Episode 05
The woman stood frozen, unable to answer.
After all, there was nothing left for her to say.
Seo-yul looked at her coldly and spoke.
“Madam, you have wronged an innocent person.”
“I… I was mistaken. The ring looked exactly like my daughter’s.”
“So it seems. The matter has now been settled. We shall take the child and leave.”
The woman’s cheeks burned with humiliation. She pressed her palms against her face, painfully aware of the eyes surrounding her.
Just as Seo-yul’s party was about to leave, she suddenly shouted.
“Wait!”
Seo-yul immediately sensed trouble.
The woman had no intention of letting the matter end quietly.
Her eyes landed on Eun-myeong, and resentment surged across her face.
“That girl dared to speak rudely to me and insult me—a noblewoman of a respectable family!”
Her voice grew shrill.
“The misunderstanding about the theft may have been cleared, but her crime of insulting a noble cannot be forgiven! Everyone here witnessed it! Hand her over at once. I will drag her to the magistrate’s office and make her pay dearly for her insolence!”
Seo-yul sighed softly.
How shameless.
How desperate.
He had hoped to end things peacefully.
Instead, she continued to invite disaster upon herself.
Stepping closer, he lowered his voice so that only she could hear.
His tone was calm.
Terrifyingly calm.
“There are limits even to shamelessness. Are you not embarrassed?”
The woman flinched.
“W-What do you mean?”
Seo-yul’s eyes turned icy.
“You coveted that ring, didn’t you?”
The woman stiffened.
“You wanted it. You desired it enough to steal it.”
“And now, after all that, you dare hide behind the authority of your status?”
His voice sharpened.
“Show me the law that says a noble may steal without consequence.”
The woman’s face reddened.
“Are… are you insulting me?”
“That ring is beyond the means of even respectable families. If you wish to avoid prosecution for theft and spare your household disgrace, then close your mouth and leave quietly.”
His words struck like a whip.
The woman trembled.
Yet Seo-yul continued.
“You should be kneeling before this child and begging forgiveness.”
With that, he turned away.
Without another glance, he guided Eun-myeong from the crowd.
Behind them, the woman was left standing alone in the middle of the marketplace.
No one openly mocked her.
No one needed to.
The stares alone were enough.
Every glance felt like burning needles.
Humiliation twisted into hatred.
She glared at their retreating figures with venomous eyes.
They walked until they reached a quiet corner of the market where few people passed.
Only then did Seo-yul stop.
He finally turned his attention fully toward Eun-myeong.
The child stood dazed.
The shock had not yet faded from her face.
Seo-yul gently took her hand and slipped the recovered ring back onto her finger.
“This was a precious gift from your mother. Do not lose it again.”
Eun-myeong stared blankly at the ring.
Then she asked quietly:
“Why do you help me?”
Her voice trembled.
“Look at me. I look like this now.”
Tattered clothes.
Dusty face.
A child everyone mistook for a servant.
Her eyes blinked rapidly as she struggled not to cry.
The sight tugged painfully at Seo-yul’s heart.
He answered without hesitation.
“Because you were being wronged.”
“How could I stand by and watch?”
His expression softened.
“Right now, we’re all you have, aren’t we?”
The simple sincerity of those words shattered the final wall around her heart.
The bold, arrogant child who had startled him all day disappeared.
Instead—
Her lips quivered.
Her eyes reddened.
And then—
“Hic…!”
A sob escaped.
Followed by another.
Then another.
Until the dam burst completely.
“Waaahhh!”
Tears poured down her cheeks like a waterfall.
Seo-yul panicked.
He had no idea what to do.
Instinctively, he looked toward Chi-gyeong for help.
The giant warrior, however, stood frozen like a stone statue.
Utterly useless.
With no other choice, Seo-yul awkwardly stepped forward.
Just as he reached out—
Eun-myeong suddenly threw herself at him.
“Ah!”
Her small arms wrapped tightly around his waist.
She buried her face in his chest and cried even harder.
Seo-yul froze.
Completely.
From childhood, he had been taught the strict rules of propriety.
A boy and girl older than seven should not casually touch one another.
And this child was clearly older than seven.
He stood there stiffly, hands hovering uselessly in the air.
Unable to push her away.
Unable to embrace her.
Unable even to breathe properly.
Then he felt it.
Her small body was trembling.
Shaking uncontrollably.
She had acted brave.
She had shouted.
She had fought back.
But she had been terrified.
Realizing that, Seo-yul’s heart softened.
Slowly, carefully, he lowered his arms.
Then gently wrapped them around her.
Pat.
Pat.
Pat.
He stroked her back and comforted her.
After some time, when the front of his vest had become damp with tears, Eun-myeong finally lifted her head.
