Royal Coup d'État - Chapter 35

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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 35
For a long moment, nothing came through the receiver—only the faint breath from the other end and Tae O’s own held silence as he waited. They both knew who the other was, yet this probe between them stretched on.
It was the one with business to conduct who raised the white flag first.
“It’s me.”
A brief introduction, but perfect in its simplicity.
Tae O had to exert considerable effort to suppress the smile crawling across his lips—though in the empty office, there was no one to witness it anyway.
It had been weeks now since he’d begun working with Seon. There were times when he’d come close enough to read her thoughts.
Yet the noble Cheongyang Hyunju never surrendered her position. She communicated only through Jo Jeonwi, her aide—and when the aide couldn’t be reached, through Yeongpyeong Dojung. It was absolutely impossible to bypass those two and reach Seon directly. Besides, he didn’t even have her number.
It was an unequal relationship, anything but fair. One person accustomed to giving orders from above, the other to running fieldwork. A gap that would never close.
“What brings this call, my lady?”
Yet here was Seon ringing him directly, without going through either Jo Jeonwi or Yeongpyeong Dojung.
A strange exhilaration flooded through Tae O. He could sense it—the detective’s primal instinct told him that Seon reaching out this way meant something would work in his favor.
Sure enough, Seon struggled to find her words. This had to be a significant request, one she could ask of no other royal or aide—only him.
Where this surge of superiority came from, he couldn’t say. But if he were to measure this feeling, it might stem from a sudden certainty that this time, unlike all those occasions when he’d simply moved as Seon directed or predicted, he could finally take the initiative.
“Please speak freely, if you have something to say.”
Tae O spoke deliberately flatly. Seon, hesitating still, whispered in a voice barely audible.
“Could you look into something for me?”
Look into something? This was exactly the moment Tae O had been waiting for—the chance to hold a strong card, to stop being merely used.
“What would that be?”
He answered calmly, striving to keep the excitement from his voice.
“Could you look into my father?”
Your father?
Tae O’s lips went dry.
Family matters—that was a decent card to hold. If he played it right, he could turn it into leverage, a way to stop being pushed around by her.
As that thought crossed his mind, Tae O squeezed his eyes shut.
This was indeed the moment he’d wanted. But did he have to use it to gain the upper hand? A gnawing unease crept over him, and he felt a wave of self-disgust.
“Does it relate to the Crown Prince’s accident?”
Uncles, cousins, distant relatives—during his investigation into the royal family, he’d heard all sorts of things, but her father was different.
Fortunately, Seon denied it.
“My father doesn’t have the courage to do anything like that.”
It was a small mercy. That meant this was personal, unrelated to the Crown Prince’s accident.
Yet once guilt had lifted its head, it didn’t easily settle back down. His heart, which had been pounding moments before, now fell silent, as if mocking him.
He didn’t want to be used by Seon. He wanted to act on his own initiative, catch the real culprit, and return in glory.
Even if he couldn’t rejoin the mainstream power circles, he still craved recognition.
If he climbed gradually, wouldn’t there come a moment when he could stand face to face with Cheongyang Hyunju, this woman he now looked up to?
He couldn’t deny that—such ambition still lived within him.
But that didn’t mean he should exploit her family troubles. How could he, after seeing her pour out the pain of losing her great-uncle?
‘I can’t sink that low.’
Tae O tightened his grip on the mobile phone. If he were such a petty person, he would never have climbed this far. What drove him stronger than ambition was the desire to live with dignity. That was Tae O.
“What exactly would you like me to find out?”
At his question, Seon fell quiet again. He thought he heard a thin sigh.
“Everything. From the beginning to the end.”
Seon’s steady voice came through the electronic hum.
Tae O detected the anxiety and sorrow she couldn’t quite hide in her tone. All he could do was answer quietly that he understood.
* * *
Seon planned to move as little as possible until the autopsy results came back.
