Seon entered her chambers and settled onto the bed. As Ryucheon followed her in, Seon raised a hand, halting him in his tracks.

  "Stand there and remove your clothes. All of them," she commanded coldly.

  Ryucheon, though not entirely surprised by her unusual request, couldn't help but chuckle. "This is our first night together, and you can't even be bothered to undress me yourself?"

  Seon's voice was firm. "If you don't like it, you are free to leave."

  "Very well."

  Ryucheon closed the door behind him and began to undress, starting with his outer garments. Despite his usual confidence and boldness, Ryucheon found himself strangely flustered as he undressed under Seon's watchful gaze. Ryucheon stood naked before her. Though she had been the one to demand it, Seon found it difficult to meet his naked gaze, her eyes darting around the room. As Ryucheon took a step towards the bed, Seon stopped him again.

  "Raise your hands above your head, palms open."

  Ryucheon, amused by her paranoia, tried to reason with her. "Now, now, my dear Lady Myeonghyeon, surely you don't think I need weapons to kill you? We're alone, after all.”

  "I have no desire to be poisoned again. If you don't understand how unpleasant it is, I'd be happy to demonstrate. Then you'll fully understand my precautions."

  A forced laugh escaped Ryucheon's lips, but he acquiesced to her demands. He raised his hands above his head, palms open, displaying his compliance. With a curt nod from Seon, Ryucheon gracefully settled onto the bed, hovering over her. Seon instinctively recoiled, then found herself lying beneath him. Ryucheon's hands cupped her face gently. His face was close, their noses almost touching. Seon's eyes flickered with apprehension.

  Seon asked, "What now?"

  "You've simplified the process," Ryucheon murmured, his voice a low caress. "Allow me to elaborate."

  Ryucheon wasted no time in claiming her lips with his. He peeled away her layers, his touch seeping into her like ink onto parchment. Though she had accepted him partly out of defiance and partly out of curiosity, Seon couldn't entirely relax in the embrace of a stranger. Whenever her discomfort showed and she subtly resisted his touch, Ryucheon would respond with even greater tenderness, lavishing attention on her neck, wrists, earlobes, and lips. As he pressed closer, a hollow ache bloomed within Seon.

  Ryucheon's lips trailed a path down her neck, across her breasts, over her gently curved stomach, and lower. A tremor ran through Seon, her back arching involuntarily. Seon's soft moans, drawn out by his ministrations, threatened to become cries of ecstasy. Fearing that U'nso might misunderstand and burst in, she covered her mouth with her hand. The muffled cry died behind her hand, and Seon's tense body relaxed against the bed. As the tremors subsided, Ryucheon lifted his head, a triumphant smile on his lips. He wiped his mouth on the soft skin of her inner thigh. The lingering afterglow of her climax made her skin tingle at his touch.

  Seon sat up, looking down at Ryucheon. Her rapid breaths caused her chest to rise and fall, the outline of her ribs faintly visible. Seon pushed herself up. "Must you prolong this?" she asked.

  Ryucheon smiled, a childlike innocence in his eyes, as he watched her chest heave. "I want to savor your expression much longer. Your impatience suggests I'm doing quite well?"

  "Shut up," Seon retorted, her cheeks flushed.

  With a sly grin, Ryucheon propped himself up on his arms. He pulled her closer, his hands sliding down her sweat-slicked back as he entered her. Only after accepting him did Seon realize the emptiness within her. Has such a deep void always been inside me? Seon was lonely, and Ryucheon was yearning. But Ryucheon remained patient, waiting for Seon's discomfort to subside. Only when she began to plead did he unleash his passion. He ravaged her, fulfilling his earlier boast. He plunged into her depths, his sweat mingling with her tears, until finally, with a guttural cry, he collapsed.

  Seon stared blankly at the dark ceiling. Their bodies were slick with sweat where they touched. A strange mix of liberation, guilt, and regret washed over her, leaving her feeling empty. The events of moments ago felt distant, like a hazy dream.

  Ryucheon's voice was a low groan as he asked, "Have I changed your preconception?"

  "Perhaps. A little."

  At Seon's mischievous reply, Ryucheon chuckled with his tired eyes closed. "And you were so impatient just a moment ago."

  This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

  Seon lay down on Ryucheon's chest and said, "It wasn't bad. But since I haven't experienced any other Soyeolish, I can't say who's better. I'll give you the answer next time."

  Ryucheon frowned slightly and shook his head. "I hope I never get to hear the answer. No matter the answer, I doubt I'll like it."

  Seon asked, "Will you depart for Dong’gyeong tomorrow?"

  "Indeed. I must deliver the news you desire as quickly as possible."

  "Then let's hope for calm seas."

  Ryucheon looked down at her, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Are you concerned for my safety?"

