The palace felt different when they returned.
Not relieved.
Not calm.
Watching.
Rows of guards stood straighter the moment the Crown Prince stepped through the inner gates, their armor catching beneath the pale morning light. Servants lowered their heads instantly. Court ladies whispered behind sleeves before quickly pretending they had not.
Every eye followed Ji-ho.
And every eye noticed Bella beside him.
Poong Yeon looked as though ten years had been stolen from his life overnight.
"We should proceed directly to His Majesty," he said quietly.
Ji-ho nodded once.
No argument this time.
That alone unsettled Poong Yeon further.
The walk through the palace corridors felt longer than usual. The deeper they moved into the throne room, the quieter everything became. Even the servants seemed to step softer here.
Bella stayed slightly behind Ji-ho now.
Not by command.
Instinct.
The manor already felt impossibly far away.
A royal attendant stepped aside immediately.
"His Majesty has been expecting the Crown Prince."
The massive doors of the throne room groaned open with a slow, heavy sound that echoed through the palace like a warning.
Inside, the royal court stood waiting.
Rows of ministers and military officials lined the marble hall beneath towering crimson pillars, their embroidered robes brushing softly against the floor as they turned toward the entrance. Gold lanternlight flickered across polished stone. Above the throne, enormous dragon banners hung from the ceiling like silent guardians watching over the kingdom.
And at the very end of the hall, upon the elevated dais of black jade and gold,sat His Majesty.
The king did not move at first.
Neither did anyone else.
The entire court had fallen into a suffocating stillness.
Ji-ho could feel every gaze in the room land upon him at once. Some shocked. Some relieved. Some uncertain if they were looking at a prince returning home or a ghost walking back into the palace.
Poong Yeon lowered himself to one knee immediately.
"Your Majesty," he said solemnly.
But Ji-ho remained standing.
Tired.
Silent.
Changed.
For one terrible moment, the king simply stared at his son from across the throne room.
Then his composure shattered.
The king rose so abruptly the court attendants nearly stumbled back in alarm.
Gasps rippled through the hall.
Kings did not descend from their thrones for anyone.
Not for ministers.
Not for generals.
Not even for family.
Yet His Majesty stepped down without hesitation.
One step.
Then another.
Faster.
Until the distance between ruler and son disappeared entirely.
"My son!"
The words broke from him like something torn painfully from the chest.
And before the court could recover from its shock, the king pulled Ji-ho into his arms.
Not as a king embracing a prince.
But as a father clutching the child he thought he had lost.
"Father."
The king gripped Ji-ho's shoulders before the word had fully left his mouth.
His eyes swept over him rapidly, searching.
The torn edge of his sleeve.
The faint dirt staining his robes.
The redness near his neck.
Every small imperfection became a wound in the king's eyes.
"Are you injured?" he demanded quietly. "Did they hurt you?"
Ji-ho blinked, almost caught off guard by the panic beneath his father's composure.
"I'm alright."
The king did not seem convinced.
His hands moved to Ji-ho's arms as though needing proof for himself.
"Ji-ho."
"I said I'm alright, Father."
Only then did the king exhale.
A long breath.
The kind held too long inside the chest.
Around them, the royal court remained frozen in stunned silence.
Ministers stood watching, pretending not to witness the deeply private moment unfolding before the throne. Guards kept their eyes forward. Even the attendants barely dared to breathe.
Yet neither father nor son seemed to care.
The king looked at him again, this time with frustration slowly bleeding through the relief.
"What possessed you to leave the palace with a few escort?" he asked. "Your recklessness these past days has troubled my heart."
Ji-ho's gaze lowered briefly.
Then softened.
"I wanted to see the lantern festival."
The answer seemed to catch the king off guard.
Ji-ho continued quietly.
"Like we used to… when Mother was still alive."
For a moment, the throne room lost all sound.
The king's expression shifted almost imperceptibly.
Pain.
Memory.
Something older than authority itself.
Ji-ho gave a faint smile that did not fully reach his eyes.
"I just… felt like leaving the palace for once."
His voice remained calm, but tiredness sat heavily beneath it.
"Everything here has become suffocating lately. Every corridor. Every meeting. Every lesson." He glanced around the throne room briefly before looking back at his father. "I know there are responsibilities waiting for me inside these walls, but for one night, I wanted to breathe among the people of Joseon. I wanted to see how they laughed. How they celebrated."
