Chapter 33: Do as You Please, Your Highness

Eun-gyo walked beside the Crown Prince, sneaking glances at him frequently.

He’d appeared after several days, but how did he know he’d gone to the Crown Princess’s residence and come chasing after him so quickly?

Ah, Court Lady Han and the guards who followed him around were all the Crown Prince’s people anyway.

Thanks to that, the Crown Princess had turned pale again and didn’t know what to do.

Since she was so afraid, the Crown Prince had frowned and dragged Eun-gyo out.

“You went all the way there—couldn’t you have at least had a meal with the Crown Princess…”

When he muttered, the Crown Prince turned around.

It was meant to be heard, after all.

Your wife is the Crown Princess, not me.

But thinking that far, his heart throbbed.

Must be indigestion from breakfast.

When he raised his hand to rub the spot, the Crown Prince narrowed his eyes and stared.

“Summon the royal physician.”

The Crown Prince looked back and ordered Court Lady Han.

Frightened that it might be because of him, Eun-gyo quickly waved both hands.

“It’s nothing.

It just throbbed for a moment…

Really, it’s nothing.”

Why was his perception so sharp?

He’d only frowned for a brief moment, yet he noticed.

Court Lady Han looked at the Crown Prince, unsure what to do.

Only when Eun-gyo insisted once more that he was fine did the Crown Prince tell her to forget it.

“Why did you want to go to Jinbogak?”

He’d expected to be asked first why he’d gone to the Crown Princess’s residence, but the Crown Prince showed no interest in that.

He seemed more curious about Eun-gyo’s movements than about why the Crown Princess had summoned him.

“I heard there are many treasures in Jinbogak.

I wanted to see them.”

“Even if there’s something you want, the items in there cannot be touched recklessly.”

“No, I just want to see them, as I said.

It’s not that I want to take anything.”

“What’s the point of just looking?”

“Learning.

About things I won’t be able to see otherwise.”

“Won’t be able to see otherwise?

You speak as if you’re going to leave this place.”

“That’s only natural…”

He answered without thinking and quickly stopped himself.

But it seemed too late—the Crown Prince’s sharp gaze pierced his face.

His expression seemed to remind him that he couldn’t leave the palace unless the Crown Prince allowed it.

Eun-gyo swallowed a groan.

But thinking about it, it felt a bit unfair.

Hadn’t his interest already cooled?

If so, shouldn’t he be let go?

“Your Highness.”

He called out to the Crown Prince and met his gaze directly.

“I’m not Your Highness’s consort, am I?”

The Crown Prince frowned as if wondering what nonsense he was talking about.

“And I can’t become your concubine either.”

He wasn’t sure, but he vaguely remembered reading that only the Emperor could take concubines, and they were limited to children of noble families, not just anyone.

So as a dancer of unknown origin and a man, he could never become the Crown Prince’s concubine.

From the beginning, he had only been a plaything to the Crown Prince.

“And I’m not your lover either.”

There was never any affectionate exchange between us, right?

He was only pointing out the obvious, but the Crown Prince’s frown deepened.

“So our relationship ends once Your Highness’s interest fades.

There’s no reason to keep me trapped in the palace.

The palace isn’t a place that provides free room and board to just anyone, is it?

Eventually, I’ll have to leave—of course, with Your Highness’s permission—but isn’t it weirder for you to get upset when I talk about leaving?”

He looked at the Crown Prince triumphantly, as if to say ‘try refuting that.’

The Crown Prince stared at him silently, then curled the corner of his mouth.

“Even if I feed you alone for free, it won’t affect the palace’s finances by so much as a speck.

Also, just because you’re not a consort or concubine doesn’t mean I can’t keep someone I want in this palace.

As you said, without my permission, you cannot leave.

Even if I lose interest in you.”

Wow, annoyingly selfish.

If you lose interest, you should let me go—why lock me up and leave me alone?

What kind of bastard does that?

Fine.

Do whatever you want.

If it comes to it, I’ll just run away.

If I can return to the Republic of Korea, even His Highness the Crown Prince won’t be able to follow.

And if I can’t find a way back, I’ll ask King Seongrim to help me hide somewhere.

Since he can infiltrate the palace so easily, he surely knows how to get out.

Biting back the curse words rising in his throat, he let out an awkward “ahaha” laugh.

“Also, I’m still interested in you, so it would be best not to harbor any other thoughts.”

At the words “still interested,” he flinched.

“I thought you’d lost interest?”

“Why did you think that?”

“You haven’t been coming back lately.

If you’re not going to kick me out, at least give me a separate room—stop wandering around outside and give me my own room.”

As he muttered about how stingy the Crown Prince was, the Crown Prince turned Eun-gyo around, grabbed his chin, and lifted his face.

Why was he doing this again all of a sudden?

The gaze fixed on him was cold, but that seemed to be his natural disposition—he didn’t seem particularly angry…

“Were you waiting?”

At the Crown Prince’s question, Eun-gyo just blinked.

After a few seconds, a sound of disbelief escaped.

How could his words possibly be interpreted as “I was waiting for you”?

“Who was waiting…”

“You weren’t?”

