As Minji was brought into the dungeon, she couldn't help but feel a sense of hopelessness wash over her. The room was dimly lit, and the air was thick with the scent of damp stone and mildew. To top that off, the reeking of blood. The only thing filling the silence was the sound of dripping water echoing in the distance with the occasional whining, moaning, and groaning, and the only light to exist came from a single torch flickering in the corridor outside her cell.

Minji sat on the cold, hard floor, her hands bound behind her back. She couldn't believe she had been accused of such a heinous crime. Despite her protests of innocence, the guards had thrown her into the dungeon without a second thought. They didn't even bother to take off the chains bounding her but she was a dangerous criminal in their eyes, thus respect does not apply to someone even worse than an animal.

As she sat there, Minji couldn't help but wonder who had framed her for the assassination of the prince. She knew Jiu had enemies all over the kingdom, but she had never imagined they would go to such lengths to ruin her life when Minji had not done anything bad for the while she lived as Jiu.

Memories of her childhood came flooding in. Who would've thought she would end up like this, all weak and defenseless? It was a pathetic sight. In the midst of reminiscing, a certain memory came to her attention.

"And I don't understand why you out of all people would kill my husband. Tell me, Rachel, just how much do you care for the people of Dulryn?"

"Enough to kill him."

Rachel? Minji shook her head. There's no way.

Was it due to the identical face? She couldn't help but see all of them as the ones she came to know as Minji but deep inside she was aware. Minji's aware that they are strangers to her. She was sure Yoohyeon would never do such a thing. Minji laughs, Yoohyeon couldn't even bring herself to hurt an ant, moreover a soul?

But Minji wasn't sure if Rachel wouldn't.

***

Dami's expression darkened as she frowned at Monica's words. "I'm surprised you came back alive," she said, her tone flat and devoid of any emotion.

Dami's heart skipped a beat. "You were expecting me dead?" she asked, a tinge of rising anger could be heard creeping into her voice.

Monica nodded, "A mere blunt attack would've killed him," she said, gesturing towards Dami. "And I know you're skilled enough to pull it off. But I can't help but doubt when I figured you planned on using poison instead."

Dami's eyes widened in shock. "What?" she exclaimed. "Is he supposed to be immune?"

"Of course, he's part of the royal family! How-" It was then Monica's turn to frown. "How else have you managed to kill him if you hadn't given up on the poison?"

"I didn't switch anything, the poison and the curse did their job," Monica was flabbergasted. Such a thing couldn't happen for as long as he has royal blood, for he's not the queen's bastard's son.

"Are you sure it was him?"

***

"Would you believe me if I were to tell you that I don't belong here? That I came from another world?" Minji asked, her voice wavering slightly.

"I wouldn't-" Minji weakly chuckled, anticipating Della's response.

"Of course," Minji replied with a hint of sarcasm. Her eyes fell to the floor, and she let out a sigh. "Then I'm guessing you're suspecting me of murder too, don't you, Do- Princess Della?"

Della raised an eyebrow. "Are you capable of such a thing?" she asked, her voice measured and controlled.

"Do you trust me? Or are you just looking down on me?" Minji asked, her eyes pleading with Della.

Della kept her mouth shut for a moment, contemplating Minji's question. Finally, she spoke, and Minji couldn't quite grasp what she was saying. When she did, her eyes widened in surprise.

"I don't know you well enough like I know Jiu," Della said.

"You- you just said you wouldn't believe me! But you knew that I'm not-" Minji choked on her sob as she tried to reach for Della, who prevented her by taking a step back.

"I knew you're not Jiu, but that doesn't mean I know who you are," Della said, her voice laced with anger. "Unlike you, I wouldn't blindly trust a stranger's words and let myself end up all pathetic like you are right now, especially not in a body that doesn't belong to me. You're quite careless for someone living a life you don't even own."

Minji felt a surge of anger and frustration at Della's words. "You're heartless," she said, her voice trembling with emotion. "I never asked for this."

"Everyone here but you know that," Della replied coldly. "Why don't you tell me your name, now that everything is out in the open?"

"Kim Minji."

"Hm?"

"Nothing, I just thought about how fitting your name is,"

"What do you mean by that?"

"Your name is pretty, you know? If I were you I would never let evil people say my name and taint it,"

"Is my name the only pretty thing?"

"Of course not, the person in front of you is also super pretty," Minji pouted. "And so is the person in front of me,"

"Figure it out yourself, I'm not telling you."

Della left in silence, her steps echoed in the corridors before Minji was left alone once again.

***

The queen stood on the balcony of her chamber, watching the sunset over the horizon. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her late son, the prince who had passed away recently. But there was something different about her demeanor tonight. She was colder than usual as if she was struggling to hide something. As the night fell, she heard a knock on the door.

