《Lady of YeonSung》 Chapter 0 WARNING: NSFW The extravagance of the evening banquet at the palace knew no bounds. Candles were burning on top of dozens of golden branches that stretched out from the pillars. The light illuminated the intricate carvings on the walls and followed the steps of all the nobles gathered here. The noblewomen¡¯s silk dresses seem to float on the floor like clouds. Their beauty was the flowers that decorated this evening banquet. The world¡¯s loveliest colors and fragrances surrounded the ladies. Flowers and jewels jingled on top of their silky, black hair. Scarlet lips were wet with liquor, and a beautiful flower ornament hung between willow eyebrows. It didn¡¯t end there. Their voices were sweet, and their laughter was graceful. If goddesses dwelled on this earth, it would surely be this group of women. The emperor sat in the highest seat, and the empress and the rest of the concubines sat next to him. Below them sat the various kings and queens. Everyone here was from the imperial family, princesses and princes. Their royal children were also here along with their spouses. Their beautiful majesty pierced the sky. Among them sat one woman. She was the wife of Princess Yeowa¡¯s son, Jewol, the Duke of MoonYeo. Dan SoYeon. Because she was still a newlywed, her clothing was on the simpler side. However, it was a powder-pink dress that seemed to suit her. Unlike the other ladies, her collar wrapped around her neck and her upper body was completely covered. As per the etiquette of the Silver Nation, her waistband was embroidered with the markings of her status and hung down from her hips. Her hair was simply adorned with a jasmine flower and pearls. However, one thing made her stand out. Her youth. Other ladies looked at her with envy as they glanced at her clear skin. Her eyes were slightly cold as they looked down, and her pomegranate lips were kept tightly shut. SoYeon¡¯s face remained blank as if she didn¡¯t notice their stares and whispers. Actually, she seemed quite pale. ¡°Are you feeling any discomfort?¡± Jewol, who was sitting beside her, slightly bent down and asked. He was the son of a princess and the nephew of the emperor. He was so beautiful that he could be mistaken as a maiden. He also had a soft image, so he was quite well-known. ¡°Ah¡­¡± As if she were shaken out of her thoughts, she lifted her head and looked at him. She smiled apologetically as she recognized the worry in her husband¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m just a little tired is all¡­¡± ¡°The banquet is almost over. Or would you like to go back home first?¡± He grasped his wife¡¯s pale hand and grinned. It was a surprisingly sweet gesture. Everyone who saw this affectionate gesture let out a sigh. The two of them suited each other so well. The man was so handsome that he looked like he had jumped out of a painting, and his wife was as elegant as an apricot blossom underneath the moonlight. One could clearly tell that this couple treasured each other with all their hearts. The married noblewomen looked at the couple with envy in their eyes. They then looked at their husbands, but the men merely made an irrelevant remark or ignored them. Tender and affectionate men were the best. The ladies looked on with disappointment flashing in their eyes. However, no one noticed the way the wife¡¯s body slightly stiffened. ¡°The emperor is here, so how could I dare? I will stay here.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright. We can just explain it to Mother.¡± ¡°No, my lord husband. It¡¯s just that the aroma of the liquor is very strong¡­ Maybe I¡¯ll go out for a short walk to clear my head.¡± SoYeon gave him a faint smile and got up from her seat. Her husband asked if she wanted him to join her, but she shook her head and walked away. The soft lights from the hanging lanterns illuminated the corridor. A cold breeze brushed past her. There were goosebumps on the back of her neck. Should she go back to get her coat? But SoYeon didn¡¯t move from her spot. She merely looked out into the dark garden. Although there was only one door between her and the banquet, she could still hear the nobles¡¯ laughter. Compared to the swell of sound coming from inside, it was completely still and quiet outside. What should she do? Should she head for Hwayang Hall, which was set aside as a resting area for the noblewomen? Or should she go towards the pond in the garden? Normally, she would have gone to Hwayang Hall. However, there would definitely be people there, and she wasn¡¯t in the mood to hide her discomfort as she made small talk with the women resting there. After looking around at her surroundings, she quickly made her way to the garden. Although she couldn¡¯t see them, there were solemn palace guards that were standing watch. On top of that, there were a countless number of palace maids here. Many eyes were watching, and listening ears were everywhere. It actually made her feel better. With the emperor and his family nearby, nothing would happen. Her steps became faster as she made her way through the corridor. The further away she got from the banquet, the more she felt as if she could breathe again. The various lanterns hanging on the eaves shook with the wind. The winter breeze was cold and sharp. She could see her breaths disappear into the sky. But it seemed that she had forgotten where she was going. She lifted her head and looked around. Did she take a wrong turn? All these paths looked the same no matter which one she took. She heard the cry of a bird coming from somewhere far away. Pull yourself together, SoYeon muttered to herself. Now isn¡¯t the time to be wandering around like this. Thankfully, she saw a group of palace maids one one side of the corridor. Grateful for their timing, she opened her mouth and was just about to call out to them when a rough hand pulled her into an open room next to the corridor. Before a shocked cry could leave her lips, they were covered. The pearls in her hair jingled with the sudden movement. ¡°No¡­!¡± SoYeon tried to shout, but the familiar scent and all these movements made her stop. This musk! The feel of this large hand wrapped around her face. It was him! Her whole body stiffened in an instant. In the next moment, she found herself leaning against the door of the room. Suffocated with worry, SoYeon felt her heart race nervously inside her chest. However, she couldn¡¯t figure out a way to get out of this situation. His hand was still covering her nose and mouth, and there wasn¡¯t a gap between his fingers. His other hand was gripping the door. She was completely trapped within this man¡¯s arms. Her body began to tremble violently. Even though he could feel her tremors, the man didn¡¯t say anything. Because she couldn¡¯t breathe, SoYeon began to squirm. However, he managed to suppress her by pressing down on her. Suddenly, she felt the footsteps of the palace maids approach the door she was leaning on. ¡°Huh?¡± One of them let out a small exclamation and stopped in her tracks. ¡°What is it?¡± Another palace maid asked as she tilted her head. ¡°I thought I heard something¡­¡± SoYeon clenched her shaking fists as she glared at the man in front of her. From within the shadows, the man looked down and met her eyes. His eyes were dark and cold. They were so scary that she almost couldn¡¯t believe this was the same man who used to grin at her as if he didn¡¯t have a care in the world. Was he drunk? She could smell the strong scent of alcohol. But he was too sound in mind to be drunk. The embroidered dragon twitched on his neat ceremonial attire. The sapphire crown on his tidy topknot gleamed. Could she get out of here? If she let out a sound, they would notice something was wrong and open the door, wouldn¡¯t they? Then¡­? Then how would she explain this situation to them? What reason did she have to be alone with this man in this situation? The Red King, Garan. The emperor¡¯s second son, the Crown Prince¡¯s younger brother. He was her husband¡¯s older cousin, so he was basically her brother-in-law! In the darkness, in an empty room, how could she explain why this man was holding his younger cousin¡¯s wife in his arms?! Their fierce eyes met. His eyes were filled with an uncontrollable hatred. If his eyes were daggers, they would have slit her throat by now. No, no, that wasn¡¯t it. If this man had planned on killing her, he would have done so by now. Dan SoYeon closed her eyes and turned her head. This suffocating tension seemed to go on for an eternity. The shadows of the palace maids finally began to move in front of the paper sliding door and disappeared. The two of them didn¡¯t move a muscle until the footsteps faded away. ¡°Let me go.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± He replied hoarsely in a shaky voice. No, the surprising thing was that his hand had finally left her mouth and was now lifting up her skirts. SoYeon looked at him in shock. What¡­ What is he trying to do right now? This didn¡¯t make any sense. They were currently inside the palace. The evening banquet was taking place nearby, and the emperor himself was only a short distance away. Her husband Jewol, her mother-in-law Princess Yeowa, and all the imperial family members of YeonSung were all close by! ¡°No, you mustn¡¯t!¡± SoYeon let out a breathless cry and frantically grabbed his wrist. Had he truly lost his mind? Before she could let out another sound, her skirts were pushed aside and her drawers were torn away. No! We mustn¡¯t! No! She desperately tried to stop him. She knew¡­ She knew that he wanted to kill her right now. She knew she wasn¡¯t in any position to give him an excuse. But not this. This mustn¡¯t happen. ¡°Stop!¡± SoYeon let out another suppressed cry. Her voice didn¡¯t reach him. His terribly hardened face and his touch¡­ She could clearly see how angry he was. He hadn¡¯t been this angry when he found out about her true identity ten days ago. Suddenly, she recalled how Jewol had grabbed her hand as he tenderly spoke to her. Was it because of that? The truth was, the Red King had never seen her act so close with Jewol before. ¡°Please, please stop.¡± Bam, a soft sound rang inside the room as her back was pushed against the paper sliding door. If they were caught here, if the emperor caught wind of what was happening here, he wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid punishment even though he was the son of the emperor. No, she would be killed for being the one in the middle of this love affair. She wanted to call out to him again, but SoYeon could only bite her lip. Her underskirt had already come undone and was pushed away. His hand plunged between her thighs in an instant. It grasped the swollen flesh hidden there. Surprised by the sudden exposure, SoYeon let out a cry and pressed her legs together. ¡°Open them.¡± He lowered his head and spoke in a cruel voice. ¡°Open them. Like the whore you are.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Sun Hall is close by. Please¡­¡± Her words suddenly stopped. This was because he had lowered his face to her neck and bit down. He was going to leave a mark! With that thought, her vision went white. Additionally, his finger began to push aside her underskirt like a snake and entered her. Haa, she drew in a short breath and grabbed his arm. The silk fabric of his clothing underneath her fingers rustled in her grasp. The Red King was furious. It didn¡¯t look like he was going to back off anytime soon. His finger moved inside her and accurately pressed against the spot that caused shivers to run down her spine. Her body still remembered him and began to tremble. Trapped between the paper sliding door and his body, she could hardly breathe. A fierce struggle ensued. Neither party backed down. They could hear the faint sound of music coming from somewhere nearby. It was the sound of drums and a gong. It seemed that the dancers or the acrobatic performers had begun entertaining the guests. While they were busily making a fuss, no one paid attention to the things happening inside this darkness, inside this unknown room within the vast palace. ¡°Aagh!¡± A moan escaped. Inside the room, behind the paper sliding door decorated with intricate patterns, two tangled shadows began to move. Her face twisted every time she was pushed up and down. The adornments in her hair fell to the floor with a weak clatter. The jasmine flower was ruthlessly crushed against the wall. The cloudy moonlight shone on her leg that peeked out from within the folds of her ample skirts. A sticky fluid was running down her other leg that was barely standing on the floor. Wet drops dripped onto her white drawers on the floor. Her whole body trembled with fear. Anything could happen at any moment. However, she felt like she was going crazy knowing that he was touching her. You need to escape, no matter what! Quickly! Suddenly, they heard a voice outside the paper sliding door. ¡°SoYeon!¡± Gasp! Her heart froze. Even the Red King¡¯s movements stopped for a moment. Jewol. Jewol was outside. ¡°SoYeon, where did you go?¡± Oh god! What¡­ Just what¡­! The Red King¡¯s eyes burned as they looked down at her face. She began to struggle with all her might as she tried to escape the Red King¡¯s embrace. However, the man merely stared at her with his scorching eyes. He didn¡¯t move a muscle. His hand was still stuck between her thighs. Three of his fingers were still inside her, and her juices were flowing out. Please¡­ Let go. Her eyes welled up with tears. The Red King merely gazed down at her. Jewol¡¯s shadow appeared behind the paper sliding door. Only a thin paper door separated her from her husband. The Red King¡¯s hand finally pulled out. Letting out a silent sigh, SoYeon was trying to adjust her disheveled clothing when she suddenly stiffened in shock. The Red King was undoing the knot on his pants. His stiff, angry rod was revealed. There was no way¡­ As soon as SoYeon raised her head in disbelief, his hand gripped one of her legs and opened it. No! ¡°SoYeon.¡± They heard Jewol¡¯s voice once again. SoYeon tried to push the Red King away silently. As she struggled, she accidentally hit his cheek with her hand. Her face paled in shock as she looked up at him. Hearing this dull sound, Jewol froze. His shadow turned as he looked at the door. Ah¡­ They were done for. Jewol lifted his hand. The Red King continued to stare down at her with a fierce gleam in his eyes. He grabbed her trembling body and opened her legs. She stopped breathing from the shock. And just like that, he plunged inside her. This all felt like a nightmare. SoYeon covered her mouth with both of her hands. Her whole body shook. Everything was over. All she could do in this uncontrollable whirlpool of a situation was tightly shut her eyes. She wished she could just fade away like mist. No, actually it would be better if the whole palace was struck with lightning. Her mind went blank with shock. All she could think about was not getting caught by Jewol. No! I mustn¡¯t. I can¡¯t, no matter what. She bit her lips so hard as to not let out a sound. He was only halfway in, but she already felt full. She couldn¡¯t hold in her cry. Her hands pressed down even harder on her mouth, but she couldn¡¯t stop the moan from coming out. Jewol¡¯s shadow began to reach for the paper sliding door. In the midst of the pain of holding her breath, she looked up at the Red King. Even if it¡¯s now, even now¡­ please pull out¡­ But this man had lost his mind. He was definitely crazy. Compared to the evil, wicked Crown Prince, the Silver Nation¡¯s Red King was seen as a man sent from the heavens. But this man had gone insane. Instead of pulling out of SoYeon¡¯s body, he pushed further inside her until he was buried to the hilt. She closed her eyes. As his hot rod pierced her from below, she didn¡¯t even think about the pain. Instead, all she could think about was the fact that it was all over. Her whole body was racked with dread and anger. ¡°SoYeon?¡± Jewol¡¯s hand pushed against the paper door as he called her name. Because the combined bodies of SoYeon and the Red King were pressed against the door, it didn¡¯t move easily. The room was filled with a suffocating fever. There was no way this intense energy didn¡¯t spill outside. Angry tears flowed down her face as she glared at him. ¡°Duke MoonYeo, Your Highness.¡± Suddenly, a calm voice spoke up. Jewol pulled his hand away from the door in surprise and turned around. One of the palace guard approached him. ¡°That is not a place you can enter as you please.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Jewol immediately stepped back. ¡°I thought I heard something, so¡­¡± ¡°This is the empress¡¯s residence, so men are forbidden from entering. Let me escort you back to the banquet.¡± The guard spoke politely but firmly. Jewol nodded his head. Their footsteps faded away, but her body continued to tremble. Her tense body slightly relaxed. However, the shock remained. She continued to glare at the Red King. ¡°Just kill me.¡± She whispered. The Red King¡¯s eyes were still sharp. ¡°Just go ahead and kill me.¡± He remained silent. Instead of replying, he seemed to grow angrier at her words. He clenched her bottom with his hand. Before she could let out a surprised cry, he lifted her with an incredible strength and pushed her against the wall next to the paper sliding door. Her hands tried to grab onto the wall, but it didn¡¯t change anything. He raised his hips and continued to pump into her heat. Bam, bam, her head banged into the wall. Because she kept slipping down the wall, they weren¡¯t able to hold that position for very long. He pulled her off the wall and began to walk. Every time he took a step, his staff pushed further inside. SoYeon shivered as she tried to hold in her moans. He laid her down somewhere. SoYeon¡¯s eyes burst open as she remembered that this was the empress¡¯s residence. However, all she could see was an old desk and a long table. The darkness cast by the curtains made her think that this room wasn¡¯t used by the empress very often. However, as the Red King slammed into her, the sound of their slapping bodies filled the room. She couldn¡¯t stop the suppressed moan from escaping. She was lying down on top of the long table. Her clothes on her upper body were still tidy and neat. However, her skirts were haphazardly spread out, and her lower body was completely exposed. She couldn¡¯t even imagine the explicit contrast between the upper and lower halves of her body. She could see the Red King¡¯s dark red staff pull out of her body as it continued to pump in and out. He raised one hand and grabbed her chin as he grumbled. ¡°Open your eyes!¡± ¡°No¡­¡± ¡°I said open your eyes.¡± Slap! He rammed his hips against her as if he were punishing her. SoYeon barely managed to open her eyes as she looked up at him. Tears and rage glimmered in her eyes as the Red King continued to thrust into her. He repeatedly slammed into her as if he was trying to kill her this way. His movements gradually quickened. Her body continued to slide up and down. The pearls embedded in her hair began to fall off. She bit her lips so hard that they looked like they were going to bleed. The Red King gazed down at her reaction as his body shook with his thrusts. It felt as if an iron sword was continuously piercing her. It plunged into her body and continued to lick and suck her to no end, almost as if it was consuming her. Aagh! Ugh! When SoYeon¡¯s suppressed moans escaped her pressed lips, the Red King blocked her lips with his. His tongue violently plunged inside as it matched the rhythm of their hips. It felt like everything was shattering. She could no longer find an escape. She felt like she was really going to die like this. Suddenly, his body stiffened. Then he thrust deeply inside her one more time as his hot seed poured into her. My goodness! SoYeon grit her teeth. He had really gone all the way to the end with her. Tears trickled down from the edge of her eyes and ran down her nose before dripping onto the table. She couldn¡¯t believe what just happened. No, she didn¡¯t want to believe it. Her powder-pink silk clothing and the skirts underneath¡­ Their combined lower halves were still twitching. Her folds had completely swallowed his staff. Their lower halves were tangled together, and her fluids and his semen were mixed together as they flowed out of her entrance. She felt a wet slide as the Red King pulled out of her. What was going to happen from now on? What was she supposed to do? While she was immersed in her rambling thoughts, the Red King pressed his lips against her thigh. SoYeon gasped in shock, but his persistent lips licked her thigh as it moved up. No! She stretched out her hand and tried to push his shoulder away, but his hand promptly caught it and tangled their fingers together. Then he pressed her hand down onto the table. His lips were already at the junction of her thighs. This heavenly king¡¯s tongue parted her folds and entered inside her drenched entrance. In that moment, the paper sliding door opened slightly. Ever so slightly, very carefully. Two eyes appeared. The eyes stole a glance at the the tangled bodies of the Red King and the woman and widened in shock. Chapter 1.1 One year ago, April. YeonSung, the capital of the Silver Nation. How could one describe the majesty and beauty of this place? It was the center of the world. In the middle of this city stood the Silver Palace, the residence of the emperor. Many merchants and envoys entered the city to purchase the commodities sold here. YeonSung was always filled with all kinds of people. Therefore, there were many places to sight-see in YeonSung. Intricately carved palanquins passed by the carts of the poor. The royals and nobles wearing silk clothing rubbed shoulders with those who wore shabby clothing. The men here were unrivaled, and so were the beauties. Nobles and commoners, masters and swindlers¡­ All were gathered here in the city of YeonSung. So the sight of a bridal palanquin adorned with red flowers tediously making its way to the royal residence wasn¡¯t an impossible sight to behold. ¡°Haw!¡± The loud voices of the men on black horses rang in the air as they made way for the palanquin along this long street within the capital. People who were strolling by quickly stepped back from the road. One of the strong, young men carrying the palanquin stumbled. ¡°Aigoo! You scoundrel, be careful!¡± The man who was acting as the wedding officiant shouted out in surprise. The palanquin with red flowers began to sway dangerously as the curtains fluttered. At this rate, it seemed that the bride¡¯s face would be exposed. Thankfully, half of her face was covered in a red veil. However, the exposed slender chin and the scarlet lips were so captivating. The palanquin bearers looked back in shock as it swayed, but when they caught a glimpse of the bride, they all drew in a breath. The bride remained silent. She wasn¡¯t alarmed by the swaying palanquin and didn¡¯t even seem startled. The bearers had left the city before dawn to pick up the bride in red. They were now in the middle of escorting her back through the city gates. They had only heard that the bride was the daughter of the lord of the northern district. They obviously hadn¡¯t gotten a look at her face. In the Silver Nation, a bride¡¯s face was kept hidden meticulously, like a precious treasure. The palanquin finally managed to settle down, and they began to proceed down the road. The wedding gifts trailed behind them, and there was no end in sight. High-quality goods made of the best materials, beautiful chambermaids dressed in the formal outfits of the northern province, stacks of crates and silk¡­ All these things proclaimed the high status of the bride. As expected of a matrimonial alliance with the imperial family. Princess Yeowa was the only sister of the current emperor. The groom was the only son of this princess, and he was also the Duke MoonYeo, Ha Jewol. Duke MoonYeo was a well-known figure in YeonSung. He was such a beautiful man that it was said he was the reincarnation of a legendary beauty of an ancient kingdom. Although the groom was past the age of twenty and was therefore marrying a bit later than most grooms of the Silver Nation, he was still a member of the imperial family, so it didn¡¯t matter. Underneath the scarlet light, the bride kept silent with her eyes closed. This morning, before the sun had risen in the sky, her chambermaids woke her up and bathed her in floral water. Then they rubbed the perfumed oil on her damp skin and dressed her in a soft, cotton slip and underwear. Then they helped her into a white top made of thin silk and a green skirt embroidered with gold thread. Finally, she was draped in a red robe. A belt and accessories made of precious jewels were added as well. Her long, black hair that reached her hips was combed and swept up into a black cloud. While her hair was being adorned with splendid ornaments and peony flowers, the bride didn¡¯t say a word. It was almost as if she were a silent doll. When the palanquin began to shake, the bride opened her eyes and turned her head to the window. For a moment, the curtain swayed, and she could see the sights of YeonSung, but it quickly disappeared. But in that short moment, she was able to see a man flash by like a flying arrow. His black cloak fluttered, and she saw his profile as he ran so fast that he looked like he was flying. He exuded danger, reminding her of a black mountain leopard. The enemy! She pressed her red lips that had been kept shut this entire morning. Fireworks burst underneath her serenely closed eyelids. Yujo. No, not anymore. Now she was Dan SoYeon. Dan SoYeon, the only daughter of Lord Sa HanSung, the lord of the northern province. Dan SoYeon. The bride of Duke MoonYeo, Han Jewol. She could no longer be Yujo now that she was in YeonSung. That name must be kept hidden. No one must know. But how could she forget that name? The name where the blood of her father and mother flowed¡­ The name that was kept in the bosom of the heavens and the earth¡­ The name where the spirit of the Great Mergan flowed¡­ Yujo clenched her fist and nervously rubbed her finger. The jade ring her groom had put on her finger last night felt unpleasantly heavy. And now she had finally entered YeonSung, and she felt as if this place was letting her know just where her status lied. Being in the middle of YeonSung was just like being in the middle of the enemy camp. The ruckus outside died down, and the rocking palanquin regained its balance. As if the earlier disturbance hadn¡¯t happened, it began to steadily move forward smoothly. As if to brush off this tension, the bride let out a sigh and faced the front. The wooden walls were painted red, and she couldn¡¯t see outside at all. She didn¡¯t even bother to look at what was along the road. It didn¡¯t matter. Now that she was within these gates, she could only move forward. She clasped her hands together and closed her eyes once again. In no time, she had arrived at her husband¡¯s family¡¯s head residence. After a loud greeting was received, she exited the palanquin doors. She greeted her in-laws and various family members. Then they went to the ancestral shrine where she gave her first greetings to the holy ancestors. The many guests swarmed behind the bride as she bowed down and stood up. This repeated throughout the evening. The wedding was brimming with liquor and blessings. In all this uproar, only the bride kept her silence. She was as quiet as a winter storm. A few other men raised a toast to the groom as they gave him their congratulations, and the bride entered the bridal chamber. The people of the Silver Nation believed that the color scarlet chased away the ghosts. They believed it attracted blessings and repelled misfortune. Because of this, the entire bridal chamber was covered in red. The red walls were covered in charms that called forth good fortune, the bed was surrounded by red curtains, and even the bedding and the bride herself were all covered in scarlet. Only the moon shining through the octagon window was white. The bride turned her head and gazed at the moon. In the midst of all this unfamiliarity, only the moon seemed familiar. This moon and the moon she saw in her own country were one and the same. She thought she heard the cry of a falcon coming from outside. Would ChungMae finally be able to spread her wings and fly freely into the night sky? The rocky mountains that seemed to be cut with a sword, the fierce winds blowing between the mountain peaks, the clear blue sky, the land where the stars seemed to pour down from the heavens¡­ The land with enormous forests and vast deserts and rocky mountains¡­ The holy land of Mergan! Yeha! A pain pierced through Yujo¡¯s heart. An uncontrollable emotion engulfed her. Even though this was her first night in the Silver Nation, she still couldn¡¯t believe she had left her country of Yeha. Her country, the land where her people lived. The land where her parents and the parents of her parents were buried. To think she had left such a place¡­ ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go, you don¡¯t have to.¡± Brother Yuha spoke to her in a grave voice. ¡°You are a daughter of the Holy Mergan. You can do whatever you want.¡± She could do whatever she wanted? As a member of a fallen nation that had lost its land and sky, what could she possibly do? Yujo smiled bitterly as she looked at the blackish-red earth and the sky. A fierce wind was blowing from beyond the endless horizon. The wind carried the scent of blood. It also carried the scent of burning houses and burning corpses. The Silver Nation was sending out troops to expand its territory. The borders of Yeha were now covered in tears and blood. The corpses of all the people had been pierced with spears. They were clearly sending out a warning to others. A warning to surrender. Now only Yeha was left. Even if Mount Paran stood between Yeha and the Silver Nation, how much longer could it protect them from their attacks? Last winter, her older brother, who was the head of the family, lost his right leg in the war. Even if he could ride a horse, he was no longer able to fight. Her already weakened brother had ultimately lost his fighting spirit. ¡°Then who else can go in my stead, Brother?¡± Yujo did her best to sound lighthearted. She knew what Yuha was going through. He wanted to protect his younger sister no matter what. But they were members of the ruling family. They didn¡¯t have the luxury of finding protection. Instead, their family carried a heavier responsibility. And Yujo was no exception. ¡°But this is marriage we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fake marriage.¡± ¡°Who will believe that it is fake?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why it¡¯s better.¡± There was no other choice. They needed to take the opportunity that Jewol had given them. Their backs were up against the wall. They had already lost half of their troops. Most of the people that were left were women and children. If things continued on like this, it was only a matter of time before the whole country met its demise. Damn the Red King! Yujo grit her teeth. Starting last spring, the Silver Nation sent out their troops three times. At first, they sent out two thousand. The second time, they sent ten thousand. The troops weren¡¯t able to pass through the treacherous Mount Paran. They weren¡¯t able to escape the fierce warriors of Yeha who were hidden in various parts of the valley. But the third time was different. During the worst winter they had ever seen, only a thousand soldiers appeared at the foot of Mount Paran. The scarlet banner of the second prince of the Silver Nation, the Red King, fluttered in the wind. Red King Garan. It was said that he was called the Blood Wolf. He was a cruel, tenacious, wicked man. This man, the Red King, only brought a thousand soldiers with him. And he managed to easily pass through the unsurpassed Mount Paran. And it didn¡¯t take his dark red troops more than three days to pierce the heart of Yeha. Just thinking about the shock of those days would wake her from her slumber. That was when Yeha lost half of its troops as well as its leader¡¯s right leg. If Mergan hadn¡¯t helped one of the arrows pierce the Red King¡¯s heart, Yeha would have fallen like the other northern nations. ¡°We can beat them this time.¡± Yujo shook her head at Yuha¡¯s words. ¡°Brother, not this time.¡± Not this time. She knew after having fought the Red King. Out in the battlefield, Yujo had not once felt fear. But that all changed when she faced the Red King¡¯s troops. Most of the Silver Nation¡¯s troops were comprised of soldiers who were forced to fight. They were normally farmers and livestock herders. But Garan¡¯s men were like Yeha¡¯s soldiers. They were true soldiers. They trained from a young age, and their bodies and hearts were perfectly molded to become warriors! And one man fought with the power of a hundred men. These men, whose faces were even covered in their red armor, climbed the steep mountains, crossed the barren deserts, and weren¡¯t even afraid of walking through fire. These thousand men acted as one man and moved in perfect order. Therefore, the power of their attacks were terribly effective. ¡°I will marry Brother Jewol.¡± ¡°Yujo!¡± ¡°Brother.¡± Yujo turned her head and looked at her brother. Then she gave him a smile. She knew. How could she not know? Yuha was her older brother and was the one who took care of her after their parents had passed away. If it were truly up to Yujo, she wouldn¡¯t be getting married like this. But there was no choice. ¡°Don¡¯t you know Brother Jewol?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Brother, don¡¯t you trust Brother Jewol?¡± His younger sister¡¯s dark blue eyes were gazing at him. Yuha frowned and turned his head away. He knew. Jewol was from the Silver Nation, but they basically treated each other like brothers. Seven years ago, Yuha and Yujo met Jewol for the very first time. He was being dragged around by wicked thieves in the desert. Jewol was an honorable member of the imperial family, and he was also a flawless beauty. By the time they found him, he was already utterly broken. When Yeha¡¯s soldiers discovered them, they saved Jewol and struck down those who had dirtied him. And ever since then, Jewol became a member of their family. Overcoming the borders of their countries, he had become a valuable friend. And he had done everything he could to block the Silver Nation¡¯s attacks on Yeha. Jewol was also the one who had warned them of the Silver Nation¡¯s invasion. And it was because of their secret friendship that they had managed to withstand these attacks for as long as they had. Jewol was the only one they could trust in the Silver Nation. The three of them saw each other as family. But no matter how much they trusted Jewol, this was marriage. Even if this was only being done to hide her true identity, it was still a marriage. ¡°I trust him, but¡­¡± ¡°Brother Yuha¡­ Brother Jewol cannot embrace a woman.¡± Yuha shut his mouth at these words. After the disgusting experience he had gone through in the desert, Jewol didn¡¯t like touching neither man nor woman. It didn¡¯t matter how much his parents cried or pleaded. If Jewol ever got married, both Yuha and Yujo knew that it would be unfortunate for both parties involved. But, even so, this was Yujo¡¯s marriage. Yuha subtly frowned at her, but Yujo merely grinned back at him to comfort him. ¡°Once this matter is accomplished, we won¡¯t have to spill any more blood. And Brother Jewol doesn¡¯t even want to be married to anyone. For me, it¡¯s a hiding place. For Brother Jewol, after our fake marriage has served its purpose, he can just declare me missing. And thanks to me, it will be a lot more comfortable for Brother Jewol for a while.¡± Who would have thought that solving one riddle for Jewol would have given them an opportunity such as this? A long time ago, when Jewol was in Yeha, Yujo noticed that he was mulling over a pattern for several days. She realized that it was actually an ancient language that had been used in Yeha a long time ago. This language was no longer used and had gone extinct, and now it was only taught to the ruling family of Yeha. After she told him the meaning of the ancient words, Jewol looked ecstatic. However, she couldn¡¯t believe it when he told her that this could be the key to bringing peace between the Silver Nation and Yeha. But what he said was true. Jewol wrote down Yujo¡¯s translation of the ancient language of Paran and rushed back to the Silver Nation. And when he came back, he was holding a handwritten letter from the Crown Prince. In his letter, the Crown Prince stated that if Yujo came to the Silver Nation and found the lady known as ¡®Heukra¡¯, the Silver Nation would offer a peace treaty to Yeha. A peace treaty! What could be better than this?! Heukra or whatever, she¡¯d find a hundred of them if she could. ¡°Be careful. The deeper you enter the enemy¡¯s camp, the blacker their hearts. I wonder what this ¡®Heukra¡¯ is for them to be acting this way. It¡¯s a bit suspicious.¡± Heukra. What kind of woman was she for the Crown Prince to be coming off like this? Yujo wasn¡¯t able to figure out what he was thinking, but he seemed to feel that their problems would be solved if they had someone who could read the ancient language of Paran. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. This is a chance for us to enter into the center of the Silver Nation. We¡¯ll be able to figure out why they did the things they did from there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to figure it out at the cost of sending you away.¡± ¡°Then who should we send? Who else can go? Do you want to send a cousin instead? I¡¯ll say this again: no on else can speak the language of the Silver Nation.¡± ¡°Damn it.¡± Yuha spit out a curse. Yujo was right. Only Yujo could speak the language of the Silver Nation flawlessly, having learned it from Jewol himself. Seeing her brother¡¯s sour expression, Yujo tried to keep her voice light as she spoke to him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I can protect myself just fine.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± ¡°I leave Yeha in your care, Brother. You must find a new place to hide and gather some food before the harsh winter comes.¡± Yuha looked at Yujo with worry. After losing their mother at a young age, his younger sister grew up in the midst of men. Even if she wasn¡¯t inferior to men, in his eyes, she was still his younger sister whom he needed to protect. And to think he was sending this child away on her own into enemy territory. Had he lost his mind? What would he do if something happened to Yujo? If she was harmed in any way, Yuha would march through Mount Paran and strangle the Silver Nation¡¯s emperor right then and there. As her brother¡¯s face darkened, Yujo quickly spoke up to end his worries. ¡°I can find it. And didn¡¯t Brother Jewol say that he¡¯d help as well?¡± ¡°Please, I beg you¡­¡± Yuha let out a sigh before continuing. ¡°Don¡¯t go overboard, ChungMae.¡± ¡®ChungMae¡¯ was the nickname given to Yujo by the people of Yeha. ¡°Stop worrying, Brother Yuha.¡± Yujo laughed lightly and turned her gaze to the land of Yeha. This wouldn¡¯t be a difficult mission. She would figure it out no matter what. That was the only way she could make sure the Red King wouldn¡¯t cross over Mount Paran ever again. Chapter 1.2 ¡°SoYeon.¡± Yujo flinched and turned her head. SoYeon, Dan SoYeon. The name still sounded strange to her. Jewol was standing behind the red curtains. Wearing the ceremonial dress of the Silver Nation, he looked even more handsome than usual. The slender, pale face, his splendid eyes, lips as red as a maiden¡¯s. Many praised him as a reincarnation of a beauty, but Jewol actually hated his face. Feminine beauty was perfectly mixed in with his masculine features. He was as graceful as a heavenly god, but rather than a blessing from the heavens, it felt more like the root of their wrath. ¡°It just finished.¡± He looked apologetic. But how was any of this his fault? Enduring something like this was nothing to her. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Brother.¡± Yujo gave him a faint smile. Seven years had already passed since she had gotten close to Jewol. But to think that they¡¯d be facing each other like this in such a situation¡­ It felt strange. Brushing off this thought, Yujo stretched out her hand and quickly moved the bridal veil to the side. When he saw Yujo¡¯s face reveal itself, Jewol gave her a soft smile. Who would believe that this was actually Yujo, Yeha¡¯s ChungMae? Yujo, the fierce female warrior. The falcon that split the heavens as it flew freely in the sky. She would normally have her glossy hair swept up in a ponytail and be wearing her mask adorned with blue feathers. Wasn¡¯t she the one who soared through the plains of Yeha on her chestnut horse as her arrows pierced through the sky? However, the Yujo sitting here didn¡¯t show any sign of that woman. Wrapped up in her scarlet veil, Yujo was just a bride¡­ She seemed so distant and captivating, almost as if she would suck up the soul of her groom. ¡°Aren¡¯t you thirsty? The rules of the Silver Nation can be so ridiculous. Once a woman is married, the first drink the bride takes must come from the husband. I don¡¯t know what all this fuss is about. They¡¯re just torturing a poor innocent, aren¡¯t they?¡± Jewol mumbled softly and held up a silver bowl to her. The bowl held some water with white flower petals floating on top of it. This was the first glass of cold water she¡¯d be drinking after having been starved all day. Such ridiculous romanticism. ¡°Here, drink. You must be thirsty.¡± Yujo silently received the bowl. Truth be told, she didn¡¯t want to drink one drop of water from the Silver Nation. But how could she just do whatever she wanted? If she wanted something, she¡¯d have to endure all sorts of things to achieve her goal. Yujo firmly brought the bowl to her lips. ¡°Should I take off your headpiece?¡± Yujo nodded at Jewol¡¯s offer. The headpiece and ornaments were very heavy. It felt as if a young child was sitting on top of her head. It pressed down on her temples and gave her a headache. ¡°It¡¯s quite a horrible headpiece.¡± Yujo murmured, causing Jewol to let out a small laugh. ¡°My crown is pretty heavy too. Who in the world thought to make something like this¡­¡± ¡°Your crown is heavy? Haa. Try putting on my headpiece. You¡¯ll end up falling in love with that crown of yours.¡± Jewol¡¯s soft hands lifted the headpiece off of Yujo¡¯s head. A groan automatically left her lips. She felt as if she could fly just from taking off that damned headpiece. ¡°Do you want me to untie your hair?¡± Yujo¡¯s hand froze in midair at his words. In Yeha, untying a woman¡¯s hair was a privilege only given to the groom. If the man wasn¡¯t the woman¡¯s husband, they weren¡¯t allowed to touch her hair. ¡°No, I can do it.¡± She wanted to give that privilege to her true, future husband. Yujo smiled bitterly and carefully pulled out the ornaments in her hair. Jewol saw her begin to undo her hair and got up to leave the room. Meanwhile, Yujo continued to stroke her hair as she carefully pulled out the ornaments and combs. She barely managed to get all of them out and finally tied her hair up. Her glossy hair fell down her back. She finally felt like she could breathe again. How did her hair manage to hold all these ornaments? She understood that this was all used to establish a bride¡¯s social status and beauty, but Yujo saw them as a bunch of expensive snares. She took off her cumbersome bridal dress. The dress was exquisitely decorated with beautiful embroidery and pearls, so it was also very heavy. After squeezing out of her uncomfortable shell, she finally felt like she could live. ¡°Can I come in?¡± Jewol called from outside. When she told him to come in, Jewol pushed aside the curtains and came inside. He took off his crown and his outer clothes before putting on a comfortable robe. He held a dagger in one hand. ¡®Why¡­?¡¯ Yujo was just about to ask when Jewol pulled off the blanket on the bed and ran the dagger across his forearm. He began to sprinkle his blood onto the mattress. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°Yujo, lower your voice.¡± He turned his head and spoke to her. There were palace maids standing outside the bridal chamber. Yujo shut her mouth and quickly cleaned his wound and wrapped it with a strip of cotton. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go this far.¡± ¡°There is a need. The palace maids who come to clean up the bedding tomorrow morning will take it back to Mother as evidence of your virginity. If you don¡¯t want to deal with unnecessary talk, we need to be thorough. And there¡¯s one more thing you need to keep in mind.¡± Jewol lowered his voice. ¡°We are in YeonSung. This place can drive anyone crazy. There will be eyes and ears all around you. If you¡¯re going to do a sloppy job, it¡¯s best that you don¡¯t do it at all. If you make one mistake, you¡¯ll be putting your family back in Yeha as well as my household in a lot of danger. Yujo, be prepared. Don¡¯t let your heart waver, and don¡¯t look back.¡± Yujo silently looked into his eyes. Jewol was right. Too many lives were resting on their shoulders. The closer they were to the heart of the Silver Nation¡¯s regime, the more unpredictable it was. They couldn¡¯t afford to make a mistake, and she couldn¡¯t be swayed by pitiful sentiment and turn back. ¡°I¡¯ll bear that in mind, Brother.¡± ¡°And when we¡¯re around other people, call me ¡®my lord husband¡¯.¡± Yujo let out a soft laugh. ¡°I¡¯ll do that.¡± My lord husband? She could barely get those words out of her mouth because it was so embarrassing. ¡°I¡¯ll sleep next to the bed.¡± ¡°Will you be okay?¡± ¡°Of course. Just give me a blanket.¡± ¡°Thank you, Brother. But do you think we can have a bite to eat before we go to bed?¡± Pfft, Jewol burst out laughing. ¡°Of course. If the bride starved to death on her first day of marriage, it would be catastrophic.¡± With that, he lightly tapped her cheek. The winds of Yeha were blowing. It was a wicked and brutal wind. It wrapped around the jagged cliffs of the rocky mountains and raged across the desolate sand. The wolves hidden in the deep valley looked up to the sky and howled. The ground shook, and the trees fell. The waterfalls crashed down from the cliffs above and roared as they split the ground. They were coming. Like ambassadors of death, the soldiers looked up at the heart of Yeha from the valley below. Even though they had just passed through Mount Paran and cut through the sharp winter winds, the men were still overflowing with energy. They moved as one. At the very front, a man sat on a dark red horse and looked up at Yeha arrogantly. Half of his face was covered by his armor, but his exposed lips seemed cold and cruel. He raised his hand. That one gesture boosted the solders¡¯ morale as they let out a shout in response. The men all clenched their hands around the hilt of their swords. They were like wolves that were ready to tear the throats of their prey. A horrifying thirst for blood spread out across the land of Yeha. An enormous monster! Yujo raised her arrow. The winds of Yeha were on her side. It blew against her back and flowed towards the man. About five hundred paces. He was too far away. The arrow would never reach him. The man¡¯s lips stretched into a smile. She could feel his bitter, condescending laugh from where she was standing. After yesterday¡¯s battle, half of Yeha was burning. ¡°O Great Mergan! Give this daughter your strength!¡± Yujo whispered in her heart. Whoosh. The arrow flew across the sky. Then it began to fall. The sunlight was blinding. The enemy commander raised his sword, but the sun was too bright and pricked his eyes. In that moment, Yujo¡¯s arrow accurately pierced the Red King¡¯s chest. ¡°Madame!¡± Gasp! Yujo¡¯s eyes burst open in shock. What happened? Where was this place? The red curtains fluttered in the breeze. A light glimmered from the unfamiliar window. ¡°Madame Duchess.¡± Yujo quickly got up. Sunlight permeated the red room. She was alone on the bed. Jewol was nowhere in sight. ¡°It¡¯s time to wake up. The princess is waiting.¡± The shadow outside the door wavered as it spoke quietly. Yujo turned around and sighed. Her whole body was damp with sweat. Was it all a dream? It was a dream. She had dreamed of the time when they had clashed with the Red King¡¯s army. If her arrow hadn¡¯t pierced the Red King¡¯s chest, Yeha would have been annihilated. It was all done with the help of Mergan. With that thought, Yujo stood up. When they heard her movements, two palace maids pushed aside the red curtains and tied them to the pillar. The sound of the chirping birds flowed in from the window as they announced the arrival of a new morning. ¡°We¡¯ve prepared your bath.¡± The palace maid who had introduced herself as ¡®Ran¡¯ approached Yujo and bowed as she spoke. Yujo followed her into the bathing room and asked. ¡°What about Duke MoonYeo?¡± ¡°The duke has already woken up and went to Sunoh Hall.¡± Jewol had left the bridal chamber before the sun had risen. Yujo pushed aside the hanging bead curtain and entered the tub. The bathing room was incredibly large. She had heard that the people of the Silver Nation enjoyed their baths and that they had a bathing room attached to almost every room. It seemed that this rumor was true. The bathtub was so large that four people could fit comfortably inside. The hot bathwater was steaming, and it was filled with red flower petals. Did they begin preparing all this water in the middle of the night? Yujo frowned. Now that she was in her current position, she needed to get used to these kinds of things. The palace maids stood at her sides and began to take her clothes off. Yujo endured the awkwardness and quietly plunged her body into the water. Outside the lattice window on the upper wall of the bathing room, a brown songbird peeked inside and let out a curious chirp. What had happened to the Red King after he had been struck by her arrow? Seeing as how there was no word of his funeral, he must have survived. Would their paths cross during her stay in YeonSung? At this thought, a bitter smile stretched across Yujo¡¯s lips. If she was given another chance, she would plunge another arrow into the bastard¡¯s throat. A new battle had begun. But this battle wasn¡¯t fought with swords or arrows. In the heart of YeonSung, she was going to obtain the treaty no matter what. She needed to protect the land of Yeha at all costs. ¡°Madame.¡± Once her body and hair were washed clean, Yujo stood up. Water droplets trickled down her slender, nude body. Ran and the other palace maids began to earnestly dry her body and hair as they rubbed perfume oil on her skin. They carefully swept up her pitch black hair and adorned it with a red camellia and some ornaments that looked like green leaves. ¡°The preparation is complete.¡± Ran whispered. In no time, her reflection in the mirror was transformed into a lovely, elegant madame of a ducal house. Her appearance was incredibly strange to see, but Yujo didn¡¯t care. The important thing was to obtain a peace treaty from the emperor. She would do anything to reach her goal. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± At her command, the palace maids escorted Yujo out. Finally, the bridal chamber door opened. Wearing a pomegranate silk dress, Yujo stepped out. A new lady had appeared in YeonSung. She was the daughter-in-law of Princess Yeowa, Dan SoYeon. The woman was tall and slender, her brows were sleek, and her eyes were beautiful. With her only son growing older, Princess Yeowa was overjoyed when her son, Duke MoonYeo, had decided to wed the daughter of Lord Sa HanSung of the northern province. Duke MoonYeo was a great beauty who seemed to have jumped out of a painting, and when he stood next to his wife, the couple looked incredibly well-suited together. The newly-wed couple received invitations from every social gathering in YeonSung. Being so young and fresh, they also received a lot of love. It was currently the elegant, refreshing month of April, so YeonSung was in the peak of spring. Chapter 2.1 ¡°Just how hurt is he?¡± Princess Muyeo asked Eunuch Sa as she quickly got out of her palanquin. ¡°He has passed the critical stage and is now recuperating from his wound. Please do not worry.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry?! An arrow pierced Brother¡¯s chest, so how can I not worry? What¡¯s so good about that land of savages for everyone to be making such a fuss over it?!¡± All men were fools. Why were they invading these minor nations when they hadn¡¯t done anything wrong? Why would they only be satisfied once they had conquered all the lands stretching to the ends of the earth? It was nauseating to think that they viewed the conquest of foreign nations as a personal accomplishment. ¡°Then he should just personally go there and do it himself.¡± Muyeo couldn¡¯t hold in her boiling anger. He had sent Brother out once again and caused him to gain yet another wound. Why did he hate him so much? That¡¯s why people didn¡¯t see the Red King has the second prince and called him the emperor¡¯s ¡®dog¡¯. In the middle of winter. And he only gave him a thousand soldiers to pass through Mount Baran. Last spring, he was ordered to take over the southern nation of BuYoung. Then he was ordered to head to the north and conquer the Three Nations. Sending Brother out on all these pointless campaigns¡­ Wasn¡¯t he basically just telling him to go out and die?! The sound of the angry princess¡¯s footsteps and jingling hair ornaments echoed in the air. The eunuch quickly followed after her as he clicked his tongue in his heart. The king needed to rest. He had come a long way back while carrying such a serious wound. The Crown Prince was probably overjoyed to hear that the Red King had come back with an arrow lodged so close to his heart. The heavens had helped him keep his life, but he had been ordered to withdraw his troops by the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince had always feared that the Red King would succeed and come out victorious. On the outside, he claimed that he was worried about his younger brother¡¯s wound, but everyone could clearly see his calculations. ¡°Brother!¡± Princess Muyeo shouted out as she noisily pushed aside the beaded curtain. Leaning back in his seat, a handsome man was basking in the spring sunlight. As if he had fallen asleep while reading, a book was lying on the floor. Piles of documents were spread out around him. For a man who was called the ¡®Blood Wolf¡¯, his sleeping face was surprisingly calm. Underneath his masculine brows were his stiffly closed eyes, a straight nose, and finally a pair of arrogant, sensuous lips. His shoulders were broad, and he was so tall that the seat couldn¡¯t hold all of him. However, in this environment, he didn¡¯t seem like a warrior. Instead, he looked more like an elegant artist. Instead of holding a sword, he should have just become a poet. ¡°Brother, stop pretending you¡¯re asleep.¡± He definitely would have heard her make a fuss from far away. Eunuch Sa squirmed like a dog that needed to take a poop behind her, but Muyeo didn¡¯t care. She approached Garan and grabbed the book he had been reading. HwanSoolGi (Record of Military Deceptions and Tactics) He was reading these kinds of books again? A hand flashed out and took the book from her hands. Muyeo raised an eyebrow and glared at Garan. The man who was on the other end of this glare merely grinned back at her. ¡°You came?¡± ¡°Did you seriously just ask me if I came in such a relaxed manner? In this situation? It¡¯s a lie, right? Right? You didn¡¯t get hit by a girl¡¯s arrow, right?¡± ¡°I¡¯m human, too. Did you think an arrow would just ricochet off my skin?¡± ¡°Liar!¡± ¡°Bring in some tea for the princess.¡± ¡°What tea? Just bring me some cold water.¡± This made no sense! Muyeo stared at the Red King in disbelief. He looked like his usual self. Therefore, the rumor must have been a lie. Brother would never get struck by an arrow like that. ¡°You can just tell me. I¡¯ll keep your secret safe no matter what.¡± Princess Muyeo was the biggest blabbermouth in all of YeonSung. The Red King snorted. ¡°I got hit.¡± ¡°Liar! You look completely fine.¡± Muyeo wanted to believe it was a lie. She wanted to take off the Red King¡¯s clothes this instant to make sure he was okay. If the palace maids hadn¡¯t come in just then to serve the cold water, she would have done exactly that. Garan sighed and sat up in his seat. He actually felt that getting hit with the arrow was for the best. He had no choice but to attack Yeha under Father Emperor¡¯s orders, but he detested fighting a war without any justification. Additionally, the more he came back victorious from the campaigns ordered by their father, the more the Crown Prince was going to keep him in check. However, Muyeo didn¡¯t know this and was making quite a fuss. ¡°What kind of bitch could have done something like this? YeonSung has been buzzing ever since we heard the news that the Red King had been struck by a girl¡¯s arrow. Why were the soldiers just standing there? They should have chased after that bitch and ripped her limbs apart!¡± They didn¡¯t move because he hadn¡¯t ordered them to. The arrow seemed to fall directly in the center of the sunlight. Although it was just one arrow, one couldn¡¯t help but be awed by its perfection. Riding the wind, the arrow was powerful. With the sun at its back, it made a perfect arch before hitting its target. Almost as if it had been predestined. It almost seemed supernatural. He could hardly believe it was shot by a human. Yeha¡¯s ChungMae. That¡¯s what the people called the one who had shot the arrow. He recalled the way her black hair had fluttered in the wind as she rode her chestnut horse. He was surprised to find that the woman used a horn bow which even men had a hard time wielding. Yeha had many excellent soldiers, but that woman was even more surprising. How did she become so proficient in that technique? The arrow had hit so close to his heart that the doctor almost fainted when he saw the wound. Thankfully, the sharp arrowhead didn¡¯t hit any vital areas, so he was able to survive. Although an arrow like that could be considered a miracle, the heavens also helped him survive. ¡°Brother!¡± Muyeo realized that her brother wasn¡¯t listening to anything she was saying, so she angrily called out to him. ¡°Are you really going to be like this?¡± ¡°Ugh.¡± Instead of giving Muyeo another excuse, Garan grasped his chest with his hand and frowned. ¡°B-Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you I got hurt? Call for a eunuch.¡± Muyeo quickly called for a eunuch. She sat back down next to him worriedly and didn¡¯t nag him anymore. The doctor came in and checked his wound. Now that Muyeo saw for herself that he was actually wounded, the false rumors in YeonSung would settle down. After all, there wasn¡¯t another princess who gossiped as much as Muyeo. Once the uproar had settled down, Muyeo still didn¡¯t seem like she wanted to go back to her own residence. She stayed by his side as she held her teacup. ¡°Did you hear the rumors? Duke MoonYeo got married!¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± Garan replied with his usual indifference. ¡°No, how is that good news? It¡¯s strange news. You know this, too, Brother¡­¡± Muyeo lowered her body as if she was preparing to spread another rumor. Then she continued to whisper. ¡°That¡­ Duke MoonYeo cannot embrace a woman. Have you heard the rumor?¡± ¡°Rumors are merely rumors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, but something surprising happened this time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Realizing that she finally had her brother¡¯s attention, Muyeo grinned and lowered her voice. ¡°Well, when Duke MoonYeo first said that he¡¯d get married, everyone went crazy. They just assumed that it would be another grass widow, and everyone pitied her. Duke MoonYeo is quite cold with the ladies, remember? But what do you know? That is¡­¡± Muyeo¡¯s voice lowered even further as she whispered to her brother. ¡°I heard they slept well.¡± ¡°What?¡± The princess¡¯s eyes tilted up mischievously. ¡°That is¡­ Do you know how upset Princess Yeowa was when everyone was talking about how Duke MoonYeo had a problem in bed? I heard that there was clear evidence that the bride and groom shared their first night together in the bridal chamber. The princess was obviously very pleased and bragged about it to everyone.¡± ¡°Tsk. It seems that you women talk about all sorts of things.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always fun to hear stories about someone else¡¯s bedroom matters. I heard that Duke MoonYeo has changed a lot. I heard he goes around with his wife in his arms. ¡°He must have found his other half.¡± ¡°I plan on seeing her just out of curiosity. You should come with me.¡± ¡°How can a man join a group of ladies? It¡¯s not proper.¡± ¡°Aigoo, Duke MoonYeo is our cousin. How can it be improper when we¡¯re all family?¡± At that moment, Eunuch Sa entered and lowered his head. ¡°Your Highness.¡± The Red King slightly turned around, but the eunuch kept his head lowered. ¡°It seems that I need go out.¡± ¡°What?¡± Muyeo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. ¡°How can you go out in that state?¡± ¡°I have an appointment. Are you going to stay here a while longer before leaving?¡± ¡°How can a guest stay in an empty house?¡± ¡°How are you a guest? You can just relax here and leave when you want. Ask for anything you need.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. What would I do here on my own? This royal residence doesn¡¯t even have a queen I can play with.¡± There she goes again. When he heard that Duke MoonYeo was going to get married, he knew she¡¯d start this again. ¡°You¡¯re the only old bachelor left in YeonSung now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not that far past twenty, so how am I an old bachelor?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not that far past twenty, so you¡¯re not an old bachelor? Everyone in the Silver Nation gets married at age sixteen. I was married off when I was thirteen!¡± At her words, the Red King froze. Muyeo realized she¡¯d overstepped and quickly changed the subject. ¡°Anyways, the empress said she¡¯d start looking for your queen this year. So prepare yourself!¡± The empress? Garan¡¯s face turned slightly cold. However, Muyeo didn¡¯t notice this subtle change. ¡°What about your child?¡± ¡°The nanny is there, so what is there to worry about?¡± Garan looked at his younger sister and stroked her cheek. Thirteen. At such a young age, she had performed the wedding ceremony, crying and wailing. And now that same Muyeo was a mother. ¡°Go back. A young child needs his mother.¡± ¡°My goodness! I see him every single day, and you¡¯re telling me I need to see him even more? Just because you¡¯re a mother doesn¡¯t mean you have to be with the child every single moment!¡± His younger sister¡¯s ramblings went in one ear and out the other. The princess continued to follow him around and nag in his ear like a skylark. However, she didn¡¯t realize that all the laughter had left his face. The peonies bloomed and added to the beauty of spring. Peonies were expensive and were equal to the cost of a house with a tiled roof. And yet, the garden was filled with these precious blossoms. The ladies were even more blindingly beautiful than these flowers as they appeared one by one at the banquet. Afraid that their fair skin would be harmed, attendants were called to open the parasols and block the sunlight. A sudden burst of laughter caused the butterflies on the flowers to flutter their wings in surprise and fly away. Within this group of ladies, Yujo stood still with an elegant smile on her face. Her waist sash was too tight on her, and having eaten lunch, she felt as if her hips were going to fall off. Additionally, all these questions about her and Jewol¡¯s relationship made her head hurt. She would rather practice her martial arts than go through this. All this flashy act of playing a doll was getting tiresome. When the ladies of YeonSung gathered together, they began the meeting with refreshments and then ate lunch together. Then they would usually call for a poet or a songstress and listen to a song or two. However, depending on the hostess, they would often hire masked dancers, a jester, or even an acrobat for entertainment. To outsiders, it would seem as if these ladies had all the time in the world as they relaxed and enjoyed the food and drink. However, this was actually the time when they exchanged a great amount of information that would rival the mind games in the world of the men. The men would often use the women¡¯s closeness to carry out secret transactions. To Yujo, this world was strange and unfamiliar. In Yeha, the men and women wouldn¡¯t hesitate to talk to one another openly. Unlike the Silver Nation, where the parents chose the spouses of their children, in Yeha, everyone could follow their hearts and choose their own partners. They could get married, or they didn¡¯t have to get married. It didn¡¯t matter. When two lovers separated, they would place a leaf on top of the other¡¯s palm. It was a way of telling the other person that their feelings for them had faded away to the point where it weighed as much as a leaf. While they would separate in this manner, during the next full moon, they¡¯d dance in the night and find another partner. Of course, there were many that ended up staying together for the rest of their lives, but if a couple broke up, they weren¡¯t looked down on. Women generally raised the children, but they could own their own property. There were many women who were wealthier than the men, and there were many women who were braver than the men. But the Silver Nation was quite strange. The women here were treated like a family¡¯s possession and could be used as such. While men could take in as many wives and concubines as they wanted, a woman was supposed to maintain her loyalty to one man. A woman here couldn¡¯t own any property of her own, and she was never allowed to wield a sword. And they definitely couldn¡¯t participate in politics. Like a greenhouse flower, like a caged bird, they were supposed to live like this for their whole lives. I¡¯d die from the frustration. Yujo didn¡¯t envy them for their sparkling appearances of splendid silk. She wanted to get this day over with and begin her search for the Heukra so that she could hand it over to the Crown Prince as soon as possible. It didn¡¯t matter whether it was a ghost or a person, she just wanted to find it quickly. The Crown Prince of the Silver Nation never gave her any information related to the Heukra. However, she realized after entering YeonSung that she wouldn¡¯t need any information after all. The Heukra was already famous within YeonSung. ¡°Are you saying it was WooRyong¡¯s Danju this time?¡± After finishing their meal, the ladies tried to chase away the drowsiness by coming out into the garden. Yujo heard the whispers of the two ladies in front of her. ¡°Did it happen like that again?¡± ¡°It happened just like that.¡± Just like that? Yujo could only ask what they meant. ¡°Is there something going on in YeonSung?¡± The two women¡¯s heads were together as if they were sharing an incredible secret. Lady Kwak and Lady Yeon turned around and looked at Yujo. Yujo had a graceful smile on her face as she looked back at these two ladies. ¡°Ah!¡± They acted as if they hadn¡¯t realized she was standing behind them this whole time, but in reality, they really wanted to talk to her about this subject and purposely let it slip. Yujo knew this. ¡°You just arrived here from the northern province. We don¡¯t want to frighten you with this story.¡± ¡°We wouldn¡¯t want you to think badly of YeonSung.¡± Even though they were ready to tell her, they kept on teasing her in order to raise her curiosity. This manner of speaking was also a characteristic of the ladies of YeonSung. How ridiculous. However, Yujo merely tilted her head and gave them the attention they wanted from her. ¡°Just what is this story? I can¡¯t help but be even more curious now.¡± ¡°Do you really not know?¡± Lady Kwak and Lady Yeon quickly approached Yujo and linked arms with her. As if they were dragging her off somewhere, they walked on and continued speaking. ¡°Something odd is going on in YeonSung right now.¡± ¡°Something odd?¡± ¡°A person will suddenly catch on fire and burn to death.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lady Yeon and Lady Kwak stood on both sides of Yujo and spoke on with a gloomy voice. ¡°A person is suddenly burned to death? Who could do such a thing?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it. These people go to bed and are deeply asleep when their bodies suddenly catch on fire. Doesn¡¯t it sound absolutely frightening?¡± What? This was the first time she was hearing such an absurd story. A person suddenly catches on fire and is burned to death? ¡°Everyone is absolutely frightened out of their wits. Some were even having a meal when their hair and clothes suddenly caught on fire. The fire is so fierce that even water won¡¯t extinguish it. It all happens so fast that only the ashes remain in the end. Doesn¡¯t it sound absolutely terrible?¡± ¡°How could that be? How can something like that even happen?¡± ¡°That¡¯s why everyone¡¯s losing their minds! And only that one person burns. No one started the fire or was even around the victim when it happened. Even the chair they were sitting on is in one piece!¡± The more Yujo listened, the more she found it unbelievable. Did this make any sense? This is what they said. It all started during the autumn of last year. The people who suddenly caught on fire ranged from high-ranking government officials to wealthy men. In the most recent incident, it had even hit a member of the elite. These people had been sharing a meal with many people or were sitting alone in their carriages. One of them was even asleep. All of these people suddenly caught on fire and burned to death. The fierce fire started from their chests before engulfing their faces and heads. However there was something strange about these incidents. Right before these eight people died, or even right after, the lady of Heukra appeared. ¡°Heukra?¡± Actually, Yujo already heard about these incidents. However, she acted ignorant in order to hear what these people had to say. Lady Yeon seemed excited at Yujo¡¯s reaction and continued on. ¡°Yes, it means Black Silk. The lady wears a dark purple outfit and a black veil.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°But there¡¯s something strange about this woman.¡± Just as Lady Yeon was about to continue on with her story, Lady Kwak held up her hand and shook it in disgust. ¡°Shh! Lady Yeon, don¡¯t speak of that.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s so strange, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll get in trouble. That¡¯s enough.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Yujo couldn¡¯t hold in her frustration and asked. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Lady Yeon hesitated. ¡°I¡¯ll end up hearing sooner or later, won¡¯t I?¡± Yujo smiled as she spoke. The two ladies in front of her glanced at each other. In the end, Lady Yeon held up her fan and hid her lips as she whispered. Yujo¡¯s eyes widened. TN: So we finally have the entrance of the ML and the start of a mystery. I gotta say¡­ I¡¯m a lot more interested in the mystery than the romance right now Chapter 2.2 ¡°Did you already know about this?¡± That night, Yujo returned home and demanded an answer from Jewol. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Jewol took off his spectacles as he asked back. ¡°About the things people are saying about the Heukra!¡± Jewol finally understood what Yujo was talking about and let out a sigh. ¡°I knew.¡± ¡°You knew? Did you just tell me that you knew? Why didn¡¯t you tell me such an important detail before now?¡± ¡°I tried to tell you. But we needed to get through the wedding ceremony first, and I wanted to give you some time to adjust to your life here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need time to adjust. You should have told me from the very beginning!¡± ¡°Yujo! I mean, SoYeon.