Seo Yeon sat in her chambers, the evening light casting long shadows across the floor. Min Byu Saek entered with a deep bow.

  "What brings you to my quarters, Guksa Min?" she asked, her voice cool and measured.

  Byu Saek straightened, his expression grim. "Your Majesty, His Majesty neglects his duties. Since the Crown Princess’s death, he has withdrawn from state affairs. You must remind him of his obligations."

  A sharp crack echoed as Seo Yeon’s hand struck the lacquered desk. Byu Saek flinched at her icy gaze. How dare he speak so casually of Hae-ju? The grief that had festered within her for months swelled, momentarily overtaking her.

  "Mind your words, Guksa Min," she warned, her tone as biting as the winter wind. "The late Crown Princess was as dear to me as a sister. Do not speak of her so lightly."

  Byu Saek paled and bowed deeply. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I meant no offense..."

  Seo Yeon inhaled slowly, steadying herself. I will not let him see how much his words have cut me. I have bigger matters to face. She exhaled, her voice firm again. "I will speak to His Majesty. Now go, before he decides to have you removed."

  Byu Saek hastily departed. As the door closed, Soon-i stepped forward, placing a bundle of documents on the desk.

  "Guksa Min left these, Your Majesty."

  Seo Yeon scanned the papers, her frustration mounting. More reminders of the chaos Hyun Yeol has caused. Every day it festers, growing worse. I cannot wait any longer.

  "Prepare to go to the King’s quarters."

  Soon-i hesitated. "Your Majesty, the King has forbidden all visitors..."

  Seo Yeon’s gaze hardened, a cold fury settling in her chest. His Majesty, the King. What a hollow title for a man who cannot even fulfill his duties. "Then we shall see if any man dares bar a Queen from her rightful place."

  She straightened, her steps firm and resolute as she made her way to the King’s quarters, the weight of her resolve evident in each stride.

  At the entrance to the King’s chambers, a eunuch bowed deeply. "Your Majesty... The King has requested no visitors."

  Soon-i bristled. "How dare he lock himself away while the court festers with whispers!"

  Seo Yeon raised a hand, silencing her. The King has locked himself away, hiding from his duties. I will not allow him to hide from me any longer. "Where is Eunuch Lee?"

  The eunuch hesitated. "He is... on an errand."

  Seo Yeon’s eyes narrowed. "For whom? Concubine Kim Yoo Ha?"

  The eunuch’s face drained of color. "I swear, Your Majesty... I know nothing."

  Seo Yeon smirked, her voice quiet yet laced with menace. How much has he betrayed me already? "Step aside. I will not repeat myself."

  The eunuch bowed lower and moved aside. Seo Yeon entered unchallenged, her steps unwavering. Inside, Hyun Yeol sat before a large portrait of Hae-ju, a jar of liquor in his grasp. At the sight of her, he chuckled, his lips curling into a mocking smile.

  "My Queen! Come, Hae-ju wishes to see you."

  Seo Yeon remained still, her eyes unblinking. The audacity. His smile faltered, irritation flashing across his face as he set the jar down with a thud.

  "Your Majesty," she said, her voice calm yet firm, "Joseon cannot afford to have its King wallowing in the past. The Soron Guksa awaits your presence."

  The jar shattered against the table, the sharp sound filling the chamber. Seo Yeon did not flinch. The force of the impact reverberated in her chest, but she stood unwavering, her resolve solidifying. This—this is the man I married. A shadow of a King.

  Hyun Yeol rose unsteadily, his expression twisted in anguish and fury. "Am I truly so unworthy? As a man? As a King? Is that why Hae-ju chose death rather than stand beside me?!"

  Seo Yeon’s gaze was unwavering, her heart cold. You may have been a King, but not the man I married. "Your Majesty, it is time you face the truth. She is gone... because of you."

  Hyun Yeol’s anger flared, but beneath it, a flicker of doubt twisted in his chest. His hand moved toward her, hesitating for a split second, as if he knew the gravity of what he was about to do.

  Seo Yeon’s breath hitched. Don’t do it. Don’t—

  A sharp crack rang out as his hand struck her cheek, the sound echoing in the room. The force of the blow jolted through her, the physical pain searing through her skull. But it was the sudden, twisting agony in her abdomen—the sharp, gut-wrenching pain—that stole her breath.

