If You Claim the Fallen Heiress - Chapter 31

Osi (noon), East Palace, Seonuigak

It was an unusually quiet day.

Kim Seon visited Seonuigak with idle thoughts of the past. Seonuigak was where he had lived until receiving the abdication.

Though it had been quite a long time, he didn’t have particularly good memories of this place. It seemed to be because he had devoted himself only to studying from the moment he opened his eyes.

Due to his father’s passing, his sleeping quarters had changed to the most magnificent place in the country, but regrettably, there were hardly any improvements compared to before the abdication. He had taken on not only meetings with ministers but also the constantly accumulating memorials no matter how much he processed them, so things had actually become worse.

Lately, he had been suffering from nightmares as well, making his physical condition reach its worst state. It was when Kim Seon rubbed his stiff eyes and let out a big sigh.

“Your Majesty, the chief secretary has arrived.”

The chief secretary, who had been waiting for news since morning, entered Seonuigak.

Kim Seon looked at the chief secretary while hiding the fatigue that filled his entire body. Today too, the chief secretary’s expression was not good. Kim Seon’s pale complexion rapidly turned murky.

“I think I know what you’ve come to say.”

The chief secretary bowed his head before him and said.

“I’m sorry, but it seems the agents sent to Museolwon have died again this time.”

Kim Seon let out a big sigh. Lately, he couldn’t shake the thought that he seemed like someone born just to sigh.

When Han Yuseol was sentenced to sasa, no one could have predicted what would follow. They thought that once her cold, lifeless body was confirmed and they mourned briefly, everything would be over.

But from the moment he issued the royal decree, officials except for the prime minister and left minister became enraged, and the court became a mess. Moreover, even scholars from distant provinces flocked to the palace gates in groups, pleading for the restoration of the Han family’s honor, making it a situation where living wasn’t really living.

It was treason charges, no less. Would executing Han Yuseol, the daughter of the former prime minister who had dared to try to steal the country, cause such chaos?

Kim Seon couldn’t contain his indignation and ground his teeth.

“Just how long must we wait?”

The chief secretary answered with difficulty while keeping his head bowed.

“It seems we’ll have to try a different method, Your Majesty.”

“I simply don’t understand.”

Museolwon, where Han Yuseol had been sent, was a place that was hell when the weather was bad but had free access on good days. But lately, the fog had become severely thick, making approach itself impossible.

He needed to gain certainty that Han Yuseol was indeed dead as soon as possible so he could mourn her, making the situation frustrating. Even now he dreamed of her coming to find him perfectly fine. He wanted to escape before he truly went mad.

“I don’t know what other methods would be good.”

At his words, the chief secretary answered as if he had been waiting.

“According to Lady Hwanghae, there’s a shaman who knows much about Museolwon. If we bring that person to extract information and perform a ritual to lift the fog, it might help.”

Kim Seon nodded. Though he wasn’t particularly willing, there was no other way.

Midnight was approaching.

Midnight was the most unstable time of day in terms of energy. Since Kim Seon had ordered a nighttime curfew for security reasons, a joke had circulated that anyone knocking on doors at midnight would be either a vengeful spirit or the king.

As such, Seonuigak at midnight had always been a quiet place since Kim Seon, who had been crown prince, vacated his room. After even Han Yuseol from Seonuigak’s south gate had left, there was absolutely no way to see any human presence.

But tonight’s midnight was a bit different. Two shadows fell on the path passing the south gate that had been Han Yuseol’s quarters.

Kim Seon looked down at the shadows of similar length, then stared at Chief Secretary Kwon Ujin who was following slightly behind. Irritation showed in Kim Seon’s clean eyes without double eyelids. His schedule was already tight and he was sleep-deprived.

“Why this time of all times?”

“Midnight is most suitable if we want to reduce prying eyes, Your Majesty.”

Another shadow appeared in Kim Seon’s understanding eyes. When he glanced back, he saw a man who had covered his face completely with a gat and was following behind.

It was Go Yunseo, a historiographer from the Royal Secretariat. He must have come to fulfill his duty of recording all the king’s words in shorthand.

Kim Seon was annoyed by Go Yunseo, who always followed behind writing down all his words and actions. It would be nice if he at least told him what he had written, but it was more vexing because he avoided doing so.

“The historiographer is truly diligent even at this hour.”

At Kim Seon’s seemingly sarcastic words, Kwon Ujin looked back. Soon he spoke to Go Yunseo as if warning him.

“I told you not to follow.”