Carrying the Child of the Man Who Killed Me

Chapter 2

The banquet went as expected. The Sixth Princess, sitting close to the Emperor, attracted everyone’s attention, while those who found her an unattainable match shifted their focus to the Seventh Princess instead, not wanting to waste their efforts.

As for Yeocheong, nothing significant happened. A few people approached him out of curiosity, but his reserved and shy demeanour quickly made them lose interest.

After all, Yeocheong’s marriage would never be decided by his own wishes. There was no reason for anyone to get involved with him. Although this was the first time he had attended such a large banquet, he was sure it would have little effect on his life. The whole evening felt awkward and out of place.

‘It’s so noisy…’

All Yeocheong could think about was how much he wanted the banquet to end so he could return to his quarters.

“I’m not used to being around so many people and I’ve developed a slight headache. I’ll step out for a moment and return shortly.”

“Do what you have to do. I’ll stay here.”

With the relentless noise of the banquet giving him a headache, Yeocheong quietly rose from his seat and made his way to the garden. No one would notice his absence and he figured he might as well pass the time until the banquet was almost over.

“Sigh…”

He let out a deep breath as he stepped into the silence of the back garden.

This banquet was clearly meant to have some bearing on his marriage, but neither Yeocheong nor those who judged him as a potential match seemed interested in conversation or making new connections. If that was the case, why had they bothered to invite him in the first place?

As Yeocheong left the hall, he heard that the Sixth Princess was about to perform a dance she had prepared. Once the dance began, no one would be able to leave their seats, so he was relieved to have slipped away before then.

Although the palace where Yeocheong resided was far from shabby, the central imperial garden was on an entirely different level of elegance and refinement. Only a dozen steps away from the noisy banquet hall, the serene garden felt like another world.

“Huh.”

Yeocheong stopped in his tracks, having stumbled upon someone else. Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who found the banquet boring.

‘There is no need to talk to them or make a scene. I should just step aside quietly.’

The person seemed lost in thought, so Yeocheong decided to quietly step back and leave. However, his attempt at discretion was thwarted when his unfamiliar formal attire caused him to step on his own hem, causing him to stumble slightly.

“Ah!”

The rustling sound caught the man’s attention and he turned to look at him. The stranger’s face was strikingly handsome, so much so that it startled Yeocheong for a moment, causing him to freeze. Realising his awkwardness, Yeocheong quickly composed himself and offered a shy smile.
“Ah, I was just wandering where my feet took me. I have no intention of disturbing you, so I’ll be on my way…”

“You’re the Seventh Prince, aren’t you?”

“You… know who I am?”

Yeocheong’s eyes widened at the man’s words. He was an inconspicuous prince, someone who rarely drew attention to himself. This was the first time he had attended a public event. How could this man know him? Yeocheong blinked, waiting for an explanation.

‘If I had introduced myself to him before… I would never forget a face like that.’

“I saw you at the banquet hall.”

“Ah… I see. You have a sharp memory. My face isn’t exactly the kind that leaves an impression…”

‘Ah, he must have noticed me just now.’

Yeocheong thought, feeling a pang of embarrassment.

‘Of course he did. What other reason could there be for him to recognise me?’

Feeling self-conscious, Yeocheong let out another awkward laugh.

It wasn’t that Yeocheong had an unattractive face. On the contrary, he had fair skin and delicate, elegant features that made him quite beautiful. However, the imperial palace was full of people whose striking beauty dwarfed his, making Yeocheong’s appearance seem plain by comparison.

Amidst the women who had brought their charm to its peak for the banquet, Yeocheong, with only a single accessory added to his attire, had probably blended into the background unnoticed.

“Is that so? I thought you were someone with a memorable face.”

“M-me? Why… Surely the Sixth Princess or the Seventh Princess are the ones with memorable faces.”

Yeocheong replied in a dazed voice. It had been so long since he had spoken to anyone other than the palace attendants or his mother that he felt he was acting even more foolish than usual.

“Ah, no. Forget I said anything. Please don’t mind.”

Realising belatedly that his reaction had been strange, Yeocheong waved his hands dismissively and asked the man not to think much of it. Just as he turned away in embarrassment, the man spoke again, his voice calm and deliberate.

