By Zephyria 
The Grand Imperial Concubine’s pavilion was very quiet after the commotion had passed. Min-hyeok dismissed everyone except for a few court ladies and stayed by the side of the Palace Lord, who had fallen asleep while receiving an IV drip.
The Grand Imperial Concubine, whose body had been drenched in cold sweat from a sudden spike in fever, occasionally let out a moan of pain before falling into a deep sleep. To Min-hyeok, the figure sleeping peacefully before his eyes felt strangely unfamiliar.
He felt like a stranger, someone too awkward to be called a spouse. It had been an arranged marriage brought about by the pressure of the Grand Imperial Concubine’s family. To an outsider, it might have looked like a union that strengthened both parties through the collusion of the empire’s greatest family and the Imperial House, but the reality was different.
The Imperial House had been swallowed by the Grand Imperial Concubine’s family. The Late Emperor had been weak, and the Grand Imperial Concubine’s family had possessed immense power since the Joseon era. In a wedding held at a young age when he knew nothing, the only thing that had made it bearable was the single fact that the Grand Imperial Concubine liked him, the Emperor, very much.
However, at some point, the Grand Imperial Concubine began to distance himself from the Emperor, and Min-hyeok saw no reason to favor such a person. They treated each other with nothing but formal courtesy, and there was no contact between them other than Min-hyeok keeping an eye on the Palace Lord for surveillance purposes. He was someone Min-hyeok kept by his side only because he still had utility, yet seeing him suffer at the hands of the Prime Minister made Min-hyeok so angry he felt he might lose his mind.
In front of the shouting Prime Minister, the Palace Lord had been restless and terrified. Judging by the tone and behavior used toward the Palace Lord, and the way his hand was raised without hesitation, it was clear that this treatment had persisted for a long time.
Despite the Grand Imperial Concubine being the Emperor’s one and only legal consort, the Prime Minister did not treat him as a Palace Lord, but as one of his own subordinates. That alone revealed how the Prime Minister viewed the Emperor. Just how insignificant must he have considered him to treat the Emperor’s Omega—known to the entire country—in such a manner without fear?
The image of the Grand Imperial Concubine trembling in fear continued to haunt him. Neglected in the palace amidst his own indifference, the Palace Lord had been abused even by his own flesh and blood. And in his own pavilion, no less. This was clearly the responsibility of the Emperor.
“If you are outside, come in.”
He called for the Palace Lord’s court lady who was waiting outside. The court lady entered, looking extremely tense.
“Did the Prime Minister visit the Palace Lord’s quarters often?”
“…Yes. He visited frequently and put the Palace Lord in difficult positions.”
“Did he lay hands on him? Did this happen often?”
The court lady bowed her head in silence before nodding and answering with a small “Yes.” Seeing this, Min-hyeok fell silent. While a heavy silence hung in the air, the court lady didn’t know what to do.
“…What did they mainly talk about?”
“Rather than talking, it was a daily occurrence for the Prime Minister to unilaterally vent his anger. He reprimanded him, asking why he had not yet consummated the marriage, and pressured the Palace Lord, saying he would not leave him alone if he failed to produce a child… Because of this, the Palace Lord shuddered at the mere mention of consummation, and whenever the Prime Minister left, he always suffered from a high fever.”
This was the first time he had heard of this. No one had informed him, nor had there been any sign of it. And Min-hyeok himself had not bothered to find out anything about the Palace Lord. He wouldn’t have been able to say anything even if he were mocked for how poorly his domestic affairs were managed.
“Why didn’t you report this?”
“The Palace Lord did not want the matter to escalate and ordered us to keep silent so that word would not leak out.”
“So you all just watched while your superior was being beaten.”
“I am sorry. I failed in my duty, so I will accept any punishment.”
“Is he always this prone to illness?”
“Perhaps his constitution is weak, as his fever rises significantly whenever such things happen.”
“I see. You may leave for now.”
There was no one to punish anyone. He, too, had treated the Grand Imperial Concubine carelessly. In the first place, he had kept him by his side only to use him moderately. Naturally, he had no intention of treating him sincerely, so he had neglected him, provided contraceptives, and had even planned to take more concubines from the Imperial faction for the purpose of producing an heir.
The Grand Imperial Concubine was only necessary until then, and once the Prime Minister’s family fell, he was destined to become a stripped commoner. He had intended to make it look as though they were getting along until that moment, but even that hadn’t gone as planned.
He had wondered why the other avoided him so much; it seemed the Prime Minister had pressured the Palace Lord so intensely that it had backfired. That was why he recoiled at the mere mention of sharing a bed. That old man was useless in every possible way.
“Strangely, I feel bad.”
Had he developed sympathy? When the Grand Imperial Concubine collapsed toward the floor, he had embraced him without a second thought. He was surprised inwardly by how light and powerless he was compared to his height. It was an uncomfortable emotion. An emotion that provided no help whatsoever to the plans he had laid.
Min-hyeok decided to think of today’s events as a good thing. Since the Grand Imperial Concubine had received help from him in one way or another, he could use this as a pretext to demand something later. The phrase ‘give and take’ didn’t exist for nothing. Since the other had received, he could now justly demand what he wanted, so it was actually for the best.
“Right. That’s how it should be. Solving this much is enough.”
Thinking that it was enough since he had removed the man from an uncomfortable person’s side, Min-hyeok stood up. However, he felt a delicate touch on his fingertips. The slender fingers of the Grand Imperial Concubine, devoid of any strength, brushed against Min-hyeok’s fingertips. Was he awake?
“…don’t go.”
“What?”
Was he actually awake?
