Wandering Through Vol. 3 Chapter 74 - The Journey

“…Get out!”

“No…”

“…This is pointless!”

 

The noise from beyond the door made Yiseo lift her heavy eyelids. Her body felt unusually sluggish. 

 

Even the simple act of raising her hand to touch her forehead was exhausting, her arm trembling with the effort.

 

The room was dim—whether it was dawn or early evening, she couldn’t tell.

 

Groaning, Yiseo barely managed to push her heavy body upright. When she tried to step outside toward the commotion, her legs gave out, sending her crumpling to the floor. 

 

A flicker of resentment rose in her chest.

 

Normally, the man would let her sleep undisturbed. 

 

Why had he kept her awake all night, entwined with her? 

 

The thought that he might no longer let her rest at all filled her with dread.

 

Had he forced more medicine down her throat while she was half-conscious? 

 

A bitter taste lingered at the back of her mouth. 

 

Though Leegwang had fiercely brewed the tonic, insisting she needed a full night’s rest, Yiseo—who had been fed all sorts of medicinal concoctions since birth—barely found it potent.

 

She grabbed the doorknob and pushed. But the door only rattled, refusing to open.

 

Was he planning to be gone long? Why had he locked her in?

 

Used to deciphering Leegwang’s thoughts, Yiseo shook the door a few more times without much surprise.

 

Hiding her clothes, hiding her shoes, barricading the door, draining her energy so she couldn’t walk—these were all tricks Leegwang had used to keep her from leaving. It seemed nothing had changed. 

 

But since he usually only left her like this when he was about to cause major trouble, a faint unease settled over her.

 

Her anxiety made her shake the door harder. 

 

Then, suddenly, something thudded outside, and the door slid open with a quiet creak.

 

“My lady!”

 

A familiar, booming voice struck her ears.

 

When Yiseo was blinking her eyes, her ears still stinging, Ban suddenly pulled her into a tight embrace at the doorway. He smelled of sweat and earth.

 

But before Yiseo could fully grasp the situation, servants rushed in, tearing Ban away and dragging him down to the courtyard.

 

“Grab her!”

“How dare you barge in like this!”

 

As Lady Shanggung moved to close the door again, Yiseo hastily stuck her body outside. Her legs gave way, leaving her sprawled almost flat against the threshold, but she managed to stop the door from shutting.

 

“Let her go. Please. She’s a child I used to care for.”

 

With Lady Shanggung’s help, Yiseo pushed herself up to sit and quickly addressed the servants holding Ban.

 

“Lady Shanggung, you know her, don’t you? Hmm? It’s Ban—she was here last year.”

 

Hesitating at Yiseo’s words, Lady Shanggung gestured to the servants holding Ban. They released the child and stepped back.

 

Yiseo looked Ban up and down, taking in his disheveled, near-beggar appearance, then made a request to Lady Shanggung.

 

“Please bring some water for washing and clean clothes. She can’t wander around the house like this. Ban, clean yourself up and come back later.”

 

Ban nodded awkwardly and followed the servants away.

 

In the now-quiet courtyard, Yiseo stopped Lady Shanggung as she tried to withdraw. Though Lady Shanggung immediately bowed her head, Yiseo caught the flicker of unease that crossed her face.

 

That unease was tangled with guilt.

 

“The Grand Prince isn’t in his chambers… Where has he gone?”

 

“He had business outside and stepped out for a while. He should return by tomorrow, so there’s no need to worry.”

 

“Then what exactly is this business?”

 

Like a young man experiencing lust for the first time, Leegwang had been completely absorbed in Yiseo’s body. 

 

It was only natural for Yiseo to feel uneasy about what could possibly be important enough for him to leave her side. She knew she shouldn’t judge a man who had once been her husband this way, but honestly, Leegwang was a reckless fool who wouldn’t even listen to the king’s orders properly.

 

After all, he was the kind of man who had brought Yiseo into the inner quarters and ravished her so relentlessly that the threshold of the door wore down from the constant rushing up and forth of palace attendants—yet he hadn’t cared in the slightest. 

 

So if someone called for him, he wouldn’t have gone unless he himself had decided there was something he needed to do, even if it meant leaving Yiseo behind…

 

Yiseo blinked nervously as she recalled the things Leegwang had done behind her back.

 

Falling asleep only to wake up being dragged somewhere and violated was something she was used to. But the problem wasn’t her—it was the people around her.

 

Threatening Yeongseon to stay away from Yiseo, cutting off contact with her nursemaid, and even taking the injured Suyeong hostage in the mountains to manipulate Yiseo…

 

She couldn’t help but wonder what mischief he was up to now.

 

“Given the Grand Prince’s temperament, he wouldn’t have gone to the palace. What business could have taken him away?”

 

“I’m afraid I don’t know, Madam.”

 

Yiseo grabbed hold of Lady Shanggung, who was evading her questions.

