Chapter 4
The daily routine of the inner-city maids always began with the morning assembly.
Although it was called “morning,” it actually took place in the early hours before dawn.
To ensure the higher-ups could start their day smoothly, maids like me had to be up and moving diligently.
“Seol-ha!”
As I entered the courtyard, So-ok waved at me enthusiastically as if she had been waiting.
It seemed the news of my assignment as Second Young Master’s exclusive maid had already spread, judging by the many side glances I was getting.
Some of them even glared at me with resentment.
Anyone would think I had stolen their boyfriend or something.
I pretended not to notice the stares and walked over to So-ok to greet her.
“Did you sleep well last night? It must have been scary sleeping alone.”
So-ok, who shared a room with me, became unusually timid once the sun went down.
“No, I slept with the girls in the next room.”
So-ok leaned in and whispered into my ear.
“You went to see your grandmother, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, I probably won’t get another chance for a while.”
“Still, I envy you. To see that face every day… If it were me, I wouldn’t need food to feel full.”
Though the chances of that were zero, I just smiled wordlessly.
In truth, I was incredibly tense at the moment.
They say that even when caught by a tiger, keeping your wits about you is key to survival.
The problem was whether I could stay calm at all.
Jeok I-geon in the original novel was the embodiment of terror itself.
The horrifying massacres I had only read about might unfold right before my eyes.
The image of myself bleeding and crying in the middle of it all had haunted me since last night.
“Is everyone gathered?”
Just as I shook my head to dispel the terrifying thoughts, Lady Gwak finally emerged from her quarters.
The morning assembly always took place in the courtyard in front of her residence.
“There will be a slight change in assignments today. Seol-ha has been chosen as Second Young Master’s exclusive maid, so make sure you’re aware of this and avoid any disruptions.”
The murmurs grew louder for a moment but quickly subsided when Lady Gwak continued.
After giving a few additional instructions, she concluded the brief assembly.
“All right, let’s get moving energetically today!”
As soon as Lady Gwak finished, the maids dispersed swiftly to attend to their tasks.
It was a familiar sight. I had always been part of that bustling group.
But today, my feet refused to move.
The thought of meeting Jeok I-geon made everything go dark.
“Seol-ha, good luck!”
I heard So-ok’s voice cheer me on.
Right, there was no time to space out like this.
From what I’d heard, Jeok I-geon wasn’t a morning sleeper. If I wanted to arrive before he woke up, I needed to hurry.
Ignoring my pounding heart, I headed toward Geonyeong Pavilion, Second Young Master’s quarters, a place I’d never been before.
“I knew it was far, but this is ridiculous.”
The Demonic Cult’s inner city wasn’t just massive—it was also a labyrinth.
One of the first things I had to do after becoming a maid was memorize the complex layout.
It was the only way to reach places on time and complete assigned tasks.
Fortunately, I wasn’t directionally challenged. In fact, I had an almost genius-like ability to memorize maps quickly.
It was a survival instinct. I had resolved to avoid Geonyeong Pavilion at all costs, which had motivated me to master the layout.
Thanks to that, I reached Geonyeong Pavilion without any mistakes or delays, even though it was my first visit.
“Wow, I can’t believe I’m actually here!”
Crossing the threshold, I couldn’t help but sigh.
I still wished someone would tell me this was all just a dream.
“Oh my, listen to her. She sounds absolutely thrilled.”
That’s when the insults began.
“Seol-ha, I didn’t think you were like this, but you’re bolder than I thought.”
“How much did you bribe Lady Gwak with?”
Three pairs of hostile eyes suddenly appeared, glaring daggers at me.
Among them was a familiar face—the owner of the murderous glare I’d felt during the morning assembly.
Her name was Do-ae, if I remembered correctly. She was a senior maid in her second year.
“I heard you live alone with your grandmother. You must be desperate to climb the ranks.”
“Look at her, acting all high and mighty, thinking she can seduce Second Young Master!”
“Do you really think someone like you stands a chance?”
What the hell? Were they accusing me of being some sort of gold-digger?
I was too stunned to know where to start explaining.
I was already furious at the miserable situation I was in, and now these girls were adding fuel to the fire.
‘Seduce who?’
For the past four years and ten months, I’d never caused any trouble, but today, I was overwhelmed by violent urges.
“Don’t tell me your goal is to become the lady of Geonyeong Pavilion?”
