Chapter 17
— — —
On our way out after the audience.
"How was it?"
Still lingering in the afterglow of the moment, I answered with my honest impressions.
"They were wonderful people. Truly... it was incredibly pleasant."
"Did I not tell you? That they were good people."
They had treated me with the utmost respect, without a hint of pretense.
Regardless of how their attitudes might change in the future, the fact that they had been kind to me today was a simple, clear truth beyond dispute.
Feeling both relieved and cheered, I looked down at the ground and smiled shyly.
My heart, which had been tightly bound by tension, finally loosened. It felt as though I had navigated one of the most difficult obstacles with surprising ease.
"The snacks were delicious, too."
"Is that so? We have an abundance of snacks at the Prince's Estate as well."
"...Then why didn't you give me any snacks when you gave me my herbal medicine?"
"Because you didn't ask for them."
"It is only proper to offer honey or a snack to mask the bitterness when someone has to take bitter medicine."
Whenever I was in a situation where I had to take herbal medicine, my mother always made sure to do that. I had simply assumed every household was the same.
But the medicine I drank after coming to the Prince's Estate had no honey, nor was there a single piece of snack to nibble on after emptying the bowl. That trivial absence had felt deeply sorrowful.
Is it because I am married now that I keep feeling so aggrieved over such minor things?
Ever since my wedding day, I have been constantly drenched in this damp, melancholy sentiment.
It hasn't even been a week since I left home, so I couldn't possibly be homesick already, could I? That would be too pathetic.
"I shall make sure to do so next time."
Even though it must have been annoying to hear me grumbling, how could he speak so tenderly?
Even this side of him made me uncomfortable. If he would rather just bark at me to stop whining and be obedient like a proper woman, I would at least have an excuse to hate him to my heart's content.
But because he is strangely affectionate and strangely attentive, I cannot hate him with a clear conscience.
He keeps planting pleasant words between his sentences, shaking me this way and that. He is a bewitching creature, truly a bewitching creature.
Prince Hye took my hand as I descended the stairs.
I could easily walk down these stairs on my own, so why on earth is he making such a fuss by holding my hand unnecessarily?
'Does he think doing this will make me love him? Hmph, just you wait. I will never give you my heart.'
The moment I reached the bottom of the stairs and looked ahead with a refreshed mind, an unwelcome face entered my field of vision.
My heart plummeted from the high heavens all the way to the floor with a thud.
"...Father."
My father was standing there. It seemed he had some business with His Majesty.
To meet my kind parents-in-law today, only to run into my wretched father? It was truly a total catastrophe.
My father pretended not to see me and offered a greeting to Prince Hye with a face that looked incredibly benevolent.
"I pay my respects to Your Highness, Prince Hye."
I am his own daughter, yet he treats me like an invisible being while bowing and scraping to his son-in-law. How could he be so dismissive?
I am now the Princess of Yeong, a full-fledged member of the Imperial family. Yet he doesn't even offer me a greeting, keeping his eyes fixed only on Prince Hye.
My temper flared, and I clenched my fists. I could have greeted my father first, but what reason would I have to do so?
I was not a merciful woman kind enough to approach someone who was deliberately ignoring me and offer a warm greeting. My nature is not that gentle. Therefore, I had no intention of speaking to my father first.
It did not matter if that was considered rude for a child. My current ceremonial status was higher than my father's.
A superior should receive greetings from an inferior; there is no law anywhere in the world that says an inferior receives greetings from a superior.
I had no intention of throwing my weight around using the title of Princess of Yeong, but if the person in question was my father, it was a different story.
Since I’ve already married into the Imperial family, I might as well make proper use of it. I felt like that was the only way to clear my chest, if only a little.
"Lord Left State Councilor, it has been a while. Are you well?"
Unaware of my inner turmoil, the man who is my husband exchanges pleasantries with my father. Are the two of them close?
Whether they are close or not, my mood soured even further when Prince Hye flashed a beautiful smile at my father.
What is he smiling so prettily at that wretched old man for? It was agonizing to see that smile wasted.
