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This small body had been exposed to the cold wind far too often, and since he was clumsy at childcare, the baby must have suffered more than he realized. It was only natural to be exhausted. If anything, it was remarkable that the child had endured this long.
It all felt like his fault. No, it truly was. If he had been a proper father, Bok-deong wouldn’t have had to struggle from the moment he was born.
He wanted to cherish him like gold and jade. He would do anything for Bok-deong. But feelings alone accomplished nothing. His own abilities were simply lacking.
Still, there was one thing he could do well, keep Bok-deong warm.
“Ha…”
Moon Hae-min gently blew warm air onto Bok-deong.
A memory surfaced from long ago. Back when he lived in Lord Moon’s household, every winter he would pile on all the clothes he owned and still shiver endlessly.
In those moments, he felt it deeply, there was no one to share warmth with him. He hated that cold. He hated that loneliness.
“Ha… ha…”
But not anymore.
Now, Moon Hae-min had Bok-deong. A good baby who didn’t even cry despite being tired, who only smiled softly. Overcome with both affection and sorrow, Hae-min gently played with the baby’s tiny hands.
The baby’s lips moved slightly. For a moment, Hae-min thought he might babble, but no sound came out. Instead, Hae-min spoke first.
“Bok-deong.”
No matter the circumstances, it meant a blessing that had come to him, and a wish that the child’s life would be blessed. Hae-min repeated that wish in his heart.
“Just endure a little longer. I’ve secured a ship to Wonya. Life will be much easier there. Once we escape Yeomyeong…”
Yeomyeong… the country where he had been born and raised, where he had lived his entire life. A homeland he had never once thought of leaving.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t afraid. But if he and Bok-deong wanted to live, they had to leave. In Yeomyeong, there was no escaping that man’s gaze, Song Seol.
“…Don’t worry. I have a plan. Wonya is a place where merchant groups pass through, so they say people skilled with numbers are valued. If I work hard, we’ll manage. Even if things don’t go as planned, surely we won’t starve.”
He had endured in Hanseong, in Songdo, there was no reason he couldn’t endure in Wonya.
“So we’ll be able to live happily.”
The moment he whispered softly to the child in his arms.
Bang!
A thunderous noise erupted. The door flew open, and a gust of snowstorm wind rushed inside.
“We’ve found him, Your Highness!”
An armed soldier shouted. Even one soldier would have been too much, but when Hae-min glanced outside, there were dozens. Realizing the situation, his body trembled.
‘Have I been found…? No… please, no…’
As he clung to that futile hope, the soldiers stepped aside. Someone walked through them, a man as cold and imposing as the northern wind itself.
Song Seol.
“…Ah…”
Song Seol looked at “Moon Hee-yul.” No, Moon Hae-min.
Hae-min held a child in his arms. That child was Hae-min’s… and also his.
But that wasn’t the only absurd truth. The man he believed to be the legitimate son of Lord Moon was, in fact, an illegitimate child. He had entered as a substitute concubine in place of his younger sibling, and had deceived him all this time.
That alone was enough to deeply wound the pride of a Grand Prince.
But more intolerable than anything else…
Was the fact that this man, Moon Hae-min, had dared to run away from him.
“So this is where you fled to.”
Even now, Hae-min was slowly stepping back. In such a narrow room, where did he think he could run? It was almost laughable.
Hae-min’s face was pale. His already slender body looked like a dried branch. No matter how one looked at it, he seemed to have suffered greatly.
If he had gone through the trouble of escaping, couldn’t he at least have lived decently? He looked far more pitiful than when he had stayed in the residence.
Hae-min gave a faint smile. White breath slipped past his pale lips. Seeing how much there was, Song Seol frowned.
“Whose child is that?”
“…”
“Am I the father?”
It was a question asked for confirmation.
Not because he was truly curious, but because he wanted to see how Hae-min would answer.
And Hae-min replied calmly.
“No. I am the child’s father.”
“So you possess the marvelous ability to bear a child alone, it seems. Now that I think of it…”
A fragrance lingered around Hae-min. He had noticed it upon entering the room but hadn’t registered it due to his anger.
“…You can emit scent?”
Hae-min’s scent was that of plum blossoms, refined in appearance, yet carrying a deep, lingering fragrance. It suited him.
Hae-min lowered his head. That only irritated Song Seol further.
