The new crown prince gracefully waved his hand at the enthusiastic crowd, who were clapping and yelling his name in a fervent display of support. Yoo Joonghyuk, standing nearby, observed his brother's actions with a silent intensity. Some onlookers mistakenly interpret his piercing gaze as anger towards his brother for assuming the coveted title that was once within his grasp. However, unbeknownst to them, Yoo Joonghyuk harbored amusement at the unfolding spectacle.
Behind the facade of his stoic demeanor, Yoo Joonghyuk relished in the irony of the situation. The thought held by both the general public and the royal family was that he would retreat from the political arena, relinquishing any aspirations for power. They were all ignorant of the meticulously crafted plan that would not only secure his place within the realm of politics, but also enable him to wield his influence like never before.
Sensing a piercing gaze on his back, he locked eyes with the queen, now the new empress, who wore a smug smirk upon her face. It was evident that she believed she had emerged victorious.
In response, Joonghyuk fixed a cold glare upon her, only intensifying the empress's smirk. Joonghyuk's resolve grew stronger as the woman's smile widened. As much as he yearned to wipe that look off her face, he knew he had to be patient. It was imperative that the empress and everyone else perceived him as a man that had lost everything, his ambitions thwarted and his future uncertain.
This was merely a necessary stepping stone towards his ultimate goal. The empress may be reveling in her victory now, but this was only a single battle in a longstanding war, a war that was far from over. The stage was set, and Joonghyuk was ready to play his part, biding his time until the opportune moment revealed itself, allowing him to reshape the destiny of the empire.
The atmosphere suddenly shifted when the doors swung open with a resounding bang. All eyes turned towards the entrance, where a young girl made her grand entrance into the royal throne room. Dressed in an elegant black gown adorned with gold trim, it was none other than the royal princess, Yoo Mia.
However, there was an unmistakable anger etched upon her face as she strode forward, her gaze fixed straight ahead. She paid no heed to her father or stepmother, disregarding the customary greetings and bows expected at such a formal event. The room fell into a hushed silence, with whispers of curiosity rippling through the crowd. With each step she took, Yoo Mia's anger seemed to intensify, her presence alone demanded attention. The silence was broken only by the soft rustling of her dress as she continued her purposeful stride towards the front of the room.
Yoo Mia's unyielding demeanor and refusal to acknowledge her family members sent a clear message. Something had transpired to ignite her fury, and she was determined to make her grievances known. The tension in the room grew palpable as all awaited the child's next move, unsure of what would unfold.
Finally coming to a halt, her back remained turned to her family and the assembled crowd. The weight of her anger hung heavy in the room, casting a shadow over the previously celebratory atmosphere.
Her gaze finally shifted towards her brother, Joonghyuk. He had been watching her intently, his eyes lacking the surprise everyone else had at her sudden appearance. Yoo Mia's expression softened slightly as she met his gaze, but the anger still simmered beneath the surface.
Despite his lack of outward reaction, Joonghyuk was puzzled by her presence. He had instructed her to remain in her room and avoid witnessing the event. He knew that Yoo Mia was fiercely protective of him and thought seeing him be disowned from the family would be too much for her to bear. Yet, here she was, standing before him more defiant than he'd ever seen her.
His eyes met Yoo Mia's with the same intensity that she looked at him with. Her presence was out of left field, he couldn't anticipate why she had decided to come here. Though he didn't want to believe she'd do so, he had to acknowledge that she could complicate matters if she did anything too reckless.
It was the empress who broke the tension, unable to contain her frustration at the fact the girl had interrupted her son's celebration.
With a voice dripping with sickly sweetness, the empress addressed Yoo Mia, "My dear, I had no idea you wanted to come to your older brother's ceremony as the new crown prince."
Yoo Mia's gaze shifted from her brother to the empress, her expression guarded. She understood the empress's game, and her brother had long taught her to see past their step-mother's manipulative nature. Yoo Mia was not one to be easily swayed. She had come to support her brother, to stand by his side in this pivotal moment. However, her response took a different turn.
"Your Majesty," Yoo Mia drawled out, her tone unabashedly sarcastic, " I didn't come to the ceremony for that guy's sake" she uncaringly pointed a finger directed at the new crown prince, "but for my true brother, Yoo Joonghyuk." she proudly stated, her voice reverberating around the room for everyone to hear.
"Can't you see from my dress that I'm mourning?" she yelled, pointing to her black dress, "It's because of all you idiots that my oppa isn't the prince anymore!"
Yoo Mia's fierce glare shifted to the emperor, who had remained silent throughout the exchange. "Especially you!" she hollered out, "You're the biggest idiot out of everyone here! Oppa was the best person to lead the empire, why would you get rid of him?!" she stomped her feet to emphasize her frustration, demanding an answer from him.
