This is the East Kingdom...

....under the rule of King Choi Sian. The kingdom might look like Utopia...BUT IT IS NOT.

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"Mother! Where are you going?" A young boy ran and held his mother's skirt.

The mother swallowed a lump in her throat and turned around to face his son. She crouched down and looked into his eyes, "Jeongguk, please be a good boy and grow up well. Serve the kingdom well...."

"But mother, where are you going?" He asked again with a pout.

The mother sighed and looked towards the door where her husband was standing. She controlled her tears and looked at Jeongguk again, "Mother is going far away because she couldn't fulfil her tasks. But mother will always watch you!" She stood up.

"MOTHER!!!" The boy, who could only reach her waist, hugged her tightly and cried, "I-I want to accompany you, mother~~"

That's when she couldn't control herself anymore, tears started to roll down her eyes. She put a hand on her son's head and said, "Be strong, Jeongguk...grow up well!"

The father who was silent till now rubbed his temples and signalled the servants to grab his son.

A little boy who was standing at a distance clenched his fists and frowned at the man.

"Jin hyung....." a boy came and kept a hand on his shoulder and sighed.

Another lady and her son were watching all these from a distance.

"Mother, this won't happen to you, right?" The son looked at the mother with teary eyes and asked.

The mother gulped, "Taehyun... let's go inside!" The mother sighed and started to lead Taehyun inside. Taehyun kept looking at Jeongguk and felt bad for him.

"Jin hyung...Namjun....." Another boy rushed towards them.

"What is it, Yunki?" Jin asked.

"They killed her too..." He sighed.

"He is not our father! He is a monster!" Jin clenched his jaw looking at the man.

"NOOOO...LEAVE ME!!!! MOTHERRRRR...PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE....." Little Jeongguk struggled to set himself free while crying for his mother.

"Jeongguk...." Two boys hugged him while sobbing, trying to comfort their little brother.

The mother turned around and started to walk away with a heavy heart. Tears rolled down her eyes as she heard her son's screams but she didn't turn back.

"H-H-HOSUNG HYUNG....JIMIN H-HYUNG.......PLEASE S-STOP M-MOTHER........."

............................

"Hmm, I would gladly agree...but did the council of ministers approve of this?" The young King asked swirling his wine glass. "Ahh..tsk...", he pushed his legs towards the woman who was massaging his feet.

"Yes, your Majesty-" The middle-aged man was cut off.

"I WILL KILL YOU!" He threw the glass of wine and screamed at the lady and she flinched. He grabbed her hair, "My darling, can't you massage properly?" He asked calmly.

The lady gulped and nodded.

"THEN DO IT PROPERLY!" He released her hair and she quickly started the massage his feet again....but she was still scared.

"Hmm...much better!" The king smiled.

"Your Majesty, here's another glass of wine for you!" A man gracefully offered the king another glass of wine which he accepted with a smirk.

"You were saying something, lord Seo?" The king smiled at him.

"Ahh...y-yes your Majesty, the council has signed and agreed that the kingdom should have a queen now!"

"Ahhh I see that you've managed to manipulate the council this time....haha." He took a sip of his wine and giggled.

"Your Majesty, you're thinking wrong." Lord Seo bowed his head respectfully.

"Oh is that so?" He pouted, "Eunsang!!!"

"Yes, your Majesty?!" The man who offered him wine earlier replied.

"Eun, tell me why a queen is necessary?" The king asked with a pout.

"Because his  Majesty needs to produce an heir to continue his dynasty." Eunsang pressed his lips together.

"Hmmm...seems like I indeed have to take a queen now!" The king nodded. "But who has the ultimate power in the kingdom, Eun?" The king asked while smirking at lord Seo.

"You, your Majesty!" Eunsang smirked at lord Seo.

"OH MY GOD, EUN! THIS MEANS I CAN DISCARD THE COUNCIL'S DECISION, RIGHT?!" He asked with excitement.

"YES, YOUR MAJESTY!" Eunsang replied with the same energy and both of them burst out laughing.

"But your Majesty, people might revolt against you!" Lord Seo said with no expression.

They both stopped laughing. The king tilted his head a bit and put down his wine glass on the table.

"Darling!" He called the maid who was massaging his feet.

The maid came near him while trembling.

"You did a good job!" He slipped his hand behind her neck and pulled her closer...she gulped. He smirked and said, "You're dismissed!" He placed a kiss on her forehead and released her.

The maid was shocked but let out a sigh of relief and quickly left the place. The king stood up, his abs were visible from under the transparent silk robe he was wearing. He went near lord Seo and circled him once before placing his hand on his shoulder. The lord stiffened under his touch and on the other hand, Eunsang smirked and took the king's wine glass in his hands.

"Lord Seo!" His voice was cold. "I know your real motive behind the imperial marriage is not an heir but having a woman ruler alongside me." He smiled while Eunsang took a sip of the wine, clearly enjoying the scene.

"Your Majesty, there is no harm to have a woman alongside you-"

"THERE IS! I'LL HAVE TO SHARE MY POWER WITH HER AND HER CLAN...MOREOVER, THE STUPID WOMEN AROUND THE KINGDOM WILL HAVE MORE PRIVILEGE!" He grabbed the lord's chin and screamed. The Lord closed his eyes shut.

"Lord Seo, I am the most powerful man in this kingdom you live in...I've power over the council and most importantly what I have you know?" He bent down to meet Lord Choi's gaze.

