"Why are you smiling?" Her fingers movements that were busy flipping the pages of the book stop as she lifted her head to look at the source of the voice. It was the black night of the royal family, Duke Jeon. She looks at the man without saying anything and bows her head, following the ethics among the nobles. Jungkook was in his training attire and was holding a sword in his right hand. 

Bada look at the man and his sword without saying anything. She doesn't feel comfortable talking to the Duke. The taste of his sword on is not something that she'll ever forget. Jungkook was known as a Duke that rarely interacts with people. He was from a wealthy noble family that serve the king as the frontline warrior. They own a state in their kingdom that was as huge as the capital of the kingdom. A man like him and the prince should never talk to someone with fake nobility like her. Bada thought those rank and hierarchy was just an old system that people did not pay much attention to. But she was wrong. She was overestimating herself and her family. Even though she is legally a noble as her mother married to a Marquess but too bad; in the public eyes, she was a fake noble. It makes her wonder why did he even try talking to her? He took the book from Bada's hand, and there was no way the lady could protest his action. 

"Hmmm, the west, huh? Thank you from Baron Min... " he said the words written on the last page of the book. He smirked and gave the book back to the lady. "At least you have a friend." He said before he raised his hand to touch Bada's beautifully braided hair. Since she had been demoted, he notices that she always had her hair in a tight bun. Kang Bada that styled her hair in a simple french braid was breathtakingly beautiful; indeed, no extra pearls or glitters on her head like how she used to when she was a noble. His eyes stayed on the woman for a few moments, he didn't notice it earlier, but the girl is becoming prettier and prettier as he kept his eyes on her. 

"I should go." Bada dodged his hand and bowed her head again to the man before she leaves. The Duke himself was surprised at his action. A nobleman should not touch any woman before they courted her officially. He moves his hand away and put it on his chest as he bows. He was sorry for his indecent action. Bada nodded her head as she could see the duke suddenly realises that they are in public where people could see and spread rumours about her. She didn't want rumours about her circulating again. If anyone saw the Duke talked to her, she could predict the new emerging rumours. People will say that she seduced the man or uses a magic spell to charm the man. Bada kept the book she received from the Baron in her steel chest in her room. The rats in the quarters might eat the book even before she could read it.

"Kang Bada! The royal chef is looking for you!" A loud voice was calling for her. Bada abruptly locked the chest and walked out of her room. Walking out of the quarters straight to the royal kitchen. "Kang Bada, I need you to roast these porks. Keeps your eyes open; I don't want these pork to burn." The royal chef stated as his eyes saw the lady walked into the big kitchen. Bada stood straight in front of the chef, listening to his instructions. She almost lost her temper looking at the number of pigs that she needs to roast tonight. She probably could not sleep at all tonight. Each whole pig needed to roll once every fifteen minutes for at least six hours. Right now, in front of her, eight pigs needed to be roasted. 

"Is there anyone else that will be roasting these pigs?" Bada asked as the chef was busy pointing at the huge clay griller that she needs to attend for the entire night. The chef looks at the girl with a wicked smile on his face. "If you have the strength to walk around to the market today. You should have the strength to at least do this." The chef laughed as he walked out of the kitchen with the other kitchen helpers.  It was a few hours past midnight. Bada was alone in the huge palace kitchen running from one griller to another to roast the pigs to perfection. "Miss Kang Bada." Bada was almost jumping towards the griller when a male voice interrupted her silence. "Duke Jeon, why are you here?" Bada whispered as she saw his shadow at the dark part of the huge kitchen. 

"I'm impressed that you never failed to recognize me." He walked forwards, showing his self to the bright sight of the kitchen. Bada just looked at the man without much thought and continued roasting the pigs in the huge grillers. Jungkook took a stool and placed it near the lady. "Sit on this." He muttered as he saw Bada squatting down to check the fire of the griller and adding firewood to the grillers. "Why are you here, Duke Jeon?" She asked as she looks at the man. This is not a normal time for a man to visit a woman. Especially a nobleman like him. "I want to give you this." He took a medication ointment out of his pouch and gave it to her. "You gave me the same thing yesterday." She replied as she opened the lid of the ointment. 

