By Zephyria 
I walked toward the bodyguards, who were standing in a line with their heads bowed, but I came to an abrupt halt. I realized that in my haste, I had acted too impulsively and emotionally.
There were too many people around me right now. Five bodyguards, as well as the court ladies and the maids in charge of my quarters. There were far too many eyes watching and ears listening.
And if I were to charge straight toward a bodyguard I’ve never met? To those who didn’t know my personal circumstances, it would look like nothing more than the Palace Lord hitting on a handsome Beta bodyguard.
Even if they were my trusted maids, such behavior could easily spark rumors outside. If I approached him and showed interest based on unconfirmed assumptions, there was a high probability that another scandal would break.
A scandal involving a bodyguard appointed by the Emperor for the sake of an abused Palace Lord… I might be overthinking it, but it never hurts to be cautious.
It would be a headache if gossip that people would enjoy emerged. Therefore, I needed to confirm it accurately. Whether that Beta bodyguard was him or not.
Hyun-wook. My friend, Kang Hyun-wook.
He had been my only… the only friend who was like a sanctuary for my siblings and me. My best friend who never left my side until the moment I died.
The name. Yes, I had to confirm the name. If it was Hyun-wook, he might have the same name as I do. I cannot forget the day I first heard my name through Joo Min-hyeok after arriving here. I was so shocked that I forgot to answer when Joo Min-hyeok called me.
Not only the appearance, but the Grand Imperial Concubine’s name, which didn’t appear in the novel, was the same as mine. Was it truly a coincidence that both the appearance and name were identical? I remember clearly that Joo Min-hyeok called the Grand Imperial Concubine by a name that wasn’t a single syllable different from my own in my previous life.
The confusion at the time was indescribable. It was a shock that made me deny the very existence of the Republic of Korea, where I had lived and died.
Could the memories of that time be fake? What was this situation? It was a time of turmoil. However, because the confusion was so great, I had to live while forgetting it. I felt like I would go insane if I questioned every single detail.
But a person I knew had appeared here. And it wasn’t just someone I knew; it might be Hyun-wook, so it was only natural to be shocked. If it was Hyun-wook, my mind raced wondering through what route he had come to this place.
From my position as the Palace Lord, I thought of a way to confirm Hyun-wook’s identity. Something I could naturally demand from the bodyguards who came to protect me. First, I had to observe his expression to see how he reacted upon seeing my face.
“Um, may I see your faces? Since we’ll be spending a lot of time together from now on, wouldn’t it be better to greet each other properly while looking at one another?”
“Yes, Palace Lord user. Also, please speak informally.”
The man who was the team leader cautiously suggested that I drop the formalities. But I couldn’t do that. Just because I am of the imperial family doesn’t mean I can treat them with disdain.
These people were hired through formal procedures of the palace. Except for a few professional court ladies and attendants whose positions were passed down through generations, everyone working in the palace was a civil servant.
They were imperial professional civil servants who had passed rigorous exams to enter the palace, which is said to be the hardest place to get into. The ranks of the maids and court ladies who took the civil service exam followed the civil service grades, and they were all Betas. Therefore, unless it was the Emperor or the Queen Dowager, I couldn’t just speak down to them as subordinates.
“I cannot do that. For now, shall we greet each other while making eye contact?”
As soon as I finished speaking, the team leader had the bodyguards lift their heads. I made eye contact and greeted them one by one, and finally, it was his turn.
However, the gaze of the man staring at me was unusual. His eyes narrowed as he looked at me, and soon, a look mixed with bewilderment and confusion appeared. The way he craned his neck to see me more clearly was not the look of someone seeing a stranger for the first time.
He forgot to greet me and scanned my appearance here and there. His pupils shook frantically, mirroring my own current state of mind. Watching the man, I barely hid my tension and swallowed hard.
But I did not avoid his gaze. Based on his reaction to seeing me, I was already certain that the man was Hyun-wook. That person was definitely Kang Hyun-wook. There was no way he was a stranger.
“Kang Hyun-wook! What is this rudeness? Greet him quickly!”
And the moment the name Kang Hyun-wook came out of the team leader’s mouth, I gripped my pants with trembling hands, struggling to swallow the indescribable emotions bursting from within.
The team leader, looking very flustered, began to scold the frozen Hyun-wook. At that, he hurriedly offered a greeting. It seemed he hadn’t come to his senses yet.
“Uh, excuse me. Palace Lord user. It’s my first time meeting someone of such high rank…”
A longing voice flowed from the familiar face. It felt like a dream to hear my friend’s gentle voice, which sounded as if I had heard it only yesterday, and to see that face again.
I composed myself so that tears wouldn’t pour out from the surge of emotion. Since there were many eyes watching, I had to maintain my composure for now.
“It is fine. Team leader, have you been briefed in detail about my situation?”