¡± Jewol burst out of his seat and grabbed Yujo¡¯s arm. His grip tightened as he spoke in a strained voice. ¡°What difference would it have made if I told you? Would you have rejected this offer for a peace treaty if you knew?¡± Yujo looked straight at him. He was right. Would it have made any difference? It would only have answered one of the many questions she had buried in her heart. Now she knew why the Silver Nation¡¯s Crown Prince wanted to catch the Heukra! ¡°Is the Heukra truly the vengeful spirit of the killed guibin*?¡± Guibin Nok. This woman was famous, even in Yeha. The northern province of the Silver Nation shared a border with the northern part of Yeha, so the rumors spread quickly. Guibin Nok was from the northern province, and she was also the fifth wife of the emperor. In the inner court, which was filled with mostly daughters, she managed to give birth to the second prince, the Red King. Therefore she was promoted to the status of guibin. Her downfall and death was also widely known in Yeha. But that woman was dead. Seven years had already passed since her death. And yet everyone was saying that the Heukra was the vengeful spirit of Guibin Nok. This was because the mysterious woman who had appeared near the killed victims had been wearing the waistband of the guibin. In the Silver Nation, a woman¡¯s waistband was an important indicator of her status. The waistbands of the imperial family were distinctive and couldn¡¯t be worn by anyone else. Especially those worn by the empress or a concubine. If one wore it without much thought, it could be punishable by death. But that woman was wearing the guibin¡¯s waistband? This was the strangest piece of information. Whether the Heukra was human or a spirit, the people were once again speaking about the guibin. Additionally, Yujo couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that this was connected to the Red King. People made things up and told stories. They believed lies were the truth. The guibin who had been the Red King¡¯s mother. The guibin who had died a tragic death. She had come back from the dead and was burning people to death. What else would the people think? They¡¯d definitely believe this was the curse of the Heukra as well as the guibin¡¯s curse. ¡°Is that why the Crown Prince is so desperate to know the identity of the Heukra?¡± At Yujo¡¯s question, Jewol let out a quiet sigh and returned to his desk to organize it. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Ha.¡± Yujo scoffed. Well, it was none of her business. It wouldn¡¯t even matter to her whether the Crown Prince ate someone by grilling them or by boiling them. Either way, it had something to do with the Crown Prince. He wouldn¡¯t be calling her here just because of a gruesome series of murders. But she really didn¡¯t want to jump into the veiled enmity of the imperial palace. But Yujo¡­ Is this a time for you to feel uncomfortable? She thought to herself and smiled bitterly. This wasn¡¯t the time to feel uncomfortable. Didn¡¯t she choose to do this in order to save Yeha? Then she had no right to complain about how this was different from what she had expected. ¡°Fine.¡± Yujo turned her head and looked at Jewol. ¡°Do you also think the Heukra is the vengeful spirit of the guibin, Brother? I don¡¯t have the ability to capture a ghost.¡± Jewol shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s merely a clever trick. There¡¯s no way it¡¯s a ghost. Would a ghost truly kill a person?¡± ¡°Why not? It might be a ghost.¡± ¡°Quit it, Yujo.¡± Jewol didn¡¯t like superstitions or ghosts. He always said, ¡®Humans are far more terrible than ghosts¡¯. ¡°When people don¡¯t understand something, they claim it is the work of a ghost or a curse. If one looks close enough, one will always find that it was the deed of a living, breathing person all along.¡± Yujo smiled bitterly as she nodded. He was right. When it came to strange occurrences, there was a high chance it was caused by someone with a heartbeat. Jewol took out a box and began to tidy up his desk. His desk was always filled with documents and various pebbles, roots, and animal bones. There were plates and chisels strewn across the desk. ¡°What is all this?¡± ¡°What? I¡¯m in the middle of helping you with your mission.¡± ¡°You¡¯re helping me?¡± ¡°Of course. What, do you want me to just leave you alone?¡± ¡°Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± When Yujo suddenly approached him, he became surprised. ¡°I¡¯m always grateful to you.¡± With her chin propped up in her hand, she grinned at him. Jewol coughed awkwardly and turned his head away. His ears were red. ¡°Stop speaking nonsense and look at this.¡± Jewol held up a red stone and showed it to her. ¡°This is apatite.¡± ¡°Apatite?¡± ¡°Yes. They say the victims suddenly caught on fire. Isn¡¯t that strange? But there are some things that catch on fire once it¡¯s exposed to the air. This stone has that property.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Yujo quickly stretched out her hand and touched the stone. It just seemed like a normal stone. But there was such a terrifying property hidden inside? Jewol finished tidying up his desk and held out his hand. He took back the apatite. ¡°It¡¯s not a ghost. It¡¯s definitely a human being. There are times when people pretend it¡¯s the work of a ghost. We¡¯ll catch the Heukra no matter what, so don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?¡± Yujo glanced at him. If it weren¡¯t for Jewol, how would she be able to bear all of this? ¡°I won¡¯t concern myself with matters regarding the Crown Prince¡¯s veiled enmity.¡± ¡°Haa, how would you concern yourself? You just mind your own business.¡± ¡°About that¡­¡± Yujo¡¯s voice lowered. Jewol frowned. He had an ominous feeling in his gut. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Brother, I have a favor to ask of you.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it. For some reason, I feel scared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. It¡¯s something very easy for you, Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Jewol looked at Yujo suspiciously. ¡°Each one of these occurrences had a victim, right?¡± No way¡­ Jewol paled. ¡°I want to see the corpse with my own eyes, Brother.¡± When he heard her words, Jewol pressed his hand to his forehead. Duke MoonYeo appeared at the judicial office in the middle of the night, causing the entire judicial office to descend into chaos. With his face full of worry, he told the palace guard that he had met WooRyong¡¯s Danju three days ago. He claimed that he wanted to speak to the guard¡¯s superior about this. The palace guard immediately tensed up and quickly ushered the duke inside. Just having this graceful man¡¯s presence inside the hellish judicial office seemed to beautify the place. While the soldiers were dazzled by Jewol¡¯s beauty, an agile shadow quickly jumped over the wall and landed softly on the roof of the building. A black robe covered her from head to toe, and only her eyes were exposed. Yujo ran across the roof with light footsteps, almost as if she were a flying black bird. She made sure to stay in the shadows of the building. The man who had been killed by the Heukra was definitely somewhere within the judicial office. At least until the medical examiner came to take a look. No matter how much they tried to preserve the corpse by sprinkling salt over it, five days had already passed. It was bound to rot and stink. Yujo sharpened her five senses and sniffed the air. She had grown up hunting animals in the wild. Telling distinctive scents apart from each other came easy to her. Left. She moved to the left. The scent of a rotting corpse and burnt flesh became stronger. Now a few steps forward¡­ Yujo walked silently like a cat as she made her way through the corridor. She hid behind a pillar. At the end of the corridor, she saw a light. Two men in white came out of a room and were murmuring to each other as they walked away. The scent of the corpse leaked out of the doorway along with them. That¡¯s the room. Yujo silently walked along the corridor and entered the room. The corpse was laid out in the middle of the room, covered in a white cloth. A chill ran down her spine for no reason, but Yujo hardened her heart and slightly pulled at the cloth. ¡°Ugh!¡± This was a lot more disgusting than she¡¯d expected. Yujo quickly let go of the cloth and covered up the corpse. She had seen many gruesome corpses in the battlefield, but this was the first time she¡¯d seen anything like this. The rumors had been correct. The corpse was completely burned to a crisp. Only the pieces of the corpse¡¯s hand and feet were left intact. What could have done something like this? It took a long time for a person¡¯s body to burn. For the victims to be ignited so quickly and burn down to this state in such a short amount of time¡­ Just how hot could it have been? Yujo saw the corpse¡¯s clothes lying in a corner of the room. Although they were only scraps, Yujo quickly made her way across the room and touched the fabric. She brought it to her nose and tried sniffing it. Something smelled strange. I should probably take this, right? ¡°Are you the Heukra?¡± Suddenly, the cold voice of a man rang in the room. Startled, Yujo turned around. She could hardly believe it. The man had completely erased his presence and was now standing across the room. Like Yujo, his face was covered. A suffocating tension hung over the room as a murderous spirit emanated from the man. Only the corpse was between them. He didn¡¯t raise his sword. He didn¡¯t even move. But the room was filled with his overpowering aura. If Yujo hadn¡¯t held her ground, she felt as if she would have been strangled by the tension in the room. Just like her, he was wearing wearing black clothes and a black hood. Only his eyes could be seen. Although he was completely silent, it was closer to the silence of a wild beast. Although he wasn¡¯t baring his teeth like one, Yujo could tell that he was incredibly dangerous. A shiver ran down Yujo¡¯s spine. It wasn¡¯t something that could be recognized by human rationality. It was an animalistic instinct. ¡°I asked you if you were the Heukra.¡± The man¡¯s question was simple. However, no matter what answer she gave him, she wouldn¡¯t be able to leave the room without his permission. She knew that much. Yujo didn¡¯t answer him. Any reply she gave him would put her at a disadvantage. Yeha¡¯s ChungMae. Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife. Either of these identities could not be revealed here. Instead of answering him, Yujo drew out the sword she had strapped to her back. ¡°Stupid choice.¡± Suddenly, whoosh! Something passed by her. It wasn¡¯t a sword. It was chi. It flashed past her as it almost slashed her throat. No! Yujo quickly twisted her body up and avoided the sword that approached her. In this state, she kicked the wall and flew towards the man in the mask as she swung her sword. Clang! The man¡¯s forearm clashed with her sword. More accurately, the sheathe hidden in his sleeve blocked her attack. Her sword scraped against the sheathe of his sword. Yujo quickly tried to get behind him and head for the door.She didn¡¯t plan on fighting this man. She knew from the start that she wouldn¡¯t be able to defeat him. She needed to run away for now. However, the man was faster and blocked her escape. Clang! Yujo flew back across the room. Her back crashed into the wall. But she couldn¡¯t let things end this way. Haa! Yujo swiftly ran towards the man with a shout. With the corpse lying between them, the two of them began an intense sword fight. Their swords almost caused the cloth on the corpse to fall. Yujo grit her teeth and blocked his sword with hers. He was incredibly powerful. Even though she¡¯d only blocked his blows three times, Yujo¡¯s sword ended up breaking. Bang! A shard of Yujo¡¯s sword plunged into the wall. At the same time, the cloth that had been covering her face fell off. When she saw the man¡¯s eyes widen, Yujo realized that her face was exposed. Damn it. Yujo groaned inside her heart. However, she didn¡¯t back down and glared at him. Focus. Just because your face has been revealed doesn¡¯t mean your identity has been blown. She noticed his hesitation and didn¡¯t miss this chance. She quickly raised his arm and crouched down as she burst out the window. With a loud crash, the window shattered. The surprised guards began to shout as they made their way to the room. Yujo quickly kicked the torch in the corridor and caused it to fall onto the ground. The oil leaked out and the fire began to spread. Yujo quickly jumped onto the roof and ran away. However, when she got up on the outer wall, she noticed a sharp aura emanating from behind her. She felt something strike her back. Ugh! It was definitely him. As expected, when she turned around, she saw him standing there with his sword. She felt her back sting. She had definitely been cut by his sword. My goodness. How could such a master be in a place like this? Neigh! Suddenly, she heard the sound of a horse¡¯s cry. Surprisingly, she saw a horse standing underneath an oak tree. Although she could only see its outline due to the shadows, she could tell that it was an incredible war horse. Was this her attacker¡¯s horse? She didn¡¯t ponder this for too long and quickly jumped on top the horse. While it was a grave crime to steal a horse, that man was more terrifying to her. If she let the horse go when she was finished with it, it would find its way back to its master anyway! ¡°Haw!¡± Yujo skillfully squeezed the horse¡¯s flanks. Members of Yeha¡¯s ruling family learned to ride a horse from a very young age. Something like this came naturally to her. As if the horse had been waiting for her all along, it began to run through the night streets of YeonSung, carrying her on its back. It was almost as if it were flying in the wind. Chapter 3.1 He couldn¡¯t believe it. Garan, the Red King, stood on top of the wall, completely astonished. He watched as Jukmu frantically ran down the road, carrying the girl on its back. Garan had never been this dumbfounded in his life. If it weren¡¯t for the wound on his chest, he wouldn¡¯t have let her escape like this. ¡°Jukmu, you son of a bitch.¡± Jukmu was an incredibly intelligent horse. The war horse was able to discern its master¡¯s mood and the situation it was in. But after they had returned from war, they separated him from the mare he had taken a liking to. And he had been like this ever since. But still¡­ How could it allow the person he was pursuing to ride on its back? And now they were running away together? He couldn¡¯t believe it. The horse never allowed anyone other than its master ride him. But that woman was definitely riding Jukmu right now as she ran away. Rather than the fact that he had let the woman get away, Garan was even more furious that Jukmu, that bastard, was the one who was letting the woman ride on its back as she made her escape. A woman. It was definitely a woman. Was she the Heukra? No, probably not. The people claimed that the Heukra was the guibin¡¯s vengeful spirit. His mother was known as a peerless beauty and had been incredibly gorgeous and seductive. However, the woman under the hood was as cold and as sleek as a snow flower. Her eyes had an odd trace of blue and looked as sharp and as wild as the eyes of a hawk. Just who was she? ¡°Over there!¡± Suddenly, a shout from behind pulled him out of his thoughts. Garan glanced behind him and clicked his tongue. Nobody must know that he had been here today. He immediately jumped down from the wall. He suddenly realized again that Jukmu wasn¡¯t here and angrily clenched his jaw. ¡°Whoa.¡± The horse ran frantically as it helped her escape. Yujo pulled on the horse¡¯s reins once they were safely inside the forest where she had agreed to meet Jewol. She looked behind her nervously. The dark forest path was densely packed with trees, its leaves rustling in the wind. It was completely silent. Like a prey being chased, Yujo nervously looked around before letting out a sigh of relief. Her hands holding the reins were damp with sweat. She hadn¡¯t felt this nervous in a long time. Her back was stung painfully from from the man¡¯s blow. Just what kind of man was he? Was he another person who was looking for the Heukra? ¡°Ugh.¡± Her back hurt even more as she moved. She carefully touched her back and realized that the fabric wet, but her back wasn¡¯t bleeding. The stinging flesh felt like it was whipped. What a terrifying man. How could he make an attack such as this? And he¡¯d even gotten a glimpse of her face. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I made a mistake. And right at the beginning, too.¡± She felt as if she¡¯d go crazy from the disappointment. No matter what happened, she needed to be even more careful moving forward. She finally jumped off the horse. The horse was clearly well taken care of. Its coat had a glossy sheen, and even though they¡¯d run such a long way, it was barely panting. And it was a lot larger and more muscular than an average horse. It was a top-quality, powerful horse. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The horse whinnied. Yujo chuckled. The people of Yeha reared horses so well that it was said they were born on top of a horse. Yujo had been riding horses since the age of five, and she even reared them, so she knew them very well. She also had an extraordinary ability to communicate with animals. ¡°You¡¯re truly amazing.¡± Yujo thanked the horse for bringing her all the way here and began to stroke its neck. If it weren¡¯t for him, she really have really been in trouble. The horse glanced at her. Its eyes were filled with an endless arrogance. It was probably the strongest stallion she had ever seen. ¡°Are you a horse from the judicial office?¡± Neigh, the horse turned its head away. It was a well-trained war horse. If it was known that she had stolen such an important horse, they might decline the peace treaty. She needed to send this horse back as soon as possible. But it was so cute. Fweeeet! Suddenly, she heard Jewol¡¯s whistle. It was the sign they had agreed on to alert the other of their presence in the forest. Yujo whistled back to let him know where she was. The horse¡¯s ear twitched as it cautiously looked around. ¡°Thank you for today.¡± The horse was quite intelligent, so it would be able to find its way back home easily. Yujo let go of the reins and lightly slapped its bottom. The horse whinnied once more before it raced back home. ¡°Yujo!¡± Jewol exited the carriage with a pale face. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Yujo sighed and entered the carriage. Her back twinged, causing a groan to escape her lips. ¡°Are you hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s hurry back.¡± Jewol hurriedly dragged her back home. The cry of a bird rang in the night sky. She looked out the window to calm her unsettled heart. Yujo recalled the man¡¯s black eyes. She still felt as if she were being purused by that man, making her feel extremely anxious. ¡°Are you really okay?¡± As soon as they returned home, Jewol immediately went and brought back some medicine. Through her torn clothes, he could see her red, swollen back. ¡°Ah, damn it.¡± An unexpected curse left his lips. ¡°Ha, Brother, you know how to curse?¡± Yujo asked laughingly as she turned her head around. A part of her tried to brush off the pain to ease Jewol¡¯s worries. When one trained in the martial arts, it was normal to receive wounds like this. It was nothing to worry or cry about. The only mistake she had made today was revealing her face. She should have been more careful. Yujo frowned with displeasure. It bothered her that she¡¯d been caught by someone with such amazing military prowess. ¡°I need to find out who that man is.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find out who he is in the morning. For now, let¡¯s apply some medicine to your wound.¡± ¡°Brother.¡± Yujo blocked Jewol¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll apply the medicine myself.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s on your back. How will you reach it?¡± ¡°I can do it, so give it to me. You¡¯ll press on my wound and only make it hurt more like last time.¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t me. Yuha did it to mess with you¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. I can¡¯t trust neither one of you.¡± Yujo pushed Jewol¡¯s hand away. She felt like she needed to. Although they had been on close terms for seven years now, held a marriage ceremony, and even slept in the same room at times, this felt a bit uncomfortable for her. No matter how close they were, he was still a man, and she was still a woman. She didn¡¯t think this was proper. ¡°¡­Fine.¡± ¡°Are you disappointed?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re annoyed.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± Yujo laughed apologetically. But no matter how close they were, it would be best if she kept her distance. ¡°No matter how much you trust Jewol, you must never show him your body.¡± Before she left, Brother Yuha pleaded her. ¡°Brother!¡± Yujo burst out of her seat with disgust. ¡°Don¡¯t say such strange things!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not strange. Although Jewol doesn¡¯t let anyone touch him, can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re the only exception?¡± ¡°Haa. I¡¯m like a younger sister to him.¡± ¡°You¡¯re my younger sister. Anyways, you must behave yourself.¡± ¡°Yes, yes, please don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Her brother¡¯s worried nagging rang clearly in her ears. Jewol still looked disappointed. He seemed upset that she didn¡¯t trust him, but it couldn¡¯t be helped. Yujo shook her head and kicked him out of the room. She barely managed to apply the medicine onto her back, but she managed. But more importantly, the Heukra, the guibin, and the Red King¡­ Were they all connected to each other? Why did these three figures appear together in this situation? ¡°Hm.¡± Yujo was deep in thought as she applied the medicine to the edge of her sword and rubbed it against her back. The only way she could tackle this question in her current position was to approach the Red King¡¯s younger sister, Princess Muyeo. Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence was incredibly extravagant. The walls were dense with red, captivating quince blossoms. From the elegant curve of the roof to every tidy corner of this residence, one could tell with just a glance that this residence¡¯s master was incredibly loved and precious. ¡°Aah, is this the bride?¡± Princess Muyeo was a small, beautiful woman. Engulfed in blueish-green silk, she looked like a mischievous, cute bird. She was the late guibin¡¯s daughter as well as the younger sister of the Red King. Yujo had come here on a hunch, but would this meeting amount to anything? Yujo carefully bowed down to the Princess before lifting her head. ¡°Greetings, Your Highness. My name is Dan SoYeon.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to meet you.¡± The princess grinned as she replied to Yujo. The tens of women who were already here hid their curious eyes behind their fans. It seemed that today was going to be another long day. Princess Muyeo was a bright and talkative person. Although she looked quite young, she was already a mother to a daughter. The daughter was born last spring, and she toddled by as she gave everyone her cute, drooling smile. The laughter never ceased among this group of ladies. As they continued to talk, Yujo found out that Princess Muyeo was the same age as her. Nineteen years old. But the princess looked so young! Innocent and cheerful Muyeo looked very young for her age. It must be nice to have such a baby face. How envious. Words of flattery or well-wishes came and went. Soon, everyone got up from their seats to move to a different venue. Everyone began walking down the corridor to enjoy the early summer flowers blooming in the garden. Suddenly, one of the ladies standing next to Yujo whispered to her. ¡°Don¡¯t ask too many questions.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± The woman folded her fan and looked at Yujo. She was Lady Mok, a second-rank official¡¯s wife. She began to wipe the sweat off her her thick neck with a silk handkerchief as she whispered quietly. ¡°I¡¯m only telling you for your own good in case you make a mistake.¡± Yujo widened her eyes. These people always claimed they were only saying something for her own good whenever they began to speak to her. ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover. This especially applies to Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence. While it may look beautiful, this household receives the scorn of many people.¡± Yujo didn¡¯t understand. What did this mean? ¡°What do you mean?¡± Lady Mok didn¡¯t reply right away. She merely opened her fan as she looked at Yujo with frustration. ¡°Exactly what I just said. I¡¯m only saying this because you keep asking a bunch of questions. If you make a mistake, you¡¯ll ruin the mood, Lady Dan.¡± She said as she tried to persuade the naive newcomer. Yujo hid her confusion and politely nodded her head. ¡°Thank you for the advice, Lady Mok.¡± Why did Princess Muyeo receive scorn? But there was always someone who would answer her questions. She already had a little bird who would tell her whatever she wanted to know, so what was there to worry about? The red poppies and blue cornflowers were dazzling as they showed off its blossoms in the garden. Yujo secretly grabbed Lady Yeon. They exchanged trifling pleasantries before Yujo furtively changed the subject. ¡°I heard something strange.¡± ¡°Something strange?¡± Lady Yeon, who loved strange stories the most, immediately huddled towards her. ¡°Never mind.¡± Yujo slightly stepped back. If she blatantly asked her question, it wouldn¡¯t seem proper. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Hurry up and tell me.¡± Lady Yeon anxiously stuck herself closer to Yujo. ¡°Why is Princess Muyeo receiving scorn?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± At Yujo¡¯s question, Lady Yeon¡¯s face turned gloomy. ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t feel comfortable telling me, you don¡¯t have to. It¡¯s just that I was ignorantly asking so many questions, so someone warned me.¡± ¡°Ah, well¡­¡± Lady Yeon glanced at the group of people standing a short distance away from them and opened her fan. ¡°You have heard about how the guibin died, right?¡± ¡°¡­Didn¡¯t she take her own life?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s what they say. However¡­ Whew¡­ I¡¯m not sure if I should be saying this¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°You heard about how the guibin was an incredible beauty, right?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard of it.¡± ¡°Even the princess can¡¯t match her beauty. Actually, the Red King takes after their mother a lot more than her. Anyways, because she was such a beauty, she was treasured by the emperor as well. But it turned out that¡­¡± She carefully looked around and hid her lips behind her ume flower fan. ¡°It turns out that there were a lot of other men.¡± ¡°What?¡± Other men? A lot of them? The Silver Nation didn¡¯t even allow a woman to show her face to men outside her family, so how could something like this have happened? ¡°Yes! Exactly. It turns out that she had given her affections to not just one or two but several men. The rumor shook the city to its core. Therefore, the emperor is still suspicious of the Red King and the princess¡¯s parentage. The Red King looks so much like the emperor, so his parentage isn¡¯t that much of a problem, but¡­¡± She glanced behind her. They saw the brightly smiling Princess Muyeo. ¡°She doesn¡¯t look like him. Princess Muyeo doesn¡¯t look like the emperor or the guibin. She doesn¡¯t even look like the Red King.¡± Ah¡­ Yujo finally understood the situation. ¡°The guibin continued to claim her innocence and took her own life. That was the only way she could save her children. The emperor hates Princess Muyeo, so he married her off at the age of thirteen. While he feels humiliated at Princess Muyeo¡¯s disgraceful parentage, he also doesn¡¯t want to admit it. The family she married into has a worthless background. This gave everyone quite a shock.¡± To think something like this had unfolded¡­ Yujo slightly turned her head touched the petals of a poppy. Something like this could also happen in Yeha. However, one would never imagine something like this happening in the Silver Nation. It was such a disgraceful scandal. Yujo continued to touch the poppy petals as she glanced at Princess Muyeo. As she hugged her young daughter, Muyeo¡¯s bright smile didn¡¯t seem to have any trace of sadness or worry. However, how could one know what was in her heart? The petal began to bruise under Yujo¡¯s fingers. If the Heukra was wearing the waistband of the guibin, how had she gotten it in the first place? If the people who had died were related to the guibin¡¯s death, was Muyeo carrying out that revenge? All the victims were middle-aged men. As she thought about the many men who had allegedly shared affections with the guibin, Yujo¡¯s head became muddled. The sunlight prickled her skin like shooting arrows. TN: Correction! Princess Muyeo had a daughter, not a son (I think I used ¡®he/his¡¯ for her child earlier in chapter 2). The Korean language doesn¡¯t really have gender-identifying pronouns¡­ I apologize for any confusion this may have caused. Chapter 3.2 WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT AHEAD ¡°Everyone, please come over here and have some iced tea.¡± The princess called out to everyone. Suddenly, Yujo¡¯s eyes met Muyeo¡¯s. With lively steps, Muyeo approached Yujo and spoke. ¡°Well, how is your newly-wedded life?¡± ¡°Everyone in the family is so nice to me, so it¡¯s not difficult for me to lay down my roots here.¡± Yujo followed etiquette and answered politely. ¡°You¡¯ve saved Duke MoonYeo*, so of course they should be kind to you.¡± ¡°My lord husband is also good to me.¡± ¡°Hm, you¡¯re letting him off too easily.¡± Princess Muyeo came closer and locked her arms with Yujo¡¯s without reserve. ¡°Don¡¯t be like that. You can curse your husband if you want to. That¡¯s how you become closer.¡± The princess¡¯s mischievous smile looked absolutely devilish. Yujo needed to get closer to Muyeo. Approaching someone with ulterior motives was a terrible thing to do, but she needed to know. She needed to dig deeper. Suspecting that the Heukra was actually Muyeo, Yujo cautiously replied. ¡°Should I? The next time we have a fight, I¡¯ll come find you for some advice.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a good idea. My husband and I have had our fair share of fights. Men are quite stupid. No matter what we say, they don¡¯t understand, and they only try to run away!¡± Princess Muyeo rambled happily as she guided Yujo inside. The other women followed behind in twos and threes, smiling like virtuous beauties. Do these beautiful women have a bloodthirstiness hidden deep within their hearts as well? Walking arm in arm, these women were beautiful ladies of the court. Princess Muyeo¡¯s bright smile didn¡¯t show any darkness. She just looked like a lovable princess, wife, and mother. She might not have been the one who directly carried out these attacks. Last year, she should have been busy taking care of her newborn child, right? Yujo was confused. However, that confusion froze inside her heart when they entered the receiving room. ¡°So, was Lady Yeon speaking about my mother again?¡± As soon as they passed through the doors, the princess¡¯s cold voice drilled into Yujo¡¯s ears. She looked at the princess in shock. ¡°Excuse me?¡± Muyeo was still smiling, but the beauty in her smile was frozen stiff. ¡°Lady Dan, do you think this is the first time something like this has happened?¡± From the outside, it looked like they were sharing a warm conversation. ¡°Hiding her mouth behind a fan, glancing at me from the corner of her eyes as she whispers¡­ How would I not know? I¡¯ve been watching people do this for seven years now.¡± Muyeo tightly grabbed Yujo¡¯s cold hand as she continued to speak. ¡°And I already know¡­ Everyone is saying that my mother has turned into a vengeful spirit and is going around killing men.¡± Yujo was at a loss for words. All she could do was stare at Muyeo, completely frozen in her spot. She accidentally stepped on her red skirt and stumbled. Muyeo helped Yujo keep her balance as she whispered. ¡°My mother isn¡¯t that kind of person. While she was a lot younger than my father emperor, she loved him very much. People keep talking about things they haven¡¯t seen or heard, and they¡¯re not ashamed of doing it. I definitely don¡¯t believe anything they say.¡± Yujo put on a flustered expression. Thankfully, it wasn¡¯t much of an act. ¡°Your Highness, please forgive me. I wasn¡¯t thinking straight¡­¡± Yujo quickly lowered her head and apologized. ¡°Why are you so flustered?¡± Unlike her earlier menacing tone, Princess Muyeo returned to her usual, innocent expression as she grinned. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past, so I¡¯m not as hurt by it anymore. Don¡¯t mind me.¡± Just a moment ago, it was as if Muyeo had grabbed Yujo¡¯s heart with a cold hand. However, now she was back to her usual self. Her eyes were gentle as she gazed at Yujo. The terrifying face she had just shown Yujo had disappeared, and now only the lovely smile was left behind. ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Lady Dan, do you know how to play the morin khuur?¡± She suddenly asked an unexpected question. ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°My mother was good at playing the morin khuur. There are times when I want to hear it again.¡± The morin khuur was an instrument that was well played in the northern province of the Silver Nation and by the clans of Yeha. Its solemn and beautiful tone was one of the best, and it was able to mimic the sound of the wind or water, even the cries of animals. Therefore, those in the north often claimed that the instrument was crafted with souls. Although speaking of the guibin was probably painful, the princess calmly brought her up. Yujo kept her eyes lowered before lifting them up to gaze at Muyeo. She followed her lead and changed the subject. ¡°Did Her Highness the Guibin play the morin khuur?¡± Muyeo remained silent for a moment before answering. ¡°Yes. She played it very well.¡± While Muyeo¡¯s tone remained steady, it sounded extremely lonely. Suddenly, she quickly returned to her bright expression and grinned at Yujo. ¡°Whenever you have some time, can you come here and play for me?¡± ¡°Ah¡­ I¡¯m not very skilled with the morin khuur, Your Highness.¡± Yujo replied cautiously. She really couldn¡¯t understand Muyeo. ¡°I¡¯m actually surprised that the guibin was able to play the morin khuur.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t know?¡± Muyeo¡¯s black eyes gazed at Yujo. ¡°My mother is from the northern province.¡± ¡°The northern province?¡± ¡°Yes, just like you, Lady Dan. Aren¡¯t the roots of the northern province different from that of YeonSung? Maybe that¡¯s why you don¡¯t feel so unfamiliar to me, Lady Dan.¡± Muyeo smiled brightly as she spoke. The northern province. The guibin was a woman from the northern province. Inside the carriage returning back home, Yujo felt strange. The riddle that Jewol had shown her¡­ It was the genealogy of the ancient Kingdom of Baran. Although it collapsed hundreds of years ago, its territory was split into the nations of EulMok, TaeRyung, Yeha, and the northern province of the Silver Nation. Additionally, the northern province was where the Temple of Baran stood, and what the Crown Prince was searching for was the family who used to reside in the northern province. Was this all just a coincidence? The guibin was also from the northern province. Yujo counted the men who had died so far. Duke SangSuh, Lee Juho. The wealthy Park Woon. The millionaire, Geum Mujang. The noblemen, Myung SeungHo and Suh SungHo. The owner of the Red and White Hotel, Moon Ho. And finally the most recent victim, the Danju** of Wooryung, Hwan Chul. Were all eight of these men connected to the northern province in any way? One of Yujo¡¯s finger tapped against the window as she returned to her home in YeonSung. She could see the magnificent imperial palace far away. She felt as if the Heukra¡¯s black shadow was hiding somewhere close. ¡°You came?¡± The sluggish voice flowed down as if it had been waiting. Jewol lifted his head. His beautiful face was pale and stiff. The lattice doors behind him closed shut. Whenever he walked through each sequential door, the door behind him would close. It felt as if he were entering a swamp that was completely separate from the world outside. A dark, endless pit. A monster lived inside. Finally, Jewol approached the Crown Prince and went on his knees as he bowed. ¡°Have you been well?¡± At Jewol¡¯s stiff greeting, the Crown Prince burst out laughing and lowered his brush. The rings covering his thick fingers flashed dimly in the light. The Crown Prince was now past his forties. His skin was darker, and his beard was bushy. He almost looked like an exact replica of the current emperor. The cruel personality, the endless greed¡­ This man was born with it as well. Wearing a loosened, disheveled robe, his large belly was protruding out along with his bushy chest hair. Jewol made an effort not to see him like this and kept his eyes on the floor. He recalled the first time they¡¯d met. How old had he been? Seven? Eight? Back then, the Crown Prince was in his late twenties. He didn¡¯t have a big belly like now, but his eyes were just as cold as they were back then. As always, those eyes swept over Jewol¡¯s prostrated figure. It seemed like those eyes were going to call for him. Come here, our pretty Duke MoonYeo. Jewol felt as if they were calling him. Those mysterious eyes. The cold eyes of a snake as it gazed upon its prey. His touch as he slowly coiled himself around him. A shiver ran down Jewol¡¯s back. ¡°You¡¯ve gotten married, so how can I be well?¡± As if his tongue was stuck to the roof of his mouth, Jewol couldn¡¯t say a word in reply. ¡°Well, how does it feel to finally welcome the bride you¡¯ve been yearning for? Is your newly-married life as sweet as you expected?¡± The Crown Prince leaned one arm against the armrest and looked out the window. The light of the sunset coming in through the black lattices of the window was as red as blood. ¡°Everything is¡­¡± Jewol¡¯s voice was low and soft. It sounded pathetic as it shook. ¡°A result of your grace, Your Highness.¡± His voice faded away, and a silence settled in the room. The Crown Prince turned his head and glared at Jewol. The silence pressed down heavily on Jewol¡¯s head. ¡°Did your wife manage to catch the tail of the Heukra?¡± Jewol remained silent. He only wanted this time to pass by as fast as possible. If only he could turn around and escape this room¡­ If only he could scream out¡­ No, if only he could just leave the Silver Nation and run away to Yeha with Yujo¡­ How wonderful would it be? It didn¡¯t matter. The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes were always following him. No, he wouldn¡¯t even have to catch him. Just remembering what had happened the last time he tried to run away made his heart freeze in his chest. His feet reflexively pressed down onto the floor. ¡°When the rainy season is over, go back to Yeha and bring me the chief.¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s voice was low and cold. Jewol¡¯s head burst up. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°I have already waited two seasons for you. Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± ¡°But, Your Highness!¡± ¡°Jewol!¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s shout boomed down at Jewol. Jewol¡¯s face became as white as a sheet as he kept his mouth shut. ¡°You¡¯re the one who begged me to at least give you the girl.¡± Jewol closed his eyes. He recalled the events from seven years ago. Fifteen-year-old Yuha and twelve-year-old Yujo. As soon as they had heard about what those thieves had done to him, what had their faces looked like? ¡°I¡¯ll avenge you!¡± ¡°Leave it alone.¡± ¡°Leave it alone?! Does that make any sense? Those men did something that mustn¡¯t be done. And they did it on the land of Yeha no less! We cannot allow such nasty and dirty deeds to go unpunished!¡± Although he still looked quite young, the ever-brave Yuha had a determined look on his face. Yujo, who had been sitting next to her brother, burst out of her seat and grabbed her bow. ¡°That¡¯s right! We can¡¯t leave them alone! Brother, let¡¯s go!¡± That night, Yuha and Yujo, along with some of Yeha¡¯s warriors, went out and killed the thieves who had attacked Jewol. ¡°The things that happen on Yeha¡¯s land is our responsibility. Jewol, I¡¯m sorry. Those men will pay for what they did to you. From now on, we will protect you. So don¡¯t worry. Don¡¯t give up.¡± Yuha had spoken those words with his characteristic, determined face. Yuha, Yujo. The foolish, stupid brother-sister pair had become his closest allies. They had opened their hearts and make him their friend. Children of the grasslands. Idiots who were ignorant of the cunning and frustrating people of YeonSung. Why did they accept him? Why did they show him mercy? Jewol was a spy from the Silver Nation from the very beginning. Having received the Crown Prince¡¯s orders, he had gone to Yeha. His mission was to infiltrate the chieftain¡¯s family and earn their goodwill and trust. Therefore, the story of running into those thieves and being attacked in such a disgusting manner¡­ Saying that he wanted to kill himself because of it¡­ All of it was a lie. It was all an act. But they didn¡¯t know anything about this. How foolish! Therefore, this betrayal wasn¡¯t his fault. It was all a result of their own stupidity. The Crown Prince¡¯s cold eyes looked down at Jewol. ¡°I remember telling you to pick one of the two. Shouldn¡¯t you be grateful that I¡¯m not killing both of them? You¡¯ve even gained a wife. What more could you want? Either way, the ancestors of Yeha were a fallen tribe that had been defeated by the northern province. And didn¡¯t he already lose a leg? He can¡¯t even move freely on his own. Since you¡¯ve earned his trust, that¡¯s enough. Because you¡¯ve passed on our military secrets to him, I¡¯ve lost face in front of Father Emperor twice now.¡± His eyes were filled with rage. Not even once but twice. And not just that. They had sent ten thousand troops, but had received a crushing defeat. This was all because he had sent Jewol as a spy into enemy territory, but he had been stabbed in the back instead. A traitor deserved to die. But he didn¡¯t want to kill Jewol. Therefore, instead of killing him, he gave Jewol an even greater punishment. A cunning smile stretched across the Crown Prince¡¯s thick lips. ¡°Don¡¯t forget that the punishment I gave you is light considering what you¡¯ve done. This is all because I treasure you.¡± Jewol flinched and couldn¡¯t stop his body from shaking. Jewol¡¯s hands were trembling on the floor. He swallowed back a groan and clenched his hands into fists. He couldn¡¯t tell anyone about the things that had been done to him after he had leaked the secrets to Yeha. Just remembering the merciless and toe-curling things he had gone through made his body shake as if he were having a seizure. He was all grown now. He was an adult now. He didn¡¯t have to fear him anymore. But fear was quite a strong method of discipline. Like a dog salivating in front of its food, whenever Jewol saw the Crown Prince, his whole body shriveled up. He couldn¡¯t even breathe correctly. ¡°Bring me that chief. Don¡¯t push me any further. Yeha is a nation that is destined to disappear from this world. And catch the Heukra as soon as possible. Our goal cannot be achieved just by taking over the land of Yeha. We need the other thing. So tell your wife that she needs to pick up the pace. Or else, I¡¯ll cut off her arms and legs and only leave her head in tact.¡± Jewol bit his red lips. He felt as if the floor was transforming into mud. His body was gradually sinking. ¡°Don¡¯t anger me anymore. I¡¯ve already had enough to deal with thanks to that bastard, Garan¡­ How can I not know what Father Emperor is thinking? Lately, his eyes have grown deeper as he looks at that bastard.¡± Was it because of the lingering attachment he felt for the treacherous guibin? The Crown Prince¡¯s face filled with hatred and pain. Whenever he recalled the guibin, hundreds of memories filled his head. When she was seventeen-years-old, she entered the imperial palace as a mere dancer. Even at the age of seventeen, she was an eye-catching beauty. Just by standing still, she was able to seduce those around her. How old had he been back then? He had been eighteen. Yes, he basically killed her. From a dancer, she became a concubine. And from a concubine, she became the guibin. And he hated her. She gave birth to a prince and a princess for the old emperor, and he hated her for it. As more time passed by, the thirst grew stronger. He wanted to pull her underneath him and crush her. Humiliate her. And ultimately, that wish came true. So if that woman had come back from the dead and was carrying out her revenge, he would be her ultimate target. ¡°Huu¡­¡± Since when had his hands clenched into fists? Since when had they begun to tremble? The Crown Prince smiled bitterly and relaxed his hands. He looked down at his cousin, who was still trembling on the floor. The Crown Prince held out his hand. ¡°Jewol, come here. Quickly.¡± Jewol¡¯s hands trembled on the floor. His eyes closed before opening once again. He recalled Yujo¡¯s face staring back at him. Yujo, free as a bird. Her lovely, long hair fluttering in the wind as she rode her horse. Yujo smiling back at him. My lovely, lovely Yujo. He needed to protect her. No matter what. Jewol stood up. The duke¡¯s outer garments fell to the floor. Then the next layer of garments slid down. Step by step, he made his way to the Crown Prince. With each step, laughter seemed to bubble up in the cruel man¡¯s eyes. Jewol went on his knees in front of him. The Crown Prince¡¯s pants loosened. Jewol didn¡¯t hesitate and lowered his head. * Muyeo is saying that Yujo ¡°saved¡± Jewol by ¡°sleeping with him¡±, LOL! Everyone was worried because it seemed like he had ¡®trouble in bed¡¯, but they think Yujo fixed him. **Danju: I¡¯m guessing this is some kind of position or title, but I can¡¯t for the life of me figure it out. I tried searching naver, google, daum, etc. None of the results make any sense¡­ The closest hunch I can get is maybe a Buddhist monk? But I¡¯m not 100% sure, so I just kept it as is. TN: OMG . The Crown Prince is absolutely disgusting. And Jewol is quite the tragic character. I just want everyone to be happy (except the Crown Prince. He can just go to hell). Chapter 4.1 - (Peony of the Night) part 1 WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT UP AHEAD The evening rain began to fall even harder. Yujo looked down at her notes before looking out the window. Jewol was late today. ¡°Madame.¡± Yujo flinched in surprise and answered the call. ¡°Wait.¡± She quickly gathered the papers and placed them beneath the blanket. They were the documents Jewol had secretly acquired at the judicial office. The documents provided the strange details of the deaths of the victims. Her hunch had been correct. These men all came from families rooted in the northern province, just like the guibin. The only problem was figuring out what connected these men other than their origins. These men weren¡¯t familiar with each other. ¡°Enter.¡± At her order, Ran entered the room and lowered her head. ¡°The duke has sent a message. He said that he¡¯d be staying at the Academy today.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jewol was helping her at the Academy where all the historical documents and reports were kept. But no matter how much work he had, he always returned home. Did something urgent happen today? ¡°All right.¡± After Ran left the room, Yujo folded back the blanket and glanced back down at the papers. There was no record of the victims visiting each other. It didn¡¯t seem like they were close to each other at all, but saying that they were killed solely for their connections to the northern province could be too much of a leap. Feeling the onset of a headache, Yujo let out a deep breath and looked out the window. It didn¡¯t look like it would stop raining anytime soon. She could hear the faint sound of thunder. The heavy rain came down even harder. The short rainfall would wash away the pain and suffering and bring forth a revival. It was also preparing a new life for the people of Yeha. I wonder how Brother is doing? Is his leg okay? He shouldn¡¯t overwork himself in his condition¡­ Yujo quickly shook her head and brushed off the worries and yearning. ¡°I should work hard too. I can¡¯t lose to Brother.¡± She took out the papers and began to look through them carefully. The report stated that the Danju had burst into flames when he was asleep. The location was written as ChiHwaRu, next to the Silk River. The judicial office¡¯s investigation wasn¡¯t finished, so the scene of the incident would still be in tact. Maybe she should check it out and search for some clues. Having made her decision, Yujo quickly began to tie her hair. The raindrops shot down onto the earth like spears. Standing on top of the overgrown branches of the magnolia tree, Yujo didn¡¯t blink as she looked below. The Silk River was a river that flowed through the west of YeonSung. A large floodgate ran across the river, and a variety of large and small boats were anchored along its pier. Connected to the pier, the ChiHwaRu Brothel was bustling with people from all over the world. The men who had gone through a long, arduous journey at sea swarmed to the brothel like bees to honey as they became drunk with women. As if the Danju¡¯s death had already been forgotten, the brothel was once again filled with music and song. The dead was the dead, and the living continued to live on. What should she do? Yujo bit her lip. She hadn¡¯t thought much of it as she made her way here, and now she realized that she was wearing her black robe. Additionally, she¡¯d only heard about brothels from her older brothers back at home. She had never been to one herself. Should I wait for the people to fall asleep? But it was already past the Hour of Hae (9PM-11PM). Ran was going to come inside her room to wake her up at dawn. Yujo always shared her breakfast with Princess Yeowa, so she didn¡¯t have time to just stand here like this. Or is there another way? Suddenly, the back door of the brothel burst open. A group of courtesans came outside as they burst into laughter. One of the drunk courtesans staggered and walked over to the river before throwing up. The others shouted out and held a paper umbrella over her body. The open door banged against the wall as the wind blew. Yujo¡¯s eyes narrowed. Amidst the commotion of the courtesans, Yujo easily slid behind them and entered through the open door. She must have entered the kitchen because she could smell fried fish and beef stew. Her clothes were dripping wet, so Yujo quickly left the kitchen and entered a corridor. She soon found herself inside a storage room. There was a ladder going up. It led to a small room where the courtesans could rest or change their clothes. Yujo sneaked into the room and closed the door. A bronze mirror rested against one of the walls along with a lit brazier. On top of a vanity, Yujo saw a some charcoal and a variety of makeup tools strewn across the surface. She also saw a red silk outfit hanging next to the vanity. This was definitely more than sufficient. After locking the door, Yujo quickly dried her wet body. She could hear the sound of music and clapping hands through the thin, wood-paneled walls. The men continued to flirt and leer at the women. It seemed that even the death of a man or a terrible storm outside wouldn¡¯t stop them from enjoying their drink and their women. Yujo barely managed to take off her clothes that had stuck to her body. She examined the red, silk outfit. Because it was an outfit meant for a courtesan, the shoulders and upper chest were exposed. Yujo¡¯s neck and chest were still damp with rain, and she didn¡¯t feel comfortable exposing herself like this, but there was no other choice. She quickly wrapped the waistband around her hips and did her best to dry her hair. She swept it up, but because it was still more than half-damp, the drops of water began to drip down the nape of her neck. Instead of putting on the cheap accessories, Yujo reached over and plucked a dark pink peony flower and put it in her hair. But she didn¡¯t have a good place to hide her knife. What should she do? ¡°YangYang!¡± Someone was banging on the door. Yujo froze in shock. She held up her knife and moved towards the door. If the woman banging on the door came inside, Yujo would have no choice but to render her unconscious. The woman continued to bang on the door as she spoke up in a drunk voice. ¡°YangYang, are you still inside?¡± Yujo held her breath and didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°Damn it, I told you to just throw it up. Why did you drink everything that bastard gave you? Seriously, how stupid.¡± The woman continued to shout in front of the door. Someone must have called for her because she suddenly turned around and answered back. Her voice began to fade as she walked away. Yujo let out a sigh of relief as she stood behind the door. I need to hurry up and get out. The only way she could carry her dagger in secret was to strap it to her thigh. Just as she was about to exit the room, she caught her reflection in the bronze mirror. She looked incredibly pale, so she quickly rushed to the vanity and applied some rouge to her cheeks. Then she went back and pressed her ear to the door. She heard the usual raucous shouts of drunkards and the sound of instruments playing music. She slightly opened the door and squeezed herself out. Yujo was instantly surrounded by a hazy and dizzying atmosphere. In other words, it was total chaos. The space was an atrium surrounded by four floors. The people around her were shouting as they looked down. The dancing girls were performing in transparent clothing that reminded Yujo of dragonfly wings. The strips of red cloth coming down from the ceiling fluttered. The girls danced underneath the candlelight. Their dance was dizzying and erotic, almost as if the men¡¯s fantasies had come to life. ¡°Take it off! Take it off!¡± The men stomped their feet on the floor as they shouted. One of the dancers grinned and slightly slid down the collar of her dress, revealing one breast. Suddenly, the brothel seemed to shake from the men¡¯s roars. This was the first time Yujo had seen something like this. She did her best to keep her expression calm and hide her shock. Thankfully it was dark inside and everyone¡¯s attention was focused on the dancing girls in the atrium. She saw a bottle of liquor on top of a small serving table. She quickly grabbed the table with the liquor and began to move. Act natural. Natural. Yujo began to take deep breaths in order to calm her tense body. She moved through the crowd and headed for the stairs. According to the report from the judicial office, the room where the Danju of WooRyong had burned to death was at the very end of the brothel on the fourth floor. Because it was a room reserved for VIP guests, it wasn¡¯t accessible to just anyone. However, the men who were supposed to stand guard were standing against the balcony railings as they watched the performance below. The beats of the drum sped up. The women tangled together and began to move as if they were in the middle of having sex. They licked each other and began to shake their bottoms to the beat of the drum. The temperature inside the brothel went up as if a fire had started. The strips of red cloth coming down from the ceiling wrapped around the white thighs of the dancers. The dancers tilted their heads back and moaned as they began to ride the strips of red cloth as if it were a horse. Their hips moved back and forth. Like beasts, their faces looked erotic as moans spilled out from between their red lips. The men swallowed helplessly. Yujo¡¯s footsteps followed the beats of the drum, and they began to move faster. When she finally made her way up to the fourth floor, Yujo¡¯s looked up and met the eyes of one of the guards. Surprised, she lowered her head. Had she been caught? Her heart began to race. Suddenly¡­ the man stretched out his hand and grabbed the bottle that was on top of the serving table. Then he lowered his gaze and cackled as he watched the dancers below. After getting over the initial shock, Yujo finally moved as she entered deeper into the fourth floor. Compared the the floors below, the fourth floor was a lot quieter. The closed, circular doors seemed to have customers behind them. She heard soft voices and the sound of a mandolin. She carefully placed the serving table down on top of a cupboard and heightened her five senses as she made her way past the rooms. As she turned a corner, she saw the door to a room at the very end of a dark corridor. She saw a yellow paper from the judiciary office stuck to the door to prohibit access. Having come all the way here, she couldn¡¯t just leave empty-handed. Yujo ignored the warning and mercilessly opened the door. Suddenly, the scent of blood overwhelmed her senses. It smelled so disgusting that she almost felt like vomiting. The room was as dark as a cave. She quickly went back to the corridor and grabbed a lantern. The room looked even more gloomy and strange under the lantern light. Just as she¡¯d heard, only the center of the bed was burnt black. So it was true. Only the person burned, and his surroundings were left unharmed. Yujo began to thoroughly look around the room. The furniture were in tact and nothing was broken. The window was locked from the inside. Duke SangSuh, Lee Juho, had been inside his carriage when he burned to death. Park Woon had been eating a meal with his family when he had burned in his seat. Ninth-grade Officer Yang BaekHoon had been riding his horse in the morning when he had burned to death. Millionaire Geum Mujang had fallen asleep at the table after drinking and burned in his seat. Unbelievable. Yujo lifted her head and let out a sigh. The time and place were completely random. And it wasn¡¯t like there was a lit candle next to them when it had happened. Of course people would begin to think that these incidents were the acts of a ghost. Yujo took the lantern and began to search every corner of the room. Suddenly, she froze. There was some kind of mark on the floor. It almost looked as if it had been stamped onto the floor with an iron brand. What is this? It looks kind of round¡­ A raven? ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± She suddenly heard a shout coming from the corridor. Yujo spun around and quickly extinguished the lantern. Having noticed the torn warning, the man entered the room. However, Yujo had already opened the window and jumped out. She was now standing in the rain, one floor down. The guard went straight to the window and looked out, but he didn¡¯t see any trace of her. What should I do now? The raindrops fell on top of her head and trickled down her forehead. She still felt the man¡¯s presence inside the room as he continued to search for her. She looked down and saw that the window on the floor below was open. Yujo turned her body and crawled towards the window. This room was as loud as the rest of the lower floors. It was filled with the sound of a gong and a mandolin. Half-naked courtesans were giggling as they ran around. Yujo quickly opened the window and slid through. The rainwater began to seep through her clothes and trickle down her back. She hurriedly shut the window and turned around. This room was exceptionally extravagant compared to the other rooms. Additionally, the customer was a man who was staggering around in the center of the room. It seemed that he was a son of a prestigious family from the looks of his expensive silk clothing. The man wiped his face with a silk handkerchief before he ran after the giggling courtesans. What house did this rich bum belong to? Yujo scoffed and looked around for the exit. This was for the best. It would be easier to escape if everyone was drunk and playing around. She silently began to head for the door. Because of all the cackling women, no one paid her any attention. Additionally, one of the women had completely exposed her breast. Quickly, hurry up! She was only two steps away from the exit now. Suddenly, thud! The man embraced her from behind. Yujo felt as if her heart had dropped into her stomach. Had she failed to keep quiet? This was just a coincidence, right? The crazy bastard had a firm hold on her, so she wasn¡¯t able to move at all. ¡°Hmm, you smell like peonies.¡± The man kept her to his chest and rubbed his nose against the peony in her hair. Shocked and filled with disgust, Yujo tried to escape. However, before she could, the man thrust his hand inside her collar and began to grope her breast. ¡°Kyaa!¡± Yujo let out a shout. She turned around and slapped the man¡¯s cheek. How dare he touch her body like this?! And to think the culprit was this damned drunkard! ¡°I¡¯ll kill you.¡± Yujo unconsciously spoke in a cold voice. Suddenly, the courtesans stopped playing their music. ¡®Oh my, what should we do?¡¯ The room was filled with murmurs. It didn¡¯t matter. She wanted to strangle this man to death. The silk cloth that had been covering half of the man¡¯s face began to slide down. His face was still frozen to the side after having been slapped by Yujo. First she saw his beautiful, twisted lips. Then his straight nose. When the cloth completely slid down, she saw that his slanted eyes were looking at her. Chills ran down her spine. Something was off. Yujo¡¯s whole body began to shiver. Those deep, black eyes. His eyes gleamed¡­ as if it could pierce through anything. No, was she just mistaken? His eyes suddenly turned into crescents as he grinned down at her. Those cold eyes disappeared, almost as if what she had just seen was just a mere illusion. She unconsciously took a step back. She wanted to run away¡­ like an idiot. However, his hand suddenly grabbed hers. Then he pulled her to his chest and embraced her. ¡°Caught you!¡± At his cheerful voice, the room was once again filled with laughter. The courtesans didn¡¯t want the customer to get upset from what had just happened, so they began to clap their hands. ¡°Let go!¡± Shocked, Yujo began to struggle within his hold. However, she was unable to move a muscle. Keeping his arms wrapped around hers, the man lifted her up and dragged her to the bed that had been set up next to the liquor tables. TN: Uh oh¡­ I¡¯m getting the vibe that our FL isn¡¯t a calm, cool, collected FL. She¡¯s quite impulsive and tends to act before she thinks. And I think it¡¯s gotten her into some serious trouble this time. Chapter 4.2 ¡°All right! Tonight, I shall show you the pleasures of the bed!¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± ¡°Ha, look at you playing hard-to-get! I like playing hard-to-get, so should we play hard-to-get together?¡± This crazy bastard! Yujo grit her teeth. Deep, black eyes my ass. She must¡¯ve been mistaken about his expression just now. This man was definitely just a crazy drunkard. Yujo struggled to escape his grasp. However, because there were many eyes watching her in the room, she couldn¡¯t use her martial arts. If she only struggled, the others would think she was just trying to rile up a customer. I need to leave, so let me go! ¡°What are you all still doing here? Why aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± The surprised courtesans glanced at each other. However, the customer had chosen the courtesan he would spend the night with. Because he had told them to exit the room, they had no choice but to leave. They couldn¡¯t just stand there. While the courtesans hesitated, the man laid Yujo down on the bedding and completely covered her with his body. Shocked, Yujo struggled underneath him before finally kicking him. In the process, her red skirts were pushed to the side and her slender leg was exposed. The man lowered himself between her parted legs and pushed her down onto the flower-patterned sheets. Now this was completely unacceptable. Blue fireworks began to go off in Yujo¡¯s eyes. If looks could kill, Yujo¡¯s eyes would have slaughtered him. Their eyes met, and Yujo¡¯s eyes were burning with rage. They were filled with hatred. She was absolutely furious. The man merely grinned at her as if he weren¡¯t right in the head. His smile was sly and shocking. Yujo tried to pull back a fist and hit him, but her hands were both pinned down to the bed. ¡°You¡¯re not properly disciplined. Like a wildcat.¡± What the hell did he say? Yujo¡¯s mouth opened in shock as she glared at him. The man didn¡¯t miss this opportunity to press his lips down onto hers. Astonished, Yujo twisted her head away, and the man¡¯s lips brushed against her cheek. This was her first kiss. Yujo¡¯s face flushed with rage and shock. She began to struggle once again, but the man¡¯s body slid between her thighs and pressed down even harder in the process. Her two hands were still pinned down. She couldn¡¯t move them, almost as if they had been chained. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not proper for a courtesan to speak that way.¡± ¡°Move before I kill you.¡± ¡°Aha, is this a new trick? It¡¯s turning me on.¡± As if to prove it, Yujo felt something stiff begin to press against her from below. It felt like a hot iron bar as it poked her between her legs. Yujo looked up at him in shock. The man pressed down once again as he gave her a cheeky smile. Her body flinched as a strange sensation traveled down her spine. Yujo¡¯s body began to tremble with rage. It didn¡¯t matter to him. He lowered his forehead onto hers. He looked down at her as if he¡¯d eat her up and smiled. ¡°I never expected to see you again in a place like this¡­¡± Yujo raised a brow at the man¡¯s words. Meet again? What was he talking about? She¡¯d never met this crazy bastard¡­ Suddenly, Yujo stopped breathing. His eyes, no¡­ The aura emitting from him had completely changed. The bumbling drunkard had completely disappeared, and his eyes had become fierce. This energy was the same as the one she had encountered back at the judicial office. A shiver ran down her spine as her face paled. The man slowly smiled as he watched her reaction. Was this the same man? Really? This was bad. Yujo looked back at him with cold eyes and pretended she didn¡¯t know anything. ¡°Please let me go, sir.¡± ¡°Oh, so now you¡¯re speaking politely?¡± ¡°I-I was just drunk, so¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t smell like liquor.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean¡­¡± Yujo smiled coldly, but her heart was racing inside her chest. The man¡¯s weight pressing down on her body felt uncomfortable. If this man was truly the one she had met at the judicial office, then this strength didn¡¯t stem from the liquor. What should she do? She felt a chill run down the nape of her neck. ¡°Stop feigning ignorance. Why don¡¯t you start by telling me who you are?¡± The man smiled derisively down at her as he pressed his lower half a little harder against her. Feeling the explicit touch of a man for the first time, Yujo¡¯s cheeks flushed. She glared at him with enraged eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, dear customer. Could you please move?¡± Yujo grit her teeth and spoke defiantly. His eyes narrowed almost imperceptibly. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh. ¡°Aha, so you¡¯re going to pretend to be a courtesan now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not¡­¡± ¡°You are treading on dangerous waters, aren¡¯t you?¡± He lowered his lips onto hers and whispered. His lips felt hot. Other than the liquor, she could also smell something musky coming from him. She didn¡¯t know what it was, but if he continued to lower his lips any further, she was going to bite them off. Yujo¡¯s eyes screamed this warning as they glared up at him. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me the truth before I devour your lips? Who knows? Maybe I¡¯ll let you off easy.¡± How could she escape? Because his powerful body was pressing down on hers, she couldn¡¯t move an inch. Yujo¡¯s mind was racing. Suddenly, she recalled the dancers she had seen downstairs. She recalled the way the red cloth had wound around their bodies like snakes as they moved. Those strange movements! Whatever the case, all the men had shouted out and completely lost their minds, hadn¡¯t they? Fine, I¡¯ll pretend like I¡¯m crazy and¡­ Yujo grit her teeth. He was still looking down at her. It didn¡¯t matter. Yujo lifted her head and crashed her lips onto his. She thrust in her clumsy tongue and began to suck like a hummingbird drinking the nectar from a flower. The man¡¯s body instantly froze. Thankfully, he didn¡¯t push her away, but his lips were still curved into a condescending smile. Yujo slightly opened her eyes and glanced at him. His eyes were staring back at her, seemingly wondering what she was up to. Yujo¡¯s heart flinched. Was this all for naught? Was she being stupid? This was too strange. Did she need to back off now? Her eyes widened as she tried to pull away. As their lips parted, a wet ¡®chu¡® rang in the air. Suddenly, the look in his eyes changed. He lowered his head and plunged inside her lips. What is he doing?! He pushed inside her mouth. Their tongues fiercely tangled together. It was as if he were sucking all the sweetness from her mouth. Yujo pulled back her head, and a moan escaped her lips. He slightly tilted his head and plunged even deeper into her mouth. His flavor was flowing into her mouth. She wanted to turn her head away, but it was no use. She had made a mistake. He had completely changed. Something felt hot and stiff against her, and she was scared. I need to run away! It¡¯s dangerous! Yujo moaned and turned her head. Only then did she realize that his grasp on her wrists had loosened. Now! She quickly raised her right hand and struck his head. As the man flinched in surprise, Yujo didn¡¯t forget to shove her knee against his most important part. Yujo watched gleefully as his face twisted with incredible pain. She took out the dagger strapped to her thigh and held it up to his neck. ¡°How dare you¡­!¡± The man spoke with a malicious voice. Suddenly, they heard a scream. They both turned around and saw that a courtesan had entered the room with a bottle of liquor. She cried out when she saw what was happening on the bed. The woman shouted and called for a guard. Yujo realized the situation and quickly threw the knife at the ceiling. The knife flew in the air and precisely hit the rope that was holding up the lanterns in the room. The lanterns fell onto the serving tables with a loud crash. The man was still groaning in pain, but he stretched out his hand to grab her arm. Yujo evaded his grasp and whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll send you to your grave if we meet again.