In the Rose Palace

Stepping outside the palace, the crimson glow of the sunset, seemingly capable of dyeing one’s very pupils, stretched to the distant horizon where the sky met the earth. Having just crossed the threshold of winter, the people of the Rose Palace had to prepare diligently. As winter deepened, the magic clouds also frequently lowered themselves closer to the ground.

As the egg sacs of insects increased on the bare branches of trees, people also had to work diligently during the short days. Yet, because of this season, when cloudless days occasionally appeared, the plain sky stood tall, an endlessly clear blue, looking down upon the earth.

The Bogeonje (報乾祭) was the Awimika Empire’s largest holiday, celebrating the autumn harvest. However, when preparing for the Bogeonje two months prior, the Rose Palace, located within the Imperial Palace, suffered greatly due to a shortage of manpower because of the small number of palace staff (宮人).

Although an incident had occurred, the Rose Palace people, having diligently prepared for the holiday, reveled in it. Afterwards, they were unable to fully regain their senses due to the fatigue from the preparations and the aftereffects of the joyous festival.

Old Sang-gung Mullaba, whose face was covered with fine wrinkles that had appeared one by one with each frost over the years, tightened the reins on the young palace staff, none of whom were even half her age, without batting an eye, in an attempt to restore the disrupted discipline.

Even the oldest palace staff member besides Mullaba was, to put it mildly, merely a ‘greenhorn’ compared to her. Not only the na-in but even the court ladies were wary of Mullaba’s gaze. In line with the palace’s newly tightened discipline, the Rose Palace prepared for a winter filled with clouds and snow, leaving behind the bountiful autumn festival.

When the people of Awimika first designated this site as the nation’s capital and erected buildings, calling it a palace (宮), it was merely a human nest, clustered like ants, scratching at a corner of Mother Earth’s skin.

Over the subsequent hundreds of years-though to Mother it was still just a handful of a settlement of creatures called humans-to human eyes, it became a monster that fattened itself as the capital, symbolizing the empire’s prosperity, swallowing its surroundings. All sorts of people, countless goods, and numerous stories flocked to and from the capital.

The Imperial Palace, like a spider stuck in the middle of its web, remained still in its place, accepting everything. Those who craved power could not learn to take their eyes off the Emperor sitting on the throne of the palace and his movements.

For most palace staff, the palace was not just a workplace but a small world. Of course, everyone has their own world. However, there was no other place as isolated from the world yet filled with all sorts of human desires and anguish as the Imperial Palace. If greed could be seen, the palace would be as bustling and noisy as a midday marketplace, with no room to set foot.

Although the palace was filled with desires as sticky as coal tar, some were so busy dealing with the work in front of them that they could not turn their eyes elsewhere. Their world was, even within the palace, limited to a certain space.

The Rose Palace was a small subsidiary palace attached to the Imperial Palace. And the court ladies were those who entered the palace with lower aristocratic status to serve the masters of each palace. Serina, as one of the few court ladies of the Rose Palace, had to attend to her master’s side, or nearby, at least during the day.

However, there were few court ladies in the Rose Palace. And because they often conveyed the master’s wishes or, conversely, reported to the master, they spent less time by the master’s side than one might think, as they went back and forth.

There was an old saying used in the palace with a different meaning than in the civilian world: Fristia lente, hurry slowly. Originally, it meant to do things quickly but with a proper balance of speed so as not to make mistakes. However, in the palace, it was often used to mean, ‘Move quickly enough that the master doesn’t think you’re too slow, but move calmly so as not to appear frivolous or vulgar.’

Not only speed but also the posture of walking had to be unblemished. Therefore, novice palace staff often received nagging from Sang-gung Mullaba or veteran palace staff about their gait, and sometimes even disciplinary action involving fasting.

Serina, following the saying, hurried slowly and moved her feet towards the Main Chamber (主室) where her master resided. As she was already in her third year since entering the palace, the appropriate degree was ingrained in her body. The master of the Rose Palace, the person Serina served, and the Princess (황녀) who had recently been ennobled as ‘Princess Bilendia,’ had separately summoned Serina, so she had to go without delay, with the demeanor of a court lady.

