Ghost in the palace

The kingdom woke to a rumor that no one had expected.

By sunrise, the streets of the capital were already filled with whispers.

At first, it was only one sentence.

Then another.

Then dozens.

By midday, the entire kingdom was talking.

The Imperial Family had stepped back.

No one knew exactly what it meant.

Some said the Emperor had abandoned the throne.

Some claimed the imperial family had been frightened by the supernatural disturbances.

Others whispered that the Emperor had discovered something terrible inside the palace.

And then came the strangest rumor of all.

A new royal family had appeared.

No one knew who they were.

No one knew where they had come from.

And no one knew why the kingdom suddenly had a new ruler.

---

The Rumor Spreads

At a small tea stall near the eastern market, several merchants sat around a wooden table.

One man leaned forward.

"I heard the Emperor has left the capital."

Another immediately shook his head.

"Impossible."

"I heard it from a palace servant."

"You believe palace servants?"

"He was frightened when he told me."

The third merchant lowered his voice.

"I heard the imperial family is hiding because of the black altar."

Everyone became quiet.

The black altar.

That name alone was enough to make people uneasy.

It had been discovered inside the Empress’s courtyard.

A place that should have been one of the safest locations in the entire palace.

After its discovery, strange incidents had increased throughout the kingdom.

People heard footsteps in empty houses.

Doors opened by themselves.

Some villagers claimed to have seen figures standing beside wells at midnight.

Others reported hearing someone calling their names from abandoned temples.

And then—

Prince Liang’s consort had died.

Shin Gu had died.

The palace had tried to calm the people.

But fear did not disappear simply because officials ordered people to stop talking.

The merchant swallowed.

"Perhaps Shin Gu really was practicing black magic."

Another man whispered,

"They said she was involved with forbidden rituals."

"But Shin Gu is dead."

"Then why hasn’t the strange activity stopped?"

No one answered.

That was the question frightening everyone.

If Shin Gu had been responsible—

Why were the disturbances continuing after her death?

---

The Capital’s New Rumor

By afternoon, the rumor changed again.

A vegetable seller arrived from the western road and claimed he had seen a procession.

Not an imperial procession.

Something stranger.

"There were soldiers," he said.

"Whose soldiers?"

"I don’t know."

"Then how do you know they were soldiers?"

"They moved like soldiers."

The crowd laughed nervously.

The vegetable seller became irritated.

"I’m telling you what I saw."

"What else?"

"There was a carriage."

"Royal?"

"I don’t know."

"And the person inside?"

The seller lowered his voice.

"A man."

"Who?"

"I couldn’t see his face."

"Why?"

The seller hesitated.

"Because he was wearing a mask."

Silence.

A young man frowned.

"A mask?"

"Yes."

"What kind?"

"Black."

The crowd murmured.

The vegetable seller continued.

"He wore dark robes. No crown. No royal emblem. But everyone around him bowed."

That was enough.

By evening, the entire capital had heard the story.

A masked ruler had appeared.

---

The New Emperor

Inside the palace, the atmosphere was completely different.

The great imperial court had been prepared for an audience.

Officials stood in orderly rows.

Ministers whispered among themselves.

Some were frightened.

Others were angry.

A few were secretly excited.

For generations, the court had been controlled by traditions.

Every minister knew exactly where he belonged.

Every noble understood the hierarchy.

Every official knew which words could be spoken and which could never be spoken.

But today—

Everything was uncertain.

The large doors opened.

Bang.

Every conversation stopped.

Footsteps echoed through the hall.

One.

Two.

Three.

Then the new ruler entered.

He wore a long black robe.

There was no excessive embroidery.

No bright gold.

No unnecessary ornament.

A dark belt crossed his waist.

A sword hung at his side.

And covering the upper half of his face—

Was a black mask.

Only his eyes were visible.

Cold.

Sharp.

Completely emotionless.

The officials lowered their heads.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The masked Emperor walked toward the throne.

He did not rush.

He did not look nervous.

He did not acknowledge anyone individually.

He simply sat.

The entire court remained silent.

Then his voice came.

"Rise."

The officials stood.

His voice was calm.

But there was something unsettling about it.

He did not sound like a man who had recently obtained power.

He sounded like someone who had already possessed it for years.

---

Minister Zhao Steps Forward

The senior minister, Minister Zhao, stepped forward.

He bowed.

"Your Majesty."

The masked Emperor looked at him.

"Speak."

Minister Zhao hesitated.

He had served the previous imperial administration for many years.

He knew how to approach the old Emperor.

But this man—

Was different.

"We have received numerous reports regarding the recent transition."

The masked Emperor said nothing.

Minister Zhao continued.

"The people are confused."

"Then clarify the situation."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Minister Zhao swallowed.

"May this minister ask..."

He paused.

"Why has the previous imperial family stepped back?"

The entire court became still.

That was the question everyone wanted answered.

The masked Emperor leaned slightly against the throne.

"They chose to step away."

"Voluntarily?"

"Yes."

"Will they return?"

The masked Emperor’s eyes sharpened.

"When they are ready."

Minister Zhao lowered his head.

"Understood."

But another minister immediately stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, with respect—"

The masked Emperor looked at him.

