“It is... a proposal for the establishment of a new formal office,” the Eunuch finally declared, his voice ringing out for everyone to hear. “To be called the ‘Advisory Office for Practical Affairs.’ It was submitted by the Royal Twins... and it bears the official endorsement of the Crown Prince!”

  The room, which had just been hushed by the King's authority, erupted into a new kind of silence, one of absolute, gobsmacked disbelief.

  “The proposal details a new bureau under royal patronage, to be funded and operated entirely by the Royal Twins themselves,” the Eunuch continued, taking a sharp, deep breath to steady his nerves. “Prince Gi-Reu and Princess Mi-Reu believe that since they have gained full control over their own budget management, they would like to utilize those funds for the benefit of the realm and the spreading of good virtue”.

  A heavy, stunned silence descended upon the hall once more. Even King Jin-Ho sat speechless, caught off guard by the sheer audacity and confidence displayed by the twins in proposing such a massive undertaking only three months after the ordeal of gaining their financial rights.

  Queen Myeong-Hwa let out a long, inward sigh. Those brats will truly be the death of me, she thought, her eyes closing momentarily. They couldn’t even wait a single season before stirring up a fresh hornets' nest in the court.

  “Ehm.” King Jin-Ho cleared his throat, his voice cutting through the rising murmurs of the stunned officials. “Let us not dismiss this out of hand without first hearing the specific details, regardless of the writers' youth. It was, after all, endorsed by Crown Prince Yi-Joon himself”.

  The ministers nodded with begrudging respect as the Eunuch took another deep breath and began reading the core of the petition.

  “The petition argues that the current Sinmungo great drum system and the Sangso written petition system are inefficient at gathering the genuine complaints of the people of Haebang to be heard by the Throne,” the Eunuch read, his voice wavering slightly at the bold critique. “It states that these systems make it nearly impossible for common people to speak their hearts to the one who is supposed to protect them under the Heavens. The fear of local retaliation and the widespread lack of literacy are as prevalent as the hunger currently faced by our people”.

  “What?! Did the Royal Twins truly write such provocative words?!” the Inspector General burst out, unable to contain his shock at the blunt assessment.

  King Jin-Ho raised a hand, a silent but firm command that stopped the official mid-sentence. “Let us listen to the proposal in its entirety before we begin the debate”.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  “Her Highness Mi-Reu suggests a new administrative body: the Advisory Office for Practical Affairs,” the Eunuch continued, his voice growing more confident as the brilliance of the plan unfolded. “She proposes to establish Jagged-Seal Receipt Boxes in every region of the kingdom. These boxes will utilize templated tokens: simple icons representing common grievances. A grain sack for tax disputes, a sword for guard abuse, a house for land theft, and so on”.

  The Eunuch looked up, a small, involuntary smile touching his lips. “This will allow the Royal Court to gather vital information from the illiterate and the common folk, not just the elite or the scholarly few”. He finished by reading the final line: “The Twins wish to personally oversee the operations and maintenance of this experimental bureau using their own budgets to aid the people directly”.

  The silence that followed was heavy and contemplative. It was, by all accounts, a remarkably well-constructed proposal. Crucially, it did not demand resources from the state; it merely requested formal permission for the twins to utilize their own private funds to operate an independent office without disturbing established protocols.

  The idea was particularly attractive to the Minister of Taxation. His department was perpetually swamped with the minutiae of regional disputes and tax grievances. If this "Advisory Office" proved successful, and the twins managed to filter even a small section of the overwhelming workload, it would provide a much-needed reprieve for his weary staff.

  The Minister, a man whose gray hair and weathered beard spoke of decades of bureaucratic wisdom, shifted his gaze toward the Inspector General. Knowing the man had been strangely hostile toward the twins’ recent endeavors, the Minister waited to gauge his reaction before committing himself. To his surprise, the Inspector General did not look immediately outraged; instead, he seemed to be weighing the political implications with uncharacteristic caution.

  “It is... quite a practical solution,” the Minister of Taxation finally blurted out. Seeing all eyes in the hall snap toward him, he swallowed hard and continued more firmly. “I mean to say, it is truly commendable that the youngest members of the Royal Family are so invested in the welfare of the realm. They are choosing to utilize their own wealth to stabilize the realm rather than squandering it on unvirtuous luxuries. Is that not the very definition of royal duty?”

  The Inspector General nodded slowly, his voice measured. “Even so, I find it inherently troubling to permit children to manage an official office under the Crown's seal. We must always consider the dignity and the perceived authority of our great kingdom”.

  There it is, the Minister of Taxation thought, recognizing the familiar, obstructive tone.

  “However, as a purely experimental bureau, it does not actually disturb our established norms,” Queen Myeong-Hwa interjected, her voice smooth and persuasive. “Furthermore, it will provide the twins with an invaluable education, allowing them to truly understand the hearts of the people before they grow old enough to assume official roles. As for the concern regarding their finances: as I have promised, I shall personally audit their ledgers every month just as before”.

  King Jin-Ho surveyed the room, noting that the general mood of the court was surprisingly positive. He adjusted his posture on the throne. “We shall summon the twins to explain the technical details of their 'box system' personally tomorrow,” he announced. “It is far too late into the night for the young Prince and Princess to be brought before the assembly now. As such, we shall conclude this session and resume our discussions at dawn”.