"The Will of Heaven has descended. "
At the High Priest's low, resonant words, most members of the imperial family gathered. Only one was absent—King Yeonghyeon. Yeo Soo-ui found this odd, but she kept silent. Occasionally, illness, fear of spreading misfortune, or the High Priest’s intervention had prevented attendance, so she dismissed her doubts and fixed her gaze forward. The ritual proceeded solemnly, though tediously.
Finally, the moment to appoint the Emperor’s concubine arrived. Yeo Soo-ui, who had kept her eyes half-lowered, now opened them fully. The Emperor, who had not smiled once throughout the ceremony, wore a smile on his lips. Yeo Soo-ui unconsciously clenched her fists. Something was indeed amiss.
“King Yeonghyeon is no longer a prince. He is the Son of Heaven’s concubine and…”
The Emperor’s voice, brimming with elation, rang out, expanding like the sound of a bell. It was the same voice of a man who had deliberately blocked the rise of concubines’ children, killed his own offspring, and even his father, all to make Kang the Empress.
“…he is Hee-bi.”
The crimes he had committed for one person were nothing short of depravity. His love was one that no one could comprehend—a savage, merciless love to protect a part of himself.
But it didn’t matter.
Just like in my dreams, as long as you understand me, as long as you love me, I can forsake everything.
Yet, if I forsake everything, you will die. If you die, so will I. And there are those waiting, beyond the walls, who wish for our deaths.
For the first time, the Emperor, who had always used his family as shields to protect himself, understood the weight of death. It startled him into a cold sweat.
On a day when fierce snow fell and the land turned into a frozen kingdom, he met a child. That child had rosy cheeks and crescent-moon eyes that smiled brightly. A bold little one who dared to call the Emperor “puppy,” and cheerfully offered to share sweets, saying, “You’re kind, so I’ll give you one.”
Was it from that moment? Or perhaps the timing wasn’t important. All that mattered was how much he enjoyed every moment with the child. His patience had finally run out.
The Emperor smiled a triumphant smile and opened the door. The door opened, and the window closed. The Emperor stepped directly into Kang’s world.
Kang, unaware that the uninvited guest was anything but a stranger, turned to face him with a pale expression.
My child.
And now, my Hee-bi.
The Emperor smiled like a young boy.
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Its quite short, so there will be two updates this week.