By Zephyria 
When I stepped outside, about a dozen men in black suits were standing there. There was a subtly overbearing atmosphere about them; they didn’t look like ordinary civil servants. Their clean, squared-off postures and the aura emanating from their expressionless faces left a quite coercive impression. I informed them who I was. Though they probably already knew.
“I am the Grand Imperial Concubine. I don’t know what is happening, but are you unaware that the Emperor’s consort is not someone to be treated lightly? How dare you call for me. What is the reason?”
I looked down at them, displaying my displeasure and making it clear that I would not be intimidated by their presence, as if telling them it had better be something important. Immediately, the man who had summoned me bowed politely, keeping a close eye on me and Hyun-wook behind me.
“My apologies, Palace Lord. I am aware that my actions are not in accordance with protocol. However, the situation is so urgent that I have dared to commit this discourtesy toward you.”
An urgent situation? I frowned at those words. Just what on earth was going on for such strangers to be inside the palace?
“For what reason have you swarmed the Grand Imperial Concubine’s pavilion? I will listen to what you have to say for now.”
As the man took a step toward me, Hyun-wook, who had been standing behind, moved to my side and stuck close. I watched the man’s approach intently. From the angle of his stride, I realized he was a soldier. He still possessed the characteristic posture and gait of a military man.
Having seen my brother and Joo Min-hyeok, I had naturally become accustomed to the traits of soldiers. There was no way I would mistake that. Right. So he’s a soldier. But why on earth did soldiers enter the palace? Soldiers cannot set foot in the palace without the Emperor’s command.
This applies to the regular army protecting the country as well as any armed forces; no one can enter the palace armed. Furthermore, soldiers are an organization that moves by the Emperor’s order for the sake of the nation—so whose order did they follow to enter the palace now that Joo Min-hyeok is gone? Well, it’s obvious even without asking.
They had entered the palace without the Emperor’s command. I didn’t know whose orders they were following, but… Ah, I had a guess, but the problem was that it wasn’t Joo Min-hyeok. Was my grandfather really plotting treason?
Unless he had gone mad, he wouldn’t do such a thing. For now, instead of jumping to conclusions, I decided to listen and then judge. I stood tall with an unwavering attitude and waited for him to speak.
“There has been an order to reduce the court ladies in the Grand Imperial Concubine’s pavilion to two and send the rest outside the pavilion.”
“Ha, what?”
“Additionally, unless there is a special circumstance, the Grand Imperial Concubine is not permitted to leave the quarters.”
It just keeps getting worse. I was appalled. It was far too obvious who dared to try and lock me in my quarters, but I didn’t let it show that I had guessed, keeping my face devoid of emotion.
“Who gave such an absurd order to me? You should state that clearly before ending the conversation. Right now, there is no one in this palace who can give me orders. Who dares to tell me to remove my people or not?”
“The Prime Minister ordered the reorganization.”
The moment the word ‘Prime Minister’ left his mouth, I burst into laughter. I knew it. That old man is trying to pull some trick while His Majesty is away.
“I don’t know with what authority the Prime Minister is crossing the line like this, but he is merely an official eating the state’s rice under the Emperor. He is not in a position to give orders to me, the Emperor’s consort. Tell him not to be so arrogant.”
At first, I didn’t understand the hierarchy of this place. While there are no untouchables or slaves, there is the Imperial Family, the Emperor, and the noble Yangban families. The world here operates normally, much like the Republic of Korea where I used to live.
The commoners, mostly consisting of Betas, study, go to university according to their ability, find jobs, and resolve problems through the law—not much different from my previous life. However, one thing that is definitely different is that one cannot treat nobles and royalty carelessly. This place has a clear social caste and laws that follow.
This noble group, composed of Alphas and Omegas, is not something commoners can easily approach or mingle with. They are a complete power class, entirely different from a boss at work or a CEO. No matter how much people here shout, ‘Those things don’t matter these days. It’s a world where nobles and royalty all live together,’ that’s only in words; if you commit a crime against a noble or royal, the penalty for contempt is enormous.
And in such a world, I am a member of the Imperial Family and the consort of the Emperor, the apex predator of the food chain. Unless the monarchy is abolished immediately, my power here is immense. For someone like me, suppressing a man like that is nothing.
