Only a single day remained until the wedding. The imperial palace was in a frenzy, busy preparing for the ceremony, while outside its walls, the commoners bustled about with rituals to welcome the new consort. Red lanterns were hung along the streets, and the palace itself shimmered with a vivid crimson glow. Priestesses and clerics, dressed in pure white ceremonial attire, made their way to Yewol Palace. They were instructors dispatched to oversee Kang's wedding.
The consummation of the marriage was not considered shameful. It was the sacred act of returning to the emperor's essence, receiving what was referred to as the holy seed, and possibly conceiving a child who could become the crown prince. Even though Kang was the emperor's biological son, he could not refuse.
On that day, Kang would publicly consummate the marriage with the emperor and conceive a child. It was a destiny ordained by heaven.
A priest arrived at Yewol Palace. More than twenty priestesses, who had initially lowered their gazes, subtly lifted their heads to take in the sight of the palace. Typically, there wasn’t much attention paid to consorts, with only the minimum number of guards stationed. However, Yewol Palace was different. Surrounded by imperial guards at regular intervals and the emperor's elite troops, the palace resembled a prison or a cold palace, ensuring no one could escape.
“I’ve come to see His Highness,” the priest said, handing a badge inscribed with the emperor's decree to the captain of the guards. The captain, Damyeong, knelt as he received the badge and then rose slowly to personally escort the cleric to the inner chambers.
“Has His Highness risen?”
“I wouldn’t know. His Highness has instructed us not to enter.”
Damyeong offered a faint, apologetic smile. The smile, which seemed obligatory, didn’t linger long. The priestesses followed silently, and the small talk naturally ceased.
As the hour deepened, the mysterious and sensual crimson glow cast by the lanterns thickened like a mist, enveloping everything. Noticing the eerie atmosphere, Damyeong hesitated as a faint, sorrowful sobbing sound leaked from the inner chamber.
“I will go in first and announce their arrival to His Highness,” Damyeong said, deciding it would be best to prepare Kang before the unexpected arrival of the cleric and priestesses, which might frighten him into attempting to flee.
Despite stringent measures in place to prevent any escape, should Kang make a desperate attempt and harm himself in the process, it would be a disaster. No harm could befall him before the wedding. The emperor, too, was careful not to push Kang too far during their private encounters, avoiding any significant harm.
The emperor was deeply anxious to have a child from Kang. Damyeong briefly recalled the sight of Kang, utterly subdued under the emperor's dominance, unable to move his limbs, before hurriedly stifling a grimace. If the emperor could read minds, Damyeong’s head would already be severed. He still had a young family to protect and could not risk provoking the emperor’s wrath.
Maintaining a neutral expression, Damyeong presented the badge brought by the cleric to the chamberlain outside the inner chamber. The chamberlain inhaled sharply and, in his robust voice, announced, “Your Highness, Priest Woo Hyun-young has arrived under His Majesty’s orders. Permission is requested to enter.”
The emperor’s decree superseded any need for Kang’s consent. The door slid open noiselessly. Damyeong stepped inside alone.
Where could Kang be? As Damyeong’s eyes swept across the room, they caught sight of a small mound under several layers of curtains. It quivered faintly, making it evident someone was hiding there.
Since childhood, Kang had developed the habit of climbing into bed, covering himself with the golden bedding, or hiding in the most secluded corners whenever the emperor was not around. As a prince, his small stature allowed him to conceal himself anywhere, but as an adult, this was no longer the case. Watching Kang act no differently than he had in his youth, Damyeong sighed in exasperation, his shoulders drooping as a faint, helpless smile crossed his face.
Would Kang, out of habit, burrow into the emperor’s embrace even during the wedding ceremony? If so, the emperor would likely revel in it and bring Kang to tears with his affection. Kang’s gestures of pleading for restraint only fueled the emperor’s lust, though Kang himself was oblivious to this fact. Everyone in the palace knew— even Kang’s mother, Yeo Soo-ui.
“Your Highness, it’s Damyeong,” Damyeong said softly, kneeling at the bedside. The bedding rustled briefly before Kang’s face emerged from it. His long black hair draped over his pale white face like a curtain.
“May I brush your hair back?” Damyeong asked. Kang’s head moved slowly in a nod. Extending his hand, Damyeong gently swept back Kang’s hair, revealing a face that was exceptionally fair and delicate, though his eyes were red-rimmed. His lips, reddened from the emperor’s fervent kisses, stood out starkly. Aside from these details, his complexion was pale and cold, as though it had been molded from the essence of the moon itself.
Crouching under the covers, Kang lifted his head slightly to gaze at Damyeong. Perhaps seeing him as the only ally left, Kang’s voice trembled as he whimpered. His demeanor, submissive like a docile puppy, made Damyeong sigh inwardly.
The wedding was tomorrow, yet Kang still refused to face reality.
