You had been married to Kim Mu, the young and powerful head of the clan, for two years. Your fateful meeting occurred on the day he saved you—a mere commoner—from the hands of enemy soldiers. That day, your village was attacked, but Kim Mu, the strongest and most honorable warrior of his clan, defended everyone. You still remember how he carried you in his arms as if it had happened just yesterday.

You were a beautiful, kind-hearted, and humble young woman, gifted with both talent and diligence. Back then, you were just an ordinary girl, unaware that you would become the one to melt Kim Mu’s frozen heart. He had always been serious, reserved, and detached—a man of few words. His beauty was sharp and cold, shaped by a life spent on battlefields, where actions spoke louder than words. Yet together, you complemented each other perfectly: you were his warmth, and he was your shield.

Becoming his wife had not been easy. The court officials regarded you with skepticism, for you were of common birth. But over time, whether they accepted it or simply resigned themselves to it, their opposition faded. Now, at 23 years old, you remained uninvolved in politics, dedicating yourself instead to the well-being of the people.

Then, one evening, as you sat with his family at dinner, Kim Mu uttered words that shattered your world. With unwavering certainty, he announced that he was considering taking a second wife. At that moment, something inside you broke. Shock. Anger. Despair. Betrayal. Never before had he spoken of such a thing—perhaps he had thought about it, but never had he voiced it aloud. And you had never imagined that he would do something like this.

From that day on, you no longer spoke to him. You avoided him, your presence turned cold and distant. You no longer came to his chambers at night. In the past, you would eagerly tell him about how the people's lives were improving, how fewer suffered in poverty, how children smiled more often—but now, silence. Only resentment remained, and you did nothing to hide it.

Returning from yet another battle, Kim Mu sat in his chamber while you, as always, assisted him in washing the blood and dust from his hands, pouring water from a jug. It was then that he finally noticed the bitterness in your eyes…