The king stared at him silently.
Ji-ho swallowed once.
"I did not think death would be waiting for me outside the gates."
At those words, a sharp sound echoed softly from the side of the court.
Crunch.
Barely audible.
But enough.
Near the foot of the throne dais, the Prime Minister stood with his hands hidden neatly within his sleeves, his expression perfectly composed.
Only the tightening of his jaw betrayed him.
His teeth grinding slowly beneath the mask of calm.
But no one noticed.
"You still should have told me before leaving," the king said more quietly now. "Do you understand what these past hours have done to this palace?"
Ji-ho's gaze softened with guilt.
"I did not wish to trouble you."
"Trouble me?" The king almost laughed, though there was no humor in it. "You disappeared without a trace. Half the royal guard was prepared to search the river by dawn."
Ji-ho's expression faltered slightly.
"I truly did not know-"
"That someone was waiting to kill you?" the king finished grimly.
Silence.
The King's voice softened slightly afterward.
"You are my heir, Ji-ho."
That landed differently.
Not as king but as father.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Then, once more, the king reached for his son's face as though reassuring himself he was truly standing there.
"You are certain you are unharmed?"
"Yes, Father."
Only after hearing it again did the king finally nod.
Slowly.
Then his gaze shifted past Ji-ho toward Bella.
For a moment, he simply observed her.
The throne room seemed to still itself once more.
Bella immediately lowered her eyes and bowed deeply beneath the weight of royal attention. Even without looking directly at him, she could feel the force of the king's gaze settling over her carefully arranged hanbok, the slight disarray in her appearance, the exhaustion she had failed to hide completely.
For a long moment, the king said nothing.
The silence stretched across the hall like drawn silk.
Then, "You were with the Crown Prince during the attack?"
His voice remained calm.
Measured.
Bella swallowed softly before answering.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The king regarded her quietly.
"Hmmm." He exclaims.
No one in the throne room dared move.
The words were simple, but every official understood the meaning beneath them.
Bella lowered herself further.
A faint murmur shifted somewhere among the ministers before immediately dying again.
The king's eyes lingered on her for another moment before slowly turning toward the court surrounding them.
Rows of officials stood in perfect silence beneath the towering crimson pillars, their expressions carefully controlled, though curiosity flickered behind lowered gazes.
Watching.
Listening.
Measuring.
The king spoke again without raising his voice.
"I am glad," he said calmly, "that you understand the importance of fulfilling your duties."
Bella's fingers tightened slightly beneath her sleeves.
The words sounded like praise.
Yet something beneath them felt heavier.
Sharper.
As though the king was not merely speaking about last night but reminding her exactly where she stood within the palace walls.
Ji-ho noticed it immediately.
"I only did what was necessary, Your Majesty," Bella answered carefully.
The king studied her quietly for another moment before nodding once.
The great throne hall remained deathly still beneath the towering crimson pillars, every official watching carefully despite their lowered gazes.
Then finally, the king nodded once.
"You have done well protecting the Crown Prince."
Bella lowered herself immediately.
"This servant merely fulfilled her duty."
"Hm."
The king's expression remained unreadable.
But his next words shifted the atmosphere entirely.
"You are exhausted."
Bella blinked slightly.
The king turned toward one of the royal attendants nearby.
"Escort Guard Ha-neul back to her quarters. Ensure the royal physicians examine her injuries as well."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Only then did Bella realize she was being dismissed.
A strange feeling settled briefly inside her chest.
Relief.
Or maybe something quieter.
She bowed deeply once more.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Then she straightened carefully.
For the first time since entering the throne room…
Her eyes lifted.
And found Ji-ho's immediately.
The entire hall suddenly felt too quiet.
Neither of them spoke.
They could not.
Not here.
Not beneath the gaze of ministers, guards, servants, and court officials waiting to dissect every breath exchanged between them.
Yet something passed between them anyway.
A pause.
A look held half a second too long.
Are you alright?
Yes.
And you?
Ji-ho's fingers shifted faintly at his side as though resisting the urge to step toward her.
Bella noticed.
Her chest tightened unexpectedly.
Then reality returned all at once.
The throne room.
The court.
The distance between Crown Prince and foreign guard.
Bella lowered her gaze first.