Her eyes and nose were bright red.
She sniffled miserably before blurting out her grievance.
“I… I was scared.”
“She almost hit me!”
The complaint was so pitiful—and so childlike—that Seo-yul nearly laughed.
Instead, he hugged her once more.
That only made her cry harder.
Concerned she might exhaust herself from crying, he decided to distract her.
Gently rubbing her back, he asked:
“Then why didn’t you go home?”
“Why were you wandering around for over half an hour?”
Eun-myeong sniffed.
Then answered obediently.
“The stream.”
“The stream?”
“There were so many children there.”
She rubbed her eyes.
“I’ve never seen that many children before.”
Seo-yul and Chi-gyeong exchanged looks.
Then both burst into laughter.
Of course.
Children flocked to streams like ducks to water.
Earlier they had passed one packed with youngsters splashing and playing.
But for Eun-myeong—
It had been a completely new sight.
Just what kind of life had this child lived?
The mystery only deepened.
Seo-yul gently wiped away the remaining tears from her cheeks.
The desire to learn her story grew stronger than ever.
“Come with me.”
She looked up.
“I will take you home.”
For a moment she simply stared at him.
“Why?”
“Do you not want me to?”
She shook her head.
Then casually reached out and grabbed his hand.
Her tiny fingers were warm and soft.
Seo-yul blinked.
Just hours ago, she had been furious because he touched her without permission.
Now she was holding his hand without hesitation.
The contradiction left him speechless.
Then again—
He had already carried her on his back.
Held her in his arms.
Comforted her while she cried.
Perhaps holding hands was insignificant compared to all that.
Trying to convince himself of this logic, Seo-yul quietly accepted the situation.
Before he realized it, a gentle smile appeared on his lips.
In the early days of the Blue Moon, when mountains and fields glowed with fresh spring greenery—
Kim Seo-yul, a boy destined to become one of the kingdom’s greatest talents,
unknowingly stepped into the life of an extraordinary child.
And that single step would change everything.
Meanwhile…
Elsewhere in town, a furious woman stormed through the marketplace with constables and officials in tow.
The humiliation she had suffered still burned like fire.
If she could have done as she pleased, she would have strangled both the insolent child and the young scholar.
But noble families could not be attacked so easily.
The girl, however—
That was another matter.
“Search every house.”
“Even the cottages in the mountains.”
The officials hurried to obey.
Then a calm voice interrupted.
“Are you looking for me?”
The woman turned.
There stood Seo-yul.
Beside him was Chi-gyeong.
Her expression immediately darkened.
“Where is that lowborn brat?”
Seo-yul’s eyes cooled.
“She has gone home.”
“Did my explanation earlier not make myself clear?”
The woman ignored the warning.
“Perhaps I was mistaken.”
“I am willing to apologize.”
She folded her arms.
“But tell me this.”
“How can a ragged child possess a ring that even respectable families could not afford?”
“Are you certain it truly belongs to her?”
“I am.”
“Then take me to her family.”
“If I have made a mistake, I will kneel and apologize myself.”
Seo-yul remained silent.
The woman smirked.
“Or perhaps she stole it from her master?”
Seo-yul’s expression hardened.
“Let us discuss this at the magistrate’s office.”
The woman scoffed.
Then turned to the constables.
“Find the girl immediately.”
“Search everywhere!”
“YES!”
The officers began moving.
Then—
A sharp command echoed through the street.
“Stop!”
Everyone froze.
The authority in the young scholar’s voice was overwhelming.
Even seasoned officials hesitated.
Seo-yul looked at them coldly.
“Whose orders are you obeying?”
“You serve the state.”
“Since when do government officials take private commands?”
The deputy officer looked annoyed.
He approached and whispered:
“Sir, perhaps you should simply continue on your way.”
“That lady is the daughter-in-law of the Seong family.”
“When there is no magistrate in town, that household often manages local affairs.”
Seo-yul raised an eyebrow.
“The Seong family?”
“Isn’t this the hometown of the Chief Royal Secretary’s clan?”
“Yes, but they rarely involve themselves in village matters.”
Before the conversation could continue, the woman barked:
“Why are you standing around?!”
“Get moving!”
At her arrogance, Seo-yul glanced toward Chi-gyeong.
The warrior immediately understood.
He retrieved a document from his pack and handed it to the deputy officer.
The man unfolded it.
His eyes widened.
His jaw dropped.
“T-This is… an official appointment decree?”
Chi-gyeong smiled faintly.
“This gentleman is your newly appointed magistrate.”
Silence.
Utter silence.
The woman’s face turned pale.
“That… that young scholar is the new magistrate…?”