“Your Highness, the priest and priestesses have arrived for the ceremony. It is time to rise,” Damyeong informed him.
“Don’t call me that,” Kang murmured, lowering his head as tears rolled down his cheeks. Shaking his head, he let go of the bedding he had been clutching and reached for Damyeong’s hand. Kang’s wrist bore raw, unmistakable marks, and Damyeong felt a pang of discomfort at the sight.
“I’m not ‘Your Highness[1]’... If even you address me like that, how can I endure it? Don’t treat me this way…” Kang’s voice broke as he desperately clutched Damyeong’s hand. Damyeong gently but firmly pulled his hand away, knowing he had to be cautious under the emperor’s ever-watchful eyes.
As Damyeong distanced himself, Kang’s wide eyes filled with shock. Moments later, his face crumpled, and he began to cry silently, tears streaming down in large droplets.
“You are His Majesty’s consort now. You can no longer hold hands with me. Your life belongs to His Majesty alone,” Damyeong said.
“He’s my father!” Kang cried out.
Damyeong remained silent, watching him with a calm, unyielding gaze. Unable to bear it, Kang tried to rise, only to falter and collapse back onto the bed as a sharp pain surged through him. Supporting himself on the bedding, Kang grimaced as the remnants of the emperor’s seed, left within him, began to trickle down his thighs. The unfamiliar sensation left him stunned, clutching his lower abdomen as he stared blankly at the bed.
The bedding bore the undeniable traces of their union—a stark reminder of the unnatural bond forced upon him. The thought that they might share the same bloodline crossed Kang’s mind, and he shook his head as though to dispel it.
“How could even you betray me like this? You’re my friend! At the very least, you should never ask me to serve my father as my husband. Please, Damyeong… I can’t bear it. It hurts so much,” Kang pleaded.
The pain of the physical act paled in comparison to the torment of knowing the emperor was his father. What hurt even more was that the emperor’s gaze had not changed—it was still filled with affection, just as it had always been. Whether wiping away Kang’s tears during their union or kissing him tenderly, the emperor remained the same. His eyes dripped with sweetness, yet his actions were merciless, leaving Kang incapacitated, unable to even move his legs from the searing pain.
“I don’t want to serve my father as my husband. This isn’t the wedding I wanted. I only wanted a wife, children, a family—just like you. I never wanted my father’s child…” Kang’s voice broke.
“His Majesty’s wishes are absolute,” Damyeong replied calmly.
Kang looked as though he had been struck by lightning, his eyes widening in disbelief. His tears stopped, replaced by a strange, bitter laugh that escaped his lips.
“So if His Majesty desires something, we are to give it all to him?” Kang asked, his voice trembling with a mix of sorrow and anger.
“His Majesty is the sovereign of this nation. He is the Son of Heaven. No one can refuse His Majesty’s commands,” Damyeong said, his tone resolute.
After a brief pause, he met Kang’s eyes directly, delivering the final blow.
“Even if it’s his own son, if His Majesty desires it, then you must bear his child.”
Kang’s face grew pale, his expression twisting into anguish before a sob escaped his lips. “Huuuuk…” The sound was pitiful, and he pulled the golden blanket over his head again. Beneath it, his trembling form rose and fell, shaking like a child as he cried.
“How could everyone do this to me…?”
His voice, muffled and broken, reached Damyeong’s ears. Inside the covers, Kang’s sobs resembled the desperate whimpers of a puppy drenched in rain. Damyeong sat silently, waiting for Kang’s tears to subside.
This was, after all, a matter of time. Kang was already the emperor’s consort. Sooner or later, he would come to terms with it and reconcile with the emperor, who, knowing Kang’s gentle nature, was in no rush and chose to wait. Kang could not escape; he was exceptionally weak when it came to the emperor—or his siblings. And should he bear the emperor’s child, he would be irrevocably bound, unable to do anything.
Damyeong was certain of this. While guards had been stationed as a precaution, he understood Kang’s character well enough to manage him without much difficulty.
“Your Highness, it’s time to bathe. You must cleanse yourself thoroughly before presenting yourself to His Majesty,” Damyeong said calmly.
“…What?”
Peeking out from under the blanket, Kang revealed only his wide, deer-like black eyes, which were now filled with fear. Damyeong met his gaze and spoke clearly.
“The wedding is tomorrow. Were you unaware? Today, the priestesses will prepare you for the ceremony.”
“…Damyeong, do you truly see me as my father’s consort?”
“Your Highness, think of it this way: isn’t it you who understands His Majesty’s affection for you the most?”
Kang shook his head, tears clinging to his lashes. His black hair swayed mournfully with the motion, and the rims of his eyes reddened further. Despite Damyeong’s gentle words, Kang offered no response, and Damyeong eventually gave up, rising to his feet.
[1] Damyeong called him what he would call the emperor's wives instead of a prince.