That afternoon, rain drizzle the ground a bit. It was dark, not too much sunshine and windy. A cold day for a nice afternoon nap after lunch. Everything seemed calm, nothing was wrong at the first glance.
Soo Young climbed the stairs, straight towards the Sapphire. A meet with Miju has been arranged by the house a few days ago. She was granted to see the crown prince to ask a help on her sudden marriage with Dan.
As someone who had a good link with The Ki, Miju Seja was the second when it comes to consult any decision made by the family. The first one, of course Wang Ki himself. This meeting was just a back up plan, in case if Wang Ki couldn't help Soo Young and Dan.
As she climbed the stairs, her eyes caught a sight of two guards. They were guarding the door, like usual, like any guards did. Nothing's odd. Normal. Just normal.
"I've been summoned by jeoha mama..." Soo Young present herself politely at them. The two look at each other before they allow Soo Young to enter The Sapphire. She had to walk along the wide and long aisle before she reached Miju's office, which was located at the end of the corridor.
As she was walking, a court maid was passing by from the other direction with an empty tray. Perhaps, Miju just finished his lunch. That's what on Soo Young's thought. She nodded a bit at the court maid, but she pretend as if Soo Young was invisible. She kept walking hastily, leaving the aisle towards the other direction.
Soo Young arrived in front of the room after an exhaustion walk. She couldn't help but wonder, why there were no guards on the door? Usually, there's one, at least to accept guests and announced their arrival. But, the odd sight in front of the room made Soo Young somehow felt uneasy.
Is jeoha mama purposedly emptied the room for the meeting?
Soo Young couldn't brush off the uneasiness. Everyone knew about the past between her and Miju. That man tried to rape her, and that memory stamped intact on Soo Young's mind. Being alone with Miju probably wasn't a good idea.
She turned around, feeling like she should seek a help from other people; maybe Athea Sejabin would care to help her.
So, Soo Young turned back and almost leaving the room when she heard a loud thud sound coming from the room. She felt a whosh of complex feeling whether she should check it or not. Feeling uneasy by the situation, she quickly entered the room.
A sight that she never thought she would encounter this morning.
Miju was laying on the floor, with some white foam coming out of his mouth. His body literally just flounder like a fish, making Soo Young at once running towards him to help. She held the crown prince tight, trying to calm him down.
But, it was too late.
Miju died on her laps, eyes roll up and lips turned to blue.
Soo Young was too stunned to speak. She stared at the lifeless body in horror as she pushed it away from her. She couldn't believe it was Miju. She simply couldn't get rid the image of him suffered before dying.
The door was slammed open, making Soo Young startled. She wanted to run but she was too shocked to even stand properly. Two guards enter the room, whilst looking at lifeless Miju, and Soo Young who happened to be there as well, the sense of protection activated immediately.
"Jeoha mama!" One of the guards ran towards Miju's body, checking his pulse before he shot a shock glare at his friend. That man pointed his spear towards Soo Young, the only person who presented in the room.
"You! You killed jeoha mama!"
Soo Young could felt the cold sweat dripping from her forehead, as she shook her head in fury, she felt almost crying.
"No! Don't get me wrong! I just want to help!"
"What are you doing here at this hour?!"
"I have a meeting with jeoha mama!" Soo Young earnestly explained her intention. The guard didn't even budged. He kept his composure body while the friend checked Miju's body for any evidence.
"Jeoha mama... He's being poisoned!" the man showed a bronze glass on the floor. Some content spilled out from it. The other guard now brutally pointed the spear right onto Soo Young's neck.
"You gave jeoha mama the drink, right?!"
"No! I came here empty handed! You can asked the entrance guard. They've seen me coming this morning!" said Soo Young. She's on the verge of crying.
"I should inform this to manora jaga..."
As the guard was about to leave the room, a group of people was already stood up at the door.
It was Athea and her court maids.
As soon as she saw the lifeless body, Athea dashed inside the room.
"What happened?!" she asked the guard in fury.
"Manora... Jeoha... Jeoha is dead..."
Athea's eyes grew larger as she walked towards Miju's body with weak legs. As she saw his condition, she yelped a bit and wailed silently. Her eyes soon met Soo Young, who was still on the floor. That girl's eyes were red and wet.
"Why she's here?" Athea asked.
"She was found with jeoha mama. Maybe, she's the killer!"
Athea looked at Soo Young in shocked.
"Manora... I'm innocent, believe me..." Soo Young started to cry. Athea was still in shock and couldn't even process what just happened. She couldn't think about anything rational now.
"What's with the commotion?"
All eyes on the other person at the door. It was Jang Bin, Miju's favorite concubine. She looked around when she saw Miju was laying lifeless on the floor.
"Manora... What happened to jeoha?" she asked Athea politely, but her voice wavered as she dragged her legs towards them.
"Jeoha mama... He's dead."
Jang Bin quickly running towards them, grabbing Miju's hanbok and shook his body while bawling her eyes out. She hit her chest a few times, expressing her sadness of losing her beloved prince in such a tragic way.
Athea calming stood up while looking at Jang Bin with sorrowful eyes. She then shifted her gaze at scared Soo Young, taking her time to think.
"What she's doing here?!" Jang Bin suddenly looked at Soo Young. No one answered her inquiry, causing Jang Bin to grasp the idea.
"You! You kill jeoha!" Jang Bin jumped towards Soo Young, slapping the girl while screaming like a mad woman. The situation was out of hand already.
"Guards, drag Jang Bin away from the physician..." said Athea calmly. The two nod as they charge forward at Jang Bin, separate both of the ladies and asked a court maid to pin the concubine down so she could calm down.
"Manora! She killed jeoha mama! She's the killer!" Jang Bin screamed as she tried to charge forward once again, but this time Athea managed to ask the court maid to hold Jang Bin tightly. As she turned around and faced Soo Young, she stared at her with a deep gaze before she sighed.
"Guards, capture Physician Kim..."
"But, manora..." Soo Young tried to plea but Athea, with her stoic face, turned away and asked the court maid to prepare for the funeral.
***
"The activity suddenly stopped, General..." Asura gave his latest report to General Kim as they both walking towards the Emerald Dragon to meet Wang Ki.
"Are you sure?" General Kim frowned as he looked at Asura, who later nodded his head subtly.
"Yes. We've been tailing them for the next two weeks but no sight of the group meet in any place..." said Asura. "But, who knows maybe they switch spots. Do you think jeoha mama awares that we've been stalking him?" the man looked at General Kim with a lot of question in his mind.
"We're in discreet group with small number of people. I don't think that's the case," said General Kim. "However, we can't surpass that suggestion as well. Maybe, jeoha mama got his rats at every corner of the kingdom. It's us who didn't realize it," he continued as they walk calmly towards the entrance of the palace.
Once they arrive, General Kim wanted to announce their presence before the king, but what made him shocked was a group of guards came out and circling him and Asura.
"What's with the commotion?!" Asura asked with his stern voice.
"General Kim, jeoha mama; Miju Seja just passed away!" the guard announced the news, making both of the men fall in shock.
"Jeoha mama is dead, but why are you pointing the spears onto us?" General Kim calmly asked the guards.
"We have to bring you for interrogation. Your daughter is the killer and we have to ensure this is not a coup," the guard's words made General Kim fell in another shock. He exchanged gaze with Asura as the man looked at his with horror in his eyes.