Chapter 6
I recognized Jeok I-geon at a glance.
‘There’s no mistaking it….’
He possessed an appearance that surpassed even the word “beautiful,” as described in the novel.
It was almost believable to think he unified the martial world not with martial arts but with his face alone.
If only he wasn’t glaring like that, he was flawless enough to make anyone want to keep staring.
Shin Seol-ha, you’re out of your mind.
What do you mean “keep staring”?
This is Jeok I-geon, the madman killer!
It was a relief that I didn’t tremble during our first meeting, but behaving like a starstruck fool was just as unacceptable.
I wasn’t even supposed to introduce myself. Cheon Gang’s warning to avoid speaking with him resurfaced in my mind.
Hurriedly, I bowed deeply, then fled from the bedroom as if escaping.
“He won’t kill me for ignoring him, right?”
Technically, it wasn’t outright ignoring.
I hadn’t spoken, but I had greeted him with a bow before leaving.
Since he liked silence, perhaps this would even earn me some points.
Wow, but to think he killed so many people with that face.
Though I’d read about his title as the most handsome man in the world in the novel, the gap between reading about it and seeing it in person was staggering.
With looks like that, it made sense why women would lose their minds over him.
While reading the novel, I couldn’t understand why everyone was so obsessed with this cruel maniac.
Now it was clear—his face alone was the reason.
If he had debuted as a celebrity in Korea, he would have been a sensation.
No matter how bad his acting was, his looks would have made everyone forgive him.
A psychopath who bewitched people by existing—that was Jeok I-geon’s true nature.
He was even more dangerous than I had imagined.
“Ugh.”
I shuddered belatedly.
Even knowing who Jeok I-geon was, I had almost been mesmerized.
It was unsettling to realize I was so weak to handsome men.
From now on, I should avoid looking at Jeok I-geon’s face as much as possible.
Recalling his countless atrocities, I steeled my resolve once more.
I kept mentally preparing myself until breakfast arrived from Jamigwan (Royal Kitchen).
“Seol-ha!”
The one bringing breakfast was So-ok.
“What’s going on? So-ok, you’re not assigned here.”
“I swapped for today. I wanted to see how you were doing. Did you meet the Second Young Master? How was it? Did he greet you warmly?”
“You couldn’t even wait until we got back to the dorms to ask? You had to come all the way here?”
“Well, half of it’s because everyone at Jamigwan was pushing me. They’re all dying of curiosity, you know.”
“Geez, they’re curious about everything. Hand it over quickly before the food gets cold.”
Among the maids in the Inner City, Jeok I-geon was an absolute superstar.
They said every little thing he did became a topic of discussion, and now I was getting swept up in it.
Actually, since I was already caught in this, maybe I could use it to my advantage.
“So-ok, can you do me a favor?”
“Of course! What is it?”
“Can you bring me some ice from Seolbinggo (ice storage)?”
“Ice?”
“Yeah, the Second Young Master said he wanted some ice-cold water. Just a few pieces should be enough.”
“Just wait! I’ve been working at Jamigwan for five years. I’ll get it right away!”
In a world without refrigerators, ice was an incredibly rare commodity.
Because it was difficult to store, even people of high status couldn’t access it often.
So why was I asking for it?
Naturally, for Jeok I-geon.
He was known to drink ice water year-round.
When he became the Heavenly Demon, the staff at Seolbinggo waged a daily war against ice.
Not only did they have to provide ice water for every meal, but they also had to ensure a steady supply throughout the day.
It must have been nerve-wracking for them.
Jeok I-geon excelled at making people’s lives difficult in every possible way.
Since he was still hiding his true nature, he was probably forcing himself to drink lukewarm tea for now.
If I suddenly presented him with ice water, wouldn’t he be pleased?
At the very least, he might find me somewhat useful.
That’s exactly what I was aiming for.
Without being asked, I’d provide exactly what he wanted.
That might make him less inclined to kill me.
All I wanted was simple—
To survive and leave Geonyeong Pavilion alive in two months.
