SNF | Chapter 6.4

But it was a question he couldn’t ask. Once the conversation about the princess was concluded, there was only silence. The Crown Prince broke the silence.4b8100e420976933

“I’ve heard of it.”fcb32d9dc8f0936c

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Yeon-oh, who had a childhood where he couldn’t freely cross the threshold of his mansion, had never seen a play. Of course, if he had been interested, he could have invited them to the mansion, but he hadn’t been interested enough to do so.921e9c8c1d53bdc3

“Then this will be your first time. The royal actors are quite famous. I assure you, it’ll be worth looking forward to. I’m worried that starting with such a high-level play might raise your standards too much.”70d34c49c1ab8e16

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“…….”e63157877d7a368f

“Actually, the day we met outside the palace, if it hadn’t been so late, I thought about showing you a play.”d4ca3087997f1977

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Yeon-oh remained silent, 41acbeebce watching the Crown a92fcea017 Prince mention the 3e2614714e past without hesitation.c896608e207d4ae7

“Oh, right. We agreed to pretend not to know.”67bade2898d3e02b

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When Yeon-oh didn’t respond, he laughed lightly and hurried his steps.de222bd89bcda753

Amidst the b7c0842d2d silence, only 6c8d5b638a the two e9dbfeb085 girls chattered. Listening to their b391cc07b4 voices, they crossed 78eb74018a the threshold of d83ccb52be a place with 068f89892e a sign that f39f1e88f5 read ‘Yeoneum Pavilion’e3dbd5ee53b8dd04

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The actors’ performances were just as the Crown Prince had boasted. Even to Yeon-oh, who had no interest in opera performances, their acting was impressive. The opera on stage was a story Yeon-oh was already familiar with. It was the tale of King Wu of the Yue Kingdom, who first unified the nation. Since it took place in what is now Hanam, he had heard it a few times as a lullaby from his wet nurse while staying there.75980eb5d52262c7

It was known as the tearful love story between Prince Wu, before he ascended the throne, and the Princess of the Han Dynasty, who was both an ally and an enemy. The story was famously titled “The Tragic Love of Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang.”7e33990859ca1ddb

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Having heard it in passing, Yeon-oh already knew the story and wasn’t particularly interested, so he watched the unfolding events on stage with indifferent eyes, occasionally glancing at the Crown Princess and the Princess. They had long been completely absorbed in the performance.a2d6c79e9832a3d8

“Young Master.”dcc67527f6bd328a

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Yeon-oh, who had d9f3b93f1b briefly been watching a662251d79 them, turned his ae51e0b478 gaze back to f1c5040bd5 the stage when f0dcc90330 he heard someone e0c593000f calling him from 3ad217d663 the left. The Crown Prince, 9bab3db2bd leaning against a 431b1028db golden chair engraved a0e9cd6405 with a dragon, 6e5c5c0530 was looking at 55f3d6cc20 him.c93d7d6bbfe601cc

“You seem bored.”8be2890d333a65bb

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“…It’s a story I already know, and it’s not one I particularly like.”dbac44b01dd96e94

Yeon-oh lowered his voice as much as possible, worried that his response might break the immersion for the Crown Princess and the Princess. The Crown Prince tilted his head to one side at Yeon-oh’s answer.118fae2449154b44

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“Why? It’s quite interesting.”70d0374c8af76140

Yeon-oh withdrew his gaze 960d0c58a5 from the Crown Prince e0b3a9f450 and looked at the f8db385b5f stage. An actress playing the 46fd9c4899 princess was crying sorrowfully. The princess 29d15a9b6e had fallen 60dcf5b641 in love 676890dd07 with the 576da87af2 prince, who 1907f6e695 had joined 4244e6c512 the envoy, b026295d68 on the 5ab140eba2 first day 0265293040 they met, 0a9a9d24cc but their fe574ad441 relationship was e3a5d6ee97 impossible. The wall between them efe432b260 was insurmountably high and dd57814e39 unbreakably solid.77a43ed56df8d73a

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But if it were merely a story of despair over an impossible love and parting, it wouldn’t have been talked about for hundreds of years until now.03f422cf7291a225

The princess’s love was pure and sincere, and the prince felt the same. They nurtured their feelings for each other, avoiding the public eye. Their feelings grew, but the path to fulfillment was distant, and the day of parting drew near. Eventually, the princess sent the prince back to his homeland and fell ill with lovesickness. Not long after, a war broke out between Yue and Han, and a secret message arrived for the princess. It was a letter from the prince saying that if she tore the drum that sounded when Han was in danger, and Yue won the war, he could take her as his wife.4448b405a22fb024

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“Is it interesting to you that a princess of a nation could prioritize personal feelings over the safety of her country?”708fd9d1b1d526bc

