Be My Pride

Chapter 17: The Emperor Proposes?

The weather outside is warm today. Sun high up in the beautiful blue sky, warm to the skin and making the surface of water look like sparkling crystals.

People are probably wearing their most favoured clothing for warm days and packing in bags for a day at the swimming pool. Or maybe the sea is what they prefer most. Whichever it'll be, they are sure to have a wonderful time.

A certain imperial someone is not.

Seated at his bureau staring holes into his smartphone, Kim Taehyung frowns sourly at the text Ji Dongwoo had sent him the evening before.

We found the boy's whereabouts. How do we proceed?

A short text. But that one short text has kept Taehyung up all night trying to make a decision most plausible in their current situation. Of course the best thing to do in order to keep the reigns in hand is to take him. They should go after Kim Namjoon's son as fast as possible before he can escape from their sight again!

And yet, Taehyung seems hesitatant to.

Not that the powerful emperor himself has come to realise it yet. He has not ever as much as heard of that word after all. No, he's contemplating. Is all.

Ji Dongwoo knows better than to tell him.

Taehyung sighs. He has finally had enough of it and puts his smartphone aside. Instead he rubs his forehead with his eyes closed, not caring about the fact Ji Dongwoo is standing right opposite of him. As a servant, as the emperor's right hand, it isn't like Ji Dongwoo is stupid enough to mind his superior's behaviour. He really values his life.

"Ji Dongwoo," Taehyung speaks up after a while, "tell me; how can we bring Kim Jeongguk into the palace without angering Kim Namjoon's followers?"

The emperor is not stupid of course. No matter how powerful he may be, no matter how narcissistic and prideful he is, he should still try and not dissatisfy his people. His army is strong and all but no one can tell for sure if the emperor will win against a country's worth of rebels.

"Be unseen; take him when he's alone and warn his people."

Taehyung clicks his tongue unhappily. "If we warn them, who says they will actually listen?"

"What does your majesty think we shall do?" Ji Dongwoo sure is a professional servant. He knows exactly how to rub the emperor the right way.

Parting his lips to speak up again, Taehyung is suddenly interrupted by a stern and sharp female voice; "that boy rode your car before and was even accompanied by your personal servant. If you say he's about to enter the palace as a prince consort, then who will doubt you?"

Taehyung is not annoyed by the interruption. Even more so, he nods in approval and the smallest hint of a smile settles on his face. "You're right," he agrees, "we can just take him in and use those past events as proof."

Ji Dongwoo turns to greet the woman. He dares not look her in the eyes and bows to her without fault. "Greetings, Princess."

The female is indeed princess Kim Yeona.

She flew into a rage the moment she found out her cousin was as much as thinking about having her get married. A woman who enjoys the company of rare male beauties like her, how could she possibly ever agree to settle for marriage? She went to talk to Taehyung right away only to hear he was out of the palace. So she could meet him only now.