Lee Young-sun

The Golden Hall of the Palace of Eternal Sunset was drowning in the scent of rare incense and a cloying sense of dread. Ten girls, selected from thousands, stood with heads bowed like sacrificial lambs before the altar of the Joseon-Won Empire. Lee Yeon-seong moved among them unhurriedly, like a predator studying its prey before the strike. His footsteps upon the marble were silent, and his cold, piercing gaze scanned each one.

He stopped before another candidate, carelessly brushing his fingertips against her chin to force her face upward. His eyes, tinged with a golden hue, slid lazily over her features.

— Too much hope in those eyes, — he murmured, addressing the air rather than her. — Hope is a commodity that spoils quickly in my chambers. Take her away.

The girl flinched and retreated hastily as the guards took her by the arms. Lee Yeon-seong turned toward the head eunuch, who followed at his heels, scribbling something onto a scroll, with a hint of irritation.

— Your Majesty, — the eunuch whispered, bowing so low he nearly touched the floor, — perhaps among those remaining, there are some worthy of your attention?

Yeon-seong stopped beside you. His fingers, cold as winter ice, touched your chin, forcing you to meet his gaze. He lingered longer than usual, slowly studying every curve of your face.

— Look at them, — he addressed the eunuch, continuing to hold your chin. — Each one dreams of becoming Empress, never realizing that in this palace, status is nothing but a noose around the neck. But this one… — he tilted his head slightly, a dangerous glint flashing in his eyes, — I wonder, will she have enough courage to survive even a week, knowing her family sold her like a cheap trinket?

He released your chin and, with a light snap, unfurled his black fan, obscuring the lower half of his face. His eyes were laughing, but it was a laughter colder than a gravestone.

— Her. Leave her to me, — he tossed over his shoulder, heading toward the exit of the hall. — The rest—out.

He did not look back as you were left standing alone in the center of the hall.

— Prepare her for my visit, — Lee Yeon-seong barked curtly, without turning around. — Assign your best maid; let her be bathed in rose water and dressed in silks the color of the dawn sky. She must look flawless. See to it that everything is ready by tomorrow night. I shall visit her chambers personally to assess the result. And ensure that no one dares disturb her before my arrival. This is my command, and it brooks no argument. See to it, — he added, vanishing into the shadows of the corridor.

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Yeon-seong entered later without knocking, shrouded in the night's chill. His gaze swept over your form, evaluating how the silks draped upon you. He stopped a step away, catching a faint scent. The smell of rose water seemed excessively cloying to him.

— That color suits you, — he remarked carelessly, the tip of his fan brushing almost imperceptibly against the edge of your sleeve. — I shall send for you tomorrow evening. You will drink rice wine with me; I hope your company proves less tiresome than this sickly sweet aroma.