Carrying the Child of the Man Who Killed Me

Chapter 1

“You’re pregnant.”

Yeocheong froze, unable to believe his ears. Pregnant? He must have misheard. With a trembling voice, Yeocheong turned to the court physician and asked again.

“Check again. Could you not be mistaken?”

“I can clearly feel the pulse… But of course I understand your desire for a thorough confirmation.”

The doctor nodded and felt Yeocheong’s pulse again. The sensation of her hand on his wrist was barely perceptible over the deafening pounding of his racing heart.

It can’t be. It just can’t be…’

In the past, Jihyuk had made sure that Yeocheong would never conceive a child. After all, a tool meant to be used and discarded had no need to bear a child of its own.

Yeocheong had assumed it would be the same this time. He had never even considered the possibility of pregnancy, believing it to be a matter completely out of his control. But here he was, faced with the unthinkable.

“Congratulations, Your Highness. You are indeed pregnant.”

But the court physician only repeated the same words. Yeocheong stared blankly at his own wrist. The doctor, perhaps mistaking his reaction for mere shock, offered a friendly smile.

“His Majesty will be overjoyed at this news. I will inform the Daeyoung Palace immediately -”

“Wait.”

Yeocheong stopped the doctor, who looked ready to leave. His pale face, the result of days of poor health, fortunately didn’t look suspicious.

“I would like to inform His Majesty myself. Please allow me some time to deliver the news personally.”

“Ah, of course. I was thoughtless. There is no greater pleasure for His Majesty than to hear this directly from you, Your Grace.”

Although it was a truth that could not be hidden forever, Yeocheong knew that he could not share it with Jihyuk until he confirmed something first.

‘His Majesty had planned this from the beginning. He never intended to have an heir with someone like me.’

‘This tea is good for your health, yes, but if Omegas drink it, they can’t conceive while it’s in their system..’

Yeocheong remembered the voice of the court doctor, although the face was a blur in his memory. At the same time, the memory of his own pitiful state and Jihyuk’s icy voice came back vividly.

“You said… you loved me.”

“Did you believe that?”

His tear-filled eyes blurred everything in sight.

More painful than the soldiers who held him down without a moment’s hesitation, more painful than his arms being torn upward or his bruised knees from falling as he desperately ran from the guards, was the way his heart plummeted the moment he heard those words.

“If time had stood still, I would still be the king of a small nation, grovelling before the Emperor’s discarded son. That time may have seemed blissful to you, but to me… well.”

Tears welled up in Yeocheong’s eyes as Jihyuk coldly muttered these words. Then, in front of Yeocheong’s tear-stained face, Jihyuk unsheathed the sword at his waist with a detached, deliberate movement.

Yeocheong remembered the voice of the court doctor, although the face was a blur in his memory. At the same time, the memory of his own pitiful state and Jihyuk’s icy voice came back vividly.

“You said… you loved me.”

“Did you believe that?”

His tear-filled eyes blurred everything in sight

More painful than the soldiers who held him down without a moment’s hesitation, more painful than his arms being torn upward or his bruised knees from falling as he desperately ran from the guards, was the way his heart plummeted the moment he heard those words.

“If time had stopped then, I would have remained the king of a small kingdom, desperately trying to appease the Emperor’s abandoned son. That time may have seemed joyful to you, but for me… I’m not so sure.”

Tears welled up in Yeocheong’s eyes as Jihyuk coldly muttered these words. Then, in front of Yeocheong’s tear-stained face, Jihyuk unsheathed the sword at his waist with a detached, deliberate movement.

“It’s fortunate that your father thought of me as a powerless, useless man. In his final moments, he hid behind the skirts of his beloved mistress, so perhaps he left without any regrets. Honestly, compared to the fate of the concubines, a swift execution might have been the kinder end.”

Remembering these words, Yeocheong closed his eyes. The memory of Jihyuk’s cold, unemotional voice and the gleaming sword above him came rushing back. The scene was as vivid as if it had happened only moments ago.

A child. Once he had longed for one with all his heart, but now the thought was nothing short of a shock – so much so that even the faintest smile was impossible.

To carry the child of the man who had already killed him once… It was as unbelievable as the fact that he had returned to the past. Even in a dream, it was something he wished he could deny.

* * *

“Yeocheong. Cheonga.”

“Yes, Mother.”

To hear his name spoken by his mother was a rare privilege, only possible when they were alone and out of earshot of others. Even as a prince in name only, royal etiquette dictated that even his own mother had to observe the proper formalities when addressing him.

“Do not provoke your elder brothers, and if they confront you, bow deeply and ask for their forgiveness.

“Yes, Mother.”

“And especially His Highness the Crown Prince or the Third Prince… No, it’s best if you stay out of sight and in the background as much as possible.

Yeocheong was the emperor’s eighteenth child, born to his fifth concubine, making him the seventh prince of the Song Empire.

His mother, the Fifth Consort, was unremarkable, even compared to the Empress, who came from a noble lineage, or the Third Consort, who enjoyed the Emperor’s undivided favour. She was merely a former princess of a kingdom long since annexed to the Empire, now reduced to occupying a modest wing of the palace – a consort in title only.

As her son, Yeocheong was, of course, also a prince in title only. The only consolation was that, as an Omega, he had no claim to the throne and was spared the dangers of power struggles.

Still, he was neither a princess nor an Alpha prince. He was an ordinary Omega, not even one of the rare and coveted Extreme Omegas. Even as a candidate for political marriage, he would be of little value. As a result, Yeocheong lived his life largely ignored by the Emperor.