  "Think what you will."

  Seon, as always, remained enigmatic. Exhausted from their encounter, Ryucheon quickly drifted off to sleep. Unable to sleep, Seon rose from the bed and slipped on a thin silk robe to ward off the chill. She moved towards the window, seeking solace in the night. She opened the window slightly, allowing the cool, damp night air and the pale moonlight to filter into the room. Ryang's clear, calm voice echoed in her mind, making Ryucheon's soft breathing behind her seem even louder.

  Have I truly taken revenge on my brother, as Ryucheon had suggested? Ryang had always been protective of me. He had chosen me over his loyalty to the Guardian. Surely, I can trust Ryang, trust the path he chose for our house. Isn't he the head of the family? And haven't he always been reliable?

  But the path Ryang had chosen for House Myeonghyeon seemed fraught with danger.

  The chill of the night air roused Ryucheon from his slumber. He blinked his eyes open, a sleepy smile gracing his lips.

  "Standing alone by the window, lost in thought... It paints a picture of a troubled soul," he said.

  Seon returned to his side, her movements slow and deliberate. "I am troubled," she replied.

  Ryucheon drew her closer, his warmth enveloping her chilled body. "Then allow me to offer some unsolicited advice," he said. "Forget my position in Dae-Sung. Consider this the counsel of Ryucheon, a man who has seen a few things."

  "And the overflowing lust I witnessed earlier?" Seon asked, a playful smirk on her lips. "Was that the Dae-Sung official speaking?"

  Ryucheon chuckled. "The path you and your brother tread is narrow, fraught with peril," he began. "The paths to ruin, however, are many and wide. You could, of course, devote yourselves entirely to that single path, but wouldn't multiple paths to life be preferable to a single road to death? This is the advice of a man who admires House Myeonghyeon, a house whose reputation reaches even Dae-Sung."

  Seon let out a hearty laugh. "I didn't realize we were so renowned."

  "Don't get too proud. That reputation belongs to your ancestors. You must forge your own. That will be the new legacy of House Myeonghyeon."

  "You don't seem like someone who cares much for reputation."

  "I admire those who strive for honor. I simply have no such aspirations. Not anymore."

  "Those who seek honor and glory are tedious. My brother is a prime example."

  "May I take that as you saying I'm attractive?" Ryucheon teased, his eyes twinkling.

  "You never miss an opportunity, do you?"

  Ryucheon met her cynical gaze. "The pleasures of the flesh are best savored with someone you love. It's a shame I see no affection in your eyes."

  Seon replied dryly. "You expect love to blossom from a single encounter?"

  "I believe it has for me."

  "How frivolous. Get a hold of yourself, Baek."

  Seeing the longing in Ryucheon's eyes, Seon couldn't help but tease him. "Flattery will get you nowhere. Try a more creative approach."

  Ryucheon fell silent, his gaze searching her face as if searching for the right words. The playful smirk that usually adorned his face had vanished. Seon felt a pang of awkwardness at his sudden seriousness, her playful banter having unexpectedly struck a chord. Finally, Ryucheon spoke.

  "Survive."

  Seon struggled to comprehend his cryptic confession. Seeing the confusion in her eyes, Ryucheon continued.

  "This plea is all I can offer you now. For people like us, life is a battlefield, every step a struggle. Survive, no matter the cost."

  His eyes held a desperate plea. Seon remained silent, her heart pounding in her chest. Ryucheon cupped her face in his hands, his lips finding hers. Seon met his kiss with a fervor that surprised even herself, her tongue tracing the seam of his lips. The silk robe slipped from her shoulders, pooling around her waist. They embraced, their bodies entwined, their passions reignited.

  Ryucheon got out of bed before the darkness had completely lifted and dressed. Before leaving, he kissed Seon's smooth forehead. Seon kept her eyelids tightly shut and didn't move. Even when she heard the door carefully opening and the cold air he left behind as he went outside rushed into the blanket, Seon clutched the end of the blanket and didn't move.

  Before leaving the rear garden, Ryucheon ran into U'nso, who was wandering around the courtyard with his injured arm bandaged. He smiled at U'nso, who looked quite flustered, and bowed his head slightly. As soon as U'nso passed Ryucheon, he went to Seon's chamber and anxiously knocked on the door, calling for Seon.

  "My Lady."

  Seon's reply came from inside the room. "Come in."

  U'nso pushed the door open and went in. Seon was sitting at the table, wearing a thin nightgown. She was holding a steaming teacup, which seemed to have just been poured, in her cold hands. Before U'nso could ask what was going on, Seon spoke first.

  "U'nso."

  "Speak, please."

  Seon turned her head towards U'nso.

  "Get ready before noon and book a ship to Sunyahng today. I have something to entrust to you."