Chapter 30
At that moment, in the throne room:
Hyunseo, clad in a blue gonryongpo, sat on the throne, gazing down at his ministers. The heavy scent of Seowoo clinging to him made the throne room unusually restless today.
With every breath, the fragrance of roses filled his nose. The ministers, all omegas, exchanged glances with the Chief State Councilor, their expressions odd.
‘That omega finally did something after all this time.’
Led by the Chief State Councilor, the ministers bowed to Hyunseo. The agenda was nothing but Hyunseo’s succession. Resting his chin on his hand, Hyunseo spoke:
“Since when did my reproduction become your concern?”
The displeasure in his low voice filled the throne room. The ministers, sensing his irritation, looked to the Chief State Councilor instead of Hyunseo. Slowly, their gazes shifted toward the Chief State Councilor, who wore a satisfied expression as he looked up at Hyunseo.
“For the stability of the nation, Your Majesty must secure an heir. We humbly beg you to consider this.”
“We humbly beg you to consider this.”
The ministers, led by the Chief State Councilor, bowed their heads. Hyunseo propped his chin on his hand, his voice dripping with annoyance.
“Since when did I become a beast or a stud?”
“A sage who rules the world must willingly become a stud for his people. Only then can the nation’s order and peace be maintained.”
“I don’t understand why the nation’s stability must be found between my legs.”
“Speak properly, Your Majesty.”
The unyielding exchange continued. This throne room had long belonged to the Chief State Councilor. Since Hyunseo entered the palace, it had never truly been his.
“All we ask is for Your Majesty’s safety, the court’s stability, and the nation’s peace. Do not take our loyal advice lightly.”
The Chief State Councilor bowed, his double chin and belly protruding. His dark blue silk robe shimmered—newly tailored, no doubt. Unlike the other ministers’ robes, his was embroidered with dragons at the hem, a symbol of usurping royal authority. Yet no one dared to point it out.
‘A snake.’
Bored, Hyunseo rested his chin on his hand, staring down at the Chief State Councilor. The man who claimed to act for the nation was the most corrupt of them all. If things went the Chief State Councilor’s way and Seowoo bore an heir, the nation would truly become his.
“Then, Chief State Councilor, when is the auspicious day you’ve chosen? I might as well move my lower body as you wish.”
“It was the Bureau of Astronomy and Calendar who selected the date, not I.”
“A date you relayed to the Bureau, no doubt. Speak honestly.”
The Chief State Councilor’s attempt to cover his tracks made Hyunseo smirk. It was clearly mockery, and even Park Sangseon, standing beside Hyunseo, glanced at him nervously.
“Your Majesty, please compose yourself.”
Not yet. Park Sangseon quietly added. Hyunseo removed his hand from his chin and straightened his posture.
He was right—now was not the time. He couldn’t let years of preparation crumble in a moment of emotion. Hyunseo forced a smile.
“If there’s an auspicious day, I’ll spend it with the Noble Consort.”
A puppet king. If he had known how powerless a king could be, he never would have brought Doha into the palace. He had thought that as king, he could give Doha anything—whatever he desired, whatever he dreamed of.
He wanted to spoil him, to adorn him with hairpins and offer him the rarest treasures in the world. That was why he had brought him to the palace.
“The Bureau says the next full moon is auspicious. What do you think, Your Majesty? Spending the night with the Noble Consort then?”
But he had been wrong. There was so much he couldn’t give, so much more Doha had to sacrifice. They had less time together than before. Hyunseo could no longer stand before Doha as himself, not as the king. The weight on his head was too heavy, the responsibility too great.
“The full moon… That’s right after the hunting tournament.”
Hyunseo murmured quietly. The hunting tournament—one of the palace’s annual events, attended by Ungeom and the ministers alike. As a ceremony to pray for martial fortune, Hyunseo’s role was crucial.
“This year, it would be good for both consorts to participate in the hunt.”
Hyunseo’s eyes narrowed. It was unprecedented for royal consorts to join the hunt. Suspicious, he studied the Chief State Councilor.
“Participate in the hunt?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Both consorts are skilled with the bow. They will surely bring back fine game. Since it’s a ceremony for martial fortune, they will take it seriously.”
The Chief State Councilor bowed politely. There was clearly a scheme at play, but Hyunseo couldn’t pinpoint it. Whatever it was, he had to play along until the coup.
“As the Chief State Councilor wishes.”
Hyunseo nodded obediently. The Chief State Councilor looked up, surprised. Staring directly at the king was disrespectful, but the true master of the throne room faced no consequences.
“Then I shall prepare the hunting tournament, Your Majesty.”
The Chief State Councilor bowed, his cheeks flushed with greed. Hyunseo raised his hand in acknowledgment, though he didn’t know if the Chief State Councilor noticed.
He pictured Doha’s face—his delicate features, his lips, the loving gaze he had once turned on Hyunseo. There had been a time when he thought that was all he needed to live.
But not now. Not as king.
