NEFARIOUS

1 / 하나

  The streets of Hanseong became fairly clamant. An old man shouting curses toward the starless sky, expecting he could manage to burn down the palace with the bottle of soju in his hand. The other drunkards yelled in agreement, throwing strikes onto the table with their fists. Those were, if Jung-Hee expected, the fathers of those thousand servants whom had been murdered by the Queen's hands. The reason behind her lunatic act was still a mystery until then. 

  Tales of the Mad Queen became murmurs across the kingdom. Some said she bathed in her victims' blood to gain an ethereal youth, for the servants she had murdered were all unwed. But the others disagreed, claiming the Mad Queen was possessed by a demon from underworld to do such monstrous things. Despite of it all, Jung-Hee was certain that her madness might lead to a dangerous civil war if the King could not handle the increasing riots throughout the kingdom. But Jung-Hee wasn't concerned about the political chaos. With many enemies emerged anywhere, the demand of assassins would be presumably high. It would be a benefit for him.

  On the edge of the street, far from the war screams of drunk men, a boy with dirty hanbok sung into the violent breeze of darkest night. It was a well-known song about a brother who became the moon for his sister, Jung-Hee had become familiar of it since he was little. In the company of his nursery rhyme, the boy swung his tiny legs, whilst sitting on the wooden table with peaceful expression.

  "A beautiful song, is it not?" an unfamiliar woman voice said from behind, soothing the cold light breeze that prickled his skin.

  Jung-Hee turned, his stoned eyes settled on a woman's shadowed face. He watched her in silence, trying to get a better look of her. She masked her entire figure with a dark cloak, careful enough to fully cover her clothes. Perhaps she thought that the darkness in this particular part of the street might not conceal her identity, but the moonlight shone on her features, revealing her oval face and rosy lips. Even under little light, her brownish eyes managed to steal his gaze. Leaving the world around him stilled for a second.

  It only took him the briefest moment to know who she was.

  "Nevertheless, I've always thought the song to be rather sad than happy." she said, her voice calm as the night. "The brother became the moon for his sister, but he would never see her again."

  "I must admit, I am quiet surprised to find you here" Jung-Hee bowed a little, a knowing smile came across his face. "Your Highness."

  The Princess of Joseon stared at him. She didn't return the smile, but merely lined her lips. There were a thousand songs written about her enchanting beauty, of her fairness and candor. But Jung-Hee knew the princess was beyond all that. He sensed it; the dark secrets looming in her beautiful eyes.

  "You and I both know that I don't come as a highborn." The Princess indicated a warning in her voice. Of course, there were no guards near them. And most likely she wore the cloak to hide her dangui. "Do not call me that again."

  "What shall I call you, then?"

  "Names are not needed," she said. "You will receive your fifteen million mun under my trusted servant in this precise place, after you've done your job entirely."

  Jung-Hee lowered his eyes on her. The amount of money he would receive was truly high. It must be a huge job. "Tell me a name and I will get to it immediately."

  The Princess's gaze fell down to the soil, calculating for something that Jung-Hee couldn't be possibly sure of. After a flash of certainty shot in her eyes, she looked at him with the same calm expression. "The missing queen."

  He went silent for awhile. "You want me to dispose her?"

  "No," the Princess said. "I want you to save her."