#t.x.t

Your head was still spinning and you couldn’t really register the words that were being spoken to you. Your surroundings were extremely unfamiliar, and odd.

“You must choose.”

The only thing grounding you to the world right now was the man before you, dressed in period clothing and telling you that you had to make a choice. You looked down at the scroll on the table between you, seeing that it was a sort of contract. There was another one in your hand that you quickly looked at. It stated that you had been a palace slave, and were now free. You could leave the palace and figure out how to make a life for yourself, or become a proper servant in the palace. The choice was honestly easy. You had no idea what was going on or where you were, the better option was to stay here where you’d have shelter and food. As long as you were alive you could figure out what was happening.

“I’d like to remain in the palace.”

“Then you shall become a court lady. Someone will come by to collect you shortly.”

You signed your name on the contract before being ushered outside to wait. Once out there you could get a better look at this place and start piecing things together. Your surroundings were certainly reminiscent of the past, but you didn’t understand how you were here. You knew your name, you knew you were born in the 21st century, and you had all this knowledge of a world way more advanced than this. This whole situation was out of some sci-fi period drama and you had no idea how you wound up here. Now that you had a moment to think, you tried to remember what you had been doing before coming here, but you were soon interrupted.

“Are you my new court lady?”

“Huh? I mean, yes, I believe so.” You held out the scroll you had just signed. “Here you are ma’am.”

The woman took the scroll and looked it over, confirming your current status. She held her hand out for the other scroll and you quickly handed it over.

“I see… well, congratulations on your freedom. Even if it was only momentary.”

“Pardon?”

“As a court lady you have strict rules to follow, so you are basically a slave once more, you just get a salary and better clothes. Come now, let’s get you situated.”

“Yes ma’am.”

You followed the woman, not daring to ask for the scrolls back. As you walked she began talking about your role as a court lady. You wouldn’t be assigned to anyone in particular, but there are plenty of tasks for you to complete around the palace. Your primary duty was to serve. One of the other court ladies will teach you what you need to know and assure you watch your manners. You were shown to your new room and told to get dressed, work started immediately. You got your scrolls back and thanked the woman. She merely told you to hurry up as someone else would be there to collect you soon. The room was decent, and you could see your clothes folded up on the bed. Although the first thing you needed to do was hide your scrolls. It was important paperwork that needed to be protected.

Luckily you found a loose floorboard by your bed where you could hide the scrolls. With that done you quickly got dressed. The last thing you wanted to do now was cause trouble. You still needed to figure out what was going on. From your knowledge of watching period dramas you knew the palace was a pretty dangerous place if you didn’t keep your head down. The best way to investigate your situation and go home was to do so quietly. Once you were dressed you looked yourself over and then waited outside your room. It wasn’t long before another court lady came by and told you to follow them. She introduced herself as Misu and explained that a big celebration was being held tomorrow night to welcome an important guest. You’d both be helping with preparations and with the event itself.

The courtyard was being decorated extravagantly, but obviously there was still much to do. Tables were still being set and decorations were being added, so that’s where you wound up. You were tasked with placing these rather large vases on the tables then adding water so the florists could add in the proper arrangements. It wasn’t too difficult, but they had to be set a certain way, facing a particular direction and the amount of water added had to be precise. You were doing well, or at least you thought you were, but apparently you weren’t moving fast enough. The next thing you knew you heard yelling and looked over to see what was going on.

“You! Come here, now!”

It was only then that you discovered the lord who had been overseeing the preparations was calling you over. It would be stupid to hesitate or talk back so you merely rushed over to them and kept your head down.

“Do you have any idea what you’re doing!? The party is tomorrow night and you’re moving at a snail’s pace. This behavior is unacceptable!”

“My lord!” Misu rushed to your side. “My lord please have mercy, this is her first day. She has yet to adjust to the type of tasks-”

“That is no excuse for incompetence.”

“Yes, my lord. I will do better to teach her so this doesn’t happen again.”

“Get out of my sight, both of you.”

“Excuse us, my lord.”

You both bowed and stepped away. Your heart was pounding in your chest, and you were already mentally scolding yourself for causing problems. The last thing you wanted was attention and now rumors would certainly spread about the new girl making a fool of herself.

“Hello, ladies.”

Your thoughts were interrupted by another voice. This time you looked up to find another lord before you, although they weren’t in typical attire. Their clothes seemed a bit more extravagant than the rest.

“Could I get your assistant with something?”

“Yes, of course, my lord.” Misu answered. “What can we do for you?”

“I have a few things that need to be brought over. You see I’m the entertainer for tomorrow, you wouldn’t happen to know where I can set up?”

“Ah, yes, we can assist you. A certain area has been set aside for you.”

“Excellent.”

The two of you helped this lord move a few chests over. Of course Misu took the lead and did all the talking.

“Thank you very much. Although I must ask something else of you, if it’s alright.”

“What is it, my lord?”

“I will need some assistance for my performance. Would it be possible to have you two and another few court ladies assist me?”

“That’s no trouble at all. I’ll ask a few of the other girls to volunteer. Do you need us before your show?”

“Yes. If you could come by once the festivities begin and you’re free, that way I can go over your job.”

“I’ll spread the message.”

“Thank you very much, ladies.”

“It’s no trouble at all, my lord.”

After that you had other things to do in the palace. You’d basically be shadowing Misu for the time being. Unfortunately you couldn’t object cause when you found out she tended to do errands for the Crown Prince you freaked out. If you really were in the past you had yet to figure out when, so you didn’t actually know who the current King was, or the Crown Prince, or the Queen, or any other person of importance in the palace. One simple stupid mistake in front of a member of the royal family could mean death. You were freaking out and asking Misu to leave you out of it, but she said you had to get used to being around the royal family. You were a court lady and at their service.

