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Chapter 11
Leaving the commotion behind, Geum Seolha strode away, roughly biting down on her lip.
She was so angry that she could barely control herself.
‘This was the best I could do?’
A child with no powerful protector, no standing of her own beyond her bloodline.
The only thing someone like her could do was throw a tantrum.
A legitimate justification. The authority to reveal the entire truth.
Geum Seolha possessed neither.
“I should have hit her more.”
She clenched her teeth as she recalled Yu Eunseol being carried away in Ha Dowoon’s arms.
“It was quite a pathetic sight, the way Lady Hong was acting. Still, if you’d hit her any more, things would have gotten troublesome.”
At the sudden voice, Geum Seolha looked up.
Geum Jugang casually approached her with a shrug.
“What you did was just enough.”
Ignoring him, Geum Seolha continued walking, but Geum Jugang followed after her without a care.
“Even if Aunt gets annoyed, stepping in now would only make her look ridiculous.”
“…”
“No matter how much she values her subordinate, the girl wasn’t seriously injured, and you were the one who went a bit overboard.”
He kept talking without pause, but Geum Seolha never once glanced his way.
Geum Jugang had certainly been helpful, but she had no intention of believing it was out of pure goodwill.
‘I can’t afford to be careless.’
One foolish, reckless mistake had already been enough.
She hadn’t lost Eunseol this time, but there was no guarantee about the next.
She had to doubt everyone and remain vigilant.
This was not the world Geum Seolha had lived in before.
Naturally, concepts like ethics and morality held little value here.
“You endured it for so long and let it slide, but in the end you finally drew your sword, huh?”
“…”
“It’s going to get a lot more troublesome from here. Are you confident you can handle it?”
His chatter suddenly turned serious.
At that moment, Geum Seolha stopped walking.
“What are you?”
She glared at Geum Jugang with fierce eyes.
“What exactly do you want, that you keep hanging around me?”
For a moment, he faltered beneath her razor-sharp gaze.
“That maid really must be special.”
He muttered quietly.
“I didn’t think you’d get this angry.”
“Shut up. I don’t have the patience to entertain your nonsense right now. Stop bothering me and leave.”
Though low, her voice carried an unmistakable threat.
Geum Jugang quickly raised both hands.
“Hey, I’m not here to provoke you this time.”
The corner of Geum Seolha’s eye twitched upward sharply.
“I’m serious.”
“…”
“Nuna, weren’t you on your way to see that maid?”
Geum Seolha stared silently at him.
“You’ve forgotten everything, so you probably don’t even know the way.”
“…”
“Nuna, aren’t I better than those other bastards who might have bullied your maid?”
Annoying as he was, he wasn’t wrong.
After staring coldly at him, Geum Seolha finally spoke.
“Lead the way.”
“Yes, yes. As my lady commands.”
Having achieved his goal, Geum Jugang smiled brightly and began guiding her.
Even then, he showed no intention of keeping his mouth shut.
“You shouldn’t underestimate Lady Hong too much, though.”
Geum Seolha didn’t respond once, but Geum Jugang continued anyway.
“She’s actually quite skilled when it comes to handling people and getting things done.”
“…”
“She’s generous to those who belong to her. Of course, she can be ruthless toward those who don’t.”
Nothing he said was beyond what Geum Seolha had already expected.
“Oh? That look says, ‘Why are you telling me things I already know?’”
His instincts were annoyingly sharp.
Without answering, Geum Seolha kept walking.
“Well, everything before that is common knowledge. But this next part might actually interest you.”
Geum Jugang pushed open a door blocking their path.
Forced to walk closer together, he leaned in and spoke almost in a whisper.
“That woman is very generous to her people.”
Geum Seolha raised an eyebrow at the repeated statement.
“Generosity comes from a full purse, Nuna. Thanks to that, Lady Hong’s close associates tend to spend quite lavishly.”
Just as before, when he had given hints about Yu Eunseol’s circumstances, his words carried a deeper meaning.
As Geum Seolha was about to speak, Geum Jugang beat her to it.
“We’re almost there.”
He pointed toward a building still emitting smoke despite the late hour.
“That’s the Medical Hall.”
As they approached, the smell of medicinal herbs and boiling decoctions filled the air.
Even at this hour, torchlight illuminated the building, while physicians and maids moved busily back and forth.
“She may be your treasured maid, but she’s not someone of high status in the family, so she’s probably in the Lower Ward.”
“The Lower Ward?”
“It’s where injured servants and maids are treated. Geum Rin isn’t particularly stingy toward them.”
As Geum Jugang explained casually, he walked several steps ahead.
Spotting a maid carrying medicine, he stopped her.
“You there, wait a moment. Wasn’t there a maid brought in with serious injuries?”
“There are many maids, so I— Ah! Young Master!”
The maid’s face turned pale as she hurriedly bowed.
Only then had she noticed the bright yellow robe marking him as a member of Geum Rin’s bloodline.
“Enough. Answer my question.”
