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Chapter 2
Among the palace women, Samcheon was one of noble birth.
A court maid’s primary duty was to attend members of the royal family. Menial tasks such as drawing water, washing laundry, and cleaning belonged to the lower-ranking outer servants.
Because Honghwa had abandoned her own responsibilities, all of that work had fallen onto Samcheon.
Entering as shamelessly as ever, Honghwa set the basket on the table and lifted the cloth covering it.
Following her inside with the rag still in hand, Samcheon’s expression hardened.
Princess Gyesan’s rice bowl wasn’t even a quarter full.
“Please give Her Highness a little more to eat. I asked you yesterday too.”
“I said I heard you. I never said I’d bring more.”
Looking down at Samcheon, who barely reached her waist, Honghwa answered with naked contempt.
Samcheon didn’t know every detail of how the palace operated.
But she did know that the funds allocated for Gyesan’s household were far from small.
No matter how little attention the King and Queen paid her, she was still a princess.
Suppressing everything she wanted to say, Samcheon pleaded again.
“Her Highness is still growing.”
“My lady has her reasons. The princess spends all her time training with a sword, doesn’t she? If she keeps building muscle, she’ll become all rough and bulky. That’s why her meals have to be controlled. You should understand that this is all for Princess Gyesan’s own good.”
That was Lady Hae’s excuse for continually reducing Gyesan’s meals.
When Samcheon remained silent, Honghwa continued.
“Though I suppose a noble-born court maid wouldn’t know the first thing about proper discipline. Instead of begging me, why don’t you convince the princess to give up swordsmanship?”
Samcheon clenched the hem of her skirt tightly.
“Oh, stop standing in my way.”
Snorting, Honghwa shoved her aside.
Caught off balance, Samcheon staggered backward and slammed her right elbow against a pillar.
A flash of pain exploded before her eyes, and numbness shot through her arm.
As Honghwa walked out of the room, she quietly giggled.
Every time she bullied Samcheon, a noble-born maid, it filled her with a strange sense of satisfaction.
Honghwa was a commoner.
An outer servant.
The lowest-ranking person in the palace.
She possessed no particular talents, so cleaning and laundry had always been her life’s work.
She had spent her entire life bowing to others.
But after being assigned to Mokseo Palace, she’d finally found someone she could look down on.
She couldn’t openly mistreat Princess Gyesan.
But Samcheon was another matter.
Besides, the foolish maid never reported her treatment because she was always thinking about her mistress.
What an idiot.
Maybe I’ll torment her just a little more.
Just then, her eyes landed on the spot Samcheon had been mopping.
Lady Hae had already said it was fine, so long as she never laid a hand directly on the princess.
In the palace, the King’s favor was power.
As the servant of his favorite consort, Honghwa had nothing to fear.
Stopping just before leaving, she slowly turned around.
“Fine.”
“I’ll be generous.”
“Really?”
Rubbing her aching elbow, Samcheon’s eyes widened.
“For one week, I’ll bring the princess a full bowl at every meal.”
“Thank you.”
Seeing Samcheon smile so brightly, Honghwa’s lips curled upward.
“On one condition.”
“It’s not difficult.”
The joy instantly vanished from Samcheon’s eyes.
“I won’t persuade Her Highness.”
“Oh, it’s nothing like that.”
“It’s much easier.”
“What is it?”
Malice gleamed in Honghwa’s eyes.
“Lick that dirty mop water.”
Samcheon stared blankly at the muddy water left behind from mopping.
“What?”
“Are you deaf?”
“I said lick it.”
“Just one lick, and I’ll keep my promise.”
Humiliation washed over her.
Not because of Honghwa’s disgusting demand.
Because, for the briefest moment…
…she had actually considered doing it.
Disappointed in herself, Samcheon slowly raised her head and met Honghwa’s eyes.
“I won’t do that.”
“So you’re fine with the princess missing meals?”
“If you don’t do as I say, I won’t bring dinner tonight.”
“Don’t do anything you’ll regret later.”
“And if I refuse?”
Honghwa sneered.
Just then—
“Don’t bring it.”
The cold voice made Honghwa whip around.
She froze.
Standing in the courtyard was Gyesan.
She was glaring straight at Honghwa.
