🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 09
At the silent gaze that offered no particular reply, Hong Yeongryeong mistakenly believed she had gained the upper hand and spoke in a lecturing tone.
“That child has always had poor habits. There is more than one witness who can testify to it.”
“Is that so.”
“Yes. From the kitchen servants to the maids, they all testified with one voice, so there can be no mistake.”
“A testimony spoken with one voice.”
Rather than showing any sign of anger, Geum Seolha responded calmly. Mistaking this for persuasion taking effect, Hong Yeongryeong hid her triumphant smile and feigned bitterness.
“Perhaps… she may have even laid her hands on your belongings, Miss.”
As Hong Yeongryeong tried to comfort her, saying she had merely been deceived, Geum Seolha quietly tilted her head.
“Who exactly are these people who testified with one voice?”
“…Pardon?”
Hong Yeongryeong looked as though she could not understand why such a question was being asked. Geum Seolha answered indifferently.
“Is it difficult to understand that I want to make sure?”
Only then did Hong Yeongryeong carefully examine Geum Seolha once more. Seeing no obvious signs of anger or anything unusual, she reluctantly gestured toward the people standing to her left.
“These children.”
When Geum Seolha’s gaze fell upon them, the maids and servants visibly shrank back.
“Who was the first to accuse that child?”
Everyone’s eyes naturally turned toward one person. The maid who had flinched at first eventually clenched her teeth and stared back defiantly. A strange light flickered in Geum Seolha’s eyes.
“You. What’s your name?”
“…Seo Unhyang.”
It was a name she had heard from Ha Do-un. One of the maids who constantly tormented Yu Eunseol.
Only then did Geum Seolha begin to understand.
Crossing her arms, she turned to the others.
“And you?”
“Han Soso.”
Though unwilling, they gave their names one by one. Geum Seolha memorized each face before curling the corner of her lips.
“I’ve heard enough.”
“Yes, then if you’ve finished confirming everything, shall we proceed with the child’s punishment—”
“I don’t know whether you’re stupid or simply incapable of understanding words.”
At Geum Seolha’s abrupt interruption, Hong Yeongryeong blinked blankly.
It was an insult she had never expected to hear.
Especially not from the young lady she had believed she was successfully persuading.
“I beg your pardon?”
“I merely said I heard them.”
“…”
“I fail to see which part of that sounded like permission to punish Eunseol.”
As events refused to proceed as expected, Hong Yeongryeong suppressed her rising anger and spoke in an artificially gentle voice.
“Miss, I do not know how much you cherish that maid, but surely that cunning girl has deceived you.”
Geum Seolha narrowed her eyes. She had thought the woman either understood words reasonably well or was at least quick-witted. Apparently she was neither.
‘Or perhaps she simply took me for an easy fool.’
A cold smile appeared on Geum Seolha’s lips.
Either way, it did not matter.
She intended to make Hong Yeongryeong pay the price.
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“She has never deceived me.”
At Geum Seolha’s open defense of Yu Eunseol, Hong Yeongryeong’s mind raced.
Geum Seolha rarely appeared before others and seemed to dislike attention. That was precisely why she had chosen this approach.
Yet Geum Seolha’s behavior was completely outside her expectations.
“Even if she had, what does it matter when I say nothing happened?”
Geum Seolha looked at Hong Yeongryeong indifferently.
Within that emotionless gaze, Hong Yeongryeong finally realized that Geum Seolha had not been persuaded for even a single moment.
Her eyelids trembled.
‘Was she… always like this?’
She was the granddaughter of Geum Gangseok, the Head of the Geum Family and master of the Geumrin Merchant Guild.
After Geum Gangseok secluded himself for years, the child naturally faded from everyone’s attention.
At first, people had treated her well because she was the only remaining blood relative. But even after the grief of losing his son and daughter-in-law had faded, the family head never sought out his granddaughter.
Eventually, everyone abandoned their expectations.
No one paid attention to the child anymore.
Hong Yeongryeong had faithfully benefited from that reality.
Countless people had silently allowed it.
And this time, she had trusted that same reality.
‘I’ve never once seen her step forward before, so why is she suddenly acting like this?!’
Hong Yeongryeong bit her lip hard.
Geum Seolha continued without hesitation.
“Or perhaps the authority of Madam Hong exceeds even that of the Family Head within the Geum Family?”
“What nonsense! Such a thing is impossible!”
“Really? Then your shortcomings must be considerable.”
“Pardon?”
How had the conversation reached that conclusion?
The confusion on Hong Yeongryeong’s face revealed her thoughts plainly.
“No matter what anyone says, I am a direct descendant of the Geum Family and someone you ought to serve. Yet you speak so arrogantly that I almost mistook you for someone above even the Family Head.”
“That is absurd!”
“Even Grandfather, the Family Head himself, has never spoken to me in such a manner. What qualification do you possess to do so?”
Hey, you.
