TKEP 14

Chapter 14

---

---

Seojun’s cards were unknown to her, but Yeon was certain of one thing.

“Mr. Kang Seojun…”

Seojun raised one eyebrow as if telling her to say whatever she wanted.

“You really do hate the Imperial Family.”

The sheer depth of his hostility toward the Imperial Family was palpable.

Seojun merely curled the corner of his mouth into a smile. He didn’t deny it.

Yeon let out a breath of resignation.

She didn’t think of criticizing or blaming him.

And she had no intention of trying to persuade him to like them just because they were soon to be family.

As long as he doesn’t end up hating them even more…

But once inside the palace, that would be impossible.

They said anything looked beautiful up close—except the Imperial Family.

The closer you looked, the more hideous they became.

And Seojun, figuratively speaking, had exceptionally sharp eyes.

Who knows how well he’ll sniff out all the rot.

She only hoped it wouldn’t lead to marital conflict.

She wanted them to get along—at least until they divorced.

That would help her climb to the throne much more smoothly.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

“I was imagining our married life.”

At that unexpected answer, Seojun straightened his back. Leaning lightly against the chair’s backrest, he looked at her, inviting her to go on.

“I don’t want us to fight. A quarrel between a princess and her husband could turn into a political issue.”

“A happily married couple—I want that too. Which means we’ll have to work hard day and night.”

Seojun made a sly joke, as if to lighten her serious mood.

Yeon’s cheeks flushed a cherry-blossom pink.

“O-only during the day!”

“Oh, so you like doing it in the daytime? In the bright light?”

“Mr. Kang Seojun, I thought you were a gentleman, but you’re actually a lecher?”

Yeon crunched down on her ice cubes and glared at him.

Seojun let out an easy laugh.

He shouldn’t, but every time he saw her reactions, he wanted to tease her more.

Even he was surprised to find himself acting in ways he never had with any other woman.

“I’m talking about dates. When did wholesome dating turn into something lewd?”

“Yes, dates!”

She’d fallen for it again, but it was too late to argue—she had no good comeback anyway.

One day, she would fluster him in return. She swore she would.

Yeon took a deep breath, vowing revenge.

Seojun slid his coffee cup toward her.

What—was he telling her to drink cold water and cool her head?

Yeon puffed her cheeks slightly, then let them deflate.

“More importantly, are you not accepting my offer?”

The conversation had been derailed by his teasing, but it was time to finish it.

In an instant, all traces of playfulness vanished from her, replaced by an air of authority.

It was enough to make Seojun uncross his legs.

She composed her voice and spoke.

“Whatever it is, don’t give it to me yet. If it’s a weapon for me, it’ll be a great shield for you. Keep it and use it yourself.”

A flicker of surprise lit Seojun’s eyes—he hadn’t expected her to refuse.

“Are you saying the wedding can be postponed?”

“Of course not. Let’s wrap this up quickly, within six months.”

“State marriages aren’t that simple to prepare.”

“Then we’ll make His Majesty unable to refuse.”

“Without a weapon?”

“You can’t solve everything with force. Love is a better solution than violence. As for the weapon… I’ll ask for it when I truly need it.”

“If that’s the case…”

Seojun withdrew without further argument, showing no hint of regret.

“Then let me show you just how creatively I can solve problems. Come with me.”

“Me too?”

“You’re free, right?”

Her tone implied that even if he weren’t, he had to be. Seojun let out an incredulous snort, then took out his phone.

After asking her pardon, he pressed the call button.

“Secretary Han, clear my schedule until 4 p.m. today. Yes, let the aides’ lunch gathering go ahead as planned. You have my personal card, right? Use it to pay.”

His aide, Han Yongwoon, shouted a thank-you so loudly over the phone that Seojun had to pull it away from his ear, wincing.

Taking advantage of a brief lull on the other end, Seojun wrapped it up quickly.

“The 4 p.m. meeting with the market merchants is still on. These are people closing their shops to come see me, so I’ll definitely be there. Thanks.”

Ending the call, he looked to Yeon, clearly waiting for her response.

“Fine. I’ll make sure you get back to your office safely by four.”

Seojun nodded, satisfied.

The two of them rose from their seats and stepped out of the café.

The owner, sitting on a bench across the street, hurried over.

“Leaving already?”

