How much time had passed?
Seol-Ah, who had unknowingly dozed off while reading, slowly blinked her eyes open in surprise.
A tingling sensation ran through her wrist where she had been pressing against the desk.
Stretching her fingers, she let out a slow exhale and murmured, "How long did I sleep...?"
As she mumbled groggily and rubbed her eyes, a voice suddenly cut through the silence.
"Exactly one hour."
"Ah!"
Startled, Seol-Ah jumped to her feet.
Su-Hyeok, standing with an unreadable expression, was calmly looking down at her with a book in hand.
Seol-Ah's face began to flush with embarrassment.
"How can someone sleep sitting up for a full hour?"
Su-Hyeok muttered dryly before slowly lifting his gaze to look at her.
His shadowed expression made it difficult to tell what he was thinking.
Seol-Ah, caught off guard, hesitated before carefully parting her lips to speak.
"Ah… Master. When did you…?"
Seol-Ah stammered, unable to finish her sentence.
Her flustered words trailed off repeatedly.
"You must have memorized all the palace terminology by now. Or were you just pretending to read while dozing off?"
Su-Hyeok, who had spoken so indifferently, closed the book he had been reading with a sharp snap.
"That… that's…"
Seol-Ah pressed her lips together, looking as though she wanted to say something but couldn't find the right words.
His cold gaze flickered briefly toward her lips before settling on her face.
"You seem quite comfortable in the light."
At those words, the book in Seol-Ah's hands slipped, falling onto the desk with a soft thud.
"That's only because I've been having trouble sleeping at night…"
"This contract remains valid until all debts have been repaid."
Su-Hyeok pulled out the signed contract from that morning and placed it before her.
Seol-Ah forced a composed smile as she glanced down at it.
She bit her lip in frustration but said nothing.
At that moment, Su-Hyeok pulled something else from his sleeve.
A single sheet of paper was placed before her.
Seol-Ah hesitantly reached out to take it.
"The mistress sent this."
At the mention of mistress, Seol-Ah's eyes widened.
Her heart pounded as she carefully unfolded the paper—
It was a letter from her mother.
"Ah… Mother."
Her fingers trembled.
She tried to hold back her tears, pressing her lips together, but they kept spilling over.
The letter contained no rebuke, no resentment—only words asking Seol-Ah to take care of herself.
Simply reading her mother's handwriting made her want to cry, but Seol-Ah forced herself to swallow the lump in her throat.
"Th… thank you."
Tears continued to fall as she lifted the letter to her face.
Su-Hyeok's lips parted slightly.
"Your mother and little brother seem to be doing well."
"Ah…"
It had already been half a year since she last saw them.
Seol-Ah instinctively gripped the letter tighter.
She wanted to say something—anything—but the only thing that came out was another quiet sob.
"Word has it that your name has been erased from the records."
"…Ah, Master."
Su-Hyeok spoke in a detached tone, as if it were merely a trivial fact.
Seol-Ah, unable to find the right words, only lowered her head.
"There's no need to worry. Do-Seung-Ji once owed my family a debt, and I simply repaid it by taking you in."
Seol-Ah wasn't sure how to express her gratitude.
"Thank you. Truly, thank you, Master."
"You've been working well, and I've provided for you. You won't have to worry about your livelihood for now."
Seol-Ah rose from her seat, clutching her jade hairpin as she bowed deeply to Su-Hyeok.
Her warm tears dripped onto her hands, but she only tightened her grip.
Gratitude swelled within her, so overwhelming that she couldn't put it into words.
"I… I will never forget this kindness. Thank you, Master."
Su-Hyeok, still as impassive as ever, straightened from his slightly bent posture.
"It's not charity. It's simply what you must do."
"Yes, of course. I will do so."
"..."
"I will work diligently and strive to assist you, Master, so that your plans may come to fruition."
At that moment, Su-Hyeok glanced down at Seol-Ah's dark hair, noticing how her tears continued to fall silently. His lips parted slightly.
"And your sleep."
"…?!
"Don't sleep here. Go rest in your quarters."
Seol-Ah blinked in surprise as Su-Hyeok turned his back to her. She hesitated before speaking.
"Um…! May I ask a question about what I studied today?"
"..."
"I couldn't memorize everything, but I really did my best."
She spoke hesitantly, standing behind him.
At that moment, Su-Hyeok turned back and set down the book he had given her about palace terminology.
Then, without a word, he looked directly into her face, observing her closely.
Caught off guard, Seol-Ah took a small step backward.
Su-Hyeok stepped closer.
"Master…"
Before she could finish, he firmly grabbed the book she was holding.
"Look me in the eye when you speak."
"...Ah."
Seol-Ah's eyes widened at his sudden words.
Su-Hyeok's dry tone was followed by the faint sensation of his fingers brushing against her hair.
"I will be leaving soon. You should also return to your quarters and get some rest."
With that, he placed the book back onto the desk in front of her.
Su-Hyeok turned and left the office, but Seol-Ah still followed him hesitantly.
By the time they stepped outside, the sun, which had been shining high above, was now sinking toward the western horizon, dyeing the sky in hues of dusk.
Seol-Ah watched his retreating figure in silence before clenching the embroidered handkerchief in her hands and calling out to him.
"I swear…! I will never, ever forget this, Master!"
At the sound of her determined voice behind him, Su-Hyeok unknowingly let out a small chuckle.