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Chapter 55
“Anyone would end up like that if misfortune kept coming one after another.”
Yeon looked back at the front door, her eyes filled with deep pity.
Watching the person having a breakdown so carefully, she could briefly infer Yoo Seo-yeon’s tragic life.
The sudden influx of a large amount of money must have attracted opportunists around her. With secrets of her own, Yoo Seo-yeon had panicked and handed over the money.
The result was Yoo Seo-yeon’s bankruptcy and mental collapse.
“She seems to need treatment.”
“Exactly. It’s fortunate that we found out.”
The investigation had started as a way to uncover the Crown Prince’s secrets, but Yeon sincerely thought it was fortunate that they could at least help Yoo Seo-yeon this way.
“Should we assign someone to stay close to Yoo Seo-yeon?”
“No, that won’t do. She’s extremely sensitive. She would probably notice.”
If Yoo Seo-yeon panicked and ran, the opportunity to help her could vanish entirely.
“What will you do then?”
“We wait. I left my contact information beside her. Director Sung’s sub-phone number. If a call comes from an unknown number, she must pick it up.”
Very few people knew about Director Sung’s sub-phone. Even if someone from the Crown Prince’s side discovered it, the prepaid phone would prevent them from tracing the owner.
“Understood. But will she really call?”
“She has to muster that courage herself.”
Only then could she escape the filth of her current reality.
“We should also prepare meals and daily necessities, and next time, clean the place a bit. The room is a mess. Also, the curtains need to be changed.”
Even just replacing the dark curtains in Yoo Seo-yeon’s home with brighter ones might help. Gradually getting used to light was also necessary.
“First, let’s go shopping.”
Yeon pulled a hat from her bag and pulled it down low, heading to a nearby mart.
A few days later, it was time to check the wedding attire.
Marriages in the Korean Empire were conducted according to traditional ceremonies. Though not as lengthy as in the Joseon era, the attire remained traditional.
Seeing the ceremonial robe hanging on the wall and the ceremonial headpiece on the table, Yeon clicked her tongue.
“Do I really have to wear this?”
The headpiece, adorned with layers of silk, weighed around 4 kg. Just imagining wearing it for at least an hour made her neck and shoulders ache.
“It’s just for a short time. Bear with it.”
Sil-an peeked over her shoulder and stuck close to Yeon.
“Why whisper ‘bear with it’ so secretly?”
Yeon chuckled lightly. Then Sil-an whispered quickly:
“Your Highness, you have a call.”
“Who is it?”
Sil-an pressed her lips together, and Yeon immediately knew.
It was Yoo Seo-yeon.
After exchanging a glance with Sil-an, Yeon looked around at the lineup of staff in the ceremonial office.
“Of course, I’ll bear it. I like the ceremonial robe and the grand headpiece. Especially the embroidered harpy on the neckpiece. The pheasant and clouds look real. When you meet the embroidery staff next time, be sure to tell them what I said.”
“Any points for improvement, Your Highness?”
“Perfect.”
The ceremonial robe and headpiece already had a set design, so asking for Yeon’s opinion was merely a formality.
“Then let’s confirm it as is.”
“Anything else I should check?”
“No, Your Highness.”
Yeon praised the staff and hurried outside. She got into the waiting car.
“Director Sung, sit beside me. Kim, I’m thirsty—bring me a glass of water, sparkling, French brand.”
Kim went out of the car to fulfill Yeon’s picky request. Only Yeon and Sil-an remained inside.
“Yoo Seo-yeon called, right? What did she say?”
“She said someone is watching her.”
Just as Yeon had predicted.
“I’ll go see her.”
“You’re not going to call the police?”
“Director Sung, if someone is really surveilling Yoo Seo-yeon, we can guess who might be involved.”
The Crown Prince’s illness.
Calling the police wouldn’t help and could even put Yoo Seo-yeon in more danger.
“Then Your Highness going is even more dangerous! I insist you don’t!”
“So we just do nothing?”
