Min-jun sat at one of the desks in the Royal Investigation Bureau’s records room, a stack of reports in front of him.
“A-and you’re sure the King has approved of this?” asked the Chief of the Invesigation Bureau, a middle-aged man with greying hair and a demeanor that usually wasn’t this nervous from what Min-jun knew about him.
“I wouldn’t dare do something like this without the King’s approval,” Min-jun replied, putting another record aside. “Besides, it’s not like I’m doing anything dangerous. There is nothing for the King to disapprove of.”
“I-I suppose.”
Min-jun glanced at the Chief, who appeared unconvinced. “Don’t you have work of your own to attend to?”
One of Min-jun’s maids passed the Chief as he spluttered on about how he’d wanted to make sure Min-jun was comfortable first. She set down a tray carrying a pot of steaming tea and a plate of spicy rice cakes.
“Thank you,” Min-jun told her. He returned to his work. The Chief left, realizing that there was no convincing the King’s Consort of anything. Min-jun took a careful sip of tea.
The King hadn’t approved of any of this, of course, but Min-jun couldn’t stay still any longer. Since the King had married the Queen, Min-jun had not spoken to him. Between keeping the Queen happy and the ministers satisfied, the King’s hands were full, and Min-jun had little left to entertain himself. He was tired of reading crime novels. He wanted to get back out in the field and solve one. And this case seemed like quite a puzzle. Really, he was doing the King a favor by getting involved. The King just . . . didn’t know it yet.
Truly, chaos seemed to have spread all over Saro lately. Every time the King tried to douse one fire, another would start. No wonder Min-jun had scarcely seen him the last few weeks. You should share your burdens more often, my husband.
The most pressing concerns, however, were the kidnappings. Women and girls had been reported missing all over the country. Many Kisaeng houses had reported that their girls had disappeared overnight. It wasn’t easy to leave a Kisaeng house. They must’ve been taken against their will.
Min-jun rested his chin on his hand as he read through the documents. There had been several reports even in Hanseong. Whoever these traffickers were, they were quite bold to be doing such business right under the King’s nose. A group had been caught already, but they died before the interrogation could even proceed. Their ability to self-destruct must be the source of their over-confidence.
Min-jun shut the book. Even if they did manage to catch the ones in Hanseong, the others were still spread out across the country.
Still, it would be one less thing to worry about, and if they could get a better idea of how they operated then they could deal with the others in a similar manner.
“Sun,” Min-jun called.
“Yes, Your Highness,” Sun said, from his post near the door.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“We’re going into the city.”
“Tfr, Tbeg Llutcfrr.”
Ktfgf kjr j iba ab mbcolgw yfobgf qgbmffvlcu.
. . .
Ktf klcafg jlg rffqfv lcab tlr mibatfr jr atfs kjixfv vbkc atf ugjnfi ragffa. Zlc-pec tbqfv la kjr atf kfjatfg jcv cba vef ab tlr liicfrr. Lf teuufv tlr mibjx mibrfg jgbecv tlwrfio. Vcbk ofii rboais jgbecv atfw.
“Qf rtbeiv olcv j kjgw qijmf,” Vec boofgfv, ajxlcu cbaf bo Zlc-pec’r rtlnfglcu. “Ktf Blcu klii yf wjv lo sbe’gf ifoa bea lc atlr mbiv obg abb ibcu.”
“The King will be mad either way,” Min-jun replied, but as he glanced up at Sun from under his hood, he relented. “But I suppose we shouldn’t give him reasons to be more mad.”
They stopped at a quiet restaurant, where the people sipped on warm beverages and looked out into the cold with blank expressions. The talkative owner came to sit down across from them, as Min-jun held a warm ceramic cup of tea in his freezing hands. She wore a sandy-colored hanbok and wore her hair in the style of a married woman.
“A delicate young fellow like you stands out around here,” said the owner, her round face and wide smile making her appear matronly and kind. “You look like you should be attending to your books, not loitering about with us commoners.”
“I heard some distressing rumors and wanted to hear how the people were faring.” Min-jun took a sip of tea. It warmed his throat. Deep down, he yearned for the King’s embrace, if only to chase away this cold feeling in his bones.
“Oh? Are you an Investigator?”
Min-jun smiled. He was something far worse. “No, no, just a passerby. I’m not from Hanseong, naturally.”
“I see, I see.” The owner patted his shoulder. “What is it you’d like to know? Auntie Hong knows all, you understand?”
“I’m very grateful for your help, Auntie Hong,” Min-jun said, bowing his head. “The troubling rumors I heard about were regarding a string of kidnappings. I do hope they’re nothing but rumors. They frightened me to my core.” He clasped a hand over his chest. “I have a little sister, you see. I can’t imagine what I’d do if anything happened to her.”
Auntie Hong nodded, gravely. “Yes, I’ve heard of the kidnappings.” She leaned in close. “Folks around here have been saying they’re not kidnappings at all. Not all of them anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
With that gossiping glint in her eyes, Auntie Hong said, “They say they sell ‘em. The girls, for a couple thousand mun. Sold by their own families. Can you imagine? The scoundrels.”
“You’re certain?” Min-jun said, his excitement rising as he clapped his hands down on the cold wooden table. He reigned himself in, remembering that he was a concerned brother, not an Investigator. “How dreadful. I cannot imagine it. Those girls must be so scared right now.”
Auntie Hong patted Min-jun’s hand. “You’re a sweet man. We need people like you in the world. Lately, I’ve been serving only rogues.” She shook her head, clicking her tongue.
