By Zephyria 
After the Palace Lord departed, Min-hyeok took a moment to catch his breath, drinking tea with his mother at the Queen Dowager’s palace. Yet, it was strange.
Despite this being a time for rest, Min-hyeok’s mind was more cluttered than when he was actually working, making it impossible for him to enjoy the moment. The Queen Dowager, who had been watching her son in silence, set down her teacup and spoke.
“I heard there was a commotion at the Grand Imperial Concubine’s pavilion. Is that what is weighing on your mind?”
“…Yes, Mother. These were problems outside my expected range, so I was quite flustered. I haven’t yet found the right direction to take. My heart is heavy, feeling as though I have neglected the Palace Lord.”
In truth, it was neglect, but the Queen Dowager didn’t feel the need to point that out. She knew it better than anyone.
“I was very surprised when I heard the news. To be honest, I expected the Grand Imperial Concubine to be prickly, but contrary to my thoughts, he hasn’t become entangled with any families or caused any private issues, so I had simply been keeping an eye on him. I couldn’t tell if he was intelligently observing the situation or if he truly had no personal ambitions. Being from the Prime Minister’s family, I couldn’t let my guard down for a single moment.”
Min-hyeok felt the same. The Grand Imperial Concubine he had seen was consistently expressionless and showed not the slightest interest in him. Far from interest, he was always indifferent, his thoughts always elsewhere. Not to mention, there was no greed for an heir or longing for the position of Empress.
Without ambition for power or possessiveness toward the Emperor, he treated Min-hyeok—to put it bluntly—like a stranger. It seemed that was because he had been exhausted, exposed defenselessly to violence and abuse. Perhaps he had given up on everything and only hoped the Prime Minister would torment him less.
“Mother. The Grand Imperial Concubine has asked me for help.”
A brief silence fell between the two at Min-hyeok’s words. Min-hyeok didn’t even notice his mother staring intently at his face; he only recalled the image of the Grand Imperial Concubine who had visited his private office.
He had been timid, cowed, and extremely cautious. Throughout the conversation, the Grand Imperial Concubine had watched the Emperor’s reaction while bringing up his brother. And he had hesitated several times while doing so…
“What do you think, Your Majesty? Do you believe that appearance was sincere?”
“At least regarding the events of yesterday and today. I cannot speak for other things… but both his state just before he was beaten by the Prime Minister yesterday and his request for help today looked like someone exhausted by long-term abuse.”
“……That man, the Prime Minister, is truly beyond hope.”
Min-hyeok unconsciously looked at his own hand. ‘I’m lonely and scared.’ He felt as if the sensation of that hand, clinging desperately with such pitifully weak strength, still lingered. This will throw off the plan, he thought, yet Min-hyeok was truly confused.
“What kind of help did the Grand Imperial Concubine request? Was there truly nothing suspicious?”
“The Grand Imperial Concubine…”
‘Your Majesty. I know it must sound very absurd for me to say this. Um, my brother. My brother… could you please keep him on overseas deployment as he is now?’
‘I know it’s an unreasonable request, but I still wanted to ask. If my brother is away, he isn’t tormented by Grandfather. Since I am in the palace, I can endure it since it only happens occasionally, but if my brother is at home, he is controlled like that every single day. My heart is too anxious.’
“To put it simply, it was a request to keep Brigadier General Cha Han-bin away from the Prime Minister.”
From the Emperor’s perspective, it was indeed an absurd request. To ask that a soldier of the nation, and a high-ranking officer at that, be kept on permanent overseas deployment was nonsense.
Looking at his expression, the Grand Imperial Concubine seemed to know how ridiculous the request was. Nevertheless, the fact that he said it meant his will to separate his brother from the Prime Minister was that strong.
“Then that means Brigadier General Cha Han-bin was also abused by his grandfather. But why would someone like the Brigadier General? It makes no sense. That family is putting on this act to bewitch the Emperor.”
“…It didn’t seem that way at all.”
“Think about it. Cha Han-bin is one of the few Dominant Alphas, just like Your Majesty. His physical condition and intellect are extraordinary. You believe such a person was gaslit his entire life? I’d believe it more if he were the perpetrator. It’s truly absurd.”
“No, Mother, it is a plausible situation. Because his younger brother was held as a hostage.”
The Queen Dowager paused at the word ‘hostage,’ but she did not let go of her suspicious gaze.
“The Prime Minister used the Grand Imperial Concubine as a hostage to bind the Brigadier General, and used the Brigadier General as a hostage to hold the Grand Imperial Concubine. The two of them endured the humiliation and suffered in silence to protect each other. Furthermore, the Brigadier General currently believes the Grand Imperial Concubine is unaware of the abuse he has suffered from the Prime Minister.”
