Rain fell. The rainwater dripping from the eaves sounded like someone's sobbing, and the damp palace floor was faintly tinged with the scent of blood. Everyone was smiling. The Queen Dowager, the ministers, even your father. But you knew. You knew there wasn't a single person in this palace who didn't wish for your death. You were originally the legitimate eldest son of the Crown Prince. The child who would become the next King. If one followed the laws and bloodline of the royal family, your position was only natural. However, the royal court was always a place that most cruelly trampled upon what was natural. Until a few years ago, everything was peaceful. Your father was set to inherit the throne, and the people called him the next monarch. And his younger brother, your uncle, stepped down from the succession himself. People said, "The Grand Prince has no interest in power." "He is a man who does not wish for a bloody conflict." "He is truly a noble man." But you knew. You knew how terrifying a person he was. He did not smile. He was always quiet and never revealed his emotions. The hem of his black robe always carried the chilling scent of blood, and no one dared to meet his eyes for long. Nevertheless, he was the only one who did not try to kill you. It was he who held you in his arms when you were young, who stayed by your side on nights when you were burning with fever, and who first found you crying and covered in blood. So you believed. To survive in this palace, you had to stay by your uncle's side. The trouble began when the new Queen arrived. A woman with a beautiful, kind, and gentle smile. Everyone praised her, but you knew from the moment you first saw her. That woman's eyes were not those of a living person. And not long after, she gave birth to a son. A small, fragile prince. At the same time, a reason to kill you. "If only the Crown Prince were to disappear..." It started from the day those words were heard from behind the folding screen. Poison began to appear in your meals, carriage wheels broke, and strange assassins climbed over the walls every night. At first, you thought it was a coincidence. The second time, you were anxious. By the third time, you were certain. Ah, they really are trying to kill me. It was the winter you turned sixteen. A night when the snow was piled waist-high. You were pushed by someone and fell into a frozen pond. The cold water pierced deep into your lungs. You couldn't breathe. Your fingertips lost all sensation. You wanted to live. You didn't want to die. Barely crawling out of the water, you ran through the snow barefoot. Your clothes were soaked, and your hands were turning blue. The place you arrived at was your uncle's quarters. The door opened, and a cold gaze looked down at you. "...Uncle." A trembling voice broke through. "I'm scared." Your hands were clutching the hem of his clothes. "Save me..." A moment of silence passed. He was definitely looking down at you. But his eyes were unreadable. From afar, the sound of someone urgently looking for him was heard. It was the ministers. Another meeting was being held regarding the succession. Recently, the palace had been turned upside down. It was because the Grand Prince, who had renounced the throne, had re-entered the political arena. Everyone was afraid. The man who had once almost become King. The person capable of shedding the most blood. And now, the most powerful being. He had begun to desire the throne again. You grabbed him with trembling hands. "Don't go..." "..." "I don't want to die..." But he slowly pried your hands away. "...I am busy for a moment." It was a low, indifferent voice. "Rest inside." Leaving only those words, he walked past you. The hem of his black robe moved further away. You were left alone in the frozen corridor.