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Chapter 22
“Bongbong. Someone’s here to see you.”
Oh! Is it His Majesty?
“Meow—”
…Geumdeok, it’s you again.
“Bongbong. Someone came looking for you.”
At last, His Majesty—
“Myaooong!”
…You again.
The king I was waiting for never came, and for several days it was only Geumdeok visiting me every single day.
My arms are going to fall off from playing with Geumdeok all day.
One day, while seriously considering whether I should demand extra wages…
At last, an invitation from the king arrived!
The person who came to escort me to Huijeongdang was a court lady from the royal palace with an extremely stern appearance.
“His Majesty commands that the child be brought immediately. There is no time, so inform Lady Hui Bin properly.”
It was a completely one-sided order, yet Court Lady Han could not utter a single complaint and sent me away.
So this is the power of authority.
Sneaking glances around, I quietly followed after the head court lady.
“There is no need to be nervous, child.”
“Ye… yes, Mama-nim.”
Unexpectedly, despite her frightening appearance, the court lady was very kind.
She even offered to carry me all the way to Changdeok Palace on her back, but I politely declined.
By now, Hui Bin must have heard that I was summoned by the king.
The visit from the palace court lady must have thrown Chwiseondang into an uproar, and once I returned, I would surely be bombarded with questions.
Naturally, I was worried, but…
Wow!
The moment I stepped into the inner grounds of Changdeok Palace, I forgot all about Chwiseondang.
The densely packed halls that could not even be compared to those of Changgyeong Palace, the magnificent old trees standing everywhere.
Huijeongdang stood at the center of it all.
I can’t believe I’m walking inside Huijeongdang.
The beautifully decorated corridors and dancheong paintings were impressive, but above all, the atmosphere there was completely different.
Having grown accustomed to warm and familiar daily life with simple palace maids, the heavy air here felt overwhelming.
The palace attendants did not make even the slightest sound—not footsteps, not even breathing.
Despite the appearance of an unfamiliar little maid, not a single person glanced my way.
On top of that, the dim lighting and dark atmosphere only intensified the pressure.
“Your Majesty. The little court maid Hwangga Bongbong has arrived.”
“Let her enter.”
The king was seated upon the royal throne, waiting for me.
Meow.
Geumdeok, who had been sprawled lazily at the king’s feet, suddenly scampered toward me.
“G-greetings, Y-your Majesty.”
After bowing respectfully to the king and sitting down, Geumdeok hopped right onto my lap.
Thank you, Geumdeok.
I’ll never call you a bratty cat again.
Like a child clutching a teddy bear to calm herself, I held tightly onto Geumdeok and tried to steady my nerves.
I didn’t think I’d be this nervous…
I had been excited simply because I was visiting a historical place.
But the moment I stepped into Huijeongdang, I realized how childish and reckless that thought had been.
The overwhelming aura of the royal hall itself, and the king’s gaze at its center.
It made it hard to breathe.
“Sit comfortably.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
After carefully straightening my posture, I finally managed to look at the king’s face.
His face looked unfamiliar. It was because of the aech’e—his glasses.
The historical record about King Sukjong flashed through my mind.
“The first king to wear spectacles.”
“Was the journey difficult? It is quite far.”
“No, Your Majesty. It did not feel very far.”
“Then again, the place where I first met you was also near the forest, quite some distance from Chwiseondang.”
“I still go to the forest sometimes these days.”
“What is in that forest?”
Thinking back to the scene from a few days ago, when I had been making the little stone grave, I answered.
“There are butterflies, and lots of flowers blooming… and many squirrels and birds too. Sometimes even Geumdeok appears.”
“So that rascal Geumdeok has been returning covered in leaves because he’s been visiting the rear garden. It seems he has made that forest his hunting ground.”
“Then, Your Majesty… would you like to watch me play with Geumdeok?”
I knew the king had summoned me to ask questions.
But first, I wanted to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
“Go ahead.”
The king granted permission.
I pulled out my secret weapon—a ribbon I had received from Seolhyang.
“Geumdeok! Jump, jump!”
Under my dazzling hand movements, Geumdeok soon entered a state of pure ecstasy.
Each time Geumdeok twisted into some strange pose, I could hear the king’s low laughter.
Even so…
He’s watching me again.
The one he mainly looked at was not Geumdeok, but me.
Right then, Geumdeok flopped onto the floor with a tired wheeze.
“We are done playing now. Shall I give this ribbon to Your Majesty?”
