Chapter 14
Leaving Grand Prince Uigoo behind and walking gracefully out of Gyeongchunjeon toward Changdeokgung had looked rather impressive.
But Seon never actually got to meet the Emperor. If she had truly been granted an audience with him, she could have rubbed Grand Prince Uigoo’s nerves even more.
“His Majesty fell asleep for his afternoon nap a little while ago.”
When Seon arrived at Daejojeon, the Chief Palace Eunuch greeted her with an apologetic expression.
“His Majesty has barely been able to sleep properly these past few days, so I find it difficult to inform him of your visit.”
The Emperor had suffered from severe insomnia since he was young, and whenever he was under stress, he had even more trouble falling asleep. With the Empress’s condition also being poor at the moment, there must have been countless things weighing on his mind.
Seon wasn’t thoughtless enough to wake a man in his nineties who had only just managed to fall asleep.
“That’s all right.”
“His Majesty did say that he had something to tell Your Highness, but he didn’t give me any indication as to what it might be…”
The Chief Palace Eunuch still looked apologetic as he explained. Seon, however, simply shook her head.
“If Grandfather looks for me later, please contact me. I’ll come right away.”
“I apologize, Your Highness.”
“No, it’s fine. Please take good care of Grandfather.”
She hadn’t gotten to meet her grandfather, but if she had managed to irritate Grand Prince Uigoo even a little, that was enough to satisfy her.
Seon did find herself feeling a little ridiculous for becoming this petty.
But this was about all she could do for the time being.
Rely on her grandfather’s favor and act a little boldly.
Rigidly carry out the duties entrusted to her.
But the moment Grand Prince Uigoo became Crown Prince and then Emperor, even that would no longer be permitted.
Seon had never been the sort of person to meekly submit to power, and Grand Prince Uigoo wasn’t the sort of person who would tolerate someone like her.
She would probably become the Imperial Family member most hated by the new Emperor, and the one who needed to be quietly dealt with first.
For now, however, there was nothing she could do.
Unlike Grand Prince Uigoo, Seon had neither the connections to replace members of the Special Investigation TF nor the influence to manipulate the Commissioner.
So she had no choice but to become as petty as she could.
As Seon left Daejojeon without having gained anything, Seok-cheol, who had been waiting for her, immediately followed.
His expression was even darker than it had been a few days ago when he had delivered the news of the Crown Prince’s accident.
His steps seemed heavier than ever.
He also appeared to be struggling to force open lips that refused to part, his face contorted painfully.
“Your Highness.”
Seon immediately guessed what was about to come out of Seok-cheol’s mouth.
There was no other reason for him to look this gloomy.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heart was beating so rapidly that it almost hurt her ears.
She didn’t want to hear it.
But it was something she had to go through.
“His Highness the Crown Prince passed away a short while ago.”
Seok-cheol spoke slowly and cautiously, trying to spare Seon’s feelings.
His voice pierced straight into her ears.
The terrible future she had expected to arrive soon had suddenly come right before her eyes.
What am I supposed to do now?
This accident was no longer a major incident that had merely left one person injured.
It had resulted in a death.
The tips of Seon’s fingers trembled.
“I need to see Grandfather. I have to see Grandfather.”
“Your Highness.”
Seok-cheol blocked Seon when she hurriedly stopped and turned around.
His eyes filled with grief, he firmly grasped Seon’s shoulders.
It was an audacious act he would never normally have dared to commit.
But he was the only person who could keep Seon’s shaken heart from completely falling apart.
“You have to give His Majesty some time.”
Time.
At Seok-cheol’s words, Seon ran a hand through her hair and let out a sigh.
Before being her grandfather and the supreme ruler of this country, the Emperor was a father.
A grieving father who had already endured the terrible pain of losing two sons.
“Haa… You’re right.”
Seon slowly nodded.
They couldn’t hide the Crown Prince’s condition forever.
The Imperial Household must have done everything in its power to conceal it and had probably managed to hold out for as long as possible.
But the body that had been broken and mangled in the accident ultimately couldn’t withstand this cruel world.
Despite all the Imperial Household’s desperate efforts to keep the Crown Prince’s condition secret, he had truly become someone who no longer existed in this world.
In truth, Seon still couldn’t believe it.
Even while rushing from one urgent task to another day after day, even while participating in the investigation into the Crown Prince’s accident, she had never truly accepted that he might die.
Even now, she felt as though if she went to the Eastern Palace and knocked on the door, the Crown Prince would come out with a smile and welcome her.
But now she had to accept it.
Her kind eldest uncle was gone.
And all that remained was a battlefield.
“There will probably be reporters, YouTubers, and all sorts of people gathered outside. You’ll be leaving by car, but just in case, please prepare yourself mentally.”
“That is something I’m good at.”
Seon muttered self-deprecatingly.
Regardless of how heavy her heart felt, the role she had to play was clear.
No matter how much she proclaimed her noble status, she was ultimately nothing more than a well-dressed clown putting on a show.
The vehicle carrying Seon was scheduled to leave Changdeokgung through Danbongmun Gate.
It wasn’t the main entrance, but members of the Imperial Family usually came and went through this gate, so it was obvious that people would have gathered there.
As soon as she got into the limousine, Seon began fixing her appearance.
She lightly pressed a tissue against her lips and wiped away their color once more.
Only after Seon and Seok-cheol had checked and adjusted their appearances several times did the wheels finally begin to turn.
“Hah!”
Even through the tinted windows, Danbongmun Gate was clearly visible.
The people packed outside the wide-open gate.
The Imperial Palace Guards keeping them under control.
And, as though deliberately putting himself on display, a familiar face stopping a car directly in front of them and staggering out.
