“I AM THE FUTURE EMPRESS, NOT HER!”

Hae-eun flinched as she and Dae-hyun glanced behind them. It was the captain’s younger cousin, Kang Ye-sol. She was throwing a tantrum, crying and blubbering that she was supposed to partake in the candidacy for empress— not some nobody from overseas! Dae-hyun cringed as he watched his younger cousin flail around the grass near the gardenia and rose gardens. The freedom fighter awkwardly glanced up at the captain who only shrugged his shoulders.

“… Let’s resume our stroll.”

The petite woman reluctantly nodded, guilt piercing her heart. Hae-eun had taken the place of another woman’s chance to become empress. She must have dreamed of participating in the selection process… Yet, her dreams were completely ruined because of the time traveler.

“… Don’t feel bad. She would never make it. She’s too impulsive and emotional to make it out alive in that horrifying palace… You should be worrying about yourself.”

Horrifying? What was so terrifying about the palace? “May I ask you a question?”

“What is it?”

“... Why is the emperor making me participate in the Selection?”

“You promised him loyalty, did you not?”

Hae-eun stayed quiet as they continued to walk up the small hill towards the huge mansion. She was unsure why the emperor had agreed to her plea in exchange for her becoming an empress of all things. How did that prove her innocence and loyalty? And just when would she even be allowed to enter that darned palace?!

Also… What was going on with Yong-joon that even she had been under suspicion for treason as well? Had that man plotted something even more sinister than her imprisonment? She sighed; that traitor was such a lost cause. It would be nearly impossible to make him atone for his sins as he would never understand such concepts of selflessness and humility.

Realizing that his new sister was lagging behind, Dae-hyun turned to look over at her, patiently waiting for her to catch up. Hae-eun quickly ran up to her new brother. She would worry about that monster later.

~~~

“Well, are you ready for your lessons this afternoon?” Dae-hyun asked as they entered the foyer of his elaborate home.

“… Not quite…”

Hae-eun, despite her high intelligence, loathed studying. If she could, the liberation leader had hoped that she would only need to study the history of the empire. It was the only subject she was keen and motivated to learn yet... She let out a loud sigh.

At least she was confident that she would pass at least one aspect of the exam: foreign language. Fortunately for Hae-eun, she was well-versed in Mandarin, English, and French from her days of being tutored by a Rose Noble member, Horace Wood. He had been a professor at the Sorbonne before WWI and had made it his mission to educate the Korean people.

“I know you dislike studying but do try your best… You’re going to need your studies to pass the preliminary exam to qualify as a candidate.”

“… Yes, I am aware. You and the emperor both have reminded me numerous times already.”

“Also, please do try to get into the habit of calling me ‘brother’, will you?”

“I shall try… Brother…”

“Good enough, but try to be more natural next time, yeah? You sound so forced.”

Hae-eun rolled her eyes at the man’s incessant nagging. Was he ever going to shut up? The two ‘siblings’ greeted the staff as they made their way towards the grand staircase. Dae-hyun nodded for one of the maids to come over. A brown-haired girl jumped in surprise, before she made her way over to them.

“Don’t talk—”

“Ha, yes I know. I will try to keep responses short if I must speak. So, please, do not worry.”

“Good.” Dae-hyun murmured, straightening up as the maid approached.

“H-Hello, miss. M-My name is Do-ha and I have been assigned to be your personal maid. Please allow me to show you your personal study room.”

Dae-hyun smiled as he watched the two girls walk up the staircase of the foyer. He headed off to his study to write another report about Hae-eun’s adjustment into his family. The Captain of the Royal Guards only hoped that Hae-eun would successfully finish her first day of lessons smoothly... The tutor for today was quite a particular fellow.

“…Don’t sock him the minute he opens his mouth now…”

~~~

“Ha! As a candidate for the Empress Selection, you must strive for elegance! For beauty! And most of all, excellence!” the man chirped, raising his arms up in the air while twirling around. Hae-eun stared at him with her mouth wide open.

“But you! Gah!” Mr. Koo, tsked, acting over dramatic as he draped himself over his velvet chair, “… You are a lost cause! Such an ugly duckling in royal clothing! Truly a travesty!”

… Could she just sew his mouth shut?!

**NOTE: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.**