The Cruel Imperial Family Episode 2

[Episode 2] The Empress Who Shedding Her Crown of Thorns

 

Even the sound of torrential rain pouring down from outside the window could not cover Si-eun's chilling and cruel voice.

 

It was the grace bestowed by the imperial queen after 14 years of terrible silence, and the first blood-red baptism granted to a hunting dog that had spent its entire life in the darkness.

 

 

The moment Si-eun's command pierced through the rain like a sharp dagger and pierced her ears, the shoulders of Kim Min-hyuk, the chief bodyguard who was kneeling at her feet, trembled slightly.

 

Deep within his pitch-black eyes, which always held a strict control over his emotions, there was an indescribable, bizarre thrill and a beastly, blind loyalty flashing.

 

Sieun slowly reached out and cupped Minhyuk's rough cheek.

 

The small, delicate hand that was extended to the boy who was freezing in the orphanage's mud pit 15 years ago had now become the resolute hand of an empress, ready to stain the imperial throne with blood.

 

The slight tremors and icy cold body temperature conveyed from the Empress's delicate hands that cupped Minhyuk's fiery cheeks served as a catalyst, completely awakening the ferocious wildness that had been deeply dormant in Minhyuk's blood.

 

"Please do as Your Majesty wishes."

 

Minhyuk, speaking low like a beastly beast tamed by its master's touch, let out the growl of a beast and pressed his forehead deeply against Sieun's hand.

 

On his eyelashes, where he had closed his eyes, droplets of water, whether it was rain or sweat, formed. It was not a simple answer.

 

It was a vow of absolute obedience, willing to jump into hellfire for the sake of one's lord and bear all the burdens on their behalf, as well as a blood-red vow that risked one's life.

 

After a brief and weighty greeting, Minhyuk's massive figure, as he rose to his feet, vanished into the darkness like an arrow released from a bowstring.

 

A fierce storm raged through the gap in the open window.

 

A cold liquid, whether it was rainwater or a prophecy of the impending bloodbath, was scattered across the marble floor.

 

Sieun silently gazed at her two hands left in the air. Deep within my chest, my heart was pounding fiercely as if it might burst.

 

It wasn't fear. It was a fierce and overwhelming sense of liberation that only those who have personally shattered the tragedy of the 'duty of the imperial family' and 'arranged marriage,' which had strangled and bound their entire being for the past 14 years, could feel.

 

Secretary Han

 

Sieun called out softly, her gaze fixed on the air.

 

Yes, Sieunmama.

 

In the deepest blind spot of Gyotaejeon in the darkness, Secretary Han, who had been holding his breath and waiting, quickly approached without even making a sound of his shoes.

 

The Minseok Group, the top-ranking business leader of the Korean Empire, had planted the best brains in the imperial family for Si-eun, and behind his cold silver-rimmed glasses, a sharp reason that allowed no error was flashing chillingly.

 

"Tell him to contact my father immediately and there might be someone who is trying to communicate with him, so never use the imperial family's communication network or any lines that could be wiretapped, and only use the most secret emergency channels within the Minseok Group. Also, immediately upgrade the private security level at my father's family residence to the highest level!" You must thoroughly disguise yourself to appear as calm as usual on the surface.

 

Sieun's instructions were quick and precise, without any unnecessary details.

 

She had already foreseen that Emperor Yu Jong-seok had sent assassins to strike down his father.

 

I will keep this in mind and take immediate action. Ah! And Your Majesty, an additional intelligence report arrived from Secretary Kim of the Queen Dowager just a moment ago.

 

Secretary Han took out an encrypted tablet PC from his pocket and continued speaking.

 

Shinari's side has reportedly prepared to extensively distribute cunning false accusations aimed at tarnishing the highness to major media outlets and the royal press corps just before the morning royal court meeting.

 

"It's a far-fetched frame that Your Majesty abused her power to lead the embezzlement."

 

The moment she heard those words, a chilling and bitter sneer slipped through Si-eun's red lips.

 

"That vulgar habit doesn't seem to be corrected even after 14 years, even when we move from the orphanage gutter to the imperial palace, that petty trick of trying to steal from others with false tears and slander."

 

Si-eun slowly took steps and roughly shut the massive glass window of the Gyotaejeon, where the wind and rain were rushing in.

 

Bang!

 

With the sound of heavy windows closing, the inner room, which had been throbbing, was filled with an intense silence that felt deafening.

 

Si-eun mercilessly stepped on the splendid hostility, which had been like the empress's shackles, lying haphazardly on the floor as if she were shedding her skin, and stood before the mirror.

 

In the mirror, the pitiful girl who innocently vowed to become the mistress of the imperial family, oblivious to the Crown Prince's gentle gaze, now had no trace left behind.

 

Only the blood empress, with her icy rationality and burning vengeful desire to chew and swallow the empire, was facing her.

 

"This throne you covet so much that I wanted to climb to this position, even if it meant destroying my family and strangling me!" '

 

Sieun stared straight into her eyes in the mirror and whispered.

 

"I will gladly turn it into a sea of blood where the blood pools up to the ankles. I will teach you, Shinari, what kind of hell is the price for daring to covet the master's position."