This is where you can read the manhwa. https://www.lezhin.com/en/comic/painter But be aware that this manhwa is a mature Yaoi, which means, it is about homosexuality with explicit scenes. If you want to read more essays, here is the link to the table of contents: https://bebebisous33analyses.wordpress.com/2020/07/04/table-of-contents-painter-of-the-night/
Announcement: I updated the essay “Painting and desires – part 2” and “Fire and Darkness: Yoon Seungho”
What is exactly a perfect crime? The definition is that from a legal point, a crime remains either undetected, or unattributed to a perpetrator, or otherwise unsolved due to the lack of evidence. This signifies not only that the perpetrator will never face any legal charge, but also that the crime has been perfectly covered up, because there are no witness and evidence and even in the worst case no official victim. However, for this to happen, it requires great planning implying that the mastermind desired to seek perfection. The condition is that the culprit behind the crime must know exactly what he wants. Besides, the fewer people are involved, the lower the risk is to get caught.
Striking is that on the surface the first kidnapping doesn’t fit these criteria. First, Jihwa was a reluctant criminal, he didn’t truly wish the painter’s death, just to remove him from Yoon Seungho’s side. Moreover, he feared the consequences of this wrongdoing. Third, there were witnesses: the nobles at the party
(chapter 43), Deok-Jae 
and the physician 
. This explains why The Joker could denunciate the second lead’s crime
, although Nameless and Kim had made sure to give the impression that the painter had run away due to the footprints. 
However, there were traces of a kidnapping and sequestration: the wounds on the painter’s face 
(chapter 61) and wrists 
(chapter 66). But back then, the lord, too blinded by his own insecurities and fears, didn’t notice these. As you can observe, it was not a perfect crime, because Yoon Seungho got to discover the truth due to Min’s revelation. But if the lord had investigated it properly, he could have discovered the crime. First, the physician was a witness and he could have seen the bruises. On the other hand, strictly speaking it can be considered as a perfect crime so far, as the culprit (Jihwa) was not arrested and prosecuted. His only punishment was that the lord chose to cut ties with his childhood friend officially. That’s why the main lead visited the Lees’ mansion, he wanted to warn the father. If something strange were to happen again, the lord Lee would have to assume his responsibilities. He wouldn’t just go after Jihwa, but also after the father.
And since the next abduction is around the corner, the manhwaphiles have to question themselves if Black Heart will be able to create a perfect crime. As you can imagine, my answer is no. Why? First, Min doesn’t know exactly what he wants. He is deluding himself that if he tastes Baek Na-Kyum, he can get rid of the artist afterwards. Nevertheless, he couldn’t forget the painting 
, the kiss and the beautiful legs showing that he is already too obsessed with the painter. But more importantly is that Min and his accomplice Kim are overlooking an important aspect: human nature. Both have the impression that they know Yoon Seungho.
(chapter 33)
(Min, chapter 52). Nonetheless, people can change and as such they can change their habits. In chapter 74, the painter notes the lord’s transformation. 
The latter smiles, is caring and humble. Then lord Na-Kyum describes their daily life: 
As you can observe, they have developed a routine. What caught my attention is the following aspect: the lord’s nightly visits. Only Baek Na-Kyum and the readers know what the lord does there. He gazes at his lover and he gives him a good night kiss at the end. Yet, we shouldn’t forget that the study was the place, where they often had sex. Moreover, the manhwalovers will certainly recall this important sex session in chapter 48-49.
That’s why I come to the conclusion, that for an outsider observing the lord’s moves, it looks like the painter still has sex with his master, when the latter wishes it. After the deal is done, then he leaves the study. And if someone heard the lord’s words in the bathroom, he could definitely get a false impression: 
Besides, according to my theory, the valet heard their conversation during that night (chapter 48-49). Thereby in the butler’s eyes, the painter seems to have finally accepted his role as favored servant and has become submissive, while the noble can satisfy his thirst for sex once in a while. Since it is clear for me that the butler has always viewed his master as a man consumed by sex, he must associate these visits during the night to sex. In his eyes, the lord has not changed. First, he still has sex with the painter who surely won’t love such a man after the way he mistreated him. Secondly, he sits at the window and smokes, exactly like in the past. He might not be angry, but this is because he has no reason to. While the routine is definitely new to Baek Na-Kyum, it looks like the same for the butler. Since the lord has cut ties with Jihwa and his friends, there are no parties, but the lord hasn’t given up on sexual intercourse. Thus I deduce that for someone who has lived so long by the lord’s side, I doubt that Kim can notice the real transformation.
Another important detail is their habits: they spend some time together but after that, they separate. Once in a while, the protagonist brings sweets or visits the study during the night. Striking is that during all this time, the painter couldn’t create a new picture, as his wrist was still injured. 
This means that their routine can now change. Baek Na-Kyum can start painting again. And since I demonstrated in my previous analysis that the protagonist has finally decided to face his own feelings, I come to the deduction that right after his return, he will decide to create a new painting displaying his affection for Yoon Seungho. This signifies that there will be a change in the routine. In my opinion, the painter won’t feel hungry, too focused on his work. Imagine that in chapter 40, he even didn’t eat the sweets. 
(chapter 40) That’s why I believe that during the day and evening, the painter will be too busy with his work that he won’t feel the need to eat anything. There’s no ambiguity that Baek Na-Kyum won’t mention the picture to Yoon Seungho and will hide his action so that the lord ends up eating his meal alone. And remember in my previous prediction called “the purge”, I developed the idea of the drug. Now, I consider this panel as a clue for my theory: 
Here, the physician is asking if the painter is feeling well. Why? It can’t be related to his past testimony, because he shows no sign of real discomfort. This means that he must have heard that Baek Na-Kyum was not feeling alright. As you can anticipate, from my perspective, he must have received Kim’s visit, a new version of chapter 65. Remember that this story is always repeating situations from season 1 and 2. However, this time the butler didn’t frighten the doctor, he must have faked his concern for the artist. The latter had a flashback and now he has sleeping problems due to the kidnapping. He must have also confessed how the commoner was treated by his master after his return. Therefore he needed to give him some drug against insomnia, then the physician must have reply: 
. Consequently, the valet repeated this: 
But since the lord is already taking medicine for his insomnia, like it was mentioned in chapter 55, the doctor must have questioned the butler why he would buy the same medicine, when master Yoon already has his own:
(chapter 33). In season 1, Kim could give the medicine to the maid saying that it was for his health, while in reality it was to give the painter an aphrodisiac. As you can see, the valet is now determined to drug the painter a second time, but this time he should fall asleep so that he can be taken away in his sleep. Kim can’t give the medicine from master Yoon’s, because the maids would question the butler’s intention and they could mention it to the lord. However, it becomes a different story, if he says that it was ordered by lord Yoon due to the flashback, which one of the maids witnessed. As you can see, this is Kim’s MO. He uses people’s ignorance and trust.
The physician is truly a good man, but a stupid and dangerous doctor. Actually, he should realize that with his actions he is committing a crime (negligence) and he knows this, but his doubts are always removed by Kim’s magical word: the lord’s authority. Note that in both episodes 33 
and 65
, the valet abused his position and threatened the doctor, but Yoon Seungho didn’t notice it in chapter 33, as he was too worried about Baek Na-Kyum. But observe that he never threatened the man himself.
So when the doctor faces the artist, he notices that the artist is looking well and is showing no sign of insomnia. He has a vivid eye and a rosy complexion. That’s why he questions the painter. But instead of explaining the reason for this question, he chooses to remain silent. 
He dismisses this contradiction, insinuating that he doesn’t even trust his own judgement and eyes. That’s how deceitful the butler is and naïve the doctor is.
Therefore I predict that Min and Kim have already planned to drug the two protagonists, so that the lord wouldn’t visit the painter during the night. This would facilitate the painter’s abduction. There would be no fight and no resistance contrary to chapter 53. The butler can give later the excuse that it was prescribed by his physician. 
(chapter 55) However, since Baek Na-Kyum is totally unpredictable, their plan won’t go like expected. The painter won’t be sleeping during that night, because he didn’t eat his dinner.
When I stated that the next kidnapping would occur in the next chapter, I had two reasons for this declaration: the presence of Min spying on the two protagonists 
(chapter 74) and the following panel. 
(chapter 71) I believe, Byeonduck already gave us a clue with this picture. Here, we have a waning crescent, while in chapter 70/71 the painter looked at a waxing crescent: 
(chapter 70). Therefore this implied that these were two different nights. That’s why I believe that the first panel announces the second abduction. The change of the moon gives us a clue how many days have between their Wedding and the second kidnapping: 14 days, enough for the painter’s wrist to recover. Moreover, remember my analysis of this image: all the elements (water, fire, air and earth) were in harmony, which would fit with my following interpretation: Baek Na-Kyum has the intention to confess to Yoon Seungho with a painting, a new version of chapter 40. On the other hand, this image resembles a lot to the one from chapter 32/33: 
So in my opinion, the butler is looking at his master’s chamber. He needs to confirm if the lord is indeed asleep, before the second kidnapping can take place.
But now, we have the following problem: who will take away Baek Na-Kyum? My initial thought (Animals of misfortune) was Min. However, I have to admit that The Joker is the mirror of Kim. Both are cowards who will always use others so that they don’t have to dirty their own hands. Note that with the drug, the doctor becomes responsible for his misdeeds, even if he can say that he had no idea about the valet’s intention. Deep down, he knew that he was committing a wrongdoing. Yet, the butler has already lost his position, for he is now working in the backyard indicating that he has no control over the staff. He can’t even use the male servants in my opinion. Imagine, during these 14 days, they led a really peaceful life, hence I doubt that the domestics are now truly resenting the low-born. Yet, as you can envision, I am suspecting that Kim will try as much as possible to let someone else take the fall, since old habits are hard to die. First, he will try to incriminate the maids with the drug, like I had explained in the essay “The purge”. Secondly, he needs someone else to take away the artist. And there’s only one person left who would do it without thinking: Heena. 
She would justify her action that she is saving her brother. Let’s not forget that in chapter 69, she never recognized her wrongdoing in front of Yoon Seungho. 
Therefore she can definitely repeat such a misdeed, as she legitimates her action out of love. Note that she doesn’t fear Joseon justice system, only divine retribution
Consequently, I am expecting a new version of chapter 65, but this time the kisaeng will trespass the property during the night soundless. It’s possible that Kim visits Baek Na-Kyum’s chamber and realizes that the plan with the drug failed so that he can’t carry him to gate. The manhwaphiles should reminisce that the butler once carried the painter from the study to the lord’s chamber in chapter 33/34.
