RC 10

Chapter 10

It had already been four days since the Crown Prince’s accident.

Despite the enormous scale of the accident, the exact details of his condition remained an open secret. They had to deal with everything they could before news of him hovering between life and death spread through the media.

While preparations were being made outside the Imperial Family to deal with the aftermath of the Crown Prince’s accident, the Imperial Clan Council was convened inside the palace.

The council had been established for the development and eternal preservation of the Imperial Family, but despite its grand purpose, it was little different from a complete mess.

People began gathering at Gyeongchunjeon in Changdeok Palace, which had been chosen as the meeting place.

It was a hall that was rarely used these days, ever since an imperial decree had scattered members of the Imperial Family throughout the country, requiring them to contribute to regional development.

The place should have remained wrapped in loneliness, but for the first time in a long while, the smell of people began to fill it.

A very foul and disgusting smell.

Having stayed up all night, Seon’s eyes found everything around her irritating.

“Bastards.”

All the partition doors between the main hall and the rooms had been opened, and they had even brought in large tables and arranged them throughout the space.

At the very end of a row formed by pushing together several tables, each large enough to seat six people, Seon sat alone.

Even in the face of obvious tragedy, their eyes were not filled with mourning or grief.

Instead, they were busy searching for the next person to hold power.

They were all trying to strengthen their own positions by currying favor with one person or another.

They were nothing more than a gathering of jackals.

Since when had everyone become so close?

Even relatives who normally found it difficult to see one another were here with bright smiles on their faces.

Seon watched them for a moment before irritably turning her gaze away.

No one paid any attention to her, quietly sitting in the corner with the mere sixth-highest position in the succession.

Seon’s large eyes slowly moved around the room.

Even a slight turn of her gaze revealed a scene completely different from the suffocating reality outside.

The scent of old wood.

The breeze carrying the faint fragrance of the paper covering the windows.

Compared to the reality where the smell of blood constantly lingered, this place was nothing short of peaceful and cozy.

The smell of blood.

That was right.

In the end, all of this had begun with the sea of blood that had once again engulfed the Imperial Family.

The accident involving her uncle, a man kinder and more benevolent than anyone, had awakened their filthy instincts once again.

“Ha…”

Seon let out a deep breath and pressed her fingers against her temple.

Perhaps because she had not slept at all since returning from yesterday’s meeting, her head was throbbing.

The attitudes of the people she had encountered at the meeting, and the situation itself, felt as though they were tightening around her throat.

She was frustrated by the thought that she might fail both her grandfather’s hopes and her uncle’s desire for justice.

“It’s truly an unbelievable disaster, isn’t it?”

“It is. Who could have imagined something like this happening?”

“It’s already been four days, hasn’t it? What are we supposed to do if His Highness doesn’t wake up?”

“Still… at least the successor is clear. We should be able to avoid any major confusion.”

There was a sharp edge to the conversation taking place some distance away.

The successor is clear.

That was precisely the seed of the biggest problem.

The corner of Seon’s lips twisted slightly.

Imperial relatives in the twenty-first century.

Some people called them nothing more than puppets, remnants of a bygone era that did nothing but drain taxpayers’ money.

Yet the people of this country fundamentally respected the Emperor and held the Imperial Family in high regard.

It was partly because the Emperor, when he had been a very young boy, had participated in the War of Independence and sacrificed the use of one leg for the country.

It was also recognition of the previous generation of imperial relatives, who had devoted all their energy to welfare for marginalized groups and the development of the nation.

But was the present anything like those days?

The Emperor’s brothers, who had fought alongside him on the battlefield and defended the country, had already died and returned to the earth.

Their descendants, perhaps because they had always lived in warm rooms and eaten steaming bowls of rice, had no idea how frightening the world could be.

Unlike the previous generation, who had fulfilled their duties as imperial relatives and earned their rights, these people had begun to rot from within.

They sat around doing nothing while collecting allowances for maintaining their dignity, and they were willing to sink into corruption for even the smallest personal gain.

At a time like this, the Crown Prince’s existence had been a new hope.

He was honest and incorruptible, just like his father.

There had been hope that if he simply succeeded the aging Emperor, the Imperial Family might one day return to normal.

But now, all of that was nothing more than useless shouting.

Look at them fawning over Prince Uigyu because they want to get on his good side.

Ever since she had come of age and been elected as a member of the Imperial Clan Council, Seon had remained in this position for seven years, having even secured reappointment under the Emperor’s influence.

She sat with her legs crossed, quietly observing the situation.

Prince Uigyu had not even entered the room yet, and they were already doing everything they could to please him.

They were nothing short of sycophants.

The kind of selfish people who disappeared whenever the Imperial Family needed them, only to crawl back out whenever they needed something from the Imperial Family.

It was not as though this was anything new.

Still, it was unpleasant.

This was a national mourning period.

