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Chapter 24
“What is going on here?”
The atmosphere shifted instantly with Sukbin’s arrival.
I had already met Sukbin once before.
The Sukbin I remembered was someone who hid a cold, calculating nature behind an elegant face.
And now, another certainty was added.
‘Sukbin must be terrifying.’
From the very moment she appeared, the court ladies of Bogyeongdang had begun trembling like leaves in the wind.
As if recognizing me, Sukbin tilted her head slightly.
“Isn’t this the little court maid from Chwiseondang? Was your name Bongbong?”
She was sharp, too.
After all, she remembered my name from a brief encounter that day.
“So then… were you all bullying this child court maid?”
“N-no, we weren’t bullying her. We just saw a child maid we didn’t recognize passing by, and she was s-so cute…”
Before the excuse could even finish, Sukbin exploded in anger.
“How dare you insult those above you? Explain yourselves. Why are you holding a cane?”
“Th-that is…”
The court maid stammered helplessly.
“Um, Sukbin mama.”
Calm down. Stay calm.
Trying hard to steady myself, I spoke.
“May I say something?”
“…Speak.”
Her eyes narrowed. Her gaze swept over me sharply, as if piercing through me.
“I failed to greet the court ladies immediately when I saw them. I didn’t mean to do so on purpose, but that was certainly my fault.”
I tried to speak as clearly as possible while looking directly at Sukbin.
“But the court ladies insulted Chwiseondang and my mistress, Mama Seolhyang, for no reason. Then they even brought out a cane and tried to hit me.”
For the record, I was extremely angry.
Something similar had happened before.
Back when I’d encountered those ten-year-old court maids near the western side of Chwiseondang.
I’d been upset hearing them insult my mistress, but I hadn’t dwelled on it afterward.
They had been rude, but they were still children.
This time was different.
The attendants of Bogyeongdang were fully grown adults, while I was only a four-year-old child.
Four adults cornering a child—threatening her, intimidating her, trying to beat her—
It was utterly vile and despicable.
“Ha…”
A low sigh escaped Sukbin’s lips.
“I have no excuse. This is clearly my attendants’ fault.”
That was unexpected.
I hadn’t imagined Sukbin would admit fault so readily.
“What would ease your heart?”
At her question, I answered without hesitation.
“How could a mere maid from Chwiseondang interfere in the affairs of Bogyeongdang? However, I do wish to receive an apology for insulting Mama Seolhyang.”
“…”
The way Sukbin looked at me became strange.
At her subtle signal, the court maid who had been holding the cane slowly approached me.
“S-sorry… I insulted Seolhyang because she insulted me before…”
“That has nothing to do with what happened today. I want a proper apology.”
“…I was wrong. I sincerely apologize.”
The maid ground her teeth together.
I could hear the grinding clearly, but she must have expected resentment like this from the start.
“I accept your apology.”
I looked at Sukbin.
“Then I shall take my leave—”
Just as I thought to leave—
“Then now, punishment shall be carried out according to Bogyeongdang’s methods.”
Sukbin snatched the cane from the maid’s hand.
“Hold out your hands.”
At Sukbin’s firm command, the court ladies obediently stretched out their palms without resistance.
Whoosh!
Crack!
The cane lashed through the air like a whip and struck the maid’s palm.
But Sukbin did not stop after one strike.
Swish—
The sound of the cane cutting through the air was followed by the sickening noise of flesh being torn apart.
“You could not restrain a petty personal grudge and caused this disaster?”
“We were wrong, Mama!”
“You knew you were wrong, and yet you dared disgrace the name of Bogyeongdang?”
Crack! Crack!
Unable to endure the pain, the court ladies burst into tears.
Their palms had already become bloodied messes.
…This had gone too far.
The brutal beating that tore their skin apart was horrifying enough, but even worse was Sukbin’s attitude—
As though she were deliberately displaying the punishment for my benefit.
After what felt like forever, the beating finally ended.
The court ladies retreated into Bogyeongdang sobbing.
