Kang stiffened as he saw the Emperor's crimson dragon robe approaching head-on, unlike King Jinyeong. Seeing Kang stiffened at s rapid pace, King Jinyeong couldn't help but stiffen himself, unable to turn back. The Emperor, followed by his Chinguns and a red-faced King Gyeonghye, calmly approached alone, placing his hand on King Jinyeong's shoulder. The Emperor's coronet rustled as it leaned forward. Resuming his paused laughter, the Emperor moved his lips.
"Would it be suitable for father to know what's going on?"
The Emperor asked in a relaxed tone. At this question, King Jinyeong, Kang, and King Gyeonghye, dragged along by the Emperor's grip, exchanged glances, assessing each other's reactions.
"Your Majesty, it was just a small dispute between brothers. Even father... "
The Emperor slowly brought his index finger to his lips, signaling for silence. King Jinyeong closed his eyes tightly and slightly bowed his head. The Emperor roughly pushed forward King Gyeonghye, almost pushing him away. The one who caught the stumbling King Gyeonghye was none other than Kang. Stepping forward quickly, he caught his brother's body and looked at the Emperor. The Emperor lowered his hand at the unaffectionate gesture, taking one step closer.
"Why should you fight at a banquet meant for enjoyment among brothers? Coming outside and speaking the word 'request' so seriously?"
King Jinyeong bit his lip and glanced around, while King Gyeonghye, releasing himself from Kang's grasp, stood straight and stared at the ground. Kang stood between the two, looking at the Emperor's face with compassion. The tension in the Emperor's golden eyes deepened. A foreboding rose like a snake's head.
The Emperor's laughter was relaxed, while the tension between the brothers was palpable. Amidst contrasting emotions, Kang balanced the scales. When a navigator's navigation goes awry, the ship perishes. If that were to happen, everyone aboard would die. Would everyone die, or would at least one survive...? Striving to balance the scales there, Kang approached the Emperor.
Kang's hand touched the Emperor's shoulder. The Emperor blinked incessantly, not wanting to miss even the slightest movement of his son. Kang unfolded like a landscape painting in his golden eyes.
"Abamama, it's soja’s fault. My brothers did nothing wrong."
Kang hesitated, reaching out to brush his lips against the Emperor's cheek, his voice small and pleading. The Emperor's eyes flickered like disturbed water. His breath, though not hurried, felt rough, and his fingertips were blunt. The Emperor met Kang's trembling embrace with trembling hands. The flesh, less yielding than he anticipated, covered the Emperor's body.
"You couldn't have done anything wrong. You're so gentle and adorable. What wrong could you have possibly done? It must have been Gyeonghye's fault."
As the Emperor's anger turned towards King Gyeonghye, Kang, startled, grabbed onto the Emperor's shoulder and hung onto it.
"No, Abamama. Soja dared to defy his brothers. They did nothing wrong. Really, Abamama, please calm your anger."
Though King Gyeonghye's words brushed past his mind, it couldn't be that way. Right now, the Emperor's rage had to be quelled somehow. If King Gyeonghye's strategy, like a last resort, could be of any help, there was no better plan.
After a moment of hesitation, Kang pressed his lips against the Emperor's cheek. The act seemed like whispering secrets, so quick and ambiguous that Kang, blushing deeply, bowed his head. The Emperor stared at Kang's face, placing his hand on the cheek where Kang had kissed himself. The Emperor seemed lost in another world, while chaos reigned around him. The two royal brothers couldn't muster any excuses under the Emperor's wrath. Above all, with Kang now in control, manipulating the Emperor, there was no sign of them taking any action.
"Abamama, please forgive my brothers."
"...What was the request you mentioned?"
The Emperor barely raised both hands on Kang's shoulders and asked in a lowered voice. The Emperor now seemed disinterested in King Gyeonghye. His golden eyes, clear and radiant like pumpkins, were fixed on Kang. To get a better look at Kang, the Emperor bent his waist. Kang didn't avoid the Emperor's approaching face but stared straight back, his lips trembling. The Emperor watched as Kang's rosy lips moved like petals. His focus blurred so much that he couldn't see anything clearly.
"...A request?"
"Yes. You mentioned earlier about making a request to Father. I'm curious about that."
"If I tell you, will you forgive my brothers?"
The Emperor glanced at King Gyeonghye briefly, then nodded quickly as he looked back at Kang.
"I will forgive them."
King Gyeonghye breathed a sigh of relief. As the Emperor, who held not only his own life but also the lives of his descendants in his hands, if he ordered someone to commit suicide, they had to comply. By mentioning his own request, Kang had saved his brothers' lives. Kang held the Emperor's wrist with a relieved expression, which had become more relaxed than before. For Kang, who had to stake his life for others, it was easier than picking up a spoon.
Kang, without any compensation from the Emperor, hung onto him and spoke with a serious expression.
"I also want to serve Abamama. I'm ready to sacrifice my life for Abamama."
"...Why?"
The Emperor paused for a moment before asking. He spoke tenderly stroking Kang's cheek, as if he couldn't touch Kang recklessly, gently.
"I can't send you to the battlefield."
"I am also your servant, Abamama. I will go to the battlefield, handle state affairs, and even marry to bear descendants for Abamama’s country..."
"You don't have to."
"Abamama, I don't understand. Why can't you let me be? I am no longer small. I'm not your little baby anymore. I, too, am ready to dedicate not only this body but also my soul and mind to serve you, Abamama."
The Emperor enveloped Kang's face with both hands. He leaned closer, gazing at his son's face intently before breaking into a smile.
"Gyeonghye or Jinyeong can go to the battlefield, but not you."
"Abamama!"
Kang exclaimed in frustration. The Emperor let go of him, but the hem of the Emperor's robe caught in Kang's hand. Feeling stifled and unjust, Kang pleaded with the Emperor.
"Abamama, soja studied for you at Hanyeong. Soja shot arrows for you. Only for you! But now, your son is just a superficial prince. Before I am your son, am I not your faithful subject and warrior?"
"...When you're a little older."
The Emperor chuckled and patted Kang's head. His golden eyes playfully measured the future Kang, the grown-up Kang. But no matter how much he grew, Kang's physique didn't seem to matter. With a dismayed expression, Kang looked at the Emperor's hand.
"Abamama...that's...like you..."
"Didn't Father say? You're too small. Small, and you can't kill anyone when you're young."
The Emperor abruptly stopped laughing, his face stern as he ruffled Kang's head.
"You, who can't even kill animals properly, going to the battlefield? Ridiculous."
He removed his hand from Kang's head. He clicked his tongue, looking sharply at his two sons who stared at him pale-faced. Unlike when he looked at Kang, there was no emotion in his golden eyes. The Emperor walked away gracefully, not taking Kang with him but aiming his sharp gaze directly at them, then called for the chief eunuch, the chamberlain. As the chamberlain approached, the Emperor lowered his waist. Suddenly, he stopped and glanced down at the chamberlain, speaking softly.
"Where is the High Priest?"
"I believe he is staying in the temple, Your Majesty."
The Emperor's golden eyes searched for the distant temple in the dense forest but found nothing. The forest was too thick to see through. The Emperor rested his hand on his chin, squinting slightly, then calmly ordered.
"Bring the High Priest here."