 

“You just called me ‘Madam,’ didn’t you, Lady Shanggung? Is it so strange for a wife to ask where her husband has gone? Hmm?”

 

“The night is chilly. You should go inside and rest.”

 

At Lady Shanggung’s attempt to usher her back into the room, Yiseo simply plopped down on the wooden porch. 

 

By now, she didn’t even bother looking down at the stone step—it wasn’t as if her shoes would be there anyway.

 

“What do you mean it’s chilly in spring? I want to at least take a walk, so hurry up and bring me my shoes.”

 

“The Grand Prince will worry.”

 

“Right. He’ll worry I might run away.”

 

Unable to outright deny it, Lady Shanggung hesitated briefly before replying politely.

 

“…He will also worry about your health, Madam.”

 

“Then, if I were to wander the courtyard barefoot right now and trip, would the Grand Prince come back for me?”

 

At Yiseo’s words, Lady Shanggung finally revealed the order she had received from Leegwang.

 

“Madam, I was commanded not to say anything to you. What else can I do?”

 

“Between his own orders and my well-being, which do you think the Grand Prince would prioritize?”

 

“…”

 

Yiseo pleaded with Lady Shanggung, who stood frozen, unable to respond.

 

“I know you feel guilty toward me. For ignoring me for ten years, for not being able to help me last year when I was here.”

 

She had heard that Nanny Yeongseon kept coming by, asking Lady Shanggung if her young lady was there. 

 

Seeing Nanny Yeongseon searching as if her child had disappeared, there was no way Lady Shanggung hadn’t realized Yiseo had been forcibly brought here by the Grand Prince.

 

Especially since she had witnessed firsthand the lengths the Grand Prince went to, fearing Yiseo might escape.

 

But when the master she served ordered her to keep his wife confined, what else could Lady Shanggung do?

 

“I fully understand your position. But I’m not even asking you to help me escape. Is it so hard to just tell me where the Grand Prince is?”

 

When Yiseo pleaded, bringing up everything that had happened so far, Lady Shanggung hesitated for a long time before finally speaking. 

 

Even then, she paused several times before giving Yiseo the answer she had hoped for.

 

“…His Highness went to find his former wife. He heard she was in a village about three days’ walk from here.”

 

At those words, Yiseo couldn’t help but recall what Leegwang had said a few days earlier.

 

— “Should I drag that woman back, punish her, and throw her out? Maybe then you’ll finally call me ‘husband.’”

 

Though he had spoken lightly, the young man hadn’t been able to fully hide the murderous intent beneath his words. 

 

A chill ran down Yiseo’s spine. 

 

Suddenly, she felt cold sweat trickling down. Eunbi’s life was in danger.

 

“I—I have to go after him.”

 

She had to stop the prince immediately. Yiseo rushed barefoot into the courtyard. 

 

Startled by her sudden reaction, Lady Shanggung grabbed her arm.

 

“His Highness would never leave her be. I have to go and stop him.”

 

“Why should you, of all people, care about this? Don’t go out for no reason. Who would move about at this hour?”

 

Lady Shanggung’s words sounded almost as if she suspected Yiseo of trying to escape. 

Frustrated, Yiseo replied, “I truly mean to go to His Highness. If you don’t believe me, you can come along. Yes, we should take more servants. If they take turns carrying me on a litter, we can move faster…”

 

Lady Shanggung held onto the flustered Yiseo and spoke firmly. She didn’t want to risk the prince’s reprimand by letting Yiseo wander off.

 

“I’ll call for a palanquin, Your Ladyship.”

 

There was no stopping Yiseo’s stubbornness—she acted as if she’d give up her very liver and gallbladder for the prince. 

 

With a sigh, Lady Shanggung realized the best course was to accompany her, if only to prevent any risk of escape.

 

🦋

 

“Welcome, Your Highness.”

 

When Leegwang arrived in the village shrine where he had supposedly spotted Eunbi, a man came out to greet him. 

 

The resemblance to Suyeong in the man’s face made Leegwang’s eyes narrow slightly.

 

“It seems she’s already fled. But judging by the warmth of the hearth, she couldn’t have gone far. I’ll send some men to nearby villages.”

 

Whether he had heard something from his father, the Chief State Councillor, or simply wanted to impress Leegwang—referred to as the Grand Prince—the man behaved with exaggerated deference.

 

Leegwang paid no attention to him, scanning the shrine instead. 

 

The neatly arranged household items suggested a comfortable life.

 

Seeing this, he briefly considered telling Yiseo to furnish her home as she pleased.

 

A house filled with belongings touched by Yiseo’s hands—that might bring him some satisfaction. His gaze drifted past the wall to the mountain beyond. The corner of his mouth twisted.

 

“No need to send men to the villages. Tell them to search the mountain instead.”

 

“Pardon? The mountain…?”

 

Ignoring the man’s protests, Leegwang strode up the slope. 

 

Climbing in the dead of night without even a torch, his eyes pierced the darkness as if fixed on something unseen.