  For a moment, everything went silent. The world blurred around her as the cold weight of reality crashed down. No. No, this cannot be happening. Her body, already weakened by grief, buckled beneath her. She staggered, her fingers clutching at the silk of her skirts, which were stained red.

  Her knees trembled beneath her, her mind a blur of pain, confusion, and the sharp, crushing realization that her body could bear no more.

  Hyun Yeol’s fury melted into horror, his heart pounding in his chest as the realization hit—his rage had caused something far worse than he had intended. He stumbled back, his trembling hands reaching out toward her, but the damage was done. "Queen... I did not mean... Call the royal physician! Now!"

  Soon-i rushed in, her breath catching at the sight. "Your Majesty, hold on!"

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  But Seo Yeon barely heard them. Darkness clouded her vision. The pain... The child. She clung to the thought even as everything around her slipped away.

  That night, word spread across the kingdom—the Queen had lost her child.

  Seo Yeon refused to rise from her bed. Her body weakened, her spirit shattered. She turned away from Lee San and Lee Hae, rejecting all attempts at care. I have lost too much. What remains to me now?

  Each passing day, her will to recover seemed to slip further. Hyun Yeol, once cold and distant, lingered by her side, offering remedies, pleading for words, yet she met him with silence. What can he offer me now?

  One evening, as Soon-i prepared her tonic, she hesitated. "Your Majesty..."

  Seo Yeon’s voice was barely a whisper. "Bring me the sewing basket."

  Soon-i’s heart clenched as she placed the white cloth before her. The Queen traced her fingers over the fabric before pressing it to her chest. How could I have lost another?

  "I was ready to welcome this child," Seo Yeon murmured, her voice breaking. "Yet the Heavens are cruel. I have lost another."

  For a long moment, silence weighed upon her. Then, she whispered, "Could I have saved them? If I had been stronger... would my child still be here?"

  Soon-i clenched her fists. "If only you had not gone to the King that day—"

  Seo Yeon shook her head. "No... It was already too late."

  She turned her gaze downward, but doubt gnawed at her. The pain she had felt—had it truly been from the King’s strike? Or had something already been wrong?

  A knock interrupted them. "Your Majesty, the Prince has arrived."

  Lee San hesitated outside, uncertainty in his young eyes. Seo Yeon wiped her tears and straightened. "Let him in."

  The boy stepped forward hesitantly before kneeling before her.

  "Mother Queen... I am sorry. I could do nothing to protect you."

  Her heart ached. She reached for him, pulling him into a tight embrace. "Come here, my son."

  Lee San trembled against her. "I should have spoken to Father. If only I were older..."

  She stroked his hair. "No, my son. You have done your best."

  Outside, Hyun Yeol stood in the shadows, listening in silence. Eunuch Lee glanced at him hesitantly.

  "Your Majesty..."

  Hyun Yeol raised a hand, cutting him off. "She has finally allowed herself to grieve. Let her be."

  Yet, as he turned to leave, his eyes darkened. If there had been something more to her suffering—if a hidden hand had taken my child— he would find the truth himself.

  A heavy silence draped Do-hyun’s estate, the air thick with sorrow. Kim Gyu returned, his face ashen, steps slow and heavy as he approached Do-hyun. Without a word, he dropped to his knees.

  “What's wrong, Kim—”

  "Master..." Kim Gyu's voice broke, wavering with suppressed grief. "Master has fainted. Upon hearing of the Queen's miscarriage... he..." He swallowed hard, struggling to find the words.

  Do-hyun froze, his heart thudding painfully in his chest. “Father... He…” The weight of Kim Gyu’s words struck him like a physical blow. His knees gave out, and he sank onto the stairs, gasping for air, his hands trembling.

  Kim Gyu bowed his head, his sorrow palpable. "Master couldn't bear it anymore. First, the loss of Hae-ju... and now the Queen’s child..." His fists clenched, and tears began to streak down his face.

  Do-hyun’s hands tightened into fists, and his breath hitched. His world spun out of control. He pushed himself to his feet, his voice strained with urgency. “Take me to Father. Now!”

  Without another word, Kim Gyu helped him onto a horse, and they rode through the night, racing against time to reach In-Myeong’s secluded location. The journey felt endless, the weight of his father’s condition pressing on him with every mile.

