CHAPTER-3 : The Truth Unspoken

The heavy scent of herbs lingered in the royal infirmary. Pale sunlight slipped through the carved windows, resting gently on Princess Roa's face as her eyelashes fluttered.

At the bedside, Chen sat silently, his expression hard as stone. His fists were clenched on his knees, his cloak still streaked with dirt from the forest.

Suddenly—

"Gege…"

Roa's soft voice broke the silence.

Chen snapped upright. "Roa."

Her eyes opened slowly, still hazy. She blinked at him, then tried to sit up.

"Don't move," he said, voice unusually gentle.

She reached out and took his wrist weakly. "Where's… Yunxi?"

Chen's jaw tightened. "Gone. You're safe now."

Roa stared at him. "You didn't… hurt her, did you?"

His silence was enough.

Her grip tightened. "No. You misunderstood. She saved me. The bear… she tried to help me. She even used her own body as a shield—"

Chen stood up, cutting her off.

"You don't remember clearly. You were bleeding. She was standing there alone, over you. What else should I have thought?"

Roa's voice turned sharp. "What you saw wasn't the truth."

Chen turned away, his expression unreadable.

"Even if she didn't touch you," he said coldly, "she still let you get hurt."

Roa looked stunned. "That's not fair—"

"Fair doesn't keep you alive, Roa."

His voice echoed with that familiar coldness, the kind that had earned him his infamous name — the prince with no heart.

But this time, his eyes lingered on the window, where a sliver of moonlight peeked in. And just for a moment… his expression cracked.

She played the piano under that same moonlight.

That song… it wasn't the kind someone dangerous would play.

Still, he said nothing. He left the room without another word.

Roa watched him go, helpless.

Chen's Side – The Hunter Without a Name

The night was quiet, but Chen's heart was not.

He walked through the outer gardens, past the moonlit pavilions and shadowed corridors. He had already checked Roa's quarters, the healer's wing, even the lotus pond where the palace girls liked to gossip.

"Why am I even looking?" he asked himself under his breath.

But something gnawed at him — something restless.

He kept remembering that melody… the one that drifted through the training ground like a voice from another world. And the girl who stood over Roa with trembling hands and tear-stained cheeks, not the eyes of a killer.

She didn't look afraid of dying. She looked afraid of being seen.

He didn't ask anyone. Didn't alert the guards.

He just kept searching — like a man haunted by a mistake he refused to admit.

The Dream She Can't Catch

Yunxi walked alone beneath the lanterns of the palace courtyard.

The festival music had long faded. Servants were clearing the leftovers, guards yawned under their helmets, and the moon had climbed high above the rooftops.

But she was still searching.

"He must be here somewhere… the man from my dream. The one I wrote…"

Every step felt like chasing a shadow.

She wandered past the training arena, where fresh sword marks cut through the stone — still warm from recent practice.

She paused at the blossom garden, where she thought she saw a figure… but it was just a guard in silver.

She looked at her reflection in the koi pond and whispered,

"Was it just a dream? Or am I not meant to find him yet…"

A breeze brushed her cheek. She closed her eyes.

In her heart, she could still see him — that soft gaze from her fantasy, a prince dressed in black, standing at the edge of a field of moonflowers.

But the only thing in front of her now was emptiness.

"Maybe he's not the dream I thought," she murmured.

"Or maybe… I've already met him, and I just don't know it."

She turned away, quietly walking back toward her quarters — her steps slower, heavier than before.

The Royal Summons

The golden bell echoed through the palace, its sound rippling like thunder across the courtyards.

"All officials and guests shall gather in the Hall of Harmony."

Even Yunxi, who had been trying to stay out of sight, received the summons. Jiner helped her dress in a modest but elegant hanfu — soft blue silk embroidered with clouds. Her heart pounded.

"Why is the king calling everyone? And why me?"

In the Grand Hall

The hall was filled with nobles, generals, scholars, and royal family members.

Prince Chen stood at the far right — in his black and red uniform, cold and unreadable. His presence alone sent chills down spines.

Yunxi entered quietly, head lowered. But the moment she crossed the threshold, his eyes found her.

They locked eyes.

His gaze — sharp, almost dangerous. A storm without words.

