A Secret Meeting – Whispers of Truth
Dan-Bi moved swiftly through the palace's hidden pathways, his heart pounding in his chest.
The note had arrived at dawn—no sender, no signature. Just a location.
A meeting.
With someone who had answers about his past.
He was taking a risk coming here. He knew that.
But if there was even a chance—
A flicker of movement.
He tensed.
"…You're late," a voice whispered.
Dan-Bi turned sharply.
A cloaked figure stepped from the shadows.
The hood concealed their face, but the voice—
Familiar.
Deep. Older.
"You said you had answers," Dan-Bi said cautiously.
The figure nodded. "But do you have the courage to hear them?"
Dan-Bi's breath caught.
Then, slowly, he exhaled.
"…Tell me."
A long silence.
Then—
"The woman who raised you," the figure said, voice low, "is not just the widow of a fallen nobleman."
Dan-Bi stiffened.
"Of course she is," he said sharply. "Everyone knows that."
The figure chuckled.
"No."
A pause.
Then—
"She was the first queen of Joseon."
The world tilted.
Dan-Bi's chest tightened.
No.
No. That's not possible.
The first queen had been exiled for treason.
She had died.
Hadn't she?
Dan-Bi's hands curled into fists.
"You're lying," he whispered.
The figure's head tilted.
"Then why do you wear the face of a king?"
Dan-Bi took a sharp step back.
His mind was spinning.
No. No.
But—
It made sense, didn't it?
His mother's insistence.
Her fear.
Her secrecy.
Dan-Bi swallowed hard.
"Why are you telling me this?"
The figure hesitated. Then—
"Because the Queen already knows."
Dan-Bi's blood ran cold.
Seong-Jin Starts Questioning Dan-Bi's Strange Behavior
Dan-Bi didn't return to his chambers immediately.
He needed time.
Time to think.
To breathe.
To process.
But the moment he stepped into the palace gardens, he knew—
He wasn't alone.
"…You're hiding something."
Dan-Bi turned.
Seong-Jin stood beneath the lantern light, his arms crossed.
Watching him.
Studying him.
Dan-Bi forced a smirk. "I have no idea what you mean."
Seong-Jin's gaze didn't waver.
"You've been distracted. Avoiding me. Even more than usual."
Dan-Bi laughed. "Perhaps I simply don't enjoy your company."
Seong-Jin didn't react.
Then, slowly, he stepped closer.
Dan-Bi tensed.
Too close.
Too sharp.
Seong-Jin's eyes flickered over his face, searching.
Then, almost too softly—
"…Who are you, really?"
Dan-Bi's breath hitched.
For a moment—just a moment—he couldn't move.
Couldn't think.
Then—
A slow, dangerous smile.
"What a ridiculous question, Your Highness."
Seong-Jin's jaw clenched.
But before he could say more—
A distant commotion.
A messenger rushed forward, bowing deeply.
"Forgive me, Your Highness—urgent news from the royal court."
Seong-Jin exhaled sharply.
Then, he turned back to Dan-Bi.
"This isn't over," he muttered.
And then, he was gone.
Dan-Bi let out a slow, shaky breath.
It was over.
For now.
But not for long.
The Queen Strikes Again – A Public Blow
Dan-Bi barely had time to breathe before the Queen made her move.
The court was in session.
The air was thick with tension.
And at the center of it—
"Scholar Dan-Bi."
Dan-Bi's spine went rigid.
All eyes turned toward him.
The Queen sat on her throne, her smile sweet—too sweet.
Dan-Bi forced himself to bow.
"Your Majesty."
"You've been quite… busy lately, haven't you?"
Dan-Bi's pulse quickened.
He couldn't react.
Couldn't show anything.
"My only duty is to serve the kingdom, Your Majesty," he said evenly.
The Queen's smile widened.
"Is that so?"
Then—
She turned to the ministers.
"Then perhaps you can explain why an outsider has been lurking near the palace."
Dan-Bi's stomach dropped.
The court murmured.
The Queen's gaze was sharp.
She knew.
Dan-Bi gritted his teeth.
A move.
A counterattack.
Think.
Fast.
He forced a polite smile.
"I was unaware of such an occurrence," he said smoothly. "But if Your Majesty is concerned, perhaps we should investigate the matter together."
The Queen's gaze darkened.
Dan-Bi held her stare.
Unflinching.
He wouldn't break first.
The battle had begun.
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