Ji-ho watched her turn away.
And for reasons he could not explain…
The sight unsettled him far more than the assassination attempt had.
The sound of Bella's footsteps slowly faded across the marble floor as the royal attendant escorted her from the throne hall.
Ji-ho's eyes followed her until the massive doors closed behind her completely.
Only then did he realize that the King had noticed.
And somewhere beside the throne dais, the Prime Minister watched everything with narrowed eyes.
Then, finally, the king exhaled quietly and stepped back.
"You will return to your quarters immediately," he said, his authority returning fully. "Wash, change your clothes, and allow the royal physicians to examine you properly."
Before Ji-ho could answer, the king turned sharply toward the royal guard nearby.
"Tell the royal attendants to prepare a warm bath. Fresh robes. Food as well." His gaze hardened. "And double the guards stationed outside the Crown Prince's residence."
"At once, Your Majesty."
The royal guard bowed deeply before hurrying away.
The king looked back at Ji-ho again, and for the briefest moment, the ruler disappeared.
Only a father remained.
Then,
"Crown Prince."
A soft voice interrupted the silence of the throne room.
Every official immediately lowered themselves deeper at once.
Ji-ho turned.
The Queen Dowager stood near the entrance of the inner corridor, supported lightly by one court maid beside her. Layers of deep plum silk flowed elegantly around her, embroidered cranes glimmering beneath the lanternlight. Though age had softened parts of her beauty, nothing had diminished the sharp intelligence resting within her eyes.
"Mother," the king said quickly, surprised.
The Queen Dowager barely acknowledged the court.
Her gaze had already found Ji-ho.
Relief flickered across her face so openly it almost hurt to witness.
"My grandson," she whispered.
Ji-ho immediately bowed.
"This grandson greets the Queen Dowager."
Before he could fully straighten, she reached for his face with trembling fingers.
"Aigoo…"
The word escaped her softly.
Her eyes swept over him carefully.
The exhaustion. The disheveled robes.
The shadows beneath his eyes.
The faint redness near his throat that had not fully disappeared beneath his collar.
The Queen Dowager's expression tightened immediately.
"You frightened this old woman half to death once again."
Ji-ho smiled faintly.
"I apologize, Grandmother."
"You should apologize to your father first," she muttered before gently pinching his cheek. "Then apologize to me properly afterward."
A few nervous chuckles echoed softly among the older ministers.
Even the king exhaled slightly.
But the Queen Dowager's expression soon turned serious again.
"You should not remain standing here any longer." Her voice softened. "Come. Walk with me for a while before you return to your chambers."
The king immediately nodded.
"That would be best."
Ji-ho hesitated briefly before bowing once.
"Yes, Father."
The Queen Dowager turned gracefully, and Ji-ho followed beside her through the inner corridor while attendants trailed several steps behind.
The moment they disappeared beyond the throne room doors, the suffocating tension of the court loosened almost instantly.
But not entirely.
Near the foot of the throne dais, the Prime Minister watched the corridor long after the Crown Prince had vanished from sight.
The inner palace corridors were quieter.
Warmer.
The noise of the court faded behind them until only the soft sound of footsteps remained.
For a while, the Queen Dowager said nothing.
Neither did Ji-ho.
Then suddenly—
Smack.
Her hand lightly struck his arm.
Ji-ho blinked in surprise.
"Grandmother ?"
"You foolish child," she scolded softly. "Did you truly wish to send this old woman to her grave early?"
Ji-ho lowered his gaze with a guilty smile.
"I did not mean to worry anyone."
"Hmph."
The Queen Dowager continued walking slowly beside him.
"When I heard assassins had attacked you…" Her voice thinned slightly. "Do you know how many prayers I offered last night alone?"
Ji-ho's expression softened.
"I'm sorry Grandmother."
This time, the Queen Dowager did not scold him again.
Instead, she studied him quietly.
And the longer she looked…
…the stranger her grandson appeared.
Not physically. Something else.
Something lighter.
Softer even.
As though part of the heaviness that usually clung to him had loosened overnight.
Even now, while exhausted, there was still warmth lingering somewhere inside his expression.
The Queen Dowager noticed it immediately.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"What truly happened outside the palace?" she asked calmly.
Ji-ho blinked once.
"We escaped the attack and remained elsewhere for the night."
The Queen Dowager nodded slowly.