“Rogues?” Min-jun asked.
“Passing merchants from the Northern Empire,” Auntie Hong said, as she waved her hand in the air. “They’re dreadful, really, but they pay well. They’re stuck here until the weather clears up a bit.”
Merchants, hmm? What were merchants doing so far from home on the edge of winter?
“That does sound like a lot on your plate,” Min-jun replied, taking her hands in his. “Thank you for your help. Perhaps we could assist you somehow as a token of our appreciation?”
Sun looked downright appalled, mouth falling open. Auntie Hong, on the other hand, blushed and shook her head.
“Oh, I couldn’t ask you for that,” Auntie Hong said, shaking her hands in front of her. “Look at those delicate hands of yours. I bet you’ve never worked a day in your life.”
“Still, I’d like to do something for you.”
“Oh, I don’t know.” Auntie Hong looked down at the table and nodded. “Well, alright. How about you help me with handling those rogues today, hmmm?”
“We’d love to,” Min-jun chirped. It seemed that was the last straw, as Sun dragged him out of the shop and out into the cold streets. Min-jun looked at him with a quizzical expression.
“His Majesty will notice you’re gone soon,” said Sun. “We must return before that. I’m sure he’ll put the information you’ve gathered to good use.”
“I refuse.”
Sun pursed his lips, his eyes wide with helplessness. “Yo-your Highness, be reasonable. This isn’t your fight.”
“I am the King’s Consort. These are my people as much as they are his. I have a duty to protect them, and I must take every opportunity to do so, no matter the risk.” Min-jun nodded to himself, undaunted by Sun’s protests.
Sun narrowed his eyes at him, deliberating whether or not to say his next words. “Are you sure this isn’t simply a matter of getting the King’s attention again?”
“What?” Min-jun said, crossing his arms over his chest. Of all the ridiculous things –
“I know he hasn’t visited you since the Queen had come into the Palace,” said Sun. “And that you’ve felt lonesome without him. But surely there’s a better way to go about this –”
Min-jun raised a hand to silence him. “Enough.” He massaged his temples. “I will hear no more of this nonsense.”
“Whatever it is you’re planning.” Sun crossed his arms and turned his face away. “I will not go along with it.”
What had gotten into him? Min-jun laughed, disbelief clear in his voice. “Wh-what? I never . . . you haven’t even listened to my plan yet.”
“You’re going to try to sell yourself to those traffickers, are you not?” Sun asked.
Min-jun opened his mouth to retaliate, realized that, indeed, that was his plan in a nutshell, and shut his mouth again.
Sun nodded, relief washing over him. He must have thought things were going his way. “Let the King deal with this. He’ll be glad to have this over with.”
“Let him deal with it.” Min-jun looked off into the distance. Somewhere past the houses and trees, there lay the Palace, and in its walls, the King. “So I can go back to being bored out of my mind in the Palace? So I can go back to doing nothing?”
“Nothing? Your Highness, you are the source of all the King’s joy. There is no greater purpose than to stay by his side so that he can continue being the greatest King this land has ever known.”
Is that it, then? Min-jun hadn’t thought about it much, since the idea of spending the rest of his life by the King’s side had seemed ridiculous to him back then. But now? That reality seemed to be growing ever closer, becoming inevitable. The King was the only one who could keep him and Su-jin safe now. What other choice did Min-jun have, other than to remain a King’s beloved consort for the rest of his days? And so that was it? His life’s purpose would be to support the King? To soothe his anger and receive his love and stay in the Palace, safe and sound and bored.
No. No, the King wouldn’t just keep him locked in a cage for the rest of his life. Knowing him, he’d support whatever Min-jun wanted to do. But what did he want? After finding his parents’ killer and ensuring Su-jin’s safety and happiness, he could not see anything in his future other than a handsome man with violet eyes. Are you all there is left for me? Min-jun wanted more. He’d always been driven by something greater than himself. Revenge, justice. Retiring to spend a life as the wife of a man could never satisfy him. Even if it’s a man you might love?
“I cannot accept such a fate,” Min-jun said, passing Sun and heading back toward the restaurant. “Now, help me. Or I will find someone who will.”
A/N: All in favor of Sun carrying Min-jun away from the dangerous mission and back into the Palace, say I. But Min-jun really does need something to do. Man is bored out of his mind. Anywho, sorry for the delay in chapters. A new semester just started and I’m also writing another novel that’s been taking up a lot of my time. That one I hope to get traditionally published someday. In any case, if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a comment down below! I really appreciate it.
A bored Min Jun is a dangerous thing!
Welcome back, I’ve missed Min Jun’s antics
truly, is there anything more dangerous that a bored mj?
OMG AUTHOR YOU’RE BACK IVE MISSED YOU SO MUCH!!!
I’m so excited to see what you have in store next!!
P.S. Hope you’re doing okay author… thank you for the update :))!
🤔😊
Thank you so much for all your sweet comments! They really motivate me to keep writing this story
welcome back~
thanks
I lol’ed when Sun nailed Min jun’s plan on the head immediately. So… Selling yourself to traffickers? And just how were you planning on escaping?
That’s the plan. MJ really said ‘just trust the process’
Min-jun: What? Of course I wasn’t going to sell myself to the traffickers. I was going to sell them the queen. Cheol would miss me if I sold them myself. Silly Sun.
Except he might be acting out in a way to make Cheol think he doesn’t believe he would be missed if it went wrong and he disappeared. Haha Sun knows him so well.
you have too much faith in mj lolol