“It seems Grand Prince Uigoo really came prepared.”
“I know. I didn’t realize he’d prepared a whole performance.”
The face that was pale enough to be visible even from a distance looked nothing like the man Seon had seen earlier.
The arrogant Imperial Prince who had basked in praise with a smile plastered across his face was nowhere to be seen when he stood before Seon.
The only person present now was a good-hearted younger brother who looked as though he was on the verge of dying from grief over his elder brother’s death.
“Brother… I believe the people of this country know better than anyone just how… just how wonderful a person you were…”
Grand Prince Uigoo’s voice rang out with heartfelt sorrow.
Someone who didn’t know him might genuinely have believed that his grief was sincere.
As Seon’s limousine gradually drew closer to Danbongmun Gate, the voices of the crowd became easier to hear.
The constant clicking of camera shutters.
The shrill questions.
And the irresponsible remarks being thrown out without the slightest pang of conscience as cameras were thrust toward Grand Prince Uigoo.
“Please look at this camera too!”
“Please tell us how you’re feeling right now!”
“Given the order of succession, you’re highly likely to become the Crown Prince. We’d like to know if you’re prepared for that!”
Every word was enough to soil Seon’s ears.
“Long live Grand Prince Uigoo!”
“Long live the next Crown Prince!”
Even innocent cheers from the crowd were mixed in.
“Wah…”
Grand Prince Uigoo shed tears like a pitiful younger brother.
“This is a time when we should be mourning, my fellow citizens. Please… please pray for His Highness the Crown Prince’s eternal rest.”
Even while crying like a grieving younger brother, however, Grand Prince Uigoo made sure to say exactly what he wanted to say.
“This accident was truly… an unfortunate tragedy. If only we had been a little more vigilant and provided better security, this terrible thing would never have happened. I regret that I wasn’t able to stop my brother.”
Even in the face of the death of her beloved and respected eldest uncle, Seon found it difficult to control her emotions.
If only Grand Prince Uigoo weren’t standing there flaunting himself in front of her, she might have been able to put on a mask of grief.
But watching him behave like that without her heart pounding with fury would have meant she wasn’t human.
“What should we do?”
Seok-cheol asked cautiously.
Seon could feel his eyes looking at her flushed face through the rearview mirror.
Then she realized.
Today, in front of Danbongmun Gate, the direction of the succession to the throne had been decided.
No matter what anyone said, the person who would become the next Crown Prince was Grand Prince Uigoo.
Her cheeks were so hot that she could feel the heat without touching them.
Her clenched fists grew tighter and tighter.
After staring out the window for a moment, Seon calmly answered.
“Since everyone is too busy focusing on taking pictures of Second Uncle, I can just pass through.”
“Yes. We’ll break through for now.”
At Seok-cheol’s words, the driver immediately began clearing a path.
Fortunately, Grand Prince Uigoo hadn’t occupied the center of Danbongmun Gate, so there was plenty of room for the car to get through.
Thanks to everyone being focused on Grand Prince Uigoo’s performance, passing through was relatively easy.
A few cameras seemed to capture the rear of Seon’s limousine, but none of them followed.
Perhaps they thought capturing Grand Prince Uigoo, who would soon become Crown Prince, was more worthwhile than capturing an Imperial Family member sixth in line to the throne.
Dozens, even hundreds, of cameras remained pointed at Grand Prince Uigoo.
Thanks to that, once the car left Changdeokgung and merged onto the road, it began speeding smoothly along.
A sigh escaped from both Seon and Seok-cheol at the same time.
It wasn’t a sigh of relief.
It was filled with more heaviness than anything else.
The car had set off without a destination, but it soon turned toward Jongno.
Toward the detached palace where Grand Prince Uijeong’s family was currently staying.
“Your Highness. Shall we go to the detached palace for now?”
At Seok-cheol’s question, Seon rested her elbow against the window frame and leaned her face against the back of her hand.
Her body swayed along with the limousine every time it bounced.
The elbow pressed against the cold window frame gradually began to ache with the chill.
The detached palace. Should I go to the detached palace?
Seon asked herself.
Something continued to feel suffocating.
Her eldest uncle was dead, and her second eldest uncle now had the position he had been watching hungrily for right in front of him.
Seon had been ordered to monitor the Imperial Family and investigate the accident.
Of course, she was still powerless when it came to actual political influence.
But there had been a reason behind the Emperor’s command.
The Emperor himself suspected someone.
Which meant the direction of this investigation had already been determined.
There was no evidence that Grand Prince Uigoo had killed the Crown Prince.
There were countless Imperial Family members who coveted the throne, so she couldn’t confidently conclude that it was Grand Prince Uigoo.
No.
Perhaps the accident really had been nothing more than an unfortunate tragedy.
But Grand Prince Uigoo’s behavior—manipulating the Special Investigation TF in an attempt to smooth over the incident—was undeniably strange.
On top of that, there were suspicious circumstances surrounding the Crown Prince’s accident.
Only then did Seon realize what she needed to do.
It didn’t matter who was hiding the truth.
Who is the most relieved right now?
That was the person she needed to look into first.
“Go to the National Police Agency.”
“What?”
The order that finally came after such a long silence left both the driver and Seok-cheol visibly startled.
If the Emperor or Crown Prince died, all members of the Imperial Family were expected to return to their respective residences and wait until separate orders were issued.
That had always been the established custom.
“I have something I need to do. I’ll take responsibility for it, so go.”
No public institution would welcome a sudden visit from a member of the Imperial Family.
Even so, Seon had to go there.
Perhaps the answer to this suffocating thirst she couldn’t shake—the answer she desperately needed—was waiting for her there.
