The night settled gently over the capital, weaving silver threads through the streets and rooftops of the noble district. From the high windows of the Seo mansion, the world shimmered under a blanket of moonlight — calm, quiet, almost too still. Yet inside, Lady Seo Rin sat before her dressing mirror, brushing her hair in silence.
Each stroke of the brush felt heavy. The reflection that stared back at her looked serene, poised — but behind that calmness, her heart was a storm she could never show.
Tomorrow would bring another royal gathering. Another night of polite smiles and veiled glances. And once again… she would face him.
Duke Min Jae.
Her brush paused mid-stroke. His name still carried an unfamiliar weight — sharp and cold, like the sound of rain on marble. She didn't know whether it was hatred, curiosity, or something more dangerous that stirred when she thought of him. But she did know one thing: his gaze always seemed to cut through her armor of calmness.
"Lady Seo Rin?" her maid, Haneul, called softly from the doorway.
Seo Rin turned slightly. "Yes?"
"The royal carriage will arrive at dusk tomorrow. Shall I prepare your lavender gown?"
"The lavender one…" She looked toward the wardrobe where the gown hung, delicate and elegant, a gift from the Queen herself. "Yes. That will do."
After Haneul left, Seo Rin's gaze drifted toward the moon outside her window. It glowed like a silent witness, as if it knew the truths she could not speak — the secrets buried deep within her family's past.
"House Seo and House Min," she whispered to herself. "Bound once, then torn apart."
Her hand trembled slightly. That old betrayal, though long buried, still lived in the whispers of the court. And now, fate had placed her face-to-face with the son of the very family her ancestors once trusted — and lost everything to.
---
Across the city, Duke Min Jae stood in his study, the moonlight pouring through the tall windows like liquid silver. The crackling fireplace painted shadows across the polished floor, and yet, his attention wasn't on the warmth of the flames. It was on the old leather-bound journal that lay open on his desk.
The handwriting belonged to his late father, Duke Min Seok.
> "Trust is the sharpest blade. When given blindly, it can carve your downfall."
Min Jae traced the faded ink with his fingers, his eyes narrowing at a familiar name scrawled in the margins — Lord Seo Jin.
"Seo…" he muttered. "So it's true."
His family had once shared deep alliances with the Seo lineage. Trade, politics, even marriage proposals — until the betrayal that ended it all. His father never told him the full story, only that the Seos were not to be trusted again.
But Lady Seo Rin… she didn't seem like the woman his father's bitterness described. She was calm, graceful, and yet — haunted.
He looked out the window, his jaw tightening. "Who are you really, Lady Seo Rin?"
---
The next evening arrived, gilded with splendor. The royal palace glowed under countless lanterns, their light dancing across marble columns and silk banners. Carriages arrived one after another, their wheels echoing softly against the cobblestones.
When Duke Min Jae stepped out of his carriage, the murmurs began instantly. He was dressed in a deep black suit with silver accents, his posture proud and cold as he greeted other nobles.
"Duke Min, Your Grace!" the Marquis of Han called out, bowing. "The Queen will be pleased to see you tonight."
Min Jae offered a polite nod. "And I her."
But his gaze shifted toward the palace entrance — searching, waiting.
Moments later, the crowd stirred as another carriage arrived.
Lady Seo Rin stepped out gracefully, her lavender gown catching the moonlight in ripples. Her hair was half-tied with a silver ribbon, the moonstone pendant at her throat shimmering faintly. Every eye turned toward her, but she didn't seem to notice. Her expression was calm — too calm.
When her gaze met Min Jae's across the marble steps, a strange silence settled between them.
For an instant, it felt as though the world around them faded.
The gentle music, the laughter of nobles — all became distant echoes.
She offered the faintest bow. "Duke Min."
He returned it. "Lady Seo."
Just names. Simple greetings. Yet something in their tones carried more meaning than words could hold.
---
Inside the grand hall, the Queen presided from her golden dais, smiling as guests mingled and musicians played. The air was thick with the fragrance of blossoms and perfumes.
Min Jae took his place among the nobles, but his attention kept drifting toward Seo Rin. She stood near the Queen, speaking softly to a group of ladies. The candlelight framed her face like a painting — elegant, distant, untouchable.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" the Marquis murmured beside him.
Min Jae's eyes didn't leave her. "Yes," he said quietly, "but not in the way you think."
Later, as the evening stretched on, Min Jae excused himself from the crowd. Something drew him toward the gardens — perhaps the need for air, or perhaps the faint, familiar sound of footsteps he recognized.
He found her there, standing near the lake's edge. The moonlight danced across the water, making her gown shimmer like starlight.
"Running away again, Lady Seo Rin?" he asked, a trace of amusement in his voice.
She turned slightly, her calm smile never faltering. "I prefer peace to noise, my Lord. Surely you understand."
"I do," he said, walking closer. "But you seem to be running from more than just the noise."
Her hand brushed the hem of her gown. "And what makes you think that?"
He stopped a few feet away. "Because silence isn't peace when it hides sorrow."
Her breath caught. She hadn't expected such words — not from him. His tone was softer than usual, his eyes no longer sharp but… searching.
"You see too much, Duke Min," she whispered.
"Only what you try to hide."
A faint smile curved her lips. "Then perhaps I should learn to hide better."
Min Jae chuckled quietly. "Or perhaps you should stop hiding altogether."
Their eyes met, and for the first time, neither looked away.
Under the pale moon, something fragile began to form — a quiet understanding, like the first ripple before a storm.
He took another step forward, his voice lower now. "Tell me, Lady Seo Rin… do you believe in destiny?"
Her fingers tightened around the folds of her gown. "Destiny is cruel," she said softly. "It takes what it gives — and never returns it."
"Then maybe it's time someone proved it wrong."
The words hung between them, suspended in the cold night air. For a long moment, neither spoke. The sound of the wind through the cherry blossoms was the only witness to their silence.
Finally, Seo Rin turned toward the lake, her reflection trembling in the rippling water. "Be careful with words like that, my Lord," she said quietly. "They can lead to paths neither of us can escape."
Min Jae's gaze softened. "Then perhaps escape was never the goal."
When she looked back at him, the moonlight reflected in her eyes — bright, uncertain, and undeniably alive.
For the first time in years, Lady Seo Rin felt her carefully built walls crack.
And Duke Min Jae… didn't look away.
___
End of chapter 6.