"This one is slightly different. There's mint in it." He said, looking at the girl who was scrutinizing the ointment in her hand. She didn't want to tell the Duke she was completely healed; hence, she got no choice but to accept it. "Thank you." She said and kept it in her pouch. She continued to do her job without saying much.

"How do you like the palace so far?" Jungkook sat on the marble counter in the kitchen as he observed the lady doing her job. "I don't like it." She replied it short and precise without even sparing sometimes for thought. Jungkook didn't expect that answer. He thought the lady would love the castles knowing that she used to dream of being the empress of the kingdom. "But your previous dream was to be the empress of this kingdom, right?" 

"Your highness?" The subordinate of Duke Jeon stood up from the bed as he bowed his head to greet the kingdom's crown prince. Taehyung got too much works to do tonight, and it makes him anxious. He needs to talk to Jungkook about some strategies and planning. Jungkook was the smartest in planning political movements. "Where is Jungkook?" He asked as he looks around the empty room. He needs some political advice from his friend and the strongest knight of the kingdom. 

"Forgive me, your highness. I don't know where he is." The man kneeled, asking for forgiveness as he could not answer the crown prince's question. Taehyung nodded his head and sat down on Jungkook's bed. "Where do you think he might go?" Taehyung asked, dismissing the subject from kneeling on the floor. He hated it when people knelt. "Maybe he went out to the maid quarters again." The man replied hesitantly as he remembered Jungkook took a medication balm-like yesterday. A frown was formed on the face of the crown prince. Why would a Duke from a noble family go to the maid quarters? Is he insane? Taehyung stood up and told the Duke's subordinate to go back to sleep. Did Jungkook really leave his turf to see Kang Bada? Taehyung stood in front of the hallway heading towards the quarters, hesitating to go to that side of the palace.  As he was about to step towards the quarters, he could see the chimneys of the royal kitchen were huffing with smokes. He strode towards the kitchen to see who was still working at this time. 

"But your previous dream was to be the empress of the kingdom, right?" Jungkook asked and caused a long silence from the conversation. "Do you think so?" Bada asked as she turned around to look at the knight. He shook his head as his eyes stayed on her pair of eyes. "I don't think you wanted to be the empress," Jungkook added, proving his mind that he doesn't think of her that way. Something in his keep telling him that she was the one he met in the past. The one that saves his life, someone extraordinarily heal his wound in no time. 

"Well... you're wrong. I really wanted to be an empress." She replied. "Isn't that the nice way of making some villainess story that could be passed down to the entire nation?" She smirked at the man before she gets back to her works. Baba did not want to retaliate to the rumours as she knows each word that came out of will be useless. She likes the character the people make her be. An ugly girl dreams of being with the prince and tried to destroy the kingdom's love story. "I'm the vixen for the crown prince and princess love story. You don't need to change that." She muttered as she ventilates the griller.

"You're not a vixen," Jungkook said as he continued watching the woman who was working nonstop, monitoring and roasting the pigs without any rest. "Are you sure?" Bada raised her brow to look at the man. "Or did you forgot how you almost slit my throat with your sword?" She chuckled as she couldn't grasp the fact why is the man was really curious about her. She was well aware of how did the man used to dislike her to the core.  

"I was protecting the prince." Jungkook sighed as he looks at the woman apologetically. At that time, he did not realize that she was the girl he was looking for this entire time. That was his first time seeing her. "Thank you for protecting the prince from me. I appreciate it. Can you leave me alone, Duke Jeon?" Bada said as she was irritated with his presence right now. She hated how he wanted to know about her past. She was uncomfortable with his presence. Little did he knew that she was enduring the burn on her hands while roasting the pigs. She didn't want the man to look at her as a weak woman. 