The task wasn’t anything crazy, you were just delivering lunch to the Crown Prince and a lord that was with him. You were rightfully nervous, but hopefully this whole thing would go down without incident. Sure you were new, but the Crown Prince wouldn’t care about a  new court lady. He probably wouldn’t even notice you. Those thoughts helped you calm down, and all you had to do was follow Misu’s instructions. You’d both be in and out real quick, and there was no expectation about you speaking to anyone. Now that you were thinking about it, you hadn’t actually spoken a word to anyone here besides a handful of people. It was probably best to keep it that way.

“Your highness, your meal is here.”

Misu announced your arrival and then you both stepped inside. You kept your head low but when you looked up you froze a bit. The lord from earlier that had reprimanded you was here, and he was the Crown Prince’s guest. You took a quick breath to calm yourself and stepped forward to set the food down. It seemed like you’d get out of this without incident, but it was too good to be true.

“Will you look at that, she’s here.” The lord grabbed your arm. “This was the court lady I was telling you about.”

“The new one?” The Crown Prince questioned, then turned to you. “It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you, but I won’t hold anything against you. The transition from your previous life into a court lady can be difficult. I’m sure you’ll adjust well.”

You didn’t speak, but merely nodded your head. You had no right to speak to the Crown Prince, and you certainly didn’t want to accidentally say something stupid. The lord let you go, and you figured no you’d make your exit, but the Crown Prince spoke once more.

“Since you’re new, would you like to be one of my court ladies?”

“…”

Even if the question was directed at you, the thought of speaking terrified you. The problem was your silence would make this whole thing worse. You glanced at Misu and she gave you a look that told you to speak. There wasn’t enough time to think so you foolishly spoke the first thing that came to mind.

“That is not up to me, your highness. If you wish for me to be your court lady then it shall be.”

“Hm, that is true.”

Your face was burning as your words echoed in your head. Was that appropriate to say, or were you being disrespectful. At least you had lowered your head into a bow so you couldn’t make eye contact but you were afraid to move now.

“I’ll have to speak with my mother, although she might object since you still have much to learn. You’re free to go now, both of you.”

“Thank you, your highness.” Misu spoke. “Excuse us.”

You both made your exit and once outside of the Crown Prince’s quarters you began to panic. Misu could see it too and tried to calm you down.

“Just breathe.”

“Why did I say that? Did I sound rude? I, I…”

“It’s fine. You didn’t say anything wrong. I think he was just messing with you.”

“With me? Why me? The Crown Prince shouldn’t have any interest in me.”

“You need to relax. You’re fine. Nothing bad is gonna happen.”

“Are you sure? Gosh, Misu, you shouldn’t have brought me along.”

Misu couldn’t help but chuckle. “You were going to be in his presence eventually, just calm down. If you upset the Crown Prince he would have made it known to you in the moment. Just breathe, the day isn’t even over yet.”

“Right… right…”

You really did need to calm yourself. The day wasn’t over, and this was also just your first day. Regardless of what was happening, your luck wasn’t bad enough that you’d die without any answers. You apologized to Misu for freaking out, promising to have a stronger resolve going forward. There were still things to do, so you made your way over to your next task. Although you were interrupted as a gama was passing through. This seemed to be the important guest that would be honored tonight. They had their own entourage and guards, and the style of clothing seemed similar to yours.

“You two.”

One of the guards that was accompanying the guest called out to you and approached. You quickly took a half step back, as always letting Misu do the talking.

“Yes, my lord, how may we be of service?”

“Bring some refreshments and snacks for the young prince.”

“Right away, my lord.”

You and Misu bowed and the guard returned to his post. You were honestly still thinking about what he had said.

“Misu.”

“Yes?”

“The guard said, young prince… do you know who the guest is?”

“Oh right, I don’t think I told you. A foreign prince will be staying at the palace for a while. He’s here on behalf of his kingdom to celebrate peace and prosperity and ensure it remains between our two nations.”

“A foreign prince…”

The honestly made you more nervous. The royal family you served was one thing, but a foreign royal. Their rules and traditions were different. Something completely normal here could extremely offend them, and now you had to do an errand for them too. This first day was way too eventful for you, it did feel rather unlucky. You and Misu gathered the snacks and refreshments, making your way to the guest’s quarters. Once again you intended to keep your mouth shut, but things wouldn’t be so simple. After announcing your presence you stepped in, finding the prince and his guard in a friendly conversation.

“Wow, are these the court ladies of the palace.” The Prince spoke. “You two are quite beautiful.”

“We’ve brought you the finest the palace has to offer.”

You and Misu set down the trays, but the Prince wound up grabbing your arm and pulling you closer. His eyes looked deeply into yours and you averted your gaze, only for him to grab your chin and make your eyes meet.

“You are incredibly beautiful. What’s your name?”

“Uh… y/n… your highness.”

“Y/n, hm, I don’t suppose you’d like to stay with me and chat.”

“I’m afraid I have other tasks to attend to, your highness.”

“Perhaps another time then.”

The Prince let you go and then you excused yourself. Things were seriously not going in your favor. Misu needed to check on something so she had you wait for her for a moment. That left you alone with your thoughts and that feeling of anxiousness crept back up. You were barely here just one day and you had already gotten yell at by a lord, and caught the attention of two princes and-

“Fuck.”

You grew stiff and looked at your surroundings. This place looked like a palace but something had always been off. It’s because this wasn’t real at all. It finally hit you, where you were, but that was impossible. A year ago you had been majorly invested in this otome game called, Be Mine. The main character was a former slave who became a palace court lady. Despite her status she got the attention of five suitors, all which you had met today. Crown Prince Soobin, Royal Advisor Lord Yeonjun, Entertainer Lord Beomgyu, Royal Guard Taehyun, and Foreign Prince Kai. You could meet with all of them, get to know them, and there were multiple paths to take. Depending on your choices a lot of different things could happen, but your head was spinning as this all settled in.

