By Zephyria 
For two days, Min-hyeok could not take his eyes off Hae-joo, who lay unconscious in a deep sleep. Hae-joo had been moved immediately to the hospital, where he underwent examinations and treatment under ironclad security. The inside of his mouth and nose, where he had been struck by the Prime Minister, were riddled with inflammation, and he began separate treatment for severe swelling, as well as the wounds and bruises on his cheeks.
The inflammation caused by fractures in his wrist and fingers was also a problem. Although medication and treatment were administered immediately at the time, the Prime Minister’s cold indifference had prevented a proper treatment prescription from being issued, meaning they had to wait and monitor the situation. Furthermore, his body was covered in bruises of all sizes from being kicked, to the point where the doctor was left speechless.
On top of that, he had suffered a miscarriage. In the doctor’s opinion, he had been about five weeks along, and it was estimated that the baby had been conceived on the first day of their rut and heat. His uterus was already weak, and the combination of his frail physical state, severe psychological shock, and the brutal beating became the direct cause of the miscarriage. Min-hyeok’s shock was beyond words.
On the other hand, the suppression of the treason went smoothly. Sang-seon discovered the assassination squad prepared by the Prime Minister and dealt with them. He then disguised his own men as the assassination squad to carry out the Prime Minister’s planned movements. Min-hyeok, having noticed the Prime Minister’s attempts to seize control of the military, had already coordinated a strategy through meetings with military officials.
More people had fallen into the Prime Minister’s hands than expected. However, since Min-hyeok possessed such definitive physical and circumstantial evidence, he suppressed them in one fell swoop and filled those positions with his own people. They entered the palace pretending to be the Prime Minister’s men and followed Min-hyeok’s instructions.
Outside the palace, Min-hyeok monitored the Prime Minister’s movements to ensure public sentiment remained stable and took care to prevent any harm to the citizens. He then arrested the Prime Minister’s associates and family members waiting outside on charges of insurrection and located Han-bin, whom the Prime Minister had captured and hidden.
Han-bin had been suffering considerable hardship for defying the Prime Minister’s order to stand at the forefront of the treason, and he had been in a predicament, unable to find a way out. The claim that Han-bin was with his unit had been a lie. He had been dragged away by his grandfather and was in a state of physical ruin and exhaustion nearly as severe as Hae-joo’s.
Just as he could no longer endure his grandfather’s obsession with using Hae-joo as a hostage to pressure him, Min-hyeok found him. Thus, Han-bin was also resting and receiving treatment here. Min-hyeok worried that Han-bin would be devastated upon hearing the news about Hae-joo.
“Your Majesty, Sang-seon has contacted me to say you should not worry about the affairs.”
Hyun-wook delivered the news in a stiff voice to Min-hyeok, who had been hanging his head. His arrogant attitude and manner of speaking were such that it wouldn’t have been strange to discipline him right now, but Min-hyeok could not.
“Did you meet Dae-ho?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I was unaware that my father was also privy to the matter.”
Hearing Hyun-wook say he didn’t know, Min-hyeok let out a short laugh. If Dae-ho hadn’t known, would Kang Hyun-wook have been able to be here?
“You were able to stay by Hae-joo’s side because Dae-ho knew everything. Do you think your father, who cherishes his son so dearly, would have left you alone in the palace if he were truly insane and oblivious?”
“What will happen to the Grand Imperial Concubine user now?”
Min-hyeok looked at Hyun-wook, who asked with concern, with an expression of incomprehension.
“What do you mean ‘what will happen’? Once he finishes treatment and leaves…”
“That’s not what I mean. That entire family has been arrested for treason; what happens to the user? The other ministers won’t just stay quiet. The press has already started making a noise about this, and the whole world will come to know.”
A single political reporter had leaked a matter that was meant to be handled quietly. Since there had been troop movements, it was no longer possible to pretend it wasn’t happening. The Prime Minister’s crimes were appearing in the news daily, and the people’s anger grew by the day. It was inevitable, as part of the Prime Minister’s plan had been made public.
The Prime Minister had been planning to replace the Emperor and create a clear class distinction between the nobility and the citizens to establish systemic discrimination. He had attempted the absurd task of introducing discrimination in social contact and employment, and even suggested reviving the slave system depending on the situation.
Once this was publicized through the media, public sentiment inevitably exploded. Rallies were held daily, and voices were rising against the irrational discrimination skewed toward Alphas and nobles. In short, the Prime Minister had done the useless work, and Min-hyeok was left to clean up the mess.
Voices of dissatisfaction had also erupted regarding the Grand Imperial Concubine, who was the Prime Minister’s blood relative. However, once reports surfaced that the current Grand Imperial Concubine had miscarried a child due to the Prime Minister’s abuse, that dissatisfaction subsided. For two days, the entire country was in an uproar, and even foreign media were in a frenzy, leaving the Emperor with no choice but to step forward.
“The Grand Imperial Concubine’s position will remain unchanged. Hae-joo has nothing to do with the Prime Minister. If anything, he is the victim. There is no reason for him to become a stripped commoner for such a reason.”
