Perfect Crown in Royal Academy of Korea - Chapter 19

Chapter Nineteen: An Irreversible Step

The wedding preparations of the Crown Prince moved toward the final stage. Inside the palace, the pavilion that would become the Crown Princess Consort's residence was repaired, and inside the Cabinet, the national interest that the state marriage would bring about was calculated.
 
Irang received the attention of the entire nation. Not to mention anecdotes of her childhood days, the background of the Yoon family and interest toward the Royal Hospital also rose. Because it was a family that possessed exceptionally many points of contact with the royal family, avoiding the criticism that it was a typical arranged marriage was impossible.
 
But the evaluation toward Irang, who would become the Crown Princess Consort, was positive without a single speck of dust.
 
A person born to become a queen.
 
Every time the daily life of the prospective Crown Princess Consort, who majored in piano at the Royal University, was disclosed, people spoke like that. Because with a dignified manner of speaking, an expression where emotions were not revealed, an unfaltering posture, and even a beautiful appearance, she didn't lack a single thing,
 
People were certain. That the role of the mistress of the royal family, which had been vacant for a long time, Irang would accomplish perfectly.
 
The King, who was Irang's prospective father-in-law, also held the same thought. Unlike the Crown Prince whose disposition was weak, Irang held no shaking under any kind of situation. Even looking only at her digesting the high-intensity education of the court ladies and her schedule as a freshman of the Royal University without a trace of being burdened, there was no room for doubt.
 
She will likely become a reassuring support for the Crown Prince.
 
Although the King thought like that, Hwan, who was the party concerned, held the opposite thought. Such as that the calm of Irang, which was merely quiet, would choke his breath at any time.
 
Hwan sought out Irang's house a few days prior to proposing. Irang's father rejoiced at the visit of the Crown Prince who would become his son-in-law, but Irang wore a bit of a dazed face. It was because they had never met unless it was a schedule fixed in advance by the Office of Royal Secretaries.
 
Hwan, who surveyed Irang's room where a piano was placed, quietly closed the door. Irang, who noticed that it was by no means a light visit, maintained silence until Hwan opened his mouth first.
 
"I will come to carry out a proposal soon."
 
"I am aware, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
 
"From that time on... it will be irreversible."
 
"That also, I am aware."
 
To call her a person who submitted to a given fate, a bold integrity was felt. A resolute determination, like a person who chose fate by herself, was also felt.
 
Perhaps from that time, Hwan did the thought that he would not be able to be of one mind with Irang. Nevertheless, Hwan, who wished to cling to a flimsy hope, opened his mouth with difficulty.
 
"I will not be able to treasure you."
 
"...Is it that I do not catch your mind."
 
"It is not your problem."
 
"......"
 
"It is because I am lacking."
 
Hwan, who caressed his collar as if stifled, stared at Irang. Despite it being a story that wouldn't be pleasant to hear, it was Irang in whom no agitation of any kind was visible.
 
"I am not a material to become a king. Therefore, I will not be able to become a good king. I will not be able to become a good husband either. Therefore...."
 
"Your Highness."
 
Irang cut off Hwan's words. Quiet and deep eyes stared thoughtlessly at the eyes that were trembling thinly.
 
"Your Highness is the state foundation of this country."
 
"......"
 
"Therefore, you must become an excellent king. A good husband...."
 
"......"
 
"It is alright even if you do not become one."
 
If heard at a glance, it was a gentle word. But it was a cold word that did not do any kind of expectation, and did not do any kind of empathy. The command of Royal Father, who said a good son was not needed and to merely become a good Crown Prince, occurred to his mind.
 
"Even if I...."
 
"......"
 
"Have placed another person in my mind, is the answer the same?"
 
Hwan asked, putting force into his eyes that were becoming wet. The fact that he was telling the story regarding the lover whom he had hidden without letting anyone catch him, to the one who might become his wife in the future, was sorry and at the same time terrible.
 
"I will pretend not to know."
 
Irang, whom he had considered would at least be flustered if not to the point of shock or a sense of betrayal, spoke serenely. Hwan, who had instead become the side that was flustered, knitted his brows.
 
"How... is that possible."
 
"Since I will also place another in my mind, you do not need to feel sorry."
 
"......"
 
Hwan, who could not endure the nausea surging up in an instant, left Irang's room as if fleeing. It was a feeling just like conversing with a solid wall.
 
After that, there was nothing that changed. The proposal was proceeded with at the fixed date and place, and Irang treated Hwan like a person for whom nothing had happened.
 
At the helplessness that his struggle to try and change even something could not create even a bit of a wave, Hwan was frustrated.
 