Then paused.
"We?"
A dangerous question.
Ji-ho realized it too late.
"…Ha-neul was with me."
The Queen Dowager turned her head.
"The foreign guard?"
Silence.
Ji-ho suddenly found the floor very interesting.
The Queen Dowager stopped walking entirely now.
"You spent the night alone with a woman?"
The attendants behind them lowered their heads instantly.
Ji-ho opened his mouth.
Closed it.
For the first time in a very long while…
The Crown Prince looked genuinely embarrassed.
The Queen Dowager stared at him.
Then stared harder.
And suddenly,
"Oh."
Not outrage.
Not anger.
Realization.
A slow one. An amused one.
Ji-ho rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"It was not intentional."
"Mmm."
"We only stayed there because it was unsafe to travel at night."
"Mmm."
Ji-ho glanced at her carefully.
The Queen Dowager was trying very hard not to smile.
Which somehow made this worse.
"We did nothing improper," he said quickly.
The Queen Dowager finally looked at him again.
"Did I ask?"
Ji-ho nearly choked on air.
A faint laugh escaped one of the older court maids before she immediately hid it behind her sleeve.
"Grandmother-"
"You are blushing."
"I am not."
"You are."
Ji-ho looked horrified.
The Queen Dowager sighed dramatically.
"Aigoo… our Crown Prince has truly grown up."
"Grandmother."
Her teasing softened after a moment.
Then so did her eyes.
She reached up and adjusted his collar gently.
And quietly said,
"Affection is not dangerous because it is wrong."
Ji-ho stilled.
The Queen Dowager's fingers paused briefly against the fabric near his neck.
"It is dangerous because the palace notices everything."
The warmth faded from Ji-ho's face little by little.
"The moment someone realizes what your heart protects…"
Her gaze sharpened slightly.
"…that thing becomes a weapon."
Silence settled between them again.
This time heavier.
More real.
"You must learn caution," she continued softly. "Especially here. Feelings make even intelligent people reckless."
Ji-ho lowered his gaze.
"Yes, Grandmother."
"You are the Crown Prince. You cannot move only with your heart."
Ji-ho did not argue.
The Queen Dowager watched him carefully.
Then quietly asked,
"Do you like her that much?"
And there it was.
Direct.
Simple.
Dangerous.
Ji-ho froze completely.
The palace grounds suddenly felt too warm.
Too small.
His mind betrayed him instantly.
Bella laughing beneath lanternlight.
Bella clinging to him.
Bella asleep beside him.
Bella saying his name softly in the dark.
Ji-ho swallowed once.
The Queen Dowager saw the answer before he even spoke.
"…I see."
Ji-ho looked away immediately.
"I should return to my chambers now."
Unbelievable.
The Queen Dowager almost laughed.
Instead, she patted his arm gently.
"I will have the royal kitchen prepare warm broth for you."
"Thank you,Grandmother."
"And Ji-ho?"
He paused.
Her gaze softened with something almost sad.
"Be careful who sees you smiling."
Something about those words lingered.
Ji-ho bowed quietly before continuing down the corridor toward the Crown Prince's residence.
The Queen Dowager remained standing there long after he disappeared from sight.
The court maids behind her stayed silent.
Then finally, one maid carefully asked,
"Your Majesty…?"
The Queen Dowager stared thoughtfully at the empty corridor.
And murmured softly,
"Our Crown Prince…"
A small smile touched her lips.
"…has fallen."
—
Bella's chambers felt strangely smaller after surviving death.
The warmth of the ondol floors should have comforted her.
Instead, everything felt too quiet.
Too still.
The moment she stepped inside, hurried footsteps rushed toward her immediately.
"Unnie!"
Hye-jin nearly crashed into her before stopping herself at the last second.
The young girl's eyes were already wide with panic.
"You're really back…"
Bella blinked in surprise before the girl suddenly threw her arms around her waist.
"You disappeared all night! Lady Choon-Hee said assassins attacked the Crown Prince and—and—"
"It's alright," Bella said softly, though exhaustion weighed heavily beneath her voice. "I'm alright."
Hye-jin pulled back quickly, still scanning Bella from head to toe as though checking for missing limbs.
"You look terrible."
Bella stared at her.
"…Thank you."
"I mean tired," Hye-jin corrected quickly. "Very tired."