Mirabilis Rensia de Lucsimia.

Because she received the title ‘Princess Bilendia (Regina Bilendias),’ her formal title became ‘Regina Mirabilis Rensia de Lucsimia Bilendiensis,’ a precious person.

Bilendia was the old place name of the land where Mirabilis’s maternal home was located, which is no longer used today. As such, it was an old custom of the empire to attach the old place name of a region that was in some way related to the person being ennobled to the title of princess.

Mirabilis’s appearance was very impressive. Soft curves flowed and bent intimately, forming a sleek and slender body. Her glossy, snow-white skin was flawlessly clean, and her slender face had distinct, delicate features.

When her golden hair fluttered like waves, her emerald-green eyes sparkled gently beneath her long eyelashes that fluttered like rustling leaves. Between her rosy cheeks, her tightly closed lips were as red as fresh blood fallen on snow.

Truly a ‘Princess’ as if drawn in a picture, but, sadly for those who served her, her personality was not so good. Of course, it was not to the extent that stories of what the Princess’s personality was like would leak out of the palace.

However, the fact that the court ladies who served Mirabilis were of low origin and small in number was because so many of those who had entered as court ladies with joyful hearts had left, unable to bear the Princess’s temper.

If you asked those who had directly experienced Mirabilis what kind of person the Princess was, they would all carefully say, after looking around, that she was a ‘capricious and difficult superior.’ This was only because they were choosing their words carefully because of who she was; if she were someone who would not retaliate even if they spoke frankly, they would have called her a ‘fucking bitch.’

Of course, Mirabilis, as a woman who had grown up and been educated in the innermost palace, was like a ghost when it came to maintaining her dignity in situations and in front of people where she had to maintain it. Also, because she did not meet outsiders often, rumors of what Mirabilis’s character was like did not cross the walls of the innermost palace. Those who knew these evaluations were mostly limited to nobles who frequented the palace. And most of those who would know the rumors did not have to experience that ‘temper.’

Therefore, talk of whether or not there was a problem with Mirabilis’s temperament was limited to the Rose Palace staff, who gathered to complain and lick their wounds, and the na-in of other palaces who frequently met the Rose Palace people.

But perhaps because this personality had an indirect influence, her relationship with the princesses (公女) of high-ranking families was not very smooth either. It wasn’t that their relationship was bad, but if you asked, ‘Who is the closest among them?’ it was difficult to answer.

Mirabilis should have become a Princess long ago, but the timing of her ennoblement was quite late compared to her status. The current Emperor (今上) Awigustos postponed deciding whether it was appropriate to ennoble her as a Princess, citing the bad rumors circulating among the na-in in the palace and her poor interpersonal relationships.

This made Mirabilis even more neurotic. Naturally, her reputation in the palace did not improve, so the Emperor continued to postpone her ennoblement. However, since it had been said that her personality had become unusually gentle and bright recently, the Emperor finally bestowed the title ‘Princess Bilendia’ upon Mirabilis.

In fact, unless Mirabilis had a serious flaw, even the Emperor could not endlessly postpone the ennoblement, but such a problem had not yet been revealed. Delaying the bestowal of the title was merely the Emperor’s way of slightly curbing the Princess’s spirit and educating her.

After receiving the title she had so earnestly desired (固所願), Mirabilis was in a very good mood and even used her own money to give bonuses to the Rose Palace staff. It was the most surprising day for the Rose Palace people since Mirabilis had become the master of the Rose Palace.

But today, it seemed unlikely that they would see Mirabilis’s good side. The young na-in who conveyed the order to enter Mirabilis’s Main Chamber (主室), the heart of the Rose Palace, was looking at Serina with eyes that silently said, ‘Good luck.’

When the sunlight of the sky shone on the Rose Palace from the west, the white buildings of the Rose Palace were all heated up like burning gold, and the waterfall of light pouring through the windows in the hallway transformed the space into a subtle and splendid stage intertwined with dazzling colors and shadows.

Crossing the stage created by the western light, Serina arrived in front of the Main Chamber (主室), receiving the light poured down by the sky with her whole body. Standing in front of the heavy wooden door engraved with the figures of flowers and lions, Serina slowly knocked on the door.

