The 21st Century Grand Grand Duchess in the Royal Academy - Chapter 23

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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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A Twenty-First Century Grand Duchess in the Royal Academy
Family Approval
When summer vacation arrived, Sung Tae-joo returned to Korea. It had been a full year and a half. With her father insisting she not waste time coming and going, and Han Da-young booking flights to America whenever she had a chance, Korea hadn’t felt particularly necessary.
But this summer vacation had to be spent in Korea. The time had come to settle the matter of the proposal she’d made at graduation.
Sung Tae-joo had already become the Han family’s primary adversary. Particularly, the resentment Han Da-young’s brothers harbored toward her deepened with each passing day. They interpreted her public proposal without the family’s permission, followed by her flight to America immediately after, as contempt for the family itself.
Han Da-young, who had been shielding Sung Tae-joo from the family’s fury, now wanted to resolve the situation. Her acceptance of Sung Tae-joo’s proposal had been sincere, after all. She believed her family would have a change of heart once they met Sung Tae-joo in person.
If it didn’t work out, so be it—but she had to try. They would soon be one family regardless, and it was better not to harbor resentment.
So Sung Tae-joo arrived at Incheon Airport with mountains of gifts piled up for Han Da-young’s family. Though she worried about being beaten by Han Da-young’s brothers, she couldn’t suppress her excitement at the thought of seeing Han Da-young.
As expected, the moment Sung Tae-joo spotted Han Da-young waiting in front of the gate, tears streamed down her face.
Han Da-young rushed toward her and embraced her, bouncing on her toes as she released all the longing she’d accumulated.
“Why do you keep getting more handsome? It’s making me anxious.”
“You stop getting prettier too. I want to crumple you up and carry you in my pocket, seriously.”
The two of them, expressing their joy with playful lisps, clasped hands with solemn expressions. Now was truly the time to seek the family’s approval.
“Please give Han Da-young to me!”
Sung Tae-joo suddenly dropped to her knees and cried out. She’d seen this done somewhere before, but looking at the men before her, it was clear she’d chosen the wrong time and place. The expressions of Han Da-young’s father and older brothers were not favorable.
Watching the men whose eyes seemed ready to shoot lasers, Sung Tae-joo thought: Han Da-young looked like a deer, so why did all the men in this family look like tigers?
“Father, why don’t we just sprinkle salt on her.”
Jae-young, Han Da-young’s older brother, spoke up, and
“Should I take her outside and give her some education?”
Woo-young, her younger brother, chimed in.
“Hey, stop it!”
“Now, Han Da-young. You stay quiet.”
“What’s with the ‘now’?”
Han Da-young, her arms crossed and brow furrowed, snapped irritably.
“Are you really trying to intimidate my Sung Tae-joo right in front of me?”
“Listen to her—’my Sung Tae-joo.’ If you’re going to act like this, get out of the house.”
“Like I’m scared of that? Go ahead and remove me from the family register.”
“Honey, why are you like this….”
The more Han Da-young fumed, the more anxious Sung Tae-joo became. Compared to her brothers raging wildly, the quiet father terrified her.
“Let’s eat first.”
Han Da-young’s father, who hadn’t spoken a word until now, finally said something. Her mother, who had been preparing dinner with the staff, also appeared. Having seen enough of how these things worked, Sung Tae-joo felt a spark of hope. She was determined to show them what a son-in-law who ate well looked like.
However—
“Which school do you attend?”
The father’s question came flying the moment he picked up his spoon. Sung Tae-joo straightened her posture and cleared her throat.
“I attend a school in America….”
Looks like you didn’t have the grades for Royal University.”
“Brother.”
“What? Did I say something wrong?”
A sharp tension rose between Han Da-young and Jae-young. Sung Tae-joo worried a fight might break out at the dinner table, but the father and mother seemed accustomed to it, appearing calm.
“You caused us considerable trouble at the graduation ceremony.”
“I apologize. You must have been quite shocked back then.”
The atmosphere at the table eased slightly at his straightforward apology without excuses.
“Well, you’re young, so mistakes happen….”
“But Father.”
