The 21st Century Grand Grand Duchess in the Royal Academy - Chapter 25

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

A Twenty-First Century Grand Duchess in the Royal Academy
Two People
The funeral proceedings, stripped of the grand procession, were simplified. Within the Palace, the Funeral Hall was established and the ritual washing began, along with various ceremonies, but nothing leaked beyond the Palace walls. This was made possible by Prince An’s resolve not to turn the Royal Family’s sorrow into a national tragedy, coupled with the Cabinet’s active cooperation.
The pressing matter was the Crown Prince’s stability. After the five-day funeral ended, the coronation ceremony had to be held on the sixth day according to protocol. But the problem was that Hwan’s mind remained clouded throughout. With only one day left until the coronation….
Wan exhaled a sigh and headed toward the East Palace. Park Sanggung, who stood guard in the corridor, bowed deeply.
“Prince Wan.”
“How is my brother?”
Unable to bring herself to say falsely that he was well, Park Sanggung answered with silence instead. Wan, nodding as if he understood everything, entered the Inner Chamber. Yoon Irang, who had been keeping vigil by the bedside with the Royal Physician, rose from her seat.
“Prince An.”
Your Highness the Crown Princess.
The two pallid figures beheld each other. They were people who had no time to grow weak while protecting what must be protected.
“I will keep watch over my brother today.”
“That is not necessary.”
Your Highness must rest as well.
“I am aware that the Grand Duchess’s Residence is undertaking considerable work on your behalf.”
….
“Do not add to your burden.”
Recognizing the apology contained in the concerned voice, Wan could not bring himself to say more and took a seat.
“How is the Crown Prince?”
Wan asked the Royal Physician.
“There is no cause for excessive concern.”
Even as he said this, the Royal Physician’s eyes could not leave the IV needle inserted in the Crown Prince’s arm. The sedative administered to soothe the Crown Prince, who repeatedly wept and collapsed whenever consciousness returned, had already been given in considerable quantities.
“Will there be no issues before the coronation?”
“I am doing my utmost to ensure there will not be.”
“If the coronation must be postponed for any reason….”
“That cannot happen.”
Yoon Irang, who had been listening to the exchange between Wan and the Royal Physician, spoke with firm resolve.
“If His Highness does not appear before the people, they will grow anxious.”
“Your Highness.”
“There is already much talk about Mother’s passing.”
….
Wan frowned but could not deny Yoon Irang’s words. When the nation itself required stability, the Royal Family could not be the source of unrest. In the first place, the reason for holding the coronation immediately after the funeral was to prevent the chaos that arose from leaving the throne vacant for too long.
“I understand, Your Highness.”
….
“I will make preparations so you have nothing to worry about.”
Only after hearing the promise in his steady voice did Yoon Irang feel relief. Recalling the terror she had felt four days ago, her present composure seemed like a miracle.
‘The King is dead!’
When the court official in the Throne Hall had climbed onto the eastern eaves and announced it, the emotion she felt was a fear unlike anything she had ever experienced before. There was the sorrow that came from learning her father-in-law, who had cherished her, had passed away, the confusion that arose from the disappearance of the Royal Family’s master, and the worry of whether her husband could bear it well. These were things she had never learned nor experienced.
Her father, who heard the news belatedly, had come to the Palace and stood by her side, but the anxiety did not fade. Her husband, who should have possessed more dignity than anyone, conducted himself like a mere puppet, and the Inner Palace Administration waited endlessly for orders to come from her lips.
‘Prince Wan has been informed of the news. He is boarding a plane immediately….’
Only after hearing that report did I finally breathe easier. No matter how impossible those questions seemed, he always appeared to know the answers. In fact, once he grasped the situation, everything began falling into place—the funeral procedures, the roles of the Royal Relatives, the coronation preparations, all of it.
‘Your Majesty, I apologize for my tardiness.’
Upon arriving at the Palace, he sought out the Funeral Hall and spent the entire day there before offering me his apologies—words of regret for my struggle to endure alone.
