Chapter 13: Beneath the Emperor’s Favor

That was how Hyupbyeol came into existence.

From the very moment he drew his first breath, misfortune had already claimed him.

Yet His Majesty never once looked down on his younger brother.

He treasured the child, affectionately lengthening his one-character name into the nickname, “Byeori.”

By all rights, Hyupbyeol should have been sent away from the Imperial Palace. Though born of humble origins, he was still a prince of imperial blood and therefore a potential threat to the throne.

But instead of banishing his frail younger brother, His Majesty chose to keep him by his side and care for him with boundless affection.

Raised under such constant indulgence, Hyupbyeol grew into a bright and innocent young man, completely unlike what his birth should have made him.

I never disliked him either.

Not until I began to fear rebellion.

If rebellion were ever to break out, the rebels would undoubtedly place Hyupbyeol upon the throne as their new emperor.

His imperial blood made him the perfect figurehead.

His weak body and gentle temperament made him the perfect puppet.

Or perhaps…

Perhaps he would be the one leading the rebellion.

The Imperial Palace was filled with people who smiled softly, lulled others into lowering their guard, and struck from behind.

Even if he had been hiding his ambitions all this time, however, it was difficult to imagine Hyupbyeol raising an army by himself.

“My strategist, aren’t you pushing yourself too hard?”

A broad palm came to rest above my wine cup, sending ripples across the liquor.

I gently brushed aside the long, slender fingers and lifted the cup.

The banquet had reached its liveliest point, laughter echoing all around us.

“I’m fine.”

“Oh, come now.”

The man clicked his tongue.

“You hardly ever drink, yet now you’re emptying cup after cup like an old drunk. Slow down. Eat something too. Drinking on an empty stomach will ruin it.”

Hwang Bo-min reached over with his chopsticks, intending to feed me a slice of meat pancake himself.

I recoiled in disgust and dodged him.

Just how could this man be so irritating?

Ignoring my refusal, he forced the meat pancake into my mouth anyway.

I glared at him while chewing.

“Have another.”

“No.”

As I twisted this way and that to avoid the second piece, my gaze drifted across the long aisle dividing the banquet hall.

It met the demon’s.

The moment our eyes locked, my appetite disappeared.

“I’ll eat by myself.”

“Hmm. That’s probably better.”

Perhaps Hwang Bo-min had noticed the murderous stare directed at us, because he withdrew without another word.

He undoubtedly had countless questions for me.

But I had no reason to satisfy his curiosity.

Silently, I filled my cup again and emptied it.

Music flowed from the orchestra.

Beautiful dancers clad in thin silk robes performed a sword dance in time with the melody.

Their translucent sleeves fluttered like dragonfly wings as the long blades reflected the lantern light.

Countless hanging lamps painted dazzling colors across the gleaming steel.

When the sword dance ended, the music slowly faded.

The sudden silence felt unnatural.

Even the officials who had been laughing moments ago instinctively fell quiet.

One of the lower-ranking attendants standing at the entrance announced in a booming voice,

“His Highness the Fifth Prince has arrived to pay his respects to His Majesty!”

The central path remained covered in flower petals scattered earlier by the dancers.

Onto that carpet stepped a pair of exquisitely crafted leather shoes.

The gathered officials withdrew from their tables and bowed deeply before the sacred descendants of the Son of Heaven.

I also prostrated myself, pressing my forehead against the floor.

Only two people remained standing.

The beast-like demon.

And His Majesty seated upon the elevated throne.

The banquet had already been underway for quite some time before Hyupbyeol leisurely made his appearance.

Even after arriving so late, he showed no sign of hurrying.

As I raised my head just slightly, he happened to pass in front of me.

The hem of his glossy blue silk robe swayed gently with every step.

His soft leather shoes barely seemed to touch the ground.

Beautiful.

Truly beautiful.

He had grown up beneath His Majesty’s protection, untouched by the ugliness and cruelty of the world.

Had His Majesty not taken him in, such a fragile life could have ended at any moment, whether inside the palace or beyond its walls.

Instead, he possessed the strongest patron imaginable.

He would spend his entire life idly composing poetry, feasting on delicacies, and living in endless luxury.

When he finally reached the Emperor, his clear voice rang throughout the hall.

“I humbly beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness for my late arrival.”

That delicate voice irritated me beyond measure.

I could easily picture the charming smile that accompanied it.

But to His Majesty, every action of his younger brother was precious.

“It is of no consequence.”

