𝑩𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝑷𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆 | 정원

27

Ji-ah froze, the name striking a chord. Kuro, the man she found during the party, had mentioned the name. She remembered how Jungwon had reacted when Kuro said it, the fury that had erupted in him so suddenly. Now it made sense. He was angry because Eugene had been the one who killed his first love.

"Eugene was a noble we once knew," Jake continued, his voice low and bitter. "He hated us. Out of spite, he killed her. He was... cruel."

A chill crept down Ji-ah's spine. "What... happened to him?"

"We killed him."

Ji-ah's breath caught. The reality of his words settling over her like a cold shadow. They had killed someone. Sure, they were vampires, and yes, it was a different time, but it still unsettled her to hear it spoken so plainly.

But then... a part of her felt relief. Maybe that had brought Jungwon some kind of peace. At least, Eugene could never hurt him again.

"Why did he hate you?" she asked cautiously.

Jake gave a wry smile. "He thought we didn't deserve the crown. He knew we weren't royal by blood."

Ji-ah watched as his gaze drifted, as if memories of the past were coming to him. "Jungwon was set to inherit the throne. The king had written it in his will—if he died, Jungwon would be crowned."

"Wait... Eugene was the king's son?"

Jake shook his head. "No, he was the son of one of the king's advisors. He lived with us, grew up with us. But when he found out about the will, he thought it was absurd. Only those of royal blood should inherit the throne—that's what he believed."

Ji-ah felt the tension in his words. "So... he killed Jungwon's love to stop him?"

"Yes. It was a way to stop Jungwon, to break him. He wanted the throne for himself."

"Was he... a vampire too?" 

"Yes," Jake replied, his eyes narrowing. "But he was turned afterward. That's another reason he hated us—he thought we were monsters and blamed us for what he became. But we had no part in his turning. We've never turned anyone."

Ji-ah processed this, her mind spinning. The tangled web of power, hatred, and bloodshed stretched further than she'd imagined.

Jake sighed. "After she died, Jungwon became a different person."

At the mention of his name, Ji-ah's gaze lifted. She had sensed it too—that kind of loss must have left a permanent mark on him.

"He became distant," Jake continued, his voice quieter. "Even from us. We were his brothers, but after that... it was like he was always somewhere else. Eventually, we all left the palace. Needed space to live our own lives."

Ji-ah listened intently, feeling the weight of the past between his words. "But you came back," she prompted, sensing there was more.

"Yeah, we came back this time because... well, things were stirring. There were rumors...it felt like we were being drawn back here, to deal with unfinished business." He hesitated for a moment, then met Ji-ah's gaze. "And maybe to protect what matters."

Ji-ah felt a shiver pass through her at the gravity of his words.

Jake held her gaze for a moment longer, then looked away, as if what he had said carried more weight than he was willing to unpack right now. Ji-ah felt an odd sense of heaviness settle in her chest.

"Unfinished business?" Ji-ah repeated softly, sensing there was more to the story than what Jake was letting on.

Jake nodded. "Eugene's death didn't solve everything. It stopped him, sure, but..." He trailed off, his brows furrowing. "There are others. Other nobles like him who share his ideals. People who don't want us to exist, or who still think we're unworthy of the crown."

Ji-ah's thoughts immediately flashed to the two men she'd encountered at the party. She could see their detest for the princes. The way they had looked at the Jungwon was unmistakable: contempt, resentment, and something darker, like a hunger for power.

Ji-ah felt a knot tighten in her stomach. She couldn't help but wonder—was it only a matter of time before she became a target, too?

"And now?" Ji-ah ventured cautiously. "What happens now?"

Jake's gaze was distant for a moment, as if he was thinking through a thousand possibilities. "Now?" He sighed heavily. "Now we wait and see what comes next."

Ji-ah's mind swirled with uneasy thoughts. She was already in deeper than she'd ever intended. And yet, despite the fear creeping in, part of her was drawn in deeper, as if fate itself was pulling her into their world.