If You Claim the Fallen Heiress - Chapter 8

When his presence disappeared, the room became quiet again. Yuseol stared blankly at her tear-soaked sleeve. All the time she had lived flashed before her eyes. In that vision, Kim Seon was smiling a pure white smile.

Yuseol, with her positive personality, had experienced few types of negative emotions. However, she now understood what betrayal felt like. The deepening, pitch-black sorrow that swelled when she thought of Kim Seon must be it. It felt as if her entire body was being stained black.

This time, she truly felt sad, and tears flowed. Since childhood, she had wanted to be his hands and feet, who was often sickly, and she wanted to be a comfortable tree for him to rest under. In return for that devotion, he had promised to make Han Yuseol the happiest woman in the world. It was heartbreaking that what she ultimately received from him was poison.

Yuseol, lacking strength, opened the door with trembling hands and went outside.

Today, the weather was even brighter than on the day she received the sasa execution.

Suddenly, the weather the moment she arrived at Museolwon came to mind. Back then, she couldn’t see an inch ahead due to the snowstorm, and she couldn’t even move forward.

It was as if something was preventing her from entering Museolwon. It was so flawless that she even thought a god, or something else, was rejecting her.

There were times when she felt abandoned after coming here….

Yuseol’s eyes, filled with emptiness, surveyed the scenery. The landscape, completely free of fog, was beautiful and wondrous. She felt as if she had received permission from the gods to stay here.

But only now, after losing everything….

Yuseol sadly bowed her head. Her hands trembled at the memory of Jo Cheol-ong. The thought that someone might be watching and report her made her want to hide. Even if she had received permission from the gods of this place, it was a life unapproved by the ruler of this land and her fiancé. She couldn’t bring herself to live steadfastly.

Moreover, recalling peaceful moments with Kim Seon every day and suffering nightmares of swallowing poison every night would be too difficult.

Even if she lived like that, restoring her family’s honor would be impossible….

Wouldn’t it be better to… just die?

In her desperate situation, Yuseol’s thoughts spiraled to the extreme. She wanted to gather strength for Myoyeon, who had nursed her so diligently, but she couldn’t find it within herself. Tomorrow, and the day after, the fact that Han Yuseol had received the sasa execution would remain. Could she endure a life of hiding forever as a criminal? Losing everything, and being indebted to people without being able to repay them.

Wouldn’t a life that carries more burdens the longer one lives be a curse…?

Yuseol’s eyes lost their vitality and became cloudy. Her legs, which were difficult to control, moved towards the main gate as if drawn by something. The suicide command given by Kim Seon was a punishment that ended only by hanging oneself to death. Her hands untied the ribbon that bound her braided hair. Her pitch-black eyes, containing a deep abyss, began to search for a dark, quiet tree.

It would be good if it was sturdy and had a pleasant fragrance. She was more meticulous because it was her final resting place. After wandering for a long time, she crossed a low stone wall path and headed towards a forest on a hill. For some reason, a warm breeze carried a fragrant scent of trees toward her.

At that moment, she felt a presence behind her.

“Noona!”

She turned to see a small child, whose height barely reached her thigh, standing right in front of her. She couldn’t tell if he had been there all along or had suddenly appeared. Yuseol gasped in surprise and took a step back. Regaining her composure for a moment, her heart sank at the thought that she had almost shown an innocent child a terrible sight he would never forget.

“D-did you call me?”

“Yes! That’s right.”

In the palace, no one dared to speak casually to Yuseol. The same was true in her family home.

Experiencing this for the first time, she felt unfamiliar yet strangely comfortable. The child, with a relaxed expression, spoke to her again.

“I am Haneul.”

It was a sudden self-introduction. Haneul, meaning sky. Was it a name?

Yuseol, tilting her head, opened her mouth.

“I am… Yuseol.”

Haneul looked at Yuseol with pure, clear eyes and carefully asked.

“But are you sad?”

Yuseol, startled, retorted.

“…Do I look like it?”

Haneul placed a hand on his chest and said.

“Yes. It looks like it hurts a lot here.”

Yuseol’s eyes, watching him, gradually reddened. She wanted to say no and send Haneul away, but today she simply had no strength for that. She swallowed her slightly quickening breaths and deeply bowed her head. Then, Haneul, who didn’t know what to do, smiled brightly as if he had a good idea.

“Will you wait for me here for a bit? I have good medicine!”

Haneul dashed out of the forest without giving her a chance to stop him.

“Wait, kid!”

Yuseol knew that no matter what medicine the child brought, it wouldn’t heal her. However, his request to wait bothered her, and she couldn’t move from her spot.

Hours passed like that. For some reason, Haneul did not reappear.