8. TRIGGER

Moist dripped on the stone walls, as metal bars creaked and landed with a thud. A man stood tall, bringing the only source of light into the room.

“S…Sir!! I’m sorry!” The maid shivered. “I dropped the pot by mistake!! I… I wasn’t looking properly…” She darted her pupils and lowered her head with her knees firmly on the damp floor.   

Taeyong scoffed. “A mistake? Do you know your flower pot almost killed a lady?”

The maid widened her eyes. “W-What?”

“Worst than that - you know your pot was only inches away from the prince?”

The maid froze. Her face lost its colour.

“You could’ve killed the prince.” Taeyong’s voice sent a shudder through her.

Her hands trembled and her voice was shaky. Sweat crept on her back. “No… No! I didn’t mean it!! I… I… I…”

“If you tell us who's behind this, maybe his highness will spare your life.”

Cold sweat drenched the maid’s back as her head dropped lower. “I’ll say it! I’m sorry…. I’m sorry! Someone told me to do it!”

“And who is that?” Taeyong’s voice remained neutral.

“A maid came over…  she said...  her lady will give me a stack of bills - enough to cover for my father’s medical expenses…” Her voice died down in tremor.

“Who’s the maid?” Taeyong’s voice cut through the thin air.

The maid glanced up at him, then uttered a name carefully.

The maid grasped onto Taeyong’s legs, her fingers tightly clasped around his. “Please! Please… spare my life… I said what you asked me to!”

His eyes were soulless, as he shook her off. “The Prince will decide whether you live or not.”

……

Taemin’s forehead creased as his eyebrows drew together.

“Your highness, that maid… she works under Lady Yoo.”

The Prince nodded, as if he expected it, but his eyes cackled with ice.

Taeyong muttered. “Her father Count Yoo is under our investigation… and now she’s doing this too… what are our next steps, Sir? Do we need to arrest Lady Yoo?”

Taemin pondered for a moment, before shaking his head. “No. You’ve done enough, thank you. Lady Yoo’s actions may be related to her father. If we arrest her now, it’ll give the game away and interrupt the contest. Just focus on the current investigations with Count Yoo. I’ll send some men to protect Lady Son, in case if Lady Yoo does anything again.”

Taeyong nodded. “Yes, your highness.” He was about to raise his arm for a salute, before dropping his hand in midair. “Y-Your highness…”

Taemin raised his eyebrows.

“Do I… still need to investigate on Lady Son’s nightmares? I couldn’t find more reports about it since then.”

Taemin thought back to a week ago, when his pen bolted on the floor from his report. He remained silent for a while, then shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Leave the nightmares, focus on Count Yoo only.”

“Yes, your highness.” Taeyong saluted then left the room with a click on the door.

Taemin stared at his marble desk. Not getting Taeyong involved doesn’t mean he’ll leave Lady Yoo alone, especially when she directed such a plan towards Naeun. But he was the Prince, and he wasn’t allowed to spend all his time around the ladies. Instead of himself, someone else would be more suitable for the job.

……

A knock echoed from the door.

“Come in.” He said.

She entered without curtsying.

“I have something to ask you, about the contest.”

Krystal blinked. She heard the clock tick by, as she glanced into her friend’s steeled eyes. She felt the eerie silence and icy air. Immediately, she knew that her friend was serious. She gulped, straightened her back and kept her arms in front. “Sure.”

“Are you close with N- I mean… Lady Son?”

“Naeun? Yea, she’s nice. I would say she’s the closest person I have in the contest.”

“Then do you know if anyone… dislikes her?”

Krystal scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Oh gosh, speaking of that - a lady has gotten out of her mind.”

Taemin waited for her to continue.

“Lady Yoo. She’s so desperate for the crown!”

“What did she do?”

Krystal described the events unfolded - from the etiquette test on the first day, till the ruined painting.

His heart clenched, hearing her facing hardships from the contest alone. With addition to the nightmares and now an attack attempt, how much did she have to go through?

Taemin paused in deep thought.

“Has she been like this to Naeun only recently?”

“Yes. At first, Naeun wasn’t really high-ranked and she stayed low most of the time. Yooa probably thought that Naeun wouldn’t threaten her position. Her main target was really me - with those insects in my dress…”

Taemin summarised. “So basically, she only targets those who will threaten her position.”

Krystal narrowed her eyes. “Naeun is only a point away from 2nd place. It’s either that I’ve scared Yooa off, or she realised that the council doesn’t seem to approve my soldier background - so, that leaves Naeun as her strong competitor.”

Taemin pursed his lips. Lady Yoo’s father has suspicious records, and she herself desperately wants to be Queen… are those two related…?

He sank into deep thought.

Why is Lady Yoo so desperate for Queen? If it was just pure jealousy, or a seek of power, she wouldn’t have to do as far as killing Naeun. What drove her, to do such things?

He furrowed his brows. He was sure, there is something more behind her cruelty.

He glanced at Krystal, who stared at him with a confused look. It was safer for Krystal to not know about the flower pot incident. She just needs to get her job done.