¡± She actually wanted to beat him up a little more, but it looked like she needed to escape as soon as possible. She managed to find some interesting clues here, so it looked like she would just have to be satisfied with that for now. Yujo quickly smashed the paper sliding door and exited the room. Guards were rushing towards her from both directions. Where should I go? How do I escape? Suddenly, Yujo caught sight of the red cloth in front of her. On the other side of the railings, the red cloth was fluttering down from the ceiling! No other thought entered her head. All she could think about was finding a way out of here. Yujo ran. She stepped onto the railing and leaped off. She flew in the air before grabbing the red cloth. Aagh! Someone screamed, but it didn¡¯t matter. She slid down the cloth. Her hands felt like they were on fire, but that didn¡¯t matter either. The dancers below saw Yujo approaching and quickly ran away like little chicks trying to escape an eagle. As soon as she stepped down onto the first floor, Yujo quickly got up and exited the brothel. It was still raining outside. She peered through the rain and saw the same burgundy-colored horse she had seen last time. Is that the same horse from the judicial office? There was no time to think. Yujo quickly leaped onto the horse¡¯s back. The horse was as fast as lightening. She thought this the first time she encountered it, but this horse was truly an amazing horse. Yujo couldn¡¯t help but smile at its raw strength and speed. She wondered if this horse actually belonged to that man instead of the judicial office. Suddenly, she heard a sharp whistle. Suddenly, the horse went on its hind legs and neighed. Yujo almost fell off. No! She frantically clung to the horse¡¯s back and held on. As the horse rocked back and forth, the world seemed to spin in front of her eyes. But she was a woman of Yeha. She rode horses as soon as she learned to walk. She raised them and domesticated them all her life. She would never fall off a horse. ¡°How surprising.¡± Yujo turned around and saw that the man had come all the way here in pursuit of her. Judging from the horse he was on, she assumed he had found some random horse at the ChiHwaRu and had come after her. But it seemed that he had picked the wrong horse. That horse was already quite old and was huffing and puffing for breath from the exertion. ¡°How dare you steal my horse twice?¡± Just as she thought. Yujo smiled coldly and arrogantly lifted her head. ¡°This horse seems too good for someone like you.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°What proof do you have that this horse belongs to you?¡± ¡°Jukmu.¡± As soon as he called the horse¡¯s name, the horse flinched in surprise and began to run to its master. Yujo barely managed to stop the horse by pressing her heels against its ribs. Don¡¯t be like this, Jukmu. Do you want to see me die? ¡°Fine. I didn¡¯t mean to steal your horse. Your horse is quite smart, so when I let him go, he¡¯ll return to you.¡± ¡°He ignored his master and ran off twice. I¡¯ll only slit his throat when he comes back.¡± ¡°What a cruel master you are.¡± Yujo stroked the horse¡¯s thick neck. Then she spoke to the horse in a playful tone. ¡°It¡¯ll be in your best interest to run away from someone like him. So your name is Jukmu? Jukmu, why don¡¯t you come with me?¡± ¡°What are you doing? You secretly infiltrated the ChiHwaRu and took a peek around the Danju¡¯s room¡­¡± ¡°It looks like I wasn¡¯t the only one who took a peak, my lord. So, did you enjoy your nighttime pleasures?¡± ¡°Get off that horse this instant.¡± The man¡¯s voice was filled with rage, but Yujo felt that it was pleasing to the ear. At that thought, she held back a scoff and glared at the man. ¡°I¡¯ll take Jukmu with me. But this doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m stealing your horse. I¡¯m actually saving its life by letting it run away with me.¡± ¡°Very funny.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, Jukmu. Running away from that kind of man is the wise thing to do.¡± ¡°Halt.¡± What kind of idiot would halt just because they were told to halt in the middle of an escape? ¡°Haw!¡± Yujo shouted. She deftly pressed the horse¡¯s hips and readied herself to steer. There was no horse that could go against the hand of Yeha. Suddenly, Jukmu began to race. The angry man shouted out as well and went in pursuit of them. ¡°Haw!¡± Yujo raised her hips and lowered her body. It was as if she had become one with the horse. The man¡¯s threats may have been empty. But even so¡­ how could he say that he would slit the horse¡¯s throat when it returned to him? It was too much! If he was only joking, then that was a relief. But if there was an ounce of truth to his words, she wasn¡¯t going to return the horse to him. The two of them raced through the lush forest. Their shadows flew across the ground. Her opponent was quite skilled. She wasn¡¯t able to shake him off. However, Yujo was quite skilled herself. Additionally, she was riding Jukmu, the incredibly powerful horse. The horse showed no fear at the inclines and pits they came across. They passed through the trees and began to climb up the boulders. The raindrops pierced through the fog and fell on her like shards of ice, but Yujo didn¡¯t care. It had been a long time since she¡¯d ridden a horse like this. It almost felt like she¡¯d returned to Yeha. Her heart felt refreshed. Suddenly, the horse noticed something and flinched. The man and his horse had jumped over her head and was now blocking her way. She didn¡¯t know how he had managed to do this. All Yujo could do now was stop Jukmu to the best of her abilities. The rain was pouring. Steam left the horses¡¯ nostrils as they panted before it faded away into the cold air. The man¡¯s fierce eyes were glaring at her. But something made him hesitate. Yujo followed his gaze and quickly fixed the collar of her clothes. Because she had raced like crazy on the horse, this damned courtesan¡¯s dress had ridden down. In the process, her damp, pale chest had been exposed. Her long hair was stuck to her neck and shoulders. Damn it! Yujo quickly dragged the wet clothes even higher, but it didn¡¯t matter. ¡°You look like a water demoness.¡± The man mumbled churlishly. Yujo grit her teeth and turned Jukmu around. Then she began to race back. She felt the man chase after her. Eventually, it was just the two of them racing side-by-side on the narrow mountain path. The man¡¯s old horse was using all the strength it had left to keep up. However, now wasn¡¯t the time to be in awe. If that man got even a little closer to her, both the horse and Yujo would slip and fall down the slope to their deaths. ¡°Halt.¡± The man warned. However, Yujo merely smiled coldly. The wet rocks rolled down the slope. Jukmu continued to climb up the dangerous slope. ¡°I said halt!¡± The man shouted out again. However, Yujo merely clenched her hands on the reins. ¡°There¡¯s a cliff ahead, you idiot! Halt!¡± He shouted out his warning, but it didn¡¯t matter. Show him what you¡¯re made of, Jukmu. Yujo whispered. Suddenly, the horse jumped and seemed to ride the wind. Jukmu and Yujo flew through pouring rain with the black sky behind their backs. Thud! The black dirt splattered. While the man¡¯s horse stopped precariously at the edge of the cliff, Jukmu had landed on the other side. Damn it. Yujo heard the man let out a string of curses in the rain. Yujo¡¯s heart finally trembled. She hadn¡¯t felt like this even when she had been back in the grasslands. This had been an exhilarating match. ¡°You have a good horse on your hands, Jukmu¡¯s master.¡± Yujo shouted out to him. She knew that the man was glaring at her in the dark. She flashed him a victorious smile and decided to show him some mercy. ¡°If you tell me you won¡¯t harm Jukmu, I¡¯ll send him back to you. Promise me now. That¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll return him to you.¡± The man didn¡¯t respond. Yujo waited. This kind of horse was one that came by once in a hundred years. After a while, she heard the man¡¯s voice. ¡°I won¡¯t kill him.¡± ¡°And you won¡¯t hit him.¡± ¡°¡­And I won¡¯t hit him.¡± He was grinding his teeth. Yujo chuckled. ¡°Thank you for today, Jukmu¡¯s master. I¡¯ll send him back right away.¡± With a final, cheeky farewell, she disappeared into the rain. The man remained standing on the other side of the cliff as the rain poured down on him. Chapter 5.1 - Lady of YeonSung 05 (The Bamboo Letters) part 1 ¡°SoYeon.¡± Jewol entered the room and found Yujo brushing her hair up into a ponytail. He approached her. ¡°Are you feeling better?¡± Three days had already passed since she had returned from the ChiHwaRu. After getting soaked in the rain and dealing with all that ruckus, Yujo caught a serious cold. She spent the past three days recuperating. ¡°Yes, I think it¡¯s gotten better.¡± It was half true. Her fever had cooled, and she was no longer having cold sweats, but her whole body ached. But otherwise, she was fine. For some reason, she felt odd. For the past three days, she¡¯d been having strange dreams. In her dreams, the man was chasing after her. She escaped him as she teased him. Then she felt him bury his face against the nape her neck, and she would wake up in shock. She felt as if she could still hear his raspy voice through the rain. Sometimes she¡¯d wake up laughing. Sometimes she¡¯d wake up startled. It seemed that she had been traumatized. This feeling was so strange, and she hated it. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking about that strange man. She needed to focus all of her thoughts on the Heukra! Yujo quickly shook her head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you rest for a little longer?¡± For some reason, Jewol¡¯s face looked pale and thin. ¡°Brother, are you sick as well? Just how much work was there to do at the Academy? You didn¡¯t come home for two days.¡± Yujo looked at him with worry. Jewol shook his head and smiled awkwardly. Did something bad happen? Yujo frowned. ¡°They just gave me a lot of work to do.¡± ¡°Aigoo, please go easy on yourself.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s best if you focus on your own recovery. How could you go out in the rain like that?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yujo smiled sheepishly. She thought Jewol would only worry if she told him that her face had been seen by a strange man at the ChiHwaRu, so she didn¡¯t tell him. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right! What were the materials you wanted to look at from the Academy?¡± ¡°The materials regarding Ancient Baran.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t I just get them for you? Access to the Academy is limited. It¡¯s not open to just anyone.¡± ¡°Uh¡­ I think I have to look around to know what I¡¯m looking for. Is it impossible for me to get in?¡± ¡°Of course not. You have me¡­¡± Jewol¡¯s eyes narrowed as he smiled playfully at her. ¡°Take this ID with you.¡± It was an ID made of jade. Did this mean that she would have to disguise herself as a man? ¡°You can just wear my clothes. You¡¯ll go out with me and just change in the carriage.¡± ¡°Ah, then can we go today?¡± ¡°How can you leave in your condition?¡± ¡°I can go. If I continue to lie down like this, my body will ache even more.¡± There was something she wanted to find out as soon as possible. ¡°But you should still rest a little while longer. You look terrible.¡± Her face did look a bit gaunt after she had gotten sick, but three days had already passed. Her heart was getting impatient. She needed to move. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be sick and lying down. ¡°I¡¯m fine, Brother. Aren¡¯t I quite sturdy?¡± Yujo let out a light laugh. Still worried, Jewol gave her a faint smile as he brushed her hair away from her face. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s go. And why don¡¯t we stop by somewhere on the way back and eat something delicious?¡± ¡°Brother, you gave me your word. No take-backs!¡± Yujo did her best to give him a bright smile and soothe his worries. After Jewol went inside first, Yujo put a dress and her outer clothes over the men¡¯s clothing she was wearing. This way, she could quickly change inside the carriage before entering the Academy and quickly change back when she was on her way back home. She was even wearing a veiled hat, so she felt pretty secure about her plan. She entered the carriage with Jewol. They stopped the carriage when they had almost arrived at the Academy, and Jewol sent their attendant on an errand. While the attendant was away, Yujo quickly changed and exited the carriage. Thankfully, the guard in charge of checking ID¡¯s didn¡¯t seem to look carefully. Or did Jewol already take care of that too? The Academy was a U-shaped building. Every room had windows that faced the inner garden. As soon as she entered through the main gate, she looked up at the large building. This building held all the historical records of the Silver Nation¡¯s foundation. There were also writings on tortoise shells and dried bones from the era of the Xia Dynasty. Yujo looked around before crossing through the yard and entering the Academy. What she saw inside made her mouth open in surprise. The interior was incredibly tall and wide. She walked up the stairs and found that the second floor was connected to yet another building. Enormous wooden shelves soared up to the ceiling, and they were filled with countless texts and bamboo books. The second floor was full of ancient texts and records. These ancient texts were priceless and couldn¡¯t be bought with money. Flustered by the sheer amount of material, Yujo barely managed to gather her thoughts and proceeded to look through the records related to the northern province. The numbers she had seen in the ancient language of Baran kept bothering her. Yujo sifted through the legends and family trees of the northern province. Just glancing through all the ancient records and northern province texts would take a long time. Yujo let out a sigh and quickly flipped through the pages. She was looking for the specific symbol she had seen at the room in the brothel. Was it some kind of military battle formation? A map? She looked through countless material in the clouds of dust, but she couldn¡¯t find the symbol she was looking for. Her head was throbbing and her eyes were dazed. She decided that she¡¯d look at one last book before giving up and leaving. She looked over at the pile of bamboo texts. That symbol had to be here somewhere¡­ No matter how much she looked, it was nowhere to be found. Was she mistaken? Did she expect too much from the Silver Nation¡¯s Academy? Of course it wouldn¡¯t just pop up like that so easily. Suddenly, a bamboo slip* popped into her eyes. Judging from the color of the bamboo, it was quite old, but it was sandwiched between two different slips of bamboo. Actually, this shelf wasn¡¯t supposed to have records of the northern province. However, the bamboo slip she held in her hands and the bamboo slip on the shelf had the same color, and the silk border encasing them were very similar. Realizing that she would have regretted it if she had returned early, Yujo stretched out her hand towards the shelf. Her fingers couldn¡¯t quite reach the bamboo slip. She let out a deep breath and went on her tip-toes as she stretched her hand out even more. Just a little more. A little more¡­ Suddenly, a large hand appeared out of nowhere and went over her head as it quickly grabbed the bamboo slip. Brother Jewol? Yujo turned her head around with a grin on her lips, but¡­ The face she saw wasn¡¯t Jewol¡¯s. Yujo¡¯s pale face hardened like ice. It was him. The indecent man from the ChiHwaRu! The man grinned down at her. His gaze lingered over Yujo¡¯s hardened expression. ¡°I knew you¡¯d come here looking for this.¡± He knew she¡¯d come here? How? Today, this man looked completely different from how she had seen him at the ChiHwaRu. He was wearing dark blue clothes and looked like a government official. Was he a government official? Was he in charge of finding the Heukra? She had heard that there were organizations that worked directly under the emperor¡¯s orders. Unlike the judicial office, this organization moved in secret. Whatever the case, nothing good would come out of her interactions with him. Goosebumps rose on her back. She didn¡¯t understand why this man had been waiting for her to come here. Yujo glared daggers at the man and spoke. ¡°Move.¡± However, the man didn¡¯t move a muscle despite her warning. Even though she wanted to run away, she was currently stuck between the bookshelves and this man¡¯s large body. Yujo knew from experience that this man had a broad physique and that his martial arts skills were almost like that of an immortal. There was no room to escape. ¡°Why were you trying to take this bamboo slip?¡± Trapping her in his arms, the man opened the bamboo slip and began to glance through it. Yujo¡¯s eyes widened. She saw the symbol she had been looking for. It was definitely the symbol she had seen at the ChiHwaRu. She realized that the symbol she had seen was merely a part of a whole symbol. Yujo quickly erased all expression from her face. She couldn¡¯t let this man know what she had found. She didn¡¯t even want to let him know what she was looking for. However, even though the surprise had only flickered on her face for a moment, the man had already read it. ¡°I see. So I guess you don¡¯t need this.¡± The man held up the bamboo slip and quickly walked away through the bookshelves. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Shocked, Yujo followed after him, but he didn¡¯t seem to care and continued to walk away. Yujo calmed her breaths and quietly followed him. He wasn¡¯t going to actually take the bamboo slip outside the building, was he? ¡°Give it to me!¡± ¡°Hm, what did you say when you stole my horse? You asked me if I had proof that the horse was mine. Hmph, does this bamboo slip belong to you?¡± ¡°I wanted to take it first!¡± ¡°But I took it first.¡± Damn it! Yujo poised herself to attack and leaped at him like a cat. However, his steps began to pick up speed as he walked away. No way. She mustn¡¯t lose that bamboo slip. A distance away, they saw an academy administrator pop his head out and look at them. Yujo calmed down and pretended nothing was wrong. When the administrator looked away, the two of them began to struggle for the bamboo slip between the bookshelves. Yujo¡¯s punch missed the man, and about five or six books tumbled out of the shelves. If she hadn¡¯t managed to stop their fall with her feet, it would have been incredibly loud. She began to attack the man again. This time, they almost toppled a whole bookshelf. Pale with worry, Yujo managed to grab it before it crashed down loudly onto the floor. Yujo stiffened as she held onto the bookshelf, but the man used that chance to escape. ¡°Stop!¡± Yujo did her best to shout quietly. The man brazenly ignored her and continued to walk away. ¡°That bast¡­!¡± Yujo was just about to shout out when¡­ ¡°Hey, you. Be quiet!¡± Yujo quickly lowered her head apologetically as an administrator admonished her. This was driving her insane. She ran out. The administrator glared at her again. Yujo helplessly returned to the shelves and pretended she was looking for another book. Suddenly, she saw the man jump out of a window and leap over the wall with the bamboo slip. Damn it! When the administrator looked away for a moment, Yujo quickly jumped out the window. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she leaped up and jumped on top the wall. The blinding, hot sunlight shone down on YeonSung. A passing middle-aged woman piggybacking a child looked up at Yujo and wagged her finger. Yujo quickly avoided the child¡¯s curious eyes and jumped down between a group of weeping willows. From there, she saw the man¡¯s back as he ran like the wind. Struck dumb in disbelief, Yujo quickly ran after him. It was a clue that she had worked so hard to find. A clue that would explain why the Heukra was going around killing people! She couldn¡¯t let it slip from her hands. She jumped on top of a store roof and kept her eyes on the man as she followed him. She jumped from building to building like a flying squirrel before she jumped down and attacked the man. However, the man cheekily avoided all her attacks by a hair¡¯s breadth with small movements. Yujo turned her body around and managed to hit the man¡¯s hand, causing the bamboo slip to escape his grasp. As soon as she felt the sturdy bamboo book in her hands, the man¡¯s feet hit her wrist, causing the book to fly out once again. The bamboo slip popped up and down in the air underneath the blinding sunlight. The man managed to catch it before it landed inside a crate of fish. He looked down at the fish, and his brows furrowed in disgust. Yujo didn¡¯t miss this chance and struck his back. ¡°Ugh!¡± Yujo grabbed the bamboo slip that had fallen into the pile of fish. I got it! Their eyes met for a moment. Yujo grinned at him before running away in the blink of an eye. Did you really think you could take my bamboo slip?! At that moment, she heard the man shout out from behind her back. ¡°Thief!¡± What? What did he say? Yujo looked back in disbelief. She saw the man standing in the middle of a crowd as he pointed at her. ¡°Catch that man! That bastard stole my book! Aigoo, my precious book! Please catch that man! I will reward you handsomely!¡± Ha! How ridiculous! Yujo began to grind her teeth, but she was left with no other choice. She felt the eyes of the men around her light up when they heard the man say ¡®reward¡¯. You thief! She heard a large man cry out as he went after her. Yujo managed to evade him only to be attacked by two more men. She hit the men¡¯s faces with the bamboo slip. In the meantime, she felt the man coming after her. Yujo clenched her teeth and began to run away. It seemed that she had suddenly turned into a bamboo slip thief. The fruits piled inside a cart tumbled onto the ground. She avoided the oncoming carriages and jumped on top of a wall before jumping down into the residence within. The dogs began barking at the intruder. The chickens ran away. The man was quickly but gracefully following behind Yujo. What a scary guy! Yujo¡¯s teeth chattered as she slipped between the bamboo trees and jumped over a wall. She landed in a bustling street filled with people. From here, she could see Jewol¡¯s carriage standing far away. All she needed to do was hide inside that carriage! However, she couldn¡¯t let her pursuer find out her identity. Yujo quickly turned and ran inside an alleyway. She went behind a store building and slipped through the open window and found herself inside a storeroom The storeroom had high ceilings and was dark. Unlike the sunny, bustling street outside, the storeroom was oddly quiet and was filled with the smell of mold. The old wooden shelves were all filled with baskets and boxes full of merchandise. Rolls of cotton and silk were hanging down from the high ceilings. Yujo didn¡¯t pay much attention to any of this. Right now, she was busy trying to find a way to get to that carriage. She guessed that if she went out the window on the other side of the room, she¡¯d be able to exit through the back and get to the carriage. This way, she¡¯d be able to evade that disgraceful man. Suddenly, she felt something enclose her body. Shocked, she turned her body, but it was too late. Yujo let out a shout, but the sound was too weak and became lost in the bustling noises outside. When she came to her senses, she realized that her body was hanging in the air, wrapped up in the silk that had been hanging down from the ceiling. The man suddenly appeared and was grinning as he watched Yujo hanging like a dried sardine. ¡°Aha! It seems that I¡¯ve finally caught the thief.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the thief? Let me go!¡± ¡°What kind of idiot would let you go in a situation like this?¡± Yujo glared at him as if she wanted to kill him. However, because her whole body was wrapped up in the cloth and hanging in the air, there was nothing she could do. The only relief was that the bamboo slip was wrapped up with her. However, her state right now made her lose so much face. She¡¯d make him pay! Yujo fiercely glared at the man, but the man merely chuckled. Yujo felt as if her blood was boiling in her veins. Chapter 5.2 - Lady of YeonSung 05 (The Writing on the Bamboo) part 2 Garan hadn¡¯t enjoyed himself like this in many years. The more furious this woman became, the happier he felt. What did this mean? How dare she put me through so much trouble and escape! Whenever he recalled what had happened at the ChiHwaRu, he¡¯d wake up from his sleep and burst up from his bed. She dared to steal his lips before slapping his cheek. And this woman dared to kick him in between his legs. Did she not know what would happen if that part of a man was destroyed? And he couldn¡¯t forget how she had escaped with his horse in that kind of outfit. The clothing had drooped down due to the rainy wind. Her pale, exposed back. Her disheveled hair that smelled like peonies. Although she looked like a crazy woman, she kept appearing in his dreams. He must be losing his mind! Now wasn¡¯t the time to think thoughts like these. He needed to figure out what this ¡®Heukra¡¯ was and why it went around with his mother¡¯s waistband. He had also seen that strange mark at the ChiHwaRu. The seal of the three-legged crow. It was definitely a seal of the ancient civilization of Paran. If this girl had seen that symbol as well, he believed that she would come to the Academy to find any clues related to it. He had already seen all the clues at the Academy, but he himself didn¡¯t know why he had waited for her at the Academy for the past three days. And as expected, the woman appeared at the Academy. This time, she wasn¡¯t a courtesan. Instead, she came as dressed as a scholar. However, how could he forget her face? Her scent¡­ ¡°Untie me.¡± She warned chillingly as she glared at him. He enjoyed seeing her furious expression. Hmph, I already know what will happen if I untie you, so why would I do something so stupid like that? Considering what she did to him at the ChiHwaRu, this was nothing. Even if she didn¡¯t know who he truly was, she dared to slap the cheek of a king and even steal his horse. Considering her crimes, hanging her from the ceiling was a small price to pay. However, it didn¡¯t matter right now. He needed to know who this woman was and why she was chasing after the Heukra. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell me? Who are you?¡± He smiled coldly as he gripped her chin with one hand. He felt her flinch, but all the playfulness had left his eyes. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, I¡¯ll have to punish you.¡± ¡°Very funny.¡± Yujo grit her teeth and spit out her next words. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me who you are? Why are you chasing after the Heukra?¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­¡± Garan laughed coldly. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± He arrogantly disregarded her. ¡°Well, my identity is none of your business as well.¡± Ha! She sure had guts. Garan continued to grasp her chin as he glared down at her. How strange. Why wasn¡¯t he angry? Why was he having so much fun? Usually, in situations like this, he would just torture her for information. However, he didn¡¯t feel like doing that right now. Actually, he wanted to give her the bamboo slip she so desperately wanted. Men were such fickle creatures. Garan scoffed at himself. He gripped her chin even harder. He examined her face. She was as impertinent and as sassy as ever. The slightly slanted eyes that were glaring daggers at him reminded him of a cat¡¯s. Her cheeks were flushed because she had been jumping from roof to roof as she pursued him earlier. Cute. Garan couldn¡¯t believe the thought that just popped into his head. This woman was cute. Seeing her hanging in the air like this made her seem even cuter. Her sharp eyes, her nose, her red lips¡­ They were all cute. He wanted to eat her up. And wasn¡¯t this girl the one who stole his lips first? He should repay the kindness. Garan pulled her face to his and bit her soft lips. She tasted as tart as the cherries that ripened in the spring and as sweet as honey. Just as her fragrance began to gradually fill his mouth, he felt a sting. She had bitten his lips as if she were going to rip them off. Oh my, was there a bee hidden inside the flower? Their eyes met. Her eyes were clearly overflowing with wrath. Garan burst out laughing. Then he closed his eyes and lowered his head for another kiss as if he were punishing her. Yujo began to struggle with her whole body. A muffled groan escaped her lips. Their lips tangled together. As if they were in the middle of a fierce battle, one pair of lips attacked and the other blocked its advances. As the man continued to push and plunge, the woman tried to push him away and tried to bite him. Garan grabbed her chin and pressed down. Then he deeply plunged into her mouth and bit her tongue. Nng¡­ A small moan burst out of her throat. When Garan heard that sound, his body tensed up. Damn it. He cursed inside his heart. What on earth am I doing right now? Red King, have you gone insane? In this storeroom, he wanted to push this woman down and plunge into her. He wanted to bury his cock inside her and thrust in and out until he came. And then he wanted to pump into her again and again. However, Yujo¡¯s lips suddenly dropped down to the floor. Although she had been trapped inside the silk, she had managed to take out her dagger and cut her way out. Yujo fell to the floor and crouched down before she pushed him away. Losing his balance, Garan fell back with a crash. He turned around to see that he had bumped into a stack of crates. They shook dangerously and looked like they were going to topple over. Suddenly, their eyes met. No way. They both thought the same thing as the crates tilted before falling down on him. He didn¡¯t have any time to avoid them. Garan reflexively raised his arm to shield his face, and the crates came crashing down. Boom! The crates toppled over, and clouds of dust filled the storeroom. Then they heard the merchants outside shout as they heard the commotion inside. Garan opened his eyes. He didn¡¯t feel any pain. He looked down and saw that the woman had pushed him out of the way. She had even enclosed his body with hers. Her slender body was covering his as if she were trying to protect him. As if she were surprised by her own actions, Yujo looked down at him in shock. Suddenly, she angrily glared at him as she backed away. The bamboo slip had fallen on the floor not too far away. Yujo quickly made her way to it. Oh, no you don¡¯t! Garan quickly released his chi at the bamboo slip. The wind caused the bamboo slip to fly in the air and crash into the wall. It shattered into many pieces as it fell back to the floor. ¡°What in the world?! You horrible bastard!¡± Yujo turned around and shouted at him. If the merchants hadn¡¯t burst through the door in that moment, she would have thrown fists down at his face. ¡°If I ever see you again, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Then she quickly gathered as much of the bamboo shards she could and escaped out through the window. Garan got up and chased after her. However, he didn¡¯t see any trace of her once he made it outside the window. He turned his head and called for his subordinate. Like a black bird, a shadow flew down and a man crouched down on his knees in front of Garan as he waited for an order. ¡°Shut down this storeroom.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Suddenly, everything was silent. Garan remained standing still with a stiff expression on his face before he turned around and walked back inside the storeroom. He observed the remaining bamboo shards on the floor. As expected, they contained symbols of the ancient language of Paran. ¡°That horrible bastard!¡± Yujo wiped the rest of his taste from her lips as she cursed. Safely inside her own carriage, Yujo looked out through the crack of the window and clearly saw the man¡¯s face as he continued to look for her. What should she do? Should she go back to the storeroom and try to find the remaining bamboo shards? But what if she was caught by that jerk again? ¡°Just what kind of guy is he?¡± Yujo whispered as she clenched her teeth. As Yujo struggled to decide on whether she should go back in search of the remaining bamboo shards, a man in civilian clothing approached the man and handed him something. It was the remaining bamboo shards. Yujo bit her lips and leaned back into her seat. She had worked really hard to find this clue, but to think that it was snatched away like this! She felt as if her chest was burning. Suddenly, the door to the carriage burst open. Yujo let out a cry of surprise. Jewol stood outside the door with an even more shocked expression. ¡°W-Wife. When did come back?¡± Jewol spoke in a loud voice so that it would be heard by the attendants. He entered the carriage and whispered to her. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Let¡¯s hurry home.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Just go! Hurry!¡± Yujo gestured to him with her hands as she lowered her body. Oh my god. Jewol and Yujo spent the whole night putting the shards back together. Yujo let out a scream inside her heart. They were only missing one part of the bamboo slip shards. However, it ended up being the most important part! ¡°What happened?¡± Jewol lit another lantern as he asked. Yujo sighed and grasped her forehead. ¡°Brother, I¡¯m sorry. You worked so hard to get me inside the Academy, but¡­¡± ¡°What kind of guy was he?¡± Yujo was reluctant to tell him that she had met this man before. He had already scolded her enough for secretly entering the ChiHwaRu. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. All I know is that he was also looking for the bamboo slip.¡± ¡°What did he look like?¡± ¡°Um, he was about six feet and had a strong build.¡± Suddenly, it was as if the man was standing right before her eyes. She could see him so clearly in her mind. A strange feeling swept through her. She definitely should have felt disgust and hatred, but his lips¡­ ¡°And?¡± At Jewol¡¯s question, Yujo returned to her senses. ¡°I think he was a government official. His clothes¡­¡± His scent was odd. It was an elegant fragrance she had never smelled before. It was as if his whole body had been emitting it. He had definitely taken a long bath where an expensive fragrance had been added. His eyes were so black that it seemed to suck everything in, and his gaze was sharp. His straight nose and his grinning, red lips. His lips¡­ Yujo immediately shook her head. She was so angry that her heart raced inside her chest. Crazy. Why had she saved him? Since he was such a strong martial artist, he would have been able to handle a few falling crates on his own. However, even though he was an excellent martial artist, he wasn¡¯t invincible. She only wanted to save a fellow human life. That¡¯s all it was. There was no special reason for saving him. Definitely not. ¡°The judicial office is offering a reward for the one who catches the Heukra.¡± Unaware of the thoughts that were running through her mind, Jewol spoke up. ¡°There are probably a lot of men who have their eyes on the reward. Be careful.¡± They were interested in the reward? Was that it? But that man seemed to be wealthy in his own right¡­? ¡°Anyways¡­¡± Yujo tossed that thought out of her head and looked down at the bamboo slip. Jewol also began to observe the bamboo slip. ¡°Do you see anything?¡± At Jewol¡¯s question, Yujo shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s very difficult to tell.¡± ¡°Take your time. Aren¡¯t you using your head too much?¡± Yujo grinned at him. ¡°You¡¯re probably right. I¡¯m better at using my body rather than using my head.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me what you¡¯ve learned so far. Sometimes saying it out loud can lead to an epiphany.¡± ¡°Should I do that?¡± Yujo laughed brightly. Then she placed her finger on one portion of the bamboo slip. ¡°Do you see this symbol for the three-legged crow?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°This symbol is enclosed in a box that contains nine strokes.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°This symbolizes the Nine Families. It represents the nine families of the northern province that protected the three-legged crow.¡± Jewol nodded. He had heard about this before. After finding out that the mark Yujo had seen at the ChiHwaRu was the three-legged crow, Yujo had gone to the Academy and found out that the three-legged crow was connected to the nine families of the northern province. This was a legend that had been passed down from the times of Ancient Paran. On Paran¡¯s Holy Mountain stood the Holy Temple of Paran. The priestess of the temple was called the ¡®three-legged crow, and the nine households that protected this priestess were called the Nine Families. ¡°All of the victims were from the northern province. The mark left behind in the room where the Danju died, and now this¡­¡± Yujo pointed to the bamboo slip. The bamboo writing listed the names of the families, and they matched up with the surnames of the eight victims who had burned to death. However, the missing piece of the bamboo slip had contained the final surname as well as the name of the priestess. ¡°Also, why are the descendants of the Nine Families currently in YeonSung? Could it be¡­¡± This next thought was a bit unbelievable, but she couldn¡¯t think of another explanation. ¡°Could it be that the priestess of Paran exists? And is she currently in YeonSung?¡± Jewol silently stared at Yujo. ¡°What is it, Brother? Does it sound stupid?¡± ¡°No, not at all. I was just a bit surprised at how smart you sounded.¡± ¡°What? Brother!¡± Yujo glared at him when she realized that he was making fun of her. Jewol chuckled and vigorously rubbed her head, messing up her hair. ¡°If you need any more materials, I¡¯ll get them for you. All I ask is that you remember to properly eat your meals.¡± ¡°All right, I understand.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to sleep.¡± ¡°Yes, in a minute.¡± Yujo focused her eyes back down on the bamboo slip. Jewol¡¯s eyes darkened as he gazed at her. Yujo was doing a good job. An amazingly good job. However, when she realized the truth, what would she do? What would she do when she found out how this all started? How deep its roots were¡­ How terrible the sin was¡­ Would she be able to forgive him? He already knew about the symbol of the three-legged crow. He had seen it a long time ago. ¡°Brother?¡± Ah! Jewol returned to his senses when he heard Yujo¡¯s voice call him. What had he been thinking about? Yujo¡¯s eyes gazed at him. Jewol¡¯s hands had been tightly clenched into fists. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you feel unwell?¡± ¡°N-Not at all. I just think I need some rest.¡± ¡°Okay, go and rest. You face looks pale.¡± He couldn¡¯t look Yujo in the face. Jewol turned his head away with much effort. ¡°I think I¡¯m a bit tired. I¡¯ll go and rest first, so you should turn in for the night as well.¡± ¡°Yes, don¡¯t worry about me and just go to sleep.¡± Yujo walked him to the door and saw him off. Chapter 6.1 - 06 (The Name That Vanished) part 1 ¡°What are you looking at so closely?¡± Duke HyoEun, SulJoon, moved a chess piece on the board as he asked. He was Garan¡¯s brother-in-law. The Red King¡¯s fingers were fidgeting with the bamboo shard in his hand and froze at SulJoon¡¯s question. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Garan grinned. How could anyone fathom what was inside that man¡¯s head? Duke HyoEun shook his head from side to side. The Red King was a difficult man to read. He would suddenly show up out of nowhere and asked him to play a game of chess, and then he¡¯d suddenly get up from his seat and leave. Duke HyoEun was now used to the Red King¡¯s abrupt behavior. The maverick of the imperial family. If one told him to be harsh, he was soft. If he was told to be fierce, he would act friendly. The Red King was such an ambiguous person. However, one thing was certain. The Red King treasured his younger sister, Princess Muyeo. Once the rain cleared, the sun¡¯s rays felt incredibly hot. They opened all the doors in the room to let some cool air in, but there was no wind. Duke HyoEun felt uncomfortable in his clothes and slightly loosened his collar. Even in this weather, the Red King didn¡¯t shed one drop of sweat. Duke HyoEun felt envious as he glanced at the Red King¡¯s immaculately pristine face. Suddenly, they heard the faint notes of a melody. ¡°Is someone playing the morin khuur?¡± The Red King asked as his ears perked up at the sound. ¡°I heard that the daughter-in-law of Princess Yeowa is here. But are you really sure we shouldn¡¯t call Princess Muyeo here? If she finds out that you visited and left without seeing her, I¡¯ll be the one who gets in trouble.¡± ¡°I only came by to see your face. Since she has a guest, I don¡¯t want to inconvenience her.¡± While he agreed with the Red King, Duke HyoEun¡¯s face was filled with concern on behalf of Princess Muyeo. Garan glanced at him. He was incredibly grateful for his brother-in-law. Matched at eighteen with a young girl of thirteen, this young man ended up taking the role of the princess¡¯s servant, friend, and nanny. If she asked him to bring her a flower, he¡¯d bring her a flower. If she asked him to sing, he¡¯d sing. If she asked him to dance, he¡¯d dance. It was said that the emperor clutched his head in frustration at his behavior, but in the end, the couple ended up establishing their own family. For the first four years of their marriage, the couple slept in separate rooms, but Duke HyoEun never stopped caring for the princess. The fact that the capricious Princess Muyeo was able to live her life as a functional human being was probably all thanks to this man. ¡°Anyways, how is your injury? The Princess was distraught with worry.¡± ¡°Since I¡¯m not dead, it¡¯s fine. Wounds will heal. More importantly, how is your daughter, MyungHwa?¡± ¡°She¡¯s growing up very well.¡± A fool for his daughter, Duke HyoEun¡¯s lips immediately stretched into a smile. ¡°She takes after the princess, so she¡¯s very lovely.¡± Such a fool¡­ The Red King clicked his tongue. ¡°What do you like so much about the princess?¡± Although she was his younger sister, he knew that she was very temperamental and intense. And she was too young. Leaving this younger sister in someone else¡¯s care had worried the Red King. He was worried that she wouldn¡¯t be loved. Worried that she¡¯d be lonely and hurt. Thankfully, Muyeo was currently very loved. That alone made the Red King feel so grateful for Duke HyoEun. ¡°No matter what she does, she seems so beautiful and lovable to me. What can I say? They say love is a sickness.¡± No matter what she does, she seems beautiful and lovable? The Red King burst out laughing in disbelief, causing Duke HyoEun to look up at him in shock. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I can¡¯t believe you said she seems so beautiful and lovable no matter what she does. Are you sure you¡¯re not blind?¡± ¡°Have you never felt that way before, Your Highness?¡± ¡°I have not.¡± The Red King spoke in a curt voice. Suddenly, a woman¡¯s face drifted into his thoughts. It was that laughable woman who was dangling in the air inside the cocoon of silk as she glared daggers at him. For a moment, he had felt that she was quite lovely, but the Red King attributed it to the fickle nature of man. It was merely a fading mist created by a passing desire. ¡°How cruel. Aren¡¯t there many ladies who cry out for your affection?¡± Even as a man, the duke acknowledged that the Red King was very desirable. With just a glance from the Red King, the ladies of YeonSung would faint. The Red King was like a poisonous punishment for these ladies. Just one look from him was like a fatal blow to the heart. And yet, this man would merely pass by as if it were nothing. The more one wanted to hold onto him, the more elusive he¡¯d be. And once they gave up on him and spurned him, he would smile at them, causing their hearts to waver. Such a bad man¡­ What woman in this world would be able to capture the heart of such a bad man? ¡°But a house needs the fragrance of flowers.¡± The duke was using a roundabout way to tell the Red King to settle down and take a queen. The Red King laughed innocently and looked at Duke HyoEun as he cut him off. ¡°Checkmate, Brother-in-law.¡± ¡°Gah!¡± Because his thoughts were lingering on his wife and daughter, Duke HyoEun hadn¡¯t realized that his defense had been left wide open for the Red King¡¯s attack. He looked up at the Red King with a long face. ¡°Because I won the bet, you must do anything I ask, no matter what.¡± Duke HyoEun let out a deep sigh. ¡°Please don¡¯t be too harsh with me.¡± ¡°Hmm. I wouldn¡¯t ask you to do anything bad. This is all in friendly jest.¡± ¡°Last time, you told me to take my clothes off and dance.¡± ¡°Pfft, that time I was just a tad drunk, so¡­ Don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t ask you to do anything difficult this time.¡± The Red King chuckled before his brows furrowed once again. He should probably stop coming over here and seeing how his younger sister was doing. Any sign of his affections would cause the recipient to run into trouble. The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes would begin to dwell on the princess¡¯s household if he didn¡¯t stop. He heard the swell of his sister¡¯s laughter over the wall. Then he heard the melody of the morin khuur begin once again. Unlike the last piece, the morin khuur sounded bold and lively this time. Ten days had passed. He couldn¡¯t find any trace of the woman who had escaped with the bamboo slip. Just where could she be hiding? He also needed that bamboo slip. Why did the Heukra carry his mother¡¯s waistband? What had caused his mother to fall into death¡¯s grasp seven years ago? He needed to find the source of the scandal and the source of the disgrace. Garan¡¯s hands tightened around the bamboo shards. The heavy cadence of the morin khuur rang in the air like a dream. The women who had gathered around were in awe as they voiced their praises. Yujo gave everyone a faint smile as if she were embarrassed. Right now, she was Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife, Dan SeoYeon. Therefore, she was wearing a dress made of blue silk embroidered with white flowers. ¡°That was truly wonderful. It also sounded a bit sad.¡± ¡°The story behind the morin khuur is also quite sad. There once was a young man in the northern province who received a horse from the woman he loved. He would ride that horse every night because of the yearning in his heart for this woman he could no longer meet. However, another woman found out about this and killed the horse in a fit of jealousy. The young man took the dead horse and made the morin khuur from its body.¡± ¡°It¡¯s always because of that darn jealousy!¡± Lady Yeon began to wave her fan as she joked. The other ladies giggled as they shook their heads. For the past ten days, Yujo searched the houses of the victims who had burned to death. However, she was unable to find any trace of the symbol of the three-legged crow. Had she guessed incorrectly? Had she jumped to conclusions? The priestess of Paran? There was no way this person was still alive. And what was the connection between the priestess and the Heukra? Suddenly, Princess Muyeo seemed to break out of her deep thoughts as she leaned back against her seat. ¡°Lady Dan, do a lot of people still play the morin khuur in the northern province today?¡± Yujo was briefly flustered. She was from Yeha, not from the northern province, so she didn¡¯t know how to answer the princess. She felt as if she¡¯d been caught in the act, so she was very worried about how to answer Princess Muyeo¡¯s question. Yujo had seen the other side of the princess. The side that the princess kept hidden underneath her friendly mask. Therefore, she knew that the princess was quite sharp and observant. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, they do.¡± ¡°Really? I heard that it¡¯s not quite so common nowadays. I searched for someone to teach me this instrument, but I wasn¡¯t successful. Seeing it played so well right in front of my eyes¡­ It¡¯s quite fascinating.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right. I heard that it¡¯s only practiced by the nobility or in nations like Yeha.¡± Lady Kwak agreed. Unable to leave this alone, Yujo gave them a faint smile and spoke up. ¡°Ah, when I was young, my nanny was from Yeha, so I learned it from her.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Can you tell me more about the northern province? I heard that the women of the northern province are quite tough, unlike the women here. Is that true?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Yujo laughed and shook her head, but she knew inside her heart that the topic of the northern province was dangerous territory for her. She wouldn¡¯t be able to continue talking about the northern province since she didn¡¯t know much about it. ¡°So I heard that the lotus lantern festival will start tonight. Is everyone here ready to have some fun?¡± Yujo hurriedly changed the subject. The lotus lantern festival took place at the river in YeonSung after the rainy season had passed, roughly around mid-August. People would make small candles in the shape of lotus flowers and send them down the river in lanterns. Shops and stalls would stay open all night long, and the streets would be filled with music and performers. ¡°Of course. What about you, Lady Dan? Won¡¯t this be your first lotus lantern festival?¡± Princess Muyeo gazed at Yujo as she asked. ¡°Yes. My lord husband and I are thinking about going.¡± ¡°My goodness! You two are so sweet. I¡¯m quite envious. We have too many children in our family, so if we leave the house together, it¡¯s too tiring. They keep asking us to buy them this and that¡­ I¡¯m always scared to show them anything new.¡± And like this, the ladies went back to talking about their daily lives. Yujo carefully lifted the cup of cold tea up to her lips. Princess Muyeo listened to the ladies¡¯ excited ramblings. For some reason, Princess Muyeo¡¯s behavior today bothered Yujo. That night, Yujo and Jewol left the house and went out. To be honest, they needed to take their minds off of the Heukra and cool their heads outside. Yujo was wearing men¡¯s clothing because it was a lot more comfortable. She swept up her black hair and was wearing a dark blue men¡¯s outfit. She even had a sword fastened to her belt. She felt so comfortable like this. It was almost as if she¡¯d returned to her usual self. ¡°It feels like you¡¯ve returned to being Yujo.¡± Once they were an appropriate distance away from the house, Jewol looked at her and spoke. Yujo felt the same. Having spent all this time concentrating on titles and watching her words, she finally felt like she could breathe. ¡°Really? I also feel like I¡¯ve returned to being Yujo.¡± She grinned at him as they walked down the road with light steps. This was the first time she was taking in the nighttime scenery of YeonSung. The marketplace gates were still wide open. Food stalls carrying fruits and roasted squid were scattered throughout the area. ¡°Wow, I never thought there would be something like this here.¡± This was the first time she¡¯d seen anything like this. Her mouth began to water. ¡°I¡¯m buying tonight, so eat whatever you want.¡± Jewol found a spot in front of the marketplace as he spoke. Yujo let out an excited shout. ¡°Ma¡¯am, one order of wine and some lamb skewers. Please give us a lot!¡± ¡°Aigoo! Someone¡¯s excited.¡± ¡°Of course I am, Brother! I thought I was going crazy having to pretend I was docile all this time.¡± ¡°I guess you have suffered quite a lot lately.¡± Shortly, a middle-aged woman brought them their lamb skewers and a bottle of wine. Lamb skewers were Yujo¡¯s favorite back in Yeha. ¡°Go ahead and eat. I won¡¯t take any of your food.¡± ¡°You should eat, too, Brother.¡± Yujo suggested as she stuffed the lamb skewer in her mouth. Oh my god! It was delicious. How did they cook this? It tasted so good! Lamb was delicious back at Yeha as well, but the lamb here almost seemed to melt in one¡¯s mouth. It tasted sweet and spicy, and it didn¡¯t smell at all. ¡°They use honey.¡± As if he¡¯d read Yujo¡¯s mind, Jewol explained. ¡°They also added some chili pepper.¡± Then he stretched out his hand and wiped the sauce smudged around her lips. It surprised Yujo. In order to hide her awkward feelings, Yujo raised her voice. ¡°Brother, that¡¯s enough. Do you still see me as a kid?¡± ¡°Of course you¡¯re a kid. Would you call yourself an adult?¡± ¡°Haa, it looks like you haven¡¯t heard. I¡¯m actually married.¡± Jewol laughed. His face looked a bit troubled. ¡°It looks like you haven¡¯t heard. You married the wrong man.¡± ¡°Why would you say something like that¡­¡± ¡°Yujo.¡± Jewol¡¯s looked at Yujo earnestly. Yujo frowned. She didn¡¯t know why he was suddenly acting like this. Did something happen? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Did something happen? Does it have to do with Brother Yuha or Yeha?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not it¡­¡± Jewol bit his lip. He had agonized over this for the past few days. He felt as if his blood was running dry. He had followed the Crown Prince¡¯s orders and captured Yuha from Yeha and brought him here. Your brother is already here in YeonSung. But I don¡¯t know if and when anything will happen. Seeing Yujo look at him with such trust, Jewol almost lost his mind. If Yujo found out about Yuha, then¡­ No, no. Jewol shook his head. She must never know. Never! She mustn¡¯t find out. Yujo and Yuha. He was trying to save both of them. How could he save Yuha? If he did, would Yuha and Yujo both understand? Or would they say that he had made the wrong choice? ¡°¡­It¡¯s nothing.¡± ¡°What is it? Tell me¡­¡± ¡°Should we order some more lamb?¡± ¡°Aigoo, don¡¯t change the subject.¡± ¡°Then why are your eyes sparkling?¡± ¡°They are not! But if you¡¯re going to order more, then go ahead.¡± Yujo smiled brightly as Jewol chuckled. That smile looked the same as it did when they were young. Back when she was still the young girl who had picked a flower and brought it back for the sick, bedridden Jewol. It was a yellow Adonis flower. They signaled the arrival of spring to the people of Yeha. A yellow flower that bloomed in the snow. Aah, he was such a sinner. How much pain and suffering would he bring these two siblings? ¡°Brother?¡± Yujo worriedly looked at Jewol as she stretched out her hand. She grabbed Jewol¡¯s hand. ¡°Seriously, what¡¯s wrong?¡± I should tell her. I should at least tell her how I feel¡­ Jewol gazed at her and opened his mouth when Yujo¡¯s eyes suddenly widened. Then she quickly dove underneath the table and hid her body. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Ah! It¡¯s nothing! Brother! Agh! Don¡¯t look behind you!¡± Yujo looked at the man behind Jewol who was walking by. N-No way! It¡¯s him? ¡°What is it?¡± Jewol asked again, but she didn¡¯t hear him. Was she mistaken? There was no way she¡¯d see that guy here, right? If he saw her here with Jewol, they¡¯d be in big trouble. She needed to escape as soon as possible. No! Yujo remembered that the man held the rest of the bamboo shards. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be acting like this. She needed to catch that man. ¡°Brother!¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I need to go somewhere by myself.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Go back home without me. Quickly!¡± ¡°Yujo!¡± ¡°Shh! Be quiet and just go home. I¡¯ll follow you back soon.¡± With that, Yujo crawled on the ground and exited the food stall. She quickly ran into an alleyway behind the marketplace. She jumped over a few walls and roofs and looked down at the marketplace. As expected, it was that man. The man who had shattered the important bamboo slip. And that very man was currently swinging his arms as he walked through the bustling crowd. TN: OMG! Jewol betrayed the siblings already?! I mean¡­ I know he was following orders, but OMG! Yuha better not die¡­ Chapter 6.2 - (The Name That Vanished) part 2 His clothing almost looked black. However, whenever he passed by the hanging lanterns, she could see that it was actually a dark plum color. The man didn¡¯t forget to smile at the ladies who glanced at him. That sly womanizer! Yujo grit her teeth as she followed the man. Thinking back to his behavior at the ChiHwaRu and the storeroom, Yujo knew that this man¡¯s hands and lips acted fast. As long as the girl was wearing a skirt, he acted like a besotted fool. Imagining him meeting an early demise filled Yujo with glee. She assessed the path he was taking and quickly ran ahead. Since she couldn¡¯t win him with her martial arts, she¡¯d have to resort to cheating instead. She hid in the shadows of an alleyway as she waited for him, her right hand on the hilt of her sword. However, she didn¡¯t hear his footsteps approaching. What happened? Suddenly, she heard the shouts of children as they ran past her. ¡°It¡¯s a magician! Magician!¡± Magician? Yujo pressed her body to the corner of the wall and carefully glanced down the street. A crowd of people were murmuring as they gathered around the man. What was he up to now? The man stretched out his hand and picked up a dry twig from the ground. He then snapped it in half. The people around him whispered in confusion. However, the twig suddenly began to grow longer in his hand. Even though it was all happening right before her eyes, Yujo couldn¡¯t believe what she was seeing. Her mouth opened in shock. The people around him were in awe. The twig in his hand suddenly began to sprout green leaves. The leaves grew bigger and bigger. In the blink of an eye, a pink crape myrtle flower began to bloom on the twig! Yujo¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Her head was telling her it was all a lie, but she couldn¡¯t help but be dazzled by the scene unfolding before her eyes. ¡°How did he¡­¡± Suddenly, the twig caught on fire. The sudden, violent flame caused the spectators to shout out in surprise. The flame traveled from the twig and began to spread onto the man¡¯s hand and arm. Someone shouted out, yelling for someone to fetch a bucket of water. Everyone was frightened by the sudden fire. W-What¡¯s going on? Yujo¡¯s body was frozen stiff, and she couldn¡¯t move. He was burning! Burning! ¡°No!¡± Yujo shouted out, her face pale. ¡°So¡­ did you enjoy the show?¡± Hearing a voice behind her, Yujo jumped up in surprise and turned around. The man she had believed to be burning in a fire was now standing right behind her. ¡°W-What¡¯s going on¡­?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? I was just testing how easily people can be fooled.¡± ¡°Why did you go and do something as idiotic as that?¡± Yujo was completely dumbfounded. She had a horrible feeling in her gut. This stupid man! She quickly drew her sword pointed it at him. ¡°Tell me. Who are you?¡± The light from the blazing fire flickered on his face. He was looking at her as if he were trying to solve a puzzle. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you if you hand over the bamboo slip.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I¡¯m also searching for the Heukra. You¡¯re doing the same, right?¡± Yujo narrowed her eyes at his straightforward manner. He was also searching for the Heukra? ¡°Why are you searching for the Heukra?¡± He silently gazed at her before letting out a strange laugh. ¡°I¡¯m searching for a serial killer. What reason do I need?¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± Her blade was sharp. ¡°I came from the imperial palace.¡± The palace! Yujo¡¯s eyes widened. As she thought¡­ Was he an independent official? He was incredibly talented in the martial arts, and he had a strange aura about him. And for some reason, he gave off the scent of bureaucracy. There was a chance that the emperor had wanted this matter investigated due to the fact that the Heukra was seen with the guibin¡¯s waistband. Yujo glanced behind her. The fire had disappeared, and so had the man who had conjured it. The people shouted out and claimed that it had been the work of a ghost. They were right. It was truly something that could only be done by a ghost. What should she do? She didn¡¯t want to get tangled into the business between imperial family members. However, the image of the shattered bamboo slip shimmered in front of her eyes. Why did he end up taking that part?! And how did he look completely fine when he had been engulfed in flames not that long ago? She must find out. It was dangerous, but the offer was too tempting. ¡°Fine.¡± Yujo said helplessly as she sheathed her sword. ¡°If you tell me how you did that just now, I¡¯ll reveal the contents of the bamboo slip to you.¡± ¡°How can I trust that you have the bamboo slip with you right now?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that. It¡¯s all stored in my head.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I can read the ancient language of Baran, and I happen to be pretty smart as well.¡± Yujo said haughtily as she grinned. Was it okay to follow him like this? Yujo quickly looked back. She couldn¡¯t see any trace of Jewol. He must have listened to what she said and gone home. It became a lot more crowded as they walked further into the festival. Wishes were written prettily on lanterns of various colors. The man dragged her further into the marketplace. She heard the laughter of the courtesans coming down from the balconies above their heads. It seemed that a couple of drunk man had challenged each other to a round of arm wrestling. A crowd of people gathered around them. All this excitement caused the dogs to begin barking. They passed through this street, and the man began to walk up the stairs of an old building. Yujo hesitated before following him up the narrow stairs. The man continued up as if he were heading to the second floor, but he stopped at the middle landing of the staircase and stepped in front of a large cabinet that had been placed against the wall. He pushed it to the side, which revealed a doorway. In the end, it seemed that the man wasn¡¯t entering the old building as she had thought. Instead, he was trying to enter the building next to it. Yujo marveled as she followed him inside. The cabinet closed on its own behind them. The room was wide and dark. Is this really okay? Yujo nervously kept her hand on the handle of her sword. Suddenly, she heard a crackle as the man lit the candles. He lit them quickly, almost as if he were used to this by now. Every time a candle was lit, the objects within the room were gradually illuminated. Yujo¡¯s mouth opened. This was the first time she¡¯d seen so many odd things gathered in one place. The room was full of books, scrolls, strange drawings, skeletons, and odd equipment. The room was a lot larger than she first thought. Two enormous desks sat in the middle of the room, and it was full of various scraps and equipment. She even saw an astronomical globe, which she had only seen in pictures. ¡°What kind of place is this?¡± ¡°Well, I use this room whenever I have some business to take care of. Come and sit.¡± As he said this, he realized that there was no place to sit. He waved his hand. ¡°Wherever is fine.¡± Then he turned around and poured something into a cup. His demeanor seemed a bit unfriendly. ¡°Do you want something to drink?¡± Yujo thought he was pouring liquor, so she shook her head. The man¡¯s lips twisted. ¡°Why not? You seemed to be enjoying a glass or two with that man you were with before.¡± Her body stiffened. So he had seen her with Jewol. Did he also recognize Jewol? Yujo frowned and didn¡¯t speak about Jewol. It would be best if she didn¡¯t reveal anything about herself as well. Suddenly, something caught her eye. Arrows? Relieved to see something so familiar, Yujo walked over to the wall where the various types of arrows were hung. There were arrows of various types and shapes. She saw an arrow meant for an iron bow that was used in the Qin Dynasty as well as the kind she used back in Yeha. ¡°You have a lot of arrows.¡± ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been interested in them lately.¡± There were also various types of bows. Yujo fought against the urge to touch them. Now wasn¡¯t the time to be thinking about arrows. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t you tell me first. How did you do that back there?¡± ¡°There is a book called the HwanSul-Gi (Book of the Magical Arts).¡± The man took out a book from a shelf and tossed it over to Yujo. Yujo caught it with one hand and examined the book. It was old and worn. ¡°Magicians don¡¯t even tell their secrets to members of their own family. However, this book has many stories that can help you understand.¡± ¡°Then are you telling me that the killer¡¯s secrets are written in this book?¡± ¡°Not all of it, but there are clues. Magic is just a high-level method of deception. All those people thought that the twig was a real twig because I snapped it in two. However, it was actually a thin piece of silk that had been hollowed out in the middle, and the flowers were also made of silk that had been doused in white oil. But they didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°How did you start the fire?¡± ¡°You just need some apatite.¡± ¡°Apatite?¡± Was he talking about the same apatite that Brother Jewol had shown her? Knowing that this man had also known about apatite gave Yujo a strange feeling. ¡°It has a property that causes it to burn when it¡¯s exposed to the air.¡± He showed her the purple stone lying on top of his desk. ¡°But those flames can¡¯t actually burn a person, right?¡± ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s just a flashy fire that captivates people¡¯s eyes for a moment.¡± ¡°But in the case with the Heukra, the flames were so strong that it burned a whole person to crisp.¡± ¡°I know. One cannot do that with mere apatite.¡± He leaned on a chair and clasped his hands together. ¡°But if you have the icy-fire stone, then that¡¯s a different story.¡± ¡°Icy-fire stone?¡± ¡°Yeah. Similar to the apatite, it also reacts with the air. Once exposed, it causes an explosive reaction. If so much as one person touches it, it will explode and engulf that person in flames. It is said that just a spoonful of the icy-fire stone powder can burn down a house. The objects touched by the victims, like the bed, a chair, or the interior of the carriage, were all covered in the icy-fire stone residue.¡± ¡°Then¡­ all we have to do is find the person with the icy-fire stone!¡± ¡°The problem is that it¡¯s almost impossible to obtain an icy-fire stone.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The man pointed up. ¡°Icy-fire stones fall from the sky.¡± ¡°What?¡± What did that mean? ¡°Very rarely, a star falls from the sky. Icy-fire stones are only found inside those stars.¡± Yujo opened her mouth in shock. How preposterous! ¡°A star that falls down from the sky?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Where is that kind of thing written? Inside the HwanSul-Gi?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± This was absolutely absurd. Was this man tricking her? A fierce flame suddenly blazed in Yujo¡¯s eyes. The man quickly raised both his hands and tried to calm her down. ¡°There, there, all right. Calm down. It does fall out from a star, but there is a place where you can find the icy-fire stone.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°Over there.¡± He pointed out the window. That¡¯s when Yujo realized that they could see the imperial palace from here. ¡°The imperial palace?¡± ¡°Yeah. In all of the Silver Nation, the icy-fire stone can only be found in the emperor¡¯s store room.¡± ¡°Then is the culprit the emperor?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? It only means that the culprit was able to steal the icy-fire stone from the emperor¡¯s store room.¡± Yujo¡¯s mouth widened. What kind of crazy person would steal something from the emperor¡¯s store room? Was the Heukra able to do it? Did the Heukra also steal the guibin¡¯s waistband? ¡°How preposterous. Who¡¯d believe that? How do you even know if the icy-fire stone is real? Do you know what it even looks like? Have you ever seen it?¡± ¡°I have.¡± He spoke so matter-of-factly. ¡°It was completely clear and transparent and gave off a colorful light. But it¡¯s very unstable, so after it comes into contact with a person, that person will explode within a couple of hours. So it has to be kept in a sturdy, crystal bottle.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°There is some apatite found in human bones.¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes widened as she looked at the man. So did that mean a person who had been touched by the icy-fire stone would explode at any moment? ¡°Fine. Then you must know of the people who have access to the emperor¡¯s store room. Who are they?¡± He didn¡¯t answer her. He merely leaned against the window and crossed his arms as he stared back at her. Why was he staring at her so piercingly? Something about his gaze bothered Yujo. He was looking at her as if he didn¡¯t want to take his eyes off her for one second. It made her feel uncomfortable. In order to avoid his gaze, Yujo began to examine the other objects around her. Then she didn¡¯t like how she seemed to care too much about how this man was making her feel. Unable to look at him and unable to look away¡­ She wanted him to quickly answer her question. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you that once you tell me what was on the bamboo slip.¡± A thick air of tension filled the space between them. Yujo clenched her teeth and spoke. ¡°I¡¯ll only be able to tell you that once I¡¯ve seen the remaining shards, don¡¯t you think?¡± ¡°Aha, is that so?¡± As if he¡¯d only just realized this fact, the man took out a small silk pouch that held the bamboo shards. He poured them out onto the table. They were the missing shards of the bamboo slip. Yujo anxiously examined them. ¡°Now, why don¡¯t I show you how smart I am?¡± Yujo lifted her head and met the man¡¯s eyes. He grinned back at her. Chapter 7.1 - Lady of YeonSung 07 (Splendid Death) part 1 They cleared the objects off the table and made enough space for the bamboo slip. Of course, Yujo didn¡¯t bring her bamboo shards, but she could clearly imagine them in her head as she filled in the missing parts of the bamboo slip. She placed the bamboo shards in her memory onto the bamboo slip that he had given her. ¡°What a pity. What am I supposed to be looking at?¡± ¡°I thought you weren¡¯t able to read the language of Paran in the first place.¡± Yujo said as she raised her head. Yujo got her answer as the man angrily crossed his arms. Even if all the shards were in place, he wouldn¡¯t be able to figure out the words written on them. ¡°Stop acting arrogant.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Also¡­¡± Suddenly, he brought his face up close to hers. ¡°Just how old are you?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even if we don¡¯t reveal our names to each other, from what I can tell, you¡¯re obviously younger than me. Yet you continue to talk to me informally, and it¡¯s getting annoying.¡± Ah, that¡¯s right. But still¡­ Recalling what had happened at the ChiHwaRu, Yujo didn¡¯t want to change her manner of speech now. No, actually, wasn¡¯t he the one who talked down to her first? ¡°Then you should also speak formally to me.¡± ¡°Once you find out who I really am, you¡¯ll regret it.¡± She didn¡¯t want to meet this independent official after today anyway. Yujo stared at him coldly before turning her eyes back to the bamboo slip. ¡°You¡¯re bothering me, so be quiet.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± ¡°Ha, that¡¯s rich.¡± As the man was bristling with rage, Yujo raised her hand at him. ¡°Wait.¡± I need to focus. Yujo dug through her memories and began to match the bamboo shards with the bamboo slip. She finally managed to match the shards around the symbol of the three-legged crow. Her heart began to race. ¡°I was right.¡± ¡°Why? What do you see?¡± The surrounding names of the nine families of the northern province were slowly revealed. The victims who had burned to death were Lee, Baek, Yang, Geum, Myung, Seo, Moon, Hwan, and¡­ She couldn¡¯t tell what the ninth one was. What is this? Woon(ë…)? Seol(Ñ©)? The character seemed similar to both, so it was confusing. Yujo frowned. ¡°What is it? You can¡¯t tell?¡± At his teasing voice, Yujo glared at him. He merely grinned back at her. Yujo began to explain. ¡°This bamboo slip is an ancient Paran document. Paran was a divine land, so it revolved around a shrine and a priestess. In other words, the priestess acted as the queen.¡± ¡°I already knew that.¡± ¡°The bamboo slip contains the names of the nine families that protected the priestess, and it matches up with the victims, who were originally from the northern province.¡± The man¡¯s expression turned grave. ¡°Are you saying that there¡¯s still a family that hasn¡¯t been attacked by the Heukra?¡± ¡°There are nine families, so one family is left.¡± ¡°Where is it?