A transparent veil fluttered in front of Kang’s eyes. He wished, in a fleeting, foolish thought, that if he could just push it aside, the wedding would be canceled. He stared at the closed door, silently praying.
Please, let the door not open. Please, please... let this all be a lie, a dream.
Trembling like a frightened person, Kang held onto the wedding robe tightly, silently wishing for an end.
But outside the door, there came the thick, phlegm-filled voice of the priest.
“Your Majesty, please stand before the altar.”
The two priests attending Kang and the dozens of maidens stood up. The priest opened the door with slow, fluid movements, as if water was flowing. Even with the veil obstructing his sight, the altar was clearly visible. Before the altar stood the official wearing white, symbolizing holiness. In his hands, he held a scroll, while beside him, two priests held a small vessel, a brush, and a piece of paper. It was definitely different from the weddings Kang had known.
Beyond the official and priests, the concubines sat upright according to their ranks. Familiar faces filled the room. Among them was his mother, Yeoso, looking particularly pale, barely able to face forward.
Kang had gathered his resolve while thinking of his mother, but now, seeing her, everything crumbled. He stepped back.
“No...” Kang murmured in a voice devoid of color. This isn’t right... I can’t do this. I don’t want to be embraced by Father in front of my family.
His heart kept repeating the same words.
“You must go, Your Highness.”
Watching this, Damyeong called out ‘Your Highness’ deliberately to bring Kang back to reality. Kang slowly lifted his head to look at Damyeong. His expression was frozen, unable to cry.
“Please, please, I beg you, Damyeong. I don’t want to be embraced by Abamama… Please, please…!”
Kang clung to Damyeong’s arm, begging one last time. When Damyeong glanced at his men, they approached and forcefully pulled Kang away. Kang shook his head in refusal. Each time he did, the veil fluttered, and his face became more exposed. His delicate, handsome features looked sorrowful.
Damyeong, despite the upcoming ritual, did not sigh. He looked at Kang sternly and whispered softly.
“Your Highness, why are you acting so childishly? Are you intending to disappoint His Majesty and despair Heaven itself? This is all for the country. Please, go. No one can refuse Heaven’s will. Even if it’s His Majesty, it must be done.”
Kang was forcibly removed by Damyeong’s men. The door opened, and Kang was dragged out. He lowered his head, sobbing, speaking haltingly.
“Please, don’t do this… How can everyone be so cruel to me...?”
Kang’s cries, as he wept in the arms of Jang Yeonghu, echoed far into the distance. The sound reached his birth mother, Yeoso, who paled and trembled in shock. Seeing this, Gwi Bi pressed her hand tightly against her thigh to stop Yeoso from reacting.
“You must see this.”
“Your Highness…”
Lady Yeo called out to the Noble Consort with a voice choked with tears. The Noble Consort looked at her with a calm gaze and spoke.
"And what can you possibly do? Just keep your mouth shut and watch your son—no, the concubine—properly. You should realize how much His Majesty cherishes him, dressing him in wedding robes like this, unlike the rest of us."
Lady Yeo covered her mouth with her hand to suppress the sobs that threatened to escape. Despite witnessing the sorrow of a mother losing her son, the Noble Consort did not blink an eye. Instead, she seemed determined to torment Lady Yeo further with her words.
"Weeping before such an auspicious event... how disgraceful. Are you hoping that your tears will bring hardship upon the new concubine? Tsk tsk, instead of welcoming this occasion, you're bringing misfortune upon us all."
Lady Yeo lowered her head and trembled uncontrollably. Meanwhile, Kang's sobs grew louder. He resisted going forward, but the imperial guards eventually dragged him to the altar and forced him to sit.
A beautiful young man, dressed in ornate wedding robes, sat trembling in front of the altar like a frightened prey animal. He couldn't even lift his head, overwhelmed by the weight of the gazes fixed upon him. Lady Yeo couldn't bear to watch and kept her head bowed the entire time. Seeing this, the Noble Consort smirked coldly and muttered in a detached tone.
"Pathetic..."
