The Long-Awaited Retirement - 2
Grandfather, who'd gone off to chat with the Emperor, returned to the palace and immediately summoned Father and me. A king's call for both the crown prince and crown prince's heir at once—it was obviously something important, so we hurried over with pounding hearts.
Of course, there was a high chance it was about the wedding. After all, my marriage was the biggest event in Giwangga right now. But since the summons came right after his meeting with the Emperor, I couldn't shake a faint unease deep down.
"I've decided to retire."
"Pardon?"
"Pardon?"
Father and I both blurted out our surprise at Grandfather's bombshell announcement. Retirement? From him? A Hwagyeong master who was healthier than anyone, stepping down from the throne?
Why now? I couldn't fathom it. In all of Daesong, no one lived more freely or robustly than Grandfather.
"Father, didn't you once say that if you ever abdicated, you'd follow the example of Taibo, Boyi, and Shuqi and withdraw from the land?"
What?
While I was too stunned to speak, Father's trembling voice hinted at abdication. It sent chills down my spine.
Taibo had yielded the throne to his brother Jieli due to his own lack of virtue. Boyi and Shuqi had fled the realm to decline the throne. Their common thread? They had brothers to pass it to.
Father, our proud only son, had no such siblings. If he declines, it falls to me.
That was a disaster even if the heavens collapsed. A twenty-something like me, barely at the Peak realm, couldn't shoulder the throne.
"Grandfather, the whole world knows you're still in your prime. Why even mention abdication? This foolish grandson wants to show his own children a majestic, upright great-grandfather."
I bowed deeply, backing Father up. Please retract the idea of abdication. Show our future great-grandchildren the king you are. Wouldn't they be thrilled by a dignified, steadfast great-grandfather?
"You two... I said retirement, not abdication."
Our heartfelt pleas met with an utterly bizarre response. Retire but not abdicate? What kind of hot ice paradox was this? Could you call it retirement while still holding the throne?
"I don't think it's time to pass on the throne yet. So I've stepped down from everything except that—Giwang is still me."
"...Father."
"Speak."
"Apart from the throne, what other positions did you hold?"
Father voiced the question I'd been dying to ask. Truth be told, it was the same for me. It was a relief Grandfather still held the throne, but he didn't have any roles or duties worth calling "retirement" from.
He might take offense, but that was reality. He'd left Kaepyeong and Zhili's defense to Ak Wang and spent his days wandering freely. The world already saw him as a retired idler.
"You brat! Do you know how much trust High Ancestor placed in me? The honorary titles alone could fill both hands!"
"If I can't even remember them, they're all just─"
"Out!"
Grandfather's thunderous roar cut through Father's merciless fact-check. It was so fierce and booming that passersby might mistake Father for the one who'd erred.
I see.
In this bizarre chaos, the truth dawned. Grandfather wasn't retiring from duties he'd already shed or revealing hidden secrets. He'd surrendered even the nominal honorary titles we hadn't even remembered.
What must the Emperor have felt?
I pictured the Emperor hearing Grandfather's retirement declaration. Since they stemmed from High Ancestor's trust, those titles were all bestowed by him. The current Emperor likely hadn't known about them either.
Suddenly hit with "retirement" from someone who wasn't working anyway? Cognitive dissonance for sure. Confusion over how to retire from nothing, mixed with shock that maybe Giwangga was abdicating after all.
The Emperor's got it rough.
He'd just ordered a murim investigation amid court debates, only to witness this "Giwang abdication (not)" event. If it were me, I'd be bedridden for a day. Body fine, but mind exhausted.
Ak I-yeon giggled at the news of Grandfather dumping his titles.
"Grandfather heard right away too. He was furious, calling it a cowardly solo escape."
Ak I-yeon had just come from Akwangjeo to Giwangjeo for a visit, so she'd witnessed Ak Wang's reaction live—more vivid than anyone else's account.
Ak Wang outraged at Grandfather's self-proclaimed retirement. Outraged at the "betrayal" of his supposed flight. Testimony hard to get unless you were at Akwangjeo.
"No offense to Your Highness Ak Wang, but hasn't he been handling everything alone already? Grandfather retiring changes nothing."
Still, it was unexpected. Sadly, the duties the two kings should share had long been Ak Wang's solo burden. Dramatic change from shedding forgotten honorary titles? Unlikely.
