If You Claim the Fallen Heiress - Chapter 85

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Days passed busily.

For two days, Yuseol packed her luggage and exchanged greetings with people. Among the conversations that came and went, she received the question of when she would return the most.

She answered that she would return as quickly as possible. Her heart full of regret truly felt that way.

As she had promised the people, she wanted to return before spring passed and participate in the thanksgiving offering. She newly wanted to convey gratitude to the gods, and also wanted to spend happy time with the people.

It was the seventh day since she had departed from Museolwon. Yuseol slightly lifted the window curtain inside the swaying palanquin and looked outside.

It seemed they had reached the vicinity of the capital. She could see bamboo forests characterized by uneven terrain.

She had inevitably gotten down from her horse and spent half a day after boarding the palanquin. Her legs, bent to the utmost, were stiff, but the good scenery made it bearable. Seeing the dense bamboo forest and the stream crossing the rocky path seemed to clear her head.

Yanghui, sitting across from Yuseol, opened her mouth while looking outside together.

“We’ll arrive at the capital soon.”

“…….”

“I never dreamed we’d be going back like this.”

Yuseol looked at Yanghui, who was filled with anticipation. She was a child who was absolutely necessary to hide her identity, but whom she hadn’t wanted to take along because she couldn’t drag her down the path of death.

Yanghui, who seemed to agree with Yuseol’s words of worry, came the next day and earnestly begged to be taken to the palace. She didn’t yield even to Yuseol’s refusal. She said when she was living as a servant getting by, it was tolerable. She said she had been alleviating boredom by barely making cosmetic materials and enjoying trying them directly on her face.

But after having the chance to directly do work she liked, she said the days of preparing vegetables and doing laundry had become tedious. Yanghui wanted to go to the palace that had been in her fantasies, and said if she could style an ideal type who wouldn’t be unworthy of cosmetics there, she would have no regrets even if she died.

Yuseol, who stepped back, made one promise with Yanghui. Namely, that if she ordered her to run away, she would run away like her tail was on fire.

Yanghui promised to do as ordered, and came to join the journey.

Yuseol couldn’t hide her feelings of relying on Yanghui even while being worried and anxious. Safely finishing her business and escaping the palace to live with Yanghui and Geon had been her wish for the past few days.

Complex emotions leaked from Yuseol’s voice as she answered.

“I didn’t know I’d be entering the palace like this either.”

Yanghui, who nodded, looked at the wildflowers of the small stream and asked innocently.

“The palace must have many rare flowers too, right? I hope we can find new materials.”

Yuseol quietly pictured the palace scenery.

“There seemed to be many flowers with special colors. I hope we can obtain good materials while we’re there.”

“I hope we can obtain a lot and take them to Museolwon.”

“Yes.”

A momentary regret settled on Yanghui’s face that had been smiling.

“It would have been nice if Myoyeon had come together too….”

Yuseol carefully recalled what she had experienced before leaving Museolwon.

It was the day she had decided to take Yanghui along. When she conveyed the situation, Myoyeon allowed Yanghui’s accompaniment while also revealing his regretful feelings.

“Thinking that both quarters will be empty from tomorrow makes me feel regretful. I hope you finish your business safely and return.”

“Thank you for your kind words. I feel very sorry for causing so much trouble while staying here.”

Myoyeon shook his head as if asking what she meant.

“Museolwon was a place where nothing happened before you came, Lady. I was glad that vitality returned to this place that had been like a boring paradise.”

“…….”

“Actually, I couldn’t even remember when the last special thing had happened here.”

Myoyeon saying that seemed like someone who had lived for a very long time. Was it because he had matured too early from taking charge of big affairs at a young age?

After hesitating, Yuseol carefully asked.

“Um… if it’s not rude, may I ask your age?”

Myoyeon narrowed his eyes as if counting the years he had lived. Then, as if it wasn’t easy, he smiled awkwardly.

“Well, I’m not sure.”

At Yuseol’s puzzled reaction, Myoyeon changed the subject as if it was nothing.

“You’ll write letters, right?”

Loneliness leaked from his quiet, youthful voice. Yuseol, who had been hesitating, spoke with regretful feelings.

“How about visiting the capital together?”

Myoyeon, who had been speechless for a moment, shook his head as if it was difficult.

“That’s impossible.”

“You’d have to look after the village so you couldn’t be away for long, but since it’s a rare occasion…”

“I wish it were such a problem… but whenever I try to leave Museolwon, other problems always arise.”

“Problems…?”

“I would wander around the misty entrance of Museolwon and when I came to my senses, I would repeatedly find myself back in the village. I often think I’m trapped in a beautiful prison.”

Myoyeon bowed his head as if resigned. It seemed like he lost his sense of direction due to fog and returned to the village, but wasn’t he getting too frustrated? Yuseol looked at the clear sky and said.

“The weather is good today, so shall we go to the entrance? If nothing happens, you could come to the capital together, right?”

A glimmer of hope appeared on Myoyeon’s face.

Since the topic had come up, Yuseol headed to the entrance of Museolwon with Myoyeon and Yanghui. The village sky was clean without a single cloud, but the entrance was full of fog.

Seized by inexplicable fear, she held Yanghui’s hand and walked out step by step. But at some point, Myoyeon, who had been walking ahead, was no longer visible. Even when they called his name, there was no answer.

It was when they were getting tired from wandering around looking for Myoyeon like that. She had the feeling that a man was sitting on a pine tree branch far away, looking down below.

Yuseol, who had stopped, opened her eyes wide while forcing herself to focus on the invisible scenery.

“Is that you, Lord Jiwoon?”

She hoped to hear a shameless answer, but only quiet echoes rang out.

In the end, thinking she should ask for help, she hurriedly returned to the village with Yanghui.

Strangely, Myoyeon was asleep in his room. She thought she understood the meaning of the words that Museolwon was like a beautiful prison.