Thus there should be a new version of this trick. Therefore, once the butler recognizes that drugging the commoner was a failure, he can only ask Heena noona to pay a visitation to her brother in order to deceive him. For the butler, this is actually perfect, as he can manage to maintain his image as loyal and caring servant. When she meets her brother, she questions him if he wants to leave the propriety, but he will again reject the offer. Therefore she will use her guards to take away her brother. On the other hand, in order to achieve her goal, she will deceive her brother asking him to accompany her to the door. She will justify her appearance that the lord threatened her, hence she can only see him during the night. Full of trust, Baek Na-Kyum will follow her and once at the gate, a hand will grab his chin and drag him away. 
And now, you are wondering how Heena noona will decide to kidnap her own brother. In my opinion, there is a repetition of chapter 43, but this time, the conspiracy takes place at the kisaeng house. 
, Min, impersonating Jihwa, incites Heena by telling her this: 
The painter has been bewitched by the infamous hell-raiser. He has fallen too much into sodomy, he needs to be rescued. Yet, The Joker is well aware that as a kisaeng, she can’t truly protect her brother from Yoon Seungho due to his wealth and power. Hence he will propose her the following deal: he will offer her the painter’s protection. Since Heena noona judges people based on their reputation and appearances, she won’t mistrust Min. That’s why he will ask her to deliver Baek Na-Kyum to him so that he can get away from the protagonist’s claws. There’s no doubt that she will have heard that there was a scandal between the Yoons and the Lees, hence she will definitely trust Black Heart’s words. Since the enemy of an enemy is a friend, for her “the fake Jihwa” is her “friend”. Besides, the manhwaphiles should recall her final words in the study: 
It is definitely possible that Min describes himself as a great admirer of her brother’s work and even shows her that he owns many publications. That’s why she will be persuaded by The Joker. The latter will never be rude and violent, exactly like the scholar Jung In-Hun. Let’s not forget that in chapter 43, Min justified the murder by portraying the second lead as a savior. He needed to remove the painter, as his friend was in danger in front of a “witch”. However, this time the “witch” will be Yoon Seungho in the kisaeng’s eyes. 
(a new version of this panel). In addition, the warning from the servant reinforced her hatred towards the aristocrat, therefore when Kim opens the door gate that night, she will thank him for his “kindness”. 
The latter seems so gentle and selfless. Now, you are probably thinking that I must resent the kisaeng for developing such a prediction. But no. She is just a flawed character. Besides, the manhwaworms should recall that she was already responsible for the artist’s misery in the past. She might have justified her action that she wanted to protect her brother and did it out of love, yet she never asked for Baek Na-Kyum’s consent. There is this saying: “The road to hell is paved with good intentions”. This quote embodies perfectly Heena’s mentality and role in Baek Na-Kyum’s life. And her terrible choices led to the artist’s misery. Not only he lost his home, but also he lost his passion and confidence. He was exposed to physical and emotional abuse. The result was that he became a drunk after all. So when she says 
, I believe that her words are actually reflecting her own role: she is the one bringing her adoptive brother misfortune. However, she was never confronted by Baek Na-Kyum, and the manhwaphiles shouldn’t overlook the fact that for almost one and half year, she never tried to contact her brother!! Sure, she is not doing it, because she needs his help, but due to her stubbornness and blindness, she is not realizing that she has been abusing her position as a noona towards Baek Na-Kyum. Besides, I’ve got another reason why I am expecting such a development. The painter’s destiny is to go through the same experiences than Yoon Seungho’s and the latter experienced abandonment and betrayal by his own brother. This explicates why the protagonist had huge trust issues, which is a normal reaction for people suffering from PTSD. So far, the painter has not experienced the sister’s betrayal, only the abandonment… but he chose to overlook it, as she showed great concern and care after their reunion. That’s why this second abduction can never be a perfect crime. The artist will realize that he can no longer trust Heena and the divine retribution she has always feared will be to lose her brother’s trust and support. Moreover, in chapter 40, 
we had the scholar’s betrayal, hence we have to expect a betrayal from a person close to Baek Na-Kyum.
So my idea is that during the night, Kim ensures that both protagonists are asleep and goes to the gate. He lets the kisaeng trespassing the propriety and the latter goes directly to the study. There, she surprises Baek Na-Kyum painting. After convincing her brother to follow her to the door for a last farewell (a new version of chapter 29 
, she lets her guards abduct her brother, and goes to the location recommended by Min. In my opinion, he will ask her to bring the artist to the mansion of the noble with the mole. Why? There’s no ambiguity that he will try to erase every evidence leading to him. He has definitely planned that Jihwa and the kisaeng will become his scapegoats. Secondly, the noble with the mole is Jihwa’s friend. Besides, when the first conspiracy took place, it was at a pavilion: 
, It’s not just a secluded place, but also the place where the artist was raped. For the low-born has created a new work, the new image will be brought to Min. Remember how the painting was the trigger for Yoon Seungho to kiss the protagonist at the pavilion which led to a rejection and confession… the result was that the main lead forced himself on the painter.
Once the painter has been dragged away, Kim has to ensure that there is no evidence left of an abduction, a repetition of the past. He removed the painter’s footprints. However, during that night the artist was painting, hence there’s evidence that the painter’s not trying to flee. In order to remain as close as possible to the truth (which is Kim’s MO), the butler decides to write a fake letter. I came to this idea because of the following panel: 
Note that the brushes are still full of ink, although he had finished with the picture. Even if the valet cleaned the brushes, they would be still wet the next day. That’s why he writes a letter in Baek Na-Kyum’s name. He explains why he decided to leave: the lord was still a man obsessed with sex and would even tie him up. There’s no doubt that the butler will use expressions that he heard while spying. As you can see, I haven’t changed my mind about this aspect: there will be a fake letter.
Strangely is that the real trigger for this essay was a comment left by Luzy outlining that we had a lot of panels with the sound of a door, therefore I selected a few: 
(chapter 74) 
(chapter 71)
(chapter 69) 
(chapter 59)
(chapter 53) 
(chapter 52)
After noticing this, the manhawphiles should question themselves, why did Byeonduck pay so much attention to the sound of the door? Observe that in certain panels, we don’t even see the characters, like for example in chapter 74, 71, 69 and 53. In other words, they don’t truly contribute to the narration of the story. In chapter 53, she could have drawn Min standing up in front of his friends while on his way to the door. However, if I contextualize the image from chapter 69, the panel plays a huge role. The sound of the door announces the final verdict, it could become the death knell for Yoon Seungho. If the painter decides to follow his sister, then he has to accept this. Strangely is that Yoon Seungho could hear the noise from the door and he was sitting in his bedchamber. That’s why Kim needs to ensure that Yoon Seungho won’t hear the noise during that night. Secondly, in my essay “investigation”, I elaborated the theory that the physician had heard the noise from the restroom, when the main lead had to wash himself. And I believe to have found a confirmation in chapter 74: In my opinion, that’s why Byeonduck chose to draw such a picture. She wanted her readers to connect the noise from the door with the physician. With this new interpretation, I noticed that in chapter 52 and 53, there were so many “Creeak”😱 that I have the impression that this time, the “creeak” will serve as an evidence for the painter’s kidnapping. The readers will recall that during that night, the sound was definitely linked to Min, hence from my perspective Byeonduck decided to create such panels: Thereby the noise will become the domino and evidence for the abduction. Just like a domino game, where the first falls down and everything falls apart, the conspiracy will be discovered piece by piece. Remember that in the first abduction, the physician remained silent, as he didn’t pay attention to that noise, but only realized it afterwards. But who will hear the noise of the door and mention it to the lord? There’s no ambiguity that Yoon Seungho will realize that the letter is fake, but the problem is that he needs to know what truly happened and needs to investigate. Note that in front of Kim, he never revealed that the letter was fake. 
He can’t just beat his staff. From my point of view, the person mentioning the noise of the door will be the head-maid. First, in chapter 11, a maid revealed her observation to her master, when the painting got ruined. 
Then remember how the head-maid walked through the courtyard, when the butler was looking at the lord’s bedchamber. 
Besides, in chapter 63, Kim ignored her question and left her behind, he never justified why he was going outside.
I can imagine that the butler will come up with an excuse, he entered the lord’s chamber in order to know if his master needed something. Then he did the same with the painter. This would explicate why the author created such a panel in chapter 71: Because the lord didn’t hear the noise of the door in his bedchamber, he could investigate the matter leading to the discovery: he was fed with the medicine. That’s why he will definitely threaten his servants and not just beat them like a crazy man. At the end, one of them will finally reveal what he told the kisaeng.
I have the feeling that unlike in chapter 30, the domestics will betray the butler and abandon him revealing how they acted on his order. They trusted him and thought, he was acting on Yoon Seungho’s order. I would like to remind the readers that in that chapter 30, Deok-Jae never revealed the butler’s involvement, although he could have. He definitely remained loyal, yet he got the worst punishment. He definitely hoped that both would share the responsibility of Baek Na-Kyum’s disappearance
(chapter 29), yet Kim let him take the fall. That’s why the vicious servant called him a bastard later. He had finally perceived the valet’s true personality. And that’s how the kisaeng will be connected to the incident.
I have to admit that in my first theory, I still had a problem with the following panel: 
finding the authorities! Who would ask for the authorities’ help? Now, I have a clue how we would have a repetition of this scene. From my point of view, Yoon Seungho as a transformed man will decide to seek help from the authorities, something he never did before. And like I mentioned it before, the schemers will be defeated, because they disregarded human nature and the possibility of change. You might not know but people suffering from PTSD have huge trust issues and view the authorities as incompetent and untrustworthy, as the latter failed to protect them. In our case, it becomes comprehensible why the noble would avoid authorities, as they represented the source of his misery (the father, the king and the officials). However, if we consider that now Yoon Seungho has become the painter’s servant and Na-Kyum is a lord, he has technically no power to use his staff. That’s how the purge will start. The kisaeng will be interrogated and her temerity, which many confused with courage, will let her think that she is protecting her brother’s interest. She will never reveal anything, until the main lead reveals to her Baek Na-Kyum’s secret: he can’t write and read, because the scholar never taught him. I believe that once she recognizes this as truth, she will mention Jihwa leading to his arrest.
However, the one who will save Baek Na-Kyum from The Joker is Nameless. Like I have already elaborated before, the latter stands in opposition to the noble. He surely knows that Yoon Seungho showed leniency towards his childhood friend, the last incident confirmed the red-haired noble’s statement. So he has every interest to protect the artist’s life. And let’s not forget that we had Min and Nameless appearing in the same chapter. 
