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Even after returning from work during the lengthened daylight hours, harsh sunlight still poured through the dormitory window. It was the kind of season where the sun refused to set easily, blurring even the end of the day itself. As those days continued, people's footsteps no longer settled naturally into the night. Banquets for socializing and secret scheming were being held more and more frequently throughout the palace.
The head maid announced that several banquets would also be held within the palace. The moods of the palace workers split cleanly in half. Some sighed heavily, worried they might be forced into overtime work, while others—despite not even attending the banquets themselves—were excited at the chance to enjoy the glamorous atmosphere from afar.
"What's with the face mask?"
I had wondered what Jeong Najeong had been fussing over in front of the mirror for so long, only to realize she was putting on a sheet mask.
"Ah, last weekend I went out and bought ten whole boxes at the department store. Apparently these are insanely effective lately—don't even get me started!"
Jeong Najeong somehow spoke with the bright, energetic tone of a middle-aged woman. Like a girl who had grown up without worries, she could act delicate one moment and then suddenly become talkative the next. I found that oddly entertaining.
She often spoke about her mother. I had never met the woman myself, but somehow I felt like I already knew what she must be like.
Kind and cheerful.
I was looking at her with eyes full of envy when Najeong suddenly tore open another package and firmly slapped the cold sheet mask onto my face. The coolness made my face flinch instinctively.
"There! I'm only giving you one because it's you. After all, you've got someone you need to look good for."
"Hm?"
With a strangely teasing expression, she leaned in closer to me. I instinctively leaned back a little.
"Don't tell me you seriously haven't noticed the way Master Chaeha looks at you? Those beautiful brown eyes of his sparkle like amber whenever he sees you. He definitely thinks you're special compared to the other girls!"
"…I don't know."
"Don't play innocent when you already know! Otherwise are you saying he pretended and approached you on purpose?"
"There'd be no reason for him to go that far for me."
"That's true. It's not like there's anything to gain from you anyway."
"Ahem."
The comment was so accurate that a dry cough slipped out of me.
Her words stirred my emotions for no reason. One moment it felt as though we were cautiously testing each other's feelings, the next I remembered his words—that he didn't feel the same way—and turned over on the bed.
I remembered the night we secretly left the palace together. Go Chaeha's voice echoed faintly in my ears.
'Tonight, I want to spend time with you.'
'I mean I want to walk with you like this.'
'You don't have to tell me the reason. Let's just walk the road you were already heading down together. The night is dangerous.'
It almost felt as though I could still feel the warmth and softness of the hand that held mine.
Was he the one falling for me, or was I the one becoming enchanted by him…?
In the silent room where everyone else was asleep, I let out a short sigh.
Tonight, sleep refused to come.
"Move this over there."
Under the head maid's instructions, everyone moved busily.
A few hours later, the once-empty hall had transformed completely, decorated magnificently and prepared to receive guests.
As the sun fully set, soft lights gradually illuminated the palace's grand banquet hall. Modern reinterpretations of traditional patterns hung from the ceiling, while dishes engraved with the royal crest were arranged perfectly along the long tables.
The low sound of string instruments filled the space as nobles and high-ranking officials raised their glasses with restrained smiles. Glances crossed between luxurious garments, and beneath the toasts, deals and unspoken agreements were quietly exchanged.
On the surface, it was an elegant banquet.
In reality, it was not.
I was carrying a tray of beautifully arranged sweets when Go Chaeha's bright laughter suddenly filled the room. My gaze shifted toward him instinctively.
Dressed in a thin ivory shirt and light-colored slacks, with golden hair and warm brown eyes, he looked like a figure straight out of a midsummer garden painting.
As his gaze wandered through the crowd, it met mine. Then, leaving behind the women gathered around him, he walked straight toward me.
For a moment, the relaxed smile he wore nearly captivated me. His beauty, the kind that made people stare absentmindedly, seemed even more radiant tonight. He truly looked like the hidden jewel of the royal social world.
"This banquet is going longer than expected tonight. Aren't you tired?"
"I'm fine. This is my job."
"You're very mature for your age, Seonmi. I don't think I was nearly this composed when I was your age. It's honestly impressive."
"It's embarrassing to hear that over something so small…"
"No, really… You seem strong enough to endure quite a lot."
His smile was gentle, yet something about his gaze didn't quite match it, giving off a strangely unsettling feeling.
"Ah, Master Chaeha, so this is where you were. I've been looking everywhere for you, haha."
A large-framed man approached from behind him. Judging from their conversation, the two clearly interacted often. Go Chaeha referred to him as President Kang.
President Kang's face was flushed slightly from alcohol. Every so often, the corners of his lips lifted unpleasantly whenever he looked at me, as though he were undressing me with his eyes.
I need to get away from here.
Just as I was about to leave, he called out.