"I have this beautiful harem where all the beauties and talents around the world live in!" He smirked and straightened up. "Revolt...you were talking about, huh? Who'll revolt against me? HAHAHAHA. Nobody will dare to touch me because my influence is not limited to this kingdom....my influence is international, lord Seo! And as for producing an heir...I can adopt or can produce one with one of my pretty concubines!" He paced around the room calmly while nodding to his own decision.

"You're dismissed, lord Seo!" He winked at him and the lord cleared his throat.

"L-long live the king!" He bowed and left.

"Hah....this man just gets on my nerves...I guess I'll have to end him now!" The king stared at the lord's retreating back and said.

"He is trying to become a saviour or something....'I need to protect the women'...pah." Eunsang mocked the lord.

The king let out a wry smile, turned towards Eunsang, and immediately frowned, "Jang Eunsang, I drank from that glass why are you drinking from it?"

"Because His Majesty's leftovers are a blessing for this peasant!" He bowed respectfully.

"You're weird sometimes!" The king narrowed his eyes at him, "Anyways let's go for a walk!" Saying that he left without waiting for his response.

"Sigh! My king doesn't know that he not only drives the women crazy but also drives the men crazy with his handsomeness!" Eunsang sipped the wine and licked his lips.

"EUN!!! ARE YOU COMING OR NOT?!"

"YESSSS, YOUR MAJESTY!!!"

.

.

.

Lord Seo came out of the palace and then let his body react. He was sweating and trembling.

"H-how can he be so handsome and young yet so ruthless and dangerous!" He wiped his sweat. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder and flinched.

"I think it's time for you to give up, lord Seo! Look at you...tsk!" The man said.

"Lord Cha!"

"Look...we all signed the plea because you begged us to but we all knew that he was not going to agree to this! And I don't see a problem with that...we all know that the king alone is powerful enough to protect the entire kingdom besides everyone is happy in the kingdom."

"Everyone is not happy...the women are suffering!"

"As they should! They are illiterates and should know their place! Just like today, I showed my stupid second wife and her daughter the doors to heaven.."

"W-what?" Lord Seo became silent for some time and then continued, "Lord Cha, we are part of the minister council....we shouldn't be doing such things....we have to educate the women...they can contribute greatly to the kingdom-"

"They only have two things to contribute to the kingdom....pleasure to men and producing men!"

"THE KING IS FORCIBLY TAKING IN YOUNG, BEAUTIFUL, AND TALENTED LADIES TO HIS HAREM EVERY DAY AND THE WOMEN WHO DON'T MEET HIS STANDARDS, ARE FORCED TO BECOME THE HAREM SLAVES!"

"Hahahaa....so this is your problem? You need some beautiful ladies for yourself, right? I'll arrange some for you...don't worry!"

"WHAT?" Lord Seo was dumbfounded.

"I understand...after your wife passed away, you're feeling lonely!"

"NO! I JUST WANT EQUALITY! THIS IS WRONG...THE WOMEN DON'T DESERVE TO LIVE LIKE THIS."

"Lord Seo, lower your voice! Someone might hear you!" Lord Cha put a hand on lord Seo's back. "Look, I know that you're the minister of justice but you're now taking it too far...the women getting a place in the harem are the most blessed ladies in the entire world! Have you seen our king? There's no one as young, handsome, strong, intelligent, and powerful as him in this world....all the ladies around the world die to be with him and the few women who don't, are fools." He paused to look at lord Seo. "Lord Seo, I'll say this again....stop now or if you end up offending the king more, you'll lose your life!" Lord Cha smiled and patted his back before entering the palace.

"Sigh! I think he is right...I should stop... at least for now!" Lord Seo let out a heavy sigh. "If I lose my life, my daughter whom I've hidden from this cruel kingdom, will end up in his harem too!" Lord Seo rubbed his temples and left the place.

...................................

At Seo mansion,

"Soyoung!!! Where are you? I'm home!" Lord Seo called for his daughter.

"Soyounggggg???!!!" He called again and a little girl appeared and bowed.

"Oh! Iseul? Where is Soyoung?"

"Umm...master, s-she..."

"She went out again?" He asked in disbelief and the little girl nodded.

"Sigh!" He rubbed his temples with stress, "This girl...I'm doing so much to hide her identity and educate her in secret but this is what she does....what if she gets caught and is taken to the harem!" He panicked.

"Don't worry, master! My lady can't be caught-"

"Meow~" Just then a black kitten walked in.

"Oh!! You're back!" Iseul picked up the cat in her arms.

"Queen!" The lord stroked the cat's head and she purred.

"Iseul, please send Soyong to me as soon as she returns!" The lord ordered and the little girl bowed and left.

After some time another little girl ran inside and hugged the lord, "Father!"

"Oh? You're back already!" The lord patted her head and picked her up in his arms, "Soyoung, please don't leave the mansion like this.....your mother's last wish was to educate you and give you a better life. I'll educate you and marry you off in secret to a better kingdom where you can live happily."

"Father, I don't want to leave you!" She said with a pout.

"This kingdom is evil, my daughter...it is cruel..." He sighed heavily.

"I'll fight the evil for you!" She said while frowning.

"Haha...sure you will!" He laughed at his daughter's words.

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Did I just create a handsome villain again? Yes, yes I did! And lemme flex about him a bit......HE IS 10000× MORE HANDSOME, DANGEROUS, AND SEXIER THAN EMPEROR HAO😌
Make sure to activate your villain syndrome and fall for him else I'll send a ghost to your house😌.