Chapter Text
Chapter 1
The Forbidden Garden
The Kingdom of Joseon was a land draped in beauty and luxury.
From the outside, it appeared to be a prosperous, peaceful, and powerful kingdom. However, not everyone knew the truth hidden behind the towering palace walls.
Fear.
Everyone who lived within the palace knew one thing very well—if they wanted to survive, they had to remain silent. Servants learned to keep their heads lowered, ignore what they saw, and never ask questions, because knowing certain truths within the palace was no different from signing their own death warrant.
Han Jisung knew this better than anyone.
Born into a servant family, he had spent his entire life growing up within the palace walls. His mother always repeated the same warning to him:
"Never interfere in the affairs of the royal family. Never get close to their secrets."
Jisung had followed that rule his entire life.
Until the day fate forced him to break it.
That morning, the palace was busier than usual. A grand banquet was being prepared, and servants rushed from one place to another carrying expensive dishes, silk fabrics, and decorations.
Jisung was assigned a simple task—to gather roses from the royal garden.
At least, that was what he thought.
The royal garden was a forbidden place for ordinary servants. Only members of the royal family were allowed to enter.
The moment Jisung stepped inside, an uneasy feeling settled in his chest. His heart began to race.
"I'll gather the flowers quickly and leave," he whispered to himself. "Everything will be fine."
But then something caught his attention.
Among the sweet scent of roses lingered another smell.
Sharp.
Cold.
Metallic.
Blood.
Jisung's heart seemed to stop for a moment.
Carefully, he peeked through the rose bushes.
His eyes widened in horror.
A woman lay on the ground.
Her red dress was stained with blood, and a sword remained lodged in her chest. Her body trembled one last time before falling completely still.
Jisung's breath caught in his throat.
He wanted to run.
But his legs refused to move.
It felt as if his entire body had frozen.
Then a cold voice echoed behind him.
"What are you doing here?"
Jisung flinched.
Slowly, he turned around.
And saw him.
The killer.
A young man dressed in black and red hanbok stood before him. His sword was still stained with fresh blood, yet there wasn't a trace of regret on his face.
But that wasn't what frightened Jisung the most.
It was his eyes.
Cold.
Dark.
Completely merciless.
This man was Lee Minho, the Crown Prince and sole heir of Joseon.
Everyone had heard stories about his strength, but people feared his cruelty even more.
Jisung struggled to breathe.
"I... I only came here to pick flowers, Your Highness," he stammered.
Without a word, Minho stepped closer.
Every step felt like a hammer striking against Jisung's heart.
The Crown Prince studied him for a moment before lifting the tip of his sword beneath Jisung's chin.
"Who sent you here?"
"I'm only a servant... I didn't see anything."
A slow smile appeared on Minho's lips.
But it wasn't a warm smile.
It was the kind of smile that sent chills down one's spine.
"You didn't see anything?"
His voice was low and dangerous.
"But I saw you."
Minho took another step forward.
"And that alone is enough for me."
Jisung tried to flee.
But Minho was faster.
He grabbed Jisung's wrist and held it tightly. His fingers felt like iron as they dug into his skin.
At that moment, Jisung realized something.
He had witnessed one of the kingdom's darkest secrets.
And now, his life was in the hands of Crown Prince Lee Minho.