“The Prime Minister acting this way means there’s a reason for it. Has something happened to His Majesty’s safety? Did something happen in America? You look like you know something. You’d better tell me the truth.”
“…Yes.”
“Don’t cut your sentences short; tell me everything you know about what happened and how.”
I need to know something to find a countermeasure. I must have been truly nervous this time. I swallowed hard, watching his lips. What is His Majesty’s situation? Did that old man really cause some accident?
“His Majesty was attacked in America.”
“…Attacked?”
I felt like a very absurd word had just passed by. An attack? That Joo Min-hyeok? There’s no way that strong man would be attacked so easily. He is a Dominant Alpha. A Dominant Alpha’s pheromone attack is potent enough to affect even a Beta. A Dominant Alpha like Joo Min-hyeok was attacked? Reading my expression, the man continued immediately.
“The vehicle His Majesty was in was hit by gunfire from an assailant, and when the car was discovered, the two of them were nowhere to be seen, and there was only blood pooled everywhere.”
“Guns? That’s an assassination…”
An attack and an assassination are different. Joo Min-hyeok would have been in an armored vehicle; you’re saying bullets pierced through that? Was the security that lax?
“The distance and direction from which the bullets flew were ambiguous, so it could not be determined. As a result of a discreet investigation to avoid public noise, it was revealed that the blood found at the scene belonged to the two of them. However, as for what the perpetrators did with them, they are currently all missing.”
The emotionless voice delivered the news of Joo Min-hyeok rapidly. To think the vehicle the Emperor was in was attacked so easily… I couldn’t believe it. Joo Min-hyeok had suffered from assassination attempts since he was young and had prepared for them.
The number of people who accompanied him to America wouldn’t have been small; I couldn’t believe they broke through all of them to attack. Moreover, for it to be an attack so ridiculously easy that they could drag away two fallen people and leave them missing—it made no sense. Why was it so easy? This is too strange. Do these people not even have a sense of suspicion?
As I looked at him with a face of disbelief, he handed me a document envelope he was holding. Hyun-wook quickly took it and opened it beside me. I glanced at Hyun-wook and checked the contents with him.
Inside the envelope was a plastic bag, and inside that, an object was visible. What is it? What appeared from inside was a torn piece of clothing soaked in red blood. Upon confirming this, my pupils naturally dilated.
“This is a piece of His Majesty’s clothing found in the car at the scene. The material of the clothing was secured as evidence because photos of His Majesty wearing it remain.”
“…It has only been a week since His Majesty went to America. You’re saying he was hit as soon as he arrived?”
“He was attacked exactly three days after his arrival.”
In a blunt tone, he naturally mentioned the point at which my contact with Joo Min-hyeok had been severed. Listening to those words without any expression, I secretly examined the piece of cloth in Hyun-wook’s hand. Was the red liquid soaking that cloth definitely blood?
If the person who plotted this was the Prime Minister, he is a meticulous man, so he would have prepared everything thoroughly. To prepare for the possibility that I might test it, he would have ensured the results showed human blood rather than animal blood.
“So what now? What’s the alternative? Finding His Majesty first is what’s important.”
“A discreet search is continuing in America. In the meantime, the Prime Minister will act as the Emperor’s proxy and manage state affairs. The Prime Minister stated that you, Palace Lord, should reduce your palace staff as mentioned earlier and stay quietly in your pavilion.”
“This is unbelievable.”
The Prime Minister’s order. I could clearly tell who the group that attacked His Majesty was. Everyone here probably knows too. It must be the Prime Minister, who took the Emperor’s seat as if he had been waiting for this. Then, I need to see his face this time.
“Bring the Prime Minister here. I’ll decide after hearing from him. If he says I shouldn’t leave my quarters, then he must come himself.”
There was nothing more to hear from others. I had to hear directly from him what happened to His Majesty. Leaving those words, I turned around and went inside. And as soon as I entered, the tension broke, and I sank into the sofa.
“Are you okay? Hae-joo. What… what is all this?”
“Why? Your guess was right. It was obvious. The fact that His Majesty is missing might mean he’s been captured.”
I stared at the cat plushie on the table and then hugged it tightly. It’s okay. Nothing bad will happen to Joo Min-hyeok. Nothing will happen. I soothed my anxious heart while clutching the doll.