2.

Hyun Tae-oh was reclining diagonally under the dazzling sunlight streaming in through the large open window, his eyes closed.

A few steps away from him, a few of his schoolmates who had come to visit were sitting on the sofa, chatting among themselves. However, Hyun Tae-oh remained motionless, deeply asleep.

Then, at some point—

‘Ah… shit…’

The moment a low curse slipped from his lips, the young men fell silent, as if they had never been talking at all. Even as all eyes turned toward him, Hyun Tae-oh, still keeping his eyes closed, furrowed his brows and muttered again.

‘Stop hitting me already… It hurts…’

At his irritated words, the room fell into complete silence—just for a brief moment. Then, laughter erupted.

‘Hyun Tae-oh! What kind of dream are you having?!’

‘Wow, even in a dream, there’s someone bold enough to hit the great Hyun Tae-oh?’

‘Hyun Tae-oh getting beaten up? Seriously?! I need to see that dream for myself!’

The loud laughter and chattering woke Hyun Tae-oh from his sleep. He opened his eyes, took the glass of water Jin Mun-seong handed him, and shot a sharp glare at the noisy group.

‘What the hell, why are you so loud when someone’s trying to sleep?’

‘Come on, wake up already. Your friends came all this way to see you off before you head to the battlefield, and you’re just going to sleep the whole time?’

‘More importantly, tell us about that dream. Who was hitting you? Could it have been one of the instructors from the military academy?’

‘Are you insane? What nonsense are you spouting?’

Hyun Tae-oh frowned and emptied the cup in one go. A young man in a white shirt, casually straddling a chair backward, twirled his cocktail glass and grinned.

‘You were sleep-talking just now. You even cursed, which isn’t like you at all, and told someone to stop hitting you. What kind of dream was that?’

‘Me?’

Hyun Tae-oh raised an eyebrow in question. He stared into space for a moment before shaking his head.

‘I don’t remember.’

‘Come on, think harder! It’s not every day that the great Hyun Tae-oh gets beaten u—ugh!’

The young man in the white shirt was cut off when a cushion, expertly thrown by Hyun Tae-oh, hit him square in the face. Even something as soft as a cushion could become a weapon in this man’s hands.

‘That almost broke my nose!’

He wailed, clutching his face. But Hyun Tae-oh barely paid him any attention, glancing instead at the clock. It felt like he had slept for a long time, but it had only been about thirty minutes.

In four days, he was to depart for the northeastern border. Conflicts with Songal had been ongoing in the border regions, and last month, tensions had escalated into full-blown warfare.

His former schoolmates had come to see him off on his last day of leave before deployment, but instead of a solemn farewell, they had laid out bottles of alcohol on the table in broad daylight, drinking and chatting loudly.

‘Anyway, Tae-oh, you and Mun-seong better come back in one piece. While you’re at it, crush those Songal bastards completely.’

‘Yeah, make sure to finish the job properly. I’m tired of all this fighting.’

Rather than responding to their banter, Hyun Tae-oh simply took a sip from the beer that one of them had poured for him.

The conflict with Songal had been going on for a long time. Though Jeyang was gradually gaining the upper hand, Songal was still a major power. Wars, big and small, had been breaking out for ages, and even if this one ended, more conflicts would inevitably follow.

‘A peace treaty would be ideal,’ a young man in a navy knit sweater suddenly muttered. Despite their earlier bold words about crushing the enemy, the others nodded in agreement.

Both nations were exhausted from the prolonged conflict. Voices calling for peace were growing louder on both sides.

‘Peace would be nice. Maybe if the royal families arranged a marriage, things could be settled more easily.’

‘As if it’s that simple. Besides, even if they wanted to, there’s no suitable royal family member left to marry. All the princes and Princess Seon-hye are already married, and the only one left is Her Highness of Jeonghye Palace—’

At that, everyone fell silent. As if on cue, their gazes all turned to Hyun Tae-oh. After all, the princess in question was his fiancée. He simply shrugged lightly.

‘That won’t work. As much as peace is important, breaking up “the most well-matched couple in Jeyang” wouldn’t do.’

