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Joy widened her eyes. Her hands turned icy cold. Cold sweats broke out. Her mind has gone blank. She wants to say something but her throat went dry. She felt as though she lost the ability to talk. All she could do was open her eyes widely as though she has just seen a ghost.

'I know you are not from Joseon' This sentence kept circling and echoing inside her.

Slowly, she moved her hand out of the King's. Her eyes remaining staring at him. No words came out from her mouth. Or rather, she couldn't get any words to come out.

"I heard everything last night." The King said. 

Joy continues staring, experience double shock. She felt dizzy. She felt overwhelming.

**********

Last night, the King woke up to the sound of the door when Joy opened it. He was usually not a deep sleeper, to begin with, so when he heard the sound, it totally woke him up from his dreamland. He opened his eyes and realised Joy was not beside him. Turning to the door, he saw her shadow slipping out of the room. 

The King get up from his bed and slipped himself into his shoes. Knowing that his Queen has trouble sleeping and had decided to go out for a walk, he went out of the quarters too. 

Eunuch Kim immediately appeared by his side as though anticipating his entrance when he stepped foot outside. "Her Majesty just went that way." He pointed a particular direction. 

"A lot of things must be going on in her mind right now." The King commented. "If only I could clear those thoughts for her. If only I could take away some burdens on her small shoulders." He sighed and walk in the direction of where his head attendant has just pointed.

Eunuch Kim watches the King walks down the path that Joy had taken earlier. He stopped himself from following. His instincts tells him that he should give the couple some privacy. 

The King quickly caught up with Joy. Spotting Joy from afar, he quickened his pace. At first, he thought of walking up to her side but knowing that she would prefer to be alone now, he decided to quietly accompany her from behind.

Without informing her of his presence, the King walked behind her quietly. When she stops, he stops a few metres behind too. When she turns right, he makes a right turns too. After a short while, he sees her tugging her sleeves, probably feeling the cold of the night. Immediately, he thought of giving her his outerwear but quickly came to a realization that he had forgotten to take one along when he rushed out.

It's a chilly night, but the King had forgotten about the cold himself. His only worry in mind right now is whether his Queen will catch a cold.

Suddenly, he sees her hiding behind a big pillar. Though wondering what she's up to, he did not approach her. He watches her stares at something intensely. A few minutes later, he watched her walk away from the pillar and met with a lady in black-top-and-dark red hanbok. He could see them interacting, though it's the lady that is doing most of the talking.

Out of nowhere, a fly flew to him and distracted him. The King swatted the fly and moved away from his original spot. 

"You don't belong here." is what he suddenly heard. He turned and noticed how his Queen went stiffed and frozen to the ground. Under the light provided by the lanterns nearby, the King could see Joy's expression clearly. Her face turned white and was full of shock.