“Princess-nim, Serina has come in accordance with your command. Please grant me permission to enter.”

In front of Mirabilis’s personal space, the heart of the Rose Palace, the Main Chamber (主室), Serina spoke slowly as she had been taught. In the civilian world, the Emperor’s daughter was roughly called ‘Princess-nim,’ but according to the palace’s laws, a Princess (황녀) who had not received a title could not be called a Princess. So, until just a few days ago, the title Serina used to call Mirabilis was not ‘Princess-nim’ but ‘Princess (황녀)-nim.’

Even though she spoke, there was no answer from inside. But since it was not the palace’s law for a subordinate to open the door without receiving permission from the person they served, Serina had to speak again.

“Princess-nim, are you there?”

“……Come in.”

Serina grabbed the doorknob and twisted it with a click. The door was very thick and heavy, but the delicate hinges made by the artisan smoothly rotated the door. Entering and carefully closing the door, the door once again became an iron wall dividing the inside and outside of the space.

The Main Chamber (主室) was very bleak for a Princess-nim’s residence. It was large enough to match her status, but it looked very lonely because there were only the bare minimum of furniture and a bed, without even the slightest decoration. A bed, a desk for writing, a table, a closet for storing Mirabilis’s clothes, and a box for storing accessories were almost all there was.

A desolate place with all decorations excluded and only the things that were really needed. It was closer to a monk’s hermitage than a Princess’s residence. Sang-gung Mullaba had tried to decorate it in various ways because it did not suit the Princess-nim’s dignity, but there was nothing she could do because the master of the palace said she liked it this way.

The time of sunset flowed softly into the desolate hexahedral space formed by the whitewashed walls.

The greatest decoration that adorned the Main Chamber (主室) of the Rose Palace was Mirabilis herself. As the white dress was dyed with the light of the setting sun beyond the light streaming through the window, the Princess-nim became a cloud in the sky, drunk with red.

When Mirabilis moved her body gently, her golden hair, dyed red, became ripples swaying under the sunset. The blue earrings hanging on her ears sparkled like petals adorning the twilight, and her eyes flowed with a deep emerald color like vivid jewels.

The Princess-nim, like a hazy fantasy, sat in a chair and glared at Serina, who had just entered, with fierce eyes across the table.

“An impudent thing has come in, as I called. Is it true that you did this?”

Mirabilis’s voice trembled thinly with anger. Her snow-white skin was flushed red with the heat of anger, and her eyebrows formed a triangular shape, creasing her forehead.

“Princess-nim, it is not good to wrinkle your forehead.”

“Shouldn’t you answer when your superior asks a question?!”

Mirabilis slammed the table hard with her fist, causing the teaware on the heavy wooden table to clatter. As a woman of the innermost palace, whose physical strength was less than that of a country woman, she had struck with all her might. Mirabilis threw an object with a thud.

“I told you to have a new black dress made and brought to the Main Chamber (主室), but what on earth did you put there?”

Serina lowered her gaze and looked at the object that had fallen at her feet. A dog collar made of black leather. It was a crude thing made by dyeing rawhide black.

“This is indeed an outfit for the Princess-nim to wear.”

Serina turned her head and answered. Not a single muscle in her face twitched, and her voice was extremely calm. Mirabilis was so dumbfounded that she couldn’t say anything for a moment.

“Ingratitude has its limits. I cherished and loved you like my own eyes, but you mock me and act impudently. His Imperial Majesty (父皇) has repeatedly urged me to control my temper, but this time he will not be able to issue any admonishments. I will punish you severely so that you will never dare to violate your master again.”

The Princess’s voice, scolding the court lady, was full of deep anger, but behind the tone, there was a hint of sorrow. In her jewel-like eyes, shining in the sunset that burned golden in the twilight, there was a glimpse of moisture.

Serina’s heart ached a little, but she lowered her head. Smoothing her hair with her left hand as it threatened to become disheveled, she raised her head and opened her mouth.

“Regina Recta.”