Hwan, who was blinking his stiff eyes, rose from his seat. As the state marriage approached a month ahead, a severe insomnia sought him out since a few days ago. Behind the back of Hwan who let out a sigh, a tsk, tongue-clicking sound was heard coming.
 
"Foolish indeed."
 
It was Wan, who had been banned from palace entry due to the wedding ring incident.
 
"What is it?"
 
At this hour, how.
 
"Has the palace entry ban been lifted?"
 
"No?"
 
"Then how did you enter."
 
"I climbed over the wall, what."
 
"What?"
 
"Because Court Lady Park made such a fuss saying you were dying, Brother, I came to look... and it's for real?"
 
Wan, who swept over his gaze up and down, said. Whether his having climbed over the wall wasn't a lie, things like grass leaves were attached to Wan's clothing hem.
 
"What, are you anxious ahead of marriage? Is it marriage blues, something like that?"
 
Wan, who sat down at Hwan's side throwing words bluntly, stared straight into his older brother's eyes. Exactly what he was so fearful of to be trembling like this. He didn't like his shape that had become haggard in the interval of not having seen him for a few days.
 
"This way or that way, the one who proposed was you, Brother, so why are you like this."
 
"My thoughts exactly."
 
"Do you regret?"
 
"Should I call off the marriage."
 
Hwan, who was absorbed in thought for a moment, threw out a bomb-like sound.
 
"What are you saying. Did you drink alcohol again?"
 
Wan, who knitted his brows, began to sniff and catch the smell.
 
"What is it. It seems you didn't even drink alcohol, so why do you do a out-of-mind sound."
 
"It is not an out-of-mind sound."
 
Only then did Wan, who recognized the seriousness, look at the closed door of the Eastern Palace. If even Court Lady Park, whose ears were sharp, should listen, a big trouble would occur.
 
Hwan, who looked at that kind of Wan, took out the photograph he had put into the drawer and handed it over.
 
"What is it."
 
Wan, who looked at the woman inside the photograph using the moonlight as illumination, let out a sigh. It was a court servant of the Eastern Palace whom he itself also knew familiarly. There was no way a valid reason for the Crown Prince of a country to be harboring a photograph of a mere court servant could exist. Wan, who did a dry wash of his face as if complicated, stared at his older brother.
 
"How long has it been."
 
"Let's see. About 3 years?"
 
"Hah.."
 
To think that no one had been knowing of a secret love of a whopping 3 years, Wan could not help his dizzying feeling. What kind of mind it was to propose to another woman in that state, he could not know. And on top of that, to call off the marriage again. No matter how much he was an older brother he loved, his mind wanting to hit him a blow could not be helped.
 
"So what, are you truly going to even call off the marriage?"
 
"......"
 
"And do you possess the courage to inform Royal Father?"
 
As fear was reflected over Hwan's face, Wan began to laugh while snickering. Compared to his long-curved mouth corners, his eyes that were sunk pitch-black were fierce beyond measure.
 
"What do you want to do."
 
"I will speak to him."
 
"How are you going to speak to him."
 
"I told Yoon Irang."
 
"What."
 
"That there is a person I harbor in my mind."
 
"Are you not a crazy bastard, this guy."
 
Wan, whose string of reason snapped at long last, began to grow excited. At that time when he was spitting out all kinds of curses without filtration, Hwan continued his words calmly.
 
"She wasn't even surprised. Saying it doesn't matter."
 
"Then what, did you think that girl would say, 'Ah, it cannot be helped. Let's call off the marriage'?"
 
"I thought she would do so."
 
"Aaargh!"
 
Wan, who let out a sharp shout, rose from his seat.
 
"I must go. If I talk more, I think I will lose my mind."
 
He didn't wish to do the act of climbing over the palace wall twice in the night, but he didn't wish to be in this place even a single moment more. At that moment he was taking a step like that—
 
"I will petition for the deposition of the Crown Prince."
 
Hwan said. The appearance of his older brother reflected in his eyes that turned back startled was a bit strange. To think it was a body without a single strength and eyes that were brilliantly shining.
 
"Are you trying to do an elopement of love at least?"
 
"It has nothing to do with that person. Because I already sorted it out."
 
"But why are you like this."
 
"I just want to live."
 
"......"
 
"That it cannot work with my mental state, you know too. If I cite the medical records as the reason... the Cabinet will approve too."
 
Hwan likewise had wished to hold out. Even if he wasn't a good husband, he had wished to become a good king and respond to everyone's expectations. But the more he held out, he merely came to be certain. That he was gradually becoming broken.
 
Therefore, exerting his dying strength, just a single time, he was intending to try and take courage. Although his decision would disappoint everyone, even so, just a single time.
 
"Therefore, Wan."
 
"......"
 
"You must become my background support.”