By Zephyria 
Instead of sending the documents through the court lady, I carried them myself and headed toward Joo Min-hyeok. Inside the envelope were the divorce papers along with a document outlining the precautions I had to follow after the divorce. Perhaps because it was an official imperial divorce, the laws and procedures were quite complex compared to those for commoners.
One part in particular was grating. Must reside in a designated city for two years following the divorce to remain reachable by imperial officials. Shall not remarry within three years of the divorce. What on earth is this? Isn’t this a complete invasion of privacy?
“Why are there so many things I’m forbidden from doing just as I’m leaving? Once I turn around, we’re strangers.”
Since this was the first divorce in the history of the Imperial Family, there were no precedents to verify if the restrictions listed in these precautions were actually justified. I don’t know who wrote this, but these items were clearly laced with personal emotion.
It was obvious they wanted to keep a close eye on me because there was a possibility I might communicate with the other side regarding my family. I could overlook everything else, but who the hell is interfering with whether I remarry or not? I felt a surge of anger the moment I read it, but I decided not to let my temper get the best of me and ruin everything just as it was finally coming together.
The divorce was faster than expected, so I should be grateful for this. It’s better to endure a few years than to become a stripped commoner and fall into the abyss. I decided to think positively and wrap things up. I had sent word to my father through Hyun-wook, and my brother hadn’t shown much reaction, perhaps because he felt conflicted about the whole situation.
Perhaps my brother is suffering more than I am. He is a man of few words and a personality that doesn’t reveal emotion, so I can’t even guess how much his heart must be aching. I wanted to get him psychological counseling, but the circumstances weren’t favorable. Right now, it’s best for us to stay quiet and keep a low profile.
If they found out I went to a hospital for counseling, they would inevitably say things like, “What have you done right to be getting counseling?” Once the situation settles down a bit, I’ll have to take him to the hospital then. As I organized my future plans in my head, I saw someone I didn’t want to see up ahead.
Ah, damn Lee Si-yoon. Why do I have to run into that weasel-like face and ruin my eyesight? Knowing full well that he’s been subtly badmouthing me, I couldn’t think of him kindly. I was feeling poignantly why Han Hee-sung had shown such hostility toward him.
Lee Si-yoon seemed surprised to see me as well; he wore a startled expression for a moment before composing his face and approaching me. I tried to simply walk past him as he bowed his head in greeting.
“Hello, Palace Lord user.”
“Yes. You’ve worked hard.”
Though I have no idea what “hard work” he’s doing.
“I imagine you must be busy with many things to organize, user, but it puts my mind at ease to see you looking better than I expected.”
Organize? Is he talking about the divorce?
“I hope you spend your remaining time well with your remaining family and bring things to a peaceful close.”
I didn’t understand what Lee Si-yoon was saying. What “time to bring things to a close” with my brother, my remaining family, was he talking about? I couldn’t tell if he was simply being sarcastic to scratch at my nerves as I divorced and left, or if there was another meaning. I stared at him blankly with an expressionless face.
“Ah, I apologize. This must be a sensitive matter, and I was tactless.”
“Seeing as you dare to speak first to a first-rank concubine, you seem to lack thought, so of course you’d lack tact. If you have something to say, don’t hold me back rudely; just say it straight.”
At my blunt vitriol, Lee Si-yoon put on a feigned look of embarrassment. Stop pretending to be surprised and innocent.
“Well, I was referring to your future whereabouts, user. Since you’ll be living alone and apart now, wouldn’t it be best to spend as much time together as possible?”
Despite the incomprehensibility of Lee Si-yoon’s words, I felt I had to listen until the end, whether it was nonsense or not. Why on earth would I be living alone and apart?
“I know leaving after a divorce is difficult, but I was worried that you would be confined alone under the control of the Imperial Family. You aren’t a stripped commoner, but since this was an inevitable decision due to the situation the Prime Minister caused, I’m sure you understand, user?”
What is this? Confined alone under the control of the Imperial Family? I had never heard such a thing from anyone. I frowned and hurriedly recalled the contents of the precautions. There was definitely no mention of this.
There was a requirement to live in a designated city for a few years after the divorce and follow the instructions of the Imperial Family. Even then, they said it wouldn’t be particularly inconvenient. Nowhere did it say I would be living alone.
“I have no memory of hearing that anywhere. With what intention are you telling me this?”
“Ah! This was a secret, wasn’t it? I wasn’t supposed to say it, but your appearance was so pitiful that my heart softened and I leaked it.”
“…What?”
