Chapter Three
Lost in Joseon"BLOODY HELL, YOU DID NOT just buried my leopeuteopeu!" I run my hands through my hair in frustration. It's my laptop for pete's freaking sake! How am I suppose to watch kdramas and anime when it's buried in a bloody ing mountain?!
"My apologies for doing that without your consent. I am deeply sorry for being ignorant."
I look at the guy in front of me. He look so pitiful--- I shook my head. He doesn't deserve my pity! I'm the one who should be pitied here! I look at him once more and I sighed. WHY DOES HE HAVE TO LOOK LIKE A FREAKING PUPPY WHO JUST GOT KICKED BY HIS OWNER. I clutched my chest. My heart, my poor heart. Why do you have to be so freaking weak in front of anything cute?
"I accept your apology. But is there any way that we could get back my leopeuteopeu? It's very important to me! I have a lot of important things saved in there!" And my mom would kill me if she learned about this once I get back into my own time!, I added in my mind. She'd probably lock me inside the house for a whole year because she doesn't like losing or breaking any things.
"I could send another round of my guards to catch up to the first ones. I just sent them an hour ago before you woke up so there's a chance that we could retrieve your leopeuteopeu."
I sighed in relief. Thank God for that. Just before I could say anything to him in reply, my stomach suddenly gave off a frightening sound shocking the guard in front of me. I smiled in embarassment. "Sorry for that," I let out a small laugh, "Can I please have something to eat or drink? I remember asking my cousin for a water shortly before I came here and man, am I thirsty!"
I saw him nod at me and he immediately went outside the room we're in; maybe to get what I had asked him. I just noticed that the man had gone strangely polite after I explained to him everything. Wow, what a good person he is. Loyal and devoted to his king, good and polite to a stranger. I can't ask for a better man than him!
I scanned my eyes through the entire room. Not bad. This place is actually interesting. I stood up from where I was sitting to get a better view of the room I was in. I was so preoccupied about my laptop earlier that I did not see that there was a sword displayed in the room. I could tell it was a good sword. It looks like something that only a noble could have. My eyes grew wide. I've seen this somewhere, back when I was studying different swords for a historical story I've written before. Is it a Saingeom?
I'm the only one in the room right now. No one would know if I look and touch it, right? It'll just be a quick look. I took the sword from where it was being displayed and look at it carefully. I noticed that there were some symbols and characters on it. On one side are carvings of a phoenix and 27 astronomical symbols and on the other side, carvings of Chinese calligraphic characters are engraved on it. I may not be Chinese but I could read some because I once was sent by my parents to a Chinese school when I was young.
對於國王和韓國的偉大王國的未來
For the future of the king and the great kingdom of Joseon
I was right. It was a Saingeom. A sword especially made for the monarch family in Joseon.
I suddenly heard soft whisperings across the room and I furrowed my brows. I heard the guard I was talking to before. I quickly brought back the sword from where I've taken it. Maybe the royal guard is back to bring me the food I was asking. I immediately went back from where I was sitting before to avoid any suspicions from the guard. I waited for him to enter the room but there was no one.
I was confused. I thought I heard his voice.
I went to the door of the room and I opened it slightly to get a peek of what was happening outside.
"—She told me she can cure me if I bring her back her leopeuteopeu! Eunuch Zhang, this is it. This is the miracle that we all have been waiting for!"
"But your majesty, we cannot tell if she was telling the truth or not! She may be a spy sent by those who rebels in your throne!"
"Let's worry about that later on, Yixing. We will know if she's lying once we retrieve her leopeuteopeu for her. Give me that tray of food in your hands. I'll be the one to give her that food."
"You're sick, your majesty. Let me do it for you—"
"No, she might get confuse if you serve her looking like that with your clothes. You're the eunuch of the king of Joseon, she will know that I'm hiding my real identity to her. She knows that I'm a guard in this palace."
"Why are you dressed as a palace guard in the first place, your majesty?"
"I went outside the palace today to see the lives of my people."
"I— You're majesty, I thought I have told you many times not to go outside without my permission! You might be in danger if you keep doing that! And you're sick! And why the palace guard outfit when you could wear a nobleman's dress?"
"Gees, you sound like the Queen Dowager, always nagging me whatever I do. And excuse me, the palace guard's outfit is much cooler than a nobleman's."
I could not believe it. Outside the room I was in was another room. It looks so much like the room of the king that I always see whenever I watch historical Korean drama. I leaned my back on the wall to process all the information that I have heard from them.
The palace guard is the king pretending to be a palace guard.
The palace guard is the king.
I have talked to the palace guard.
I have talked to the king.
I HAVE TALKED TO A REAL LIFE, LIVING, BREATHING (ok no, he's sick, but yes, still breathing), KING.
Holy mother of Chogiwa!
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