Chapter 06
The man’s eyes flashed, like a beast in the dark revealing its presence.
The sharp, murderous aura he gave off made it seem as though he might do something at any moment.
“……”
“……”
Silence fell.
Soa was confused.
It was unsettling enough that Yeonwoo, who could not see spirits, was staring directly at the man. But the fact that the man was now standing beside her was just as disturbing.
If the two of them knew each other, then how did they know each other?
And if the man was not a spirit, then what was he?
Nothing made sense.
Still, she couldn’t just stand there blankly.
Soa stepped between the two men, who were glaring at each other with open hostility.
Then she spoke to the man.
“It’s okay.”
At that moment, Yeonwoo’s gaze wavered.
But Soa failed to notice the change. She focused instead on calming the man.
Though he radiated danger and coldness, she did not think he would harm her again after having saved her once.
“I’ve been friends with His Highness the Crown Prince for a long time. He’s someone I’m grateful to. So please don’t worry. Right now, His Highness is just worried about me.”
“…Worried?”
“Yes. Worried. It means he cares and cherishes me. And Your Highness, this person is the spirit who helped me. He’s probably acting this way because he was glad to see me again.”
Soa glanced at Yeonwoo, silently asking him to let go of her hand.
The moment Yeonwoo tried to pull her away, the man’s eyes hardened, almost like a growl.
It seemed he believed Yeonwoo was trying to interfere with their meeting, and hostility flared.
“We shouldn’t be here. Let’s go.”
Normally, Yeonwoo would have read Soa’s feelings before anyone else and followed her lead. But today, for some reason, he did not listen to her at all.
He even seemed hurt or resentful.
This reaction could not be explained simply by the fact that he recognized the man.
The man, too, was glaring at Yeonwoo.
Though he now understood the meaning of the word “worry,” it seemed to provoke him rather than reassure him.
“I said let’s go.”
“Yeonwoo—no, Your Highness. At least explain why—”
That was when it happened.
The man’s gaze, which had been fixed on one point, suddenly shifted.
At the same time, footsteps approached from afar.
They must not be caught together like this.
Today was the very day Yeonwoo had spoken of appointing a Crown Princess.
If they were discovered now, it would be disastrous.
“Wait—”
Whoosh.
But it was the man who moved first.
In the blink of an eye, he shoved Yeonwoo aside, separating him from Soa, then leapt up and landed on the roof.
“How did you even—!”
Soa forgot, for a moment, that she had believed him to be a spirit. She gestured anxiously, telling him to come down, warning him that it was dangerous.
The man watched her briefly.
Then, as clouds drifted over the moon and darkness settled, he vanished from sight.
“Huh?”
Taking advantage of her confusion, Yeonwoo pulled Soa back against the wall.
“Shh.”
He covered her lips with his hand.
“Did you hear that rumor?”
“A rumor? What rumor?”
“Well… they say strange things have been happening in the palace at night.”
“Strange things?”
“They say palace maids have been disappearing.”
“Disappearing? Where? Are they running away? Why?”
“Tsk, don’t be ridiculous. Where would the king’s women run off to? That’s why it’s strange. It’s not like His Majesty or His Highness would treat women carelessly.”
“Then where are they disappearing to?”
“They say into the pond.”
“The pond?”
“Yes. There’s a water spirit there. They say it lures them away.”
Soa blinked slowly.
There’s a place like that inside the palace?
Water spirits were known to have strong resentment and could easily entice people.
But if a spirit had made so many maids disappear, there was no way Soa wouldn’t have sensed it.
“……”
As if sensing her thoughts, Yeonwoo lifted the hand covering her mouth and gently brushed her cheek.
It was a soft, intimate touch.
The rigid Yeonwoo from moments earlier was gone.
Had he calmed down?
As Soa met his eyes, a loud clang echoed in her ears.
It was the sound signaling the end of the banquet.
“We’ve lost track of time… Let’s return for now.”
The footsteps faded away.
Fortunately, it seemed no one had noticed them.
“……”
“…I should go back now.”
An awkward silence settled between them.
Yeonwoo looked as though he wanted to say something, his lips parting slightly. But Soa had no time.
And Yeonwoo knew that too.
“Soa.”
As she turned to head back to the banquet hall, Yeonwoo called out.
She turned, and he stepped closer.
Before she could react, he pulled her into his arms.
The warmth of his broad chest was unmistakable.
This was the Yeonwoo she knew.
No—he seemed even more tender than usual.
“I’m sorry for startling you. I didn’t mean for that to happen.”
“…It’s okay. You were just worried about me.”
“I’ll protect you. No matter what happens. I will. You.”
Was it because the man had saved her?
Perhaps that fact bothered him.
Yeonwoo cherished her more than anyone, so it may have unsettled him that someone else had protected her.
Maybe calling the man a benefactor so casually in front of him had hurt him.
But was that really all?
Anyone could see that Yeonwoo and the man bore clear hostility toward each other.
It was different from simple wariness toward a stranger.
“Don’t tell anyone about what happened today.”
Yeonwoo repeated the warning several times before letting her go.
Soa nodded, yet she was unsure what exactly he wanted kept secret.
Their meeting?
Or the man’s existence?
***
“Still no news?”
“Oh dear, how many times are you going to ask in a day? At this rate, you’ll really go to the palace yourself.”
“I can’t. You know the competition to choose the Crown Princess will begin soon.”
“I know. And I know that means you can’t go see His Highness. You know all that, so why are you like this? After seeing you come back injured night after night, my heart ached so much. Now that you won’t be doing that anymore, I feel relieved.”
Tap, tap.
As Jeongi laid out the cotton bedding under the warm sunlight, she scolded Soa gently.
Even beneath the cloudless sky, a shadow lingered on Soa’s face.
When Yeonwoo couldn’t sleep because of spirits, he sometimes sent word to her.
Thinking of that, the lack of messages could be considered good news.
But after what happened at the banquet, things didn’t feel so simple.
Yeonwoo was a thoughtful man.
He would know how worried she would be.
And the man was still in the palace.
If the two of them met alone again, there was no telling what might happen.
“If he’s not a spirit… then what is he…?”
There was something undeniably different about him.
He possessed a vitality no spirit should have, and though his movements were incredibly fast, they never looked unnatural.
Yet he wasn’t human either.
His existence felt dreamlike, unreal.
“Soa!”
A voice called out from afar.
It was her father.
As Soa stood and walked over, she saw Chancellor Yun dressed as if preparing to go to the palace.
“You called for me?”
“Get ready to leave.”
“Leave? Weren’t you going to the palace?”
“……”
Chancellor Yun fell silent for a moment.
Seeing his hesitation, Soa regretted asking.
I could’ve just found out later. I worried him for nothing.
“I’ll get ready right away. Don’t worry, Father!”
She spoke brightly and turned to leave.
As Soa hurried off to change, Chancellor Yun stepped away.
A servant sent by the queen bowed to him.
“Have you received the message?”
“We will depart shortly. Go on ahead.”
“Forgive my boldness, but I will accompany you today.”
“I am going to see Her Majesty soon anyway. What is so urgent?”
“There was word that you were to come quietly, without anyone knowing. I will have a palanquin prepared and escort her personally.”
“Then you do not intend to take me along?”
Chancellor Yun clenched his fist, hiding his unease.
The queen had requested a private meeting with his daughter.
And she had asked for it to be done in complete secrecy.
That meant only one thing.
She intended to test Soa.
