POV: Hae Na Ri
The maid places an outfit on the bed and points to the door on a side. "Please freshen up. Tooth brush, face wash and other essentials have been provided. I will be outside if you need anything."
She bows politely and leaves. All the maids here wear deep green skirts and white aprons, with hair neatly pinned back in a bun like air hostesses.
The outfit she left for me is a mustard turtle neck and a long skirt, but this one's a brown jersey A-line while the one I am wearing is white and pleated.
As long as it's a skirt.
Though I will blend perfectly with the background in this.
This room also has dark wood floor and furniture, with maroon bed drappings. It matches the shade of the lamp on the side table. There is a small dressing table in a corner with a round mirror. A cupboard stands in a corner and a maroon fluffy carper covers the area before the bed. This room isn't much larger than the one I had rented after coming back.
There is no window here.
If this really is a palace, then that would explain the structure. Although it isn't traditional, (it must have been at some point), it does give an old house energy. If this really is a palace, then it must have seen a lot of blood and politics.
I shudder at the thought.
Perhaps I should start moving now.
I grab my clothes and dive into the washroom. Washing my face and changing into new clothes feels odd in this situation.
I find a hair brush on the dressing table, lightly brush my hair. Though they are waist-length long, they don't require much detangling or effort because of how straight they are. I am only doing it to try and feel normal.
Because I need to think clearly.
The same maid greets me outside. She seems slightly older than me perhaps and like the three other maids behind her, keeps a polite and reserved expression. The whole hallway is lined with five guards.
"Before I take you to the dining hall, I need to inform you about some rules you must follow around His Majesty," the maid says.
My stomach is rumbling and I can feel exhaustion setting in behind my eyes. "And what are they?" I didn't intend to sound sarcastic.
"Firstly, you can't address His Majesty by his name. Under no circumstances it is allowed. Secondly, when His Majesty enters a room, you must get up and greet him, and bow politely. Same if you see him anywhere else too. Thirdly, if under any circumstances, His Majesty falls or touches his knees to the ground, you must immediately drop to your knees. Fourth, you must maintain a distance of five steps from His Majesty at all times. Fifth, you aren't allowed to touch His Majesty. Sixth,...."
She is going on and on, and doesn't even stop to breathe. But I am losing focus. I can't do this right now. I only snap back when I hear, "....violating any of these rules will result in punishment."
"Punishment? What kind of punishment?"
"Depends on the rule violated,'' she says vaguely.
Monarchy in modern day and time, it sounds ridiculous. It's 2026 for God's sake!
I am about to ask her more when the Captain guy appears around the corner, nods to the maid and she gestures for me to follow her. His mask, perfectly fitting on the lower half of his face, is unsettling to see. He looks like a villain from some superhero movie.
As if it's not enough to look evil, he also follows me close behind like escorting a dangerous prisoner to the trial.
Aiyoo, jincha!
We come out in a magnificent living room, with a huge LCD, lavish maroon sofa set and a gleaming chandelier hanging above. At some distance a carpeted staircase curls upward. Two maids are cleaning a table. I wonder who else lives here? A queen? Prince and princesses?
Ryu Hajoon is too young. Did his father abdicate or die? Did he kill his brothers to become the king? Is he a vampire?
It's an alternate universe or a dream world so anything is possible isn't it?
As long as he isn't a cult leader or a werewolf.
We walk past the staircase and through another hallway, reach a dining room. The dining table has five chairs. It's set with several dishes and cutlery. A sizzling dish is brought over and set on it by maids. Bulgoogi, japchae, rice, miyeokguk, namul, kimchi and several other things. The spices catch in my breath and I cough.
I notice the Captain guy has not followed me here. He doesn't need to. This room also has the disconcerting presence of masked guards, standing with their back to the walls and gazing straight ahead. Guards guards, so many guards everywhere! How am I supposed to run away?
I am told to take a seat and get served rice. Three maids stand at a distance and I have one of the most uncomfortable meals of my life. I just stuff myself with enough energy to run.
Then I ask the maids, "Where can I find the Captain?" I can't directly ask to see their king, I believe. I have no idea about the layout of this palace. It's impossible to try and scale these walls on my own. Asking doesn't work, but I would have to try.
"Captain Kang?" She repeats.
As if he has been waiting there, Captain Kang enters from the same hallway I had used. I am conscious of everyone around me as I get up and approach him. "Can I see Ryu-His Majesty? I…um… want to go outside. To look for a friend."
"His Majesty has a busy schedule. You will not be able to see him," he says. "I can have someone take you outside. But since your identity isn't confirmed yet, you will be accompanied by guards and must return before evening."
I smile. "Of course!"
As if!
☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★
POV: Hae Na Ri
I have seen the way out of the palace.
It's simple, really. You cross this hallway, then that hallway, then this living room, then this hallway, then that corridor and then this–Aiyoo jincha! I feel like they deliberately twisted me through mazes so that I can't remember it in the future.
In the end we came out on a concrete path in a parking lot. It only had black tinted cars, the same model. A round beige plate with the carving of a crown is attached to the front of each car.
Now we are on our way to Jieun's law firm. The area Saegil Dong exists here and so does the street Bisin-won but the driver can't find her law firm Jugang on the GPS. The driver and the guard beside him are not wearing any masks. Another car is following us close behind; I only have to peer into the side mirror to know that.
I don't know what I am expecting as we drive through Bisin-won street and I am peering outside. It's not the street I visited before. Bison-won had law firms, offices and other similar shops. But here I see bakeries, coffee shops and other restaurants. I can't see Jieun's law firm anywhere.
Perhaps they brought me to another street. They could be lying to me.
I ask them to stop the car and let me check on my own. Surprisingly, they let me do it.
I tie the straps of the black coat they have given me, tighten it and get out. A guard follows me out and the car drives away, probably for parking. It's extremely important to look like I am searching for the law firm, so I stroll along the street and smile at the guard following me, trying my best to appear completely uninterested in making a run for it. The other car has not followed us here.
There are people around us. They can't put a bag on my head and carry me off somewhere. Yet I don't know what makes me not ask anyone for help.
Perhaps because I may have actually gone mad.
I am about to dash down the street when I spot something through the glass wall of a bakery.