Your Highness

H U N D R E D A N D T W O

C H A P T E R   HUNDREDANDTWO

When the doors to Han's chamber again opened, of course, Hayoon expected the owner of this room to appear but she was wrong. The person entering wasn't Han, but a mysterious woman. She was dressed in black from head to toe, her robes tight to her body showing her feminine figure. The woman was wearing a mask which was painted as the face of a red monster. The mask covered the woman's face entirely, so Hayoon could not see anything besides her eyes.

When Hayoon realized that the guards outside weren't knocked out but willingly let the woman enter, she knew it wasn't an assassin sent by the Empress. The woman wasn't posing any threatening posture, but slowly walked towards Hayoon with calm steps.

Although Hayoon couldn't see the face of the stranger, yet she oddly found the person strangely familiar. The stranger walked past Hayoon and towards the wall on the other side of the room. Putting a hand on the wall, an opening to the secret tunnel was revealed.

Hayoon was surprised at how the woman was aware that there was a secret tunnel there. Turning around, the masked woman saw the confused expression on Hayoon's face, while Hayoon was unable to identify any emotions due to the mask the woman was wearing.

"You want me to follow you?" Hayoon asked, reading the woman's gesture.

The woman nodded, remaining voiceless.

Judging from the way the guards allowed this person to enter, Hayoon could tell which side this woman was on. The one that helped Han during the banquet.

The mysterious person, who sent Hayoon letters and helped Han more than a couple of times. The exact same person who stopped Hayoon from getting help when Han was sick.

Now, that person was asking her to meet?

Hayoon didn't feel good about this, but nevertheless she followed the wish of the masked woman.

With fast steps, it appeared as if this masked woman was quite familiar with the routes inside this secret passage. Hayoon only knew that it was a tunnel connecting rooms Han with the other chambers, but judging from how long they have been walking, the tunnel was far bigger than she thought. There were times, where the masked woman stopped up and fixed her hands on the wall. Hayoon assumed it was to unluck the traps. The tunnel was like a maze, and Hayoon was sure she would get lost if she was to walk inside here alone.

Finally, after good ten minutes, they reached a blind end. Hayoon thought it was due to a wrong turn, but when the woman placed a hand on the wall, the bricks of the wall moved aside, revealing an opening.

Hayoon walked behind the masked woman and entered a room which she had been inside before. She had to lower her head and curving her back a little to enter the low opening.

The room was decorated with shelves filled with books and scrolls, and the torches at the wall was the only thing providing a source of light. It looked like a prison in Hayoon's eyes, but judging from the interior it was a room people actually lived in. There was a bed at the corner and in the middle of the room were a little table and a pair of chairs.

A person was sitting there waiting for Hayoon to come.

"Long time no see her highness," A voice greeted Hayoon was laced with exaggerated mockery.

The sound of the voice snapped Hayoon away from her thought and automatically drew her attention. Hayoon couldn't believe her eyes but had to admit that the person in front of her was of flesh and blood and not a ghost as she had assumed.

"A... Ailee?" Hayoon muttered.

Ailee stared at Hayoon with a gaze that wasn't welcoming Hayoon at all. The pair of eyes poured with resentment and the smugged grin on the princess's lips were present on the elegant face.