“I have no idea how to get out of here…”

Your memories were clearing up a bit as well. Before waking up here you remembered being out late with friends, and hurrying home in the middle of a storm. While running to the bus stop your phone had fallen into a puddle. Next thing you knew lightning struck nearby. You thought your phone was toast, but despite the screen glitching a bit it still seemed fully functional. The last thing you had done before bed was put it in a bag of rice and set in on your nightstand. The storm was still raging outside, but you had managed to fall asleep anyway. It didn’t explain how you wound up in this game though. You hadn’t even touched it in nearly a year as you had gotten so busy with life. Even then you weren’t too deep into the story, so you had no idea where it was going.

“You.”

A voice startled you out of your panic and you were suddenly grabbed. Then your heart sank as you saw it was Lord Yeonjun.

“I require your assistance, come with me.”

Of course Misu couldn’t do anything to help you here, and you’d have to find her later, so you reluctantly followed Yeonjun. You wound up in what you assumed to be his quarters. He had you sit by his desk and help with the ink. He had a few things to do. You thought you’d just be silently taking on this task, but after a while he spoke.

“I looked into you.”

“…”

“When you were a child a man sold you as a slave to the palace. All you had was your name back then, y/n. Not many other child slaves are kept in the palace, so you must have been very lonely growing up. At least you learned a lot of valuable skills. It was a wise decision to become a court lady once you had gained your freedom. This is a familiar place, and is more like home than anywhere else.”

“I agree… my lord…”

“I expect you will only improve as a court lady and not make any more mistakes.”

“Yes, my lord.”

“Otherwise I’ll have to properly reprimand you.”

“I… I understand, my lord.”

You honestly wanted to get away from him right now, and thankfully someone came by to inform him that he was needed elsewhere. You were free to go, and found a quiet place to collect your thoughts. The information you had just gotten from Yeonjun was the story of the main character from the game, which confirmed to you where you were. Now you needed to figure out how to get out of this place. You thought back to the game, and what you played. The whole time the main character was in the palace, so maybe that was the key. If you left the palace it would be like exiting the game. You made up your mind then, that night you’d make a run for it and escape the place.

The rest of the day went by without any more incidents, and you began to plan for your exit. As a court lady you couldn’t simply walk out the main gate so you’d have to climb over a wall. There were a few places that would make that easier, and you made note of the ones closest to your room. You didn’t need to pack anything, since hopefully by sunrise you’d be back in your world and this will all be a weird dream. You waited until things got quiet and a majority of the palace was asleep. You dressed in some plain clothes, hoping not to stand out so you could make a quick escape. As you moved around you remained on high alert and moved cautiously. You didn’t want to know what the consequences were for sneaking around.

“Oh, sorry, I-”

You were doing so well yet you wound up bumping into someone. You lowered your head, hoping not to get recognized.

“It’s alright, although… aren’t you a court lady?”

Despite keeping your head down the other leaned in closer to get a good look at you, a smile on their face. It was the entertainer, Lord Beomgyu.

“Uh… no, no-”

“It’s okay. I won’t tell. Going by how you’re dressed, you sneaking out?”

“No! I’m not, I was just-”

“It’s alright. I know the way, follow me.”

Before you could say more Beomgyu grabbed your arm and led the way. Next thing you knew he was helping you over a wall and then you were outside the palace. Even if things were quiet and dark in the palace at night, the world outside was different. Some markets were open and Beomgyu took you to a place for late night snacks. He talked a bit about himself, telling you he was staying in the palace until morning. Since he was a traveling entertainer he’d usually request housing from such a high status client.

“So, you’re a new court lady.”

“What?”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop earlier. Today was your first day, right?”

“Ah, yes. I figured the job would benefit me in the long run… I kinda regret that now…”

“Huh?”

“It’s nothing. Are you excited for tomorrow night? You’re going to perform.”

“Yeah. One of the advisors even told me if the show was good they might hire me more often for celebrations.”

“Oh, that sounds good. The palace does have regular festivities, so it’d be a steady income.”

“Well, it’s only if I do good, and if I accept the job offer.”

“You wouldn’t want to perform in the palace more often?”

“I’m more of a traveling entertainer. If I were to take the job, I wouldn’t be able to go far anymore or see the world. This whole thing has its pros and cons, but I haven’t decided anything just yet.”

“I suppose tomorrow’s performance will help you make that choice.”

“I think it will. Since it’s getting late we should probably head back to the palace. You know before anyone finds out we’re gone.”

“Oh… uh…”

Even if you were glad Beomgyu helped you get out of the palace, you had no intention of returning. You appreciated the snacks and got up, thinking of some excuse to give when you suddenly felt dizzy. Beomgyu quickly stood to help steady you.

“We really should get back.”

Beomgyu had you drape an arm around his shoulder and helped you walk. Of course going through the main gate still wasn’t an option. You both managed to get back into the palace undetected, but you didn’t feel all that better.

“Where’s your sleeping quarters?”

“What’s going on here?”

You both were trying to keep a low profile, but someone else was around. Your vision was a bit blurry, but you recognized the uniform a bit.

“Nothing, I was just taking her-”

“I’ll take over from here. It’s not appropriate for outsiders to be with a court lady this late into the night.”

“Ah, right.”

Beomgyu handed you over rather easily, and you didn’t expect to get swept off your feet. You were carried bridal style, wrapping your arms around their neck. Now that you were closer you could make out the face. At first you thought it might have been Yeonjun given how he spoke, but now you saw that it was Taehyun. This became worrisome given that he wasn’t from the palace, and he definitely wasn’t taking you towards your room. Wherever he took you, it was likely his own room, and he set you down on the bed.

