Bethrothal Gift

Chapter 15

             The body was trapped in the crowd, but the heart was drifting away.

With the effort of a single sentence, Jimin made Ji-sub think about a hundred things at once, until the older man finally asked, with a smile on his face, "What request does Young master Park have for this servant?"

He had thought that once the young man gained power, he would display his newly acquired strength over him to avenge the humiliation he had suffered that day.

However, Jimin's words were gentle and didn't contain a trace of arrogance or pride.

"You are an experienced eunuch who serves His Majesty, and this one also serves His Majesty on his side. Since we are both dedicated to the same person, we do not need to oppose one another, don't you think?" Jimin politely suggested.

Ji-sub's eyes twinkled. Was this a gesture of goodwill?

That was right, the Emperor's interest was like floating and rootless duckweed, it was not as deep as his and His Majesty's friendship, formed from mutual assistance since childhood. Now that his Majesty doted upon Young Master Park, he would naturally place him above all. If His Majesty was to get tired of him and he also offended head management like himself, then his days here would not be easy.

Young master Park was quite a visionary.

The one who could reach the position of overseer was not a sophisticated man, Ji-sub analyzed for a while, while he portrayed a look of confusion on his face. "Young master jests, how dare this servant be at odds with you?"

"Last time, you were punished because of me, and it is only natural that there would be grievances. I was disoriented by my illness that day and didn't mean to make things difficult for you. This one apologizes." Jimin outlined this and finished with a nod.

Ji-sub was about to give a polite, 'How could this one dare' but Jimin added, "I know that you are on guard towards me, not because I have caused your punishment. Rather, it is because I am from Park, and you are afraid that I might be detrimental to his Majesty."

Right now, Ji-sub was speechless.

This was so blunt that he dared not to answer for a moment. 

There was indeed a reason why he didn't trust Jimin.

He had been with the Kim Emperor since he was a child and knew how difficult growing up was for His Majesty.

* * *

Before he was eight years old, Young Master SeokJin and his mother Shin Ha-na lived in the cold palace, with no one to take care of them as they grew up impoverished, but honest. However, after he ascended to the throne and was made a puppet at the age of nine, he lived in fear for his life every day.

Ji-sub was sent to serve the young Emperor when he ascended to the throne. At that time, the child was silent because of his mother's fall, like a lonely, fragile beast that had been abandoned. His sharp eyes were downcast and dispirited, staring blankly in one direction all day long, not saying a word and immersed in his own world.

They were young eunuchs about the same age as the Emperor, sent by the eunuch in charge and it was decreed that whoever could make his Majesty happy would be handsomely rewarded.