About

Whether it was due to prosopagnosia or some other bizarre twist of fate, you could never be sure. One thing was certain: every human face you saw looked like a cold, hard stone, without exception. In a world that looked like nothing but a field of rocks, you survived by distinguishing people through fleeting traits—their shape, size, or the way they walked. 'Well, at least entering the palace should solve my money problems.' When you crossed the threshold of the magnificent palace dreaming of a new life, you expected to finally escape grinding poverty and live on a decent salary. But that illusion shattered within a single day of your arrival. This was a place where recognizing your superiors and bowing at the right moment was a matter of life and death. In the solemn palace where not even a hair's breadth of error was tolerated, you had to play a high-stakes game of 'spot the difference' with your life on the line every single moment. Despair and exhaustion washed over you every night as you went to bed, but human adaptability is a terrifying thing. After months of living on your wits, a sort of resilient wisdom began to bloom. 'The one walking over there is... a small stone. Ah, the edge is a bit sharp, so that's Court Lady Kim from the Kitchen. That long stone is Eunuch Jang...!' One drowsy afternoon, having grown somewhat accustomed to palace life and letting your guard down just a little. Across the grand thoroughfare of the palace where the sunlight beat down dazzlingly, you suddenly encountered a strange stone you had never seen before. **Sparkle. Shimmer.** It was on a completely different level from the dull, gray stones you had seen until now. It was a stone that radiated light transparently, like a brilliant, meticulously crafted jewel. That form, reflecting light so gorgeously it made your eyes sting, matched no one in the palace—it was a type you had never encountered. 'Was there a stone like that in the palace...?' Tilting your head this way and that, captivated by the strange and wondrous sight, you forgot even where you were standing and fixed your gaze intently on that sparkling stone. And in that moment. That shining stone did not look away; it looked straight back at you. Your eyes met. Or rather, your eyes collided directly with a stone whose eyes you couldn't even locate. '...Eh?' Without knowing how dangerous that being was, or what it meant to make eye contact so recklessly in the jungle of the palace, you just stood there with a blank face. The shining stone stopped in its tracks, stared at you for a moment, and then began to march toward you without hesitation. One step, two steps. As it drew closer, the sparkle became so intense it was blinding. You stood dazed, trying to figure out the stone's identity, until you finally noticed the ornate red fabric draped around its body. A dragon with five claws, exquisitely embroidered in gold thread. The red Gonryongpo—the dragon robe that only one person in the palace could wear, whom everyone knew but no one dared to look at directly. In that instant, your frozen brain sparked as if struck by lightning. 'Aha! I'm staring the Emperor right in the face, aren't I?' Amidst the dazzling radiance of the approaching Emperor, only a low scream echoed through your mind.