The afternoon sunlight filtered through the gaps in the foliage, casting a soft glow over the stone path, parts of which were covered in soil and wild grass. Amid the wild shrubs and trees, an intricately carved horse-drawn carriage moved slowly along. The carriage looked luxurious, adorned with floral motifs and wave patterns on its smooth wood, clearly no ordinary carriage.
Four guard horses flanked it on the right and left, while seven other guards walked in front and behind, watching as if every shadow cast by the trees could be a threat.
Inside the carriage, a young girl sat leaning against the window, her cheek pressed against her arm, which rested on the wooden frame. Her gaze was vacant, piercing the scenery outside with an unhidden look of irritation. Her long, dark brown hair flowed freely, part of it tied with a red ribbon that contrasted with her soft, pale skin. Every time the carriage's wheels jolted over the rocks, strands of her hair swayed gently, resembling ripples on water touched by the wind.
She wore a long robe layered with fine, light cream-colored fabric, falling gracefully along the curves of her body without being excessive. The collar was neatly fastened, adorned with delicate embroidery of floral motifs and pale blue wave patterns that framed the cuffs and hem of the robe with simple yet distinct details—clearly not the attire of an ordinary person. The fabric looked light yet expensive, shimmering faintly in the light, indicating its origins from a wealthy background. But no matter how beautiful the outfit was, nothing could dampen her foul mood.
"How much longer until we arrive? My whole body is stiff… I want to go home," the girl complained in a half-whining tone, gazing out the window with a pout.
A female attendant sitting across from her, dressed in a simple yet neat uniform, bowed her head slightly before answering, "Miss Seorin, we've only been traveling for two days. We'll arrive at the residence by tomorrow afternoon. Please be patient just a little longer."
"Tomorrow afternoon, tomorrow afternoon… that's all you've been saying since this morning," Seorin grumbled, letting out a long sigh.
"Sitting here all day feels like being in prison."
The maid on her right gave a faint smile. "If the young lady hadn't insisted on looking around at every stop yesterday, it might not have felt this long."
Seorin turned to her immediately. "Hey, that's because the places were boring! I was just trying to find some fun.
The attendant stifled a laugh. "It's precisely because you were too active that you're exhausted now."
She let out a long sigh, then grumbled again,
"This whole thing started because of that previous gathering! Why did Father make me come to an event like that?"
Another servant sitting to her right smiled faintly. "Young lady, that event wasn't without reason. It was an important gathering of major merchant families. The head of the family just wanted you to build good relationships with the other children of those families."
The girl snorted loudly. "If that's the case, why didn't he just send Ji-yun? She's the eldest!"
For a moment, the room fell silent.
Then a calm voice came from the corner.
"Has the young lady forgotten," he said in a half-reproachful tone,
"that Miss Ji-yun is preparing for her wedding? The head of the family has entrusted this gathering to you because it is now your turn to represent the Eunha family."
Seo-rin didn't need to turn around to know who it was. She snorted softly.
"Min-ji, you always have an answer for everything, don't you."
The woman gave a faint smile. "Not always. Only for things where the answer is already clear."
That overly quick reply made Seo-rin glance over briefly, a bit annoyed.
On the other hand, a young servant sitting among the others seemed to be watching intently. His face still showed confusion, as if he wasn't yet accustomed to the atmosphere.
He leaned in slightly, then whispered softly to the waiter next to him,
"Is that… really Head Waiter Han?"
The waiter beside him suppressed a smile. "Yes."
"Seriously?" he whispered again, a bit surprised. "I often see him at the residence… but usually he looks very stern."
"That's true," the attendant replied softly. "But that's only in front of others."
The girl glanced back at Min-ji and Seo-rin. "But the way he speaks to the young lady…"
"Different?" another attendant who had overheard chimed in, then gave a faint smile. "More like siblings, right?"
The girl nodded slowly.
The servant continued in a softer tone, "Head Servant Han has been taking care of Miss Seo-rin since she was a child. So it's only natural their relationship is like that."
"It's not just about taking care of her," another servant interjected softly.
"To be honest, he's the one who understands the young lady's nature best."
The new girl seemed to understand more clearly, though she still held a hint of wonder.
Meanwhile, their little conversation apparently hadn't gone entirely unnoticed.
Min-ji glanced briefly in their direction. She didn't say anything, but the corners of her lips turned up slightly, as if to acknowledge it without needing to explain.
On the other hand, Seo-rin pursed her lips. She looked back out the window, as if the view of the forest in the distance were far more interesting than all the conversation inside the train.
But without her realizing it, the atmosphere inside the train no longer felt as heavy as before.
"Still," she muttered finally, her voice a little softer, "that event is boring. I guess I really just aren't cut out for things like that… sitting there all nice, smiling, and pretending to be friendly to people I don't even know."
Min-ji looked straight at her. "But you did it pretty well."
Seo-rin raised an eyebrow. "That's because I had to."
"Forced, but still perfect," Min-ji replied lightly.
"Don't compliment me just so I won't get angry."
"It's not a compliment," Min-ji answered casually.
"Just a fact."
Seo-rin glared at her for a few seconds, then finally let out a short sigh.
"Ahh… fine. You win this time, Min-ji."