Sung Tae-joo carefully interrupted him.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you beforehand, and that it put you in a difficult position. That’s what I regret.”
“What?”
“As for asking Han Da-young to marry me—I don’t regret that.”
“….”
“I meant it then, and I mean it now.”
An awkward silence followed. They were both too refined to face an opponent they’d never encountered before.
Han Jung-seok, Han Da-young’s father and Minister, considered himself a reasonable man despite his status. He understood well that class itself was a relic of a bygone era, nothing more than a label for the upper echelon. He could foresee the collapse of this order.
But when it came to his daughter, everything changed. Sung Hyun-guk, Sung Tae-joo’s father and Chairman, had a notorious reputation across all circles. He’d built the Castle Group empire during an era of rigid class discrimination—naturally, he was infamous for it. His personal life was equally sordid, littered with mistresses and illegitimate children.
No father in this world would hand over his precious daughter to the son of such a man. He needed to speak firmly and send him away—
“Sung Tae-joo, where did you learn to say such things….”
His daughter was moved to tears.
“Sigh….”
Pressing his throbbing temples, he glanced at his sons, who were doing the same.
“Dear, you say something.”
Unable to help himself, Jung-seok turned to his wife for support, gazing into the distance. Unlike his dark-haired sons, he found it difficult to speak sternly to his youngest daughter. So his wife would have to….
“Has your father ever met our Han Da-young?”
“Yes, my father is very fond of Han Da-young.”
“Is that so?”
His wife would have to….
“Then your father shares the same thoughts about marriage?”
“He doesn’t say much, but there’s no need to ask. He’s always saying how much Han Da-young is wasted.”
“Is that so?”
His wife would have to….
“And your younger sister? How is your relationship with her… is it alright?”
“Mom, why are you asking that?”
“Oh, it’s fine.”
Sung Tae-joo gently patted Han Da-young’s arm as she grew flustered, offering a bright smile.
“She’s just like my older brothers.”
“Our children?”
“Yes, just like ordinary siblings.”
Han Da-young’s mother seemed to savor that answer, pausing thoughtfully. Everyone, including Sung Tae-joo, waited in silence for the next question. When her lips finally parted—
“How much must you love our Han Da-young to have done that at graduation.”
Her voice was tender.
“You’ll inherit Castle Group, won’t you?”
“Yes….”
The moment Sung Tae-joo tilted his head in confusion, Han Da-young jabbed him sharply in the ribs. And he understood that brief signal with remarkable clarity.
“Of course! Father’s business should be carried on by me!”
Watching Sung Tae-joo nod vigorously, Han Da-young’s mother smiled with absolute certainty.
“Mom, why are you smiling?”
“Dad, can’t you say something to Mom?”
Whatever her sons said made no difference to her.
“Dear.”
“What?”
She paid no mind to what her husband said either. In that moment, Sung Tae-joo swiftly grasped how the family hierarchy was structured.
“Does your mother perhaps enjoy scarves and things like that?”
“Scarves?”
“I selected them while thinking of your mother during my time in America….”
As Sung Tae-joo unwrapped the prepared gift bundle, his face gleamed with the radiance of anticipated victory. The moment Han Da-young’s mother saw the scarves arranged by color and material, she changed how she addressed him.
“Our Sung Tae-joo has such good taste.”
Raising a principled husband and two taciturn sons, she had come to a realization: serious men were tedious. So she hoped her daughter would meet someone who wasn’t boring—someone who could prepare unexpected surprises and didn’t spare affection.
From that perspective, a graduation proposal wasn’t bad at all. Though still so young, the way he threw himself before love was rather endearing. The only regret was his background….
“Mom, Sung Tae-joo chose this so we could wear it as a couple—you and me.”
Han Da-young held up the bracelet on her wrist with a bright smile. Anyone could see that her daughter was the one who loved luxury. Unlike herself, who had to live frugally because her husband served the state, Han Da-young seemed like she would be able to enjoy all the things she loved freely.
“Han Da-young, try this one too.”
Our Sung Tae-joo seems to love even Han Da-young’s extravagance.

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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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