“Not everything memorable has to be extravagant, don’t you think?”

“…….”

“You could say that dew on the grass is no less beautiful than a flower in full bloom.”

The man smiled slightly as he spoke. It was a polite, formal smile, but perhaps because of how strikingly handsome he was – or perhaps simply because Yeocheong had never had such a long conversation with anyone outside his usual circle – it left him feeling strangely flustered.

Even though the man’s words were probably just meant to be polite, it felt like he was really saying that Yeocheong was that kind of person. Experiencing someone else’s kindness for the first time warmed Yeocheong’s heart in an unexpectedly gentle, ticklish way.

“There is no need for you to step aside. If anything… if someone has to go, it should be me.”

“N-no, not at all. I just thought… you seemed to want to be alone.”

Uncertain how to address the man, not knowing who he was, Yeocheong hesitated and looked at him awkwardly. Noticing the confusion, the man bowed slightly and introduced himself with proper decorum.

“I am Yeon Jihyuk, the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Yeon. I am here to represent the visiting delegation.”

“Yeon Kingdom…”

Yeocheong, who had never been outside the palace – let alone the Song Empire – had no idea where the Yeon Kingdom was or what it was known for. However, he was aware that it would be rude to show his ignorance of his guest’s homeland. So he feigned familiarity and nodded politely.

“So you’re from the Yeon Kingdom. That must have been… quite a journey. It must have been hard for you.

“The Emperor of Song himself invited us. Even if it was a journey of a thousand li, it was only right to come.”

The man replied with a slightly bitter smile. Although Yeocheong couldn’t be sure, he got the feeling that attending this banquet was not something the man wanted to do. Hesitating, Yeocheong carefully measured the man’s expression.

“I… I just wanted to get some fresh air. It’s my first… no, it’s been a long time since I was at such a big banquet and I’m not used to it.”

Yeocheong said with an awkward smile. Somehow the expression on the man’s face, as if he didn’t want to be here either, gave Yeocheong an unexpected feeling of camaraderie. Even though they were strangers, he didn’t feel overly suspicious of him.

“Besides, the real stars of this banquet are the Sixth Princess and the Seventh Princess. There’s no real reason for me to stay in the hall.”

“No, not at all. The Prince is right. I also felt out of place among such extraordinary people, so I left.”

‘Out of place.’

Yeocheong thought. The words didn’t seem to fit the man at all. He looked up at Jihyuk and studied him.

‘He seems to be an Alpha, although he covers his scent perfectly. I don’t know much about Yeon Kingdom, but as Crown Prince he must have a guaranteed position of power…’

Could someone like him really feel out of place? Unlike himself, who stumbled over his words, this man exuded elegance and the air of someone well educated and refined.

“However, it would be inappropriate to stay away for too long. I should return now.”

Jihyuk said with a polite smile.

“Oh, then I’ll…”

Yeocheong started, the words spilling out before he could stop himself. He realised that he had just offered to accompany Jihyuk back and felt nervous. In his nervousness, he walked too fast and stepped on his hem again.

‘I’m going to fall…’

“Are you okay?”

Jihyuk asked, steadying him with a calm hand.

“Thank you. It’s my own carelessness…”

Yeocheong replied, embarrassed but grateful.

He realised that after tonight, he would probably never see this man again. Feeling a bit more at ease, Yeocheong said more than he probably should have.

“…Ah, but of course the Crown Prince must have had his own reasons for stepping outside. If my words sounded rude, I sincerely apologise.”

The ground was covered with soft, manicured grass, so even if Yeocheong had fallen, he wouldn’t have been seriously hurt. Nevertheless, he instinctively grabbed Jihyuk’s clothes. His heart pounded loudly in his chest, giving him a strange feeling.

‘It was just because I was scared. I’ve never had a real conversation with anyone outside of the palace staff, so… that’s all.’

Yeocheong swallowed dryly and hesitantly met Jihyuk’s gaze. The moment their eyes locked, his heartbeat seemed to grow louder, echoing in his ears.The two of them were caught in an awkward position, frozen in mid-motion. At first glance it might have looked like they were embracing, but in reality they were both too nervous and focused on keeping their balance to notice how compromising the scene appeared.