"Come in," she said, turning around to see her trusted advisor, the royal physician.

"Your Majesty," he bowed. "I have come with the latest report on the prince's autopsy. As I suspected, there was no doubt that the cause of death was a bloodthirsty spell."

The queen nodded, her mind racing. She knew the truth, but she could not reveal it to anyone. She looked at the physician, her eyes cold and calculating. "Make sure that this information never leaves this room. The prince was my son, and his death is a tragedy for our kingdom. We must find the person responsible for this, and bring them to justice."

The physician bowed once again, sensing the queen's unease. "Of course, Your Majesty. I shall do everything in my power to ensure that justice is served. What do we do with Lady Winston?"

"Leave her be for now."

The queen watched as the physician left the room, and sighed deeply. She knew that she had to carry this secret to her grave, but deep down, she could not shake off the guilt of being a cold and distant mother to a son who had never felt the love of his own mother.

***

The death of the prince had sent shock waves through the kingdom, but none felt it more deeply than the noble family who had taken him in as their own. They had believed him to be the true prince, and they had raised him as such, pouring their love and resources into him. They had hoped that he would one day reclaim his rightful place on the throne and step on the throne to continue ruling over the kingdom, get rid of the growing rebellion, and restore peace.

But now, with his death shrouded in controversy and suspicion, they were left reeling. They knew that they would be under intense scrutiny, and they had to act quickly to protect their reputation and honor. All this while not knowing what exactly unfolded behind the curtains in the royal family.

The queen called an emergency meeting with the king's closest advisors and family members, determined to get to the bottom of the matter. They discussed the events leading up to the prince's death, dissecting every detail and scrutinizing every possibility.

Some argued that he had been assassinated by those who wanted to keep him from claiming the throne, pointing fingers at the princesses who would certainly be next in line, while others believed that the queen had committed infidelity, that there had never been a prince for Dulryn all along, therefore his death was a light to the truth.

"I heard that His Highness fell to his death because of a cursed poison! The royal blood should be pure, is Her Majesty not aware of that? His Highness wouldn't have died from a mere curse if he was His Majesty's real son!"

Those who were convinced immediately considered taking the side of the rebellions and demanded the queen step down. This resulted in a significant rise in those supporting the princesses to take over, specifically Della. Though a small number stood resolute, wanting to dig deeper.

***

Minji was sitting alone in her dimly lit cell, her spirit broken and her heart heavy. She had been imprisoned for more than just a week from what she counted. Suddenly, she heard the sound of hooves approaching her cell. She stood up, barely able to believe her ears. Is this where I die? She let out a shaky breath.

Maybe I can finally return home now.

A few moments later, the door turned into dust and she stood before her, holding a sword in her hand. Minji was stunned. She had never expected to see Rachel in her cell, the thought of someone with the face of Yoohyeon beheading her almost made her laugh, despite being in a fragile condition.

But she was taken by surprise when without a word, the princess lifted her up and carried her out of the dungeon. They hurried down the halls, Minji struggling to keep up with the princess's brisk pace. Finally, they reached the stables, where Rachel helped her onto a horse after covering her with a thick fur blanket.

Minji was grateful for her help in escaping the dungeon and getting her to safety. As they rode through the forest in the snow, she couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and exhaustion after being imprisoned for so long. Minji leaned against the princess, feeling warmth in her chest despite the freezing temperature of her surroundings.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just too tired..." Minji explained with the last few drops of energy she had left, as she closed her eyes, feeling the gust of wind blowing. She felt the vibration from Rachel's back who simply hummed in response.

As they arrived at a small shabby cottage in the middle of the forest, Rachel helped Minji down from her horse and led her inside. Minji collapsed onto the bed, feeling the weight of the past few days catching up to her.

Rachel tended to her wounds and made sure she was comfortable, even going to lengths to prepare a bath and a change of clothes for Minji, all while seemingly unaffected. Minji couldn't help but feel grateful for the princess's kindness and concern. But as she drifted off to sleep, a thought crossed her mind - which made her shake her head.

The next morning, Rachel prepared to leave, warning Minji to stay hidden until it was safe for her to return to the palace. She mounted her horse and rode off into the distance, Minji watched her go, feeling a sense of loss and confusion that she couldn't quite understand. She pushed those confusions aside, chalking them up to fatigue and stress from her imprisonment.

***

Minji sat by the fireplace, wrapped in a blanket, the door creaked open, making her instinctively reach for the dagger she decided to keep by her side. But it was only Rachel, the person who had saved Minji from eternal misery and sent her away to the secluded cottage in the forest. She placed the dagger back down before standing to welcome her visitor.

"Your Highness," Minji whispered, bowing her head.

