Night had fallen over the Kang residence.The usual chatter of servants was gone, replaced by the soft rustle of wind through bamboo and the distant croak of frogs by the pond.
For everyone else, it was a peaceful night.For Eun-bi, it was another episode of "How Not to Get Caught Doing Something Stupid in Joseon."
Earlier that evening, she had been tasked with delivering a basket of herbal tea to the study. Simple enough. But somehow, she took a wrong turn and ended up in a corridor she had never seen before.
"Okay… this is definitely not the kitchen," she whispered to herself.The hallway was dark, lined with wooden screens and faint lantern light.
She sighed. "Great. One wrong turn and I'm in a Joseon version of a horror movie."
Just as she turned to leave, she heard it—soft voices from the next room.
Men's voices.Serious. Sharp.
"—if the king learns the letter was copied, it'll be chaos.""And if Kang Jun-yeol refuses to cooperate, we'll make him. The Crown's orders are clear."
Eun-bi froze. Her heart skipped. Copied? The royal letter?
She leaned closer, pressing her ear to the paper wall.Unfortunately, her hairpin snagged on the wooden frame—
CRACK!
The sound echoed in the quiet hall.
Inside, the voices went silent.
"Oh no. Nope. Not today," Eun-bi hissed, yanking her hairpin free and darting behind a pillar.
Footsteps approached the door.
"Who's there?"
She held her breath.A shadow stretched across the floor, inching closer.
Before the door could open, another voice interrupted—low and familiar.
"Enough. I'll handle it."
The footsteps stopped. The others retreated.
The door slid open—and there he was.
Kang Jun-yeol.
Standing tall in his black robe, his expression unreadable, his gaze falling directly on her half-hidden figure.
"…You again."
Eun-bi straightened awkwardly. "Fancy meeting you here. Uh... night patrol?"
He exhaled slowly, eyes narrowing. "You were eavesdropping."
"What? No! I was… um… doing a sound check! For security reasons. Making sure... the walls are thick enough?"
Jun-yeol stared at her, completely unamused.
"Fine!" she whispered. "I got lost! Again! You really need to install maps in this place."
For a second, he almost smiled. Almost.
Then, his tone softened just slightly. "What did you hear?"
Eun-bi hesitated. "Something about a letter... and the king. But don't worry, I have a strict 'no spoilers' policy."
His gaze lingered on her, measuring. "Forget what you heard."
"Already done," she said quickly. "My memory is like a goldfish."
He stepped closer, his voice low. "You need to be careful. Not everyone in this house can be trusted."
Eun-bi blinked. "Wait... are you warning me?"
"I'm warning you not to get caught again," he replied coolly. "Because next time, I won't be the one who finds you."
She opened her mouth to argue—but he was already gone, the faint scent of sandalwood lingering in the air.
Later, in her small room, Eun-bi sat hugging her knees.Her mind replayed his words over and over.
Not everyone in this house can be trusted.
"Well, that's comforting," she muttered. "Can't trust anyone, can't sleep peacefully, and the boss keeps catching me sneaking around. Classic me."
Then she added under her breath,"Still... why does his warning sound more like he's actually worried?"
She shook her head. "Nope. Don't overthink it. He's just... allergic to chaos. And I'm the walking embodiment of it."
Meanwhile, in the study, Kang Jun-yeol stood alone by the candlelight, his expression dark.The words from earlier echoed in his head: 'If the king learns the letter was copied…'
He clenched his jaw.
Outside, from the shadows, Oh Hwa-jin watched him through a half-open screen, eyes glinting like a cat's.
"So even he's keeping secrets now," she murmured. "And that maid… she keeps showing up where she shouldn't."
Her fan snapped shut with a quiet click.
"I'll find out what you're hiding, Jun-yeol—and what that girl really is."