After a few moments of casual conversation, Jun-ho studied his father with quiet curiosity.
"Father… what brings you here?" he asked. "I didn't expect to see you at the palace so soon."
Lord Yi slowly set his teacup down between his hands before answering.
"The King summoned me," he said calmly. "There are matters concerning the crown he wishes to discuss."
Jun-ho frowned slightly.
"Father… things inside and outside the palace aren't well."
His voice lowered.
"The corridors are full of whispers. Many suspect that Lord Min is planning something, but no one dares to say it aloud. Everyone knows he holds the King's complete trust."
He paused before continuing.
"I've also heard rumors that he intends to implicate the head of Cheomseongdae in some accusation… something that would remove him from his post. But I still lack the evidence needed to bring the matter before the court."
Lord Yi's expression darkened.
"And who is the scholar in charge of the observatory?" he asked quietly.
Jun-ho answered without hesitation.
"His name is Han Ji-won."
Lord Yi went still.
For a moment, he said nothing, as if searching through long-buried memories.
"Han Ji-won…" he murmured slowly. "That name sounds familiar."
Jun-ho tilted his head.
"You know him?"
The old counselor narrowed his eyes, digging through the depths of his memory.
Then suddenly—
His face lit up.
A burst of laughter escaped him.
"Han Ji-won! Of course I know him!"
Jun-ho stared at him in surprise.
"Father… what is it?"
Lord Yi shook his head, still chuckling.
"That bastard… even age hasn't managed to cure him of his habit of getting into trouble."
He laughed again, lifting his teacup.
Jun-ho remained silent, watching the rare spark of joy in his father's face.
He couldn't help wondering what kind of past the old counselor shared with the scholar of the observatory.
Lord Yi Seong-jae and Han Ji-won had once shared far more than a few years of study.
In their youth, they lived beneath the same academy roofs—two young scholars who believed knowledge and virtue could shape the destiny of Joseon.
Back then, they spent endless nights studying the movement of the stars, arguing over the teachings of the Confucian classics, and dreaming of serving the kingdom beneath the same sky they now feared might divide it.
But time, as it always does, chose different paths for them.
Yi Seong-jae stepped into the world of politics, convinced that from within the court he could protect the order of the realm.
Han Ji-won chose a quieter path.
He devoted his life to knowledge—to the study of the heavens and the search for truth hidden within the movements of the stars.
There had been no betrayal between them.
No bitter words.
Only the quiet weight of different choices… and the pride of two men who never turned away from the roads they had chosen.
Yet the years had never erased the respect they once held for each other.
And now, in a kingdom slowly fracturing beneath ambition and intrigue, fate was bringing their names together once more beneath the same sky they had once sworn to understand.
Lord Yi looked at his son for a long moment.
It was the gaze of a man who had just reached a decision years in the making.
Slowly, he placed his teacup back on the table.
"Jun-ho."
His voice carried a quiet gravity.
"We're going to the observatory."
The young Daesagan frowned slightly.
Lord Yi met his eyes without hesitation.
"It's time," he said calmly,
"to find out what is really happening there."
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