CHAPTER 4

...TAEHYUNG'S POV...

The handsome royal led me to a room.

I was confused, but at the same time, a large part of me was excited to get a bath for the first time in years. I really wanted to find out why a royal was helping me, a mere commoner, but I didn't want to push his luck with so many questions, so I kept quiet the whole way there.

Once the door closed behind me, I looked around the bathing room with wide eyes. It was incredibly luxurious, a complete opposite to what I was used to. It took me a minute just standing in the middle of the room to actually get myself to move. I quickly removed my clothes and hopped in the tub in the middle of the room, the hot water feeling like absolute bliss against my skin that had so many years worth of filth and dirt on it.

I began washing myself, taking his time to properly clean every single part of my body, getting rid of the dirt that had been stuck on my skin for years. I couldn't remember the last time I really got to clean myself. Not only that, but I felt like a completely new person, the dirt and filth coming off of me and swirling down the drain, revealing my naturally soft and beautiful features that had been hidden under it all. My hair was surprisingly soft, the dirt and filth making it greasy and tangled up beforehand.

I took the time as well to tend to the many scars on practically every part of my body, most of them healed by now, but still having left light white scars, evidence of the many injuries I had received years ago. The majority of scars were on my back, the memory of the harsh whips of a whip causing a shiver to go through his body.

I stayed in the tub for what felt like hours, just enjoying the relaxing hot water before eventually realizing that I shouldn't overstay my welcome and that I shouldn't make him wait too long for me to finish. I pulled the drain and climbed out of the tub, drying off and getting dressed up in a simple outfit the maids laid out for me. I then left the bathroom to go find him, my hair a bit wet from the bath, but it was now clean and soft.

I found the striking royalty strolling down the hallway. I limped towards him.

"Um... I'm all done."

I was then led to the lounge room.

I followed, though still walking with a slight limp in my step. When I followed him into the lounge room, the first thing that caught my attention was a large, comfortable looking couch sat in the middle of the room, surrounded by a number of other luxurious furniture.

"You may sit."

He sat first. I followed suit. I sat across from him. I sank back into the soft cushion of the sofa, a soft gasp escaping my lips from how comfortable it was after years of sleeping on the hard streets, in hay piles and behind dumpsters.

"Taehyung, let me introduce myself."

I looked over at him. I sat up straight. I listened intently. I was curious to finally know who this man was and what his role was in this castle.

"I'm Jungkook Jeon II. I'm the King of this Golden Maknae Castle."

My eyes widened, and I froze. I was shocked to finally know that it was the young king himself. Damn it! How could I be so casual with him? I messed up yet again. I was speechless for a moment before I finally gathered myself to speak.

"Y-You're the king?"

I had a tremble in it. I swallowed nervously.

"Yes, I am."

My mind was racing. I couldn't believe that the king was seated across from me. I spoke up again, and my voice was shaky, but I tried

to steady it as much as he could. I wasn't used to speaking to royalty, especially not someone as high up as the king, but I still wanted to try not to seem pathetic in front of him.

“I-If I had known…I never would've been so casual with you, Your Royal Highness….”

I ducked my head down in a slight bow, averting my eyes. I was shaking with nervousness. I hadn't realized it till now that sitting across from the king in his luxurious lounge room in the castle, I still looked like a homeless commoner, despite being clean. I suddenly felt very inadequate, sitting there in front of royalty, wearing an outfit that a castle servant had probably brought out for him, just a simple, clean white shirt and pants.

"It's alright."

I looked back up at him. My eyes were wide. My body was still shaking. It shocked me how nonchalant he was about everything that had been going on. I couldn't believe that the king

was still treating me with kindness despite the fact that he was just a random thief who had tried to steal food from the kitchen while he was the king and I had broken the law.

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***