The floor inscribed with letters was visible through the iron bars. Doha frowned and stuck his head through the bars. What on earth are these letters? No matter how much he stared, he couldn’t figure it out, so Doha tilted his head.
♥Spying on Seowoo
The only thing Doha understood was the heart. The heart was as crooked as Eunsung’s lewd mind. Even that seemed unfinished, as if there hadn’t been enough time.
‘Seeing that he had the presence of mind to draw a heart… it doesn’t seem to be an urgent situation.’
There were only two people with enough authority to remove Eunsung from the underground prison without any commotion: Seowoo and Hyunseo. Doha’s eyes glinted sharply.
On the floor he was standing on, two types of footprints were intertwined in different patterns.
‘There are 2 owners of these footprints.’
If it had been Hyunseo, he would have entered the underground prison accompanied by Court Official Park and guard warriors, so he couldn’t have left only two sets of footprints.
‘Then the only one left is Seowoo.’
Judging by the absence of footprints from court ladies or guards, it was clear that someone had snuck into the underground prison secretly. After deducing various situations by looking at the footprints, Doha finally raised his head.
‘He said he’d wait, but both of them…’
Why were there only men around him who didn’t keep their promises? He had always thought he had poor luck with men, but he hadn’t expected that luck to continue even here. Standing up, Doha irritably moved his feet to erase the cipher.
Though he couldn’t decipher what was written, Eunsung was definitely still inside the palace. That was enough for now. Judging by the heart he left, Eunsung was still likely on his side.
♥
Only the heart remained on the floor where the cipher had been erased. Doha stared down at that ugly heart for a long time.
‘Why does this make me feel reassured?’
After completely erasing the cipher and heart, Doha glanced at the cell where Eunsung had been sitting. Seeing the iron bars firmly guarding the cell, he recalled their kiss, and heat rose to his face.
The tongue that had roughly explored his mouth, the hands that had gradually applied more pressure, the way he had gripped the iron bars each time he felt a tingling below…
Feeling his flushed cheeks, Doha touched his lips.
“He’ll come for a suck, I guess.”
Even if he didn’t search for him, Eunsung would find him on his own in three days. He would probably shamelessly say he wanted his lips sucked, presenting that handsome face of his. Because that guy was crazy.
He was a man who gave strange confidence. Though he wasn’t sure if Eunsung was on his side, it was clear that he wanted his lips. Doha removed his hand that had been rubbing his lower lip and walked out of the underground prison. Feeling as if his lips were a bit swollen, he became needlessly embarrassed.
* * *
After changing into the court attendant clothes Seowoo had prepared, Eunsung followed behind him. As if this wasn’t the first time he had secretly left Gyopung Palace, Seowoo seemed accustomed to pretending to be a court attendant. When warriors and court attendants passed by, he stopped in his tracks and lowered his head, and he expertly found the paths used only by court attendants, not their masters.
Watching Seowoo navigate through the maze-like palace, Eunsung clicked his tongue.
‘Anyone would think he grew up as a court attendant from a young age.’
The angle at which he lowered his head, his gait, and even his attire—everything was court attendant-like. In fact, he was more worried about himself standing out and getting caught. Eunsung matched his pace with Seowoo. As if aware that he had deliberately slowed down, Seowoo glanced at Eunsung.
“Don’t draw attention.”
“I’m trying my best to walk like you… but it still shows?”
Do I need to say it? Seowoo looked at Eunsung’s body with an expression of disbelief. His gait was already that of a warrior, not a court attendant. His stride was about twice as wide as Seowoo’s, and unlike court attendants who took small steps, his walking style was too bold.
‘I don’t know where this man came from or what he did, but he’s no ordinary man.’
Seowoo pulled Eunsung’s wrist and sent him behind himself. Though he intended to conceal his gait, it wasn’t very effective due to Eunsung’s height. While the two were bickering, they had already reached Gyopung Palace.