A faint laugh escaped Lady Choon-Hee from nearby.
The older woman stepped forward carefully, relief visibly softening her face.
She was a kitchen lady who took Hye-jin like her own daughter.
"You frightened us greatly."
Bella lowered her gaze apologetically.
"I apologize. But how is your mother Hye-jin?"
"She's in charge of the Queen Dowager's meals today. She sends her regards and we'll see you when she's free."
Before anyone could say more, another knock sounded outside the chamber doors.
"The royal physician has arrived."
Lady Choon-Hee immediately stepped aside.
The elderly physician entered with two assistants carrying wooden medical boxes behind him.
"This physician greets Guard Ha-neul."
Bella bowed politely.
The physician wasted little time.
"Please sit."
Bella obeyed quietly while the physician checked her pulse carefully, his aged fingers resting lightly against her wrist.
The room remained still.
Even Hye-jin looked unusually serious now.
"Hm."
The physician nodded slowly to himself.
"Your pulse is stable."
Bella exhaled softly without realizing she had been holding her breath.
"No internal injuries," he continued calmly. "Exhaustion and minor bruising only."
Lady Choon-Hee visibly relaxed.
"And the Crown Prince?" Bella asked before she could stop herself.
The physician looked mildly surprised.
"His Highness is also being examined."
Only then did Bella realize everyone in the room had noticed how quickly she asked.
Her gaze dropped immediately.
"I see."
The physician continued writing calmly as though pretending not to notice.
"You should rest for several days if possible," he advised. "Your body has suffered shock."
Bella nearly laughed at the impossibility of resting inside the palace.
Still, she nodded obediently.
After giving final instructions, the physician finally departed with his assistants.
The chamber quieted again afterward.
Hye-jin immediately moved closer once the doors closed.
"So…"
Bella narrowed her eyes slightly.
"So?"
The girl leaned forward suspiciously.
"What really happened?"
Bella blinked once.
"We escaped assassins."
"No, after that."
Bella nearly choked.
"There is no 'after that.'"
Hye-jin looked unconvinced.
Very unconvinced.
Lady Choon-Hee sighed tiredly.
"Stop interrogating her and let her wash first."
Hye-jin pouted dramatically but finally backed away.
Steam soon filled the bathing room softly afterward.
Bella stood near the folding screen quietly while loosening the ties of her outer robe, exhaustion finally beginning to settle properly into her bones.
The events of last night flashed through her mind too easily.
Ji-ho's voice.
Ji-ho's hands.
Ji-ho looking at her like she was something fragile and dangerous at the same time.
Heat immediately rushed into her face.
Absolutely not.
She refused to think about that right now.
Behind her, Hye-Jin continued rambling while arranging fresh clothes nearby.
"You know the entire palace was talking this morning? Even the servants near the eastern hall heard that the Crown Prince nearly—"
Her voice stopped abruptly.
Bella stiffened slightly.
"…Unnie."
Something in Hye-Jin's tone made Bella turn instinctively.
The girl was staring.
Directly at the back of Bella's neck.
"…What?"
Hye-Jin pointed slowly.
"There's something there."
Bella frowned slightly.
Before she could react, Hye-Jin stepped closer.
"Wait…"
The girl's eyes widened.
Bella immediately grabbed the fabric of her robe against herself again.
Too quickly.
Far too quickly.
Hye-Jin froze.
"…Why are you reacting like that?"
"I'm not reacting."
"You are."
Bella looked away instantly.
Hye-Jin narrowed her eyes.
"Unnie…"
The younger girl suddenly gasped.
"Did someone bite you?!"
Bella nearly died of embarrassment.
"It was probably an insect."
"…An insect?"
"Yes."
Hye-Jin looked deeply concerned.
"What sort of an insect leaves this big of a bite mark."
Bella pulled her robe tightly against herself again, heat rushing violently into her face.
But the young girl only looked more alarmed.
"Does it hurt?"
Before Bella could answer, Lady Choon-Hee finally stepped closer.
An entire silent conversation passed between them at once.
Recognition.
Mortification.
Understanding.
The older woman cleared her throat almost too quickly afterward.
"Hye-jin," she said calmly, "why don't you help me prepare fresh water outside?"
"But I want to help Unnie bathe—"
"And you can help afterward."
