Seo Yunhan did not sleep that night.
He remained seated in a chair beside the bed, his eyes fixed on the sleeping silver-haired woman until dawn broke. Only when the first rays of morning light entered the room did he finally stir.
The sound of the door opening and servants bringing in morning tea and washbasins woke the woman on the bed.
Her eyes snapped open.
The first thing she saw was a man sitting very close, gazing at her intently.
He was strikingly beautiful. Around 180 centimeters tall with a slender yet refined scholar’s build. Pale, almost translucent skin, delicate features, and deep dark brown eyes framed by long lashes. A sharp jawline added a quiet dignity to his elegant face. His dark brown hair fell softly around his shoulders.
‘…That damn peony scholar.’
The moment she recognized him, rage and humiliation surged through her.
It was Seo Yunhan. The Empire’s Chancellor. The man she had clashed with countless times in the imperial court — the one she had openly ridiculed as “a pretty boy who only knows paperwork” and “a cowardly peony scholar who shrinks from war.”
‘Of all people… why this bastard’s house?!’
She let out a panicked cry and tried to scramble backward.
“Auuu! Auuuah!”
Only broken, animalistic sounds came from her throat. She flailed her arms desperately, trying to push him away.
The servants froze in shock.
A breathtakingly beautiful silver-haired woman was making strange noises and thrashing on the Chancellor’s bed. One of the older maids whispered in confusion,
“…So the Madam brought a mute girl this time.”
However, Seo Yunhan showed no displeasure at all. His usually cold and distant eyes were filled with surprise, awe, and a warmth he had never felt before. He slowly raised both hands in a soothing gesture and spoke in a low, gentle voice.
“Don’t be afraid. Please, calm down.”
He carefully moved back to give her space.
“I stayed by your side because I was worried you might wake up alone and be frightened. I didn’t do anything inappropriate. My name is Seo Yunhan.”
He offered a small, slightly awkward but kind smile.
“You must be hungry,” he said to the servants without taking his eyes off her. “Prepare breakfast right away. And bring warm honey water first. She seems very startled.”
Inside her head, chaos reigned.
‘This fucking bureaucrat… The one who always blocked my military plans… Why am I in his bed?!’
She continued making “Auuu! Auuu!” sounds, trying to drive him away, but her body refused to obey her completely. Her frantic movements slowly calmed under his gentle voice.
Seo Yunhan gazed at her with soft, reverent eyes.
For a man who had never been close to any woman except his mother, she was like a miracle that had suddenly appeared in his forbidden sanctuary. He felt an overwhelming sense of wonder and protectiveness.
He truly believed she was a precious gift sent to him by fate