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the thing¡­¡± Yujo sighed. ¡°You see, somebody shattered the bamboo slip, so I can¡¯t tell if this is Woon or Seol.¡± ¡°Hmph, and you acted all high and mighty¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god! Who¡¯s the one who destroyed such important evidence in the first place?¡± The two of them faced each other as they growled. Boom! Suddenly, they heard something explode outside. Startled, Yujo walked over to see what the noise was. Her mouth widened in shock. ¡°Ah!¡± Lights were shooting up in the black night sky. They looked like red flowers, blue birds, and blinding, white dragons. They appeared in one moment before disappearing without a trace. ¡°What is that?¡± The man looked out the window next to her before looking down at her with a smile of disbelief. ¡°What¡­ You don¡¯t know what a firecracker is?¡± ¡°Firecracker?¡± ¡°Yeah, today is the lotus lantern festival, so they¡¯re shooting firecrackers at the imperial palace.¡± Yujo had never seen them before. Yeha didn¡¯t have firecrackers like this. Seeing that she was staring at the sky in awe, the man opened the windows even further and extinguished some of the candles in the room. ¡°Is this really your first time seeing them?¡± When his question finally registered into her head, Yujo did her best to wipe the awe off her face. However, countless fireworks shot across the sky, causing her mouth to open once again. My goodness! They were so pretty! She didn¡¯t see how the teasing expression on his face gradually began to change. She looked so lovable as her innocent face glowed in surprise and joy as she watched the fireworks. He watched for a while longer before he went back and extinguished the remaining candles. As soon as the room went completely dark, it really seemed as if the fireworks were blossoming in the sky. ¡°Is it really that amazing?¡± At his question, Yujo grinned and gave him a slight nod. ¡°It¡¯s amazing. I also want my brother to¡­¡± Feeling that she¡¯d said too much, she quickly closed her mouth. The man remained silent, so she wasn¡¯t sure if he had heard her or not. Just as she turned her head to gaze at the exploding fireworks outside, he spoke. ¡°I also want to show it to my family.¡± For some reason, his voice sounded a bit lonely. ¡°Why? Is your family far away?¡± The man glanced at her and let out a faint laugh. ¡°They¡¯re not far away, but I can¡¯t see them often.¡± Why not? Her eyes asked as she looked at him. ¡°Because¡­ it¡¯s better if I stay away from them.¡± He had a bitter expression on his face as he answered her. It was better if he stayed away from them? What did that mean? Yujo turned her head and turned her eyes back onto the fireworks. The magnificent palace repeatedly shone underneath the lights of the fireworks before disappearing back into the darkness. Yujo recalled Princess Muyeo. She had lost her mother and was married off at a young age. Even though she had found a home to settle into, Yujo couldn¡¯t help but feel that she was still very lonely. ¡°No matter how splendid and grand your house is, if you don¡¯t have any family to share your heart with, it¡¯s going to be difficult.¡± Yujo spoke as she stared at the flickering palace. ¡°I have one brother. My mother passed away shortly after giving birth to me, and my father passed away early as well. My brother had a lot of responsibilities on his shoulders. However, whenever he went somewhere, he never forgot to take me with him. Thanks to that, I learned to ride a horse at a young age and followed by brother everywhere he went.¡± As she recalled those times, Yujo¡¯s lips stretched into a smile. ¡°I had just turned seven, but I had so much fun back then. My brother and I would sleep outside in the fields or in a cave. One time, we were even chased by wolves. There was also a time when it suddenly began to pour, and we were so soaked that we couldn¡¯t get a wink of sleep that night. But we saw a lot of cool sights together.¡± Countless stars strewn out across the night sky, the gleam in the horizon as the sun rose at the break of dawn, a newborn deer taking its first steps, and the birds flying high in the sky as they made their way south¡­ ¡°Now that I think about it, I have so many happy memories.¡± Immersed in her memories, Yujo suddenly returned to her senses. What was she doing? Why did she talk like this without thinking? However, the man was staring back at her. His expression didn¡¯t hold any of the lightness it held before. Instead, he merely gazed at her and spoke up in a lonely voice. ¡°How envious.¡± What was this? Yujo suddenly felt the urge to hug him. He smiled lightheartedly down at her, but she knew he was merely putting on an act. Why did she talk about her brother like an idiot? Didn¡¯t this man just say that even though he missed his family, he had to stay away from them? ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Yujo lightly bit her lip as she spoke up. ¡°I was being silly.¡± At her words, the man turned and looked down at her. He replied in an annoying voice. ¡°So you do know.¡± ¡°What?¡± Haa. Like he said, he was obviously older than her, but he continued to act like a child. It didn¡¯t make any sense. This wasn¡¯t right. She suddenly became aware of the fact that they were the only ones in this room and tensed up. ¡°I think I need to head back now.¡± The man turned around when he heard her words. ¡°Why? Do you need to go back to the man you were with?¡± That¡¯s right. She had completely forgotten about Jewol. He must be worried sick about her right now. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ Either way, I have to go.¡± She hurriedly made her way across the room, but the man suddenly appeared in front of the door and blocked her exit. He crossed his arms and asked in an annoyed tone of voice. ¡°Anyways, just who was that guy you were with?¡± Haa. That¡¯s hilarious. Yujo looked at the man in disbelief. ¡°That¡¯s none of your business.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s none of my business? If you think about what¡¯s going on between you and me, I can¡¯t help but consider it my business.¡± Yujo almost grasped the nape of her neck in shock. ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and me?¡± ¡°Mm, haven¡¯t we kissed?¡± ¡°Gah! That was just you being rude!¡± ¡°Hey, let¡¯s get one thing straight. You¡¯re the rude one who kissed me first.¡± Ah! Seriously?! ¡°That was a tactic. I was using a tactic to escape an enemy! How can you not tell the difference?¡± ¡°Either way¡­ What¡¯s going on between you and that man?¡± She felt that being with him was dangerous. For some odd reason, the vibe she got from him suddenly felt different from before. He almost gave off the energy of a dangerous bull. It put her on edge. ¡°Nothing, so move.¡± ¡°It was nothing, but he still touched your lips like that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s because he¡¯s my brother!¡± Yujo¡¯s cheeks were flushed. She didn¡¯t know why she had to give him an explanation. ¡°Ah! The brother who raised you in place of your parents?¡± Jewol wasn¡¯t that brother, but she couldn¡¯t tell him that right now. Yujo felt that she had to explain the current situation to this man. ¡°It looks like you¡¯re misunderstanding something, but you and I are nothing. You¡¯re just someone who has committed a wrong against me, and that¡¯s all there is between us. We don¡¯t even know each other¡¯s names, so keep your distance!¡± ¡°Distance?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, distance!¡± ¡°Telling me this while using an informal manner of speech¡­ It doesn¡¯t seem very convincing.¡± ¡°Ha! That¡¯s not something you should say either! You¡¯re the one who hugged me and groped me.¡± ¡°But you approached me as a courtesan back then.¡± Ah! How infuriating. She didn¡¯t want to speak anymore. ¡°I understand now, so please move, my lord!¡± Yujo spit out the words. The man began to laugh out loud. Yujo looked up at him in disbelief. Why? What¡¯s so funny? I don¡¯t know. If Yujo had asked him that, he would have answered, ¡®I don¡¯t know.¡¯ He really didn¡¯t know. He didn¡¯t know why he was laughing so happily. If someone had seen him laugh like this, people would say that the Red King had finally lost his mind. It wasn¡¯t a fake laugh that hid his sadness and anger. It wasn¡¯t a laugh to deceive others. He was just happy. But thinking back, she was with another man this time. For some reason, he felt unreasonably angry and irritated. Where was this ridiculous feeling coming from? Was that man truly her brother? Was it really nothing? Bringing her to his secret room was a very dangerous thing to do. However, this place was the most secret location in YeonSung. All the people outside, including all the women, were his subordinates. Didn¡¯t he bring her here with wicked intentions? If she found out, would she hate it? Would she become embarrassed if he told her he wanted to see her again? Or would she kick him and run away like last time? ¡°How about this?¡± When he spoke, the woman¡¯s eyes widened. Her eyes were clear. It was so clear that it was almost as if they held the sky within them. Her eyes contained no lies, no fear, and no anxiety. He liked the way she looked at him so honestly. If she were a man and not a woman, he still would have liked it. ¡°You¡¯re right. We don¡¯t know each other¡¯s names.¡± She stared at him suspiciously. ¡°So if one of us finds out the other¡¯s name, we¡¯ll start dating.¡± ¡°What?¡± Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°If I figure out your name or if you figure out mine, let¡¯s date.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous.¡± The woman immediately shook her head. ¡°Why? Ah! If you want to date me, you can just tell me your name.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± She looked at him in disbelief. ¡°Stop speaking nonsense and move.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t move until you agree with me.¡± Thud! Garan suddenly felt an immense pain pulsing from his shin. ¡°How dare you!¡± ¡°How dare I what!¡± Garan crouched down in pain. Yujo stuck out her tongue and quickly made her escape. Chapter 7.2 - (Splendid Death) part 2 The night grew deeper, but everyone was awake as they enjoyed the excitement of the festival. Yujo carefully opened the window and entered her room. The dark room was completely silent. Was everyone outside? Had Brother Jewol returned? Yujo snuck through the darkness as she made her way to the bathroom. She felt as if her body reeked of sweat and dust. When she entered the bathtub full of chilly water, she finally felt a sense of relief. ¡°Has your mistress returned?¡± Suddenly, she heard Jewol¡¯s voice outside. Ah, was he back already? When she turned around, she saw the shadows of Jewol and a bowing young woman. ¡°Not yet, Master.¡± Ah, it was Ran? ¡°When she returns, let me know.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Jewol was just about to turn around, but he stopped. He turned back to Ran. ¡°Never take your eyes off her.¡± What? Yujo watched the two shadows from within the water. What did that mean? Why was he telling her not to take her eyes off her? ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Yujo stayed inside the depths of the water as Ran kept her figure bowed. Yujo felt strange. Even after Yujo had changed into her nightdress, sleep evaded her. She kept replaying the conversation she had overheard as she lied in bed. She must¡¯ve heard wrong. No, she must have misunderstood. Never take your eyes off her. Why was Jewol commanding Ran to watch over her? Yujo tossed and turned within the blankets before bursting out of bed. She couldn¡¯t lie still any longer. She draped a summer jacket over her nightdress before opening the door and exiting the room. The house was filled with noise as always. Wherever Princess Yeowa was, overflowing laughter followed. For some reason, she was worried about the bamboo shards she had left in Jewol¡¯s care. She wanted to take a look at them again. She quietly made her way down the corridor and entered Jewol¡¯s study. She lit the lantern inside. The materials inside the study were all neatly organized. How like him. Yujo carefully grazed her eyes over the books. Even his handwriting was neat and tidy. Yujo dragged her finger over the writing. Where could he have put the bamboo shards? She picked up the lantern and carefully sifted through the study. He must have put it away somewhere safe because she couldn¡¯t find it anywhere. She looked through all the tidied drawers until she found a small box buried deep inside one of them. Did he put it inside here? The box was even locked with a padlock. However, she already knew where Jewol kept his keys. She quickly found the key hidden inside a vase and opened the lock. Click, Yujo thoughtlessly opened the box. What she saw inside made her freeze. At first, she just thought it was a pretty bottle. It was transparent, but it seemed to give off a glow of seven colors. ¡°It was completely clear and transparent and gave off a colorful light. But it¡¯s very unstable, so after it comes into contact with a person, that person will explode within a couple of hours. So it has to be kept in a sturdy, crystal bottle.¡± What¡­ was this? ¡°SoYeon?¡± At Jewol¡¯s voice, Yujo flinched in surprise and hurriedly closed the lid of the box. ¡°Ah¡­Bro-¡° He frowned. ¡°My lord husband.¡± Yujo quickly corrected herself. They had agreed that she would call him ¡®my lord husband¡¯ when they were outside. But why did those words suddenly sound so awkward? She felt as if her tongue had gone stiff. ¡°When did you get back?¡± ¡°Just now.¡± ¡°What happened back there?¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ I thought I saw someone I knew.¡± ¡°Someone you knew?¡± ¡°I thought I saw a friend from Yeha, so I couldn¡¯t help myself. But when I took a closer look, it wasn¡¯t them.¡± Yujo didn¡¯t know why she was lying. She was sorry for doing it, but she couldn¡¯t help herself. ¡®Really?¡¯ Jewol murmured suspiciously. ¡°But what brings you to this room?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± If she asked him what was inside this box, that would be the end. It would be the end if she asked him whether this bottle held the icy-fire stone. No, don¡¯t worry about that and just ask him. Brother, what is this? Just ask¡­ Just¡­ Yujo¡¯s heart held that question inside as she looked at Jewol. He was an older brother she had known for a long time. Brother Yuha¡¯s friend. How much time had the three of them spent together? They had run across the meadows, slept underneath the stars¡­ They had hunted together and even played together. Jewol had always been a kind person. His smiles were like that of a celestial being¡¯s, and he received a lot of love from the two siblings. ¡°Never take your eyes off her.¡± Why had he given that command to Ran? However, she couldn¡¯t ask him. She merely gave him a sheepish smile and replied. ¡°Ah, I wanted to take another look at the bamboo shards, so I was looking for them.¡± ¡°Haa, you want to see it again when it¡¯s this late?¡± Jewol¡¯s expression was the same as always. No, actually, something was off. Yujo was flustered at this new awareness. There was an unfamiliar distance between them that she hadn¡¯t noticed before. He walked over to his desk as he spoke. The lantern illuminated his handsome face. It hadn¡¯t changed. Yujo bit her lip. Even when he carefully found the bamboo shards and splayed it out for her, Yujo felt a chill run down her spine. She needed to trust him. Why was she thinking like this? Rather than trusting a man whose name she didn¡¯t know, shouldn¡¯t she trust this brother of hers whom she had known for many years? ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jewol found Yujo¡¯s stiff expression very strange. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s nothing.¡± Yujo lowered her gaze and spoke with a blank expression. She recalled the completed bamboo slip with the bamboo shards filled in. Now that she thought about it, that final character seemed to be a Seol. ¡°Is there a Seol family among the families from the northern province?¡± ¡°Seol?¡± Jewol slightly tilted his head. ¡°There are a lot of families from the northern province, so I¡¯m not sure.¡± ¡°Yeah, I guess so.¡± Yujo shook her head. She wanted to shake off the suspicions that were creeping over her shoulders. ¡°Yujo.¡± Suddenly, Jewol called out to her. Startled, Yujo raised her head. Jewol¡¯s eyes underneath the light of the lantern looked a bit strange. That¡¯s¡­ It looked very similar to the eyes of the strange man as he looked at her in the ChiHwaRu. The eyes of a man gazing at a woman. Yujo quickly looked away. ¡°Ah, don¡¯t you think you should go inside and rest?¡± ¡°Yes, I think I¡¯ll head back. Thank you, Brother.¡± Yujo gave him an awkward smile. I should trust him. Yujo shook her head. She dumped out the dark doubts pooling inside her heart. Jewol slightly turned his head and glanced at her before smiling bitterly. Ran was standing in front of Yujo¡¯s room. Yujo quickly looked at Ran and Jewol¡¯s expressions, but they both looked calm. Something didn¡¯t feel right. Jewol relaxed a bit and bid Yujo a goodnight before leaving. Yujo merely stood in the darkness. Jewol passed through the corridor and¡­ ¡°Seol¡­¡± She didn¡¯t hear Jewol¡¯s murmur. The next morning was very busy. It was the day Princess Yeowa and other guests would gather together to enjoy a comedy. Long strips of white cloth stretched out across the princess¡¯s residence, and the white lanterns shook in the wind. Because Princess Yeowa¡¯s relatives would be in attendance, the food and event was to go off without a hitch. Yujo wore a tidy outfit and approached her mother-in-law, Princess Yeowa. ¡°You came?¡± Princess Yeowa, whose hair was slightly white at her temples, gave Yujo a soft smile and beckoned her daughter-in-law to come closer. ¡°Did you enjoy a comfortable night¡¯s rest, Your Highness?¡± ¡°Aha, I told you to call me ¡®Mother¡¯.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Court etiquette in a royal household wasn¡¯t like that of a normal one. Even if one was a royal¡¯s husband or son, they were not allowed to address the princess as they pleased. ¡°Oh, come now. Come on. Do you know how much I¡¯ve wanted to be called ¡®Mother¡¯?¡± Princess Yeowa raised her teacup and murmured. ¡°I also want to be called ¡®Grandmother¡¯.¡± Yujo swallowed a groan. She wasn¡¯t her actual daughter-in-law, and she had no plans to give birth to Jewol¡¯s child. Jewol was like a brother to her. He had never made her heart race. Additionally¡­ She tamped down the rising doubts once again and put on a polite smile. ¡°I heard they were going to perform a Kunqu opera today.¡± She had no choice but to change the subject at times like this. ¡°Yes, is everything ready?¡± ¡°I put a lot of thought into the preparations, but I¡¯m not sure if it will be to your liking.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is all just for a bit of fun. Anyways, it would have been nice if Jewol could have joined us today. I heard the Crown Prince was looking for him, so he hurried over to the Crown Prince¡¯s palace. His Highness dotes on him so much.¡± ¡°Ah, yes.¡± Yujo answered quietly as she lowered her head. At the mention of Jewol, she recalled the crystal bottle she had found in his study last night. Was that the icy-fire stone? Wasn¡¯t that only found in the imperial palace? It was said to be a fallen star from the heavens, and that one would catch on fire if they touched it. Was that really the icy-fire stone? Was she mistaken? She must be wrong. However, the brilliant colors shining from inside the bottle were strange as well. Yujo shook her head. She wanted to trust Jewol. She scoffed at herself for being shaken by the words of a man whose name she didn¡¯t even know. It was ridiculous that she was suspecting Brother Jewol because of what an unknown, ignorant man had said. Just focus on the bamboo slip. The final family surname written on the bamboo slip was Seol. Seol, Seol¡­ Would it be that difficult to find someone with that surname in YeonSung? ¡°Princess Muyeo will not be attending today.¡± Yujo returned to her senses when she heard Princess Yeowa speak. ¡°Sorry?¡± ¡°She said she will be at CheongRyu Hall at the Silk River to float some lanterns. It¡¯s for the best. Honestly, I don¡¯t like having that child enter our home.¡± Although she was her aunt, Princess Yeowa secretly shunned Princess Muyeo. ¡°Ah¡­ Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± She clearly recalled how Princess Muyeo hugged her daughter as she spoke about how she missed her mother. Because she didn¡¯t take after the emperor or the guibin, her own birth was disgraced, and she continued to live as a humiliated princess. Thankfully, she had a loving husband who was devoted to her. ¡°The emperor must have been incredibly upset seeing as how he got rid of his daughter by sending her away in marriage at the young age of thirteen. If it weren¡¯t for Duke HyoEun, Seol Joon, intercepting and bribing the empress, that young girl would have been sent away to a barbaric tribe as tribute.¡± Yujo looked at Princess Yeowa in shock. She knew that a member of the imperial family, especially a princess, didn¡¯t have the freedom to marry for love. However, wasn¡¯t being sent as a tribute taking it too far? However, Yujo was unable to give a retort to Princess Yeowa. Yujo merely stretched out her hand to take some fruit that were prepared as a morning snack. Suddenly, her hand froze. ¡°Is Duke HyoEun¡¯s surname ¡®Seol¡¯?¡± ¡°It is. The family is wealthy from doing business with the western countries, but they have no roots and are a humble household.¡± ¡°Are they from the northern province?¡± ¡°The northern province? I¡¯m not sure about that, but they¡¯re definitely not an influential family from YeonSung. But otherwise, I¡¯m not sure.¡± Why was the surname ¡®Seol¡¯ so common? However, one thing bothered her. She said that the duke had made great efforts to obtain Princess Muyeo. Guibin Nok, a lady from the northern province. The scandal revolving around her and her death. The families that had gathered in YeonSung. And the Heukra, who carried the guibin¡¯s waistband. Clatter! The plate slipped out of Yujo¡¯s hand. The startled servant girl and Princess Yeowa looked at her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Yujo lowered her head, flustered. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It just slipped out of my hand¡­¡± ¡°You should be careful!¡± Princess Yeowa flippantly scolded Yujo, but Yujo was still unable to hide her bewilderment. If the guibin was Paran¡¯s priestess¡­ No, was that too far of a stretch? The guibin¡¯s name was Nok Yeo(Àè). However, the important part wasn¡¯t her surname, which she would have inherited from her father. No, the problem lied with her given name ¡®Yeo¡¯. Black ¡®Yeo¡¯. In the language of ancient Paran, it meant ¡®raven¡¯. In other words, the three-legged raven or ¡®three-legged crow¡¯. No way¡­ Yujo shook her head. No, seriously, no way¡­ ¡°How do you write Her Highness Princess Muyeo¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Muyeo? Why are you asking all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Ah, I thought I might have made a mistake when I sent out her invitation today.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the lovely ¡®Mu¡¯ and black ¡®Yeo¡¯. Muyeo(ŠÕÀè). Is that not how you wrote it?¡± At the princess¡¯s words, Yujo paled and shook her head. ¡°N-no. I wrote it correctly.¡± Yujo received the new plate and politely placed it on top of Princess Yeowa¡¯s table. All the clues slowly came together in her head. Guibin Nok Yeo¡¯s ¡®Yeo¡¯. Princess Muyeo¡¯s ¡®Yeo¡¯. If the guibin had been Paran¡¯s priestess, if one looked at her geneaology, wouldn¡¯t the next priestess be Muyeo, her daughter, after her death? And the northern families that were in charge of protecting the priestess would have to be in YeonSung. Nine families. And Joon of family Seol who had done everything he could to obtain Muyeo. However, one thing didn¡¯t make sense. The Heukra. Why did the Heukra wear the guibin¡¯s waistband as it killed the nine northern families? What should she do? Yujo tilted her teacup as she was lost in thought. She wanted to see if her hunch was correct. She wanted to check if her guess made any sense. Should she head over to Princess Muyeo today? No, should she go to Duke HyoEun¡¯s residence instead? Suddenly, she recalled how she had told that man and Jewol about the character ¡®Seol¡¯ last night. For some reason, she felt the tips of her fingers freeze. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you not feeling well?¡± Princess Yeowa looked at Yujo nervously and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I¡¯m not feeling well, so I¡¯ll head back first.¡± Yujo knew the princess was looking at her in shock. However, she had no time to waste. Yujo quickly bowed and left Princess Yeowa. Finding out that Jewol had gone to meet the Crown Prince bothered her. She wanted to figure out if Seol Joon was from a northern family as soon as possible. Something didn¡¯t feel right, and she needed to act now! She needed to meet with Princess Muyeo. That¡¯s all she could think about. Even after ordering the servants to prepare her carriage, the anxiety didn¡¯t go away. ¡°Madame.¡± She heard Ran¡¯s voice coming from outside the door. ¡°Come in..¡± Ran entered with Yujo¡¯s permission. She then proceeded to speak in a flustered voice. ¡°His Excellency Duke MoonYeo will not be out for much longer. Why don¡¯t you leave with him when he returns?¡± Yujo turned around and gave her an odd look. ¡°Why should I do that?¡± Jewol had never accompanied her whenever she left the residence to visit a woman. ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I meant. I thought you¡¯d both be leaving to enjoy the lotus lantern festival, so¡­¡± ¡°¡­How impertinent.¡± Yujo¡¯s words cut through Ran¡¯s. For some reason, she felt that Ran was trying to stop her from leaving. As she thought¡­ Was she being watched? ¡°I apologize. It¡¯s just that there are a lot of guests today, so using the carriage wouldn¡¯t be proper.¡± Ran was now giving her another excuse. Yujo pretended to be obedient and nodded. She glanced at Ran¡¯s expression and smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just leave on a horse.¡± ¡°What?¡± Ran raised her head in shock. ¡°You mustn¡¯t. You mustn¡¯t show your face to outsiders. It¡¯s extremely improper.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll just wear a hat with a veil.¡± Yujo immediately grabbed the veiled hat that was hanging on the wall and exited through the door. Yujo ignored Ran as she made a fuss about something else and tied the bands of the hat around her chin. She quickly made her way to the stables. Ran ran after her with all her might, but she was no match for Yujo, who was well versed in the martial arts. The servants in the stables gasped when they saw her, but Yujo ignored them and merely picked a horse before getting on top of it. With a curt shout, she exited through the gates and left the princess¡¯s residence. Yujo avoided going through the bustling marketplace and made her way to her destination like an arrow. Traveling with a veiled hat turned out to be even more dangerous than traveling without one because it has difficult to see anything around her. Once she was far enough away from the princess¡¯s residence, Yujo draped the veil over her hat. Then she crouched lower and increased the horse¡¯s speed. She recalled the way Princess Muyeo¡¯s face had looked as she handed Yujo her mother¡¯s morin khuur. Please let everything be okay. Please let me be wrong! The rapid clatter of the horse¡¯s hoofs didn¡¯t reach Yujo¡¯s ears. She was too overcome with worry. As soon as she reached Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence, she asked for an audience. However, the attendants told her that the family was on an outing at CheongRyu Hall near the Silk River. Yujo turned the horse¡¯s head and made her way to the Silk River. Anxiety continued to beat against her heart like the waves of a tide. What should I do? Should I go there by myself? But what if Jewol¡­ What if there was a slight chance that Jewol was somehow involved with the Heukra? No, what if there was something he was hiding from her? Yujo¡¯s horse stopped in the middle of the forest. She turned around and looked back at YeonSung. The vast imperial palace. The black silhouettes of the houses surrounding it. The flags fluttering in the wind. In the faraway sky, she could see dark clouds rolling towards the city. Yujo turned back around and gazed at the forest path in front of her. She let out a deep breath. What should she do? She just realized that she didn¡¯t even have any weapons on her. Who could she turn to for help? A desolate feeling settled over her heart. TN: Things are picking up! Yujo finally realizes that Jewol¡¯s up to no good¡­ Now she just needs to realize that her brother has been captured! Save Yuha! Save Muyeo! Chapter 8.1 The man¡¯s secret room was empty. Yujo had turned her horse around and come here, but she wasn¡¯t sure if she was making the right choice. To her surprise, she found this building quite easily, and she managed to open the secret door found at the staircase landing without any difficulty. However, she didn¡¯t realize that someone had deliberately left small clues here and there for her to find. The room looked the same as it did yesterday, but there was no one inside. Why did she come here? Although she didn¡¯t know his motives, the man was still interested in catching the Heukra. Yujo quickly took off her veiled hat and grabbed some paper and a piece of charcoal. She wrote something down. Then she took a bow, some arrows, and even stole a sword before quickly exiting out of the room. Rumble, she heard the sounds of an impending storm coming from the sky. It looked like it was going to rain soon. She swiftly got on top of the horse and tried to figure out the direction she needed to take in order to go to CheongRyu Hall. She only knew that it was located in the upper-class neighborhood near the Silk River. She had never been there before. But if it started to rain, it would take her longer to get there. Yujo bit her lip. She didn¡¯t have any trouble finding her way around the desert or the plains. This was no problem for her. ¡°Haw!¡± She shouted out, and the horse began to race down the road. Behind her, raindrops began to fall from the sky. How long had she been riding? The dark clouds slowly began to encroach towards her. The sky grew dark, and the air was humid as if it was going to start raining any minute. Dirt splattered as the horse raced down the path. Not long after that, raindrops drenched Yujo¡¯s entire body. Her surroundings were blurry. Yujo grit her teeth and lowered her body. If one followed the bank of the Silk River, they¡¯d come across the largest lodging place in YeonSung known as CheongRyu Hall. Having raced along the Silk River for the past two hours, Yujo noticed that it was getting darker. Considering the weather and Princess Yeowa, Yujo knew that she should turn around return home. However, anxiety continued to prick her heart. If she returned now, she knew she¡¯d regret it. ¡°Just a little more. Hurry!¡± Yujo pleaded the horse. They went over yet another hill, and Yujo finally saw a splendid building appear from far away. Perched on a cliff, the beautiful building looked down over the Silk River. Like its namesake*, clear, blue waves crashed underneath it. Princess Muyeo and Duke HyoEun would be there. And as expected, the couple was standing underneath the warm lights as they hugged their daughter. In the end, her hunch had been incorrect. Yujo laughed at herself. What had she been so worried about? Why had she raced all the way over here in the rain? She pulled on the reins and began to turn the horse around. While this was all absolutely ridiculous, she still felt relieved. Now she needed to hurry back to her own residence. Suddenly¡­ Crash! There was a deafening roar, and in the next instant, the top of CheongRyu Hall was shattered into pieces. ¡°No way¡­¡± Yujo murmured to herself. After the explosion, CheongRyu Hall was now engulfed in flames. The red flames and the black smoke rose in the wind. Even from where she was standing, she could hear the people¡¯s screams. ¡°Oh my god!¡± Yujo was frozen in her spot as she watched the debris rise and fall in the dark night sky. There was no trace of the princess¡¯s picturesque family. Yujo began to rush over to CheongRyu Hall with all her might. The image of Princess Muyeo talking about how she received scorn from others glimmered in her head. ¡°No, no way.¡± Yujo¡¯s voice trembled as she mumbled to herself. She didn¡¯t want to believe it. However, half of the burning CheongRyu Hall had already been destroyed. It was as if hell was right before her eyes. People were on fire as they jumped out of windows. Some screamed as they escaped through the doors. They were all servants from Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence. Whoosh! An arrow flew through the sky as it approached Yujo. It was as if it were warning her. Startled, she lowered her head. She saw figures dressed in black surround CheongRyu Hall. They held long swords and cold-heartedly struck down any of the servants that escaped the building. What¡­ What should she do?! Even if she ran in now, there was no way she could get anything done on her own. Suddenly, she heard a loud noise behind her. She turned around and saw about a dozen men on horses coming closer. At the very front, she saw Jukmu. As expected, the rider on Jukmu was none other than that man. ¡°Duck!¡± At his roar, Yujo automatically crouched down. The horses jumped over her. The men shouted as they attacked the figures surrounding CheongRyu Hall. Oh my god! He came! He saw the note she had left behind! She wasn¡¯t sure what exactly happened, but she was so happy knowing that he had come. Yujo quickly grabbed her bow and pulled on the string. It was now time for war. As the men began to strike down the assassins, Yujo¡¯s arrows perfectly shot into the necks of her enemies. The sounds of swords clashing rang in the air. It was almost as if the terrifying power of all these men had caused the temperature to drop. However, the swarm of assassins didn¡¯t go down without a fight. As the swords clashed, sparks flew. Suddenly, someone¡¯s name plunged into Yujo¡¯s ears. ¡°Muyeo!¡± Yujo turned her head in surprise. Muyeo! Muyeo? Over there, on the half-broken bannister, stood a woman in frayed clothes. Duke HyoEun frantically struck down his foes as he tried to make his way over to her, but the woman didn¡¯t move a muscle. Yujo¡¯s mouth widened. Muyeo! It was Muyeo! ¡°She¡¯s not dead.¡± Yujo let out a sigh of relief. However, a woman was now standing in front of Muyeo. A woman in a black veiled hat. Heukra. It was definitely the Heukra. Like a vindictive ghost that rose out of the hellfire! And Muyeo didn¡¯t move at all¡­ Almost as if she were bewitched. She didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. She couldn¡¯t hear them at all. However, one thing was certain. The Heukra was trying to kill Muyeo. If anything, the radiant crystal bottle in the Heukra¡¯s hand proved it. They were a bit too far, but she couldn¡¯t give up. Yujo stopped breathing and pulled the arrow back on her bow. Raindrops fell on her body and dripped down her stiff lips. She didn¡¯t hear the clash of swords or the sound of the rain. Only the target. She only saw the Heukra. The moment the Heukra raised the crystal bottle, Yujo pulled her arrow back even further and let go. Whoosh! The arrow left her fingers. The Heukra¡¯s veiled hat flew off. Startled, the Heukra turned her head. Having lost the accessory that had kept her hair up, half of the Heukra¡¯s face was now covered by long, black hair. However, the woman had only turned her head towards Yujo, so Yujo was the only one who got a clear look at the woman¡¯s face. She saw it so clearly. The face of a beautiful heavenly maiden. However, for some reason, it looked familiar. ¡°No¡­¡± Yujo whispered. Her lips parted. No way. There was no way that person could be the Heukra. Wasn¡¯t that the person who had asked her to catch the Heukra in the first place? What kind of crazy bastard would ask to be caught? However, her eyes didn¡¯t lie. ¡°Jewol¡­¡± Yujo was completely shocked as she called out his name. Their eyes met. Jewol as well as Yujo¡­ They both recognized each other. She wasn¡¯t sure which party was more shocked. However, they both felt as if their world was crashing down around them. Suddenly, a gleaming sword flew towards Jewol. Startled, Jewol hid his face with his hand. He was gone in the next instant. The remaining figures around him escorted him as he made his escape. While all this was going on, Duke HyoEun grabbed the collapsed Princess Muyeo and embraced her. Yujo¡¯s fingers trembled as she held her bow. She couldn¡¯t do anything. All thought had left her head. Suddenly, an assassin roared as he charged after her. Whinny! The horse neighed. Yujo avoided the sword and fell off her horse. As her body plunged into the mud, she was a total mess. The sword aimed at her neck and plunged down. She rolled her body and barely managed to evade it. Mud splattered as the sword struck the ground. The man quickly chased after her. Yujo continued to roll as she searched for her sword. The assassin¡¯s sword swung down as it aimed for her neck, but she evaded it again. The assassin then kicked her. A sharp pain radiated from her ribs, causing a groan to escape her lips. The sword swung down once again. By chance, Yujo managed to grab the sword out of the hands of a fallen man and raised it up. Clang! Sparks flew as their swords met. Lying in the mud, Yujo was being pressed down by the assassin¡¯s sword. She blocked it to the best of her ability, but the man¡¯s strength was no joke. ¡°Ugh!¡± Yujo grit her teeth and did her best to fight against it, but the assassin¡¯s sword was now approaching her neck. Brother Yuha! Thud! Suddenly, the assassin¡¯s body flew away. ¡°What are you doing? Get yourself together!¡± Yujo returned to her senses and looked at the person who had saved her. It was him. The independent official! ¡°Hurry! At his words, Yujo tightened her grip on her sword. Cut them all down. Don¡¯t think anymore. Yujo merely cut down the enemies in front of her eyes. It was strange. Although it didn¡¯t seem like they got along at all, they were completely in sync. She didn¡¯t realize this during the previous times they met, but his sword and hers worked in complete harmony. His sword was strong and blunt. However, Yujo¡¯s sword was flexible and subtle. While her sword was no match for his strength, she was able to accurately cover his weaknesses. As the battle progressed, Yujo felt an electrifying thrill run down her spine. She felt as if her own skills had improved three-fold. However, the figures were impressive warriors themselves. On top of that, their murderous intent was incredibly persistent. Yujo finally saw Duke HyoEun carry Princess Muyeo as he escaped CheongRyu Hall. As soon as Duke HyoEun frantically entered a carriage, five of the men who had followed the man here escorted them away. Now all they had to do was take care of the rest of the assassins so that they couldn¡¯t chase after the carriage. Yujo¡¯s hands clenched on her sword. ¡°Ugh!¡± Suddenly, someone grabbed her hair. The assassin¡¯s knife plunged into her chest in an instant. If it went any deeper, it would reach her heart. The moment she felt a sense of emergency, a sword flew in the air and struck the assassin¡¯s forehead. Startled, Yujo looked in the direction the sword came from. The independent official. It was him. But he had thrown his own sword. Had he lost his mind?! An enemy saw that he had thrown away his sword, and his eyes gleamed. ¡°No.¡± Yujo murmured. The man¡¯s eyes met with hers. The assassin¡¯s sword gleamed as he raised it in the air. No!¡± In the next instant, it slashed the man¡¯s back. ¡°No!¡± Yujo quickly pulled out the sword from the assassin¡¯s forehead. Then she slashed at the other assassin like crazy. Blood gushed out, and her whole body was drenched in it. ¡°Get up! I said get up!¡± She heard the sharp sound of a horn from far away. She saw another swarm of enemies racing up the hill. With this man injured as well, there was no way she could fend them off on her own. And wasn¡¯t there too many of them? Drenched in blood and rain, the man was gasping for breath. His teeth were clenched in pain. He looked up at her and spoke. ¡°Run away. Hurry.¡± Run away? Then what about you? Yujo looked into his eyes before looking at the enemies approaching them on horseback. She turned around and saw that the cliff was behind them. Below them, she could see the whirling, black water. Blood would leave an open wound more easily in water. And it would bleed much faster. ¡°Get up.¡± Yujo whispered. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere without you.¡± She grabbed him and dragged him over to the cliff before jumping down. Crash! They plunged into the water. The water rapids were a lot stronger than expected, and she had a hard time finding her bearings. The man¡¯s body had left her grasp in the process. Yujo looked around her. Her nose and mouth was full of cold water. She saw the flames above the cliff flickering in the dark. ¡°Hey!¡± Yujo shouted out. However, she still didn¡¯t see any trace of the man. ¡°Damn it.¡± Curses spilled out of her mouth as she plunged back into the water. Chapter 8.2 - Lady of YeonSung 08 (CheongRyu Hall) part 2 ¡°Ha, haa, ha¡­¡± Even though it was summer, the water of the Silk River was very cold. Like ghostly hands, the underwater greenery waved as they tried to pull them down. Only after searching the depths like crazy did Yujo finally find him sinking into the riverbed. Yujo used all her strength as she grabbed the man and swam up. Above the surface of the water, she could see the shadows of the men searching for them on horseback. Because the flickering light of the flames was at her back, she couldn¡¯t see the men¡¯s faces, but their murderous spirit was proof enough. The problem was the light. Floating above the black waters of the river, the light illuminated them so clearly. Did Princess Muyeo escape safely? Where did Jewol disappear off to? She heard the men¡¯s shouts. Someone was pointing at them. Yujo paled and hugged the unconscious man as she plunged back into the water. An arrow barely missed her shoulder as it silently shot through the water. She felt as if she were stuck in a nightmare. How long had it been? She barely managed to crawl to shore. The man remained limp and could barely walk. ¡°Hey! Get ahold of yourself!¡± His whole body was as cold as ice. Did he die already? Yujo quickly lifted her finger up against his nostrils. Her finger was also frozen stiff. He was barely breathing. She heard someone whistle. She also heard the neighs of horses coming from far away. The lights of torches flickered as the men searched the riverbank. They needed to hide. No matter what. Yujo grabbed the man. He was taller than the average man, and he was a lot bulkier as well. He was also half-unconscious, so he was very heavy. She began to slap his cheek. ¡°Wake up! If you don¡¯t want to die a dog¡¯s death here! Hurry!¡± Dragging his heavy body on her own was impossible. However, it would only be a matter of time before they were caught like this. Yujo frantically shook him. Thankfully, the man opened his dim eyes. ¡°Ah, please get up.¡± ¡°Alright, I get it, so stop hitting me. I¡¯m gonna die from the pain.¡± ¡°If we remain like this, we¡¯ll really die! Hurry, get up.¡± Yujo ordered him in a stern voice. With much difficulty, the man got up on his feet. They needed to run now. No matter what! Yujo grabbed the man¡¯s hand and headed into the field of reeds. The reeds hit the pair of them from all directions, but they couldn¡¯t stop here. Every time she heard the sound of footsteps, Yujo felt as if she¡¯d have a heart attack. A while later, she found a small cave near the riverbank. They went inside and hid. She could still see the faint glimmer of the torchlight outside. Thankfully, the cave was dry, but she could smell the faint smell of moss and animal excrement. Was this a wildcat¡¯s den? Yujo managed to lower the man and anxiously perked her ears for any sound. The sound of neighing horses, rough shouts¡­ They were all so close. In the black darkness, Yujo grit her teeth. Please, please go away. The man¡¯s breaths became rougher. Their hands and feet were beginning to feel numb and cold. If they stayed like this any longer, they¡¯d both die. ¡°Wait here for a little bit. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Just as she was about to get up, the man¡¯s hand grabbed her wrist. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­Don¡¯t go.¡± The man whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me¡­ Are you scared?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m scared. Don¡¯t leave me alone in the dark.¡± Ha! How was he able to joke around right now? As she glared at him, the man grinned back at her. She found it fascinating that he was still able to smile in their current situation. ¡°I need to get them off our scent.¡± ¡°If you leave them alone, they¡¯ll go away on their own.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go¡­ You¡¯ll get hurt.¡± Yujo froze at his words. She looked at him before sitting down next to him. His back was still bleeding. Although they were out of the water, she needed to tend to his wound as soon as possible. However, she was still nervous about their pursuers outside. ¡°Hey.¡± If he was still bleeding and fell unconscious in his current state, there¡¯d be no hope for him. Yujo called out to the man quietly. ¡°Are you okay? Don¡¯t fall asleep. I don¡¯t think I can carry you.¡± The man chuckled at her whisper. ¡°I guess I am pretty heavy.¡± She glared into the darkness. She recalled Jewol¡¯s face again. The Heukra was¡­ What was going on? What about this man? Did he see the Heukra? Did he see Jewol? ¡°Did you see it?¡± ¡°See what?¡± At his question, Yujo didn¡¯t say any more. ¡°Nevermind.¡± A silence settled down between them. They heard the commotion get louder outside. Everything was chaotic. She couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how Jewol had tried to kill Muyeo. What happened? Why? Why did he deceive me? They had been close for the past seven years. She had trusted him like she trusted Brother Yuha. She trusted him, so she came to YeonSung. Because she trusted him, she married him. What if all of this was a lie¡­? Yujo¡¯s body shook with dread and disappointment. Suddenly, it was quiet outside. It seemed that their pursuers were going down to the riverbank to continue their search. She was worried about the man¡¯s wounds. ¡°Turn around. I want to check and see if you¡¯re still bleeding.¡± ¡°How will you see in this darkness?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it better that we¡¯re in the dark?¡± Wouldn¡¯t it be more embarrassing to see him without his clothes? ¡°Take off your clothes. I can¡¯t see you, but I think my eyes have adjusted a little bit to the darkness. I think we should at least check and see if you¡¯re still bleeding.¡± The man let out a groan, and Yujo heard him take off his clothes next to her. Yujo continued to worry. She needed something to bind his wound. She hurriedly ripped her inner skirt. She felt the pursuers go lower towards the river. They were going to bring out the dogs soon. They mustn¡¯t let out any sound until then. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Yujo cautiously stretched out her hand in the darkness. She felt his sturdy body. It was his back. She could feel his trained muscles twitch underneath her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s on my right shoulder.¡± At his words, Yujo let out an ¡®Ah¡¯ as she carefully moved her hand in that direction. She felt the beginning of the wound. The man didn¡¯t flinch. The wound began on his right shoulder and ran all the way down to his left waist. It must hurt very badly, but the man didn¡¯t flinch. Thankfully, the river water managed to clean it somewhat, but it was still bleeding. Another wound stretched from his left back to the middle. Thankfully, the wounds weren¡¯t so deep that they drew bone, but they were still bleeding nonstop. ¡°I think it¡¯ll be okay if they¡¯re bound tight.¡± Yujo whispered. She stretched out both her hands and put them around his back as if she were hugging him. Then she began to bind him with with her makeshift bandage. Because she had to bind it around his body multiple times, she had to hug his back multiple times. Her heart raced like crazy for no reason. She wondered if this was a bad idea. It felt awkward and weird, but Yujo focused on her binding and quickly tightened the cloth around his back and closed the wound. ¡°Are you okay?¡± At her question, the man answered. ¡°¡­¡­Yeah.¡± His voice sounded raspy. ¡°Hey.¡± He didn¡¯t respond. Instead, she felt him slump forward. ¡°Hey!¡± Yujo shouted. Them man¡¯s body was too cold and damp. No matter how much she called out to him, she didn¡¯t answer her. Yujo began to feel nervous. She hesitated before she quickly lowered him to his side. She took his clothes and put them under his head as a pillow. Then she turned around and exited the cave. If she left him like this, he wouldn¡¯t be able to survive the night. Thankfully, she saw some signs of human life in the form of a flickering light close by. Woof, woof, woof, woof! At the sound of the barking dogs, the villagers became unsettled. Amidst that chaos, Yujo used the strength she didn¡¯t have to look through the village. She took the hanging laundry that a housewife had forgotten outside and some of the medicine from the house next door. She ran in the opposite direction of the riverbank in order to avoid the pursuers. Then she jumped down from a bridge and then went up along the river. It would be enough to confuse her pursuers. By the time she returned to the cave, Yujo was exhausted. Her wet body was shivering, and her legs almost gave out underneath her. However, she couldn¡¯t give up now. If she fell unconscious now, the man would surely die. In contrast to the chaotic village, the cave was peaceful. Within the black darkness, the reeds outside the cave shivered with the wind. Yujo quickly erased all traces of her presence and blocked the cave entrance with the reeds. The cuts on her hands were tingling with pain, but she didn¡¯t have any time to take a look at them. The crescent moon in the dark night sky shone down on her. After entering inside the cave, Yujo carefully looked the man over. The man was in terrible condition. His breaths were rough and he had a fever. ¡°Hey, wake up.¡± She whispered again, but the man didn¡¯t move a muscle. Yujo quickly grabbed her stolen lamp and lit it. The faint light illuminated the man. She wanted to start a small fire, but it was too dangerous. The moment she made a campfire, the whole world would know where they were. She took a closer look at the unconscious man. His back was wrapped up, and he was laying on his front as his whole body trembled. Sweat trickled down his damp forehead, and his whole body felt like a lump of ice. He had lost too much blood. ¡°Oh my god.¡± Yujo quickly covered him with the stolen clothes. She chewed on the medicinal herbs meant to stop the bleeding and pushed them between his lips. As expected, he didn¡¯t swallow. What could she do? She couldn¡¯t start a fire¡­ She bit her lips as she extinguished the flickering lamp light. She didn¡¯t know what to do, but she couldn¡¯t let him die like this. She went out and grabbed some dry straw to lay on the floor. Then she took off the clothes she had put on top of him and carefully rolled him onto the spot she had made. Then she quickly took off her own wet clothes. She should be able to raise his body temperature with hers. After covering both their bodies with the stolen clothes, she hugged him tightly to her. Both of their bodies were so cold that it made her teeth chatter. Yujo pushed her legs between his and put his head on top of her arm. She pulled him into her arms. His head was now laying against her chest. While this did look scandalous, Yujo couldn¡¯t think of anything else since his body was basically a lump of ice. She softly tightened her arms around him and carefully patted him. ¡°If Brother finds out, you and I are both dead.¡± Yujo whispered and pulled him closer against her. Her heart was thumping against her chest at a rapid pace. Gradually, the places where their skin touched grew warmer. Yujo was surprised by her own actions. Even if someone¡¯s life was on the line, how could she be doing something like this? No, why didn¡¯t she feel repulsed? She was hugging an unconscious man in the nude, and she didn¡¯t feel strange about it at all. He smelled like the pleasant scent he always gave off mixed with the scent of the river water. His wet hair brushed against her chin. Although he had a large build, it was almost as if he were a docile child as he leaned against her body. ¡°Whew.¡± Yujo let out a sigh. She felt as if she¡¯d lived a year in the span of a day. It was a relief that he had come at the last moment. If it wasn¡¯t for him, Princess Muyeo and Duke HyoEun would have died today. And Jewol¡­ Yujo bit her lips at the surge of anger. However, she couldn¡¯t suppress the anger flowing through her body. The image of Jewol¡¯s face as the veiled hat fell off of the Heukra¡¯s head constantly replayed in her mind. How¡­ How could he do this to me? If Jewol was truly the Heukra, then the crystal bottle in his study definitely held the icy-fire stone. He had killed people using it, and he shamelessly told her to find the Heukra. By using the information she gave him, he tried to kill someone else. What was he doing? However, one thing was certain. Jewol had lied. He had lied to her and her brother. ¡°What do I do?¡± Yujo grit her teeth as she whispered. ¡°Seriously, what should I do now, Brother?¡± She missed Brother Yuha. What should she do about this situation? If she returned to Yeha now, was the deal over? What was Jewol thinking when he gave her this assignment? Why did he do this? ¡°¡­¡­Don¡¯t worry.¡± Suddenly, Yujo heard a soft voice. Yujo lifted her eyes and saw that the the man was looking at her. His face was flushed from the fever, but he raised his hand and tried to sooth her. ¡°It¡¯s okay. Everything is going to be okay.¡± ¡°Haha, what do you know¡­?¡± What did he know? How could he say something like this?¡± It looked that he was seeing someone else as he spoke to her. But how could this be? Even as he was saying these ridiculous words, Yujo¡¯s heart was shaking with relief. ¡°Don¡¯t worry¡­¡­.¡± Then he closed his eyes once again. Yujo smiled in disbelief. But hearing him tell her not to worry made her feel better. Yujo closed her eyes. Her body was tired and in pain. With their bodies pressed together, she felt warm. However, the portions of skin that were exposed to the air were so cold. Yujo dragged some of the straw and covered the two of them. It was a bit warmer now. At first, he was the one who needed the warmth. But now, she realized that she needed it too. Yujo sighed. It had been a long and difficult day. She recalled how she had almost lost him in the cold waters of the river and shivered. Thankfully, she felt his body heat return. Yujo found comfort in his warmth and rested her chin on his shoulder. She was getting drowsy. Sleep gently settled over her eyelids. Chapter 9.1 - Lady of YeonSung 09 (The Morning in the Cave) part 1 WARNING: NSFW She was in Yeha. The terrifying rocky mountains shooting up into the sky and the vast plains. The never-ending meadows. A tornado was blowing dirt in the wind as it passed by. The rough and savage land. The land that was closed off to outsiders. However, when rain fell on this land, it transformed. The rain would immediately create streams and rivers. It would awaken the sleeping seeds deep within the ground. The fish that had been buried for many years would gain new life. Buds would sprout in the meadow for the first time in a long while, and flowers would bloom. Red poppies and blue cornflowers would blossom everywhere the eye could see. There was a girl surrounded by these blooms. Her glossy hair was fluttering in the wind. Yujo¡¯s falcon was sitting on the girl¡¯s arm. The girl smiled brightly as she looked at Yujo. Strong and free, the child was filled with life. She had dark blue eyes. Underneath the girl¡¯s fluttering hair, Yujo could see a small, golden crown. The crown had a bird on it with its wings outstretched. It was the queen¡¯s crown. Yujo drew a breath and opened her eyes. Strange eyes were staring back at her. They were the man¡¯s eyes. His eyes reflected the bright sunlight, and they looked just like the eyes of the girl in her dream. Was she still dreaming? Yujo was in a daze and couldn¡¯t differentiate between dream and reality. He didn¡¯t look like he was in pain at all. It was almost as if she¡¯d imagined him getting struck down by a sword. She wanted to ask him, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. The man also didn¡¯t say anything. It was as if the two of them were in a completely different world. The silence drew on, but it didn¡¯t feel awkward. No thought entered her head. Yeha, the Silver Nation, Yuha, or Jewol¡­ Even the Heukra or CheongRyu Hall. None of it arose in her mind. All she could see was him. The sunlight seeped in through the reeds blocking the entrance of the cave. The sunlight drenched the man¡¯s face in golden light. His smooth forehead, his strong eyes, his strong nose, and his full lips. ¡°Are you okay?¡± At her question, the man faintly smiled. It was a gentle, beautiful smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What about your back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He stretched out his hand and lightly touched her cheek. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡­ Yes.¡± How could she be okay? She was currently buck naked in his arms! She needed to escape. Thinking this, she slightly pulled away, but the man moved towards her like a magnet. Then he got on top of her. ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± Her heart was racing like crazy. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m returning the favor.¡± ¡°How is this returning the favor?! Move!¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Then he promptly pressed his lips lightly onto hers. You scoundrel! Move! ¡­Is what she should have said. But¡­ maybe it was because of the dream. Or the sunlight, Or was it because his weight pressing down on her own body felt too good? Yujo couldn¡¯t push him away. No, actually, she let out a moan. Whenever his lips lifted off of hers, she missed it. She lifted her eyes and stared into his eyes. She was seducing him without knowing it. The man¡¯s eyes traveled down. He was looking at her. The sunlight settled down on top of his eyelashes. Yujo could see the small specks of dust floating in the air. For some reason, this image of him was so lovable to her. She liked this rude man¡¯s lips. She stared at his lips before looking away. Seeing this, the man¡¯s lips stretched into a smile. His lips approached her. Yujo¡¯s lips opened quietly. He plunged into her mouth just as she plunged into his. It was sweet. It was a strange feeling. How could someone¡¯s lips taste so sweet? Their lips rubbed together, and they drew in a breath and breathed in each other¡¯s scent. Their tongues tangled together as if they wanted to explore each other¡¯s essence, as if they wanted to bury themselves in the other¡¯s body, as if they wanted to melt together. They wanted to become one. His breaths were fragrant. His lips were strong yet soft. His tongue was familiar, and his body was warm. Everything about him seemed strange and familiar at the same time. He was rough while being soft, unfamiliar while being just right. And so she wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt hot. He was burning with life. She almost couldn¡¯t believe he was in the clutches of death just last night. He was full of powerful life. The life pouring out of his body overwhelmed her. Just like the life hidden underneath the parched land of Yeha. Mmm. A moan escaped Yujo¡¯s lips. Her hand traveled down from his neck and swept across his back. She felt as if she were embracing the sun. She could feel the overwhelming warmth underneath her fingertips. How can a person like this exist? She wanted to have this life force. She wanted to try embracing this life force. She wanted to make the strength of this powerful man belong to her. Their bodies tangled together. She could no longer stand the wet clothes that were crushed between them. He plunged even deeper into her lips, and she covered his tongue with hers. She felt something changing within her. No, she felt as if she were being reborn into someone she didn¡¯t recognize. Within the deep cave, this cave that was warm and damp like the depths of a woman, Yujo opened her eyes. They were the eyes of a woman looking at a man. Underneath her lowered eyelashes, those eyes gave the man a subtle look that seemed to suck him in. The man let out a groan as she gave him a smile. His lips crashed back down onto hers, but this time, the kiss was fierce and determined. The sunlight poured over the twitching muscles of his back and traveled down to his hips. The man¡¯s head moved towards Yujo¡¯s exposed breast. Her pomegranate-colored nipples trembled as they perked up between his lips. Her body shook from the surge of an unfamiliar desire. Below, her secret place twitched and felt ticklish. She wanted something. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was that she desired. She wanted the man¡¯s body, his strength, his life. His teeth began to nibble on her nipple. His two hands traveled from her back and grazed her side before settling over her chest. He squeezed her breasts before moving up to her nipples. Her perked nipple collapsed within his mouth as he sucked even harder. Yujo moaned. A terrifying dizziness overcame her. An indescribable shudder traveled throughout her body. She wanted him. That was the only thought on her mind. Come here. One of Yujo¡¯s legs wrapped around his hips and bottom. No man would be able to reject such a tempting invitation. Like a deranged beast, the man buried himself into her embrace. She was the goddess of the earth. He could only obey the powerful and seductive goddess. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but whisper in awe. His lips traveled up her stomach and placed a kiss on both of her breasts. Then he pressed his lips against the nape of her neck. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡± Yujo let out a faint chuckle. She liked receiving his praise and affection. She placed both hands around his face and brought his face closer to her lips. When their lips met, it didn¡¯t feel awkward. She raised her head and met his lips and tongue. She stretched out her arms and wrapped them around his neck and wide shoulders. She felt his arms and back underneath her fingers. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, too.¡± Yujo whispered. He laughed. She liked hearing his laugh. The man¡¯s lips traveled down her chest and her stomach. Very soon, Yujo cried out and blocked her mouth with her hand. He was eating her alive. Her neck, her chest, her stomach, her arms and legs¡­ He was eating all of it. He was licking and biting all of her as he tasted her. When his lips reached the deepest part of her, Yujo squirmed in shock. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± He caught her outstretched hand and pressed it down onto the ground. With her disheveled hair underneath her back, Yujo¡¯s pale body twisted from the sensation. His tongue was drenched in her fluids. The thick tongue parted her lower lips and plunged inside. A strange desire welled up inside her as his tongue continued to move back and forth. ¡°Aah!¡± Yujo¡¯s body squirmed at the unbearable embarrassment, but she continued to fiercely crave more of the man. It was sweet and captivating. He continued to lick and nibble at her peak. A hot wave of sweet pleasure washed over Yujo, plunging into her and waking her up. Deeper and deeper¡­ Higher and higher¡­ It rocked through her. Suddenly, Yujo was flying. Like her falcon, she soared up high. The ground was far away, and the wind was fierce. The sun was right before her eyes. The light was blinding, and the blue sky vanished. A blinding climax rocked through her. With a twitch, her fluids poured out of her. The man let out a satisfied sigh. His tongue happily lapped at her swollen entrance. He was like a beast. But she liked that. Yujo grit her teeth. A fire was traveling down her body and swallowing her up. Even though she didn¡¯t know what she was looking for, she was yearning for something. Something to fill her up. Something big, hot, and hard! The man¡¯s body went back up her body. His lips were smiling as they glistened with her essence. He pressed his lips onto hers. His lips were fierce and aggressive. There was no trace of softness left. Like a barbarian, it was uncivilized. She couldn¡¯t breathe. A feverish heat arose from both of their bodies as they tangled together. His eyes were looking down at her. She was also gazing at him. Suddenly, she felt apprehensive. Like a traveler just before embarking on a trip. She felt excited and worried at the same time. But she wanted to embrace him. She wanted him. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. She widened her legs and wrapped them around his hips. She saw the sunlight stretching out across the roof of the cave. And then he entered her. The large, hot part of the man parted her inner lips and plunged inside her. The terrifying pleasure and pain erased the climax she had just experienced. As he buried himself inside her, Yujo let out a cry and tightened her grip on his shoulders. Her body trembled at the unfamiliar pain. ¡°Shh¡­¡­¡± The man let out a ragged breath and soothed her. He covered her lips with his own. He was only halfway inside, but he stopped his movements. He began to caress her breasts. Her tense entrance slowly relaxed. He waited until she had gotten used to the intrusion. The man endured it until the pain had settled down. She felt as if she were pressed down by a boulder. Yujo held her breath and did her best to relax her body. When his lips finally left hers, she let out a deep breath. The man pressed his forehead against hers and began to move once again. Her sensitive insides trembled and sucked him in. Was it always this difficult? She felt as if she were being ripped apart. The man stroked her back as he let out a ragged laugh. His hand that had been resting against Yujo¡¯s bottom slowly traveled up and went between their bodies. He began to softly stroke her. The pain began to fade away, and a fierce, unfamiliar sensation caused her to look down. She saw that only half of his rod was inside her, and it was covered in veins. It seemed to growl as if it was ready to attack at any minute. When she lifted her head, his lips crashed back down onto hers. His tongue consoled her and laid her fears to rest. As he continued to stroke her body, Yujo could feel his desire to enter her body through his hands. Yujo did her best to relax her body. She widened her legs and took in a deep breath in an effort to bring him deeper inside her. The man took his lips off hers and lowered his forehead onto hers. She looked into his eyes. His eyes were filled with desire, hunger, and a feverish plea. Yujo silently closed her eyes and tilted her head back. This was the permission he had been waiting for. Thrust! Her body was pushed back as the sound of their slapping bodies rang in the air. A ragged groan echoed in the air. Her body slid up on top of the pile of hay and slowly slid back down. Again, thrust! Yujo¡¯s nails raked along his shoulders as the man thrust deeper inside her. Tears unexpectedly escaped her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. She wasn¡¯t sure why she was crying, but in this moment, she realized that she was no longer the young girl who had run through the meadows. He plunged back into her. Her body was swept up once more before coming back down. Their hips rubbed against each other as they let out ragged groans. His cock was buried to the hilt. Yujo felt as if she were being ripped apart. A mixture of their fluids began to trickle down her bottom before dripping onto the cave floor. The muscles of his back shuddered. She felt as if she were being rocked in the middle of a stormy sea. Every time he penetrated her, his scent and his feel, his strength and his life force, seemed to enter inside her as well. She was completely his. Their lips tangled together. Their bodies were perfectly stuck together. Her soft body was completely encased by his rock hard body. His cock was covered in their fluids and her virginal blood as it continued to thrust into her between their undulating bodies and tangled legs. ¡°Haa, Ahh¡­¡­Ah¡­¡­¡± She panted as she tried to endure it. The man remained silent as he only focused on her. Fire! The cave was now on fire. No, there was a fire within her body. Something was fanning the flames, causing them to burn brighter. Yujo felt as if the heat would drive her crazy. She shook her head. An unknown sensation, a scary desire, traveled up her body as a blinding pleasure began to approach her. ¡°No¡­¡­ nng¡­¡­ Please¡­¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what she was afraid of, but she continued to plead. He didn¡¯t hear her. He was now a wild beast that was continuing to devour her. He was pumping into her. He was pushing her off the cliff. He would pull out of her before ramming back inside her. Dirt and moss trickled down the cave walls as he pounded into her. Her breasts shook and tempted him. His lips drew one into his mouth and he bit down. The sunlight peeked in through reeds blocking the cave entrance and illuminated their tangled bodies. It poured down over the bandaged back of the man and ran down his pumping hips. It illuminated their tangled limbs as they held each other. The inside of the cave was as hot as a furnace. She wasn¡¯t sure where her body ended and where his began. Their skins twitched as they melted under the yellow sunlight. They craved each other. Their movements sped up. Their groans grew louder. Her skin flushed as he continued to pump into her. Her entrance opened wide as it swallowed his cock. With a strangled groan, the man¡¯s body stiffened. His bottom tensed up as he thrust in one last time and poured out his seed. In the next moment, everything exploded. Chapter 9.2 WARNING: NSFW What did I just do? Once her senses had finally returned, Yujo was astonished by what she had just done. What did I do? She had given her body to a man whose name she didn¡¯t know in a cave by the riverbank. He was still inside her. He still felt hot to the touch. As if she¡¯d been bewitched, Yujo held him, and he held her. Although she couldn¡¯t ignore what she had just done, she was still in complete shock. The man lifted his head as if he could feel her shock. Even as he stared into her confused eyes, he didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°What is it?¡± She turned her eyes away at his question, but the man held her chin and brought her eyes back to his. He stared at her as his fingers brushed her lips that were now swollen from all his kisses. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Yujo couldn¡¯t answer him right away. Did she regret it? No. She didn¡¯t regret it. Although she didn¡¯t know everything about him, she did want him. Even if it was only a moment¡¯s craving, it didn¡¯t matter. As if he¡¯d read her thoughts, the man smiled down at her. ¡°Me too¡­¡± He slightly lowered his head and pressed a kiss onto her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it. Ever since the first time we met¡­¡± His eyes softened as he gazed at her. ¡°I knew I¡¯d embrace you.¡± Honestly, she had felt the same way. She felt that things would turn out this way. Every time his eyes would meet hers, something inside her began to tremble nonstop. However, she couldn¡¯t tell him that. ¡°No way.