Surviving in a Romance Fantasy Novel

“The wounds of the Cheongdo Empire run deep. The scars left by the Plague Demonic Spirit will likely be remembered throughout the history that follows.”

Restoration work was still in full swing at Cheongdo Palace.

With countless vacancies among the high-ranking officials, many were being temporarily filled by deputies, and just getting a grasp on all the administrative duties would take months for everyone involved.

Such was the transitional period that Cheongdo Palace was now going through.

At Peaceful River Hall, which spread out before the main palace, the inauguration ceremony for the Grand General was conducted in a modest manner.

Emperor Woon Sung’s expression had looked complicated as he bestowed upon me the wooden plaque engraved with the seal of the Grand General.

The existence of Grand General Seol Tae Pyeong might be akin to having a thousand troops and ten thousand horses guarding the Cheongdo Empire, but at the same time, it meant I had become someone who could rise up at any moment and threaten his very position.

At the very least, as long as I remained alive, he would not be able to rule the nation without watching my every move.

…That was enough for me.

Wearing the formal uniform of the Grand General and gripping the sword at my waist, I walked out of Peaceful River Hall accompanied by my aides.

Wherever I passed, the crowd would part to either side, heads would bow, and expressions of reverence would follow me.

“You’ve done well. Now that you stand above all others, you could be called the true power of the Cheongdo Empire. I knew from long ago that you would come to this point.”

“…….”

“…Have I perhaps overstepped my bounds?”

After the inauguration, when I entered the office of the Crown Prince’s Palace, my aide In Ha Yeon was waiting and stepped forward to receive my sword.

I had heard that after the death of Clan Head In Seon Rok, the Jeongseon clan had lost its center and split into two factions. As a descendant of that family, she must have had complex feelings, yet perhaps her identity as a subordinate of the Hwalseong District was just as important to her as her bloodline, because she continued to diligently carry out her duties every time.

After receiving my sword and lowering her head, In Ha Yeon asked if I had any orders, and I let out a deep, empty sigh.

“No.”

“You’re staring at me so intently; it seems like you have something to say. Please, speak freely.”

“It’s nothing all that important… I was just wondering. After acting as the mistress of the Vermilion Bird Palace, doesn’t it feel awkward at all, tending to me like this now?”

“I already resolved my heart the day I first joined the Hwalseong District. It’s not something worth bringing up again at this point.”

“No… actually, there’s a reason I’m bringing this up now.”

“…Huh?”

I sat down quietly at the edge of the mirror stand and let out a long sigh as I thought about something.

Seol Ran’s dark dangerous eyes, whispering in my ear while kneading my shoulders.

It was the look of the Heavenly Maiden who had now become someone beyond even my own control. A figure destined to seize and rule over the Cheongdo Empire as she pleased.

“…….”

“…Is there something you wish to say to me?”

“Well, it’s not really anything big…”

Even so, a person’s nature never truly changed.

Whenever I saw her smiling so innocently from time to time, without fail, she was still my sister Seol Ran.

That was exactly why… faced with my sister’s policy now that she had obtained power towering above all others, I didn’t have even the slightest thought of opposing her.

“You’re fired.”

“…Huh?”

I looked straight at In Ha Yeon and spoke quietly.

“That’s how it turned out.”

“………………Huh????”

Now that Seol Ran had taken the position of Heavenly Maiden, Jin Cheong Lang who had been temporarily filling the role would return once again to the Azure Dragon Palace.

And the question of who would fill the now-vacant position of the Vermilion Princess became the next issue, but in such chaotic times, there was no real way to bring in someone new.

And so, the easiest and least controversial option was to appoint someone who had already held the position before and had earned universal respect.

Among the subordinates of the Hwalseong District, In Ha Yeon was by far the most capable, and though the thought of pulling her away and sending her back to the inner palace left a bitter taste in my mouth…

In reality, when I thought about what was going to happen from this point on, things like affiliations didn’t really matter all that much.

“The merit General Seol has achieved in the disaster of the Plague Demonic Spirit is nothing short of saving the entire country. And the greatest show of respect I can offer to such a man… would be to hand over my most cherished treasures.”

Those were the words Crown Prince Hyeon Won had declared before the newly appointed high officials and the ministers of the Six Ministries.

His words flowed as smoothly as a mountain stream.

From the beginning, Crown Prince Hyeon Won had not the slightest interest in the mistresses of the Four Grand Palaces. Yet, according to the laws of the nation and the rules of the imperial palace, the very women he should have cherished the most … he had simply granted to me.

To be fair, historically speaking, it wasn’t entirely unheard of for an emperor or crown prince to bestow a concubine upon a loyal subject who had saved the country.