Who are you to tell me what I can and cannot do?
Even my grandfather doesn’t speak to me like that.
Do I really need to hear it from you?
Are you above my grandfather?
You’re not, are you?
Geum Seolha had simply taken Hong Yeongryeong’s own logic and thrown it back at her.
Judging by her expression, she understood perfectly.
And Geum Seolha was not finished yet.
“You spoke of the rules of the inner residence. Then surely the Geum Family has its own family laws.”
You were just talking about the rules of the inner residence, weren’t you?
If we’re discussing family law, you’d be the one getting beaten with a rod.
Would you like to test that?
Each calm sentence from Geum Seolha tightened around Hong Yeongryeong’s throat like a noose.
“Judging by your expression, it seems your opinion differs from mine.”
“No, that’s not—”
“If your authority does not surpass Grandfather’s, then the only conclusion is that you neglected your studies regarding family law. Is that correct?”
Geum Seolha cut off Hong Yeongryeong’s attempt to retreat.
She had not engaged in this lengthy exchange merely to end things here.
“Choose carefully, Madam Hong. Were you simply lacking and ignorant, unable to comprehend the family laws? Or did you dare flaunt your pitiful authority before a blood descendant of the Geum Family?”
Faced with the vicious ultimatum Geum Seolha presented, Hong Yeongryeong’s face turned pale.
If she chose the former, she would have to admit the humiliation of not understanding the family laws.
If she chose the latter, she would be forced to bow her head before a child.
Hong Yeongryeong gritted her teeth.
If she retreated here, she would lose the influence she held over the servants watching her.
She glared at Geum Seolha.
Fine.
No matter how exceptional she seemed, she was still only a child.
“Your conclusion is excessively unreasonable!”
“And yet it is precisely what is happening before my eyes.”
Geum Seolha’s eyes turned cold.
The woman’s thoughts were painfully obvious.
“Do you intend to claim that you stand above me?”
“No! Certainly not! But disciplining servants is—”
“She is my person.”
As if refusing to waste any more words, Geum Seolha met Hong Yeongryeong’s eyes directly.
“If you do not dare claim to stand above me, then keep your mouth shut.”
Hong Yeongryeong’s gaze sharpened, but Geum Seolha remained unmoved.
Dozens of people were watching.
Hong Yeongryeong would never lose control and make a scene in a place like this.
‘If she were that incompetent, Aunt would never have kept her as a trusted aide in the first place.’
A subordinate of the powerful could be corrupt and abusive.
But they could not be incompetent.
Within moments, Hong Yeongryeong seemed to think of another move.
She opened her mouth again.
“Do you truly intend to keep such a lowly creature who does nothing but steal as one of your attendants?”
So that was her trump card?
Disappointingly ordinary.
Geum Seolha answered indifferently.
“I ordered it.”
“…What?”
Hong Yeongryeong’s lips trembled.
She still had her pride.
She had assumed Geum Seolha would remain silent as always.
But she was wrong.
Surely not here?
“No matter how long I waited, proper meals were never brought to me. So I ordered her to obtain food by any means necessary.”
Geum Seolha surveyed the people gathered there.
Some avoided her gaze.
She did not care.
‘I memorized every one of them.’
Not a single one had defended Eunseol.
Even though they knew she was innocent.
As if understanding the meaning behind her sharp stare, those with guilty consciences began slipping away.
“There must be some misunderstanding, Miss.”
“Is that so?”
Unlike before, Hong Yeongryeong did not let her guard down at the indifferent response.
“Whether it is misunderstanding or not, time will reveal it. I am quite curious whether things like a brazier lacking sufficient firewood or meals lacking proper side dishes can truly be dismissed as misunderstandings.”
“Miss!”
“I’ve warned you several times to keep quiet.”
Geum Seolha’s gaze collided with Hong Yeongryeong’s.
“If you’re going to call me ‘Miss,’ then show the proper respect.”
“How can you treat me this way?!”
“I can treat you this way.”
Her voice was calm.
“But you cannot treat me this way.”
If Hong Yeongryeong intended to suppress Eunseol through status and schemes, then Geum Seolha could be just as petty.
She had no intention of being lenient.
“Show me proper respect, Madam Hong.”
She did not know exactly what had made Hong Yeongryeong think she could behave so arrogantly toward her in the first place.
But one thing was certain.
‘I can’t allow this to continue.’
Otherwise, her people would suffer again.
Then there was only one answer.
‘I have to change it.’
She would tear apart that hateful future with her own hands and rebuild it.
This would serve as the first stone laid for that purpose.
And fortunately, there were excellent spectators present.
Geum Seolha’s gaze briefly swept over the elderly men in expensive robes watching from a distance before settling once more on Hong Yeongryeong.
“Choose, Madam Hong.”
A bead of cold sweat rolled down Hong Yeongryeong’s forehead.
“Are you a person of the Geum Family… or a person of my Aunt?”
