Chapter 04
Flowers began to bloom in the palace.
Spring had arrived.
“Today especially, you must mind your conduct. And if possible, avoid running into His Highness the Crown Prince—”
“Soa!”
Before Chancellor Yun could finish speaking, a voice called out.
Soa slowly turned her head.
Her neatly arranged hair, a jacket tinged with a soft yellow hue, and a skirt the color of violets made her look like a flower in full bloom.
Yeonwoo stopped in his tracks.
He had been captivated by the sight of Soa smiling brightly upon seeing him.
“Your Highness.”
It had been quite some time since they had last seen each other, since the night of climbing over the wall.
Soa worried when she noticed Yeonwoo looked subtly thinner, as though the king’s return had weighed heavily on him.
Her brows drooped slightly, concern filling her eyes.
Watching Soa from beside her, Chancellor Yun bowed his head.
“I greet Your Highness.”
“Chancellor Yun, you must have had a tiring walk.”
“Tiring? Not at all. What greater joy could there be than His Majesty’s safe return?”
“His Majesty must be very pleased to have such a reliable chancellor.”
“You are too kind, Your Highness.”
As Chancellor Yun, Yeonwoo, and Soa spoke on the way to the banquet hall, officials heading there, along with the specially invited sons of officials, cast glances at them.
It was not unusual for the king to invite the sons of officials who might later enter government service.
But inviting daughters was highly unusual.
Because of this, rumors spread that the king and queen had finally made up their minds.
They were going to take a Crown Princess for their only son.
Naturally, public attention focused on Soa.
Everyone knew she had been close to Yeonwoo since childhood, and since her father was the highest-ranking official, no one doubted that he wished more than anything for Soa to become Crown Princess and one day queen.
“Ahem.”
Chancellor Yun seemed uncomfortable with the attention and cleared his throat.
He looked between Soa and Yeonwoo before speaking.
“I will go ahead and greet someone first, Your Highness. Soa, make sure you find your seat promptly.”
“Yes, Father.”
“I will see you later, Chancellor Yun.”
Though she understood her father’s meaning, Soa wanted to ask Yeonwoo whether he had been sleeping well, whether he had even managed to eat properly.
Unaware of her thoughts, Yeonwoo examined her instead.
“I heard you were injured. Are you all right now?”
“Yes. My ankle has healed—”
“How badly were you hurt? Was it your ankle?”
Oh no.
She had said something that only made him worry more.
When Yeonwoo bent down to check her ankle, Soa hurriedly reached out to stop him.
If anyone saw him looking at a young woman’s ankle in a place like this, it would be a disaster.
Yeonwoo seemed to understand her intention and frowned in concern.
“That’s not what I meant…”
“Tell me properly. What happened? Did you encounter a wild beast in the forest?”
“……”
At that moment, the chilling gaze of the man she had met that night flashed through her mind.
Though it wasn’t the man who attacked her, she found herself thinking of him first, without even realizing how strange that was.
She shook her head quickly.
“It wasn’t anything like that. Really… I just fell while trying to climb over the wall.”
“I thought you said you didn’t need to climb the wall anymore. So you lied.”
She had tried to lie and ended up revealing a truth instead.
Feeling awkward, yet oddly relieved that it hadn’t been a complete lie, Soa smiled brightly at Yeonwoo, as if to say she was truly fine.
“I actually slept very well and feel refreshed. I took the medicine you sent, too.”
“You didn’t leave it because it was bitter, did you?”
“Do you still see me as a child? Of course not.”
“You must be more careful from now on. Though I suppose there won’t be a need anymore.”
“Yes?”
Soa tilted her head, not understanding what he meant.
Yeonwoo watched her quietly for a moment, as if finding her confusion endearing. Then he steadied his voice and spoke.
“You’ll find out soon, but I wanted to tell you first.”
“Hm?”
“Soa, I will soon take a Crown Princess.”
The smile that had lifted Soa’s lips froze.
Take a Crown Princess.
Yeonwoo would take a crown princess.
She knew exactly who the Crown Princess he meant was.
The fact that he shared this news with such joy made it clear that she was the one he had in mind.
Soa had thought the same.
