* * *
I was walking toward the bodyguards who were lined up with their heads bowed when I suddenly stopped in my tracks.
I realized I’d acted too impulsively, driven entirely by emotion without thinking things through.
There were far too many people around me right now—five bodyguards, the court lady, and the palace maids.
Too many eyes watching and ears listening.
And yet here I was, about to march straight up to a bodyguard I’d never seen before?
To anyone unaware of my personal situation, it would just look like the palace lord was flirting with a handsome Beta bodyguard.
Even if my maids were trustworthy, this kind of behavior could easily become gossip.
Approaching him and showing interest based solely on unconfirmed suspicions was a recipe for scandal.
A rumor about a palace lord, said to be abused, getting involved with the bodyguard assigned by the emperor to protect him?
It might sound like I was overthinking things, but caution never hurts.
A juicy piece of gossip like that would only bring trouble.
So I needed to confirm it properly—whether that Beta bodyguard was him or not.
Hyunwook.
My friend, Kang Hyunwook.
He was my only… our only refuge.
The one person who’d stayed by my side until the very moment I died.
My dearest friend.
His name.
Yes, I needed to confirm his name.
If he was Hyunwook, maybe he shared the same name as the one I knew.
I still couldn’t forget the day I heard my name through Joo Minhyuk when I first came here.
I was so shocked I forgot to respond when he called me.
My appearance aside—even the name of Daebin Palace, which hadn’t appeared in the novel, was the same as mine.
Same looks, same name—could this really be coincidence?
I clearly remembered Minhyuk calling me Daebin Palace with the exact same name as my past self.
The confusion I felt at the time was indescribable.
It was a blow that made me question the very existence of the Korea I had lived and died in.
What if those memories were fake?
What was this situation?
I went through a time of deep confusion. But the deeper the confusion, the more I had to let it go.
If I tried to analyze everything, I felt like I’d go insane.
And now, someone I knew had shown up here.
Not just anyone—if he was really Hyunwook, then of course I’d be shocked.
If it really was him, I had no idea what kind of path had brought him here, and the thought made my head spin.
I thought about how, as the palace lord, I could confirm his identity.
There had to be something I could demand of the bodyguards, something I was naturally entitled to ask.
First, I needed to see how he reacted when he saw my face.
“Hmm… May I see your faces? Since we’ll be spending a lot of time together, wouldn’t it be nice to say hello properly?”
“Yes, Your Highness. Also, you can speak informally to us.”
The man who seemed to be the team leader suggested I drop formal speech.
But I couldn’t do that.
Just because I was royalty didn’t mean I could speak down to them.
These people were officially hired through palace procedures.
Except for a few hereditary court ladies and servants, everyone working here was a public servant.
They were professional royal civil servants, who passed highly competitive exams to work in the palace.
The court ladies and maids’ ranks corresponded with civil service grades, and they were all Betas.
Unless I was the Emperor or the Empress Dowager, I couldn’t just casually speak down to them.
“That won’t do. For now, let’s just greet each other while making eye contact.”
At my words, the team leader had the bodyguards lift their heads.
One by one, I made eye contact with them—and finally, it was his turn.
But the way the man looked at me was unusual.
His eyes narrowed as he stared at me, and then a flicker of confusion and surprise crossed his face.
He craned his neck as if to see me more clearly—this wasn’t how you looked at someone you’d never met.
He even forgot to bow and just scanned me up and down.
His pupils were trembling like my heart was right now.
Watching him, I barely held back my tension and swallowed hard.
But I didn’t look away.
His reaction to seeing me was enough—I was already convinced this man was Hyunwook.
There was no way he could be someone else.
“Kang Hyunwook! What kind of rudeness is this? Greet His Highness, now!”
And then, the name Kang Hyunwook came out of the team leader’s mouth.
I clenched my trembling hands into fists, grabbing my pants tightly to suppress the overwhelming emotion that surged within me.
The team leader looked at me in confusion and began scolding the frozen Hyunwook.
He then hastily offered a bow, still clearly rattled.
“I—I’m so sorry, Your Highness. I’ve never met someone of such high status before….”
A familiar voice flowed out of that familiar face.
That gentle voice of my friend—it felt like I’d heard it just yesterday.
The fact that I could see and hear him again—it was like a dream.
I had to steady my heart to keep tears from falling.
Too many eyes were watching.
I had to stay calm.
“It’s alright. Team leader, have you been fully briefed on my situation?”
“Of course, Your Highness.”