“What?”
Min-hyeok understood the Queen Dowager’s disbelief. It must be confusing. That is how a weakness works—it turns a perfectly sane person into this. The Prime Minister had identified the weaknesses of the two men perfectly and utilized them well.
Moreover, no matter how much of a Dominant Alpha Cha Han-bin was, he was insufficient to defy the Prime Minister. What was there to say about a man who had even killed a previous Emperor? A grandson was nothing more than a tool to him.
“Mother, I need Cha Han-bin. Perhaps this is an opportunity for us. An opportunity to possess both Cha Han-bin and the Grand Imperial Concubine at once—that is, to make them our people.”
Cha Han-bin, the youngest Brigadier General at twenty-eight. Regardless of being the Prime Minister’s grandson, he was a person the country desperately needed. There was no problem that couldn’t be solved through him. Because he was such a perfect person and the Prime Minister’s grandson, Min-hyeok had intended to strike him first.
But the situation had changed overnight. The man he feared for being too perfect, and the Grand Imperial Concubine who was his brother, were unexpectedly not the Prime Minister’s right-hand men, but his human shields.
Now that he knew the plight of the two who had spent their lives enduring wounds from the Prime Minister, this was a massive opportunity for Min-hyeok. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to secure a talent that had rolled right into his lap.
Even if the Grand Imperial Concubine hadn’t asked for help, Min-hyeok had been trying to find a way to protect him from the Prime Minister. But since the Grand Imperial Concubine had asked for help directly, there was no reason not to grant it.
“Then, what is the method?”
“First, we must completely block him from coming near the Prime Minister and then seek a way. The Cha Hae-joo and Cha Han-bin brothers make me feel so many different emotions.”
When they were young, he had always called him by his name, but from a certain point, the fifteen-year-old Grand Imperial Concubine would widen his eyes and flinch whenever Min-hyeok called his name. Unable to find the reason why he was so startled by his name, Min-hyeok had simply assumed the Grand Imperial Concubine hated having his name called.
Thus, he had erased the name Cha Hae-joo from the titles he used. But through this opportunity, he might be able to call that name again. As things flowed in an unexpected direction, Min-hyeok’s heart beat strangely.
“If he is in a state where he refuses to even share a bed with the Emperor, let alone go into Heat, because of the Prime Minister’s abuse, then as Your Majesty said, it would be good to improve the relationship and make the Grand Imperial Concubine our person. There is nothing bad about the enemy of my enemy becoming my ally. And if Cha Han-bin becomes our person, that would be a tremendous gain.”
Min-hyeok stared at his mother as she calculated the situation. In truth, Min-hyeok’s emotional side was heavily mixed into this plan. It meant that sympathy for the Grand Imperial Concubine occupied a large portion of this matter.
“And Mother. It would be best to stop the contraceptives for the time being.”
“…Pardon?”
“The Grand Imperial Concubine’s body is in a very weakened state. Even if it was a small amount, taking them consistently could not have been good for his health. Let’s suspend them for now.”
“…I understand. Let’s do that. Your Majesty’s opinion is the most important, after all.”
“Thank you, Mother. I shall take my leave now. You there.”
Rising from his seat, Min-hyeok looked around and called the waiting Sang-seon, naturally asking about the Grand Imperial Concubine’s schedule.
“What is the Grand Imperial Concubine doing now?”
“I have received a report that the personal guards Your Majesty sent have just arrived at the Palace Lord’s quarters. He is likely meeting the guards right now.”
“Is that so? I told you to choose only Betas; was that done correctly?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. They are carefully selected talents, so you will be pleased.”
“Hmm, in that case, I should go as well. Wouldn’t it be best to personally check the condition of the guards?”
They were guards chosen with great care. Even without them, the Prime Minister wouldn’t dare linger near the Palace Lord for a while given the Emperor’s order, but prevention is key. That was all. It wasn’t because he had any other reason to go to the Grand Imperial Concubine’s pavilion.
∗ ∗ ∗
I couldn’t believe my eyes, so I rubbed them and rubbed them again. When I was told the guards the Emperor sent had arrived, I thought, Finally, the shackles have come, and I was indifferently skimming through their personal details.
But my god. Among the guards, I discovered a truly unexpected person. The moment I saw him, it felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck my head; my mouth fell open, and I couldn’t say a word.
What… what is happening? Does this even make sense? Is something wrong with my head? Why is he here? How did this happen? Rising from my seat, I walked toward the guard who was bowing his head, as if possessed.