Chapter-05
Middle East — Conflict Zone
The propeller of a low-flying military helicopter tore violently through the air.
Seo Woo-kyung pulled off her helmet and ran a hand through her sweat-soaked, tangled hair.
Scarred skin. Ragged breathing.
Despite the sharp fatigue etched into her body, her striking features remained unmistakable. The firm lines of her arms and broad shoulders, visible beneath her grime-stained combat uniform, spoke clearly of a body honed through relentless training.
“Captain Seo, are you returning to Korea now?”
A foreign officer turned toward her and asked.
“That’s right.”
At her brief reply, regret flickered across the officer’s face—but Woo-kyung paid it no mind.
She gazed into the distance.
The land that had been their operation zone only moments ago was already shrinking far behind them.
She was eight years old that spring.
Her memories of that year were blurred, yet one day stood out with absolute clarity.
The first time she entered the imperial palace, holding the hand of her father—an Imperial Guard.
Early spring at Plum Blossom Palace, when the plum trees were in full bloom.
“Woo-kyung, greet Her Highness. This is Princess Mama.”
A girl dressed in a white one-piece dress smiled brightly and held out her hand.
“Hello? I’m Seo Woo-kyung.”
At first, it felt strange—meeting royalty who had always seemed so far removed from her world.
“Seo Woo-kyung, marry me!”
She hadn’t known how to respond and stood there awkwardly.
“Marry me. Promise.”
At some point, the small, soft child who followed her everywhere with short, hurried steps began to seem unbearably adorable.
She even thought then—
If there were ever someone she had to protect in the future,
it would probably be that little princess.
Until that day came.
“Relocation.”
Woo-kyung reached into her pocket and pulled out her military ID tag, rubbing her thumb against the cold metal engraved with her name.
The letters and service number were crisp and clear.
Her father must have worn the same thing.
Until the very end—
when he gave his life trying to save the young princess.
It was disgusting.
Especially because Seo Woo-kyung had been someone with no connection to me in my previous life.
I shifted my gaze back to the documents.
Personal Profile
Name: Seo Woo-kyung
Age: 28
Affiliation: Imperial Guard of the Korean Empire
Rank: Captain
“She’s one year older than me.”
Hwangnip Elementary School
Imperial History Academy
Imperial Officers’ School — Graduate
“You really followed the elite track.”
Career Summary
Youngest company commander in Imperial Guard history
Top Strategic Commander
“Why is this so long?”
I skimmed two lines and moved on.
Combat & Martial Arts
Judo — Black Belt
Taekwondo — 4th Dan
Kendo — 3rd Dan
Five-year consecutive winner of both individual and team events at the Imperial Swordsmanship Tournament
“Best Sniper Award at the International Sniper Competition, top-tier Krav Maga certification, official international kickboxing tournaments…”
It just kept going.
Notes
Fourth-generation successor of Seohan Group
Second son of Seo Do-geon, former Lieutenant Colonel of the Imperial Guard
“Oh… Seohan Group.”
The so-called new royal family—the conglomerate people said could shake the Empire itself if it ever fell.
“These specs are insane.”
Now I understood why the name Seo Woo-kyung had carried so much weight in the royal household in my previous life.
“…Seo Do-geon?”
A strangely familiar name.
I didn’t recognize him outright, yet something about it tugged at my memory.
If he was listed as former, did that mean he’d already left the Guard?
I didn’t know.
Either way, someone like her was an unpredictable variable—
and variables were the last thing someone who knew the future wanted.
“Why…”
Why had the future already changed after just one day?
Because of my impulsive behavior at the airport,
Seo Woo-kyung had been assigned as my exclusive driver.
“…Hmm.”
Well, no matter what I did, those two miserable years would repeat themselves.
Death, too, had been my own choice.
Even if I avoided it, the choice would still be mine.
“This is ridiculous.”
Was it God’s mistake?
Or God’s joke?
No.
Maybe it was punishment—for ending my own life.
“So you’re saying I should’ve just lived like that?”
The Emperor and Empress Dowager’s endless scolding.
The shifting gazes of the people.
The royal family’s hypocrisy.
The whispers, the pointing fingers.
