Royal Coup d'État - Chapter 20

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Episode 20
“……What?”
The words trailed off. What had she just heard? It was more a question than an answer—a response that left her breathless and bewildered.
“Your Majesty, it seems the young lady lost sleep.”
Dream and reality had become hopelessly tangled. And no wonder. She could never have heard such words otherwise.
There were only five people ahead of her in the line of succession. Even with the Crown Prince dead, that left four. No matter how she calculated it, her turn was still far away.
To become Emperor. If she was overstepping her limits, it wasn’t the succession order she meant to breach. Her only thought had been to uncover whatever secret might be hiding within the Imperial Family.
She wanted to protect the people she held dear. To do so, she’d striven to fulfill her duties and exist openly with integrity before her people. Her modest hope was that someday, when she was older, she might become an exemplary member of the Imperial Family—someone worthy of respect.
Without a word, the Emperor reached into his desk drawer and withdrew a sealed envelope. He gestured for her to come closer, moving his hand slowly. As she stepped forward, the envelope was placed in her hands.
“Read it.”
At the Emperor’s glance, she reluctantly untied the cord, and found a single sheet of paper inside.
With careful fingers, she drew it out. At the bottom of the printed text were two seals—unmistakably the Imperial Seal and the Crown Prince’s Seal. She lifted her eyes from the seals and began reading through the text.
“Covenant… cov—?”
“A covenant document prepared jointly by the Crown Prince and myself. We affixed our seals to it five years ago.”
At the Emperor’s explanation, she proceeded hesitantly through the contents.
“The Crown Prince shall, upon succession to the Imperial Throne, adopt as his son the closest blood relative, the Prince of Cheongyang County, thereby continuing the Imperial line. The Emperor consents to all such matters and guarantees the validity of this covenant document.”
Reading through to the end with a trembling voice, she let the document fall from her hands.
“Ha…”
Her lips quivered. The fist at her side trembled faintly.
That such a covenant existed was something she’d anticipated.
The Crown Prince had no heir.
The Original Grandson had been born, but died of illness before she was even conceived. After that, no more children came, and the Imperial Family had been troubled by the succession question for a long time.
The reason Prince Uigu was allowed to conduct himself as effectively the highest-ranking heir was partly because the Crown Prince had no other successor.
Everyone had assumed the Crown Prince would be succeeded by Prince Uigu or Prince Gyeongan. While all had recommended their own sons or grandsons as potential adopted heirs, none had truly believed it would work. Prince Uigu’s position was that secure.
“I am Prince Uigu’s father.”
The Emperor spoke slowly.
“My desire to trust that child is beyond what you could possibly imagine. Yet apart from that feeling, I do not wish for Prince Uigu to become Emperor. He is my son, but I did not raise him to be Emperor, nor does he possess the makings for it.”
Terrible. She briefly imagined Prince Uigu enthroned as Crown Prince, ruling—and her expression twisted grimly. Even knowing such a day might come, it remained difficult to accept.
“My next thought was that the Crown Prince should adopt an heir. But Prince Gyeongan was unsuitable in various respects, and Prince Gyeongcheon left the Imperial Family nearly twenty years ago. You were the obvious choice, yet you were young, and your father’s concerns were unusual. It was difficult to decide hastily.”
“I remain young still.”
“You are still young, but you are more of the Imperial bloodline than anyone.”
The Emperor answered plainly.
“Over the past years, we have observed you and concluded that you understand your duty as a member of the Imperial Family better than any other. Therefore, we intended to make you the Crown Prince’s adopted son and have you succeed him.”
“……Your Majesty’s words, I understand them. But whether that is right or wrong, I cannot become the Crown Prince’s adopted son.”
“Not now, you cannot become his adopted son.”
According to Imperial Law, when there was no suitable heir, an adopted son could be taken from among the Imperial Family. But this applied only to the living.
The succession of the deceased could only be continued through the concept of Sacrificial Heir. Since the Crown Prince was involved, adopting a Sacrificial Heir would also violate proper ceremony. Yet that did not mean posthumous adoption would suddenly be permitted without any prior procedure.
“Did I not say so? That you must become Emperor.”
“Yet you also said that I cannot become an adopted son.”
Her father’s face flashed across her mind—always fearful, always making escape his first priority. She spoke urgently.
“If you are thinking of my father…… he is Your Majesty’s youngest son. His claim to succession ranks below Prince Uigu and Prince Gyeongan, even below the disappeared Prince Gyeongcheon.”