Hers — hesitant, fragile, but unwilling to look away.

She's here, Chen thought, fists tightening.

She dares to appear again…

But in his chest, something strange stirred — something he couldn't name.

The King's Voice

The King began to speak, his voice commanding.

"There has been unrest in the borderlands. We must prepare for both diplomacy and defence."

He praised Princess Roa for her bravery during the hunting incident. There was silence… and then murmurs. People glanced at Yunxi — they had heard the rumours.

Whispers began:

"Isn't she the one who was with the princess?"

"They say Prince Chen dragged her away with blood on his hands…"

Yunxi stood frozen, chin high, refusing to show her ache.

But then — Princess Roa stepped forward and raised her voice.

"I wish to clarify something."

Chen turned sharply to his sister.

"Yunxi saved my life," Roa said clearly. "I was reckless. She was brave."

Gasps echoed in the room.

The King looked at Yunxi, eyes narrowing with interest. "Is that so?"

Chen's Reaction

But Chen didn't flinch. His face was still cold.

Only his eyes betrayed the tiniest flicker — of doubt, of guilt, of… something deeper.

He glanced at Yunxi once more.

This time, his look wasn't fury.

It was confusion. Turmoil. The beginning of a crack in the Armor.

But Yunxi didn't smile. She only bowed deeply and said nothing.

Because his fury had already left a scar.

The Unwanted Title

Gasps echoed through the marble hall as the king stood and spoke with finality:

"For her courage and loyalty in saving my daughter, Yunxi shall be granted the honorary title of Princess of the Moon Pavilion."

Silence.

Then… a sudden shift in the air.

Chen's head jerked up, his face darkening.

Across the hall, Yunxi stood frozen, eyes wide. She hadn't expected this. She didn't want this. But she couldn't speak — the king's decree was absolute.

"From this day forward, she will be treated with the respect due to her title," the king continued.

Some nobles bowed. Some whispered. Some glared.

But Chen?

He turned on his heel — a swirl of black cloak and fury — and stormed out of the hall.

Cut To: Chen in the Training Arena

Swords clashed under his hand like lightning. The palace guards didn't dare approach him.

Princess?

They'll let a stranger with no roots, no training, no loyalty — walk the palace as royalty?

A title built on a lie. Or worse… on weakness.

His blade shattered a practice dummy in half.

But beneath all that rage, a bitter whisper burned:

Why do I care?

Because no matter how many times he told himself she was dangerous, a memory kept returning:

Meanwhile: Yunxi in Her Room

Yunxi sat in silence, crown in her lap — light silver with a single moonstone.

"A title I didn't ask for… from a man who doesn't trust me."

She touched the edge of the circlet.

"Will this keep me safe, or only trap me deeper?"

The Door Between Them

The lanterns in Princess Roa's wing glowed softly. Servants had been dismissed. The air smelled faintly of herbs and ink.

Yunxi stood outside the doorway, hesitant but hopeful.

Inside, Roa waited with a gentle smile — she had sent for Yunxi herself.

But at the door stood a shadow. Prince Chen.

Sword at his side. Eyes cold as ice.

"You're not allowed in," he said simply.

Yunxi's breath caught.

"But… the Princess asked for me."

"That doesn't matter," he said, voice clipped.

"She's not your prisoner," Yunxi replied, her voice soft but defiant.

Before another word could fall, Roa's voice echoed from inside:

"Chen, let her in. That's an order."

The silence that followed was thick. The tension, suffocating.

Chen didn't move.

Didn't speak.

He simply turned his face slightly — not away in shame, but in battle with himself.

He wanted to believe Roa…

He wanted to believe her.

But belief meant weakness.

Roa called again, this time more gently:

"She is not our enemy, Chen."

Chen stepped aside, slowly, still without looking at Yunxi.

But the way his jaw clenched… she could feel the war behind his silence.

 Inside Roa's Room

As Yunxi entered, Roa smiled warmly and took her hand.

"Don't mind him," she whispered. "He's not cruel — just... broken."

Yunxi gave a faint smile, though her heart ached.

Because behind her, she could feel Chen's presence, still standing at the door like a silent guardian… or a wall she couldn't cross.