🚨 Warning: This chapter includes depictions of violence and graphic imagery. Please remain mindful of this as you read. If you feel uncomfortable, do not hesitate to stop reading. 🚨
【Book Chapter 4 】
After a long while, an extravagant banquet was hosted at Hwangju Castle.
When the procession of His Highness the Crown Prince, who had come from the temple, arrived in Hwangju, Yoon Jucheol rushed out to the city gates practically barefoot to greet him.
Not only Yoon Jucheol, but everyone bearing the surname Yoon had gathered in the front courtyard where the banquet was taking place, all dressed in their finest. Nokhee was also elegantly adorned and took her place among them.
Perhaps due to the legend that Emperor Taejo, the Great Founder, established the foundation of this country by conquering the divine beast Haetae that descended from the heavens, people born and raised in distant regions often regarded the imperial family as divine beings rather than fellow humans.
The same was true for Nokhee. Ever since she was a child, she had heard that all members of the imperial family resided in grandiose palaces, dined on a variety of exquisite delicacies at every meal, and always travelled in cloud palanquins.
However, when she finally encountered a member of the imperial family in person for the first time in her life, especially the Crown Prince destined to ascend the throne, his appearance was not at all what she had imagined. He was stout and very short.
His narrow eyes held a dull sheen, but he seemed genuinely satisfied with the opulent banquet that Yoon Jucheol had prepared without sparing any expense.
"I simply came to see how the people in the north are faring, yet you've gone to such great lengths to prepare all of this.”
"What do you mean by that, Your Highness? You are to be the future Emperor of this nation. Even this seems lacking, and I am embarrassed by it, Your Highness."
"Ahem, my father is still alive and well, so what nonsense are you uttering?"
"I beg your pardon, Your Highness! I spoke out of ignorance and have committed a grave mistake. Please, grant me your forgiveness!"
Yoon Jucheol, who had been engaged in light conversation with the Crown Prince, suddenly rose from his seat, prostrated himself on the floor, and begged for forgiveness.
Nokhee found Yoon Jucheol's demeanour to be utterly unfamiliar. He had always been a man who oppressed others with his unyielding pressure, much like a demon, and she was taken aback by his sudden humility.
"That’s enough. Why raise one’s voice on such a fine day? A ruler who punishes loyal subjects is not worthy of being a wise monarch, hahaha!"
“I am in awe of Your Highness's virtuous nature and generosity, which is as vast as the ocean. What are you all waiting for?! Start the music at once!”
At Yoon Jucheol's commanding shout: "Start the music—!" the musicians began their performance while the dancers gracefully stepped forward and started to dance.
Although he said he had just come from the temple, the Crown Prince showed no interest in the citizens of Hwangju or in examining the city itself. Instead, he was entirely absorbed in the banquet. Yoon Jucheol was in a flurry, attending to the Crown Prince's needs while also trying to ensure that his family members made a good impression.
Nokhee, who was reluctantly attending the banquet due to being listed in the family's official household registry, was fortunate enough to be seated a little distance away from Yoon Jucheol's immediate family, who were clustered together at the main table.
Sitting two seats away was Seonghyeon, but he was too busy chatting with their few remaining cousins.
Seonghyeon now seemed to fully integrate as a member of the Yoon family, which gave Nokhee some comfort, yet she couldn't help but feel a lingering bitterness.
While her younger brother appeared thrilled by the rare feast, Nokhee quietly sat, observing the people on the other side of the banquet table.
Oddly enough, the Grand Sharman was nowhere to be found. It was unusual, as she never missed significant family events like this one.
Upon noticing her absence, Nokhee’s thoughts naturally drifted to Kijoon, the servant.
Since their last meeting in the rear courtyard of the Lord’s residence, she hadn't even caught a glimpse of him. According to Eokbun, Kijoon had abruptly left two days ago on the Grand Sharman’s orders, and with more than two days passing without any news from him, a familiar sense of unease settled heavily in her chest.
"Allow me to introduce my eldest son, Your Highness."
"Your Highness, it is an honour to greet you for the first time. My name is Yoon Myunghoon."
“And this is my daughter, Bohee. She has just turned 22, and it’s high time I arranged her marriage. I eagerly hope that a dignified and dependable gentleman like Your Highness will come along, but I am filled with many worries.”
