Thus, the Inspectorate’s New Year audit inevitably uncovered dirt wherever it looked.
Knowing this, the Inspectorate usually turned a blind eye up to a certain point. However, if one crossed the Inspectorate and a proper New Year audit began, it could never end well.
Moreover, the head of the Inspection Bureau held the power of summary execution. This meant punishment was handed down immediately, without any chance to transfer the case to the judiciary, hire a lawyer, or petition the Emperor.
Of course, if the Emperor openly interfered and sided with a concubine, the Inspection Bureau would be powerless. But was the Emperor the sort to go to such troublesome lengths for them?
Absolutely not. Instead, he would likely head to another concubine’s quarters, muttering, “Why did you break the rules…?” Then, nestled in another’s embrace, he would sob, “I miss her… the one whose head was severed…”
The concubines covered their crimson faces with fans, their hands trembling violently.
Even after scheming so fiercely to secure their interests, they were powerless against the Inspectorate’s newcomer.
Was this why Father had always urged her to study hard and join the Inspectorate?
The Empress concealed the rising corners of her mouth with her teacup, forcing down a smile.
It was the first time since becoming Empress that someone had sided with her. And it felt surprisingly heartwarming and good.
Having someone on her side was a sensation that made her heart flutter.
After conversing with Sylvia for about an hour, the concubines came to one conclusion.
“That woman did not enter the harem. And she is not in her right mind.”
To the concubines, Sylvia was a woman possessed solely by bayonet skills, loyalty to the Inspectorate, and devotion to the imperial family.
They resolved to keep their distance from her. Retaliating recklessly could risk drawing her ire and tarnishing the privileges they had barely secured.
After all, one avoids filth because it is filthy, not because it is scary. Though that filth was a bit frightening too.
Here, Sylvia earned Margherita’s trust in spades. Margherita had felt momentarily uneasy upon hearing Sylvia had borne a son, but that boy proved to be the exact opposite of his mother, a source of reassurance.
The child had no presence whatsoever.
When Sylvia came to give Isaac medicine that was good for his health but could not find him, she sat down on the bed and heard a voice calling “Mommy” from beneath her.
She could not help but laugh at that story.
One day, Sylvia mentioned that her son was stressed by the noise from the renovations at Felkins Castle. Margherita readily offered him the Ivory Palace. Thus Isaac became the only prince residing in the imperial palace, aside from the First Prince.
Even after the renovations at Felkins Castle were finished, Isaac never returned to Felkins County… Because Margherita had simply forgotten Isaac existed.
“Why spend the budget on an empty palace?”
“Well… I will look into it and report back.”
“Your Majesty, it is said that His Imperial Highness Isaac, the Thirteenth Prince, is residing there.”
“That boy is still in the Imperial Palace? Then just tell him to stay put. Last year’s budget allocated 65 billion Gelon to the Ivory Palace. Now that spring is approaching, round it up neatly to 80 billion Gelon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
Thus, Isaac was able to live comfortably as the little emperor of the Ivory Palace. Isaac believed he survived due to his own faint presence, but the truth was that Margherita cherished and loved Sylvia and her son immensely.
Thus, Sylvia unwittingly served as the Empress’s personal guard, while Isaac, with his near nonexistent presence, neatly outmaneuvered those plotting to disrupt Jeremy’s investiture as Crown Prince.
Jeremy ascended the throne immediately upon the late Emperor’s passing. Within less than a week, he slaughtered every concubine, prince, princess, and noble. Literally every last one.
As the saying goes, the law is like an earring in the ear or a nose ring in the nose.
Claiming to purge the abuses of the great nobles, he danced with his sword immediately upon ascending the throne.
Though each was charged with different crimes, the people knew. Their sin was one and the same: the crime of mocking the sun.
“Jeremy. You will not kill Isaac, will you? I do not want to see tears in Sylvia’s eyes.”
“Of course not. I never intended to touch him in the first place.”
Jeremy, too, always held gratitude toward Sylvia.
He never even considered raising a blade against Sylvia, whom his mother trusted and relied upon.
He used the fact that Sylvia belonged to the Inspection Bureau to send her on an audit to a province far from the capital for nearly a month. And while she was gone, he thoroughly cleaned up the imperial palace.
People thought Sylvia had saved her life because she belonged to the Inspection Bureau, but anyone who knew anything about the situation in the palace could understand Jeremy’s intentions.
