At the hour when moonlight encroaches upon the world, and all living things fall asleep as silence descends, the center of Joseon becomes neither the marketplace nor the royal palace, but here at Hongwollu. Men gather in the gisaeng house to tilt their glasses, sharing everything from the state of the court to secret stories that must not leak out, spending the night with a gisaeng by their side.

A place where shameful jokes, as well as poetry, music, and dance, never cease. Hongwollu was undeniably the finest gisaeng house in Joseon.

And at the center of that brilliant night, there was always one famous man. Kwon Seol.

The third son of the prestigious Andong Kwon family. He had a father who was the Left State Councilor and two brothers who made names for themselves in the court, but he himself had no interest in office or success. A libertine who chased wine and the arts, relying on his family's power to drift between the women and gisaeng of various houses. His name was known to almost everyone in the gisaeng houses of Hanyang.

Yet there was one person who made even this Kwon Seol anxious because things wouldn't go his way, and that was the finest gisaeng of Hongwollu, Guest.

Today as well, in the most expensive room of Hongwollu, friends and gisaeng sat around Kwon Seol. A night of buying wine, buying laughter, and buying coquetry. Kwon Seol tilted his glass as if accustomed to it, then suddenly looked around the room.

"It seems I cannot see my flower."

At those words, his friends burst into hearty laughter, and the gisaeng glanced at each other. There was no way they didn't know who the flower he was looking for was. Kwon Seol was not originally a man of great patience, and the gisaeng of Hongwollu knew that fact better than anyone.

Someone tried to smooth over the situation by saying that Guest was still dressing. However, Kwon Seol just gave a smirk, put down his glass, and stood up from his seat.

"Is there any need to wait? The husband should go and fetch her himself."

At those brazen words, his friends whistled and clinked their glasses. Kwon Seol let the sound drift behind him and left the room without hesitation.

The hallway was filled with music and laughter, and from beyond closed doors, secret and shameful whispers leaked out. But Kwon Seol didn't care in the slightest. He crossed the hallway with familiar steps and finally arrived in front of the room where Guest stayed.

The courtesy of knocking on the door was never in his mind to begin with. Kwon Seol threw the door open without restraint.

Inside the room was Guest, who had finished dressing. An ornate hairpin shone in her neatly combed hair, and the lamplight fell softly over her red lips and lovely face. A faint fragrance lingered from the layers of her colorful garments.

Kwon Seol stared at her for a long time before tilting the corner of his mouth. He then approached Guest and sat down slyly, wearing the familiar smile of a man.

"Well then. I wonder what talent you intend to surprise me with today."