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Scroll 15⚠️

⚠️ WARNING:  SOME PARTS OF THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS DEPICTION OF VIOLENCE, INCLUDING EMOTIONAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE.

Joy walked out of the quarters in a daze. Once greeted by the blazing afternoon sun, her legs gave way and she collapsed onto the floor. Little Choi quickly rushed up to Joy. "Agassi, are you alright?" she asked with concern. 

"I think I committed another crime. I spoke too insolently to the King. For a moment, I forgot that he should be someone that I should be scared of." said Joy, who is lost in her own thoughts that she didn't hear Little Choi questioning her.

"Eh?" Little Choi gave a confused expression, unsure of how to react. She can't exactly console her and tell her that it is alright since the person on the topic is her ruler, the King of Joseon.

However, another thought flashed through Joy's mind. "Hold on a second, why should I be scared? After all, I did no wrong." Joy mumbled, loud enough for Little Choi to hear.

I'm from twenty-first-century, where the monarchy doesn't exist anymore. So why should I be afraid of the King? King or no king, he is just a normal being like me. Joy tried reasoning with herself.

Meanwhile, Little Choi had difficulty understanding Joy. As she tried to understand the meaning of Joy's words, Joy has already got up and walked off as if nothing had happened before. 

She sure recovered very fast by herself. Little Choi thought as she quickly caught up with Joy.

**********

Minkyung followed Prime Minister Heo and his company to a room hidden deep inside the abandoned hanok. The room is dark initially but was instantly lit up when one of Prime Minister Heo's servant held out a fire torch.

Minkyung gasped and were taken aback upon seeing what the room contains. Her brain took a few seconds to absorb the scene before her. They were like dungeons...but even smaller. Just looking at it made her shiver. She does not like the smell of the room either. It stank of blood. There is also a hint of something being burnt. All contained inside this small room.

"Who are they?" she mustered up her courage to speak. Disguising her fear with confidence in her voice. The whimpering from the room scares her but she dares not show it to Prime Minister Heo.

Inside the small room, aside from them, three men were present-- prisoned in their designated corners, like animals in a stuffy metal cage. Minkyung could see that they were all brutally tortured. All of them wore simple white dirtied clothes, which were mostly stained with blood that has long been dried, and their hands and legs were all chained up. One of them even has the mark of what looks like the base of a metal iron printed on one of his legs.

"Traitors. Two of them want to leave because of one word: afraid. While the other one..." Minister Kim gestured with his head to the man with the burnt mark printed on his leg. "...attempted to betray us. But of course, he didn't get to do it successfully." He took pride in emphasizing the last sentence.

Prime Minister Heo gave a look at Minister Kim, which seemed to be some kind of signal. He immediately understood and ordered one of the servants. "Hang that betrayal."

The man was dragged out brutally. He struggled but were certainly no match for the servant. The scene was like a deer trying to fight the lion, where the result is certain-- The lion wins.