With a resonating thud, the sound of the ceremonial drum signaled the start of the wedding ritual. Kang placed his hands on the floor and slowly raised his head, looking straight ahead. The tightly shut doors stood before him. Any moment now, the Emperor would step through, transformed into a wolf.
"Please..."
However, Kang's desperate plea was drowned out by the high priest’s solemn voice, chanting in ancient tongue to the gods. The priest then turned to look at Kang. Like a trapped deer, Kang's wide eyes filled with tears as he gazed at the priest, pleading silently. Even though he knew in his mind and heart that no one here was on his side, his body instinctively sought help. Kang was already halfway lost to despair—his eyes blurred and unfocused, and his lips trembled as he repeated the same words over and over. He was in complete denial of reality.
The priest observed him intently, noticing how exceptionally beautiful Kang looked today in his elaborate attire. Kang, trembling and crouched awkwardly, barely moved his lips. His eyes searched for his father, his husband.
"Where is... His Majesty?"
"The Emperor will enter in his human form and personally remove Your Highness’s wedding robes," the high priest replied.
As the priest stepped back, another priest approached, holding a small jar, a brush, and a piece of parchment. Kang shuddered at the unfamiliar objects—none of which had been present in any wedding he had ever seen. Even the smallest unfamiliarity filled him with fear, and he trembled pitiably. The high priest, without a word, turned his head away from the distressing sight.
Now, it was time for the Emperor to enter.
The large doors across from where Kang had entered slowly opened, revealing the Emperor emerging from the darkness beyond. Even in his state of terror, Kang found himself momentarily stunned by the Emperor’s dazzling appearance.
Dressed in crimson wedding robes that matched his own, the Emperor descended like a deity riding on clouds, moving with effortless grace. His silvery-white hair was tied in a high bun, adorned with a delicate hairpin wrapped in red silk. The long train of his robe trailed behind him but never once hindered his movement.
The Emperor ignored the gazes of the gathered crowd and, without hesitation, gracefully knelt before Kang. Raising his hand, he lifted the delicate veil covering Kang’s face and gently traced his adorned features. Then, the Emperor smiled—a breathtakingly beautiful smile, like a flower blooming in full bloom.
"You are beautiful."
The Emperor's hand traced Kang’s forehead, eyes, nose, and finally, down to his lips where it paused.
"At last, the moment has come for you to call yourself my consort with these lips."
Kang's eyes widened in shock. Consort. He wasn't here as the Emperor's son anymore—he was here to be officially recognized as his consort.
What surprised Kang even more, however, was the sight of the Emperor kneeling before him. The man who had never bowed to anyone knelt only before Kang, leaning in to claim a kiss. Instinctively, Kang reached out and grabbed the Emperor's sleeve. It was a bold and improper act, yet no one scolded him. The Emperor, instead, smiled gracefully, as if amused by his son's innocent defiance.
"A-Abamama... why would you kneel before me..."
"Because you are my consort."
The Emperor's words were delivered with finality, cutting off any further protests. Upon hearing the direct term consort, the other concubines and remaining royal family members turned pale, staring at the scene in shock. Hearing about it was one thing—witnessing it was entirely different. They struggled to suppress their rising emotions, forcing themselves to watch the unfolding ceremony with stoic faces.
The Emperor firmly took Kang's trembling hand. It was rough, calloused from years of training with weapons and archery. The Emperor, his face unreadable, gently traced Kang's palm and fingers before looking up. He then picked up the ceremonial hapbanju, the shared wedding wine that would bind them as true spouses.
"You and I, the Son of Heaven, are to be wed."
The Emperor spoke with controlled breath, trying to mask the tremor in his voice.
"This will make us a true, recognized couple."
The word couple echoed through the hall, and somewhere in the crowd, a stifled sob could be heard. Kang instantly recognized it—it was his mother. After 20 years, he could recognize her voice anywhere. She could no longer hold back her tears. Kang deliberately avoided looking in her direction, afraid that seeing her cry would break his already fragile resolve. Instead, he focused on the Emperor’s regal face, which seemed almost inhuman in its perfection.