“It seems they are adapting better than expected.”

The court eunuch Jang reported.

The king took his eyes off the book and stared at eunuch Jang.

“Both of them?”

“Yes. They already seemed quite close.”

“That fellow got close with someone?”

The king tilted his head quizzically.

Hong Woo Geon, his twin.

Born from the same womb, yet an unfathomable fellow.

Though he smiled, a cold chill always flowed through his heart. Because of that, he avoided getting close to anyone, let alone keeping someone by his side…

Yet they say that fellow has become close with Kwon Jwa Woo.

What could be better than his flesh and blood finding a like-minded woman rather than drifting alone in the world?

But why?

Why does one corner of his heart feel so empty?

Why does he have such contradictory feelings?

As if peeking into the king’s mind, eunuch Jang said,

“Do not worry, Your Majesty. She seemed hesitant on her side.”

“What?”

So it’s one-sided feelings?

Recalling the usually glib fellow, he felt inexplicably satisfied.

Instantly erasing the empty feeling from earlier, the king called eunuch Jang closer with great interest.

“We must find out more about that woman.”

“You mean Kwon Jwa Woo?”

“Yes, Kwon Jwa Woo. Who her parents are, why she was working as a Myeongnyebang courtesan. Above all… find out what she thinks of that fellow.”

At the king’s command, eunuch Jang bowed deeply.

“I shall carry out Your Majesty’s order.”

Eunuch Jang left the hall with quick steps.

A beautiful smile appeared on the king’s face as he watched him go.

Somehow, it felt like enjoyable things would happen from now on.

Something special he had never experienced before…

[This is the timeline separator]

The midday sun disappeared without a trace.

Night fell on the separate palace.

As it was the first day,
The candidates dispersed to their respective lodgings without any special tests.

Jwa Woo was also resting in her lodging.

How much time had passed like that?

Cuckoo, cuckoo, cuckoo…

The call of a cuckoo, rare to hear in spring, was heard.

A low sigh escaped Jwa Woo’s lips.

There was only one person who would do such a thing – Hong Woo Geon.

Sure enough,
When she went out, Hong Woo Geon greeted Jwa Woo with a bright expression.

“I thought you were sleeping since you didn’t come out for so long.”

“From now on, please use an owl.”

“An owl?”

“Cuckoos are migratory birds. Don’t you know they’re only seen in summer?”

“Ah, so that’s why I haven’t seen them lately.”

As if he had gained some great insight, Hong Woo Geon nodded his head.

From one to ten. What should be done with this man who needs explaining for everything?

Sighing, Jwa Woo followed behind Hong Woo Geon.

Despite the pitch-black night, Hong Woo Geon moved his steps without hesitation.

Before long, the two who had left the separate palace walked along Yukjo Street.

How would they pass through the gate of Saheonbu?

As she watched curiously, Hong Woo Geon simply slipped past Saheonbu.

Jwa Woo, who had been following behind, for the first time walked right next to Hong Woo Geon.

“Didn’t you say you were going to the Saheonbu archives?”

“I did.”

“Then why aren’t we going to Saheonbu? Where are we going?”

“Who said we’d enter Saheonbu openly? I’m going that way.”

The place Hong Woo Geon pointed to was the back alley of the Saheonbu office.

Of course.

The excitement that had filled Jwa Woo’s face deflated with a whoosh.

In the end, it meant they would sneak in.

“As long as we get to Hanyang, it doesn’t matter how we go, right?”

Hong Woo Geon said, as if he had read Jwa Woo’s mind.

He then suddenly grabbed Jwa Woo’s wrist.

“What are you doing?”

“At this slow pace, we won’t even get near the archives before dawn.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Hong Woo Geon moved nimbly.

He knew exactly when to lower his body and when to move.

He clearly knew not only which paths to walk and which alleys to run through, but also the height of the walls they needed to climb over, as if measured with a ruler.

Hong Woo Geon now looked completely different from his usual self making absurd jokes. He was as skilled and agile as a general on the battlefield.

How many times did they climb walls, run, and lower their bodies following him? Finally, they were able to reach the Saheonbu archives they had visited not long ago.

Now all that’s left is to find and read the journal they couldn’t read last time. Jwa Woo approached the bookshelf in the north without hesitation.

As it was a bright moonlit night,

The words “Saheonbu Journal” written on the books caught her eye at once.

And the years of the journals.

1834, 1835, and 1837…

“Huh?”

[This is the timeline separator]

Why was the journal for 1836 missing?

She had definitely seen it last time…

Perplexed, Jwa Woo narrowed her eyes and began scanning the bookshelf again.

Once, twice, thrice…

No matter how many times she looked, she couldn’t find the journal from the year her father passed away.

“Did you find it?”

Hong Woo Geon, who was keeping watch outside, asked.

“It’s… gone. It disappeared.”

“What? Disappeared?”

Hong Woo Geon came closer to Jwa Woo.

“Only the journal for 1836, the year of Byeongsin, has disappeared.”