"Let me help you." Jungkook walked closer to the griller and felt the burning heat kissing his face. "I don't need anyone's help. I'm doing fine." She replied, but Jungkook turns a deaf ear towards her request. He already watched her doing it for a few minutes. He picks up some knowledge just by watching her. "You should go. If you really want to help me, please spare me from another rumour. Just go." She took away the firewoods that he was holding and push the man away. Jungkook looks at the girl, who looks extremely tired. She was total cannot handle more distractions from him. 

"I'll help you for another half an hour, and I'll be going. I promise." Jungkook raised his hand as a sign of his promise and continue to help the lady roasting the pigs. Both of them remain silent for the entire time, and Jungkook left her just right before the sun rises."How are my pigs?"The royal chef walked into the kitchen with his loud, echoing voice. 

"Where did you go last night?" Taehyung opened the door of Jungkook's office with one of his brows was raising. His chancellor Park Jimin was following his steps as he barged into the knight's office. Taehyung was bothered after accidentally heard Bada and Jungkook's conversation. He just wanted to see who was working in the kitchen at the time. It turns out his knight was there talking to Bada while she was doing some kitchen work. He heard that the woman agreed that she used to dream of being the empress of the kingdom. Her boldness irritated him somehow. She used to be so timid and gentle when he was in the academy. Was it fake all along? 

"I went out to see Kang Bada," Jungkook replied without hiding anything. There was nothing wrong with telling his friend the truth. Jimin gasped and walked closer to Jungkook. "Kang Bada, the stepsister of the crown princess?" Jimin asked as he observed the Jungkook face closely. He knew Jungkook was not someone who will start a conversation with any woman. His family has been keeping tight allies with Earl Han. The daughter from the Han family was the prospect Jungkook wife. 

"Why would you see her?" Taehyung sat down on the chair near the window of the office. "I gave some ointment to her. She was injured." Jungkook replied carelessly as he crosses his arm, looking at the crown prince. He remembered the Taehyung told him that he was never interested in Kang Bada. Jungkook shook his head; probably, he was just too obsessive over her. Thinking that she was the one he had been looking for since he was ten years old. He was sure she was the one after he saw her broken hand completely healed after three days. That was why he tried to make her bleed that night and see whether she could heal it or not. 

"I never know you're interested in her." Jimin tilted his head as he looks at his friend. Thinking about what was about Kang Bada causes the man to change his mind suddenly. As far as he knew, he tried to cut the first time he met her. Jimin put an arm around Jungkook and said, "Be careful. She might be someone dangerous." Jungkook smirked. He knew Bada would never harm him. She was the kindest human being has ever met in his entire life, causing him to never forgot the girl. "I didn't recognize her when I first time met her. I almost cut ." Jungkook said, remembering the face of Kang Bada that was unbothered when she pushes the sword away from . She gripped the sword real hard before pushing the sword. 

"She was the girl that I've been looking for all this while." Jungkook looks down; knowing that he tried to harm someone that saves his life was just heartbreaking. "When did you realise that she was the one that you've been looking for?" Taehyung smiles as he knew that Jungkook had been searching for someone for a long time. But, he didn't expect the girl that he described as the most lovable girl and the most beautiful girl in Jungkook's eyes to turn out to be Kang Bada. 

"The night of the Royal Ball," Jungkook muttered as he was contemplating his past action. He even makes her bleed that night. Of course, the lady will avoid him at all cost. All he had ever done to her was harming her. She was so hostile towards him was because of his own action. Jungkook sighed; he will not let her go. He vowed that he'll make the girl his bride if he ever met him again. Taehyung just shook his head, looking at Jungkook, who was lost in his own thought. He rarely saw this man in such a condition. Finally, Taehyung got it; why was the rumour that Kang Bada picking up a fight with Jungkook spread in the kingdom. He believed the rumour before Jungkook telling him that he was the one that picks up a fight with the lady at the market. 

It was 8 years ago, Jungkook was a young heir of the Jeon family. A family of knights and warriors. The family was in charged to stand in the frontline to protect the kingdom and the royals. The status of his family that is so high and close to the royalties, had brought troubles to the family as the rivalry increases. Jungkook was kidnapped by someone when he was in a sword lesson. He was taken deep into unknown woods, and he fought with the kidnappers. A ten-year-old boy with a small dagger he kept in his pocket fought with five adults on a carriage. He could not remember much about the fight, but he escaped. Unfortunately, he was stabbed by the kidnapper at the lower part of his abdomen. His leg was dislocated, and his hand was broken. 

