If You Claim the Fallen Heiress - Chapter 116

The movement of the swing, which had a wide radius, gradually slowed down. Just as it came to a complete stop, Yuseol stood up.

Kim Seon stopped in front of her with his hands behind his back. She tidied her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind, and bowed her head.

“I greet Your Majesty the King.”

“We meet again like this.”

A faint smile appeared on his face, which was boyish for a full-grown man.

Yuseol glanced up at him and then lowered her gaze again. It was a situation that called for a smile in return, but she didn’t do so today. With a puzzled expression, Kim Seon discreetly examined her face and said.

“And, you seem more beautiful. Did you change your makeup?”

Yuseol’s eyelashes trembled. Yanghui had praised the powder made from iridescent seashells, saying it gave her face the ultimate radiance, but Yuseol hadn’t expected him to notice right away. The realization that his interest was that great brought a heightened sense of tension and antipathy. She hunched her shoulders and lowered her head.

“I am infinitely grateful. I have been paying special attention to it since I entered the palace.”

Her voice was darker than when they had last spoken. He tilted his head slightly, as if something was strange, and said in a low voice.

“But you also seem to have a concern.”

“Do I look like that?”

“Did I guess correctly?”

Yuseol, who had slightly nodded, hesitated for a moment. It was not as easy as she had thought to continue the conversation with a secret intention. It was difficult to move her lips, which were as nervous as her heart.

“To be honest… I heard an unpleasant rumor about myself circulating in the palace.”

“What kind of rumor?”

Just as Yuseol was about to answer, a tall court lady appeared from beyond the low wall of the rest area. The fact that she was watching them from a distance at a time when she wasn’t supposed to be working looked as if she had been given instructions by a superior. For some reason, she also looked familiar, as if Yuseol had seen her in Meisa’s quarters. So, she was probably a person sent by Meisa.

Yuseol, feeling uncomfortable with the woman’s gaze, turned her body to the side. A genuine sense of injustice was evident on her face.

“A baseless rumor seems to have spread in the palace that I entered the palace with the ambition of enchanting Your Majesty and seizing the Queen’s seat.”

Kim Seon was neither surprised nor flustered. He merely let out a short sigh, as if he had already guessed the whole story of the rumor.

He was in the same boat as Meisa, so of course he knew….

Yuseol was curious. What did he feel about seeing Sahwa, who was ostensibly unrelated to this matter, being harmed? Didn’t he feel any remorse? If Sahwa hadn’t been under the protection of a man named Mu-yeong, would she have been dead by now?

A deep sigh escaped Yuseol’s lips as well. The Kim Seon she had held in her heart was not a vile man who would torment innocent people. Although he was a bit sensitive, he never toyed with people’s lives or coveted women. In fact, he used to be a person who looked out for those in a difficult position…

What had caused him to change so much?

She continued to speak in a darker voice.

“Is it a rumor that Your Majesty also knows about?”

Yuseol’s murky eyes examined him. He avoided her gaze as if he had been struck at his core, yet he answered with a proud voice.

“We are busy with affairs of state and have no time to pay attention to rumors.”

Yuseol just nodded. It was what she had expected, and there was no more trust left to be broken.

Still, she couldn’t stop herself from feeling sad that the man she had once held in her heart felt like nothing more than an empty shell without a soul.

“…I see.”

The gentle breeze that had been blowing around the rest area suddenly grew stronger. Yuseol tucked the strands of hair tickling her face behind her ear. Kim Seon watched her intently. It was a moment when a flash of life came into his lifeless eyes.

“Since I have entered the palace like this, I want to endure until Your Majesty’s birthday, but I am afraid that the rumor will grow even bigger. I feel like I must find a solution for the sake of the flawless Your Majesty as well.”

She wanted to leave the palace naturally and find her sister, but she felt frustrated because she couldn’t, as she was worried that Kim Seon might suddenly harm her sister.

“I don’t know what to do.”

By now, darkness had been cast over the sunset. Kim Seon watched her face, which had become even darker. The thin fabric near her eyes fluttered with the occasional breeze. Her eyes, which she had carefully made up, were fully exposed.

Yuseol’s eyes had a slight downward curve, giving her a gentle impression. But the Sahwa of now had an upward curve, to the point of looking fierce. Her clear gaze, contrary to her eye shape, began to intertwine with his.

Unlike Han Yuseol, who would always avoid eye contact, she looked at Kim Seon calmly. He couldn’t take his eyes off hers. His aloof eyes wavered and shimmered faintly. It almost looked as if a hint of anticipation and longing had entered them.

Yuseol belatedly averted her gaze and said.

“I’ll have to think about it.”