Outraged over that?
Grandfather's pranks on Ak Wang always drew flashy reactions, but over something this trivial? Ak Wang would've collapsed from rage long ago. Even a Hwagyeong master's mind has limits.
"It wasn't just about duties. Grandfather relinquishing even honorary titles is clear proof the era has changed."
"Ah."
Her words—"the era has changed," meaning generational shift—clicked. Honorary or not, they were official positions. A speck of symbolism that Grandfather still dipped into court affairs.
Even living like an idler, he could return anytime. Proof he could intervene in governance whenever.
Now that link was severed. Grandfather declaring no more meddling, just awaiting the day to pass the throne.
Having a foothold versus none? Worlds apart.
No wonder he's outraged.
Better late than never, I understood Ak Wang's feelings. He'd clung to faint hope of Grandfather's return—now cruelly extinguished.
He'd want to flip tables, but his sense of duty and character wouldn't allow it. If Ak Wang fled too, Kaepyeong and Zhili would enter emergency mode.
"Grandfather went too far. No need to retire so abruptly—he could've eased out like Ak Wang Highness."
"It was because of you, Gaga."
"Me?"
I tilted my head at the baffling words, but Ak I-yeon smiled softly and nodded.
"No other king's grandson has risen to such high office like you. Among the seven kingly houses, only Giwangga has three generations in top posts."
True enough. Not by design, but the result was that.
"Parent and child serving actively is fine. But three generations side-by-side? To outsiders, it looks off. Even with proven merit for key roles, it invites envy and suspicion of monopolizing the Emperor's favor."
"So Grandfather stepped down before rumors started?"
"That's my take."
Hearing it made perfect sense. Shamefully, only Ak I-yeon's explanation clued me into Grandfather's intent.
Honestly, if it were someone else's family, I'd have guessed it. Third parties see clearer.
Being the high official myself clouded my objectivity.
Grandson rises, grandfather retires.
Her kind explanation clarified Ak Wang's outrage even more. This was "Our eldest grandson's a third-rank, what's yours up to?" level bragging.
Ak Wang wasn't mad over lost hope—he was salty about grandson flexing.
"Um, Gaga."
"Yeah?"
"Where's Buong-i? He's not the type to leave your side."
Ah, Buong-i.
"Loaned him out temporarily. He'll be back for our wedding."
"Pardon?"
Ak I-yeon's puzzled head-tilt made me chuckle. Truth be told, I hadn't expected Buong-i to leave me either.
"I promised to attend Oppa’s wedding, so could I borrow him just until then? Otherwise, it'll be my funeral before his wedding."
But no choice. Ryeong-i, back with the Geum-ui-wi, had rushed to Giwangjeo gasping her last breaths, begging to borrow Buong-i.
Permanent handover? No. But a fixed-term loan until the wedding? Acceptable.
How could I refuse a dying little sister?
"Haa... this texture, I missed it so much."
- Buoong?
"Anyone'd think we'd been apart for years."
Honestly, without my permission, she'd have kidnapped Buong-i outright.
***
The Geum-ui-wi, where honor matched workload exactly. Guarding the Emperor and palace filled you with pride—or you'd never survive. Into these drab days shone a ray of brightness.
"Buong-i, time to eat."
- Buoooong!
Buong-i, scampering curiously around the unfamiliar training ground, came bounding over at my call. Adorable. Those tiny, stubby legs working so hard—too cute.
"You're a mak, so you eat metal well, right?"
- Buo!
Buong-i nodded vigorously at my question. Heartwarming.
The Geum-ui-wi training ground was littered with broken sword shards and armor scraps. We'd gathered them for bulk disposal soon, but who'd have thought they'd feed Buong-i?
I want to keep raising him.
A smile bloomed as Buong-i snatched the scrap with his snout and popped it in. I wanted to care for him forever. Flee far after Oppa's wedding to dodge the handover.
But a pipe dream. Some Geum-ui-wi were assigned to guard and escort at Oppa and I Yeon-unni's wedding.
With kings and high nobles attending, it's expected.
Rumors even swirled the Emperor might attend. Just rumors, but where there's smoke...
No slacking until wedding day.
- Buo!
"Done already? Want more?"
- Buooo~
Instead, let Buong-i soothe this taut tension and fatigue. Our Buong-i. Thanks to you, I'm holding on without collapsing.