Min-ji immediately shook her head slightly, a faint smile still gracing her face. "Call me Head Maid Han, young lady. We're still in front of the maids."
Seo-rin waved her hand dismissively. "Yeah, yeah… fine, Min-ji."
Several servants immediately bowed their heads, trying to hide their smiles.
Min-ji could only let out a soft sigh, as if she were already used to that attitude.
For a moment, the atmosphere grew quiet again.
Then Seo-rin spoke up again, this time with a tone more annoyed than before,
"And also the most annoying thing… why does that person have to be here too."
Min-ji raised an eyebrow, the corners of her lips lifting slightly.
"That person…?" She looked at Seo-rin for a moment before continuing, "Do you mean Young Master Daehwa Gun-jin?"
Seo-rin's face immediately twisted. Her eyes widened as if she'd just heard the name she most wanted to forget.
"Yes! Him!" she snapped.
"Shouldn't his older brother have come? Is a second son like him really fit to represent a family as prominent as the Daehwas? Especially with all the bad rumors about him."
Several servants immediately exchanged glances.
"Bad rumors?" one of the servants muttered.
The servant beside her leaned in and whispered, half-seriously,
"I mean… they say Young Master Gun-jin is a playboy. He often visits brothels, and has even been involved in scandals with his own personal servant on several occasions."
Min-ji smiled faintly, the small fan in her hand moving gently to cover her lips.
"If I may guess, young lady," she said cautiously,
"maybe this has something to do with the talk… about the engagement between the Daehwa and Eunha families a while back."
Seo-rin snorted softly. A flash of irritation clearly shone in her eyes.
"I already knew about that. But I didn't expect Father to actually consider that marriage proposal—and worse yet, to bring us together at an event as big and important as that."
She clenched her small fist.
"And his attitude… it's disgusting. When he approached me, I really felt like slapping his face!"
She let out a loud sigh, glaring at the window in frustration.
"As soon as I get home, I'm going to talk to Dad! Why does he keep bringing up that engagement?! I want to get married for love, not for business! Just look at Ji-yun—she married the man of her own choosing!"
Several servants inside the carriage simply bowed their heads in resignation, clearly accustomed to their young mistress's stubborn nature.
Min-ji looked at her for a moment, then smiled gently. "Young lady, sometimes the head of the family just wants what's best for you. The world of the nobility...doesn't always leave room for love."
Her tone was calm, as if trying to soothe the girl.
"But does 'the best' always mean being restrained? And with rumors like that—hasn't Father thought this through?" Seo-rin retorted quickly, her voice rising.
"I don't want to live like a puppet controlled in the name of family honor, let alone be paired with someone like him."
She looked out the window again, her voice softening.
"I just want… to live like everyone else. To choose for myself who I want to laugh with, cry with, and walk the path I've chosen."
Min-ji looked at her with a warm gaze. "Young lady, if that's what you want, maybe I can find some wanderers around here who'd be willing to be with you—who knows, maybe they'd give you what you desire."
She chuckled softly, her tone teasing yet gentle.
Seo-rin glanced at her briefly.
"If that traveler can give me freedom, maybe I'd be willing to be with him," she replied flatly, though a faint smile appeared on her lips.
She paused for a moment.
"With one condition he has to be my type."
"Oh?" Min-ji raised one eyebrow.
"So what's your type, young lady?"
Seo-rin paused for a moment before answering confidently, "He has to be handsome, always kind to me, calm, not very talkative, attentive, and never a womanizer. He has to be reliable and stay calm in any situation."
Min-ji fell silent for a moment, then let out a long sigh with a forced expression.
"Wow… those are some truly unusual criteria. It feels impossible to find someone like that, let alone just off the street."
"That's exactly how it has to be," Seo-rin replied casually.
"If he weren't like that, how could he possibly be my future husband?"
Min-ji suddenly lowered her fan, her expression turning slightly more serious.
"But it seems the young lady has forgotten one important quality your future husband must possess."
Seorin turned to look at her, her expression growing serious as well.
"What is it?"
Min-ji covered her mouth with her small fan, stifling a laugh.
"An extraordinary amount of patience," she finally said.
"Because he'll have to be patient dealing with how talkative and stubborn you are… all the time."
"What on earth are you talking about, Min-ji!" Seo-rin glared at her, her face flushing, then playfully pinched her head maid's arm.
"Ah! Forgive me, young lady! Hahaha!" Min-ji burst into laughter, causing the other maids to smile as well.
A soft chuckle filled the cramped carriage, easing the previously tense atmosphere. Yet on Seo-rin's face, a faint blush remained—a mix of embarrassment, irritation, and a touch of freedom she could only feel in that brief exchange of words and jokes.
She was the second daughter of the Eunha family, one of the five great merchant families whose names resonated far and wide throughout the Murim world. Their wealth was measured not only in gold and silk, but also in trade routes spanning across regions, secret agreements with major sects, and influence capable of moving markets and wielding power without ever drawing a sword.
As the second child, her life should have been filled with comfort and honor. Yet it was precisely that position that placed her at the crossroads between personal freedom and family interests, between the desires of her heart and the destiny laid out by the Murim aristocracy.
And without her realizing it, this journey was not merely a return home.
but the beginning of an encounter with someone who would later change the course of her life.