Sandara woke up by midnight in her room still feeling a bit dizzy. As she sat up, she looked around and tried to find Kwon Jiyong. She squinted her still hazy eyes when she saw him in a corner, her upper body bare as he rolled some bandage around it.

"Daegam?" She mumbled as she walked towards him, startling him for a moment. She took the bandage from him and helped him finish it. "What happened?" She asked as she took a closer look at his upper back. The part looked tender and swollen.

Kwon Jiyong didn't answer immediately, still devising another lie to conceal that night's events. He took a deep breath, gathered himself together and faced her with a stern, yet doting look. "You are banned from drinking wine from now on,"

Sandara gaped at him. When did she drink wine? Soon she realized it must have been the reason why she woke up in here when the last time she remembered was having dinner with Head Mistress and her husband. Did she really get drunk? Sandara turned to Kwon Jiyong's wound and a pang of guilt hit her.

Did he hurt himself while he carried her back here?

"I'm sorry," she said apologetically as she lowered her gaze and somehow the sight left Kwon Jiyong feeling even more frustrated.

It's me who should say that. He thought to himself. Taking her small, warm hand in his big cold ones, he smiled at her. "It's alright,"

"But you got hurt because of me," she muttered.

"It's alright," he told her once more. "Go to sleep. We'll be leaving tomorrow."

Tomorrow? Sandara wondered what made Kwon Jiyong change his mind so suddenly. Didn't he like the place? Did something go wrong?

"I thought we'll be staying here for two days?"

"Something urgent came up. Mino needs me inside the palace,"

"Mino?"

"Ah..." Kwon Jiyong scrunched his nose and shook his head upon realizing he talked comfortably again and even pertained to Yi Sung the way he calls him when they were alone together. "That's Yi Sung's childhood name."

All the while, Sandara found herself mesmerized by Kwon Jiyong. Didn't he know he look really adorable when he did that? Smiling from ear to ear, she gazed at him with that familiar funny and foolish look that Kwon Jiyong knew so well.

Kwon Jiyong sighed. How does he keep a safe distance from this woman? Looking at her right now, who would even thought this little lady had the power to help him become a great dragon? Ah, how she looked exactly the same as Ara, yet he failed to deny the fact that he admired this version of the woman better.

"Go back to sleep," He stood up and patted her on the head. "Be good."

"How about you?" Sandara asked. "You should get some rest too,"

Kwon Jiyong felt helpless to turn down Sandara's offer. Sighing in defeat, he nodded and lay by her side. He made sure to put a good distance between them as he lied on his stomach, his head turned to her.

"Good night, Daegam. Please get well soon," Sandara smiled warmly at him.

"Mmm." He briefly answered. He closed his eyes, but after a few moment, he snapped it back open at the sudden warmth that enveloped his hand. Turned out, Sandara was was hugging his arm, her soft cheeks nuzzling his hand. A smile crept his lips for the first time tonight, his heart in a blissful calm, as if the events earlier didn't happen at all.

----------------------------

The next daybreak, Sandara could not find Head Mistress. She wanted to say goodbye and thank her for her hospitality and wanted to promise she'll be back again but unfortunately, halmeoni told her Head Mistress wasn't feeling well. She went to find Seol and Byeol as well but strangely, she couldn't find them and the rest of the servants. The old lady told her to come back by autumn and she agreed to it.

Despite rarely speaking with the old lady who only stood by Head Mistress' side ever since, she found her sincere and comforting.

Kwon Jiyong, Sandara, and Ryung went back to Hanyang without Lee Donghae because the doctor said he needed to stay a bit and reorganize his clinic. While the gentleman was talking to Kwon Jiyong, Sandara noticed how her husband sized up the doctor, watching him speak with keen, hawk-like eyes. It made her suddenly so confused.

Weren't the two seemingly fine just days ago? Why is Kwon Jiyong being like this again? But Sandara felt it was something too personal to ask her lofty and unsociable husband. After all, Kwon Jiyong isn't someone easy to please. Still, she wished both men could be in good terms.

After traveling for another day after they reached Andong, they finally arrived in Hanyang. Thankfully, Kwon Jiyong didn't pay much attention to Ryung during the journey. Well, the little boy only slept and eat like a pig, so they really didn't have much hard time with him. As soon as they arrived home, Sandara washed up and slept the entire day in her room. Kwon Jiyong had no time to waste though, so after leaving some orders to Kang Daesung and Jo Sanggung, he immediately left for the palace.

The assembly would happen tomorrow and Kwon Jiyong originally planned to see Yi Sung on the day of the assembly itself but things went out of hand. Since he arrived a day earlier, he decided to talk to Yi Sung and sense out his plan.

But much to Kwon Jiyong's surprise, someone arrived earlier than him inside the King's study.

"Uncle! Come in!" Yi Sung welcomed him with so much excitement on his face, but Kwon Jiyong's gaze was only focused on the middle-aged man on the other side of the table.

"Daegam," The man bowed politely which he returned with a lower bow despite his higher rank.