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The rain tapped in uneven rhythms.
Drip, tap, patter.
A steady downpour followed.
I woke to the sound of rain.
When I turned my head at the cool, damp air, I saw the window slightly open. My maid was nowhere to be seen.
‘She could at least have closed the window.’
My body, which had seemed to be recovering smoothly under Physician Seok’s treatment in Subaekdang, felt heavy again, perhaps because of the rain.
“Cough, cough.”
I coughed, got up from the bed, and trudged over to close the window. It must have been raining for quite some time, because everything from the table by the window to the floor was soaked.
‘I should wipe this up…’
My head hurts.
Overall, I felt awful. Holding my throbbing head, I headed toward the round table in the middle of the room to drink some water.
The moment I picked up the teapot, I let out a sigh.
‘It’s empty.’
It had been empty last night too.
I didn’t want to wake anyone, so I endured it and slept, but it was still empty today.
‘It was better when I was at Subaekdang.’
There, the teapot never ran dry. Even the slightest movement from me would bring a waiting maid rushing in to tend to me.
Humans really do adapt. At first, the attentive care of the maids at Subaekdang felt burdensome, but before I knew it, I had grown used to it.
Yawning, I lay back down on the bed.
When I opened my eyes again, bright sunlight was streaming through the now-closed window. The table was still damp.
My body felt a little lighter, but my head still hurt, so I continued lying down.
That was when I heard voices outside the window.
“Ow, ow, ow! Ah, this is so annoying! It hurts every time I walk!”
“Danggeum! Lower your voice!”
“Why should I? This is ridiculous. Does she really think she’s part of the Baekri family? Does she even know where the Central Hall is to go there!”
My maid, Danggeum, was passing by my window, talking with another maid.
The other maid whispered,
“The family head heard about it too. What could Madam do? Chundol got twenty lashes and is still lying face down. Compared to that, you got off easy.”
“What do you mean easy! So Chundol is resting?”
“Of course. After twenty lashes, how could he work? He won’t be able to move for a week…”
Their voices gradually faded until I couldn’t hear them anymore.
Then, shortly after, the door burst open loudly. The curtain flapped violently as the wind rushed in.
“My lady! You’re awake.”
It was Danggeum.
Anyone sleeping would have woken up with the door opened like that.
I sat up, holding my head.
“I just woke up. Danggeum, the teapot was empty. I wanted some water—”
“My lady, look at this! My calves are torn from being beaten!”
Danggeum cut me off and dramatically lifted her skirt. The reddish welts looked painful.
“Why did you even go to the Central Hall? I got beaten for nothing because of you!”
“……”
Danggeum might have been lazy, but at least she used to refill the teapot and bring water for washing on time.
That was practically the only thing she did, and it seemed she had abandoned even that because of this.
Lowering the hand that had been holding my head, I said,
“How is that my fault? It’s because you were being lazy.”
“W-what did you say?”
Danggeum doubted her ears.
Until now, Baekri Yeon had always just awkwardly smiled and nodded no matter what she said.
After all, even if she was technically a direct descendant, she was nothing more than a burden cast aside by the family head. A street beggar acting like a master was laughable.
On top of that, her father, Baekri Uigang, rarely stayed in the Baekri family estate. Having a daughter hadn’t changed that.
Baekri Yeon had no one to rely on except her, and Danggeum knew that very well. She used that fact to her advantage, scolding her loudly under the pretense of doing it for her sake, crushing her spirit.
After that, life had been easy. As long as she was careful not to get caught by the young master, Baekri Uigang, everything was fine.
That day had been the same. She had been lazily taking a nap as usual, when suddenly Madam’s maids stormed in and disaster struck.
Danggeum shouted in disbelief,
“My lady! How can you say that? If the Fourth Young Master hears you’re this inconsiderate, how disappointed he’ll be!”
“Ha… fine. Just fill the teapot and go rest.”
“At your age, shouldn’t you be able to fill a teapot yourself? Whatever.”
Pouting, Danggeum quickly grabbed the teapot and left before I could change my mind.
‘Even after being beaten, she hasn’t changed.’
How long do I have to live like this?
I knew why Danggeum acted this way.
‘She thinks she was just unlucky.’
She had been punished because it happened to reach Grandfather’s ears, but she didn’t believe he would genuinely care about someone like me.
‘The other servants are probably the same.’
They would watch themselves for a while, but soon everything would go back to how it was.
I had just finished washing up and was changing clothes when a maid rushed in noisily.
“My lady, my lady! Chief Steward Go has come!”
“Huh?”
Chief Steward Go was in charge of the Baekri family’s finances. Someone of his status would never normally have any reason to meet me.