“Do you think I don’t know that?”
The Emperor gave a hearty laugh.
“I was among those who participated in drafting Imperial Law. I know better than anyone the most suitable method.”
“Your Majesty.”
Even at her desperate appeal, the Emperor was resolute. His mind was already made.
But she was afraid. At least if she’d ever wanted to be Emperor, she could pretend to accept. But this—
Moreover, if she publicly pursued the throne, it would mean standing in direct opposition to Prince Uigu.
“However, someone appears to have leaked this covenant, which only I, the Crown Prince, and a few close advisors knew about.”
“What?”
The Emperor’s voice grew dark.
“And we’ve received intelligence that Prince Uigu has been conducting secret dealings with foreign powers over the mines in Jeongju. Those mines belong to the Imperial Family, but Prince Uigu has no authority to conduct private transactions.”
“How could he dare to conduct such illicit trade……”
“It occurred to me that the Crown Prince’s accident might have been influenced by that. After returning from Suwon, I meant to summon you to finalize the adoption registration and also to investigate the mine matter.”
Now she understood what suspicion the Emperor harbored. The Crown Prince’s succession had been decided not for Prince Uigu but for the Prince of Cheongyang County. Moreover, evidence had emerged that Prince Uigu was attempting to use Imperial assets as a bargaining tool in foreign trade. An announcement was imminent, when suddenly the Crown Prince suffered an accident. To believe this was mere coincidence would be naive.
“Of course, with the Crown Prince gone, I too wrestled with whether entrusting you with the Imperial Throne was right. But it’s been only a few days since I assigned you the investigation, and yet you strive to find answers. Seeing how you create openings even in a game held by Prince Uigu—now I am certain.”
“Your Majesty, I……”
“As a father, what it feels like to harbor such suspicions—you do not yet know.”
Witnessing her hesitation, the Emperor did not reproach her. He merely smiled sadly and spoke.
“For now, keep what I have told you buried in your heart alone. Never forget that the Crown Prince’s matter must remain strictly secret—only then can everyone be safe.”
“…Yes, sire.”
The Emperor decided he needed rest and summoned Sang Seon. Outside the inner chamber, after I’d been ushered out as if by imperial decree, Cho Jeon-wi and Tae O were waiting. Before I could draw near them, Sang Seon whispered to me.
“Once the Royal Kinship Council reaches a decision, I’ll send word through Cho Jeon-wi.”
“Good. I understand.”
I was exhausted too. My weary murmur drew a sympathetic glance from Sang Seon before he bowed his head.
I left Heejeong Hall and rode back in the car without uttering a word. Seok Chul and Tae O exchanged curious glances, wondering what had passed between the Emperor and me, but even without his explicit instruction, I had no intention of speaking about it yet.
Emperor. How was I supposed to accept such a bombshell?
We’d left before dawn broke, and by the time the morning sun was high, we returned. The moment everyone climbed into the limousine, I got straight to business.
“Secrecy is paramount in this matter. We’ll move only with people we can trust. I’ll ensure it on my end, of course, but Kwon—I need you to be just as careful.”
Tae O nodded without a word.
“We’ll need an autopsy performed by someone reliable.”
“…I know someone. The National Forensic Service will handle the procedure, but we’ll route it through channels as discreet as possible.”
At Tae O’s answer, I frowned. Perhaps because we were now in the same boat, his emotional expression was far more honest than before.
“Not ‘as discreet as possible.’ It has to be completely covert.”
At my firm tone, he nodded almost reflexively.
“Soon, when the Royal Kinship Council convenes, all eyes will turn to that chamber. That’s when we’ll need to quietly remove the body from the mortuary at Suhakwon University Hospital.”
“That’s the thing—even if I mobilize trustworthy people on my end, we’ll need help from the Imperial Family side. And I’d rather not end up taking the fall for everything if something goes wrong.”
Tae O’s tone was cautious, though noticeably softer than his usual manner.
“It’s better if fewer people know, so I’ll handle as much as I can myself. But if the situation demands it, I’ll arrange someone suitable.”
“We’ll need another meeting to sort out the details. How should we stay in contact?”
Tae O pulled out his phone and held it toward me. I took it graciously and passed it to Seok Chul in the front passenger seat.
“All communications will go through Cho Jeon-wi.”
At my businesslike demeanor, Tae O found himself unexpectedly disappointed.
Were members of the Imperial Family always like this? It was a curious feeling—drawing close only to pull away again, leaving a subtle sense of loss.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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