Seo Jin stepped out of Lord Baek's office, with his face showing the weariness of the morning. He had spent hours pouring over notes and scrolls, his mind racing with confusion. Thoughts that should have been easy to dismiss had lingered in his head, troubling him. He had heard the rumors about Jang Eun Sook, of course. But he had tried to ignore them, to push them aside, to focus on his duties. Yet, every time he closed his eyes, her face would appear before him. Her cold eyes. The way she spoke at the banquet. It made him uneasy.
He took a deep breath and turned toward his desk. The pile of scrolls was overwhelming, but he wasn't in the mood for looking through them. Still, he started, pushing aside the papers one by one, letting his fingers slide over the ancient parchment as he searched for something. Finally, his hand stopped over the small book he had been using to track the strange deaths in the city over the past year. He flipped through the pages quickly, scanning each case, until he reached the most recent entry—General Nam, a respected and quiet man who had lived a life of peace after his service in the military.
It wasn't long before Seo Jin's eyes widened. The details of the general's death were disturbing. The peaceful warrior had been murdered—his throat slashed, his life ended by some unseen hand.
Seo Jin didn't waste any time. He stood up quickly, grabbing his official robe from the chair beside him. With a sharp motion, he dressed and left the office, mounted on his horse, heading straight for the general's house. His mind was already moving on to the next step. The general's death was part of a pattern that was becoming far too familiar.
The ride to the general's residence felt longer than it should have. By the time Seo Jin arrived, the sun had already reached its peak in the sky. The heat of the midday sun made the air heavy, but Seo Jin barely noticed. His focus was entirely on the task at hand. The general's house was large, but there was an eerie quiet about it. Something felt off, as though the air itself had been stilled in fear.
He didn't bother with formalities. "Gather everyone in the front yard!" he ordered his guards sharply. His voice rang through the courtyard, and soon, the servants emerged from all corners of the estate, looking nervous and afraid. Seo Jin stood in front of them, his eyes hard and focused.
"I'm Seo Jin from the Magistrate Office," he said loudly, his tone commanding. "None of you are leaving this place until I get the answers I need."
The servants exchanged uneasy glances but stood in line. Most of them were visibly shaken. A man, older than the rest, stepped forward with shaky hands. "Sir... We were all there that night," he stammered. "Most of the were all in their rooms when it happened, only the guards were on patrol as it was already late at night."
"What happened?" Seo Jin's voice was colder now, his patience wearing thin.
The servant swallowed nervously before continuing. "Someone got into the house, quietly. Before the guards could even react, they were all hit by something. It... it was darts. I don't know what kind of darts, but it knocked all of them unconscious. I... I was asleep when it happened. When I woke up... the General was dead. His throat was slashed. There was blood everywhere."
Seo Jin's frown deepened. "You didn't see the killer?"
The older man seemed to shrink back at the question. Then a guard continued, his voice was barely above a whisper. "I thought I was dreaming, My Lord. Just before I passed out, I saw something... a figure. In the hallway. It didn't look like a man. The figure was slim and built like a young woman. And... there was a sweet smell, like fresh flowers. Like perfume. It wasn't something a man would wear."
Seo Jin stood still for a moment, processing the servant's words. A woman? The thought struck him with a sharp sting. Could it be true? Was it possible that the rumors were more than just whispers? He shook his head, as though trying to dismiss the thought.
"A woman?" he asked, narrowing his eyes.
The guard nodded slowly, his hands trembling. "Yes, My Lord. It didn't seem real, sir. But I remember the smell clearly. It was like a sweet perfume... lingering in the air."
Seo Jin's gaze turned cold as he jotted down a note in his small book, beside the general's name. His mind raced with questions, but he kept them to himself. Instead, he looked at the servants lined up before him. "None of you will leave the capital until I give the order. Is that understood?"
"Yes, sir," they answered in unison, their voices shaking.
