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The sound of the gavel banging on the sound block was still ringing in Yujin’s ears as her vehicle was making its way to her new home, the Royal Palace Elysian of Elbonia.

To a new family, the Royal Ahns.

She had expected to go home to the welcoming arms of her boisterous siblings with Chaeyeon buying fried chicken to celebrate the first time Yujin landed herself in the Supreme Court.

For what was supposed to be a warm dinner full of laughter with her own family has turned into a nightmare of future meals where she would be forced in those uncomfortable upright sitting positions and she would have to differentiate which spoon she has to use to drink her soup.

She closed her eyes thinking that she was perhaps in Chaeyeon’s Toyota Prius instead of this stuffy sleek limousine, listening to the occasional reports from the headquarters of the Royal Guards from her driver’s hologram radio.

She opened her eyes to an ever changing landscape greeting her hurriedly.

She seemed to be nearing the palace judging from how the landscape was a bleak grassy meadow which was a contrast to the towering skyscrapers of the Capital city, Abluvio.

Her driver’s hologram crackled again and a message came along with it.

“Lead the Crown Princess to Entrance 12 instead of the main entrance. We had one of the researchers near our palace gunned down last night and the police are afraid that the perpetrator may be lurking round the main entrance of the palace. Reply back as soon as possible to the headquarters of the Royal Guards. Thank you”

The driver sighed to himself, muttering something along the lines of useless Palace Guards and sent back his curt reply.

He then rounded a bend and the scenery changed again.

Yujin’s eyes tried to adjust to the sudden darkness to which the driver noticed and said, “Crown Princess, this is one of the underground tunnels leading to the palace. Due to an unusual occurrence, we would have to divert to this passageway for your safety. I apologise for not allowing your eyes to be graced by the breathtaking scenery maintained by our gardeners.”

“Oh, it's okay. Uhm Mr Driver. Sorry” Yujin tried to speak in a posh way but failed to do so when she couldn’t remember the name that the driver had announced himself as earlier.

“It’s Mr Kim, Crown Princess. You don’t have to be sorry for it is your return to the Royal Ahn family after a long time. Say Crown Princess or Lee Yujin as your previous name was. Do you feel excited about returning home?”

“I’d prefer Lee Yujin, Mr Kim. Thank you. But I don’t seem to feel excited about this return to my family. Truth be told sir, I am afraid of how I am to adjust to a new surrounding. And you can just call me Yujin, I’d like it be informal since it feels foreign having to use such posh referrals”

“Well, Yujin you see, I was surprised when there was a change in my plans. My head, Mr Dennis Lim said that we will be expecting the return of the Crown Princess. It seems like it had already been agreed on by someone that you would be the Crown Princess, Ahn Eugene and no longer your old identity, Lee Yujin.”

Yujin thought long and hard over Mr Kim’s words. Someone had already decided her fate for her in the Supreme Court. But for what reason?

“It seems that my words have affected you a bit too strongly. I apologise, Yujin. But perhaps it just seemed like my mouth had ran off ahead of my thoughts. But if I were to tell my honest opinion.”

His voice dropped a notch lower, afraid that he would be prosecuted for his words and he replied in a husky voice.

“I believe that the upper hands have a play in this issue. I wouldn’t like pinpointing anyone. But I do believe that Mr Lim perhaps had a play in this. Well if you heard my hologram radio earlier, it mentioned about the researcher that died near our palace. Well, you see the lab can only be accessed by people whose fingerprints have been registered under its tight security system. And from the rumours I have heard, it appeared like the footage of the ruthless murder of the poor soul had been eradicated from the system. And to tell you a bit more of an insight, only the higher ups and the researchers can access the lab. But I can’t pinpoint him for I have no evidence and I would love to protect my loved ones from any possible threats.”

Mr Dennis Lim had a play in my own fate? Yujin could believe it considering how he looked at her court like a hungry hyena waiting to devour its prey and how he deflected he looked at his punishment to give his mother a death sentence. She thanked the angels of mercy for giving her mother a chance to live in the form of the Queen Hyewon thinking of an alternative punishment.

“Well, it appears that we have arrived at your new home, Yujin. I’m afraid that I would have to call you Ahn Eugene or Crown Princess from now on.”

Mr Kim unbuckled his seatbelt and proceeded to open the door of the limousine.

Yujin was greeted by a line of servants on both sides, bowing deeply in a fixed posture, not making any form of eye contact with the Crown Princess.

“Have a wonderful day ahead Crown Princess of the Royal Ahn Line, Ahn Eugene. Honoured to be the first person of your service upon your return to the palace and to many more. We pledge to provide our services to the Royal Ahn Family of Elbonia with our loyalty and truth.” Mr Kim bowed down deeply and proceeded to watch Yujin walk through the doors of one of the numerous entrances of the Palace Elysian.

He turned sharply on the heels of his shiny loafers and proceeded to run his errands in line for him that day.

Except, he would truly pledge his services to the Royal Ahn Family of Elbonia with his death as a reward of his unnerving loyalty and honesty to deliver the truth.

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