Chapter 33
Instinctive Reaction
When Gyeom leveled his blade, Danseol’s body froze. Even though she knew he wouldn’t actually stab anyone in the imperial palace—especially not a favored concubine—fear gripped her.
It was an instinctive reaction.
The murderous aura coming from Gyeom was intense.
His presence made the hair on her arms stand up and sharpened her senses. Even the brush of air stung her skin.
“Eek!”
But Gyeom’s blade was pointed at an unexpected place. A scream erupted from the grass behind Danseol, and a palace maid slumped to the ground.
The steel tip of the sword was aimed at her.
“Y-Your Majesty! What are you doing?”
“Didn’t you dare spy on my woman like a rat?”
Danseol was flustered by Gyeom’s words. Until he spoke, she had been completely unaware that anyone was behind her.
“I only came because I was worried the noble lady had not returned.”
Gyeom grabbed Danseol’s shoulder protectively and pulled her into his arms.
The faint scent of sandalwood reached her, and only then did Danseol realize she was in Gyeom’s embrace. The heat and firmness of his body made her heart pound.
“Y-Your Majesty…”
She called to him as if asking to be released, but somehow his grip around her shoulders tightened.
“Someone who claims to have come because they were worried tried to hide their presence?”
A palace maid who had been bowing her head in interrogation scooped up a handful of dirt and hurled it at Gyeom. Then she quickly slipped away and fled.
Seeing that, Gyeom threw the sword he was holding at the fleeing maid.
“—Kuh!”
The sword flew true in a straight line, pierced the maid’s body, and stuck into the ground. Blood spattered across the floor, and the woman posing as a palace maid died instantly.
“Tae-yeom, take care of the cleanup.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After instructing Tae-yeom, Gyeom lifted Danseol in his arms.
“I—I’ll go on my own two feet.”
Startled by suddenly being lifted, Danseol struggled.
“How can you say you’ll go on your own when you tremble like that? Stay still.”
At that low voice, Danseol stopped struggling. In truth, perhaps because she had just seen someone die, her whole body still shook uncontrollably.
‘If I’d been alone, I might have died.’
If Gyeom hadn’t detected the disguised maid, it would have been Danseol who died. Realizing that sent a wave of fear through her, chilling the nape of her neck.
“There are no suspicious presences nearby, so you may be at ease.”
The indifferent, dry voice settled over Danseol like a weight. For some reason, the instant she heard it, the stiffness left her and relief washed over her. Gyeom’s arms, which had made her tremble, now felt like a sturdy shield.
‘I’m just shaken from the shock. That’s all.’
Danseol told herself the change in her feelings was just from the sudden fright.
She didn’t want to admit it was because of him.
“Y-Your Majesty!”
When Gyeom entered Chwiyuljeon holding Danseol, the attendants guarding the hall panicked and rushed over. Apparently they had not known Danseol had gone out.
“This is getting ridiculous—who knows who’s master here?”
Unlike the careful way he set her down, Gyeom’s voice sounded chilling.
“What do you mean…?”
“Just now, the noble lady went out for a walk and nearly suffered great harm. There was no one by her side.”
“We—We are guilty!”
The attendants who served Danseol prostrated themselves before Gyeom all at once. Whatever the reason, it was a clear mistake with no excuse.
“Then you must take the punishment for that crime.”
Gyeom took a step toward the attendants with a cold face.
“They are not to blame!”
Danseol stepped in front of Gyeom. Her expression was firm—hard to reconcile with the trembling person she’d been moments earlier.
“I asked them not to follow because I wanted to go out quietly.”
“Is that true?”
“Yes, it is.”
Gyeom questioned the prostrate attendants, but the answer came from Danseol.
“Then please stop accusing them.”
At her words, relief washed across the attendants’ faces.
“Since it is your request, we shall comply.”
“Thank you.”
When Gyeom took a step back, Danseol breathed out in relief. Even if the attendants had been negligent, she no longer wanted to see innocent people punished on her account—no matter how loyal they might be to the Hwangseon state.
“From now on you must be sufficient in serving the noble lady. If you value your lives.”
“We shall make no mistake.”
Only after exacting that promise from them did Gyeom turn away.
‘Saying it like that should make them understand.’
Gyeom had spoken harshly for Danseol’s sake. It was a warning to any suspicious person who might be hiding among the palace staff.
He would spare them this time—but next time there would be no mercy.
“Your Majesty, Junghyeol requests an audience.”
When Gyeom returned to Geoniljeon, Tae-yeom approached and reported that Junghyeol had come. That meant the matter was serious.
“Bring him in.”
Just as Gyeom was changing into his plain clothes, Junghyeol entered.
“Forgive my rudeness for coming at this late hour. I heard about the earlier incident from Tae-yeom.”
Junghyeol officially held the important post of Jungseorang, overseeing inspection, but unofficially he was head of the guard who secretly assisted Gyeom. So Danseol’s near-attack had been reported to him immediately.
“I didn’t feel a murderous aura, but the skill at hiding one’s presence was considerable.”
The palace maid spying on Danseol had shown no sign of intending to kill her. Still, Gyeom had shot her to remove any possible future threat and to warn whoever was behind her.
“We’ll strengthen the security around the noble lady.”
“In cases like today, report directly to me.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Watching Junghyeol respond briskly, Gyeom nodded with a slightly troubled expression.
This, too, was for Danseol.
‘This is not for her—it’s for me.’
The image of her pale, trembling face kept lingering, but Gyeom justified his actions for a different reason: if the bait—Danseol—was threatened, his whole plan could be derailed.
“By the way, I’d like to hear why you came to find me.”
Gyeom deliberately pushed thoughts of Danseol aside and asked. Junghyeol straightened, lowered his voice, and reported.
“Movements along the southern border—where we are at war with Yuldo—are not normal.”
After that day, nothing else happened. It was so peaceful it felt strange.
‘…Could it be because of him? No, that can’t be.’
Danseol shook her head at the fleeting thought that the calm had come because of Gyeom. The cold-blooded man would not have acted for her sake.
“You who live but do not die—this is the price you pay.”
Besides, he was someone who’d wanted her to die in suffering.
So she convinced herself the emperor would not move for her.
‘Anyway, I must focus on what I have to do.’
There was no time to waste on needless thoughts.
Danseol lifted her head and looked up at the signboard of Taeuigam.
Today was her first day visiting Taeuigam to receive instruction from Taeseorang.
Of course, her real purpose was elsewhere.
“Have you come?”
“Ah, Counselor Tae.”
Danseol greeted the seorang who had come to meet her.
“You must have traveled far. Please forgive me for not coming to Chwiyuljeon to receive you.”
“Not at all. Walking here brought back old memories; the journey was not tedious.”
“I appreciate your kind words. Please come in.”
“Before that…”
Danseol stopped the seorang who was guiding her into Taeuigam.
“I’d like to take a look around the herbal storage. Could you show me?”
Danseol’s true reason for visiting Taeuigam was this.
If a concubine entered the herb storeroom, it might raise suspicion. But by coming under the pretext of studying with the seorang, she could avoid that suspicion.
“Of course. Follow me.”
The seorang gladly led the way.
‘Now I only need to get what I want.’
Danseol’s heart pounded as she followed behind the seorang. If she could obtain the deadly poisonous herb that could kill a person instantly, she could kill Gyeom.
No—she had to kill him.
For her parents who had died unjustly.
And for Seolhwa-guk.
‘Why do I feel so uneasy?’
Gyeom’s face came unbidden to mind and made a corner of her chest feel uncomfortable.
