Chapter 3: The Royal Palace

“Something the matter, your highness?” Jeong asked the bothered beautiful woman sitting on her desk with a mountain of paperwork. Sana, the second Princess would normally be focused on reading this paperwork and rejecting most requests she finds unreasonable. It was supposed to be the crown princess’ work, but she takes care of it not because Momo used the magic words “It’s an Order!” but because she knows Momo could care less about the request and would end up approving most of it.

The Crown Princess is a carefree woman. She shows her disinterest in the throne by neglecting most of her duties and passing them on to her not-so-younger sister. The Crown Princess takes the light of her stature. She is mostly uninterested in the matter of the Nation. She would play pranks on her servants, and even her own family at all times. The only person who seemed to tame her was her ever-so-loyal attendant, Na-Yeo.

The second princess sighed. There is something that has not left her mind at all.

“Are you feeling sick, your highness?” Jeong panicked at those sounds. The 2nd Princess rarely sighs.

“Tell me, Jeong, you would give your life to me, right?” The second Princess finally spoke. There is a certain curiosity in her eyes. “Certainly, Your Royal Highness,” Jeong answered without any hesitation. Of course, as the attendant of the second princess. She must protect her Highness even though it would mean death for her. “What do you consider as an exchange for your life then?” the second princess asked sternly. She wanted to question why but she knew that it was Jeong’s duty. “The honor of being able to fulfill my duty, and protect our nation,” Jeong answered unmoving.

“See, you would do it for a higher cause, right?” Sana immediately rebuttals. “Not just for a cheap watermelon, I am pretty sure that even if you are at the low of the low, a human’s life is worth more than a watermelon!” She followed up seriously bothered. A watermelon cost 5 coppers, which means nothing to the princess at all. “How can someone regard their life as that low?” The second princess puffed her cheeks in annoyance.

Jeong sighs in relief. She is glad that the Princess seemed fine. She is just indeed preoccupied with that watermelon girl. “If you would allow me to speak my thoughts, Your Highness,” She asked permission from the second Princess. “Go on,” Sana answered immediately.

“First, I would like to apologize for bringing you to that place, I truly deserve to die because of that,” Jeong bowed earnestly to the princess. Sana does not mind that place, if anything, she was hurt seeing the people of Ona experiencing such tragedy. She wishes she could do something about it. “That place is considered the filthiest place in the capital. Crimes are enormous, and it is far more dangerous than one could imagine, most of the people born there commit suicide, end up as victims of something, or turn out to be criminals, a copper would be a generous reward for them, for the woman who you spent time with, she was not a courtesan, she was a servant of the brothel. That is why she could consider that certain fruit to be luxury, in other words, this displays the different status that this country has,”

Sana clenches her jaw. She understands that of course, yet she feels helpless. She also knows that the place is protected by some high-ranking officials. She could not just arrest everyone to stop the corruption and evil. She is sure that the people would revolt because of certain influences that cover Ona. It is hard to run a nation.

“Sky Princess, I would certainly give my life for you, but is it okay to not mention any of the rendezvous we do to the Empress, I mean I know you wish that girl to enter the palace, but if the Empress found out that I brought you to that place, I would be dead before I know it, not as an honored attendant, but the attendant who failed with her duty,” Jeong is begging for her life. Every word she said was correct. “Fear nothing, something should be in place right now, we just need to wait, that woman will be here at the right time,” The second princess seemed to be plotting something. Jeong swallowed her saliva. There is no way that woman could enter the palace at any rate, especially if her status of being an orphan courtesan is revealed. Also, Jeong is afraid because the root cause of all this is her.

***

Mina is in the dining hall of the high-end brothel she has known as her house since birth. She is wiping some tables after the courtesan had their meals. It is early in the morning, but this congee is the dinner of the courtesan who worked all night. She is used to this, catering to all the needs of the courtesans. Her head is also occupied these days. She had not plotted anything to harm herself, which is very rare if one knew who Mina was. Would she spend a shekel to buy me? She asked herself before feeling a warm caress on her arm.

“Have you eaten?” Jiji sounded concerned. Her tone is rather lighter compared to the other courtesans who spoke lowly to Mina. “I would, after all the courtesans finished,” Mina answered in a low tone. They smiled at each other. The infamous new courtesan sits on the table Mina was cleaning. She disappeared to hand honey ginger tea to this courtesan. This is a soothing tea to help the courtesan’s throat as she had been singing all night.

“Thank you,” Jiji drinks it. “It had been two weeks past since the young master and young commander visited, wasn’t it?” She spoke to Mina. Jiji is the only courtesan who seems to treat Mina as a human being. “I supposed so,” Mina remembers the laughing commander in front of her, not that it had left her mind since. “Actually, the young master wrote me a letter, she said that the young commander might have mentioned something to you about your contract being bought..” Jiji is speaking casually. Mina might deny it but her eyes sparkled hearing Jiji’s words but she shakes her head slightly before cutting off the courtesan with her own reality. “There is no way it would be true, I understand the difference in our status, she surely was amused that night but she hadn’t come at all, so I understand if the young master would be courteous enough to remind me that it is impossible,” Mina says in obvious disappointment. “Actually, that’s not what she said, she said that – “

Before Jiji could finish her sentence. Someone pushed Mina which made the pale girl yelp in surprise. Jiji stands up ready to drag the courtesan who dares to treat Mina that way. But, Mina raises her hand to stop her from starting another fight because of the way the other courtesans treat Mina. Jiji rolled her eyes.

“Oh, I did not know you were there,” The courtesan who is the leader of a pact mocks Mina. “Strong talks about being bought, if courtesans like us who look as pretty as pearl cannot be bought, how come a servant like you would ever be bought,” There was a bitter chuckle after that. “I’m truly sorry for blocking your way, miss,” All Mina could do was apologize. She could care less about how she is being treated by these courtesans, but they would rather not have them bully Jiji too. They also hate Jiji because, within a short time being a courtesan, she is a favorite of many. They ended up rolling their eyes at Mina and started talking about how Mina disgusted them. Jiji is clenching her fist. She could take at least two of them but will be powerless with the rest.  

The courtesans started eating while mocking Mina. They would intentionally make the tables dirty and would even throw food on the floor because they knew it would be Mina who would clean it. The commotion stopped when a guard opened the dining hall. “Hey, you, (pointing at Jiji) and weirdo, the madame nee