In episode 54, the criminal killed the servant, because he represented a threat to Jihwa. Since Baek Na-Kyum’s fate is now strongly intertwined with Jihwa’s, the second Joker will repeat the same action than in episode 54: defend Jihwa and as such lord Na-Kyum’s interest. Moreover, in the past the criminal refused to enter the mansion and do the deed for the following reason: 
. Therefore imagine that the painter is now at a pavilion, a secluded and restricted area, exactly like Nameless prefers it. However, I doubt that Nameless will kill the Joker with a knife, because this would leave traces of a crime. Remember that I always said that Black Heart would die suffocating. With Nameless’ help, the painter would be saved. Therefore the conspiracy could be finally revealed: the physician’s negligence and Jihwa’s silence who knew long ago that Min was lusting for the artist. I am still expecting that the lord’s words from chapter 11 will come true: 
No one will ever suspect that Min died due to Yoon Seungho in the end. As for Kim, his fate is almost sealed
. The moment he drugs the protagonists, he can no longer let others take the blame, although there’s no doubt that he will try to incriminate the maid. The lord will finally be free from the last remain of darkness. However, as you can imagine, the moment father Yoon hears about his loyal butler’s death, the latter will decide to become proactive and retaliate against his rebellious son. As for the painter, there’s no doubt that first he will confront The Joker and defend his lover. It is definitely possible that he calls for his help, but this time, it will be: 
And this love confession will be heard by Nameless who was also present, when the painter was calling for his help the first time. He will detect that their relationship is truly genuine. Imagine, how beautiful it would be for Nameless to finally get an identity, because he saved Baek Na-Kyum. This would truly show Yoon Seungho’s generosity and prove the commoner that there still exist pure and nice people among commoners and nobles.
As a conclusion, Min and Kim will fail with their “perfect crime”, because they couldn’t imagine that people can change. A so-called ruthless and greedy assassin convinced Jihwa to remain pure, then he acted as the painter’s personal guard. At the same time, they didn’t notice Yoon Seungho’s gradual transformation. Their real mistake was to overlook the power of love.
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(chapter 74), exactly like in the past.
(Chapter 40) On the surface, it looks like a repetition. Yet, the first contrast are the steps. While in chapter 40, lord walks away and the painter remains immobile first, in chapter 74 the young man is following the lord step by step. This illustrates the progression of their relationship. Yoon Seungho is like his guide and the commoner just follows him, full of trust.
(chapter 40) 
(chapter 74). However, the trigger for the joke is diverse. In chapter 40, he got jealous, while in chapter 74 he was curios. And this comparison between the two pranks led me to realize that the red dot on the forehead had another signification. In my first interpretation about the chapter 40, I exposed that the red dot on the forehead was the symbol of marriage, the bride would wear such a sign. However, if you recall that Yoon Seungho described the painter as a fool 
(Chapter 40) That’s why after pondering, the artist visited his teacher and expressed his wish for the first time that he would like Jung In-Hun to become responsible for him, like the former had promised. As you can see, the red dot and the questions did cause an Awakening. But it was a brutal waking up, as the painter discovered how the learned sir truly viewed him: a prostitute and nothing more. 
Imagine, the commoner was walking right behind him, yet Baek Na-Kyum was not mentally and emotionally present. His thoughts were directed at the scholar. This is not surprising that Yoon Seungho resented his lover. In the aristocrat’s mind, this signified that the painter was not even enjoying his time with him. He preferred thinking about the learned sir than talking or looking at his lover. In other words, he was standing behind the lord absentminded. And the lord sensed it, hence he looked behind
. How did he notice it? It is because the artist didn’t keep asking about the date.
There was a silence after the question. And when he saw the blushing accompanied with a huge genuine smile, Yoon Seungho was hurt that he couldn’t help criticizing his lover. 
Note that with such a comment, the noble is not interested in initiating a conversation, he already knows what the low-born is thinking. And if you contrast this to the scene in episode 74, you’ll detect a huge difference. Although the artist is absentminded as well, he is already meditating about his lover 
(chapter 74) is the trigger for him to ponder. And this shows the noble’s increasing influence on Baek Na-Kyum. Meditating is definitely the lord’s favorite occupation so far. In addition, this shows how much the aristocrat means to him. All his thoughts are now directed at Yoon Seungho. Therefore we have to imagine this. While Baek Na-Kyum is walking, the lord notices that he is just walking lost in his thoughts. Hence he throws him the hat as a joke. On the one side, he definitely wants him to be present mentally and emotionally, like in the past. On the other hand, note that unlike in the past, there’s no reproach, in truth he desires to discover what the artist is thinking. 
This is one of the biggest wishes Yoon Seungho has ever had: 
(chapter 49) The lord always felt the need to share what was in their mind. Now, I can truly grasp why it’s a dream for Yoon Seungho. Remember when I described how the lord lived for so many years in the darkness. He only knew that he existed through his mind and thoughts. But during this whole time, he could never communicate his thoughts to anyone, he felt terribly lonely. This explicates why he had such a huge desire to communicate with the painter. He felt closeness in their soul, which he could detect in the art. As you can see, although the noble detected that his lover was lost in his thoughts, he no longer reprimands him. In fact, he voices curiosity. Moreover, he is no longer claiming that Baek Na-Kyum is transparent contrary to chapter 40. There’s a reason for that. The artist has changed so much as well. He is indeed applying his lover’s philosophy: introspection and meditation. And this leads me to the next observation. There is a huge difference between these two scenes: the chronology.
And this truly exposes that now the roles have been switched. The so-called foolish one is Yoon Seungho, but the latter has long forgotten his own words. On the other hand, Baek Na-Kyum is the one wishing more, he is definitely not content with a kiss from time to time, while Yoon Seungho is thinking like the artist in the past: 
(chapter 74) versus 
. He still had that dream, this explicates why he mentioned Jihwa. He envisioned that the artist would get jealous. But the artist remained silent. Then he confessed twice (“I adore you” and 
) in order to push the protagonist to reply to his confession. He definitely dreamed that if he confessed, the painter would feel pressured to return the affection. That’s why the painter was trapped under the noble and the latter was grabbing the painter’s hand. 
(Chapter 58) His gestures illustrated the pressure made on the artist. But the master never got a reply. Thus it elucidates why the noble got infuriated after the painter’s disappearance. He might have admitted his defeat, nevertheless he hoped for a confession, as a new form of allegiance. That way, Baek Na-Kyum was obliged by his words. However, in chapter 74, the only desire the noble has is to exchange their thoughts. He has truly given up on his dream. When in chapter 49 the master voiced this wish for the first time, he was lowering his expectations. That’s why I believe that this indicates that Yoon Seungho is no longer hoping for more. He is so in love, and the past Yoon Seungho would call him: a fool! 
(chapter 68), which is a similar attitude to the past Yoon Seungho. The latter was confusing the heart with the mind, however the low-born has been just afraid of admitting his affection. 
(Chapter 74) The repetition of “nothing more” is an evidence for the painter’s longing for more. There’s no doubt that his wish is physical intimacy, because for the artist sex is a synonym for love. Consequently, he stands up during the night in order to look at the lord’s bedchamber from far away or he is awake
, (chapter 74) when the noble visits his study. All this exposes that he is longing for the lord’s warmth. A simple kiss is enough to make the painter blush, but not enough to satisfy his “thirst” for affection. 
That’s why his eyes are bigger than before, like in this panel. 
(Chapter 74) He is literally glowing. He is enjoying this moment with the noble, hence he stares at him so intensively. And this represents the biggest contrast to the chapter 40. Back then he didn’t truly enjoy the walk with the master. He was either embarrassed or thinking about the scholar. At the end, he was even called “a fool”. 
. (Chapter 7) Secondly, as the lord is the mirror of the artist and the former once expressed the wish to see the painter’s smile
(chapter 63), I deduce that Baek Na-Kyum has a similar mentality. As long as he can make someone happy, he is really touched and thankful. The manhwaphiles should reminisce that the painter has always felt as a burden and had abandonment issues. But there’s another important reason for Baek Na-Kyum to be so affected by Yoon Seungho. For the first time, someone is wishing to know his thoughts. 
(chapter 10) or silenced him with a caress
. Heena noona had a similar atttitude, she never asked for his opinion, when she sent him away. 
(Chapter 46) The painter is realizing that the only one who is treating with great respect is the noble. First, the lord eats his meals with the artist in his room, giving the impression that Baek Na-Kyum is the host and the lord his guest. Secondly, the lord allows him to speak freely. Thus the painter is so moved to the point that he is about to recognize his affection for Yoon Seungho. But then he remembers Heena’s words: 
(chapter 74) he would be a fool, if he followed his instinct and heart. This leads me to the conclusion that Baek Na-Kyum restrains himself in the last moment and doesn’t reveal his true thoughts. When he recalls his sister’s warning, I interpret that he is refusing to have a leap of faith. However, he is not recognizing that he has already changed. He might deny his attachment to the master, yet the tailor is not blind: 
(Chapter 54) And in the first version, it came to my mind that we could have a new version of this scene 
The lord’s hug gave Baek Na-Kyum a certain comfort and safety. The existential fear could slowly disappear. 
(Chapter 76) For him, the incident had been resolved, but he never imagined that in reality, he had not solved the problem at all. The real mastermind was Min. Hence after the last tragedy, he is tasked to investigate the circumstances which led to the bloodbath in the shaman‘s house. 
(Chapter 102) He knows the perpetrator, he is himself the murderer, but what he doesn’t know is how it came to this. The painter’s question is actually inciting the main lead to investigate the matter, and as such to discover the helping hands. Lee Jihwa blamed Min, and the latter reproached the red-haired master. But the Joker asked him this: 
(chapter 102) How come that Black Heart had the learned sir’s glasses? He has now to prove his reliability and trustworthiness towards his partner. He should become more proactive, if he wants to protect his loved one better. My final conclusion is that in chapter 74, we don’t have one fool in love, but two! 
If he hadn’t thought too much about Yoon Seungho due to the separation and been surprised by Min, he would have realized that his life was in danger. Both protagonists are so in love that they don’t realize that their special relationship represents a threat to others, especially to people who stand for social norms and traditions. Simultaneously, their scandalous relationship is a source of envy for others, as Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho were able to break free from the shackles of social customs and hierarchical society. The couple becomes a symbol of liberty and true love … no wonder why The Joker is so envious. Because both were two fools in love, they couldn’t detect the enemies around them and the existence of the plot. On the other hand, the last tragedy brought back the two lovers to reality. They needed to pay more attention to their surroundings. 
