Miyoung was much in shock, it took Heechul coming towards her to make her realize what just happened. Miyoung looked at his face, his eyes red from a couple of tears and an expression of anger took his semblance.

“You’ve had his help.” He said, seriously. Miyoung gulped. “Now leave this city and go your way.”

Miyoung blinked, feeling her heart beating wild inside her chest. “Don’t bother Taeyeon with your business no more!” After he said that, Heechul grabbed the dark blade soaking in blood on the platform and moved his legs out of that plaza. The group of five other men who Miyoung did not know who they were followed him suit.

Miyoung lowered her head, feeling like she’s just seen a miracle of some sort. Did that bastard boy defeated Shin Yunsuk’s champion in a trial by combat? Did he really saved the lives of Juhyun, Sooyoung and Yuri just because he believed they were all servants of Hwang’s Family Clan?

Miyoung felt a tear run across her cheeks, her feelings never been that intense. What just happened really? Miyoung was still speechless when Seo Juhyun, Sooyung and Yuri came towards her.

“Lady Miyoung!” Juhyun exclaimed, hugging her tightly. “Lady Miyoung! I’m so glad you’re alive!” Miyoung did not say a word. “Why did you come back? I told you to go away! I told you you could leave me behind!”

Miyoung shook her head, negatively.

“Seven Heavens! I thought we were done for!” Yuri relieved.

“How did you get away from the golden army?” Sooyoung asked.

Miyoung blinked. “I… don’t...know…”

“Why you’re dressing up like a , Milady?” Juhyun asked, shocked to see Miyoung wearing those types of clothes.

“I… don’t know…”

“Who was that man?”

Miyoung gulped, feeling like her chest was about to explode. “I... don’t know…” She left it, her ears still buzzing.

But she did know.

Taeyeon was his name. A bastard son from Ironstow. And Miyoung owed him her life.

~~*~~

Miyoung had yet to leave Midsummar, a decision that was heaving on her shoulders as the seconds went by. Juhyun, Sooyoung and Yuri were all demanding, asking her to leave the region right away, straight to southern territories. The initial plan was to reach Stoneguard and look up ways to go to Rosegarden without being caught by Master Shin. It was a good plan.

But how could Miyoung leave that city without even exchanging words with the boy who saved her life and the lives of her friends? How could she just ran away for her life without looking at his face and thank him for what he did? How could she turn her back on him like a coward when he as bastard child showed so much bravery and honour than most noblemen Miyoung met in her entire life?

She couldn’t.

She couldn’t just leave.

As Miyoung stopped by the door of the brothel house, Juhyun quickly put herself on the way, stretching her arms wide across the door to prevent Miyoung from walking inside.

“Lady Miyoung!” She quickly cut off. “You can’t walk inside, Milady!”

Miyoung sighed, feeling grateful for Juhyun’s kind attitude yet finding it a bit unnecessary.

“Step aside, Juhyun…”

“This is no place for a lady like you, Lady Miyoung! What Master Hwang would say if he saw you walking into such a dirty house?”

Miyoung’s eyes dropped a level. Her Lord Father would have scolded her that’s for sure. But she wasn’t so innocent to think that her father didn’t have some services done in those houses. Rosegarden have brothel and gisaeng houses too. And although the highborns often mouth talked about the girls living on those houses, they were also the ones looking for them.

If highborns can act so pure and noble outside the door of brothels yet so dirty and frail inside those buildings, so Hwang Miyoung could do too.

“It’s okay, Juhyun.” She said, dismissing the words of her handmaid.

“Lady Miyoung…”

“It’s alright, really. I’m already dressed up like a … what could be worse than getting inside that place?”

Juhyun dropped her head, not saying anything.

“I will be alright. I just want to have a chat with him before we leave to Stoneguard.”

“Him? Do you mean the bastard boy?”

“Yes, that is he whom I mean.”

“Do you know him, Milady?” Juhyun asked, her brows frowned. “It’s dangerous to get any closer.”

Is it?

“Why is it?” Miyoung asked, not seeing how Bastard Taeyeon could be that dangerous?

“You can’t trust a bastard, Milady...”

“He saved your life, Juhyun.” Miyoung said, firmly. “He risked his life to save you and the others from Master Shin! How can you even say that?”

“I’m forever grateful for what that boy did for us, Milady! I wasn’t meaning the opposite!”

Miyoung blinked. “What you mean, then?”

“You can’t just get any closer to a random bastard in a place like this, Milady!” That made Miyoung angry somehow. “You don’t know him well! You don’t know what he wants! What if he takes advantage of you? What if he hurts you? What if he makes you- ”

“Juhyun…” Miyoung tried.

“What your Lord Father used to tell you about bastards, Milady?”

Miyoung clenched her jaw. “Bastards are children of cowardly men. Of miserable men. Of men whose honour is not to be found.” But how come Taeyeon has so much of it though?

