Sohwa’s gaze lingered on a certain spot. At the end of that gaze sat a warrior from the Namgung Clan. He had the face of a pampered courtesan’s son—one that immediately rubbed her father the wrong way. Soon Tang Ji-ha realized that young man was Namgung An’s illegitimate child.‘That brat—how dare he…!’Tang Ji-ha’s face hardened in anger before he knew it. The man’s gaze was lewd and sticky, clinging to Sohwa.Perhaps everyone sensed the same thing, for a heavy silence fell over Hongso Hall.Tang Ji-ha suddenly frowned.‘But Sohwa, why…?’Strangely, his eldest daughter did not avoid that unpleasant stare.And then something unbelievable happened.Sohwa lowered her gaze slightly—and smiled.If it had been Yuhwa, he would have understood. But Sohwa? He had never imagined she could make such an expression, and Tang Ji-ha froze where he sat.“F-father, I think I just saw something strange…”Beside him, Tang Hak’s mouth hung open.To the Tang Clan members, it was a shocking sight—but to those unfamiliar with Sohwa, it merely looked like a woman struck by love at first sight.“Hoho, it seems we’ll soon hear good news from those two.”“Ah, the perfect age for it. Don’t they look quite the fitting pair?”“And their statuses are quite similar. They won’t have to fret over differences.”When someone tactlessly added that, Tang Ji-ha whipped his head around and glared. Elder Hwangbo quickly averted his eyes as if he’d never spoken.“Let’s stop here. If you gossip this much already, your tongues will tire before the Alliance ends.”Namgung An’s low voice quieted the hall. Then a laugh rose beside him.Zhuge’s Clan Head brought his cup to his lips and asked,“Why? Clan Head Namgung, do you find such teasing unpleasant?”“Unpleasant? Hardly. It’s Clan Head Tang I worry might find it offensive.”“...That’s exactly what I mean.”“Hm? Clan Head Tang, what did you say?”“Nothing.”Tang Ji-ha muttered without realizing it, then shut his mouth. But he meant every word.‘I’m not like him! I raised Sohwa with the utmost care—how could they dare match her with some unwanted bastard from the Namgung Clan?!’But it was his own doing.For the first time, Tang Ji-ha regretted leaving those rumors about Sohwa unchecked.Some said rumors were meaningless—but in truth, many judged others solely by them.The Tang Clan Head drained a cup of strong liquor to soothe his burning gut.Watching Sohwa’s back, he resolved to speak with her privately tomorrow.***For several days, Tang Sohwa had heard far too many things.The twins had asked if Namgung Hyun was her type. Tang Hak, wearing a grave look, had warned her of how the Namgung bastard was treated within his clan. And even that morning, her father had summoned her for an unexpected scolding—demanding to know what she had been thinking.There was only one reason for all those reactions.It was because she seemed to show interest in Namgung Hyun.So, naturally, a sharp man like Namgung Hyun would not have failed to notice.‘He should be coming soon.’Shaaa—Sohwa pulled aside the bamboo blinds from the window. The dim study brightened instantly.Dozens of brushes hung on one wall, while the opposite side held shelves filled with sorted papers. This was where Tang Sohwa practiced calligraphy.Because many guests were staying in the outer residence, the grounds were noisy. This study was likely the only truly quiet place there.Sohwa didn’t enjoy calligraphy. In either her past life or present one, not once had this old-fashioned pastime brought her any pleasure. Yet since returning to age seventeen, she had devoted effort to refining her script.It was not her own taste—but someone else’s.The hobby of that man who had lived his life wearing masks, and yet had shown sincerity only in this.Sohwa pushed the round window fully open, letting the interior be seen from outside.Sunlight poured in, reaching even the ceiling. Sheets of paper hanging in mid-air caught the light and gleamed softly.The ink on them had long since dried, yet Sohwa left them hanging as they were. The large table, too, was piled with papers copying the handwriting of a famed calligrapher. It was as if she had displayed them for someone to see.Once everything was ready, Tang Sohwa sat by the desk near the window.For days now, she had been waiting for Namgung Hyun here.In the past, during the Alliance, she had stayed with the Medical Division. Because Gujeongak had been temporarily closed, she had spent her time there with Tang Hae-han, organizing medicinal herbs and drafting experiment plans. And there—she had met Namgung Hyun.Back then, he had called that first meeting “a coincidence.” And at the time, she had believed it too.But now, she no longer believed in coincidence.Namgung Hyun had surely known she was there and had sought her out. Which meant this time, before the Alliance ended, he would come to this study.Scratch, scratch.The sound of grinding ink filled the quiet study. Once the ink turned dark and thick, Sohwa picked up a thin brush.Stroke by stroke, words formed across the large sheet. When the paper was half-filled, her brush {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} halted.A familiar scent she had known for over ten years—pine resin, faintly spreading. Goosebumps rose on her skin.It was slightly different from the Namgung Clan’s usual internal-energy scent—something subtly alien.Slowly, Sohwa lifted her head toward the source of the fragrance.Even when their eyes met, the young warrior did not turn away. Nor did he show any sign of surprise. He merely looked at her with that gentle expression characteristic of him.Namgung Hyun smiled and spoke.