***

Joohyun and Seungwan walk in silence, arms in arms. They have to keep their lips sealed until reaching Taejeong Hall. So many things running through their minds.

Joohyun thinks about Seungwan’s mysterious goal, she assumes that the latter wants to make her Hoon brother a king because she wants to be with Sohee so Min must be out of the picture.

Is that why she wants to push away the crowned prince from the throne? She wants to go against her father who fully supported Min.

All of those for a woman?

The young Bae glanced briefly at her wife.

Is she seriously doing all of this for Sohee??

She felt a wave of bubbling anger in .

Is our marriage a way to help her get her woman?!!

On other hand, Seungwan is thinking about her Hoon brother. Not giving any thought about Sohee, not even an ounce.

I have no other option except to push Hoon. He is wise, kind, and everything except too weak-hearted! Why does he want to strip down his title? I prepared all of this to make him a King! Does he not know his importance for the future of our nation??

When they arrived at Taejong Hall, there were only Seulgi and Jaemin inside the hall. Chaeyoung had instructed all the maids to leave, including herself, as per Joohyun’s request.

The young princess stood in front of them with her arms crossed, “I want to talk with Taenyeo privately, both of you may leave.”

Seulgi and Jaemin looked at each other, surprised by her authoritative tone. Then, they glanced at Seugwan who waved her hand indifferently, signaling them to just leave.

“Yes, Wangnyeo.”

**

“Now that they already left, how are you gonna warm my body, Jagi?” Seungwan smiled easily.

In response, Joohyun glared at her before starting her very much needed, speech.

“You know I said that to save you from causing trouble to our agreement. You were talking so closely with her in a deserted pond when no one was around. With how she was looking at you, it looks like you would get a moon for her if she ever asked. It was beyond suspicious.” Joohyun still had her arms crossed as she walked closer to where the young royal was standing, she only stopped once she was close enough.

“Do I need to ask you to stay away from her or … is she actually your goal?”

Seungwan tilted her head, still smiling, “What are you trying to say?”

“Sohee doesn’t like me. She always glares at me whenever we’re in the same room. She looks at me as if I’m stealing something or rather … someone who belongs to her. At first, I thought she was just concerned because you were going to marry a total stranger but now, I am convinced that she is jealous of me because I married you,” Joohyun's frown deepened because Seungwan still looked so calm as if she didn’t just get exposed, “Is she ... is she what you are aiming for?”

Joohyun looked at Seungwan like her life depended on her answer. It provoked Seungwan to .

“Why are you so curious? It isn’t your problem whether she is my goal or not,” Seungwan said as she stared back at her wife, “More importantly, you can’t ask me, remember?”

“I know I can’t and shouldn’t ask you, but doing all of this for a woman? Especially her?” Joohyun uncrossed her hands and looked at Seungwan in disbelief, “Are you crazy??”

“Maybe I am,” Seungwan tapped her chin, fueling Joohyun even more.

“I can’t believe this!” The young princess shook her head.

I should’ve kept silent instead of following my curiosity and ended up disappointed like this. Wait, why am I disappointed? Her goal has no relation to me, and neither does my goal to her. This shouldn’t be my concern! But still, I feel that what she’s doing is beyond crazy, just to get that woman!

Now I feel like a fool, always looking so in love with Seungwan when in reality that knows that Seungwan is hers!

“I mean I am crazy because I actually want to explain this misunderstanding to you when this matter should not concern you,” Seungwan sighs after a while.

Really, I should’ve just let her think that I want Sohee for myself so I can freely meet Sohee to convince her where my loyalty belongs to. But seeing that deep frown and those betrayed eyes somehow doesn’t feel good to me.

Why does her opinion about me matter now?

“Misunderstanding? Are you saying that I made a wrong assumption??”

“I don’t like Sohee that way,” Seungwan explained with a shrug, “All I can say is that I need her support.”

Joohyun was taken aback by her explanation and felt somewhat relieved.

Relieved? Why am I feeling relieved?? Is this because of the fact that Seungwan’s goal has no relation to Sohee?

Joohyun pondered for a while before something else flashed in her mind.

“You need her support,” She said before looking at Seungwan straight in her eyes, “Then … are you using her? Because she looks like she’s ready to give up everything for you. Her husband is the crown prince, meaning she’ll be the future queen, that should be her main goal since she married him, yet you are her most important person in this whole Palace,” she snickered before adding, “or maybe in this whole world.”

Seungwan knew that joohyun was sharp and very observant. But it still surprised the young royal, how she caught up on everything almost perfectly.

“I’m not gonna answer that question.” Seungwan looked away, her eyes unconsciously went to her mother’s portrait in the middle of the room.

Meanwhile, Joohyun decided to drop her questions because she already knew the answer.

Seungwan is definitely using Sohee for whatever goal she has. Right now, it’s clear that she wants Hoon to be the King. But the question is why? She could just leave The Palace if she hates her family that much. She could just leave everything behind, find her freedom … without hurting anyone around her, without going against her brother … what is her reason to stay??

