Chapter 13

As Mirina hugged me, I finally relaxed a bit.

“You, you! Who are you to hold her!”

“The child’s name is Sanya, and you’re the one who caused this. Can’t you just tone it down?”

“Gosh, let go of her. Can’t you tell she’s scared?”

I don’t know why they’re fighting over me. I thought it was strange because it’s not like I was the emperor, Yehwa Aryun.

“Are you afraid of me?”

I then heard Mirina’s curious voice. I know the voice, it was the voice he used before being sarcastic followed by a light ridicule.

“Well I don’t know.”

“You…!”

Mirina interrupted Garam with a strange voice.

“Garam, next time, if you need an etiquette teacher, don’t jump over here. I am willing to be gracious to my subordinates.”

Mirina regained his posture and the words hit right through Garam’s heart. I was a little relieved, but his patience is shorter than his hair. I heard Garam huffing. He was always angry at Mirina, but couldn’t retort, so he can’t fight back.

“…Your Highness.”

“Yes?”

He looked straight down at me. He had a smile around his mouth, but that was from when he provoked Garam earlier, so his expression didn’t change. Maybe it’s because his eyes are covered, but it’s hard to understand his expressions just with his mouth.

“I’m fine. Please let me down.” (You know when you pick kids up and hug them… I guess that’s how Mirina was holding her.)

Mirina let me down at my calm words and I paused for a moment. I then bowed my head and said,

“I had a great meal. Thank you.”

Garam’s ability was fire, and I didn’t want to stay still and burn to death like a shrimp during a whale fight. So, I would rather leave than sit back down to eat.

“…Yes. I hope to see you again next time.”

After saying some other greetings, I walked towards the door. I didn’t hear when I came in, but I liked the sound of silk being dragged on the floor. Before I walked through the door, I politely greeted Garam, who was standing there like a gatekeeper. I was puzzled when I saw his face. He was staring blankly like an idiot. What’s up with him? I waited for him to say something, but he showed no sign of it.

I then walked slowly out of the room and ran quickly without looking back. My palace, which I never considered as my house, felt like home for the first time.

***

Garam was absent-minded. He’s not the type to look like someone who got hit in the back of his head. Instead, he would be the one to blow up the guy who will try to hit him on the head.

In front of him stood Mirina, whom he hated the most, with nine tails behind his back. Mirina looked at scenery and soon the corners of his mouth went up. Anyone could tell he was laughing. The sight left Garam blank. Why am I here with him again? That absurd day came back to his mind.

When he watched Jo Yoon take Sanya’s maid with him a while back, he was scolded by his aide.

‘Hey! He’s taking her away! Why! Why are you leaving it like this!’

‘Oh. Isn’t she just a child? Yeoran is just a child!’

‘She’s only five years old! How terrible would she be to enter the palace alone? He’s stealing her only friend, and you’re just going to let it go?’

Garam was quite unjust until then. Sanya Yeoran was quiet, unlike how a child should be, so the situation was good. Being young doesn’t give any excuses.

But, back on the wedding day, he saw Sanya sitting calmly where everyone was giving gazes of contempt. Like the emperor, Garam, who was looking from afar, also suspected that a Gumiho (nine-tailed-fox) had been sent instead of a human being from the Yeoran family.

What kind of child doesn’t burst into tears in this kind of situation?

…Although she is small, he thought. A five-year-old kid can be clever. So, Garam regained his will again, but it was broken when his aide broke the news to him.

‘She’s eight years old.’

‘Huh?’

‘The young lady. Her name is Sanya. She’s eight years old.’

Garam dropped the rice cracker he had been eating.

Eight years old? Upon hearing that, Garam first doubted his aide’s intelligence because Sanya’s body size was the same size as his sister when she was five. Actually, it was a little smaller than that. However, young children grow quickly when they’re given plenty.

But she’s eight?

‘You might not believe it but it’s true. It’s from Yeoran.’

‘Is she human?’

Like a dragon or a ghost. Maybe that’s what Garam thought Sanya was. Human growth doesn’t work that way. He thought about it again, but his aide dismissed the idea.

‘It happens when there’s a lack of nutrition.’

Sanya was thinner than average. Of course, there was no way Garam would have to take care of a child who was sent from the Yeoran family to the concubines. However, she didn’t eat well due to the long-term evidence of abuse.

There’s also a limit when it comes to gaining some weight. If she ate a little more food or was fed the wrong things to eat, she would be lying down for days since she’ll be sick.

Garam and his aide’s speculations were wrong, but the result was correct: Sanya Yeoran was abused by her family.

‘I was wondering why he sent his youngest daughter, who was raised so well by such a powerful family, a maid with her.’

‘…’

‘Get that maid from Jo Yoon back. And apologize. Say I’m sorry.’

Garam couldn’t argue back, so he did it. He arrived at Sanya’s palace and met the court ladies who were looking for her everywhere. It was the first time in a while that Seo Yeon, who served the emperor, looked so unnerved. As soon as she saw Garam, she didn’t even say hello and asked for his help to look for Sanya right away. He was looking for her anyways, so he agreed to help.

Garam quickly found Sanya, who went to a place where children could hide. He then took a step closer to her. Sanya, who was sitting still and looking at the flowers, turned her head. The child had a look on her face where it had no idea the fuss that was going on around her.

When he saw her, he thought he had to talk to her like she was an adult. What happened after that was unintentional on his part. When he called her, Sanya hesitated. She showed obvious fear, and her face, which looked expressionless the other times, turned blue. She then softly whispered a gentle plea.

While Sanya was looking like a trembling rabbit, Garam took out all his weapons and threw them far away.

‘I won’t kill you.’

He said those words then. It was unexpected, like a treasure found while walking on the beach. But it wasn’t a lie. Sanya was small when she was standing, but she was even smaller when she sat down covered in dust.

Garam’s conscience hurt after a while. He felt ashamed, she is just a little kid. When he told her he would return the maid back to her, she just bowed her head and thanked him. There was no trace of hatred on her face towards Garam.

How does she do that? He wondered.

Garam was strong. His ability was violent fire, similar to his nature. Wouldn’t a child who lost a close friend not only be rebellious, but also mad? (He’s talking about Sanya’s maid that Jo Yoon took.) In the end, he returned Sanya to Seo Yoon and left as if he were running away.

As always, Garam had to admit this time: his aide was right. He then stopped at the corridor.

“Sorry!”

He shouted. He forgot the most important thing. He went to apologize, but didn’t really say sorry. After a while, Garam blamed his stupidity.

As he was walking, he frowned when he saw the courtiers hanging around the gate of the palace. Soon, he forgot his dignity and started running towards the palace.

‘Our Miss went to His Highness Mirina’s palace.’

He heard from Seo Yeon.