* * *
“WHAT?”
“I couldn’t keep it. I think the man I met was His Highness, the Crown Prince. The way he frowned and rubbed his forehead when he heard your name... It couldn’t have been anyone else.”
Sohwa groaned, causing Hwayeong to slump her shoulders, still holding the needle in her hand.
“Oh dear....”
“What do we do now, Miss? His Highness, the Crown Prince, seemed so furious. He questioned me so harshly that my heart is still trembling.”
“.......”
“He said it was against palace etiquette for a crown princess candidate to send a gift to another prince. What will you do?”
As Sohwa paced nervously, wringing her hands, Hwayeong let out a soft sigh.
“That’s why I said I was only lending it....”
At Hwayeong’s muttered words, explaining it wasn’t meant as a gift but only to be borrowed and returned after being seen, Sohwa froze in shock and asked.
“You KNEW it was against the rules?”
“Well... I’ve practically memorized the entire rulebook.”