Then the young Bae realized something, her mother!

Her mother's incident is suspicious ... Does she want to investigate the case? Is that why she can’t leave this hell hole even though it’s suffocating her by staying here??

Joohyun remembered what SeungHoon said earlier when he asked her to look after Seungwan. He said that living in the palace is not ideal for the young royal. Well, it isn’t suitable for anyone!

“Alright,” Joohyun said, breaking the silence and attempting to ease the gloomy atmosphere, “At least, now I know I’m doing this not for that woman.”

“You really don’t like her, huh?” Seungwan said amusedly as she glanced at her wife. Her eyes lit up a little.

“She has been giving off y vibes since the first day I met her! How do you expect me to like her?”

Seungwan chuckled, “You just don’t know how to get on her good side.”

“I don’t need to be on her good side.” Joohyun rolled her eyes.

She wanted to add that she doesn’t like how Seungwan is using people to achieve her goal, but aren’t they just the same? In some way, both of them are fooling people to reach their goals.

She isn’t sure what to feel about Sohee. Yes, that woman isn’t aware that Seungwan probably only using her but then, Sohee isn’t a saint either. Aren’t Sohee and her husband also fooling people to get the crown? She seeks Seungwan’s attention despite already being married to her brother. She brings her own pain, so why should Joohyun pity her?

She shook her head.

Right, I don’t have time to think about Sohee. It’s not like I can help her nor does she want my help either. I shall just watch her every move from now on. Who knows if she goes crazy like that time when she confronted her husband’s mistress.

“How do you feel now?”

Seungwan’s brows twitched by her wife’s question.

“You looked so upset when you left.”

“I don’t know what to feel except I’m really disappointed in Hoon. How could he think of giving up his title?” Seungwan says with an indecipherable expression on her face, “I really need to remind him about his responsibility as a royal.”

“He said he has a family to protect now,” Joohyun said with a mellow in her voice, “He told me after you left. I mean, you need to consider his reason before confronting him, right?”

Seungwan knew what Joohyun was trying to say. The woman is soft-hearted, especially when it is concerned with family matters. She grew up with love from both of her parents, her father even gave up his title for his family so she definitely understood where Hoon is standing. In some way, Hoon is just like her father. But Hoon is not just any noble, he is second in line, the future king.

This country should be led by someone as righteous as him. As someone who is born with royal blood, like it or not, he has more responsibilities in his hand, he can’t just turn blind eyes and let go of his fate. Not everyone can understand this. Seungwan has her own role too as part of the royal family and she believed that her role is to make things right. To make the right person sit on the throne.

But, why it’s not her? She’s also part of the royal.

Why she can’t take the throne?

Seungwan knows very well that her only goal is revenge. Someone who is impure and full of hatred like her is nowhere fit to be the leader of this country. She thought that she was not any better than her father, PM Kwon, or even Min. It’s better for her to go down with them or rather, bring them down together with her. She’d make sure to bring them to hell. No matter what it takes.

“Seungwan?” Joohyun patted the young royal’s arm because she had been silent for a while now.

“Oh,” Seungwan woke up from her trance and gave her wife a small smile, “Yes, I will consider that, of course.” She quickly said, not wanting to prolong this conversation with the other woman. Joohyun is better off not knowing anything, it’s for her own good.

The young Bae nodded, satisfied with her answer. Seungwan knew her father’s story and how he gave up his title, so Joohyun believed that the latter would take it into consideration and not force her brother to do something against his will.

“Now that everything is settled, I’m going to my study room.” Seungwan still has a lot of reading to do to decipher and find a loophole in the documents.

But Joohyun gripped her arm, preventing her from walking away, “No, you should rest. You only slept for 3 hours before Seunghoon came.”

“That’s enough rest for me.”

“I can see your eye bags from afar. You always sleep late and wake up earlier than me. While I’m in no position to question it, you should still take care of yourself first before anything.” Joohyun’s eyes looked so full of concern. Seungwan was a little bit surprised to witness it.

It reminded her a lot of her mother. Her mother used to tell her to go to bed whenever Seungwan was too excited to finish her puzzles until late at night when she was a child.

“Then ... will you join me in bed?” Seungwan asked suggestively. Truth to be told, she was so used to the warmth emitting from Joohyun’s body whenever they sleep at night. It comforts her.

“Why would you need me-”

“I’m not sleepy,” Seungwan shrugged as she released her arm and attempted to walk to her study room.

“Alright,” Joohyun caught her hand again and dragged her to the bedroom which surprised Seungwan because she didn’t think that the older woman would take her bait that easily.

They lay on their side of the bed, facing the ceiling.

Joohyun closed her eyes, “Sleep.”

She is planning to go as soon as Seungwan is deep in her slumber.

Seungwan on other hand just blinked at the ceiling before turning her body to look at Joohyun’s side profile.

“I told you I’m not sleepy. I have a lot of work to do.”

“Just close your eyes, don’t be stubborn,” Joohyun sighed, “You can continue whatever you have to do tonight.”

“Why are you doing this, Joohyun?”