She wasn’t healthy, and if Yoo Seo-yeon made a wrong choice, the consequences could be fatal.
“It’s not just a matter of losing witnesses or evidence—it’s life or death.”
Yeon’s firm answer left Sil-an speechless. Then she clapped her hands, as if having thought of a solution.
“Kang Seo-jun! Why don’t we ask him for help? He must know the right person to assist.”
Being resourceful and formerly a police officer, he would likely know how to help Yoo Seo-yeon without alerting the Crown Prince.
Yeon’s eyes sparkled as she asked,
“Where is Seo-jun now?”
“Really ugly, huh.”
Seo-jun poked at a turtle-shaped ornament.
He had just finished his groom training and was resting when Yeon contacted him.
–“Let’s meet at the hall where we met after the selection process.”
Relieved, Seo-jun didn’t ask why and went straight to the abandoned hall. With his sharp memory, he didn’t need directions.
“Don’t speak carelessly. The turtle has been considered a symbol of good fortune since ancient times.”
Yeon appeared from the inner path, waving a small lantern.
“How have you been?”
“I’ve been well. But why are you contacting me first? I thought you were avoiding me.”
“Well…”
Yeon looked embarrassed and trailed off. She had ignored his messages for several days, recalling her misbehavior at the hall whenever she saw his name.
“I’ve been a bit busy.”
“Busier than me, who’s taking lessons?”
Walking side by side, Seo-jun sounded slightly disappointed.
“Probably. Let’s sit and talk in detail.”
Yeon perched on the wooden porch and patted the seat next to her. Seo-jun, seeing her serious expression, abandoned any playful intentions.
He had only half-jokingly expressed mild resentment earlier; he understood she had been busy, just as he was packed with groom training. Their meeting now required effort from both sides, which meant something serious was happening.
“Go on.”
Seo-jun prompted.
“I went to see Yoo Seo-yeon recently. You know who she is, right?”
Seo-jun nodded.
Yeon calmly recounted her meeting with Yoo Seo-yeon and the situation she had learned from Sil-an’s phone call today.
Seo-jun’s brows furrowed deeply.
“You went there alone?”
“With Director Sung…”
“What’s the difference between that and going alone?”
Yeon’s eyes widened. Seo-jun narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips.
“Seo-jun, are you angry?”
“I’m not angry. I’m criticizing Your Highness for being careless about your safety.”
His tone clearly expressed displeasure.
“You are angry. But now isn’t the time to be angry—it’s time to discuss how to protect Yoo Seo-yeon.”
“No. The time is when I get your promise not to go to dangerous places alone in the future. Promise me.”
Seo-jun extended his pinky finger.
“To link them?”
“Yes. That you will never go to dangerous places alone… Actually, that when we go to places related to our investigation, you’ll go with me.”
Yeon looked at his long pinky and blinked.
When they first met, she had seen him as a mature adult. Five years apart in age and her sister Ji-yeong’s stories had influenced that impression. At their reunion, he gave the same mature adult impression—rigid, cold, seemingly incapable of shedding a single drop of blood if pricked. She had thought he could only be her business partner in the contractual marriage, nothing more.
But it had changed.
He felt like a colleague, a friend, sometimes even a real lover.
“Won’t link?”
Especially at times like this, when she felt he genuinely worried about her, she felt confused about their relationship.
Seo-jun’s frown deepened, prompting Yeon to quickly smile and hide her hand behind her back.
“Why so childish with the fingers? I’ll be careful from now on. And Seo-jun, I didn’t expect you like physical contact so much.”
Yeon scanned him up and down.
Seo-jun looked flustered at her mischievous gaze.
“Physical contact? Just over linking fingers? Coming from Yeon, who compared my lips to a bandit’s, that’s rich.”
Realizing the discussion wasn’t going in her favor, Yeon quickly extended her finger.
“I lose. I promise.”
Their pinkies intertwined firmly. Only then did Seo-jun smile satisfactorily and stand.
“Then let’s go solve Yoo Seo-yeon’s problem.”
