Ecstacy of Love (vsoo)

13. I will save him.

Edited

Royal Court

TAEHYUNG'S POV

The Royal Court was eerily silent as I entered with the captured assassins, my grip firm on Jian’s wrist. The tension in the air was thick, almost suffocating. The assassins had been subdued, but Jian... Jian looked completely out of place, her confusion apparent. It was clear she didn’t know how to react to the situation, but I knew better. She was part of this—there was no doubt about it.

The King stood at the center, his gaze proud as always. He was pleased with the results, with the fact that his kingdom’s most elite force—Bangtan—had once again proven its worth. The praise in his eyes was always present, as if my success was his success, and the strength of Bangtan reflected the strength of the Kingdom.

“As expected, you finally caught them,” the King said, his smile broad and full of pride. He addressed me as if I had just completed an ordinary task, which, to him, it might have been.

I bowed slightly, acknowledging the King’s praise, and then turned my attention to the assassins—each of them bound, with their faces covered. Jian, still in her disguise, kept her head down, avoiding my gaze. The fear radiating off her was palpable, but I wasn’t fooled. She knew something. She was hiding something.

“Your Majesty... I-I am not any assassin. I was trapped...” Her voice trembled as she spoke, the words stuttering from her lips. She barely dared to look up at me, her eyes quickly darting away whenever our gazes met.

I couldn’t let her play me for a fool. “Weren’t you there when the commotion happened?” I asked coldly, my tone as menacing as I could muster. I needed her to know that I wasn’t buying her act. This game was over.

“B-but... I-I am not an assassin,” she stammered, her voice shaky. “It was a trap... Your Majesty, I am really not an assassin. I was just lost... I don’t know any of them.”

I could see her trying to maintain her composure, but the fear in her eyes was undeniable. Still, I couldn’t ignore the facts that stared me in the face.

“Your Majesty,” I continued, ignoring Jian for a moment as I addressed the King, “Everyone knows that the Crown Prince’s bedchamber is heavily guarded. No one can enter without His Highness’ explicit permission. So how did he get in?”

I turned back to Jian, my gaze sharp. “You were in the Crown Prince’s backyard... weren’t you? How did you manage to get inside?”

She flinched, but her mouth remained shut. I could feel her hiding something—maybe even lying straight to my face. But why?

“You mean there’s someone commanding this assassin group to attack the Crown Prince?” the King asked, his eyes narrowing in thought.

I nodded, my gaze still focused on Jian. “Yes, I believe someone from the royal family, a minister, or even a duke may be involved in this... perhaps someone close to the Crown Prince.”

I made sure to keep my voice casual, but the implication was clear. We couldn’t trust anyone. Anyone.

I glanced back at Jian, who finally lifted her gaze to meet mine. Her expression was a mix of confusion and fear, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to her than she was letting on. The way she looked at me... It was like she was trying to say something with her eyes.

But I couldn’t trust her.

Her disguise, the way she infiltrated the military camp, the fact that she was at the Crown Prince’s engagement banquet—all of it was too suspicious. There was no way she didn’t know something. She had to be part of it.