TKEP 52🔐

Chapter 52

Sunmi poured the clear alcohol into two glasses. Its sharp scent belied its transparent, delicate color.

“The more time passes, the angrier I get.”

Byung downed the drink in one gulp, grinning. Sunmi refilled his glass.

“Please, regain some composure, Your Highness.”

“How can I stay composed when I have to watch Yeon and that girl, and that bastard Kang Seo-jun running wild? You said you’d help me, didn’t you? What exactly is it that you do?”

Byung blamed others again, venting his frustration.

So tiresome.

Sunmi covered her face with her hand and sighed.

“I can only help if there’s something to be done. Nothing has happened yet, so how am I supposed to step in?”

“Nothing has happened? Kang Seo-jun was chosen as the national heir!”

“Exactly. Kang Seo-jun, who’s completely fine from head to toe, is walking around Gyeongbokgung Palace freely. That means, Your Highness, you haven’t done what you should have.”

Sunmi glanced around. Broken and damaged items filled the room.

Why can’t he just act according to his temperament instead of bothering people?

She clicked her tongue in annoyance.

“Do you think it’s easy? No matter what I tried, I couldn’t even get anything into the palace where that bastard stayed.”

“So you did try something?”

Byung had already planned to tamper with the food a little.

He sent a simple gift to see if it could be smuggled in—but it was returned immediately.

As a precaution, he sent gifts to all three candidates for the national heir, but only Seo-jun’s eunuch returned the gift.

“The guy there was all about ‘rules’ and principle.”

“And you gave up just like that?”

“I even tried sending someone inside.”

“And?”

Byung had disguised a man named Go Jun-hwan as a eunuch and sent him in, but Seo-jun recognized him right away in the courtyard.

“This is the first time I’ve seen you. Were you newly assigned today? I haven’t received any separate notice.”

Byung didn’t even remember how Go Jun-hwan got out of there. It wasn’t important. What mattered to Byung was that all his attempts had been blocked.

Was his plan sloppy?

Not at all.

He’d only summarized the operation briefly for Sunmi, too lazy to explain in detail, but it had been meticulous.

It was just that Kang Seo-jun was too sharp and quick-witted.

And one more thing.

“I got the impression that the security was extremely tight.”

Even Go Jun-hwan, who came and went in Gyeongbokgung like it was his home, felt that Seo-jun’s protection was thorough.

“The Emperor had already decided on that bastard from the start. He pretended to consider my opinion, then stabbed me in the back!”

Byung’s hand trembled as he held the cup, veins standing out, his eyes bloodshot from rage.

As his breathing grew labored, Sunmi took the glass from his hand.

Byung, swept up in anger, regained some composure. He nervously shook off the remaining alcohol on his hands and glared at Sunmi.

“Is there no good way?”

“How could I do what Your Highness hasn’t done yourself?”

Sunmi subtly encouraged him. Byung’s lips twitched.

“Right. Who would do what I can’t?”

“It’s impossible inside Gyeongbokgung. But—”

Sunmi snatched the bottle Byung had been reaching for and poured herself a drink.

Byung leaned back on the sofa and stared at her.

“But what?”

Sunmi emptied her glass. The intoxicating aroma was enticing, yet the bitter, sharp alcohol scratched her throat. She frowned, then smiled.

“The stage doesn’t necessarily have to be Gyeongbokgung, right? Even the tightest security and protection have moments of laxity. You know exactly when that is.”

Byung narrowed his eyes, understanding her meaning, then clapped his hands.

“When we go abroad… the honeymoon!”

A deep smile spread across his face.

As always, for better or worse, the wife was the best.

Though he was angry he couldn’t deal with Yeon and Seo-jun immediately, the peak moment would hurt the most if he struck then.

They’ll think it’s over once married. Let them enjoy the honeymoon.

He would strike their hearts when they least expected it.

Until then, enjoy the peace.

Byung raised his glass toward the direction of Changdeokgung Palace.

“To that.”

Yeon woke to bright sunlight.

She could ignore the shrill vibration of her phone, or the anxious voice calling her—but she couldn’t overcome the sun striking her face.

“Chief Seong, could you… close that?”

She buried her head into the soft pillow and waved her hands.

Seung-an, gripping the blackout curtain, said,

“How much did you drink? Do you even remember?”

“Re…member…”

Yeon held her throbbing head from the hangover.

Seung-an sighed deeply and set a glass of honey water on the bedside table.

“You wouldn’t remember. You were carried home by His Highness yesterday!”

“Kang Seo-jun?”

Yeon slowly lifted her head.

Fresh air flowed in through the open window, clearing her mind slightly.

“Yes! Kang Seo-jun! The man who will become Your Highness’ husband!”

Yeon blinked slowly.

The scenes of dream and reality mixed together chaotically:

A pretty smile lifting, the smooth face drawing closer, a neat hand threading through her hair, the lipsickening kiss that made her limbs tingle…

She wished she could stop there.

“Crazy!”

She covered her mouth and dove under the blanket.

Her body wriggled like a caterpillar.

“You remember everything, right? You didn’t cross the line, and you’re not already the shy cat jumping onto the stove first, are you? Though Your Highness is not a shy cat anyway…”

Right, Chief Seong.

I’m not a shy cat.

I… was a bold cat.

No! I’m a lewd cat!

Her ears rang with memories of yesterday’s mischief:

“I want to kiss you. Your lips look better than the bandit’s.”

“Let’s do it again.”

Why compare him to a bandit?

Seo-jun’s lips were far too red, beautiful, sweet, and soft to even be compared… Ugh!

Yeon grabbed her head, thinking of it again.

Clearly, a mischievous spirit had possessed her body, or perhaps a monster.

Either way, she couldn’t face Seo-jun.

Even if I’m weak with alcohol, this is too much. A few traditional drinks can’t have done this!

She blamed the alcohol, though she knew it was innocent.

Even if she was sensitive to it, a few drinks couldn’t make her lose all sense.

It was just enough to make her admit she wanted to kiss Kang Seo-jun.

Since their first kiss, she couldn’t stop thinking about his lips.

Every time she saw him, her stomach tingled as if she had eaten a very sour candy.

Gradually, her memories became clearer.

“Let’s go back. You’ll catch a cold.”

She had tried to leave with him several times.

“Does Kang Seo-jun dislike kissing me?”

“No. I like it too.”

“Then let’s continue!”

She forced a positive response out of him and pressed her lips to his.

I’ve really gone overboard.

What would she even do now?

Peeking out from under the blanket, she asked,

“Kang Seo-jun, what are you doing now?”

While Yeon was tangled in blankets, Seo-jun had been dealing with visitors arriving from the morning.

“The history of the Korean Empire begins with Emperor Gojong…”

The lecturers reciting familiar stories were teachers from Jonghak, an institution for educating royal heirs.

Originally established to teach children of the Joseon royal family, Jonghak had evolved into a temporary institution, convened when necessary, especially for educating the emperor’s heir.

This time, it was urgently established for the education of the national heir.

Six teachers were selected through recommendations by the Empress Dowager, the Empress, and the Emperor: two historians, two international affairs experts, one classical literature scholar, and one royal etiquette expert.

Seo-jun checked the faces of the six seated before him. Their lectures were as stiff and formal as their expressions.

Still, he participated earnestly. These lessons were compulsory for the national heir.

A class for the groom, as it were.

Even if he knew the material, it was his duty to take it seriously.