The ice had to work.
“Seol-ha, here!”
Just as my head was filled with these thoughts, So-ok came running, drenched in sweat.
The ice was tightly wrapped in cloth to prevent it from melting, and I couldn’t have been more grateful.
“I’ll repay you later. Thank you so much!”
I decided to secretly take out the hidden snacks I had saved for later and share them with her tonight.
Thanking So-ok profusely, I picked up the tray and hurried inside.
“You’re finally here.”
“Yes, Cheon Gang. I’ve brought the meal.”
I ran into my favorite person again in the hallway.
Come to think of it, what about his breakfast?
Was he eating alone?
The sudden thought made me hesitate briefly, but Cheon Gang pointed to the inner room on the right.
“The Second Young Master usually eats in there.”
“Oh, I see.”
I had almost taken the tray to the bedroom.
Nodding slightly in gratitude, I carried the tray to the inner room Cheon Gang had indicated.
Jeok I-geon was seated at a round table, sipping tea.
Seeing him wearing the blue outfit I had chosen made the corners of my lips twitch involuntarily.
Even now, he was unbelievably handsome.
It was as if I were admiring a masterpiece painting.
I cautiously approached and placed the tray in front of him.
If it were anyone else, I might have announced, “Breakfast is served,” but I strictly adhered to Cheon Gang’s warning.
I removed the covers that had been placed to keep dust and debris out, and the delicious aroma of the food filled the room.
Meats, fish, vegetables—an exquisite spread.
I began to plate small portions of each dish for tasting.
“That’s enough.”
Jeok I-geon spoke for the first time.
Given his delicate features, I had subconsciously expected his voice to be soft and melodious, but it was a deep baritone, entirely different from what I imagined.
Of course, it suited him perfectly.
But why wasn’t he letting me taste the food first?
Could it be that Jeok Wi-baek had tampered with the food again, and he was just ignoring it?
I had even brought antidote pearls in preparation, only for them to go unused.
“What is this?”
Jeok I-geon gestured toward the ice container as he picked up his chopsticks.
Startled, I quickly put the plate down and opened the lid of the container to pour some ice into a cup.
Now, where’s the water?
I spotted a kettle nearby that had been used to make tea.
Taking the kettle, I poured the water over the ice in the cup.
Here, try it.
It’s going to be refreshingly cold.
I took a step back, eagerly awaiting his reaction.
But no sound of movement came.
I had kept my head lowered to avoid meeting his eyes, but curiosity got the better of me, and I stole a glance upward.
And once again, I found myself locking eyes with his piercing dark gaze.
“…!”
Oh, come on. Why is he looking at me like that?
Doesn’t he like ice water?
His expression was unreadable—was he upset or just indifferent?
One thing was clear: his silence was unnerving.
For someone who didn’t talk much, this felt excessive.
I couldn’t even begin to decipher the meaning behind his ominous stare.
As fear threatened to send me into a panic, Jeok I-geon finally spoke.
“You’re not mute. So why are you keeping your mouth shut?”
“…Pardon?”
“What is this?”
Jeok I-geon pointed to the ice water again.
“T-That’s ice water.”
“Do you think I asked because I didn’t know what it was?”
“Oh… It’s just that you trained early this morning and bathed in hot water, so I thought you might want something refreshing… so I prepared it.”
Had I gone too far?
I had assumed he’d appreciate it, not that he’d regard it with suspicion.
This was a disaster.
Grandma, it looks like I won’t even get to use the antidote pearls you gave me before I die.
I trembled as I thought of Shin Geum.
Trying to please him had backfired terribly.
No one asked me to do this; I brought it upon myself. Now I was hastening my own death.
If you’re going to kill me, just make it quick, you psychopath!
As I cursed him silently through gritted teeth, Jeok I-geon set the cup down and uttered one word.
“Good.”
When had he even drunk it?
Without another word, he began eating the untasted food and side dishes.
What just happened?
Did I do something right?
Did the ice water actually work?
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