The moment he looked at his father's face as he entered, a corner of his heart twisted. Was he looking more aged than he remembered because this was the first time he was seeing him since entering the palace, or because of the silent heartache he must have suffered in the meantime?

"I greet Your Majesty. May the Dragon's blessing be with you."

The greeting that came from his father's lips felt unfamiliar. Yunseo had him rise and seated him across from himself.

While Jo Sanggung was bringing in tea, the sight of his father fidgeting restlessly as he kept adjusting his posture was plain to see. Yunseo pretended not to notice and waited, and once the tea was ready he dismissed Jo Sanggung.

"Have you been keeping well in the meantime?"

"Yes. Thanks to Your Majesty's attentive care of our family, I have been comfortable. However, as you know, having a disgraceful child has meant I have not been able to sleep at night recently."

The wording was polite, but the content was a veiled jab at him, and his eyes were sharp. His insides twisted in a mess, but Yunseo took a sip of tea and spoke with a composed expression.

"Father. My brother attempted to harm me, and as that was also an act of harming the Emperor, I will neither forgive nor condone it absolutely."

Had it been that he hated and despised him and wished to harm him purely for that reason, perhaps he could have covered it up and moved on. But Wongyeong had stepped into Prince Inchin's scheme to harm Hwi. Even if that had not been Wongyeong's intent, if the tip of that blade had ultimately been pointed at Hwi, it was something that absolutely could not be smoothed over.

"Where would Wongyeong dare do such a thing. He is a bookworm who did nothing but study for the sake of advancement, simple-minded enough to be drawn into the schemes of that cunning Prince Inchin. Did you not hear Wongyeong's own words?"

Of course he had heard them. The excuse that Prince Inchin had swayed Wongyeong by claiming he held leverage over the Empress. The defense that he could not help but be concerned for the family and the Empress's safety.

But did he truly not know? That brilliant, sharp-minded brother of his?

Yunseo gave a bitter smile and slowly lowered and raised his eyelids as though shutting a door in his heart.

"All matters will be handled in accordance with the law of the state."

"Wongyeong is Your Majesty's brother! If the Empress's own sibling falls from office in disgrace, what will people say? It will clearly be a shame to the So family, and Your Majesty will also end up looking as though you have lost your authority."

"What meaning would it have if we cannot set right what is wrong for fear of mockery?"

At the detached reply, his father clamped his mouth shut. The vein that stood out sharply on his flushed face made his heart lurch for a moment. But there was no longer anyone here to receive the blow of an angry palm. Yunseo swallowed dryly and gripped his hem tightly.

"You are truly ungrateful. To be so cold to your own flesh and blood. Would you have done the same if this had happened to the servant you keep and make use of?"

"It is precisely because he is flesh and blood that I cannot shield him further. The Emperor executed his own brother, but spared Wongyeong's life because he is my blood relative. Although he has come down from his official position, the Emperor will see to it that he lives comfortably in his place of exile — so how could I shamelessly demand more?"

"You should have demanded more! You should have tried harder and put in more effort! That is why I devoted all my strength to elevating you to that position!"

At the thundering voice that rang through the bedchamber, Yunseo straightened the shoulder that naturally wanted to hunch, and bit down hard on the inside of his cheek. In the eyes of his father, who was trembling and unable to overcome his own fury, he was not his child. Only a means.

A means to bewitch the Emperor with his guardian star, to elevate the So family to the heavens with nothing more than a few whispered words. A tool. Something like kindling.

Even knowing all of this already, having felt it deep in his bones for years, grief and despair stabbed and sliced at his chest. Blood ties are a strange thing. No matter how many times you resolve to cut them and do so, when you turn around they are still clinging on this tenaciously.

"I have fulfilled a child's lifelong duty simply by reaching this position. I will not grant anything more that you desire."

He would not use the person who loved him more than his own parents in any form whatsoever.

Hwi was his beloved and his husband and his family. Was it not Hwi who lived under the same roof and shared meals with him? As Hwi had said, even if everyone turned their backs on him, Hwi would be on his side — and so it seemed it was time to fully sever these tenacious, tenacious ties of blood at last.

"What do you think you can do without the backing of the family? If our family falls into disgrace, not only will you suffer — even the Dragon Heir will be looked down upon behind his back!"

"Step back."

"Have you no thought for your child's future? No matter how much of a Dragon Heir, in court he needs a faction to support him!"

"Step back. That is an order."

Unable to bear it any longer, Yunseo abruptly stood and turned toward the window, showing his father his back. The inside of his throat, where he had swallowed and swallowed his tears, stung. The silence became a blind lash and struck across his spine, and the rage radiating from his father — felt even without looking — bore into it.