A young man in a denim shirt dramatically waved his hands in protest. Others chimed in, agreeing wholeheartedly.

A few years ago, a society magazine covering royal affairs had published that phrase, and it had stuck. Hyun Tae-oh and Je Sang-ah were considered a perfect match—by family background, by appearance, and by talent. There was no pair more ideal.

‘I don’t envy this guy for anything else, but I seriously envy him for Her Highness of Jeonghye Palace. She’s my dream girl,’ the young man in the white shirt grumbled, looking at Hyun Tae-oh with a half-serious glare.

Yet again, Hyun Tae-oh merely gave a slight nod, showing no real reaction. He simply reached for the plate of yukhoe, raw beef seasoned lightly—just the way he liked it, barely touched by spices.

‘Hey, hey, tell us! Is she really that beautiful in person? Do you meet her often? Does she visit here a lot?’

The young man in the white shirt leaned forward, bombarding Hyun Tae-oh with questions.

Hyun Tae-oh, lazily chewing his food, nodded.

‘She drops by sometimes. We don’t meet that often, though.’

‘What? If she’s not here to see you, then why does she come?’

‘She’s close with someone who lives in my family’s annex.’

‘…What? The annex?’

The young man in the white shirt blinked, looking as if he had no idea what that meant. The others were just as confused. Since Hyun Tae-oh didn’t feel like explaining at length, Jin Mun-seong smiled and spoke up instead.

‘A few years ago, the family of a lieutenant who saved my uncle on the battlefield and died in his place was allowed to live in the annex here. Their eldest son is the same age as Her Highness of Jeonghye Palace. She took a liking to him, so they’ve grown close.’

‘Oh, really? Whoa—what a family to be grateful for. You better treat them well. You’re not bullying the kid just because he’s close to Her Highness, are you?’

The young man in the white shirt spoke as if ready to jab Hyun Tae-oh in the ribs, but Hyun Tae-oh responded in his usual indifferent manner.

‘Well… I’ve tried to be nice, but he doesn’t seem to like it.’

He muttered absentmindedly that they didn’t even cross paths often, and the room fell silent.

‘Did he just say he tried to be nice…? Was that sarcasm…?’ The young men exchanged glances and whispered among themselves.

Then the young man in the denim shirt suddenly remembered something.

‘Oh, is he the guy who got photographed with Her Highness at that concert the other day? That pretty-looking one?’

Hyun Tae-oh, who had been reaching for another piece of yukhoe, turned to look at him.

‘A photo? …Pretty-looking?’

He asked skeptically, and the young man in denim pulled out his phone and tapped at the screen before holding it out. It was a photo from a news board that regularly posted updates on the royal family. The image showed a beautifully dressed girl sitting beside a boy in the seats of the National Theater, captured in close-up.

‘Aren’t they talking about him?’

The young man in denim gestured toward the screen, but Hyun Tae-oh, tilting his head slightly, said nothing. Jin Mun-seong, peering at the photo over his shoulder, answered instead.

‘Yes, that’s him.’

‘See? He looks so proper and refined. What, does he look different in real life? Was it just a flattering photo?’

The young man in denim nodded toward the phone again, but Hyun Tae-oh, who had been staring at the picture, answered slowly.

‘No, he does look like that, but… that’s not what I’d call a pretty face. More like—he looks like a little punk.’

He seemed to consider his words before stating them definitively. The young man in denim blinked, confused. While he and the young man in the white shirt examined the phone, passing it back and forth, Hyun Tae-oh added casually:

‘He’s got an insolent and arrogant face.’

‘Huh? I think he looks well-mannered and cute enough…’

Someone mumbled, but no one really argued further.

When Hyun Tae-oh made a firm judgment about something, few people dared to challenge him. Being his ‘friend’ didn’t necessarily mean being his equal, and everyone here understood that. He always had plenty of people around him, but none stood on equal footing with him.

Their playful teasing, carefully keeping within the boundaries, was what allowed them to call themselves his friends.