Doha deserved to be loved. Hyunseo wanted to give him everything—every desire, every dream—once the throne was secure.
‘You call this love, but to me, this is love.’
Hyunseo smiled bitterly. Even if it was the wrong way to love, he couldn’t let Doha go.
The throne room meeting, where only the Chief State Councilor spoke and answered, ended with Hyunseo’s smile still in place. With every breath, Seowoo’s scent filled his nose. It was becoming harder to breathe.
***
“Kim Jipyung, what brings you here?”
Still processing the situation, Doha addressed the unfamiliar man by the name the court lady had used. He was the most extravagantly dressed person Doha had seen since arriving. Beneath his outer robe, he wore a white undergarment, and over it, a jade-green dopo. The overlapping layers created a gradient effect where the fabrics met.
His robe was adorned with multiple layers, and jade ornaments jingled at the hem, drawing the eye. Unlike the others, two norigae—unusually vibrant—hung from his waist. They were no ordinary trinkets.
Doha’s gaze shifted from the man’s clothes to his face. No matter how luxurious the attire, nothing could outshine his face.
His already large eyes widened further as he stared at Doha. Tears welled up in an instant.
“Kim… Jipyung?”
Shocked, Jeonghyeon looked at Doha. The sudden shift in atmosphere made Doha unconsciously repeat the name.
“……Yes?”
“You… How can you address your own brother so coldly?”
Brother? Did Doha have a brother?
In the original scenario, Doha’s family was portrayed as powerful and prestigious—wealthy, well-connected, and influential. But after Doha was exiled to the cold palace, the family’s power waned. Since his family only appeared in brief dialogue, this was the first time Doha had seen them.
With his wide eyes, the man before him was too strikingly handsome to be Doha’s brother. If Doha was a serene beauty, this man was a lively one. Their similar yet distinct faces blurred in Doha’s mind.
“When did my Doha become so heartless? My eyes are blinded with tears…”
He dabbed at his eyes with his sleeve like a weeping woman. Unable to gauge this man’s personality, Doha kept his mouth shut.
‘If I’m not careful, he might realize I’m not the real Doha.’
Unlike other transmigration scenarios, he couldn’t pretend to have amnesia. He hadn’t attempted suicide or fallen into a well, so there was no reason for memory loss.
Silence was the answer. When in doubt, stay quiet and let the other person reveal themselves. Doha forced a vague smile and studied Jeonghyeon.
“It’s all that wretch’s fault! That good-for-nothing changed our Doha!”
Jeonghyeon pounded the table between them. That good-for-nothing clearly referred to Hyunseo. The idea of Hyunseo being cursed felt oddly satisfying, and Doha laughed.
Seeing Doha smile, Jeonghyeon’s mood improved slightly. He sat back down, still huffing in anger, but he couldn’t stay mad at his lovely younger brother.
“Didn’t I tell you time and time again? All men are beasts.”
Jeonghyeon pulled a fan from his sleeve and cooled himself. From the moment Hyunseo entered Jijeongjeon, Jeonghyeon had caught the scent of Seowoo—not his brother’s. Disgusted, he had stormed out of the palace.
When he first saw Doha bringing some dark-skinned man into the palace, he had assumed it was out of pity. His brother had always been soft-hearted, even toward stray dogs.
If he had known Doha’s true feelings, he would have clung to his brother’s pant leg to stop him.
What’s so great about that dark-skinned man?
“Do you still love that wretch?”
No matter how much of a king that man was, Jeonghyeon pitied his brother more. If Doha wished it, Jeonghyeon was ready to flee the palace with him. He looked at Doha with sorrowful eyes.
“Yes, I do.”
“One word—that you don’t love him—is all it would take. Say you want to escape, and I’ll sell our family’s fortune to take you away from this palace.”
“……”
“Has your heart truly not changed?”
Jeonghyeon set down his fan and took Doha’s hands. The warmth was comforting. When had he last felt another’s warmth? Doha placed his other hand over Jeonghyeon’s, and his face brightened noticeably.
He’s on my side. The tangled thoughts in Doha’s mind cleared. This hyung—Jeonghyeon—was on his side. Doha mentally added him to his camp.
“What sin did I commit in my past life to be trapped in this palace? Leaving behind our parents and you, my brother…”
Tears welled in Jeonghyeon’s eyes as he clutched Doha’s sleeve. Sadly, Doha no longer had any love left for his family. Like an actor filming a tragic scene, he let tears fall easily.
‘If I need to, I can use even my family.’
Even if it was a lie, it didn’t matter. He had spent his whole life playing a beloved role—this was nothing new.
He knew how to be loved more. All he had to do was become the innocent, sheltered youngest brother his family wanted. Manipulating people’s hearts through acting was too easy for Doha.
He smiled like sunlight, his eyes crescent-moon shaped, his lips curling upward. The radiant smile lit up the room, devoid of any malice. Like a lovable youngest brother, Doha called out:
“Hyung.”
The dazzling smile left Jeonghyeon speechless.
Author: Hyacinthus B
Hyacinthus
