TLSWF 07

Chapter: 07

Fortunately, Seowan immediately understood what Haena meant.

Seowan readily accepted her request, then turned a cold gaze toward Cheongyeon, who had been teasing her young mistress.

Still unable to hide her laughter, Cheongyeon wiped Haena’s tears and then left the room, saying that she would go get some food.

The moment the door closed, the sound of water splashing rang out, followed by a faint scream from Cheongyeon.

Startled, Haena tried to go outside to see what had happened, but Seowan dismissed her concern, telling her not to worry about it.

A short while later, Cheongyeon, whose clothes had somehow changed, returned with the maids carrying food.

A clear soup, steamed fish, a generous bowl of white rice, and several small side dishes were neatly arranged.

Seeing the food, Haena gripped her spoon and kept sneaking glances at Seowan.

She thought she had done it secretly, but it was obvious to Seowan.

In truth, Seowan had known about Haena’s plan from the very beginning.

The girl had been scurrying around the estate like that all week. There was no way Seowan could have failed to notice.

Since it was only a single meal, Seowan had actually intended to suggest it herself, but Cheongyeon had told her not to take away the young lady’s enjoyment, so Seowan had quietly waited.

And finally, today had come.

Pretending not to notice the child’s gaze, Seowan took a bite of rice. Then she said a single word to the nervous Haena.

“It’s delicious.”

A bright smile instantly blossomed across Haena’s face. Only then did the child begin moving her spoon enthusiastically.

Once Seowan confirmed that Haena was eating well, she picked up her chopsticks.

That was when a commotion arose outside the door.

“…My lady! You cannot do this…!”

“Please, at least ask the mistress first…!”

The servants’ frantic voices mixed with the sound of heavy footsteps and banging.

Seeing Haena stop eating with her eyes wide, Seowan clicked her tongue.

It was the unwelcome guest who had arrived that morning.

Seowan had thought she would leave if ignored, but apparently, she had finally decided to cause trouble.

Of all times, she had to do this while we were eating.

Seowan put down her utensils and stood up.

She was just about to tell the child to finish her meal when—

Rattle! Bang!

The sliding door flew open with a loud noise.

A red-haired woman appeared through the open doorway.

Her clothes, embroidered with peonies, were lavish, as were the countless ornaments adorning her hair.

But what stood out most were the woman’s eyes.

Her glittering golden-red irises resembled blazing flames.

Haena stared at them without realizing it.

Then the woman’s gaze abruptly shifted toward Haena.

Haena flinched when she met those fierce, raised eyes.

Those beautiful eyes were filled with hostility.

It was immediately obvious that the woman hated her.

The woman strode toward Haena.

But before she could reach the child, a broad back stepped in front of Haena, blocking her completely.

“What business do you have, Pugunseong?”

Haena’s eyes widened when she heard Seowan’s voice as she stood protectively in front of her.

Pugunseonggun.

The seventh star among the Seven Stars, and a Celestial of the Hwa clan, which governed fire.

“Forgive my rudeness, Tamrang. I heard a rumor that was simply too unbelievable, so I came to see for myself.”

Her lovely voice was filled with thorns.

Worried about her sister, Haena cautiously peeked her face out.

The gaze that had been glaring at Seowan immediately shifted downward.

Pugunseonggun, Yeonbi, smiled coldly.

“I wondered if it could possibly be true, but it was. The family of a traitor is still alive.”

After noticing Haena, Seowan frowned and pushed the child’s head back behind her.

“Or should I say, not merely a member of his household, but his own blood?”

“This child is my younger sister.”

“Perhaps. You never know what that vulgar mother of hers might have—”

“Cheongyeon!”

Seowan’s sharp call cut Yeonbi off.

Cheongyeon, who had been anxiously lingering by the doorway, hurried over.

“Take the child outside.”

Cheongyeon politely bowed her head and placed a hand on Haena’s shoulder.

At that moment, Haena shook off her hand and stepped beside Seowan.

“I-I don’t want to.”

It was the first time the child had refused, and both Seowan and Cheongyeon were startled.

Seowan clicked her tongue and glanced at Yeonbi.

The Tamrang Star and the Pugun Star had never gotten along due to the opposing nature of their powers.

Yeonbi, the Pugun Star of this generation, particularly hated Seowan.

Part of it was because Seowan came from the lowly ranks of wandering mercenaries, but it was also because of the way she wielded her energy.

The Tamrang Star traditionally used her power by unleashing massive amounts of water during battle.

Seowan, however, preferred to strip away all moisture before setting everything ablaze. Yeonbi could not stand the fact that Seowan even made use of the very fire that she herself governed.

Ever since Seowan became the Tamrang Star Lord, Yeonbi had constantly looked for an opportunity to bring her down.

