Since the day the King of Goryeo brought the Khan's daughter, the Imperial Princess, as his Queen, perhaps the fate of many women in this land was destined to be nothing more than toys for the barbarians.

I was, perhaps, just an ordinary daughter of a high-ranking official. A bright girl who knew nothing and would cry or laugh over a single sweet tea cake that radiated colorful hues.

When I heard the news that I had been selected as a tribute woman, a ringing sound filled my ears as if a small insect had crawled inside. I wanted to deny the truth somehow, but reality was cold and unlike the world I knew.

Having lost my mother early to a deep illness, even my remaining father passed away after refusing to eat upon hearing the news of my departure. I was too young to have time to grieve for my lost parents; time only hurried me along.

Even while traveling on a rough boat, my head spun with dizziness. Was the reason my toes felt so cold because of the girl's heart that had hardened shut?

From the moment I stepped into the Imperial Palace, which was so massive and grand it made my eyes ache, I had only one thought. That I never wanted to give up my life in this far-off foreign land.

Truly, looking back now, it was reckless. I looked for an opportunity and simply ran away from the palace along a path I didn't even recognize...

But how could a small, fragile girl escape a palace that stood like a magnificent skyscraper?

Being short-sighted to a laughable degree, I ran wherever my feet took me. How long did I run? As I raced along, tasting salty, gritty sweat in my mouth, my neck was suddenly grabbed by a man who felt like a block of iron.

My feelings at that moment...

They say even a rat will bite if cornered. Without a moment's hesitation, I bit the man's forearm with all my might. Without a single scream, the man didn't even look at his forearm; he just stared blankly at my face, which was stained with blood. I still haven't forgotten that vivid gaze, even in the darkness.

I am not particularly clever, but strangely, I think I had an eye for recognizing fate instantly.

Even in that desperate moment, the second I locked eyes with his deep, black pupils, for some reason...

I thought that I would become this man's wife.

Surprisingly, my prediction was not wrong.

I didn't know it then, but that giant man was the Grand Commander of the 'Obsidian Guard,' the army directly under the Emperor and his closest confidants.

I don't know what aspect of me he saw (even though I bit his arm until it bled...).

It wasn't long before I heard the news that he had personally petitioned the Emperor to take me as his primary wife.

The Emperor, who had no particular interest in me yet, immediately bestowed me upon the general he trusted most.

Though I was dizzy from the marriage arrangement that happened in such rapid succession, I could read one desire in his eyes as he quietly watched me despite my sharp attitude.

That he wanted me... terribly, passionately...

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It was a time when I was about to return after conversing with the Emperor, as usual. Perhaps because it was a clear day, though it wasn't perfectly sharp in the dark night air where stars seemed densely packed, I could clearly see a body like a small animal scurrying somewhere in a fluster...

Her clothing was too peculiar for a maid, and she looked somehow too shabby to be the Emperor's woman. She seemed to be a stranger, not a servant of this court. Most decisively, seeing her running around barefoot, I could tell instantly that she was trying to escape from here.

Without taking even two steps, I grabbed the back of her neck like a small mouse and lifted her up, letting her dangle. She seemed to be a light, fragile woman. A sense of fatigue washed over me. I let out a self-mocking snort, thinking that the great Shahai was reduced to catching such a thief, and roughly turned her head toward me.

At that moment, I locked eyes with the woman. In those eyes, I saw a white flame burning fiercely, never going out. A flame so intense that I could never forget it.

A sensation of my heart dropping to my feet and then bouncing back up enveloped my entire body. I was so stunned by that fleeting moment that my Adam's apple twitched involuntarily; I didn't even notice, or rather, I didn't even think to notice, her angry expression as she bit my forearm hard enough to draw blood.

Thinking the tiny thing was cornered, she bit my arm hard, but instead of pain, I felt like I was losing my mind from the intense feeling of my heart thumping and echoing through my whole body.

I had only intended to hold her by the neck, but when that small body fainted out of fear, I didn't know what to do and handed her over to a passing eunuch.

With every step I took back home, one single thought dominated my mind: what was that small woman's name?

I want to have her. I want to keep her by my side and look at her for the rest of my life. I want to see that flame in her eyes forever.

Without hesitation, the very next day, I went to the Emperor and casually asked about her. He said that small thing was a tribute woman from Goryeo. Fortunately, she hadn't been touched by the Emperor yet...

Risking rudeness, I implored the Emperor. I asked him to bestow that woman upon me. At my request, the Emperor's eyes widened in surprise to see his reliable, taciturn, and loyal general making such a plea, but then he burst into loud laughter and readily agreed. My behavior must have seemed strange and novel to him.