Episode 6
Wait, what is this?
People are enduring something without even knowing!
“So, what, all you did was splash water on my face to wake me up?”
“…What did you say?”
“Did you give me any medical treatment, or at least call a doctor? You didn’t do anything, but you still have the nerve to campaign…”
Yerin pouted as if she was listening.
Sebi laughed as if the argument was ridiculous.
“Are you talking back to me, miss?”
Talking back?
Yerin’s mouth dropped open.
Wow, is that something you say to a lady like me?
“Well, it seems like the miss here has a lot of attitude.”
Sebi’s eyes, looking down at Yerin, were filled with mockery.
“Soon, you will become the lady of the Northern Ice Palace, is that what you want?”
“Did you just mock me?”
“Yes, I did.”
Sebi retorted, raising her head proudly.
“Honestly, that’s how it is, isn’t it? No one in this household wanted to take care of you, you know that.”
“…You.”
“I’ve been serving you all this time, and you don’t even know the basics…”
That was true.
Sebi had no intention of taking care of Yerin, who was constantly being scolded.
But the real reason Sebi was in charge of Yerin was…
‘Stealing.’
It was to discreetly steal Yerin’s few belongings.
In the original story, Yerin noticed Sebi stealing her things, but she kept her mouth shut.
She knew that if even Sebi didn’t follow her, she wouldn’t be able to get even a single meal.
“No, why does Yerin always have to be the one to suffer?”
As much as she antagonizes the female lead, she’ll act fierce in the household too.
Just to make her feel sorry for herself!
Frustration rose up to her throat, Yerin chewed on curse words in her mind.
‘Wait a minute.’
Yerin’s eyes sparkled.
Come to think of it, Sebi seems to have a strong greed to the point of stealing the owner’s belongings…
“Do you know what others say about me? They call me a helpless and useless person!”
“I’m sorry.”
“Even after hearing that, you should be grateful that I’m by your side… right?”
Unexpectedly, Sebi looked down at Yerin with a puzzled expression.
Yerin repeated once again, speaking fluently.
“I apologize for acting out of line.”
“What are you saying…”
“You’ve been loyal to me all this time, and I feel like I’ve been bothering you for no reason.”
With that answer, Yerin tried to put on the gloomiest expression she could.
Sebi seemed a bit taken aback.
Honestly, she couldn’t bring herself to say that she had been loyal even if she had to lick her lips.
“You must have suffered a lot because of my wedding…”
At the sound of Yerin’s dejected voice, Sebi immediately changed her shameless expression.
“Yes, I know. Luckily, I do.”
Then she even pointed her finger at the innocent Yerin.
“If I were to stop serving you, it would be you who suffers, not me.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Yeah, because of that fear, the original Yerin couldn’t reject you.
You openly ignored the young lady and spoke ill of her.
“And I…”
Yerin took a deep breath and looked up at Sebi with a gentle face.
“I also did something wrong to you just now.”
Thud.
Yerin opened the lid of the jewelry box adorned with mother-of-pearl, which she had never seen before in her life.
The sparkling jewels she received as a wedding gift this time dazzled her eyes.
“I’ll use your despicable nature to my advantage.”
Gulp.
Sebi’s throat made a loud gulp.
Sebi didn’t expect the gaze to drop from the jewelry box.
Watching Sebi’s greedy eyes, Yerin took out a hairpin.
“That, that’s…”
“It’s the most precious and beautiful thing I have.”
A large, high-quality sapphire adorned the center, and the hairpin was intricately decorated with twisted gold threads and a fancy bow.
Yerin tempted Sebi by placing the hairpin on her palm.
“Even though I don’t have money, would you accept this?”
“T-this?”
Sebi stared at the sapphire hairpin as if mesmerized.
“Can I really accept this hairpin? It looks so valuable…”
“Well, what have you done for me?”
Yerin nodded her head as if to say not to worry.
“You’re my only servant. I can give you something like this.”
As soon as she heard that answer, Sebi’s face turned red.
“Hm, well! Compared to my efforts…!”
Sebi snatched the sapphire hairpin from Yerin’s hand and tucked it into her sleeve with a smirk.
Then she turned to Yerin with a bright face.
“Take a seat, I’ll finish combing your hair.”
“Yeah, thanks.”