(chapter 55), therefore he imagined that the painter would run away, too shocked by the obscurity of his inner world. And this signifies that until chapter 55, the lord’s soul and body were trapped in the darkness. Now, you might come to the conclusion that he was in a similar situation than Jihwa. Because the latter was figuratively deaf and blind, he had the impression to live trapped in a dark room, separated from the outside world. 
However, this is just a false perception. Jihwa was still in possession of his body, he could feel through his hands. Consequently, he could detect the presence of others. There’s no doubt that he felt lonely and was also lacking for warmth, however the protagonist was in the worst possible situation. He had been literally swallowed by the darkness. 
(chapter 74) He could feel nothing at all. Even his own mind was trapped in the darkness reinforced by his huge guilt triggered by father Yoon. Remember when I wrote that his body was covered by an armor, this referred to his loss of sensation. Imagine yourself in this situation: everything around you is dark and cold and you can feel nothing at all. No wonder why the lord came to believe that he was just a ghost. This is definitely the negative version of Blaise Pascal’s philosophy: cogito ergo sum (I think, therefore I am). Yoon Seungho could only recognize his existence through his thoughts. And the chapter 74 was terrible for two reasons: it unveils to the manwhaphiles how the lord became a ghost. We see him disappearing in this blackness step by step:
(chapter 74) He can no longer yell for help and use his leg in order to defend himself, which contrasts to the beginning of his nightmare. 
(chapter 74)
(chapter 74), this displays that the noble is losing the control of his body which can be explained with the usage of drugs. But he is still feeling the touch. 
(chapter 74), but at the same time, it indicates the loss of sensation. This panel symbolizes that he is no longer possessing his body at all. All he has left are his eyes. 
(chapter 1) 
They were the reason why he could see glimpses of light in the darkness of his world. And since he became trapped in the blackness due to hands of scholars and officials, it is not surprising why Baek Na-Kyum’s hands are healing him. Therefore, when the painter touched his chest with his hand
(chapter 73), he purified his heart. This explicates why in chapter 74, the noble is no longer interested in sex. The hand liberated his heart and allowed him to express his affection differently. At the same time, the loving gaze in the painter is the reason why the lord feels warmth in the end. All he ever wanted was to see light, but he truly discovered it through the painter’s embrace. 
(chapter 21) That’s why even in the darkness of the room, he could only be moved. Therefore he was focused on the painter’s body in the first place. The warmth made him realize the existence of light next to his body. 
(chapter 2) that he was handsome and attractive. That’s why he could experience his sexual emancipation afterwards. A part of his self-hatred disappeared. However, in order to liberate the lord entirely from his darkness, he needed to drop his fathers’ doctrines, which represented the biggest problem. His healing process got delayed due to Kim’s interventions and the painter’s own indoctrination. Striking is that Baek Na-Kyum was entirely healed by the lord, even before the latter has properly recovered from his own traumas. This clearly outlines his selflessness in the end.
(chapter 38) I doubt that in chapter 38 and 59, he saw images. Due to the darkness of his inner world, he came to repress the horror he was exposed to. Thus it is not surprising that Yoon Seungho is not sleeping next to the painter, even after that night. 
(chapter 74) He still has this fear that Baek Na-Kyum might get affected by the blackness of his unconscious. At the same time, when he is facing the sleeping artist, it gives him comfort. Remember that the low-born is the glass prism of Yoon Seungho, hence his peaceful sleep helps the lord to relax. Note that he is lying in a fetal position, an indication of the return of his innocence. There’s no doubt that the visits in the painter’s study during the night 
(chapter 28) And in this panel
(chapter 74) Slowly, the lord is getting rid of the blackness. He is turning his light to the Earth, the painter, mistaking his lover for a sun. Their blossoming love will definitely bring the artist to improve his talent and creativity. But it will have the same effect on the noble. The longer Yoon Seungho is spending his time with Baek Na-Kyum, the better the lord can perceive the colors and light. Through art, the noble will rediscover his lost passion: painting and even poetry. And in my opinion, in order to reconnect to painting, the lord needs to sense the colors for real. The painting in his nightmare was made of black ink and nothing more. 
(chapter 74)
(chapter 69) Moreover, the new headgear, reserved for women, is a sign that Baek Na-Kyum is accepting his marriage officially. 
(chapter 71) He was as strong as a god, when he entered his obscure world. No wonder why the noble is so humble and thankful towards his lover. He brought him back to life, hence his life can only revolve around the painter from now on. The sun will never sense his own light and warmth, unless it witnesses how the nature on Earth is blossoming. It needs the existence of another planet to realize the existence of its own heat. 
(chapter 7) 
(chapter 25) 
(chapter 35), now he is connected more to the backyard. 
(chapter 65) 
(chapter 74). Another important progression is the presence of the wall and border. The more time passes on, the more the valet is backed up against the wall. Note that in the last panel, the space between the building and the fence is so narrow that only one person can stand there. The pictures outline the valet’s loss of power. Besides, he has now even taken over Deok-Jae’s role. 
and 65 
for example. However, if you pay attention to the last panel, you’ll detect that the butler was not supposed to do such a work due to the maid’s remark. This exposes that as the master’s right-hand, the staff expected from him another attitude. This truly reveals the valet’s worries and cowardice. He is now hiding in the backyard, as if it was the only place where he could find a refuge. And his world is getting smaller and smaller to the point that he looks like trapped between the wall and the fence. 
He has a rosy complexion and a vivid eye again. 
and later doesn’t share his bed with the painter. This elucidates why Yoon Seungho no longer asks for sex from the painter. The lord is just happy that Baek Na-Kyum chose him and is not pushing him away. I believe that this is an important phase for the artist and the main lead. While the latter learns to express his affection differently, the lover can finally perceive Yoon Seungho’s true nature. He was not a man consumed by lust, but just longing for love and acceptance. The main lead has not recognized his true nature, his soul is still trapped in the past. His abandonment issues might have been resolved, but his own insecurities have not entirely disappeared. Let’s not forget that during their last confrontation, Kim made sure that the lord would have a negative reflection about himself by comparing him to his father. 
That’s why I feel, he sees himself as a bird of misfortune. However, what the valet didn’t expect either is that Baek Na-Kyum wouldn’t push away the protagonist. When he sent the artist to the bathroom through the male servant, Kim imagined that the artist would still judge Yoon Seungho as a man consumed by lust. Imagine another sex session after the rough sex marathon.
However nothing happened like Kim anticipated, because they were making love. This trick even solidified their relationship. This was the ultimate defeat for the butler, that’s why he is now waiting for Black Heart’s intervention. What Kim fails to recognize is the significance of love. Remember that a coward is avoiding emotions in order not feel guilt and pain. That’s why he doesn’t comprehend the notion of love, giving us a clue why the butler never showered his young master with real affection. Because the painter asked him to help him to have an orgasm and he witnessed how the artist felt extremely pleasure, Yoon Seungho no longer needs to mark Baek Na-Kyum’s body as his. He is now truly wooing the painter, aiming at his heart, but I am not sure, if it is a conscious choice. This explicates why Yoon Seungho no longer feels the need for sex. He has learned to make the difference between love and sex. This explicates his change of behavior. Because of his love for the painter, Yoon Seungho is now sharing his days with Baek Na-Kyum. He eats with him
Thus he smiles so easily. Moreover, he always keeps the artist close to him, he never truly leaves his side, only during the night. 
The moment the host appeared with a hanbok containing a pattern, Min had a similar hanbok, yet it definitely looked less refined. And when Black Heart saw him at his mansion, Yoon Seungho was dressed with a beautiful black hanbok 
. That’s why The Joker is dressed with a black hanbok. Moreover, we have another clue due to the presence of the tailor. Let’s not forget that in the first season, Min mentioned the tailor with his loose lips. 
Since chapter 74 is a new version of chapter 39-40, where our cute couple goes on a date 
(chapter 40) and fears people’s gaze. Observe the contrast between chapter 40 
and 74 
The latter had been able to get the lord’s attention and admiration. In other words, the person looking at the couple must be dying of jealousy. And this can only be Min. Why not Jihwa? First, when the second lead decided to send back the painter to his childhood friend, this gesture meant that he was resigning. He would no longer feel jealous. And when Black Heart visited his “pupil” Jihwa, he never mentioned the painter in order to arouse jealousy in the red-haired aristocrat. In chapter 67. he just used the noble’s fear for death and punishment. 
But there is another clue why I am convinced that
He is mocking the main character, hoping that the latter would deny his feelings for the low-born. However, this exposes Min’s own anxiety. Hence he insulted Jihwa as a sodomite
, although his words sound absurd. He is no different in reality, since he has sex with other men too. He feels now so attracted to the painter that he can’t forget him. He justifies his obsession by saying that this is just sexual… although there’s no ambiguity that the moment he “tasted” the painter, he longed for more. The kiss is definitely an evidence
that The Joker is so mesmerized by Baek Na-Kyum. After that kiss, he asked the second lead to change the plan right away. 
He justifies his action that he had imagined the artist differently. However, the manhwaphiles should realize that he would have become the source of the new gossip, if he had invited such a painter to his propriety. People would have talked and said that he had fallen so deep into sodomy that he was now asking a painter to work for him. The final evidence is the conversation in the woods (chapter 41). 
As you can see, Min is using rumors in order to embarrass Yoon Seungho, asking him to pay more attention to social codex. This truly exposes Min’s fear… on the one hand, he is a nihilistic person, on the other hand he can’t act like he would like to, because he fears people’s gaze. That’s the reason why the noble is so attracted by the painter in the end. The latter never hid his sexual desires in his face or in the painting. He definitely showed his carefree side. As the new “Jihwa”, Min is no different from his pupil: 
He is fiery in his jealousy, because he can’t give up, but also weak at heart, because he is not brave enough to face people’s judgement. Therefore The Joker acts like the valet after all. Both are two peas in a pot in this aspect. So since the lord doesn’t leave the painter’s side outside the mansion, it means that Black Heart has to develop a new strategy. He can no longer use the second lead, as the latter’s crime has been revealed. Moreover, the red-haired noble will stay far away from his childhood friend out of fear. And if you compare The Joker’s situation to the butler’s, you’ll note that they are both in a similar situation. They have no pawn to employ like in the past. That’s why I have the impression that Min could decide to enter Yoon Seungho’s mansion with Kim’s complicity. Let’s not forget that the latter works in the backyard… so there could be a small gate. Besides we shouldn’t forget that during the first season, Jihwa trespassed the house twice (chapter 10
-17
), which was discovered by the owner. Then he came unannounced once (chapter 12
) and visited officially twice (1-5). And if you recall Black Heart’s visit, he came as a guest twice (8-52), arrived unannounced once (chapter 66
), but he never trespassed the lord’s propriety. That’s why I come to the deduction: The Joker could definitely enter the mansion without the lord’s knowledge and Kim would have to open himself the door. Since Kim is sweeping the snow alone, I interpreted that he has no power over the servants. Note that time has passed on and since the painter’s return, the domestics had an easy life. There was no party and no trouble. Both protagonists led a peaceful and quiet life. Hence for the servants, it looks like “paradise” now. The lord seems to be always in a good mood. Now, you comprehend why I think that cornered and with no pawn left, both villains have to dirty their own hands. So my idea is that Black Heart will try to abduct the painter during the night again…
an inn. Besides, the city is the place where Nameless lives. That’s why I believe that the second abduction is taking place very soon. Remember that Min went hunting with Yoon Seungho in chapter 41, a very ominous sign. Hence the animals of misfortune will reveal their true nature in front of the couple. However, there’s no ambiguity that the black dog and the crow will meet their fate in the end. Their hypocrisy and crimes will be unveiled. On the other hand, the crow and dog’s action will help the couple to get closer than before, contributing the lord to overcome his trauma. The aristocrat will realize that he needs to be at the painter’s side all the time, if he wants to protect him properly. He will realize the true meaning of accountability. Responsibility doesn’t just mean to provide a good meal and a roof over the head, but also guarantee real safety. At some point, he will realize that he has to provide an education for his loved one so that they can have a longer conversation. But this realization will only happen with the scholar’s return. 