"Haha! With such a beautiful daughter, I'm sure a suitable suitor will appear soon."
As Yoon Jucheol had informed Nokhee beforehand, he was eager to present his daughter Bohee to the Crown Prince. The prince appeared to find Bohee quite attractive, as he looked her over from head to toe.
“I am profoundly grateful for Your Highness's boundless grace.”
Bohee replied with a flirtatious smile. Aware of the Yoon family's intentions, Nokhee felt a sense of dread at the sight.
“However, there are widespread rumours even in the capital that Lord Yoon has two beautiful twin daughters. Why is the other one not present?”
At that moment, the Crown Prince glanced around, looking for Yoon Jucheol's other daughter.
Although Nokhee was indeed registered as Yoon Jucheol's biological daughter, she hadn’t expected the imperial family to be aware of her existence, and an unsettling sense of unease washed over her.
"Ah, well... Nokhee, come here,"
With a troubled expression, Yoon Jucheol reluctantly called out to Nokhee. She didn’t want to go, but with all eyes on her, she had no choice.
Nokhee stood up, gracefully approached the main table, and bowed respectfully.
"This is my eldest daughter, Nokhee. She is frail and timid, so I worried she might fall ill during the banquet and disturb Your Highness’s peace..."
Yoon Jucheol hurriedly stepped in with an excuse. Suddenly, the Crown Prince exclaimed, “'Oh-ho!” and swiftly reached down from his seat, lifting Nokhee's chin to raise her head.
"Such graceful beauty, truly enchanting. Why would you try to conceal such a lovely flower from me, Lord Yoon?"
The Crown Prince's face lit up with greed as he turned Nokhee's face this way and that, inspecting her closely.
Nokhee instinctively held her breath as his chubby face loomed uncomfortably close to hers. Surprisingly, it was bearable. After all, it wasn’t much different from the stares she had often endured while standing naked under the watchful eyes of men, per the orders of Yoon Jucheol and the Grand Sharman.
Since tonight she would have to sneak into the Crown Prince's quarters pretending to be Bohee and surrender herself, there was little left that could make her feel any more miserable.
The Crown Prince’s clammy hand finally moved away after lingering on her chin and the corners of her lips. Yoon Jucheol, now visibly irritated, scolded her.
"We are deeply grateful for Your Highness’s boundless grace. Nokhee, why are you not offering your greetings? Please forgive her, Your Highness. She has been spoiled and lacks proper manners..."
“I am deeply honoured.”
Nokhee followed the instruction, bowing her head and expressing her gratitude.
"Don’t be too hard on her. I’m quite alright. Both of your daughters are incredibly beautiful, and they truly brighten up Hwangju. I imagine you must feel content just by looking at them, Lord Yoon."
“Your Highness is most gracious. However, my daughter needs to take her medicine shortly, so I kindly ask for your permission to excuse her for a moment.”
“Is she feeling unwell?”
"She has been frail since childhood..."
As Yoon Jucheol bowed deeply, he discreetly waved his hand behind him at Nokhee, signalling for her to disappear into a corner.
Nokhee, having no desire to linger, obediently returned to her seat. She could feel the persistent, stifling gaze following her.
“Bohee, what are you doing not quickly pouring a drink for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”
“Oh! Your Highness, allow me to offer you a drink.”
Despite Yoon Jucheol and Bohee’s concerted efforts to draw the Crown Prince’s attention, his gaze frequently wandered toward Nokhee, even after she had returned to her seat.
Suddenly, Nokhee felt her breath catch in her throat. She nervously lifted her gaze and scanned the banquet hall, searching for someone.
Kijoon. Kijoon.
Even though she knew his presence wouldn’t change anything, Nokhee couldn’t help but search for him desperately, like a child longing for its mother.
But he was nowhere to be found — the very person she desperately sought.
What followed her silent outcry was nothing but resignation.
The banquet, which began in the afternoon, continued until sunset when the sky turned dusky.
The Crown Prince and his attendants, who had been drinking heavily after the dancers finished their performance, were embracing the festive atmosphere and all had flushed faces.
Yoon Jucheol was no exception.
