Seulgi slammed her palms on the table. “Who?” Her brows furrowed.

“T–the Q–queen.” Chaeyeon and Chungha were on their knees. Both their arms were raised above their head.

“And for how long?”

Chungha looked at the ground. “Almost a month.”

The three of them were in Seulgi’s chambers in Yueliang Palace. Seulgi was in the middle of changing out of a tea–stained attire when the two ghosts barged in and dropped to the ground, bearing unpleasant news.

Ever since the fourth prince’s visit to the Queen’s quarters. Seulgi had kept an eye on the place. Based on the rumors of the fourth prince, the Queen’s act was out of the ordinary. To seek out a son that was practically abandoned since birth…

According to the imperial ghosts, the Queen would send and receive letters from the fourth prince who had returned to his place in the East. These letters were often once a week. But suddenly, there’s been sightings of the Queen receiving letters from more than just the fourth prince. It had taken the ghosts a while to recognize it because Seulgi had miscalculated and only placed surveillance on the Queen’s residence. The other letter she received was outside of her palace. The Royal Gardens to be exact.

“When’s the next day of their meeting?”

“…”

“…”

“Chaeyeon?”

The ghosts remained silent. Then the doors opened to a disheveled Eunbi entering the chambers. “Deputy Commander, go easy on them.” She dragged herself over to the center table.

Eunbi’s disordered appearance cut the tense atmosphere.

“Are you empathizing because someone didn’t go easy on you?” Chungha held back a smirk.

Eunbi rolled her eyes and poured herself a cup of water. “Byul’s wife is getting moodier by the day.” She jumped in her spot. Her hands grabbing onto the edge of the table. Throwing the other three off guard. “What if they’ve conceived a child! I heard that the mood swings of a pregnant lady are horrifying.”

Seulgi slapped Eunbi on the back of her head. Then she gestured for the two kneeling to join at the table.

Eunbi rubbed the spot she was hit. “There’s no fixed date for their meetup. The Queen leaves whenever that maid shows up.”

“Is it the same maid?”

“That’s what Hyojung said.”

The autumn breeze whispers silently under the velvet night sky. True to their words, the Queen had taken a late–night stroll into the Royal Gardens. Seulgi managed to switch a night shift with one of Jongin’s men right before the sun descended. She could’ve just sent any of the imperial ghosts, but something about the situation didn’t sit right.

The fact that it was the Queen who was acting suspiciously wasn’t right in the first place. She needed to see it for herself. Although Seulgi was the one on patrol and the suspicious maid was supposed to be sneaking in, the current situation was rather…backwards?

The maid had fair skin and a plum-like face. Her obsidian black hair was short, up to her chin. One could tell she was not of a normal background. The maid outfit didn’t help conceal it either. While the maid was casually wandering through the garden, Seulgi was the one lurking in the flower bushes. Then she saw with her own eyes how the maid had slipped a red letter to the Queen.

Once they separated, Seulgi followed the maid. But the short–haired maid seemed to have caught on. Within five more steps, she launched into a full sprint, heading for the east gates of the Royal Palace. Seulgi couldn’t let her go. She needed to know what the Queen was up to. Whether she should report this to the King or not.