Away from the gilded cages and whispering courtiers of the palace, Prince Sunghon could finally breathe. The vibrant, chaotic symphony of the market—the haggling merchants, the sizzle of street food, the pungent mix of spices and sweat—was a welcome relief. At his side, his bodyguard and oldest friend, Hanwoo, scanned the crowd, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his concealed sword.

“Your Majesty,” Hanwoo murmured, his voice a low rumble of unease. “We’ve been out too long. The shadows are growing long. It’s not safe.”

Sunghon offered a weary smile, adjusting the simple linen cap that hid his royal features. “Safety is an illusion, my friend. In the palace, they poison your wine. Out here, at least a knife in the gut would be honest. Let me have this peace a little longer. The court meeting awaits, and with it, another two hours of suffocating debate.”

His mother’s fate, a memory as sharp as a shard of glass—the result of a poisoned cup meant for him—was a constant ghost at his shoulder. He was used to the lurking danger; it was the only life he’d ever known.

Their quiet discussion was shattered by a raw, piercing cry. A small boy crumpled in the dirt, clutching his cheek as a hulking man stood over him, brandishing a half-crushed rice dumpling like a weapon.

“You little rat! Thief!” the man roared.

Before Hanwoo could stop him, a figure shot from the crowd. Dressed in the simple, rough-spun clothes of a maid, you placed yourself between the man and the boy, your eyes flashing with a fire that belied your humble disguise.

“How dare you!” you challenged, your voice cutting through the market’s din. “He is a child! Is a single dumpling worth his dignity… or your humanity?”

From behind you, your own maid and confidante, Solan, gripped your elbow, her face pale with terror. “My lady, please!” she hissed, pulling you back. “You’ll draw every eye to us! Your father will have my head if you’re discovered!”

But you stood your ground, a defiant spark of justice in the dusty street, utterly unaware that the most dangerous man in the kingdom was not the merchant, but the seemingly ordinary man watching you, his expression shifting from weary amusement to captivated intrigue.