Yes that's right. Double update.

Better get used to it😗

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Gwi's POV

It was quiet when I got back.

It was always quiet, of course, but there was no sound of pages flipping or rustling fabric. She was asleep. Silently, I walked to the bedchamber. She laid on the bed, her shoes set neatly on the floor and one sock-clad foot peeking out of the quilt. I huffed, walking around the bed to see her face. Even asleep she wouldn't face me.

I sat cross-legged opposite her on the bed, making sure not to jostle it and wake her up. Her brow was slightly furrowed as she clutched the other pillow to her chest. My fingers reached out to smoothen out the wrinkles. I didn't like her being upset in front of me.

Ugh, what was I saying? All I had done so far was make her nothing but upset. I sighed, propping up my chin with a hand. What a troublesome pet I turned out to have.

While Eunhee slept, I cleaned up a little. Changed my bloodstained robes and took a dip in the bath to wash off anything else. While I let myself air-dry, only dressed in a pair of trousers, I picked up the satchel I found in the forest. There was just a copy of a novel inside.

Eumlang Seosaeng.

Was this the person Sungyeol had risked his exposure for? After all these years no less? Or maybe... they had Jeonghyeon's diary. It would explain his desperation.

"Please! Water!"

I lowered a bucket to him, but when he caught a glimpse of my face he spilled it away immediately. I rolled my eyes, then pulled him up and out of the well.

I had been generous, really. All he had to do was give Jeonghyeon's diary back and he would live.

"I've destroyed anything that could possibly destroy me, so you might as well cooperate." Sadong sneered in response.

"I've found a way-", he choked, my grip on his neck growing tighter with his words. But he was stubborn. They always were. "You'll never find it. Not even if you kill me."

I snarled, immediately biting into his neck and sucking him dry. If he insisted.

I tutted. Even in death, how could one be so irritating? I looked up at his corpse embedded in the wall. "Foolish man. Causing me so much headache."

It was sometime later that Eunhee woke from her nap. They would come for her soon; I guess her body had already adapted to that schedule.

"Did you sleep well?"

My voice seemed to catch her off guard and she startled a bit before noticing me on the stone seat. I cocked a brow. Blinking, she cleared her throat before answering.

"Yes my lord", she replied, looking away. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Are you still shaken up about what you saw earlier?" I asked.

She said nothing, but her hands fidgeting gave away her nervousness. Annoyed, I got to my feet and darted to stand right in front of her. She gasped.

"Did it scare you that much?" I gritted out. She shut her eyes as I got closer. I felt myself getting angrier.

"No. I was just a bit startled that's all-"

"Don't lie!" I cut her off, furious now. She wrung her hands tighter, her head bent down. My voice lowered, "You are never to lie to me. You know what I am. If you can't handle these things... then you might as well leave."

"...What?"

Her voice was small, disbelief dripping heavily from it. "My lord-"

Suddenly the door rang with a couple of loud bangs, signaling that those sent for her had arrived. She whipped her head to the direction of the door and back to me, her eyes wide. I stepped back and began to walk away.

"It was scary wasn't it?" I queried, sitting back down. I met her eyes. "Run away before it's too late."

"But my lord-"

"Just go."

She stared at me incredulously, like she didn't believe I was letting her go unharmed even after being so angry. Unfortunately for her, I wasn't letting her go. Not for long. Just until her shock wore off. Then she would be right by my side.

"Don't give me time to change my mind", I said, then turned away and didn't look at her again until she left. I fiddled with the worn out daenggi in my hands and sighed.

I was bored already.

***

"-and it's like our words mean nothing to him! All he thinks about is building the new palace and on his succession! I fear he may be thinking of betraying us, my lord."

A few days later, Doyun stood before me rambling off his report of the king. Turning the bag over in my hands, I raised it closer to my face and inhaled deeply. Whoever this girl was, she was a good lead to Sungyeol. My bait worked perfectly well the last time, I just needed to be more meticulous next time. I looked up.

"Minister", I called. Immediately, he bowed.

"Yes, my lord."

"Where is your daughter?" I asked him. He faltered, taken off guard by the sudden unrelated question.

"I- She is at home, my lord", he answered. I hummed.

"She's been 'at home' for quite a while now. Is she ill?" I asked.

Doyun shook his head, "Not that I am aware, my lord." I tilted my head.