“No. What kind of king would wave around ribbons?”
…Yet last time you happily waved around BoomBoomie.
“Instead, Bongbong, come to Huijeongdang from time to time and play with Geumdeok.”
Me?
“…Yes. I shall do so.”
As I’ve said many times before—if the king commands it, then I obey.
Thanks to Geumdeok, the atmosphere had softened considerably.
So I cautiously asked a question.
“But… Your Majesty. Why do you keep looking at me like that?”
“You noticed?”
“Yes.”
There was no way I wouldn’t notice when he stared so openly.
“There are two reasons I look at you. One is because you remind me of old memories, and the other is because you resemble someone.”
“Old memories… what kind?”
“Memories of Onhui.”
Onhui. It was a name I had never heard before.
The expression on the king’s face as he spoke it was gentle and affectionate.
“You, a mere court maid, would not know the name of royalty. Onhui was my younger sister. She was called Princess Myeongan.”
Princess Myeongan…
A faint memory surfaced at the king’s words.
“She was the only one among my sisters who reached adulthood. Though in the end, Onhui also passed away at twenty-one…”
He continued quietly.
“Onhui, like you, loved cats. She spent all day wandering in and out of the royal kitchen feeding stray cats and was often scolded by Queen Myeongseong. Whenever I see you and Geumdeok together, I am reminded of Onhui.”
So the person he said I resembled was Princess Myeongan…?
“I am deeply honored that someone like me could resemble a princess.”
“Hm?”
A faint smile touched the king’s lips.
“It seems you misunderstood me. Your appearance does not resemble Onhui at all. It is only your behavior that reminds me of her. Onhui resembled me greatly.”
I carefully lifted my head to look at him.
His build, bearing, and eyes were majestic like a beast.
If Princess Myeongan resembled Sukjong, then she must have been the fierce predator type too.
I quickly fell into confusion.
Because Hwang Bongbong’s appearance belonged among the weakest of small animals…
Hamster, squirrel, chipmunk…
Anyone could see I belonged in that category.
Gathering my courage, I spoke again.
“Your Majesty. Before, you once told me I resembled someone. If it was not the princess, then whom did you mean?”
It was then that the king slowly rose to his feet.
Step. Step.
The king walked toward me.
Instinctively, I flattened myself to the floor.
He stopped right before me and lowered himself.
Rustle, rustle.
The sound of royal robes brushing together echoed softly.
Then he grabbed my arm.
Why…?
My whole body stiffened instantly.
The suffocating tension left me unable to move.
Then the king slowly rolled up my sleeve to my elbow.
The red mark…!
Only then did I understand.
The plum blossom-shaped mark on my arm.
That was what the king had wanted to confirm.
“You have not forgotten your promise to answer my questions honestly, have you?”
“No, Your Majesty. I have not forgotten.”
“I searched the palace registry for your records. Aside from the name Hwang Bongbong and the fact that you came from Namchon, there was no information.”
He searched my records?
A chill ran down my spine.
“So then, child. Tell me the names of your parents.”
“….”
Naturally, I was speechless.
I do not know my parents’ names. I only learned moments ago that I came from Namchon.
My body trembled for no reason.
“…I see.”
The hand holding my arm withdrew.
“I am not interrogating you. There is simply something I wish to confirm, so calm yourself.”
When I timidly raised my head, he spoke in a gentler tone.
“Tell me. Was your mother’s surname perhaps Cheok (拓)?”
Cheok…?
Could it be the same Cheok clan as General Cheok Jun-gyeong of Goryeo?
As far as I knew, the Cheok clan line had died out in the early Joseon era.
“Forgive me, Your Majesty… but I do not remember the names of my deceased parents.”
“…Deceased? Both your parents?”
“Yes. I am an orphan.”
A heavy silence fell.
A subtle ripple crossed the king’s face.
Pain. Or perhaps…
Sorrow?
“Then you mean you know nothing about your family.”
“Yes. I do not even remember my older brother’s name.”
“You had an older brother?”
“Yes… but he also died.”
The king let out a low murmur.
A distant sigh escaped him.
“I have asked too cruel a question of someone so young. Are you alright?”
“I am fine. It seems important, so I feel sorry for not knowing anything.”
“Important, you say.”
Swoosh.
Suddenly, Sukjong gently stroked my head.
The touch was startlingly affectionate.
“I do not know whether it can truly be called important. But… it is something painful.”
After a low sigh, he added:
“And something I regret.”