For reasons unknown, the emperor suddenly decreed that even Yeocheong must attend the banquet, bringing an unexpected change to his otherwise monotonous daily life.

Preparing for his first banquet in the imperial palace, Yeocheong, nervous and uncomfortable, chose the best clothes he owned and began to dress with the help of his mother, the Fifth Consort.

Although he was a prince of little consequence, Yeocheong was still a prince, and every piece of clothing he wore was a reflection of the dignity and grandeur of the palace.

Considering the emperor’s order that all princes and princesses over the age of eighteen attend the banquet, it was clear that his intention was to show off his children of marriageable age to potential suitors and allies.

“Would it be too much to add this? No, your fair complexion and delicate features go well with this… Yes, this will do nicely.”

Despite the disadvantage of being a male Omega, Yeocheong was a prince of exceptional beauty. With luck, he might catch the eye of someone suitable at the banquet.

Satisfied with her efforts to make her son as presentable and striking as possible, the Fifth Consort nodded in agreement. Although she would be attending the banquet at his side, she would not be able to remain at his side for the entirety of the banquet, which left her with an uneasy feeling of apprehension.

“Do not draw attention to yourself. Stay quietly in your seat, and when the banquet is in full swing, slip away discreetly. No one will think twice.”

“Yes, Mother.”

Yeocheong nodded obediently. Before he knew it, it was time to attend the banquet. The Fifth Consort took a deep breath before opening the door.

“Seventh Prince, shall we go now?”

“Yes.”

As the door opened, the Fifth Consort again spoke to her son with formal respect. Yeocheong nodded and began to walk behind his mother.

Although he had spent his entire life in the Imperial Palace, it had always felt like a strange place to Yeocheong. He was far removed from any claim to the throne or desire for power. He had long accepted that one day, by the Emperor’s decree, he would be married to someone he barely knew and leave this place forever. So he had never allowed himself to become attached to it.

Now that the Emperor had decided to officially present his marriageable children to the public, it was clear that Yeocheong’s time in the palace was coming to an end.

‘I have no desire to leave the palace, but I do not like the thought of being away from Mother… If only I could marry someone within the kingdom.’

Yeocheong knew only too well that his marriage was not something he could choose for himself. He had no illusions about love or romantic expectations of marriage.

His only wish was to marry someone from the Song Empire so that he could see his mother from time to time.

“Announce the arrival of Her Highness the Fifth Consort and His Highness the Seventh Prince.”

A court attendant announced their arrival.

Not many people were seated yet. Most of those who had arrived early were consorts in name only and their children – people who did not have the luxury of delaying their arrival.

The place of honour was empty. Mother and son quietly took their seats and waited for the rest of the guests to arrive.

Soon the once empty seats began to fill, one by one. Soon every seat was occupied except the highest, the one next to it and a few seats nearby.

Soon the occupants of the seats immediately below the highest rank appeared.

“Announce Her Highness the Third Consort, Their Highnesses the Second Prince and his wife, and Her Highness the Sixth Princess.”

The Third Consort, the Emperor’s most favoured wife, entered the hall with her children, the Second Prince and the Sixth Princess, dressed in clothes far more opulent than anything Yeocheong could compare to.

It was clear that the Sixth Princess would be the centrepiece of this banquet. Only a year older than Yeocheong, she was undoubtedly the most exceptional of the Emperor’s children currently of marriageable age, both in terms of lineage and other qualities.

Though not born to the Empress, her mother, the Third Consort, was the Emperor’s most beloved consort and the daughter of a noble family known as the “Twin Wings” of the Empire, pillars of its power. Inheriting her mother’s renowned beauty, often considered the finest in the Empire, the Sixth Princess was considered stunning in her own right.

She also possessed the rare trait of being an extreme Omega and excelled in the arts, especially painting. Even Yeocheong, who had little interest in courtly fashions, had heard rumours that many of the newly hung paintings in the palace galleries were attributed to the Sixth Princess. Her reputation was such that even someone as uninvolved as he could not help but hear her name.

But no matter how remarkable her paintings were, they would never have been displayed throughout the palace without the Emperor’s decree.

The presence of the Sixth Princess’ artwork in various corners of the palace was a testament to how much the emperor valued her. Even if Yeocheong had been as talented as her, his works would never have adorned the imperial halls.

“Even though I have been summoned, will this only end with me being compared and sent away? Being presented next to someone as beautiful and favoured as the Sixth Princess may only highlight my shortcomings and mark me as an unworthy prince.”

Among the emperor’s children over the age of eighteen who were not yet engaged, there were only four: the Sixth Princess, the Seventh Princess, the Ninth Prince and Yeocheong.

The clear star of this event was the Sixth Princess. The Seventh Princess, while not as prominent as her older sister, was still a strong candidate for marriage alliances. The Ninth Prince, born to a woman who hadn’t even been elevated to the rank of consort, was of little importance at this meeting.

The most ambiguous presence at this banquet was Yeocheong. An Omega, but not an extreme Omega; a male born to a Consort, but one who was a princess of a now vanished kingdom. He was the child of the Fifth Consort, far from the Emperor’s favour, making him the least remarkable of them all.

“His Majesty the Emperor and Her Majesty the Empress have arrived. Long live their reign, long live their reign, long live their reign!”

“Long live their reign.”

Yeocheong bowed his head deeply, his spirits sinking further. Will anyone at this banquet care about me? And even if someone does, will it be someone proper? These thoughts weighed heavily on him, making him feel even smaller in the grandeur of the moment.