"Wait a moment, Seonmi."
At Go Chaeha's voice, I had no choice but to stop and turn back.
"President Kang says the jacket he's wearing feels uncomfortable. He wants to change, so could you help him?"
"…Yes, understood."
Something about helping this unpleasant man felt deeply unsettling, but what choice did I have? This was the kind of work expected from someone in my position.
As we walked through the corridor, he stayed uncomfortably close, his arm brushing mine repeatedly.
Disgusting.
I barely swallowed back the nausea rising in my throat.
I just wanted to finish this errand quickly and return to the banquet hall, so I hurried my pace.
"Why are you rushing so much? Haha."
"You seemed like someone whose time is very valuable."
"My time is rather valuable, haha."
Even through my obvious lie, the man only laughed foolishly.
Soon, we arrived at the room prepared for changing jackets. He stood silently in front of the door, clearly waiting for me to open it.
"My secretary said she prepared another jacket in this room."
As I opened the door, he pushed me inside first. Even that brief touch against my waist felt disgusting.
The moment the door shut, every sound from outside disappeared.
A chilling sensation spread through my body.
A strange silence filled the room where only the two of us remained.
Trying deliberately to avoid eye contact with him, I moved toward the jacket.
"This must be it. I'll hand it to you."
I picked up the jacket hanging on the rack and turned around.
He was standing by the door, slowly looking me up and down.
His gaze moved slowly.
Intentionally slowly.
"Miss, doesn't living inside the palace feel suffocating? If you wanted, I could let you work at my company under even better conditions."
Just as expected, he casually threw out a disgusting comment.
I gave no reaction.
"It's not a bad offer… Or perhaps you want something more? Ambitious girls usually play hard to get first."
He slowly walked toward me. Raising his hand, he reached toward my chin.
I instinctively pulled my head back slightly.
That tiny movement made something flash in his eyes.
"Don't be afraid. If you behave well tonight, you'll be grabbing onto a golden lifeline."
In an instant, he pulled me against him by the waist. I could smell alcohol faintly on his breath.
I tried to escape, but I was nothing more than a butterfly caught in a spider's web. The more I struggled, the weaker my body became.
From the beginning, the problem had never been the jacket.
He didn't need a comfortable jacket.
He simply wanted a woman he could comfortably enjoy.
The moment he removed the jacket, the filthy desire hidden beneath it revealed itself.
He grabbed my face roughly with one hand and turned it side to side as though inspecting merchandise.
"She's pretty enough. I like her quite a bit."
"Let go!"
"Got a temper, huh? You'd be much better if you stopped resisting."
As his lips drew closer, I raised my hand and slapped him across the face.
His head snapped to the side, and in an instant his entire demeanor changed. His face turned a deep red, somewhere between drunkenness and rage, like a demon. His eyes had completely lost reason.
"Do you even know who I am to act so arrogantly?!"
Smack.
He struck my cheek hard.
I lost my balance and fell to the floor. The pain was so sharp that tears sprang to my eyes.
Still collapsed on the ground, I clutched my burning cheek with both hands.
"A worthless nobody with no connections. You don't even realize how grateful you should be for my touch."
Watching him yank off his tie while breathing heavily filled me with fear.
He threw himself on top of me. The heavy weight of his body crushed the air out of my lungs.
"If you're an uneducated bitch, then at least learn to stay obedient!"
His disgusting hands began roaming over my body.
Every time he touched me, it felt as though my body no longer belonged to me.
I was afraid.
The years I spent desperately surviving like a stone enduring the elements suddenly felt fake.
Another version of myself whispered:
It was all a dream. You're still weak. There's no one in this palace on your side.
That truth was unbearably lonely.
I stopped resisting altogether and simply accepted his touch.
"Yeah. Skin this pale deserves to be touched, don't you think?"
I clenched both fists tightly. My nails dug into my palms, and that pain was the only thing grounding me.
It was the only way I could force myself to believe my body still belonged to me.
My eyes burned.
I didn't want to cry. If I cried now, I felt like I would completely fall apart.
So I bit down harder.
And then—
Click.
The sound of the door opening made the man's hand freeze instantly where it rested against my thigh.
The sound of dress shoes striking marble echoed through the room.
I could feel the faint trembling in the man's fingertips. His gaze remained fixed behind me, frozen as if paralyzed. Slowly, he withdrew his hands as though nothing had happened.
Even without turning around, I knew.
The entire atmosphere had changed, turning cold.
Then came a low, deep voice.
"What is going on here?"
The man scrambled off me in fear, and only then did I turn around.
My heart pounded violently.
I couldn't tell whether it was relief or something else.
Dark black hair. A sharp jawline. Firmly pressed lips. A straight nose beneath cold eyes. An expression that did not waver in the slightest.
It was Gowon.