It was one of those rare nights at the Red Lantern House when silence ruled the halls and an unusual calm lingered in the air. All the lanterns outside were lit, glowing softly against the dark sky, but the rooms remained shut and shadowed.
Only one room held a dim light. Inside, a tall shadow slipped through the door.
The chamber had been carefully prepared—a low table filled with drinks and delicacies, and a large bed laid out on the floor, dressed in white silk sheets that shimmered under the faint glow.
Lee Sun made himself comfortable. He poured a drink and swallowed it in one smooth motion.
Footsteps approached.
A slim silhouette appeared in the doorway.
Minah entered with her head lowered, offering a gentle bow. Her thick braid rested over her left shoulder, falling down to her stomach. A long silk cloak covered her from shoulders to ground. She seemed to tremble, her gaze fixed on the floor, not daring to meet the eyes of the man waiting for her.
"Come. Sit," he said, watching as she lowered herself across from him. "You need a drink. It will warm you."
He poured another glass.
"No, Mister. I cannot drink," she replied softly, still staring at the floor.
"Very well. I'll leave it here, in case you change your mind."
He smiled faintly, his lower lip caught briefly between his teeth.
When he withdrew his hand from the glass, Minah noticed it—olive-toned skin, long elegant fingers with slightly curved tips, veins tracing along a youthful forearm.
Not the hand of an old, repulsive man.
This was the hand of someone young. Strong. Controlled.
Mesmerizing.
"What is your name?" he asked, biting into a slice of apple.
"Minah," she whispered.
"Are you afraid of me, Minah?"
"No, Mister." She shook her head.
"Then why won't you look at me?"
He pushed the table aside.
Minah startled at the sudden movement and lifted her face. Their eyes met.
He did not look like a monster. He looked… human. Close to her age. Someone she could almost understand.
There was something in his gaze—something powerful, magnetic.
Her breathing quickened, though a strange calm spread through her chest.
"I know you're afraid," he said quietly, moving closer. "But I won't hurt you. Whoever did that to you deserved to be torn apart."
Her heart began to pound. Tears gathered in her eyes. No one had ever spoken to her like this—especially not a man.
The tears slipped down, landing silently on her lap.
Lee Sun stepped closer and opened his arms, enclosing her like the wings of an eagle sheltering its young.
Minah rested her head against his chest. For the first time in a long time, she felt protected.
"You're safe now," he whispered near her ear.
She lifted her face, their eyes locking again.
In that suspended moment, Lee Sun slid his hand behind her neck and kissed her—fierce, consuming.
Her lips, warm and trembling, undid the last thread of his restraint.
His fingers loosened the knot of her cloak, letting it fall. Beneath it, she wore sheer white silk.
For a brief second, he paused—taking her in, memorizing her vulnerability.
He guided her down onto the bed, his kisses deepening. The world narrowed to breath and touch.
Minah felt overwhelmed—fear and surrender twisting together. Trusting a man for the first time felt like stepping off a cliff without knowing whether she would fall or fly.
He moved slowly at first, testing, reading her reactions.
But when he saw tears spill sideways across her cheeks, something in him shifted.
"It's fine," he murmured, though the words sounded different now—quieter.
He pulled away and reached for the towels placed neatly in the corner. After wiping himself, he handed one to her.
"Use this. Madam Moon will come for you."
Minah glanced down and saw blood staining her inner thighs. She wiped herself carefully, her movements mechanical.
By the time she looked up, Lee Sun was already dressed. Composed. Untouchable again.
"I will send for you," he said before leaving the room.
Outside, Madam Moon waited.
"Your Highness," she greeted him, her eyes sharp and knowing.
"She is not wild," he replied under his breath. "And I have confirmation she meets Minister Jang for purposes beyond what we assumed."
"What shall I do with her?" Madam Moon asked.
"Nothing. She belongs to the King now. Take care of her for the moment. I will send word to move her from here today."
He turned and disappeared into the darkness, another shadow following closely behind him.
Madam Moon entered the chamber.
Minah stood dressed in her undergarments and cloak. The beddings and stained towels were piled in the corner like discarded evidence.
"Are you well, my lady?"
Minah nodded, though her eyes were swollen and red.
Madam Moon helped her to her feet, and together they stepped out into the cool breeze of that early August night.
As they walked, Minah noticed something.
Madam Moon had never called her my lady before.