I'm The Boss's Secretary?!

What Min Hyuk reveled shocked Haneul. She had indeed heard of how the Queen live up to the title given to her, the bloodied Queen. She had heard of how the Queen robbed her throne from her husband, further rumors include stories where the Queen had also been the one who killed the late King's father and mother, before ending the lives of other relatives. But to go so far to kill the people of her own. What on Earth did the Queen want other than the throne?

"Why?" Haneul questioned, still unable to pick the reason beneath the Queen's malicious plan.

"The catalyst that the Queen is searching for, I am guessing that she wanted to find that person," answered Min Hyuk but his answer wasn't enough to clear her question.

"I don't get it. What does the catalyst had to do with sending people to kill the participants in the hunting game? She has the throne, was it not enough?" Haneul asked and Min Hyuk gave her a smile.

"What comes after the throne is to protect it on her hand. She wanted to throne to last forever— for eternity," Min Hyuk answered, his voice sent chill to Haneul's body. "I came to the royal palace yesterday, after I notified your father of who the Queen wanted to find. It was then when I overheard the yellow witch's conversation."

Haneul had heard about witches, of the power they acquired by their blood, and the difference of color symbolize the type of witches they are. She heard yellow witch was one of the colored witches who were allowed to enter the kingdom, but there were still people who didn't take the yellow witch's presence well.

"The catalyst are different from witches. While witches acquire their power due to their lineage. Catalyst are humans who were gifted with an enormous power. She said that the catalyst would provide the kingdom with even great achievement, by unifying worlds," Min Hyuk explained.

"They sound like a good person with a good purpose," said Haneul to see him shake his head.

"The 'unifying' they said it's not through good means but war," Min Hyuk said, "The catalyst is a person who have a very fatal power in them that could even wipe a kingdom from the map and the entire land. I had my men to investigate further what the Queen planned behind her action today and found out that she used this attack to find out who the catalyst is. Because once the catalyst face danger, they would for sure protect themselves by mean."

"Protect themselves by means..." Haneul repeated a sudden cold sheet covered her back. When she realized something she never wanted to realize, the effect was no different than to be slapped across the cheek to wake up from a long dream. Her heart shakes in an undefined note of anxiousness. From the description, everything was clear, the catalyst was, "Me. Isn't that...me?"

"Yes," Min Hyuk confirmed, "I am guessing that the catalyst is you."

"Oh my god," gasped Haneul as panic looped around her, "I cannot kill people."

"You won't," Min Hyuk took hold of her hands that trembled all of a sudden, he had took off his hat, showing his forehead that was covered by headband and his hair that was tied to a top-knot. At some point Haneul didn't notice, his eyes had turned red, "I will come up with something to help you, don't fret."

"No," Haneul shook her head, "You might have killed the archer who saw me using my power, but there must be some who escaped," Haneul said what she noticed and Min Hyuk clenched his hand. "And the Queen saw me escaping from the forest, she knew I was the first one to leave. You are a vampire so her suspicions won't fall to you but she will also find out that the catalyst is me. W-What should I do? What if the Queen ask me to kill people and kingdoms? I cannot," Haneul said, her body both shivering and trembling. "I cannot kill people."

Min Hyuk was quick to catch her to his embrace, trying to calm the girl down. The sudden revelation had shocked her. Haneul had always been kept under her family's affection. Her mother was harsh but both her father and her mother had always spoiled her with love and attention, keeping her from the black side of the world. She didn't turn out to be ignorant and spoiled ladies like others, but there had been never once in Haneul's life where she kills someone let alone watch a person die.

"Don't worry, we will be able to work things out. The Queen wants you for her power but you haven't fully manifest your ability, we can use that as a leverage. Meanwhile we use the time we have to find another plan so you won't have to kill people. I will be here, Haneul, by your side, forever," promise Min Hyuk, his hand on her head and waist was tight, making her feel the most secure. 

It took Haneul a moments to rationalize her mind, pulling herself when she thought she would need to kill people frightened her. "T-Thank you," Haneul stammered when she realized how long she had buried her face on Min Hyuk's chest and the vampire notices her red cheeks, smiling.

"Why are you smiling?" Haneul questioned as she find Min Hyuk's lips was curled and raised.

"It's great to see you smile. I thought it will make you cry," he said being honest, his fingertips went to her cheeks and the touch was soft and gentle, instead of her cheeks, Haneul felt as if Min Hyuk was caressing her heart, filling her with a full emotions of happiness. 

"I won't cry. Crying won't solve anything," Haneul said, she saw the first aid kit and remembered what she needed to do, quickly saying, "Show me your arm, we need to bandage your wound."

"I'm sorry," Min Hyuk said, finding her head tilting in a way that made him smile wider at how adorable she was, "I was joking earlier. I am a vampire, a little wound will get healed in less than a few hours." Hearing sounds of footsteps, Min Hyuk then pushed himself to stand from the floor. Haneul followed and when she parted her lips his index fingers stopped her by pressing to her lips. "Someone is here. I will leave now. Don't stress about the catalyst, I will be there whenever you need help. I promise, I will always be on your side." He whispered. 

Min Hyuk only left when Haneul answered her words with a nod. She saw him stood on the edge of the window, without moving he stared at her. Haneul took the scene of him climbing on the window for a while, admiring Min Hyuk's look, the way his hair float on the sky as if it was dancing on water until he left the window and jumped away like cat. Haneul went closer to the window, seeing how he had disappeared and her heart feel missing but that wasn't all she felt when Min Hyuk left.

Her once pained heart now felt much better that Haneul almost forgot her fight with her mother. After that night, she decided to be more forward and open with her love to Min Hyuk. If risk was what she needed to take in order to be with him, then she would give it all away to accept the risk.

Her mind then drifted to the Queen and the catalyst. Was it an exaggeration for her to guess that the Queen must have known about her by now? What will the Queen do now? With many malicious rumors about the Queen, the possibilities that came to Haneul's mind hasn't great, only filling her with further uncertainty and uneasiness. She then retreat to her bed, hoping sleep would cure her current storm of emotions while being unaware of what future would bring to her.

That morning without anyone's expectation, a royal letter arrived to Sol Family which was directed to Haneul from the Queen. The same day, Haneul was to be expected on the royal palace.

When her mother and father knew about the letter, they went to panic, wondering what the Queen would need from their only daughter. It was not an exaggeration for them to think of letting their daughter visit the Queen to be similar to feeding Haneul into the mouth of a wild beast. They have no chance but to obliged however, and when Haneul decided to leave, she heard her mother fainted due to anxiety.

Haneul herself, wasn't in a great condition, her stomach churn when she stepped into the royal palace. The maids bowed when meeting her then leading her towards the garden where the Queen was, inside a large gazebo.

Upon seeing Haneul, the woman's smile widened, "I have been expecting you my child, come take a seat." 

The woman's offer was sweat and kind, she appeared to be a beautiful lady with some crease of wrinkles due to her age, but Haneul could still see how gorgeous she was if she was twenty years younger. Her hair had turned white, but not enough to entirely make her old. The Queen was far different than the rumor posed her to be, her voice was gentle and sincere that could make one doubt if she was truly the evil Queen others rumored her to be.

Haneul would have believed the woman's act of kindness only if she hadn't known about what the Queen had done in the hunting game that caused twenty people's death, leaving only her and Min Hyuk alive. She gulped, praying in her heart that by now with the amount of hour she delayed, Min Hyuk would receive the help letter she sent to his black pigeon.

***

A/N: Next is the last chapter for the lucid dream~