“Oh my!”

“Ah!”

At the sound of a surprised voice from somewhere nearby, Yeocheong quickly flailed and broke free of Jihyuk’s grip. Now aware of how they had looked, he flushed with embarrassment, realising that this was the perfect situation for someone to misunderstand.

“Wait, it’s not what it looks like…!”

Yeocheong stammered, his voice rising slightly as he struggled to explain.

In an attempt to explain himself, Yeocheong quickly turned his head, but the owner of the voice had already left.

‘You didn’t recognise me… did you?’

Worried about the possibility of unnecessary trouble, Yeocheong fidgeted nervously.

“If this gets back to His Majesty…”

Yeocheong lightly bit his lip. As a prince in name only, with little value even for a strategic marriage, the thought of a scandal spreading filled him with dread. It could cement him as an undesirable figure in the eyes of the emperor.

“I should return to the hall. It would be best if we entered separately to avoid any misunderstandings.”

“That would be wise. I’ll wait a while before returning. Please, Your Highness, go on.”

“Then I’ll take my leave. I hope you enjoy your time in the Song Empire.”

Yeocheong bowed politely, this time carefully holding up his hem to avoid stepping on it as he hurried away. When he returned more quickly than expected, his mother, the Fifth Consort, looked at him with a puzzled expression.

“You didn’t take a little more time to rest?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Yeocheong replied curtly, avoiding her eyes.

“Did something happen?”

“Of course not.”

Yeocheong replied, forcing a smile. His heart was still pounding, but he tried to calm himself down, reassuring himself that nothing would come of it.

‘They wouldn’t have recognised me. There are palace staff who don’t even know I’m a prince. And court servants are usually discreet – they wouldn’t talk about it so easily even if they saw it.’

The thought gave him some relief, although a hint of regret crept into his mind.

‘If no one had come along, I might have been able to talk to him a little longer. It’s a pity.’

Caught between lingering unease and slight disappointment, Yeocheong watched the banquet continue in full swing. He still had no idea how this brief encounter would affect his life. For now, he sipped awkwardly from the teacup in front of him, smiling faintly as if nothing was wrong.

* * *

Despite hoping not to be recognised, the person who had witnessed the scene seemed to be someone prone to gossip.

Gossiping about members of the Imperial family was a punishable offence within the palace, but the real problem was that the witness happened to be the Fourth Princess – a daughter of the Empress.

Who would dare to criticise rumours spread by a princess born by the Empress herself? Yeocheong sighed and blamed his misfortune.

‘That is why the voice sounded familiar.’

“Cheonga, are you sure that nothing has happened?”

“Yes, really. I just stepped out for a moment and when I almost tripped, he helped me. It’s true that my sister witnessed a scene that might look suspicious, but nothing really happened.”

“If that’s the case, it’s a relief, but still…”

The Fifth Consort’s expression remained troubled.

A rumour about an Omega prince of marriageable age, who was not yet engaged, allegedly sharing a secret moment with the crown prince of another country could only mean trouble for Yeocheong.

“Well then… I’ll go and explain things properly myself.”

Yeocheong said, his tone firm but uneasy.

And now the rumour had reached the Emperor’s ears. To be summoned by him – a man Yeocheong could count on one hand the number of times he’d seen him, let alone spoken to him – was truly the worst case scenario. But to refuse the Emperor’s call was unthinkable.

“Very well. Go and come back safely.”

The Fifth Consort said, holding Yeocheong’s hand. She had never harboured ambitions for power or thought of earning the Emperor’s favour, but at this moment she bitterly resented her status as a consort in name only.

“I’ll come and see you as soon as I’m back. Don’t worry too much, Mother.”

Although Yeocheong was nervous, he couldn’t let it show in front of his already worried mother. With a gentle smile, he reassured her before reluctantly making his way to the emperor’s palace, his steps getting heavier with each step.

“Seventh Prince. I hear you’ve developed feelings for the Crown Prince of Yeon.”

The Emperor remarked leisurely as Yeocheong arrived.

The moment the words left the Emperor’s mouth, Yeocheong froze in fear, completely petrified. His breath hitched as his mind raced.

‘How did it come to this?’