“Normally, I wouldn’t have paid attention, but somehow, I felt like I should. So, I kept thinking…”

“It’s a quite plausible possibility.”

“So… I did one more investigation.”

“Caristos… You’re really reliable.”

He always seemed like a child, but to conduct an investigation on his own and return like this, he looked different.

“Friends help each other! And I was too curious.”

“A doubt…”

“The memory loss of the child named Rehel seemed a bit suspicious. It could indeed be memory loss, but I began to doubt one thing, and that led to countless suspicions. Maybe it’s related to magicians. So, I searched and searched through the records at that time…”

“Searched and searched?”
“At that time, there was a sudden visit from a woman who claimed to be in danger of being killed after her magician husband died. She had nowhere else to trust but the temple and asked for protection, saying it was a coincidence. It was quite a coincidence that she entrusted herself to the temple, of all places. So, the temple changed both her identity and name.”

“Is she related to this incident?”

“I initially thought she had no connection at all, but it doesn’t seem to be the case. Queen Mama might have a different opinion… In reality, there are stories that after she had her identity changed, mysterious men started looking for her not long after. It was as if they wanted to erase all evidence.”

I stroked my chin in silence.

“Maybe among them…”

“There were also those who seemed to be knights of the imperial family. Since most of what happens at the temple needs to be recorded, those things are also documented.”

The missing princess incident. She is not just anyone but the princess of the empire. If it were a simple kidnapping or abduction by slave traders, there should have been those demanding a ransom for the princess.

But there were none. Instead, the emperor concluded the investigation as if trying to bury the matter quickly.

For reasons unknown, the one who did all of that turned out to be the father of the missing princess, Emperor Sunghwang Lee.

‘What if she wasn’t really the princess.’

Was he trying to send her away? However, it seemed too late to say that. If the princess was not a true blood relative, expelling her would resolve everything.

It was a perfect opportunity to redirect blame away from himself to the princess.

But Emperor Sunghwang didn’t do that.

‘Rian also didn’t mention anything about this story…’

In the end, the princess is indeed the true daughter of the emperor. That’s why he created a difficult path around her, making her disappear.

Why can’t parents just leave their children alone?

Anger surged within me. My situation overlapped with the princess’s situation.

“In the end… even the princess’s memory loss…”

“It might not be related. If not, it wouldn’t make sense. When we apply numerous assumptions and that absurd situation, everything fits perfectly.”

Nodding slowly while organizing Caristos’s words, I said, “If all goes well… we might be able to press him today.”

“Press whom? Emperor Sunghwang?”

“No, he’ll come to us directly. Someone else… I’m going to see the orphanage director. It’s time to wrap things up.”

“If you go to that person… will something change?”

Whether he was genuinely curious or not, Caristos looked at me and grinned.

“At least… it could become a clue to finding the princess. I have a feeling that the child named Rehel… might be the princess.”

“But is there still a chance?”

There might not be. However, hope wasn’t entirely absent.
“Do you know the saying, ‘It’s dark under the lamp’?”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“If it’s in a visible place, no one would suspect it. Maybe because they don’t think it would be there.”

“What does that mean?”

“It seems like the princess is at the orphanage. So, it’s better to go and check for yourself.”

The probability of Emperor Sunghwang keeping the princess alive after Rian became emperor, just to have leverage over Rian, seemed even higher.

So… it seemed certain that she would be there.

That belief kept coming back.

Determined, I stood up and approached the children.

“Did you have fun today too?”

“Yes!”

“Is it already time to go back?”

Heiven looked at me with a disappointed expression.

“Yeah. I have something to check, so I have to go. We played here until now, let’s play again tomorrow.”

“I guess there’s nothing we can do.”

I expected them to refuse outright, but Heiven still tidied up and stood up.

“Unnie, where are you going?”

“Where are you going?”

“Yeah. I’m going out for a bit and will be back. Shasha and Luedello will be napping now, right? I’ll be back soon.”

At that, Shasha and Luedello’s expressions froze simultaneously.

“Can’t we go together?”

“I want to go too, Unnie.”

It was a bit awkward. It wouldn’t really matter if I took them along, but the problem was Luedello. It wasn’t just any place, but a place with memories from the past. I worried that going there might bring back unpleasant memories.

“Umm…”

At that moment, a familiar figure approached like a savior.

“Rian!”

When I called his name, he quickly came over to me.

“To greet me like this. My heart is pounding.”

“I have a favor to ask.”

“Hmm…? Did you call me just to ask for a favor?”

“Yes. I have something to do briefly… Can you watch the kids for a bit?”

“Where are you going? If you have somewhere to go, come with me.”

“I’m going with Caristos.”

“Oh, the Grand Minister. By the way, since you came to the palace, you haven’t greeted Emperor Jim even once.”

“I didn’t come to see Emperor Jim. I’m here to see Queen Mama. Do I have to greet Emperor Jim every time I come for that?”