She understood that they were excited, but couldn’t they at least try not to show it?

Seon’s eyes grew cold.

If Grand Prince Jungbaek really did have a hand in Uncle’s accident, I have to expose it.

The Imperial Family was currently divided into three factions.

Those loyal to the Emperor.

Those quietly watching the situation.

And those who followed the Emperor’s second son, Grand Prince Uigyu.

If Grand Prince Uigyu ultimately becomes Crown Prince, I’m returning the jade investiture tablet I received when I was granted my title and leaving this country.

Seon clenched her teeth.

In her eyes, there were few true imperial relatives left in the Imperial Family.

That was why she needed to make a decision.

If that man became Crown Prince and eventually became Emperor, the Imperial Family of this country would collapse.

The Imperial Family ultimately existed because of the people’s recognition.

That was simply how the people of this country—the Korean people—had always been.

If the Imperial Family fell so far that the people could no longer accept it, they would eventually rise up, even with their fists, and drive them out of these ancient palaces.

Despite the Emperor’s strong popularity and Seon’s active public activities, support for the Imperial Family had been declining every year.

When it fell below fifty percent, they had even held an emergency countermeasures meeting.

Seon had attended that meeting and taken part in heated discussions.

But if that man became Emperor, she thought it would be better for the Imperial Family to collapse.

Yes.

An Imperial Family that had neither the people’s respect nor their recognition had no reason to exist.

Rustle.

While Seon was lost in thought, she heard the sound of fabric brushing against fabric.

She raised her head and saw an unpleasant face.

“You must be very sad. You don’t look well.”

The moment Seon realized who was speaking to her, the light in her eyes went cold, as though every bit of energy inside her had been extinguished.

She did not even feel like continuing the conversation.

The person who had approached her was not even a member of the Imperial Clan Council.

He was a slippery eel who had shown up despite having no right to attend.

“Girls are naturally emotional, you know. Seeing your eyes all red from holding back your tears makes my heart ache.”

Of course not.

The blood vessels in Seon’s eyes had burst because she had not slept properly for several days.

It was also proof of the exhaustion and insomnia she had suffered because of the constant stream of work she had been forced to handle alone whenever the Seongheung Prince spoke boldly while the council members merely parroted whatever words would make Grand Prince Uigyu happy and kept neglecting their official duties.

“Then are you saying you aren’t sad, Royal Uncle?”

Seon suppressed her anger deep inside and asked calmly.

They always overlooked this.

They constantly dismissed her as a young girl, only to suffer because of it, yet they were too foolish to learn their lesson.

When it came to words, there was no one here who could beat Seon.

“With the Crown Prince suffering such a serious accident, are you really saying you’re not sad, Royal Uncle?”

“No, well… Why wouldn’t I be sad? His Highness the Crown Prince is a truly good man.”

The man pretended to be sad, as though what he had just said were ridiculous, and even wiped at the corners of his perfectly dry eyes.

Seon calmly took in every bit of the performance before speaking without a trace of emotion.

“You’re very sentimental. Is it menopause?”

“What did you say?”

Even as Seongheung Prince grew furious, Seon did not spare him another glance.

She had already shown the bare minimum of courtesy by bothering to argue with him and respond to his words.

“How dare you speak to an elder like that!”

“An elder?”

Seon let the end of her sentence trail off, a small smile appearing on her lips.

Seongheung Prince’s voice was so loud that everyone’s attention was beginning to turn toward them.

Seon had never enjoyed having her relatives’ attention, but this was something they needed to realize at least once.

So she deliberately continued speaking clearly enough for everyone to hear.

“This is the Imperial Family, isn’t it? Strictly speaking, the Imperial Family is a hierarchical society.”

“So…?”

“Your Royal Uncle is the son of a Prince, so you’re a Junior First Rank. I’m the daughter of a Grand Prince, so I’m also a Junior First Rank. We’re equal in rank, but… Oh, wait a moment. I stopped calculating after the tenth position in the line of succession. Exactly what number are you?”

Seon had struck Seongheung Prince’s most sensitive spot with perfect accuracy.

His face turned red, then almost blue.

She had hit precisely where it hurt: his position as nineteenth in the line of succession.

“If we’re finished talking, would you please return to the audience seating? This is where the council members sit.”

Seon politely lifted her head and looked at Seongheung Prince.

He stood there breathing heavily, his face twisted with anger.

People like this were incredibly easy to deal with.

Those who revealed their desires so openly and behaved in ways unbecoming of imperial relatives were people Seon could make disappear with nothing more than a casual turn of her palm.

The conversation from the elevator floated through Seon’s mind.

Perhaps it could become the last way to stop Grand Prince Uigyu.

If only Kwon Tae-oh cooperated.

After that, the next step would depend on Seon’s courage.

Yes.

In the end, everything came down to how much Seon was willing to commit herself.