¡± She spat out on purpose. He sighed. ¡°Then is this all just an illusion?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that.¡± ¡°Now tell me your name.¡± He whispered as his lips crashed into hers. The forgotten reality crashed back down, and her vision turned dark. Name? ¡°You¡¯re not going to continue to hide your identity after everything we¡¯ve done, right?¡± Yujo, you¡¯ve gone insane, right? What name should she give him? Should she tell him her name was ¡®Yujo¡¯? Her real name from Yeha? Or should she give him the name of the wife of Duke MoonYeo? Yujo awkwardly shook her head. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± He lifted his head and frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re a married woman, right?¡± A shiver ran down Yujo¡¯s spine. ¡°Th-¡­ There¡¯s no way.¡± She quickly shook her head, but her vision was turning dark. She wasn¡¯t sure if she should tell him that she was married or not. She had forgotten about Jewol. She suddenly recalled how she had seen him last night. What should I do now? Do I need to run away? ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. As long as you¡¯re not married.¡± He smiled at her once again. His smile was so bright for someone who had almost lost his life last night. ¡°Get up now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think that¡¯s going to be difficult for me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± His lips plunged back down to hers as he whispered. Yujo was shocked to feel him swell up inside her once again. No! However, she was unable to stop him. Their lips tangled together, and his hand began to caress her breast once again. His hand squeezed the soft mounds before he brought the peak into his mouth. Yujo moaned as she clenched her hands on top of his back. As the man began to rock his body into hers, an unstoppable pleasure crashed through her. Unlike their first rough coupling, the man¡¯s movements were a bit softer this time. However, as his cock grew larger and harder, Yujo could feel her entrance being stretched to its limits. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± He whispered as he rammed into her. Yujo groaned as she tried to escape this crisis. He grabbed her bottom and drew her closer to his body. His rod slid even deeper inside her. Yujo felt so full that she could hardly breathe. In order to avoid telling him her name, Yujo quickly embraced him. The man let out a soft growl as he fiercely plunged into her. He entered her with so much force that it felt like he was going to break her, but when he slipped out, he did so softly. Whenever he pulled out, Yujo felt as if she¡¯d go insane. However, whenever he drilled into her, she felt like she¡¯d go even more insane. For the moment, it seemed that he had forgotten about her name. He lifted her left leg and placed it over his shoulder. With her legs spread apart like this, his thrusts reached deeper inside her. Yujo¡¯s body slid up until it hit the cave wall. When she repeatedly bumped into the wall, he quickly raised his hand and wrapped it around her head. Then he continued his repeated thrusts. The cave was filled with moans once again. Pressed down onto the floor, Yujo cried out. Suddenly, he sat up and sat her down on top of him. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and her body was lowered onto his. As his cock entered her body, her entrance opened up and welcomed him. Yujo moaned and placed her arms around his shoulders. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing right now. This new world was so unfamiliar to her. The man was now at the peak of desire. He placed his hand on her head and wrapped her hair around his hand. His other hand grabbed her bottom, and the two of them began to move in a rocking motion. Her entrance twitched as it swallowed him whole. She felt as if he¡¯d pierce through her stomach. They moved like this for a long time before the man lowered her down the floor once again. He took the worn-out clothing and stuffed it underneath her hips. Then he crossed her legs together and rammed inside her. Yujo cried out. An unbearable fever and dizziness washed over her. All she could feel was his plunging body. She was completely trapped. Under his domination, she couldn¡¯t escape. There was no chance to escape. ¡°Aah, agh. Ugh.¡± Yujo shook her head and grit her teeth. His thrusts grew faster and faster. The sound of slapping skin filled the cave. She was flying once again. A fierce pleasure ran down her spine. Her toes clenched and her body stiffened. Yujo arched her back. With a moan, her body was rocked by an intense climax and caused her body to take flight. The man also reached his peak. He tightly grabbed Yujo¡¯s hips and thrust his cock to the hilt. A white climax burst out like a fountain and filled her. Garan was completely sucked in by her. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Eunuch Sa¡¯s face was pale as he rushed over. My goodness! His master was an absolute mess. The precious son of the emperor was currently wearing torn clothes and extremely filthy. And he had even come back carrying another person! Eunuch Sa quickly moved to call for a servant, but the Red King opened his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Eunuch Sa lowered his head in surprise. ¡°Call for BaekWol.¡± BaekWol? She was the female doctor of the king¡¯s residence. The eunuch politely kept his head lowered, but he was very surprised. Did the Red King bring back a woman? The large bedroom was filled with a familiar scent and an array of colors. Garan carefully placed the woman on top of his bed. After she had been embraced by him in the cave, she hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. Feeling sorry for her pitiful appearance, Garan lightly brushed her wet hair behind her ear and rebuked himself. Are you crazy? You shouldn¡¯t have gone after her like that! Last night, this woman had gone through an incredibly dangerous ordeal. She fought off countless enemies and jumped into the river with him. Then she saved his life, dragged him through the patch of reeds, and bravely evaded their enemies. She saved his life and also saved Muyeo¡¯s life. Instead of properly thanking her, he went and had his way with her body! ¡°Have you seriously gone crazy?¡± Garan scolded himself. He had always considered himself to be the paragon of self-control. Inside the palace, one little mistake could lead to huge trouble. Still, he managed to keep his life intact and survive. However, it was different when it came to her. He¡¯d joke around with her and often find himself laughing. Whenever her face flushed as she screamed at him, chasing after him as if she¡¯d like to kill him, he always found her so lovable and cute. Why was that? In her eyes, he had always been an untrustworthy man. But now he¡¯d gone and taken her first time on a cave floor. But¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± He carefully caressed her face. His brother-in-law had been right. When someone entered your heart, that person always looked so beautiful and lovable. He felt that way right now. If anyone else had done what she did, it would have driven him to anger. But whenever she did it, he burst out into laughter. If someone else did it, he¡¯d glare at them. However, when she did it, his heart raced inside his chest. What kind of sly feeling was this? What made her so different from everyone else? She had two eyes, one nose, one mouth¡­ Everything was the same. No, even when it came to beauty, she wasn¡¯t as beautiful as the women in the palace. But she was lovable. She was still unique and cute. The way her eyes stared at him directly when she spoke to him. The way she slapped his cheek as she screamed at him to wake up. Her struggling lips underneath his. She was lovable. From head to toe. This morning, she had sucked out his soul. Like the skies above the meadows, her eyes were clear and bright. He felt himself get sucked in. He felt every last ounce of reason slip away. Garan lowered his head and sucked on her lips as she slept. Sweet. They tasted incredibly sweet. Sweeter than any fruit. Sweeter than honey. ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± He laughed at himself as he whispered. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Suddenly, he heard a voice outside. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°BaekWol is here, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± The doors opened, and a middle-aged woman entered and lowered her head. ¡°Did you call for me?¡± ¡°Take care of this person. Take care of her as you would take care of me.¡± ¡°Yes, please leave it to me.¡± Garan exited the room and spoke to Eunuch Sa who was standing by the door. ¡°Our guest must never find out where she is.¡± The eunuch understood what he meant and lowered his head. While he had been struck with a sword, his wound wasn¡¯t as deep as he¡¯d thought. The reason why he¡¯d lost consciousness last night was probably because of the blows he¡¯d received when he jumped into the river. Still, the doctor continued ask him over and over again if he felt any nausea or dizziness. Garan managed to escape the doctor¡¯s clutches and got on his horse. These wounds were nothing compared to the wounds he¡¯d received in battle. What he needed to find out right now was how Muyeo was doing. He didn¡¯t know why the Heukra had blown up CheongRyu Hall, but if they were using the icy-fire stone, he didn¡¯t know when the next attack would occur or who the next victim would be. He needed to check on Muyeo¡¯s safety with his own eyes. As soon as he arrived at Muyeo¡¯s residence, he saw that it was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers already. Garan got off his horse and began to head inside when he saw a group of soldiers coming from far away. He stopped in his tracks. Surprisingly, it was the Crown Prince¡¯s palace guards. ¡°Greetings, Crown Prince.¡± Garan lowered his head to his older brother who was still sitting arrogantly on his horse as he looked down on him. Crown Prince Jumyong smiled coldly. ¡°Looks like trouble has been brewing within YeonSung because you weren¡¯t able to conquer that small country in the north.¡± The Crown Prince was the one who had taken ten thousand soldiers to the north and lost most of them to starvation before coming back defeated. But Garan didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Father Emperor is worried about Muyeo¡¯s safety, so I personally came to check on her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already reinforced her guards.¡± ¡°Will your soldiers be enough? This is the princess¡¯s safety we¡¯re talking about. Father Emperor has directly sent palace guards.¡± Garan grit his teeth. It was all in name only. If the Crown Prince was the one who brought these soldiers, it was no different than putting her in detention. How could he be sure that Muyeo would be safe in the clutches of the Crown Prince? ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you suspicious of Father Emperor¡¯s show of affection?¡± ¡°¡­Of course not.¡± The Red King answered coldly. Father Emperor still had doubts about Muyeo¡¯s parentage to this day. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone said. The emperor, who believed that his concubine had been unfaithful and taken many men as lovers, couldn¡¯t kill Muyeo or save her. If it had been revealed that she had come from the seed of another man, he would have killed her by now. However, if she was indeed his daughter, he wouldn¡¯t be able to take her life with his own hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Send your soldiers away. From here on out, the princess¡¯s residence will be guarded by the palace guards. We won¡¯t let one rat bastard enter without our knowledge.¡± When the Crown Prince said ¡®rat bastard¡¯, his eyes looked Garan up and down. Garan, whose face had remained blank all this time, suddenly broke into a smile. ¡°Thank goodness. Father Emperor¡¯s grace is as vast as the Heavens. Send the soldiers away.¡± He turned around and gave his command in a calm voice. If he protested now, it would come off as treason. It wasn¡¯t the right time to make his move. The Crown Prince¡¯s cold eyes looked down at the princess¡¯s residence and saw that the solders were going away. A faint smile formed on his lips. Then he turned his eyes back onto his younger brother who was twenty years his junior. He was now twenty-three. Keeping him alive would be dangerous¡­ ¡°It seems that pirates have invaded the western provinces again.¡± Please don¡¯t return from the war this time, Garan. I¡¯ll send you away like your sister, so don¡¯t you worry. His cold eyes seemed to relay that message to Garan. ¡°Father Emperor will send you his orders soon. Remember to pledge your allegiance to this nation and fulfill your duties.¡± The horses turned around and began to head back. As they raced down the road, the mud splattered underneath their hooves. Chapter 10.1 - Lady of YeonSung 10 (Night of Love) part 1 WARNING: NSFW ¡°Gah!¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes burst open and she frantically sat up. Where was she? What happened? She had woken up late the night. The pale moonlight shimmered from behind the layers of curtains. The room was large. The moon created patterns on the ivory floors as it shone through the designs of the lattice window. This room didn¡¯t even compare to her room at Princess Yeowa¡¯s residence. The ceiling was high, and the furniture was dark and intricately carved. They didn¡¯t seem feminine at all. What happened? Just where was this place? Yujo looked around before quickly looking down at herself. Her body had been washed clean and now smelled faintly of perfume. Only a nightdress made of rich fabric covered her body right now. As soon as she lowered a foot from the bed, she felt a faint ache from within her body. That¡¯s when Yujo recalled how she had been embraced by a man underneath the sunlight. What did I do? How could she have given her first time to a man whose identity she didn¡¯t know? And she¡¯d basically seduced him as well. She was naked in his arms and even pulled him down to her! She was crazy. She¡¯d gone insane! She needed to escape. She didn¡¯t know where this was, but she needed to get out as soon as possible! She quickly got to her feet and began to run when she saw a shadow at the window. She stopped in her tracks. He was standing underneath the pale moonlight. He wasn¡¯t wearing anything on his head, and his long, black hair was flowing down his shoulders. He merely looked out at the view of the city of YeonSung underneath the black night sky. Like ink, the moonlight poured over his head and traveled down the robe that was lightly draped over his body. He held a long sword in both hands. His eyes lowered to the sword in his hands, and they were incredibly dark. The aura around him was heavy. She forgot about escaping and merely stared at him. She only needed to take one more step. She could still make her escape. But for some reason, she couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask. Her voice startled him, and he turned around. She couldn¡¯t believe that he hadn¡¯t sensed her waking up. What was he so lost in thought about? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up?¡± He grinned at her as if nothing was wrong. But she felt that his smile was a lie. The face that had been illuminated by the moon just now¡­ What was that? ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°My house.¡± ¡°You have a lot of houses. Land in YeonSung is quite expensive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m rich.¡± After replying, he entered the room, placed the sword down, and closed the window. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer?¡± ¡°¡­I slept a lot. And¡­¡± She needed to return now. She left the princess¡¯s residence with no explanation. Right about now, Princess Yeowa¡¯s residence was probably in complete chaos. But more importantly, she had lied to him. She needed to escape this man as soon as possible. Yujo bit her lip before speaking. ¡°I need to go back.¡± When he heard her words, he gazed at her. His dark face carried no emotion. ¡°Go back? Where?¡± Yujo laughed awkwardly. ¡°My house. How is Princess Muyeo? Is she safe?¡± This time, he didn¡¯t reply. Then he turned his head and spoke in an indifferent voice. ¡°She¡¯s safe¡­ for now.¡± ¡®For now¡¯? What did that mean? But he didn¡¯t elaborate. Instead, he approached her and put his arms around her before pulling her against his chest. It was almost as if he wanted her to soothe him, so Yujo didn¡¯t try to move out his arms. She didn¡¯t know what his face looked like right now since he had buried it against her neck. ¡°I really need to go now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± She really couldn¡¯t stay any longer. Yujo tried to take a step back, but he tightened his arms around her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go. I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Yujo¡¯s body stiffened slightly at his childish words. Get yourself together, Yujo! ¡°No, I really need to¡­¡± The rest of her words were buried inside his mouth. Her head tilted backwards. His arm that was wrapped around her hips tightened its hold, and the soft cloth of her clothes wrinkled underneath his grasp. Yujo wasn¡¯t wearing anything underneath her nightclothes. The same went for him. His hot, hard staff was already erect. When Yujo felt it pressing against her, she moaned. ¡°Forget all of it, just for now.¡± His lips whispered on top of hers. His eyes twinkled with mischief and a strange darkness. Yujo looked into his eyes and hesitated. ¡°Forget YeonSung.¡± Then he smiled down at her and swallowed her lips once again. Underneath the pale moonlight, the two of them held onto each other and shared each other¡¯s lips as if they were dancing. Because of his tall height, Yujo¡¯s head was tilted back to accommodate him, and his body was crouched over her as he plundered her lips. Yujo was also sucking on his lips. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang as they bumped into something. It was large dresser. Thankfully, there were no decorations or ornaments on it. If it was holding any porcelain, it would have shattered on the floor by now. However, the man lifted her up and sat her on top of the dresser. Yujo let out a cry of surprise, but he had already placed her on top of the dresser that came up to his hips. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Despite her protests, he moved the skirts of her nightdress to one side and opened her legs. Yujo swallowed her groan. The moon was now at his back so she couldn¡¯t see him very well. However, he was able to clearly see the sight between her legs. ¡°Stop¡­¡­¡± He ignored her and placed one of her feet on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re lovely.¡± He only said those words before he lowered his head between her legs. This unfamiliar room became blurry. An incredible pleasure rocked through her body. Yujo covered her mouth to keep the moan from spilling out. The man was a beast. He ruthlessly opened her legs and buried his lips between her thighs without mercy. Yujo didn¡¯t even know something like this existed in the world. She twisted her body in shock, but he was holding onto her hips, so she couldn¡¯t move. Before she understood what was happening, his tongue plunged into her. He parted her hidden lips and pushed through her entrance. Yujo struggled to lift her two hands and tried to push his head away from between her legs, but it was all in vain. ¡°Agh!¡± We shouldn¡¯t be doing this. But she couldn¡¯t reject the sweet, unimaginable pleasure rolling through her body. On top of the dresser, her shoulders and a round breasts were exposed. Her nightdress was now bunched up at her waist. Her hollow stomach and bellybutton. Her white thighs and slender calves. His eyes were filled with the glossy thatch of hair between her legs. His thick, red tongue pierced through the thatch of hair and pumped into her. Yujo¡¯s body initially stiffened, but with the continuous attack, it wasn¡¯t able to calm down. ¡°No, please¡­ Please¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what she was begging for, but something took over her body once again. Her toes stiffened. She writhed and struggled on top of his shoulders. Her entrance clenched at some unknown hunger. Yujo was afraid of this strange desire. Had she lost her mind? How could she tolerate such an act like this? ¡°Haagh, haa, please stop.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Enough, please.¡± She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She couldn¡¯t endure the embarrassment of enjoying something like this. Her whole body was flushed with confusion. Even as she pushed him away, she wanted more. As if making fun of her contradictory desires, he laughed. He greedily pushed his tongue through her entrance and sucked. Yujo cried out and covered her face. Her face was covered, but she couldn¡¯t stop the tremors from running through her body. She stretched out her hand and tried to push him away again. However, he merely brushed her hand away. She could hear the sound of his slurps below. When she heard those sounds, another wave of tremors rolled through her. She turned her head and tightly closed her eyes. Because the room was totally silent, these strange noises sounded even louder to her ears. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Fireworks exploded in her eyes. White pleasure spilled out of her. Within his tight grasp, Yujo lost herself to a climax brought on by his lips. Suddenly, her fluids drenched her entrance as well as his lips. The man laughed in satisfaction and sucked on her sweet sap. Yujo was completely limp and spread out on the dresser. The man stood up and looked down at her. Her fluids began to pool on the dark Japanese cedar wood of the dresser. She was more beautiful than any ornament he could have put on the dresser. He wanted to keep her like this forever. Her eyes glared at him with reproach. Garan ignored it and lowered his lips onto hers. He began to suck on her cherry lips. His lips tasted fishy and thick. Their fragrances were mixed together. He placed a kiss on her forehead before looking into her eyes. He grinned down at her before softly sucking on her lips once again. Then he whispered to her. ¡°Eat mine, too.¡± ¡°Eat?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He dragged her off the dresser and lowered her to the floor. Her eyes widened in shock as he pressed his stiff erection against her lips. She now realized what he was asking for and shook her head. ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± ¡°Grab the root.¡± He ignored her and brought her hand to the base of his cock before wrapping her fingers around it. After he put it between her lips, he began to slowly thrust in and out. He was being sucked into her soft, hot mouth. ¡°Hnng¡­¡­Ugh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Suck it like candy.¡± When she heard his instruction, she gathered her lips together and began to use her tongue as if she were sucking on a piece of candy. A tingling zing of pleasure ran down from his spine to his hips. The moonlight shone down on her lips sucking on his cock and traveled down her white body. Her black hair was twisted in his hand. Unable to withstand the approaching climax, Garan pulled out of her mouth. He grabbed her shoulders and brought her up. ¡°I have a better idea.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± He ignored her wary voice. ¡°You suit this room very well.¡± Something didn¡¯t feel right. Yujo struggled to stay on her feet, but her legs went limp. As she began to stagger, Garan took off her nightdress and threw it on the floor. Then he turned her around. ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± She wanted to ask him what he was doing. However, he bent her down and put both of her hands on the edge of the dresser. She was filled with a sense of dread. She could feel him pressing down against her back. His hands grasped hers on the edge of the dresser. She felt a shiver run down her back. His blunt, hot cock pressed against her bottom. Yujo straightened up in shock, but his hand bent her back down. ¡°Stop it. It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not scary.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m only entering from behind. That¡¯s all.¡± As he said these words, his cock plunged into her. ¡°Aaagh!¡± She felt as if she were being split in two. ¡°Aagh! No! It¡¯s too big!¡± Big. It was too big. It didn¡¯t even compare to how it was when she first took him in. At her words, he slightly pulled out. However, it didn¡¯t end there. One of his hands traveled around her hips and began to softly rub her clitoris. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can do it.¡± No, she couldn¡¯t. She wanted to ask him to pull out. But he pulled out before plunging back in. Little by little, he thrust in deeper and deeper. Yujo moaned and did her best to relax. ¡°Slowly¡­¡­¡± In the end, she gave up and pleaded instead. ¡°Okay, slowly.¡± His voice was low and raspy. Garan did his best to restrain himself as he thrust into her in little increments. He knew she couldn¡¯t take any more than this at the moment. However, he couldn¡¯t control himself. Her drank in the sight of her slender back underneath the moonlight. His eyes traveled down her back to her bottom. Then to his own cock being swallowed by her body. He had reached the limits of his self-control. Go easy on her, Garan. He told himself. Slowly, please. But the problem was that he couldn¡¯t go ¡®slowly, please¡¯. When she got a little more used to him, he was afraid of the beast that would be unleashed. Her body now took him in to the hilt. Her slender hips tilted back. Her strained pants puffed out of her mouth. Her hands clenched the edge of the dresser. Garan slowly pulled out once again. His cock glistened with their fluids. Her inner walls stuck to him as if they wanted to keep him inside. Damn it. I¡¯m done for. Garan lost himself. Chapter 9 WARNING: NSFW She was in Yeha. The terrifying rocky mountains shooting up into the sky and the vast plains. The never-ending meadows. A tornado was blowing dirt in the wind as it passed by. The rough and savage land. The land that was closed off to outsiders. However, when rain fell on this land, it transformed. The rain would immediately create streams and rivers. It would awaken the sleeping seeds deep within the ground. The fish that had been buried for many years would gain new life. Buds would sprout in the meadow for the first time in a long while, and flowers would bloom. Red poppies and blue cornflowers would blossom everywhere the eye could see. There was a girl surrounded by these blooms. Her glossy hair was fluttering in the wind. Yujo¡¯s falcon was sitting on the girl¡¯s arm. The girl smiled brightly as she looked at Yujo. Strong and free, the child was filled with life. She had dark blue eyes. Underneath the girl¡¯s fluttering hair, Yujo could see a small, golden crown. The crown had a bird on it with its wings outstretched. It was the queen¡¯s crown. Yujo drew a breath and opened her eyes. Strange eyes were staring back at her. They were the man¡¯s eyes. His eyes reflected the bright sunlight, and they looked just like the eyes of the girl in her dream. Was she still dreaming? Yujo was in a daze and couldn¡¯t differentiate between dream and reality. He didn¡¯t look like he was in pain at all. It was almost as if she¡¯d imagined him getting struck down by a sword. She wanted to ask him, but her mouth wouldn¡¯t open. The man also didn¡¯t say anything. It was as if the two of them were in a completely different world. The silence drew on, but it didn¡¯t feel awkward. No thought entered her head. Yeha, the Silver Nation, Yuha, or Jewol¡­ Even the Heukra or CheongRyu Hall. None of it arose in her mind. All she could see was him. The sunlight seeped in through the reeds blocking the entrance of the cave. The sunlight drenched the man¡¯s face in golden light. His smooth forehead, his strong eyes, his strong nose, and his full lips. ¡°Are you okay?¡± At her question, the man faintly smiled. It was a gentle, beautiful smile. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°What about your back?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± He stretched out his hand and lightly touched her cheek. ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Umm¡­¡­ Yes.¡± How could she be okay? She was currently buck naked in his arms! She needed to escape. Thinking this, she slightly pulled away, but the man moved towards her like a magnet. Then he got on top of her. ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± Her heart was racing like crazy. ¡°What do you mean? I¡¯m returning the favor.¡± ¡°How is this returning the favor?! Move!¡± ¡°Stay still.¡± Then he promptly pressed his lips lightly onto hers. You scoundrel! Move! ¡­Is what she should have said. But¡­ maybe it was because of the dream. Or the sunlight, Or was it because his weight pressing down on her own body felt too good? Yujo couldn¡¯t push him away. No, actually, she let out a moan. Whenever his lips lifted off of hers, she missed it. She lifted her eyes and stared into his eyes. She was seducing him without knowing it. The man¡¯s eyes traveled down. He was looking at her. The sunlight settled down on top of his eyelashes. Yujo could see the small specks of dust floating in the air. For some reason, this image of him was so lovable to her. She liked this rude man¡¯s lips. She stared at his lips before looking away. Seeing this, the man¡¯s lips stretched into a smile. His lips approached her. Yujo¡¯s lips opened quietly. He plunged into her mouth just as she plunged into his. It was sweet. It was a strange feeling. How could someone¡¯s lips taste so sweet? Their lips rubbed together, and they drew in a breath and breathed in each other¡¯s scent. Their tongues tangled together as if they wanted to explore each other¡¯s essence, as if they wanted to bury themselves in the other¡¯s body, as if they wanted to melt together. They wanted to become one. His breaths were fragrant. His lips were strong yet soft. His tongue was familiar, and his body was warm. Everything about him seemed strange and familiar at the same time. He was rough while being soft, unfamiliar while being just right. And so she wrapped her arms around his neck. He felt hot. He was burning with life. She almost couldn¡¯t believe he was in the clutches of death just last night. He was full of powerful life. The life pouring out of his body overwhelmed her. Just like the life hidden underneath the parched land of Yeha. Mmm. A moan escaped Yujo¡¯s lips. Her hand traveled down from his neck and swept across his back. She felt as if she were embracing the sun. She could feel the overwhelming warmth underneath her fingertips. How can a person like this exist? She wanted to have this life force. She wanted to try embracing this life force. She wanted to make the strength of this powerful man belong to her. Their bodies tangled together. She could no longer stand the wet clothes that were crushed between them. He plunged even deeper into her lips, and she covered his tongue with hers. She felt something changing within her. No, she felt as if she were being reborn into someone she didn¡¯t recognize. Within the deep cave, this cave that was warm and damp like the depths of a woman, Yujo opened her eyes. They were the eyes of a woman looking at a man. Underneath her lowered eyelashes, those eyes gave the man a subtle look that seemed to suck him in. The man let out a groan as she gave him a smile. His lips crashed back down onto hers, but this time, the kiss was fierce and determined. The sunlight poured over the twitching muscles of his back and traveled down to his hips. The man¡¯s head moved towards Yujo¡¯s exposed breast. Her pomegranate-colored nipples trembled as they perked up between his lips. Her body shook from the surge of an unfamiliar desire. Below, her secret place twitched and felt ticklish. She wanted something. She wasn¡¯t sure what it was that she desired. She wanted the man¡¯s body, his strength, his life. His teeth began to nibble on her nipple. His two hands traveled from her back and grazed her side before settling over her chest. He squeezed her breasts before moving up to her nipples. Her perked nipple collapsed within his mouth as he sucked even harder. Yujo moaned. A terrifying dizziness overcame her. An indescribable shudder traveled throughout her body. She wanted him. That was the only thought on her mind. Come here. One of Yujo¡¯s legs wrapped around his hips and bottom. No man would be able to reject such a tempting invitation. Like a deranged beast, the man buried himself into her embrace. She was the goddess of the earth. He could only obey the powerful and seductive goddess. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but whisper in awe. His lips traveled up her stomach and placed a kiss on both of her breasts. Then he pressed his lips against the nape of her neck. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful.¡± Yujo let out a faint chuckle. She liked receiving his praise and affection. She placed both hands around his face and brought his face closer to her lips. When their lips met, it didn¡¯t feel awkward. She raised her head and met his lips and tongue. She stretched out her arms and wrapped them around his neck and wide shoulders. She felt his arms and back underneath her fingers. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, too.¡± Yujo whispered. He laughed. She liked hearing his laugh. The man¡¯s lips traveled down her chest and her stomach. Very soon, Yujo cried out and blocked her mouth with her hand. He was eating her alive. Her neck, her chest, her stomach, her arms and legs¡­ He was eating all of it. He was licking and biting all of her as he tasted her. When his lips reached the deepest part of her, Yujo squirmed in shock. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Shh.¡± He caught her outstretched hand and pressed it down onto the ground. With her disheveled hair underneath her back, Yujo¡¯s pale body twisted from the sensation. His tongue was drenched in her fluids. The thick tongue parted her lower lips and plunged inside. A strange desire welled up inside her as his tongue continued to move back and forth. ¡°Aah!¡± Yujo¡¯s body squirmed at the unbearable embarrassment, but she continued to fiercely crave more of the man. It was sweet and captivating. He continued to lick and nibble at her peak. A hot wave of sweet pleasure washed over Yujo, plunging into her and waking her up. Deeper and deeper¡­ Higher and higher¡­ It rocked through her. Suddenly, Yujo was flying. Like her falcon, she soared up high. The ground was far away, and the wind was fierce. The sun was right before her eyes. The light was blinding, and the blue sky vanished. A blinding climax rocked through her. With a twitch, her fluids poured out of her. The man let out a satisfied sigh. His tongue happily lapped at her swollen entrance. He was like a beast. But she liked that. Yujo grit her teeth. A fire was traveling down her body and swallowing her up. Even though she didn¡¯t know what she was looking for, she was yearning for something. Something to fill her up. Something big, hot, and hard! The man¡¯s body went back up her body. His lips were smiling as they glistened with her essence. He pressed his lips onto hers. His lips were fierce and aggressive. There was no trace of softness left. Like a barbarian, it was uncivilized. She couldn¡¯t breathe. A feverish heat arose from both of their bodies as they tangled together. His eyes were looking down at her. She was also gazing at him. Suddenly, she felt apprehensive. Like a traveler just before embarking on a trip. She felt excited and worried at the same time. But she wanted to embrace him. She wanted him. She wrapped her arms around him and held on tight. She widened her legs and wrapped them around his hips. She saw the sunlight stretching out across the roof of the cave. And then he entered her. The large, hot part of the man parted her inner lips and plunged inside her. The terrifying pleasure and pain erased the climax she had just experienced. As he buried himself inside her, Yujo let out a cry and tightened her grip on his shoulders. Her body trembled at the unfamiliar pain. ¡°Shh¡­¡­¡± The man let out a ragged breath and soothed her. He covered her lips with his own. He was only halfway inside, but he stopped his movements. He began to caress her breasts. Her tense entrance slowly relaxed. He waited until she had gotten used to the intrusion. The man endured it until the pain had settled down. She felt as if she were pressed down by a boulder. Yujo held her breath and did her best to relax her body. When his lips finally left hers, she let out a deep breath. The man pressed his forehead against hers and began to move once again. Her sensitive insides trembled and sucked him in. Was it always this difficult? She felt as if she were being ripped apart. The man stroked her back as he let out a ragged laugh. His hand that had been resting against Yujo¡¯s bottom slowly traveled up and went between their bodies. He began to softly stroke her. The pain began to fade away, and a fierce, unfamiliar sensation caused her to look down. She saw that only half of his rod was inside her, and it was covered in veins. It seemed to growl as if it was ready to attack at any minute. When she lifted her head, his lips crashed back down onto hers. His tongue consoled her and laid her fears to rest. As he continued to stroke her body, Yujo could feel his desire to enter her body through his hands. Yujo did her best to relax her body. She widened her legs and took in a deep breath in an effort to bring him deeper inside her. The man took his lips off hers and lowered his forehead onto hers. She looked into his eyes. His eyes were filled with desire, hunger, and a feverish plea. Yujo silently closed her eyes and tilted her head back. This was the permission he had been waiting for. Thrust! Her body was pushed back as the sound of their slapping bodies rang in the air. A ragged groan echoed in the air. Her body slid up on top of the pile of hay and slowly slid back down. Again, thrust! Yujo¡¯s nails raked along his shoulders as the man thrust deeper inside her. Tears unexpectedly escaped her eyes and trickled down her cheeks. She wasn¡¯t sure why she was crying, but in this moment, she realized that she was no longer the young girl who had run through the meadows. He plunged back into her. Her body was swept up once more before coming back down. Their hips rubbed against each other as they let out ragged groans. His cock was buried to the hilt. Yujo felt as if she were being ripped apart. A mixture of their fluids began to trickle down her bottom before dripping onto the cave floor. The muscles of his back shuddered. She felt as if she were being rocked in the middle of a stormy sea. Every time he penetrated her, his scent and his feel, his strength and his life force, seemed to enter inside her as well. She was completely his. Their lips tangled together. Their bodies were perfectly stuck together. Her soft body was completely encased by his rock hard body. His cock was covered in their fluids and her virginal blood as it continued to thrust into her between their undulating bodies and tangled legs. ¡°Haa, Ahh¡­¡­Ah¡­¡­¡± She panted as she tried to endure it. The man remained silent as he only focused on her. Fire! The cave was now on fire. No, there was a fire within her body. Something was fanning the flames, causing them to burn brighter. Yujo felt as if the heat would drive her crazy. She shook her head. An unknown sensation, a scary desire, traveled up her body as a blinding pleasure began to approach her. ¡°No¡­¡­ nng¡­¡­ Please¡­¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what she was afraid of, but she continued to plead. He didn¡¯t hear her. He was now a wild beast that was continuing to devour her. He was pumping into her. He was pushing her off the cliff. He would pull out of her before ramming back inside her. Dirt and moss trickled down the cave walls as he pounded into her. Her breasts shook and tempted him. His lips drew one into his mouth and he bit down. The sunlight peeked in through reeds blocking the cave entrance and illuminated their tangled bodies. It poured down over the bandaged back of the man and ran down his pumping hips. It illuminated their tangled limbs as they held each other. The inside of the cave was as hot as a furnace. She wasn¡¯t sure where her body ended and where his began. Their skins twitched as they melted under the yellow sunlight. They craved each other. Their movements sped up. Their groans grew louder. Her skin flushed as he continued to pump into her. Her entrance opened wide as it swallowed his cock. With a strangled groan, the man¡¯s body stiffened. His bottom tensed up as he thrust in one last time and poured out his seed. In the next moment, everything exploded. What did I just do? Once her senses had finally returned, Yujo was astonished by what she had just done. What did I do? She had given her body to a man whose name she didn¡¯t know in a cave by the riverbank. He was still inside her. He still felt hot to the touch. As if she¡¯d been bewitched, Yujo held him, and he held her. Although she couldn¡¯t ignore what she had just done, she was still in complete shock. The man lifted his head as if he could feel her shock. Even as he stared into her confused eyes, he didn¡¯t move a muscle. ¡°What is it?¡± She turned her eyes away at his question, but the man held her chin and brought her eyes back to his. He stared at her as his fingers brushed her lips that were now swollen from all his kisses. ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Yujo couldn¡¯t answer him right away. Did she regret it? No. She didn¡¯t regret it. Although she didn¡¯t know everything about him, she did want him. Even if it was only a moment¡¯s craving, it didn¡¯t matter. As if he¡¯d read her thoughts, the man smiled down at her. ¡°Me too¡­¡± He slightly lowered his head and pressed a kiss onto her lips. ¡°I don¡¯t regret it. Ever since the first time we met¡­¡± His eyes softened as he gazed at her. ¡°I knew I¡¯d embrace you.¡± Honestly, she had felt the same way. She felt that things would turn out this way. Every time his eyes would meet hers, something inside her began to tremble nonstop. However, she couldn¡¯t tell him that. ¡°No way.¡± She spat out on purpose. He sighed. ¡°Then is this all just an illusion?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to answer that.¡± ¡°Now tell me your name.¡± He whispered as his lips crashed into hers. The forgotten reality crashed back down, and her vision turned dark. Name? ¡°You¡¯re not going to continue to hide your identity after everything we¡¯ve done, right?¡± Yujo, you¡¯ve gone insane, right? What name should she give him? Should she tell him her name was ¡®Yujo¡¯? Her real name from Yeha? Or should she give him the name of the wife of Duke MoonYeo? Yujo awkwardly shook her head. ¡°So¡­¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± He lifted his head and frowned. ¡°There¡¯s no way you¡¯re a married woman, right?¡± A shiver ran down Yujo¡¯s spine. ¡°Th-¡­ There¡¯s no way.¡± She quickly shook her head, but her vision was turning dark. She wasn¡¯t sure if she should tell him that she was married or not. She had forgotten about Jewol. She suddenly recalled how she had seen him last night. What should I do now? Do I need to run away? ¡°Then it¡¯s fine. As long as you¡¯re not married.¡± He smiled at her once again. His smile was so bright for someone who had almost lost his life last night. ¡°Get up now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think that¡¯s going to be difficult for me.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± His lips plunged back down to hers as he whispered. Yujo was shocked to feel him swell up inside her once again. No! However, she was unable to stop him. Their lips tangled together, and his hand began to caress her breast once again. His hand squeezed the soft mounds before he brought the peak into his mouth. Yujo moaned as she clenched her hands on top of his back. As the man began to rock his body into hers, an unstoppable pleasure crashed through her. Unlike their first rough coupling, the man¡¯s movements were a bit softer this time. However, as his cock grew larger and harder, Yujo could feel her entrance being stretched to its limits. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± He whispered as he rammed into her. Yujo groaned as she tried to escape this crisis. He grabbed her bottom and drew her closer to his body. His rod slid even deeper inside her. Yujo felt so full that she could hardly breathe. In order to avoid telling him her name, Yujo quickly embraced him. The man let out a soft growl as he fiercely plunged into her. He entered her with so much force that it felt like he was going to break her, but when he slipped out, he did so softly. Whenever he pulled out, Yujo felt as if she¡¯d go insane. However, whenever he drilled into her, she felt like she¡¯d go even more insane. For the moment, it seemed that he had forgotten about her name. He lifted her left leg and placed it over his shoulder. With her legs spread apart like this, his thrusts reached deeper inside her. Yujo¡¯s body slid up until it hit the cave wall. When she repeatedly bumped into the wall, he quickly raised his hand and wrapped it around her head. Then he continued his repeated thrusts. The cave was filled with moans once again. Pressed down onto the floor, Yujo cried out. Suddenly, he sat up and sat her down on top of him. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and her body was lowered onto his. As his cock entered her body, her entrance opened up and welcomed him. Yujo moaned and placed her arms around his shoulders. She didn¡¯t know what she was doing right now. This new world was so unfamiliar to her. The man was now at the peak of desire. He placed his hand on her head and wrapped her hair around his hand. His other hand grabbed her bottom, and the two of them began to move in a rocking motion. Her entrance twitched as it swallowed him whole. She felt as if he¡¯d pierce through her stomach. They moved like this for a long time before the man lowered her down the floor once again. He took the worn-out clothing and stuffed it underneath her hips. Then he crossed her legs together and rammed inside her. Yujo cried out. An unbearable fever and dizziness washed over her. All she could feel was his plunging body. She was completely trapped. Under his domination, she couldn¡¯t escape. There was no chance to escape. ¡°Aah, agh. Ugh.¡± Yujo shook her head and grit her teeth. His thrusts grew faster and faster. The sound of slapping skin filled the cave. She was flying once again. A fierce pleasure ran down her spine. Her toes clenched and her body stiffened. Yujo arched her back. With a moan, her body was rocked by an intense climax and caused her body to take flight. The man also reached his peak. He tightly grabbed Yujo¡¯s hips and thrust his cock to the hilt. A white climax burst out like a fountain and filled her. Garan was completely sucked in by her. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Eunuch Sa¡¯s face was pale as he rushed over. My goodness! His master was an absolute mess. The precious son of the emperor was currently wearing torn clothes and extremely filthy. And he had even come back carrying another person! Eunuch Sa quickly moved to call for a servant, but the Red King opened his mouth. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Eunuch Sa lowered his head in surprise. ¡°Call for BaekWol.¡± BaekWol? She was the female doctor of the king¡¯s residence. The eunuch politely kept his head lowered, but he was very surprised. Did the Red King bring back a woman? The large bedroom was filled with a familiar scent and an array of colors. Garan carefully placed the woman on top of his bed. After she had been embraced by him in the cave, she hadn¡¯t regained consciousness. Feeling sorry for her pitiful appearance, Garan lightly brushed her wet hair behind her ear and rebuked himself. Are you crazy? You shouldn¡¯t have gone after her like that! Last night, this woman had gone through an incredibly dangerous ordeal. She fought off countless enemies and jumped into the river with him. Then she saved his life, dragged him through the patch of reeds, and bravely evaded their enemies. She saved his life and also saved Muyeo¡¯s life. Instead of properly thanking her, he went and had his way with her body! ¡°Have you seriously gone crazy?¡± Garan scolded himself. He had always considered himself to be the paragon of self-control. Inside the palace, one little mistake could lead to huge trouble. Still, he managed to keep his life intact and survive. However, it was different when it came to her. He¡¯d joke around with her and often find himself laughing. Whenever her face flushed as she screamed at him, chasing after him as if she¡¯d like to kill him, he always found her so lovable and cute. Why was that? In her eyes, he had always been an untrustworthy man. But now he¡¯d gone and taken her first time on a cave floor. But¡­¡­ ¡°I¡¯m happy.¡± He carefully caressed her face. His brother-in-law had been right. When someone entered your heart, that person always looked so beautiful and lovable. He felt that way right now. If anyone else had done what she did, it would have driven him to anger. But whenever she did it, he burst out into laughter. If someone else did it, he¡¯d glare at them. However, when she did it, his heart raced inside his chest. What kind of sly feeling was this? What made her so different from everyone else? She had two eyes, one nose, one mouth¡­ Everything was the same. No, even when it came to beauty, she wasn¡¯t as beautiful as the women in the palace. But she was lovable. She was still unique and cute. The way her eyes stared at him directly when she spoke to him. The way she slapped his cheek as she screamed at him to wake up. Her struggling lips underneath his. She was lovable. From head to toe. This morning, she had sucked out his soul. Like the skies above the meadows, her eyes were clear and bright. He felt himself get sucked in. He felt every last ounce of reason slip away. Garan lowered his head and sucked on her lips as she slept. Sweet. They tasted incredibly sweet. Sweeter than any fruit. Sweeter than honey. ¡°Crazy bastard.¡± He laughed at himself as he whispered. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Suddenly, he heard a voice outside. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°BaekWol is here, Your Highness.¡± ¡°Let her in.¡± The doors opened, and a middle-aged woman entered and lowered her head. ¡°Did you call for me?¡± ¡°Take care of this person. Take care of her as you would take care of me.¡± ¡°Yes, please leave it to me.¡± Garan exited the room and spoke to Eunuch Sa who was standing by the door. ¡°Our guest must never find out where she is.¡± The eunuch understood what he meant and lowered his head. While he had been struck with a sword, his wound wasn¡¯t as deep as he¡¯d thought. The reason why he¡¯d lost consciousness last night was probably because of the blows he¡¯d received when he jumped into the river. Still, the doctor continued ask him over and over again if he felt any nausea or dizziness. Garan managed to escape the doctor¡¯s clutches and got on his horse. These wounds were nothing compared to the wounds he¡¯d received in battle. What he needed to find out right now was how Muyeo was doing. He didn¡¯t know why the Heukra had blown up CheongRyu Hall, but if they were using the icy-fire stone, he didn¡¯t know when the next attack would occur or who the next victim would be. He needed to check on Muyeo¡¯s safety with his own eyes. As soon as he arrived at Muyeo¡¯s residence, he saw that it was surrounded by hundreds of soldiers already. Garan got off his horse and began to head inside when he saw a group of soldiers coming from far away. He stopped in his tracks. Surprisingly, it was the Crown Prince¡¯s palace guards. ¡°Greetings, Crown Prince.¡± Garan lowered his head to his older brother who was still sitting arrogantly on his horse as he looked down on him. Crown Prince Jumyong smiled coldly. ¡°Looks like trouble has been brewing within YeonSung because you weren¡¯t able to conquer that small country in the north.¡± The Crown Prince was the one who had taken ten thousand soldiers to the north and lost most of them to starvation before coming back defeated. But Garan didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Father Emperor is worried about Muyeo¡¯s safety, so I personally came to check on her.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already reinforced her guards.¡± ¡°Will your soldiers be enough? This is the princess¡¯s safety we¡¯re talking about. Father Emperor has directly sent palace guards.¡± Garan grit his teeth. It was all in name only. If the Crown Prince was the one who brought these soldiers, it was no different than putting her in detention. How could he be sure that Muyeo would be safe in the clutches of the Crown Prince? ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you suspicious of Father Emperor¡¯s show of affection?¡± ¡°¡­Of course not.¡± The Red King answered coldly. Father Emperor still had doubts about Muyeo¡¯s parentage to this day. It didn¡¯t matter what anyone said. The emperor, who believed that his concubine had been unfaithful and taken many men as lovers, couldn¡¯t kill Muyeo or save her. If it had been revealed that she had come from the seed of another man, he would have killed her by now. However, if she was indeed his daughter, he wouldn¡¯t be able to take her life with his own hands. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Send your soldiers away. From here on out, the princess¡¯s residence will be guarded by the palace guards. We won¡¯t let one rat bastard enter without our knowledge.¡± When the Crown Prince said ¡®rat bastard¡¯, his eyes looked Garan up and down. Garan, whose face had remained blank all this time, suddenly broke into a smile. ¡°Thank goodness. Father Emperor¡¯s grace is as vast as the Heavens. Send the soldiers away.¡± He turned around and gave his command in a calm voice. If he protested now, it would come off as treason. It wasn¡¯t the right time to make his move. The Crown Prince¡¯s cold eyes looked down at the princess¡¯s residence and saw that the solders were going away. A faint smile formed on his lips. Then he turned his eyes back onto his younger brother who was twenty years his junior. He was now twenty-three. Keeping him alive would be dangerous¡­ ¡°It seems that pirates have invaded the western provinces again.¡± Please don¡¯t return from the war this time, Garan. I¡¯ll send you away like your sister, so don¡¯t you worry. His cold eyes seemed to relay that message to Garan. ¡°Father Emperor will send you his orders soon. Remember to pledge your allegiance to this nation and fulfill your duties.¡± The horses turned around and began to head back. As they raced down the road, the mud splattered underneath their hooves. Chapter 10 WARNING: NSFW ¡°Gah!¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes burst open and she frantically sat up. Where was she? What happened? She had woken up late the night. The pale moonlight shimmered from behind the layers of curtains. The room was large. The moon created patterns on the ivory floors as it shone through the designs of the lattice window. This room didn¡¯t even compare to her room at Princess Yeowa¡¯s residence. The ceiling was high, and the furniture was dark and intricately carved. They didn¡¯t seem feminine at all. What happened? Just where was this place? Yujo looked around before quickly looking down at herself. Her body had been washed clean and now smelled faintly of perfume. Only a nightdress made of rich fabric covered her body right now. As soon as she lowered a foot from the bed, she felt a faint ache from within her body. That¡¯s when Yujo recalled how she had been embraced by a man underneath the sunlight. What did I do? How could she have given her first time to a man whose identity she didn¡¯t know? And she¡¯d basically seduced him as well. She was naked in his arms and even pulled him down to her! She was crazy. She¡¯d gone insane! She needed to escape. She didn¡¯t know where this was, but she needed to get out as soon as possible! She quickly got to her feet and began to run when she saw a shadow at the window. She stopped in her tracks. He was standing underneath the pale moonlight. He wasn¡¯t wearing anything on his head, and his long, black hair was flowing down his shoulders. He merely looked out at the view of the city of YeonSung underneath the black night sky. Like ink, the moonlight poured over his head and traveled down the robe that was lightly draped over his body. He held a long sword in both hands. His eyes lowered to the sword in his hands, and they were incredibly dark. The aura around him was heavy. She forgot about escaping and merely stared at him. She only needed to take one more step. She could still make her escape. But for some reason, she couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± She couldn¡¯t help but ask. Her voice startled him, and he turned around. She couldn¡¯t believe that he hadn¡¯t sensed her waking up. What was he so lost in thought about? ¡°Ah, you¡¯re up?¡± He grinned at her as if nothing was wrong. But she felt that his smile was a lie. The face that had been illuminated by the moon just now¡­ What was that? ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°My house.¡± ¡°You have a lot of houses. Land in YeonSung is quite expensive.¡± ¡°I¡¯m rich.¡± After replying, he entered the room, placed the sword down, and closed the window. ¡°Why don¡¯t you sleep a little longer?¡± ¡°¡­I slept a lot. And¡­¡± She needed to return now. She left the princess¡¯s residence with no explanation. Right about now, Princess Yeowa¡¯s residence was probably in complete chaos. But more importantly, she had lied to him. She needed to escape this man as soon as possible. Yujo bit her lip before speaking. ¡°I need to go back.¡± When he heard her words, he gazed at her. His dark face carried no emotion. ¡°Go back? Where?¡± Yujo laughed awkwardly. ¡°My house. How is Princess Muyeo? Is she safe?¡± This time, he didn¡¯t reply. Then he turned his head and spoke in an indifferent voice. ¡°She¡¯s safe¡­ for now.¡± ¡®For now¡¯? What did that mean? But he didn¡¯t elaborate. Instead, he approached her and put his arms around her before pulling her against his chest. It was almost as if he wanted her to soothe him, so Yujo didn¡¯t try to move out his arms. She didn¡¯t know what his face looked like right now since he had buried it against her neck. ¡°I really need to go now.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± She really couldn¡¯t stay any longer. Yujo tried to take a step back, but he tightened his arms around her. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go. I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Yujo¡¯s body stiffened slightly at his childish words. Get yourself together, Yujo! ¡°No, I really need to¡­¡± The rest of her words were buried inside his mouth. Her head tilted backwards. His arm that was wrapped around her hips tightened its hold, and the soft cloth of her clothes wrinkled underneath his grasp. Yujo wasn¡¯t wearing anything underneath her nightclothes. The same went for him. His hot, hard staff was already erect. When Yujo felt it pressing against her, she moaned. ¡°Forget all of it, just for now.¡± His lips whispered on top of hers. His eyes twinkled with mischief and a strange darkness. Yujo looked into his eyes and hesitated. ¡°Forget YeonSung.¡± Then he smiled down at her and swallowed her lips once again. Underneath the pale moonlight, the two of them held onto each other and shared each other¡¯s lips as if they were dancing. Because of his tall height, Yujo¡¯s head was tilted back to accommodate him, and his body was crouched over her as he plundered her lips. Yujo was also sucking on his lips. Suddenly, they heard a loud bang as they bumped into something. It was large dresser. Thankfully, there were no decorations or ornaments on it. If it was holding any porcelain, it would have shattered on the floor by now. However, the man lifted her up and sat her on top of the dresser. Yujo let out a cry of surprise, but he had already placed her on top of the dresser that came up to his hips. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Despite her protests, he moved the skirts of her nightdress to one side and opened her legs. Yujo swallowed her groan. The moon was now at his back so she couldn¡¯t see him very well. However, he was able to clearly see the sight between her legs. ¡°Stop¡­¡­¡± He ignored her and placed one of her feet on his shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re lovely.¡± He only said those words before he lowered his head between her legs. This unfamiliar room became blurry. An incredible pleasure rocked through her body. Yujo covered her mouth to keep the moan from spilling out. The man was a beast. He ruthlessly opened her legs and buried his lips between her thighs without mercy. Yujo didn¡¯t even know something like this existed in the world. She twisted her body in shock, but he was holding onto her hips, so she couldn¡¯t move. Before she understood what was happening, his tongue plunged into her. He parted her hidden lips and pushed through her entrance. Yujo struggled to lift her two hands and tried to push his head away from between her legs, but it was all in vain. ¡°Agh!¡± We shouldn¡¯t be doing this. But she couldn¡¯t reject the sweet, unimaginable pleasure rolling through her body. On top of the dresser, her shoulders and a round breasts were exposed. Her nightdress was now bunched up at her waist. Her hollow stomach and bellybutton. Her white thighs and slender calves. His eyes were filled with the glossy thatch of hair between her legs. His thick, red tongue pierced through the thatch of hair and pumped into her. Yujo¡¯s body initially stiffened, but with the continuous attack, it wasn¡¯t able to calm down. ¡°No, please¡­ Please¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know what she was begging for, but something took over her body once again. Her toes stiffened. She writhed and struggled on top of his shoulders. Her entrance clenched at some unknown hunger. Yujo was afraid of this strange desire. Had she lost her mind? How could she tolerate such an act like this? ¡°Haagh, haa, please stop.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Enough, please.¡± She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. She couldn¡¯t endure the embarrassment of enjoying something like this. Her whole body was flushed with confusion. Even as she pushed him away, she wanted more. As if making fun of her contradictory desires, he laughed. He greedily pushed his tongue through her entrance and sucked. Yujo cried out and covered her face. Her face was covered, but she couldn¡¯t stop the tremors from running through her body. She stretched out her hand and tried to push him away again. However, he merely brushed her hand away. She could hear the sound of his slurps below. When she heard those sounds, another wave of tremors rolled through her. She turned her head and tightly closed her eyes. Because the room was totally silent, these strange noises sounded even louder to her ears. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Fireworks exploded in her eyes. White pleasure spilled out of her. Within his tight grasp, Yujo lost herself to a climax brought on by his lips. Suddenly, her fluids drenched her entrance as well as his lips. The man laughed in satisfaction and sucked on her sweet sap. Yujo was completely limp and spread out on the dresser. The man stood up and looked down at her. Her fluids began to pool on the dark Japanese cedar wood of the dresser. She was more beautiful than any ornament he could have put on the dresser. He wanted to keep her like this forever. Her eyes glared at him with reproach. Garan ignored it and lowered his lips onto hers. He began to suck on her cherry lips. His lips tasted fishy and thick. Their fragrances were mixed together. He placed a kiss on her forehead before looking into her eyes. He grinned down at her before softly sucking on her lips once again. Then he whispered to her. ¡°Eat mine, too.¡± ¡°Eat?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± He dragged her off the dresser and lowered her to the floor. Her eyes widened in shock as he pressed his stiff erection against her lips. She now realized what he was asking for and shook her head. ¡°Ah¡­¡­¡± ¡°Grab the root.¡± He ignored her and brought her hand to the base of his cock before wrapping her fingers around it. After he put it between her lips, he began to slowly thrust in and out. He was being sucked into her soft, hot mouth. ¡°Hnng¡­¡­Ugh¡­¡­¡± ¡°Suck it like candy.¡± When she heard his instruction, she gathered her lips together and began to use her tongue as if she were sucking on a piece of candy. A tingling zing of pleasure ran down from his spine to his hips. The moonlight shone down on her lips sucking on his cock and traveled down her white body. Her black hair was twisted in his hand. Unable to withstand the approaching climax, Garan pulled out of her mouth. He grabbed her shoulders and brought her up. ¡°I have a better idea.¡± ¡°Stop it.¡± He ignored her wary voice. ¡°You suit this room very well.¡± Something didn¡¯t feel right. Yujo struggled to stay on her feet, but her legs went limp. As she began to stagger, Garan took off her nightdress and threw it on the floor. Then he turned her around. ¡°What¡­¡­?¡± She wanted to ask him what he was doing. However, he bent her down and put both of her hands on the edge of the dresser. She was filled with a sense of dread. She could feel him pressing down against her back. His hands grasped hers on the edge of the dresser. She felt a shiver run down her back. His blunt, hot cock pressed against her bottom. Yujo straightened up in shock, but his hand bent her back down. ¡°Stop it. It¡¯s scary.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not scary.¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m only entering from behind. That¡¯s all.¡± As he said these words, his cock plunged into her. ¡°Aaagh!¡± She felt as if she were being split in two. ¡°Aagh! No! It¡¯s too big!¡± Big. It was too big. It didn¡¯t even compare to how it was when she first took him in. At her words, he slightly pulled out. However, it didn¡¯t end there. One of his hands traveled around her hips and began to softly rub her clitoris. ¡°It¡¯s okay. You can do it.¡± No, she couldn¡¯t. She wanted to ask him to pull out. But he pulled out before plunging back in. Little by little, he thrust in deeper and deeper. Yujo moaned and did her best to relax. ¡°Slowly¡­¡­¡± In the end, she gave up and pleaded instead. ¡°Okay, slowly.¡± His voice was low and raspy. Garan did his best to restrain himself as he thrust into her in little increments. He knew she couldn¡¯t take any more than this at the moment. However, he couldn¡¯t control himself. Her drank in the sight of her slender back underneath the moonlight. His eyes traveled down her back to her bottom. Then to his own cock being swallowed by her body. He had reached the limits of his self-control. Go easy on her, Garan. He told himself. Slowly, please. But the problem was that he couldn¡¯t go ¡®slowly, please¡¯. When she got a little more used to him, he was afraid of the beast that would be unleashed. Her body now took him in to the hilt. Her slender hips tilted back. Her strained pants puffed out of her mouth. Her hands clenched the edge of the dresser. Garan slowly pulled out once again. His cock glistened with their fluids. Her inner walls stuck to him as if they wanted to keep him inside. Damn it. I¡¯m done for. Garan lost himself. WARNING: NSFW The world was shaking. Yujo bent forward as she cried out. She endured it with all her strength as the demon continued to plunge into her body. He continued to pump into her as if he couldn¡¯t get enough of her. She felt like he was going to pierce through her gut. Every time he moved his hips, their skins slapped together. Their fluids continued to pour out of her entrance and drip down her legs. He thrust in to the hilt. His scrotum buried itself between the cheeks of her bottom, and his dark, sturdy thighs brushed against hers. He couldn¡¯t endure it any longer. No, actually, he had endured it for far too long. As the pleasure caused the hairs on his body to stand on end, Garan lost the last of his reason. With outrageous strength and speed, he plunged into her over and over again. Her lips opened. She felt that the dresser would shatter from the force. The first climax was brutally intense. Everything went white and disappeared. Yujo went limp and slid down onto the floor. Garan followed her down as well. His cock was still lodged inside her. Haa¡­¡­ Haa¡­¡­ Haa¡­¡­ Yujo finally heard the sound of her own breaths. She was surprised that she was still alive. This round of sex had been explosive. Her whole body still felt numb, and her legs were spread out to their limits. Her entrance was still trembling from the aftermath. She pressed her face against the cold floor. It felt good against her flushed body. But were they finished? He turned her body around and laid her down on top of the wrinkled nightdress. He lifted one of her legs and placed it on top of his shoulder. Yujo saw the bandage that was wound around his back. They shouldn¡¯t be doing this. He was wounded. ¡°Enough.¡± She murmured. She pushed him away just as he was about to thrust in and whispered. ¡°You¡¯re hurt. We should stop now.¡± He gazed down at her. He lifted one of her hands and pressed a kiss on her fingers. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± ¡°Liar¡­¡± Who in the world would be fine after being wounded like that? ¡°I¡¯m serious. But I think I¡¯ll go crazy if I don¡¯t hold you right now.¡± ¡°Still¡­¡± ¡°Just a little more.¡± ¡°I said you¡¯re hurt¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re warm.¡± He rubbed his cheek against her hand as he whispered. For some reason, he looked so pitiful. He acted like he craved another person¡¯s body heat. He touched her hand and placed kisses down her fingers. Then he opened his eyes and stared deeply into hers. His eyes looked desperate. As if he wanted to see everything hidden deep within the abyss of her eyes. She needed to tell him no. But she wasn¡¯t able to block him. She needed to push him away. But her hands wouldn¡¯t move. He plunged into her once again. She grit her teeth as she arched her back. Everything was moving further away. When she woke up, it was dawn. He was still fast asleep. It had already been three days since she¡¯d last been home. Yujo carefully sat up. She really needed to go back now. When her foot touched the cold floor, she felt some of her reason return. She looked around the room and groaned. The room was a total mess that reminded her of what she had done. The wrinkled clothing strewn out across the floor, the pillows that had tumbled off the bed, various pieces of furniture and parts of the floor that were covered in stains. Yujo¡¯s face paled before burning bright red. The state of her body was also a sight to see. It was covered in spots of various colors, and she could see splotches of crusty fluids that hadn¡¯t been wiped away after multiple rounds of sex. Her hair was also a disheveled mess. She hoped a bathroom was connected to this room¡­¡­ She tried to stand up but immediately collapsed onto the floor. Her legs were completely limp. She silently cursed to herself. No matter how much she begged him to stop, it didn¡¯t matter. She grabbed onto his hair and tried to pull him away, but it was of no use. He was stubbornly persistent. Like a baby searching for its mother, he never let her go. He continuously plunged into her over and over again. As if he were trying to run away from the loneliness, he held onto her. He was more of a lecher than she thought. I¡¯ll escape this place even if I have to crawl out. