10 ⚜️🌺 Testing Knowledge
Baek's face slowly flushed red, the heat rising under his skin. He pulled away and looked over his shoulder, pretending to look at the door.
Seon-in widened her eyes and returned to eating her meal without saying a word. Could he tell that I was staring at him? Does he have… a fifth sense?
He quickly stood, startling her. Then he kept his head straight, walking sideways to the shelf nearby with his hand stretched for a wall. She gasped, putting her dish on the table, and grabbed his hand to guide him. Baek held his breath, staring at her porcelain skin as her braid swayed.
"Your Majesty, the shelf is here," she said. She pulled his hand to the side of the shelf.
He gulped, feeling a tingle that stirred underneath his pants. Oh mercy… I need to calm down. She was trying to help me. He looked away.
Once his palm flattened to the shelf, she returned to sit down and finished her meal. After two bites, she glanced over to check on him. His face didn't turn away, so she stared at his eyes while chewing.
He silently groaned, wishing for her to stop looking at his eyes for a moment. Yet, he chuckled lightly instead.
After she finished eating the roasted duck, she placed the plate back inside and closed the tray. Then she reached for the snack tray's lid. Her mouth watered, and her eyes fixed on the dried sweet jujubes. The green and white dasik made her full stomach strain for more room for these tempting treats.
She closed her mouth with a loud gulp.
Baek tilted his head and stared at her with a gentle smile. She loves food. How can this small belly eat so much?
Seon-in reached for a dasik and bit into the delicate rice flour shell, revealing the sweet black sesame inside. As she chewed, she closed her eyes and smiled with a hand on her cheek, savoring the flavor. How could something so simple taste this good? The richness of the flour and the sweetness of the sesame… I should definitely bring one back to Hanjun! She took another bite and squealed in happiness.
He burst out laughing, prompting her gaze at him. She flushed, forgetting he was even there, and choked on a tiny crumb, reaching for her water.
"My… my apologies for my rudeness, Your Majesty…" she said hurriedly.
He covered his lips and nodded.
"Don't need to apologize. I was curious about how much a small lady like you could eat," he teased.
She hid her lips and raised her shoulders.
"I… Your Majesty, I have a hard time reading letters, so I don't think I could be your script reader! I—I actually came here to tell you that!" she exclaimed, holding her breath to hope that her body listened to her this time.
Baek stared at her sharply. Is she trying to escape me? He smiled.
"If you truly had a hard time reading letters, then why did you sneak into my royal library filled with difficult books?"
She gulped, her eyes widening. Calm down, Seon-in. You practiced before you came! She raised her chin up and looked at him directly with determination.
"I… I was told that there were some easy books here for me to learn about basic etiquette!" she answered.
He raised one brow and locked eyes with her.
"Really? So, that was why you were at the bookstore holding an improper book?"
Her brows furrowed. She paused and tried to recall whatever he was asking. Bookstore? Improper book? When did I even touch—? She gasped loudly, dropping her dasik and covering her mouth. She looked at him with horror.
"You're… you're that… nobleman?" she realized. She stared at Baek as he tilted his head a little and grinned. "Oh mercy—my apologies for being unable to recognize you, Your Majesty!"
She shouted, standing and bowing. He giggled and pushed himself off the shelf. He walked toward her.
"No need to apologize, Lady Park… you couldn't have known," he claimed. She clenched her fists, placing them on her thighs. "If anything, explain to me how you are unable to read when everything about you tells me that you enjoy reading."
"No!" she blurted. Then she slammed her hand over her mouth. "I… I wanted to learn, but I don't have the chance to learn…"
Baek nodded, doing his best to understand. I see. She's really trying to find an escape from me. Then he stepped behind her and sat down in the chair.
"That's quite sad to hear… I fed someone who I thought would help me…" he teased.
She turned around without raising her head and closed her eyes.
"My apologies, Your Majesty! I… I will try to help!" she declared, guilt stirring in her heart.
Baek turned his head to her and chuckled.
"How? You cannot read the letters. I would be misunderstanding important documents if I continue to let you," he replied.
"NO! I will do my very best to assist Your Majesty! It would be an honor to assist Your Majesty!" she claimed, falling to her knees. Her head spiraled with shame. I hope this won't hurt my family. I… just couldn't keep lying.
Baek placed his hand on his chin, pondering as he leaned closer to her.
"How about I give you a test? Then I will tell you if you pass or fail…"
"Huh?"
His hand reached for a document by the edge of the table. He slipped it out and showed it to her.
"I received these anonymous notes frequently… this note, in particular, bothers me the most. My most trusted bodyguard, whom you accused of following you, read the note to me…" he explained.
Seon-in stared at the note and grabbed it from him. She observed the letters of the note. This… looks like Court Lady Lim's handwriting! She quickly looked at Baek, mortified.
"What… did this note say?" she hesitated. Has she been seeing things she wasn't supposed to? And now her life is on the line?
Baek took a deep breath as he pulled away.
"My bodyguard said that… someone has been sneaking into my palace without permission… and that person is a male," he answered. Seon-in swallowed. "And, this person has a sketchy background. I want you to help me find the person who wrote this… and this weasel sneaking into my home."
She stared at the note.
[FLASHBACK]
"Here's my copy for you," the young lady said to five-year-old Seon-in.
Seon-in took the book and opened it, gasping.
"Is this… your handwriting? It's so beautiful, Lady Lim!"
[END OF FLASHBACK]
Seon-in slowly glanced at Baek. She hesitantly nodded and bowed. Court Lady Lim… are you here to find out the truth behind your father's death? She bit her lower lip worriedly.
Meanwhile, behind the Queen's private house, the Gyotaejeon, the court ladies stood on the stone basin and cleaned the robes. A group of ladies smirked and tossed dirty robes at this fragile court lady, laughing.
"Since her father is a fallen minister, she has to work here for life… so pitiful," one of the ladies laughed.
The bullied court lady looked up.
"I cannot clean all of these by myself. There are too many—"
Another grabbed the dirty water's scoop and tossed the dirty water at her.
"Shut up and work. You should be grateful that you lived despite your father's execution!"
She bit her lower lip and let the dirty water drip from her head—
Then a whole bucket of dirty water splashed the group of court ladies, and they screamed.
"Oh mercy! Who the—!"
"What?!" Seon-in yelled with her arms on her waist. "It's me, so what? Do you want some more?!"
The court ladies hurriedly hid away from her.
"It's—Dog-biting Park!" they screamed and ran away.
Seon-in stuck her tongue out and scoffed.
"Pathetic…" she turned to the drenched court lady, frowning. "Are you going to let those bully you, Court Lady Lim?"
Court Lady Lim squirmed, hiding her face and embarrassed to see Seon-in.
"Lady Park—"
"How many times did I tell you to argue back? If they're going to bark at you, bite back!" she groaned, taking a deep breath. "I told you to call me Seon-in… stop addressing me."
"But… I'm still a fallen minister's daughter—"
"My grandfather was a fallen one, too. My father doesn't even want to be a minister, so we are commoners like you."
Court Lady Lim looked at Seon-in and smiled through the cold, dirty, and soaking water. Seon-in smiled faintly at her and removed her jang-ot, handing it over to Court Lady Lim.
"Seon-in—"
"You'll be cold… at least, stay warm so we can catch up…"