“I’ll ask you. You must answer this.”
“…Please, go ahead.”
“Is your name Moon Hee-yul?”
Hae-min’s head snapped up. His pale green eyes trembled.
“No.”
“Then?”
“…As Your Highness said, I am not Moon Hee-yul. I will accept punishment for deceiving you.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Their conversation kept missing each other. Growing impatient, Song Seol frowned slightly.
“What is your name?”
“…Moon Hae-min.”
“Moon Hae-min.”
As if learning a new word, Song Seol repeated it.
“Your name is false. Your status as a scentless omega is false.”
“…”
“Then is it also false that you do not love me?”
“…That alone is true.”
It was the answer he had expected.
But expecting it didn’t make it hurt any less.
It felt as though frost settled over his heart. If touched, something might shatter. He suppressed his emotions with effort.
“Take him.”
At his command, two soldiers grabbed Hae-min’s arms.
“Let go!”
Hae-min struggled, but then Bok-deong began to cry.
Weak, fragile cries.
Even the soldiers couldn’t bring themselves to be harsh.
In the end, Song Seol stepped forward.
He took Bok-deong from Hae-min and handed the baby to a soldier. Then, gripping Hae-min tightly, he dragged him away.
“Let me go!”
Hae-min resisted with all his strength. The more he did, the more Song Seol’s anger surged.
“Your Highness! Please-!”
Song Seol was deliberately rough. He forced Hae-min onto a horse and pulled the reins.
“Don’t…!”
The fierce wind swallowed his cries.
Song Seol didn’t even allow him to look back.
At some point, Hae-min began to cry silently.
Snow fell, like the tears slipping from his eyes.
The horse ran through the snowy night without rest.
At some point, the passing scenery began to look familiar. Hae-min realized he had entered the heart of Songdo, and felt despair.
It had taken so long to walk here. Why did it feel so fast on horseback?
Song Seol headed straight to his residence.
Hae-min thought he would be imprisoned immediately, but instead, Song Seol dragged him into the main quarters.
“…Hngh.”
Inside, Song Seol threw him down roughly.
Hae-min barely lifted himself, looking up at him.
Song Seol’s face was cold, merciless. No excuse or apology would work.
But more frightening than his expression was his scent.
He released it fully, a winter-like scent that wrapped around Hae-min, suffocating him.
“My… my lord…”
“I was wrong…”
“…”
“But Bok-deong, the child, did nothing wrong. Where have you sent him…?”
“That’s none of your concern.”
“I’m his father, how can it not be?”
“So you’re foolish after all.”
“…!”
“You think you can claim to be the father?”
“…I…!”
He couldn’t finish his words. He knew the truth, he was at fault from beginning to end.
“…Please. Let me see the child. I must take care of him.”
He was Bok-deong’s father.
“I beg you…”
“Why? So you can run again?”
“No, I won’t run…”
The cold scent intensified.
“There’s something you should say first.”
“I’m sorry… everything is my fault…”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“Then…?”
“Why did you run?”
Hae-min swallowed.
“…I was originally a beta. But one day, I was diagnosed as an omega… and pregnant… I thought… if I gave birth… the child would be illegitimate…”
“I said I would take you as my official consort.”
“But… I am not Moon Hee-yul…”
“…So you thought I would change my mind.”
“…Yes…”
Song Seol’s voice dropped dangerously low.
“And yet, you still tried to leave forever.”
Silence.
That was answer enough.
Song Seol bent down, meeting his gaze.
“For your foolishness, I’ll tell you what your actions have caused.”
“…!”
“The servants who failed you will be punished. The merchants who helped you are under arrest.”
Hae-min’s eyes trembled.
“And the bookstore owner who aided your escape… will never leave prison.”
“No… please… punish me instead-!”
“They are guilty.”
“They’re innocent!”
“They allowed a prince’s concubine to escape.”
Tears fell.
Bok-deong was gone.
Innocent people would suffer because of him.
“…Please… forgive them… punish me instead…”
Hae-min knelt, bowing to the ground.
“I beg you…!”
But Song Seol turned away.
“Guard him closely.”
The door shut.
Hae-min staggered to it, pulling uselessly.
“My lord… please…!”
No answer came.
He collapsed.
There was no way out.
No solution.
Only despair… and tears.
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