The younger guests, including Seonghyeon, had been taken home by their mothers or nannies. The only ones remaining were the Yoon relatives; the eldest son, Yoon Myunghoon; and Nokhee. Bohee, possibly due to menstrual cramps, had returned to her quarters much earlier.
Given her temperament, it might have been because she couldn’t stand seeing Nokhee take her place, or perhaps because the Crown Prince’s appearance fell short of her expectations. Looking back on how she kept forcing smiles while pouring drinks, the latter seems more likely.
The time for Nokhee to accompany the drunken Crown Prince was fast approaching. She gazed up at the darkening sky, awaiting Yoon Jucheol's instructions. Then, a sudden commotion broke out.
“What are you waiting for? Get this fool out of here at once!”
Yoon Jucheol, his face flushed red, angrily pointed at his eldest son, Myunghoon. Myunghoon had been drinking excessively for some time, and now he had finally lost control, forgetting where he was and causing a scene.
Nokhee turned her attention toward the commotion and saw that Yoon Jucheol had every reason to be angry.
Myunghoon, who had been heavily intoxicated for quite some time and had already broken several dishes, was now sprawled out across the table. His rowdy behaviour was becoming increasingly disturbing, enough to make people frown.
At first, he was merely swaying back and forth or stirring restlessly while lying face down. Gradually, he began twisting his limbs in every direction, and now he was completely writhing and slowly crawling across the table.
“Leave him be. Doesn’t he look just like a snake?”
The Crown Prince laughed heartily, leaving the attendants who were about to carry Myunghoon unable to proceed and forcing them to step back.
‘A snake...?’
Nokhee, watching the chaos with an expressionless face, suddenly felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of a ‘snake.’ She rubbed her eyes and looked again at Myunghoon, but with his head concealed, it was hard to tell if he was merely a drunkard or on the verge of something far worse.
The curse that had afflicted the Yoon family, which they had witnessed up until now, manifested in an instant. If Myunghoon were destined to transform into a snake-like creature, it would have already begun earlier in the evening. Nokhee struggled to quell the unease rising in her chest.
It was then. Myunghoon, who had been groaning “Ugh” repeatedly while squirming on the table, suddenly jerked his head up, his eyes rolling wildly.
Just as the Crown Prince and the guests erupted into laughter once more, Myunghoon suddenly lunged at a man sitting nearby, sinking his teeth into his neck.
"Arghhh―!"
With a sickening sound of tearing fabric, blood erupted into the night sky like a fountain.
When Myunghoon raised his head, a chunk of flesh hung from his mouth, and his face had already begun to transform. Grotesque scales covered his skin, and his eyes had narrowed into slits, resembling those of a snake.
In an instant, chaos erupted in the front courtyard of Hwangju Castle.
"Hiss... hissss..."
Transformed into a snake-like creature, Myunghoon hissed as he searched for his next prey and suddenly leapt up to the platform where the Crown Prince sat.
"Aaaaaaaah!"
"Myunghoon!"
Someone screamed, and the Yoon family, pale with terror, jumped to their feet in unison.
"Wha-what is...?!"
The Crown Prince, taken aback by the sudden chaos, found his guards swiftly drawing their swords and forming a defensive perimeter around him. Their movements were sharp and precise as they braced to confront the monstrous Myunghoon.
Meanwhile, Myunghoon spat out the chunk of flesh he had bitten off, flicking his long, forked tongue from his protruding snout. He now resembled a monstrous snake-like creature, unmistakable in his terrifying transformation.
“Myunghoon!”
Yoon Jucheol’s anguished voice rang out as he cried for his son, but the rest of the Yoon family had no choice but to spring into action. One group hurried to fetch the shaman, while another had already summoned a large number of soldiers.
While Myunghoon briefly squared off against the Crown Prince’s guards, he suddenly seemed to realise he was cornered by the soldiers rushing in. Without warning, he zigzagged and darted toward the deeper parts of the castle.
The soldiers surged forward in a mass, pursuing him, but as Nokhee watched from a distance, her eyes suddenly widened.
The creature had just jumped over the wall, vanishing toward a seldom-visited area — the abandoned Western Palace.
That meant he was heading toward the villa where her mother was staying.
Realising this, Nokhee pushed past the bewildered soldiers and sprinted down a hidden path, her heart racing. Having navigated the castle countless times to evade the Yoon family, she was well-acquainted with every shortcut and confident she could reach her destination faster than anyone.