The Emperor smiled warmly.

“Come. Sit.”

Only after His Majesty ordered the banquet to continue were we permitted to rise.

Looking toward the high seat, I saw Hyupbyeol naturally take the place beside the Emperor.

His Majesty must have just bestowed another precious gift upon him.

Hyupbyeol opened an unfamiliar box with sparkling excitement while the Emperor watched fondly.

His cheeks flushed pink as he smiled.

His eyes shimmered like stars against the night sky.

They were the only lively feature upon his otherwise pale face.

For a moment, I found myself staring blankly.

Then anger surged through me.

After receiving such boundless kindness from His Majesty…

Shouldn’t he die protecting him when rebellion came?

Even if he could not give his life, shouldn’t he at least refrain from becoming a burden?

If he discovered signs of rebellion, shouldn’t he immediately report them to His Majesty?

…

I really was drunk.

There was still no evidence connecting Hyupbyeol to any rebellion.

Yet merely looking at him filled me with resentment.

Wiping my face with one hand, I muttered to myself,

“I’m losing my mind.”

I no longer wished to remain there.

Staggering to my feet, I quietly left.

The banquet, overflowing with beautiful dancers and priceless wine, had already regained its festive atmosphere as though nothing had happened.

Hwang Bo-min, who had been chatting merrily with the others, grabbed my arm.

“Leaving already?”

“I’ll be going ahead.”

After bidding farewell to those nearby, I declined the escort offered by a junior military officer—he must have thought my unsteady steps looked dangerous—and left the banquet hall alone.

The further I walked from the brightly lit palace annex, the colder the night wind became.

I wandered aimlessly.

My stomach churned.

Now that I was far enough away and no one was around, I grabbed hold of a tree and vomited.

“Urgh…”

The meat pancake and clear liquor spilled onto the ground.

Soon only sour stomach acid remained.

Even after my stomach was completely empty, the dry heaving refused to stop.

It was then that someone approached.

The moonlight alone was enough for me to recognize the silhouette.

It looked more beast than human.

Since it walked on two legs, it couldn’t be an actual animal.

That left only one possibility.

The demon.

Leaning against the tree trunk, struggling to catch my breath, I watched as the approaching figure indeed turned out to be him.

After drinking himself senseless at the banquet…

Why had he followed me?

His shaggy hair remained stiff with dried blood, the stains of slaughter still clinging to him because he had never bothered washing them away.

He stopped before me and asked,

“What are you doing?”

“…”

I stared at him silently.

Then I reached for the sash around my official robes.

Slowly, I untied it.

Each layer slipped from my shoulders and fell to the ground.

He watched without saying a word.

Only after my bare skin was exposed to the cold night air did he finally ask,

“Why are you taking your clothes off?”

“Isn’t that why you followed me?”

Having done it once already, I no longer felt much resistance to doing it again, even within the Imperial Palace.

Perhaps it was the alcohol.

At the very least, I no longer feared being discovered.

The liquor must have swelled my courage beyond my own body.

Or perhaps…

Part of me wanted to be caught.

Your Majesty…

I love you this deeply.

The one willing to throw away his life for your sake isn’t Hyupbyeol.

It’s me.

I have already thrown away my own body for you.

Then why… why do you continue protecting someone who may one day threaten your throne?

“Eat.”

Still lost in my drunken thoughts, I suddenly found something thrust before my face.

Tilting my heavy head, I looked.

It was a piece of meat pancake.

He had simply grabbed it with his bare hand from the banquet.

A greasy pile of fried meat rested upon his palm.

“…Why did you bring this?”

The demon did not answer.

Instead, he held it out again.

The egg-coated pancake had been fried to a perfect golden color—a delicacy worthy of the imperial banquet.

But to someone whose stomach had just emptied itself, the greasy smell alone was revolting.

And seeing it clutched in those filthy, bloodstained hands only made it worse.

The demon remained completely indifferent.

“Eat.”

“…”

I quietly turned my head away.

Just looking at it made me want to vomit again.

My disgust must have been obvious.

The demon suddenly grabbed my jaw.

“Let go—mmph!”

He forcefully shoved the meat pancake into my mouth.

Then, as though that weren’t enough, he clamped his palm over my mouth.

Again.

Just like before.

Even as I struggled in protest, he insisted that I swallow.

The tough meat slid down my throat almost whole after only a few chews.

The instant he confirmed my mouth was empty and finally removed his hand, I immediately spun around and braced myself against the tree.

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