However, even in those cases, the women given away were always the lower-ranking concubines who had failed to win the prince’s favor.

But to grant all the mistresses of the Four Grand Palaces. To grant these women regarded as the center of the palace order and the noblest of all went far beyond shocking. It was unprecedented, not only in the past but surely for all time to come.

Normally, when such an absurd declaration was made, all the officials ranked third grade or higher would rise up in protest. Even if it came from the crown prince

Especially the ministers of the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Personnel who usually played the role of the palace’s traditionalists, should have thrown themselves down in front of the main palace, with swords practically in their mouths, declaring that such a thing could never happen.

But the situation was what it was.

Grand General Seol Tae Pyeong was a man so powerful that even the emperor himself had no choice but to be wary of him.

Above all, the one who had pushed for this entire matter was none other than Heavenly Maiden Seol Ran who now sat at the very pinnacle of power in the Heavenly Dragon Hall.

In this country of Cheongdo, there was simply no one who could oppose the siblings of the Huayongseol clan.

A few ministers did timidly raise objections in anxious tones, but the crown prince dismissed them in an instant.

And so… an utterly unbelievable event, something that could never happen twice in the history of the Cheongdo Palace, had come to pass.

“Y-Your Highness, Crown Prince….”

The Minister of Rites pleaded tearfully.

“I am not unaware of the current state of the palace. However… even so, there was no need for such an utterly miserable decision. Surely, even General Seol himself would not desire this.”

“Minister of Rites, respect my decision. It was not one I made lightly.”

“Your… Your Highness…”

And just like that, Crown Prince Hyeon Won became the tragic protagonist who had lost all his crown princess consorts to the man standing at the very pinnacle of power.

Though in truth… he was probably wracking his brain, wondering how he might somehow win Seol Ran’s favor.

A man who had never once set foot in the harem even after his coming-of-age ceremony.

It was clear that no matter what any other woman besides Seol Ran did or where she went, he wouldn’t care in the slightest.

To the officials, Crown Prince Hyeon Won might have seemed like the tragic victim in all this, but from his perspective, he was probably thinking this was the perfect chance to prove his sincerity to Seol Ran.

When I heard the news of that court assembly, I could only gaze off with distant eyes.

“This country… is a complete mess…”

Half of the nobles had already been wrecked by the Plague Demonic Spirit, so maybe this kind of chaos was inevitable.

But still… no matter how bad things were, I couldn’t help but wonder if the world really needed to treat me this harshly.

“Listening to all this, it really feels like Lady Seol… no, Heavenly Maiden Seol Ran has become a full-fledged politician.”

“She’s someone who adapts perfectly no matter the situation, so it’s only a matter of time before she swallows up the entire Cheongdo Empire.”

“Terrifying, really…”

If you walked out behind the Hwalseong District and followed the narrow path, you’d come upon a low, hilly area.

Climbing further up that hill, there was a wide meadow covered in grass, stretching out before your eyes. And if you kept walking beyond that, you’d find a lone zelkova tree standing atop the hill.

When spring came, that scenery became so warm and peaceful that it had become a place I often visited just to get some fresh air.

After the cycles of reincarnation had ended, Yeon Ri decided to recuperate for a while at the Hwalseong District mansion.

There was still no decision made about how she would live from here on. So for now, she had simply chosen to recover her body first and think about the rest later.

And during that recuperation, there were times when she would just disappear for a while. If you went up the hill behind the Hwalseong District, you would find her sitting quietly on the zelkova tree, gazing down at the Imperial Capital.

Thinking her mind must be in turmoil, I had left her be, but now it felt like it was about time to ask her what she planned to do next.

“The Heavenly Maiden knows well enough that you, Tae Pyeong, are not the kind of man who would desire to seize the throne. But still, as time passes, and as the authority of the imperial family begins to return, there’s no telling how things might change. That’s probably why she wants to make things absolutely clear.”

“…….”

Yeon Ri sat perched on a branch of the zelkova tree, quietly looking down at the scenery.

I leaned my back against the trunk and sat there, lost in thought as the gentle breeze of early spring brushed past me.

She had gone on about wanting to see her nephew, about how I should take a good woman as my partner and such things.

But in the end, it seemed Seol Ran’s goal wasn’t only about that.

Grand General Seol Tae Pyeong had taken all of the crown princess consorts for himself.

It was as plain as day what kind of symbolic meaning that would scatter across the political landscape of Cheongdo.

Was this her way of stamping down the imperial authority, of ensuring that, at least while we lived, no one would dare harbor other ambitions?

Though she wore an innocent smile, behind it she had already finished calculating how to thoroughly keep imperial power in check and turn them into mere puppets.