‘Hey, Hyun Tae-oh, are you jealous that he’s close to Her Highness of Jeonghye Palace?’

The young man in the navy knit laughed as he tossed out the remark. Hyun Tae-oh answered nonchalantly.

‘Yeah, they do seem close.’

‘What kind of guy is he? Must be pretty bold to be hovering around your fiancée.’

‘Dunno. Haven’t really talked to him much. Jealous, huh… Oh, maybe that’s why he always scowls at me and leaves whenever I show up.’

‘Wait, really?’

The young men burst into laughter again.

Muttering to himself as if coming to a realization, Hyun Tae-oh suddenly turned his gaze toward the window.

Beyond the open window, under the shade of neatly planted trees in the courtyard, a figure was walking along the path.

Speak of the devil—it was that boy from the annex. He was carrying a bundle of books, likely returning from school. Wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand, he walked at a leisurely pace.

‘The tiger approaches,’ Jin Mun-seong murmured, also glancing out the window. His words made the others instinctively turn to look.

‘That’s him? Let’s see… Huh, he looks even better in person.’

‘If he’s the same age as Her Highness, he’ll be an adult next year. He still looks soft and baby-faced, though. Seems like a nice kid.’

Hyun Tae-oh, who had been watching the boy indifferently, gave the young men beside him a wary glance.

‘Are you all blind or something…?’

He let out a scoff and shot them a look of disbelief, but since their foolishness was nothing new, he let it slide and turned his gaze away again.

Now that they had pointed it out, he took another look. He supposed the boy’s appearance was passable.

In fact, when he first saw him, he had probably thought the same thing. But after running into him a few times, he’d realized that, despite his looks, the kid was cocky and full of himself.

Even just recently, he had been the same.

When Hyun Tae-oh returned from his outing, he found that Je Sang-ah had stopped by and was idly chatting with him. He hadn’t paid much attention to it, but since his fiancée had come to visit, he figured he should at least exchange greetings, so he joined them for a moment.

Just a moment ago, the boy had been smiling sweetly, whispering with Je Sang-ah in a lively conversation. But as soon as Hyun Tae-oh took a seat, his face stiffened, his lips pressed into a tight line, and he stared straight at him. His round eyes gleamed with tension, almost as if he were glaring.

Oh?

Curious, Hyun Tae-oh met his gaze. But the boy quickly looked away and left the room.

It was always like that whenever they ran into each other. The boy never did anything outright, but every time they met, his attitude made Hyun Tae-oh think, This little bastard…?

There were plenty of people who, for whatever reason (or so he thought), disliked or avoided Hyun Tae-oh, to the point where he could sweep them away in droves. But few openly glared at him. This small guy, however, was not only bold but also insolent.

‘That’s strange. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Hyun Tae-oh take issue with someone before.’

‘Right? If he doesn’t like someone, he just gets rid of them early on. He’s never one to take interest in people.’

‘Maybe that kid’s actually someone important.’

The young men chuckled amongst themselves, but Hyun Tae-oh kept his eyes fixed on the approaching boy. Unaware of the gazes from above, the boy walked at an unhurried pace. Unlike when they encountered each other, he didn’t stiffen his expression, didn’t clamp his mouth shut, didn’t shoot sharp glares.

But his face was still as annoyingly cheeky as ever. Even from a distance, he stood out like an eyesore.

‘Mun-seong, you’ve seen him for a while now. What do you think?’

‘Hmm… I haven’t talked to him often, so I don’t know much. But one thing’s certain—he’s not as meek as he looks.’

At the question from the young man in the navy knit sweater, Jin Mun-seong, who had been standing slightly apart, thought for a moment before answering.

Then, out of nowhere, the young man in the white shirt blurted out, ‘Oh, hey, look—he’s limping. Did he get beaten up? Hey, Tae-oh, did you hit him? No matter how much he annoyed you, you didn’t actually beat him up so badly he can’t even walk prop—’

His laughter and teasing were cut short when he caught Hyun Tae-oh’s sidelong glance. He flinched, swallowing his words.

The air chilled instantly.

