Hello guys! Once again I want to thank all of you for upvoting and getting this story featured! <3 ♥

So here it is! An update (which was supposed to be posted tomorrow since it's my Birthday and it;s supposed to be my bday treat but I was too tried and lazy lol).

Please comment your thoughts and vote if you liked it. :)

Love you my dear readers! xoxoxo

-kariboo17

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The first thing Sunny did the moment she touched down Korea is call her mom and ask for the contacts of ever embassy they are affiliated with. Princess Soojung also gave out an order to the Korean Embassy to ask every embassy in every country to make a report about the Korean community residing in their area. The report is due in three days. Princess Soojung had to place an ultimatum because they are racing against the unknown that threats the entire country.

Meanwhile, Tiffany, a graduate and certified accountant, took the position her father has long been offering her. She would have accepted this long ago had Yoona not decided to work at Taeyeon's cafe. Since Tiffany was still madly in love at Yoona by then, she followed her. Also she wanted to have fun with her friends. Tiffany managed to enter the auditing department as a junior auditor so she has an access to every file.

Hyoyeon's investigation of the origin of the gun lead her to many leads but eventually found the dealer. He's an owner of a small gun shop in Jamsil. Just as she promised she contacted Princess Soojung first before she even told her her director. She investigated it alone because her two subordinates who were supposed to be with her are held down with their paperwork. Hyoyeon located the place and once Soojung arrived with Seohyun in their disguises, the three of them went inside.

"Welcome to Ha Donghoon's gun shop! How may I help you?" A short man with a fedora and mustache greeted the three brightly.

"I heard you're the best gun seller in town." Hyoyeon started carefully.

He grinned proudly, nodding his head as he patted his chest. "Although I shouldn't say it myself, but yes I am the best."

Hyoyeon grabbed something from her pocket. She showed it to him, a photo of the same gun the man who tried killing Princess Sooyeon used.

"I've searched many places and I still haven't seen this kind of gun. My grandfather owns something like this before but my parents had to pawn it since we were having financial troubles." Hyoyeon explained with no trace of uncertainty. She's thought of this wonderful explanation thirty minutes ago.

He inspected the picture but he didn't look surprised or guilty. "Ah!" He exclaimed. "This gun? You want this gun? Was your grandfather part of the Korean war?"

"What do you mean? Is this gun from the war?"

"Of course! I'll bet your parents got a lot from pawning it huh? It's a gun from the Northern soldiers which they used during the war." He explained carefully. "My grandfather and father are both war veterans so they collected a few of them. Most of them were auctioned while some they kept. The ones kept were put on sale ever since my dad started this business."

"Ah. Yes, my grandfather was a war veteran too." Hyoyeon stammered when Soojung eyed her warily. "So are you the only one selling them?"

He nodded albeit a little confused. "Yeah, as far as I know." He then smiled at her. "If you want you can purchase all of this kind of gun left."

"What? No." Seohyun rejected. "I mean we just want to purchase one gun for our grandpa."

He frowned. "But the only thing left is a collection. You have to purchase everything."

"Collection?"

"Yeah. The last batch I sold is a collection of Gwahae guns, guns for soldiers. The collection left is Haneul guns. Haneul means sky and in the Northern hierarchy sky means power. So these guns are from high ranking officials including their leader. These guns are more expensive and it's the last batch."

Soojung shook her head in disbelief. "We only need one gun. We don't need to buy the entire collection."

He sighed in refusal. "I cannot sell them piece by piece anymore. These are artifacts. They are a special collection and they are the last ones. I'll get a higher payment selling it collectively rather than selling a piece. Do you want other gun instead? I have a pistol older than these northern guns."

"No. We'll look around and find another store. They might sell it per piece." Soojung said, pushing her raybans up her nose to hide her face.

He lazily put his elbow on the countertop, resting his chin on his palm. "As far as I know we are the one ones that sell this kind of gun. Told you my grandpas are war veterans."

"We'll think about it but we aren't buying a collection we don't need instead of a single gun."

