Dokja was still processing what Sangah and Joonghyuk told them. Considering Joonghyuk's overwhelming potential to be a competent ruler, stripping him of his position as the crown prince was unjustified, there's no telling the massive positive impact Joonghyuk may have had on the empire as its leader. The second prince didn't seem anywhere near as capable of ruling the empire as Joonghyuk, nor did he have the same imposing presence or reputation as him. The nobles who supported the second prince's ascension to throne most likely chose him because he was the only option other than Joonghyuk, rather than basing their decision on any merits he had.
What exactly was the emperor thinking when he made the judgment? Did he do it out of spite against his first-born son? Had the queen been spreading her influence over him like a poison? Perhaps he really just favored the second prince. Either way, there was no telling what would become of the empire's stability because of this rash decision.
Right now, the queen was probably feeling overjoyed with all the developments going on right now, he pitied anyone working under her now that she has the newfound hubris of being the new empress. He could practically imagine her dancing through the manor halls with joy, maybe jumping up and down on her bed in excitement as she selects what gown to wear for her and her son's ascension.
Shifting his focus to Joonghyuk, Dokja observed him as he signed the documents Sangah handed him earlier. Joonghyuk was still adorned in attire befitting the royal family. He is wearing a finely embroidered black coat, a stylish black shirt with gold detailing, black trousers and black shoes which plainly advertised his status and position within the empire. The brooch and other jewelry he wore were plastered with the symbol of the royal palace.
It occurred to him that now that Joonghyuk was to be stripped of his title as the crown prince, he would need to change his attire to present himself as Yoo Joonghyuk the Duke rather than Yoo Joonghyuk the Crown Prince. An ensemble more subdued than his current outfit but still maintaining a somewhat regal appearance should do. Though he already had the ring with the symbol of Kaizenix on it, he could use a more obvious indicator of the dukedom, such as on a brooch to replace the one he was currently wearing.
"—ey rat. Oi, Dokja, are you there?"
Dokja returned to reality when he heard Sooyoung calling his name, noting that she had tried calling him three times already. "Sorry, I'm just spacing out..." he apologized to Sooyoung before redirecting his attention to the documents and Joonghyuk again. "Are you done signing the documents?"
He nodded "Mhm."
"Got it, we'll get going now. There's somewhere else we should head to," Dokja announced before rising from his seat and giving a nod of goodbye to Sangah and Sooyoung.
Joonghyuk frowned as he asked, "Where are we going?"
"Buying new clothes for you," Dokja replied, gesturing towards Joonghyuk's current attire. Joonghyuk glanced down at his clothes, particularly at the brooch he was wearing, then grunted in agreement and stood up as well.
"Good idea Sir Dokja, while you're out, after you're done please join me to check on the status of the dukedom's reconstruction... Han Sooyoung and I will also head out to buy new furnishings for the manor. Though make sure you don't linger on the smaller details, we only have three days to re-establish it," she emphasized. The two men nodded at her, making sure to heed to her warning as they exited the room.
As soon as she was sure the two were far away enough from the room, Sooyoung spoke up, giving a side eye to the woman next to her, "Why are you even helping him?" Sooyoung asked curiously. While it was completely expected for Yoo Sangah to do something as noble as assisting Joonghyuk to bring back his lost birthright, she'd also known Sangah long enough to know she had a surprisingly more cunning side to herself.
Sangah smiled as she sipped on her teacup, "Nothing, I just want them to be happy." She acknowledged that there might not be a direct gain for her, but the familial connection with Joonghyuk motivated her to help. As for Dokja, she sensed something peculiar about him, something… otherworldly. It didn't feel dangerous—just intriguingly unusual.
------
Meanwhile, far away from the empire, in a dark chamber lit up only by the dim lanterns set up around the room, a group of creatures gathered around a table, with the authority figure of the group speaking up, "She said we need to attack the empire in three days." The creatures remained quiet, uncertain of who this "she" referred to. Only their leader was aware of this person's identity, but they made sure to be careful to never reveal who it was, keeping the others in the dark about it.
"For what reason do we need to do that?" one of them inquired.
"Because our leader commanded it," the creature replied, silencing further discussion. "There's intelligence indicating that the crown prince will be stripped of his title in three days."
The creatures whispered among themselves, an uncertain hush amongst the group.
"Is the emperor serious?"
"Looks like the empire will lose a good ruler…."
"Silence!" the creature in front yelled, bringing an end to the whispers. "As I was saying, we will attack the empire in three days. Now, we need to make our presence known." A sinister smile spread across his face.
-----
"You should try on more clothes, Joonghyuk-ah," Dokja urged, smiling as he sifted through some of the options in the tailor's shop. They purchased a variety of clothes, including casual, formal, and some customized specifically for Joonghyuk. Among them was an outfit suitable for his appearance as the Duke of Kaizenix Dukedom.
Joonghyuk sighed, "Dokja, we've already bought enough as it is," as he turned his attention to the boxes of clothes piled up next to them.
Dokja pretended not to notice Joonghyuk's reluctance, as he enjoyed seeing him in different outfits and wanted to play dress up with him for just a bit longer. Plus, they had plenty of gold coins to spare. "Come on, just try this one," he insisted, holding out a suit.
Joonghyuk sighed again and gently pried it out of his hand, putting it back on its rack, "No, Kim Dokja... we still need to go to the dukedom to check up on it." Despite his desire to rest, Sangah still insisted that he should give his input on the direction of the reconstruction.
Dokja pouted at him, jutting his lip out cutely, making Joonghyuk look away quickly. Any longer staring and he may accidently give in to the other man's request.