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Suddenly, a hand stretched out from behind her and grabbed onto her waist. Yujo swallowed a groan and closed her eyes. If he was going to try doing it again, she was going to hit him. He was going to strangle him and throw his mangled body away. She wouldn¡¯t do it again even if it killed her. ¡°I¡¯m sore.¡± She repeated these words three times last night. He merely laughed and rubbed his cheek against hers. ¡°All right. I won¡¯t do it.¡± And she heard this reply three times as well. She didn¡¯t trust those words anymore. ¡°I want to bathe.¡± Her voice was terribly hoarse. ¡°I¡¯ll order the servants to fill the tub with water.¡± As she thought, he was a nobleman of high stature. Why was someone like him trying to catch the Heukra? She suddenly felt like she was missing something important and turned her head. What could this man¡¯s name be? Could she tell him hers? While she was struggling with these thoughts, the man brought her back into his embrace once again. Yujo helplessly found herself back underneath the covers. Within the warmth of the bed, their bodies tangled together without a gap in sight. This was the first time she¡¯d felt this way. She found it fascinating how she accepted a total stranger without any hesitation. ¡°When I was young¡­¡± The blankets were completely over their heads, and they made a space that contained just the two of them. He began to whisper to her. Yujo¡¯s head was placed on top of his shoulder, and she was completely within his embrace. ¡°I used to hide underneath the blankets just like this with my younger sister and tell her all kinds of stories.¡± She raised her head and looked into his eyes. Just like Brother Yuha, this man seemed to adore his younger sister. ¡°Of course, it was usually scary stories. That child would scream and cry as she stuck to me in fear.¡± ¡°You were quite a mischievous older brother.¡± ¡°I was. I enjoy teasing people I like.¡± Is that why he always teased her? Yujo recalled how he had run off with the bamboo slip. How he had hung her from the ceiling as he smiled at her accusingly. He definitely had a mischievous side. However, she also annoyed him back in turn. ¡°In the stories, there was always a bad guy. Whether it was a monster or a killer, there was always a villain. But no matter how scary they were, I was always the hero who came to save the day.¡± He began to caress her cheek. ¡°But in reality, I was unable to be the hero and save her.¡± A bitter smile stretched across his lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t as strong in reality as I was in the stories.¡± They lost their mother to Father Emperor¡¯s rage, the empress¡¯s cold schemes, and the Crown Prince¡¯s empty smiles. And he had been powerless to protect his sister. So he did everything he could to keep her far away. At first, he was told that she was going to be sent as tribute to a neighboring barbaric tribe. Then he heard that she would be sent to a family without a prominent reputation. Back then, he was only seventeen years old. He had been full of pent-up anger, but he couldn¡¯t do anything to stop it. The bridal crown placed on top of the young girl¡¯s head seemed too big and heavy. The groom was a young man he had never seen before. He couldn¡¯t believe she was being married off at the age of thirteen. But what could he do? This disgusting situation proceeded without a hitch, and it was done so brazenly by the imperial palace. Many testimonies had come out claiming that his mother had many paramours. And one of the people who testified was his nanny, the one who had fed and clothed him. A person he had trusted so much¡­ Because these kinds of people knew all the intimate details of their lives, their testimonies held more weight. Someone said she brought in a man disguised as a eunuch. Another said someone disguised as a palace guard entered the inner rooms. As a sharp young boy, he watched as the rumors spread throughout the imperial palace and YeonSung. Then it spread throughout the whole Silver Nation. His mother, who was the most beautiful and honorable woman in his eyes, had become a whore overnight. But he still endured it. Because he was strong. Like a hero in the stories, he didn¡¯t let anything hurt him, and he wanted to protect those he loved. However, reality wasn¡¯t like the stories. And he wasn¡¯t a hero. ¡°You¡¯re really a lot like my older brother.¡± Yujo propped her hand underneath her cheek as she smiled at him. ¡°Why do you treat women as if we¡¯re weak creatures?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Of course, we are grateful for your protection. And I lost my parents when I was very young. My brother became my parent when I was ten years old. How ridiculous is that?¡± Yuha began to do things that he had never done before. He told Yujo to put on her dress. He did all the cooking at home. She could hardly believe her eyes and ears. Yujo could ride horses by the age of five. At ten years old, she could even sleep on top of them. Her cooking skills were poor. Her attempts at embroidery were terrible. She was good with the sword, and she was the best in Yeha when it came to the bow and arrow. Of course, she was still physically weaker than the men, but she wasn¡¯t someone who couldn¡¯t protect herself. ¡°Even though I was young, my fate was my own burden. Only I could carry it on my shoulders. Keeping someone away from the dirtiness of the world and feeding them three meals a day¡­ Would you call this protection? In my opinion, I think it¡¯s a lot better to trust in your sister¡¯s decisions as she uses her own strength to pull herself out of difficult situations and support her as she walks her own path.¡± ¡°Even if the situation is incredibly difficult?¡± ¡°I mean¡­¡± Yujo grinned at him before lowering her head back onto his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do you best to help her, but you can also encourage her so that she can do the best for herself. I believe everyone carries their own fate.¡± Garan lied back and stared into her eyes. He felt as if some of the weight on his shoulders had been taken away. Using the Heukra as an excuse, Muyeo was now being detained. What did that mean? The Crown Prince¡¯s blade was now right before his nose. It was no longer a war of nerves brewing between them. This battle was just the beginning. This fight would only end with his death. He needed an appropriate excuse. An excuse to get rid of the Crown Prince. Just like how the Crown Prince needed an excuse to get rid of him. Garan sat up. A new morning was coming to YeonSung. Garan gazed down at Yujo¡¯s beautiful face and chose his words carefully. What should he say? Should he take her with him to the western provinces? But if she followed him to a place that was crawling with soldiers, she¡¯d definitely want to wield a sword as well. What should he do? Should he ask her to wait for him here? But then he¡¯d miss her so much. He couldn¡¯t leave her in YeonSung. If the Crown Prince found out about her, he didn¡¯t know what would happen to her. Even if she was stronger than Muyeo, he didn¡¯t want her existence to be exposed. He stroked her cheek as he asked. ¡°Will you watch the sunrise with me?¡± Yujo nodded. With only the bedsheets draped around them, they walked over to the window. Over the black tiled roofs of YeonSung, the sunlight stretched across the sky like soft silk. Yujo watched this scene before gazing up at Garan¡¯s face. A tender smile stretched across his handsome face. She really needed to ask him for his name. And she decided to tell him hers. He said that when they knew each other¡¯s name, they¡¯d begin dating. Therefore, with this, they would begin their inevitable fate. While she was lost in thought, he lowered his head and pressed a kiss onto her lips. ¡°I have something to tell you.¡± Of course he should tell her. Yujo grinned as she looked up at him. ¡°First things first, I realize that I never thanked you.¡± He looked back at Yujo and grinned as well. ¡°For saving my younger sister.¡± ¡°What?¡± Yujo didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. Just as she raised her head, they heard a voice coming from outside the door. ¡°Your Highness, Red King. Someone from the imperial palace has arrived.¡± In that moment, both of their eyes widened in shock. Yujo¡¯s eyes were filled with astonishment, and Garan seemed to be flustered by the tactless voice that had just interrupted them. It was probably an edict from the emperor ordering him to head to the western provinces for battle. Garan slightly frowned and gazed down at Yujo. Judging from her stiff, pale face, he knew she must be in shock, but he didn¡¯t have any time to explain. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to you when I get back.¡± He stroked her cheek as he spoke. Her pale face was cold and stiff. Should he just explain everything right now? ¡°Your Highness!¡± The hurried voice calling for him outside rejected that idea. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Wait here for a little bit. I¡¯ll send in a few servants to take care of you.¡± Garan secured the bedsheets around her body and grabbed his own nightclothes that were on the floor before leaving the room. She could see his magnificent appearance disappear into the outer rooms through the door. More than two dozen palace maids stood in a line with their heads lowered. Yujo remained frozen in her spot. She silently watched everything unfold. Chapter 11.1 - Lady of YeonSung 11 (Each Other’s Truths) part 1 How stupid am I? Yujo didn¡¯t wipe away the tears that were welling up in her eyes. She couldn¡¯t stop them anymore. She didn¡¯t even have the energy to do so. Right now, she only focused on walking. Every time she took a step, something pierced the deepest part of her heart. The haphazardly draped clothes on her body looked like rags, and her hair was an absolute mess. Anyone who saw her would think she was crazy. But it didn¡¯t matter. She felt like she was a crazy woman at heart. She made all the palace maids faint when they came to attend to her bath. Then she disguised herself as a palace maid and escaped the Red King¡¯s palace. The whole while, her body was trembling uncontrollably. How could he be the Red King? Why did he have to be the Red King?! She was going to go back. She was going to go back to Yeha. She didn¡¯t want to stay in the disgusting Silver Nation for one more second. Yujo stole a horse and led the horse northward. She wanted to see her brother. She missed Yeha. She was going to throw away all this suffering and pain. With her brother and her people, she was going to overcome the fate that lied before them. The horse raced down the road for a long while. She could see the lotus gates that led northward. Yujo lowered her head. Suddenly, an arrow flew towards her from far away. By the time she realized that her horse had been hit, the horse had already reared up on its hind legs as it wailed. The earth and sky flipped. Everything was a mess. Her body was flung up into the air before her head slammed onto the ground. A black darkness swallowed her up. ¡°Find her.¡± Garan ordered with a pale face. His gaze was cold as he looked around the bathing room. All the palace maids who had entered to assist Yujo with her bath were unconscious. That woman had easily escaped the Red King¡¯s residence! ¡°Your Highness.¡± YulMok, Garan¡¯s subordinate, approached him from behind as he spoke in a low voice. ¡°A horse has gone missing from the residence.¡± Boom! Garan rammed his fist into the wall. YulMok stepped back in surprise. He had never seen his master so enraged before. ¡°Don¡¯t leave a single blade of grass in YeonSung unturned and bring her to me.¡± Now that he thought about it, he didn¡¯t even know her name. She never told him anything about herself. Why did she disappear like this? He didn¡¯t want to answer his question. He didn¡¯t want to believe the answer that was forming inside his heart. But he was quick enough to deduce why she had left. She left because he was the ¡®Red King¡¯. The moment his identity was revealed, he felt how stiff her body had become. At the time, he thought it was only because she was surprised. Or was there another reason? The warmth and the softness that had surrounded him last night had disappeared. The desolate disappointment and betrayal shook him to his core. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Another subordinate entered the room and called out to him. ¡°The secret room in YeonSung has burned to the ground.¡± Garan turned around. ¡°What did you say?¡± He had only shown that room to one other person, and it was her. That was where the bamboo slip shards and the texts about black magic and the icy-fire stone were stored. A thick shadow fell over his dark blue eyes. Splash! Cold water was sprayed over Yujo¡¯s body. Yujo gasped in shock as she woke up. When she opened her eyes, all she saw was the cold, stone floor. Her whole body was drenched, and the water droplets dripped onto the floor. ¡°Get up!¡± A hand grabbed her hair and brought her to her knees. When she looked up, she could finally see the man in front of her. He was a burly man who exuded a greasy aura. His fierce face was covered in a coarse beard. His appearance was so hideous and vulgar that it made Yujo feel like throwing up. Yujo knew who he was. The leader of the troops that had first invaded Yeha as well as the weak head of the military forces that Yeha¡¯s soldiers had defeated twice¡­ the Crown Prince. ¡°Haa¡­¡­Haa¡­¡­¡± White vapors puffed out of Yujo¡¯s mouth as she panted for breath. Although it was the middle of summer, she was locked up in a basement prison cell. It was so cold in here that her whole body was shivering. The man didn¡¯t move and continued to stare at her. Because his face was hidden by a shadow, she couldn¡¯t see the look in his eyes. However, Yujo remembered this feeling. It felt as if she were standing in front of a gigantic snake. Her whole body became clammy and cold as shivers ran down her spine. ¡°All right, so have you found the Heukra?¡± Underneath the bluish shadow, she could see the Crown Prince¡¯s lips stretch into a smile. Yujo remained silent. Suddenly, the hand holding her hair tightened, and a large palm struck her across the cheek. The force made her cheek go numb, but the pain soon followed. ¡°Oh dear, oh dear. Don¡¯t do that. She¡¯s Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife. She¡¯s still a member of the imperial family.¡± The Crown Prince spoke bitterly before walking over to a chair in front of her. He sat his obese body down. With much difficulty, he crossed his legs and leaned back on the chair. Then he chuckled as he continued speaking. ¡°She¡¯s Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife. The daughter of a savage tribe has found great success. So¡­ Does your husband treat you kindly?¡± Yujo didn¡¯t say anything. The large man next to her began to raise his hand. However, when the Crown Prince held up his hand, he backed away. The Crown Prince got up from his seat and crouched down in front of Yujo as he looked at her. Yujo¡¯s head was turned to the side as she continued to pant. Yujo glared at him. The man continued to drag his eyes all over her body. After a while, he whispered. ¡°Do you know?¡± Yujo raised her eyes and looked back at him. His eyes were like shiny, black beads. They pierced into her. ¡°My cousin has honest feelings for you. When I told him that I¡¯d annihilate Yeha, he begged me not to do it. He told me that if I only let him have you, he¡¯d do anything I asked. And I¡¯m sure he¡¯s upstairs right now, begging me to save you. Tsk, men are so stupid. But you were chatting and giggling with another man and even shared your clues regarding the Heukra with him. And you even saved his life and spent the night with him.¡± Yujo finally opened her mouth. ¡°I didn¡¯t know he was the Red King.¡± ¡°Aha, so that¡¯s why you told him about the Heukra, saved his life, and spent the night with him?¡± The Crown Prince snickered. ¡°You crazy brat. You¡¯re quite brave for a woman who¡¯s married and has a husband.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not legally married.¡± ¡°Who told you that? Who told you it wasn¡¯t legal? If it wasn¡¯t legal, I would have killed you by now and thrown your body out for the animals to eat. Didn¡¯t I tell you just now? My cousin¡¯s heart for you rings true. Because of him, you¡¯re still in one piece.¡± He glared at her as if she were disgusting and stood up. ¡°Anyways, what I need is the guibin. We almost caught her last night, but thanks to you, we lost her. Tell me. What are you going to do about this?¡± What was he talking about? Yujo looked up at him in confusion. The guibin? The guibin was dead. ¡°What are you talking about? There was only Princess Muyeo and her husband last night.¡± ¡°Tsk, you still don¡¯t know that the guibin is alive?¡± What? What was he talking about? The guibin was alive? The mother of the Red King who allegedly had multiple affairs was alive? What did this mean? Did that mean that the Nine Families secretly extracted the guibin behind the emperor¡¯s back? The shock struck her across the head. The guibin was alive. The mother of the Red King and Princess Muyeo was alive. But that was treason. A conspiracy that would send everyone involved to their deaths for deceiving the emperor! A conspiracy that would definitely demote her son and daughter to live as commoners! Yujo was unable to hide the shock from her face. ¡°Thanks to you, the guibin escaped from my clutches back at CheongRyu Hall. I was told that she would crawl out and try to obtain some help from her daughter there. But because of you, I lost her. All you had to do was act as Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife, but how could you run wild like that?¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s lips went crooked. ¡°Now what are you going to do about this?¡± What was she going to do? What was she supposed to do? Whether he found the guibin, whether he killed the guibin again, whether the Red King or Muyeo died¡­ It was none of Yujo¡¯s business. What she had promised him was the Heukra. And the Heukra was that damned Jewol! ¡°The deal you made with the chief of Yeha was to find the Heukra. According to that contract, I now know the Heukra¡¯s identity, so give me the peace treaty you promised.¡± Yujo glared daggers at the Crown Prince. ¡°Ha! How can that even come out of your mouth after making a mess of my plans? I should rip apart a bitch like you to death. I wanted to kill you immediately, but I held back because of what I promised Jewol. However, I can¡¯t just let you off this easily. Treaty? Fine. But what should I do? As you said, you found the Heukra. But what if the chief of Yeha, with whom I made this deal, suddenly disappeared?¡± ¡°What?¡± Yujo glared at him in bewilderment. What was this heartless man talking about? The Crown Prince smiled wickedly as he raised his hand. Suddenly, a door in her prison cell opened, and she heard the sound of jangling chains. Yujo turned her head in surprise. Two large men dragged in a man into the prison cell as if they were dragging in a beast. At first, Yujo didn¡¯t recognize the bloody and disheveled man. However, her mouth soon opened in shock. ¡°B-Brother Yuha?¡± It was Yuha. Yeha¡¯s chief, Yuha! Yujo stood up in shock. She cried out and ran over to Yuha. Rough hands grabbed her and pressed her down onto the floor. While this commotion was unfolding, the Crown Prince was splayed out in his chair as if he were watching a boring play. He cheerfully waited until Yujo stopped struggling and screaming. Yujo¡¯s eyes were filled with tears and anger as she glared up at him. The Crown Prince finally began to speak. ¡°Yes, of course you¡¯re happy to see your brother after such a long time.¡± ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing? Weren¡¯t we talking about the person I made this deal with?¡± ¡°You definitely told us that you¡¯d let us go.¡± ¡°When did I ever say that I¡¯d let you go?¡± He chuckled shamelessly before continuing. ¡°Take him out.¡± ¡°Brother! Brother! Brother Yuha!¡± Yujo cried out as she struggled towards Yuha, whose unconscious body was now being dragged out. But she was already exhausted from struggling thus far, and these large men had a strong hold on her. The Crown Prince watched as she struggled and crooked his finger. The hands grabbing her suddenly dragged her in front of him. ¡°How about this, wife of Duke MoonYeo.¡± He gazed at Yujo¡¯s face, which was now covered in tears. He continued speaking in a soft voice. ¡°You¡¯re already doing very well in YeonSung. You deserve to be praised for finding out the Heukra¡¯s identity so quickly. Thanks to you, I was able to step on the guibin¡¯s tail. And you even formed a special relationship with the Red King. You also won his younger sister Muyeo¡¯s favor. Those two are also probably very eager to find the Heukra.¡± Yujo grit her teeth as she glared at him. She couldn¡¯t bear it. It was like facing a demon. Her head was only filled with thoughts of Brother Yuha. Did her eyes make a mistake? How could Brother Yuha, who was supposed to be back at Yeha, be here? The people of Yeha had probably settled in the eastern grasslands to avoid the rainy season. Not a lot of people knew how to navigate through that terrain. Only the tribes of Yeha knew¡­¡­ That¡¯s when Yujo realized¡­ Jewol. Jewol knew. He lived in Yeha for a few years and wandered around with them. That man knew a lot about the tribes of Yeha. The routes within the grasslands, the secret fortress on Mount Paran, and even the various traps hidden throughout. It doesn¡¯t make any sense. A fresh wave of tears dripped down Yujo¡¯s cheeks. She thought Jewol only killed people as the Heukra. But he also deceived her and Yuha? ¡°Continue to play your role as a lady of YeonSung. You can even continue to meet the Red King. But please be careful and make sure no one finds out who you really are. And more importantly, you must find more clues about the guibin. From what I can tell, I don¡¯t think your brother will be able to endure it for much longer¡­¡­¡± How good would it feel to kill this man right here, right now? Yujo¡¯s eyes were filled with a murderous rage. The Crown Prince saw those eyes and grinned back at her. ¡°Those are good eyes. Make sure Jewol doesn¡¯t find out about your lover. Do you think he¡¯ll just sit still if he finds out? Love is a form of lunacy. Once it begins to twist, nothing can stop it.¡± He got up from his seat. Yujo screamed as she ran after him, but she was promptly struck on the back of the neck and collapsed to the floor. Chapter 11.2 - Lady of YeonSung 11 (Each Other’s Truths) part 2 The Crown Prince exited through the prison doors and began to snicker. Things were just starting to get fun. When he first brought that Yeha brat into the Silver Nation, he only did it to pacify Jewol. There was no other reason. But when did things in life go as planned? ¡°Your Highness.¡± Jewol, who had been sitting in his room, got up anxiously. How could his face look so beautiful even as it was filled with anguish and sorrow? The Crown Prince approached Jewol, grabbed his cheek, and brought him into his embrace. He could feel the tension in Jewol¡¯s body. It had been different in the past. Back then, Jewol was like a young angel. There was a time when he looked at him with clear eyes, no speck of dirt in sight. And the one who had dirtied and shattered those eyes was none other than himself. Neither you nor I can be rewarded for our feelings. Jewol was unaware of the Crown Prince¡¯s feelings and merely looked up at him with a pale face. ¡°What are you worried about?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± Are you worried that your falcon will get hurt?¡± ¡°¡­¡­No.¡± Jewol had been lying more lately. The Crown Prince chuckled and pulled away. ¡°The only way to domesticate a wild falcon is to keep it caged.¡± Jewol didn¡¯t say anything in response. He was now pretty good at reading the Crown Prince¡¯s temperament. Jewol knew how quickly he could become cruel and ruthless. ¡°The falcon will only come to you if you starve it just before it dies. You need to make it reach its limit in order to make it yours. If you can¡¯t do that, you will never become the falcon¡¯s master. You will become its servant instead.¡± The Crown Prince walked over to the other side of the room and picked up a bow. He pulled on its string. Now that he thought about it, that brat was the one who had shot the arrow that struck down the Red King from such a far distance. The arrow rode the wind and flew at a frightening speed before piercing through all that armor and almost striking his heart. The Crown Prince walked over to Jewol, whose brows were furrowed. ¡°Don¡¯t become weak, Jewol. Doesn¡¯t ChungMae belong to you already?¡± ¡°But¡­¡­¡± ¡°Break her spirit. Don¡¯t worry about hurting her. If you try to humor her too much, she will begin to think that she is the master.¡± Jewol silently gazed at him. ¡°Does that mean you¡¯ll let her live?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I say that she belonged to you?¡± As if he were doing Jewol a favor, the Crown Prince began to lightly pat Jewol¡¯s cheek. ¡°Take your wife and go home. And then find the guibin. The nine seals are now in our hands. Once we find hers, we will be able to obtain everything we want.¡± The map. That was what the Crown Prince wanted. The three-legged crow¡¯s seal that marked the location of the holy sanctum of the extinct nation of Paran. Once those ten pieces were gathered together, the map of Paran would be complete. Then they wouldn¡¯t have to struggle in this battle. Honestly, the Crown Prince wanted more than the Silver Nation. Like the ancient kingdom of Paran, he wanted an empire that ruled over the whole world. But then that guibin bitch went ahead and deceived the eyes of the emperor, and her sins were too great. Her death would definitely get rid of the Red King and Muyeo, who were thorns in his eyes. If any one of these things ended up in the hands of Garan, he¡¯d basically be giving him the resources to amass a lot of influence and power. That must never happen. A crisis could turn into an opportunity. They needed to find her. No matter what. ¡°How can we continue to live like this in the wretched Silver Nation? It¡¯s a great nation in name only, but it shrivels up when it comes to the south. The lands are always ravaged by floods and droughts. The national coffers already hit rock bottom a long time ago. All the wealth belongs to the noble families. The emperor is no different from a paper tiger. With the way things are, how much longer do you think we can last?¡± The Crown Prince¡¯s eyes were filled with ambition. Those fools in Yeha didn¡¯t even know what was hidden within their lands. Underneath all that horse stool and cow manure of the tribes of Yeha, there were so many stores of iron and gold. And they didn¡¯t know anything about it. The three-legged crow¡¯s seal would point them to the location of those veins of precious metal. Those resources would make him the greatest emperor of all time. ¡°All of that will be ours, Jewol.¡± The Crown Prince laughed in satisfaction. ¡°The possibilities would be endless. With that as our prize, why should we be reluctant to get rid of anything that gets in our way?¡± A forced smile stretched across Jewol¡¯s lips.¡± Inside the carriage taking them back to the princess¡¯s residence, Yujo didn¡¯t say one word. It was raining, just like the day she had first arrived at YeonSung. But nothing seemed to be the same. As she watched the glimmering sights through the red curtains, how easy had YeonSung seemed to her back then? Yujo closed her eyes. She recalled the man in black that she had seen back then. The rude soldiers who had carried her shaking palanquin. Garan was one of them*. A scoff left her lips. ¡°Since when did you work for the Crown Prince?¡± Jewol flinched when he heard her hollow voice and looked at her. Yujo still wasn¡¯t looking at him. ¡°Yujo.¡± ¡°Answer me, Jewol.¡± She didn¡¯t want to call him ¡®brother¡¯ anymore. ¡°I¡­¡­¡± ¡°Why did you hand over Brother Yuha? Why did you betray us?¡± He was someone she had trusted. They treated him like their own flesh and blood for seven years. But now she couldn¡¯t trust him at all. She couldn¡¯t trust him with anything. Since when? When did it all go wrong? ¡°¡­From the very beginning.¡± Jewol whispered from the shadows of the carriage. ¡°The very beginning?¡± ¡°Yeah, from the very beginning.¡± ¡°What do you mean? When you returned to YeonSung? When the war started? When we met you for the first time?¡± He said he had been attacked by thieves. He had been treated so wickedly. His face, his body¡­ It had been covered in bloody wounds and bruises. He had looked so pitiful, and he seemed to be in so much pain. For two months, he received Yeha¡¯s protection, and Brother Yuha treated him like a brother. But Jewol deceived them after all this. ¡°Even before then¡­¡­?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe it. Yujo¡¯s teeth began to chatter as she gazed at him. There was a saying that some repaid kindness with evil. Those words were used to describe someone like him. Yujo wanted to leap up and snap his neck right this instant. She wanted to kill him and then run off to save her brother. ¡°The Crown Prince will never kill your brother.¡± ¡°Are you joking?¡± Yujo realized that Jewol wasn¡¯t in his right mind. Yujo asked back in disbelief. ¡°At least, he won¡¯t kill him while I¡¯m looking for the guibin.¡± ¡°What did you say? How can I trust you?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me¡­!¡± Jewol shouted out in a strained voice as he looked at her. ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, what else can you do?¡± Yujo glared at him with cold eyes. The audacity of this man¡­ How could she trust a man like him? Jewol endured her glare and whispered. ¡°All the feelings I had towards you and Yuha were true.¡± ¡°True? Even the dogs outside will bark out in laughter if they heard what you said just now. Is this what you call truth, Jewol?¡± ¡°Yujo¡­¡­¡± ¡°If Brother dies, you will die as well.¡± It was difficult to move her bloody, cracked lips. She felt as if her whole body and heart were broken. Yujo glanced at Jewol, who looked as if he were suffocating, and twisted her lips before speaking again. ¡°I¡¯m going to capture all these arrogant members of the imperial family and feed them to the wild beasts of Yeha.¡± She couldn¡¯t see anything. She couldn¡¯t hear anything. Her heart was burning with an intense hatred. ¡°Yujo!¡± She wanted to get up and rush over to Jewol and strangle his neck. But she held back the urge and grit her teeth. Even if she killed him right now, what would change? Would Yuha survive? Would they be able to return to Yeha? Silent tears ran down her cheeks. Jewol¡¯s face also looked pained as he watched Yujo. ¡°I didn¡¯t do it because I wanted to.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need your excuses.¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. Please trust me. It couldn¡¯t be helped. The Crown Princes is¡­¡­¡± Jewol closed his eyes and turned his head away as if he were in pain. ¡°He¡¯s a scary person. You don¡¯t know what he¡¯s capable of. The situation doesn¡¯t look good right now, but I¡¯ll make sure to get Yuha back.¡± Yujo turned her head as she let out a hollow laugh. Whenever she thought of her brother, she felt as if her heart would burn a hole through her chest. Jewol hurriedly got down from his seat and knelt in front of Yujo as he looked up at her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m sorry, Yujo. But please endure this for now. Please trust me just this once. If we find the guibin, Yuha will be returned to us.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t trust those words. The Crown Prince isn¡¯t someone to be trusted. Even if we find the guibin, my brother will die.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way that will happen. I won¡¯t let that happen.¡± Jewol looked into her eyes as he whispered. ¡°We just need to find the guibin. The Crown Prince only wants the seal of the three-legged crow in her possession. He¡¯s been searching for it for a long time. Until then, he won¡¯t let Yuha die. Once we find the guibin and the three-legged crow¡¯s seal, let¡¯s try and strike a deal with the Crown Prince.¡± A deal? Was it possible to strike a deal with the Crown Prince? ¡°If you think it¡¯s impossible, are you going to give up?¡± Jewol spoke as if he¡¯d read her mind. ¡°Trust me. I also¡­¡­¡± Jewol¡¯s face turned gloomy. He frantically hung onto Yujo. He didn¡¯t even want to hink about losing her. But things had already become like this. He needed to turn her heart back to him no matter what. No matter what, he needed to save Yujo and Yuha. ¡°Please trust me. I also do not want Yuha to die. I¡¯m telling you the truth.¡± Truth? Pfft, a bitter laugh burst out of Yujo¡¯s lips. In this kind of situation, a person¡¯s truth was worthless. She recalled the Red King. What she did to Garan and what Jewol had done to her¡­ What was the difference?! Just this morning, she was in his arms as she gave him some ridiculous advice. She never expected to be in a situation where she would have to corner his mother and capture her. Thankfully, she never told him her name. She didn¡¯t want him to remember her name in such an ill-fated situation. She needed to erase it completely. She needed to forget all of it. She must never see him again. ¡°Your Highness, please relax and rest.¡± The female doctor lowered her head in a deep bow and exited Princess Muyeo¡¯s room. The door was firmly closed. The palace maids stood outside the door. Inside the room, only Duke HyoEun remained as he tightly held the sick princess¡¯s hand. The princess¡¯s face was pale. However, once the doors closed, her deathly sickly face suddenly transformed. ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Duke HyoEun brought his finger up to his lips when he heard her question. ¡°My lord husband.¡± ¡°Please be quiet, Your Highness.¡± After helping his wife sit up, he began to prepare. First, he slightly moved a decorative piece leaning against the wall and pulled out a doll that was the size of a person. Then he placed the doll on top of the princess¡¯s bedding. Finally, he adjusted Muyeo¡¯s rumpled appearance. ¡°I¡¯ll stay behind. If something goes wrong, please pull on the cord. Once you do, it will ring a bell.¡± ¡°I¡¯m scared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be scared. You¡¯ll do well.¡± He smiled before placing a kiss on the princess¡¯s lips. Muyeo gently received her husband¡¯s kiss. Seol Joon was someone who had done everything for her sake. Even now. He had gone so far as to¡­¡­ ¡°Someone must stay behind. The Crown Prince¡¯s soldiers are outside the residence. If they suspect something, they won¡¯t hesitate to kill us all.¡± ¡°I know. Please don¡¯t worry.¡± Ever so prepared, he even handed her a lantern. ¡°Please hurry and return safely.¡± Muyeo nodded and entered the secret tunnel. As she made her way through the narrow tunnel, she heard people speaking through he walls. She walked for a long while before she came across a flight of stairs. She lifted her skirts and made her way down the stairs. Once she stepped into the basement, she felt a warm heat. She saw that Duke HyoEun had already brought some water, food, and even some medicine. However, that wasn¡¯t important right now. A woman was lying in a bed draped with curtains. The woman was a lot skinner than she remembered. She was a lot paler, too. No, were her memories even accurate? Muyeo hadn¡¯t seen her mother since the age of ten. She didn¡¯t even have a single portrait of her, so she couldn¡¯t remember her face. Her mother¡¯s face had always been vague like an unfinished drawing. Was this woman truly her? Was this woman truly her mother? Was she truly the guibin who had vanished? She wasn¡¯t sure. She couldn¡¯t remember her face. But her warmth felt familiar. When the Heukra had first appeared, she merely laughed at the rumors. However, when the rumors said that the Heukra wore the guibin¡¯s waistband, she couldn¡¯t laugh anymore. To the people of YeonSung, it was merely a strange rumor. But to Muyeo and her brother, it struck a nerve, bringing about a stinging pain. However, when her husband Seol Joon confessed to the secret, she had felt so overjoyed that the pain didn¡¯t matter anymore. Her mother was alive. Her mother was alive. With the Nine Families¡¯ help, her mother was alive. However, seven years ago, due to the cruel effects of the poison, her mother had become reduced to an invalid. She was merely a shell that was alive. She didn¡¯t remember anything. However, that wasn¡¯t important. Mueyo was so happy and thankful that her mother was even alive. ¡°Now I¡¯ll protect you, Mother.¡± Muyeo quietly whispered as she gazed at the sleeping guibin. No matter how many times she looked at her mother, she missed her. Muyeo didn¡¯t understand why her cheeks were wet. She lifted her hands and touched them. They were the cold remnants of her unstoppable sobs. Chapter 12.1 - Lady of YeonSung 12 (New Year Reunion) part 1 Time passed by as quickly as an arrow. Winter had come to YeonSung. The summer rain had transformed into thick snow. The skies and the earth were covered in it. Far away, a burgundy horse was racing towards the castle gates. A surprised guard quickly signaled the others. The man on the horse didn¡¯t slow down as he raced through the opened gate. The dozen men following behind him did the same. The hooves caused the snow and dirt to splatter in all directions. The Red King, who had been in the western provinces by imperial decree, had finally returned. The war had been mortifying and dreadful. Rivers of blood flowed through the western provinces. Corpses washed up on the shores of its beaches. Dead bodies were buried in the mud flats, and the crabs ate away at its flesh. For the past half year, the Red King overcame countless crises. He had been stabbed multiple times and struck with many spears, but he ended up defeating his enemies While he stopped the enemy¡¯s invasion, this accomplishment wasn¡¯t considered to be a great one, so he returned to YeonSung and received a lukewarm welcome. In the end, while the imperial prince was wandering around the borders as he escaped many deadly situations, the Crown Prince stayed in the warmth of YeonSung as he drowned in liquor and pleasure. ¡°Your Highness.¡± YulMok walked down the stairs and bowed his head. Garan didn¡¯t answer as he jumped off his horse and tossed the reins to one of his subordinates. YulMok¡¯s narrow eyes looked over the Red King¡¯s dark animal pelt draped over his shoulders before lowering back down to the stone floor. ¡°How is Father Emperor?¡± Seven days ago, the emperor had fallen off his horse. He had hit his head and was currently in critical condition. Having received the news, Garan raced back to YeonSung without rest for three days. ¡°He is in stable condition now, but he still cannot move.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go and see him after I¡¯ve washed.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make the necessary preparations.¡± Garan took off his gloves and headed directly for the bathroom. His whole body reeked of sweat. The tub was already filled with hot water. The palace maids quickly walked over and began to take off his armor. Garan walked into the tub. His sturdy muscles plunged into the hot water. His whole body was covered in new wounds and scars. As soon as he entered the water, the palace maids approached him as they tried to wash his body. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± He pushed away their hands. For a while now, he came to hate the feeling of a woman¡¯s touch on his body. After losing the Heukra, his secret room had been burned to the ground. And as expected, all the evidence and clues he had gathered burned with it. Additionally, the eunuch in charge of the emperor¡¯s storeroom was found poisoned to death. The Heukra might have found out. That clever figure might have found out about the various evidence he had gleaned. But no matter what he told himself, the doubt never went away. The only person he had told about the icy-fire stone and the only person he had brought to the secret room¡­ It was only her. That woman did all this. It didn¡¯t make any sense. Garan covered his forehead with his hand. She was also the one who had given him a golden opportunity to catch the Heukra, the one who had saved Princess Muyeo, and the one who had saved his life. Why did the woman who shot an arrow at the Heukra also destroy the evidence that would help catch her? The ones who held the clues regarding this case also disappeared off the face of the earth. But he was a tenacious man. He wasn¡¯t going to give up. He was going to find the Heukra no matter what it took. In order to forget the surge of anger and annoyance, Garan sunk down into the water. As the hot water washed over his head, it brushed through his hair. For a moment, he didn¡¯t feel like he was alone. From far away, she was swimming to him through the blue water. Her black hair was spread out like seaweed as she gently made her way to him. As she rode the waves, her body swayed. He felt her white arm wrap around him. She looked into her eyes. A faint smile was on her lips. He should have pushed her away, but he didn¡¯t. Instead, he merely glared at her as if he wanted to kill her. The woman laughed. As if she were teasing him. Then the flame of desire began to burn from within him. Garan burst out of the water as if he were trying to escape a phantom. A fierce fire was burning his chest. His whole body was tense with an unknown desire. ¡°Your Highness.¡± At that moment, a palace maid poured some warm water over his back. Garan stretched out his hand and grabbed her wrist. Everyone inside the bathing room froze when they heard the palace maid¡¯s cry. The palace maid whose wrist was captured by Garan merely looked around in confusion with her shocked eyes. She began to tremble in fear. ¡°Y-Your Highness.¡± Garan ripped her top open. He grasped her exposed chest. With a splash, he pulled her over the rim of the tub and brought her into the water. Women were all the same. There was no difference between them. This woman¡¯s skin felt soft just like hers. This woman also had two breasts like her. This woman also had a hidden warmth between her legs like her. It would grow wet if he touched it, and it would also thirst for him. He pushed her skirt up. There was a slit between the legs of her white drawers. All palace maids had slits in their drawers because they would have to be ready to satisfy the desire of all the men in the imperial family at any time. All he had to do was reach down with his hand. All he had to do was insert his cock, and it would be over. However, Garan didn¡¯t move. He suppressed his panting breaths and looked at the palace maid¡¯s face. The scared girl held back her tears as she kept her eyes shut. She was different from her. She is different from her. She wasn¡¯t the woman who had looked at him with eyes so bright that it looked like they held the sun. The confidence as she asked him to give her what she wanted. The hot fireworks in her eyes. None of it was there. She didn¡¯t have the captivating eyes that seemed to draw him in. The warmth that made the cold loneliness disappear wasn¡¯t there. The laughter wasn¡¯t there. Garan pulled his hand away. He got up and looked down at the palace maid. ¡°Leave.¡± The palace maid got out of the tub as if she were running away. Had he gone crazy? Garan smiled bitterly. There were many women out there. Now wasn¡¯t the time to lose his mind over a girl who had abandoned him and disappeared. Stop thinking ridiculous thoughts and forget her! He had repeated this to himself thousands of times already. I can forget her. During the past six months, in the middle of the war, he thought he saw someone who looked just like her. In the end, he had been mistaken. He had gotten confused in all the chaos. He was an imperial prince. The Red King. More powerful than anyone. Being shaken by something like this didn¡¯t make any sense. If he was told to raise his sword, he raised his sword. If he was told to cut someone down, he cut them down. He could hide anything behind his cold, indifferent face. It didn¡¯t matter if no one told him anything! He brought both hands into the hot water and splashed his face. The emperor¡¯s condition was a lot more serious than he thought. ¡°Greetings, Your Majesty.¡± The fully-grown Red King seemed to look a lot sturdier and a lot more profound than he had in the past. Lying in the bed as the empress¡¯s servants took care of him, the emperor looked at his second son with much difficulty. ¡°Did you crawl back from the western provinces?¡± The emperor¡¯s voice sounded rough and scratchy. The empress sat by his side and held out his medicine, but the emperor angrily pushed it away. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you that I¡¯ve had enough of that?¡± The bowl rolled onto the floor with a loud crash. However, the empress¡¯s expression showed no change as if this occurrence happened very often. The eunuchs walked over to the bowl with short, quick steps and picked up the bowl before cleaning the spilled medicine. ¡°I apologize.¡± Garan cleanly acknowledged his fault. He didn¡¯t excuse himself by saying that he had ridden his horse day and night for three days without rest. ¡°You rascals don¡¯t care whether your father lives or dies. The days you have yet to live seem as numerous as grains of sand, so living your life must be full of anticipation and hope.¡± His bad temper seemed to have grown worse. Garan merely kept his eyes politely lowered. The emperor continued to rebuke and scold him, but the Red King continued to keep his eyes where they were. When the emperor was truly angry, he didn¡¯t talk. Garan knew that the emperor¡¯s silence was truly frightening, so he received all the emperor¡¯s rebukes. ¡°All right, so what did you do about the pirates in the west? Did you merely shoot some cannons at those rat bastards to scare them away? Did you only eat and play in the western provinces all this time? You went to add more to your list of accomplishments, but in the end, I see that my son merely rotted away as he went around chasing rat tails.¡± The Red King steadily reported on the situation in the west. While he did this, a eunuch brought a new bowl of medicine. Another commotion arose once again. The emperor was always disgusted by his medicine, so they had to prepare multiple servings of the medicine throughout the day. In the end, the emperor threw a tantrum and yelled at the empress. ¡°Get out! Why do you keep pushing something at me when I already told you that I wouldn¡¯t eat it?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, please think about your royal body¡­¡­¡± ¡°Leave it. When a bone breaks, you just wait until it attaches back together. Stop bothering me and get out.¡± Eventually, by the emperor¡¯s orders, the empress left. The empress¡¯s eyes grazed over the Red King like the cold eyes of a snake, but Garan pretended not to notice and kept his eyes lowered. ¡°Come closer.¡± After the empress exited the room, the emperor called the Red King closer. He had broken his thigh bone in two places after the horse had fallen on top of him. Because the emperor weighed about twice as much as an average man, his movements were very limited. ¡°Are you in a lot of pain?¡± Garan finally looked up at his father and asked in a soft voice. ¡°What do you think? I never knew breaking a bone could be this painful.¡± ¡°So why did you decide to go hunting in the wintertime?¡± ¡°Hunting is the most fun when you do it in the snow.¡± The emperor chuckled. His face was swollen, and he didn¡¯t look like he was in good condition. ¡°You should take your medicine.¡± ¡°The medicine given by the empress? Do you want me to die? I know she wants me to die one day sooner.¡± ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much into it.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not. She¡¯s merely wearing an empress¡¯s crown, but women are women. Isn¡¯t that right? Once they bear a grudge, they¡¯ll never forget it. Never embrace a woman who bears a grudge.¡± He gazed at his tanned, rugged son. ¡°Why does your face look like that? Are you eating well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m eating very well. There are a lot of fish in the west.¡± Garan hated fish ever since he was young. If someone served him fish, he didn¡¯t even look at it. The emperor¡¯s face became gloomy. That was the past. A time when he felt as if he weren¡¯t an emperor. As if he were just a normal head of a household, he had shared a good relationship with his wife. There was a time when they had shared meals with their young children as a family. The guibin did her best to convince her picky son to eat one more spoonful, and the youngest daughter sat on her father¡¯s lap as she ate her food¡­¡­ Having lived as an ¡¯emperor¡¯ all his life, he never thought days like this would come for someone like him. ¡°The horse that threw me off had its neck slit and its belly opened.¡± The emperor¡¯s voice went bitterly cold. ¡°They found some scopolia* that hadn¡¯t yet been fully digested in its system.¡± Garan raised his eyes and looked at the emperor. It wasn¡¯t an accident? It was an assassination attempt instead? Could it be¡­¡­? ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you it was time? Move quickly. Why are you still hesitating? The SangSuh official has prepared everything, and we are only awaiting your decision. Don¡¯t you know that?¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°It has already been decided long ago that the Crown Prince will be deposed. He inherited his mother¡¯s poison, so he is filled with twisted hatred inside. That child is¡­¡­¡± The emperor stopped speaking and shut his mouth. When this suffocating crown was taken away, he was just a father. How valuable was this position that a husband would kill his wife, and his other wife hated him with such a passion that she tried to kill him while their son went insane? As soon as the emperor was reminded of the Crown Prince, pain and anger began to spread in his heart like poison. He had planted the seed himself, and he¡¯d have to be the one to harvest the fruit. He bore the greatest fault when it came to how the Crown Prince had been raised. The Crown Prince was incompetent but greedy as he fed his twisted desires. In a way, he was the emperor¡¯s shadow. He already knew. He knew that his oldest son wasn¡¯t normal. He wasn¡¯t sure where things had begun to go wrong, but his crooked son never returned to his rightful place. At one point in time, that child used to smile goodheartedly. He would proudly read the things he had learned in front of his Father Emperor. Why did that child change? Where did things go wrong? He couldn¡¯t acknowledge his mistakes. The emperor always believed that he would come back. However, his son had now drawn his sword against his own father. Since when had this cruel hatred come between the two of them? The only one he could trust now was the Red King. The only child who managed to remain human in this palace of monsters. The child who kept his true intentions hidden as he outwardly acted indifferent. The child who held immense power but never wielded it recklessly. The child who nurtured a deep love but also a merciless hatred. Now he had no one else but Garan. ¡°Father Emperor.¡± ¡°This is the path you must take. And I will be the one to clear that road.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still too soon.¡± ¡°Too soon? It¡¯s too late. Do you think I¡¯ll last in my current condition?¡± The emperor¡¯s mouth twisted as he looked down at his body. The body that he had always believed would remain youthful had become decrepit. Death approached him every night and sat at his bedside. He knew. There wasn¡¯t any time. It continued to slip through his fingers. Additionally, the empress¡¯s power was gradually growing. If they didn¡¯t nip this in the bud now, they wouldn¡¯t be able to pull it out by the root later. ¡°Once I return to the royal court, the SangSuh official will propose the deposition of the Crown Prince.¡± The Red King got up from his seat. He knew that they had been building up to this for a long time. However, preparing for it and actually doing it were two completely different things. And even if they had prepared for it, it was obvious that the battle was going to be fierce and bitter. However, this was the path that had been set for him, and this was the path he needed to take. ¡°Meet the SangSuh official before you leave. He will be your support in all of this.¡± Garan looked up at his father with a grave expression. ¡°And you should get married already. You¡¯re already an adult. It¡¯s time you found someone who will be on your side.¡± The emperor raised his heavy eyes and looked at his son. He was being given a queen. This wasn¡¯t anything bad. Members of the imperial family married according to power. But¡­¡­ a faint frown emerged on Garan¡¯s brow. He looked up at the snowy sky as he murmured. ¡°The snow keeps falling.¡± When he got on his horse at the front of the palace, YulMok approached him. If he acted according to his father¡¯s orders, he would have to head to the SangSuh official right now. The SangSuh official probably received word of his arrival and was waiting for him. He was also probably preparing to introduce his daughter as a candidate for his queen. ¡°Your Highness.¡± YulMok called out to him by his side. Garan didn¡¯t answer him. Instead of leading his horse towards the SangSuh official¡¯s house, he guided his horse towards the east. ¡°Where are you going?¡± YulMok, who was going to follow Garan as his guard, asked and received a curt answer. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Muyeo.¡± Jukmu ran like the wind. Muyeo had been ill since autumn. She had been bedridden and had lost all her energy. At first, the doctors had come and gone from her residence, but now they stayed there to take care of her. Garan worriedly sent her letters and medicine while he was away, but there was still no sign of improvement. Was going to see Muyeo his way of delaying the inevitable? Garan laughed at himself as his horse raced through the path. He didn¡¯t want to meet the SangSuh official. He didn¡¯t want to take some unknown woman as his wife. If he had to take a woman as his queen¡­ Suddenly, that woman popped into his head. She was lying down on the floor, deep within the cave, as the golden sunlight peeked through the entrance. The golden light refracting in her sparkling eyes. The frown on her face every time he entered her. Her black hair falling down her shoulders like a waterfall. Her legs as they wrapped around his hips. It was all so vivid in his mind. He could feel her hands as they pulled him in. He could feel her soft arms as they wrapped around him. In that moment, the ice inside him shattered. A strange fire swallowed his heart. The heat dug into his very bones and expelled the cold. The warmth in her breaths. The smile on her lips. She dragged him down from the black void and surrounded him in a scorching fire. He could still clearly feel the feverish heat. ¡°Damn it.¡± ¡°Your Highness?¡± YulMok turned his head in surprise. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Garan would act like this once in a while, and it made YulMok worry. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Then Garan turned his head and spit out his next words. ¡°We¡¯re going to the SangSuh official.¡± ¡°What?¡± The Red King silently turned his horse¡¯s head. This was the path he wanted to take. This was the path he would have to take. He couldn¡¯t escape his destiny because of some unknown woman. He scoffed at himself. With a cold expression on his face, he began to head for the SangSuh official¡¯s house. Chapter 12.2 - (New Year Reunion) part 2 Written prayers wishing for an auspicious new year were posted everywhere. The SangSuh official, Ahn Ho, came out to the front gate to greet the imperial prince. ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± Garan got off his horse and lightheartedly greeted the official. Ahn Ho laughed softly and replied. ¡°I heard of your victory in the western provinces. You¡¯ve truly done so much for the security and peace of the people.¡± ¡°Enough with the flattery. I know that Father Emperor ordered you to tell me to stop chasing after the Heukra. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°You¡¯re always so engrossed in your endeavors, so he¡¯s just worried about you.¡± ¡°Have you still been unable to find any signs?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anything. Thankfully, nothing strange has occurred lately.¡± Was it truly something to be thankful for? Garan stiffly shut his mouth. Whether they caught the Heukra or not, it would be a problem. Was this truly how it would end? It was as if they¡¯d buried a bomb in the sand. It didn¡¯t feel completely safe. ¡°I see that there are a lot of carriages. Do you have guests?¡± ¡°I heard that my wife is preparing for the new year.¡± In the Silver Nation, women would often gather together and make small dolls out of clay and pine clippings and put them outside their doors as a way to greet the new year. By doing so, they hoped to send out the chill of winter and bring in a good year. The ladies¡¯ laughter flowed into the courtyard. The SangSuh official guided Garan into the study. The study was neat and dignified. It suited its master, a man who held one of the highest positions in the nation. Since he was a man who liked to read, the study was filled with books. Ahn Ho¡¯s household was one of the oldest noble houses in the Silver Nation. The fact that this man was a supporter of this imperial prince instead of the Crown Prince was a godsend. If it weren¡¯t for him, no one would be able to depose the Crown Prince. ¡°I still haven¡¯t finished the book on Baran that you lent me last time.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t it have so many intricate characters? There are still unknown inscriptions on pieces of bone, so it will take a long time to interpret.¡± ¡°But if you continue to read them, there are quite a lot of amusing stories. I¡¯m currently comparing them to the historical records I have, and I have to say that I¡¯m enjoying my time reading them. There are also many people in my house who have a good knowledge of history.¡± Rattle. The wooden door of the study opened. The gentle scent of tea mixed with the soft fragrance of a maiden wafted into the room. Garan intuitively knew she was the SangSuh official¡¯s daughter. He didn¡¯t raise his head. The woman carefully placed the teacups in front of them. The SangSuh official merely smiled in satisfaction, but he didn¡¯t betray his true intentions. However, anyone in this situation would know that he was trying to show off his daughter. In the Silver Nation, a household never showed their women to strangers. The woman in question was an incomparable beauty, and her looks wouldn¡¯t lose no matter where she went. Garan could see why her father was so proud of her. But that was it. Garan merely glanced at her before turning his head away. While others might think he was being shy and polite, Garan knew that he felt nothing for her. When the woman finally left the room, Ahn Ho opened his mouth. ¡°When His Majesty fell off his horse, he finally obtained a witness of the empress¡¯s misdeeds.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°He is the stable boy in charge of taking care of His Majesty¡¯s horse. Actually, he is a spy that I planted in the palace.¡± ¡°Can we trust him?¡± ¡°I raised him like my own son, so please don¡¯t worry about him.¡± ¡°But the empress controls half of the royal court.¡± Ahn Ho laughed as he poured some tea into his cup. The fragrance of apricot blossoms mixed with the scent of ink. ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Who told you that the empress controls half of the royal court? That was long in the past, Your Highness. That¡¯s why the empress has become impatient.¡± Clatter. The official pushed the teacup towards Garan. ¡°You¡¯ve done well up until now, Your Highness. Even when you faced the most difficult situations, you never wavered and accomplished so much for the nation. You are also a devoted son who faithfully carried out the emperor¡¯s commands. To be honest, those characteristics of yours helped me convince many of my peers.¡± Garan stared at the man without taking the cup of tea. He knew that Ahn Ho would be friendly towards him, but he never expected him to be so enthusiastic. But would everything proceed according to the SangSuh official¡¯s expectations? The Crown Prince wasn¡¯t an easy enemy to defeat. ¡°Aren¡¯t you underestimating the Crown Prince?¡± ¡°Not by any means.¡± The SangSuh official drank his tea as he spoke in a relaxed tone of voice. ¡°Then why are you so confident? Did you find something?¡± Ahn Ho stayed silent for a moment before opening his mouth. ¡°In the past, the Silver Nation may have quietly tolerated homosexuality, but it never allowed relations between relatives.¡± Garan¡¯s hand froze in the air as he lifted his cup. He raised his eyes and looked at Ahn Ho. Does he know? The Red King¡¯s eyes asked the SangSuh official, but the man remained silent. The imperial palace was a deep and dark place. While there were eyes and ears everywhere, it was very difficult to escape its walls. So how did this man know? How much did he know? Garan lifted his cup once again. Ahn Ho was a man who never revealed his true thoughts. Whenever you felt relaxed around him, thinking of him as a mere government official, he would suddenly do something to make your heart jump. No one knew which side he was on. Right now, by telling Garan this piece of information, he was revealing the evidence he had gathered as well as his skills. However, by not telling him the full story, he was letting the Red King know that their business was still incomplete. If Garan married his daughter, he would firmly be on the Red King¡¯s side. By having an empress for a daughter, he would effectively become the father-in-law of the emperor. The two men guessed the other¡¯s intentions as they drank their tea in silence. ¡°By the way, did you know that our residence has a greenhouse?¡± ¡°Greenhouse?¡± ¡°Yes. We built it because we wanted to see flowers even in the dead of winter. I worked very hard to gather many winter orchids. You¡¯ll have an enjoyable time if you stay and see them before you leave. If a flower catches your eye, you may even take it with you. Consider it a gift for coming to our humble home.¡± Garan looked at him. The SangSuh official wanted to make sure that the Red King promised to marry his daughter before he left his home. He was letting Garan know how important this was. ¡°No need to go that far. Aren¡¯t they very precious to you?¡± ¡°I want to give them to you because they are precious to me.¡± Garan looked at him. This man truly wanted a lot of things. It was already an honor by having the Red King visit his home, but now he wanted him to take an orchid as well? Garan knew he should just go back. Even if this was a political move, there was no need to go this far. But Garan accepted the man¡¯s offer. He decided to erase the woman who had made a mess of his heart. Therefore, it would only be right to get rid of the lingering feelings he held or her. He was going to receive a queen. Ahn Ho¡¯s daughter¡¯s was more than suitable for him. The woman who had brought in the tea was not unattractive. No, she was beautiful enough. That¡¯s all that mattered. What more did he want? When Garan told Ahn Ho that he¡¯d visit the greenhouse, the man¡¯s face brightened in an instant. He pretended to guide him to the greenhouse, but suddenly said that he had some business to attend to. Garan continued to walk alone. The snow continued to fall. The world around him had turned white as it followed him. The snow piled on top of the tree branches and transformed them into white snow flowers. Suddenly, on the other side of the corridor, Garan heard the sound of footsteps. They sounded short and quick, but the person running must have stepped on her skirts because he heard her say, ¡®Oops.¡¯ When he heard the voice, Garan stopped in his tracks. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but his surroundings suddenly felt strange. Instead of the humid, salty scent of the sea, he smelled the earth. He smelled the breeze of flapping wings as a flock of birds began to take flight. And then a slender hand of a woman suddenly appeared before him. Her hand was pale, and he could clearly see the veins underneath the skin. The hand placed a very cute clay doll next to the wooden inner gate. Garan took one step forward and finally saw the woman¡¯s head and upper body. She was wearing red clothes embellished with embroidered flowers. The neckline elegantly came up to her neck, and her hair was tied up and pinned to the side. Various golden hairpins trembled as they secured a string of beads in her hair. The woman didn¡¯t realize that he was staring at her and merely focused on keeping the clay doll upright. She must have finally felt his gaze because the woman slightly turned her head towards him. In the next moment, she saw him. And in that moment¡­ everything went silent. Their eyes met. Garan¡¯s eyes widened at the same time as hers. The clay doll fell. He wasn¡¯t sure who moved first. But the woman made her escape in an instant. By the time he ran after her, the inner gate closed with a boom and was locked from the inside. ¡°Damn it!¡± A curse escaped the Red King¡¯s mouth. Were his eyes mistaken? Was he just imagining things again? No. Even if he couldn¡¯t trust his eyes, seeing as how the woman had run away, it was definitely her. Garan leaped and easily jumped on top of the wall of the inner residence of the SangSuh official¡¯s home. The snow on top of the wall fell down and landed on the ground next to the wall. Thankfully, no one was there to see him. Or maybe that wasn¡¯t such a good thing. He moved along the narrow wall until he heard the sound of running footsteps to his right. Judging from the speed at which the sound faded away, the woman was running at an incredibly fast pace. Garan quickly followed the sound. Like a cat chasing after a mouse, he didn¡¯t focus on anything else. The red silk jumped over the wall. He jumped over the wall even faster. The snow crunched underneath their feet. Garan didn¡¯t care about any of it. The woman kicked an apricot tree as she ran, causing the snow to crash down on top of him. The golden ornaments in her black hair jingled and let out a dizzying sound. Garan moved like the wind as he followed that sound. Another door opened. She tried to quickly close it behind her, but Garan opened it before she could succeed. He pushed her inside the room, causing her back to hit the wall. The dark room seemed to be a storeroom. There were pouches of grain piled up in a corner, and dried medicinal herbs were hanging from the ceiling. They trembled at the sudden outburst. Boom! Garan closed the door behind him. Her eyes widened as she panted for breath. At first, she was dressed in black robe. Then she dressed like a courtesan and then a man. And now she was disguised as a noblewoman? ¡°Name!¡± Garan clenched his teeth and asked her name. Six months had passed since he had searched through all of YeonSung to find her. He didn¡¯t know her name nor her identity. But it turned out she was in YeonSung. She had been so close by. The woman silently stepped back. ¡°Tell me your name.¡± ¡°Why do you want to know my name, Your Highness?¡± She coldly glared at him. ¡°Since we are not tied to each other, there¡¯s no need to tell you my name.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± He grit his teeth as he spoke before he walked towards her. The woman immediately poised to attack before lunging at him. It was similar to a weasel trying to attack a snake. But how could she defeat him? In the end, Garan dominated her and laid her down on top of a bag of grain. ¡°Let me go!¡± Garan quickly covered her mouth. They were currently at the SangSuh official¡¯s house. He had been on his way to meet the man¡¯s daughter. He could just make her pass out and take her away. However, at this moment, he was so filled with rage that he couldn¡¯t think straight. Even if he brought this building tumbling down to the ground, he wasn¡¯t going to let her get away. The woman flinched as if she could feel the menacing energy radiating from his body. The two of them looked at each other in silence for a while. Half a year had already passed since they had last seen each other. During that time, she had blossomed into a beauty, and he had grown terribly cold from the battlefield. The woman sharply raised her eyes and discovered a new scar on his forehead. Then she gradually lowered her eyelids. They only heard the sound of the falling snow outside. Garan silently glared at the woman before taking his hand off her mouth. ¡°Tell me!¡± She still didn¡¯t answer. Fireworks went off behind his eyes. ¡°Is it because I¡¯m Garan?¡± There was nothing behind the dark blue eyes. Like a lantern that had been extinguished, it didn¡¯t show any thought or emotion. ¡°Tell me!¡± Although someone might hear them outside, he still shouted out vehemently. The woman quietly watched him before coldly answering in a curt voice. ¡°Yes.¡± Garan blankly stared at her. He couldn¡¯t believe what he had just heard. Although it was him who had wanted an answer, he couldn¡¯t believe her reply. ¡°Is that why you ran away?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Because I was Garan?¡± The woman gazed at him for a moment. Her eyes still drew him in. They were as straightforward as always. They didn¡¯t hide anything. Therefore, they gave him this answer. ¡°¡­¡­Yes.¡± Garan could finally feel her clear rejection in his bones. That¡¯s what she said. She said the problem was the fact that he was Garan. No matter what grudge or resentment she held, it all boiled down to the fact that he was Garan. Even though they had slept together, she still left him for this reason. ¡°Ha.¡± He scoffed. That¡¯s right. He could always laugh like this. When his mother, who had allegedly kept countless paramours, died such a despicable death. When his young sister carried out her wedding in tears. During all these moments, he had laughed. It made the pain hurt less. However, he finally realized it now. It didn¡¯t matter if he laughed. The laughter wouldn¡¯t erase the pain. He was only trying to deny it with all his might, but the wound had already pierced deep into his soul. Although she might not know this, he was hurting. So much. He couldn¡¯t even describe it. He was suffering. Although he had been cut with many swords and struck by many arrows in the battlefield, it only hurt in the moment. Those wounds would heal with time. Even if his bones broke or his arm felt like it was going to fall off from the pain, after a couple of days, after the sun and moon rose and fell, the pain would fade away. However, the wound this woman had just given him wasn¡¯t the same. In one breath, this woman had stabbed a knife into his heart. The terrible loneliness permeated his body once more. Yujo couldn¡¯t understand the strange look in his eyes. She didn¡¯t know why the faint smile had completely disappeared from his face. ¡°¡­..I see.¡± His lips twisted. What did he expect? Did he expect her to like him just as she did before she had found out about everything? The love that had exploded in the sky like fireworks when they lived the lives of completely different people? The fascinating attraction, the racing hearts, a yearning that lingered even though they were together? None of that is here, Garan! Was he expecting a romance that all the women dreamed about? He scoffed at himself. The fact that he had lost months of sleep over a girl whose name he didn¡¯t even know was ridiculous. Although he was the Red King, he was begging for affection. How pathetic. He had teased her, hugged her, and kissed her. And he thought that was the reason why she fought alongside him, laughed with him, and saved his life. He thought she had wanted him just as he had wanted her. How foolish was he? How stupid? Once you make a woman yours, that¡¯s it. That is what his Father Emperor had told him, and that is what his brother had told him. If he wanted a woman, he could just get drunk off of her and keep her as a royal concubine. That¡¯s all there was to it. What did it matter whether she had a name or not? What difference would it make if she disliked him or hated him? He didn¡¯t need any of it. He lowered his head and swallowed her lips. Chapter 13.1 - Lady of YeonSung 13 (Confession) part 1 Slap! Garan¡¯s head whipped to the side as the sharp sound cracked in the air. His handsome, dignified face was blank. Yujo remained frozen in her spot. How dare she hit a prince? How dare she lay her hand on him? If he ordered her to death by ripping the limbs off of her body, she wouldn¡¯t be able to refute the command. However, she couldn¡¯t allow him to approach her like this. Garan turned his head back and looked at her. His dark, black eyes showed nothing. When she saw them, a shiver ran down Yujo¡¯s spine. ¡°Hit me again.