He had made up his mind to call someone in if his father did not leave quietly, but fortunately his father stirred up a rough wind and departed just as he was. Yunseo let out a long breath mixed with tumultuous emotions and sank down, pressing his forehead to his knees.

He had been sitting blankly with suppressed breathing for some time when a presence came from behind, and a small warmth wrapped around Yunseo's shoulder.

"Yeonduk."

"Yes."

"I have the Emperor, but I have you too. Don't I?"

"Of course. I was here quite a while before him."

The expression on Yunseo's face that had been stiffened throughout relaxed. Yunseo let out a helpless laugh and took Yeonduk's hand.

"Go visit your grandmother before it gets cold."

"Yes, I will."

"What were you up to just now?"

As he chatted and listened to Yeonduk's stories, the conversation with his father gradually faded. With such good people by his side — if this was not good fortune, what was? Yunseo energetically dusted himself off and stood up.

"You should play truant today too, Your Majesty."

"I'd like that, but…… ah."

"What is it?"

"I just remembered something I need to do."

He had been meaning to look at this court noble separately, but after that incident there had been so much to deal with that he had simply forgotten. The reason it came to mind now was……

'This court noble does not want me — he wants his own father.'

Yunseo mulled over the words Hwi had said to him at the time and began walking. Indeed, this court noble's family being what it was, even a cherished youngest child would be subject to a certain degree of pressure. A household where military officers had served for generations — would it be strict?

"Your Majesty, over there……"

Yunseo, whose vacant gaze had been drifting through the air, snapped back to attention at Yeonduk's call. A military officer was walking from the opposite direction. From the direction he was coming from, it appeared to be the quarters of this court noble, so Yunseo studied the man's face carefully.

The man who stopped in front of Yunseo bowed his head in silence. But that was all. Yunseo studied him with his head tilted to the side. In that moment, the methods of handling people he had been drilled into him tediously back at his family home came to mind — so his father's long efforts had not been entirely wasted after all.

"I had heard that the Senior General's prestige was formidable — and so it is, to make this person speak first."

The hardened face of Yi Gukhyo — the Senior General of the Hoseowi and the father of this court noble — clouded for an instant. He quickly knelt and performed a bow of respect.

"This subject Yi Gukhyo greets the Empress. May the Dragon's blessing be with you."

"……"

"This aged subject was so startled to be given the honor of an audience with the most esteemed Empress that he committed an impertinence — please punish him strictly."

What this court noble did before him in an arrogant fashion was an internal matter of the court and could be overlooked, but he could not permit a Senior General to cross the line.

The attitude a moment ago would have been a test to gauge what kind of person he was. He had long heard that the man had a fiery temper, but a man with so many years of experience would not act carelessly like some ordinary youth. Though a slight amount of disdain may have been included……

"Please rise. I cannot allow an important minister's knees to be worn down by a momentary lapse."

"I am overcome with gratitude for your generous understanding."

"Are you coming from seeing this court noble?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. This aged subject is always anxious with worry that his foolish child might inadvertently cause Your Majesty trouble."

"Would someone as bright as this court noble do such a thing? The fact that father and child have such a good relationship warms this person's heart."

He continued the pleasantries and ended them appropriately, then took the first step forward. Yunseo walked about ten paces and then looked back. Yi Gukhyo was striding away with wide steps.

"Yeonduk."

"Yes."

"Can a father who has just been to see the youngest child he dotes on really have a face that dark?"

"……He reminded me precisely of your father, my lord."

Yes. The sense of déjà vu he had felt when facing his own father. He could not not have noticed it. Yunseo narrowed his brow and followed Yi Gukhyo's retreating figure until he disappeared, then quickened his steps.

At his sudden appearance, the palace servants guarding the court noble's quarters scrambled out in alarm to offer their respects. The way they stood blocking his path was notable, so Yunseo carefully observed the attendants' demeanor.

"Is this court noble inside?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. However, as his lordship has just fallen into an afternoon nap, it would not be fitting to receive Your Majesty……"

"That is fine. I will wake him myself."

"Your Majesty……!"

Yunseo silently cast a glance at the palace servant. Unreasonable as it was, if the Empress wished to see a member of the inner court, even if that person was at death's door, a refusal was not permitted. Realizing that such an unreasonable thing was a matter of course here — and that he himself was making use of it — made him feel quite uncomfortable.

The palace servant, looking anxious as he alternated his gaze between the tip of Yunseo's feet and the closed door, eventually stepped aside. Yunseo gave Yeonduk and Jo Sanggung a look not to follow, and stepped into the quarters.