If You Claim the Fallen Heiress - Chapter 4

She began to grind ink on the inkstone. She wrote a letter to Kim Seon. It was already the third letter. She had been sending letters via Yeon, the white raven, but it seemed they hadn’t reached the palace properly.

As she had done before, she wrote the approximate location of this place in the letter and that she was waiting for the day they would meet again. She wished that day would come soon….

He must be working hard for her, so she shouldn’t despair.

Yuseol shook off the negative thoughts that flooded her mind and rolled the letter into a scroll. Now, the rest was up to Yeon, the white raven.

She took Yeon out of the cage and tied the letter to his leg. Then, she placed Yeon on the back of her hand and opened the door to reveal a bright, clear sky. Fortunately, there was no fog today.

As she raised the back of her hand, Yeon flapped his wings vigorously, as if greeting the world he had finally encountered again. Even if it took a long time, she hoped he would find his way to the palace this time….

Yeon circled broadly above her head as if to say he would return safely, then flew far into the sky. Yuseol waved goodbye to Yeon and closed the door.

She began to comb her hair to shake off her anxiety. She had struggled before because she hadn’t done it herself, but she was slowly getting used to it. It was also fascinating to weave several strands of hair into one. She wished the court, which had been chaotic since the former king’s demise, could also be unified like this.

She carefully placed her intricately braided hair over one shoulder. Just as she tied the end with a white ribbon, a shadow fell across the door. It seemed to be the boy who had always looked after her, likely a descendant of the former royal family.

“I’ve prepared the meal.”

Yuseol rose from her seat and opened the door.

“Yes, I’m up.”

She had no appetite at all. It had been like that since Geon disappeared.

As the changhomun opened, the sprawling view of the estate came into sight. As expected, Geon was nowhere to be found. It was natural, given that the man she met yesterday had said he took Geon. (tn: changhomun, a traditional Korean paper doors/windows.)

She looked at the boy before her. He looked youthful, as if he hadn’t even turned twenty yet.

The boy’s name was Myoyeon. He had a small, delicate face and generally exuded a vacant aura. It was somewhat surprising that he was in charge of managing this place. Where had all the other members gone? Was the man she met by the river yesterday also a member of this family?

Yuseol closely observed the boy, who was about a palm’s length taller than her. Myoyeon, who met her gaze, gave a fresh smile.

“Was your sleeping place not uncomfortable?”

Yuseol nodded and replied.

“No, thanks to your care.”

Behind Myoyeon, a servant stood holding a tray. Myoyeon gestured, and the servant attempted to bring the tray into the room. Yuseol paused for a moment and looked out at the weather in the courtyard beyond the door.

The weather was quite warm. She was more interested in getting some fresh air than eating.

“I think it would be nice to spend time on the main wooden floor today.”

As Yuseol stepped outside her room, a servant followed behind carrying a tray. She sat at the center of the main wooden floor, feeling the chill seeping through her socked feet.

“The weather is nice for a change.”

The servant placed the tray in front of her and left. Myoyeon sat on the edge of the wooden floor, admiring the morning scenery, and replied.

“It seems the sky gods are in a good mood today.”

Yuseol’s gaze fell upon the estate scenery.

“It seems so.”

Yuseol’s interest turned to the neatly prepared meal. The color harmony of soybean sprouts, bracken, and spinach stimulated her vision. However, a black, mushroom-like vegetable caught her eye. It was a vegetable she had never seen before; could it be a local specialty?

“A unique dish has been served today. Is it a local specialty?”

Myoyeon glanced at the mushroom and replied.

“It’s called Chimanocho. It’s a herb that neutralizes toxins, and a guest staying in the detached quarters brought it. It’s rare, so I think you should try it.”

She had heard that a guest arrived at the detached quarters the day she came. She had never actually met them, yet they shared such rare ingredients; they must be kind-hearted. She thought that she should repay everyone here when she returned to the palace and picked up her chopsticks.

A belated hunger set in, and she calmly mixed the vegetables and soy sauce seasoning with rice and ate. The spicy and sweet taste of Chimanocho made her feel like she was eating an exotic dish.

Once she was somewhat full, a sense of languor, along with renewed worry for Geon, washed over her.

That moment, Myoyeon suddenly stood up and stepped onto the main floor of the hall. His back, as he looked out beyond the wall, seemed unusual—something felt off.

“For some reason, men dressed in the same clothes are coming up in a line. They look like people from the government office; what could be happening?”

Yuseol, who had finished her meal and was drinking water, froze.

“People from the government, the government office…?”

The vivid dreams of the past nights, feeling like reality, flashed before her eyes.

Suddenly, she felt an urge to flee.