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Chapter 49
Park Won-young flinched and, without realizing it, looked at Crown Prince Byeong.
The prince shook his head and closed his eyes.
Judging by the twisted line of his mouth, he didn’t seem inclined to help me. Cold sweat ran down Park Won-young’s back.
“Th-that’s…”
“I said, speak up.”
The senior official of the Royal Selection Bureau pressed him.
“Enough.”
Surprisingly, it was Beom who intervened on Park Won-young’s behalf.
With a single sentence, he dominated the room.
“I will explain the results of the final exam.”
Beom took a breath and began to explain.
“Candidates Park Won-young and Na Hyuk-jin failed the third test.”
This time, Na Hyuk-jin seemed ready to protest, clenching the hand he had placed on the table.
However, when Beom glanced at him, the tiger-like look in his eyes made him lower his head.
“I will continue. The position of the Royal Secretary is a post serving the Empire and the royal family, but its essence is being the spouse of the princess. The most important thing for the Secretary is neither the emperor nor the country, but the princess herself. Yet last night, the two chose the Secretary’s position over the princess.”
“That’s unfair! Yesterday, when I heard that Her Highness had been kidnapped, I was extremely worried. But isn’t it written in the exam regulations that leaving the testing area results in disqualification? This is no different from having one’s hands and feet tied!”
Na Hyuk-jin stubbornly contradicted Beom.
The chairman of the royal clan association sighed.
“One cannot leave someone who does not understand what is truly important in the royal family.”
Beom finished speaking, stood up, and approached Seojun.
Seojun naturally rose and faced Beom.
“Take good care of Yeon.”
It was a statement that implied there would be no more controversy—and there shouldn’t be.
That afternoon, news that Seojun had been selected as the Royal Secretary of the Korean Empire spread widely.
Amid the uproar over the results of the Royal Selection, reporter Bong-woo released a special feature titled “The Princess’s Secret Romance.”
The article, approved by Nakseonjae, included affectionate photos of Yeon and Seojun and detailed their romantic history.
With this personal story added to the selection results, any opposition to Seojun’s selection as Royal Secretary completely vanished.
Seojun, now a prospective Royal Secretary, became very busy from early the next morning.
His first duty as a prospective Royal Secretary was to pay courtesy visits.
“Shall we go?”
Following the eunuch Oh’s guidance, Seojun headed toward the residence of the Empress Dowager, a senior figure in the royal family.
“You’ve grown remarkably handsome.”
Empress Dowager Oh greeted him with a cold tone.
“You must be careful with every word and action, understand?”
After this brief admonition, Seojun headed to Gyotaejeon. However, he could not meet Empress Nayoung there.
“Her health is not good, so she will see you another day.”
Nayoung, still recovering from the shock of Yeon’s kidnapping, had not yet regained her strength.
Seojun bowed deeply toward the door of Gyotaejeon with a somber expression.
He turned to eunuch Oh.
“Where should I go now?”
“His Majesty the Emperor. You should go to Jibokjae.”
They had planned to visit both the Empress and the Emperor at Gyotaejeon, but the Emperor insisted on receiving Seojun separately at Jibokjae.
‘Perhaps still upset about using the princess in the final test.’
The Emperor and Empress were likely still at odds over the final test of the Royal Selection.
‘So they aren’t as harmonious as the public believes.’
The public had heard rumors of their loving relationship, but Seojun’s firsthand observation told a different story.
They presented only a perfect image to the people, concealing all the ugly, greedy, and messy aspects.
The citizens admired and followed this false image.
‘It’s all so obvious if you’re close enough to see it.’
Seojun felt pity for the deceived people and disgust for the royal family’s deceit.
“His Majesty has a tight schedule, so keep the visit brief.”
At Jibokjae, a royal aide came out to greet Seojun.
Seojun nodded and entered.
Beom was looking at portraits of the emperors of the Korean Empire hung on the wall.
Although photographs could now be used, the royal family maintained the tradition of painting portraits of new emperors.
“Greetings are done. Now, look here.”
Seojun straightened up and stood beside Beom.
The portraits of Emperor Gojong, Emperor Sunjong, the next two emperors, and finally Beom’s father, Emperor Yujong, were displayed.
Next to them was an empty frame, reserved for Beom’s successor when he ascended the throne.
“Do you know why the empty frame is left?”
“No, I don’t.”
“It’s the best spot to be seen from the seat. It’s my dream—to fulfill my duties and have my portrait placed there.”
Seojun’s gaze slowly shifted over the empty frame.
Beom’s side profile looked unusually weary today.
“Others may envy this position, but it is far from comfortable. Many things hinge on my decisions. Can you comprehend that weight and responsibility?”
Seojun did not answer—it was not a question expecting a reply.
A heavy silence settled over Jibokjae.
“You’ll understand in time. I have only one request. Don’t forget it.”
Beom turned, and their eyes met.
“Never forget the choice you made during the final test of the Royal Selection—the feelings you had then.”
Seojun didn’t need to be asked. In any similar situation, he would make the same choice.
He would choose Yeon, no matter the circumstances.
That truth became clear to Seojun on the day of the final test.
Afterwards, Seojun visited the East Palace, where the Crown Prince and his wife resided, only to be refused entry.
There was no reason to deny him courtesy, but Byeong simply refused to acknowledge Seojun’s greeting.
The eunuch Kang, who attended the prince, stammered excuses.
“The Crown Prince is usually very careful with royal protocol…”
Seojun sneered at the absurdity.
It was not fitting of a crown prince, but entirely typical of Byeong.
‘He was never fit to sit on the throne.’
So there was nothing for Seojun to feel disappointed or upset about.
He then went to his residence as a prospective Royal Secretary.
Though still within Gyeongbok Palace, it was much larger than his previous accommodations, with lower walls.
“Are the greetings all finished?”
Eunuch Oh gave an awkward smile.
“In the afternoon, you’ll change your clothes and pay respects to the senior clan members.”
Seojun sensed that the day ahead would be extremely exhausting.
And he was right.
Seojun wore attire that seemed more suitable for the imperial newsletter than daily use.
The uniform fit perfectly, and the quality of the fabric did not hinder his movements.
As he rotated his arms in front of the mirror, eunuch Oh approached, pinning medals and ribbons symbolizing the Korean Empire to his left chest.
“They suit you well.”
“I won’t flatter you.”
Oh smiled.
“You’ll have a tough day today. Stay strong.”
It was exactly as he said.
Seojun spent the entire day visiting senior members of the royal clan, greeting them all.
Even the phrases were predetermined.
“When meeting senior clan members, first bow deeply. Then say, ‘I am happy to be part of the royal family. I look forward to your guidance and thank you.’”
Seojun shook hands and smiled so much that his face twitched.
Were there really this many members in the royal clan?
He thought rebelliously that the empire’s treasury was leaking money to support these idlers and that such tradition needed to be eradicated.
Mechanically, he repeated the phrases taught by eunuch Oh.
Night finally came, and Seojun’s duties ended.
“Where to next?”
He unbuttoned a few golden buttons and asked Oh, who sat in the passenger seat.
After a few days in Gyeongbok Palace, he could gauge direction just by the shape of the buildings.
And now, the car headed in the opposite direction from his residence.
“One last place to visit.”
“Are there still people in the royal family I need to greet?”
Seojun sighed in exasperation.
“You’ll understand when you go.”
Oh gave a knowing smile.
