The Imperial Palace had never felt so peaceful on the surface.
Yet beneath that peaceful appearance, something was terribly wrong.
The rumors surrounding the Empress had not disappeared.
If anything, they had grown.
The discovery of the strange black altar inside the Empress's chamber had given the palace servants and common people something to whisper about.
Some believed it was connected to forbidden magic.
Others believed the Empress had secretly been practicing dark arts.
And there were still ministers who openly demanded that the matter be investigated.
But the truth remained hidden.
The real person behind the black magic had not been exposed.
And Shin Gu intended to keep it that way.
For now.
---
Shin Gu's Residence
Shin Gu sat beside the window of her chamber.
A cup of untouched tea rested on the table.
She had been staring at it for nearly half an hour.
Her fingers slowly tightened around her sleeve.
She could still remember the altar.
The dark candles.