“I… I shouldn’t be here…”

“Eating food outside the palace is rather risky. I’m glad you’re alright.”

“What?”

“It’s best if you stay here tonight. Just so someone can keep an eye on you.”

“No… no, I’m fine. I’m actually feeling better now, so I should go.”

“I won’t tell anyone if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“It’s fine, really. I just need to leave.”

You didn’t wait for a response and rushed out. You really were feeling better, the adrenaline of being caught probably helped you. Although your priority was still to escape. It was still dark out, so you still had a chance to get out of here. Thanks to Beomgyu you had a destination, but unfortunately fate had other plans for you. Once you rounded a corner you found yourself face to face with Lord Yeonjun and Crown Prince Soobin. You quickly bit your tongue and bowed, trying to back away.

“Ah, it’s you again, isn’t it?” Soobin questioned. “What are you doing out this late?”

“Nothing, your highness. Merely getting some air.”

“Not quite used to the palace yet, I see.”

“She’s lived here her whole life.” Yeonjun stated. “The palace is nothing new.”

“Is that so? Then I suppose you could be my court lady. Would you like that?”

“As I’ve said before, your highness, I have no opinion on the matter.”

“Then I’ll take that as a yes. May I have your name?”

“Of course, your highness. It’s y/n.”

“Y/n, I’ll see you in the morning. Good night.”

“Good night, your highness.”

You kept your head low, and stepped back, hearing their footsteps as they walked away. Now you were mentally cursing yourself. There was no way you could run away now, not when the Crown Prince expected to see you in the morning. You just had to complicate matters for yourself. It was so stupid. Despite your desire to escape you reluctantly made your way back to your room. You were gonna have to figure something else out.

🖤

It was hard to sleep, but you somehow managed it. Come morning you hoped you’d wake up back in your own bed, in your own world, but that wasn’t the case. You were still in the game, and you needed to find some other way to get out. For now you just seriously needed to keep your head down and get by without attracting attention from any of the suitors. Even if the Crown Prince wanted you in his entourage, you weren’t sure that would happen. You didn’t remember the main character getting tied to any of the love interests so early on. After breakfast you and Misu had some deliveries to make, but there were other plans for you.

“Good morning, my lady.”

It seemed that Taehyun was waiting around for you, and offered you a bow along with his greeting. You were already getting anxious.

“Good morning, Lord Taehyun, how-”

“You know my name? I don’t recall-”

“Apologies, my lord, I heard it from another.”

“Ah, well, it was lovely to hear my name from your lips, but I am here on my prince’s behalf. He wishes for you to serve him today.”

“Me? I’m not-”

“Let us be on our way.”

Taehyun took your hand, and you looked back to Misu for help. She had her own things to do, and it would be incredibly rude to deny such an important guest your service. You were screwed, moreso when you remembered the Crown Prince would surely be looking for you soon.

“I’m glad to see you’re alright.”

“I told you last night I was fine.”

“Still, you shouldn’t be venturing out of the palace. It’s dangerous.”

“This isn’t your kingdom, nor am I a court lady for your prince, you do not need to worry about me.”

“As a man I can certainly worry about a beautiful woman.”

“…”

Besides not wanting to be around any of these boys, you also weren’t sure you knew all there was to know about being a court lady. Misu was meant to teach you, but you kept getting taken away from her and left alone with all the suitors.

“Y/n? What is going on here?”

You were just outside the guest quarters when you heard your name, seeing the Crown Prince and his advisor. You bowed and kept your head down, already not liking this.

“Good morning, your highness. I was just-”

“I was expecting you at my quarters first thing in the morning.”

“I understand, your highness, I just-”

“Prince Kai has requested this court lady to serve him.” Taehyun cut in. “It is better to have someone familiar with the palace at his side, don’t you agree, your highness.”

“If Prince Kai needed a servant he should have said so sooner. We have plenty of qualified-”

“My ears are burning. Someone must be speaking about me.”

Kai stepped out of his quarters, having heard all the commotion. He was happy to see you, but he understood the situation.

“Good morning, Crown Prince, it’s an honor to see you this early in the day.”

“Likewise. I do not mean to cause you trouble. I was merely telling your guard that the court lady is mine. If you-”

“Excellent! Who better to serve me than one of your personal servants. Your generosity knows no bounds, thank you, Crown Prince, I trust I’m in good hands.”

Soobin glared, clearly not happy with how things were going. This was only your second day and the royals were fighting about you. 

“Your highness.” Yeonjun leaned in to speak to Soobin. “He is an important guest here, and this is not something to make a fuss over.”

Soobin sighed. “Please let me know if you need anything else.”

“Will do.” Kai smiled, then grabbed your hand. “Come now, I’ve been waiting for you so I can enjoy my breakfast.”

You glanced back at Soobin before following Kai inside, wondering what would happen later. There was no way this would be the end of it. You joined Kai in his room, and he had you feed him while he spoke about his long journey and the sights he came across. Although you weren’t really listening, not till he asked you a question.

“Would you like to see it?”

“See what, your highness?”

“My palace, my kingdom.”

“It must be wonderful, but my place is here.”

“Says who? If you’d like, you could return to my home with me.”

“That is a generous offer, but my home is here, your highness.”

“Home can be anywhere. It’s not necessarily the place you were born, or where you live.”

You were fortunate that Kai only had simple tasks for you to complete. It was clear he wanted you around more for the company than anything else. Of course you weren’t entirely alone with him either as Taehyun was around too. He was always just out of sight but you could feel his gaze on you every now and then. Even though you were a court lady, Kai still had you change clothes and accompany him to the party. It was a celebration for him after all, so his little requests couldn’t be denied. You just knew rumors would start going around about you and a foreigner when this was all over.

