Those Conquered By Love

* * *

「You’re the one...」

The man mentioned that he had made quite a fuss asking around to find the person he was looking for.

The whole town was searched, with people wondering if he had been involved in some great crime, and soon enough, the man appeared.

The man’s name was Jo Seoyeop.

After confirming his identity, Seoyeop ordered him to get into the carriage without any explanation.

It was almost as if he had been abducted.

Yet, despite the situation, he found himself pleasantly surprised.

He had never seen such a lavish carriage in his life.

Decorated with gold trim and lined with red silk, it was far more luxurious than anything he had ever worn.

It seemed even the cushions inside were worth more than the clothes he was wearing.

And Seoyeop seemed to be of quite high status.

His broad shoulders, straight posture, and composed demeanor all hinted at noble upbringing.

It wasn’t just his well-tailored clothes; everything about him exuded the air of someone raised in a distinguished household.

But...

「The person you will serve from now on is the most noble and precious person you could ever imagine.」

Someone of his stature had said “the most precious.”

「Every action, every word, even the way you breathe—everything must be done with the utmost care.」

The imposing tone suggested that if he had made any kind of mistake, Seoyeop would personally remove his head from his body.

Seeing the sword at Seoyeop’s waist, he clamped his mouth shut.

He had never seen Seoyeop draw his sword, but the calluses on his hands suggested it was well-honed.

Ultimately, he found himself alone in an unknown place, with everything around him feeling foreign.

‘There are so many books...’

One side of the room was lined with piles of books.

Though he wasn’t sure, it seemed as though every item in the room was expensive.

Even the chair he was sitting on, with its intricate carvings, gleamed in a way he had never seen before.

As he looked around in wonder, he felt a sharp gaze from the person standing nearby, causing him to shrink back.

The person then turned their attention back to the door, but the intimidating atmosphere remained.

He was just the child of an ordinary family of commoners.

Even he himself could never have imagined stepping foot in a place like this.

‘The imperial palace...’

He thought to himself.

As soon as he had reached its gates, he had been overwhelmed by its grandeur.

He recalled Seoyeop’s words.

「The person you will serve from now on is the most noble and precious person you could ever imagine.」

What did that mean?

He had no idea why he had been brought here.

He didn’t commit any kind of crime; not that he could remember.

After all, a commoner like him would never have the power to do so.

Serious crimes required influence, and the most the powerless could do was steal a grain of rice.

Such a minor offense would never warrant being dragged to the imperial palace.

‘So why am I here...’

His thoughts were interrupted by a deep voice from outside.

“The Emperor approaches.”

“...!”

The Emperor?

For a moment, his mind froze, and he didn’t know what to do.

He began to panic, and as he did, the people on either side of him grabbed his arms.

They lifted him and forced him back to his knees.

A rough hand pushed his gaze to the floor.

‘I could have bowed on my own...’

It was as if they were forcing him to show proper respect, assuming he knew nothing of decorum.

‘This is way too much...‘

He thought, until when—

The door slid open.

At the edge of his vision, a pair of black shoes appeared.

The moment they crossed the threshold, everyone in the room bowed deeply and spoke in unison.

“Long live Your Majesty.”

Then a nudge at his side told him to follow suit. He hurriedly opened his mouth.

“L-long live...”

A whisper from beside him instructed him on what to say.

“Your Majesty.”

“...Your Majesty.”

“Do not look—”

...up.

In his anxiety, he raised his head before hearing the full sentence.

The people around him seemed surprised and alarmed, but it was too late.

The first thing he saw was Seoyeop’s stern expression.

His face was one of reprimand, silently scolding him for the disrespect of raising his head before the Emperor.

But that expression quickly faded from view.

For before him was someone who instantly captivated all of his attention.

“...”

His mouth fell open, and his chest tightened, making it hard to breathe.

‘Your Majesty...’

Everyone around him was bowing their heads to this person, so they before him was undoubtedly the Emperor of Hwan.

Dressed in a majestic golden robe adorned with a dragon, the Emperor looked down at him with cold, crimson eyes that were so beautiful that it could easily blind a person with a single gaze.

He had never seen eyes that gleamed with such a pure red.

Their eyebrows were sharp and perfectly shaped, their nose well-sculpted, and their chin smooth.

Never had he seen someone whose features were so harmoniously arranged.

They must be a divine being.

From the moment their eyes met, nothing else existed.

Even the slow blink of those eyes resonated deeply within him.

He stared, entranced, until—

“How dare you.”

The Emperor’s sharp lips parted, releasing a low, melodious voice.

It was a voice as smooth as a bead rolling across the floor.

As the Emperor’s gaze bore into him, a slender finger touched his chin.

“Your Majesty.”

Seoyeop’s voice sounded cautious, but the Emperor ignored.

Instead, the Emperor gently lifted his chin, making him meet their gaze.

The flickering light from the candles reflected in the Emperor’s lustrous red eyes, giving them an even more mysterious aura.

He saw his own reflection in the Emperor’s eyes.

It was an unbelievable sight.

The Emperor tilted their head as they carefully examined him.

Then, they softly uttered his name from their delicate lips.

“You must be Yeon Mugeon.”

Mugeon, still in a daze, could only nod.

“Yes, Your Majesty...”

Upon hearing the response, Jin Ye turned to Seoyeop.

“Where on his body is it?”

“On his thigh, Your Majesty.”

“On his thigh...”

Repeating the answer, Jin Ye released Mugeon’s chin and stood.

They then commanded those around.

“I must see the proof with my own eyes. Strip him.”

Mugeon’s eyes widened in shock.

“...What?”

Despite Mugeon’s visible unease, Jin Ye remained completely unfazed.

What’s more, even though the command was sudden, those who received the Emperor’s orders moved toward Mugeon without the slightest hesitation.

In an instant, his trousers were pulled down, exposing his lower half.

“W-what is this...”

There were so many eyes on him.

All eyes were fixed on him, shamelessly watching as his exposed lower half was laid bare.

He tried in vain to cover himself, but it was impossible.

Finally, Seoyeop approached.

He looked down at Mugeon with cold, emotionless eyes before using the hilt of his sword to force Mugeon’s legs apart.

Humiliation burned his face red.

For Seoyeop’s efforts, the clear characters on Mugeon’s thigh were now visible to Jin Ye.

[陳叡]

Jin Ye.

The name signified profound wisdom and deep insight.

And it belonged to the Hwan Empire’s Emperor, the woman standing before him.