Chapter Twenty-One: The Unspoken Favor

The Great Hall of Ministers was thick with tension.

Seated at the head of the room, the king listened in silence as his advisors debated matters of governance—land disputes, taxation, military affairs.

The Crown Prince sat a step below, his expression unreadable.

He had trained for this.

Every lesson, every lecture, every painstakingly memorized law—he knew his role well.

Yet today, his mind wandered.

"Be careful, Han."

The words echoed in his mind like an accusation.

He had not seen the scholar since yesterday.

Not properly, at least.

And yet, his thoughts refused to stray far from—

"Your Highness?"

The sound of his title snapped him back to the present.

The War Minister, a broad-shouldered man with shrewd eyes, was watching him closely.

"As I was saying, Your Highness, the matter of security must be addressed. A group of scholars was ambushed just outside the capital walls."

The prince's breath hitched.

His fingers curled slightly.

The minister continued, oblivious.

"If criminals are bold enough to attack the educated class, what does this say of our rule? These lowly men must be dealt with before they grow more daring."

The prince's grip on the armrest tightened.

Lowly men?

The attack had been targeted.

He knew it.

And yet—

"Your Highness," the minister pressed, "what do you suggest?"

A slow breath.

Composure.

Control.

"The capital's security must be reinforced," the prince said evenly. "No citizen, scholar or otherwise, should feel unsafe in our rule."

Murmurs rippled through the hall.

Another minister cleared his throat.

"Does Your Highness speak from personal concern?"

The words were careful. Measured.

But the meaning was clear.

The prince's jaw tightened.

This was dangerous.

A single misstep—one too strong a reaction—would raise suspicion.

"I speak from logic," he replied smoothly. "Weak rule invites chaos. This is a matter of governance, not personal sentiment."

Silence.

Then, the War Minister spoke again.

"Perhaps, then, Your Highness should set an example."

The prince narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"The scholar who was attacked. He is known to be under Your Highness' favor."

A pause.

A deliberate one.

The prince forced his posture to remain relaxed.

"Scholar Han is a promising mind."

"Then why not ensure his safety personally?"

The words were spoken lightly, but the challenge was clear.

More murmurs.

Dan-Bi's name was now on the lips of every minister.

The prince exhaled slowly.

It was a trap.

A test.

If he refused, it would signal disinterest. A mere scholar was not worth such consideration.

If he agreed—

It would only confirm their suspicions.

He should tread carefully.

Think.

Decide.

And yet—

The image of Dan-Bi's bruised face flashed in his mind.

And before he could stop himself, the words had already left his lips.

"I will see to it."

The silence that followed was deafening.

And the prince knew.

He had made a mistake.

A grave mistake.

The ministers would not let this go.

And neither would he.