(In the Drawing Room)
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (skeptical) Reconnect? You never cared about me before.
Ji-Hye: (forcing a smile) Well, things change, don't they? Anyway, we heard that you have some questions about your own death.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (firm) And I intend to get answers.
Ji-Mi: (laughing) Answers? Mi-Suk, dear, sometimes it's better to leave the past in the past.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (defiant) I won't leave anything in the past until I uncover the truth.
Ji-Hye: Mi-Suk, shouldn't you be resting after your "resurrection"? Why are you so interested in past matters?
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (firm) Because I don't believe in coincidences. I want to know what really happened to my mother and why I was poisoned.
Ji-Mi: (pretending to be innocent) Mi-Suk, my sister, we should be supporting each other in this difficult time. We shouldn't bring up unpleasant things from the past.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (suspicious) Don't underestimate me. I'm not as naïve as you think. And if you have something to hide, sooner or later, I will find out.
Ji-Hye and Ji-Mi exchanged worried glances, realizing that Claudete/Mi-Suk would not be easily manipulated.
Meanwhile, Bora continued her investigations in the background. Disguising her intentions, she searched through documents and discreetly questioned other servants for clues. Eventually, she came across a suspicious letter and decided she would show it to Claudete/Mi-Suk when the time was right.
(In the Garden – Meeting with Vide)
Claudete/Mi-Suk sat in the garden, lost in thought, strategizing on how to stay alive in this strange world. Suddenly, everything around her faded, and she found herself once again in Vide's Realm.
Vide: Hello, Claudete. It seems you are getting more and more involved in the kingdom's tangled affairs.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (frustrated) You forced me into this!
Vide: (smirking) Don't worry, I'm just here to remind you that you need to find the Heart of Wishes.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (gritting her teeth) I don't need reminding. I'm not stupid.
Vide: (mocking) Then why do I see you more worried about who tried to kill Mi-Suk? She's not even your family.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (irritated) Who said I care about her? I just want to know who tried to kill her so they don't come after me next. I couldn't care less if half of these people died.
Vide: Claudete, whatever. Just bring me the Heart of Wishes.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: I was trying to, until you dragged me here.
Vide: You don't understand! The Heart of Wishes is an ancient and powerful relic that grants its owner the ability to fulfill their deepest desires. It is somewhere in this kingdom, and you were chosen to find it. So find it quickly so we can all get back to our own lives.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: Sweetheart, this is your job, and I'm already doing it. You should be thanking me.
Vide: (explaining) You idiot! Don't you understand that the fate of this kingdom is tied to the Heart of Wishes? Finding it may reveal the truth behind many mysteries and perhaps even change the course of history. Besides, it's your chance to influence what happens here.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (mocking) First of all, you're the idiot, you incompetent fool. Second, I wasn't the one who lost the Heart of Wishes. And finally, just to be clear—if I find this Heart of Wishes, I can have some control over what happens here, right?
Vide: Exactly. But be careful, Claudete. This is a dangerous quest, and many seek to claim this power for themselves.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (grinning) I'm already in this mess up to my neck. I'll find the Heart of Wishes, uncover the truth, and then… make them all my puppets. Hahahahahahahaha!
Vide: (approving) Good choice, Claudete. Remember, this path is filled with dangers and revelations. Be prepared for what's to come.
The Vide Realm dissolved, and Claudete/Mi-Suk found herself back in the Kingdom of New Chin. Now, she had a new goal: find the Heart of Wishes and uncover the secrets surrounding her.
(The Truth About the Poisoning)
Just as Claudete/Mi-Suk was planning her next move, Vide's Realm materialized once again.
Vide: Claudete, there's something you need to know. Regarding your poisoning… it was the First Prince who gave the order.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (shocked) The First Prince? Why would he do that?
Vide: His motives are complex, but they revolve around intrigue, power, and ambition. If his brother is married, he can claim the throne. So, he ordered Mi-Suk to be poisoned to prevent his brother from becoming eligible for the throne.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: So, he poisoned Mi-Suk to sabotage his own brother's political future… That was smart. And he even managed to ruin his brother's reputation.
Vide: The First Prince is a cunning man, willing to eliminate any obstacle in his way. You became a target because you are the Third Prince's wife.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (determined) I'm going to ally myself with the First Prince.
Vide: (warning) Be careful, Claudete. The First Prince is dangerous, and his true intentions are unclear. Don't underestimate the power he holds in this kingdom.
Claudete/Mi-Suk: (firm) I have no choice. I need to face this head-on and learn more about his plans.
Vide: (encouraging) Follow your instincts, Claudete. And don't forget… find the Heart of Wishes.
(At the Chanel Mansion)
The glow of lanterns flickered against the silk walls of the Chanel Mansion, casting elongated shadows on the polished wooden floor. The scent of incense and exotic flowers lingered in the air, but the tension between sisters Chuchu and Chuma thickened the atmosphere.
Fang, their loyal informant, entered the room in a hurry, bowing slightly before speaking.
Fang: (urgently) Ladies, I have discovered something important. The First Prince has been missing for some time.
Chuchu, elegantly reclining on a cushioned seat, smirked coldly.
Chuchu: (mocking) Let's hope he's dead.
Chuma, however, did not share the immediate satisfaction. Her sharp eyes gleamed with something deeper.
Chuma: (crossing her arms) No! He can't die just like that. He has to suffer in my hands first.
Chuchu shot her a piercing look, but Chuma did not back down.
Chuchu: (disapproving) Chuma…
Chuma: (coldly) I say this because he brought you so much suffering, and I could only watch in silence, unable to do anything. Now that we have the chance, I want justice for you.
Silence fell between them, broken only by the soft clinking of Chuchu's golden bracelets.
Chuchu: (serious) Don't worry, my sister. What matters is that he dies. The "how" doesn't matter.
Chuma hesitated for a moment but then nodded.
Chuma: (murmuring) I hope so, my sister…
Chuchu turned to Fang, her dark eyes gleaming with cunning.
Chuchu: (direct) Fang, have you placed a servant to follow Mi-Suk?
Fang nodded quickly, proud of his work.
Fang: (confident) Yes, my lady. We already have someone tracking her every move.
Chuma, always distrustful, narrowed her eyes.
Chuma: (suspicious) I hope he's not like that other servant…