The image of a princess blinded by love, unable to see an inch ahead, and wanting to destroy the royal family’s treasure that could determine the fate of the nation, was foolish.1c6e0f1c13c1bce4

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“At your age, shouldn’t you be more sympathetic to the princess than thinking realistically? Even the Crown Princess used to dream of a fateful love where she could give up everything like that princess. I’m sure Wanan feels the same.”05d243a1760ac0a3

Fateful love, huh. Watching the scene where the princess was killed by her father for destroying the nation’s treasure, Yeon-oh barely suppressed a laugh. The Crown Prince, hearing Yeon-oh suppress a laugh, added another question.5d733b6ab9bcf0e4

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“Then, if you were that princess, what do you think you would have done?”cc7424d17f349190

Yeon-oh turned his 6ead581854 head. The Crown Prince 29ea33cb1c had a genuinely 35789811bf curious expression. However, neither the 75b6c22ac7 Crown Prince asking 47d92cf310 the question nor 673d0d1040 Yeon-oh answering it 526482522e was unaware of 52bf498533 how deep the c42f1c261b question was. Yeon-oh lowered his eyes 8e867f956b for a moment and ef340986a1 then looked at the 3df6c25a0a Crown Prince. His eyes reached 442ddc7cc5 the Crown Prince 8ded0d6e57 without a hint 70f12b2ba4 of wavering.6fbe83ca33a06577

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“Your Highness, it’s a meaningless question.”c81b6279c3d13e91

“Meaningless…?”4ac4d436829becef

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“There’s nothing more important than the safety of the empire for the noble royal family or the children of prestigious families. I am merely an accessory for the peace of the empire.”15030cf271a61b97

“Are you saying you would have cut off your feelings if you were in the princess’s position?”7c153e78898345b6

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“That’s what should be done.”c046196b5d691b9c

There was no hesitation a2b4fa1f4d in his answer. Yeon-oh spoke in terms b39c9e1e6a of the empire, but 6ded9e8846 if he had to 462effcf1c choose between his family 283ca389aa and love, the choice 01ecc793a9 should be his family. He would 7de04a4a21 not make 393f9055d8 the wrong b04b447515 choice by bda9d4e78b being consumed f602eba6b8 by love, 1e4d43d652 as the 7eb762c2a7 princess of f05c0a4602 the Han 3fa7ae5ce7 Dynasty did.33f8e26ae9a141cd

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“Let me ask differently. If you had to choose between your family and personal beliefs, what would you choose?”02c2a64970158941

“…Everything I enjoy stems from my family.”b8319b49726a8f62

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“So, you would choose your family. But, Young Master, even if your family’s will hurts you, could you still choose your family?”566b4728bbe11b91

“Even if it leads to death, it doesn’t matter. That’s how I was raised.”f943cbce6e97e379

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Everything he dda3eef122 enjoyed was 2e5b5ba943 derived from f9ef96a8f6 his family, b08591bbd4 so it 3cb3ae9b2a was natural d49ccdbc94 for him f858648c54 to belong 8d8aa29654 to and afaaf2793e prioritize his 2e0c90fff1 family.3dd5ecf1b68f7cff

Even as he answered, Yeon-oh was tense. These were not words to be spoken lightly. It was as if he had indirectly told the Crown Prince himself that he intended to bring him down according to his family’s will. The Crown Prince laughed, making Yeon-oh’s tension seem unnecessary. Yes, he laughed. Without any particular meaning, purely.9925dc78c8402f74

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“Aren’t you answering with too much certainty?”ee7e0e2c84e59a15

“…”33a7190c7d22d709

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“Don’t be so sure. It makes things difficult for me.”256c7c032fa02a36

A look of confusion appeared on Yeon-oh’s face.901181ebfe202cd6

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“Why would it be difficult for Your Highness?”c6389c282ebe5331

“When I see you answering so firmly with a face that looks like it could break at any moment, I want to grab and shake you.”9a7e17b5a2d733db

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“…Your Highness.”a869507b86797096

“It’s a joke, Young Master. Just a joke.”9d7245d8e0ca6560

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Though he brushed it off lightly as a joke, Yeon-oh somehow didn’t hear it as a joke. It felt like a response to his own intentions.c097dfcd9cf361ca

“…It doesn’t sound much like a joke, but since you say it is, I’ll take it as such.”e81d079e8e671981

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But he couldn’t argue with the Crown Prince’s words, so he had to concede.2bf3356f9684d605

“The actors are particularly good today.”c686b14dc3e69436

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“Your Highness’s praise must be the greatest honor for them.”2f14655e8433392a

The Crown Prince soon da3da8d814 focused on the opera, 7bc31a19b6 which was as boring 58aa485296 as ever. Instead of 8a7820925b watching the da41ba8abc opera, Yeon-oh 897e8cfd1e watched the db256d02de Crown Prince. There was something elusive, 7c1abc253c like trying to grasp 62b4e31677 smoke.e8a36b1291d624a9