“Don’t go… stay a little longer.”
The powerless fingers tapped and tried to hold onto his hand. Min-hyeok’s fingers flinched at that insignificant strength. After feeling the tips of the Grand Imperial Concubine’s fingers for a moment, Min-hyeok gently held his hand. The hand held by Min-hyeok lacked the strength to grip that large hand back and simply hung limp.
“…It hurts… I’m lonely. I’m scared…”
Delirious with fever, the Grand Imperial Concubine shed tears and softly poured out long-buried emotions. Lonely and scared. These were likely the emotions he had felt while staying in a palace where he had not a single ally. He probably would never have said these things if he were sane.
Whining continued as if he were searching for someone, but his voice was too low to tell who the desired person was. His heart softening for no reason, Min-hyeok sat back down, held the Palace Lord’s hand again, and could not leave the spot for a long while.
∗ ∗ ∗
“Joo—no, His Majesty stayed by my side the whole time?”
Court Lady Nan, who woke up late after lunch, provided porridge and medicine. Upon hearing the shocking news she relayed, I couldn’t close my mouth.
“Yes. He held your hand and did not sleep a wink.”
“He held my hand?”
Why would he hold my hand? I was profoundly shocked by the news that Joo Min-hyeok had been holding my hand. Yesterday’s events—that is, the fact that he drove away my grandfather for my sake—were very appreciated, and I was grateful that he took care of me when I collapsed.
But isn’t it a bit over the top to hold hands and stay by my side all night given the relationship between us? Why did he do that? What on earth is he plotting? I was terrified that I might have babbled some nonsense in my fever.
“Has there been any word from my grandfather?”
Knowing my grandfather’s personality, I feared the aftermath of him being sent away like that. With that temper, he might barge back in, stab me, and disappear.
“No. From now on, that side can never contact the Grand Imperial Concubine first. Security personnel have already been deployed outside the quarters, and His Majesty said that personal security will be attached regardless of the distance whenever you move.”
Personal security? Hmm… that sounds like it might be more inconvenient than I thought. Anyway, rather than that, it would be better to go and thank Joo Min-hyeok now. In truth, yesterday’s events were truly something to be grateful for. If it weren’t for Joo Min-hyeok, I would have been beaten by my grandfather and suffered a complete public humiliation.
∗ ∗ ∗
When I requested an audience with the Emperor, Joo Min-hyeok’s attendant guided me to the royal office. This was my first time entering the office. So this is where Joo Min-hyeok works. The smell of paper is incredible.
“Your Majesty, the Grand Imperial Concubine has arrived.”
“Show him in.”
As the attendants opened the door, Joo Min-hyeok’s figure inside became immediately visible. On the massive desk where he sat, an enormous amount of documents were piled high, and there were two giant computer monitors. Wow, being the Emperor isn’t something just anyone can do. He’s that busy; is it okay for me to take up his time?
“Um, hello, Your Majesty. Thank you for making time for me despite your busy schedule.”
“Busy? Come over here and sit.”
Setting down the fountain pen he was holding, Joo Min-hyeok guided me to the sofa. He was wearing nothing more than black suit pants and a white shirt, but he looked incredibly handsome. Wow…
“How is your health? Is it okay for you to be moving around like this? I was very surprised yesterday.”
“I’m fine. Your Majesty, I am truly very grateful for yesterday. Thanks to you, I was able to avoid a disaster.”
He only gave a slight smile in response to my gratitude and did not offer any other answer. Offering me tea, Joo Min-hyeok looked at me with a face that seemed to have something to say, hesitated, and then spoke.
“I never imagined you were going through such things. I feel very sorry that I was too indifferent to the Palace Lord.”
Joo Min-hyeok observed me with a very cautious expression. Right. He probably didn’t know that his consort was being beaten by his grandfather in the palace. That was something no one, not even Joo Min-hyeok, could have imagined. It’s not something he needs to feel sorry about.
“I have heard the reason why you hid it. But why didn’t you tell your other family members? Wouldn’t there have been other ways to seek help?”
Family? Which family? My parents passed away early, and it was my grandfather who took in and raised my brother and me. In our family, he was like the heavens, and as orphans, we could not disobey the words of the person who raised us.
To my grandfather, we were not the precious children of his deceased second son or lovely grandchildren, but merely shields for the family. And my brother, an Alpha, had to endure even harsher discipline than I did.
“If you had told your brother, wouldn’t he have been a source of strength? Aren’t you usually very close?”
“…My brother?”
Looking at him as he nodded quietly, I set down my teacup and shook my head weakly. Why would I ask for help from someone who gets beaten even more than I do? I’m just glad he’s currently dispatched to another country.
“My brother… he doesn’t know. That I was being beaten too. If he knew, he wouldn’t be able to stay still. He’d be too heartbroken.”
“Me too?”
Upon hearing my words, Joo Min-hyeok’s brow furrowed, and his eyes moved as if he were thinking about something.
“Palace Lord, does that mean perhaps…”
Thinking that he had guessed correctly, I nodded. This is a truly shameful and embarrassing family history. The kind of thing one wants to hide from everyone. I had kept my mouth shut with that feeling until now, but perhaps this is an opportunity. An opportunity to save even my brother from my grandfather’s hands. Since Joo Min-hyeok had opened the door, I absolutely had to seize this chance.
Toward Joo Min-hyeok, whose face looked shocked by the unexpected reaction, I put in my best effort to make a pitiful expression that would stimulate his sympathy.
Now, Joo Min-hyeok. Save me and my brother. Then I shall guarantee the lifelong happiness of your Omega.