His voice, solemn as he nodded, carried a heavy sense of duty.
“In that case, I’ll speak frankly. My grandfather is unpredictable. Though he may follow the Emperor’s command as a subject, that’s just a guess. He could do anything at any moment.”
“Don’t worry, Your Highness. That’s exactly why we were assigned here—to take that burden off your shoulders. We’ll do everything we can to protect you.”
“You never know where or how an attack might come. You’ll need to keep a wide perspective and stay aware of your surroundings. I’m sure you understand better than anyone, as professionals.”
“Absolutely. We’ve already arranged the protective formation. No one will be able to get close to you. Even if we’re not visible, please don’t feel uneasy—we’ll be watching from the shadows.”
His reassuring words made me smile slightly and nod, feeling a bit more at ease.
Now it was time to make my real request.
“I know you’re doing your best for me—and as you probably heard, I’ve been exposed to some very difficult situations for a long time. The psychological stress is considerable, and I don’t feel safe.”
I paused, taking a breath while keeping my gaze on the team leader, who nodded understandingly.
“So, I’d like to have one guard stationed with me at all times—someone who will stay by my side constantly. Would that be possible?”
“Of course. This team exists solely to ensure Your Highness’s safety. His Majesty personally ordered us to fulfill any request you make. Just say the word.”
Wow, who knew Joo Minhyuk would be this helpful?
“Well then… I’d like him to stay by my side. I think I’ll feel most comfortable with him.”
Without hesitation, I pointed at Hyunwook.
He looked surprised at being chosen so suddenly, but the look in his eyes had calmed since earlier.
The team leader, observing this, nodded approvingly.
“You have a good eye, Your Highness. He’s still young and doesn’t have much real-world experience, but his skills are exceptional. He’s the son of Master Kang Hyuncheol—the head of the Royal Martial Arts Academy—so his talent is beyond question.”
Wait—that Kang Hyuncheol?
The renowned “Great Tiger”? Him?
The title Daeho—meaning “Great Tiger”—was granted only to those who had significantly contributed to the advancement of martial arts.
It was a national honor, given to the number one master in the martial world, so public trust in him was immense.
Come to think of it, I remember Minhyuk mentioning something like this during a meal once…
They said the youngest son of the Martial Arts Academy Director had entered the Imperial Military Academy after graduating from a regular martial arts school.
Even though he was the only Beta in his family, he had strength and smarts comparable to an Alpha, and apparently, Daeho was quite fond of him.
So that was Hyunwook, huh?
To test if he really recognized me, I brought up something only we would know.
“Well, then he must be trustworthy. That’s unexpected. He looks like the type who’d only love pork cutlets and soda… And to think he’s Daeho’s son. That makes me want to keep him even closer. Will you allow it?”
I recalled the time he bizarrely ate nothing but pork cutlets and soda for two weeks straight.
As I mentioned it, Hyunwook looked at me with his mouth slightly open.
Ha, that bastard—he really is Kang Hyunwook! So he remembers?
“You don’t need my permission for what the Grand Concubine wishes. Do as you please.”
I smiled at his words and turned to look at Hyunwook.
My heart was overwhelmed.
Should I be thanking my grandfather?
If it hadn’t been for my grandfather’s constant beatings, Joo Minhyeok would never have helped me, and I wouldn’t have met Hyunwook.
So thank you, Grandpa, for hitting me so thoroughly all those years.
After sending the team leader and the other guards away, only Hyunwook and I remained.
Without exchanging a single word, we simply looked at each other in silence.
Maybe Hyunwook was thinking the same thing I was.
‘Is he really Cha Haejoo? Is it really him, the one who died before? He seems to recognize me… but can I trust that?’
I could almost see the gears turning in his head.
I’d always been able to read Hyunwook just by looking at his face.
When I first saw him again, I wanted to run over and ask everything at once.
But after the initial rush faded, I became strangely calm.
Right now, I just wanted to stay like this a little longer and quietly observe him.
But the short moment of connection between us was soon shattered by an unwelcome voice.
“…Sorry to ruin the mood, but how long are you two going to just stand there staring at each other? If I hadn’t shown up, would you have stood like that all night? Hm? Your Highness, Grand Concubine.”
A low, ominous voice spread through the room like poison.
As I turned my head stiffly like a broken doll, I saw Joo Minhyeok leaning against the door with his arms crossed, watching me and Hyunwook.
There wasn’t even the usual polite smile on his face—just a cold, eerie expression.
* * *
TYSMMM