Jinhee, with a pale face, was seen pacing back and forth in front of Gyopung Palace’s entrance, unable to hide her anxiety. Sensing that something had happened, Seowoo quickly called Jinhee’s name.
“Bin Mama!”
Seeing Seowoo who had safely passed through the door, Jinhee whispered. Urgency was felt from her widely opened eyes. She hurriedly ran to Seowoo.
“His Majesty has arrived!”
“His Majesty at this hour?”
“Yes! He ordered you to stay in the palace, if he finds out your bedchamber is empty, what will happen…!”
Oh no. Focused only on leaving the palace, he hadn’t considered that His Majesty might visit the palace. The color gradually drained from Seowoo’s face as well.
“Where is His Majesty now?”
“He has already headed toward your bedchamber.”
There was no secret passage to the room. Since he couldn’t pretend as if he had been in his bedchamber, at this rate, his nighttime outing would be completely discovered. Thinking that surveillance would be strengthened and that he wouldn’t be able to meet the Chief State Councilor, Seowoo felt overwhelmed.
Above all, he didn’t want to displease Hyunseo any further.
Growing anxious, Seowoo unconsciously brought his hand to his mouth. As he bit his nails, looking back at the bedchamber where Hyunseo would be, a hand suddenly emerged from somewhere and stopped Seowoo’s hand.
“Let me give you a solution.”
Eunsung spoke softly, watching Seowoo’s face turning progressively paler. As Seowoo looked at Eunsung with surprised eyes, Eunsung smiled broadly.
“Go to the bathhouse immediately and immerse yourself.”
“Are you crazy?”
The bathhouse? When he was about to be caught for his outside excursion, was Eunsung suggesting that he peacefully take a bath? As if to express his displeasure at such an absurd suggestion, Seowoo slowly closed and opened his eyes.
“Are you in your right mind?”
“You should already know that I’m not in my right mind.”
“So this is why you came along so obediently?”
Seowoo’s eyebrows rose high. It was an expression that appeared whenever something displeased him. Having seen Seowoo’s expression before in the interrogation room, Eunsung hastily added:
“It’s already too late to go to the backyard or bedchamber. His Majesty would have already seen that you’re not there, so there’s no use in lying further; he won’t believe it. In that case, it would be right to suggest a third place.”
“…And that’s the bathhouse?”
“Yes. It’s simple to say you were taking a bath.”
At Eunsung’s words, Seowoo fell into deep thought. Eunsung was right. A place where one couldn’t move despite hearing the news that His Majesty had visited, a place that was neither the backyard nor the bedchamber. A place where court attendants didn’t gather—only the bathhouse fit that description.
“…Prepare water in the bathhouse.”
Though he wasn’t pleased that Eunsung was the one who suggested the idea, it was the best option at the moment. Having made a quick decision, Seowoo spoke to Jinhee.
“And prepare for a bath as well.”
“Yes, Bin Mama. I’ll escort you to the bathhouse.”
Following behind Jinhee, who was leading the way, Seowoo, with an uncomfortable face, glanced at Eunsung. For some reason, Eunsung’s face was filled with a smile, as if something was very amusing.
Incomprehensible guy.
“You, go to the quarters in Gyopung Palace.”
With those final words, Seowoo headed toward the bathhouse without looking back. Watching his back, where a cold wind seemed to blow, Eunsung let out a hollow laugh.
“You brought me along, but now you’re putting me away?”
The night had deepened. As if rain was about to fall, not even stars were visible in the sky, making the darkness thicker than usual. Perhaps it was Eunsung’s mood that was dark.
Following the court attendant guiding him to his quarters, Eunsung thought of Doha. He painted that white face, which had offered its lips through the iron bars, in the darkness.
“I wonder if he solved the cipher I left.”
He just needed to read it backwards. Eunsung thought about the heart he had engraved next to the cipher.
‘He probably puckered those pretty lips as soon as he saw it.’
