I-jun's POV
I woke up when I felt the heat of the sun hitting my thin skin.I opened my eyes. Was it already morning? But I was still sleepy.I closed my eyes again and hugged my pillow. I wanted to rest for a while before helping the king prepare for next week's event.
I sat up on my bed when I remembered the book. I hurriedly got it and read chapter 16. So I wasn't dreaming? It was real? Now I remembered everything. I hadn't slept all night because I kept thinking about how to stop the villain's plan. I also remembered that Min Yun came here and I told him everything I read in the book.
I slapped my forehead. What time is it now?
The court lady entered the chamber."Your Highness," she bowed her head.
"Yes?"
"It's already time for afternoon snack. You haven't eaten your breakfast or lunch. The king also came here to visit you, but you were in a very deep sleep."
"The king came here?"
"Yes."
Oh shoot! He came because he wanted me to help him.
"I need to go."
"Where to, Your Highness?"
"To the king's chamber," I said, then hurriedly changed my clothes.
"You haven't eaten yet, Your Highness. Please eat these."
I was about to decline her offer, but my stomach growled. Okay, so I am really hungry now.
I started eating the food the court lady served. She just kept her head bowed while I was eating.
"You seem so hungry, Your Highness," she said, unable to hold back her thoughts.
I laughed. "Did I make you worried because I didn't wake up earlier?"
She shook her head. "Captain Min Yun instructed me not to disturb you, Your Highness. He said you hadn't slept all night."
"Did the king know too?"
She nodded.
I hurriedly ate the food and drank the tea—not only because I was hungry but because I didn't want to sit pretty and do nothing while the king was busy preparing for everything.
After I ate, I left my chamber and headed to the king's chamber.
But when I arrived, the king wasn't there. No one was around.
"Where are they?" I asked myself.
"Maybe in the library, Your Highness?"
"Okay, I'll go to the library."
We went to the library to look for the king. But he wasn't there either.
Then I remembered the first time I went to his office.
"We'll go to the office."
The court ladies, eunuchs, and guards just followed me.
"My queen?" I stopped walking when I heard the familiar voice calling from behind.
I turned around and saw the king together with his court ladies, eunuchs, and guards.
"Your Highness!" I went to him and bowed my head.
"What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I was looking for you."
"Why?"
"I'm sorry for waking up late."
"It's no big deal to me."
"I'm here to help you with the preparations."
"You want to come with me?" he asked.
I nodded.
"We will do food tasting today, in the pavilion."
"Okay, I'll help."
I followed the king this time. But he insisted I walk at my own pace. Maybe he didn't want me to follow him like the other servants.
"Did you sleep well?"
I bit my lower lip. I felt guilty that everyone was busy while I was just lying in bed, sleeping.
"Yes. I'm sorry again."
"I told you it's okay. You don't have to say sorry."
"But I feel guilty because I was lying on my bed while you were busy preparing."
He chuckled. "Do you want to help me?"
"Just stay beside me, especially during the event. You're already helping me a lot. Your support means so much to me," he said, then winked.
I stopped walking, staring at him as he continued ahead.
Then I remembered the woman who would be arriving next week. Would his feelings for me change once he saw the woman he once fell in love with?
"I thought you were coming?" he called, glancing back.
I bit my lower lip again. At this rate, it wouldn't be surprising if I started tasting blood.
We didn't talk anymore until we arrived at the pavilion.
The chefs and other servants greeted us with a bow and assisted us as we sat on the floor. Several low tables were arranged before us, and they prepared tea.
"That tea is a combination of chamomile and ginger, Your Highness. We'll be serving this first to help calm the body."
The king nodded. Before we drank, the food poison taster sampled it to ensure it was safe.
After he gave the signal, we sipped the tea. The combination was unusual—mildly sweet with a spicy warmth—but it soothed my body.
I nodded and gave the chef an approving smile.
The king also nodded his approval.
"The next course is the appetizer," the chef announced.
He gestured to the court ladies, who began serving.
"Fermented radish and cucumber for the appetizer. It may look bland, but once you taste it, it's a bit spicy."
As usual, the taster tried it first before signaling that it was safe.
We tasted it in silence. The chef was right. The radish and cucumber looked pale, almost boring, but once it hit my mouth, the flavor exploded. It was different from the appetizers we had in our world.
"Chef, isn't it too pale? What if the guests won't even bother tasting it because of its appearance?"
"I made it look that way on purpose, Your Highness—to surprise their taste buds. This will make them crave more."
I nodded, appreciating the strategy.
The king nodded as well.
"Don't worry, Your Highness. I believe they'll enjoy it," the chef added.
The king wiped his mouth and looked at me. "Did you like it, Your Highness?"
I nodded and gave a small smile. "Yes. It was delicious."
"The next course is soup. I prepared creamy mushroom and onion soup, using fresh cow's milk to make it tastier and creamier."
After the taster gave the all-clear, we both tasted it. It was the first time I'd tried soup like this. The chef was right—it was rich, warm, and comforting.
Neither of us spoke, simply enjoying the flavor.
"For the main dish, I prepared rice with grilled marinated chicken and fresh lettuce. It may look simple, but I made sure the taste would impress."
The main dish was incredible—I had no complaints. I looked at the king and saw him enjoying it, too.
"Then for dessert, we have yogurt."
I froze, turning toward the chef in surprise. Yogurt? In this era?
"This is the first time I've heard of it," the king said, echoing my thoughts.
"It's my specialty, Your Highness," the chef replied with a proud smile.
The king didn't ask further. He just nodded.
But I was intrigued. Where did he learn to make yogurt? I wanted to question him, but not in front of the king. That yogurt stirred my curiosity more than it should have.
The last item was warm lemon juice.
"This will help digest everything we've eaten," the chef explained.
I was incredibly full. Who knew food tasting could be this heavy?
"Did you enjoy this?" the king asked.
"Of course, Your Highness. But honestly, I feel like I didn't help. I just ate everything." I laughed.
"Still, you were here beside me," he said with a smile.
My face grew warm again. I didn't know why, but I suddenly felt self-conscious under his gaze.
Why does he keep saying that just being by his side is enough?
To my surprise, the king gently held my hand. "Let's walk… while holding hands."
I glanced at the people around us. Some were smiling openly, while others tried to hide it behind their hands.
The king helped me up from the floor, still holding my hand. We descended the pavilion steps together.
"Where are we going next?" I asked softly.
"Do you want to stay in my chamber?"
I blushed again.