TKEP 25

Chapter 25

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Seo-jun, dressed more neatly than usual, met with the party leader in the morning and hinted at his intention to resign from his seat in the National Assembly.

“A royal consort selection decree will soon be issued. I intend to become the gukseo (royal consort). Please keep this confidential for now.”

To the party leader at least, Seo-jun confessed the truth.

The party leader’s face filled with shock. The man known as the “imperial family’s sniper” suddenly declaring he wished to be royal consort—it was bewildering.

“Do you have another motive?”

Seo-jun kept silent at the question.

The party leader tried hard to dissuade him, clinging until the very end.

“If you ever change your mind, let me know. The same goes if you need help.”

The party leader cherished Seo-jun like a son. That was why, though he worried, he also supported Seo-jun’s chosen path—even without knowing his true intent.

“I’ll shamelessly reach out when the time comes.”

There wasn’t much he could do with the authority of a royal consort alone. But if even a small number of National Assembly members sided with him, it would be a great help in achieving his goals.

Leaving that possibility open, Seo-jun departed the leader’s office.

‘I’ll have to start winding down my parliamentary office as well.’

It pained him that the aides who had trusted only in him would suddenly be left jobless.

Instead, he planned to provide generous severance pay and promise them a future together.

When he imagined what would come after he and Yeon achieved their goals, a bitter taste filled Seo-jun’s mouth.

Yeon would ascend to the throne of the Korean Empire, and Seo-jun would find Ji-young.

To reach that, he would expose the corruption and crimes committed by the imperial family.

This marriage was only a contract valid until then.

Afterwards, they would likely part ways.

Inevitably, Seo-jun would become Yeon’s enemy.

‘My ultimate goal is the dissolution of the imperial family.’

An oppressive tightness weighed on his chest—it felt like indigestion, though he hadn’t eaten a thing.

Sighing to shake off the thoughts, Seo-jun opened his office door.

“Uh?”

Five pairs of eyes turned toward him. Everyone inside stared blankly, mouths open, as though they’d seen something unbelievable.

Pointing at himself, Seo-jun asked,

“Was this a bad time for me to come in? Were you talking bad about me?”

“N-no, sir!”

The one who shouted was his longest-serving aide, Yong-woon.

Today, Seo-jun looked exceptionally dashing.

Maybe it was the perfectly tailored three-piece suit he almost never wore.

He could pass for a model, and the thoughtful expression on his face made it feel less like an office and more like a photo shoot.

One by one, the others regained their senses.

“Sir, are you going somewhere today?”

asked the secretary in charge of administrative tasks.

“Huh? As far as I know, you don’t have any interviews this afternoon.”

Wondering if he had missed something, Seo-jun quickly pulled out his phone to check his schedule. But no—nothing was planned.

“That’s right. Nothing’s scheduled. Now stop staring and get back to work.”

He walked into his office, five pairs of eyes trailing him until the door shut.

The moment it closed, the staff exchanged glances and rushed together.

“Wow, they weren’t kidding when they said our assemblyman got elected on his looks.”

“When he walked in, I thought it was a runway. Seriously, though, what’s the occasion? A full three-piece suit, tie pin, cufflinks—the whole ensemble!”

“Maybe he’s meeting someone? Honestly, I don’t think I even need my glasses anymore. My eyes feel cured.”

Their chatter slipped through the slightly open office window.

Seo-jun had heard compliments about his looks countless times before, but this kind of reaction was rare.

He hung up his jacket and stood in front of the mirror.

True, he’d put more effort into his appearance than usual, but it didn’t feel like enough to warrant such a fuss.

Shaking their heads at his fussiness, the staff eventually dispersed.

Then Yong-woon, the loudest of them all, spoke with a serious face.

“Could he be dating? I bet we’ll see him on the front page of the paper soon—‘Politician in Romance Scandal.’ We should brace ourselves.”

Seo-jun tapped his desk lightly.

If rumors of him dating Yeon hit the papers, it wouldn’t just trouble the imperial family. It would affect his staff—the ones who had carried him to office.

Without a family political base, he had relied entirely on them.

It was his first election, and thanks to them, he had secured his seat. They couldn’t find out about Yeon through newspapers.

But it was also too soon to make the relationship public.

Yeon’s permission was essential first.

Should he call her, or wait to meet?

Checking the time, Seo-jun saw that their meeting was still three hours away.

It’s really better to talk about this face to face…

Still, he pressed the call button.

—“Yes, Seo-jun.”

Yeon’s cheerful voice came through the line.

“I have something to tell you.”

—“Can’t it wait until we meet? I’m kind of busy right now.”

The background noise confirmed she wasn’t lying.

—“Court lady, wait—no, I’ll do it later… Ow, sharp! I pricked myself after all…”

Hearing her faint voice, Seo-jun’s heart dropped.

Sharp? Pricked? By what?

His mind leapt to the worst possibilities—a habit born of his police years.

And when he recalled the way the Crown Prince had treated her, overlapping with her startled voice, his heart pounded furiously.

“Yeon, listen. Go to the hospital immediately. Preserve the scene. Don’t contaminate any fingerprint evidence. I’m coming right now—”

—“What? Hospital? I just pricked my finger on a needle while embroidering! What scene, what evidence?”

Yeon burst out laughing, baffled.

Only then did Seo-jun let out a breath of relief.

—“You sure have an overactive imagination, Seo-jun.”

She teased him playfully.

Normally, he would’ve shot back a retort, but not this time.

She was right—his imagination had gone too far.

—“Was your dream to be a movie director? It’s not too late, you know. Actually, you’d suit being an actor more than a director.”

As Yeon chattered on, Seo-jun simply let her be.

Go ahead. Tease me all you want.

—“Seo-jun? Are you listening? Hello?”

“I’m listening.”

—“So why did you call?”

Why had he?

He had meant to ask if it was okay to let his staff know about their relationship.

But was that the real reason?

No, maybe he just wanted to hear her cute voice.

Rubbing his forehead with a finger, Seo-jun said,

“I have something to say in person.”

—“Me too. I had breakfast alone with His Majesty this morning.”

It seemed their marriage had been brought up in that conversation.

“I couldn’t possibly hear His Majesty’s words over the phone. Such grace must be received in person.”

—“Wow, I should have a hanbok made for you. I didn’t know you liked historical dramas so much.”

“I’m only matching the tone of the royal elders. More importantly—you were embroidering?”

—“Yes, somehow…”

Her explanation went on.

As he listened quietly, a crease formed between Seo-jun’s brows.

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Later that day, Seo-jun arrived early at the brewing café in the park where he had once met Yeon.

Soon, she entered through the door.

He thought of waving to her, but seeing her look around busily for him was too endearing, so he stayed silent.

It didn’t take long for her to find him in the small café.

“I’m not late. Right on time.”

She held up her phone in front of his face as proof.

“I know. Did you run here? Catch your breath first. Coffee or tea?”

“Coffee. But first, I have important news.”

Without pausing to breathe, she spilled her words.

Seo-jun looked at her with curious eyes, waiting.

Leaning forward across the table, Yeon gestured for him to listen closely.

Seo-jun turned his head, his large, handsome ear close to her lips.

“They’re going to hold a gan-taek (royal consort selection).”

“Gan-taek? Like in the dramas, where they choose a crown princess?”

“Exactly.”

Yeon explained what the process was, how it worked, and who oversaw it.

The first two didn’t even need explaining—anyone who had watched a few Korean historical dramas would know.

“And why are they suddenly doing this? Didn’t His Majesty approve our marriage?”

“This was the only way to crush the opposition from the royal relatives’ council and the Crown Prince in one blow.”