Something in Lady Choon-Hee's tone finally made the girl obey.
"…Alright."
Still confused, Hye-jin allowed herself to be guided toward the doors.
Before leaving, however, she glanced back one last time.
"Unnie, if the insect bites again, you should kill it immediately."
Bella wanted to disappear forever.
The doors slid shut.
Silence.
Then,
Lady Choon-Hee sighed deeply into her sleeve.
Bella refused to turn around.
The older woman said nothing for several long seconds.
Which somehow made everything worse.
Finally:
"…I will prepare stronger medicinal herbs for tomorrow."
Bella almost choked.
"Lady Choon-Hee-"
"I saw nothing."
"You clearly saw something."
"I am choosing peace."
Meanwhile, inside the Crown Prince's residence…
Absolute confusion had descended.
"Your Highness, please raise your arm slightly."
Ji-ho sat stiffly near the edge of the bathing platform while attendants carefully removed the outer layers of his robes.
Then silence fell.
A long one.
One attendant blinked slowly.
Another looked alarmed.
A third looked like he had accidentally discovered state secrets.
Poong Yeon narrowed his eyes immediately.
Ji-ho sensed danger.
"What?"
Nobody answered.
Which was worse.
Finally, one younger attendant spoke carefully.
"Your Highness…"
Ji-ho frowned slightly.
"…Yes?"
The attendant pointed vaguely toward Ji-ho's shoulder.
"There are… marks."
Ji-ho froze.
Poong Yeon stepped closer.
Then stopped.
His expression changed immediately.
"…Oh."
Ji-ho wanted the earth to swallow him alive.
The attendants stared helplessly at the visible red marks scattered across his skin.
Faint scratches.
Finger marks.
The unmistakable evidence of a night neither calm nor innocent.
The younger attendant looked genuinely concerned.
"Were you attacked by wild insects?"
Ji-ho closed his eyes briefly.
Poong Yeon looked like he was fighting for his life internally.
Another attendant blinked toward the scratch marks near Ji-ho's back.
"…Those insects had nails?"
"Enough."
Ji-ho stood abruptly.
Everyone startled immediately.
"I will bathe alone today."
"But Your Highness-"
"Out."
His face had already turned red beneath his balms.
The attendants immediately lowered themselves.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Poong Yeon remained standing slightly longer than the others.
His eyes slowly drifted toward the Crown Prince again.
Then toward the marks.
Then back toward Ji-ho's expression.
Realization began assembling itself piece by piece behind his eyes.
Ji-ho noticed instantly.
"Don't say anything."
Poong Yeon coughed once.
"I wasn't going too."
Poong Yeon remained nearby in uneasy silence while the attendants departed.
But the silence in the bathing chambers consumed his thoughts completely.
Steam curled softly across the water.
Ji-ho lowered himself slowly into the bath.
Warmth spread through his exhausted body immediately.
But unfortunately…so did memory.
Bella laughing softly beneath lanternlight.
Bella clinging to him during the heat of the moment.
Bella whispering his name against his neck.
Ji-ho covered his face with one hand instantly.
Evening settled slowly over the palace.
Lanternlight flickered softly beneath the carved eaves of the Left State Councillor's estate while servants moved quietly through the outer courtyard.
Inside the pavilion, the Left State Councillor sat calmly across from his daughter, steam curling between them from untouched tea.
"The Crown Prince has returned safely," he said at last.
His daughter lowered her eyes politely.
"I heard the court was in chaos this morning."
"Hm."
The Left State Councillor's expression remained unreadable.
"But chaos settles quickly inside the palace."
His fingers tapped lightly against the table once.
"The final announcement regarding the Crown Princess selection will be made soon."
The daughter's posture straightened almost imperceptibly.
"You must conduct yourself carefully even more."
"Yes, Father."
"You will soon become part of the royal family."He spoke
Not hope.
Certainty.
That was what made the words unsettling.
Then,
The Left State Councillor's gaze shifted toward the palace beyond the pavilion windows.
Dark.
Quiet.
Watching.
"The Crown Prince…" he murmured slowly.
Something unreadable crossed his face.
"He appears to have returned with more than he left with."
The daughter looked up slightly.
But her father only lifted his teacup calmly.
And somewhere far beyond the pavilion walls…
beneath the same palace moon…
the Crown Prince was still thinking about someone he should not.