“Is there a problem, sir?” Min-jun asked, polite to a fault. The boy still cowered behind him, hands tight around his arm. People had begun to stare. Sun’s hand rested on the leather hilt of the sword at his side. Beside him, Mai also stiffened, one of her hands reaching for the hem of her gloves. Min-jun shot them both a glare.
Calm down, the both of you.
The man rose to his full height, almost as tall as Sun, and practically towering over Min-jun. He wore his greying hair in a topknot, and had a thin, wispy beard. His clothes were neither that of a nobleman’s nor a beggar’s, but of a well-of merchant’s. The fabric was well-kept and the light green of his durumagi vibrant.
“That boy has stolen from me,” the man said, his voice gruff, almost a growl. “He will either return that which he’s stolen or face punishment.”
The punishment for larceny varied greatly. Depending on how much he stole, it could be ten lashes, or . . .
Min-jun glanced down at the student. He was round-faced and wide-eyed, with a small stature that shouldn’t be able to have such a strong grip.
He’s only a boy.
“Is this true?” he asked the student, who quickly averted his gaze.
“I didn’t steal it,” the student murmured. “I wouldn’t ever be caught stealing something.”
Caught?
“What was stolen?” Min-jun asked the man. “Perhaps I can replace it if it comes to that.”
The man looked him up and down, only now noting his expensive robes. “I’m afraid it is not something that can be replaced so easily, sir.”
“I see.” So, it was something precious to him. What a bother. How much time has passed now? Both him and this student would be late at this rate. “I will vouch for the boy. We will return it to you by sunset.”
“How do I know you won’t just run off?” the man asked, crossing his arms over his chest.
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.
Min-jun sighed. He slid off the jade bangle around his wrist and handed it to the man. The King had insisted he wore it today, pouting that he had given it to Min-jun to wear, not to simply decorate his shelves with it.
“And now it’s here gathering dust. Isn’t that pitiful, my love?”
Qfii, ja ifjra cbk la kjr rfgnlcu j qegqbrf.
“Kjxf atlr. Pa lr rbwfatlcu qgfmlber ab wf jr kfii, rb P klii ecvbeyafvis gfaegc obg la.” Yg firf j mfgajlc Blcu kbeiv cfnfg ifa tlw ilnf la vbkc.
Ktf wjc rajgfv vbkc ja atf pjvf yjcuif lc tlr tjcv, jcv atfc wfa atf raevfca’r ujhf. Llr tjcv mibrfv jgbecv atf yjcuif, jcv tf rtea tlr fsfr.
“Very well. My keepsake is an old volume of ‘History of Saro’, belonging to Kim Soo. A rose was placed in the pages long ago. It should still be there. I will be waiting in my shop at sunset. The boy can lead you back there.”
“We’ll see you then,” Min-jun bowed. “Good day, sir.”
The man bowed low. “To you as well.”
So, he could be polite when he wasn’t going around chasing potential thieves.
Min-jun didn’t bother to watch the man walk away. He’d wasted enough of his time already.
“Thank you so much, hyung-nim!” the boy chatted beside him, grabbing him by the arm once more. “I was afraid he might skin me alive!”
“I doubt he’d take such desperate measures,” Min-jun said, shaking the boy’s hands off his arm. “Come, you will be late for your first class.”
“Ah, I’m always late anyhow.” The boy laughed, scratching the back of his neck. “And you should’ve seen him when he found his book was missing! I just happened to be nearby, but I guess he just figured that I must’ve taken it. I’m not a noble like the rest of his customers, see, so people are always suspicious of me.”
Not a noble? One wouldn’t be able to tell just by looking at him. He carried himself as any other noble’s son would.
“I will do my best to help,” Min-jun said, catching Sun’s eye. No, I won’t be doing anything stupid. Now stop looking at me like that.
“Your Highness!” Ha-jun called, running out into the street to greet them, a radiant smile on his lips. “I was worried that the King might have forbidden you from leaving the Palace after yesterday’s ordeal.”
“Your Highness!” the boy behind him squeaked, stumbling back a few steps. For a long moment, he seemed too shocked to speak, only flailing his arms around as his mouth flapped open and closed like a fish. Finally, he settled on a bow. “P-pardon my rudeness, I had no idea.”
“I figured as much,” Min-jun said, a slight smile on his face. “You should run along now. Don’t keep the instructors waiting.”
The boy heeded his words, running so fast that he kicked up dust and leaves beneath his feet.