That day, while summoning all the criminals to the palace for their execution, the Sixth Prince escaped. Jeremy personally took up a sword and searched the palace with his soldiers, reaching as far as the Ivory Palace.
He flung open the door and searched thoroughly, discovering someone crouched beneath a reception room chair, trembling violently. It was Isaac.
“Why is that kid doing that?”
Unable to think of his own appearance, covered in blood and wielding a greatsword, Jeremy stared intently at the scene.
But he knew telling Isaac to come out from under the dust would only frighten him more, so he said nothing, turned, and left the Ivory Palace. Isaac was the only prince who had read the proclamation at his own investiture ceremony.
Why would anyone kill a dog that recognized its master?
Especially if that dog was cherished by his own mother, he would never have considered harming it.
Jeremy chuckled softly, watching Isaac’s trembling form as if it were amusing.
Huh? Laughing? He could not possibly be looking at me.
The moment he thought their eyes had met, Cheonghyeon snapped awake.
He was not in the palace, but in his lodgings, wrapped in a plush sofa.
The dream he had just had was about some unknown past. Was it because he had seen someone on TV who resembled Jeremy’s eyes? So he had just been hallucinating?
As he stretched and sat up, the dream’s contents vanished instantly. It had felt a little scary and nostalgic at the same time.
He tilted his head, stretched his arms wide, and turned his stiff neck this way and that.
Next time, he should take his naps in bed, not on the sofa. Why did his whole body feel so numb, as if he had met someone terrifying in his dream?
“Cheonghyeon, the schedule is out.”
“Mmm…”
Cheonghyeon, who had been dragging his feet, finally emerged from under the covers.
Watching him stagger like a newborn fawn, as if his leg muscles had given out, Changsik pressed his hand to his forehead. He had not meant to allow that back then.
This matter traces back a week.
“Alright, look here. I set up the Letter and Attendance categories so you guys can leave comments. Other fans cannot post, only the singers can.”
Hando, Sikyung, and Yoonwoo were also pleased with the changed official cafe rules.
After all, it was difficult to casually reply to fans on personal SNS. The perception of it being a private space was strong, and it could easily be seen as fraternizing with specific fans.
It was precisely the moment they were thinking improvements were needed, so suddenly like this?
As the members looked at Changsik with puzzled expressions, he spoke proudly, as if he had suggested it himself.
“This was Cheonghyeon’s idea.”
As everyone’s gaze shifted to Cheonghyeon, he widened his eyes in surprise, flustered, then averted his eyes, his cheeks turning slightly red.
Watching him fidget with his tablet or pretend to be busy, the members and manager wore satisfied smiles across their faces.
Though the actual person involved felt less embarrassed and more awkward, having received praise for something done to serve his own self interest.
He was the one who had diligently watched fans interact even when he could not comment himself. But now that he could openly communicate, he could not stop. Why was this so much fun?
At first, he just said a light greeting. To Hyeonbaragi.
Even if he did not necessarily want to become friends, if he had to write a reply in the letter category, Hyeonbaragi was naturally the first person he thought of.
After all, he was the fan who had faithfully attended for six years, becoming the cornerstone and mascot of the to Gi Cheonghyeon category.
Coincidentally, Hyeonbaragi had posted something yesterday, and Cheonghyeon left a comment as if it were a surprise gift.
[Hyeonbaragi]: Cheonghyeon, how is your day going?
– official Gi Cheonghyeon: Today is extremely clear. ☀
Not just Cheonghyeon, but when all the members started replying to their own fans, the fan cafe exploded.
It was not an exaggeration, it was real. A cafe belonging to a major portal site suddenly became impossible to access, as if there had been a power outage.
Cheonghyeon and the members watched this situation unfold in utter bewilderment.
Shortly after, the error cleared. When they checked, the speed at which new posts appeared was comparable to the speed of comments on V Live. Even normally, scrolling down and refreshing would cause a flood of new posts to appear.
Now, swiping down once pushed the posts they had just seen back several pages. The firepower was immense.
While fans usually chatted freely on the general board, right now every fan wrote in their favorite member’s letter category to get comments.
Some fans copied and reposted letters they had written before, while others used attention grabbing titles.
Most wrote funny posts rather than serious ones, spending a pleasant time with the members.
T/N: Darn it, ‘twas just a dream.
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