He had served the family for a long time and was one of Grandfather’s most trusted aides. Even my eldest uncle and aunt couldn’t order him around casually.
“Why would he come here? Did you hear anything?”
“I’m not sure… Did you call for him, my lady?”
“Me? No.”
The maid looked visibly anxious, as if fearing another problem.
It hadn’t even been a few days since Madam’s maids had stormed in and caused trouble. Now another high-ranking figure had arrived, so she was understandably nervous.
Looking closely, she was the same maid who had been talking with Danggeum earlier.
‘Is he really here for me?’
If he had come to see Father, there would be no reason to summon me.
With the maid’s help, I quickly got ready. Since I hadn’t even changed clothes, it still took some time before I could step outside.
But when I finally met Chief Steward Go, he looked as though he hadn’t been waiting long at all, wearing a bright expression.
Suppressing my confusion, I greeted him.
“Hello.”
“I greet Lady Yeon. I am Chief Steward Go. This is our first time properly meeting.”
I glanced toward Father’s residence.
Servants had gathered due to the commotion, yet Father hadn’t come out. It seemed he was away.
“I heard you are still unwell. Bring it.”
At his gesture, a servant appeared as if out of nowhere with a chair.
After being gently seated in the soft chair, I became even more confused.
Then two sturdy servants appeared, carrying large wooden chests. Each chest was so big I could lie inside it, and there were three of them.
‘What in the world is going on?’
Chief Steward Go nodded toward one of the chests.
“Open it.”
I tensed slightly.
The lid opened, and I couldn’t help but gape.
The surrounding servants looked no different.
Silks of fine luster, jade ornaments shaped like toads, gold pendants, a tea set inlaid with lotus designs, blood-red rubies…
Items too valuable to even estimate poured out endlessly.
What is this, and where did that come from… the explanations went on without end.
“What are all these?”
“These are gifts from the family head to you, my lady.”
“…What?”
“After his travels, the family head usually distributes gifts to his family.”
He seemed to emphasize the word “family.”
Was that just my imagination?
I scanned the items, then suddenly lifted my head.
The servants whispering among themselves. Danggeum, who had appeared at some point, stood among them with wide eyes.
‘Ah, I see.’
This was Grandfather’s declaration.
Yes, I may have been cast out here, but I was still a direct descendant who must be properly served.
‘I didn’t expect him to go this far.’
I thought he would stop at punishing the servants.
Chief Steward Go lifted a glossy white sable fur.
“This white sable fur is especially fine. I recommend turning it into a scarf without trimming it too much.”
“Ah… thank you.”
At that moment, a handsome young man strode in from the entrance.
It was Father.
“Chief Steward Go, it’s been a while.”
“You’ve returned, Fourth Young Master.”
Father approached and lifted me effortlessly from the chair.
“Ah!”
He placed his hand on my forehead to check my temperature, then sighed in relief. After that, he turned to Chief Steward Go.
“Please tell the family head that I am ashamed of my unfilial conduct and grateful for his kindness. However, we will accept only his sentiment. Yeon is still too young to receive such valuable items.”
Father?
If I hadn’t been in his arms, I might have jumped.
‘You can’t refuse this!’
This was Grandfather’s gesture of reconciliation.
Unlike my panic, Chief Steward Go seemed to have anticipated Father’s refusal and responded smoothly.
“Haha, there is no need to worry. I am distributing gifts to everyone else as well. Lady Ri has already received hers, so why should Lady Yeon not receive hers?”
Baekri Ri was my cousin, a year younger than me, the daughter of my eldest uncle.
Chief Steward Go continued,
“More importantly, Young Master, please take a look at this. These are medicinal herbs. Even apothecaries struggle to obtain them without paying a premium. This is 50-year-old He Shou Wu, and this is mountain ginseng…”
Father hesitated, then unconsciously stepped closer to the herbs. Many of them were exactly what I needed. While the Baekri family never lacked medicinal ingredients, items of this quality were rare.
After a long internal struggle, Father was persuaded by the argument that refusing when everyone else had accepted would make it seem like the family head was discriminating among his grandchildren, and that Yeon’s health should come first.
In the end, he accepted them with gratitude.
Chief Steward Go smiled knowingly.
“I expected as much.”
“…You know me too well, Chief Steward.”
“I have watched you since you were an infant, Fourth Young Master. Of course I do. Ah, I nearly forgot this.”
Still smiling, Chief Steward Go carefully took something out from his robe.
His movements suggested it was extremely precious.
‘That box looks familiar…’
…No, that’s impossible. Boxes all look similar.
I dismissed the thought.
Chief Steward Go respectfully presented it.
“This is the Cheonmyeong Geumhondan sent by the family head.”
“…!”
“He said the young lady may decide what to do with it.”
“…!”
