If You Claim the Fallen Heiress - Chapter 109

Kim Seon, who had opened his eyes, did not answer.

In fact, his sense of betrayal towards Yuseol had become very vague now. He had only heard that her father had poisoned the former king, but he still didn’t know the full details.

The rumor that she secretly left the crown prince’s quarters every night to play with a military officer also had no clear substance.

The military officers who had said they saw her misbehavior at the time were now whispering different things. They said that what she truly wanted was not a man but to learn swordsmanship.

The rumor that she met a man every night was just a rumor. Upon investigation, it turned out that the man she had met was a now-aged former military officer. The military officer had offered him advice, saying that she had only ever wanted to give her life to protect the king. He couldn’t understand why he had felt a surge of sadness at that moment.

Kim Seon recalled the events that happened just before he decided on Yuseol’s sasa execution. Around that time, the chief secretary had brought a witness who had seen Yuseol’s misbehavior. He was a military officer from the Ministry of War. He was the one who had made Kim Seon’s teeth chatter with anger by trembling and confessing in detail how she had committed her misdeeds.

Kim Seon had recently looked for that man again. But he heard that there was no such person in the Ministry of War. The chief secretary said there must have been a mistake and that he would put out a search for the man. However, strangely enough, there had been no news of him so far.

Every time he asked about the man, the chief secretary would give a different answer. He said that if a rumor were to spread that the Crown Princess-to-be who had received poisen, was actually innocent, the scholars would rally together even more.

Lately, Kim Seon’s thoughts about the chief secretary had become complicated. Of course, the same went for his feelings about Meisa.

“Rather, there is something I want to ask you.”

He thought of the petitions from the scholar Yun Seonghyeon that came in every day without fail. In it, the suspicious points about the death of Grand Minister Han, Han Yuseol’s father, were described in detail. What was strange was that a blue powder medicine was consistently mentioned. He said the timing when the powder medicine arrived by boat was similar to the time when Meisa began to establish her place here. It was also strange that Meisa was accumulating accessories he had never given her.

He was lost in thought and rubbed his forehead with his hand as he asked.

“Have you truly not heard anything about the d**g that is secretly spreading among the people?”

Meisa’s eyes widened for a moment, and then she looked innocent.

“As I told you before, it’s a baseless rumor started by stuffy scholars who see me, a foreigner, as a thorn in their side.”

“…….”

“And it seems there is a separate force trying to harm me. If Your Majesty were to react to that, I might end my life out of a sense of injustice.”

Meisa, who had been watching Kim Seon’s expression, continued to speak.

“I suspect the man named Mu-yeong from Museolwon the most. Don’t the scholars revere him like a pillar? He has immense capital that would allow him to plot any kind of scheme.”

Kim Seon also found Mu-yeong unsettling, but he had no reason to bring d***s into this country. If this country were to fall due to d***s and not achieve an era of peace, he wouldn’t be able to live well for generations.

When Kim Seon didn’t agree with her, Meisa looked as if she was about to cry.

Just then, the eunuch in front of the main hall announced what was happening outside.

“Your Majesty, the representative of Museolwon has come to offer tribute.”

Speak of the tiger, and it will come.

Kim Seon first soothed Meisa.

“I understand your feelings, but it would be best to talk about this again later.”

Meisa seemed to agree, lowering her eyes for a moment, then she suddenly remembered something and asked.

“When are you planning to bestow upon me the title you promised? And you will definitely hold the wedding after you celebrate your birthday, right?”

Kim Seon ultimately couldn’t hide his sensitive nature and furrowed his brows.

“The ministers have not made a decision yet. You may return now.”

Meisa went back, her face looking like she still had a lot to say.

A tall man entered the main hall’s entrance, where a pure white light was seeping in. The way he walked smoothly on the spotless floor was impressive.

From the man’s small face, which was backlit, one could feel his cold features. Kim Seon tilted his head in confusion and looked at the portrait on the wall of the main hall.

In the portrait was the man who had once ruled this country and who had suddenly disappeared without a trace—the late king. His handsome face, filled with a cold murderous intent, was his most striking feature.

Kim Seon’s eyes returned to Mu-yeong. For some reason, he looked too much like the face in the portrait.