Min-hyeok intended to use the abuse suffered under the Prime Minister as a pretext to elevate Hae-joo to Empress. Thanks to Min-hyeok’s preparations, the insurrection had been concluded without any accidents or mishaps. Otherwise, the country would have fallen into chaos.
Since the credit for this lay with Min-hyeok, who had maintained his balance and judged the situation well, he had made a deal with the others: in recognition of that merit, they were not to touch Hae-joo. Naturally, all conditions favored Min-hyeok, and he believed this, too, would not fail.
“That is from Your Majesty’s perspective, but we do not know what choice the user will make.”
“…What are you talking about? What choice would the Grand Imperial Concubine make?”
“Your Majesty, have you forgotten? You used the Grand Imperial Concubine user. Without considering the user’s feelings, you handled things however you pleased, thinking only of yourself. To the point where you would have no right to complain even if the user’s heart grew cold.”
“Stop it. You’re overstepping. That is between me and the Grand Imperial Concubine.”
“Is it only ‘between the two of you’ at times like this?”
Min-hyeok looked up at Hyun-wook, who continued to speak defiantly. Hyun-wook did not shrink back at all as he conveyed his meaning.
“You judged alone and used him until you got a result you liked. It’s not as if you’re unaware that the Grand Imperial Concubine desperately tried to protect Your Majesty from the Prime Minister. Even knowing that, even seeing it all, you did nothing and used the Grand Imperial Concubine user.”
“…You…”
“Because if the user moved without knowing anything, he could divert the Prime Minister’s attention, allowing Your Majesty to proceed with your plans comfortably.”
Unable to refute Hyun-wook’s words, Min-hyeok turned his head to hide his discomfort.
“From the Grand Imperial Concubine’s perspective, he was used by the person he trusted most. His heart must be wounded and his pride hurt, so he likely won’t be able to trust Your Majesty in the future. The more he liked Your Majesty, the harder it will be because he can no longer believe in you.”
At any other time, Min-hyeok would have snapped at him, asking who he thought he was to overstep so boldly. But he couldn’t. He was unable to. Nothing Hyun-wook was saying was wrong. Through the cat’s eyes given to Hae-joo, and the cameras installed in the living room and hidden throughout the palace, Min-hyeok—who had been hiding not far from the palace—had known the situation.
Of course, Min-hyeok was the only one who watched Hae-joo’s room. Because of the incomprehensible conversations with Hyun-wook and his dislike of others seeing Hae-joo’s private moments, he ensured no one else could touch that feed. He had been unable to take his eyes off the screen, anxious that Hae-joo might be hurt.
Seeing him wait for Min-hyeok with such excessive anxiety was heartbreaking, and an impulse arose to keep him by his side immediately. He had wanted to bring him back countless times.
However, Min-hyeok needed decisive evidence. Above all, he needed evidence of the Prime Minister confessing his crimes in his own words. So, despite the anxiety, he had simply left Hae-joo there alone. And that was how the disaster happened.
In the process of calming Min-hyeok down as he lost his mind and raged that he would go to the palace and bring Hae-joo back, Sang-seon and several others witnessed the scene and were left speechless by the horror.
As desired, the Prime Minister confessed his plan to Hae-joo, and it was recorded as evidence. But the process was agonizing. Min-hyeok’s eyes had met those of the collapsed Hae-joo.
Watching the scene through the doll’s eyes, Min-hyeok’s mind went blank when his gaze met Hae-joo’s as he lay helplessly on the sofa, staring at the doll. And he could do nothing.
But that, too, had been Min-hyeok’s choice, and the situation could not be undone. He simply had to move the process along quickly. The sight of Hae-joo in person was even more horrific, and he wanted to grind the Prime Minister’s bones to dust. Then, Min-hyeok realized. In Hae-joo’s eyes, he and the Prime Minister were no different.
“…Still, I can’t let Hae-joo go. I can’t give up. I can just beg for forgiveness. We can have another baby. So…”
“Your Majesty. You can just have another baby? That… never say such a terrible thing in front of the Palace Lord user. Not if you truly don’t want this to be the end.”
Hyun-wook shouted at him, tears even appearing in his eyes. Since there was no one giving as honest and correct advice as Kang Hyun-wook regarding this matter, Min-hyeok felt frustrated.
Once he knew of the Prime Minister’s treason, if he didn’t suppress him, Min-hyeok would be the one to suffer. The Prime Minister had prepared to strike Min-hyeok at the risk of his own life, and Min-hyeok had to prepare as well. It had become a situation where he had to cut the roots completely so the man could never crawl back up again.
Because it was a grave matter that could shake the discipline of the nation and potentially harm the citizens, Min-hyeok decided to risk everything to catch the Prime Minister. He had to mobilize everything necessary, and Hae-joo was part of that.
And there was something Min-hyeok had thought too lightly of. He believed that although it would be anxious, it would end without incident and Hae-joo would understand him. He had planned to tell Hae-joo everything once it was over and confess his love, saying that since there was nothing left to hinder them, they should be together for the rest of their lives.
He had taken everything related to Hae-joo too lightly. Only after seeing with his own eyes Hae-joo being insulted by the Prime Minister and miscarrying did he realize he was wrong. This won’t be as easy as I thought. What should I do now… Min-hyeok’s heaviest agony had begun.