“You strike fear into everyone’s hearts, it seems,” Ha-jun teased, taking his place next to Min-jun. They stood so close, yet Min-jun couldn’t say he felt uneasy at their proximity. He really did look so much like Min-jun’s Ha-jun.
“It is my title they’re afraid of,” Min-jun replied. He turned to face Ha-jun fully. “I might need your help today, Ha-jun.”
Ha-jun gave him an expectant look. “I’m at your service, Your Highness.”
“The boy that was here just now. Tell me everything you know about him.”
. . .
Morning court was as dreadful as ever, and as Cheol stepped out into the open air, not even the crisp autumn breeze could put him at ease. He wondered how Min-jun was faring. Had the scholars kept their promises? Were the students behaving? Hye-jin walked next to Cheol, flipping through papers.
“Lady Jang In-hye has visited the Royal Astronomer, who has written saying the best time to conceive is in a week from today,” Hye-jin spoke in an even tone beside him.
“It seems I’ve come down with an illness recently and will have to decline,” Cheol said, trying his best to sound woeful. He caught a leaf as it fell, inspecting its bright orange hue. “I do hope it’s nothing serious.”
“Are you truly not interested in producing an heir?” Hye-jin asked. She, like many, believed it was foolish of him to do so. Without a proper heir, the kingdom could descend into chaos.
Cheol let the leaf be blown away by the breeze, watching it slip through his grasp.
“If I do decide to have children, it will not be with her. Not unless she’s ready to cut ties with her family.” Cheol counted at least twelve people keeping an eye on them.
Unsatisfied. Hye-jin fixed him with a glare.
“What?” Cheol asked.
“You should at least try warming up to one of them unless your darling consort is planning on growing a womb.”
Cheol considered. Having a child would certainly bring the two of them even closer. Perhaps it would even help Min-jun lose his taste for revenge. With all the Gifteds running around, perhaps one of them had a suitable ability?
“For heaven’s sake, Cheol. I was joking!” Hye-jin hissed. “Even if there was a way to modify the body that drastically, he would never agree to it.”
Right, Min-jun wouldn’t take kindly to such a transformation. And Cheol . . . Cheol couldn’t force something like that onto him. Could Min-jun even love a child sired by Cheol? It was a silly notion anyhow.
“Are you still heading out the day after tomorrow?” Hye-jin asked, clearly trying to steer the subject away from, well, whatever this was.
“Probably,” Cheol said.
“You can’t leave it to the Royal Investigation Bureau?”
Cheol shook his head, as they came to a fork in the road. They went right. “No, I can’t trust they’re not involved somehow.” Besides, he had a few questions for those smugglers.
“Are you sure about taking both of them?” Hye-jin asked, hugging her papers to her chest. “Leaving Min-jun alone out there . . .”
“Oh,” Cheol teased, looking down at her. “Is that concern I hear?”
Hye-jin grimaced at him, staring back unflinchingly. She’d always looked people in the eye. It’d make even the richest, most arrogant noble back down. But with Cheol, she dropped her gaze, looking forward instead. “I don’t think it would be good for you if anything happened to him.”
“I suppose,” Cheol said, following her gaze. They were headed to the lake, not minding the rain that would fall soon. On the contrary, they would consider themselves lucky that the rain had come. They wouldn’t have to worry so much about their little eavesdroppers. “But he will not be alone.”
A/N: Hellooooo, everybody! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please let me know! 100th chapter is upon us, so in the next couple of chapters, let me know any remaining questions you might have! I already used some of your questions as inspiration this chapter heheh. Also, no, this isn’t gonna be mpreg, because I do not wish to be canceled. (but I’m up for writing an extra if anyone’s interested).
Well then for the Q&A i just have a very random question… in a modern omegaverse, who would be omega? Beta? Alpha? And what roles would everyone have? 👀
Heheh, I bet you can guess. Which people are you curious about (in terms of A/B/O roles)? Thank you for commenting!
I’d say the main cast, and the kids of course. Antagonists too?
I can almost see Min-Jun with a round belly, having the “Nothing Fits” meltdown and Cheol teasing him out of it lol . It makes me happy that Cheol is ignoring auspicious conception dates from anyone else.
Min-jun would hate being pregnant so much oml. His mood swings would be awful, and he’d freak out over any small blemish on his skin. He would never be the same again. And yes! Cheol isn’t interested in anyone else except his lovely (murderous) Consort. 😌
Thank you for commenting!