Under the quiet, warning-laced gaze, the young man in the white shirt mumbled,

‘I-I was just joking…’

Only then did Hyun Tae-oh avert his gaze and coolly reply,

‘He did that to himself.’

‘He injured himself? Why?’

The young man in the navy knit asked. Instead of answering, Hyun Tae-oh took a sip of beer, as if even explaining was a bother. Instead, Jin Mun-seong, now the focus of attention, smiled.

‘That’s what I meant—he’s not as mild-mannered as he looks.’

Hyun Tae-oh drank his beer and looked back out the window.

The boy was limping toward the annex. If he hadn’t been watching closely, he might not have even noticed the slight unevenness in his steps. Still, it was much better than a few days ago. Back then, he had been limping so badly that walking alone seemed precarious.

That boy had a troublemaking younger brother.

A lively, mischievous kid—though Hyun Tae-oh had never paid much attention, he could tell he was the type to cause plenty of trouble.

And, apparently, he had recently caused yet another incident.

Without a license, the kid had borrowed someone’s older brother’s motorbike to ride with his friends and got into an accident. Fortunately, it wasn’t serious, but someone had gotten hurt.

That night, loud sobbing erupted from the annex.

Hyun Tae-oh, who had been in his study, found it too noisy to ignore and glanced outside. Through the glass windows of the annex, he saw the boy sitting his younger brother down in front of him, a bundle of switches placed beside him.

The younger brother, expecting to be the one beaten, had sat there with defiance, prepared to endure. Go on, hit me if you want.

But instead, the boy had wordlessly grabbed a switch and struck his own calves.

His younger brother turned pale as a sheet.

Even as he sobbed and begged, Just hit me instead! I won’t do it again!, the boy kept striking himself. He didn’t stop until every last switch in the bundle had snapped in half.

Bloodied, unable to stand, he sat kneeling, still swinging the switch until the very last stroke.

By chance, Hyun Tae-oh had witnessed it all, standing by the window with his arms crossed, watching in silence.

In the end, after breaking the last switch, the boy collapsed on the floor and, according to rumors, remained bedridden for days.

Since then, his younger brother, who had once caused trouble every three days, had noticeably calmed down. So at least it hadn’t been a complete waste.

But he really could’ve hit himself a little less.

‘He’s gotten even harsher since his mother died.’

Hyun Tae-oh muttered.

Someone who didn’t quite hear him asked, ‘Huh?’ but he didn’t bother to answer.

‘Still, he doesn’t seem like a bad kid. Whenever we chat, he’s polite and hardworking. His younger brother is a bit immature, but he’s not a bad kid either.’

Jin Mun-seong said, watching the boy pass below.

Hyun Tae-oh glanced at him and smirked.

‘So he actually talks to you?’

‘He doesn’t talk to you?’

The young man in the navy knit asked with amusement. Hyun Tae-oh shrugged.

‘He completely ignores me. If he spots me from a distance, he takes the long way around. If we end up in the same place, he quietly slips away.’

‘Maybe because you’re too intimidating.’

‘I haven’t done a thing to him.’

‘Oh, come on, just by existing—’ The young man in the white shirt trailed off as his gaze met Hyun Tae-oh’s. He promptly shut his mouth.

‘He’s just shy, I think. Since we live in the same house, I thought about getting along, but it’s not exactly easy, and we haven’t really had a reason to interact.’

Jin Mun-seong spoke easily, but his casual words made the young man in the white shirt perk up with mischief.

‘Oho, Mun-seong, are you interested in that pretty little thing?’

‘Interested? Not really. We just live in the same house and occasionally talk.’

Jin Mun-seong answered smoothly, looking out the window.

Then, as he turned back, he suddenly stopped talking.

His gaze met Hyun Tae-oh’s.

He blinked.

For a moment, his eyes flickered toward empty space, as if he were lost in thought. Then, lowering his head slightly, he muttered, ‘My apologies.’

Hyun Tae-oh raised an eyebrow.

‘For what?’

‘I don’t know… It just felt like I might’ve said something wrong without realizing it.’

