IBPC | Chapter 6.1

“Have you noticed it recently?”

Pacheon cautiously brought up the topic as he walked alongside Heegon by the pond.

“Seoyul, that boy. He’s been growing more and more beautiful lately.”

“……”

At the mention of Seoyul, Heegon’s steps faltered for a moment before he continued walking. Heegon remained silent, but his sharp, guarded gaze fixed on Pacheon. Sensing the tension, Pacheon forced an awkward smile.

“How could I dare covet what belongs to Your Highness? My instinct for self-preservation is far stronger than any Yangin instinct, so you need not worry.”

At Pacheon’s jest, Heegon finally spoke in a slightly calmer tone.

“You’ve noticed it too, haven’t you? His scent… it’s changed a little.”

“Yes. Your scent was so overpowering that it was hard to tell at first, but his scent has definitely shifted. There seem to be some external changes as well…”

“What do you think is causing it?”

“Hmm. The records on Eumin are quite limited.”

Pacheon stroked his chin thoughtfully before cautiously offering a theory.

“The boy mentioned that he’s a weak Eumin, much like myself. But perhaps being with a strong Yangin like Your Highness has triggered some kind of change in him.”

“A change?”

“Among Yangin, there are those like Your Highness who possess extreme traits, correct? Then perhaps among Eumin, there are those with extreme traits as well.”

“Extreme Eumin?”

“Yes. Yangin and Eumin are deeply influenced by their compatibility with one another. Perhaps being with Your Highness has caused some kind of… transformation in him. Though this is merely my speculation.”

“Hmm. Regardless, there’s no harm to his body, is there?”

“From what I’ve observed, aside from his scent changing and his appearance becoming more radiant, there’s been nothing concerning. However, it’s best to keep a close eye on him.”

“What are you implying?”

“I can’t say for certain, but it’s clear that something has changed in him. Perhaps his body is adapting to make conception easier, as he once mentioned how difficult it was for him. So, you should watch him carefully.”

“……”

“After all, the only one who can delve deep into his inner workings is you, Your Highness.” Pacheon’s tone grew serious, but then a hint of amusement crept into his voice.

“Or perhaps he’s simply blossoming under the abundance of Your Highness’s affection.” Pacheon cleared his throat and glanced at Heegon slyly.

“Though I was the one who brought him here under the guidance of the God of Seombaek, it seems you’ve grown quite fond of him. How fortunate.”

Pacheon’s self-satisfied tone didn’t elicit a cheerful response from Heegon. Instead, Heegon’s expression remained somber as he walked a few more steps along the pond before replying indifferently.

“Whether I’m fond of him or not doesn’t matter. He’s the only option I have. If you were to find another Eumin, the situation might be different.”

“……”

“That’s all there is to it.”

At Heegon’s response, Pacheon’s smile faded, and he looked somewhat embarrassed.

Of course, he didn’t believe Heegon had developed deep feelings for Seoyul. Yet, Heegon’s actions toward Seoyul seemed unusual, as if there was something beyond mere necessity.

But perhaps that wasn’t the case after all.

Pacheon tilted his head slightly in thought before quietly following Heegon.

Well, as long as he produces an heir, that’s all that matters. What more could be needed?

⊹₊⟡⋆

To the south of Heegon’s residence, there was a vast, sprawling garden. Filled with all sorts of rare trees and flowers, the place was a blend of fragrance and beauty that stimulated the senses. However, as Seoyul walked through it, he was lost in deep thought.

It had already been several months since he arrived here. His once short hair had grown long enough to cover the nape of his neck. A little more, and he could even tie it up.

As time passed, Seoyul had somehow fully adapted to life in the palace and was getting along better than he had expected. It felt like he was holding on, half in resignation and half with the determination to survive. Of course, he didn’t plan to completely give up.

Seoyul glanced at the back of Dubo, who was walking ahead of him, and pondered.

Now that he had formed a bit of a rapport with this eunuch, he thought it might be time to start looking into other sorcerers outside the palace. But he still couldn’t shake the worry—would Dubo, who had served Heegon for so long, really agree to his request without Heegon finding out?

It wasn’t like there were other options, though. Should he give it more time? Or maybe…

“Hey, do you think you could get me some books?”

At Seoyul’s sudden question, Dubo turned around to look at him.

“Books?”

“Yeah… I just want to learn a bit more about writing.”