If someone were to stand beside Yeonwoo and become Crown Princess, she had always believed it would be herself.
Not because she craved power or coveted the title.
It was simply because being by Yeonwoo’s side had always felt natural, leading her to imagine such a future without thinking.
“Of course, a marriage ban will be declared, and daughters from good families will gather and compete. But I believe—”
“……”
“That you will become my Crown Princess.”
“…Yeonwoo.”
“You are wiser, brighter, and more compassionate than any woman I know. One day, for this country—”
Yeonwoo stopped mid-sentence.
As if he had noticed something, he fell silent.
Following his gaze, Soa lowered her head and saw the flower bud.
She had carefully dried the bud she had been holding and attached it to the end of her ribbon like an ornament.
Perhaps because it seemed to carry a faint fragrance, or because it felt like proof of the strange events of that night, she had wanted to treasure it.
“How did you get this…?”
“Hmm? Do you know what flower this is? I was told I was holding it tightly. It must be something important.”
Yeonwoo’s lips twitched slightly.
He carefully reached out, lifted the flower bud, and then met Soa’s eyes again, his expression firm.
“Tell me everything that happened that night. Don’t hide anything.”
“Yeonwoo, why are you suddenly like this? What’s going on?”
“You injured your ankle when you never do, and you lost consciousness. I already thought it was strange. But now this flower bud too. Did you meet someone that night?”
“……”
Someone?
Soa barely swallowed the gasp that threatened to escape.
This sharp reaction from Yeonwoo felt unfamiliar.
He looked both angry and unsettled.
‘Thank you. I will repay this kindness.’
There had been two beings she encountered that night.
The unknown beast that grabbed her ankle and tried to pull her down.
And the man.
Neither could be called human.
The man had been a spirit, something Yeonwoo could not possibly have seen.
“Actually… I was attacked. But I didn’t see what it was. I was too afraid to look.”
“Attacked? Don’t tell me some beast tried to harm you?”
“You know what it was? Did you see it too?”
Yeonwoo pressed his lips together tightly.
Soa bit her lower lip, watching his expression like someone who had said something she shouldn’t have.
Beasts that grew stronger and more violent under the full moon—the Hyung—had long been driven to the north.
Then what had attacked her?
And inside the palace, no less.
“I’m taking this.”
Yeonwoo reached out and plucked the flower bud away.
The carefully sewn ornament fell helplessly, which made it feel oddly sad.
Soa reached out in surprise, but she couldn’t bring herself to grab his hand.
His expression was too serious.
“Did you speak with it?”
“Speak? What do you mean… How could I speak with a beast?”
“…You said you didn’t see it. Are you sure?”
“Yes. I was too scared to look down. And it disappeared quickly. A spirit helped me.”
“A spirit?”
“Yes. A spirit appeared and saved me. The beast vanished right away. But Yeonwoo, I don’t understand what’s going on. Is that flower bud related to the beast?”
“……”
“—Your Highness!”
From afar, a court lady’s voice called for Yeonwoo.
Wrapping the flower bud in a white handkerchief embroidered with swallows, a symbol of Yeonguk, Yeonwoo placed it inside his robes and met Soa’s gaze.
“I’ll see you later, Soa.”
He forced a faint smile.
Though his eyes remained gentle, he couldn’t hide the turmoil beneath.
Yeonwoo was always considerate, careful not to make Soa anxious or uneasy.
That was why his reaction felt all the more unfamiliar.
Is something dangerous happening in the palace?
Could that beast have been tormenting Yeonwoo too?
***
“Today’s gathering is not only to celebrate His Majesty’s safe return but also to offer our gratitude for his victory in subjugating the Hyung—monstrous beasts that broke the vow of peace and attacked innocent citizens. I ask that everyone enjoy the banquet according to His Majesty’s great will.”
As the banquet began, everyone bowed their heads.
The king, seated in his place with his majestic red ceremonial robe flowing, dominated the hall instantly.
Sharp eyes beneath thick, straight brows swept across the room, then faced forward.
At the sound of a single, firm clap, everyone raised their heads.
As Soa lifted hers, her eyes met a gaze fixed intently upon her.
From far away, someone was watching her—
Just like on that night.