And now that Seowan had revealed a weakness by taking Haena in, this was the perfect opportunity for Yeonbi.

“No. Go outside with Cheongyeon.”

Seowan answered coldly.

Under normal circumstances, she would have indulged the child’s stubbornness.

But not this time.

Yet Haena only tightened her grip on Seowan’s collar.

The child’s face had gone deathly pale.

“Please let me stay here. Please.”

Haena begged again.

Realizing that something was strange about the child’s behavior, Seowan slightly furrowed her brow.

“I’ll be quiet. I won’t cause any trouble. C-can’t I stay with you, sister?”

Yeonbi’s hostility was directed not only at Haena but at Seowan as well.

The Pugun Star was also one of the Seven Stars of Cheonmang Kingdom.

If she deliberately attacked Seowan, there was no telling what the outcome would be.

Haena. Go outside. Quickly.

She had only just gained a family.

She could not lose them again for nothing.

Haena clenched her tiny fists.

Seeing the child’s determined expression, Seowan silently looked down at her.

Then she shifted her gaze to Cheongyeon.

“Stay by the child’s side. If anything is said that she shouldn’t hear, cover her ears.”

Cheongyeon sighed and nodded.

Seowan looked down at Haena once with an expression that suggested she was still displeased, then turned toward Yeonbi.

“You care so much for a child who might be Yeon Giumun’s daughter?”

Yeonbi sneered as she watched them.

Haena hesitantly spoke.

“…He’s not my father.”

Once again, all three pairs of eyes turned toward Haena.

Two were reproachful.

One was filled with contempt.

“How do you know that?”

“Cheongyeon.”

Seowan called for Cheongyeon in response to Yeonbi’s question.

But Haena was quicker to speak.

“Because the mistress, I mean, Yeon Giumun, is ugly…”

The unexpected answer left the room silent.

Both Yeonbi and even Seowan looked completely dumbfounded.

“They say beauty comes from the way someone treats others, not from how they look. I-I’m not very pretty either, but… that person is the ugliest person in the world.”

Yeon Giumun was a remarkably handsome man.

He was regarded as the most handsome man in all of Cheonmang Kingdom, to the point that rumors even circulated claiming he used his looks to run his merchant company.

“Blood relatives are supposed to look alike, right? So…”

Haena was probably the first person in the entire Cheonmang Kingdom to ever call Yeon Giumun ugly.

“Hah.”

It was Yeonbi who broke the silence.

She shook her head as though disgusted and spoke.

“You’re right that you don’t look alike, but who knows how many seeds that man scattered? It’s a shame he died in prison, because we’ll never know the truth now.”

This time, Cheongyeon quickly covered Haena’s ears.

Thanks to that, Haena only heard that she and the man looked different.

“Tamrang. It would be best not to grow so attached to her. You’ll have to send her away before long anyway.”

Yeonbi continued with a mocking smile.

After confirming that Cheongyeon was firmly covering Haena’s ears, Seowan listened silently.

“The royal physician examined His Highness’s pulse and discovered that the Fourth Prince has been consuming moonstone for a long time.”

Seowan’s expression hardened.

Haena could not hear Yeonbi’s words, but she could tell from Seowan’s face that something serious had been said.

The Moon was the only star that had never chosen a human bloodline, and therefore had no Celestials.

Nevertheless, as the brightest star in the night sky, it possessed immense power. Moonstones containing that power continued to shine even at night, making them extremely valuable and highly sought after.

The Yeon family had accumulated its wealth by processing and selling moonstones.

Thus, they had attempted to use their abundant supply of moonstones to create Celestials who possessed the power of the Moon.

They spared no expense on their experiments.

The underground chamber constructed by processing an enormous moonstone in its entirety was proof of that.

Because of this, even the Seven Star Lords had been unable to discover the place, and the children had constantly been exposed to lunar energy.

Just as the water of Tamrang and the fire of Pugun were opposing forces, the Moon was also the natural enemy of the solar power possessed by the royal family.

If the Fourth Prince had been subjected to the same treatment, then his condition must be extremely serious, as he would have been periodically poisoned by an opposing force.

“I heard that child was one of the maids working in the underground chamber. Then she must have known everything His Highness was consuming.”

If the prince failed to wake up in this state, Haena would become the person responsible for murdering royalty.

And even if the prince awoke and identified Haena as the culprit, the result would be the same.

“Would you really take on a charge of treason for the sake of that mere child?”

Yeonbi laughed.

There’s no way that cold-blooded woman would do such a thing.

But even temporarily protecting someone accused of murdering royalty would be enough to weaken Seowan’s position.

Contrary to Yeonbi’s expectations, Seowan answered without the slightest hesitation.

“If necessary, then I suppose I will.”