Once again, he only gave Yeon a nod but greeted Seojun directly.

“I’ll come again, hyung.”

If he called him “hyung,” that meant this man was close to Seojun.

Yeon jabbed her elbow into Seojun’s side.

When he turned to her with a questioning look, she mouthed, Introduce us.

Seojun shook his head—either as if it wasn’t worth knowing or as if to ask why she was curious.

Just as she was puzzling over that look, Seojun took her hand.

“Let’s go.”

Let’s. Go.

He’d only paused for a breath between the words, yet they sounded sweet enough to tickle her ears and chest.

Only Seojun could make two simple words feel like that.

Flustered, Yeon found herself bowing politely to the café owner along with Seojun.

He clicked his tongue softly and pulled her along, almost as if to hide her from the owner—like he didn’t want anyone else to see her.

The café owner watched the bickering pair disappear into the distance for a long time.

“It’s been a while since I’ve seen Seojun genuinely smile,” he murmured.

---

“Your Majesty the Dowager Empress, the Princess requests an audience.”

The Dowager Empress Oh’s hands, which had been carefully wiping tea leaves one by one, froze. She turned to the chief court lady with a look of surprise.

Though she was in her seventies, her well-maintained appearance rivaled that of women twenty years younger—yet a deep wrinkle creased her face.

“Yeonhwa?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“How odd. Bring me today’s newspaper, Chief Court Lady. I need to see if I missed anything.”

There was a reason she checked the paper whenever Yeon visited unannounced.

Every time, without fail, there would be a headline about her.

[Year 20XX’s Only Perfect College Entrance Exam Scorer Revealed to Be Princess Lee Yeon!]

[Princess Lee Yeon Abruptly Declares Study Abroad — First in Imperial Family History, Stirring Debate]

[Princess Lee Yeon Wins Journalist of the Year Award for Publicizing the Plight of Conflict Zones]

[“Do I Really Have to Get Married?” — Daring MZ Princess’s Remark at Odds with Imperial Policy Sparks Controversy]

Regardless of the content, Dowager Empress Oh disliked that Yeon, born with “one missing piece” as she saw it, appeared in the papers more often than the Crown Prince.

That was why she kept her distance.

• Tsk, she should have been born whole.*

The regret she felt whenever she saw Yeon was one of the reasons she dismissed her.

If that regret ever showed, it could cause a major stir in the Imperial Family.

It had already been over a decade since Lee Byeong had been appointed Crown Prince.

The Dowager Empress swallowed her regret in silence.

Still, she couldn’t outright refuse a granddaughter who came to visit.

That could also cause trouble—if it became known that she mistreated Yeon.

She could tolerate being labeled a “grandmother who scolds her granddaughter,” but not “the Imperial Family oppresses women.”

People might think she lived a comfortable life as an old woman, but the truth was, she had spent her whole life censoring every word and gesture.

She pressed a hand to her suddenly aching head.

“Where is Yeonhwa now?”

“She is waiting at Nakhwaru.”

Nakhwaru was a small pavilion extending partly over an artificial pond. Even in midsummer, the shade of the willows kept it cool.

Disliking air conditioning, the Dowager Empress often enjoyed her tea there.

“Have tea and refreshments brought there. Let’s go.”

“But, Your Majesty…”

The chief court lady stopped the Dowager Empress, who was stepping out with a displeased expression.

“She is not alone.”

“She brought someone else?”

“Yes.”

A glint of curiosity—and a touch of wariness—appeared in the Dowager Empress’s eyes.

It was also an unspoken order to hurry up and explain.

“She came with Representative Kang Seojun.”

“Kang Seojun…?”

“The one who made the news for not greeting the Crown Prince.”

“That insolent—?”

The Dowager Empress’s voice rose in anger.

The sudden outburst put all the court ladies in her palace on edge, their postures stiffening.

“And why is he with Yeonhwa?”

The chief court lady answered without hesitation.

“They seemed… unusually close.”

“What?”

“It appears the two of them are…”

“Stop dawdling, Chief Court Lady!”

“—lovers, Your Majesty.”

“What? Yeonhwa and that sharp-tongued brute?”

The Dowager Empress’s eyes reddened with anger.

 

Clutching the back of her neck, she was immediately surrounded by court ladies rushing to support her.