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°From here on out, I¡¯m going to do a lot of things that will deserve them.¡± ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. I¡¯m ¡®Your Highness¡¯. Who are you? Aha, that¡¯s right. Didn¡¯t you say that you didn¡¯t want to reveal your name to me? Then from now on, I¡¯ll address you as ¡®No Name¡¯. I wonder why I was so adamant about knowing your name before. The problem could have been easily solved like this.¡± He had become unhinged. He was completely broken. His red lips twisted as a fierce anger radiated off of him. ¡°I guess that makes sense. You and I merely met when our paths crossed. You were just horny and wanted your pussy filled. That¡¯s all it was, right?¡± Yujo stared at him in shock. She had never heard such vulgar words before. Those words never left the mouth of a nobleman. Additionally, he just said that their paths happened to cross, and that she embraced him because of her lust. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°How could you¡­¡± A bitter laugh poured out of his lips. ¡°Am I wrong? I didn¡¯t even know the truth and was worried about you. What if you were with child? How much would you suffer as you went through it alone? Since you knew my name, would you come find me?¡± Yujo remained frozen as she gazed at him. He was worried that she had conceived? She wasn¡¯t so naive as to be unaware of the consequences of a man and woman¡¯s coupling. However, even if she had conceived, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to him. Nothing good would come out of their relationship, so she had already made that decision! She¡¯d forget it. She wouldn¡¯t see him again. She had been determined to completely cut the connection between her and this man. She didn¡¯t think this man would consider the night they shared to be that important. These were the thoughts she carried with her. Most men didn¡¯t think much of sleeping with women. They would spend a night with a woman for the joy and pleasure, but they never thought about the consequences the woman would have to bear afterwards. And since he was an imperial prince, this was even more certain! If she was with child, he¡¯d just give her money to raise it, and that¡¯s that! This man would be no different. Look at how he grabbed the courtesans back at the ChiHwaRu! Remember how easily he pressed his lips against hers! He must have been half-joking all this time! So how significant could their one night have been? She wanted to believe this. However, she knew this wasn¡¯t true. They had revealed their hearts to each other in that short amount of time. She knew that the traces of that night remained with them. That was why this man was angry. She had trampled on their night together and run away without notice. That¡¯s why he was enraged. She knew. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. She knew, but there was no other choice. Yujo grit her teeth. She turned her face away with determination. It needed to be lust and only lust. She needed to tell him that he was correct. They met and just felt an attraction. Their paths crossed for a short moment, and they embraced each other like beasts. That¡¯s all. She needed to tell him that. And she needed to believe it. Yujo needed to push him away. But his hands didn¡¯t let her go. His teeth were clenched, and his eyes were hot as they bore into her. He seemed broken from all the wounds and anger. She turned her head away. ¡°Thankfully, that¡­ didn¡¯t happen, Your Highness.¡± Yujo spit out coldly. ¡°You are correct, Your Highness.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Even women have desires. And many things happened that day. There was a fight, and we plunged into the river. It was a cold and painful night. That¡¯s why I lost all reason.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I am¡­¡± She needed to end it. No matter what. ¡°I am married, Your Highness.¡± In that moment, no one said a word. She couldn¡¯t even hear his breaths. He stared blankly at her before his hands fell to his sides. Yujo didn¡¯t look at him. Outside the window, the snowflakes fell down and made a soft sound as they landed on the ground. Her throat closed up, and her body went stiff. But Yujo endured it all. ¡°That is why I cannot give you my name.¡± Crash! Surprised, Yujo looked behind her. Garan had rammed his fist into the wall, causing it to crack and crumble. Yujo didn¡¯t raise her eyes. She didn¡¯t have to look at him to know how angry he was. ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I just say I wasn¡¯t?¡± Their fierce gazes met. Yujo saw the anger and hurt in his eyes. She grit her teeth. Their connection would have ended anyways. It was cursed. She would soon have to find his dead mother and push her to her death and humiliation once again. He couldn¡¯t give his heart to such a woman. And she mustn¡¯t receive this man¡¯s heart. She glared at him with cold eyes once more. ¡°Please let me go.¡± ¡°Does your husband know?¡± His voice was steady. ¡°What do you mean?¡± He asked her with a pale face. ¡°That you¡¯re not a virgin? That you and another man fucked like animals all night? I¡¯m asking you if he knows about that.¡± Yujo remained frozen and didn¡¯t reply. There was no way he knew. However, this wasn¡¯t important right now. The important thing was to get her half-dead brother out of the Crown Prince¡¯s prison as soon as possible. She needed to escape the Crown Prince¡¯s grasp no matter what. ¡°Answer me!¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t know.¡± Her cold voice replied sharply. Either way, Yujo was a bad woman in his eyes. Therefore, she¡¯d play the role of a bad woman until the end. ¡°He doesn¡¯t know. What woman would tell her husband about a man she was attracted to for a brief moment?¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°That¡¯s enough, Your Highness. I deserve death for what I have done. But didn¡¯t you say that I saved your life as well as the princess¡¯s? Please consider that and forgive me my sins.¡± Yujo lowered her head. He didn¡¯t answer. She heard someone calling out to him from far away. The SangSuh official¡¯s house had become frenzied because the prince had not appeared at the greenhouse as planned. Yujo flinched in surprise and tried to quickly make her escape through the window. However, his hand grabbed her arm. ¡°Why should I?¡± ¡°Please let me go!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± Yujo looked up at him in surprise. ¡°You calculated this all by yourself, decided this all by yourself¡­ And I¡¯m just supposed to be grateful and take it? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡± His eyes were burning with rage. ¡°Call your husband. I¡¯m going to speak to him.¡± The blood rushed out of Yujo¡¯s shocked face. It was so ridiculous that she couldn¡¯t speak. Did he truly not understand what she was saying? Even if he was the son of the emperor and an imperial prince, it wasn¡¯t acceptable for him to have an affair with a married woman. And he was also the Red King. Wasn¡¯t his mother shamed for having multiple affairs with other men? ¡°You can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°What can¡¯t I do?¡± ¡°Have you lost your mind?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t lost my mind.¡± She began to shake. Her vision went dark. Yujo turned her head away and tightly closed her eyes. She didn¡¯t know how she could push this man away. ¡°Then I guess I¡¯ll just have to die.¡± ¡°What?¡± He blanched at her words. ¡°If a woman with a husband carries out an affair, she will be killed by her household or she will take her own life. Isn¡¯t that how things go?¡± Yujo turned her head back and glared at him. His mother died in this manner. Did he want her to die that way as well? Her eyes screamed out this question. ¡°Just say it. If you do, I will end up dead. It seems that you¡¯ve wanted this all along, Your Highness. You wanted my life.¡± His face turned white as snow. His piercing eyes glared at her. She wanted him to hate her. She wanted him to scream at her for being such a disgusting woman and leave. However, he didn¡¯t say a word. The sound of their pained breaths surrounded them. They carried such painful wounds, and their eyes were busy hiding the hurt in their hearts. He gazed down at her as he approached her. Her face was as cold as frost, and it no longer looked at him. No matter how much he looked, he could no longer find the warm woman who had embraced him that morning. He chuckled bitterly. Although everyone called him a son of Heaven, in the end, he was incredibly poor. For many years, he was unable to spend time with those he loved. Ever since he was a teenager, he lived in the cold winds of the battlefield. He finally met someone with whom he could share some warmth, but that person ultimately told him that she hated him. ¡°All right.¡± He finally spoke. ¡°I can¡¯t kill you.¡± He took a step back. He was as stiff as a statue as he looked at her. In this dusty storeroom, the lady in red looked so beautiful. I hope you live happily. He wouldn¡¯t be able to utter this lie even if it killed him. He walked out of the building. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Her surroundings were quiet. Yujo stood still in the empty storeroom. Her expression was blank. The snow continued to pour down from the sky. The man who had appeared so suddenly had disappeared in an instant. Yujo looked out the window. She couldn¡¯t hear his footsteps. All she could see through the open window was the falling snow. Suddenly, she ran out. When she was outside, she looked around, but she didn¡¯t see any trace of that man. She retraced the steps they had taken when he had been chasing her. However, all she could see was white snow. There was no one there. She ran down another path. Her red, silk skirts dragged on the snowy ground. She didn¡¯t see him here either. She looked outside the corridor. She could only see the crisp snow falling in the yard. She stood still. She didn¡¯t breathe. In this moment, she couldn¡¯t understand why her chest hurt so much. She couldn¡¯t understand why she found it so hard to breathe. Her tears ran down her cheeks. They dripped onto her red dress. Such an idiot¡­ Why are you crying like such an idiot? She covered her lips with her hand. She was so sorry. Incredibly sorry. For speaking to him that way. For saying such hurtful words. For not giving him her name or identity. For not thanking him for worrying about her. She was so sorry. She had heard that he had gone to the western provinces. The women of YeonSung enjoyed hearing stories of the battlefield through their husbands and sons. They said that a knife had been stabbed through the Red King¡¯s shoulder this time. They said that his tent had been set on fire in the night. They said that he had been chasing after a pirate when the whole ship had sunk into the sea. Through all this, the Red King remained persistent and brave. People wondered whether he was half-god, half-human. Half-god, half-human? He was human just like the rest of them. He felt pain when he was stabbed, and he would bleed when he was pricked. The winters were cold, and the seas would have been turbulent. Even if he was accompanied by many soldiers, the many battles he fought were still difficult to overcome. The emperor¡¯s dog. He was used in the battlefield once again. However, the glory of the empire would ultimately belong to the Crown Prince. No, that wasn¡¯t true. The emperor¡¯s heart was changing. This might open a new door for the Red King. Instead of the violent Crown Prince, wouldn¡¯t it be more appropriate for the Red King to ascend the throne? News of him reached her through the wind. It was carried in the falling leaves as they fell to the ground, only to be buried in the snow. Who could know what had passed between them in the summertime? Merely two nights. She had to bury the events of those two nights deep in her heart, and they must never be repeated. It was nothing. Just a brief passing. What kind of fate was that? Her shoulders shook as she tried to suppress her cries. Yujo collapsed onto the ground. She heard the taps as her tears dripped onto the floor, creating small dots in the wood. Suddenly, a black, silk shoe entered her field of vision. Yujo froze, and her breath was stuck in her throat. Her tears stopped in an instant. No way. She lifted her head. He was standing there. The man with the sharp, black eyes. He had been watching her all this time as she shed her tears. Chapter 13.2 - Lady of YeonSung 13 (Confession) part 2 Oh no. So stupid! Since when did the Red King obediently back off?! It was too late for regrets. She missed her chance to make an escape. ¡°You are¡­¡± He stretched out his hand. He was trying to grab onto her arm. Suddenly, she heard the voice of her savior at the other end of the corridor. ¡°Your Highness!¡± The two of them stiffened. Ahn Ho, the SangSuh official, approached them like the wind once he discovered Garan. When he came closer, he discovered something quite odd. Garan stood with a black fur cloak draped across his shoulders. He almost looked like the Grim Reaper. The crying woman who was collapsed on the floor in front of him was dressed in red. Did something happen? He crouched his body in confusion and shock to take a look at this lady. As he got a closer look, he realized that it was a familiar face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife?¡± Both Garan and Yujo tensed up at his words. ¡°Why are you in a place like this¡­?¡± ¡°My lord, thank goodness you¡¯ve come.¡± Yujo barely moved her stiff, pale lips. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for His Highness coming to save me, I don¡¯t know what would have happened to me.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± Ahn Ho¡¯s surprised eyes went back and forth between Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife and the Red King. Yujo turned her head and looked at Garan. His shocked face suddenly turned calm. Yujo lowered her eyes and continued to speak. ¡°I saw someone strange in the garden. I was shocked and ran away. His Majesty happened to be passing by and managed to chase off this strange assailant. I don¡¯t know how I will ever repay him¡­ Your Highness, thank you.¡± ¡°How could this be?! Duchess MoonYeo, are you all right? Hey, is anybody there?¡± Even as the SangSuh official shouted out to his servants, the Red King didn¡¯t move a muscle. He merely stared down at Yujo. His eyes expressed his confusion. He looked at her as if he hadn¡¯t seen a human like her before. Yujo closed her eyes. One cowardly tear dripped onto the floor. People came and escorted the lady away. The Red King continued to stand still in the corridor. Ahn Ho frowned. What¡¯s going on? After a long time passed, the Red King finally spoke. However, his voice sounded strange. ¡°I¡¯ll be heading back for today.¡± The SangSuh official raised his head in shock, but he didn¡¯t say anything. By the time he was about to call out to him, the Red King had already walked down the corridor. What should he do? Ahn Ho looked around in confusion. Thankfully, no one was around. To be honest, the fact that the Red King had been alone with Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife was enough fodder for gossip. Even if he was a member of the imperial family, meeting a noblewoman without cause was forbidden. On top of that, she was his cousin¡¯s wife. If this incident was known, it would have serious ramifications. Ahn Ho bowed as he sent the Red King off. Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife? Those words repeatedly circled Garan¡¯s mind. Duke MoonYeo was Princess Yeowa¡¯s son, making him his cousin. He suddenly recalled Muyeo¡¯s remarks. The gossip she had chattered to him as soon as he had returned to the city last spring. ¡°Did you hear the rumors? Duke MoonYeo got married!¡± She definitely said this during the spring of last year. Spring of last year! The woman had spent the night with him in the summer! Definitely! ¡°No, how is that good news? It¡¯s strange news. You know this, too, Brother¡­ that¡­ Duke MoonYeo cannot embrace a woman. Have you heard the rumor?¡± ¡°Rumors are merely rumors.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought, but something surprising happened this time.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Well, when Duke MoonYeo first said that he¡¯d get married, everyone went crazy. They just assumed that it would be another grass widow, and everyone pitied her. Duke MoonYeo is quite cold with the ladies, remember? But what do you know? That is¡­ I heard they slept well.¡± ¡°He must have found his other half.¡± He felt nauseous. Now that he thought about it, she had visited Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence around that time. When he had gone to see Duke HyoEun, he had heard the music of the morin khuur. ¡°I heard that the daughter-in-law of Princess Yeowa is here. But are you really sure we shouldn¡¯t call Princess Muyeo here?¡± He recalled the way his brother-in-law chuckled. He felt like he was going to lose his mind. Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife? Jewol¡¯s bride? Bang! He quickly walked through the SangSuh official¡¯s front gate. The SangSuh official seemed so shocked that he couldn¡¯t get any words out of his mouth, and the Red King merely got on top of his horse without a single apology. A flustered YulMok hurried over to the Red King¡¯s side. ¡°Your Highness.¡± ¡°Bring the woman to me.¡± With those words, he guided his horse away. Two hours later, Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife, no, Dan SoYeon, appeared at the Red King¡¯s residence. She stumbled through the doors as if she had been pushed inside. He silently stared at her. Her face was completely pale. He gazed at her as he leaned against a platform. Exactly half a year ago, she had been here with him. Did she remember? If she did, she wouldn¡¯t have such a shameless expression on her face right now. ¡°There is something I need to ask you.¡± His voice was incredibly cold. ¡°Please ask.¡± Despite her ashen complexion, her voice sounded calm. ¡°Are you really Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Is your name Dan SoYeon?¡± ¡°That is correct.¡± ¡°Dan SoYeon, the daughter of the lord of the northern province, Sa HanSung?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± The mouth that had remained silent despite his countless questions finally opened to affirm her name. How touching. ¡°When did you get married?¡± This time, the answer did not smoothly leave her lips. ¡°Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife, I asked you a question. When did you get married?¡± She looked at him. Her eyes trembled. The rims of her eyes were red. That¡¯s right. This woman had been crying. As soon as he left, she burst through the doors and looked for him. As if her heart hurt¡­ As if she were hurting just as much as him¡­ She cried. ¡°Answer me!¡± His roar shook their surroundings. She stood still and lowered her eyes. There was a time when he found those long lashes to be so lovable that he pressed quick kisses onto her lips. There was a time when he found her lips to be so delicious that he nibbled on them. This was all last June. When the crepe myrtle trees were in full bloom. When the peonies blossomed in the gardens. When the rainy season had brought with it a downpour of rain. Back then, she hadn¡¯t been wearing such elegant clothing as she was now. ¡°I got married in April of last year.¡± A silence settled in the room. He merely stared at her. The woman continued to keep her eyes lowered and didn¡¯t look back at him. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± His voice was deathly cold. ¡°Are you telling me that you suddenly have a sense of fidelity that you didn¡¯t have last June?¡± She remained silent. Suddenly, Muyeo¡¯s voice rang inside his head. ¡°That is¡­ Do you know how upset Princess Yeowa was when everyone was talking about how Duke MoonYeo had a problem in bed? I heard that there was clear evidence that the bride and groom shared their first night together in the bridal chamber. The princess was obviously very pleased and bragged about it to everyone.¡± ¡°Did Jewol embrace you?¡± He barely managed to move his tongue as he asked this disgusting question. She continued to stay frozen in her spot. ¡°Answer me.¡± He needed to hear her answer today no matter what. He stood up straight and began to approach her. The closer he got to her, the more his anger raged inside his heart. He wanted to pull out a knife and pierce her with it. If he lost his last shred of reason, he would have strangled her neck right here, right now. When he first met her, she definitely didn¡¯t seem to be a married woman. On top of that, she had been chasing the Heukra. She had definitely told him in the cave that she was not a married woman. And she had also been a virgin. Garan glared at her. There was definitely something more to this. Something she couldn¡¯t tell him. The beginning and the end of this story didn¡¯t make any sense. She was definitely hiding something from him¡­ Something she couldn¡¯t tell him. Heukra, Jewol, and Dan SoYeon. Suddenly, Garan¡¯s eyes narrowed. It finally clicked. The Crown Prince. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of this before? Jewol was basically joined at the hip with the Crown Prince. And Dan SoYeon was wedged between them. However, like Jewol, she was doing something different. She had searched through YeonSung disguised as a man. She had searched through the ChiHwaRu disguised as a courtesan. She used a sword, rode horses, and shot arrows. ¡°So you¡­¡± And he was the Red King. When she found out that he was Garan, she had fled. Why? When one looked at it in this light, the answer was very simple. ¡°You work for the Crown Prince.¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes widened. She tensed up and gazed at him. Seeing her reaction, Garan was even more sure of his answer. Everything clicked into place. That¡¯s why she had been searching for the Heukra. That¡¯s why she had burned down his secret room. That¡¯s why the eunuch in charge of the imperial storeroom had died. Why? Because the Crown Prince was also searching for the Heukra or had an interest in it. And because the woman who was standing before him now was quite knowledgeable in that aspect. ¡°Are you really Dan SoYeon?¡± Suddenly, the hurried voice of a eunuch rang from outside the door. ¡°Your Highness! Princess Yeowa has arrived.¡± The two of them stiffened as they looked at each other. ¡°Red King!¡± The princess looked like an enraged boar as she angrily burst into the Red King¡¯s residence. She had white fox fur wrapped around her neck as well as a fairly large headpiece on top of her head. She began to attack Garan. ¡°What bizarre situation is this? Have you lost your mind or not?¡± A bachelor prince calling for the daughter-in-law of the princess? It was absolutely ridiculous! In addition to this, her daughter-in-law had disappeared for four days during the lotus lantern festival. Princess Yeowa had been absolutely humiliated in front of all of YeonSung. Back then, they could chalk it up to a lovers¡¯ quarrel between newlyweds, but it was different now. This incident would be dangerous. And the opposite party was the Red King. Wasn¡¯t he the son of the two-faced guibin who had allegedly kept many paramours? Where else would that blood go? The Red King and Muyeo¡¯s reputations were not satisfactory. Thankfully, Muyeo was married off at an early age. However, the Red King was still a bachelor! ¡°I was already worried sick after hearing about the incident at the SangSuh official¡¯s residence. Why did you have to bring her to your residence, Red King? Is this your way of provoking this princess?¡± ¡°That isn¡¯t the case, Your Highness. I merely called her here to ask her a few questions.¡± ¡°What question could be so important that you would call your cousin¡¯s wife by herself in the middle of the night? If you¡¯re going to ask her a question, ask it in my presence!¡± Princess Yeowa angrily sat down on a seat. Yujo modestly kept her eyes lowered. She was glad Princess Yeowa turned up when she did. Due to the Red King drawing closer to her, step by step, she was now covered in cold sweat. ¡°Esteemed Aunt, I apologize. Please calm your anger.¡± For some reason, the Red King folded immediately. No matter how one looked at it, she was still the emperor¡¯s full-blooded younger sister. She was also Princess Yeowa of the imperial family. It would be too dangerous to slight her. With the information he had gleaned today, he would be able to dig further into the woman known as Dan SoYeon. Princess Yeowa¡¯s angry eyes glared at the Red King and then at her daughter-in-law. One never knew when the fireworks would go off between a man and a woman. Also, she was incredibly worried that she hadn¡¯t heard any news of pregnancy from her daughter-in-law as of yet. ¡°I heard that you will be taking a queen very soon.¡± Both Garan and Yujo stiffened. However, the observant fox eyes of Princess Yeowa watched them as she received a cup of tea from a palace maid. ¡°While the empress said that she will pass the imperial command soon, I¡¯m sure the woman has already been decided. With such a significant event looming over you, please be more careful, Red King.¡± Garan carefully lowered his eyes. He glanced at Yujo. Her pale, elegant face remained blank and showed no emotion. ¡°Once a queen enters the Red King¡¯s residence, I will feel a bit better. I¡¯m sure things like this won¡¯t happen then, will it? They say that one truly becomes an adult once they are married. No matter how old you are, you must not act so immaturely.¡± After hearing her stern complaints, the Red King lowered his head. Having said her piece, Princess Yeowa stood up. Then she dragged Yujo out of the Red King¡¯s residence. Once the two women entered the carriage, Princess Yeowa¡¯s hand slapped Yujo¡¯s cheek without warning. Princess Yeowa gazed at Yujo¡¯s shocked face and angrily spit out her next words. ¡°If you ever humiliate me or our household again, you will never be allowed to leave the house. Mark my words. You are not alone here. You represent our entire household. What were you thinking when entered the Red King¡¯s residence? You should have just bitten your tongue and died. I will never forget what happened today. Get it together.¡± Yujo clenched her teeth and raised her head. While she couldn¡¯t believe what had just happened, right now, she wasn¡¯t Yujo. She was Dan SoYeon. She thought about her brother. Yujo grit her teeth. She silently lowered her head and soothed her angry mother-in-law. Chapter 14.1 - (The Storm) part 1 ¡°Wife.¡± When Jewol returned home, he approached her with a worried expression on his face. Yujo was exhausted and didn¡¯t want to talk. ¡°What happened?¡± When Jewol followed her into her room, she suddenly felt annoyed. It was a long and difficult day. Yujo wanted to scream. But she couldn¡¯t do that. Although it wasn¡¯t Jewol¡¯s fault, she couldn¡¯t help but go crazy with anger. When she recalled the way the Red King¡¯s eyes looked at her, she wanted to bite her tongue and die. But what good would that do? Would her sins be erased with her death? Would her wrongs disappear?! ¡°I¡¯m too tired right now. I¡¯d like some rest.¡± ¡°Ah, of course. But why did the Red King¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Brother, I would like to rest.¡± Yujo¡¯s voice came out a bit sharp. Even if they had gone through a wedding together, Jewol was not her husband. Even if she was wearing exquisite silk clothing and glittering jewelry, she was not Dan SoYeon. However, in this place, she didn¡¯t feel like Yujo anymore. After having spent three seasons in YeonSung, she didn¡¯t feel like Yeha¡¯s ChungMae anymore. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Jewol¡¯s voice hardened. Yujo grasped her pained chest and forced a smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think I need to rest right now.¡± ¡°All right¡­¡± Although he said this, Jewol had a difficult time leaving her room. His hesitant footsteps expressed his burning curiosity. Yujo laughed helplessly. It seemed that she was arousing everyone¡¯s curiosity these days. ¡°The Red King is suspicious of my identity.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I met him while I was chasing after the Heukra.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°Since the Heukra appeared with the guibin¡¯s waistband, isn¡¯t it obvious?¡± Jewol let out an ¡®Ah¡¯ as he nodded. What he had done to try to draw out the Nine Families had ultimately caught the attention of others as well. ¡°So were you caught?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only a suspicion for now.¡± ¡°Oh dear.¡± Jewol lowered his head before raising it with a determined look on his face. ¡°To be honest, I have something I need to tell you. I haven¡¯t confirmed it yet, but something strange is going on in Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence.¡± ¡°Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence?¡± Yujo glanced at him through the bronze mirror. ¡°Yeah. Actually, I¡¯ve had a servant planted in the princess¡¯s residence for a long time now. According to her, the princess is actually not sick at all.¡± ¡°What?¡± Quiet a long time had passed since Princes Muyeo had gotten ill. After the fire at CheongRyu Hall, she stayed inside her home and never left. The emperor had even sent palace guards to protect her residence, and she had not been seen at any social functions during the fall. There were many rumors saying that Princess Muyeo¡¯s sickness was related to her emotional state. But Jewol was now saying she wasn¡¯t sick? What was he talking about? ¡°Although she is allegedly sick, I heard that she has been asking for nutrient-rich foods and fruits. It¡¯s strange. Despite her sickness, I heard her face is glowing. Strangest of all, I heard that she is always flustered whenever her daughter calls out for her grandmother.¡± Could it be¡­? Yujo turned her head and gazed at Jewol. ¡°That¡¯s right. If the guibin is alive, of course her daughter will want to meet her. And it so happens that the final family of the Nine Families, the House of Seol, is by her side. When Duke HyoEun began to operate and run CheongRyu Hall, we believed that there was a good chance that the guibin was being hidden there.¡± Then was she now in Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence? Yujo¡¯s thoughts tangled into a mess in her head. If she could confirm this, she¡¯d be able to ask the Crown Prince to at least let her see her brother. As soon as she recalled the terribly gaunt Yuha, a pain ripped through her heart. ¡°In order to catch the fox, you need to lure it out of its den.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± In response to Jewol¡¯s question, Yujo looked at him with an exhausted expression. ¡°It will be their daughter¡¯s birthday soon. No matter how sick the mother is, she won¡¯t just skip over her daughter¡¯s birthday. Please prepare a gift.¡± They needed to hurry. Garan was already catching on. Yujo bit her lips and gazed at Jewol. ¡°And please monitor the Red King. He¡¯s definitely suspicious of my identity. He will definitely be watching the both of us, so we must keep each other in check.¡± ¡®Are you really Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife?¡¯ She remembered how cold his eyes had been as he¡¯d asked that question. She recalled the way he had coldly left the storeroom after hearing her words. She also remembered the way his eyes had lowered when the princess had mentioned his new queen. She felt as if her heart was going to burst into flames. She felt as if she¡¯d just burn into ashes right this second. She wanted to scream because she hated everything about this situation. But there was nothing she could do. She couldn¡¯t give up on Brother Yuha like this. The guibin or her brother. She had to choose one. Yujo sighed with a pale face as she turned her head. ¡°All right. But what happened to your cheek?¡± She finally remembered how Princess Yeowa had slapped her on her cheek. She brought her hand up and lightly touched it. The blow had been full of so much force that it was still stinging. Yujo was sure that it had left a mark. ¡°Did the Red King do that to you?¡± ¡°¡­No. I just tripped.¡± Yujo quickly changed the subject. Jewol¡¯s eyes were full of curiosity and doubt as he gazed at her, but she continued to avoid it. She couldn¡¯t tell Jewol what had happened today no matter what. ¡°Then go ahead and rest.¡± Jewol finally exited the room. Yujo let out a soft sigh. For some reason, it was difficult for her to talk comfortably with Jewol lately. She felt as if her head was going to shatter. As soon as she pulled out the ornamental hairpin, her hair fell down her back like a black waterfall. She didn¡¯t want to look at the woman in the mirror. She was crying again. She wanted to ride Jukmu. She wanted to steal his horse and ride it all the way back to Yeha. Then the horse¡¯s master would be so enraged that he¡¯d chase after her. And after all that running and chasing, after he climbed over Mount Paran, she¡¯d never let him go back. She¡¯d block the mountain pass. Aah, it sounded like such a dream. If she were Yeha¡¯s Yujo, she would have caught any man she wanted like that. However, the Yujo right now was trying to wound that man¡¯s heart. Yujo looked into the mirror. She gazed at her crying reflection with hatred. The group of ladies burst out laughing as the bright child cooed and smiled. Yujo had been right. No matter how sick the mother was, she wouldn¡¯t be able to pass over her child¡¯s birthday. Three-year-old Lady MyungHwa¡¯s behavior and words were all so lovable. For the first time in a long while, Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence was filled with the sound of laughter and the smell of delicious food. The emperor¡¯s soldiers still surrounded the residence. Because of the forbidding aura, only a small group of nobles and imperial family members attended the party. However, this was actually for the better. Yujo gifted a set of beautifully crafted clothing. The green silk was embroidered with yellow butterflies and flowers. ¡°Thank you.¡± Muyeo grinned as she received the gift. The servant had been right. Muyeo had definitely applied her makeup a bit differently than she usually did, and her movements seemed strained, but otherwise, she didn¡¯t seem like a sick person at all. Yujo gave her a soft smile and followed everyone else in wishing her well. A few people cautiously asked Yujo about what had occurred at the SangSuh official¡¯s house. Whenever they did, she merely put on a strained expression and didn¡¯t answer. ¡°Ah! That person!¡± Suddenly, Lady Yoon lowered her head and whispered to Yujo. ¡°That lady is the daughter of the SangSuh official¡¯s house.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°You know¡­ The one who will become the Red Queen.¡± Red¡­ Queen? Suddenly, Yujo stiffened and gazed at the woman. From just one look, anyone could tell that she was a noble daughter of YeonSung. Like a raven¡¯s wing, her ample black hair had a bluish tint underneath the light. Her face seemed pure and innocent, but it also seemed sensuous at the same time. From her elegant pink silk clothing to her expensive accessories, everything oozed class and dignity. A chill settled in her heart. No matter how many times she told herself it wasn¡¯t true, that woman seemed like a perfect match for the Red King. Seeing her sitting next to Princess Muyeo as she smiled¡­ It was as if they¡¯d popped out of a painting. Yujo turned her head away with much difficulty. It was none of her business. She pretended as if she didn¡¯t care, but her clenched teeth caused blood to burst in her mouth. While others said words of blessings for the child, Yujo cautiously looked around the room. She¡¯d already taken note of this building. The only strange aspect of the structure of this residence was the width of the corridor. Was it just a mere coincidence that the corridor leading to the princess¡¯s room was narrower than the other corridors? Of course, it was impossible for Yujo to enter the princess¡¯s room. Due to the winter weather, all the windows in the room were closed and covered with thick curtains to keep out the cold. Because they didn¡¯t want the princess¡¯s young daughter to catch a cold, small incense braziers were lit throughout the room. There were three large doors and a pond outside. After finding the perfect opportunity, Yujo pushed a green silk cloth underneath a window with her foot. She recalled the words Garan had told her long ago. ¡°Magic is just a high-level method of deception. All those people thought that the twig was a real twig because I snapped it in two. However, it was actually a thin piece of silk that had been hollowed out in the middle, and the flowers were also made of silk that had been doused in white oil. But they didn¡¯t know that.¡± Wasn¡¯t this the perfect time to use magic? Yujo joined the group of people gathered around the child. Suddenly, boom! One brazier exploded. The surprised princess pulled her child against her chest. The green cloth Yujo had placed on the floor burst into flames. The shocked ladies screamed as they ran out of the room. Yujo protected the princess who was carrying Lady MyungHwa and guided them out. ¡°Protect the princess!¡± ¡°Fire!¡± ¡°Where are the eunuchs?¡± ¡°Water! Grab some water!¡± In the middle of all this chaos and uproar, the women began to move towards Princess Muyeo¡¯s inner rooms. Yujo mixed in with the crowd and made her way towards the Princess¡¯s room. People had broken through the icy pond and were filling pitchers with water. Thanks to their efforts, the flames had died down somewhat, but smoke continued to rise out of the building. Just as everyone took a deep breath from all the chaos, a group of physicians rushed in. ¡°Smoke isn¡¯t good for the body. Please move further inside.¡± There was quite a lot of smoke compared to the size of the flames. The ladies stepped on their skirts as they made their way inside. During all this, Yujo kept an eye on the clouds of smoke. As expected, the corridor was strange. The smoke on the floor was being sucked in through the cracks in the wall. The wall was definitely the one leading to the princess¡¯s bedroom. Yujo walked down the corridor. When she reached the corner, the smoke was no longer being sucked in. She guessed the distance and entered the garden. The snow crunched underneath her feet. Yujo discovered something strange. A bamboo tree looked like it had been pinned into the ground like a hairpin. It was definitely an air hole. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Yujo turned around in surprise to find Garan standing behind her. Behind him, Yujo saw the pale Duke HyoEun hastily running towards the main rooms. Yujo froze for a moment. Wearing gray silk clothing with a pelt draped over his shoulders, he looked like a man who was ready for battle rather than an uncle who had come to celebrate his niece¡¯s birthday. Yujo¡¯s mouth went dry. Her heart raced, and her hands trembled. Yujo did her best to keep a calm expression on her face, but instead, her face twisted into a mess. ¡°I was just looking at the tree.¡± Don¡¯t shake. Stay steady. ¡°The tree?¡± ¡°I used to like it.¡± He stood in silence for a while before slowly walking towards her. Like an animal that had come across a hunter, Yujo wanted to escape as soon as possible. He stood close to her and gazed in the direction where she had been looking. The bamboo was surrounded by miscellaneous trees. ¡°What kind of tree?¡± Yujo glanced behind her before answering in a soft voice. ¡°Isn¡¯t it a peony tree?¡± He looked at her. When their eyes met, Yujo came to a realization. Peony?! Last summer, when she had been captured inside the ChiHwaRu, she had put a peony blossom in her hair. He had whispered to her that he could smell peonies as he buried his nose against her neck. That brief memory was carved into the peony tree. You fool¡­ Yujo turned around and began to head back in order to escape the suffocating atmosphere. ¡°Your Highness!¡± Suddenly, and unfamiliar voice came in between the two of them. Yujo turned around in surprise to find the SangSuh official¡¯s daughter approaching them. ¡°I heard you¡¯d be coming.¡± Her happy voice sounded as if they had met before. A courteous smile stretched across Garan¡¯s lips. ¡°Were you waiting for me?¡± What? Yujo raised her eyes and looked at him. His kind smile was a sight to see. It wasn¡¯t the mischievous smile he had given her in the past. It was the smile of a prince. ¡°Princess Muyeo was waiting for you.¡± It sounded like a conversation between family members. Yujo quickly lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll be going inside.¡± ¡°Let us go inside together. It¡¯s too dangerous out here. We¡¯ll head to the inner rooms.¡± Garan gestured to the SangSuh official¡¯s daughter. She gave him a blushing smile as she passed through Yujo and Garan. Yujo couldn¡¯t stand this awkward situation any longer. She stiffly lowered her head and was prepared to follow behind her. They only walked a few steps when a hand snatched her hips. Yujo would have cried out if it weren¡¯t for the pair of fierce lips stealing her own. Crazy bastard! The lady was right in front of them! Her lower lip was torn underneath the brutal kiss. The kiss was fierce and short like lightning. With the taste of blood, she felt a tingling sensation spread throughout her body. Yujo angrily pushed him away. Yujo glared at him with shocked eyes. ¡°What is the matter?¡± Suddenly, the lady who had been leading the way turned around and asked. ¡°I-it¡¯s nothing¡­ I just lost my footing¡­¡± Yujo mumbled an excuse with a pale face. Alarm bells were going off in her head. Garan didn¡¯t seem to care as he merely gave her a cold smile full of contempt before brushing past her. What is he doing?! Yujo stood blankly in her spot. She couldn¡¯t believe he had captured her lips in that short moment. Garan had already turned and was about to enter the room. He acted as if it hadn¡¯t happened. The lady didn¡¯t seem to have noticed and gave him a smile. He politely smiled back at her. How disgusting. Yujo barely managed to walk into the room. Thankfully, the snow on her clothes had already melted into little water droplets. The room was full of unsettled people, but Princess Muyeo gave Yujo a strange look. ¡°Did something happen?¡± ¡°Sorry?¡± Yujo looked at her in surprise. ¡°Not at all. Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Your face is red. It looks like you¡¯ve caught a fever.¡± At Muyeo¡¯s words, Yujo touched her cheeks in shock. It was true. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire. Chapter 14.2 - Lady of YeonSung 14 (The Storm) part 2 Lady of YeonSung 14 (The Storm) part 2 The fire wasn¡¯t large. However, there was a faint scent of oil. Garan threw a piece of burnt fabric onto the floor. While the blaze itself had been short and fierce, it barely did any harm to its surroundings. It only produced a great amount of smoke. The reason for this was discovered shortly. It was because it had been lit with oil. Dan SoYeon¡­ Garan groaned out her name in his heart. Did she do this? Was she still looking for the Heukra? Why? Why here in this house? When his secret room had been burned down, the bamboo shards and the textbook on magic had disappeared with it. Was it her doing? He suddenly recalled what SoYeon had mumbled as she examined the bamboo shards. ¡°I can¡¯t tell if this is Woon or Seol.¡± Woon or Seol. Garan turned around and looked at his brother-in-law. His name was Seol Joon. His family originated from the northern province. The one who had been with Muyeo when they were about to be attacked by the Heukra. Why didn¡¯t he realize this sooner? ¡°Duke HyoEun.¡± At his call, his brother-in-law¡¯s bright face turned around to look at him. ¡°Yes, Your Highness?¡± ¡°I believe you have something to tell me.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± His eyes blinked innocently just like Muyeo¡¯s. Had he been tricked by those eyes? In actuality, this man was incredibly meticulous and precise. This was a man who had persuaded the empress to give Muyeo to him as his wife. This man had given his whole body and heart to his woman for the past four years. He pretended not to know anything, but his deepest thoughts were impossible to see. In this case, Duke HyoEun was a man who was equal to Garan. ¡°Why was there a fire? Here and back at CheongRyu Hall?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± ¡°Tell me. I¡¯m on your side, am I not?¡± At these words, Duke HyoEun¡¯s expression became even more awkward. ¡°I understand. Please wait a moment.¡± He sent away the servants. Then he took Garan to the wall on the other side of the room. ¡°Actually, my house carries a lot of secrets.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡± ¡°It has a lot of basements and secret passageways.¡± ¡°How extraordinary.¡± Garan replied lightheartedly, but he was actually about to lose his mind with rage. This had something to do with Muyeo. Why didn¡¯t anyone tell him? ¡°Because it¡¯s something that would bring harm to Your Highness and the princess¡­¡± ¡°Tell me why you¡¯re working hand in hand with the Heukra before I snap your neck.¡± ¡°Your Highness, it¡¯s not the Heukra.¡± Duke HyoEun¡¯s face grew pale. ¡°Not the Heukra?¡± ¡°That is¡­¡± Garan had never seen him so distressed before. He grabbed his throat. Finally, Duke HyoEun barely managed to get the words out of his mouth. ¡°It¡¯s Her Highness the Guibin, Your Highness.¡± The guibin? Garan glared at Duke HyoEun in disbelief. What bullshit was this? What did this have to do with his dead mother? Suddenly, Garan froze. He lowered his hand and whispered in a strained voice. ¡°Are you telling me¡­ that my mother is alive?¡± Seol Joon nodded. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± A chilly breeze blew in the narrow passageway. The darkness was thick like ink. How could they keep someone in a place like this? Garan grit his teeth as he followed his brother-in-law. The passageway was narrow and it was filled with the smell of smoke. Judging from all the other passageways connected to this one, it seemed that there were many exits one could use to escape this building. They finally reached a small staircase and began to descend. They made their way towards the main room. When Garan saw the door, his heart began to race inside his chest. His mother! His mother was alive! Even though this fact would cause a lot of problems for him in the future, he was still incredibly happy. The happiness was a hundred, no, a thousand times greater than any hardship that came his way. He missed her. He had never expressed this sentiment, and at times, he had even hated her with a passion, but he always missed her. The door finally opened. Duke HyoEun and Garan entered the dimly lit room. Suddenly, Duke HyoEun gasped in bewilderment. The curtained bed, the meal set up on the table, or the flickering light of the lantern¡­ None of it was there. The room was empty. The person who had been living there was nowhere to be seen. Garan couldn¡¯t even see the shadow of the person he had been hoping to see. Garan¡¯s fierce eyes gazed at Duke HyoEun¡¯s shocked face before looking around the room. His eyes traveled to the ceiling. The circular hole in the ceiling was definitely the hole of a bamboo tree. The carriage door opened as quick as lightning. Yujo was already sitting inside. As if expecting this rude interruption, Yujo looked at the man who had opened the door with an indifferent expression. Outside, she could hear the various servants calling out to him like chirping birds. ¡°What did you do?¡± His voice was as cold as ice. Yujo looked back at him with a chilly expression and asked back. ¡°What do you mean¡­?¡± ¡°I know you did this.¡± ¡°Your Highness, this is not proper.¡± ¡°Tell me!¡± Yujo didn¡¯t move a muscle. If he had a sword in hand, he would have stabbed her with it by now. But even if he did this, would he be able to find the guibin who had vanished? ¡°You¡­¡± His eyes were bloodshot. It strangely looked like the man was holding back his tears. Yujo was frozen in her seat as she looked into his eyes. ¡°How can you do this to me?¡± He whispered. ¡°If you knew me at all, how could you do this?¡± Your Highness! You mustn¡¯t do this! The eunuchs continued to cry out. Yujo grit her teeth. She needed to look at him in confusion. As if she didn¡¯t know what he was talking about. Think about Brother. If she grew weak in front of this man, that meant that she would be throwing away Brother Yuha. She would be throwing away Yeha! Her clenched hands began to hurt. Yujo didn¡¯t say a word. She couldn¡¯t move, and she had to endure it in silence. She couldn¡¯t even let him hear her breathe. In the end, she had thrust a blade into the Red King¡¯s heart. Aah, she should have just killed him with that arrow¡­ If only that were the case¡­ Then you and I wouldn¡¯t have to look at each other like this. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I don¡¯t know what you mean.¡± He didn¡¯t say anything in reply. He merely glared at her. She sat in the darkness of the carriage with the red curtains drawn. She was still beautiful. And he hated her more than anything. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± He whispered. ¡°If you hurt her, I¡¯ll kill you. No matter what.¡± Yujo¡¯s red lips smiled crookedly. She thought it was an amazing revenge. If she could only save Brother Yuha and Yeha, she would pay the price for her sins by dying by his hand. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± She answered curtly and turned her head away. Some things couldn¡¯t be helped. Bang! The door closed. The uproar outside began to fade away. The carriage began to move once again, and this time, Yujo didn¡¯t cry. She had no right to cry. Blood began to pool in the palms of her hands. ¡°What happened?¡± Yujo asked the beautiful woman who was taking off her black veiled hat. Jewol turned his head and looked at her. This man who had always been praised for his looks transformed into an enchanting beauty whenever he disguised himself as a woman. With his inky black eyes and red lips, he was a peerless beauty who sucked out the souls of men. Human beauty is only skin deep. Yujo laughed inside. Did he hide the nastiness underneath such beauty? ¡°I took her to the Misan Temple in the Haemo Mountains. But¡­¡± He frowned. ¡°Her body was too weak. The effects of the poison caused her to lose her memory, and she isn¡¯t able to speak.¡± ¡°All right.¡± Yujo didn¡¯t want to hear any more. Now was not the time to be shaken by human emotions. The important thing now was to move forward one step at a time. ¡°We must never hand her over to the Crown Prince.¡± ¡°Do you think we can fool his eyes?¡± ¡°We must.¡± They needed to fool him. For now, they needed to assure him that they had the guibin. While he wasn¡¯t a careless man, he had been searching for the guibin for a long time. ¡°What about the seal?¡± ¡°I have no idea. She¡¯s not in her right mind, and she can¡¯t speak either, so¡­¡± Jewol seemed to be at a loss. ¡°We must find the three-legged crow¡¯s seal.¡± They needed to find the three-legged crow¡¯s seal in order to make a deal for Brother Yeha¡¯s return. ¡°Do you think we can make a fake?¡± ¡°No. The Crown Prince already has the nine families¡¯ seals in his possession. He¡¯ll know we were lying once he places them all together.¡± ¡°The deal was to find the guibin. That was it.¡± ¡°So? Do you really think he¡¯ll hand Yeha back over to us once we give him the guibin? Don¡¯t you know how he is?¡± ¡°If only we knew what it looked like!¡± Yujo spoke as she ground her teeth. They didn¡¯t know what it could look like at all. All they knew was that it had the pattern of Paran on it. Yujo lowered her head and held it in her hands. The guibin would have kept it near her at all times. In a place where she could keep her eyes on it. ¡°The guibin¡¯s waistband.¡± Yujo whispered as she looked at Jewol. ¡°Don¡¯t you have the guibin¡¯s waistband?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Jewol hurried over to a box and took it out. He held it up to her, and Yujo quickly took it. She carefully observed it. She checked to see if there was anything pinned to it. However, there was nothing suspicious about it. ¡°Where did you get this waistband?¡± Jewol looked at her awkwardly. ¡°Actually, I stole it from her grave.¡± ¡°What? Why did you do that?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we need to lure the prey out of its den? This is the same thing. I shocked the Nine Families into moving the guibin.¡± Yujo gave Jewol a dumbfounded look before shaking her head. ¡°But something¡¯s strange.¡± ¡°What is?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t women¡¯s waistbands have sapphires on them?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± A waistband couldn¡¯t freely carry any design or jewels as its owner pleased. ¡°But there are rubies on this one.¡± Jewol took a look at the guibin¡¯s waistband. She was right. There were rubies on it. And they were of incredibly good quality¡­ Jewol¡¯s face began to stiffen, but Yujo didn¡¯t notice. She observed the waistband for a little while longer. ¡°For now, please take good care of the guibin.¡± In the end, she took his mother away. Yujo¡¯s hand tightened on the waistband. I¡¯m sorry. She couldn¡¯t even say those words. She tightly closed her eyes. A cold gust of wind rattled the windows. Chapter 15.1 - Lady of YeonSung 15 (Evening Banquet) part 1 Lady of YeonSung 15 (Evening Banquet) part 1 WARNING: NSFW The gathering at the imperial palace to pay tribute to the new year had begun. All the officials of the court wished the emperor and the empress good health and performed the rites to the Heavens. For the past four days, all the people of YeonSung rested, and festivals were held all over the place. The members of the imperial family were no exception. For four days, they gathered together to celebrate the new year with the emperor and empress. Thousands of candles were lit, and long curtains fell from the ceilings. Members of the imperial family sat in their seats and accepted the floral wine given to them by the emperor in silver cups. They drank it after wishing him a long life and great fortune. The dancing girls from the western province came inside. Their dark bodies were covered in jewels as they began to shake from side to side. The room was filled with music, soft lighting, and the fragrance of delicious food and drink. The men and women inside were incredibly elegant and magnificent. However, the most eye-catching of them all was Duke MoonYeo and his wife. They were the most recently married couple, and they also suited each other perfectly. The MoonYeo couple wore soft white outfits suitable for the new year. They both looked fresh and full of life. ¡°Jewol never showed any interest in women, so this is quite extraordinary.¡± Garan heard someone whisper as she covered her mouth with her fan. He merely tilted his cup and gulped down the liquor. Seeing the groom take great care of his bride evoked a sense of awe. The surrounding women¡¯s whispers were filled with envy and came at him like waves. As if he were worried his wife would stumble, Jewol kept his hand on her back with great care. Once they entered inside, he stood next to her and accepted the drink. Then he clasped his hands together in front of him. Garan glared at them with deadly eyes. He couldn¡¯t tell if these feelings were hatred or jealousy. She must have felt his eyes throwing daggers at her, but she shamelessly stood there and never turned her head to him. However, even if she never turned her eyes to him, how could she not feel it? As if keeping track of each other¡¯s location and actions, they were constantly aware of each other. For the past ten days, the woman never took a step out of Duke MoonYeo¡¯s residence. For those ten days, the Red King kept a close watch over Jewol, but it was of no use. While he had a strong hunch, he didn¡¯t have proof. Because Princess Yeowa was keeping watch with her eyes wide open, there was nothing he could do. During this time, Princess Muyeo shed a river of tears and tormented her brother and her husband. Knowing that this had something to do with the Crown Prince, he thoroughly examined his surroundings. However, that man never changed, and he continued to drown himself in pleasure. That meant there was only one way left. The Red King looked at the MoonYeo couple with cold eyes. Jewol was unable to hide his feelings. His behavior towards his wife did not show any lies. Whenever she laughed and lowered her head at the dancers movements, he observed her reaction and smiled like an idiot. The Red King¡¯s chest throbbed. As if countless knives were slicing through his skin. No, it felt as if his whole body was on fire. This definitely wasn¡¯t jealousy. He hated the woman who betrayed him. She had hidden his mother away from him. He felt this way because of all that pent up hatred and rage. He hated her so much that he wanted to kill her. But don¡¯t do it. Garan whispered to himself. Jewol¡¯s hand kept touching her. The ornaments pinned in her hair, her hand, her shoulders¡­ And she received it as if his behavior was normal. Her face looked at him tenderly as if she were looking at the face of a man she loved. It was the exact smile she had given him underneath the covers back then. ¡°Your Highness!¡± He turned his head at the eunuch¡¯s call. He looked down to see that his hand had grasped his golden liquor cup so tightly that it had deformed. Blood was now trickling down his hand. ¡°You¡¯re hurt.¡± ¡°Move.¡± Everything irked him. He halfheartedly wrapped his hand in a silk handkerchief. During this time, other dancers came on stage and began to perform a sword dance. The swords cut through the air in a flash. They turned and spun as they stabbed at something intangible! Suddenly, their eyes met. As the swords flashed around, his eyes pierced into hers. Dressed in milky white, she held her head indifferently. As if she were waiting for him to kill her. She looked back at him with determined eyes. I hate you. Garan whispered. I loathe you. Whoever you are, I will never forgive you. Her eyes slightly darkened. As she staggered with a pale face, her husband brought her into his arms as if he¡¯d been waiting for this. Garan wanted a sword in his hand. If he could, he¡¯d cut off his cousin¡¯s neck and limbs. He¡¯d pull out his intestines and organs if he could. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± He heard the Crown Prince¡¯s voice at his side. Garan turned his head and met his eyes. The Crow Prince¡¯s thick lips stretched into a hideous smile. ¡°You must be having a lot of fun.¡± ¡°Am I?¡± ¡°And why wouldn¡¯t you be? The SangSuh official is trying to put a pair of wings on you.¡± Garan could smell the scent of strong liquor on his breath. ¡°You¡¯ll be taking a queen soon. You shouldn¡¯t be looking at another woman and drooling for her.¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t looking at her.¡± ¡°Cut it out, Little Brother. Your eyes look like they¡¯re going to devour her.¡± He leaned back and cackled. ¡°But then again, who can stop themselves from yearning after someone else? It is poison, not joy.¡± Garan felt sick to his stomach. He quickly grabbed his cup of liquor in order to quell the nausea. ¡°Be careful, Little Brother. If you continue on like this, people will come for your hide.¡± When Garan turned his head and look at him, the Crown Prince¡¯s nasty eyes laughed. ¡°Like mother, like son, I suppose.¡± Garan didn¡¯t avert his eyes and met him straight on. His piercing eyes were so sharp that it seemed as if he were ready to cut off the Crown Prince¡¯s limbs right then and there. ¡°Tsk, tsk. How rude. I¡¯m old enough to be your father. How can you be so insolent? Then again, your mother was quite the beauty. If it wasn¡¯t for Father Emperor, she would have been my royal concubine instead.¡± The Crown Prince continued to speak, disregarding the growing flames in Garan¡¯s eyes. ¡°If I ever meet her in my next life, I won¡¯t let her escape again.¡± Clang! The swords on the stage were thrust into the ground. Something snapped. The Red King gazed at the Crown Prince. That fishy smile, the hideous hatred¡­ it was all surging out of their chests. The Crown Prince already knew of his younger brother¡¯s intentions to dethrone him. There was no reason to keep him alive any longer. I¡¯m going to kill you, the Crown Prince whispered. I¡¯ll put you on fire. He smiled. A woman walked along the long corridor. Her neck and back was covered in white silk. The jasmine flower pinned to her chignon gave off its sweet scent. Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife, she was widely rumored to be a beautiful and elegant bride. The man following behind her was the emperor¡¯s second son, the Red King. Taking after his mother, he was a very handsome man. The Crown Prince watched as the man snatched the lady away. The paper sliding door began to shake, and suppressed moans flowed out and traveled with the wind. Two eunuchs passed by along with several palace maids. However, the two inside the room never came out. ¡°Bring me Duke MoonYeo.¡± A eunuch lowered his head at the command. The Crown Prince laughed. The scene of destruction was always beautiful to him. ¡°Ugh!¡± The woman¡¯s face was beautiful as she received the man¡¯s seed. Garan continued to fiercely thrust inside her body. The powerful muscles of his hips and bottom contracted as he drilled into her entrance. His cock was larger than ever as it trembled happily inside her wet warmth. It was lovely. It was insanely beautiful. Every time someone passed by, she tensed up. This caused her lower muscles to contract, eagerly squeezing his cock even tighter. It was already difficult enough penetrating her small entrance. Her writhing body made him lose his last strand of reason. This dark room was the room the empress used for her ancestral rituals. The faint scent of incense mixed in with the smell of their copulation. Like a captured bird, her hand trembled as it held onto his arm. Underneath the skirts of her dress, she was already holding him inside her body. The Red King lowered his head and licked her tears. He wrapped his hands around her hips and brought her into his embrace. Exhausted from trying to push him away, her two hands lowered to her sides. As soon as he slid out of her, a mixture of both of their essence began to flow out. He lowered his body and plunged his tongue inside her entrance. He lapped at her wet hole and left nothing behind. He pulled apart the layers and began to suck earnestly. Suddenly, he sensed something behind him. The Crown Prince had sent an audience. The footsteps that had begun to walk down the corridor returned. This person silently cracked the door open and looked inside. When the woman let out a cry of passion, Garan sensed this person¡¯s breath cut short due to shock. He opened his eyes as he continued to suck on her. The Red King squeezed her breasts and turned around. In that moment, his eyes met Jewol¡¯s. Both of them were still as they looked at each other. A long while passed. The Red King moved. He grabbed her legs and thrust his cock inside her without hesitation as if he wanted Jewol to see. A pair of shocked eyes and a pair of determined eyes fiercely clashed. Jewol staggered backwards and supported himself against the banister. His legs gave out, and he slid onto the ground. The Red King began to move his hips, daring him to watch. He showed Jewol the owner of these opened legs shaking at the force of his rhythm. He showed him how she bit her lips as she moaned out. You¡¯ll never be able to forget this. His eyes relayed that message to him. After finishing inside her, Garan slid her underwear and drawers back up her leg before lowering her skirts over them. While he was doing this, Jewol stayed frozen in his seat outside. He couldn¡¯t move a muscle. Garan clasped the fainted woman against his chest and stepped outside. Jewol sat in his spot, unable to move. His face was ghastly pale. ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± His voice sounded distant. ¡°Aah, didn¡¯t you just see?¡± Garan¡¯s spoke in a cold and arrogant tone. ¡°I was in the middle of violating your wife.¡± Such astounding shamelessness. Jewol finally shouted out as he ran after him, but he was no match for Garan¡¯s strength. He cruelly grabbed Jewol by the neck and slammed him against the banister. Garan¡¯s eyes were cruel as they looked at the writhing Jewol as if he were a bug underneath his feet. His voice was also filled with loathing as he spit out his next words. ¡°Bring me the guibin.¡± He suppressed his desire to kill and said what needed to be said. ¡°Until you bring her to me, your wife will stay in my bed. Do you know what that means?¡± The fireworks celebrating the new year exploded in the black sky. Bright colors splashed across their faces as the fireworks whistled and burst with a crackle. Hatred and suffering began to spread with the flickering lights. Chapter 15.2 - Lady of YeonSung 15 (Evening Banquet) part 2 WARNING: NSFW ¡°Mmm.¡± She woke up in a haze of darkness. However, her eyes wouldn¡¯t open. It was as if her whole body was on fire. There was silk covering her eyes. The glimmering yellow light of the lantern illuminated the wrinkled fabric. Gah! Yujo gasped as she sat up. The man¡¯s body plunging into hers from behind¡­ The hard staff thrusting into her open body¡­ It told Yujo where she was and what she was doing. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She had only spent one night in this room, but she would never forget it. That night, in this room, she had transformed into a beast. A female animal. ¡°No.¡± She had been in the middle of attending the emperor¡¯s evening banquet. Princess Yeowa was there, and all the emperor¡¯s close relatives were there as well. She recalled walking down the corridor. She remembered being snatched into a dark room. And she clearly recalled the man who had been inside. ¡°Lady Dan.¡± A rough hand grasped her hair, causing her back to arch like a bow. ¡°That seems to be your name in YeonSung.¡± The other hand wrapped around her and grabbed her breast. She could see her nipple and flesh bursting through his fingers. My god, she was naked. ¡°Let me go.¡± Yujo grit her teeth and tried to shake his hands off her. In the end, he made a mess of everything. After glaring at her to the point where she couldn¡¯t breathe properly at the evening banquet, he ended up bringing her to this state. Just as she managed to pull his fingers off her, he bit down onto the nape of her neck as if in retaliation. His cock continued to thrust inside her. How did she come to be here? She had fainted, so did he carry her here? Did someone see them? Her goal was right in front of her eyes. If she could only figure out the location of the seal, she would be able to save Brother Yuha. Although it felt like her blood was boiling inside her every single day, she endured it until now. If she endured it a little while longer, she¡¯d soon be able to pass through Mount Paran with Brother Yuha. It it wasn¡¯t for him! If it wasn¡¯t for the damned Red King! ¡°Let go!¡± Yujo shouted out in anger. She never expected Garan to be so stubborn. She never expected him take his cousin¡¯s wife back to his residence in front of the imperial family. ¡°You¡¯re crazy!¡± At Yujo¡¯s shout, Garan bit her shoulder and began to snicker. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m crazy.¡± The fingers that had been caressing her breast slowly traveled down and began to push its way through her lower folds. He pressed down on the screaming woman and began to rub her peak. ¡°Tell me.¡± As if possessed by an evil demon, his eyes gleamed. Yujo cried out and tried to escape, but it was impossible. ¡°Did Jewol touch you?¡± She felt as if her breast was going to be torn off. Her moans grew louder. ¡°Did you let him touch you?¡± Thrust! His cock plunged inside her. Yujo tightly shut her eyes at the suffocating sensation. She couldn¡¯t breathe. She felt as if her whole body was being ripped apart. ¡°Answer me!¡± Yujo shook her head. As if bursting with rage, he fiercely thrust into her again. Yujo¡¯s entire body shook from the powerful force. She couldn¡¯t keep up with his speed. As she cried out, her insides began to grow warm. No matter how much she cried out and moaned, he never slowed his pace. ¡°Aaagh, ugh!¡± Unable to take it any longer, she stretched out her hands and tried to pry his hand off her. However, he grabbed her hand and made her touch herself. Gasp! Her breath caught in her throat. Her fingers tangled with his as they both dug through her folds. She tried to take her hand away, but it was no use. He tightly grasped her and continued to touch her with her fingers. It was as if her body had a mind of its own. Her fingers were soon drenched with the essence dripping out of her. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°What is it? Does it seem even more ridiculous now that you¡¯ve touched it yourself? Does it make sense that a virtuous wife with a husband is writhing underneath another man?¡± ¡°Let me go!¡± Yujo began to struggle, but she was no match for him. The voice whispering into her ear sounded gloomy. He grasped her hand and brought it down to where they were connected. ¡°Aagh!¡± Yujo turned her head. Every time the root of his cock moved, she felt his scrotum tap against her fingertips. ¡°Grab it.¡± He whispered. She vehemently shook her head, but it didn¡¯t matter. She stretched out her fingers. His other hand grasped her other hand and brought it down to cover the spot between her thighs. ¡°Agh!¡± It was as if her whole body was burning. It felt as if her entrance was burning. His hot rod was plunging into her, causing all the blood and nerves in her body to catch on fire. Yujo groaned as she grit her teeth. Her vision turned red. His cock fiercely thrust inside and stopped moving. When it finally exited her body, a mixture of her fluids and his seed dripped down her fingertips. Garan flipped her over. He raised her fingers up to his lips and began to lick. His eyes looked so wicked that he almost didn¡¯t look human. ¡°¡­Let me go back.¡± At Yujo¡¯s whisper, Garan lowered his head and licked her lips. The scent of their essence permeated Yujo¡¯s mouth. ¡°Do you think that¡¯s possible?¡± He scoffed as he grasped her breast. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill your husband.¡± A shiver went down Yujo¡¯s spine. ¡°Your Highness!¡± ¡°What, do you think I won¡¯t be able to?¡± The jealous Red King wasn¡¯t in his right mind. He pressed down on her body and painfully bit down on her neck. ¡°I¡¯m going to cut off his hands and feet. I¡¯m going to pluck out his eyes and tongue. If he touched you, he won¡¯t be left intact.¡± He¡¯d lost his mind. He definitely lost his mind. Yujo grit her teeth and pushed him away. ¡°That never happened.¡± ¡°Lies!¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth. He¡­¡­¡± What are you trying to say, Yujo? That he merely helped her? That she wasn¡¯t Dan SoYeon? That she needed to save her brother? Tears began to blur her eyes. She couldn¡¯t tell him anything. Yujo merely shook her head. ¡°Brother Jewol cannot embrace me.¡± That¡¯s all she said. ¡°Brother? Ha, is he still your brother?