Seo Jin didn't say another word. He turned and walked away, his footsteps were heavy in the silence that had descended on the estate. The guard's words echoed in his head. A woman. Perfume. The pieces of the puzzle weren't fitting together. Yet, something about it all felt... off. It reminded him too much of the rumors, but he couldn't understand how it could all be true.
---
The Jang Residence
Back at the Jang residence, the sun had begun to dip lower in the sky. Inside her room, Jang Eun Sook sat at her desk, her expression was unreadable. She had changed into a clean sky-blue hanbok, the soft fabric moving with every slight movement. Her long black hair was neatly brushed and tied back, she looked warm but there was no warmth in her gaze. She was focused on the task at hand which her mind was already racing ahead to what the evening would bring.
Na Bi sat beside her, carefully mixing ink in an inkstone. The room was calm, with the only sound being the faint scratch of a brush as it made contact with paper. Eun Sook was writing something, her posture perfect, but there was a coldness to her demeanor that seemed to fill the room. Her eyes were sharp, calculating, as though she was already lost in thought, preparing for the next step in her mission.
She paused, her fingers reaching for the small dagger-shaped hairpin that lay nearby. She twisted it between her fingers, the cool metal reflecting the light. Her eyes never left the blade as she turned it in her hands. It was a small motion, but it gave her a sense of control.
Na Bi looked up after a moment, breaking the silence. "It's almost night time, my lady," she said softly.
Eun Sook didn't look at her. "I know," she replied, her voice even.
Just as Na Bi returned to her task, a servant entered the room, bowing respectfully. "My Lady, His Highness, Prince Wang Yul, has arrived. He wishes to speak with you."
Eun Sook's expression didn't change. "Send him to the garden. I'll be there in few minutes," she said calmly.
She stood from her desk, placing the brush down with care. She walked out of the room with her usual grace.
.
The garden was quiet, a peaceful space with no sounds but the rustling of the leaves in the trees. Prince Wang Yul was standing there, his hands were behind his back, looking up at the sky as though he was lost in thought. He turned when he heard her steps, his expression softening as he saw her approach.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The air between them was filled with unspoken words. Then, Wang Yul broke the silence.
"It's been years," he said quietly. His voice was low, but there was a note of sadness to it. "Since I saw you, Eun Sook."
Eun Sook didn't smile. She didn't even blink. "And I would have preferred it stayed that way forever," she replied coldly.
Wang Yul blinked, taken aback by her sharpness. "Why are you so cold to me?" he asked, his voice tinged with hurt. "Even yesterday, after the banquet, you ignored me when I called. I know you heard me but didn't even act like you knew me."
Eun Sook's expression didn't shift. "I did not come here to hear your thoughts, Your Highness," she cut in without hesitation. "Let's not pretend we were ever close enough for such words."
He looked at her, pain flickering across his face. "You've changed."
"Yes, I have," she said flatly. "I hope you do the same, too. We are no longer the same kids from before."
Wang Yul took a step closer, his voice softening. "Why do you treat me like this? Please tell me what I did wrong to deserve such treatment?"
Eun Sook looked him in the eye, her gaze cold as ice. "Because I want you to stop. Stop clinging to me like a moth to a flame. Your unwanted care is making me uncomfortable. Please leave me alone. You said you would do anything for me but you refused the one thing I asked of you, which was to stay away from eachother."
Wang Yul's jaw tightened, his fists clenching at his sides. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words didn't come.
Eun Sook turned away. "Don't come here again," she said, her voice firm. "Don't appear before me. I beg of you. This is my last warning."
Without waiting for a response, she walked away, her steps steady and purposeful. Wang Yul remained standing there, alone, his heart heavy with the weight of her words. His eyes followed her as she left, but she didn't look back.
Behind her, the wind moved gently through the trees, but in her heart, there was no stir. Her mind was already focused on the mission ahead. Tonight, one more name would be crossed off