I am TERRIBLY SORRY for the late update. I was out of town and I didnt bring my laptop with me. As a form of apology, I will update 3 times.
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After the Emperor safely left the lodge, the hunting competition began. The sound of horns woke the sleeping forest. Startled creatures, crouching or swimming in the murky depths, fled in alarm to thinner areas. Sounds of footsteps in the grass, earth stirring, and the rush of breath, stirred memories of a time when the river's influence was dominant. Creatures he had to kill were running for their lives over there. The Emperor turned his eyes to Kang, who had given him the bow as a gift.
Kang was with his brothers. Black silk with flowing patterns of red plum blossoms adorned him. The plum blossoms suited Kang well. The cuffs of his sleeves gradually faded into a grayish hue mixed with water. At the ends, plum petals fluttered in the breeze. Decorations of clothes were minimized, emphasizing activity in the attire, making Kang's figure more prominent. His smooth body had few contours, giving him a sleek and agile figure overall. The Emperor's gaze fell persistently on Kang's slender waist, flat abdomen, and well-toned thighs. It was a waist he had touched countless times. As his gaze moved slightly away from the waist, a firm abdomen appeared, strained from sitting upright.
If that abdomen swells like a mountain... Imagining Kang with milk-filled breasts along with a round abdomen made his heart flutter.
At first, it might hurt, and he might cry. How would his younger brother and child come out if he gave birth? Suppressing the excitement and the urge to burst with a tightly sealed mouth, the Emperor watched Kang play with his younger brother. The tender scene of Kang chatting with Sohyeon, who had little time left for his wedding, was affectionate. In his eyes, there was an endless accumulation of affection and trust towards his younger brother. Sohyeon, too, released his usual stoic expression in front of Kang and smiled broadly.
Such an affectionate and kind child would surely treat his own child well if he gave birth to one. It wouldn't matter if he refused. The child was just a pretext to protect the consort.
"Hyung, have you found the answer now?"
Asked King Jihong with a pleasant smile as he returned after entrusting the child to his wife. The Emperor glanced at his younger brother as if annoyed, then softly whispered as he gently took the reins.
"When did you figure it out?"
"Not too long ago, Your Majesty."
"Daring to joke with the Emperor."
Despite the chilly tone, his eyes were somewhat kind. It was hard not to notice the blatant discrimination. King Jihong smiled knowingly and whispered to the Emperor, his smile lingering around his eyes.
"It's not a joke, Your Majesty. I really only figured it out not too long ago. I knew it when you found the answer."
"I'm tired of these fake hunts now."
The Emperor muttered about hunting out of the blue, calmly observing his sons. His gaze shifted from his eldest son, King Gyeonghye, to the child of a concubine, whose name he didn't even know. King Gyeonghye also glanced at the Emperor and the other princes and princesses, then chuckled.
"Could it be... what I thought it would be?"
"It's time for a real hunt."
The Emperor pulled an arrow from his quiver. He drew back his bow. The arrow shot by the Emperor to signal the start of the hunt landed among the princes, jumping over them lightly, and pierced the subjects of the fallen kingdom running towards the bushes.
Today's prey were real living people. The people of the fallen kingdom screamed miserably, their cries echoing through the forest. Those who survived, soon to die, ran into the woods one after another, screaming. The princes laughed at their actions, while Kang, with a grimace, clearly displayed his discomfort.
Quietly standing among his running brothers, Kang sighed at the childish voice calling out, "Brother!" and followed. Kang's head shook under the pile of light, like a horse's mane, and his thick, lustrous black hair obscured the Emperor's view. His gift of a blue silk cloth fluttered like bird's wings before disappearing into the darkness of the forest. As the Emperor absentmindedly admired Kang's slender figure, he slowly turned his head to look at King Jihong. King Jihong had a face that sought a definitive answer. The Emperor raised the corner of his lips smoothly as if to caress his brother's face with his hand through his gaze.
"The answer is always simple."
King Jihong nodded as well.
There was no way for everyone to live here. Someone inevitably had to die.
The smell of blood permeated the air. And the groans, screams... pleas for mercy. In the vast forest, Kang covered his face with both hands. His trembling hands shook as if afflicted with a fever. His palms, always dry, were now damp. It was sweat from tension and fear. Kang gritted his teeth at the laughter that floated around him, mixing with the desperate cries. Although he loved the Emperor dearly, today, he simply couldn't love him.
For the first time, he felt afraid of him. The affection he showed him was violence to someone else, akin to a gallow. The Emperor's affection deceived his eyes. Kang now realized how worthless the comforting world he provided was. Caught between the reality he faced and the unreality he had experienced, Kang fell silent. It was supposed to be a display of resolve, but when he saw those dying before his eyes, he couldn't steady his trembling hands to draw the bow.