“Why…”

Hong Woo Geon’s voice suddenly trailed off.

“Someone’s coming. We need to hide.”

At Hong Woo Geon’s low whisper, Jwa Woo’s eyes darted around.

She looked around for a suitable hiding place.

However, in the wide open archives, there was nowhere for her to hide.

“There!”

Just then, Hong Woo Geon gestured somewhere.

It was the very top of the bookshelves standing in a row.

“You want me to climb up there?”

“Do you see anywhere else to go?”

At his question, Jwa Woo shook her head.

“But how can I climb up th…”

Before Jwa Woo could finish her sentence, Hong Woo Geon lifted her onto his shoulders.

“Hurry.”

Pushed by his urging, Jwa Woo quickly squeezed her body onto the top of the bookshelf.

After hiding herself, she became worried about Hong Woo Geon.

“What about you…”

Jwa Woo’s words trailed off.

Somehow, Hong Woo Geon had disappeared like a lie.

Unfamiliar footsteps approached where he had been.

“I’m sure I heard movement inside.”

A Saheonbu guard holding a torch inspected the inside of the archives.

Another guard who had followed, stretching long as if just woken up, also looked around halfheartedly.

“Did you hear wrong?”

No matter how much they looked, nothing could be seen.

“Maybe?”

The guard holding the torch scratched the back of his neck. His fellow guard patted his shoulder.

“Sometimes the wind sounds like people talking.”

“I guess so. Oh man, sorry for waking you up.”

“It’s fine. These things happen sometimes.”

After confirming there was nothing unusual in the archives, the guards disappeared outside again.

Jwa Woo lay still on top of the bookshelf until the footsteps of the two men faded away.

Time passed in deep darkness and silence.

Just when she thought it might be safe to relax,

Hong Woo Geon appeared out of the darkness.

You were hiding there?

Seeing Hong Woo Geon who had been hiding in a shadowy corner by the archives entrance, Jwa Woo marveled at his stealth skills.

Meanwhile, Hong Woo Geon quickly surveyed the archives. Then he cracked open the door to check the situation outside.

After confirming once again that no one was around, Hong Woo Geon approached the bookshelf where Jwa Woo was.

“You can come down now.”

He whispered softly to Jwa Woo.

Jwa Woo nodded and lifted her upper body slightly.

Then she suddenly looked down.

Oh no.

She hadn’t noticed when climbing up.

Looking down, it was quite high.

How could she jump down from this height?

Suddenly she was filled with worry.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

Not knowing Jwa Woo’s thoughts, Hong Woo Geon urged her again.

Jwa Woo squeezed her eyes shut.

Oh well, just jump. Somehow if she jumps…

Jwa Woo shuddered as she squinted and looked down.

No matter how she thought about it, it seemed like she would die if she jumped from here.

As she hesitated like that, Hong Woo Geon looked up at Jwa Woo.

After staring blankly at the bookshelf where she was for a moment, he suddenly spread his arms wide.

“Don’t worry and jump down.”

Gesturing that he would catch her from below, Hong Woo Geon encouraged Jwa Woo once more.

“We don’t have time. The patrolling guards will be back soon. So this is our only chance now.”

“Then… here I come!”

She couldn’t stay on top of the bookshelf forever.

Jwa Woo closed her eyes again and flung herself towards Hong Woo Geon.

Then.

With a thud, Jwa Woo’s body landed neatly on top of Hong Woo Geon’s body lying on the floor.

Thanks to Hong Woo Geon’s exceptionally good build, Jwa Woo was able to come down safely to the floor without injuring any part of her body.

However, if there was a problem, it was the hot heat rising like lava from her chest, legs, and lips touching his cheek where they met Hong Woo Geon.

Moreover, why was her heart pounding so loudly?

Why did every joint that touched him tingle like this?

Especially these lips touching his cheek, what should she do…

No matter how much she thought, no good idea came to mind.

Ah, should she pretend to be dead like this?

As her worries deepened,

“Um…”

Hong Woo Geon, who was pinned under Jwa Woo, opened his mouth.

“If it’s alright, could you move?”

“…”

“I think I pulled my back…”

“Your back?”

Jwa Woo hurriedly got up.

She lifted Hong Woo Geon’s upper body and moved his body this way and that to examine his back that he said he pulled.

“How is it?”

“Ow.”

“Does it hurt when I do this?”

To find the exact painful spot, Jwa Woo twisted Hong Woo Geon’s waist somewhat roughly.

Suddenly Hong Woo Geon grabbed Jwa Woo’s wrist.

And he said,

“You’re the first.”

“…?”

“The first woman to treat me so carelessly, so trivially.”

“…!”

What is this?

This feeling like all her limbs are about to disappear?

Look, she even got goosebumps.

Jwa Woo looked at Hong Woo Geon with eyes full of resentment.

It was then.

“It was a woman?”

A voice that shouldn’t be here was heard.

Hong Woo Geon and Jwa Woo’s heads turned in unison.

At the end of their gaze stood Lee Gyo Young.