‘What did you say wrong?’

Jin Mun-seong didn’t answer, only giving a puzzled smile. Honestly, I don’t know either… was written all over his face.

Hyun Tae-oh studied him for a moment, then scoffed.

‘Let’s leave it at that. Can’t have a future priest saying too many impious things and getting struck down.’

Jin Mun-seong smoothed over the moment with a light remark, and as the others exclaimed, ‘A priest? What, is he going to a seminary or something?’ Hyun Tae-oh also glanced at him with curiosity.

‘Yes. From what I’ve heard, he recently decided to enter a seminary.’

At Jin Mun-seong’s words, the young men raised their voices.

‘He’s too pretty to choose such a hard life. I heard being a priest isn’t easy.’

‘Isn’t it just praying and doing charity work?’

‘No way! They say priests rarely live long. Using divine power takes a huge toll on the body.’

As the conversation grew lively, Hyun Tae-oh merely muttered to himself,

‘Seminary is pretty far from here.’

Jin Mun-seong nodded.

‘Yes. That’s why he plans to move out by the end of the year. By the time we return from the northeastern front, I doubt those brothers will still be here.’

Hyun Tae-oh looked out the window.

The boy turned the corner and disappeared into the annex.

‘I see.’

He murmured indifferently, setting down his plate and draining his beer.

They would no longer cross paths in this house.

* * *

When he turned off the alarm ringing by his bedside and got up, the sky outside the window was still dark with early dawn. Since winter had arrived, it would take a little longer for the sun to rise.

Hyun Tae-oh lightly shook his head. The heaviness in his mind quickly faded, and the remnants of sleep disappeared.

When he stepped out of his bedroom, he found that in the adjacent study, separated by only a door, Jin Mun-seong had already placed a cup of coffee and the morning newspapers on the table.

“Did you sleep well?” Jin Mun-seong greeted him.

Hyun Tae-oh gave a small nod and sat down on the sofa. It was the same time as always.

On top of the stack of newspapers lay the one with the highest circulation, and, as expected, its front page was once again dominated by articles discussing the royal engagement annulment. It had been the same for the past few days. Today’s report finally confirmed that the royal family had formally accepted the annulment, ending with speculation about the future of the Governor of Pyeonghang.

“The country must be really peaceful these days. They must be desperate for news if an issue this insignificant keeps taking up the front page.”

Hyun Tae-oh muttered as he unfolded the newspaper, and Jin Mun-seong only responded with a quiet smile. As he reviewed reports that had come in overnight and checked the schedule, he began his briefing.

“The matter with Kim Chan-young is nearly settled. I’ve informed Prosecutor Yoon separately and sent all the necessary documents. As for the department restructuring, as you predicted, the biggest changes will be in the Foreign Affairs Bureau. Chief Inspector Seok contacted me, and we’ve arranged a meeting for next week. He’ll likely discuss personnel adjustments for your return to Pyeonghang…”

As Jin Mun-seong summarized the updates, Hyun Tae-oh absentmindedly flipped through the newspaper. It was hard to tell whether he was listening or not, but Jin Mun-seong continued speaking without pause.

Before long, the briefing was over, and like the ending of a radio broadcast, Hyun Tae-oh carried on reading the newspapers without so much as a glance. The thick stack of papers dwindled quickly, and when he reached the foreign press from Songal at the bottom of the pile, he scoffed.

“Songal must really have nothing better to do if they’re this invested in a neighboring country’s broken engagement.”

“They don’t care about the engagement itself—they’re just excited to have an excuse to criticize Your Excellency.”

“Songal’s always hated me. Every now and then, they even send people over trying to kill me.”

“Who would like a war hero from an enemy nation?”

Flipping the last page of the newspaper, Hyun Tae-oh leaned back into the sofa and took a sip of coffee.

Jin Mun-seong, who had been waiting quietly to give him a moment to breathe, finally spoke again once Hyun Tae-oh had emptied half his cup.

“And, just a moment ago, your mother called.”

At those words, a faint wrinkle formed between Hyun Tae-oh’s brows.