Sitting at the table with Kai and so many other important individuals made you feel incredibly uneasy. You had no business being with such people, and the small glances your way followed by hushed whispers said a lot. The Prince was certainly parading you around like some prized possession. Although you did get a moment to breathe when Misu came by to get you. Lord Beomgyu was asking for you since you had originally agreed to assist with his performance. Fortunately Kai let you go, wanting to see you in this show.

“There’s my star.” Beomgyu cheered when he saw you. “I was worried you were going to back out.”

“No, no, I’m here. What do you need from me?”

If you remember correctly Beomgyu was a magician, using very old tricks. Although considering some of his tricks many speculated he might actually be magic to some degree. For his show he was gonna do a bit of fire dancing and hypnosis, along with some illusions. You were to be his assistant and dance partner. He taught you the moves and told you what you needed to do. It was all simple and you were a quick learner. In all honesty you had fun with his show, enjoying the applause, even the looks you got from the nobles. After the show you did need to return to Kai, which you weren’t exactly excited for. As you were making your way back you were suddenly pulled out of sight and pinned against a wall.

“Do you like Prince Kai?”

You were going to scream when you were grabbed, but were shocked into silence when you found yourself face to face with Soobin. Although even in your panicked state you were able to recall this moment in the game. All day the Crown Prince had been jealous, and it had reached its breaking point.

“Answer me.”

“I have no opinion on the matter, your highness. I’ve merely been serving the Prince today.”

“That’s not what I asked.” 

Soobin stepped closer, properly pinning you against the wall. You averted your gaze but he grabbed your chin, forcing you to meet his eyes. Back when you were just playing this game you didn’t mind having the attention of the Crown Prince, but in real life it was different. You were terrified, knowing very well someone like you messing around with the Crown Prince would end terribly.

“Those foreigners are dangerous. I shouldn’t have left you alone with them all day. Tomorrow you shall return to my side, where I can keep you safe.”

“If that’s what you desire, your highness.”

“Desire… hm, what I truly desire is you.”

“What?”

“You could become my woman.”

“Your highness, please-”

“What? You don’t like the proposition?”

“…”

“Speak.”

“I am merely a court lady, your highness.”

“That does-”

“Thus I belong to the King.”

“What?”

“All court ladies in the palace belong to the King. Those are the rules, your highness.”

Soobin scoffed. “Is that your excuse to defy me?”

“It’s no excuse, your highness.”

“Of course it is. You forget who I am, y/n. As the Crown Prince I am destined to inherit the throne. One day I shall be King, and you’ll be mine by your own logic. There’s no reason to delay the inevitable.”

“Your highness… may I speak truthfully?”

“Please.”

“Regardless of your status, you are royalty, and I am nothing but a slave turned servant. A relationship between us would never work, not to mention you giving me attention like this only puts my life in danger.”

“Is that so?”

“You should know better than me, your highness. There are plans for you that have nothing to do with a court lady such as myself.”

“Hm, so you’re scared of me?”

“I do worry for my life, your highness.”

“I see. Very well then, I still expect to see you in the morning. You come straight to my quarters, and nowhere else.”

“I understand.”

Soobin let you go, and you made your exit. You couldn’t read his expression towards the end. That wasn’t how the scene was originally supposed to go, but you hoped your words would deter him from trying anything. You returned to Kai’s side, getting through the rest of the evening without issue. Now you dreaded what tomorrow would bring.

🖤

“Good morning, your highness.”

Misu was aware that you’d be with the Crown Prince the next day, and she was kind enough to escort you to his quarters. From there she wished you luck and told you to act appropriately. You intended to do the same, but as soon as you arrived you quickly realized your words last night did nothing to change the Crown Prince’s mind.

“There you are. Surely you can help me dress.”

“… uh… yes, your highness.”

Usually there would be multiple court ladies helping the Crown Prince, but at the moment it was just you. At least he was already wearing pants, but walking in on Soobin shirtless definitely made your face burn. He had no problem guiding you as you dressed him, asking you to tie and untie a few knots until he was satisfied. He also used that as an excuse to take your hand.

“… your highness…”

“I won’t tell if you won’t.”

All morning you were glued to his side. Once he was dressed, breakfast was served and you were tasked with feeding him. Then you were making ink for him as he tended to paperwork. He didn’t even talk much. It was clear he was satisfied with just having you by his side. That is until other tasks took hold. Later in the day he needed to study in his library, and that was a place you could not follow. So you waited outside the door, trying to come up with your next move. That is until Lord Yeonjun interrupted your thoughts. It was just the two of you outside the library.

“It’s dangerous to get close to the Crown Prince.”

“I am aware, my lord.”

“Yet you do so anyway?”

“Not by choice. I am only a court lady following orders.”

“Being with a lord is less complicated.”

“What?”

“You wouldn’t have the pressure of the kingdom on your shoulders. All you would need to do is live happily and have children.”

“I… I appreciate your concern, my lord, but I understand my situation… I’ll do what I can to survive.”

“I could help with that.”

“My lord-”

“The Crown Prince could never truly be with a court lady. At best you’d be his concubine, never his Queen. I could make you a proper lady, and you’d be my only woman.”

“My lord, do not say such things. As you know, I was a slave in this palace not so long ago. I am no one worth tarnishing your reputation over, or destroying your relationship with the Crown Prince.”

“Don’t not bring him into this when he has nothing to do with it. His affections would only get you killed.”

“As would yours, my lord. A court lady belongs to the King. To covet his things, we’d both wind up executed.”

“We don’t have to remain in the palace.”