“If that’s the case, you should give up on that dream now.”
“Do you think Second Young Master would even spare a thought for someone like you?”
“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue? Why aren’t you answering when your senior is speaking?”
“Oh, were you waiting for my response?”
They had been chattering non-stop, and now they were mad that I wasn’t answering?
If they wanted a fight, I’d give them one.
“Unfortunately, I can’t respond to nonsense.”
“What did you say?”
“Taking turns spouting rubbish, how am I supposed to make sense of any of dog-talking?”
“D-Dog talk?”
“Yeah. As you can see, I’m human, right? But unfortunately, it seems like you three aren’t. I’m good at a lot of things, but speaking in ‘dog talk’ isn’t one of them. I’ll try to learn it when I have time.”
My comeback left the three of them momentarily stunned.
I had always been quiet and mild-mannered, getting along well with my peers.
They must have thought I’d be an easy target, but clearly, my sharp tongue wasn’t something they had anticipated.
The truth was, I had nothing to lose at this point.
I might die today at the hands of Jeok I-geon, so why should I let myself get pushed around by some maids?
My survival instincts were stronger than ever.
“Y-You think you can say whatever you want? Do you want to die today?”
“Are you planning to hit me?”
“The three of us could crush you in no time!”
“Three against one? That’s pretty pathetic.”
As I continued provoking them, their faces twisted in rage.
Unable to hold back her anger, Do-ae lunged at me, reaching for my hair.
Her movements were full of openings.
She clearly had no experience in martial arts.
I wasn’t a master, but thanks to Shin Geum’s early training, I wasn’t completely untrained either.
Grandma had insisted I learn how to defend myself from a young age.
As Do-ae charged, I calmly struck her right shoulder with the side of my hand.
“Aagh!”
She screamed and collapsed onto the ground.
I had hit the Gogeol Acupoint, which would cause significant pain in her right arm. She probably wouldn’t even be able to lift it for the rest of the day.
Next.
Before I could catch my breath, another maid, much larger in stature, rushed at me, aiming for my collar.
In fights, quick and decisive moves always win.
I delivered a firm palm strike to her chin.
Thud.
She fell unconscious with a loud sound.
“Y-You…!”
The last maid stood frozen, unable to process what had just happened.
She glared at me with lingering resentment but was too scared to act after what she had witnessed.
“What’s it going to be? Want to fight me too, or should we call it a truce?”
“What about… them?”
“They’ll wake up soon. Besides, we need to clean Geonyeong Pavilion, don’t we?”
I couldn’t afford to get in trouble on my first day for failing to clean properly. I figured the senior maids felt the same way.
“I’ll let this go just this once. But there won’t be a next time. While I’m here, I’m responsible for everything that happens in Geonyeong Pavilion. That means I outrank you, and I have the authority to penalize you for poor performance. You’re aware of that, aren’t you?”
She looked flustered, clearly not having considered that.
Did she act without thinking this through?
Honestly, what was so special about Jeok I-geon?
“Just one last thing. I think you have a huge misunderstanding about me. Do you know who’s the most upset about my assignment here? Me.”
I pounded my chest in frustration.
“Obviously, I didn’t bribe anyone. And sure, I may be bold, but I have no ambition for power. As for becoming some ‘lady’? Absolutely not. I’m not interested, nor do I plan to be. I have very particular tastes—I hate handsome men. I’m probably the only maid in the inner city who doesn’t like Second Young Master. To me, he’s a walking disaster. Who in their right mind would want the attention of a disaster? Of course, someone as popular as Second Young Master wouldn’t waste even a second of his attention on someone like me.”
It had to be that way, and I believed it likely was.
“Anyway, I hope this settles things. Don’t bother me with the same nonsense again, all right?”
At my words, the two maids who had been lying on the ground flinched.
It seemed they got the hint and slowly began to stand up, no longer pretending to be unconscious.
“Let’s all try to get along until my rotation ends, okay?”
As long as I was Second Young Master’s exclusive maid, Geonyeong Pavilion had to be kept in perfect condition. I couldn’t afford any slip-ups.
For the next two months, I’d give it my all.
Though the thought of Jeok I-geon made my stomach churn, I forced myself to remain composed as I stepped inside Geonyeong Pavilion.
Moments later, a shadowy figure dropped from the tree near where the maids had argued.
“Disaster… huh.”
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