“She asked you to call her as soon as you woke up.”

“So, she’s finally back? After a long trip, she should be getting some rest, but she’s up early.”

Clicking his tongue, Hyun Tae-oh glanced at the clock.

The engagement annulment had unfolded while his mother had been away at a villa in the hot springs region. She never bothered with news or newspapers when traveling—unless she was accompanied by his father, she preferred to relax undisturbed.

Since she had returned home last night, it seemed the news had finally reached her ears.

And sure enough—

“—I heard everything.”

The moment he called, his mother answered on the first ring, her voice cold.

“Yes. Did you have a good trip, Mother?”

“Yes, it was fine. But what was the point? It was all ruined the moment I got back. What the hell is going on, hmm? Are you trying to stress your poor mother to the point of collapse and send me straight to the hospital?!”

Normally graceful and refined like a young noblewoman, his mother had already worked herself into a fury.

His father, having already taken out his frustration on the ashtray, seemed to be murmuring in an attempt to calm her down—but it clearly wasn’t working.

As he listened indifferently, Hyun Tae-oh finished his coffee. With a glance, he signaled Jin Mun-seong, who approached silently and refilled his cup. By the time he had finished that second cup, his mother seemed to have exhausted her fury. Her voice, after raging on and on, finally weakened as if drained.

‘What are you thinking? What could possibly be going through your head for you to do this?’

“What else is there to think about? By the time I came to my senses, I had already committed rape—what else could I do but take responsibility?”

At his slow, indifferent response, his mother was momentarily speechless before she erupted again.

“How—how did I end up with such a wicked child?! I must have truly given birth to you the wrong way! You absolute disgrace!”

“Indeed, Mother. I sincerely apologize for being like this.”

Still unfazed, Hyun Tae-oh checked the time. …3, 2, 1.

As he had expected, after precisely three seconds of silence, his mother let out a deep sigh and murmured wearily.

“I’m sorry. I said something too harsh in my anger. Even if you’ve done something so horrible… you are still my beloved son.”

“It’s fine. You have every reason to be upset.”

He replied with ease.

In truth, he often wondered the same thing. How did someone like me come from a mother so soft-hearted?

His parents were highly moral, kind-hearted people. Even his siblings were upstanding young men. If anything, it would be more accurate to call him an anomaly.

“Now that things have come to this, you’ll have to endure the backlash and all the rumors that follow. Also, you must sincerely apologize to Hyun-jin and treat him well. His father died in place of yours, and he grew up struggling because of it. And now you’ve done something so terrible to him. He worked so hard to become a priest, only for it all to be ruined… You were truly cruel. Don’t mistreat him—take care of him properly.”

A faint crease formed between Hyun Tae-oh’s brows. Clicking his tongue, he replied,

“Don’t worry, Mother. The person I treat the best is that priest.”

“You? But you weren’t even close to him.”

“We weren’t close, but I treated him very well. Much better than I treat most people.”

“Oh? Is that so?” His mother sounded doubtful but also a little reassured.

‘Well, of course. I didn’t even lay a finger on the insolent brat despite all his provocations.’

Hyun Tae-oh muttered to himself, his voice too low for her to hear through the receiver.

His mother scolded him a few more times before finally hanging up. Setting his phone down, Hyun Tae-oh let out a long sigh.

“That felt like ten years’ worth of nagging. I should take it easy today. Any other updates?”

“Her Highness of Jeonghye Palace sent a message. She requests that you visit when you have the time.”

At Jin Mun-seong’s words, Hyun Tae-oh thought for a moment before nodding.

“Alright. I should stop by there at least once. Schedule it for the afternoon.”

“Yes. That’s all for today—ah, except for one more thing.”

Jin Mun-seong paused briefly, as if what he was about to say wasn’t particularly urgent.

“Priest Yoo Hyun-jin’s excommunication has been finalized. As of midnight today, his name has been removed from the priesthood, and he has been ordered to vacate the clergy residence within a week.”

The hand running through his hair stilled.

