The kitchen was a flurry of activity, the clatter of pots and the scent of fresh bread filling the air. Servants were rushing through the kitchen, talking among each other and doing their work. King Taeyong, cloaked in the shadows, leaned against the doorway, watching the hustle. His eyes, usually cold, narrowed as he caught sight of the new maid.

She was humming softly as she chopped vegetables, her presence like a spark in the otherwise dull room. Her hair was tied back neatly, and her movements were quick but graceful.

"You’re not supposed to be here," Taeyong’s voice cut through the noise, cold as ever.