King's POV
I went back to my chamber after making sure the queen was safe and sound in hers. Min Yun and I hadn't spoken since we escorted the queen. He silently walked behind us, and I kept wondering if he was mad at me because of what had happened to her. I honestly felt guilty—over and over again—thinking that I was always the reason why the people closest to my heart ended up in danger.
"Your Highness, would you like some tea?" the head eunuch asked as I sat down on the floor.
"Yes," I replied, and the head eunuch headed out.
I sighed, overwhelmed with thoughts. I had completely forgotten the questions I should've asked after hearing the queen and Min Yun's conversation. But I let it go, thinking I'd get the answers eventually.
"Your Highness... Minister Kim Man Shik is here," the eunuch announced from outside.
I sighed again. Why did this minister always show up whenever something bad happened, especially when it involved the queen?
"Let him in," I said out of respect. If I didn't, he would simply go and tell the other ministers how disrespectful I was. It was as if I had no right to make decisions for myself.
"Your Highness..." the minister bowed in front of me. I didn't respond. I let him stand there.
I thought he'd remain standing the whole time, but he found a comfortable seat in front of me.
"What brings you here?" I asked directly. Knowing this minister, he wouldn't visit without a reason—a bad or selfish one. He had been testing my patience ever since my father died of illness.
"I have something important to tell you," he said.
Important? Or just another excuse to mock me? I tried to stay calm, hoping this conversation would end quickly.
"This is about the queen," Kim Man Shik continued.
Was he talking about the queen's kidnapping again? Was he here to blame me for what had happened to her?
"What do you mean?" I asked, trying to keep my composure. For years, he had been my fear and my irritation. Every time I saw him, my blood boiled. This minister never trusted me. He never once acknowledged that I did the right thing.
"Do you know who the queen is?" he asked with a smirk, like a rabid dog.
I looked him straight in the eyes, silently telling him that I wasn't afraid of whatever filth he was about to spew.
"I guess not," he said, answering his question.
"Whatever it is, it's none of your business."
"Ah—uh. It is my business. It concerns the welfare of the people."
I wanted to punch him in the face, but I restrained myself. I wouldn't waste my time on this old, wicked man.
"Stop meddling with the queen, or I'll consider it treason," I said firmly.
He laughed so hard that the people outside might have heard. His laughter reeked of evil. I clenched my fists beneath my lap, reminding myself to stay calm and not let his voice or presence get to me.
"I'm not the one messing with her. She's the one messing with us," he said, still laughing like a rabid dog.
I didn't know what to expect from his words. Should I be afraid of what he was about to say?
Kim Man Shik sighed, stood up, and began roaming the room, as if searching for something.
"How will you react once you find out the truth about the queen?" he asked without looking at me.
My eyes followed his every move. I could see the joy in his expression. He always looked satisfied when I was in trouble. He was always happy to see me suffer.
"Why don't you just say it directly? Stop going in circles," I snapped, my annoyance obvious. That only made his smile widen.
"Relax. I'm trying to help you stay calm."
"Calm me down? Hah! Are you mocking me?" My composure slipped. I was completely irritated, and any second now, I was ready to let my fist fly into his face.
"You're not going to like it. Or maybe… You already know?" he said, suddenly serious.
I waited for his next words—words that shattered my heart.
****
Kim Man Shik's POV
"What? Are you sure about it?" I asked the fortune teller again, wanting to confirm if what she was saying was true.
"I'm sure, Minister. I was the one who read her palm."
"Since when?"
"It was a long time ago. I knew about it, but I was afraid. Someone might kill me if I spilled the truth."
"Then why confess now? And especially to me?"
"They keep coming here."
"Who?"
"People who don't belong in our world."
I was confused by what the fortune teller was saying, but I couldn't help feeling excited by the revelations I was hearing.
"The queen does not belong here. This is our world, and it shouldn't be ruined by someone who was never meant to be part of it."
A grin spread across my face, wide as my house. It was a delightful revelation I hadn't expected. I had always suspected something, but I never had the chance to find proof—thanks to Min Yun and the king who were constantly protecting her.
"The king doesn't know," the fortune teller added. "Only Min Yun does."
I nodded and asked, "You came to me, right? How much do you need? Or what is it that you want? I'm willing to give it."
I was ready to be generous now. The information she gave was explosive. I wouldn't mind spending a fortune on this fortune teller, especially since this could be my way to the throne. If my daughter failed, then I would rise to the top myself.
The fortune teller smiled. "Whatever you can give me, Minister. But I do have one more request..."
"What is it?"
"Protection."
I smiled at her. "I'll give you that."
"Thank you, Minister," she said, bowing her head.
This night was the happiest night I'd had in a long time. I could finally sleep soundly, knowing what I knew.
"Checkmate..." I whispered to myself, picturing the king's face in my mind.
***
Fortune teller's POV
I smiled as I walked out of Minister Kim Man Shik's place. I was happy because another target had been dealt with.
Yeah, you heard that right. The information I had about the queen was already known to some influential and wealthy people. I had been selling that information ever since I read her palm.
I wasn't sure how they used it against the queen, since I hadn't heard much about her lately—aside from the fact that she'd been in danger time and time again. Oh, and by the way, I even sold this info to a pair of twin brothers who came to me willingly, asking about the queen. Luckily, I had the information ready when they came. They paid handsomely, and that made me very happy.
So, when I heard about Kim Man Shik's intentions and how he wanted to ruin the king, I came straight to him to reveal the secret I'd known for a long time.
"Lots of money… lots of money…" I kept repeating to myself. I could just stop being a fortune teller and live a comfortable life.
I remembered the time I saw the queen. She was wearing noble clothes, though I could sense something was off about her aura. And when I held her palm, that confirmed my hunch—she didn't belong here. She was an impostor.
"Who will be my next target?" I murmured. Should it be the king? Or another official curious about the queen's origins?
****
King's POV
"What did you say?" I asked again, trying to piece together Kim Man Shik's words.
"Didn't you hear what I just said?" Kim Man Shik mocked me blatantly.
I stood there trembling, forcing myself to stay calm even though my heart felt like it was about to explode. I wanted to cry. I was hurt—deeply hurt by the words I had just heard from Kim Man Shik. I felt betrayed. I felt humiliated in the very palace I was ruling.
"The queen and Min Yun are not cousins. Why? Because the queen is not one of us. She came from the real world. We are just fictional characters."
That was when I remembered Min Yun and the queen's conversation. I had even heard the words fictional characters.
"Leave me alone," I said with a firm voice. I tried to sound composed, but inside, I was falling apart.
Kim Man Shik kept smiling at me, but he did as I said and left.
There, alone in my room, I finally let my tears fall—tears I hadn't shed since my father died. The pain in my heart was unbearable. It crushed me to the point that I couldn't even breathe. I clutched my chest as I gasped for air. I couldn't handle Kim Man Shik's words. That confession pierced me like a hundred daggers. I sank to the floor, silently crying. I clenched my fists. I wanted to hurt myself because I couldn't bring myself to hurt Min Yun—or especially the queen—physically. I felt betrayed by the very people I once believed would stand by me forever.
After a while, I wiped the tears from my cheeks and took a deep breath. I stood up and walked out of my chamber. The eunuchs and court ladies looked at me curiously, wondering where I was going, but I didn't respond. I just kept walking toward the queen's chamber.
When I arrived, I let out a heavy sigh. As I opened the door, what I saw shattered both my heart and mind.
It was a sight I would never forget until the day I die.