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"A deal?"
Yoo Joonghyuk voiced his disbelief.
That was completely unexpected. He came here to say what he needed to say and then leave; he didn't want to be there any longer. However, it appears that his bride has other plans.
"Yes, a deal."
Kim Dokja can feel his hands trembling but keep them hidden because he can't show any weakness right now or ever. So he said, in a calm tone that belied his inner feelings.
"I want to propose a deal with you Your Majesty."
Yes, he must make a deal with Yoo Joonghyuk to live peacefully and, hopefully, return to his world. But judging by Yoo Joonghyuk's icy glare, it doesn't look like it will be simple.
"And what kind of deal would that be?"
For 5 days he was confined to his room. 5 days, he deliberated about what he would do to avoid the tragic end that awaits him in the future.
"5 years."
In 5 years. He'll be gone from this damned place in five years; forget about living quietly and enjoying luxuries; the moment the Emperor finds out he's a spy, he'll be killed, and those insane Concubines will jump on my neck the moment they see an opening.
The nobles established the rule that an Emperor cannot meddle in harem affairs to shield their children from the Emperor, but they had no idea that their children would turn on one another.
While this agreement does not protect Kim Dokja from the harem fight, it does allow him to defend himself against the Emperor and deal with those crazy concubines, even if he had to use the same method the novel Kim Dokja used.
"I know that my father and the noble faction have been a thorn on your side."
"And what that has to do with this?"
Kim Dokja looked up at the man standing in front of him.
"I will help you get rid of them in 5 years."
The room was deafeningly quiet. Kim Dokja can feel the temperature dropping. He can't help but cower a little in the face of Yoo Joonghyuk's piercing gaze.
Yoo Joonghyuk is renowned for his incredible strength, who only left the blood and cries of his enemies in his wake. The man who had unmatched battle prowess and had been given the title of Supreme Emperor is glaring down at him.
Kim Dokja didn't let his fear known and just quietly sit in front of the fearsome man.
"What makes you think I needed your help in such trivial matters?"
The Emperor calmly questioned. If Kim Dokja didn't know any better he would think that the Emperor didn't need his help and it was just a trivial thing to him. But Kim Dokja knows how the novel will end and will use his knowledge to his advantage.
The Kim Patriarch was known as a simple and incorruptible person. A benevolent man who had a big heart. But behind doors, he is the most greedy and cruel man. A cunning man who finds loopholes in the laws and exploits them.
It's a well-known fact that the Kim Household was the most influential family in the newly formed Empire. In the eyes of the common folk, they are a noble family who sells their mined gems and products they produced but under the surface, they are controlling the black market by selling slaves and drugs.
In the novel, Yoo Joonghyuk already finds out about the Patriarch's true personality when he is still a prince when the Kim Patriarch tried to manipulate him. Ever since then he started to investigate the Kim Household and discover their evil deeds
Yoo Joonghyuk had no choice but to leave it be until he had evidence and authority to punish the Patriarch for his crimes. But the Patriarch seems to have caught a whiff of his plans and forced the newly crowned Emperor to marry one of his and the noble's children.
A way to control the newly crowned Emperor's power and influence on the court, a leash they tried on putting at the Emperor's neck.
Now Yoo Joonghyuk needs to move fast and find a way to get rid of the Kim Patriarch before it's too late. Now the very son of the man he detests is sitting in front of him and telling him he will help him get rid of his enemy who is his father.
'Kim Dokja.'
When Yoo Joonghyuk started his investigation of the Kim Household he started with the Kim Family tree to see who is involved and who is not. Turns out almost everyone in that damn household was somehow part of the dealings in the black market except for the servants and this man.
There's too little information on him it's like his a ghost.
'Suspicious'
Kim Dokja can tell that the Emperor is suspicious of him it can't be helped since he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the original Kim Dokja's father who forced him to marry the Emperor and became his spy to find out the Emperor's weakness and put him in a leash.
"I know my father has the most influence and control over the noble faction and if he gathers more influence he will have complete control over the court."
"You are surprisingly well educated. It seems that rumors can't be trusted."
Kim Dokja can't tell if the Emperor is mocking him or it's a compliment.
"You flatter me, Your Majesty."
Kim Dokja bowed.
"So then? Are you proposing to become a spy for the royal faction?"