Even so, I had to maintain discipline.
Fulfill my duties.
Be monitored in everything I did.
I endured all of it.
Until I was branded as the murderer of my own father.
“You did your best, Lee Seol.”
How else was I supposed to survive those hellish days?
No—
Let’s be honest.
My future had been doomed the moment I returned to this royal family.
And the cause of my misfortune was—
“…Your Majesty.”
It was time to chew on that name.
—DOKDO!
“Oh—!”
Startled by the sudden sound, I grabbed my phone.
It was a notification from Dokdo Talk, an anonymous group chat my friends and I had created.
I hesitated briefly, then logged in.
God’s Country
Did you see the news?
Sexyback
Stocks crashing?
Me
What is it?
God’s Country
Nah lol, look at this. (link)
I tapped the link.
Princess Lee Seol’s First Words at the Airport: “Shut Up…”
Royal Presence Silences Reporters
“Eek!”
I yelped and dropped my phone.
God’s Country
Isn’t the princess so cool?
…Are you insane?
Sexyback
Princess Mama has such spirit.
God’s Country
Look at her face. She’s handsome.
Brain officially overwritten by the princess.
“These kids know who I am and are doing this on purpose, right?”
The suspicion briefly surfaced—
then I pushed it aside.
They didn’t know my identity.
And we’d been in this chatroom for nearly ten years.
Come to think of it—
when did I first meet them?
Anonymous 1: What about Dokdo?
It started as a meaningless post on the Asian Boarding School Free Community.
I was scrolling aimlessly when I saw the first reply.
Anonymous 2: Korean territory.
Then another.
Anonymous 3: Korean territory.
And another.
Anonymous 4: Korean territory.
I joined in.
Among countless nameless strangers, only three people answered the same way.
From there, chaos erupted.
Anonymous 5: What’s Dokdo?
Anonymous 6: What’s Dokdo?
Anonymous 7: Where is that?
Anonymous 8: An American island?
Dozens of comments flooded in.
Then one stood out.
Anonymous 19: Japan! (≧◡≦)♡
At that moment, Anonymous 2, 3, and 4 felt the same thing.
Anonymous 4: Are you serious?
Anonymous 2: This is driving me insane lol
Anonymous 3: My back suddenly hurts.
From there, the three of us launched a merciless logic barrage.
The fight lasted hours—
until the original poster deleted the thread.
Ten minutes later.
Anonymous 1: Come see what Anonymous 2 and 4 said earlier about Dokdo.
I clicked immediately.
Anonymous 1: Download password: Dokdo
[Attached] dokdotalk.apk
[Attached] dokdotalk.ipa
Without hesitation, I downloaded it.
Sexyback
Hey, I’m Anonymous 3. I made this.
God’s Country
I’m Anonymous 2. Are you all Korean?
Me
Yeah. I’m Anonymous 4.
Without knowing names.
Without seeing faces.
A friendship born solely from being Korean—
had lasted over ten years.
“God’s Country. Sexyback…”
No.
Kim Shin-na-ra.
Baek Tae-jin.
In my previous life, I learned their identities about a year after returning to Korea.
They were far more incredible than I’d imagined.
Even I—
a princess—was shocked.
“Should I reveal who I am this time?”
It felt unfair that I was the only one who knew.
Me
You know… are we just going to keep going like this?
Sexyback
What do you mean?
Me
Wouldn’t it be okay to at least share our names?
My heart raced slightly.
If either of them wanted me to—
I would reveal everything.
Me
Aren’t you curious?
God’s Country
Why? Unless one of us is a princess, it doesn’t matter.
Even if we tell each other, we’ll just go, “Oh, really?” and feel awkward.
Still—
God’s Country
Are you trying to say something?
…!
God’s Country
Anyway, I like things as they are.
Sexyback
Yeah. Same.
I couldn’t help but laugh.
“That’s why you were amazing. Nara. Tae-jin.”
Because we spoke freely, without prejudice, our heavy hearts felt lighter.
And I vowed—
That in this life,
I would never ruin this bond.
God’s Country
By the way, I poop 5kg
Sexyback
oh
I quietly turned off the screen and set my phone aside.