The conversation ended there as Soobin stepped out of his library, having other things to do. You spent the rest of the day at his side, noticing that Yeonjun kept his eyes on you often. Since you were deviating from the game you couldn’t predict what they’d do next, and that was making you a bit nervous. You needed to escape the palace before something major happened. It wasn’t until nightfall that Soobin let you go, telling you he’d want to see you again in the morning. Of course you agreed, but if this continued you’d certainly wind up his official court lady soon enough.

“Long day?”

While heading back to your room you heard a familiar voice. You looked over to see Taehyun approaching you, waving around a bottle in his hand.

“How about a drink?”

It was a bad idea to accept, but you knew you couldn’t get your hands on alcohol so easily anymore. You joined him in his own room, the two of you talking over drinks.

“The young prince missed you today. As did I. This place is not as colorful as back home.”

“Is that so?”

“You should return with us.”

“What?”

“Our kingdom is much nicer, as is the palace. I believe you’ll feel more at home there.”

“A palace is still a dangerous place for a lowly servant like me.”

“You’d be under my care, so there’s no need to be afraid.”

“A noble such as yourself shouldn’t be with a servant.”

“Says who?”

“You’re a royal guard, aren’t you? Wouldn’t such actions look back on the Prince? You have a duty to protect him, and I’d only get in the way.”

“Hm, it is nice to see you worry about me.”

“We are both servants to royalty, they are the priority.”

“Am I not allowed to have desires of my own?”

“Perhaps, but you know where your responsibilities are.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

After drinks, you thanked Taehyun for his company and went to bed. With alcohol in your system you slept well, although Misu had to get you out of bed the next morning.  Once again you spent the day with Soobin, and had Yeonjun staring you down. There were more eyes on you this time, and you knew trouble was brewing. You weren’t his official court lady, and word was spreading fast about how close the Crown Prince kept you. Now you’d have to be on high alert, and the boys weren’t helping.

“How long have you lived in the palace?”

“What do you mean, your highness?”

Unlike before, this time Soobin wanted to talk with you while he was having a meal. You were still feeding him of course.

“Yeonjun told me you were sold as a slave when you were a child. You grew up in the palace, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Fascinating. All this time you’ve been here. All along you were mine.”

“Your highness-”

“Yes, yes, you’ve said it before. You serve the King. Is that the only way to have you? Shall I take what is rightfully mine in this instance and make you see the truth?”

“Do not say such things, your highness. You may be the Crown Prince but your words can be taken as treason. You surely have enemies.”

“Ah, so you do worry about me.”

“I… I am a servant of the palace, I should-”

“You should do as you’re told.” Soobin suddenly pinned you down. “If I tell you to be with me then you should not question it. I don’t care for your past because none of it matters. I’ll make you into my Queen, and no one will oppose me.”

“… listen to yourself… your highness… this would never-”

“Stop fighting me.”

“Do I not get a say in this?”

“I’m the Crown Prince, the future King, what I want, I shall have. You’re no exception.”

There was a knock, ultimately saving you from the conversation. Since tonight was the farewell celebration for Kai, there were a lot of things to prepare. Soobin had a part in all of it, and his presence was needed elsewhere. You of course followed along, but were now kept at a distance, as you always should be. That is until you saw Beomgyu. It seemed he would be the entertainment for later, and he eagerly came over to speak with you.

“Nice to see you again.”

“Hello again, my lord. Are you performing tonight?”

“Yes, of course. I don’t suppose I could have you assist me once more?”

“You’d have to speak with those above me. I’m currently serving the Crown Prince.”

“I see. You’ve moved up in the palace.”

“I guess you could say that.”

“Hm, you don’t like it much here, do you?”

“My lord, I-”

“You were trying to run away that night, weren’t you? Sorry I kinda ruined that.”

“I…”

“If you’d like, I can make up for it.”

“Huh?”

“I did help you get out of the palace once, I could do it again. And I promise not to bring you back.”

“Oh… I don’t-”

“You could stay with me, travel the world. No one would ever find you again.”

“My lord… you’re talking nonsense.”

“Am I?”

“What you’re proposing, it’s dangerous. It’s foolish to risk your life for a court lady. You’re of noble descent, and I am nothing.”

“Why do you think so low of yourself?”

“Because I am. I’m no one important, just a servant. It’s not my destiny to wed, especially not with a lord such as yourself.”

“What if I told you I don’t care about all that.”

“It doesn’t change the fact you’re a lord and I-”

“Would be mine.”

“What?”

“I may be a lord, but you forget I don’t live like a traditional noble. I travel across the lands to perform for the masses, both noble and common, even royal. If you were by my side you’d be my lady, and no one would be the wiser. You’d be free, and we’d be together.”

“Lord Beomgyu, I-”

“Think it over. I’ll be here until morning, but even then, my offer still stands.”

Beomgyu was called elsewhere and you were left alone. You didn’t know if this was how the story was supposed to go since you had gone off script a while ago. The suitors were getting a bit intense and it worried you, but you still had your status to protect you, somewhat. Truth was as a former slave and now servant, being with any of them would be difficult. It was practically impossible. So the game was about defying the odds in the name of love. If you kept refusing and reminding them a relationship would never work, then maybe they’d move on. At the same time you did wonder what would happen to you if none of the suitors were interested in you.

Maybe that was another way to get out. If you could erase yourself from their hearts, you’d erase yourself from the game. As night grew closer, Soobin had to let you go since you were needed to help prepare for the celebration. You thought you’d be doing something similar as before, but instead you were sent to gather the flower arrangements for the decorations. It seemed easy enough. You grabbed as much as you could carry, intending to head back to the main area when you were tripped. Flowers went everywhere and you stained your clothes, not to mention some thorns dug into your palms.

“Careful now, you wouldn’t want to ruin that pretty face.”

“Then she wouldn’t be able to serve any royals.”

“If you can’t do your job, you’d probably get kicked out of the palace.”

“Probably better off out there.”

