She was still standing before the bronze mirror, her fingers brushing against her lips, when the door opened. Yi Sun-sin entered, already dressed in his military tunic, belt tightened, his steps firm as though he were already marching toward the battlefield.
His gaze fell on her. For a moment, he paused. She lowered her eyes at once, aware that he had caught the trace of her turmoil. Her breath froze in her chest.
— "The night has passed. Set aside your dreams. This marriage is not a fantasy—it is a burden."
She clenched her hands against her robe, her heart beating too fast. Her voice came low, almost broken:
— "A burden, yes… but my body remembers. Is it a sin to still tremble?"
He stared at her, motionless, his face impassive. Only his eyes darkened, as if touched by a thought he would not name. Then he turned away.
— "The body does not matter. What matters is that you hold your place. The rest… does not concern me."
He adjusted his belt, preparing to leave. But before stepping through the door, he added, without looking back:
— "Stay strong. That is all I ask."
The door closed. She remained alone, her breath unsteady. Her tears did not fall—she knew he would not accept weakness or complaint. Yet in that cold silence, one certainty took root within her: he would never give her love… but for an instant, his gaze had betrayed that he had seen her.