I too, standing frozen amidst the bloody scene, bowed deeply to Sukbin.
“Child. Wait a moment.”
Sukbin looked perfectly calm.
Despite having delivered dozens of blows with all her strength, she wore the same gentle expression as though nothing had happened.
“…Yes, Mama.”
“There is something I wish to ask of you. Will you do it for me?”
A request…?
Sukbin barely knew me.
Why would she ask something of me?
I was suspicious, but honestly, I wasn’t in a position to refuse.
“Please command me.”
“There is a child in your residence named Bokhui, correct?”
“Bokhui? Ah…”
That was her name.
The shorter of the two ten-year-old child maids.
“Please deliver this message to Bokhui.”
Sukbin lowered herself slightly.
Then she leaned close and whispered softly into my ear.
“Full moon day.”
“……”
“If you say that, she will understand.”
I froze instantly.
Full moon day.
Because I understood all too well what those words meant.
But right now, I had to pretend nothing was wrong.
“J-just say that?”
“Yes. Make sure you tell her.”
“Yes, Mama. Then I shall return now.”
I bowed and turned to leave—
Thud.
Sukbin gently gripped my shoulder.
“What I just said is a secret between the two of us. Understood?”
“…Yes, Sukbin Mama.”
I desperately tried to keep my pace slow despite the urge to run away.
My back prickled.
Sukbin was definitely watching me.
At Chwiseondang, “full moon day” carried only one meaning.
The day Sukjeong comes.
Only then did the pieces of the conversation I had accidentally overheard before finally click together.
‘We need to find physical evidence quickly…’
‘If we find proof, we’ll receive a great reward…’
The child maids searching suspiciously around the western side of Chwiseondang—
‘They were following Sukbin’s orders.’
A chill ran through my body.
Because I suddenly remembered once again that it was Sukbin who had reported the “Queen Inhyeon Curse Incident” to King Sukjong.
Which meant…
‘Sukbin knows. She knows there’s something hidden in the western side of Chwiseondang.’
But… how?
Something felt wrong.
Because the shrine had not yet been installed at this point in time.
One horrifying possibility crossed my mind.
That Sukbin knew far more about Chwiseondang’s affairs than expected.
Or—
Even without knowing anything, she might have willingly fabricated accusations to destroy her political enemy.
‘Which is it?’
I couldn’t know yet.
But one thing alone was certain.
Stopping it—
That was now my responsibility.
Dragging my feet, I returned toward Chwiseondang.
My thoughts were a complete mess.
The new side of the King I had encountered at Huijeongdang.
His attitude that hinted my origins might not be ordinary.
And on top of that, the bomb Sukbin had just dropped on me.
I had gone to Changdeok Palace lightly—
Only to return carrying burdens from every direction.
And among them, the most immediate threat was…
‘Bokhui.’
That was the biggest issue.
Little Bokhui.
Given the circumstances, that child maid was undoubtedly Sukbin’s spy.
And if I delivered Sukbin’s message to her…?
‘Wouldn’t that make me a spy too?’
But ignoring the message entirely also felt dangerous.
Sukbin did not seem like someone who would simply let things slide.
‘Her gaze felt like she was testing me, too.’
I briefly considered pretending to forget, taking advantage of the fact that I was only four years old, but—
‘I acted far too clever earlier for that to work.’
This was exactly what it meant to dig your own grave.
Of course, there was another option.
Telling the truth.
About overhearing the child maids’ conversation.
About Sukbin secretly ordering me to tell Bokhui “full moon day.”
If I told everything to Huibin…
‘Huibin won’t stay still.’
Huibin was emotional.
And she absolutely loathed Sukbin.
In other words, even the mere suspicion that Sukbin had planted a spy would be enough to enrage her and completely ruin everything.
‘Think. Use your brain.’
I was so deep in thought, practically tearing my hair out, that I barely noticed someone approaching.
A child maid I recognized came toddling toward me.
The moment she spotted me, she froze awkwardly.
As they say, enemies always meet on narrow bridges.
‘Bokhui. What perfect timing.’
