The palace woke beneath the light of dawn.
Servants hurried through corridors.
Officials prepared for court.
The sound of daily life slowly filled the Imperial Palace.
Yet inside the Dowager Empress's residence, the atmosphere remained unusually serious.
The Dowager Empress had barely slept.
The questions surrounding Shin Gu refused to leave her mind.
She sat near the window, waiting.
Watching.
Thinking.
Then—
A shadow appeared silently within the chamber.
The invisible guard had returned.
The Dowager Empress immediately straightened.
"You found something?"
The guard knelt.
"Your Majesty."
His expression was strange.
Not fear.
Not confusion.
Shock.
The Dowager Empress noticed immediately.
Her heart sank slightly.
"What is it?"
The guard lowered his head.
"The more I investigated..."
"The stranger it became."
The room became silent.
The Dowager Empress motioned for him to continue.
The invisible guard spoke carefully.