Hyun Tae-oh remained silent for a moment, locking eyes with Jin Mun-seong before nodding slowly.

“Vacate within a week, huh? I should find him a place to stay. Something not too far away, somewhere quiet with private security. He’ll probably want to keep to himself for a while.”

“Understood.”

“And… yes, I should stop by the clergy residence on my way to Jeonghye Palace. Now that his excommunication is official, he won’t be able to shut himself away in the temple’s prayer room anymore. I wonder—will he even let me see his face?”

A smirk curved at Hyun Tae-oh’s lips.

Jin Mun-seong said nothing.

Just yesterday, while passing near the temple, Hyun Tae-oh had stopped by to see Yoo Hyun-jin—only to be turned away at the door.

“He cannot come out. He is engaged in solemn prayer within the chapel,” a young apprentice priest relayed nervously, casting wary glances.

Hyun Tae-oh remained silent for a moment before smirking.

“He’s quite devout, considering he’s about to be excommunicated. I wouldn’t dare to disturb such a faithful man.”

With that, he turned away.

The only one who saw that smirk fade into nothingness was Jin Mun-seong, quietly following behind him.

“What an amusing little bastard,” Hyun Tae-oh murmured, smiling lazily. “He has a strange knack for getting under people’s skin.”

It wasn’t just once or twice that he’d thought, This little shit…?

No, in fact, he thought it every time they met.

It wasn’t as if the brat ever did anything in particular. Yet something about his expressions, his gaze, his tone—everything about him was irritating.

And then, that day—

“Last night, Your Excellency forced himself upon me.”

That day, when the bastard had locked eyes with him, wearing that same infuriatingly unreadable expression, and then spat out that nonsense—

A realization had flashed through Hyun Tae-oh’s mind like lightning.

An opportunity—though for what, he couldn’t quite say.

Looking back, perhaps it had felt like the perfect moment to grab the throat of this little bastard who had been grating on his nerves for so long. Whatever the reason, he had seized that moment without hesitation.

He had never once regretted following his instincts.

And now, in hindsight, that instinct had been working from the very start.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t have drunk so much that night. Or even if he had, he wouldn’t have collapsed like that.

He had been perfectly aware, thinking, I drank too much today. I should get home, throw up, and sleep it off.

But then, just as he was rising, he had locked eyes with the brat stepping into the restaurant.

And his mind had blurred.

Hyun Tae-oh was never the type to collapse in front of others. Yet for some reason, just that moment, the thought had crossed his mind: It wouldn’t matter.

Then, when he reopened his eyes, the very first thing he saw was that brat, sitting still, staring at him.

For a split second—though it was absurd—he had thought, Did I make a mistake?

Finding himself within arm’s reach of the bastard, under the same blanket, had left him with a ridiculous, unfamiliar sense of bewilderment. It was, perhaps, the first time in his life he truly understood the meaning of disorientation.

Even when he sat up and quickly assessed that nothing had happened, his mind was still slightly rattled.

That was—until the bastard spoke.

“Do you not remember? Last night, Your Excellency forced himself upon me.”

His head went ice-cold.

Hyun Tae-oh almost laughed out loud.

Is this bastard insane? Or did he wake up as a completely different person? What kind of ridiculous joke is this?

It was so absurd that he couldn’t help but play along.

“I do not recall. Are you saying I raped you, Priest?”

And then—the bastard smiled.

A faint, almost soundless chuckle.

His eyes curved, just barely. Just enough for the corners of his lips to shift slightly.

It might have been the first time he had ever seen him smile.

And in that precise instant, something sharp as a dagger struck through Hyun Tae-oh’s chest.

He knew.

This was a moment—one he could not afford to let slip away.

…Ha.

You’re smiling?

“Yes. Thanks to Your Excellency, I can no longer remain in the priesthood. You will have to take responsibility.”

Still smiling, Yoo Hyun-jin spoke as if it was amusing, as if he were lost in some dream. Even as he spouted nonsense, his gaze remained light with laughter.

So. You smiled.

Then—he had always been insufferably arrogant and insolent. And now, he had even dared to run his mouth.