(episode 64) When the butler sees the painter being treated like a sex toy, the valet doesn’t interfere at all. The manhwaphiles can even observe how Kim is so paralyzed before speaking.
Then he acts, as if nothing was happening in front of him. He bows in front of his lord, not out of respect but out of fear.
Then he gives an excuse for his interruption before taking to his heels, leaving the artist behind to his misery. Striking is that this attitude didn’t occur just once, but twice… as it is revealed in the next episode that Kim witnessed a similar scene. He heard how Yoon Seungho got assaulted, but he did nothing. He literally abandoned him too. 
And he knows what he did was wrong, since he shows signs of culpability. 
He is repressing his guilty conscience. He had even forgotten it, until he was confronted with a similar situation. However, his reaction was the same. This indicates that cowardice has become a major part of Kim’s personality. No, there’s no mistake. Fear is a synonym for cowardice, for it means that a person has not been able to overcome his fear. But what is a coward actually? How does someone become one? This pushed me to make some research.
and he didn’t mind the valet watching them. In other words, Yoon Seungho was not threatening Kim’s life. Now, someone might argue that these points above were just developed by me and we never saw any “cognitive dissonance” from the butler, which I can immediately refute. Byeonduck made the readers see what “cognitive dissonance” is:
: Why should I feel guilty, if it doesn’t concern me? It is not my problem, why should I have helped the painter?
: Why should I feel guilty, because the sex session proved clearly that the lord wouldn’t hurt the painter? If I had intervened, this could have had terrible consequences. 
And imagine, the painter protected a criminal, as Deok-Jae had assaulted him before, whereas Baek Na-Kyum was always respectful towards Kim. He always calls him “sir”, and even takes his words to heart. 
As you can observe, the child Yoon Seungho is learning to control his urges. Secondly, a child has to learn to make an effort and be patient. 
This might sound anodyne, but the psychiatrist truly outlined the importance of this development stage. This explicates why Yoon Seungho would behave like a spoiled child in chapter 30: 
and observe how it is strongly connected to his fear and abandonment issues. However, the moment he made a real decision and showed strong will by allowing the painter to choose his own fate, he becomes brave. It means that he is overcoming his huge fear. His strong will and big heart are the reasons why Yoon Seungho could transform into a phoenix. 
and even coward 
(chapter 33) in the past. He ran away, too afraid of facing the consequences of his misdeed or of getting too much into trouble with his peers. His role model was himself like that. As you can see, the rebirth of the phoenix means that Yoon Seungho is now learning to become brave and he will become a real and strong fighter, like it was perceptible during the first season. His conversation with the scholar in chapter 6 gave us a glimpse of the lord’s real values. 
Here, he was mocking the teacher. The former doesn’t care for social norms and treats commoners as humans in truth. He doesn’t think that peasants should remain peasants and peoples’ fate is already determined. 
He knew from her behavior, she wouldn’t leave Baek Na-Kyum in that mansion due to the way she attempted to reach the lord’s bedchamber.
, meaning that he wasn’t a part of the Yoon household right from the start. He was raised elsewhere. The author from the following website (
The irony is that the moment the domestic finally accepts the painter as his master’s lover (“let’s keep it this way”) implying that he will stop with his tricks, Heena noona barges in the mansion and creates a scandal, which he can only considers as a threat. Therefore the valet changes his mind. But more importantly, this scene is important for another reason. 
and the head-maid describes him as a charlatan. 
This projection is implied with the following quote: ” he will support you and love you surprisingly in the same combinations as you “. However, this will never reflect his true emotions and thoughts, as a coward’s attitude is to avoid emotions. “Not feeling means not suffering”. That’s why Kim gives his master the following advice: Don’t take it to heart. 
Under this new approach, you understand why Yoon Seungho had a relapse. He was encouraged not to feel anything and as such not to face his fear… He never confronted the painter. 
Let’s not forget that he lets Deok-Jae take the fall for the painter’s escape
. By using the personal pronoun “we”, the jealous servant wanted the butler to become responsible as well, but Kim remained silent and even kept his distance from Yoon Seungho. That’s why I come to the deduction that Kim was really content with his life, until the painter showed up. First, he was the real master of the courtyard, but he never had to take any responsibility, as Yoon Seungho as a master would take the whole blame: he was a sodomite, a violent and bad master etc… On the other hand, Kim could dress outside as a noble
, as he represented the lord. But if there was any trouble, then his master was the one responsible officially. Besides, if Yoon Seungho was changing, the butler would make sure that Jihwa would control his master. As you can see, he never had to assume any responsibility. And this leads me to the following observation, the lord started becoming brave thanks to his affection for the painter much earlier. He truly desired to become responsible for him. 
He had no idea that “responsibility” was the trigger for Baek Na-Kyum to stay there. This word implied that the low-born was not perceived as a burden. In other words, cowardice is strongly related to responsibility. That’s the reason why the valet needs scapegoats (the amateur spy, Jihwa, Deok-Jae…) and lets others take the blame. He sees responsibility as a burden. Moreover, there is another reason why cowardice is linked to accountability. Scientists discovered bystander effect (in French it is called as “effet spectateur”). What is it exactly? One might think that the more people are witnessing a person in danger, the more highly the victim will be saved on time. But no… the truth is the more people are present, the less they will intervene. This is related to diffusion of liability. All the witnesses think that someone else will come and intervene. Therefore they all remain passive. This explicates why a woman could be raped in front of many people. No one felt responsible, as they waited for the intervention from the other beholders. And now, you might wonder why I am bringing this up. It is to show that courage won’t appear, if you are surrounded by people. Real courage occurs, when you have the impression that you are on your own. Let’s not forget that Kim has the support from his staff. He is even able to motivate and manipulate people with his words, hence he has definitely the power to use the staff in order to protect himself. And he actually did it. Deok-Jae was the one who suffered the most, while the butler had a bruised eye. That’s why I can’t accept Kim’s fear for his life as a justification for his cowardice. Besides, chapter 56 clearly reveals the butler’s role: 
His desire to feel loved was the reason why he could overcome his traumas. He never gave up on love, which explicates why Yoon Seungho will be able to shine as a phoenix later. On the other hand, the valet only saw love as superfluous, as it could cause trouble. Note that the butler prefers being alone which coincides with his mentality. 
First, observe that the lord is lying on his bed, although we all know that he had developed a phobia of his bed. In the past, when he was having sex with the artist. He would either sit 
(chapter 32) or be on his knees 
(chapter 42) or lie above the painter
(chapter 45) 
But like I had demonstrated in a previous essay, it was more a false excuse, because lord Na-Kyum had been able to hug him on the bed.
(chapter 14)
(chapter 45) 
(chapter 73). However, it changes the moment the painter encourages him to help him. Note that for the first time, his shoulders are touching the bed
and from this perspective it even looks like his head is resting on the bed. This becomes more obvious, when you compare this scene with the episode 14. Note that right after the penetration, Yoon Seungho changed his position immediately. 
However, with the commoner, Yoon Seungho still remains lying on the bed, he just raises his head in order to look at his lover. This truly exposes that the lord’s discomfort and fear is slowly vanishing. 
Since he doesn’t even straighten up immediately, it exposes that the lord is finally relaxing. His deeply rooted fear has totally vanished. This was already perceptible, when I analyzed the appearance of the bed. But in my opinion, there’s another progression in chapter 73. Note, that the painter is not lying next to him, contrary to chapter 38 
or 59 
or 65 
. This illustrates that thanks to the last sexual encounter, the noble has again lowered his guard. The artist’s pleasure made him feel secure. Another huge difference is that for the first time, the main lead’s face looks carefree and calm. 
. In other words, Baek Na-Kyum is already dependent on Yoon Seungho. Only him can provoke pleasure in him. In my opinion, the lord’s fear vanishes, because he feels needed. And remember that the lord stood up in order to force the commoner to hug him, so that the commoner would rely on him. As you can detect, reliance plays a huge role in the lord’s liberation. The bed is no longer feared, it has become a place that his lover likes and the latter needs his assistance to feel excitement. That’s why the noble is so relaxed. He knows due to the painter’s words and action that he is now accepted. He even saw and heard his painter’s moans revealing his pleasure. 
Yoon Seungho never judges the artist’s action or attitude. That’s why Baek Na-Kyum’s embarrassment concerning his orgasms slowly vanishes as well. First, in chapter 71 he either covered his mouth 
or even ignored a question out of shame. 
Then in the next episode, he hid an orgasm from his lover. 
However, in chapter 73, the manhwaphiles can view how the painter can voice his pleasure for the first time: 
Striking is that the moment the artist can express his thoughts and emotions, Yoon Seungho allows him to determine the space.
In other words, he incites Baek Na-Kyum to become proactive. Hence the peak is reached, when the artist confesses that he can’t get an orgasm without his lover’s help. 
Remember what I wrote in my previous analysis entitled “Words”. The lord had somehow developed a trauma due to the sex marathon. He had such huge pangs of conscience due to the painter’s sickness, thereby he had never forgotten it. I have to admit that my first reaction was that we would have a repetition of chapter 32/33. A doctor would be fetched. However, due to the examination of the sexual intercourse, I recognized that Byeonduck is showing us how the two main leads are overcoming their issues. Therefore I have a different impression now. In my opinion, Baek Na-Kyum is not unconscious, just exhausted. We have a clue that this “night” will be long, because we had two different moons in chapter 70 
Then in chapter 50, he caressed the painter’s cheek 
and kissed him tenderly. 