Hyoyeon then stepped into his view. "So the last one you sold... You said you sold a collection of Gwahae guns. Was a customer perhaps a tall man, with a beard and muscular?"

He scowled as he tried to remember then nodded after a while. "Yeah. Just like you he just wanted a single piece of gwahae but I told him no, I don't sell it anymore by piece. It's a collection." Last time he tried selling them a piece his grandpa screamed at him, telling him the guns were collected carefully and separated according to the rank of the former owner.

"So he bought the collection of gwahae. There was also a collection of the guns generals used and he bought it too. He actually planned to buy the last collection but he didn't come by. I wonder where he went." He added. Then he eyed them weirdly. "Why? Why are you asking that? Do you know him?"

Soojung glanced over Seohyun, beckoning her to think of a reply. Seohyun stepped in and muttered a decent explanation.

"We encountered that man before. He was looking for northern guns too. But he's more of a collector."

"I see. That's why he made the purchases." He bobbed his head in thought. He then rubbed his hands excitedly. "So... Are you guys gonna purchase it now?"

Hyoyeon paused, shooting the Princess a look asking for opinion. When Soojung shook her head, Hyoyeon waved her hand politely at the owner.

"I don't think our budget can afford the said collection." To avoid suspicions she prodded a little bit more. "But if you can give us a generous discount then-"

"I'm sorry. But the price is fixed. I can't offer a cheaper price."

The three went out the shop with disgruntled expressions. Hyoyeon kept on cursing under her breath, thinking the whole 'selling collectively' thingy is nothing but bull. Soojung, however, thought of something brilliant- brilliant because the evident grin on her face wouldn't disappear.

Snapping her fingers, she quickly turned to Seohyun. "Seohyun, I want you to call the curator of the National Museum ASAP. Tell him there are artifacts related to the Korean war in this shop. Director Jang wouldn't miss this chance. And once the museum has the guns," She turned to Hyoyeon. "You must investigate it right away."

Hyoyeon mustered a nod while Seohyun quickly fished out her phone and called the curator just like Soojung ordered.

Soojung pulled the baseball cap she wore down to cover her face. Trying to look unsuspicious, she looked straight ahead but she talked loud enough for the two to hear.

"Try not to look like you've caught on. That blue car has been following us ever since."

Hyoyeon and Seohyun discreetly glanced across the street. Just like what Soojung said, the car that followed them since their exit to the highway was parked just next to their car.

"Are we going to get into a fight?" Seohyun muttered through gritted teeth. Her hand reached inside her coat, preparing to drew the gun she hid.

Hyoyeon was equally tensed, hand already inside her jacket. Her gun holsters carried two guns, a revolver and a pistol and she would freaking drew both if needed specially when it comes to protecting the Princess.

"There would be no fight." Soojung said firmly. "Let's get to the car, drive around and lose these guys. We need to be careful moving around now. Let's talk in the car."

The moment they reached inside the car, Soojung fished her phone from her pocket. She felt it vibrate earlier so now she's about to check the message. It was from her mother and while reading it her eyes almost came out the sockets in shock.

Do you have any idea where your sister is, Soojung? Your father is asking of her whereabouts.

Soojung frowned. What did the Queen mean with that?

"Lose them and then take me back to the palace. Mother wants to see me." She ordered firmly.

Hyoyeon brought the engine to life then stepped on the gas. The blue car followed suit. Checking her side mirrors, she pulled into a stop.

"Why did you stop?" Seohyun said, alarmed. She quickly drew her gun out of reflex.

"Wait." Hyoyeon eyed the stoplight. It is currently green yet she ignored the horns blowing behind her. Once the light turned orange, however, Hyoyeon sped away, leaving the blue car stopping once the light turned red. "Well that was easy."

Seohyun retreated her gun, exhaling a relieved sigh. "Damn. I was almost ready to shoot."

Soojung laughed a little. "I never saw you so jumpy, Seohyun."

"You're safety might have been compromised, your Highness. I cannot allow that to happen."

The Princess kept her gaze on her phone the entire duration of the journey home. Even when she arrived at the Palace she couldn't take her mind off what her mother said. Why is King Yunho suddenly curious of her sister's location? Didn't he say that Sooyeon should be hiding completely off the radar? Then why is he looking for her now?

