Jang Eun Sook sat on the floor of her chambers, the morning sunlight slipping quietly through the paper windows. She was not fully dressed yet, only in her white under-robe, soft and thin, as though she had just rolled out of bed. Her long black hair, reaching all the way down to her waist, hung loose and untouched by any comb or ribbon. She looked calm, but the small dagger in her hand told a different story.
It wasn't just any dagger, it was the same rose hairpin she had used to kill Lord Jo. She turned it slowly between her fingers, again and again, her eyes focused on nothing in particular. Her face was quiet, but her mind was sharp and busy.
A tray of snacks clinked lightly as Na Bi came in. She placed it in front of Eun Sook and knelt beside her.
"I brought some honey rice cakes, some fresh peaches and warm tea," Na Bi said softly, pushing the tray closer. "You didn't eat much yesterday."
Eun Sook didn't even look at the tray. She kept turning the dagger in her hand.
Na Bi reached for a rice cake and held it out. "Just eat one, my lady. Please?"
"I'm not hungry," Eun Sook said flatly, still not looking up.
Na Bi sighed and lowered her hand. "You didn't sleep either. You haven't said a word since we came back from the palace."
Eun Sook said nothing. Her fingers paused on the dagger for a second, then started turning it again.
"People are still talking about you, my lady," Na Bi said softly. "They haven't stopped since the banquet. The whole capital is full of stories. They say you're arrogant, mad, and rude. That you don't bow properly. That you act like everyone else is beneath you."
Eun Sook didn't reply.
Na Bi kept going. "They also say... you only listen to Madam Han. That you might not even be Lord Jang's real daughter. Some even say you're the child of Madam Han and Lord Jang... and that's why you don't care for the rest of the family."
Still, not a word from Eun Sook.
"They even call you cursed," Na Bi whispered. "They say you were sickly as a child, couldn't walk for years... maybe even crippled. That you were ugly too. And now they say you're dangerous. Twenty-four and still unmarried... they think it's because something's wrong with you."
Eun Sook just looked at her dagger, the rose shape catching the light, cold and still.
A servant appeared at the doorway, bowing quickly. "A letter from Madam Han, my lady."
Na Bi stood and collected the letter, handing it to Eun Sook. She opened it slowly and read each line, her expression never changing. But her grip on the dagger grew firmer.
She passed the letter to Na Bi without a word.
Na Bi read through it with a frown. "So it's the Magistrate Head, Lord Baek. He sleeps with a lantern on? Scared of the dark?"
Eun Sook finally spoke, her voice quiet and steady. "Yes. And he returns home at night. Alone."
Na Bi looked worried. "He's well guarded. You'll need to be careful."
Eun Sook stood up slowly. Her white under-robe flowed around her legs, soft against her skin. Her long black hair followed her every step.
"Bring me my sword," she said.
---
The Magistrate Office
At the Magistrate Office, things were busy as always. The large front hall buzzed with officials moving from one table to another, writing records, signing reports, and reading scrolls. Servants came in and out with trays and papers, and the steady sound of brushes on parchment filled the room.
Seo Jin sat at his table, going through some paperwork. But even here, the talk about Jang Eun Sook had reached the ears of some officers.
"Did you hear she almost stabbed someone at the princess's banquet?" one clerk whispered.
"Yeah," another said. "And they say she didn't even bow to the princess. Just stood there like she owned the place."
"A real crazy woman, I hear," the first one added.
Seo Jin tried not to care. He didn't enjoy gossip, and he never took part in it. But Jang Eun Sook was stuck in his mind, whether he liked it or not.
He remembered her dancing. Not the movements or the music, but her eyes. Cold and empty like she didn't feel a thing. Not happiness. Not pain. Just nothing.
And yet, it had made her hard to forget.
Who was she, really?
Before he could think further, an assistant called him. "Officer Seo, the Magistrate Head wants to see you."
He got up and followed the man to Lord Baek's private room.
Lord Baek sat behind a large wooden table, rubbing his forehead. He looked tired, his eyes sunken and his voice low.
"Any findings on Lord Jo's and Lord Hwang's deaths?" Lord Baek asked.
Seo Jin bowed. "None solid. But I looked into other noble deaths from the past few years. There's a strange pattern. A few of them died in odd ways. Some say a woman was seen leaving the scene right before their death. All rumours, but the stories are alike."
Lord Baek's face tightened. "Lord Hwang was killed by a gisaeng, wasn't he?"
"Yes, or someone pretending to be one," Seo Jin replied. "And Lord Jo was last seen with a woman called Hye Jin, but the real Hye Jin was already dead when I checked."
Lord Baek shook his head. "Don't bring me gossip, Officer Seo. I want solid proof. Witnesses. Something clear. A woman going around killing nobles? That's just talk. In Goryeo, women don't train for battle. So prove it or don't bring it."
Seo Jin nodded quietly.
Lord Baek sighed again. "Still… check with the families of the dead nobles. See if there's anything strange. Report back by evening."
"Yes, my lord."
Lord Baek leaned back in his chair. His fingers tapped on the table for a moment before he muttered, "I don't care what they say… I won't die in the dark like the rest of them."
Seo Jin glanced up. Wondering what strange things Lord Baek was saying.
When Lord Baek noticed him looking, he then bowed once more and left the room, with his thoughts still circling.