However, the artist never got the chance to sense his love in a different way. The lord always expressed his love through sex, even in the bathroom, he was very sensual… while in the bedroom, his kisses and caresses showed care and pure tenderness. And it happened to Yoon Seungho as well. 
, the painter was turning his back on his lover revealing a gap between them. In this position, it gave the impression that Baek Na-Kyum was rejecting Yoon Seungho. That’s why the moment the lord expresses his affection differently, it will not only move the artist, it will change their relationship. Striking is that in that sexual position, they were indeed facing each other and the noble was gazing at his lover. 
(chapter 73) Here, the relevant word is “enter”, an equivalent for invade. 
(chapter 73) Mess is a synonym for chaos and wreck. 
(chapter 73) Strangely, the word “bow” has two significations: a ribbon or a weapon. 
(chapter 73) In the fifth image, Yoon Seungho actually means seduction, yet he utilized the idiom “provocation”. Finally, we have Yoon Seungho’s favorite expression “fret”. During this night, he keeps mentioning it in connection to the painter: 
(chapter 41) Baek Na-Kyum is his prey, and the lord is trying to catch his heart through sex. However, Yoon Seungho’s attitude is not consciously done, he is not aware that he is speaking like a hunter. More astonishing is that the painter’s vocabulary mirrors his lover’s: 
(chapter 73) the target is wounded (“it hurts”) and tied up. Even Yoon Seungho’s words are referring to a wound, as if the animal was bleeding to death 
(chapter 73) , as it keeps leaking 
(chapter 73) But the lord is known as an impatient man, which seems to be confirmed here. However, in reality it took him many months to be gazed and even accepted. Now that Yoon Seungho is seeing how affected the artist is with his words, caresses and kisses, he is so happy that he calls his lover 
(chapter 73) revealing that they have no longer a lord-servant relationship. This exposes how much the main lead wishes to be intimate with the artist. Therefore, he can’t simply wait contradicting himself. 
(chapter 73) His actions prove that he is definitely in a hurry.
where I had already pointed out that the noble was deluding himself by calling the artist an easy conquest. Back then, this comment made me so laugh, because chapter 42 clearly outlined that it wasn’t even easy due to the lord’s grimace during the intercourse. 
(chapter 42) And observe that this chapter confirms my interpretation. First, the noble has a similar facial expression 
(chapter 73) showing that he was serious with his saying: Your wish is my command. In addition, he wanted to demonstrate that he hadn’t forgotten his promise: not to scare him. 
(chapter 73) The noble and Baek Na-Kyum’s desires stand in opposition to the artist’s weakened physical condition. The latter can’t physically keep up, hence he faints at the end.
(chapter 73) Yet, I doubt that this will be noticed by the aristocrat. He is definitely too shocked by the incident. His lover fainted. In my eyes, there is no ambiguity that Yoon Seungho will panic again. He has three reasons for that:
(chapter 32) He felt so remorseful and was so worried that he ran away, too scared to face the painter and assume his responsibilities. However, he made sure that a physician was fetched. This terrible experience explicates why the lord panicked in chapter 50. He envisioned for one moment that he had overdone it again. 
The noble had such huge pangs of conscience that he couldn’t forget the painter’s poor condition. Hence he desired to verify if he had recovered in the bathroom.
(chapter 72) He was worried, but the painter reassured him. In truth, the heavy breathing was caused by a climax, which the artist tried to hide from his lover. Therefore, there’s no doubt that after this chapter, the noble will question his behavior again. As a hunter, he overestimated the strength of his “prey”. Moreover he will realize that Baek Na-Kyum’s words contributed to this incident. Let’s not forget that Yoon Seungho was following the artist’s request. 
(chapter 73) This time, the painter’s exhaustion occurred due to both protagonists. That’s why Yoon Seungho will realize that he has to become more responsible and can’t just give the whole responsibility to Baek Na-Kyum. He should have paid more attention to the artist’s health and physical condition. And Kim took advantage of the situation. Thus from that night on, the lord kept his distance from his lover. From my point of view, the valet used these expressions against the main lead. He had been targeting the artist, turning him into a prey, hence the painter could not refused. Kim’s MO has always been to mix cause and consequences. Besides, since he heard such words, he could only have a negative impression. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget that the valet is a pessimistic person due to “fortunetelling”. [For more read the essay “Fortunetelling”] As you can see, due to this incident the main lead learned another important lesson: consent. Therefore the lord said this later 
(chapter 75) 
(chapter 79) In the second case, he made sure that both were on the same page. He had felt coerced. Through this fainting, the main lead became more careful and responsible for both of them. The problem is that he was still influenced by his past experience: sex is like a battle… which was now transformed into a hunt. 
. (chapter 15) Secondly, Yoon Seungho repeats similar expressions: 
(chapter 14) And this is how I made the connection with this love session, as I was paying attention to the words. 
(chapter 14) It didn’t happen, because he was selfless… no, this was the consequence of Jihwa’s attitude who did nothing to “seduce” his friend. He refused to kiss him
(chapter 14), but like he explained, his visit was because he was giving in to Yoon Seungho’s ways. But we have to question ourselves: who wanted whom here? The second lead did visit his friend, as he was seeking his company for sex. He could have refused, as his friend never forced him, but he did not. Moreover, the lord made it clear that Jihwa was just coming for sex and nothing more, yet the childhood friend never denied it. 
, he never allowed him to see his weak side. In addition, Jihwa’s words were full of criticisms.
This is not surprising that Yoon Seungho was behaving in a similar way. He was reflecting the second lead’s behavior. In my eyes, Jihwa treated his friend like a real sex toy who was there to pleasure him, hence the fellatio is done to prepare the penetration. That’s why there’s no real exchange, the lord is very passive as well during the blowjob. He feels nothing at all 
. When the sex session started, he seemed to be in a hurry too
(chapter 15) However, Jihwa never truly invested his energy and effort to woo his childhood friend’s heart. This is no longer surprising why the second lead felt so lonely, even during their intimate time. Yet the irony was that the head-kisaeng was treated like a tool for Jihwa’s pleasure, and the latter never realized that. 
(chapter 72) Baek Na-Kyum’s words and reactions are the reason why the lord is so affected. But unlike in chapter 14, the painter asks for his lover’s help showing that making love implies the involvement of two persons and not just one. Like I had written in a previous analysis, the lord is discovering that giving pleasure to his lover is also receiving. Hence he blushes and becomes more passionate.
, I realized that we would witness the lord’s spiritual death followed by his rebirth. However, I have to confess that I had no idea when it would occur. The only clue I had was that it was related to the low-born’s abduction and planned assassination. Striking is that Jihwa’s nightmare was actually announcing the lord’s spiritual death: 
(chapter 50). But if you pay attention, you’ll observe that in this terrible vision, there were two dead people: the painter and master Yoon. That’s why both characters had empty gaze. 
This means that in truth the manhwalovers would assist to two “spiritual deaths”, Baek Na-Kyum and Yoon Seungho’s. But wait… Only the aristocrat was wearing a hanbok with phoenixes, not the painter. But I am certain that the painterofthenight lovers will recall the robe the lord covered the commoner with in chapter 45: 
Baek Na-Kyum was linked to cranes. Therefore, this signified that the painter’s death would be different. Note that the artist’s head is bleeding just like his body indicating that there’ll be a real transformation. My explanation is that he is supposed to come back to life as a crane. This beautiful bird means good fortune, happiness and longevity. I am quite sure that my readers remember the analysis about the animals embodying the two protagonists. Back then, I had explained that the lamb represented Baek Na-Kyum perfectly: innocence and purity, but this animal is also associated to sacrifice and selflessness, because in Christianity, the lamb represents Christ as both suffering and triumphant. And now, you understand why Byeonduck made the painter suffer so much. Moreover, the artist is also associated to the butterfly 
and the latter is also a symbol for rebirth. My interpretation is that Baek Na-Kyum will transform into a crane, hence there’s blood on his head and body. He will get a new identity. Furthermore, I had elaborated that all nobles were represented by birds: Jihwa imagined himself as crane
(chapter 66) This was the new version of Jihwa’s nightmare. It looks like the lord is mourning the deceased. The black hanbok with a white collar resembles a lot to the clothes Koreans are wearing at a funeral: black with white stripes. Besides, if I add this panel
. He waited, until he saw the artist opening his eyes for a brief instant.
In that moment, the aristocrat recognized that the artist was coming back to life. That’s why he called his name. As you can see, the lord only left his side after making sure that his life was no longer in danger. That’s why the lord has no eye in this scene. 
correspond to these empty eyes from Jihwa’s nightmare: 
He felt his presence, hence he was confused if what he saw in his vision was a dream or reality. In my eyes, this “dream” is important, as for the first time, his dream is less linked to desires and the future. It is strongly intertwined with the present. On the other hand, these terrible experiences made both main leads realize the importance of their lover in their life. While fearing for his death, 
Baek Na-Kyum remembered Yoon Seungho’s smile which made him scream for his help. The same occurred to the powerful noble, when he imagined that the painter would die. He thought, he would never be able to see the painter’s smile. There’s no doubt that first the aristocrat blamed himself, until Min revealed Jihwa’s crime. However, for Yoon Seungho, it was enough. Not only he hadn’t believed in his lover’s words, but also he had mistreated him. That’s why in the artist’s study, the lord died spiritually. Due to the gestures, the manhwaworms can feel the lord’s regret and heartache. 
, although he had done nothing wrong at all. His apology was sincere, and the main character had misjudged it. There’s no ambiguity that while sitting next to Baek Na-Kyum, the noble realized the painter’s true personality. Hence this is not surprising that Yoon Seungho shows such a respect towards Baek Na-Kyum later. In my opinion, when the master arrived in his mansion, he wanted to send away the kisaeng for two reasons. He had seen how weak the painter was and feared that the kisaeng would drag her brother away. We shouldn’t forget how the kisaeng managed her way to reach Yoon Seungho’s bedroom, therefore in his mind, she would act the same way. Moreover, if the painter were to disappear, the noble would never be able to redeem himself. In my eyes, he wanted to make it up to him. However, once he stood in front of the study, he recognized that he couldn’t do like nothing had happened. 
He heard the artist’s confession which was linked to fear and a certain reluctance to face the lord and his own feelings. Moreover, he realized that he had to respect the painter’s wish, he let Baek Na-Kyum take his destiny in hand. In other words, the dream of the painter presented the lord’s future action and decision. 