You didn’t care for the comments, more concerned with making sure you were alright. You pulled the thorns out of your hand, noticing the spots of blood. Then someone grabbed your arm and helped you to your feet.

“Are you alright?”

Taehyun noticed your bleeding hand, grabbing it and making you wince. He apologized and then started pulling you along.

“Let’s get this treated.”

“Huh? Wait, I’m-”

“They can clean up. Besides, the young prince is asking for you.”

“What?”

Obviously he wasn’t gonna let you go, and he was much stronger than you, so it was easy to pull you along. He wound up taking you back to his room. He had supplies there, and didn’t even ask before he started cleaning your hand.

“… thank you…”

“You shouldn’t just accept that kind of behavior.”

“Bullying among the court ladies is to be expected.”

“What?”

“Word has been getting around that the Crown Prince has some favor towards me. That creates jealousy and hatred. More so because I’m still new. This was bound to happen.”

“So you are in danger.”

“Anyone in the palace is in danger. No one is truly safe.”

“All the more reason to leave.”

You scoffed. “I know.”

Taehyun bandaged up your arm, then got you some water. Even if your hand was alright now, your clothes certainly weren’t. You’d have to change.

“Come with me.”

“We’ve spoken about this before. I can’t just leave the palace.”

“Of course you. It wouldn’t be difficult to ask the young prince for a favor. I’ve been very loyal, he’d grant me such a wish as a small token of gratitude.”

“To run away to another kingdom, that’s just as dangerous as staying here, if not more.”

“You wouldn’t be a court lady anymore. You wouldn’t be a servant at all. Just stay with me. Say you’ll be mine, and I can take you away from all this.”

“It’s not that easy. I’m not worth such trouble.”

“You are to me.”

“We don’t know each other. I appreciate the kindness you’ve shown me, but that’s all it is.”

“Is it? You don’t feel something between us?”

“No. You’re a royal guard, you have a duty to protect the young prince. My place as a servant is here. I’ll survive.”

“That’s not the mentality you should have.” Taehyun grabbed your uninjured hand. “Let me take you away from this place, show you, no, give you a better life.”

“My life is here.”

“You’ll get hurt, you could end up dead.”

“Would it not be the same in your kingdom?”

“No, it wouldn’t. You’d be my woman, mine to protect and love. I’d never let you be in such danger.”

“And I wouldn’t be free.”

“Is freedom more valuable than your life?”

“Yes.”

“That’s reckless.”

“Perhaps, but I’d get to be me.”

“I don’t think I could just watch you live like that.”

“Then it’s a good thing you’ll be leaving tomorrow. You won’t have to worry about me, you won’t even see me.” You got up. “Now if you’ll excuse me. I need to change and return to work.”

“Wait.” Taehyun grabbed your arm. “I didn’t run into you by chance earlier. I was looking for you. The young prince requested your presence. He’d like for you to be his honored guest tonight.”

“I see… I don’t suppose I can decline.”

“It wouldn’t look good on the royal family.”

“I know.”

You followed Taehyun as he escorted you to Kai. The only benefit here was that this would be the last time you’d be around Taehyun and Kai. With the two of them gone, along with Beomgyu, you’d have less problems. For now you still needed to deal with Prince Kai.

“There’s my beloved girl! Oh dear, what happened to you?” Kai looked you over, grabbing your injured hand. “What happened? Taehyun-”

“It was nothing, your highness.” You interrupted. “I just had a small mishap. I’m fine.”

“Hm… I guess we can add gloves to your outfit. Don’t need people asking redundant questions. Come now, let’s get dressed. I was waiting for you.”

Since you dressed Soobin before, you had some experience and could properly help Kai. He was very happy to have your touch all over him. You merely put on a smile, this would be the last time you serve him anyway. You could get through one more night. You did dress in private.

“You’re so beautiful.”

“Thank you, your highness.”

“You know, I’d love to ask the King for you.”

“What?”

“To have a beautiful woman like you at my service, it would be wonderful. You’d make a lovely gift from the King, you know, as a peace offering.”

“Your highness, I don’t-”

“You could be my royal concubine. That would certainly strengthen the relationship between our two nations, don’t you think?”

“I-”

“You’d adore my kingdom. Although its beauty is no match to yours.”

“Your highness… you flatter me, but I am no one. I am not worthy of such attention. These past few days, it’s been an honor to serve you.”

“Hm, you’re very formal, but I don’t care about your status, I just care about you. All this time you’ve been the greatest thing about this whole place, and I want to take you home.”

“That’s not a good idea, your highness. I’m just a servant who-”

“If you say such things you’ll only break my heart. Besides, as such a lowly servant, the King wouldn’t deny me you as a gift, don’t you think?”

“Your highness-”

“If I want you to be mine, I could have you, and no one can stop me. Not even that silly Crown Prince. The King will do what he can to maintain peace, and you’re a small price to pay.”

“I…”

“We should get going. The party is for me afterall.”

Now Kai had you extremely worried because he was right. If he asked the King to gift you to him for the sake of peace, it would be stupid for the King not to hand over a random court lady. You didn’t doubt Kai would ask such a thing, and you had no idea what that would lead to. This was an otome game, they don’t tend to have solid clear cut endings, just a stopping point in a relationship and the rest is up to the player’s fantasies. If Kai whisked you away to his kingdom, you’d be in unknown territory. You needed to escape the palace, and you had to do it tonight by whatever means necessary.

Even though Beomgyu had asked you to help him with his performance again, Kai wouldn’t allow it. He did not want you out of his sight. Being with him this time was way more nerve wrecking. The guest recognized you, and now they were certainly questioning your relationship with the Prince. You did your best to be polite, but the longer you stayed put, the less time you had. With a party going on, the entire palace was occupied, so this was a good time to just make a break for it and run. You just needed to step away from Kai, but whatever you did, it had to be fast. He’d surely notice if you were gone for too long and demand you be found. Your sudden disappearance would certainly cause trouble, but it was the least of your worries.

