“Welcome, Your Highness Mi-Reu and Your Highness Gi-Reu,” Lady Shin said, her voice like the chime of silver bells. She offered a graceful, seated bow from behind the low tea table. Her dark, obsidian hair was meticulously styled in a traditional daemori, the braided tresses coiled atop her head and secured with an ornate jade binyeo hairpin, a look that highlighted her delicate yet firm features. Though she was the same age as Crown Prince Yi-Joon, she carried an air of maturity that occasionally flickered whenever she looked at the twins.

  Mi-Reu and Gi-Reu settled onto the silk cushions opposite her. “Thank you for accepting our sudden request, Lady Shin,” Gi-Reu said, his tone unusually polite.

  “Of course. I always cherish our little chats,” Lady Shin replied. As she tilted her head, the sunlight streaming in from the open courtyard caught the intricate embroidery of her pale silk jeogori, casting a warm glow over her porcelain skin. “I have heard rumors that you two have performed some truly wonderful feats for Haebang recently?” she asked, lifting her tea bowl with practiced elegance.

  “It was nothing significant, Lady Shin. Things simply fell into place,” Mi-Reu said, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks at the praise.

  Gi-Reu, however, couldn't hide his pride. Between sips of his own tea, he added, “We were rewarded for it, though! Now we have the authority to manage our own personal allowances!”

  “Yes, the news has traveled even to the guest wing!” Lady Shin’s neutral facade cracked, a genuine sparkle of excitement dancing in her eyes. “I heard you are even establishing your own royal bureau? An office run entirely by the two of you?!”

  “Yeah!” the twins replied in unison.

  Gi-Reu leaned in a bit closer, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper as he cleared his throat. “And that’s not all... Father has granted us special permission to go horseback riding in the outskirts beyond the palace walls more frequently as part of our reward.”

  Lady Shin’s hand hit the table with a soft thud of pure excitement. Before she could stop herself, she blurted out, “Horseback riding? Outside?!”

  Startled, both Mi-Reu and Gi-Reu began making frantic fanning motions with their hands, urging her to lower her voice. They cast nervous glances toward the sliding doors to ensure the ladies-in-waiting weren't eavesdropping.

  “Ahem.” Lady Shin quickly cleared her throat, smoothing her skirts and recomposing her features into a mask of serene dignity. “That is... wonderful news indeed,” she said, though her hands were still trembling slightly with anticipation.

  The twins chuckled inwardly. They knew that despite her refined upbringing, Lady Shin Soo-In possessed a vibrant, tomboyish spirit that felt stifled by the rigid, conservative traditions of Joseon. She had always adored her visits to Haebang, where the social protocols for noblewomen were slightly more relaxed, offering her a rare breath of freedom.

  Even here, she had to maintain the appearance of a dignified future Crown Princess to represent her family and the Joseon delegation, but the twins could see right through her. She was a bird in a gilded cage, desperate for a flight.

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  “Why don’t you come and observe our progress this evening when we go for our ride?” Mi-Reu suggested with a knowing smile.

  Lady Shin was practically vibrating with joy. It wasn't just the prospect of leaving the palace walls or watching the horses, she knew the subtext. This was the opening move of Crown Prince Yi-Joon’s scheme for a secret outing.

  “Of course,” Lady Shin said, a soft, rosy blush deepening on her cheeks. “If my future youngest in-laws are kind enough to invite me, I would be absolutely delighted to attend.”

  “We shall be equally delighted,” Mi-Reu said, matching her tone to the formality of the room while Gi-Reu nodded in enthusiastic agreement.

  “Oh, that’s right! I almost forgot, I brought gifts for the two of you,” Lady Shin said, clapping her hands once. She called out toward the sliding doors, “Bring them in!”

  As the attendants prepared to enter, Mi-Reu leaned in slightly, her voice dropping. “Did you receive my letter, Lady Shin?”

  Gi-Reu blinked, his brow furrowing in genuine confusion. “What letter? When did you write a letter to her?” Mi-Reu merely smirked, taking a slow, deliberate sip of her tea. “You’ll see soon enough.”

  Gi-Reu pouted at being left out of the loop just as two polished wooden gift boxes were carried into the hall. “One for Her Highness Mi-Reu, and one for His Highness Gi-Reu,” Lady Shin announced, sliding a box toward each of them.

  Gi-Reu excitedly flipped the latch on his box, expecting perhaps a silk sash or a set of fine brushes. Instead, the metallic glint of coins met his eyes. “Huh...?” He paused, his fingers quickly counting the stacks. “Exactly fifty Yang?”

  “That’s right,” Lady Shin said, her expression turning slightly puzzled as she looked at Mi-Reu. “Her Highness Mi-Reu sent a letter to the Joseon Port, requesting that I forgo traditional presents. She asked that I simply bring the equivalent value in Yang instead.”

  Mi-Reu smiled brightly, her eyes shimmering with the calculation of a treasurer. “Any physical object you could have purchased would not be nearly as meaningful as the gift of capital right now, Lady Shin.”

  Gi-Reu remained silent for a heartbeat, the gears in his head turning. He looked at Mi-Reu, realizing this was how she intended to fund that third Quick Recall. He gave a sharp nod. “It’s true. Given that we have just launched a royal bureau, we need every coin of operating funds we can possibly scrounge together.”

  “It does make practical sense, I suppose,” Lady Shin said, though a shadow of disappointment crossed her face. “But I must admit, I was quite looking forward to selecting some beautiful gifts for you two.”

  “Of course! You can do so next time,” Mi-Reu said, quickly cheering her up with a playful wink.

  “Oh, that’s right, we have something for you as well,” Gi-Reu interjected. He reached into his sleeve and produced the letter Crown Prince Yi-Joon had entrusted to them, placing it carefully on the table. “Here, Lady Shin. I believe you will find this much more enjoyable than any gift.”

  Lady Shin’s eyes widened. She took the letter with trembling fingers, her composure melting away as she broke the seal. As her eyes scanned the ink, her face slowly transitioned from pale porcelain to a vibrant, deep scarlet blush. The twins leaned in, their necks craned with burning curiosity, trying to catch a glimpse of the poetic prose their brother had penned.

  Once she finished reading, she immediately held the corner of the parchment to the flame of a nearby candle, watching the secret words turn to ash. She whispered to herself for a moment before looking at the twins with a shy, triumphant smirk.

  “His Highness has indeed invited me to an outing in the outskirts,” she said, deciding to quench only a tiny fraction of their thirst for gossip. “That is the only detail you are permitted to hear. The rest of its contents are for my eyes only.”

  The twins let out a long, synchronized sigh, lamenting the secrecy of the two flirting lovebirds.