“He saved all of us.” Miyoung said back. “All of us, Juhyun! He protected me from the Golden Army!” Juhyun gulped, her arms still wide across the door of the brothel. “He walked me till that gate so I could escape this city safe and sound!” Her voice was starting to become a little serious. “He’s put his own life at risk to save you from that execution!”

“Milady…”

“He fought against Shin Yunsuk to protect the lives of common servants! Are you even aware of what that means?” Juhyun dropped her shoulders, looking at Miyoung still. “We can’t just leave this city and go away like it didn’t matter! Like it isn’t a big deal! What type of people would we be if we leave him without even saying goodbye??”

“Do you want to say goodbye to him?” Juhyun asked, seriously.

Miyoung blinked for a couple of seconds. Truth to be told, she wanted to spend more time with him, talk to him, know him better. But Miyoung knew that was impossible. She knew him for just a brief time, but the way Taeyeon had introduced himself to Miyoung and what he did for her and her friends was bigger than anything Miyoung has ever seen it in her entire life.

He caught her attention but it wasn’t anything bigger than that. It couldn’t be bigger than that. She was a highborn and he was a lowborn, a bastard, above all else, and by the laws of Joseon, nobleborns and lowborns are not to be fitted together.

Miyoung wasn’t interested in him in that way. She couldn’t even allow herself to be. It is forbidden by law.

She just wanted to see him one more time.

“I want to thank him for what he’s done for us.” Miyoung said, staring at Juhyun’s eyes. “I think he is truly deserving of that. A Bastard born or not, what he did was more brave and honourable than most nobleborns would ever dare to do, and if we don’t show our faces to thank him, we are just showing him how hypocrites and frail we are.” Juhyun blinked. “I know you are trying to defend my honour by making me not step into this house, Juhyun, and I appreciate that… but not talking to Taeyeon after what he has done for us would be a break of honour and character of ourselves.”

Juhyun sighed. “I just think you should meet him in a different place, Milady...”

Miyoung smiled, softly. “I’ll be alright, Juhyun. I’m sure nothing I shall see on top of those beds will be any worse than what I've been seeing for the past few days…”

“You might be surprised.”

Miyoung chuckled. “Step aside, Juhyun.” And her handmaid lowered her head and obeyed, stepping aside of the way. Miyoung inhaled, calming herself and knocked on the door.

A couple of seconds later, the door was opened by a tall tanned woman. Miyoung did not know her. She wasn’t the one who Taeyeon and her have previously met in that house earlier that day. The woman squinted her eyes the moment she saw Miyoung, looking at her from head to toe. “You’re wearing one of our outfits but your face ain't one of ours...”

“I’m here looking for Taeyeon…” Miyoung said, firmly. “The boy who won the trial by combat...?” She added in case the girl did not know whom she was talking about.

The girl nodded her head. “Yeah, yeah, I know who that is… But I’m afraid you gotta turn around and go your way. Taeyeon asked to not be bothered.”

Miyoung frowned her brows. “What?”

“Taeyeon asked to not be bothered.” She repeated, seriously. “Taeyeon is causing quite a commotion around here…” She added. “So I’m afraid you must leave.”

“I surely must not!” Miyoung retorted it, making the roll her eyes. “Tell him Mi Seohyun is looking for him, he’ll talk to me.”

“Mi Seohyun?” Juhyun asked, frowning her brows. Miyoung did not answer that.

The chuckled. “Taeyeon is busy right now, you know, getting some services done?” Miyoung gritted her teeth. Is that trying to make her angry or something? “Leave! We don’t have time for you!” The tried to close the door but Miyoung used her arm to stop it.

“I need to talk to Taeyeon.”

“I’m sorry. Taeyeon told us not to let anyone come inside.”

“Tell it’s Mi Seohyun, he’ll let me get inside!”

“Taeyeon doesn’t want to see you!”

That made Miyoung blink her eyes, feeling her heartbeat fasten up. “What?”

“Taeyeon doesn’t want to see you. Made us sure to not let anyone come inside, especially a bossy lowborn servant who goes by the name of Mi Seohyun wearing one of the clothes from our brothel house!” The girl backed firmly.

Miyoung felt hurt and angry. “Did he really say that?”

The girl clicked her tongue. “You’re not welcome here, servant, go away!” She closed the door, making Miyoung gritted her teeth.

“Aish…” She cussed, angrily.

“Lady Miyoung…”

“How could he say that?” She raised her voice. “Did you hear, Juhyun? She said he called me a bossy lowborn servant!”

Juhyun sighed. “Well, I think we can at least use this message to actually make us get ready and start moving!”

“Bull!”

“Milady!” Juhyun called, surprised. “You shouldn’t be saying those words so careless like that, Milady…”

“ing bastard…”

Juhyun lowered her head. “We should be going, Milady! We can’t stay here. It’s still dangerous!”

“Let’s just see who is the bossy lowborn!” Miyoung ignored, angrily, forcing the door opened, walking inside the building.

“Lady Miyoung!” Juhyun ran after her. “Please!”