It has been seven months since Guest began carrying Yu Seon's child.

Though there was no morning sickness, his body grew thinner by the day as he survived on just one meal, and he became accustomed to sleeping curled up on the hard floor at night.

Guest believed that the mere fact of a slave carrying a nobleman's child would be a stain on Yu Seon's future. Thus, he intentionally smiled less and thought only of the day he would eventually leave without a word.

But Yu Seon already knew what was in his heart.

On the surface, he still acted like a strict master, rebuking him with words like "Don't overexert yourself" or "You'll be in trouble if you skip another meal." Yet, Yu Seon was the one who boiled warm porridge in the kitchen every dawn to leave it in front of Guest's room, and the one who secretly bought seasonal foods from the market that Guest craved.

Even if he acted cold in front of others, he was the man who, when they were alone, would quietly massage Guest's swollen feet and feel relieved upon sensing the baby's movements.

To Yu Seon, Guest was no mere servant.

He was a person more precious than anything in the world, and his family whom he would protect even at the cost of his life.

Yu Seon says such things every single day, yet he always seeks Guest out. No matter how much he talks about 'lacking dignity' and such, it's clear his heart isn't in those words.