Tae In-ho, the half-prince of the Taeseong Empire, lived a wretched life as the servant of the third prince, Tae Seon. Forced to commit terrible acts, he met a brutal end, executed by poison for his crimes. Yet fate granted him an inexplicable second chance. He awoke in the past, sixteen years old once more. Determined to avoid his former doom, he vowed to escape the imperial palace and its deadly intrigues forever. But the world is not so easily outrun. While fleeing in disguise, In-ho is gravely wounded and left for dead. His rescuer is a man he never knew in his previous life: Gyeon Ja-un, the handsome and revered heir of one of the empire’s four great families. “I owe you my life,” In-ho admits. “If you wish to preserve that life,” Ja-un replies with a gentle smile that hides his true thoughts, “stay out of sight.” Ja-un, celebrated as the most beautiful man in Taeseong, is a puzzle. In-ho tries to distance himself, yet their paths continue to cross. “We should define our relationship,” Ja-un suggests later, his demeanor unexpectedly warm. “I was rather cold when we first met.” “We are merely being polite. We are not friends,” In-ho retorts, wary of the sudden shift. “You offer comfort now, yet your words are so harsh.” Confused by Ja-un’s changing behavior, In-ho makes a fatal mistake: he reveals his true identity as a prince. This single act, born from a desire to change his future, pulls him into a political whirlwind far greater than the one he fled. Now, to protect what matters, he must walk back into the lion’s den. “I will go,” In-ho declares, his eyes lifting toward the highest seat of power. “To the imperial palace.”