"Not that you are aware? Are you not her father? How are you not 'aware' of the wellbeing of your only daughter?"

"That's not it, my lord! I swear! It's just- she's very self sufficient and keeps to herself quite a lot. You know how teenagers are. They value their privacy", he tried to explain. I just stared blankly at him until he cleared his throat and looked away, then I huffed and stood up.

"Should I... bring her over tonight?" he inquired. I waved him off.

"Don't bother. It doesn't matter", I stated, walking away. "You can leave now."

Doyun bowed and took his leave.

"Keeps to herself... hm", I murmured to myself. I thought a bit, then made a decision.

When the sun was well and truly gone, and most people had retired to bed, I went out into the city. It wasn't too difficult to find the house again, despite how long it had been since I had been there. Getting closer, I could catch a whiff of her scent when I focused on it, and it only got stronger.

I entered the courtyard, slightly disappointed at the lack of security on her side of the house. I tsked. Using my memory and the trail of her scent, I easily reached her room. There was still a light on inside, and I quietly slipped in.

She sat at a table, staring at the open pages of a book in front of her but making no effort to flip the pages, much less read it. I chuckled.

"Still sulking?" I asked. She jumped, a squeak escaping her lips. She looked up at me with wide shocked eyes.

"My-my lord", she breathed, then hurriedly got to her feet and rushed over to me. "My lord! How- what are you doing here?"

I raised a hand to her face, brushing her cheek with my fingertips. "Why else? I came to see you. Did you want me to visit your father instead?"

Turning away, I began to walk around her chambers. It was all neat and organized, lots of books and a few new looking paintings and trinkets placed artfully around on the furniture.

I filled the seat she had just vacated, and looked up at her. After hesitating a bit, she sat on a cushion on the other side of the table. I rolled my eyes and, after pushing the table to the side, pulled her closer by pulling on the cushion she was on.

"Why didn't you come back?" I asked the moment she met my eyes again. She blinked, confusion filling her features.

"Come back? My lord you- you told me to leave." I frowned. "You told me to leave and... I thought you didn't want me anymore", she added, her voice growing quieter. I sighed.

"I didn't mean permanently. I wanted to give you time. You seemed to be in some kind of shock and it was irritating how you wouldn't even look at me." She nodded, looking a bit bashful now that she got it.

"I understand. Forgive me for misunderstanding, my lord." I waved her off.

"It doesn't matter. I understand that knowing I do it and seeing it are two different things, but I can't pamper you all the time. You know that, don't you?"

She smiled a bit and nodded. "Yes my lord."

"Good. I don't want you sulking like that again. It was so boring."

"I wasn't-" she huffed. Suddenly, something seemed to come to her mind and she leaned closer to me. "But, my lord... how did you know this house?" she asked. I turned to her, amused.

"Do you not remember?" I asked back. She shook her head, confused. Chuckling, I raised a finger to her forehead and lightly pushed some compulsion out.

"You showed me yourself."

She gasped, wincing as the memories of the night I met her flooded her mind. When it was over, she looked back at me, shock in her wide eyes.

"You... I remembered bits of it, like a fragment of a dream. But it was real?"

I tilted my head and smiled lightly. "Mn. I almost killed you that night you know?" I stated. Her small smile returned.

"But you didn't, my lord. What you did for me that night-" she paused and swallowed, looking down to fiddle with her fingers. "That was the kindest thing anyone had done for me ever since my mother had passed." She raised her head to look at me, her smile having turned wistful.

"Thank you."

I stared at her briefly then spoke.

"Come over tomorrow", I said simply. She blinked.

"Hm? Oh-" I cut her off with a hand on her cheek, compulsion pulsing through my fingertips. She immediately slumped forward, passing out in my arms.

I sat there for a while, focusing on the warmth of her body seeping into my robes. Then, silently, I picked her up and went into her bedchamber where I placed her gently in her bed, tucking the quilt around her.

Kind.

She thought I was kind. The thought made me chuckle.

"Eun-ah... you deserve all the kindness in the world. And I am not kind."

Far from it.

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Well that's done.

I'll be occupied for a couple of weeks but I'll be writing bits and pieces in the meantime. 

Don't forget to vote and comment! It really makes my day. Hope you enjoyed and I'll see you all in the next update.

Bai!👋🏽💜