“Ah… If it’s something like that, I can get you books for learning characters…”

“No, more like… myths or stories about gods.”

“…Huh?”

“I’ve always been interested in that kind of stuff.”

Since he had learned some basic character writing during his time at university, he could at least roughly understand the content. And if not, he could always ask Dubo. For now, he thought it would be good to start with whatever was recorded in books.

“Especially anything about the God of Seombaek. I’d like to read about that.”

At Seoyul’s request, Dubo nodded with an innocent expression.

“Of course. I’ll find some easy-to-read ones for you.”

“Thanks, I appreciate it.”

Seeing Dubo accept his request without suspicion, Seoyul forced a smile. Then, Dubo pointed to the lanterns hanging all over the garden.

“Take a look at these. The Lantern Festival is coming up soon, so they’ve already started decorating the garden.”

“Lantern Festival?”

As Dubo brought up a new topic, Seoyul pushed aside his deep thoughts and turned his attention to the surroundings. Now that he looked, the garden was adorned with colorful, beautiful lanterns. Dubo plucked a small one and held it in his hand.

“It’s the biggest event the royal family holds for the people every year. They decorate the city walls outside the palace with large, extravagant lanterns to commemorate the founding of Jinha Kingdom. Everyone gathers in front of the biggest lantern to make a wish. They say it’ll definitely come true.”

Ah, Seoyul knew about Jinha Kingdom’s Lantern Festival. It was an annual festival hosted by the royal family to celebrate the founding of the kingdom. He had even written a report about it once. But he never thought he’d actually experience it himself.

A bittersweet smile spread across Seoyul’s face as Dubo handed him the small lantern.

“I’m not sure if you’ll be able to attend, but for now, take this and hang it in your room. At least you can set the mood. Even though it’s small, you can still make a wish.”

Hehe, Dubo chuckled cutely, and Seoyul took the lantern.

“Yeah… let’s do that.”

A wish, huh? In his life, he had only ever made a wish with all his heart once—when his grandmother was on her deathbed, he had wished for her to live just one more year. Since then… this might be the first time.

From now on, the one wish he would hold onto with all his heart was simple—to return safely.

Seoyul stared blankly at the lantern in his hand.

⊹₊⟡⋆

Seoyul hung the lantern he had brought from the garden by the window. He sat there, staring at it, lost in thought.

But before long, a commotion began outside. Since loud voices were rarely heard in Heegon’s residence, Seoyul perked up his ears, wondering what was going on.

“……?”

Then, a sharp, clanging voice of a woman could be heard from somewhere.

Is someone getting scolded? Curious, he craned his neck toward the window to peek outside.

Thud, thud—

The commotion continued outside the door, followed by the sound of brisk, irritated footsteps. Sensing this, Seoyul turned his head from the window to look toward the door. As the footsteps seemed to be heading toward his room, he shifted his body slightly. At the same time, the door burst open, and Dubo’s small frame was roughly thrown inside, tumbling to the floor.

“Ugh…!”

Dubo staggered and fell to the ground, and Seoyul’s eyes widened in shock as he saw this.

“Dubo?”

He hurriedly tried to help Dubo up, but before he could, a group of people followed in behind him. Seoyul looked up in confusion at them.

They were women. No, there were also eunuchs he hadn’t seen before. But among them, his gaze stopped on the woman at the front.

She looked like someone of high status at a glance. And she seemed younger than him.

Seoyul couldn’t take his eyes off her for a moment, then hesitantly moved closer to Dubo. As he did, he noticed the blood pooling on Dubo’s lips. Startled, Seoyul pulled Dubo into his arms.

“What happened to your face?”

Dubo swallowed his sobs and didn’t answer. Instead, he quickly got up and stood in front of Seoyul, shielding him.

“It’s all my fault. Please calm down….”

He pleaded with the woman in front of him, but she glared at him sharply and then reached out, slapping Dubo across the cheek with a loud smack—. The force was so harsh that Dubo’s body swayed from the impact.

“What are you doing?!”

Seeing this, Seoyul jumped in shock and stepped in front of Dubo. As he glared at the woman, an older court lady standing beside her shot him a sharp look.

“Show some respect. This is Her Highness Jeokbin, the Royal Concubine of the Third Prince.”

At her words, Seoyul flinched, his expression faltering.

Heegon’s concubine? Jeokbin?