As expected of the protagonist of a romance fantasy novel …

…

…

“On top of that, maybe she wanted a picture where the crown princess consorts of the four palaces kept fighting and competing over you….”

“……”

“Power and authority are always easier to control when kept separate. Rather than choosing a single partner, she’ll try to maintain a situation where they keep each other in check through constant competition. Tae Pyeong-ah….”

Yeon Ri who was sitting at the tip of the branch swung her legs back and forth with a wry smile.

“Having such an exceptional family really is its own kind of hardship….”

“I’ve already given up on it all.”

By now, letters regarding my marriage must have already reached the crown princess consorts of the four palaces.

I slowly closed my eyes.

***

From the tip of the Azure Dragon Palace’s eaves, water dripped down from the melting snow. It was a scene that made it clear winter had come to an end.

The Azure Princess who was sitting on the wooden floor beneath those eaves held the letter close to her mouth with the collar of her court robes and read it.

Her face turned red as if someone had poured molten lava over it, and as she stomped her feet with a bashful smile… she suddenly thought of the other crown princess consorts and gulped dryly. They were not opponents to be taken lightly.

The letter had also arrived at the Black Tortoise Palace.

The Black Princess sat quietly in the tea room as she read it with cold sweat trickling down her back. She opened the wooden window to let in the outside air.

The question of whether they were friends or lovers now felt meaningless, as they were being told outright to become husband and wife, and that only made the sweat pour even more.

In short, the time had come for her to admit that she truly saw General Seol as a man.

In Ha Yeon who returned to her seat in the Vermilion Bird Palace already knew all of this.

While checking on the palace after a long absence and catching up with the Headmaid Hyeon Dang, she heard the talk of marriage and eventually turned quiet as her cheeks flushed red.

Seeing the always reliable Vermilion Princess show such a feminine expression, Headmaid Hyeon Dang found herself filled with complicated feelings.

Still, thinking it was a good thing, she eventually broke into a bright smile.

The White Princess had been strolling through the White Tiger Palace when the letter arrived and she too was at a loss for words.

However, before long, she rested her chin on her hand and quietly began calculating the gains and losses. She wasn’t someone with the ambition to challenge imperial authority, but it didn’t take her long to realize that this was a position practically equivalent to becoming the emperor’s consort.

With a satisfied smile, she tucked the letter into her robe and quietly walked under the cherry blossom tree of the White Tiger Palace, which had just begun to bloom.

***

“Honestly, this is a bit too much to handle.”

The mistresses of the Four Palaces were all people who, each in their own way, had the strength, talent, or ambition to lead their era.

Being told to handle not just one, but all four of these people, was an overwhelming task.

I could cut down monsters covering the entire world with my sword alone, but capturing the hearts of women was an entirely different challenge.

“Yeon Ri, what are you going to do with your life from now on?”

“Hmm? I’m still sorting out my thoughts. I’ve been trapped in Cheongdo Palace for such a long time because of the endless cycles of reincarnation, so now I’m thinking maybe I should try walking through the outside world again… I do like traveling quite a bit, you know.”

“…….”

I leaned my back against the tree, then gazed up at the sky for a moment. Then I let out a faint hollow laugh and spoke.

“Like I said… it’s just too much for me alone to handle all the crown princess consorts of the Four Palaces.”

“Hahaha! I told you, didn’t I? That your life was going to be a rough road ahead. Just think of peace and quiet as a luxury far from your fate. But still, compared to back in White Immortal Palace, isn’t it a little better now? At least there’s no threat to your life anymore.”

“It’s still tough all the same. What I really need is someone capable of reigning in the mistresses of the Four Palaces and keeping things balanced.”

Speaking like it was nothing special, I absentmindedly stared up at the sky and continued.

“I need someone sharp enough to understand the situation both inside and outside the palace, someone who knows exactly what kind of people the crown princess consorts of the Four Palaces are, and who’s skilled at thinking on their feet. If I could place someone like that as a consort and support her, she could at least keep the conflicts and power struggles from going too far. That alone would relieve a lot of the mental pressure on me… I need someone capable of reigning in my wives like that.”

“Oh… that’s definitely not a bad idea, but do you think it’s that easy to find the perfect person for the job? The problem is always that there’s no one suitable. And besides, how many people could really manage to control the crown princess consorts of the Four Palaces? Most would probably lose themselves in the pursuit of power and get obsessed with trivial things.”

“……..”

“Well, still, considering how overwhelming your power is now… if you look carefully and ask around, you might be able to find someone like that. I’ll be rooting for you. You’ve gone through so much already, so I hope only good things await you now~.”

“I was talking about you, Yeon Ri.”

“.……?”

Silence.

Sitting quietly on the hill where the warm spring breeze gently blew, I spoke as if in passing.

