Chapter 18
The moment their lips touched was still vivid.
The brush of soft skin, and with it, the first time she had ever felt the warmth of someone who wasn’t herself. An indescribable, intoxicating sensation took over her mind.
She couldn’t move her body, and a desperate moan lingered in her mouth.
The lingering sweetness from that brief touch—when their lips had barely met before parting again—was so irresistible that she unconsciously sought the other person once more. It was a strange, subtle feeling she had never experienced before, one that seemed to seize her entire being.
Again…
Could she feel that moment once more?
“A wedding?”
“Yes. If we run away like this, people are bound to get suspicious. I think I see a village nearby, so we should hurry and get married there. You’ll help me, right?”
Not long after fleeing from her wedding procession, the runaway bride held a rushed ceremony with the palanquin bearer who had escaped with her.
On the surface, it was to throw off any pursuers who might still be chasing her. But in truth, she couldn’t deny there had been another motive.
“With this, the two of you are now bound as husband and wife. May you grow old together in harmony.”
That was only a few hours ago—spoken by the village chief who had happily officiated the wedding.
Seung-eon calmed her steadily beating heart and looked straight ahead.
“A-ah, my lady…”
The palanquin bearer, who was pretending to be her groom to help her, looked visibly troubled.
He inched closer with eyes full of curiosity, but ended up backed into the corner of the room by Seung-eon. He was sweating nervously, clearly trying to avoid her.
Cute.
When was the last time she’d felt this kind of ticklish, fluttery emotion toward a man?
The way he fidgeted, unable to meet her gaze, poked at her heart in the strangest way.
I think it’ll be fine.
She didn’t feel that familiar discomfort from even the lightest touch, nor that suffocating pressure she’d experienced in the past from holding hands too long.
This person…
This person might be different.
No matter how close she’d been to someone before, even with the most comfortable relationships, she’d struggled with physical contact beyond a handshake or hug.
But in front of this palanquin bearer, that part of Kang Seung-eon seemed not to exist.
I can do this.
Her heart thumped, and the corners of her lips tingled just looking at him.
A handshake.
A hug.
A short kiss—and maybe even more.
She felt like she could really do it.
The emotions she’d felt in the past rushed into her present self all at once.
Before she could even think further, her body moved on its own, inching toward him.
“Oh my, husband. Is something the matter?”
“…What?”
“Your face is so red.”
Tae-oh, the palanquin bearer, took a deep breath as if to avoid the touch of her hand reaching toward him.
“N-no, nothing’s wrong—”
“It doesn’t seem like nothing. My goodness, look—here, you’re burning up.”
He gulped, unable to exhale the breath he’d been holding, as Seung-eon caught his hand before he could retreat.
She silently looked at the wrist she had trapped in her grasp.
This must be a bug.
Maybe this man in front of her was an unexpected bug in her game playthrough.
Otherwise, how could someone who’d never cared about male characters before make her heart race like this?
If it’s a bug…
Then maybe she could do whatever she wanted.
“M-my lady, please… let me go…”
Even if she’d lost her memories, she must have been thinking the exact same thing—whether in the past or now.
As she listened to his pounding breaths, a dangerously sweet voice reached her ears.
Seung-eon lifted her head.
“Oh my, husband, ‘my lady’? How could you say something so cold?”
“What…?”
“Tonight is our wedding night. Surely you’re not planning to leave your beautiful bride alone, are you?”
The palanquin bearer she called “husband” was truly adorable.
Every time she spoke, he startled and flushed bright red, looking utterly flustered.
Well, it was the Joseon era. That much was natural.
And on top of that, this was someone who had until recently been serving her as a servant—now being so blatantly seduced. No wonder he was overwhelmed.
I should seize this moment.
Like a runaway train, her body moved again, unable to stop.
“Husband.”
“…!”
When he neither ran nor rejected her, Seung-eon climbed onto his lap and gave him a bright smile.
“Shall we consummate our marriage?”
Tae-oh could only open and close his mouth like a goldfish, unable to speak.
Smack.
Seizing the moment, the past Seung-eon leaned down and pressed her lips to his, then pulled away. Tae-oh’s eyes widened even further.
“My goodness, your lips are so soft!”
Her thoughts on the kiss slipped out aloud.
Clearly, her past self had shamelessly enjoyed the situation. She could see him looking up at her, biting his lips.
If she pushed just a little more, she might break him.
Her past self must have thought the same, because her body moved again.
Slide…
“…!”
“Husband, I’m so hot. I think I should take this off.”
“My lady!”
“Oh dear… my shoulder’s showing.”
With clear intent, she loosened her jeogori, baring her shoulder. Tae-oh’s pupils trembled violently.
Seung-eon gave a little shrug, then sighed.
“It’s so warm tonight.”
“….”
“Strange… it feels hot in here. Must be that candle over there.”
“….”
“Husband, if you don’t have the courage for the wedding night, then perhaps we should just blow out that cand—kya!”
She had been glancing toward the candle on the desk when suddenly, her body was lifted off his lap.
In the next instant, she felt her back against the warm ondol floor.
“My lady.”
The candle had been blown out with a single motion, plunging the room into darkness.
In that darkness, the palanquin bearer’s eyes shone sharply as he looked down at her—his earlier fluster completely gone.
“If you keep doing this…”
He whispered.
“…something truly troublesome will happen.”
His voice was thick with suppressed desire.
Seung-eon smiled darkly up at him.
“And I’m asking you to let it happen—ah!”
Before she could finish her sentence, he lunged at her, and she let out the breath she’d been holding.
Ding.
Congratulations! ‘My Lady’ has truly consummated her marriage with ‘Hidden Character no. 928’!
Ding.
STAGE 2 CLEAR!
Ding.
Would you like to proceed to the final challenge, STAGE 3?
There was no time to savor the lingering heat of their wedding night.
As that scorching sensation wrapped around her body, a holographic prompt appeared before her eyes.
Wait—hold on!
We just got started!
They had barely begun—just kissing, undoing clothes, and joining bodies.
Drunk on the scent of his skin and the excitement radiating from him, Seung-eon had been moving with him in sync… she wanted to stay in this moment a little longer.
But it seemed her past self wasn’t interested in lingering.
YES
Her finger moved of its own accord, pressing the selection button instead of “NO” or “STAY.”
The lovely face of the man holding her faded into darkness.
Ding.
A chime signaled the start of something new.
STAGE 3 has begun.
Ding.
STAGE 3: USER has entered ‘Modern Korea.’
Ding.
USER is now Mak-rye, the youngest in the Sales Department—a brand-new intern fresh out of university.
Ding.
Before she could even process the absurd situation, another prompt appeared.
Mak-rye is a struggling office worker, considering quitting due to excessive overtime and constant verbal abuse from her boss.
Find the ‘little joys’ in daily life to soothe your exhausted heart!
…Damn it.