“Of course.”
In his voice, as he nodded with a solemn expression, there was a heavy sense of responsibility.
“Then I will speak comfortably. My grandfather is an unpredictable person. Since there is an order from His Majesty, I will fulfill my duty as a subject, but in truth, this is just a guess; I don’t know what he might suddenly do.”
“Please do not worry, Palace Lord user. We were deployed specifically to ease such concerns. We will do our best to protect you.”
“Since I don’t know where or how he might approach, you’ll need to distract your attention and keep a wide field of vision. Since you are professionals, I trust you understand my words better than anyone.”
“Indeed. We have already arranged the deployment of security personnel. We will ensure that no one can get close to you. Even if we are not visible, you do not need to be anxious. We will be watching from places where we cannot be seen.”
At his reliable words, I nodded with a fairly reassured smile. And now, I formally requested what I wanted from him.
“I know you will work hard for me, but as you may have heard, I have been exposed to a difficult situation for a long time. The mental stress is considerable, so I cannot put my mind at ease.”
I paused for a moment to catch my breath, staring at the team leader who was inwardly nodding.
“Therefore, I would like to have one security person assigned to stay by my side and be with me at all times. Would that be alright?”
“Of course. Since our team was created specifically for the safety of the Palace Lord user, His Majesty the Emperor gave orders to accommodate whatever you desire. So, if you just say the word, we will grant anything.”
Oh, I didn’t know Joo Min-hyeok would be this helpful.
“Then. Um, I like that person; may I keep him by my side? I feel like I can spend time with him without feeling burdened.”
I pointed to Hyun-wook without hesitation. Hyun-wook seemed surprised by my sudden nomination, but the look in his eyes was calmer than before. The team leader, looking at Hyun-wook, nodded.
“The Palace Lord has a good eye. He is still young and doesn’t have much field experience, but he is a friend with excellent skills. His father is Dae-ho Kang Hyun-chul, the director of the Imperial Martial Arts Academy, so his skills are beyond doubt.”
What, he’s the son of the famous Dae-ho Kang Hyun-chul? That brat? Dae-ho. Meaning ‘Great Tiger,’ it is a title bestowed upon martial artists who have contributed to the development of martial arts. As it is an honorary title given by the state to only one person, the top figure in the martial arts world, people’s trust in him was immense. Come to think of it, Joo Min-hyeok had mentioned something like this during a meal before.
He had said that the youngest son of the Martial Arts Academy director had graduated from a general martial arts school course and entered the Imperial Martial Arts Academy. He mentioned that although he was the only Beta in the family, his physical strength and intelligence were on par with Alphas, so the Dae-ho cherished him quite a bit.
So that’s Hyun-wook? To test if Hyun-wook had properly recognized me, I brought up something only we would know from our previous lives.
“Then he should be trustworthy. This is unexpected. To think the son of a Dae-ho looks like he’d only like tonkatsu and soda. That makes me want to keep him by my side even more. Will you allow it?”
As I recalled the eccentricity of him eating nothing but those for dinner for fifteen straight days because he loved soda and tonkatsu so much, Hyun-wook gaped at me. Ha, that crazy brat is definitely Kang Hyun-wook! He has his memories!
“My permission is not required for what the Palace Lord desires. You may do as you wish.”
I smiled at his words and looked back at Hyun-wook. My heart was overflowing. Should I be grateful to my grandfather?
If not for my grandfather’s usual violence, Joo Min-hyeok would have had no reason to help me, and I wouldn’t have met Hyun-wook. Thank you for beating me so thoroughly all this time, Grandfather.
After sending the team leader and the rest of the personnel away, Hyun-wook and I were left alone in that spot. Without uttering a word, we simply stared at each other in silence.
Perhaps Hyun-wook was thinking the same thing as I was. Is that really Cha Hae-joo? Is it definitely the Cha Hae-joo who died first? He seems to have recognized me, but can I trust this? He was definitely thinking such things.
Since I had always known what Hyun-wook was thinking just by looking at his face. When I first saw him, I felt like running to him and asking him everything. But once that excitement calmed down, I became, how should I put it, a bit more composed.
Right now, I just wanted to stay like this and observe Hyun-wook’s appearance more. However, I soon heard the sound of the brief communion between the two of us being shattered.
“…Sorry to ruin the mood. How long are you two going to stand there facing each other? If I hadn’t come, would you have stayed like that all night? Huh? Grand Imperial Concubine.”
A low, sinister voice began to spread through the room like poison. At that dry voice, I turned around, creaking like a broken doll.
Joo Min-hyeok, who had arrived at some unknown point, was leaning against the door with his arms crossed, looking at me and Hyun-wook. Joo Min-hyeok’s face, devoid of even the polite smile he usually wore, was utterly bleak.