She parted ways with Seohyun who just received a notification that the National Musuem has purchased the guns, or the collection as the owner put it, that they found earlier. She set off to call Hyoyeon and this time with other police officers involved. Hyoyeon should have reported first to her superior but she first told it to Soojung. Seohyun didn't want Hyoyeon to get scolded, did she?

Soojung walked into the lounge and to her surprise found all members of her family gathered. Her father, King Yunho, is standing in front of their family portrait. She didn't need to ask to know that he's looking at Sooyeon. Queen Seon Jung and Queen Ara are both sitting at the couch. They looked at Soojung who just entered the room.

Closing the door, Soojung sat on a small seat, facing her family. "I'm here dad."

King Yunho turned around wearing an unreadable expression. Soojung fidgeted on her seat, noticing all eyes are now on her.

"Do you know where your sister is?" He asked first. He is barely fifty but Soojung feel like her father has aged tremendously after days of taking care of her sister's failed assasination case. Also he has been part of the hands-on investigation about the involvement of the Northern Fraction with the said assasination.

Soojung sat in silence. She didn't answer and instead veered her gaze somewhere else rather than anyone in her family. She was feeling bad about having to hide the truth but she can't disclose it right now especially when the place that she thought is safe is already compromised. There are eyes and ears everywhere and they could be listening to everything right now.

"Soojung." Now it was Queen Ara who spoke. "You're close with your sister. I'm sure she told you where she have gone, right?"

"Mommy, I don't know-"

"This might be the last time we will see her so please," The King implored. "Tell us where your sister is."

"What do you mean this is the last time we will see her?" Soojung suddenly grew worried. An ominuous feeling was creeping inside her.

Yunho slowly sat at the seat opposite of Soojung. Rubbing his hands together, he hesitated what to tell her. "I- I am thinking of putting out a decree that bans Sooyeon from coming back to Korea until the we solve the threat in her life."

Soojung gasps, not believing what she just heard. "What? You mean she won't be returning until everything is solved?"

"Yes." He answered truthfully. "Just like how your grandparents took refuge when your great grandfather was shot."

"But dad! Unnie not returning? I-I also need my sister." Soojung shot up and started pacing around. "We can solve this dad. We can solve this soon."

"Then your sister's return will be sooner. Look, I am also scared of this decision. I have no idea where she is but if you know, if you know Soojung, please take me to her. I want to know she's safe before I proclaim that order." His eyes searched his daughter's and Soojung saw concern and maybe fear. She knew her father was damn scared, so is she and the whole Royal Family.

Soojung sank on the couch. She looked over her mother who was trembling a little. Then she darted her eyes over to Queen Seon Jung who nodded at her with a soft smile on her gentle face.

"I promised unnie I won't tell." Soojung mumbled. "There are spies inside the Palace. They even managed to plant a device that contains Carbon Monoxide inside one of unnie's pillows. It is not safe to speak here."

King Yunho sat in silence. He understood where his daughter is coming from. The spy or maybe even a double agent is within the Palace's ground and it infuriated him how they managed to get inside. He and his wife screened them carefully. They underwent strict processes and procedures so how come they managed to infiltrate the safest place in the entire country?

Were they that skilled? That influencial? That powerful? The King tightly clenched his closed fists until the knuckles turned white. His body trembled in suppressed anger that his face turned red already. Ara moved beside her husband, rubbing his arm in hopes of calming him down.

"They've planted weeds all over our system. There are weeds inside the Palace and I am sure there are weeds inside the Congress and Ministries." He let a long, heavy sigh. "They've perfectly devised a plan to make sure they knew our every move and if needed, they can use their puppets to hinder us."

Queen Seon Jung shook her head in disgust. "The question is: where is the puppeteer?"

Ara glances back her daughter, eyes soft and gentle, hoping for an answer to her question. "Please, Soojung. We want to see your sister."

"I can't tell where she is because this place is infested with unwanted ears." She fished out her phone and typed something. "But I can take you the