You thought back to when Beomgyu had helped you sneak out. The wall was easier to climb with two people, but you could do it alone. From the other side you knew what path to take to get into town. After that you were on your own. You’d certainly need some money to travel, so you’d likely pawn off the jewelry you were wearing. As the plan formed in your head you knew all you had to do now was get up. You decided to use the oldest trick in the book and informed Kai that you needed to use the restroom and freshen up. Of course he told you to hurry back, and you just smiled. If it all worked out, you wouldn’t be seeing him again. You knew where you had to go, but nothing was that easy.

“I need to talk to you.”

Once you were away from the main event you thought you were good, but you were suddenly yanked into a secluded area. You expected this to be Taehyun who was keeping an eye on you, but instead you found yourself alone with Yeonjun.

“What are you doing!?”

“Me? You’re the one who brought me over here.”

“I’ve heard rumors about you running off with the foreign prince.”

“Seriously? I didn’t realize that was circulating.”

“This isn’t funny.”

“I never said it was, but what does it matter to you?”

“Do you really think I’d just let you go off to some foreign land? You’d be at his mercy.”

“There’s no difference is there? I’m at your mercy here too.”

“This is your home though, where you belong. If you think I’m going to let you leave so easily then you underestimate me.”

“You’d interfere with peace?”

“What?”

“The Prince wants me as a gift to symbolize peace, the King wouldn’t deny him that.”

“Screw peace, you’re not some slave he can just give away.”

“As his court lady I am.”

“No. I’m not letting anyone take you away from me like that.”

“I don’t belong to you!”

“And you definitely don’t belong to some foreign prince. Let’s go, you were already running away, I’ll hide you somewhere that no one will find you.”

“Let go!”

“You won’t listen to reason.”

“Hiding me away isn’t reasonable! You’ll cause an incident.”

“And you’ll be alive and here.”

“Yeonjun!”

Despite him taking your arm and trying to drag you somewhere else you managed to slip free of his grasp. You immediately bolted, just wanting to get away from him as fast as possible. You didn’t pay attention to where you were going and ran into another person. You felt a hot liquid fall onto you, and heard the cries of another. As cruel as it was you only focused on standing and running, but a hand grabbed your ankle and pulled you back. Next thing you knew another lord had you pinned down

“Think you can just run away after what you’ve done??”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

“Get off her!”

Yeonjun came to your rescue, getting the other lord off of you, but he was still upset. All the screaming drew attention and you weren’t able to escape. You didn’t know what to do and things only got worse. The other lord was high and mighty, demanding that you be punished for your actions. Yeonjun tried to persuade him otherwise but next thing you knew palace guards grabbed you and dragged you away. Instinctively you screamed and fought back, but that only made you look worse. Instead of escaping you actually wound up in a prison cell, waiting to see what happened next. You told yourself that you’d be fine. Two of your suitors were royals, surely they could get you out of this. Even if you’d end up owing them big time, that was better than being tortured or worse, killed.

When the guards came you thought they were there to set you free. Instead they shackled you and dragged you out. This was impossible, but then again, you had been going against the game. If you weren’t going to be with any of them then there was no reason to protect you. There was of course a chance that dying here would return you to your world, but the odds were fifty-fifty and you didn’t really want to test them.  Whoever you hurt must have a lot of power as you were brought before then and a crowd. You were either going to be tortured or die, and you preferred the latter just so you wouldn’t suffer. The guards forced you on your knees and you didn’t dare meet the eyes of any of the boys. It was too shameful, and redundant at this point.

You didn’t listen to whatever crime you were accused of, but you couldn’t help but scream when you were grabbed. Torture seemed to be the punishment, and you knew your silence meant begging for mercy would not help you. At first the guards merely hit you and knocked you over. Then they put their hands on you, ripping your clothes as they intended to bruise you and make you bleed. Pitiful cries escaped your lips but you were on your own. That is until your shirt was torn, exposing your back. You felt so cold, and you were trembling, yet a familiar voice yelled and brought everything to a halt.

“Stop! Stop!”

For a moment you saw Yeonjun run to you, but he wasn’t there to be comforting. He was more focused on your exposed skin, specifically the mark on your back. You felt his fingers trace along it, sending shivers down your spine.

“Lord Yeonjun, what is the meaning-”

“No one else lay a hand on her.” Yeonjun snapped. “She isn’t just some servant you can punish for your own amusement.”

“… yeonjun…”

“She bears the mark of the late General Lee.”

“… what…?”

You had no idea what Yeonjun just said, but his words caused the others to start talking among themselves. A few even approached to see what Yeonjun was talking about.

“This is nonsense!”

“It’s not!” Yeonjun said. “We all know General Lee was a cruel man, he had a lot of enemies, both on the battlefield and in civilian life. Only those branded with the Lee family crest would be recognized in the family. He was very strict about that.”

“How can you be so sure she’s a descendant of the General?”

“A few years ago the General’s estate was attacked. His entire lineage was destroyed. Everyone was accounted for except for his young granddaughter. This woman was sold as a slave to the palace when she was a child. Among the other slaves no one would recognize the mark, nor would the average person. She is of noble birth, and the sole heir to the General’s estate.”

You knew Yeonjun’s words were just speculation to everyone, but you had no doubt it was true. This was an otome game after all. As the main character you had to be special, and there was no way you were just a servant. If romancing any of the five was actually supposed to be possible you had to be of noble descent. Then add in being the last of your family and marrying royalty was a true viable option. This wasn’t the end, this was just the beginning. You certainly didn’t make it this far when you had originally played. Now it seemed that you weren’t going to escape this place any time soon.