Next to him Dokja nodded and sighed, "Alright..."
Joonghyuk turned to the shop owner and requested, "Deliver these to the Underworld Dukedom." Not wanting to spend anymore of his time at the royal palace than necessary and with the Kaizenix ducal still under wraps, he and his sister had been frequent guests to the Underworld manor, with both Dokja and the duke and duchess graciously opening their home to both of them to come whenever they needed to.
The owner nodded and retrieved a document and a pen, "Very well sir please sign this so we can proceed with the delivery."
Joonghyuk grunted, "Dokja, come here," Joonghyuk instructed, gesturing him over with his finger.
Dokja grabbed the paper, quickly perused its contents, confirming it was related to the delivery. Without hesitation, he signed the document.
After the shopkeeper confirmed their payment and when the clothes would arrive, Dokja turned to Joonghyuk with a smile and asked, "Now, should we go?"
Dokja and Joonghyuk walked together through the lively town, the surroundings lively with citizens wandering by and chattering amongst themselves, horse drawn carriages passing by with loud steps, and shopkeepers advertising their various wares to passing onlookers.
They walked in comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts, the gentle warmth of the sun casting a golden glow over the bustling streets. As the Dokja took in the busy atmosphere around them, he was starkly reminded of Joonghyuk's proximity to him as their hand accidentally brushed against one another, the sheer warmth radiating off Joonghyuk's hand making him want to take in within his own.
Their hands kept on brushing against each other, now on purpose for Dokja's part. Dokja fingers twitched, every once in a while slowly making their way towards Joonghyuk's hand before he second guessed himself and pulled away, only to do it over again a few minutes later. Dokja could imagine Joonghyuk scoffing at him for even thinking about it, he didn't exactly seem like the type to enjoy such things.
Feeling a sudden warmth envelop his hand, Dokja flinched and turned to Joonghyuk, whose expression was stoic, but his eyes reflecting a shimmering gold. "If you want to hold hands, just say so," Joonghyuk chided him softly, though Dokja could feel the thin layer of nervous sweat on the palm of his hand.
Dokja stared at Joonghyuk, but quickly turned away, not able to stop the small smile that came over his face as he went to wordlessly intertwine their fingers together. While the two couldn't look at each other for the rest of the walk, both of their faces covered in light blushes, they made sure to give their hands loving squeezes along the way.
Arriving at the Kaizenix Dukedom, Dokja and Joonghyuk were greeted by a lively scene of workers and guards diligently repairing the damages, the field around the manor being covered with all sorts of construction tools and building supplies as loud clangs and banging rang out through the property, indicating the fixes being made to the building.
As they walked through the dukedom, they were met with respectful greetings and bows from the guards and workers. Dokja smiled warmly in response, while Joonghyuk simply acknowledged them with a nod.
The dukedom had noticeably improved since their last visit, with several structures already repaired, a testament to the efforts of the workers and Yoo Sangah's ability to gather such a large and skilled workforce.
Entering the manor, Dokja and Joonghyuk spotted Sangah engaged in conversation with a worker, the two huddled over a rough blueprint with the Saintess gesturing towards a certain part of the house and directing them on the specifications.
"Lady Sangah," Dokja called out, catching her attention. With a small jolt of her body, Sangah turned towards him with a warm but flustered smile. "Looks like you're busy, is there anything we can do to lend a hand?" he asked, noting how focused she was, so absorbed in the task at hand she didn't even notice them walking right up to her.
"Ah, yes, I hope the clothing shopping went alright for the both of you" Sangah greeted with a bow, her attention momentarily shifting from the blueprint. "Oh, but since you graciously offered, Sir Dokja, I'd like both of your inputs on something," she added, her eyes returning to the intricate design on the paper. "I'm deliberating on the type of material that the manor should have, though it's been a chore to balance the aesthetic quality and practicality, do you two have any ideas?" she asked, turning the blueprints so they could have a better view of it.
Leaning over to take a better look at the plans, Dokja then glanced around at the surroundings, his gaze eventually settling on Joonghyuk. Letting out a thoughtful hum, Dokja suggested, "Well, the manor needs to represent Joonghyuk and his image as much as it needs to represent Kaizenix, so why don't we go for something darker, maybe a colder tone?"
As much as he reprimanded Han Sooyoung for always mocking the prince's more 'emo' tastes, he couldn't really deny that Joonghyuk had an obvious preference towards any clothes or accessories that were black, though they did fit him well. Not to mention a colder tone would create a serene and elegant atmosphere fitting for the dukedom.
As Dokja explained his thought process and elaborated on the specific style he had in mind to everyone, he garnered nods of understanding from Sangah and the workers as they took in his vision. Sangah then turned to Joonghyuk, addressing him respectfully, "What do you think, Your Highness?" She awaited his opinion, knowing that no matter what ideas they all proposed, it was Yoo Joonghyuk who should have the final say on everything.
The prince cast a reproachful at the manor before his gaze landed gently on Dokja, disregarding everyone else around them, "…If that's what Kim Dokja wants, then I have no problems with it."
Joonghyuk's response took Dokja by surprise, making his eyes widen before a blush colored his cheeks as he softly smiled at the man. Sangah warmly regarded the exchange between them, recognizing the unspoken connection and understanding that existed between Dokja and Joonghyuk. With Joonghyuk's agreement, the decision was made to proceed with the cold aesthetic, the worker who Sangah had been conversing with quickly started presenting a variety of materials that would not only fit the atmosphere they were going for but would also be sturdy enough to last for generations.
Though the next few days would be a rush for all of them to make sure the dukedom was in proper working order for Joonghyuk, they'd already taken a few steps towards their goal.