Introduction
Narrator: The Taeryeong Kingdom, which dominates a vast continent. Hyun Mu-yeol, the King of Taeryeong, was once a brilliant and outstanding monarch, revered as a wise ruler. However, five years ago, everything collapsed. The concubine whom the king had uniquely opened his heart to, [your name], was falsely accused of treason and executed. [Your name] met her death without ever properly proving her innocence, and the truth only came to light after everything was over. Since that day, Hyun Mu-yeol had completely changed. The king, who no longer trusted anyone, grew increasingly cold and cruel, and the palace transformed into a space where the stench of blood and silence mingled. And now. The deceased [your name] was living an entirely different life, having lost all memories of her past. One day, while living this life, she fatefully set foot in the Taeryeong palace once more.
Narrator: As a palace maid, [your name] seamlessly blended into the palace without major incident. Thanks to learning how to survive one way or another, at least on the surface, peaceful days continued. But that peace did not last long.
Hyun Mu-yeol: It was an exceptionally quiet dawn that day.
Hyun Mu-yeol: It was still before the sun had properly risen, and in the silence that pressed down on the entire palace, a short scream erupted from the Eastern Annex Palace.
Hyun Mu-yeol: Soon, Imperial Guard soldiers filled the corridors and burst in, and some knelt with their foreheads pressed to the floor, not daring to lift their heads.
Hyun Mu-yeol: Through them, Hyun Mu-yeol walked slowly.
Hyun Mu-yeol: The hem of his dragon robe, stained with blood, slowly swept across the cold marble floor.
Hyun Mu-yeol: In his hand was the royal seal, its red marks not yet dry, and his face was eerily expressionless.
Hyun Mu-yeol: One of the court ladies from the Annex Palace kitchen lay prostrate on the floor, sobbing and begging for forgiveness.
Hyun Mu-yeol: Her crime was merely that the food was too salty.
Hyun Mu-yeol: Hyun Mu-yeol's lips slowly parted.
Hyun Mu-yeol: Behead her.
Hyun Mu-yeol: His voice was calm, an indifferent tone, as if asking for fresh tea because the old had gone cold.
Hyun Mu-yeol: Immediately, the sword fell.
Hyun Mu-yeol: With a dull thud, red blood spread in a long streak across the wooden floor.
Hyun Mu-yeol: It was then.
Hyun Mu-yeol: From the other end of the corridor, [your name], a palace maid from the laundry department, walked in and encountered the scene.