Only then could I truly breathe. He had shouldered it all—the intricate protocols and procedures of the Royal Family executed with mechanical precision, the difficult Cabinet members, the mountains of documents. In that moment, I finally understood why my husband had no choice but to rely so heavily on his brother.
When I thought about it, he had always possessed a gift for appearing precisely when needed. Even during the years when the two brothers barely spoke, he could not bring himself to be cruel.
‘Your Majesty needs you. Please stay by his side.’
When I made that plea, unable to bear their long estrangement any longer, he pretended to reluctantly agree. Watching him, I thought: weakness of heart seemed to be a trait inherited by the Royal Family.
So my husband’s coronation would be manageable. It would be enough if he stood by my husband’s side.
Hwan ascended the throne without incident. At least, that was how it appeared. Throughout the entire procession, he had to endure a haze of consciousness, but since he neither cried out nor collapsed, it could be called a success. The tranquilizers administered in excessive quantities had done their work.
Wan raised the coral tablet as he watched Hwan ascend.
Even as Wan shouted in unison with the Royal Relatives, his gaze remained fixed on his brother’s complexion. The half-closed eyelids and pallid lips made him anxious about how much longer Hwan could endure.
Though the funeral was held privately, the coronation could not be. The entire nation needed to know the succession was secure. Thus, selected broadcasters and journalists stood before the Throne Hall with their cameras.
As a result, the Royal Secretariat and Cabinet had to prepare for every conceivable disaster. They drafted manuals from A to Z—what would happen if Hwan collapsed or panicked during the ceremony, how to move, what press releases to issue.
That the coronation concluded without any incident was nothing short of a miracle.
“I kept dozing off, but now that it’s over, my mind is clearing.”
Hwan murmured softly. It fell to Wan to remove the ceremonial robes from his exhausted brother as he sank down. He refused the attendance of Park Sanggung and Yoon Irang alike, leaving Wan no choice.
After several sleepless nights, Wan desperately wanted to return to the Private Residence.
“Wan.”
“….”
“Iwan.”
“…Why.”
Wan barely answered, deliberately ignoring the heat gathering in his eyes. He did not want to belatedly release the sorrow he had endured for six straight days.
“You can cry.”
“Ha….”
Hwan gently wiped his younger brother’s reddened eyes. Moisture gathered over the pupils that had appeared so dark and cold. His brother had endured his own share of grief so that he could mourn freely. With apologies and gratitude for that sacrifice, Hwan stroked his brother’s back.
The broad shoulders began to tremble, and soon suppressed sobs escaped.
“Tch….”
Embarrassed by his own tears, Wan writhed back and forth before finally breaking down. His resolve crumbled beneath his brother’s gentle, soothing touch.
I had thought I hated Mother. But now that she was gone, I felt only emptiness and fear. If only I had told her to stop worrying, to stop being hated. I knew what troubled her—if only I had begged her forgiveness instead.
What grieved me most was how I had only resented the affection she poured upon my brother. She must have worried about him until the very end. If only I had promised her that such worry was unnecessary, that her passing would be peaceful. Shallow regret left deeper scars than sorrow itself.
“You still have your brother.”
Hwan stroked the back of Wan’s head as he spoke. Wan, who had been crying with his head buried in his brother’s lap, found himself laughing despite everything.
“A brother has to actually act like one.”
“Tsk.”
“What.”
“I’m a king now, you know?”
At that pathetic threat, Wan let out a hollow laugh. Hwan too found his own words amusing and burst into laughter.
“I’m a king. I can’t believe it myself.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I’ll abdicate, so do you want to be king instead?”
“You’re always the same. Really.”
Hwan received the full weight of Wan’s disenchanted gaze and began to laugh once more. While everyone else was consumed by the desolation of losing their sovereign, only those two were united in the sorrow of losing their father.
From the Heejoong Annals
July 2012. The King suffered a fatal heart attack in Gangnyeong Hall and passed away. The Crown Prince, who had been weeping at the late King’s bedside, lost consciousness and collapsed.

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