“If you mean the maid who was brought in badly injured… Ah! You must mean the girl that Warrior Ha carried in. I’ll guide you.”
Geum Jugang gestured toward Geum Seolha.
She quietly followed behind.
“See? I’m pretty useful, aren’t I?”
“You’d be even more useful if you stayed quiet.”
Despite the cold reply, Geum Jugang simply grinned.
At least she was responding now.
Following the maid deeper into the building, Geum Seolha’s eyes narrowed.
Thanks to living in a rundown residence, she had become fairly good at judging how well a place was maintained.
“This is the Lower Ward?”
The polished wooden floor gleamed with care.
At a glance, the materials were high quality and meticulously maintained.
“Pardon? No, this is the Middle Ward.”
At the maid’s cautious correction, Geum Seolha turned toward Geum Jugang.
Her gaze clearly asked why his explanation differed.
He merely shrugged.
“The medicine, physicians, and supplies here are all much better.”
As if saying good things were simply good things.
Geum Seolha looked at him suspiciously, but before she could question him further, they arrived.
The maid pointed toward a room and bowed.
“It’s here.”
The moment the maid hurried away with her medicine tray, Geum Seolha immediately pushed open the door.
The strong scent of medicinal broth hit her nose.
Inside sat Ha Dowoon, looking exhausted.
Lying before him was Yu Eunseol.
Her complexion was pale and lifeless, like melted wax.
Geum Seolha’s heart dropped.
She stood frozen in place until her eyes met Ha Dowoon’s.
Only then did she move.
“You’ve arrived, Miss.”
His gaze quickly swept over her as if checking whether she was injured.
Geum Seolha parted her dry lips.
“How is Eunseol?”
“The physicians say we’ll have to wait and see.”
His expression darkened.
“…They said tonight may be the critical point.”
Staggering slightly, Geum Seolha moved to Yu Eunseol’s side.
From farther back, Geum Jugang watched silently.
His eyes met Ha Dowoon’s cold gaze.
Without a word, Geum Jugang closed the door.
This was not a place for him.
Standing there silently, Geum Seolha eventually collapsed to her knees beside the bed.
“What do you mean tonight is the critical point?”
Her voice trembled.
After a brief silence, Ha Dowoon answered.
“Because of a chronic illness she already suffers from, they can’t administer medicine freely. And due to her constitution, the medicine doesn’t seem to work very well.”
Geum Seolha stared blankly at Yu Eunseol as she breathed in short, ragged gasps.
“A chronic illness?”
“Yes.”
“I really didn’t know anything about Eunseol, did I?”
At her powerless murmur, Ha Dowoon shook his head.
“You couldn’t have known. She never told you.”
Without responding, Geum Seolha simply stared at Yu Eunseol’s face.
The two remained there in silence for a long time.
Eventually, Ha Dowoon spoke first.
“It’s very late. You should return, Miss.”
“No.”
“You’ll exhaust yourself.”
“I won’t die just because I’m tired.”
Her answer sounded like a stubborn child’s protest.
Ha Dowoon sighed.
“Eunseol wouldn’t have wanted this. You know how obsessive she is when it comes to your well-being.”
“Sorry, but I’m pretty obsessive when it comes to Eunseol too.”
Though her tone was casual, her eyes burned brightly.
“They said tonight is the critical point.”
“…”
“No one would dare try anything foolish, but if someone does, it’s better if I’m here.”
The only thing she possessed was her bloodline and status.
But even that was better than nothing.
“I’ll personally watch over her. Do you not trust me either?”
“I trust you.”
“…”
“But I don’t trust anyone else.”
“…”
“Besides, if I leave, neither you nor Yu Eunseol will be there.”
The unexpected words caused something to flicker in Ha Dowoon’s eyes.
Geum Seolha replaced the lukewarm cloth on Yu Eunseol’s forehead with a fresh one.
“Dowoon.”
Her gaze remained fixed on Yu Eunseol.
“I may not know much, but even I know this isn’t right.”
Her eyes sank deeply.
“Eunseol ended up like this because I’m weak. Because I have nothing.”
“Miss.”
As if about to object, Ha Dowoon called out to her.
But Geum Seolha shook her head.
“I’m going to gain power.”
“…”
“So that no one can ever lay a hand on my people again.”
“…”
“And so this never happens again.”
Her voice carried complete sincerity.
“So help me.”
There was no guarantee Ha Dowoon would agree.
But Geum Seolha had no other choice.
‘Even if he says he can’t trust me… even if he refuses… there’s nothing I can do.’
The only people she could truly trust now were Yu Eunseol and Ha Dowoon.
Tense, Geum Seolha finally looked up at him.
At that very moment—
“I will always be your sword, Miss.”
Ha Dowoon bowed his head calmly.
Geum Seolha’s eyes widened in surprise.
“So do not ask.”
“…”
“Give me your command.”
There were no questions.
No hesitation.
Only quiet acceptance.
Geum Seolha forgot to breathe.
“You… do you even understand what I’m saying?”
