Before one could get into the hidden dungeon, one has to cross the western expanse of the estate, past the servants quarters. In a secluded corner towered by four tall walls, a small wooden door was hidden behind the bushes and thorny vines. Sandara had no time to think so she pushed the thorny vines aside leaving her soft palms pricked and bleeding. But she had no care. Even her older brother couldn't control her, what more these new set of guards?

The guards could only plead her to go back because of course no one dared to drag her back to her room, much less touch an inch of her skin. But she didn't mind them all. "Daegam, open this door!!! She kept shouting outside.

"Daegam!!!" She pounded her small fists on the door until they were bruised and numbed.

Jo Sanggung, Seol, Byeol... Don't worry. I will save you! 

Sandara disliked crying but she really was close to shedding tears. She never had close friends and most women hated her. But with these three, she felt safe and loved. How could she just sit there and let Kwon Jiyong torture them?

"Daegam let me in!!!" She was about to punch the door once more when Won-hee grabbed her arm and spun her around.

"Dara enough!!!" He creased her brows at her and held both her arms to stop her from struggling. He never used force to her sister, nor looked at her with angered expression but how could he just watch her hurt herself?

"Let His Excellency do this alone!"

"No!" she was mortified but Won-hee's worried thoughts for her made her calm down a bit. She pulled herself free from him and realized her hands were all swollen, bruised and bleeding. She took a deep breath before shouting once more.

"Kwon Jiyong, if you don't let me in this instant I swear I'll make sure to knock this door down until all my bones were broken!!!"

She didn't know where she found the confidence to say those words. She didn't even know if that cold uncaring man would even be threatened but she had no care. She had to do everything to stop him from dragging her servants into the mess.

She stepped back only to be held once more by Won-hee but since the man was scared to hurt her, he didn't tightened his grip that much. Sandara took this chance to launch herself towards the door, closing her eyes but before she could even feel the solid wood hit her body, the door swayed open making her go straight in until she hit onto something.

Someone, rather.

"Are you alright?" When she opened her eyes, the King's face was very close to hers, his hands wrapped around her, securing her so that she didn't fall. It was an awkward situation that had all the guards bowing, while Park Won-hee marched in to drag her away.

But who knew something more awkward would happen?

Before Won-hee could reach Sandara, someone emerged from the dungeon.

Of course no one could neglect such domineering and cold aura.

When Sandara recognized the chilling presence to her right, she unconsciously pushed the King away. She didn't understand why she did so even if she knew she didn't do anything wrong. Perhaps, she knew he had his own rules of propriety that she was afraid to violate.

Kwon Jiyong's face was grim and brooding with anger. While he looked at her accusingly, Yi Sung was quick to notice that her hands were injured.

"Aunt-in-law! Aunt-in-law! Your hands!" He exclaimed in a very exaggerated manner. He grabbed her small hands in his big ones as he inspected each closely making Kwon Jiyong rush forward to push him away. The impact was enough to send Yi Sung flying across the yard before his back hit the wall.

"JEONHA!!!" Park Won-hee rushed to the King's side to check if he's injured but the King just stood up and laughed. "I'm fine." The King chuckled even more. To this, Park Won-hee furrowed his brows. He didn't like His Excellency for her sister to begin with. And now he hated the man even more. How dare he hurt the King of the nation???

He turned to where her sister is but she was not there anymore. When he looked around, Kwon Jiyong was already dragging her into the dungeon.

He was about to follow, but his duty was to make sure the King was alright. With a heavy heart, he sighed and faced the King once more.

"Don't worry," The King said, sensing his anxiety. "As this King sees, uncle is very much jealous earlier." Yi Sung chuckled again. "So it means... Uncle is starting to fancy aunt-in-law already!"

"Jeonha! How could you still joke around when your uncle dared to hurt you?"

"Nah, it's alright. As long as uncle is happy, it's alright." Yi Sung clasped his hands behind him. "Come on, Won-hee. This King has seen too many interesting things now. Time to go back to the palace,"

Won-hee glared at the small entrance of the dungeon.

Kwon Jiyong, if you dare hurt my little sister, I swear I won't forgive you!

Inside the dungeon, the narrow path ended to a wide expanse. 

"How could you hurt His Majesty like that!" Sandara glared at the man who was dragging her. "Even if he's your nephew, still, he's the King!

The man who had been gritting his teeth didn't pay her attention, seemed to have lost all his sense of reason.

Kwon Jiyong was gripping her arm impossibly tight but instead of wasting time to rebel against him, Sandara insisted on finding Jo Sanggung, Byeol, and Seol.

"Take me to see the servants," it was an order, not a request, but instead, she found herself being pushed down the stone chair.

"Get me the medicine kit!" Kwon Jiyong shouted and soon a guard in black suit came in rushing with a wooden box. Kwon Jiyong snatched it from the man and sat across Sandara.

"Hands," Kwon Jiyong's voice was firm yet somewhat a bit subdued. Sandara hesitated but Kwon Jiyong grabbed her arms and his eyes narrowed at the sight.

"Stupid woman," he mumbled as he cleaned her hands with cloth before applying medicine with utmost care. He wasn't accustomed to being gentle but Sandara felt he was trying to, at least, so she really couldn't even find it in herself to hate him despite him being really a heartless bastard earlier, and despite him calling her stupid now. 

Well, she really could be impulsive and lose her demeanor especially when lives of the people she cared for were at stake, but she knew speaking up and countering this man at the moment would really be pointless.

So instead of arguing with the stoic iceberg, she used this chance to go into his thoughts. Maybe he would let his guards down and let her in.

She closed her eyes and concentrated as she felt him massaging her skin. She carefully placed all her attention and racked her brains to get into his, not even realizing that a hum of satisfaction escaped from her lips when something soft and wet landed on her skin. It stung at first, yet felt good later on, soothing her bruises and wounds from her palm to her fingertips, then around her wrists.

So she went ahead trying to listen to his thoughts, or get a vision of what his mind looked like. But not too long, she only felt a ringing in her ear, followed by a sharp headache. She gave up. Kwon Jiyong must be an extraordinary man, a total exception to her gift.

She snapped her eyes open only to see Kwon Jiyong looking at he