CHAPTER 10
1580 Words
“You told me about the archery practice before.”
He stared at her.
“But I never gave you permission to leave the palace and practice with him or whatsoever”
Hye-in's shoulders dropped.
“I know.”
“No. You don't.”
Seo Jun stepped closer.
“If you understood, I wouldn't have to stand here questioning you.”
Hye-in clenched her hands.
“I said I was sorry.”
“Sorry doesn't erase what you did.”
She looked away.
Seo Jun's voice remained stern.
“You are a palace maid. Your actions do not affect only you. If something happened to you outside those walls, the palace would be responsible.”
Hye-in remained silent.
“And yet you left without a second thought.”
“I thought I would be fine.”
“That was foolish.”
Hye-in looked up sharply.
“You don't have to insult me.”
“I am not insulting you. I'm telling you the truth.”
Before Hye-in could respond, footsteps approached.
Shadow appeared at the entrance of the courtyard.
He immediately bowed.
“Your Royal Highness.”
Seo Jun's expression changed slightly.
“Shadow.”
Shadow straightened.
“I was looking for Hye-in.”
“She is here.”
Shadow glanced at Hye-in.
Then his eyes fell on the bow in Seo Jun's hand.
“I see.”
Seo Jun held the bow toward him.
“This belongs to you.”
Shadow accepted it.
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
“You lent it to her.”
“Yes.”
“You took her outside the palace.”
Shadow nodded.
“Yes.”
Hye-in quickly stepped forward.
“It was my decision. Don't blame him.”
Seo Jun immediately looked at her.
“Did I ask you to speak?”
Hye-in froze.
“No.”
“Then remain silent.”
Shadow glanced at Hye-in but said nothing.
Seo Jun turned back to him.
“I will not question your reasons for leaving the palace.”
Shadow bowed slightly.
“Thank you.”
“But you should have known better than to take her with you without permission.”
“I accept that.”
“Good.”
Seo Jun's tone remained firm but respectful.
“Then don't repeat it.”
“I won't.”
Seo Jun nodded.
“You may go.”
Shadow bowed.
“Good evening, Your Royal Highness.”
He turned to leave.
Hye-in watched him go.
“Good—”
Seo Jun's voice cut through hers.
“Hye-in.”
She stopped.
“Yes, Your Royal Highness?”
“Are you planning to follow him again?”
Her eyes widened.
“No!”
“Then why are you watching him leave?”
“I was only saying goodbye.”
“Then say it from where you are.”
Hye-in's cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
“Goodbye, Shadow.”
Shadow glanced back and gave a small nod before disappearing.
Seo Jun looked at Hye-in.
“You seem very comfortable with him.”
Hye-in frowned.
“What's wrong with that?”
“Everything, when you forget your position.”
She stared at him.
“My position?”
“You are a personal maid of the Crown Prince.”
His voice was cold.
“You cannot simply leave the palace whenever you please, follow strangers outside, and return whenever you feel like it.”
Hye-in lowered her eyes.
“I understand.”
“I hope you do.”
Seo Jun handed the bow back to Shadow's departing guard.
Then he looked at Hye-in one final time.
“From now on, you will not leave the palace without my permission.”
Hye-in nodded.
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
“And if you disobey me again…”
He paused.
“You will answer for it yourself.”
Hye-in looked up.
“Yes, Your Royal Highness.”
“Now go to the maid's quarters.”
Hye-in bowed.
“Yes.”
She turned and walked away.
Seo Jun watched her go, his expression unreadable.
She is hiding something.
His eyes narrowed.
Hye-in walked quickly toward the maid's quarters, her steps heavier than usual.
Seo Jun's words kept replaying in her mind.
You will answer for it yourself.
She sighed.
“He really didn't have to be that harsh.”
The moment she entered the maid's quarters, she stopped.
So-Hee was standing in the middle of the room with her arms folded, clearly waiting for her.
The moment she saw Hye-in, her eyes widened.
“There you are!”
Hye-in frowned.
“So-Hee?”
“Where have you been?”
“I was with the Crown Prince.”
So-Hee's eyes widened.
“You were with the Crown Prince?”
Hye-in quickly shook her head.
“No, I mean—I came from the Crown Prince's quarters.”
So-Hee stared at her suspiciously.
“Then why do you look like you've just been scolded?”