"You don't have to do that," she said with a small smile, one that always put Minji in awe at how rare it was. Rachel faced away, shutting the door behind her. "I'm just checking on you."

Minji simply stared at her, still in disbelief that someone of such status would come to visit her. And yet, she had been visiting Minji in secret for weeks now, bringing food and supplies, and always leaving before anyone could notice her absence in the palace.

"Is everything alright?" Rachel asked, sitting down on the chair across from Minji.

"Yes, thank you," Minji said, feeling a warmth spread through her. She had grown accustomed to the princess's visits, but they never ceased to make her feel grateful and comforted.

Rachel glanced around the cozy cottage. "It is lovely here."

The two women sat down by the fire, and Minji served the princess a warm soup. They talked for a while, Rachel asking about her life in the cottage, Minji asking about the state of the kingdom. When it was time for the princess to leave, she gave Minji a small bag of coins. "In case you need anything," she said.

Minji was grateful for the gift. "Thank you, Your Highness. It's too kind of you."

Rachel left, and Minji watched her go, her heart heavy. She wondered if she would ever see her again, but there was another thought that nagged at her: what would happen if the princess found out she wasn't from this world? Would her kindness preserve? Or would she abandon her, just like Della did?

***

Princess Della stormed into the grand chamber, her eyes blazing with anger. Princess Rachel stood before her, calm and composed. "What is the meaning of this, Rachel?" Della seethed. "I trusted you to keep an eye on Lady Winston and now she's disappeared. Where is she?"

Rachel's expressions remain cold, unimpressed by Della's outburst. "I did what I thought was best for the kingdom. You were becoming too attached to her, and it was clouding your judgment. I thought it would be wise to remove her from the palace."

"You had no right to interfere," Della spat. "I was merely observing her for any potential threat to the kingdom. And you've been in the shadows this whole time, why are you suddenly acting up like this?"

"You were more than just observing her, Della," Rachel countered. "You were getting too close. And I won't stand by and let you put the kingdom in jeopardy just because you can't control your feelings."

Della's face twisted with anger. "How dare you. You have no idea what you're talking about. I was merely trying to understand her, to help her. You know nothing about how I feel."

Rachel's eyes narrowed. "Don't lie to me, Della. You remind me too much of our mother, always putting your desires above the needs of Dulryn. I won't let you make the same mistakes she did."

Della's fists clenched at her sides. "You think you're so righteous, Rachel. But you're just as selfish as I am. You have no right to judge me." The tension between the two sisters was palpable. Della's anger was at its peak, and Rachel was not backing down. The future of the kingdom hung in the balance as the two women glared at each other, each refusing to yield. Princess Rachel stood her ground, her eyes flashing with defiance as Princess Della's anger flared. "You have no right to interfere in my affairs, Rachel. You know how important that lady was to me," Della spat out, her fists clenched in frustration.

Rachel shrugged, a sly smile playing on her lips. "I did what I thought was best. And you're welcome, by the way," she said with a smug tone.

Della's eyes narrowed. "What are you talking about?"

"I hid her away where you can't find her," Rachel replied, her voice dripping with satisfaction. Della's face contorted with rage, and she took a step forward, her hand raised as if to strike Rachel. But she hesitated, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "You know I won't fight you," Rachel continued calmly, "You're not a killer, no matter how much you try to pretend to be one."

Della's hand fell to her side, and she glared at Rachel, her breathing heavy with anger, but deep inside she knew Rachel was right. Della had never killed anyone before, while Rachel had been raised for the sole reason of eliminating threats to the kingdom. "You don't know what I'm capable of," she growled.

"Oh, but I do. I know you better than you think, Della." Rachel's taunts only seemed to fuel the other's anger further, and she tightened her grip, her eyes flashing with power.

"Don't you dare try to stop me," Della warned through gritted teeth. "I will not be held back, not by you or anyone else."

"I'm not trying to stop you," Rachel replied, her voice deceptively calm. "I'm just trying to remind you that you're not invincible." Della's expression darkened, and she raised her hand, preparing to strike but Rachel was ready for her, and with just a blink, she countered Della's spell, deflecting it harmlessly into the air.

Della was stunned, her eyes widening in disbelief. Rachel had always been skilled, but never before had she been able to counter one of Della's spells so effortlessly. "You've been practicing," Della observed, a note of grudging respect creeping into her voice. "This isn't over," Della warned, her eyes narrowing. "I will find a way to get what I want."

"Do what you must, but remember that there are consequences to your actions,"

The two princesses stared at each other for a long moment, the tension between them palpable. Finally, Della turned on her heel and stalked away, her footsteps echoing through the empty halls of the castle. Rachel watched her go, her expression went back to its usual expressionless state.