanket.

“It has not yet dawned. Get some more sleep.”

“Huh.”

The woman closed her eyes. Seeing that scene, Court Lady Yoon recalled a very distant past. A child she cared for like her son. Sleep, she said, and she smiled softly, yes, and closed her eyes. She was so gentle.

Court Lady Yoon lightly patted her, for the woman to sleep. As she watched the sky brighten up, she kept patted. As she did so, she recalled the distant past and distant sins.

This woman sings a song that grants a wish. And whoever hears the song will have a wish come true in their dream. whatever that wish is. The truth is given to those who want the truth. Even if the truth is completely different from what you want.

He was a person, she said.

He wasn’t a goblin, she said.

‘When I am deposed, will you accept him as your son?’

This woman resisted, risking her life. She’s too weak to resist, it was just one question. But she had to pay the question with her life.

…… Court Lady Yoon couldn’t risk her own life…….

Tears fell from Court Lady Yoon’s eyes.

He must be a goblin, a goblin, everyone said so……, She thought he was a goblin. So it’s natural……. It wasn’t that she didn’t love him, it wasn’t that she wanted to betray him, she just thought he was really a goblin…….

No twins are born from noble blood. For the noble blood recognizes only one existence.

So I…….

Court Lady Yoon covered her face with her hand. The invisible knife is slicing through her heart. What is more unbearable than unbearable pain is the irreversible time. No, it is herself.

What will she do when she returns? Will she resist the Prince?

Court Lady Yoon raised her head. As she counted the patterns on the dark ceiling, she eventually closed her eyes.

***

It was wrong to think it would be okay since the woman was docile and ignorant, and Court Lady Yoon realized it only two days after she woke up.

“You should have some. How can you live if you don’t eat anything?”

Court Lady Yoon had to beg and beg, but the woman barely put the food to her mouth. But she soon put down the spoon and said she didn’t want to eat. Is there anything she wants? Court Lady Yoon asked several times, and the woman asked in a very low voice as she grabbed the hem of Court Lady Yoon’s skirt.

“I will never meet Lord Heon-yeong again……?”

The woman’s eyes fluttered wildly, as if someone would be offended if she heard it, or if she was even guilty of even asking this.

For two days, she probably had this question on her chest. Court Lady Yoon could easily guess. Even though the woman knew she couldn’t meet, she couldn’t help but ask. She swallowed and swallowed, and when she couldn’t swallow any more, she put it in her mouth only now, when she had no choice but to spit out a thorn in the question.

“Yes.”

The woman should not meet him. The day the Empress knows that this woman is alive, everyone will die.

“…… I won’t eat it.”

“Your Highness.”

“I can die now.”

Young-young smiled softly.

Her mother said don’t die. And she wants revenge. Young-young did nothing, but her father, madam, lady, and the man all died. Her mother’s wish came true, and now she is free. It didn’t matter when she died.

“How can you say that?!”

“Really.”

Young-young smiled bashfully and slowly went inside the blanket.

She didn’t want to eat or drink anything. She didn’t want to even think about it. She wanted to close her eyes. She was happiest when she fell asleep. In her dreams, there was always Sa Heon-yeong. He was smiling happily in her dream. He called her his wife, and affectionately called her, laughing in the morning sunshine.

Someone she’ll never see again.

Will he…… forget her? After ten nights, after a hundred nights, after a thousand nights, will he ever forget her? Will he be as kind to others as he was to her?

Even when thinking like that.

It hurts. There were times when she thought it might be better to have someone to touch the wounds in her heart, and then she thought she didn’t want it, but in the end, amidst anguish and pain.

Just once.

I want to see you just one more time.

She didn’t even know they were parting. The last thing she remembers was the wide back that quickly disappears. She just wanted to see him one more time. The last thing she remembers was that beautiful and dignified face. If possible, she wishes she could touch those features with this hand one more time. What kind of texture it was, her memories were already fuzzy.

“Your Highness.”

Court Lady Yoon tried to comfort her and feed her, but she shook her head. Everything was annoying.