"Oh, Lord! What happen to you?" A voice interrupted the silence under the tree where he took a hide from the kidnappers. The young girl was holding a basket full of herbs and fruits. Jungkook looks at her clear eyes and her small hand that put down the herbs basket as she approached him carefully. He bleeds too much that he could not even react to her voice. 

The girl with a cute ponytail touches him without saying much. "Ouch!!!" The girl yelped as she sat down beside the boy. Jungkook gasped as he looks at his broken hand slowly straightened. Jungkook turned his head to look at the girl, and he almost screamed when her right hand changed like his broken hand. "D-did you heal me?" Jungkook stuttered as his eyes bulged, looking at the girl who was gripping the end of her skirt tightly, enduring the wrenching pain. 

"I'll come back for you..., don't move." She stood up with one of her lifeless hands; she kicked the basket with herbs and fruits towards Jungkook before she ran away in the other direction. The little Jungkook was shivering in the cold as he lost a lot of his blood while waiting for the little girl to come back for him. As the sunset and the night become darker, Jungkook becoming weaker as he held on to his bleeding abdomen. Before long, the girl came back with both of her hands completely healed. 

"A-are you fine?" She said as she touched his cold face. She took a pouch out of her pocket. "Look at this; this is calendula herbs. It can heal your wound." She muttered as she took the paste out of the jar. Jungkook lifted his shirt; the girl spread the paste onto his wound after wiping the blood. She smiles at him whenever their eyes clashed. "You're going to be fine. I'm going to heal you." She added, and Jungkook nodded his head. Knowing that the girl will truly save him. She wrapped his abdomen with the cloth she brought. 

"I couldn't heal the big wound like how I did just know. It could endanger my life." she placed her hand gently on the wrapped wound and look at Jungkook with a smile on her face. Jungkook nodded his head and said, "Thank you." She replied his nod with a smile on her face. "Why didn't you eat the fruits I left for you?" The girl asked as she looks at the basket she left remain untouched. 

"It's getting late; you should go home," Jungkook whispered as his eyes become droopy. He was sleepy and tired. He needs to rest. The girl shook her head as she sat closer beside Jungkook. "You can lean on me if you need to rest." She said as she dust of her shoulder and pulled Jungkook's head. The boy nodded his head and gently put his head on her shoulder. As the night passed, he woke up to the sound of chirping birds. Jungkook sighed, knowing that everything that he had been through was not a dream. 

"Are you awake?" The voice came from the girl next to him. Jungkook turned his head to look at the girl. She had her eyes on him for the whole night, afraid that he might not make it until the morning. Without waiting for a response, the girl took out a handkerchief and wiped his dirty face. "How do you feel?" She asked as she looks down on the wrapped wound. "Thank you," Jungkook bowed his head to the girl. The girl nodded her head and handed an apple to the boy. Jungkook took it and bit the apple. 

"If you're injured, or you have a bleeding wound, you could use this paste. After a few days, you can add some mint leaf to it. It makes the wound healing faster." She stated as she took out the jar with calendula paste and gave it to the boy. "Oh! You injured your feet too." She gasped as she looks at his swollen ankle. She took out another cloth from her pocket and treated his injured leg. Jungkook's right leg was wrapped beautifully by the girl. She chuckled as she places a wildflower on the bandage. She put a light kiss on the bandage and whispered, "Heal faster and please don't get hurt again." 

"Young Master!! Young Master Jeon!!" Jungkook heard a scream not far from the tree where he has resting. "Young master!" The voice repeatedly called for him. "Are they looking for you?" The girl asked as she looks around for the voice calling for their young master. Jungkook nodded his head as his eyes never left her face. "Wait here." She said and ran towards the voice. But that was the last time he saw the girl. She disappeared. He didn't even get the chance to ask her name.