The minister suddenly became nervous.

"We cannot have uncertainty regarding the succession."

The Emperor’s voice remained calm.

"There is no uncertainty."

"Your Majesty?"

"I am sitting here."

No one spoke.

The minister’s face paled.

The masked Emperor continued.

"The kingdom requires administration."

"The kingdom requires order."

"The people require protection."

He looked across the court.

"And I will provide all three."

---

The Minister Who Overstepped

A nobleman standing among the officials suddenly smiled.

He was Lord Han.

He had been waiting for an opportunity to increase his influence.

He stepped forward.

"Your Majesty, surely such an important transition requires consultation with the great noble families."

The masked Emperor looked at him.

"Consultation?"

"Yes."

"With whom?"

"The families who have supported the throne for generations."

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

"Are you suggesting the throne belongs to those families?"

Lord Han immediately bowed.

"No, Your Majesty. I merely mean—"

"You mean exactly what you said."

Lord Han froze.

The Emperor rose.

The hall became silent.

"You believe your family’s influence gives you the right to question the throne."

"No, Your Majesty."

"You believe your wealth gives you authority."

"No."

"You believe your connections protect you."

Lord Han’s face turned pale.

The Emperor stepped down from the throne.

"Then remember something."

He stopped directly in front of the nobleman.

"A kingdom has one throne."

"Not ten."

"Not a hundred."

"One."

His voice remained quiet.

"And those who forget that..."

He paused.

"...will be reminded."

Lord Han immediately bowed.

"This minister understands."

The Emperor looked at him for another moment.

"Good."

He turned away.

"Next matter."

No one dared speak unnecessarily after that.

---

The Investigation

The next subject was the supernatural disturbances.

Minister Zhao stepped forward again.

"Your Majesty, there are reports from seventeen provinces."

The masked Emperor looked toward him.

"How many confirmed?"

"Thirty-two major incidents."

"Deaths?"

"Twenty-seven confirmed."

The court became tense.

"And unexplained disappearances?"

"Forty-one."

The Emperor’s eyes darkened.

"Any connection?"

"We have not found one."

"Investigate again."

"We have already—"

"Again."

Minister Zhao bowed.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Emperor continued.

"Search abandoned temples."

"Search old shrines."

"Search underground chambers."

"Search every location where forbidden rituals were historically performed."

Minister Zhao’s expression changed.

"Your Majesty..."

"What?"

"Are you suggesting this is related to black magic?"

The Emperor stared at him.

"I am suggesting we investigate every possibility."

The minister nodded.

"Yes."

Then the Emperor asked,

"What happened to Shin Gu?"

The court fell silent.

Minister Zhao answered carefully.

"She died."

"Cause?"

"Unknown."

"Official explanation?"

"Black magic."

The Emperor’s eyes narrowed.

"Official explanation?"

"Yes."

"Was it proven?"

"No."

"Then stop calling it an explanation."

The ministers exchanged glances.

The Emperor continued.

"Shin Gu may have been involved."

"She may have been responsible for some incidents."

"But if the disturbances continue after her death..."

He paused.

"Then either she was not working alone..."

"Or we have misunderstood the entire matter."

A chill moved through the court.

---

The Black Altar

Minister Zhao brought forward a sealed document.

"There is another matter."

The Emperor looked at him.

"The black altar found inside the Empress’s courtyard."

The room became silent.

Even those who had heard the story privately had never discussed it openly.

Minister Zhao continued.

"It was destroyed after examination."

"Who examined it?"

"Several court ritual specialists."

"What did they find?"

"Signs of forbidden spiritual practices."

The Emperor’s fingers tightened around the armrest.

"And the Empress?"

"She survived."

"Was she affected?"

"We don’t know."

"Investigate."

Minister Zhao hesitated.

"Her Majesty is no longer in the palace."

"I know."

The Emperor’s gaze became colder.

"Find out who placed that altar there."

"Yes."

"And do not accuse anyone without proof."

"Understood."

The Emperor stood.

"That is all."

The ministers bowed.

But before leaving, the masked Emperor added—

"One more thing."

Everyone stopped.

"No noble family will use this chaos to seize power."

His eyes swept across the court.

"No minister will exploit fear."

"No general will move troops without permission."

"And no one will approach the former imperial family without authorization."

His voice hardened.

"Anyone who crosses that boundary..."

He touched the sword at his waist.

"...will answer to me."

---

---

The Masked Emperor’s First Order

Back in the capital, the new masked Emperor issued his first major decree.

Across every province, officials received the same order.

Investigate all paranormal incidents.

Protect civilians.

Do not destroy ancient ritual sites without examination.

Do not conceal deaths.

Do not spread false rumors.

And most importantly—

Anyone practicing forbidden black magic would be treated as an enemy of the kingdom.

The decree spread rapidly.

People began to realize something.

The new Emperor was not weak.

He was not temporary.

He was not someone who could be manipulated.

He was strict.

Severe.

But he seemed determined to restore order.

Yet nobody knew why he wore the mask.

Nobody knew where he had come from.

And nobody knew why he had appeared at precisely the moment the imperial family vanished.

---

A Stranger in the Forest

That same night, deep in the northern forest—