Imagining Doha’s expression, the corners of his mouth lifted. Not realizing he was smiling broadly, he walked into the inner part of Gyopung Palace.
* * *
“Open it.”
Hyunseo, standing in front of Seowoo’s bedchamber, spoke. At his words, the court attendant guarding the door trembled. Though they knew Seowoo wasn’t there, they couldn’t just open the door. Seeing the suspicious-looking court attendant, Hyunseo himself reached for the door.
“Or I’ll open it myself.”
The door to the bedchamber was forcefully pushed open. Inside, neither silk blankets, pillows, nor Seowoo were visible. Only the cold floor, with no trace of human warmth, remained. Seeing the room that seemed to have been vacant for a long time, Hyunseo’s face hardened.
“It seems my orders are not taken seriously.”
He walked along the long corridor again, pushing open each door one by one. Each time a door opened, the wooden doorframe made a scraping sound against the floor. Court attendants inhaled sharply at that chilling sound.
‘Where on earth is Bin Mama, and what is he doing…!’
If it was revealed that Seowoo had left the palace, they wouldn’t remain unharmed either. The court attendants trembled at the impending death.
Finally, after pushing open the last door, Hyunseo turned to look at the court attendants with a fearsome face. His aura was so intimidating that everyone lowered their heads and stared only at his feet.
“Where is the Noble Consort?”
“…”
“I asked where your master is.”
No one dared to report that their master had left Gyopung Palace and still hadn’t returned. If they did, their heads would surely fly.
As if by agreement, the court attendants’ lips remained tightly closed. Seeing them tremble in fear yet refusing to speak, Hyunseo gave a hollow laugh.
“Are you all also trusting the Chief State Councilor?”
A low voice echoed through the corridor. It was extremely impudent for them to keep their mouths shut when they surely knew their master’s whereabouts. Hyunseo’s right eyebrow rose high.
“Or do you find me funny?”
If it’s funny, you should be prepared to offer your life. Looking at the group of court attendants all wearing the same green clothes, Hyunseo drew a sword from a guard’s waist.
“Your Majesty!”
At that moment, the corridor door opened with the sound of running footsteps. It was Jinhee, Seowoo’s court lady.
“Huff, Bin Mama is… huff, at the bathhouse!”
Prostrated flat in the corridor, she reported Seowoo’s whereabouts. Only then did color return to the frozen faces of the court attendants. They were saved. Everyone focused on Jinhee’s lips, which would save them.
“I am, I am sorry, but Bin Mama entered the bathhouse and didn’t hear the news that Your Majesty had visited. It is my disloyalty, so please do not be angry!”
She spoke while deeply lowering her head. In front of Jinhee, who had lowered her head, Hyunseo’s socks appeared. They were pure white socks without a speck of dirt. The slowly moving socks had already reached right in front of Jinhee’s eyes.
“It is your fault…”
Hyunseo, having heard Jinhee’s excuse, prolonged the end of his words. The previous anger had disappeared, and only a kind smile was vividly present on his face. With an untimely smiling face, Hyunseo opened his mouth.
“Then you would have nothing to say even if you died.”
He drew the sword in an instant. The blade gleamed coldly. As the long blade touched her neck, she trembled slightly.
“While someone injured their leg and can’t even walk properly, someone else is peacefully taking a bath…”
The sword dug into the inner part of her neck. It was a small movement, but a diagonal wound appeared in an instant. Bright red drops of blood from the wound flowed along the blade.
As if wiping something dirty, Hyunseo rubbed her neck with the back of the sword. Thick blood stretched between her neck and the blade. The court attendants who witnessed this held their breath.
“Then it would be fair if I broke your master’s leg.”
As if unable to hide his joy, Hyunseo burst into laughter. A loud laugh echoed throughout the corridor. Withdrawing the blue blade, Hyunseo’s eyes gleamed.
“Let’s go. To your master who doesn’t acknowledge when her husband comes.”
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
