Fate Of The Tally [Kim Ga-On - "The King's Affection" FF]

- Chapter 17: (The Truth)

- 3RD POV:

The next day, a Maid was walking around, doing her chores.

As she walks around, she notices something hanging from the porch of a house.

"My Lord!", She cries out as she sees her Lord's body hanging from the ceiling of the porch.

"Somebody, please help!", The Maid cries out as people gather around and look at the horrific sight.

A few minutes later, Inspector Seok-Jo comes to the scene with his men to inspect the dead Lord's death.

He looks at the dead body as the other inspectors cover the body up.

Seok-Jo then looks at the rope that is still hanging on the ceiling of the porch.

In the Palace, Hyeong-Seol is training some of the men while Seok-Jo shows up out of nowhere next to him.

They glare at eachother as Seok-Jo tells Hyeong-Seol to follow him.

They soon reach a private area where they both sit down at a table in front of eachother.

"Un-am is dead.", Seok-Jo informs Hyeong-Seol.

"Wait. Un-am is dead?", Hyeong-Seol responds in disbelief.

"It's the second incident this month. Now, two men who testified against Preceptor Kang (Master Hwa-Gil) ten years ago have mysteriously died.", Seok-Jo adds as Hyeong-Seol looks at him in shock.

"They say he hanged himself, but that doesn't seem right, does it? I figured you'd have some information regarding this case, but I guess I was wrong then.", Seok-Jo says as he gets up and starts to walk away.

"You haven't came to see me in nearly ten years, Seok-Jo. Not that I expect a heartfelt reunion with a fellow classmate, but we could have exchanged greetings.", Hyeong-Seol says, making Seok-Jo stop walking and turn around to look at him.

"I doubt you actually care about how I'm doing.", Seok-Jo replies.

"Jung Ji-Un, is it? I heard your son was appointed as a Royal Tutor for His Highness... If he takes after you when you were young, and of course, his will serve greatly as the Prince's Tutor.", Hyeong-Seol says with a soft chuckle as Seok-Jo scoffs.

"I've wasted your time... My apologies. Good day.", Seok-Jo says as he walks away.

When he walks away, he bumps into Princess Haeun.

"Your Highness?", He asks as Haeun quickly bows.

"I-I am sorry, please excuse me...", She says as she nervously walks away.

'Did she hear our conversation?', Seok-Jo thinks as he watches a nervous Princess Haeun walk away.

- Haeun's POV:

'So the two people that have died... testified against Master?... If Seok-Jo doesn't think the man hanged himself, then that would mean that he would have been killed, right???...... Wait... What if--What if the guy I saw that had the other half of the Tally killed them? I need to find out who that man was... But I can't ask Hyeong-Seol because I'm not allowed to talk about Master to him.... Should I ask Ga-On to help me? He shouldn't know much about the Palace since he is new here... So he wouldn't know about Master since he won't tell me not to talk about Master because he doesn't know him! I can't ask Hwi because he doesn't really remember...', I think as I start to look for Ga-On.

As I look for Ga-On, I run into Hwi.

"Hwi!", I say surprised as I look behind him to see Bok-dong and Ga-On.