She didn’t want to catch Uigu Daegun’s attention or raise suspicion, and she didn’t want another confrontation with her parents. A simple calculation—buy time, even if only for a few days.
But the world wouldn’t grant her that respite. Just after noon, word arrived from the Imperial Palace.
“The Crown Prince of Britain is entering the country tomorrow.”
At Jo Jeonwi’s news, Seon exhaled heavily.
Britain was one of this nation’s most powerful allies. It had sheltered the previous emperor during his exile, and both Britain and America had provided crucial support during the war that sparked liberation.
That the Crown Prince of Britain himself—not a mere politician—would come to offer condolences meant a state guest of the highest rank was visiting. It was not something just anyone could receive.
“My brother won’t suffice,” Seon murmured with a sigh.
Jo Jeonwi, equally troubled by the reality, adjusted his glasses before responding.
“Indeed. Diplomatic receptions between royal houses have traditionally been conducted by family members of equal rank.”
The Emperor receiving the foreign Crown Prince directly would have been ideal, but it was impossible. Not only would it be beneath his dignity, but he wasn’t in any state to undertake such lengthy official duties.
“The Crown Princess would be the most suitable, but that too is impractical.”
“After all, the Crown Princess is currently in mourning. From both a diplomatic and internal standpoint, it’s not the right approach.”
Originally, the visiting ambassador and Foreign Affairs Ministry officials were scheduled to greet him, and preparations had been made for Dong to handle the reception accordingly.
For a figure of Crown Prince rank to suddenly visit Korea—there was no avoiding a breach of diplomatic protocol unless Uigu Daegun stepped forward.
“It’s frustrating, but there’s nothing to be done.”
Sun gazed up at the ceiling and sighed. The image of Uigu Daegun with that smug expression on his face flickered through her mind, and her stomach began to churn slightly.
But the news that Jo Jeonwi had brought didn’t end there. He glanced around cautiously for a moment, then lowered his voice.
“This isn’t confirmed information, but—”
“What is it?”
“The British Royal Family sent word several days ago that they would dispatch the Crown Prince as a condolence visitor.”
Sun folded her arms, her expression thoughtful. A royal visit required considerable security and protective measures—it was also a matter of diplomatic courtesy to give advance notice.
“So Uigu Daegun deliberately concealed it?”
“No. I don’t think that’s the case.”
An unfamiliar gleam crossed Jo Jeonwi’s face—something caught between bewilderment and conflict. He seemed to lack conviction about the words he was about to speak.
“It makes no sense for the Foreign Affairs Ministry or the Imperial Household Ministry to omit such an important schedule. Even if Uigu Daegun were trying to seize this visit as an opportunity to solidify his position as heir, diplomatic concerns cannot simply be disregarded.”
“You think your uncle would consider all that?”
“Not necessarily, but there are people in each ministry with sound judgment. They’re not all lined up behind Uigu Daegun. Besides, Yeongpyeong Dojung has spent years abroad and has many connections in the Foreign Affairs Ministry. It’s inconceivable that even he would have known nothing about this.”
Jo Jeonwi’s reasoning had taken an intriguing turn. Sun straightened and leaned forward toward where he sat. Then, in a low voice, he whispered.
“What if the Foreign Affairs Ministry and the Imperial Household Ministry reported directly to His Majesty?”
“…You’re saying His Majesty kept it hidden?”
Sun questioned, taken aback.
The Emperor she knew was devoted to this nation. He would not have taken any action that might cause harm. For the sake of his country, to preserve the greater good, he would willingly set aside what was small…
“But what would His Majesty gain from doing something like this?”
If this were truly a “small” matter? Sun carefully met Jo Jeonwi’s gaze. He seemed equally uncertain, his eyes moving thoughtfully.
“Perhaps it’s a reassurance that, although Uigu Daegun failed to secure the Crown Prince’s position at the last Royal Clan Council meeting, his standing as heir remains unshakeable.”

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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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