Episode 04
“Madam, you have falsely accused an innocent child.”
“I… I made a mistake. The ring looked exactly like my daughter’s.”
“I see. The matter has now been clarified, so I will be taking the child with me.”
The woman’s face burned with humiliation.
Unable to offer any proper excuse, she pressed a hand against her flushed cheek. Her eyes darted nervously around the gathering crowd.
Then her gaze landed on Eunmyeong.
Instantly, her anger reignited.
“Wait!”
Seoyul’s group had been preparing to leave quickly, sensing trouble. Unfortunately, the woman blocked their path before they could get away.
Unable to accept her embarrassment, she desperately grasped for another accusation.
“That girl spoke disrespectfully to me—a noblewoman—and insulted me openly!”
Her voice rose with indignation.
“The misunderstanding about the ring may have been resolved, but the crime of insulting a noble cannot simply be forgiven!”
She pointed dramatically at the child.
“Everyone here is a witness.”
“Hand her over.”
“I will drag her to the magistrate’s office and make her pay for her insolence.”
Seoyul sighed quietly.
He had hoped to end things peacefully.
Why was she so determined to make matters worse for herself?
As he stepped closer, the woman instinctively recoiled.
His voice dropped low enough that only she could hear.
Cold.
Sharp.
Dangerously calm.
“There are limits even to shamelessness.”
“W-What?”
The woman stared at him in confusion.
The young scholar’s youthful appearance remained unchanged, but his words carried an icy authority that made her uncomfortable.
“You wanted the ring.”
His eyes never left hers.
“You coveted it.”
“You wanted to take it for yourself.”
The woman’s face stiffened.
“And now, after attempting theft, you hide behind your status as a noble?”
His voice sharpened.
“Show me the law that says noblemen may steal without consequence.”
“Are… are you insulting me?”
“That ring is not an item a provincial family can afford, no matter how influential they believe themselves to be.”
Seoyul’s gaze turned glacial.
“If you wish to avoid punishment for theft and spare your family the shame, close your mouth and leave.”
The woman trembled with humiliation.
Her eyes reddened.
Still, Seoyul continued mercilessly.
“You should be kneeling before this child and begging forgiveness.”
Without another glance, he turned away.
Anyone watching would have believed that Eunmyeong was the true victim—because she was.
Seoyul gently comforted her as they left.
Behind them, the woman remained frozen amidst the crowd.
No one openly mocked her.
Yet the meaningful looks and whispered conversations felt worse than any insult.
Humiliation burned beneath her skin like poison.
As Seoyul’s group disappeared into the distance, she stared after them with hatred-filled eyes.
◇ ◆ ◇
They stopped at a quiet corner of the marketplace where few people passed.
Only then did Seoyul finally turn his full attention toward Eunmyeong.
“You must have been frightened.”
“You can relax now.”
The child looked dazed.
She seemed too shocked to even answer.
Hoping to comfort her, Seoyul gently slid the recovered ring back onto her finger.
“Your mother gave this to you.”
“Don’t lose it again.”
Eunmyeong stared silently at the ring.
Then, in a small voice, she asked:
“Why do you keep helping me?”
Her eyes lowered.
“Look at me.”
She glanced down at her worn clothes.
“I look like this.”
The sadness in her voice struck him unexpectedly.
She blinked repeatedly, trying not to cry.
Seoyul smiled gently.
“Because you were wronged.”
“Of course I should help.”
Then he added quietly:
“Besides…”
“Right now, we’re all you have, aren’t we?”
The words struck her heart directly.
The boldness that had bewildered him all day vanished completely.
Her lips trembled.
For a moment she tried to hold herself together.
Then the dam broke.
“Hic…”
“Waaah!”
The fear.
The humiliation.
The loneliness.
Everything she had been suppressing exploded at once.
Tears poured down her cheeks.
Seoyul panicked.
He had no idea what to do.
His eyes immediately sought help from Chigyeong.
The giant warrior stood frozen like a stone statue.
Equally helpless.
With no alternatives, Seoyul cautiously stepped closer.
Just as he reached out—
“Ah!”
Eunmyeong suddenly threw herself forward.
Her arms wrapped around his waist.
She buried her face against his chest and cried even harder.
Seoyul nearly stopped breathing.
The teachings drilled into him since childhood flashed through his mind.
A boy and girl older than seven should not sit together.
The girl was clearly older than seven.
Yet what was he supposed to do?
Push away a crying child?
His arms hovered awkwardly in the air.
His mind went completely blank.
For several long moments he simply stood there.
Then he felt it.
The tiny body pressed against him was trembling.
Violently.
Only then did he fully understand.
She had acted bravely.
She had shouted back.
She had refused to back down.
But she had been terrified.
The realization softened his heart.
Slowly, Seoyul lowered his arms.
Then he gently embraced her.
Patting her back.
Comforting her.
Allowing her to cry.
Time passed.
His blue overcoat became damp with tears.
Eventually Eunmyeong lifted her head.
Her eyes were red.
Her nose was red.
Even her voice came out in hiccupping bursts.
“I…”
“I was scared.”
Fresh tears gathered.