But instead of trying to address her worries, or do anything befitting of a good parent, the emperor's response was one of anger and frustration as he yelled back at her "YOO MIA, YOU'RE BEING DISRESPECTFUL! BE QUIET THIS INSTANT" The tension in the room escalated further, as the emperor's outburst added fuel to the already charged atmosphere.
The audience couldn't believe the audacity the emperor had to yell so carelessly at his own daughter, especially when she was at such a young age. For a young girl to cause their emperor to carelessly lose his temper in front of nobles from all over the empire… his insecurity had been blatantly laid bare for them to see. In his attempt to reassert his authority over the situation, the emperor undermined his credibility and legitimacy in the eyes of those present.
"I DON'T CARE, I'M JUST SAYING THE TRUTH AND EVERYONE HERE KNOWS IT!"
Never before had Joonghyuk thought he'd be able to see Yoo Mia get into a yelling match with the emperor, better yet hold her weight against him as their father crumbled in front of the gathered nobles. Feeling pride for his sister filling his body, Joonghyuk refrained himself from bursting out in laughter. He placed a hand on Mia's shoulder and started to placate her, not wanting the situation to escalate any further than this.
"Yoo Mia, go bac—" but before he could finish his sentence, he was abruptly cut off.
"Oppa, shut up for now, okay?" Yoo Mia only spared him an annoyed huff before immediately continuing, "As I was saying..." She pointed an accusatory finger at the new crown prince before looking at all the people gathered in the room, "Do you all really think he's better than my oppa? What has he ever done for the empire?"
The sudden silence that fell over the crowd was a stark contrast to the cheers they had been expressing to the prince just moments before. Discomfort settled over the crowd, the elephant in the room finally being pointed out. Everyone had wanted to put on a good show, wanting to get on the better side of the future emperor. But when questioned directly about his merits, everyone kept their lips shut, no one having a valid answer. It was painfully obvious that the new crown prince paled in comparison to Yoo Joonghyuk in terms of capability and experience.
But then the Archduke stood up, capturing everyone's attention as he confidently declared, "Of course His Highness can measure up to the previous prince's talents. With guidance, he can become the crown prince that the Seoul Empire will look up to. Our glorious empire will continue to flourish!"
Despite his bravado, even the Archduke couldn't completely take away the skepticism that the princess had introduced to the audience. Mia just rolled her eyes at him, not at all impressed with his sad attempt to bolster the audience's confidence in the new crown prince.
"Huh, someone to guide him?" Mia remarked mockingly, an eyebrow lifted questioningly. "When my oppa was the crown prince, he didn't have anyone to guide him. He did everything all by himself" she huffed out like it was the most obvious thing in the world, crossing her arms as she glared at him.
"That guy will never ever be as good as my oppa in anything he does, no matter what you teach him," she leaned in closer, spitefully whispering, "And that's because my oppa isn't a puppet like you and him."
Mia's words sent the Archduke's blood boiling, the man glaring down harshly at her. He held his tongue, having a slightly better sense of wit than the emperor, he knew his reputation would suffer if he publicly yelled at a little girl. But as she smiled innocently at his inner turmoil, he ground his teeth together. The archduke had thought that Yoo Mia would at least make a good pawn for the family, if they ever needed to form associations with other kingdoms, they could have her on hand to marry off without too much trouble. But it seemed that Joonghyuk brat had too much influence on her, he wasn't the only pest infesting the family.
Mia looked back at the crowd, "If my oppa doesn't have a place here, then I don't either…" She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened them again, her face set in determination, "I, Princess Yoo Mia of the Seoul Empire, am stepping down as a member of the royal family!"
The crowd was buzzing with whispers, hushed gasps of disbelief and alarm ringing out upon hearing Mia's announcement. The royal family members were especially taken aback by her unexpected declaration.
"Yoo Mia, what is the meaning of this?!" the emperor cried out. His outburst captured the attention of everyone present, redirecting their focus towards him.
Mia kept a blank expression as she stared unblinkingly at the emperor, not even a hint of emotion in her eyes, "It's simple, I'd rather be a commoner than live in this hellhole." Mia continued to express her dissatisfaction, "Plus, if my oppa is being stripped of his title, then I don't need to be princess either."
The emperor's anger at her decision was evident in his gaze, reflecting his frustration and disappointment with Mia's choice.
"Your Holiness," Yoo Mia turned to the Saintess, who had been watching the entire ordeal quietly, her expression contemplative, "Please make it official."
Sangah took a moment to process Mia's request, her gaze going over the royal family, the crowd, and then the brother and sister in front of her. Mia's determined stare didn't waver, and out of the corner of her eye Yoo Joonghyuk nodded his head once, looking at her expectantly. With a sigh, Sangah proceeded.
"Understood, Your Highness." She then shifted her attention to the crowd, "Yoo Joonghyuk and Yoo Mia will no longer be recognized as members of the royal family. Their names will be removed from the royal book, and they will be unable to enter the palace unless granted noble status."