"Criminal? Hey, how can we be so brazen?" Ji Woon yelled, startling Yoonyi and her mother, who had been oblivious to his presence behind Eun all along.
"Who are you? How dare you interrupt, you—this pig!" Yoonyi snapped, her voice sharp, making Ji Woon's anger erupt even more.
"Pig?" Ji Woon shouted, storming toward her.
Eun quickly stepped in, placing a gentle hand on Ji Woon's shoulder, trying to calm him.
"My apologies. This is Ji Woon. We just arrived at the capital and don't know our way around yet. I'm truly sorry," Eun said, presenting both their identity tags.
Yoonyi's mother stared at the tags. Yoonyi's face lit up as she softly called Eun's name.
"Alright then. I'll show you the way," she said, leading them but throwing Ji Woon a sharp glare over her shoulder.
Soo Hyuk stood outside Haesoo's house, hesitating. Should he go in? What would he even say? What reason could he give for his anonymous visit?
He placed his hand on the door, ready to knock. No! No!
Glancing left and right, he shook his head and exhaled sharply, ruffling his hair. He had spent the whole day tracking down the great cello angel's address, and now that he'd found it… he couldn't bring himself to enter.
Gosh! What was he thinking, promising the crown prince he could get her to perform at the banquet?
Whimpering, he attempted to climb over the fence—but a hand suddenly grabbed his leg.
Soo Hyuk felt the blood drain from his body, his heart pounding violently. He bit his lip furiously as sweat formed beads on his forehead.
He looked down slowly, eyes shut tight. Haesoo had looked beautiful, but a little scary, when fighting those thugs. What would her mother be like?
Scared, he squinted, bracing for an angry little woman wielding a stick.
"Little girl?" he stuttered as he jumped down. "Gosh! You startled me."
"Rice cake?" The little girl exclaimed, a smile creeping across her face. She remembered him—the young man who had given her rice cakes, and in return, she had shown him Haesoo's performance.
Soo Hyuk smiled. What a clever way for her to remember him.
"Yes, it's rice cake," he said.
"What are you doing? Trying to sneak into Haesoo's house? Do you know how she deals with men who pester her?" The girl glared, lips pouted.
"Don't give me that look. I just want to talk to her," he said, staring earnestly.
She studied him for a long moment. "Alright, but she's not home now. She'll be at the village clinic."
"The village clinic?"
The little girl nodded.
"Little girl… can you take me to her?" he asked, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"Alright," she agreed.
"Really?" Soo Hyuk's eyes shone.
She nodded but added, "You have to pay me."
Soo Hyuk's smile dropped. "What?"
"Yes. Everything comes with a price."
Gosh! Unbelievable!
"Never," he said firmly.
"Alright," she said, turning to leave.
"Hey!" Soo Hyuk chased after her, standing firmly in her path.
"Alright, alright," he muttered, realizing how naive he'd been to think she was just a cute little girl.
The village clinic was small but tidy. The faint smell of herbs and medicine filled the air. Wooden shelves lined the walls, stacked with jars and bundles of dried plants. A warm light filtered through papered windows, giving the room a comforting glow despite the sickly moans from the patients.
The village physician bowed deeply as the queen entered.
"Your Royal Highness, Queen," he greeted respectfully.
"Thank you for your unbounded grace, your royal mother," the queen replied with a gentle smile hidden under her veil.
"How are the little ones?"
"Thanks to your grace, Your Royal Highness, the medicine you sent has been very effective," the physician answered.
"No! The king simply cares about the people—the citizens are his people," she said softly.
The queen signaled to the head court lady, who nodded and handed the physician a small box.
"Thank you for your grace, Her Majesty. You and the king have ruled this nation with such care," the physician said humbly.
"We should head in," the queen said.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness," the court lady replied, stepping aside to allow the queen passage. She ordered the maids to assist in tending to the sick.
The physician closed the door gently after the queen.
"Come out," the queen said, turning her head slowly toward a shadow lurking in the dark. The burning incense sent tendrils of smoke curling through the room, adding a faintly mystical haze to the atmosphere.
"Come out," the Queen said, her voice calm but commanding, as her eyes fixed on the darkness.
A man in a bamboo hat emerged slowly, a sword dangling at his side, his expression unreadable.
"Your Royal Highness," he greeted, bowing slightly.
"How is he?" the Queen asked, referring to the man under the bamboo hat—her secret guard.
"His wounds are healing quickly. He is strong," the physician replied.
The Queen nodded, then turned her gaze back to the man in the bamboo hat.
"Have the ministers' guards discovered your identity yet?"
"No, Your Royal Highness."
"Your Royal Highness, Queen," the physician said cautiously, "have you discovered why the seowoongwan—the official responsible for observing the calendar, stars, and fate—committed suicide after the prince's birth?"
The Queen exhaled sharply and massaged her temples. "No," she said quietly.
The physician poured a cup of chrysanthemum tea, its gentle floral aroma filling the room—a tea known to soothe the mind and calm troubled thoughts.
"Isn't it strange that every record from that day vanished? And the King ordered the entire incident erased? No one dares speak of it unless they are prepared to meet their doom," the physician continued, his gaze fixed intently on the Queen.
The Queen fiddled with the cup. He was right. There was a secret the King was keeping from her.
The head court lady had told her she was brought to the palace unconscious by the ministers' guards.
She remembered hiding behind a tree, then feeling a hand on her shoulder.
The Queen shook her head. She had heard a voice, someone whispering something to her before she lost consciousness—but she could not recall who it was or what was said.
She closed her eyes, trying to force her memory, but nothing came. A sigh escaped her lips.
"Yes," the Queen said at last, her voice heavy. "The King did order the events of that day wiped from history."
Queen Jiyeon stared into the empty air.
On the day of the First Prince's birth, the chief seomungwan—the one who oversaw the stars, fate, and calendar—committed suicide. Loyal subject Joonho died, and his entire family was annihilated under charges of treason.
The Queen closed her eyes, memories flooding back. She remembered rushing out of the palace after regaining consciousness, unable to find her son. She later heard that Joonho had died along with her child after falling from a mountain.
×××
Flashback
Queen Jiyeon's eyes fluttered open.
"Your Royal Highness, Queen—you're awake!" the head court lady cried in relief, rushing to her side and helping her sit up.
The Queen's eyes widened instantly. She looked beside her frantically—her prince was gone.
"The prince?" she demanded, glaring at the court lady, who muttered incoherently.
The words lodged in the Queen's throat. She shook her head as tears streamed down her face and ran from her chamber, the head court lady calling after her.
"Your Royal Highness!"
As the Queen descended the palace stairs, the gates opened. The ministers' guards entered alongside palace guards and several palace workers, their hands bound.
The Minister stepped forward, a sly smile plastered on his face. He stared at the King, whose face had drained of all color.
"Subject Joonho fell from the mountain—with the prince!" he announced.
The Queen's heart seized. The King's sword slipped from his hands and clattered to the ground.
Her gaze fell upon a small shawl—the very one she had used to wrap her newborn son.
Her vision went dark.
×××
End of Flashback
The Queen opened her eyes slowly, drawing a deep breath.
She did not know what her son looked like.
Though they claimed he was dead, she could not silence the voice in her heart—
Her son must still be alive.