  When they arrived, Do-hyun bolted from the horse, his heart in his throat. He rushed to his father’s side, clutching the frail, cold hand.

  "Do-hyun..." In-Myeong’s voice was barely a whisper, yet it was filled with warmth, the kind that once steadied Do-hyun’s heart.

  Tears blurred Do-hyun’s vision. “Father… I’m here,” he choked out, his voice thick with emotion.

  A faint, tired smile tugged at In-Myeong’s lips. "I… I can no longer protect them. Do-hyun, you mustn’t carry this burden alone. It is not your fault…”

  Do-hyun shook his head, voice breaking. “Father, they are family. Even Seo Yeon would say the same. Their mother treated us with kindness. We did all we could to repay that kindness.”

  In-Myeong’s labored breath softened. “Then promise me, Do-hyun... Take care of Seo Yeon. She is strong, but even she... needs someone.”

  “Yes, Father,” Do-hyun whispered, his throat tight with grief. “I swear, I will take care of her.”

  A sense of relief washed over In-Myeong’s features, but it was fleeting. His eyes closed, his breathing slowing, and Do-hyun’s grip tightened, unwilling to let go.

  “Father…” His voice cracked as the stillness in the room grew deafening.

  The servants, who had gathered, lowered their heads in quiet mourning. Do-hyun’s heart shattered. A sob tore from him as he cradled his father’s lifeless hand, his tears falling freely.

  The funeral was quick yet dignified. Do-hyun personally washed his father’s body, preparing him for the final rites, burning incense in his honor. Kim Gyu stood beside him, offering silent support, his own grief heavy but unspoken.

  “Lord…” Kim Gyu’s voice was barely a whisper.

  Do-hyun exhaled shakily, wiping his face. "Send word to the palace immediately."

  Kim Gyu hesitated before accepting the sealed letters. As Do-hyun reached out to him, their eyes met. Kim Gyu paused. “Yes, my lord?”

  “I will deliver the news myself,” Do-hyun replied, his voice steel beneath the tremble. “My sister needs me.”

  Without further delay, they mounted their horses, racing toward the palace as the weight of the news pressed heavily on Do-hyun’s heart.

  Arriving at the Queen’s chambers, Do-hyun stormed through the doors, breath ragged from the ride. Seo Yeon looked up, her eyes hollow with exhaustion, her face pale.

  "Oreboni…" she whispered, her voice breaking.

  Do-hyun’s heart clenched in his chest. He dropped to his knees before her. “Your Majesty... Father has passed away.”

  The color drained from Seo Yeon’s face as her breath caught in her throat. Her body trembled, and her eyes glazed over in shock. "Fa... Father... He..."

  “He collapsed upon hearing of your loss," Do-hyun whispered, struggling to keep his composure. "His body was too weak to recover... He is gone.”

  A strangled sob tore from Seo Yeon’s chest. Her vision blurred with tears, and she crumbled to the floor in grief, her body wracked with deep, painful sobs. Her cries echoed through the chamber, a raw expression of the agony that consumed her.

  Do-hyun rushed to her, gathering her into his arms. "Why? Why is the world so cruel?" she cried, her sorrow overwhelming.

  Her grief overwhelmed her, her fragile body giving way under the weight of it. She could not face Hyun Yeol—could not confront the man who had brought her so much pain. She clung to Do-hyun, letting him deliver the news to the King.

  When Do-hyun finally stood before Hyun Yeol, his eyes burned with a quiet, simmering fury. "Your Majesty, I have a request."

  Hyun Yeol regarded him coolly, his eyes narrowing. “What is it?”

  Do-hyun’s jaw clenched, his voice filled with conviction. "Reinstate my father’s position as Left Prime Minister. Give him the honor he deserves."

  Hyun Yeol’s gaze darkened, his expression unreadable. “And if I refuse?”

  “If you claim to have loved Hae-ju,” Do-hyun spat, “then prove it. In-Myeong loved her as his own. If her death means anything to you, honor the man who protected her.”

  The tension in the air was palpable, the silence stretching long between them. At last, Hyun Yeol exhaled sharply, conceding. “Fine. In-Myeong shall be reinstated and honored in death.”

  Despite this, Seo Yeon never spoke to Hyun Yeol again. The rift between them, deepened by loss and betrayal, could not be mended.