A taste of the throne

Chapter Six — Dawn Judgment

Daybreak came quietly.

Soft pale light seeped through the narrow prison windows and touched the cold stone floor where Minsoo had spent another sleepless night.

She had barely slept.

Every sound inside the palace felt like a warning.

Every distant step in the corridors made her body tense.

Beside her, Miso was still asleep, curled tightly against the prison wall as if trying to hide from the world itself.

Minsoo watched her silently.

I will protect you, she thought again.

That promise had become something she carried inside her chest like a fragile flame.

But promises meant little inside a palace ruled by power.

The heavy prison door suddenly creaked open.

Minsoo’s body stiffened immediately.

Two guards entered.

“Minsoo,” one of them said coldly.

“The king has summoned you.”

Her stomach tightened.

She slowly turned to Miso and gently touched her shoulder to wake her.

“Miso… stay strong,” she whispered.

Miso woke immediately, fear already visible in her eyes.

“Where are they taking you?” Miso asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” Minsoo said honestly.

She forced a small smile.

“I will come back.”

The guards pulled her up roughly.

She did not resist.

Resistance only brought punishment.

They escorted her through long palace corridors.

Servants lowered their heads as she passed.

Whispers followed her like ghosts.

“The witch…”

“The king’s strange interest…”

Minsoo kept her gaze forward.

She would not show fear.

Finally, the throne hall doors opened.

She stepped inside and immediately fell to her knees.

She bowed deeply.

Her forehead almost touched the cold polished floor.

Silence filled the hall.

The king watched her quietly.

Then he stood.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Minsoo’s heart began beating heavily inside her chest.

The air felt suffocating.

Slowly… carefully… she moved forward.

Then she fell to her feet immediately and bowed deeply.

The king watched her silently.

Then he moved.

Slowly.

He walked toward her and stopped directly in front of her bowed figure.

He reached down.

Then slowly drew his sword.

The sound of metal sliding from its sheath echoed loudly inside the hall.

Minsoo’s body stiffened, but she did not move.

She did not scream.

She did not run.

She stayed kneeling.

The king spoke.

“This woman,” he said slowly, voice echoing through the hall,

“made me a meal yesterday that made me lose control of myself.”

He paused.

The hall was completely silent.

“Because of that,” he continued,

“she will be punished.”

Minsoo closed her eyes.

Her fingers tightened slightly against her sleeves.

The king raised his sword slowly above her head.

Time felt slower.

He was not rushing.

He wanted her to feel it.

The weight of authority.

The weight of survival.

Then—

The sword suddenly fell.

But it did not pierce her.

Instead, the king struck the ground beside her.

The sound of metal hitting stone echoed violently through the hall.

Minsoo’s breath caught sharply inside her chest.

The king turned away slightly.

“You should be grateful I did not kill you,” he said coldly.

Minsoo did not speak immediately.

Her heart was still racing.

Finally, she spoke quietly.

“Thank you… Your Majesty.”

The king studied her for a long moment.

Then sheathed his sword.

“You will not cook for others,” he said again.

“Only for me.”

His voice was final.

Absolute.

Then he spoke again.

“From now henceforth, you will be the Head Palace Chef.”

Shock spread instantly through the hall.

Minsoo’s eyes widened slightly, though she did not raise her head.

The elders behind the throne immediately began to murmur in outrage.

“My King!” one of the elders stepped forward.

“How can a woman be appointed as Head Chef of the palace kitchen?”

“Unprecedented!” another elder said angrily.

“This will disgrace royal tradition!”

The hall filled with whispers of protest.

The king turned slowly.

His gaze was cold.

Dangerous.

“Silence,” he said.

The single word was enough to freeze every voice inside the hall.

“My decision is final,” he continued calmly.

“She will serve as Head Palace Chef.”

No one dared speak again.

The authority in his voice left no room for argument.

He turned his attention back to Minsoo.

“Do not disappoint me,” he said quietly.

Then he raised his hand.

“Take her back to the palace kitchen quarters.”

The guards immediately approached and escorted Minsoo out of the throne hall.

As she walked through the palace corridors, exhaustion settled inside her bones.

Head Palace Chef.

Not freedom.

But power inside captivity.

And in this palace, power was sometimes the only form of protection she would ever have.

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