"Let me go right now!"
Soran struggled with all her might but could not overpower the strong grip of the burly men. They immediately released her as soon as they reached the courtyard in front of the nobleman's house.
"I have brought her, sir."
The gang bowed deeply and then left, just as a door creaked open.
"So... this is the one who came to entertain me today?"
An old man's voice sounded, as his figure appeared before them.
Soran quickly lowered her head and avoided looking into the nobleman's eyes immediately. When she saw him standing right in front of her, the old man slowly crouched down to her level as she sat, covered in dust and dirt.
"Look at me... young lady."
Soran slowly lifted her head and met the nobleman's gaze. His eyes didn't look cruel or evil, but how could he do such a cold-hearted thing to her family? At that moment, her eyes were filled with countless questions. The old man named Tai Tae Kim Young-kwang slowly stood up, his frail strength maybe softened by the yellow hanbok he wore, making him look warmer and kinder. Soran mistakenly thought he might be a good person. The old man started crossing his hands behind his back and walked slowly around her, making her feel dizzy. She looked at him with even greater suspicion.
"Stop it, please. Stop inspecting me like that. The reason you brought me here is to be a concubine, isn't it? You did this because "
"Ha ha ha! What a naive thought! Ha ha ha!"
The old man laughed loudly at Soran's words. Soran flinched and sat quietly without saying anything (Did I say something wrong?). She lightly touched her lips, puzzled, and looked from the old man's face down to the ground.
"You're suspicious, huh?" the old man stopped and asked.
"Why did you bring me here? Can I settle my debts? I'm really in a difficult situation right now."
Soran pleaded with the old man. He looked at her pitiful eyes but couldn't soften his heart. There were still others more worthy of sympathy. The old man raised a Chinese fan to cool himself before speaking.
"I brought you here to entertain me, entertain only. I have no intention of taking you as a concubine or anything like that. You could be of the next generation, but I could never do that. Don't worry."
"Sigh..."
Soran smiled faintly, letting out a big sigh of relief. At least she was safe for one more day.
"Get up already! How long do you plan to sit rolling in the dirt in my courtyard?"
The old man said and turned to walk away. Soran stood up and dusted off her skirt and clothes before pulling him back with a sweet voice.
"W-wait a moment, please?"
The old man stopped but didn't turn to look at her.
...
"How long do I have to work here?"
Soran immediately asked.
"Until someone redeems you."
The old man quickly strode away. His answer made Soran slump back down into the dirt.
"Are you crazy? Who would come to redeem me? This is clearly bullying."
Soran muttered in despair. She sat sadly in the dirt for a while before reluctantly walking away from Tai Tae Kim's courtyard.
"So... where will I sleep tonight?"
Soran muttered. Since arriving, she didn't know what exactly she had to do. She kicked the dust around as she thought of her mother and younger brother, but she couldn't just walk out of this house so easily. She only wished for a stroke of luck to come and redeem her. Soran walked until she suddenly bumped hard against a man's chest.
Thud!
"Ow!"
Soran cried out, falling awkwardly to the ground.
"Are you okay?"
A deep voice, familiar to her, asked with concern. The mysterious man helped her up gently. They immediately looked into each other's eyes.
"It's... you!"
Soran greeted, recognizing him as the young man who had picked the jade bracelet with her at the market.
"It's... you!"
The young man stammered. He hadn't expected to meet her again, and now he couldn't take his eyes off her. He looked at Soran as if he wanted to consume her whole being, smiling slightly at the corner of his mouth. Soran smiled back.
"So, what are you doing here? Did you come to pay off my father's debt?"
The young man asked with a sly smile.
"D-do you think so?"
Soran raised her chin and asked uncertainly.
"Yes... because you said you didn't have money to buy that bracelet."
Soran looked annoyed, then suddenly remembered why she came here. She looked at him and told the truth.
"I didn't come to pay the debt. I came to repay in another way."
Soran answered sadly. The young man gave a faint smile. He shouldn't have touched her sore spot.
"You came to work, huh?"
The young man said softly, his voice filled with sadness. He looked at her with sympathy.