“She almost hit me.”
The confession was so pitiful—and somehow so adorable—that Seoyul couldn’t help smiling.
He hugged her a little tighter.
Unfortunately, that only made her cry harder.
At this rate she might collapse from exhaustion.
Deciding he needed to distract her, he gently rubbed her back.
“Then why didn’t you go straight home?”
“Where were you wandering around for half an hour?”
Eunmyeong sniffled.
“The stream.”
“The stream?”
“There were so many children.”
Her eyes widened slightly.
“I’ve never seen that many children before.”
For a moment, Seoyul and Chigyeong simply stared.
Then both burst out laughing.
Of course.
Children naturally gathered wherever there was water.
Earlier, they themselves had passed a stream crowded with youngsters splashing and playing.
But…
She had never seen such a thing before?
Just what kind of life had this child lived?
The mystery only deepened.
Seoyul gently wiped away her tears.
A sudden urge arose within him.
He wanted to follow her home.
He wanted answers.
He wanted to understand.
“Come with me.”
“I’ll take you home.”
Eunmyeong stared at him.
Then slowly shook her head.
“No?”
“You don’t want that?”
Instead of answering, she wiped away the remaining tears herself.
Then, without hesitation, she reached out and grabbed his hand.
The small hand was warm.
Soft.
Comforting.
Seoyul froze.
He glanced down.
Eunmyeong smiled brightly despite the tear stains still marking her face.
The same child who had earlier demanded an apology because he touched her without permission.
Now she was holding his hand as naturally as breathing.
Seoyul could only stare in bewilderment.
Then he rationalized it.
Well…
He had already carried her on his back.
He had already let her cry in his arms.
Holding hands was hardly anything compared to that.
Convinced by his own reasoning, he accepted the situation.
Without realizing it, a gentle smile bloomed on his face.
Like a spring breeze.
In the season when mountains and fields glowed with fresh greenery, Kim Seoyul—the boy destined to become one of the kingdom’s greatest talents—had unknowingly stepped into the life of a truly extraordinary child.
◇ ◆ ◇
“Are you certain it was here?”
“She must be somewhere around here.”
Meanwhile, the humiliated woman had not given up.
Fury consumed her.
Accompanied by the local military officer and several constables, she searched the marketplace like a hunter pursuing prey.
The memory of her humiliation still burned.
If she could have acted freely, she would have strangled both the insolent girl and that young scholar.
Unfortunately, noble families could not be touched so easily.
The girl, however…
That was another matter.
If she found her, she intended to ruin her.
“Search every house.”
“Even the cottages in the mountains.”
Then—
A calm young voice interrupted her.
“Are you looking for me?”
The woman spun around.
There stood the very scholar who had disgraced her.
Beside him stood the giant warrior.
The woman scanned their surroundings.
No sign of the girl.
Her expression darkened.
“Where is that little wretch?”
“She has already gone home.”
Seoyul’s tone remained polite.
But only barely.
“I explained the situation quite clearly. Do you still have business with her?”
The woman glared.
“I admit my mistake.”
“I intend to apologize.”
Then her eyes narrowed.
“But something troubles me.”
“How can a child dressed in rags possess a ring that even respectable families cannot afford?”
“Are you absolutely certain it belongs to her?”
“I am.”
“Then take me to her home.”
She crossed her arms.
“If I truly made a mistake, I will kneel and apologize.”
A pause.
Then she smirked.
“Or perhaps the child stole it from her master?”
Seoyul’s patience was visibly thinning.
“Let’s discuss this at the magistrate’s office.”
The woman ignored him completely.
Instead, she turned toward the constables.
“Find the girl immediately.”
“Search everywhere.”
“Bring her to me.”
“Yes!”
The constables moved at once.
Then—
“Stop.”
The single word rang out like a blade being drawn.
Everyone froze.
The authority in the young scholar’s voice was overwhelming.
Even seasoned officers instinctively stopped moving.
The military officer frowned and approached Seoyul.
In a lowered voice, he muttered:
“Young master, you should leave this alone.”
“That lady is the daughter-in-law of Scholar Seong’s household.”
“Whenever the magistrate’s seat is vacant, that family usually handles local affairs.”
“Scholar Seong?”
Seoyul’s brow lifted.
“Isn’t this town home to the Chief Royal Secretary’s ancestral family?”
“It is.”
The officer nodded.
“But those people are far too important to concern themselves with village matters.”
The woman overheard enough to become smug once more.
“What’s taking so long?”
“How much longer do you intend to waste time talking?”
Her expression practically screamed:
Now do you understand who I am?
Seoyul merely glanced at Chigyeong.
The warrior immediately opened a bundle and retrieved a document.
The military officer accepted it absentmindedly.
Then his eyes nearly popped out of his head.
“…A certificate of appointment?”
His hands shook.
Chigyeong folded his arms.
Then, with unmistakable pride, he announced:
“This gentleman is the newly appointed magistrate.”
Silence.
Complete silence.
“…What?”
The officer’s jaw dropped.
The constables stared.
Even the woman looked as though she’d forgotten how to breathe.
For the first time that day—
she realized exactly who she had been challenging.