Perhaps because she felt quite pleased with the bribe, Sebi’s gesture of combing Yerin’s hair was noticeably gentler than before.
Yerin pondered deeply.
The person who filled her mind was only one.
Hyun Do-yul.
The boy who became her husband, Hyun Do-yul.
Earlier, Do-yul asked me this.
“Is there anywhere uncomfortable or painful?”
That question was already aware that she was being abused at Sachon Hall Gate.
When her wrist, covered in bruises, peeked out of her sleeve, his eyes trembled faintly.
“Maybe… he felt a little sympathetic.”
And Do-yul had a just and righteous personality like the protagonist of a novel.
In other words, the more pitiful Yerin appeared…
“The higher the chance that Do-yul will sympathize with me.”
That’s why Yerin deliberately handed the sapphire hairpin to Sebi.
It was a gift sent from Bukhaebinggung.
And at that moment.
“The palace lord has arrived.”
A voice could be heard from outside the door.
“Good.”
I have to do well from now on.
Yerin stood up cautiously, hiding her tension.
Creak-.
The door opened.
Hyun Do-yul, dressed neatly as if he had washed and groomed himself again, was facing her.
And Yerin…
“Palace lord, you’ve arrived?”
She lowered her head with a stiff expression on her face, showing respect towards Do-yul.
Do-yul looked down at her with a subtle expression on his face.
“There’s no need to bow like that.”
“But…”
“Yerin Sojo, didn’t you have a wedding ceremony with me?”
Do-yul, who had been biting his lips, let out a deep sigh and spoke.
“So, I hope you don’t cower like that in front of me.”
“Yes, palace lord.”
Although she nodded her head with a sad expression on her face, Yerin felt a little frustrated inside.
“Why does he still call me Yerin Sojo when he said we had a wedding ceremony?”
Well, it’s not the right time to question that.
Yerin busily flicked her brain.
Nevertheless, at least until now, it seems like she has been able to gain sympathy from Do-yul.
“Let’s go.”
“Oh, I will accompany you both.”
Yerin offered to guide them, leading the way.
As Yerin followed behind, she discreetly glanced at the hem of Sebi’s sleeve.
Empty water manipulation.
The ability to move objects using qigong.
It was an incredible skill that only those who have reached a high level can use.
In other words, it means that it is impossible for Yerin, who has not learned any martial arts, to even attempt it.
“Even though she’s the daughter of the palace lord, she hasn’t learned any martial arts…”
Her mind was momentarily overwhelmed by this thought.
Yerin’s eyes sparkled.
That level of restriction wasn’t a problem for her.
“Who am I? Am I not Bingbaek Sword Baek Seol-ryeon?”
With just a slight amount of internal energy that everyone possesses, she could achieve what she wanted.
She never intended to do something extraordinary in the first place.
Yerin simply wanted to shake the sleeve where she had hidden the hairpin.
“I can do it.”
Yerin held her breath and started manipulating her internal energy.
And so, Sebi’s sleeve swayed back and forth.
Ching!
Finally, the hairpin fell to the ground.
Do-yul’s expression, who inadvertently looked down at it, instantly froze.
“…This is…”
Do-yul, who bent down, picked up the hairpin.
Examining the lapis lazuli and gold thread carefully, Do-yul asked in a cold voice.
“Why do you have this?”
***
Going back in time a bit, when Do-yul was going to fetch Yerin.
Do-yul was not in a good mood.
“There’s no need for the palace lord to personally escort Miss Yerin.”
“….”
“Since there is a servant specifically assigned to take care of her, why go through such a hassle…”
The servant who occasionally followed behind Do-yul kept parroting the same words.
Do-yul eventually turned around with a frustrated expression.
“Why have you been saying that since earlier?”
“What?”
Do-yul spoke in a steady voice to the servant with wide eyes.
“Yesterday, Yerin Sojo and I had a wedding ceremony and exchanged vows.”
“W-Well, that’s true, but…”
“Which means, we are a married couple, right?”
Do-yul’s voice was firm, not like that of a young boy.
“It is only right for a husband to cherish his wife. At least, that’s what I’ve learned.”
“Palace lord…”
“So, don’t question any further about going to fetch Yerin Sojo.”
After making that declaration, Do-yul started walking again.
The servant followed behind with a somewhat embarrassed expression.