"Yes... that's right."
"Well then... go do your duty."
The young man reluctantly let her go, feeling guilty.
"I'll get to work now. I was playing around too much and almost forgot why I came here."
Soran bowed respectfully and walked past him. The young man watched her until she was out of sight.
"Ah..."
He suddenly thought of something but couldn't stop her in time. He looked at the empty path, then slowly took out the jade bracelet, the one that had accidentally led him to meet Soran.
Soran kept walking forward, still unsure whether what she had just said to the young master would come true. How could she possibly work here when she didn't even know where anything was in this huge house? It wasn't even a house she could call home; it was so big, with so many rooms connected. She had no idea where she was supposed to start working. The only place that came to her mind was the kitchen. But even then, she didn't know where it was.
She kept her head down and continued walking toward the kitchen. Because she didn't know the layout, she wandered off to another corner of the house until she came across a small building far away, which she guessed might be the kitchen.
"Ah... found it!"
Without hesitation, Soran quickened her pace toward the door of the small building. But strangely, when she got closer, it wasn't a kitchen at all. Curiosity got the better of her, so she stepped onto the porch and stopped in front of the door of this quiet house, as if no one lived there. Soran slowly pushed the door open, and just then she heard soft footsteps approaching from behind her, stopping about ten steps away. Then, an unfamiliar voice spoke, making her startle and quickly turn around.
"What are you doing here?"
The deep voice asked calmly.
"U-um... I was looking for the kitchen but got lost... I thought this was the kitchen,"
Soran answered hesitantly, fear evident in her voice. She clasped her hands in front of her and lowered her head, trembling.
"So, this isn't your kitchen?"
The tone wasn't harsh or angry, which made Soran gradually lift her gaze to look at the owner of the deep voice. But she froze as she fell under the spell of the young master's handsome face. He had a slender figure that, from a distance, looked almost like a woman's. But his broad shoulders gave him a solid, warm presence. His delicate face and fair skin caught her eyes in a strange way. His red lips and clear eyes made it impossible for her to pull her gaze away or gather her thoughts. He looked at her with an innocent expression, as if nothing was happening, emphasizing that only she was caught in this charm. The young master waited for an answer for a moment, and Soran regained her composure, lowering her head again.
"N-no, I don't know where the kitchen is."
"Leave my house..."
Upon hearing this, Soran quickly stepped down from his porch and was about to walk away, thinking this was the young master's way of dismissing her.
Suddenly!
A slender arm with a warm hand grabbed her wrist firmly.
"I said leave my house, then walk straight, turn left..."
Hearing this, the evil thought that had crossed her mind completely disappeared. She turned back and bowed to the young master to show her respect and thanks, then left immediately.
Thump, thump, thump.
Soran walked out past the young master's house. She placed her hand on the left side of her chest where her heart was pounding. Her face felt hot and flushed. What was this feeling? She rubbed her face with both hands, thinking of the young master's beautiful features and figure (so beautiful). She couldn't stop thinking about that image, but forced herself to keep walking until she finally found the kitchen, as the young master had told her. She prepared to brush off the dust from her dull-colored chogori and smiled, accepting everything before deciding to enter the bustling kitchen.
Clatter, clatter, clatter.
The sounds of pots, jars, plates, and bowls mingled with conversations filled the kitchen. Soran felt almost overwhelmed after seeing the chaotic scene of the many servants busily cooking. She tried to find someone she could ask for help until she spotted a middle-aged woman who seemed reliable.
"Is there anything I can help with?"
Soran asked the middle-aged woman, who was kneading dough attentively. When the woman turned and saw Soran, she was startled for a moment, then asked back,
"So, you're the new one. Such a beautiful face."
Soran couldn't help but blush and smiled genuinely.
"Hehe... well, I'm just a maid."
Soran answered humbly, scratching her small head.
"I don't have anything for you to help with. You'd better use this time to clean yourself up and dress properly."
Hearing this, Soran was silent for a moment (Could it be she was being brought here as a concubine?). She replied honestly to what the nobleman had told her before.