His words might sound confident, yet if the beholders examine more closely these, they will note the presence of a question, exposing the aristocrat’s certain hesitation. The noble is definitely lacking self-confidence due to his recent “death”. But I have to admit that for me, the real rebirth happens in the bathroom. Why?
, exposing a certain shyness. Moreover, his gestures are so gentle and precise
, because his armor melted away. Since water is associated to purification, it means that the bath represents the lord’s rebirth as a phoenix. But because the bird comes back from its own ashes, the animal returns in the form of a baby. That’s why the lord is so innocent and pure from chapter 70 on. First, he plays a prank in the tub.
Then in the bedchamber, he decides to switch roles…
, he looks and acts definitely like a playful child. This explicates why words can move him so deeply. 
At the same time, as a new born, this is not surprising that Yoon Seungho lacks maturity. Hence the painter has become the ultimate authority. 
Let’s not forget that Baek Na-Kyum transformed into a crane, which I associate to tranquility and wisdom. Just like his lover, he transformed into a crane in the tub. Water cleaned his heart and mind for good. This is not surprising that the artist is more mature than his lover. He had a different rebirth, as he reflected on his emotions and thoughts before the baptism. Thanks to Yoon Seungho’s teaching about critical thinking, the artist was able to free his heart and mind from the learned sir, and the baptism marked the final step. 
The phoenix made it clear that out of respect for father Lee, he wouldn’t do more than create a scandal
, yet this signifies that if there’s another incident, he won’t be respectful again. In my opinion, it already announces the purge. 
The lord is kneeling in front of his deity, the crane, making amends due to his “sins”. That’s why I am more than ever convinced that Yoon Seungho will create either a painting or a poem for his “god” at some point exposing his love and admiration. He is already treasuring the artist’s tongue and hand, therefore I am expecting him to recognize the artist’s true intelligence. Remember that in the past, he used to call him a fool
(“why”) and he never stopped it. This was particularly perceptible in chapter 70, when the artist remembered his past and realized that he had overcome his trauma caused by Jung In-Hun. Now, he is even applying this lesson concerning others 
He wants to know his lover’s motivation. Therefore, I come to the deduction that Baek Na-Kyum has matured so much that he will now be able to question the scholar’s words and actions. He won’t be able to be manipulated like in the past.
The crane proved him how brave, mature, strong and loyal he is…. while he was so blinded by his own fears and self-hatred. In his eyes, he is truly superior to him. Simultaneously, it is also understandable why the phoenix has problems to control himself in front of his god. 
After examining the rebirth of the phoenix and the crane, my interpretation that Jung In-Hun will become the painter’s rival seems to become more and more certain. However, thanks to the phoenix’s support, lord Na-Kyum will be able to defeat his “learned sir”. Concerning Yoon Seungho, the latter will also have to fight against his own father, and he will definitely defeat and surpass him, since he is a phoenix. This is not surprising that the protagonists fell in love with each other, as their souls are very similar: both are associated to good fortune, which could only make the fathers jealous. 
Just after facing Yoon Seungho in his bedroom with an almost kiss
, he rushes to his study. Once arrived there, he wonders why his heart is racing so much and why he feels something in his stomach: 
(chapter 35). What caught my attention is that we have a similar scene in chapter 72: the painter is also questioning the origin of his physical reaction: 
. However, there’s a huge contrast between these two situations. First, the painter employs a different expression. It feels more real and precise than “butterflies”. From my perspective, it reflects the artist’s loss of innocence, or better said, his gained maturity. Moreover, due to his sexual experiences, he has a better understanding of his own body. Secondly, the fear has totally vanished, exposing that Yoon Seungho has truly achieved his goal. Finally, the other difference is that this time he is facing the lord himself. 
Back then, he only pondered about it after leaving the lord’s bedchamber. He was sitting behind the door. And if you recall the whole scene, you’ll notice that the artist’s heart started pounding, the moment the lord entered the bedroom. Moreover, the aristocrat removed his clothes so that the artist could see his back and later his chest. Consequently, I come to the deduction that the artist was so moved by the lord’s presence that his body was reacting immediately. This shows that both protagonists are affecting each other. One gets a huge erection, and the other feels butterflies inside. But more importantly, for the first time, the artist’s conscious was sensing his own body and the sexual attraction towards Yoon Seungho. Another parallel between these two scenes is the presence of the almost kiss: 
(chapter 72). In chapter 34, he must have observed how the painter reacted, he was definitely blushing, because he repeats these gestures during their wedding night. Strangely is that when the lord approaches his mouth in chapter 72, the readers don’t witness any “butterflies”, as we can’t hear the painter’s thoughts. However, there’s no doubt that Baek Na-Kyum is excited due to the presence of his reddening and the sweat, very similar to chapter 34. Yet, I believe that the commoner doesn’t realize it yet, because all his energy is concentrated on his mouth. He has to whisper Seungho-Ya. 
First, the manhwaphiles can observe the absence of the lord’s face and penis. Then when the lord came closer, 
Baek Na-Kyum could only see the master’s face. Then the painter was able to view the lord’s phallus, 
, the chest and the face were hidden by the low-born’s body. It was, as if Yoon Seungho had been cut in parts, and Baek Na-Kyum was exposed to them. In other words, Yoon Seungho showed him parts of his body and not his whole body. The artist should accept them. However, like the noble pointed out, the artist was physically reacting to him: 
But since the artist was looking at the noble through the mirror, he never got to face the lord’s body in his entity. And imagine that back then, the artist was already aroused by the master’s parts. This signifies that the butterflies in chapter 72 are much stronger. 
that just the thought and sensation of the penetration was strong enough to have him climaxed. Note that the artist’s exclamation (“oh”) is a signal that he is already feeling an immense pleasure that he can’t control, as he said the same word during his first anal orgasm 
As a conclusion, the moment Baek Na-Kyum saw the lord’s body with his erected phallus, his sexual desires had reached a new peak. 
This divergence is comprehensible, as the lord had to find a stratagem to be accepted by the artist. The use of the mirror was a calculated move, which he had already announced the night before. Moreover, he had been hurt and enraged by the commoner’s escape, hence he couldn’t show the same affection. Finally, he had no idea about his own emotions.
, the commoner was either not looking at him or sitting in a such a position that he couldn’t see the lord in his entirety. 
Then during their love session at the physician’s, the lord was so closed to the painter that the latter was not capable to look at his lover. Moreover, he was still avoiding the aristocrat’s gaze and face. 
, then later Baek Na-Kyum was no longer facing the noble: 
(chapter 64). Moreover, when he was able to look at the lord, he was hoping for a kiss, a sign of tenderness, which was refused. Moreover, his mind and body were still influenced by fear. 
, hence the lover couldn’t view the whole body and the erected phallus. He could only sense the erection through his foot. 
Just the view and the thought of the noble’s body aroused him so much that he had to remove himself from his trance, the moment he sensed an orgasm coming. This outlines how strong his sexual desires were. But now, it is different, because he is now excited by the lord’s gaze full of warmth and love. 
And imagine what this signifies for the painter. He is able to make someone smile… to make someone happy, which he didn’t see in chapter 49. We shouldn’t forget that the painter had always felt excluded and had abandonment issues. In other words, he saw himself as a burden, but this can only change, if his life gets a new meaning. His presence, orgasms and smiles can make Yoon Seungho smile and happy, this can only give strength and joy to Baek Na-Kyum. Let’s not forget that Yoon Seungho is a reflection of the painter, just like the latter is a mirror for the lord. 
, this signifies that we have to expect an elimination in season 2 for the same reason: treason. Thus in my opinion, the domestic’s actions will lead to an extermination. But now, some of you might be wondering how. For me, the second kidnapping and the events happening around this crime will lead to the purge. 
In addition, the low-born is now recognized as a “noble” by Yoon Seungho, which means that Baek Na-Kyum has now become the master’s official right-hand. 
, and Lee Jihwa definitely belongs to that category. After recognizing while composing the essay “Love, embrace and caress” that Heena noona must have listened to the guests’ conversations in the past in order to report things to the scholar, I came to this idea: What if Min leaks details about Nameless by acting like the second lead, so that the kisaeng chooses to contact the buffoon in order to hire him? With this theory, we would have a repetition of chapter 43 and 44. The manhwalovers should remember that in chapter 43, Min incited Lee Jihwa to commit a murder, while the Joker portrayed him as a savior. He would save his lover from the witch Baek Na-Kyum. 
It is also possible that she thinks that if a feud starts between the main lead and the young master Lee, then no one will pay attention to her brother’s disappearance. In other words, she will try to seize the opportunity of the quarrel between Lee Jihwa and Yoon Seungho in order to diver the attention from Baek Na-Kyum, a new version of this panel: 
Note that this panel was presented, while Heena noona was at the mansion. The manhwaphiles shouldn’t diminish the wrongdoings Heena noona has already committed. Like Yoon Seungho underlined it to her, she trespassed his property and arrived with guards, hence she definitely violated the law. 
, then you can imagine how I consider her words in chapter 68: 
But love can’t be used for committing misdeeds. And since the night is long for the lovers
, this violation could be perceived, as if she had attempted to hurt the wealthy protagonist. Her ruckus will be turned against her as evidence. It is still possible that a faked letter written by Kim pushes her over the edge, especially after witnessing how Baek Na-Kyum was treated during this night
Kim is speaking behind the door, the protagonists didn’t detect his presence, until the former spoke. In addition, the manwhaphiles are well aware that the episode 71 is a new version of chapter 37. The chapter 37 starts with the noble’s fellatio: 
As a conclusion, it becomes urgent that the artist’s position is fragilized. The valet has now lost the master’s favor (new version of chapter 52 
, because for the first time, his abuse of power was caught by the head-maid and the lord. 
In this scene, the readers could truly recognize Kim’s lie
. However, the head-maid couldn’t detect his lie for good, as the master permitted Heena noona’s stay afterwards. Yet, there is no doubt that the butler must have perceived this conversation as a possible source of danger. If she just asked the master, she would discover the truth and from that moment, the head-maid would no longer perceive him the same way. Note that she relied a lot on Kim’s judgment, therefore her colleague and the head-maid requested to know about his opinion in chapter 63
, a new version of the episode 17 
. But this is just a short-time solution. The doctor could definitely talk and as such indirectly reveal the valet’s complicity. Consequently, I deduce that for Kim, the maids and the physician represent a source of danger too. Hence he needs to remove them and the best way to get rid of them is to organize an incident leading to a purge: the maids and the physician will be his target. 