Hye-in sighed and dropped onto her sleeping mat.
“Because I was.”
So-Hee immediately sat beside her.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing.”
“Hye-in.”
“I didn't do anything terrible.”
“So what happened?”
Hye-in hesitated.
Then she remembered Seo Jun holding Shadow's bow.
“He found out I left the palace.”
So-Hee's mouth fell open.
“You WHAT?”
“Keep your voice down!”
So-Hee immediately lowered her voice.
“You left the palace?”
Hye-in nodded.
“With Shadow.”
So-Hee stared at her.
“You went outside the palace with Shadow?”
“Yes.”
“Without permission?”
Hye-in sighed.
“Yes.”
So-Hee covered her mouth.
“Hye-in!”
“I know!”
“What were you thinking?”
“I wasn't thinking!”
“So I can see.”
Hye-in glared at her.
“You're not helping.”
So-Hee's eyes suddenly moved to Hye-in's sleeve.
“Wait.”
She grabbed her wrist gently.
“What happened here?”
Hye-in looked down at the small scratch.
“Oh. That.”
“That?”
“I fell.”
So-Hee's expression changed.
“Where?”
Hye-in hesitated.
“Outside.”
“So something happened.”
“No.”
“Hye-in.”
“It's nothing.”
So-Hee narrowed her eyes.
“You're hiding something.”
Hye-in quickly pulled her hand away.
“I'm not.”
So-Hee continued staring at her.
Then she noticed the faint smile Hye-in was trying to suppress.
“And why are you smiling?”
Hye-in immediately stopped.
“I am not smiling.”
“You are.”
“No.”
“So what happened outside?”
“Nothing.”
So-Hee leaned closer.
“Did Shadow do something?”
Hye-in's face suddenly warmed.
“No!”
So-Hee's eyes widened.
“Oh.”
Hye-in immediately realized her reaction had given her away.
“It's not what you're thinking.”
“I didn't even say what I was thinking.”
Hye-in became quiet.
So-Hee smiled knowingly.
“You're hiding something.”
Hye-in looked away.
“I just had an interesting day.”
“So you admit something happened?”
“No.”
So-Hee laughed softly.
“Fine. Keep your secrets.”
Hye-in sighed with relief.
Then So-Hee suddenly remembered something.
“Oh! I almost forgot.”
Hye-in looked at her.
“What?”
So-Hee's smile disappeared.
“There is something I need to tell you.”
Hye-in sat up.
“What?”
So-Hee glanced toward the doorway before lowering her voice.
“It’s about the Crown Prince.”
Hye-in frowned.
“What about him?”
“I heard a rumor today.”
“A rumor?”
So-Hee nodded.
“They say the Crown Prince’s marriage to Lady Ju Young may finally be discussed.”
Hye-in's eyes widened.
“His marriage?”
“Yes.”
She lowered her voice.
“But there's a problem.”
“What problem?”
So-Hee leaned closer.
“No one knows whether His Royal Highness will agree.”
Hye-in stared at her.
“Why wouldn't he?”
So-Hee looked around before answering.
“Because before he lost his memory, the Crown Prince was against the marriage.”
Hye-in's expression changed slightly.
“He was?”
“So I've heard.”
So-Hee nodded.
“He reportedly refused several times. The royal family wanted the marriage to proceed, but His Royal Highness wouldn't give his approval.”
Hye-in was quiet.
“Then what happens now?”
“That is exactly what everyone is wondering.”
So-Hee's voice dropped to a whisper.
“His Royal Highness doesn't remember refusing it.”
Hye-in slowly looked at her.
“So…”
“So no one knows what he'll say when the matter is brought before him.”
A silence settled between them.
“He could agree,” So-Hee said.
“Or he could refuse.”
Hye-in frowned.
“And if he refuses again?”
So-Hee gave a small shrug.
“Then the palace will have a much bigger problem than a wedding.”
Hye-in looked toward the closed doorway.
“Has anyone asked him yet?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“They're waiting.”
“For what?”
So-Hee's expression became serious.
“For the right moment.”
Hye-in lowered her gaze.
Somewhere inside the palace, a decision was waiting to be made.
And everyone seemed to be waiting to hear the same answer.
Would Seo Jun choose the marriage he once rejected… or would the Crown Prince he had become make the same decision all over again?
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