There are more appropriate ways to put it, but Kim Dokja thinks that it wasn't entirely wrong. He still needs to spy on the Emperor, though, because Yoo Joonghyuk isn't quite ready to overthrow his father yet.
"In exchange for what?"
"My freedom."
"......"
"I will be your Consort for five years and assist you in overthrowing my father and keep in check the other members of the noble faction."
"And how do you plan on doing that?"
"Through the Harem."
Just like what Yoo Joonghyuk did in the novel. Even when the Emperor knew what the novel Kim Dokja did to the other concubines he did not stop it.
Since an Emperor can not meddle in the harem affairs just like the nobles wanted, they didn't know it would backfire when slowly the Concubines started killing each other, and Yoo Joonghyuk used the other Concubines as a tool to keep the noble faction in line.
"But don't you think such a deal is rather an imbalance?"
Yoo Joonghyuk says while eyeing Kim Dokja carefully.
"You get all the influence, fortune, and notoriety that come with being the Emperor's Consort, but I get nothing but questionable unconfirmed reports about someone I can solve on my own."
"I only need your protection, food and a roof over my head for five years then I will leave the palace."
Kim Dokja smiled under the veil still covering his head.
"You do realize that makes it more suspicious."
"If you need any more reasons, let me just say that I hate my old man and those stinking old farts because of what they did. I want to make them pay but unfortunately, I don't have that kind of power yet."
Yoo Joonghyuk remained silent. He seemed to be deep in thought. After some time it appears like he finally made a decision.
"Very well what are your conditions."
Kim Dokja lifted 4 fingers, showing his delicate wrist.
"One, I will only be your Consort for five years then after that I will leave quietly and live peacefully in a place far away from the Empire."
"Two, I will not bear your child."
Kim Dokja didn't want his father to have another tool to tie him down.
"Understandable."
And it seems Yoo Joonghyuk did not have a problem with that.
"Three, I will not interfere in your business and you will not interfere with mine the only exception is when it's regarding my father and any matters that are connected to it."
Yoo Joonghyuk nodded his head so no complaint there.
"Four, in any way and form you will not harm me throughout our deal. Then I will provide you with information regarding my father but I cannot tell you where my information came from."
Kim Dokja can't say that he knows the future and he can't rely on the information the novel provides only, now that he is making a deal with You Joonghyuk he did not know how this will impact the future. This is the most important condition.
If glares could kill, Kim Dokja would already be dead. Yoo Joonghyuk began to approach Kim Dokja slowly. Kim Dokja's mind began to gradually become alarmed.
'Fuck! Am I going to die!??'
If he died then!! .....then... Will he be able to go back home then...? Dokja slowly closes his eyes.
Swoosh.
'Huh?'
On that particular evening, with the moon serving as a witness. Yoo Joonghyuk removed the red veil covering Kim Dokjas' head. He was greeted by a pale face and pretty long lashes. Plump red lips that ever slowly opened to let out a confused noise.
When Kim Dokja suddenly felt the chill of the night air caressing his face, he slowly opened his eyes.
Yoo Joonghyuk's eyes met with Kim Dokja's.
Dark abyss-like eyes stared right through another pair of dark eyes that seem to contain the stars in the galaxies in them, stared back
Yoo Joonghyuk can feel a throb in his chest.
'Finally......'
Finally....? what happened..? He had no idea, but it felt like a missing piece had been put together in his chest, making him feel whole as he stared at those eyes... A feeling of Deja vu flashes through his mind.
When Yoo Joonghyuk abruptly removes his veil, Kim Dokja can't help but make a puzzled sound. His noise seems to have startled Yoo Joonghyuk back to reality. With an up turned on his lips Kim Dokja asked the Emperor.
"Your Majesty, what are you doing?"
Yoo Joonghyuk stared at Kim Dokjas's face as if he wanted to memorize every inch of it.... then finally he spoke.
"I have to see my new Consort's face no?"
With a smirk on his face, Yoo Joonghyuk slowly leaned down at Kim Dokja's space their face only inches apart. Then as if nothing happened Yoo Joonghyuk step back and slowly left the room leaving Dokja a flustered mess.
Oh lord, please have mercy for Kim Dokja is a weak, weak man.
'Damn those protagonist genes!!!'
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"I can finally give you the love that was meant for you....."
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<A/N: Hello!! This is a fanfic that i wrote because this story has been bugging my mind and won't let me sleep!! ( × - × !!!!) This is my AU by the way hope you enjoy reading~>