Pointing her wooden sword directly at her, Gyesan looked ready to strike if they had been any closer.
Realizing she might actually be beaten, Honghwa stumbled backward.
“I-I really won’t come back!”
The moment she crossed the threshold of Mokseo Palace, Gyesan’s voice sounded behind her.
“You seem to think I’ll stay this age forever.”
Honghwa flinched.
For just an instant, the eyes of Gyesan and Samcheon met hers.
Neither pair of eyes looked like those of children.
Panicking, Honghwa hurriedly slammed the gate shut.
Only after escaping their gazes did she realize she’d been holding her breath.
Was I… scared?
Of those little brats?
The thought irritated her.
She let out an exaggerated scoff and quickened her pace.
The back of her neck prickled, but she ignored it.
Royal blood.
Noble birth.
What did any of that matter?
They were nothing more than children with no one to rely on.
Silence settled over Mokseo Palace after Honghwa left.
Countless unspoken words drifted through the air before fading away.
It was Gyesan who moved first.
Setting down her wooden sword, she stopped in front of Samcheon.
“Since when has Honghwa been treating you like that?”
“…I’m sorry.”
Samcheon answered weakly.
“What did you do wrong that you’re apologizing?”
Seeing Samcheon’s drooping shoulders made Gyesan’s heart ache.
She walked into the room and examined the meager meal.
A rice bowl with more empty space than food.
Soup.
A small dish of soy sauce.
That was the meal Honghwa had brought.
Even worse, Samcheon’s portion consisted of nothing but watery broth with a little rice floating in it.
The table made their intentions obvious.
They wanted Gyesan to abandon the sword.
They had endured this for three seasons.
She barely remembered the summer when her mother died.
Before she realized it, only Samcheon remained by her side.
Autumn and winter had been merciless.
Lady Hae wanted Gyesan to put down her sword.
She wanted her to become like the other princesses.
Play musical instruments.
Embroider lotus flowers onto silk.
Paint elegant pictures.
But Gyesan refused to live according to Lady Hae’s wishes.
She had talent with the sword.
She had worked tirelessly for it.
She couldn’t allow a woman she’d only recently met to dictate her entire life.
Samcheon had supported her decision from the beginning.
She always said she didn’t mind suffering.
That they should endure it together.
One day, Gyesan would reclaim Mokseo Palace, and everything would return to normal.
That determination to endure…
Scattered away with the spring breeze.
When did the sunlight become so warm?
Before they realized it, the lonely life of just the two of them had reached the beginning of spring.
Four years until I come of age…
Four years…
Would Lady Hae truly return Mokseo Palace’s authority then?
Or would she simply keep making excuses and delaying it?
Gyesan looked at Samcheon.
Those once-round, pinchable cheeks had somehow become so gaunt.
Is enduring this really the right answer?
No.
It couldn’t be.
Those people would only grow more brazen.
What had happened moments ago had pushed Gyesan’s patience to its limit.
Before those sparkling eyes, always fixed on her alone, lost their light…
“I need a plan.”
“There has to be a way.”
“A plan?”
Whenever Gyesan caused trouble, Samcheon had always been the one to think of a clever solution.
So this time, Gyesan looked to her maid once again.
“This can’t go on.”
“We’ve endured enough.”
“It’s time to turn everything upside down.”
She looked ready to start a fight that very instant, making Samcheon anxious.
Of course Samcheon had thought about it.
Night after night, while enduring hunger, she had considered countless possibilities.
Some of them were even workable.
But if anything went wrong…
Their situation would become even worse.
The worst possibility…
…was Samcheon being transferred to another palace.
If that happened, she believed she could manage.
Truthfully, almost anywhere would be better than Mokseo Palace.
But Gyesan…
…would be left alone.
The thought tightened painfully in her chest.
Unable to answer, Samcheon pressed her lips together.
Seeing that, Gyesan made her declaration.
“If we can’t think of anything better, I’ll climb onto the roof of Yeonhwa Palace and shout at the top of my lungs.”
“I’ll tell everyone that woman is trying to starve me to death.”
Her lips twitched with restrained fury.
“Have you made up your mind?”
“Yes.”
Once Gyesan had resolved herself, there was only one thing left for Samcheon to do.
Find the answer.
And there was only one person who could resolve this situation.