Even with her breath caught in her throat, Nokhee pushed herself to the limit and finally reached the detached villa. Yet, as always, her ominous instincts proved to be true.
“Hiss... hisssss... keuruuu...”
Myunghoon had already reached Yeojin's quarters before Nokhee. His legs had now completely transformed into those of a snake, slithering beneath the raised wooden floor of the villa while his head bobbed menacingly in a reptilian manner. The sight sent a chill down Nokhee’s spine, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.
Hiding behind a tree, Nokhee scanned her surroundings. She needed to lure the creature away to buy some time while also calling for help, but no viable plan came to mind.
In the meantime, Myunghoon — no, the snake monster — seemed to detect a human presence and began to slowly slither up onto the porch. The old wooden boards, long neglected, creaked eerily under its weight, emitting a constant 'kkiiig, 'kkiiig.'
'Please, please...'
Nokhee prayed to the heavens that her mother was still deeply asleep, though she knew all too well that the gods had never once answered her prayers.
"What is that sound in the middle of the night... Nokhee?"
Yeojin’s shadow appeared behind the door. Then, the metal latch was pulled, and the door rattled.
Just as the snake creature raised its upper body at the sound, Nokhee spotted a fire poker lying in the yard and, without a moment's hesitation, darted out from behind the tree.
“Mum! Don’t come out!”
“What… Ahhh!”
Nokhee hurriedly dashed forward and grabbed the poker. However, the snake was one step ahead; it lunged at the wooden door, its jaws slamming into it with a deafening thud.
Bang―!
Yeojin's scream echoed with the thunderous crash as the snake's head smashed through the paper screen of the door, becoming lodged in the door bars.
Without hesitation, Nokhee rushed forward and struck the monster’s back with the poker, putting all her strength into the blow.
Thwack―!
"Kiiik, kiiiiiiik!"
As the sharp iron rod lodged in the centre of its back, the snake monster screeched in agony, thrashing its limbs wildly.
Its strength was so immense that, with a single convulsion, it shattered the door. In the blink of an eye, the creature collapsed into the room, revealing Yeojin, who was cowering behind the broken door.
"N-Nokhee..."
Her mother’s face turned ghostly pale. Already frail, the thought of reliving the horrors from ten years ago felt like a crushing weight on her spirit.
"Mum, come here, quickly! Okay?"
Nokhee reached through the crack in the splintered door, trying to avoid the wriggling snake monster. But Yeojin, with a vacant expression, simply stared at Myunghoon, now transformed into a snake, and showed no signs of movement.
"Mum!"
As Nokhee, her heart racing with desperation, waved her hand to urge her mother to move, Yeojin, who had been sitting there in a daze, finally turned her head slowly. Then she spoke.
“...Hee-ya. I’m fine, so quickly run away.”
“What nonsense is that?! Hurry over here, Mum!”
“My legs are too weak to stand. I’ll hide by myself, so you should just go quickly, okay?”
It was absurd. How could someone, who said their legs, were weak manage to get up and hide, and where on earth could she find a place to conceal herself in this cramped room?
“Shiiik, shhhiiiiiiiiiik...”
In the meantime, the snake monster that had been twisting and thrashing began to steady itself. There was something she had overlooked: the creature wouldn’t die easily unless its head was severed.
Perhaps fueled by the anger from Nokhee’s strike, the creature, still lying down, quickly bobbed its yellow eyes up and down. It was poised to leap and bite a person in an instant.
“You little brat, hurry up and leave!”
Yeojin, who had already experienced this once, yelled angrily at Nokhee while still seated.
It was evident that her intention was not to send her daughter away but to draw the monster's attention with her loud voice.
Her mother didn’t know. Her mother didn’t know how Nokee had been treated in this house. Nokee would rather die side by side. She had no intention of living alone in this endless hell.
“Nokhee!”
Nokhee, who had made her decision in that brief moment, squeezed her body through the gap in the door without hesitation.
Yeojin gasped in shock, and just as the creature that had once been the eldest son of this house sprang up, Nokhee rushed into the room and embraced her mother tightly.
“Kiiiiiiik!”
It was the end.
As she heard the snake's cry drawing near, she squeezed her eyes shut.
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