Regina Recta, an ancient word meaning ‘controlled princess.’ The moment Serina uttered these words, Mirabilis’s beautiful green eyes lost focus. With a face suddenly devoid of expression, she silently pulled the chair back, grabbed the armrests of the chair with both hands, slowly stood up, and stepped aside from the chair.

Serina approached, turned the chair to the side, and sat down. Mirabilis moved with delicate steps and stood straight in a position facing Serina’s face. The Princess-nim’s large, shiny eyes stared blankly ahead with unfocused eyes. Serina leaned back against the back of the chair and calmly took in the appearance of Mirabilis standing in front of her.

When the eyes, which had been overflowing with anger until just now, lost focus like glass, the emerald-green eyes looked only at Serina. It was a time of lighthearted enjoyment that only Serina secretly enjoyed, never tiring of seeing it, thanks to the breathtaking beauty that was neither more nor less than a work made with great care by an excellent doll maker.

“Mirabilis… this is indeed for you to use.”

Serina spoke comfortably, without any of the etiquette that a court lady should have.

“Why is that… Older Sister (언니)-nim…”

Mirabilis answered Serina vaguely in a quiet voice without any intonation. It was a humiliating line that she would never normally say, but at best, only faint traces of emotion could be caught inside the Princess’s blank face, like white paper.

“Don’t think strangely. If you want to get closer to me, you have to be able to take things like this for granted.”

Mirabilis quietly remained silent at Serina’s words. Then Serina spoke slowly in a gentle voice, as if coaxing her.

“Mirabilis, who is the master of your body?”

“……Older Sister (언니)-nim is……”

Mirabilis did not answer immediately to the question of the court lady she employed, but took some time. It was originally a humiliating line that she would never say, but at best, only faint traces of emotion could be caught inside the Princess’s blank face, like white paper.

“Then, who is the master of your soul?”

“……Older Sister (언니)-nim is……”

A question and answer that had already been repeated several times. It was a question and answer that Serina made her do at least once a day whenever she put the Princess in a hypnotic state.

“That collar is proof that you are my property, Mirabilis. If you want to be with me, if you want to be truly one with me, you must abandon those feelings of yours and entrust your body and soul entirely to me. That collar is merely external proof that I own and control even a strand of your hair, even a handful of the dregs of your soul. I’m sorry, Mirabilis, but won’t you bear with me a little longer and follow me?”

Even when Serina persuaded her with strange logic in a soft voice, the Princess continued to hesitate and falter. But when Serina approached, hugged her, and stroked her hair, Mirabilis wore a faint smile even in her daze.

“I understand… as Older Sister (언니)-nim wishes…”

Mirabilis eventually accepted Serina’s words.

“Then, pick up that token of servitude that you threw earlier and put it around your neck in front of me.”

Mirabilis swayed like a doll, approached, picked up the dog collar she had thrown, and returned. Then, she knelt down in front of Serina, who was originally the court lady she employed, and put the dog collar around her white neck in front of her.

Seureuk.

At the sound of leather touching leather, Serina felt a thrilling sense of conquest, as if a flame was flowing down her spine. She was ecstatically intoxicated by the elation of having dyed this beautiful person to this point.

A sense of shame that ugly greed was dominating her and a sense of guilt that she was mocking the goodwill Mirabilis was sending slowly rose up, and one side of her chest felt faintly sore, but Serina tried to turn a blind eye to the negative emotions and sat back in her chair.

“Now, greet me as I taught you.”

“Yes… Older Sister (언니)-nim… my… Master-nim…”

Mirabilis quietly bowed her head to Serina, her forehead touching the ground. Her long, soft golden hair, which others envied, flowed down to the left and right, scattering across the floor and sparkling in the light of the setting sun.

Even slaves only bow to their masters in special cases. It was truly absurd for a Princess to bow to her court lady in the palace, but Serina calmly looked down at the scene with composure.

‘It’s not perfect yet… There’s still a faint resistance left, how can I root it out?’

Even as Serina pondered how to more strongly bind Mirabilis’s soul with the hypnotic noose she had planted in her subconscious, Mirabilis was still kneeling and bowing her head, waiting for Serina’s words.