The Crown Prince’s steady gaze was suddenly burdensome.

He felt his face flush for no reason and wanted to look away, but his face was held in place.

“Seems like this place felt empty.”

The Crown Prince wrapped an arm around Eun-gyo’s waist and pressed between his buttocks.

Though he was wearing a skirt so there was no direct contact, his body, accustomed to that touch, flinched in response.

It was so embarrassing and shameful that Eun-gyo’s face flushed bright red.

“Everyone’s watching…”

Court Lady Han, the attendants, the guards—they could all see.

What kind of behavior was this, you damned Crown Prince!

He swallowed the curses he wanted to scream and let his eyes wander helplessly.

“Turn around.”

At the Crown Prince’s command, those following immediately turned their backs.

At the same time, the Crown Prince covered Eun-gyo’s lips.

His tongue pushed deep inside, seeking and intertwining with his, then sucked hard.

A groan escaped at the pain, as if his tongue root would be pulled out.

When the Crown Prince finally withdrew after roughly stirring his mouth, ragged breaths came pouring out.

“There is nowhere in this palace where I cannot do what I want.”

At the Crown Prince’s arrogant expression and words, Eun-gyo was speechless.

Fine.

You’re so great.

After several days apart, the Crown Prince hadn’t changed a bit—as uniquely, impeccably insufferable as ever.

***

The soldiers guarding the front of Jinbogak immediately bowed upon seeing the Crown Prince.

“Open it.”

With just those words, the doors of Jinbogak opened.

So this is what living power looks like.

Following behind the Crown Prince, Eun-gyo truly felt his presence.

When he’d been wandering around with Court Lady Han, there had been subtle restrictions.

There were quite a few places he couldn’t enter even with the token the Crown Prince had given Court Lady Han.

Jinbogak was one such place—he’d been unable to enter even after showing the token.

He’d heard that only imperial family members could enter, but he’d come anyway just in case, only to return empty-handed.

Yet today, the Crown Prince’s face alone got them through.

Only the Crown Prince and Eun-gyo could enter Jinbogak.

The moment he stepped inside, Eun-gyo let out a gasp of amazement.

It felt like entering a museum—except the treasures were placed even closer, unblocked by glass, within arm’s reach.

Porcelain radiating clear light, gleaming gold crowns, jade ornaments—countless treasures.

“Most of these items have been passed down since previous generations.

Some came as gifts from foreign lands, and others are so old their origins are unknown.”

At the Crown Prince’s explanation, Eun-gyo’s expression brightened.

“Isn’t there something like a sacred relic passed down from when Sinhye Kingdom was first founded?

Don’t you have founding myths or anything?”

“No.”

His hopes were dashed by the blunt answer.

Since he’d heard about a treasure sword, he thought it might be a sacred relic from a myth—but to have his hopes cut down so decisively.

“Sinhye Kingdom was not founded by a sacred relic, but by the incarnation of a dragon descending.

So there was no need for a sacred relic.

The first Emperor, who was the dragon’s incarnation, was essentially the sacred relic itself.”

Ah.

Then where am I supposed to find the treasure sword?

He wanted to grab the Crown Prince by the collar and shake him.

Surely your kingdom’s treasure sword isn’t something like a dragon’s claw, is it?

“Don’t you have any swords?”

He asked, a little deflated.

“More sword talk again.”

He must have heard from Court Lady Han that he’d wanted to see the swords in the armory when they went to the training grounds—it wasn’t surprising.

“This way.”

Following where the Crown Prince led, he saw several swords hanging on the wall.

They were clearly different from the ordinary swords in the armory.

Some had ornate dragons embroidered on the hilt, others had white handles of unknown material engraved with strange patterns.

One of them had a long inscription along the blade.

Which of these was the treasure sword?

Or were they all treasure swords?

A sword that could open a portal to another dimension.

Even if it existed, he had no way to tell which one it was.

As he carefully examined the swords, groaning inwardly, he noticed the Crown Prince’s brow furrowing.

Was there a problem?

I haven’t even stolen anything yet…

“Why that expression?”

Guilty as a thief, he asked, feeling unnecessarily defensive.

“…It’s nothing.”

“It doesn’t look like nothing.”

When he pressed again, the Crown Prince let out a long breath.

“I was just thinking it’s strange that one spot is empty.

It’s nothing important.”

One spot was empty?

Only then did Eun-gyo notice that the topmost spot was indeed vacant.

“What used to be there?”

Even as he asked, he thought, no way, no way.

“There was what was called the treasure sword of Sinhye Kingdom.”

The treasure sword?

Eun-gyo’s eyes went wide.

“It broke in two several years ago and lost its significance, so it doesn’t matter.”

The Crown Prince turned away without lingering, but Eun-gyo couldn’t take his eyes off the empty spot where the sword had been.

The sword called the treasure sword really existed?

But it broke in two?

Why?

And now it’s gone?

Whyyy!

A silent scream echoed only within Eun-gyo’s heart.

📚 Also on NHV Novels

Night of Arcbalis

BLContract RelationshipDark Fantasy

Read Now →
Not interested