“Forgive me. I lost my way heading to the Medical Division and ended up here.”For a moment, it felt as though all sound vanished.Sohwa became acutely aware of how stiff her face was. She also knew exactly how that blank expression must appear. She was not the kind to care about others’ impressions—but just this once, she smiled. Her usual face was not to this man’s taste.In a voice touched with faint laughter, she replied,“There’s no need to apologize. This isn’t a restricted area.”Namgung Hyun’s gaze moved behind her.“So this is a study.”“Yes. The weather’s fine, so I was airing out the smell of ink.”A faint shadow of bitterness crossed Namgung Hyun’s eyes.“It looks pleasant even from afar. Is this your personal study, Lady Tang?”“No. How could a personal study be this fine? It’s shared among siblings.”Sohwa added with a smile,“But my younger siblings have no interest in calligraphy, and the Little Clan Head has been training in the mountains for about two years, so lately I’ve been using it as if it were my own.”“How enviable.”“Surely the Namgung Clan’s study must be fine as well—what is there to envy?”Namgung Hyun only curved his lips slightly instead of replying. The sudden silence made Sohwa lower her gaze like someone who had misspoken. Then, as if grasping for a topic, she offered abruptly,“If you don’t mind, would you like me to show you around the study?”At that, Namgung Hyun’s eyes curved in amusement.“It would be my honor.”Sohwa leaned halfway out the window and pointed to the side.“If you go to the left, there’s a door. You can enter from there.”When she turned back to face him, Namgung Hyun hadn’t moved. Wondering what he was hesitating about, Sohwa asked softly,“Sir, is something the matter?”Namgung Hyun gave a faint, unreadable smile.“It’s nothing. You said the entrance is this way, correct?”Sohwa maintained a cordial expression, inviting him in. Namgung Hyun curved his lips again and, without another word, began moving in the direction she had indicated.***From the guest pavilion came loud voices. After a while, the door opened and Namgung Gangchang emerged, utterly deflated.“Brother Gangchang! Are you all right?!”His followers scrambled up the steps. Seeing them, Namgung Gangchang rubbed his eyes roughly with the back of his hand, overcome with grievance.“Go on the boat outing without me tomorrow.”“…So you weren’t granted permission?”“Don’t make me repeat myself. The Elder scolded me, told me to stay in the quarters and behave until we depart.”“To withstand the Elder’s wrath even for a moment! Brother, is your heart all right?”“No, I don’t think it is. Fetch a physician.”Namgung Gangchang clutched his chest, near tears.Passing by the pavilion, Namgung Hyun saw the scene and let out a quiet laugh.He had always considered wasting emotion on pointless matters a waste of energy, yet seeing that sight, he felt oddly pleased.Perhaps this was why people sought revenge.As punishment for his blunder during the luncheon, Namgung Gangchang had been ordered not to leave his room until the Alliance ended. For the man who had even ordered a new robe just to make a match, it was a cruel fate.Namgung Hyun thought of the woman who had caused this situation.Reports had said she was unreadable, or bore a cold, vicious impression—but Tang Sohwa was entirely different from the information Mu-hyeon Unit had sent.Strolling past the guest quarters, Namgung Hyun looked up at the flowers lining the path. As the lush white blossoms filled his vision, Sohwa’s face naturally came to mind.Her impression had been as pure and white as those magnolia-like blooms.Then came the memory of her jet-black hair, her dark eyes, the curve of her brows, and the small beauty mark near her eye.Black and white in contrast.No colors drew Namgung Hyun’s attention more. It was like graceful calligraphy written on white paper.Naturally, he began to imagine Tang Sohwa’s presence in terms of script.As his thoughts continued, a bird’s chirp reached his ears—news carried by the attendants who accompanied the Alliance.‘She went to the study again today.’Indeed, Tang Sohwa’s secret manuals were said to be filling Gujeongak at an astonishing pace; she would have reason to spend long hours in the study. A person writing treatises to be passed down to posterity would certainly devote care to her handwriting.Beyond Blood Demon’s proposal, Namgung Hyun felt a personal curiosity toward Tang Sohwa.Her outer appearance and the atmosphere she exuded were different—upright, yet strangely twisted.What kind of script would such a person have?He had wanted to steal at least one medical text, but Gujeongak’s security had grown too strict, and he hadn’t managed to glimpse her handwriting.So Namgung Hyun waited.Listening to the birds’ messages, he imagined her sitting by the window each day, copying her medical texts. Then, once they would have dried, he left his quarters.The study where Tang Sohwa stayed lay on the opposite side of the lake. Most attendees of the Alliance were enjoying boating and merriment by the water, leaving the forested side where the study stood in peace.Trees so thick they seemed to block the sky intertwined with the red pavilion like a painted scene.He liked the smell of grass thick in the forest path, and the soft sound of his footsteps upon it.Soaking into the tranquil air, Namgung Hyun soon spotted, within that stillness, the woman he had come to find.

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