Chapter 12: The First Encounter

In his past life, the day Ahnok left his hometown was a mild one, with a warm light softly illuminating all of creation. Leaving the lands of Baekya-bu for the first time, he had been utterly exhausted during the nearly fifteen-day journey by carriage.

The long trek, something he had never experienced before, was grueling enough, but there was also an issue with the carriage the Queen of Baekya had “generously” provided. While its exterior looked decent—well-decorated, even—its durability was sorely lacking. Whenever the horses picked up speed at the driver’s whip, the carriage would shake mercilessly, leaving Ahnok to suffer from chronic back pain throughout the journey.

He didn’t even have the energy to take in the bustling splendor of the capital, a place whose sheer population was a world apart from Baekya-bu. Even in the wealthy districts of the capital, where the residences of royalty and high-ranking officials lined the streets, the roads were surprisingly quiet—so much so that hardly anyone noticed the youth, barely twenty years old, stepping out of the carriage while rubbing his stiff lower back.

It was only when he saw the plaque of the Prince of Myeong’s residence, written in elegant calligraphy, that the reality of why he had come here truly sank in.

During the long ride, he had found it impossible to push aside thoughts of the wedding. The frantic funeral of Chusan, the cold words Nan-seok had spoken, and the humiliations he had endured at the Baekya residence all flickered through his mind. But his greatest worry was the marriage itself.

When he lived with Chusan, he had rarely thought of marriage. If anything, it was Chusan who brought it up more often.

—Once you marry, you will have a family of your own. You are an Eumin, so if you marry a Yang-in and have children to form a happy household, I will have nothing left to wish for.

Chusan often spoke as if he were not Ahnok’s “true” family, which would leave the boy feeling deeply slighted. He would lean into the old man like a child and say, “I’m going to live with you forever, Chusan,” but the white-haired elder would only smile kindly and stroke Ahnok’s cheek.

Having lost Chusan—the shadow he had relied on his entire life—Ahnok was submerged in a sense of loss so profound he couldn’t fully process it. Chusan was the only family he had ever known.

After presenting his credentials and waiting for a short while, the side gate of the massive residence opened. A middle-aged court lady wearing a dark navy official robe emerged. Her back was straight, and her measured steps exuded a refined dignity.

She stopped in front of Ahnok, who had been standing there blankly staring at the residence’s nameplate.

“—Are you Master Ahnok from Baekya-bu? I am Lady Lee, the Head Maid serving His Highness, the Prince of Myeong.”

She was significantly different from any servant he had seen at the King of Baekya’s house. Even though she was “only” a lady-in-waiting, she possessed a grace and status Ahnok had never encountered.

Lady Lee found herself staring at the youthful face before her. Clad in pale blue, the boy reminded her of a forget-me-not blooming at dawn—perhaps it was the color of his clothes, or perhaps it was something else. Looking into his moist eyes, which seemed to strike a sorrowful chord in one’s heart, Lady Lee quickly and naturally lowered her gaze.

No matter how young or ignorant of the world he seemed, he was the man who would soon become her master’s primary consort. She could not afford such a lapse in etiquette.

“—For the time being, you will reside in the annex while you learn the imperial protocols.”

Lady Lee led the way into the residence, continuing her explanation.

“—There is not much time left until the wedding, so any protocols you have not mastered by then will be taught by the training lady and the eunuchs who will assist you afterward.”

As they walked and she briefly outlined the schedule leading up to the wedding, they arrived at the annex. Lady Lee turned back. Ahnok was staring silently at the quiet building, his expression noticeably tense.

“—This is Lady Jo. She will assist you personally and serve as your instructor in the details of imperial etiquette.”

At the sound of voices in the courtyard, a woman finally revealed herself. Like Lady Lee, she wore a dark navy court outfit. Lady Jo, introduced as the instructor, bowed her head in a silent, expressionless greeting.

Unused to being treated with such deference or receiving such a formal greeting, Ahnok bowed back in return.

“I… look forward to your help.”

It was his first greeting, but his tongue felt tied by awkwardness and nerves, causing the words to come out in a slurred, hesitant murmur.

Lady Jo’s eyebrows shot up.

“—Do not bow your head to subordinates, nor use formal honorifics toward them.”

Ahnok instinctively recoiled at her cold tone and the aggressive, almost wary atmosphere she projected. Lady Lee glanced between Lady Jo and Ahnok before clearing her throat.

“—He must be exhausted from the long journey. It is best he recovers from his travel fatigue first. Lady Jo, let us begin the lessons tomorrow. For now, show Master Ahnok inside.”

Lady Jo, who had been staring sharply at Ahnok, gave a single nod. Lady Lee offered a parting bow and disappeared, leaving Ahnok to awkwardly follow Lady Jo inside.

He had thought the place he stayed in at the Baekya residence was luxurious compared to his thatched hut, but the annex of the Prince of Myeong’s residence was on a completely different level.

“—You will move to the inner quarters after the wedding, but you shall stay here for the time being.”

It was meant as a temporary residence, yet it was exquisitely decorated. Every item in the room felt consistently elegant without being overtly ostentatious.

Resting, however, was not an easy task. Lady Jo stood in the corner of the room as if keeping watch, and Ahnok sat uncomfortably, fidgeting with his fingers.

About an hour later, a maid hurried in, bowed to Ahnok, and delivered a message to Lady Jo.

“—His Highness has returned home.”

At those words, Ahnok’s eyes snapped open. The person referred to as “His Highness” here could only be the Prince of Myeong.

The Third Prince of Great Jin, the Prince of Myeong. The man who would be his spouse.

The man who would become his… family.

At that thought, the anxiety that had been wrapping around his ankles like a thorny vine since Chusan’s funeral seemed to slowly unravel.

As he walked calmly behind the intimidating Lady Jo, Ahnok felt a flutter of relief—like sleet falling on frozen winter ground—settling over the tension in his heart.

The main building was far larger than the annex. As he waited in front of the sturdy-looking structure, a middle-aged man wearing a dark navy robe—similar to Lady Lee’s but slightly different in shape—approached and bowed.

“—I offer my greetings to Master Ahnok. I am Eunuch Seok, servant to His Highness, the Prince of Myeong.”

Ahnok wanted to return the greeting, but remembering Lady Jo’s earlier command not to use honorifics, he simply twitched his lips before pressing them firmly together. He started to bow his head out of habit, but under the piercing gaze from his side, he ultimately did nothing but offer a stiff nod.

It was unclear how Eunuch Seok interpreted this, but with an expressionless face, he gestured for Ahnok to follow him.

As they passed through layer after layer of doors, Ahnok felt as if he were walking a tightrope between nervousness and a strange sense of excitement. The desire to see his future husband and the wish to postpone this first meeting coexisted in a bizarre balance. Finally, Eunuch Seok stopped. The last remaining door was opened.

Thrown into the situation so suddenly, Ahnok’s eyes darted around frantically. He caught Eunuch Seok’s eye, which clearly telegraphed a sense of urgency, as if asking why he wasn’t going in.

Before he could stammer out a question about whether he was allowed to enter, he saw Seok’s brow furrow slightly. Ahnok panicked and hurried his steps.

The thought that he might trip barely had time to register before his feet tangled—a disaster he hadn’t foreseen. Just as his body began to lurch forward, a pair of strong arms caught him.

“—…!”