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“…Ah.”6cb6545573be0ff0

And then he realized.434bb1ca47588946

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“What’s the matter, Young Master?”c3bfa420f677d8e7

When he let out a sound, the Crown Prince turned his head. Yeon-oh couldn’t say anything. How could he say that he had figured out why the Crown Prince always seemed unnatural and why he had defined him as unknowable?eb98dff8286c35b0

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The face that was always smiling, the sweet voice, and the equally gentle tone. Yeon-oh didn’t see it as the Crown Prince’s true self. It felt unnatural and awkward.39e9c7e618390150

“…It’s nothing. I was just thinking about something else.”9337465d98a96f4f

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He swallowed the words, unable to say that he couldn’t tell if the Crown Prince in front of him was an illusion or not.0f6cbfcc7c243592

“That’s bland.”f57cbb3eb06b1156

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“Your Highness, aren’t you watching? Are you bored?”891dc4b782c1dc80

“Of course not, my lady. I’m watching intently.”383fbd2b498eff2a

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The Crown Princess, who had been focused on the opera for a while, suddenly joined the conversation. The Crown Prince acted as if he had been focused all along. Who knows who the person Yeon-oh had been conversing with was. Anyway, thanks to the Crown Princess’s interruption, the Crown Prince no longer seemed curious about what Yeon-oh had swallowed.414434d77d2f9f69

Even after the Crown Princess’s interruption forced the Crown Prince to focus on the play, Yeon-oh occasionally glanced at him. He glanced just enough not to be noticeable, but the Crown Prince didn’t turn his gaze sideways.22dfb9c41e73b774

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Yeon-oh, who had been glancing for a while, wondering if the false face would crack, adjusted his posture as the opera reached its conclusion. No one but the Crown Prince would know that Yeon-oh hadn’t been focused on the play, as he maintained a proper posture.8156ca3ffa617b28

The secret message was sent by a close aide of the prince who knew about their relationship, and when the prince, who had won the war, learned of it later, the princess had become a cold corpse. The opera ended with the prince’s wailing as he embraced the princess’s body, followed by a famous song.12c934eaf89d76d1

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The actors who 7438b30f14 finished their performance c7e2231f64 bowed on stage. The Crown a5e8f82a45 Prince applauded f12edf584c them and c1e75e2f6d sent them 155cdd620b off with 52a1ea9cb9 praise. Then he turned to 97a981e442 the Crown Princess.44421b99fccd60e0

“My lady, your eyes look like a rabbit’s. Wanan, you too.”03aeffcee23a6f31

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“Your Highness and Young Master Hye look the same as before.”81107ae7743c01cc

The Crown Princess, with 50182b43f9 tears in her eyes, bc739a06b9 retorted as if wondering 64c720aa62 how they could not a37fabf523 be moved by the be5ec4617e opera. The princess beside her 4d660342f0 seemed to agree.740518e9e82ee7d5

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“I was just embarrassed in front of my young wife and sister.”6c0a51153a74d7db

“Is that really so?”bd9c4f3535571f40

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“Of course. Isn’t that right, Young Master?”df82218812e263b6

“Yes. His Highness is correct.”450f42efbb0d587c

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Yeon-oh, catching the 3dda127e9f hint to play 661de90b83 along, inadvertently agreed ac6b6daf7b with the Crown ef1bada1aa Prince. The Crown Princess, after 2a6ffb925e observing the Crown Prince a8795224dc and Yeon-oh closely, withdrew d336bf7d5c her gaze as if 05a31db6d6 looking at heartless people. Her face once again 566a4d1a02 carried the lingering emotion 45ac5f48f5 from earlier.4b45e368b4eb858f

“No matter how many times I watch it, it’s always touching, Your Highness.”87b197733c836c5a

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“What is so touching?”f4aeb1769ce8a903

“The unfulfilled love between the two. Didn’t it move you, Your Highness?”7a6d51c93e7d2f5c

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“Well. What do you think you would have done if you were in the princess’s position, my lady?”6c1824b298fc9bde

The Crown Prince deftly evaded. The Crown Princess pondered, saying, “Hmm.” The princess beside her also fell into thought.ef67a50084d84e06

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“I’m not sure. It would be painful to betray the country I was born in, but if that prince were Your Highness, I might choose the prince…”e262cbb6a15faf09

The princess 717dda29c4 nodded slightly 02a4fb8933 in agreement. The Crown f462e7d989 Prince glanced e84f05299f at Yeon-oh b046a8fa0e as if 9286ed1e12 to show f9604818ed off. It almost made Yeon-oh b7e91dd293 laugh for a moment, f1de47adfb as it seemed like 206bc35cba he was gloating.72b7e6d69223260d

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“Do I seem naive to you?”35f4b49f61da3f09