There had to be a price.

“Very well.”

Hyun Tae-oh had said, looking down at Yoo Hyun-jin as his smile faltered, as if freezing in place.

“To have forced myself upon a priest, no less—no matter how drunk I was, it is an unforgivable crime. I must take responsibility.”

As he watched every trace of amusement drain from Yoo Hyun-jin’s face, Hyun Tae-oh had sealed it.

“I, Hyun Tae-oh, swear on my name—I will take full responsibility.”

The way his face first flushed with color, then went ghostly pale, his eyes widening in disbelief—it was still seared into Hyun Tae-oh’s memory.

It had been, perhaps, the most enjoyable morning he’d had in years.

“Even if the first time was just a mistake—a poorly chosen joke—when he came here afterward, that was clearly an intentional deception. He concealed the truth and walked away.”

Hyun Tae-oh mused to himself, half in thought.

Jin Mun-seong glanced at him briefly before replying, “That’s one way to look at it.”

So he doesn’t see it that way himself, Hyun Tae-oh thought. But it didn’t matter. Jin Mun-seong was sharp—sharp enough to survive nearly thirty years at Hyun Tae-oh’s side.

Perhaps, as Jin Mun-seong had once suggested, Hyun Tae-oh had guided the situation in that direction to some extent.

But deception was still deception.

“See? It just proves how generous I’ve been with that bastard. He tried to deceive me, and yet I haven’t so much as laid a finger on him. At this point, I treat him better than I treat my own parents. I’m even arranging his new residence.”

He scoffed, muttering,

“And yet my mother still worries needlessly.”

Once again, Jin Mun-seong replied with his usual nonchalant, “That’s one way to look at it.”

Then, after a pause, he asked, “Are you planning to renovate the annex?”

At that, Hyun Tae-oh shifted his thoughts and nodded.

“Yes. Find a decent contractor.”

Jin Mun-seong hesitated slightly before speaking.

“…Shall I request an interior renovation?”

Hyun Tae-oh shot him a look of utter disbelief, one brow raising.

Has this bastard lost his mind overnight?

“What nonsense are you spouting, Jin Mun-seong? Did you eat something bad while I wasn’t looking?”

“Ah, then—”

“The annex is getting expanded—I’ll be using it as an office. I was thinking my study was getting a bit cramped, anyway.”

“Then, Priest Yoo Hyun-jin—”

“Of course, I have to take responsibility for that.”

Hyun Tae-oh replied smoothly.

“I’ll take responsibility for forcing him out of the priesthood. There are plenty of rural temples short on staff. Now that he’s been officially excommunicated, he won’t be able to serve as a formal priest, but he can work as a secular cleric. Look for a place with good scenery and fresh air.”

Jin Mun-seong nodded, seeming to finally understand. One of his lingering questions about Hyun Tae-oh’s intentions had just been answered.

A secular cleric was still a layman but could reside in a temple and assist with duties. For someone like Yoo Hyun-jin, who had once been a fully ordained priest, it would be effortless.

But… Jin Mun-seong had a feeling this was less about taking responsibility and more about banishing him to some remote countryside.

Still, being as wise as he was, he said nothing.

However, there was something about it that left him uneasy. He watched Hyun Tae-oh carefully but ultimately chose not to press the matter further.

“Understood. Then, for now…”

“For now, I’ll take my time and enjoy the show.”

Hyun Tae-oh smirked.

“That bold little priest—he’s been excommunicated, he can’t take back what he said, and he has no way to clean up this mess. Let’s see how he reacts. Fortunately, I don’t have any pressing work for a while, so I can afford to sit back and watch. His usual icy mask was quite a sight when it finally cracked—I might as well prod him a little and enjoy the view before sending him off to the countryside.”

As Jin Mun-seong lowered his gaze in silence, Hyun Tae-oh leaned back lazily against the sofa.

“As long as he doesn’t pull any more foolish tricks, I’ll even be generous about the fact that he tried to deceive me. I’m going to take great care of him.

So surely, I deserve at least this much entertainment.”