"Oh, this humble servant is very well. I am at a loss for words that you would ask after me."
The way he was fawning over him was that of a sycophant. No, he was a sycophant from every angle, even if you turned him upside down. He had the face of a sycophant, so why couldn't the royals see it?
It seems there isn't a single decent physiognomist in the Imperial family. If I were the Emperor, no matter how brilliant someone was or how high they placed in the state examinations, I would never employ someone with such a look.
Prince Hye placed his hand on the small of my back.
"Hwacheon, aren't you happy to see your father?"
Your Highness. Can you not see my expression right now? Does this look like a happy face to you?
A man who is usually so quick-witted, why can't he read this simple expression? Or does he know everything and is doing this on purpose?
At this point, Prince Hye was annoying, my father was annoying, everything was annoying.
"I pay my respects to Her Highness, the Princess of Yeong."
My father finally offered me a greeting, his tone stiff and quite different from the one he used for Prince Hye.
I didn't even respond to his belated greeting and glared at him.
Before I was married, this would have been a situation where he would have beaten me black and blue. He would have slapped my cheek or struck me somewhere.
But what do you know? I am the Princess of Yeong now, and Prince Hye is right beside me!
I think it is cowardly to borrow the power of others, but it doesn't matter.
If I can't even use my marriage into the Imperial family for this, what else is this unnecessarily high-and-mighty family good for? I might as well use it in front of my father.
"Is my unworthy daughter not causing Your Highness any trouble?"
"Trouble? I have been very happy thanks to Hwacheon lately."
Unworthy daughter? Who are you to call me an unworthy daughter?
All my father ever did during my upbringing was provide financial support. Emotional connection was almost non-existent, or rather, it was closer to having a negative influence.
For a man who barely even raised me to call me unworthy—who does he think he is?
"Lord Left State Councilor, you should not go around saying things like 'unworthy daughter'."
At Prince Hye's words, my father's expression visibly stiffened.
"She is no longer your daughter, is she? She is my person."
I was taken aback by Prince Hye's sudden claim of ownership over me, but I was secretly grateful that he said it in such a situation.
Yes, for this moment, let's pretend I belong to Prince Hye. That is the only way to crush my father's pride.
"I, I apologize."
"It is fine. You just need to make sure you don't make the mistake again. Do not be so nervous."
Borrowing Prince Hye's authority, I lifted my chin with a flourish. I suppose I will consider him a 'husband' rather than just a 'husband-creature' for today.
Prince Hye glanced at me.
"Are you on your way to see His Majesty?"
"Yes, that is correct."
"His Majesty is currently spending time with Her Majesty. If it is not an urgent matter, you should see him tomorrow."
"In that case, I shall visit tomorrow. It was not a matter that required immediate attention."
"Very well."
I don't know what his intentions were, but Prince Hye made my father have a wasted trip.
Haha, it's childish, but honestly, it feels refreshing. He must have gone to the trouble of walking all the way here, so he must be quite displeased to have come for nothing.
He knows how to do such commendable things; come to think of it, a husband is not such a useless existence after all.
"Your Highness, if you have no special plans today, I would like to invite you to my home for a cup of tea."
Prince Hye looked at me. I shook my head vehemently.
My father glared at me with cold eyes, but what could he possibly do about it?
At that moment, Prince Hye looked at my father and answered.
"That sounds good."
...The wretched man! Prince Hye is a wretched man after all. He is just like my father. To stab me in the back like this! I am the fool for having trusted him even for a moment.
He must have known I wanted to avoid my father, and he surely accepted the proposal because he enjoyed seeing my flustered state.
My anger surged to the point where I could no longer contain it.
Without knowing the way, I strode forward on my own. Prince Hye followed behind me, and my father followed behind him.
Even though I knew that acting so willfully could eventually lead to a severe reprimand, I had no confidence that I could maintain my composure.
Anger rose like a flame, and the sorrow I had briefly forgotten welled up again. I, Yoo Hwacheon, do not easily forgive those who wrong me.
Therefore, my mind was filled only with the resentment of wanting to repay this sorrow by any means necessary.
0 Comments