For someone who leaked a secret, his expression as he looked at me was full of ridicule. Whatever his intention in bringing this up, I could tell very well that it wasn’t for my sake.
“I’m letting you know that this is something His Majesty intended without your knowledge. While you aren’t officially a stripped commoner, as soon as you leave the palace, you will be moved to a private residence designated by His Majesty. With so many eyes watching, you won’t even be able to dream of escaping or contacting your acquaintances.”
That is treatment no different from a stripped commoner. Why? How? Why was such a decision made? Why is Joo Min-hyeok doing this to me? I didn’t know where it would be best to verify this. Since he’s a human who drives wedges between people as a habit, I mustn’t be shaken until I know for sure.
“What do you intend to do if I tell His Majesty that I heard this from you? Then you’ll be punished for leaking classified information without a doubt. What is your ulterior motive?”
“Since it’s a secret, you won’t get an answer even if you ask. I can just deny it or say I was threatened, right? And if His Majesty finds out that you know this, you’ll be taken away without even a chance to say a final goodbye to those around you. That much is certain.”
If he wanted to play with me, he succeeded. My mental state was on the verge of collapse, shaken by Lee Si-yoon’s words. I didn’t know if what he said was true or not. But it’s something that would be revealed soon anyway, and unless he had some other plan, I didn’t think he’d lie.
“What is your intention in telling me this?”
“I just liked seeing you flustered, user. I liked His Majesty very much. I’ve known His Majesty longer than you and stayed by his side, but I never had a single opportunity. And yesterday, I only got cursed at for no reason. My pride was hurt and I was annoyed, so I vented a little. If you’d been fooled without knowing, your heart would have been at peace until then, but now that you know in advance, your heart must be hell. I feel a bit better now.”
Looking at Lee Si-yoon’s attitude, this was the truth. Joo Min-hyeok had deceived me again. No wonder he handed over the divorce papers so abruptly. I wondered what was going on because I was able to divorce more easily than expected. But he intended to lock me up? What on earth does he plan to do by locking me up?
“The ministers said we should let you go since you’re divorced, but His Majesty decided on the confinement. He must have been very angry.”
“I personally…”
“Personally what? Anyway, His Majesty is not in the palace right now. He won’t return until tomorrow afternoon, and even if he does, there’s nothing you can do, user. Unless you have some other plan. Of course, even if you have a plan, the probability of failure is high. You seem very flustered, so that’s enough for me.”
“Enough for what?”
“I said it’s enough that you feel misery, user. I hated it so much to see you smiling brightly by His Majesty’s side just because your family is good, but I finally see that expression. Perhaps because you’re pretty, that expression suits you well. Now you’ll live with that face for the rest of your life. I’m a lump of inferiority, but right now, I’m quite satisfied with your face.”
He has a face that looks like he’s absolutely loving this. I didn’t even know a person named Lee Si-yoon existed, but it seems he has accumulated hatred while watching me for a long time. Truly, what is love? It’s an emotion that makes many people ridiculous. However, not everyone who loves unrequitedly becomes twisted like that.
“Doing this won’t make that position yours. Joo Min-hyeok is that kind of person. He’s not someone who would keep a flawed, recessive person from a shabby family as a concubine. You’re lucky if he sees you as a loyal dog who follows orders well.”
What a transparent person. Both in his inability to hide his ridicule and in how he falls for such a provocation immediately. His expression crumpled faster than mine.
“Anyway, thanks for the important news. Thanks to you, I’ve woken up. I hope you also realize your place and wake up from your dream as soon as possible. Your face right now suits your sinister personality well. I’m satisfied having seen that rotten expression caused by your wounded pride.”
Even as a formality, I couldn’t bring myself to tell him to stay well, so I stepped back toward my Imperial Pavilion. Once I turned around and Lee Si-yoon’s face was no longer visible, the anxiety I had been holding back exploded. If this is true, it’s a disaster. Why is Joo Min-hyeok so desperate to hold onto me? Why does he want to lock me up?
There are many reasons. He might not want to let me go, and our emotions have soured due to various problems lately, and my grandfather’s influence likely played a part. Strangely, I feel like my end is racing toward the same situation as the novel. And at an even younger age than in the novel. With trembling hands, I called Hyun-wook.
“It’s me. Something terrible happened. I think Joo Min-hyeok planned to lock me up somewhere. Come to me quickly.”
I have to do everything I can. There is no other way. Biting my lip, I looked at the envelope in my hand. Joo Min-hyeok had stamped his seal next to his name and sent me the divorce papers. So, it was a situation where only my signature was needed. In other words, Joo Min-hyeok would handle this on his own even without me.