His eyes hardened. The council wouldn’t like this, but Krystal is the best person for this job.

He stood up from his desk, with his back straight and chin lifted up.

“Jung soo jung, from this moment onwards, I’m appointing you to be part of my special forces regiment. Will you promise and swear that you will support and defend the South Korean Monarchy?”

Krystal widened her eyes, then straightened her back and broke into a bright grin. She raised her palms to face him, as she recited the oath that repeated millions of times in her dreams. “I, Jung Soo Jung Krystal, solemnly swear that I will support and defend the South Korean Monarchy against all enemies, foreign and domestic... according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.”

Taemin nodded, as he returned his salute. The council don’t allow female soldiers, but he had to break the rules for the safety of a certain someone and the simmering danger of his future kingdom.

“Op— I mean, Sir! Did the council finally sent their approvals?”

“No. They haven’t. Things have gotten urgent.”

Before she could speak again, he announced again. “Jung Soo Jung Krystal. Second-Lieutenant of the special forces.”

Her eyes hardened firmly. “Yes, Sir!”

“Here are your first orders. Investigate Lady Yooa. Check her tracks and keep an eye on her in the contest. If you see anything suspicious, report back to me right away.”

“Sir… may I ask… what for?”

“I’ve received reports that the Yoos have suspicious records. They are planning something. Lady Yooa is also involved in schemes in court.”

“I’ve also send men to protect Naeun, so look out for her as well.”

Upon realising that he calls her friend by name, Krystal suppressed a knowing smile and raised a perfect salute, “Yes, your highness.”

She left the room, closing the door behind her, then met a familiar face. Unknowingly, her heart skipped as she gulped and forced her expression calm. Kai glanced at her, walking out of the Prince’s room, as sadness flickered past his gaze.

“His highness told you to meet him?”

Krystal nodded.

“A late night date?”

Krystal shot him a look of disgust. “Date? Ew, disgusting.”

The sadness faded away from Kai’s gaze as his eyes crinkled. “You just walked out of his room.”

Krystal rolled her eyes. “I’m not here for that.” She turned and huffed past her beloved man.

……

The sun hung high above her head, its rays shot through her hat and seeped through her skin. Verdant valleys and lush green meadows surrounded her.

The Queen’s personal assistant, madame Rino, led the ladies through the sizzling muddy cement path amongst the cackling heat. A light breeze swept past her tied hair, but sweat dampened her back.

All ladies were dressed as a commoner, with their maids and guards standing miles away from the field. Madame Rino directed the ladies to get off their carriages early, so the citizens won’t know who they were.

Lady Yoo had an annoyed look as she took out a paper fan against the heat. Krystal, who used to walk in front, trailed behind. She didn’t protest against the heat, but her sharp gaze swept past Lady Yoo from time to time.

Madame Rino halted her steps. “As ordered by the Queen, you ladies can walk around and observe the life of our people, especially the under-privileged. Without causing a burden to the citizens, please make the most out of this experience. We will direct you all back by the end of the day.”

The ladies nodded. “Yes, Madame.”

The ladies were directed to different directions. Krystal glanced back at her friend, who wandered alone amongst the fields. She lowered her eyes in worry, but the Madame hurried them away. Trusting the Prince’s words, she stifled a sigh and kept her eyes on lady Yoo, who rolled her eyes and flickered her fan repeatedly.

For Naeun, it has been a while since she went outdoors. Although her back was already soaked in sweat, she took a sniff at the fresh air and raised a curl on her lips. It reminded her of the days before the contest, when she would wander around with Hayoung, through markets, grasslands and hills.

Unknown to Naeun, lady Yoo shot a evil glance at Naeun’s direction, as she clenched fists with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

……

A lady with hunched back and grey hair appeared in her sight. Her steps trailed as she grunted with a bag on her shoulder. Instinctively, she approached to the lady.

“Let me hold this, ma’am.”

The old lady glanced up. “Oh my, young lady, thank you!”

“Ma’am, where are you going? I’ll hold this until we arrive.”

The old lady hesitated, then chuckled. “Thank you, young lady. I live two houses away.”

Naeun nodded and smiled.

The old lady glanced at her. “Where are you from? I haven’t seen a young lady like you around.”

Naeun’s pupils darted, before forcing a smile. “I work in a nearby province.”

“I…” Her brain twirled as she settled to a character. “I came to visit my relatives in a nearby village.”

“Alone? It must’ve been hard for you.”

She smiled and shook her head. “No, not at all, ma’am.”

The granny turned to her. “Just call me granny, my granddaughter is young too.”

“Thank you, granny. How old is your granddaughter?”

“She is 7. My poor girl’s parents passed away early.”

Naeun’s eyes casted downwards, as she glanced at the older woman again. She looked frail, with wrinkles indented around her eye bags. “I’m sorry for that…”

The granny shot her gleaming eyes at Naeun. “Don't be. I just wish my granddaughter can grow up into a kind lady like you.”

They walked for a few more steps until reaching the brick house, with a wooden frame plastered wattle daub and a grey-haired horse on the fern-green field tha