The next morning, Beom Haewon woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day ahead. She rose from her bed and stretched, feeling a sense of determination. After getting dressed and freshening up, Beom Haewon made her way to the courtyard.
On her way through, she could hear all sorts of musical instruments played in different routines, and they were not meeting each other. Hearing it from the distance, it was utter chaos. As if it was a battlefield where the ladies played their musical instruments with the intensity and determination of warriors. Instead of swords, they wielded flutes, zithers, harps, and fiddles, striking a chord with each other.
"It's not safe to go there. Your ears might not handle the noise," said a voice from behind.
The person who said this was likely someone who had experienced the chaos in the courtyard firsthand. She was dressed in simple clothes, with her hair pulled back into a hairstyle as every young unmarried woman in the competition as Beom Haewon. Despite her humble appearance, there was a sharp glint in her eyes and a determined set to her jaw. She seemed like someone who was not afraid to speak her mind and stand up for herself.
"Since the court eunuch revealed information about the second round, it's a battlefield out there, with all the different musical instruments clashing against each other. You could die going unprepared," the lady added.
"Are you part of the musical chaos?" asked Beom Haewon.
"I used to be until three seconds ago," she answered, showing her flute briefly. "I am Jang Soojeong."
Beom Haewon glanced at the soft smile on the young woman's face, then looked at the woman's outstretched hand. She took a moment to understand the sudden appearance of a stranger in front of her eyes — especially for someone who would think of her as a competitor in the selection.
"Oh, I forgot, the other ladies introduce themselves with the name of their fathers," she laughed. "I'm a daughter of a minor—," she said, not withdrawing her outstretched hand.
“My name is Beom Haewon. Daughter of a minor official in the palace," Beom Haewon replied, her tone polite but tense as she interrupted the woman's introduction. She extended her hand and shook Jang Soojeong's, trying to keep her expression indifferent. Despite her polite demeanor, she deemed that Jang Soojeong might have ulterior motives for being friendly toward a competitor.
Lady Jang chatted on, "That means you've got a higher rank than me, a daughter of a minor scholar. If you are wondering, my father works as an instructor."
Beom Haewon tried to mask her feelings as the other lady approached her, pressing her lips together to conceal any signs of discomfort. She knew it would be impolite to show her unease, so she forced a smile onto her face, even though it felt stiff and unnatural.
'Why is she trying to get close to me?'
Despite her suspicions, Beom Haewon knew judging this woman based on a single encounter would be unfair. After all, she appeared kind. Nonetheless, she couldn't forget her meeting with a scowling candidate from the day before, which now made her cautious.
Beom Haewon relaxed to engage in conversation with the other lady since dismissing her without giving her a chance would be rude. "Seems everyone wants to be a consort," she said, making a small chat.
"Yeah, like arrows aimed at the target, most share the same goal." Jang Soojeong said with a nod, a hint of a smile on her face.
Beom Haewon nodded along as she listened, but inside she felt a sense of unease. She didn't feel the same way as Jang Soojeong and the other ladies in the selection, who seemed eager to become a consort. Being in such a position of power and influence wouldn't fit her.
As she stood there, lost in her thoughts, Jang Soojeong leaned in closer and whispered, "Well, there's always that lone fish swimming against the current, clearly doesn't want to be a part of this."
Jang Soojeong's words hung in the air. The metaphor of the lone fish swimming against the current had struck a chord within her, and she knew that Jang Soojeong had somehow sensed her discomfort and guessed at her true feelings.
"I was right, wasn't I?" Soojeong asked, her eyes searching Beom Haewon's face for confirmation.
The look in her eyes was one of fearlessness, unwavering, steady, and unyielding. As if she knew what she wanted to say and was not going to back down from it. Despite the fierce sense of being interrogated, Beom Haewon felt a sense of awe and respect as she looked into Jang Soojeong's eyes.
She took a deep breath and looked Jang Soojeong in the eyes. "Yes, you are right. I am not truly interested in becoming a consort," she said, her voice low and hesitant. "I only wish to be eliminated as soon as possible."
Jang Soojeong looked at her with amazement. "I see," she said, nodding. "It's not easy to go against what is expected of us, but I understand," she added with a smile.
The gesture gave Beom Haewon relief as she realized that Jang Soojeong was not her enemy but rather a friend in the same predicament.
However, just as she was about to continue the conversation, something caught her attention from the corner of her eye. It was nestled behind a bush, some distance away from the ladies who were playing various instruments. She looked over, her gaze wandering, trying to discern what it was that had caught her attention.
"You know what, I think I have to go, Lady Jang. I need to see something important," Beom Haewon said, her mind already preoccupied with what she had seen.
"Sure, everyone has their own business since the second round will be tomorrow,” Jang Soojeong said. “It was nice to meet you, Lady Beom. I hope we will be acquaintances."
"The feeling is mutual, Lady Jang," replied Beom Haewon with a smile.
She felt a sense of gratitude towards Jang Soojeong for her understanding and support as she turned to leave. Finding a friend in a competitive environment was rare, but she was glad that she had found one in Jang Soojeong.
Upon exchanging pleasantries before parting ways, Beom Haewon went to the spot where she thought she found something familiar. She reached for its hilt, feeling a sense of familiarity wash over her. As she unsheathed it, she remembered the toy she had played with as a child.
With the item in hand, she walked through a circular arch in the wall and headed towards the courtyard in the connected building, continuing on her way. If the ladies she saw earlier were musicians, now she came across a group of ladies practicing their archery skills.
Beom Haewon went to the opposite building and its connected buildings, discovering that all the women were practicing their various skills, from dance to music, archery, and calligraphy.
She watched as the ladies gracefully moved to the rhythm of the music, some hitting bulls eyes with their arrows and others carefully composing beautiful characters on paper. It was clear that these ladies were severe about impressing the selection committee and making it to the next round.
Beom Haewon felt a pang of jealousy and sadness as she watched the other ladies practicing so fiercely. They all had a sense of purpose and determination that she couldn't match. While they were all working hard to impress the emperor and earn a place in the palace, Beom Haewon just wanted to find a way out of the consort selection.
Beom Haewon knew she didn't belong here — she didn't have the same drive or desire to win. She stood out as an outlier among skilled and driven women. She emphasized the other ladies from the first round who were disqualified due to being too heavy or too light, too tall or too short.
She didn't want to compete against these talented women, nor did she want to be chosen as the consort and have the opportunity to wield influence and power within the empire if favored by the emperor.
She made up her mind then and there. She would do whatever it took to get eliminated in the next round, even if it meant making a fool of herself. She just wanted to go home and live an ordinary life, away from the pressure and scrutiny of the consort selection and the future that would come with it.