"My lord said he wouldn't make me a concubine. Please don't look at me like that."
The woman smiled and lightly touched Soran's shoulder.
"It's not your master. Soon, you'll find out for yourself. I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse for a beautiful woman like you, because you might get hurt by my young master."
The middle-aged woman answered with a tired sigh. Her eyes were filled with sympathy for Soran.
"Your young master? Who is he?"
Soran asked with curiosity and a little shock.
"The youngest son of this family... He's kind but hasn't been involved with any woman for a long time. He doesn't indulge in any vice and spends his days in his room studying. By now, the letters might be pouring out of his mouth already, haha."
The woman teased lightly. Soran stood silently, saying nothing before walking out of the kitchen with her head down.
Soran began to feel confused about the events unfolding. She was no longer sure why she had come here in the first place. She couldn't decide where to go or what to do. There were even rumors that she was to become a concubine of the youngest son of Lord Kim. Although he was called the son, he was not much older than her father. Yet, she had no thoughts of love or any shortcuts in mind. After all, she had no other choice left. Her last hope was that this young lord would be a good man and treat her with respect. But that dream seemed to shatter right then and there. The more she thought, the more confused and anxious she became. How could someone from such a high-ranking family see her as just a girl, not as a living person with feelings, but as a mere plaything?
Soran stepped out to sit quietly under a big tree, a little away from the kitchen. The soft afternoon sunlight filtered through the leaves and touched her as she sat there, heart heavy with sorrow. "The young lord, huh... Who is he?" She lifted the sleeve of her vibrant chogori and looked at her bare wrist, when suddenly a thought flashed through her mind unexpectedly. Perhaps one of the two men she had met was the youngest son of Lord Kim.
"Sigh..."
She closed her eyes and let the gentle breeze brush against her softly.
"Ahem!... We meet again, don't we?"
The familiar voice made Soran jump in surprise. She quickly stood up, adjusting her clothes to look neat, then looked up to meet the young lord's gaze.
"Y-Your Highness!"
Soran exclaimed in shock, not expecting to meet him again. She covered her mouth and opened her eyes wide in surprise.
"Yes, it's me. No need to act as if you've seen a ghost. With a handsome face like mine, you should be the one avoiding my gaze," he teased.
Feeling shy, Soran quickly averted her eyes, thinking he was referring to her modesty rather than just joking. The young lord smiled broadly as he noticed her reaction.
"Ah...!"
Suddenly, he grabbed something from her bright chogori sleeve and held out a jade bracelet to her. Soran looked at the jade bracelet in his hand as he urged her to accept it.
"Come on, just take it already."
He took her tense hand and placed the jade bracelet firmly into her palm.
"I can't accept this. I already told you," Soran said, returning the bracelet.
"What's my name?"
"Huh? What did you say?"
Soran asked him to repeat the question.
"What's my name?"
"Oh, Your Highness, how could I possibly answer that? You must know I'm new here," she answered shyly.
"You don't know, huh? Then I'll have my men whip you until you're sore!"
He whispered close to her ear, sending chills all over her body.
"Hey! You lot over there, come here!"
Suddenly, out of fear, Soran jumped and covered the young lord's mouth, forgetting who she was for a moment.
"Shh, shh... Please don't do this, Your Highness."
"Mmmph..." He tried to say something, but Soran didn't listen. She was only afraid of being whipped.
"Ah! I'm sorry, I truly am. Please don't whip me!" As soon as she realized what she had done, she jumped back to her place, bowing repeatedly until she felt dizzy.
Suddenly, the young lord gently grabbed her hand and kissed it lightly before slowly letting go. Soran just stood there, stunned, unsure what to say, only able to repeat the same phrase.
"Y-Your Highness..."
"Your hand is so soft. That's why I won't hold it against you."
With that, he walked away without her noticing the jade bracelet had already been placed on her wrist. Soran felt the unfamiliar weight on her wrist, and when she looked, she found herself wearing the jade bracelet. When she tried to look for the young lord, he was already far away. She could only watch him disappear, then let out a small chuckle.