Back then, the identity of the culprit was never revealed to Yoon Seungho and notice that the maids were questioned first. Moreover, the lord experienced with his own eyes, how they looked down on him (chapter 38). And now, you will think… but what about Min’s plan? Let’s not forget that Kim has in reality a different interest than The Joker. For him, what matters is that Baek Na-Kyum is removed or is so wounded that the lord starts relying on Kim again. Since he has already attempted to kill him through the main lead and it never worked out, he needs to take a different approach. The drugging of the painter would be the perfect solution for him, a new version of the episode 36. He would get rid of all possible threads in one shot: the purge among the staff, like I had predicted… but the butler would be behind it. Consequently, my theory is that a drug will play a role in the second kidnapping. 
and chapter 36 
One failed, whereas the second succeeded. Striking is that during the second “drugging”, the head-maid was involved. But as you can imagine, Luzy’s idea led me to this theory: Kim will poison the protagonist.
However, the manhwaphiles shouldn’t forget in this incident, we had the two maids involved, 
I am quite sure that the readers will remember the butler’s words: this gesture was definitely a misdeed, worth of getting punished. However, back then no one got punished. Why? Due to Yoon Seungho’s good nature and leniency in the end. So we would have a new version of this incident. Nevertheless, like I mentioned above, we had two “poisonings” in the first season. One was a success and the other a failure. Since the commoner didn’t get hurt in the first “poisoning” 
, it means that the second will succeed. But more importantly, here is the twist. The victim of this “drugging” will be Yoon Seungho in reality!! I would like to point out that Kim never truly grasped the nature of the relationship between Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum, hence he won’t expect this turn of event. How did I come up with this theory?
Since the story is constructed like a circle, it means that we will have a repetition of this decision. However the chronology will be changed: the lord will give his own meal to the painter right from the start, while the former will eat the painter’s meal. The result is that Yoon Seungho falls ill. 
I would like to outline the parallels here. The Joker was talking to a domestic, and since the manhwaworms saw it once, they don’t need to see this repetition. I have already noticed that the author uses similarities, when it comes to the main leads. Therefore we have to envision that the Joker Black Heart met Kim in the shed and they came to an agreement. However, like I mentioned above, the butler is not obliged to follow Min’s instructions. Exactly like in chapter 56, when the noble approached his “student”, he just requested this: 
That’s why I came to this idea. Min’s kidnapping will only be used as a second measure, for the butler’s philosophy is prioritize his own interests: 
Then he proposed the medicinal tea (the drug)
He hoped that in his fury, Yoon Seungho would kill the artist. Yes, I judge the valet as very intelligent and perceptive. Why not? The painter as a commoner is also very smart. Imagined that when with one farewell, he could find closure and grasp the nature of his relationship with Heena noona and the scholar. 
Note that in this panel there’s an allusion to the artist’s wandering. I am expecting a new version of this. The painter will have some place to be: he will be sent away by Kim, the latter asking him to fetch the physician, as the lord has suddenly fallen sick. Knowing Baek Na-Kyum’s good nature and readiness to help lord Seungho, the painter won’t mistrust Kim’s suggestion. 
We all praised the butler for his intervention, while now I view it in a different light. On whose authority can he give a verdict? Actually, he should have reported it to his lord who would have made the decision. But note that in this scene, the butler plays the role of the judge. And now, imagine what happens if Yoon Seungho is “poisoned”.
However, in my opinion, the butler has been miscalculating something: the tailor’s intervention. Imagine that the moment the painter leaves the property, the town folks will notice him. Furthermore, he had already caught their attention in chapter 45: 
So after the chaos created by his disappearance, I doubt that the town folks won’t notice him. In my opinion, they will stop him and ask if he is escaping again. However, this time Baek Na-Kyum will explain the situation, the lord is sick and needs a physician. Let’s not forget that in chapter 29, the inhabitants were intrigued by the conversation between the scholar and the painter
, indicating that they will serve as witnesses, when the “crime” is discovered. 
(new version of this scene) and question him. In my opinion, Nameless will realize through the kisaeng’s words the existence of a conspiracy. From my point of view, the buffoon will recognize that someone is setting a trap and Jihwa will be framed, especially after hearing that someone impersonated him at the kisaeng house. Secondly, when Heena noona describes to the criminal how Baek Na-Kyum was treated by Yoon Seungho (tied up in a room), the Joker will realize that Baek Na-Kyum never revealed Jihwa’s crime. Moreover, the brother would have confided to his sister what truly happened. After hearing from the second lead that Yoon Seungho created a scene in Jihwa’s bedroom and warned him to never approach him again, Nameless will get aware that Yoon Seungho did forgive the second lead, hence he has nothing to worry. At the same time, Jihwa could tell him in his innocence that Min asked him to remain at home. Since he is doing nothing, then nothing bad can happen to him in Jihwa’s mind. And that’s how the criminal will become involved in the second kidnapping again. But this time, his role will be different, as he will recognize that if the painter gets hurt, Jihwa and himself will be framed. Hence he will pay attention to the painter and follow him. We will have a new version of this.
Since we have to expect a repetition of the incidents from the first season, I realized that one event hadn’t been repeated yet: framing the painter for a misdeed. And remember that in chapter 11, Kim played a huge role in this incident and it happened, while the painter was away. However, the moment Yoon Seungho reads the letter, his eyes will be able to perceive the truth: he is surrounded by spies… as the paper will content sentences from conversations between the two protagonists. Consequently, he will discover Deok-Jae’s disappearance and he will remember that night. That’s how the purge will take place. I am expecting that during the painter’s disappearance and the lord’s sickness, Kim sends the guards to arrest Heena noona. Through this terrible experience, she will recognize her wrongdoings. She will tell the authorities about Jihwa and his plan, but as a kisaeng she won’t be trusted. Moreover, the authorities will reproach her spying activities. She will definitely accuse the lord for threatening her 
a new version of chapter 44. The butler will justify his action, that he wanted to remove the painter from Yoon Seungho’s side. He did it out of selflessness and concern for the eldest master. His son was in love with a commoner, a scandal. Kim’s involvement will cause the return of father Yoon in the main lead’s life. 
You certainly remember that the number 2 is associated to woman, while 3 represent a man. What does it mean? 2 + 3 = 5. Five symbolizes a marriage. This explicates why The Pythagoreans thought of five as the marriage between heaven and earth. 
(chapter 20) Note that he was even accompanied with Kim, which became a witness of their marriage. This corresponds to the first kowtow. That’s why the author gave us such a panel: 
(chapter 21) The earth is symbolized by the house and the ground, while heaven (air) is embodied by the rain and the thunder. During this night, the painter and the lord discovered love and sensuality. Yet their wedding was not completed for two reasons. Remember that the main characters possess all the elements: the painter is associated to Earth and water, while the lord is related to fire and air. Yet, if you pay attention to the image above, you’ll notice that one element is missing: fire. The “painterofthenightphiles” can now realize why this night stood under the sign of illusion. Something was missing, real warmth and love. Yoon Seungho had not even realized his own feelings. Besides, let’s not forget that the noble was quite rough during that night. He only became really tender, after he had witnessed the painter’s tears, tears of happiness.
(chapter 21) The real reason for the “failure” is that one was drunk, while the other was impersonating the scholar. Both were not true to themselves. That’s why they couldn’t start a real relationship.
(chapter 58) The shoes are an indication of their different origins, the noble and the low-born. Here again, we have a witness: the butler who is represented by the bucket of water. And if you compare this panel to the one from chapter 21, you’ll notice that one element is missing again: the air. We have now the presence of water, the fire and the earth through the house. But since there is no sky and as such no moon, I come to the conclusion that their union couldn’t be celebrated, because the lord wasn’t still honest to himself. He hadn’t dropped his fathers’ principles completely. 
(chapter 20) With such an approach, the noble couldn’t truly object, his mouth was shut with a kiss. Anyway, this time Yoon Seungho gives him space and time to ponder about this. What caught my attention is that the artist bites his lip 
(chapter 71) while pondering. This gesture is important, as it has two significations: the painter is wondering if this situation is real. He doesn’t even trust his own senses which is totally normal, after living for so long with the loss of his body and senses. Secondly, it exposes his last inner struggle. Should he follow his instincts? Striking is that the low-born’s conscious is the one who makes the final decision. His critical thinking and free mind allow him to perceive the truth. First, he was never in love with the scholar. 
(chapter 71) And this situation (being cornered) reoccurred, when he moved in Yoon Seungho’s mansion. It was the same again… Jung In-Hun pressuring him, until he revealed his true thoughts: jealousy and contempt. For the first time, Baek Na-Kyum is detecting genuine affection and it comes from Yoon Seungho and nobody else!! 
(chapter 71) as the latter has to look up. Finally, we have the groom bringing his own bride to the nuptial bedchamber: 
(chapter 71) And just like in the first two kowtows, there’s a witness: Kim who is listening behind the door. 
(chapter 71) This image illustrates how the artist decided to listen to his heart. That’s why the readers can hear the artist’s heartbeat. His heart is racing so much that he blushed. Moreover, he can identify that the racing is not caused by fear, but by the lord’s affection. In other words, because Yoon Seungho and Baek Na-Kyum chose each other, they are now married.
(chapter 71), he is caressing it. He is not focused on ejaculation like in chapter 36.
. (chapter 71) This chapter is not just an illustration of a marriage, it shows us two men who are finally themselves, giving affection to each other with kisses and caresses. This signification is perceptible with the following panel: 
(chapter 71) Note that the painter is stroking the lord’s chest, while they both kiss each other. And this is not surprising that at the end, both protagonists close their eyes while kissing. 
(chapter 71) Both trust each other, they are no longer insecure, as they saw, heard and sensed the affection through the gestures and words. Yoon Seungho could only be happy to see that the artist was blushing due to him. Moreover, the low-born had several ejaculations without any penetration, exposing that this was not just a physical reaction. What caught my attention is the appearance of the master’s blushing. First, it started with the ear in chapter 70 
(chapter 70) and the redness has now reached his temple and cheek. Therefore I deduce that the manhwaphiles will witness the lord’s real blushing. As a conclusion, this wonderful night will help the lord to heal completely. By changing his approach, he obtained exactly what he desired the most: to be chosen. His dream came a reality.
(chapter 71) The man, Baek Na-Kyum, chose his bride, Yoon Seungho… since the latter is linked to the number 2, while the other is associated to manhood due to the number 3. And this final image announces the final step to their marriage. The wedding will be now completed, and red as the color of Asian wedding ceremony is present. First, we have the painter’s red shirt and later the blushing on both faces. 
Bebebisous33s' analyses in K-Dramaland and Manhwas 