It might have lacked too much romance to be called a proper proposal, but wasn’t it enough to gaze up at the blue sky together beneath the gentle spring sunlight?

One thing I had failed to notice while walking the thorn-covered road stained with blood was just how beautiful this world truly was.

On this sunny hill where memories seemed to blossom just from the act of looking around, I raised my voice and spoke.

“Let’s get married, Yeon Ri.”

The girl, who bore a tumultuous history and was now swinging her legs while perched up in a tree, widened her eyes in surprise.

The breeze that brushed softly against our faces gently stirred her hair as well.

What meaning would that single short sentence carry for the girl who had endured such a harsh life?

Trying to guess would have been pointless.

I simply cast aside all unnecessary embellishments… and conveyed it in my own way.

And so… in the gentle warmth of the spring breeze, the girl smiled softly as she answered.

The girl who had never once lost her radiant smile, even in the face of every hardship thrown her way.

She was wearing the most precious smile in the world and her quiet voice settled warmly through the spring wind.

“That’s a bit……”

“……….”

“……….”

“……….”

“…….”

“…….”

“….”

“….”

Oh, heavens.

“Ah, no… The mood was way too romantic, I almost just went along with it…! But seriously, no matter how nice it was, that proposal….! That was way too much…! Wow, I really almost fell for it! You’ve become a total expert at this, haven’t you?!”

“……..”

“My goodness, just because your wives are all so intense and scary, you want me to become your consort and help you deal with them?! Hey, what kind of woman in the world would hear something like that and just go, ‘Sure, I’ll marry you’ and nod her head?! Are you crazy, Tae Pyeong-ah?!”

“……..”

Whoosh

Thud

Yeon Ri jumped down from the tree and spoke with a face that had turned completely pale.

“You know exactly how much of a mess I caused here in Cheongdo Palace, and now you want me to get dragged back into that hell again?! You want me to get tangled up with those crown princess consorts all over again, fighting life-and-death battles about whether I live or die?! Ahaha—! Too bad—! That’s too bad—! Sorry, but I have absolutely no intention of staying in this hell any longer! I’m gonna go out and see the world, wander around for a bit, and if I ever happen to miss your face, I’ll drop by to see you! That should be enough! Whew! I almost got swept up in the mood and fell for it!”

…What a shame!

Damn it, I almost had her… Why does she only get smart at times like this?

“Ahaha! I’m leaving Cheongdo Palace behind! You, who’ve already been granted the rank of Grand General and have even had your marriage to the crown princess consorts decided, can stay stuck here like some lingering ghost! As for me, I’ll ride the winds of freedom and roam around Cheongdo! And if I ever start to miss you, I’ll drop by once in a while, catch up, and share stories! Ahahahaha! Ahahahahahaha! Serves you right! Keep hanging in there! I’m free! I’m free, I tell you!”

Yeon Ri laughed as if the whole world belonged to her, threw her hands up in the air in a loud cheer, and acted completely over the top.

….

Suddenly, the back of my neck started to tense up. I could feel a vein on my forehead slowly rising and pulsing in irritation.

“I can’t just live the rest of my life eating rice soup like some old lady! Ahahaha~! I’ll even bring you some souvenirs every now and then, so if there’s anything you want to eat, just send me a letter or someth—”

“Yeon Ri-ah.”

“…Huh?”

That bright cheerful smile like a flower blooming…. It was something she learned from Ran-noonim.

“Why do you think you have the right to say no?”

“…Huh?”

You’re a discarded has-been Heavenly Maiden.

And I’m now the most powerful person in this entire Cheongdo Empire. I was someone even the Emperor himself watched carefully.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

***

Three days later, Yeon Ri was surrounded by court ladies, getting dressed up and having her hair done.

“Lady Ah Hyun…! You look so beautiful! To think you’ve become the official consort of General Seol, the most powerful man in the entire Cheongdo Empire… truly… truly, every woman in the palace will look up to you in envy!”

“Please trust us! Ever since our days at the Heavenly Dragon Hall, there’s no one better than us when it comes to dressing someone up!”

“We’ll make sure that no woman in the world could even dream of rivaling your beauty when you stand in the wedding hall!”

“But… maybe because the weather’s gotten so warm… you seem to be sweating a little… it would be terrible if the powder came off…”

Yeon Ri who was sitting there surrounded by the court ladies was drenched in cold sweat.

– Were you really planning to throw me into this hell and run away all on your own?

The satisfied smile of Seol Tae Pyeong, who had said exactly that, seemed to flicker at the edge of her vision.

And so, with tears brimming in her eyes, the young girl sat there quietly, letting the girls dress her up…

In a way, she had brought this upon herself.