¡± Thrust! At his sudden movement, Yujo swallowed back a moan. Her vision became dizzy. She felt as if she were turning into an absolute mess. ¡°Tell me where the guibin is.¡± Yujo turned her head at his command. She wouldn¡¯t tell him even if it killed her. She¡¯d never do it. He laughed. ¡°Whatever. Whether you tell me or whether your husband brings her to me¡­ It will be one of the two.¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes widened at his words. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°What do you think I mean¡­?¡± After laying her down, he grasped the fluttering curtains and tied her hands. ¡°It means I¡¯m not going to give up.¡± When he finished tying her feet, Yujo realized what was going on. Garan was not currently in his right mind. He truly didn¡¯t have any plans to stop. ¡°Stop it.¡± ¡°No, you should stop it and give up, Lady Dan.¡± He already finished tying her other hand and foot. ¡°If you don¡¯t tell me, you¡¯re not leaving this room today.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do this!¡± The curtain began to hurt her wrist. However, his cruel hands were still the same. He lowered his body and plunged inside her once again. At the penetration of his large rod, Yujo threw her head back. ¡°I¡¯ll take you for a ride until then. You¡¯ll enjoy it, too.¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes widened in astonishment. Thrust! With the fierce sound of slapping skin, Yujo¡¯s body shook. Ugh! Jewol rolled onto the floor. He was a bloody mess. The Crown Prince¡¯s gloomy eyes looked around Misan Temple. His face was filled with a cruel rage. The temple was covered in snow, and it was quiet and beautiful. However, the monks of the temple were sprawled out all over the place like hunted prey. ¡°How dare you fool me, Jewol.¡± After speaking in a low voice, he looked around the haphazardly opened temple. There was only a yellowish statue of Buddha indifferently watching over the horrible scene unfolding outside the open doors. Otherwise, the room was empty. ¡°So after you caught that bitch, you kept you mouth shut. And now everything has become like this, is that it?¡± Last night, he had watched everything unfold with glee. He pried apart Jewol¡¯s attachment to that savage girl and made him return to his senses. And he also enjoyed watching his younger brother¡¯s depravity. However, one of his subordinates overheard the Red King¡¯s words, and it turned out that they had already found the guibin. They had been fooling him all along. ¡°That fucking bitch.¡± He spit onto the ground as he whispered. ¡°I should her ripped her brother to pieces a long time ago¡­¡± And their land too. He turned around and glared at the Buddha one last time before giving out an order. ¡°Burn it down.¡± Buddhist temples were always a thorn in his eyes. He waddled over to the carriage and began to head inside. Then he shouted over to Jewol who was still collapsed on the ground. ¡°What are you doing? Why aren¡¯t you getting in? It will be dawn soon. Don¡¯t we have to assemble for the new year tomorrow? Damn it. I didn¡¯t get a good night¡¯s sleep. It¡¯s all your fault. Hurry up and get inside!¡± He shouted out and got inside. Jewol barely managed to get up and cried out. ¡°No, Your Highness! I definitely left her here.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± ¡°I beg you. Please save my wife!¡± ¡°Who told you I didn¡¯t save her? I was helping you save her all this time, wasn¡¯t I? So why didn¡¯t you tell me when you first caught her? You fool. You dared to crawl back to me only after the Red King made his move¡­!¡± The Crown Prince snapped in a cold voice. Now that the Red King had that girl, he was hot on his trails in finding the guibin! ¡°Your Highness!¡± Jewol cried out again. His eyes were filled with anger and despair. He kept recalling the image of Yujo with the Red King. They were probably together right now. Yujo was probably pinned underneath the Red King right now. The Red King was probably violating her right now. What should he do?! What could he do now?! Tears continued to flow out of his eyes. In the end, all of this was his fault. It was all because of him. But where did the guibin go?! How was he supposed to rescue Yujo from the Red King now?! Kill them. Suddenly, Jewol heard a whisper. Shocked, he turned around. It was a dark night, and he could only see the snow falling down from the sky. All he could hear were the sounds of the soldiers stabbing the monks with their swords. Just kill them all, Jewol. He heard the whisper again. Ultimately, they were all people who only brought him despair. The Crown Prince, the Red King, and even Yujo. Who could understand the suffering hidden deep within his heart? Why did he want to be understood by these people? Why was he scared of them? Don¡¯t I have the power? How foolish. ¡°Aah, that¡¯s right.¡± The whisper flowed out of Jewol¡¯s mouth. Jewol began to head inside the carriage. White clouds puffed out of the horses¡¯ mouths and brushed against his hair. The carriage began to move its bulky weight and headed down the mountain. Soon, the Crown Prince¡¯s men set the temple on fire. The innocent monks¡¯ corpses were sprawled out across the ground. However, within the flames, the Buddha¡¯s apathetic eyes watched the carriage as it went further away. Thrust! Eventually, Yujo pushed him away. It was almost dawn. The lantern had died out a while ago. Yujo¡¯s disheveled black hair fell down over her cheeks. Her watery eyes were filled with anger. The light illuminated Yujo as she bit her lips. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Her voice was low. At her words, Garan turned around and looked at her. His cold eyes mocked her. ¡°I don¡¯t think you have the right to say that¡­¡± ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t have the right. Even if I had ten mouths, I wouldn¡¯t have the right to say it, but let¡¯s stop it now.¡± Red flowers had blossomed all over her body. Her chest, between her thighs¡­ they were all covered with traces of him. She knew he was angry. She knew he was doing this to find the guibin. However, she also had her own situation, and she also had a plan. ¡°It¡¯s simple.¡± He glared at her with cold eyes as he spoke. ¡°Hand over my mother.¡± A sharp blade pierced through Yujo¡¯s heart. That¡¯s right. How predictable. She had given up on him for the sake of her brother, and he had given up on her for the sake of his mother. This was good. This was right. Yes! That¡¯s how it should be! She had hurt his family, so why should he go easy on her?! Yujo smiled bitterly and turned her head. Dawn was finally approaching outside the windows. If she interpreted Garan¡¯s words correctly, Jewol had already seen her with the Red King. That meant Jewol had gone to find the guibin in order to get her back. He probably went to the Misan Temple. Yujo smiled bitterly and spoke. ¡°Duke MoonYeo will not be able to bring the guibin.¡± ¡°What?¡± Garan¡¯s eyes narrowed at her words. Yujo stared back at him with a blank expression. She couldn¡¯t trust anyone. No one in YeonSung. Not Jewol, and not this man in front of her. They were now complete strangers. Moreso the Crown Prince. Yujo had already moved the guibin to a different location. A place where even Jewol didn¡¯t know. It seemed that she had truly become a person of YeonSung¡­ seeing as how she managed to come up with this last trick. ¡°I¡¯m the only one who knows where the guibin is.¡± Garan¡¯s eyes sharpened. ¡°Where is she? Don¡¯t make me become more wicked than I already have.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, Your Highness.¡± When it came to wickedness, she saw enough of it last night. Yujo glared at him with a dry expression. If their hearts weren¡¯t connecting, what was the point of embracing each other? As they continued to embrace each other, Yujo felt that they were drifting further apart. She felt lonelier and lonelier. ¡°I have one condition.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Let me meet the emperor.¡± ¡°What?¡± His face paled in an instant. Did she understand what it meant to bring the dead guibin before the emperor¡¯s eyes? The crime of fooling the emperor¡­ It was close to treason. The guibin, and even the Red King himself, and Muyeo¡­ They would all be impacted by this. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± ¡°Then you will never meet the guibin.¡± ¡°SoYeon!¡± SoYeon? Hearing him call her SoYeon sounded strange. However, she couldn¡¯t back down now. ¡°No one will get hurt, not even the guibin. Please let me meet the emperor. Then I will bring the guibin. However, if you won¡¯t fulfill this one condition¡­¡­¡± She looked up at him. He fiercely glared back at her. ¡°Either way, this will all be the end. I beg you. Let me meet the emperor.¡± Yujo glared at him with a determined look in her eyes. Chapter 16.1 - Lady of YeonSung 16 (Demon’s Night) part 1 WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT AHEAD Boom, boom, boom! The drumbeats began to ring in the air, signaling the hour of Myo (5-7AM). The emperor coughed*. When his bulky body sat up, a line of palace maids holding trays entered the room. The trays were filled with the things the emperor would need to start his day. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, trimmed his beard, applied some fragrant oil, and changed his clothes in somber silence. Today was the day after the evening banquet. He was suffering from a bad hangover, and his body was sore and tired, but that was no excuse. He still needed to fulfill his duties. ¡°This act of being an emperor¡­ It¡¯s tedious.¡± The emperor murmured as he looked in the mirror. Dawn was breaking. The four main gates of YeonSung were opened. It was time for the officials to start filing in for the first royal court of the year. Unlike the usual royal court, this was merely a formality, much like the morning ceremony. While he could go through the motions absentmindedly, the new year was different. After finishing all the necessary preparations, he stood in front of the mirror. One year had passed by already? The man in the mirror was growing older and more obese. Where did the young man who could race through the plains on top of his horse go? Even if he was the master of the nation, he still could not stop time. The emperor gazed at his reflection with old, droopy eyes. In the past, his heart was filled with yearning and regret. Suddenly, an official entered the room. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Hm? Why are you here so early?¡± ¡°That is¡­ The Red King requests your audience due to something urgent.¡± Garan? That crazy rascal must have come because of the mess he had made last night. Out of all the women he could have had, why did he have to take his cousin¡¯s wife? Concern and worry filled his face. They would soon ally with the SangSuh official and begin to move forward with their plan. However, he went and created such a serious problem like this. The emperor¡¯s face was terrifying. Was it about that incident? While he did seem carefree and easygoing, that child never stepped out of line. He couldn¡¯t believe he went and did something like this so close to the promised time. ¡°Let him in.¡± At his command, the official exited the room. Very soon, the Red King entered followed by a woman in blue. No way¡­ Did he bring Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife with him this early in the morning?! He was just about to yell out when he saw a woman in a black veiled hat follow behind them. Everyone in the room paled as they stared at them. ¡°What is the meaning of this?¡± The emperor¡¯s angry voice grew louder. ¡°Your Majesty, there is something I must tell you.¡± Suddenly, Duke MoonYeo¡¯s wife, Dan SoYeon, stepped forward and bowed her head. ¡°I am Yujo, the younger sister of the chief of Yeha and a descendant of Mergan. Greetings, Your Majesty, Emperor of the Silver Nation.¡± Both the emperor and the Red King were shocked by this information. However, the Red King was the only one who couldn¡¯t hide his astonishment. Yeha¡¯s Yujo? Then didn¡¯t that mean she was that woman? The woman who had shot him with an arrow from the hill. He had almost lost his life because of her. As the Red King closed his open mouth and massaged his forehead, the emperor gave Yujo a fierce glare. ¡°What did you say? You dared to fool me and marry into the imperial family?¡± ¡°My apologies, Your Majesty. However, this was all done according to the Crown Prince¡¯s wishes.¡± What? This was even more shocking. Realizing that this was more serious than he thought, the emperor gestured to the eunuchs with his eyes. The eunuchs quickly exited the room and stationed palace guards in front of the door. ¡°The Crown Prince¡¯s wishes? Do you know what that means?¡± Yujo didn¡¯t back down. As the emperor, his authority filled this room and pierced the heavens. If she couldn¡¯t successfully negotiate with him today, Yeha would continue to suffer in the dangerous war. She wanted the emperor¡¯s royal letter. She no longer needed the Crown Prince¡¯s thinly veiled trickery. Even if she couldn¡¯t save her brother, she would obtain this royal decree no matter what. ¡°Why would I lie about something like this? The Crown Prince definitely told me that he would end the war and promised us peace. In return, he asked that I come here and find this person and kill her. In order to keep my promise, I received help from Duke MoonYeo and performed a fake wedding. I did my best to find this person and obtain the peace treaty. However, two problems arose.¡± ¡°What problems?¡± ¡°First, the person I was looking for was connected to Your Majesty as well as the Red King. Second, the Crown Prince did not want to keep his end of the bargain. Therefore, he captured my brother, Yeha¡¯s chief, and is currently keeping him detained.¡± Her frosty voice rang clearly in the room. The emperor¡¯s eyes widened. The Crown Prince had given her his word. Even if he was an imperial prince that could do whatever he wanted, his word held the weight of the nation. Therefore, it was incredibly important and valuable. ¡°Is this true?¡± ¡°Please check for yourself.¡± Yujo took out the Crown Prince¡¯s letter from her chest pocket and showed it to the emperor. The emperor glanced at the letter and groaned in his heart. ¡°All right, and is the person you were looking for that woman? Who is she?¡± At the emperor¡¯s question, both Yujo and the Red King swallowed back a groan. Neither of them knew if everything would go according to Yujo¡¯s plan. Yujo approached the woman and dragged her forward by her hand. Then she took off her veiled hat. Suddenly, the emperor and the Red King¡¯s faces paled. The emperor staggered back and sat down in his seat. The woman didn¡¯t speak and merely stood in her spot. ¡°No.¡± The emperor finally spoke. He looked as if he¡¯d lost half of his mind. His forehead was dripping with sweat. ¡°There¡¯s no way.¡± There was no way. She was dead. Engulfed in a dirty scandal, she died by drinking the poison he had given her. So who was this woman standing before him? Who was this woman who was blankly staring at him? Her pale and thin face resembled that woman. However, her starry eyes were now empty. Those lips that had kissed him countless times as they whispered her love were now twisted. One cheek was now covered by a dark scar. She had been a peerless beauty who could steal the heart of any man. Her standing there and smiling at him¡­ That image was stamped in his head forever. That woman¡­ That woman was standing before him. Blank. As if her soul had been sucked out of her body. Her face was definitely that woman¡¯s face. Her bony body made her seem as if she had just risen from the grave. That¡¯s right. This wasn¡¯t a human being. This was a ghost. ¡°¡­¡­Nok Yeo.¡± He couldn¡¯t help but call out that name. The name he had hated for seven years. The name that had brought him pain for seven years. The name filled with regret and yearning¡­ ¡°How can you¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t say any more. Although the emperor was speaking, the woman didn¡¯t look at him. She didn¡¯t even look at the Red King as he approached her. She merely stared blankly at some unknown object. She was surrounded by a strange and melancholic energy. A sad rage flowed out. A cold and powerful hatred that had been sealed up in the deepest depths of her heart! Suddenly, the emperor returned to his senses. He finally realized the terrifying consequences that would come from this. His hardened face turned and gazed at his son, who was staring at his mother. This can¡¯t be. This mustn¡¯t happen. What did this woman¡¯s return mean? This would kill the one who had already died. Garan would die, and even Muyeo would lose her life. ¡°That damned fool!¡± Is this what the Crown Prince wanted in the end? The emperor burst out of his seat. He grabbed a sword from a palace guard and began to charge at Yujo. He would slash this woman and slash the other one as well. What did these bitches think they were doing?! ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Suddenly, Garan protected Yujo with a pale face. ¡°You¡­ What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°Please calm down, Father Emperor.¡± ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Please listen until the end!¡± ¡°I said move!¡± He needed to kill them as soon as possible. For your sake! Why don¡¯t you understand?! ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Suddenly, Yujo¡¯s determined voice rang out. She slipped out from behind Garan. ¡°I have one more thing to tell you.¡± ¡°Shut that wicked mouth!¡± ¡°Please take a look at this.¡± Yujo took off the guibin¡¯s waistband and held it up to the emperor. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Please look closely.¡± The emperor snatched the waistband and observed it. It was an average waistband. The kind that the empress or the guibin would¡­ However, one thing was strange. The women of the imperial family had sapphires embedded on their waistbands. The men¡¯s waistbands had rubies. ¡°This is¡­¡± This wasn¡¯t the guibin¡¯s waistband. He took another close look. The pattern was covered by a patch, so it looked like a woman¡¯s waistband from afar. However, it was definitely not the guibin¡¯s waistband. The emperor cut off the patch with his sword. Once the waistband was cut, he could see small words embroidered into the fabric. It was the guibin¡¯s writing. It was her handiwork. As he read the words, the emperor¡¯s eyes grew bigger. An animalistic roar burst out of his throat. When the palace soldiers attacked the Crown Prince¡¯s bedchamber, the Crown Prince was asleep and naked in his bed. Due to the evening banquet and the other nightly activities, he didn¡¯t wake up from his slumber. The soldiers grabbed the naked Crown Prince, and the fleshy fat hung loose like the meat at a butcher¡¯s shop. ¡°F-Father Emperor!¡± Panting for breath, the Crown Prince lowered his head. Then he noticed the presence of the Red King and that bitch from Yeha and¡­¡­ His face froze. The guibin. The guibin who had disappeared was now standing before him. Wh-What happened? If it was according to his plan, he would have received the guibin from Jewol and cut off his tongue. Then he would have showed her to his Father Emperor. No, that¡¯s not it. This woman was now deranged, and she couldn¡¯t remember anything nor speak. ¡°Wh-What brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, just some trifling matters.¡± The emperor¡¯s spoke as if nothing was wrong. However, the Crown Prince knew very well that his Father Emperor was the most dangerous when he spoke like this. ¡°Father Emperor, let me explain¡­¡­¡± ¡°No need to explain. Just answer me one thing.¡± ¡°¡­¡­?¡± ¡°Seven years ago, you went to the western provinces with your troops. Do you remember?¡± ¡°Huh? Ah, it¡¯s been too long, so¡­¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you remember? The number of troops and the amount of campaign funds you took with you are all recorded¡­¡± Why was he asking about this? Something didn¡¯t feel right. The Crown Prince finally lowered his head. If he remembered correctly, he didn¡¯t go to the western provinces seven years ago. Instead, he¡­¡­ ¡°But when I questioned all the soldiers you had taken with you back then, they all said that you didn¡¯t participate. Where were you?¡± A shiver ran down the Crown Prince¡¯s spine. Seven years ago, he wasn¡¯t at the battlefield. He had left the soldiers to take care of the war and made his way to the royal villa where the guibin lived. He could no longer endure her dismissive attitude towards him and decided to teach her a lesson. That day, what was the guibin like? He had bought off her palace maids and turned the palace guards away. The royal villa was empty, and no one would be there to hear her screams. The soft, pale body twisted underneath him. The cries coming out of those bloody lips. The bruise on her cheek from his fist. ¡°I¡­¡­was at the battlefield. I don¡¯t know why the soldiers are slandering me¡­¡­¡± Suddenly, a wail pierced the silence. Like a savage beast that had burst out of a cave, the gubin charged at the Crown Prince. The woman had never reacted to anything until now. However, she was currently screaming like a demon as she attacked the Crown Prince. The shocked palace guards raced over, but it was no use. It was as if she was filled with a supernatural strength. She scratched at the Crown Prince¡¯s face and almost clawed his eyes out. ¡°Mother!¡± Garan ran over and wound his arms around her waist. ¡°Aaagh, aaahhh, aaaaagh!¡± She screamed and struggled as she wept. Yujo¡¯s eyes filled with tears as she watched the scene unfolding before her. The full-grown man, the man who seemed unmovable like a mountain, was tightly embracing his mother as he cried. ¡°Please calm down, Mother! Mother!¡± After a long while, the woman¡¯s cries died down. She returned to her blank state as she stared out into the distance. The Crown Prince was trembling on the ground. ¡°Y-Your Majesty, this is all a lie. The Red King is trying to slander me¡­¡­¡± ¡°Take the Crown Prince out and confine him in his residence. If he takes so much as one step out of the building, kill his entire family.¡± The emperor¡¯s command caused another commotion as the Crown Prince was dragged away. A silence settled once more. The emperor anxiously stared at the three people standing before him. This was a disgrace. It was humiliating. If this became known, the imperial family¡¯s honor would hit rock bottom. Or had it always been there? All of YeonSung already knew about the Crown Prince¡¯s gluttony. However, if they found out about what had happened to the guibin¡­¡­ He looked at the guibin. Her existence would become a thorn in his throat. If he kept her by his side, she would be a major obstacle in the Red King¡¯s life. ¡°Take her away.¡± At his words, Yujo and Garan looked at each other before turning their eyes to the emperor. They didn¡¯t understand what he meant. ¡°Father Emperor.¡± ¡°I will release the chief of Yeha to you.¡± The emperor was looking at Yujo. ¡°I will also give you the peace treaty you wanted. In return, take the guibin with you and treat her like your own mother. Can you do that?¡± Yujo lowered her head. Her heart was racing. Peace. They were going back with a peace treaty. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty. I will keep my promise.¡± ¡°And another thing.¡± The emperor spoke in a cold voice. ¡°You must never come back to the Silver Nation.¡± As if they were doused in ice water, Yujo and Garan froze. ¡°Over here, you are Dan SoYeon. A member of the imperial family. However, you created such a disgraceful scandal yesterday.¡± The emperor gazed at Garan. This was for his future. The future of the Silver Nation. This was what he had wanted for so long. Their path was now clear. This was good. They were already planning on dethroning the Crown Prince anyway. After today¡¯s events, the Crown Prince would never return to the political world. He wouldn¡¯t be able to keep his own life. In order to give Garan a peaceful reign, he needed to remove this girl. As far away as possible. ¡°The moment you return to this land, I will send my soldiers to Yeha. I will leave this as my dying wish, so my order will still be valid after my death.¡± Garan gazed at her. Yujo didn¡¯t look back at him. She merely clenched her fists. She had expected something like this to happen. This was for the best. This was what she had chosen. She was sorry, but she wanted Yeha more than the Red King. Chapter 16.2 - Lady of YeonSung 16 (Demon’s Night) part 2 ¡°Brother.¡± Yujo cried out when she saw her brother released from his prison cell. He was a mess. He had lost a lot of weight and looked like a famished tiger. ¡°Yujo.¡± However, his eyes were still piercing and his voice was still gruff. Yujo raced over to her brother and gave him a hug. He gave off a horrible stench, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°What happened? Did you find the Heukra? That damned bastard¡­ Ouch!¡± He was covered in wounds, and his limp was worse than ever. Yujo carefully supported him and helped him into the carriage. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s going on, but you sure look pretty.¡± This was the first time Yuha had seen Yujo in a dress. ¡°Haa¡­ If you can still crack jokes, I¡¯m glad your condition isn¡¯t anything serious.¡± Because of the guibin, Yujo and her brother had no choice but to stay at Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence. However, it was a bed of thorns. As soon as Muyeo saw her, she managed to slap Yujo¡¯s cheek before being restrained by Seol Joon. On top of that, when she was told that the guibin would have to depart for Yeha, Muyeo cried and made a fuss about joining her. Seol Joon was again put to the task of reigning her in. And when she heard that the girl who had shot her brother with an arrow was Yujo, she leaped up once again. Therefore, having to stay at Princess Muyeo¡¯s residence was a type of punishment. Princess Muyeo was probably not the only one who wanted to kill Yujo. Princess Yeowa¡¯s household was basically in a state of mourning. Yujo wanted to leave as soon as possible. As soon as Brother Yuha recovered and was healthy enough for travel, they¡¯d receive the emperor¡¯s royal decree. After that, they¡¯d leave YeonSung. Yujo diligently took care of the guibin and her brother. At this moment, that was all she could focus on. Four days had passed since Brother Yuha had been released. The place where she was staying was a building that was the furthest away from the main residence where the princess dwelled. The guibin stayed at the princess¡¯s residence, but Yujo and Yuha were kept together. Everything was quiet and peaceful. However, in order to forget the pain in her heart, Yujo only focused on her work. Yuha was very sick. While he was detained, he had starved and slept in the cold. Once he started coughing, he wouldn¡¯t stop until the next morning. His whole body was wracked by coughs as if he was going to rip apart. And although he tried to hide it from her, he was also coughing up blood. Whenever Yuha began coughing in the middle of the night, Yujo would quickly rush over to the brazier and grab the teapot of medicinal tea. Then she¡¯d pour him a cup and make him drink it. In his current condition, would he be able to pass over Mount Paran this winter? The emperor wasn¡¯t showing any mercy and had ordered them to depart for Yeha. Due to Yuha¡¯s condition, Yujo had wanted to leave in the spring when he had fully recovered, but that would be too dangerous. The Crown Prince¡¯s influence would soon become the empress¡¯s. If the truth about her identity was leaked, a great turbulence would shake the Silver Nation. She couldn¡¯t even imagine the aftermath of such a revelation. Leaving for Yeha as fast as possible was the right thing to do. ¡°Cough, ugh, I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°Nothing to be sorry about, Brother.¡± She carefully laid him down as she whispered. Yuha gazed at her before closing his eyes. A shadow was cast over his gaunt face. ¡°Jewol¡­¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t speak of that, Brother.¡± Yujo quickly cut off his words and gave him a smile. ¡°You¡¯re condition will get worse from all the anger.¡± ¡°I need to kill that son of a bitch¡­¡± A fierce spirit blazed behind his eyes as he stared off into the distance. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t have taken in that black beast¡­¡± ¡°Brother, rest for now. Let¡¯s think about that once we¡¯re all better.¡± She didn¡¯t want to think about any of this until some time had passed and the pain had lessened. ¡°I want to go home.¡± Yuha murmured as he closed his eyes. He had probably muttered this countless times in his jail cell. Yujo held back her tears and turned her head away. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s go home, Brother. Let¡¯s go home together.¡± She should have been happy¡­ She should definitely be feeling joy¡­ So why did her chest hurt? She recalled the man who had gazed at her. He was like the wind and fire. Like the cold snow. Whenever the wind of Yeha blew against her back, whenever she looked into a fire, whenever she watched the snow fall from the sky, she¡¯d always think of him. She¡¯d always see him when the sun rose over the hills at dawn. When she looked into the rushing waters of the river. Yujo grit her teeth. He was the man she had abandoned. The man she had fooled. She had left scars in his heart as if she had shot an arrow into his chest. How shameless. Why did she miss him so much? He would soon become the emperor. He would receive a beautiful wife, and he would hold the nation in his hands. He would suppress the sadness and pain. He would bury the pitiful yearning deep within his heart and walk down the path that was before him. And she would walk down the path that was before her. While she was staying at this residence, she had seen no sign of Garan. Of course not. Didn¡¯t he tell her that it would all be over once he found his mother? Is this how it ends? Without a goodbye? She heard that the Crown Prince would soon be dethroned. She had also heard that he would be demoted to a commoner. She heard that the empress¡¯s faction wore hemp clothes and were kowtowing in front of the emperor¡¯s residence in protest. In the fierce winds of winter, the palace welcomed the new year. No one knew when their throats would be slit next. Because of this, the Red King wouldn¡¯t be able to leave his post for a while. ¡°Once we return to Yeha, let¡¯s ride some horses.¡± Yeha mumbled as if he were talking in his sleep. ¡°Let¡¯s go far away until we reach the Black River. I want to do that.¡± Yujo looked at him and smiled softly. She brought the blanket up to his neck and whispered. ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s do that.¡± Yujo lowered her head onto her brother¡¯s bony chest and closed her eyes. Let¡¯s do what Brother said. Although the roads to Yeha were perilous, it was the path leading to home. Once we return home, let¡¯s forget about all this chaos that happened in the Silver Nation. And then let¡¯s begin anew. Let¡¯s run¡­ far away¡­ freely. The morning of their departure had finally come. Although they had packed up in a rush, Seol Joon had given them a sturdy carriage and some powerful horses. Additionally, he gave them about twenty guards, a doctor, and some servants. He even gave them a large sum of money for any other costs they might come across. ¡°These are for the inns you will be staying at along the way. I¡¯ve already contacted them, and they¡¯ve agreed to reject any other customers for the time being, so only stay at those inns. You must never lower your guard. The Red King is currently holding the empress back, but please do not relax for an instant until you leave the Silver Nation.¡± The Red King? Yujo raised her eyes and looked at him, but Duke HyoEun had already turned his head away. ¡°I¡¯ve also arranged for two other parties to leave with you. We want to be prepared for the unknown, so please pretend to move with them for now. They may be able to fool the eyes of our enemies.¡± Yujo was in awe. Seol Joon had always seemed so harmless, but she could now see his true self. He was actually a very rational and meticulous man. All this time, he had been been very good at calming down the bawling Muyeo. Pregnant with their second child, Muyeo was incredibly sensitive, but he continued to treat her like a precious treasure. Seeing him take such great care of her, Yujo couldn¡¯t help but think¡­ Although it was impossible, how nice would it have been if she and Garan could have been like that? Just a normal marriage without any heavy baggage or duties that came with such a cruel position of authority. How happy would they have been? Despite not receiving the emperor¡¯s affection, wasn¡¯t Princess Muyeo the happiest right now? Yujo couldn¡¯t believe she had such ridiculous thoughts. She scoffed at herself. He would become the emperor. He was going to have bigger and better things in the future. Wouldn¡¯t she merely become a memory of the past? After helping Yuha into the carriage, she needed to go inside and bring the guibin out. However, the guibin showed no sign of leaving Muyeo¡¯s room anytime soon. Seol Joon let out a sigh. Yujo assessed the situation and followed him inside. Inside, Princess Muyeo was wailing at the guibin¡¯s feet. ¡°Just once, Mother¡­ Just once¡­¡± Muyeo cried as she repeated those words. Having separated from her mother at such a young age, she had come to resent the fact that her mother couldn¡¯t remember her. It brought her so much pain. If they separated like this, she had no idea when she¡¯d see her again. She couldn¡¯t stand bidding her farewell as if they were strangers. Muyeo buried her face in the guibin¡¯s lap. Seeing her in total tears, Yujo couldn¡¯t say anything and merely stood still. She needed to pry her away. They needed to leave as soon as possible. This was for the best. However, they were family. They were mother and daughter. How could their parting be easy? No matter how much Seol Joon tried to convince her, Muyeo remained stubborn. She continued to shake the guibin, but the guibin merely shook like a trembling leaf and did not look at her daughter. Suddenly, Yujo saw the guibin¡¯s morin khuur. The instrument that Muyeo had treasured in memory of her mother. In the desert, the camels that transported its masters¡¯ baggage didn¡¯t let their young nurse. In the tough, painful environment of the desert, it didn¡¯t want to feed its young. At times like this, the desert nomads would grab their morin khuur. Then the camel¡¯s wretched and bitter heart would be soothed, and it would finally allow their young into its embrace. Yujo decided to give it a shot and took the morin khuur. As a way of apologizing and consoling Muyeo, Yujo began to play. A sad and beautiful melody filled the room. Muyeo stopped crying and raised her head to look at Yujo. All her short and long memories of YeonSung flowed out of her heart, and only an unexplainable yearning remained. YeonSung, the place she had been itching to leave. She had once declared that she¡¯d forget everything about this city once she obtained what she wanted. And now, a piece of her heart would always remain here. The man in a black mask. The man who had given her an annoying smile before pressing his lips down on hers at the ChiHwaRu. His back as he ran away with the bamboo slip. His deep eyes as he gazed at her underneath the fireworks. His scorching body and lips. His cold back as they parted. The way he pulled her wrist in anger. Even their painful kiss in the bamboo forest. It was the end. This was truly the last of it. Everyone froze as they listened to the music. Muyeo¡¯s blank face was suddenly filled with shock. The guibin had reached out and began to caress Muyeo¡¯s cheek. When Muyeo turned her face to the guibin, she saw that her mother was staring at her. She wasn¡¯t sure if she recognized her or not, but no one said anything. The warm and intense motherly love pierced through Muyeo¡¯s body. Tears began to flow out of Mueyo¡¯s eyes once again. She couldn¡¯t speak. She hugged her mother, and she felt her mother¡¯s warm arm wind around her. Aah, how could she have forgotten? It was merely deep within her heart. How could she have abandoned her own daughter? The guibin was still staring blankly in the distance, but she hugged her daughter. For Muyeo, that was enough. She was filled with joy and sadness. ¡°Take this with you.¡± When Yujo shut the carriage door, Muyeo held out the morin khuur to her. Startled, Yujo look at her. Her swollen face was still a mess, but she still looked young and beautiful. ¡°Take good care of her, and if something happens to her, I¡¯ll make sure you pay.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Yujo answered softly and received the morin khuur. Neither of them spoke after that. They didn¡¯t need to. Yujo entered the carriage. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you, too.¡± Muyeo said in a brash tone before slamming the carriage door shut. Yujo remained silent in the dark interior of the carriage. With a jolt, the carriage began to move. They were finally leaving. Yuha gave her a pale, tired smile. Yujo pressed her lips together and brought the morin khuur tightly against her chest. Suddenly, she saw a strange light coming from the fingerboard of the morin khuur. It could only be seen in the dark. She narrowed her eyes and brought it closer to her face. She was shocked to see that it was in the shape of the three-legged crow. No way¡­ Yujo pressed down on the fingerboard. The tenth seal held by Paran¡¯s priestess. The final key that the Crown Prince had been desperately searching for. It had been hidden in the morin khuur all along. Yujo¡¯s mouth widened in shock. She didn¡¯t know how things had turned out like this. To think that it was so close all along! And now it was in her hands! She gazed at the guibin in disbelief. The woman remained blank and silent. Chapter 17.1 - Lady of YeonSung 17 (Separation at Night) part 1 Edited by PurpleLetter WARNING: NSFW Their journey was unexpectedly smooth, and they managed to reach the northern border in five days, but because of the two sick passengers, the carriage moved slowly. Although it was January, the winter had been quite warm this year. If they were careful, they¡¯d be able to pass through Mount Paran with no major issues. They would arrive at Yeha tomorrow. Yujo¡¯s heart raced inside her chest. It was almost painful, but she couldn¡¯t calm down. Tomorrow, she would don men¡¯s clothing and finish their journey on horseback. If possible, she wanted to race back to him, but that wasn¡¯t possible. Her brother and the guibin had basically been lying inside the carriage for the entire journey. To keep the cold air from entering inside, the interior walls of the carriage were covered in cotton blankets. They even installed a small brazier inside. ¡°You should get some rest, too.¡± Yuha spoke worriedly from his bed. He felt as if he was a burden his young sister had to bear, and he felt incredibly uncomfortable. ¡°I am resting.¡± ¡°What do you mean? You¡¯re not eating your meals properly, and I know you¡¯re barely getting any sleep.¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m just nervous.¡± Yujo laughed softly as she handed her brother his medicine. She was really grateful for Duke HyoEun. He had sent them off with more than enough equipment and people, so they were able to have a smooth journey. All the people that they had met along the way were all sent by Duke HyoEun, and they seemed to be connected to the Nine Families. They all had fierce eyes and were very meticulous about their work. How did this organization function? She had heard that the Northern Nine Families all moved with the Paran priestess at their center. Although the empire had already fallen, these people still believed in the ancient ways. They believed that one day, a powerful priestess with immense divine power would come and rebuild the old Paran once again. She was prophesied to be a pure maiden with a fierce soul, and she would become Paran¡¯s queen. She would hold all ten seals within her grasp and rebuild the northern nation. By doing so, she would bring peace and freedom to the land once more. Yujo shook her head. How could anyone believe such a ridiculous prophecy? The divine nation had long collapsed hundreds of years ago, but she could still feel the tenacity and patience of all these people . It was quite amazing. After checking on the guibin, Yujo returned to her room. Her body was frozen from the cold air, and she was covered in dust and smelled like horses. She requested some hot water and took a bath for the first time in a long while. She meticulously washed her hair. She wanted to enter the land of Yeha with a clean body. As the night deepened, the air grew cold. She opened a window and saw that the sky was filled with stars. Far off in the distance, she could see the shadowy outline of Mount Paran standing like a great giant. The mountain¡¯s peak seemed to pierce the cold, white moon. The wind whistled as it blew past the mountain. After looking at the landscape for a long time, Yujo began to close the window. Suddenly, she had a strange feeling. This is¡­ Yujo froze and continued to stare out the window. On top of a roof, she saw a dark shadow watching her. A thick pelt was draped around his neck. His black hair fluttered in the wind. She could clearly see the sharp eyes piercing through her in the darkness. Yujo merely stared at him. And he merely stared back at her. Everything was over. No, actually, everything shouldn¡¯t have begun in the first place. She needed to close the window. She needed to lower the curtains right now. She mustn¡¯t make any more memories. She mustn¡¯t even see him in her dreams. Think about what he did to you. Think about everything that happened that night. They gave each other deep wounds, and they both couldn¡¯t forgive each other. But she couldn¡¯t close it. Although she hated him, she couldn¡¯t stop it. Like a black panther, he entered through the window. He smelled like the cold wind. He had probably raced over here on his horse. Yujo was pushed back against a wall. She opened her lips and welcomed his fierce kiss. He didn¡¯t say a word. But what needed to be said? What could they say? A cold hand reached into her bosom. A shiver ran down her chest and stomach. However, Yujo didn¡¯t try to escape. Just this once¡­ Just one more time¡­ She wanted to embrace this man. The tears dripping out of her eyes didn¡¯t matter. Their rough kisses didn¡¯t matter. He pushed his way in and began to undo her clothes. His movements grew rough. It all didn¡¯t matter anymore. I hate you. I hate myself. But I don¡¯t want to leave you. Aah, she really didn¡¯t want to leave him like this. But how could she tell him that? His arms wrapped around her so tightly that she could barely breathe. The anger and sadness inside of him along with the emperor¡¯s command that he stay away from her¡­ None of it held him back in this moment. His guilt and rage¡­ The rejection and jealousy¡­ None of it mattered anymore. He just didn¡¯t want to let her go. And she didn¡¯t want to abandon him. If they parted like this, they would never meet again. They didn¡¯t want to waste any time. His coat fell to the floor. Her thin nightclothes followed. At one point, the moonlight settled on top of the man¡¯s back. They were standing so close that the cold wind couldn¡¯t travel between them. His hand grasped her bottom and lifted her up. With her back against the wall, Yujo opened her legs. The man¡¯s cock plunged into her insufficiently wet entrance, but Yujo didn¡¯t make a sound. Even if her whole body ripped apart and was destroyed, she still wanted this man. She endured the pain and held onto him with a tight grasp. She widened her legs before wrapping them around his hips. Garan suddenly stopped moving. He was inside her. Their chests were pressed up against each other, and he could feel their heartbeats racing. He wrapped his arms around her hips and took a step back. Feeling him move inside her, Yujo let out a soft moan. She raised her head with much difficulty and looked into his eyes. The blue moonlight filled the room. This woman who held him inside her was so beautiful. Her black hair was gathered over her shoulder and fell down like a waterfall. Her dark blue eyes were only looking at him. ¡°Yujo.¡± He called her by her name for the first time. Her eyes grew warm. Tears pooled along the rim before falling down without any hesitation. Yujo didn¡¯t want to cry at this moment, so she laughed. Her watery smile was filled with genuine happiness for the first time. ¡®Garan.¡± She called him. He lowered his lips onto hers. She opened her mouth and bit him. They rubbed and sucked as they tangled together. His lips, his breaths¡­ Everything about him was so lovable. How did I come to meet someone like you? She was drawn to him by some indescribable force, and she ended up embracing a man she didn¡¯t want. No matter how much time had passed, she¡¯d never forget him. She felt the bed press up against her back. She felt this man¡¯s scorching body against her skin. He pressed his lips against her forehead. She pressed her soft lips against his eyes and nose before lightly brushing them against his lips. While she did this, he continued to rock into her, the most ancient rhythm of all time. Their bodies stuck together, and their limbs were tangled around each other. Yujo lost herself. She followed his rhythm and began to rock her own body against his. Their bodies fiercely came together and parted only to want more. The movements grew faster. They couldn¡¯t recognize the moans leaving their mouths. They tightly grabbed onto one another as if they were trying not to lose the other in the deep, dark waters. I love you. Yujo whispered in her heart. I love you, my Red King. They were on fire. It was as if they were drowning in lava. The scorching fire flowed down their bodies and swallowed her shoulders and chest. It traveled down her lower stomach to the warmth between her thighs. It enveloped their lips and his cheek, his disheveled black hair and his undulating hips, before traveling down the contracting muscles of his thighs. They were surrounded by fire. They melted and mixed together. A soaring fire bloomed before it flowed inside her. Yujo tightly shut her eyes. Had dawn arrived? A faint light glimmered from the closed window. The chickens roaming freely at the inn were roosting and began to cry out. Thanks to them, she began to hear the whispers of the men as they got up to work. Yujo¡¯s eyes flickered, but she didn¡¯t move a muscle. Her back was hot and he was still inside her. Because her body was much smaller than his, she could feel his presence a lot more clearly. Her mouth was dry, but she tried to swallow. Once he caught her, he¡¯d never let go until the very end. This behavior of his was still the same. Because he had pinned her down all night long, her body felt stiff like wet cotton. I really need to go now¡­ They needed to pass through Mount Paran today. She carefully pulled away and felt him pull out of her body. Yujo gasped at the sensation. She couldn¡¯t keep lying down like this. She carefully got up. Her legs trembled, and she couldn¡¯t see anything in the darkness. She was more tired than when she had fought in the battlefield. Her legs shook as she made her way to her nightclothes. As she walked, she could feel their mixed essence drip out of her entrance and trickle down her thighs. Oh dear. Yujo held back a moan as she bit her lips. ¡°Come here.¡± Suddenly, she heard his voice behind her. Startled, she turned around. He was lying naked in bed as he gazed at her. His black eyes were gleaming with languid desire. ¡°I need to go.¡± ¡°I know. I¡¯ll follow you over the mountain, so come here for now.¡± What if the emperor finds out? Yujo slightly frowned. ¡°I¡¯ll take care of it.¡± He spoke before stretching out his hand. If she denied him, he¡¯d get up and grab her. Yujo let out a sigh and shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be able to ride my horse.¡± ¡°Then you can just take the carriage. Why are you still standing there?¡± Yujo finally began to approach him. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to his chest before pinning her down underneath him. Yujo coyly turned her head away. ¡°Are you going to follow me to Yeha?¡± ¡°No way.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Yujo avoided his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll follow you up until you reach the border.¡± She felt angry for some reason. As if last night had been a dream, his face was completely calm. But what did it matter? As he once said, she was the one who was abandoning him. As if they had agreed to it beforehand, neither of them mentioned that today was their final day together. Instead, their lips tangled once more. Unlike last night¡¯s frantic movements, this kiss was tender. He moved on top of her once again. Yujo moaned as she pushed him away, but it didn¡¯t matter. His cock hardened and began to poke her lower stomach. She sighed and whined, but she felt her legs opening. His stiff rod plunged into her swollen entrance. Yujo sucked in a breath and shook her head. Her vision turned hazy. Her body writhed as he began to thrust into her. His hips began to rock, and Yujo¡¯s body slid up and down on top of the bedding. ¡°Uuugh.¡± Yujo moaned as she closed her eyes. The scorching pleasure spread out to her fingertips and toes. No matter how much she tried to stop it, it was no use. Where did this intense ecstasy come from? During all their endless movements, the sun began to rise. Yujo desperately wanted him to finish, so she gathered her strength and tightened her legs around his hips. However, his thrusting hips didn¡¯t slow down. ¡°Aaah, Garan.¡± At Yujo¡¯s cry, Garan happily latched onto her nipple. Yujo felt as if she were soaring in the sky. As she reached her climax, she was filled with joy and dread. She bit down onto his shoulder. He felt as if he was losing his mind. HisHis hands squeezed her bottom as he fiercely rammed his hips into hers. Yujo threw her head back and saw the sun shining outside. Suddenly, the Red King froze, and she could feel his hot seed spurting inside her. Yujo grasped his back and shuddered. At that moment, she had a premonition. She felt that they had just made a child¡­ Chapter 17.2 - Lady of YeonSung 17 (Separation at Night) part 2 Edited by PurpleLetter ¡°What¡¯s the occasion? You¡¯re riding the carriage?¡± Surprised, Yuha turned around to look at her as he asked. ¡°I¡¯m just a bit tired.¡± After answering, Yujo went inside and sat down. She was so sore, but she couldn¡¯t tell her brother that. The guibin must have been tired as well because she was asleep on the seat. After finishing their preparations to depart, the men shouted out, and the horses whinnied in the cold winter air, puffing out white clouds. Was the Red King and his men here? For some reason, the air felt a bit tense. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ve added some people to the party.¡± Yuha slightly opened the window as he spoke. His gaze was focused on a man with a pelt draped around his shoulders. Although he wasn¡¯t wearing a crown, he gave off a domineering aura. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen him somewhere¡­¡± Yujo ignored her brother¡¯s murmurs, but her back was covered in cold sweat. Someone ordered, ¡®Let¡¯s go.¡¯ The carriage began to shake as it made its way down the road. The party began to move towards Mount Paran. The sunlight shone through the tall spruce trees. There was no cloud to be seen in the blue sky. It was as if the weather was on their side. Yujo sighed. She couldn¡¯t help but keep her eyes on Garan through the window. The carriage began to shake as it traveled up the stone path of the mountain. How far along were they? They were probably close to the mountain peak. That would be the end. Yujo took another glance at him. The man fixed his eyes forward and never took one look at her. He seemed so cold. Should she call out to him? Everyone would probably faint from the shock if she called out, ¡®Garan.¡¯ Suddenly, as if he¡¯d heard her thoughts, he turned his head and looked at her. The sunlight poured out from behind him as his eyes gazed at her. Yujo couldn¡¯t help but give him a small smile. Although he was right in front of her, she still felt a deep yearning in her heart. Suddenly, everything turned upside down. Crash! The carriage soared into the air. Even the horses were thrown up with it. Yujo screamed out and covered her face. Suddenly, everything was plunged into darkness. There was no sound. There was no feeling. Yujo¡¯s ears were ringing, and she could see Brother Yuha¡¯s face. He was shouting something at her, but she couldn¡¯t hear him. Yujo¡¯s shaky eyes could barely see. Then she saw them. The shattered carriage was on fire. Assassins in black were coming down like ants. There were hundreds of them. Aah, that¡¯s right. This was Mount Paran. The natural fortress where even thousands of soldiers failed to pass. They should have been more careful in the narrow canyon¡­¡­ She saw Garan swinging his sword and the violent assassins fighting him. However, there were too many of them. They were definitely sent by the angry empress. Get yourself together. Yujo grit her teeth. Get yourself together, Yujo. She could see the guibin rolling on the ground not far from her. She couldn¡¯t tell if she was dead or alive. Suddenly, Yujo felt as if she were going crazy. Garan would be sad. If he saw her like that¡­ When he had just reunited with his mother¡­ If he lost her again, he would be in so much pain! ¡°Ugh!¡± Yujo grit her teeth and got up. She began to crawl over to the guibin. Suddenly, someone blocked her way. Who was it? She raised her head. He was one of the guards that had been in their party. The man with the bushy beard and slanted eyes. However, for some reason, his expression was cold. The man reached behind him and grasped the nape of his neck. Then he took off his face. No, to be more accurate, he took off his skin mask. Jewol. Yujo stared blankly at him. Jewol, how can you¡­ She finally realized why the carriage had flown away. It was as if Jewol were a different person. Something was missing from his cold face, and his expression was strangely contorted. His beautiful face was covered by a mysterious lunacy. He raised his hand. A knife flashed inside his grasp. Yujo shouted out as she pushed Yuha out of the way before rolling to the side, effectively avoiding the knife. His terrifying eyes flashed as he glared at Yujo. ¡°Dirty bitch. How dare you betray me and open your legs to him!¡± Yujo frantically searched for a sword. She needed something to block his attacks. Garan saw her and tried to rush over, but hundreds of assassins began to attack him. ¡°Yujo!¡± Garan screamed out, but the assassins began to swarm around him. Jewol slowly approached Yujo. He kept murmuring. ¡°Everything was for you.¡± His eyes flashed deliriously. ¡°The reason why I endured that dirty Crown Prince, the reason why I took you in as my wife¡­ It was all for you.¡± ¡°Brother Je¡­¡± ¡°But you embraced the Red King. You embraced him as you panted like an animal. You dog bitch. I won¡¯t let you off.¡± What did this mean? How was this all for her?! ¡°Get yourself together.¡± ¡°Get myself together?! You don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t know what kind of man the Crown Prince is. How terrifying he is. If he wanted to kill you, he¡¯d do it.¡± His eyes were filled with chaos and fear. It didn¡¯t seem like he knew what he was talking about. Overwhelmed by fear and anger, he wasn¡¯t in his right mind. ¡°Everything¡­ all for you¡­ It was all for you, but¡­¡­. Yujo.¡± His bloodshot eyes glared at her. ¡°But you still let him inside your room. Did you think I wouldn¡¯t know? You embraced him all night. I¡¯ll kill you. I¡¯m going to kill you.¡± Goosebumps rose on her flesh. Death was right in front of her eyes. Jewol raised his knife once more. A scream burst out of her lips before the blade pierced her. Suddenly, smack! Brother Yuha had leaped onto him from behind. Aaaagh! Yuha roared out as he rolled on the ground, trying to fight Jewol. No matter how weak Yuha was, Jewol wouldn¡¯t be able to win him in a match of strength. However, Jewol wasn¡¯t in his right mind and he had a knife. As he swung it around, a wound formed on Yuha¡¯s throat. Yuha thrust his fist into Jewol¡¯s jaw, but he ended up being kicked back. Amidst all this, Yujo frantically crawled over to the guibin to check on her condition. There was some blood on her forehead, and one of her legs was bent strangely as if it had been broken. ¡°Your Highness! Your Highness!¡± Yujo frantically shook her before putting her finger under her nose. Thankfully, she could feel her breaths. ¡°Please wake up, please!¡± They needed to escape. However, there was no other way to escape this canyon other than moving forward. She heard another roar and saw that a new wave of assassins were coming in. These men were definitely going to bury her and the Red King in this canyon today. God, please. Yujo groaned as she pulled out a sword from a fallen soldier. All she could do now was fight to the death. As the blood blew with the wind in the canyon of Mount Paran, the skies were so blue and clear. Yujo was about to charge at Jewol. However, dozens of assassins began to swarm at her from all directions. She grit her teeth and began to slash them down. Blood sprayed. She felt a staggering pain in her back and hips. She was probably wounded. The three assassins in front of her looked at her with murderous eyes. ¡°Ugh!¡± Yujo mustered all her strength to endure. However, there were too many enemies. Suddenly, Yuha roared out as he raced towards her. Everything happened in a moment. Yujo gazed at her brother. Blood began to pool in her brother¡¯s kind eyes. She finally saw the three swords sticking out of his back. She couldn¡¯t believe it. ¡°Brother¡­¡­¡± Yujo murmured. Spurt, blood began to burst out of Yuha¡¯s mouth. She thought she heard him whisper, ¡®Yujo.¡¯ She held her brother and collapsed onto the ground. Brother. The man who had been her father and mother. The brother who had carried her on his back whenever she cried. The brother who had gifted Yujo with her first horse. The brother who had hunted down the strongest deer and given her its antler to use as a bow. No. Yujo whispered. This can¡¯t be. ¡°Brother¡­Yu¡­ha¡­¡± It was her voice, but it sounded so unfamiliar. ¡°Aaaaaagh!¡± Her scream cut through the canyon. Yujo flew out of her seat and slashed down the men who had pierced her brother. As if a divine energy had enveloped her, Yujo swung her sword with terrifying speed. She was soon drenched in her enemies¡¯ blood. She¡¯d kill them all. Yujo laughed at the assassins as they began to swarm around her once again. She¡¯d sweep them all away. Blood dripped from her shaking hands. Pain ripped her heart to shreds, and she couldn¡¯t feel anything anymore. No matter how much she slashed and slashed, this fight would never end. Suddenly, she heard a shout. No, it was the sound of a horn. Yujo raised her head. She saw her incredibly familiar falcon flying in the sky. It was Yeha¡¯s warriors. Arrows began to fly in the air. The black arrows accurately pierced through the necks of their enemies. The assassins began to flee like the prey of a falcon. However, the arrows showed no mercy. Yujo was dripping with blood when she saw Jewol get up. He was also a bloody mess. It was almost surprising that he was still breathing after all this. As if he¡¯d been possessed by a demon, he looked terrifying. He gazed at the swords in Yuha¡¯s back and then at Yujo as she held his corpse. His eyes welled up with tears. Then he let out a twisted laugh. ¡°Let¡¯s leave together, Yujo. The three of us¡­¡­¡± He pulled something out of his chest pocket. It was the crystal bottle that held a glowing stone. It was the icy-fire stone. ¡°Let¡¯s all go together¡­ the three of us again¡­¡± Yujo laughed in disbelief. She was so angry that all she could do was laugh. She pulled out one of the swords in her brother¡¯s back. She would kill Jewol with her own hands. He approached her. He opened the lid of the crystal bottle. Yujo stood up and readied herself. If she didn¡¯t kill Jewol today, she¡¯d never forgive herself. ¡°Aaagh!¡± Jewol charged at her as he let out a shout. Suddenly, a sword flashed as it flew in the air. In the same moment, the crystal bottle shattered in midair. Like a bolt of lightning, the sword pierced Jewol¡¯s throat. ¡°Ugh!¡± The throes of death. Blood dripped down his neck. Face as white as paper. Those eyes filled with lunacy only gazed at Yujo. ¡°Together¡­¡± Suddenly, a white light enveloped Jewol. Boom! Flames covered his whole body. Yujo turned her head. Garan was a bloody mess as he limped over to her. He pulled out his sword. The flames crackled for a long while. Finally, the corpse stopped burning. They put Yuha¡¯s body in the carriage brought from Yeha. Another carriage carried the guibin. As if to bring this tragedy to a close, the sun began to set. The red light was drenched in blood. It was soon engulfed by the dark body of Mount Paran. ¡°Mergan.¡± Tuwan, who had been her brother¡¯s subordinate, approached her and knelt down in front of her. Yujo blankly looked at him. That¡¯s right. Brother was no longer here. Now Yujo was the chief. Brother hadn¡¯t left behind any children before he died, and women were allowed to lead in Yeha. ¡°What should we do?¡± What should they do? Yujo blankly chewed on those words before she turned her head. Far away, she could see Garan standing by as he watched her. A cold wind blew. This was the boundary between their countries. Last night, as she was being embraced by him, she wondered. Wouldn¡¯t they be able to meet again? After the emperor died, and when he became the emperor, wouldn¡¯t they be able to return to each other? If that were to happen, he needed to become the emperor, and that meant he¡¯d have to marry¡­¡­ But so what? So what if she wasn¡¯t the empress? So what if she wasn¡¯t his only wife? They both had feelings for each other, and they carried unforgettable memories and mistakes between them. If her premonition was correct and they had created a child together this morning, he would be an incredibly wonderful father. Somehow, sometime¡­ Maybe¡­ Yujo smiled bitterly and lowered her head. The words in her head fell to the ground and were crushed underneath her feet. All the hopes and dreams that had crept into her heart shattered and flew away with the winds of Mount Paran. Brother wasn¡¯t here. The man who had been such a sturdy mountain for her was no longer here. What would happen to Yeha now that their leader was gone? Should they appoint a new leader? What about the bloody land decimated by war? Even if the Crown Prince had been dethroned, he still had the nine seals of Paran in his hands, and he was the type of man who would always dream of something more. ¡°Before the night falls¡­¡± Yujo spoke as she stared at Garan. ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Yeha.¡± She abandoned him once again. The Red King stayed far away and didn¡¯t approach her. The past days where she didn¡¯t even feel the flow of time¡­ The days when she had looked at him with the wind at her back¡­ It was as if they had all happened yesterday. But there was always such a huge gap between them. Yujo got on her horse. Her falcon circled them from up above before flying down and landing on her arm. Because she wasn¡¯t wearing her leather gloves, its claws painfully dug into her wrist. ¡°Farewell, Your Highness.¡± Yujo didn¡¯t have anything else to say. She turned the horse around and began to race towards Yeha. Her land was right before her eyes. The bloody light of the sun sharply shone down on the jagged edges of Mount Paran. The Red King remained standing in his spot. His black hair fluttered in the course wind¡­¡­ ¡°Your Highness.¡± The warm April breeze blew through YeonSung as spring began to permeate the city. Red plum flowers had blossomed in the Red King¡¯s residence. Eunuch Sa cautiously entered the bedchamber and lowered his head. The Red King was reading a letter given to him by a spy from the north. His expression looked strange. He seemed pale and surprised, as if he were in a daze of disbelief. What news had he received for him to react this way? ¡°Your Highness, the imperial palace has sent the official attire.¡± Finally, the coronation of the new Crown Prince was scheduled for tomorrow. The impeachment of the Crown Prince was finally complete. The dethronement process had passed, and all the obstacles on the path to the coronation had been dealt with. The empress¡¯s faction was tenacious in their objections. The Crown Prince had a son who was considered to be his successor. They claimed that he was to be the next heir to the throne, but the prince was only seven years old. On top of that, the emperor was not in good health. In such uncertain times, it was clear that the Silver Nation would fall into the empress¡¯s grasp if they weren¡¯t careful. If it wasn¡¯t for the emperor¡¯s indomitable willpower in making the Red King his successor, all this wouldn¡¯t have been possible. And finally, everything would be fulfilled tomorrow. They had even received the official attire for the coronation from the emperor. After tomorrow¡¯s ceremony, the Red King would officially become the Crown Prince of the Silver Nation. And right after his appointment, he would be taking a wife. ¡°Your Highness.¡± Despite the eunuch¡¯s call, the Red King didn¡¯t budge. Should he leave and return a little later? Suddenly, the door burst open, and YulMok hurriedly entered the room. ¡°Your Highness!¡± The Red King raised his head at YulMok¡¯s call, causing Eunuch Sa to pout in disappointment. Wasn¡¯t this too harsh? The Red King hadn¡¯t been eating very well these days, and he hadn¡¯t been sleeping either. Whenever Eunuch Sa spoke, it went in one ear and out the other. However, whenever YulMok spoke, he listened with rapt attention. ¡°There¡¯s some bad news.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± YulMok lowered his head. ¡°Someone has stolen Jukmu.¡± Suddenly, a silence settled in the room. Eunuch Sa looked at YulMok in shock. What did he just say? ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Eunuch Sa was so shocked that he couldn¡¯t help but intervene. Surprised by his own actions, he quickly lowered his head. Had he lost his mind? How could he make a mistake like this? How dare he intervene without being asked? It was worthy of death. ¡°What did you say?¡± The Red King asked in disbelief. ¡°How did this happen?¡± ¡°They said that the horse was supposed to be tied up in the stable, but it has disappeared. I¡¯m sorry, Your Highness. I¡¯ll send someone right away and¡­¡± ¡°Leave it.¡± The Red King cut him off. Someone just told him that his precious horse had disappeared, so why was he smiling like that? Eunuch Sa raised his head in shock. The Red King suddenly spoke out of the blue. ¡°It seems that I won¡¯t be able to go to the imperial palace tomorrow.¡± ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Return the official robes to the emperor. He will know what I mean.¡± Had he lost his mind? What did he mean by this? Ignoring the eunuch¡¯s pale face, the Red King brushed past him. ¡°Your Highness! Where are you going?¡± Eunuch Sa was taken aback and began to chase after him. The Red King grinned. It was the first smile Eunuch Sa had seen this year. The Red King grabbed his sword and draped his coat over his shoulders as he spoke. ¡°Where do you think? I¡¯m going to go catch a horse thief.¡± At those words, Eunuch Sa collapsed to the ground. Chapter 18 - Lady of YeonSung 18 (Reunion in the Spring) Lady of YeonSung 18 (Reunion in the Spring) Spring had returned to YeonSung. The majestic imperial palace and the residences of all the high ranking officials surrounding it¡­ They were all the same. I lived here for four seasons? Yujo was lost in thought as she looked down at the city. The clear, cool spring wind brushed through her hair. When she had decided to return to this city, she was met with many objections and countless worries. She still clearly remembered the emperor¡¯s threat. If she ever stepped foot inside the Silver Nation, he would destroy Yeha. She still remembered the Red King¡¯s voice as he told her that he¡¯d never see her again after he found his mother. More importantly, YeonSung was the place where Brother Jewol had lived and the place where she had ultimately lost Brother Yuha. However, she needed to come here. She couldn¡¯t help but come here. The past four months had passed by in a haze. She prepared a funeral for Brother Yuha and became the new Mergan. As the new leader, she needed to decide where the people of Yeha would settle next. Thankfully, all the elders of Yeha had been kind to her. They considered her to have been as brave as her brother during the war. More importantly, they approved of the fact that she had managed to make peace with the Silver Nation¡¯s emperor and bring back a peace treaty. On top of that, she had brought back with her the mother of the next emperor of the Silver Nation. There was nothing else that could be more of a help to them in the political world. Once Yeha¡¯s peace was secured, Yujo began searching for her central tree. Yujo selected a banyan tree to be the central tree of the new Yeha. Nine parties were posted around the tree, and they would help govern the nation. They trained new warriors, and the spring had brought new life. The bodies of their ancestors were exhumed and buried near the tree. Once a child was born in Yeha, they would plant a tree connected to that child, and the child and the tree would grow together. Once they died, they¡¯d be buried underneath their tree. Therefore, they believed that all of the mountains and hills, the skies and the earth, were filled with the breath of their ancestors. Brother Yuha was buried next to their father. And now, Yujo was truly alone. However, more than the loneliness, the heaviest burden in her heart was the yearning. She felt fine during the day when she was buried in work. She¡¯d put her all into her tasks, and when she focused solely on her work, the time would crawl by. However, she could barely endure it at night. Whenever she was about to fall asleep, she recalled her time in YeonSung. Those difficult memories had transformed into yearning as they began to fill her head. The man who had hugged her from behind. The laughing voice saying that she smelled like peonies. Him looking down at her after suddenly appearing before her. She even remembered the way he had ridden on his horse as he found her at CheongRyu Hall. The moments when he tasted her lips in the sunlight. The way he stood in the snow when they had reunited. His angry kiss amongst the bamboo trees. She recalled his expression when he had come to her at the inn. She remembered and remembered¡­ And whenever she remembered these moments, her heart hurt. And whenever her heart hurt, she¡¯d cry. And whenever she cried, she felt as if she were going crazy. If there was a medicine that could let her forget someone, she¡¯d give anything he had to get her hands on it. If only she could escape these memories, if only she could run away from these thoughts¡­ That¡¯s all she wanted. At night, Yujo would get on her horse and race towards Mount Paran. Like the man behind the legend of the morin khuur who couldn¡¯t forget his lover, she wanted to race to his side. And what would she do once she met him again? What would he do when he met her again? She couldn¡¯t abandon her land of Yeha. The burdens she had to bear belonged to her family alone. And how could she ask him to give up his imperial throne? How could she ask him to give up the bright honor and future that was ahead of him? How could she ask him to abandon such power and authority? Would she order him not to take an empress and love only her? It was impossible. It was a selfish dream. But still, when night came, Yujo would race towards Mount Paran on her horse. She¡¯d escape the central tree and race through the vast plains. She wanted to leap over the formidable mountain and be with him. And what would she do after that? What would she do once she met him? Every night, she¡¯d stand in the vast plains alone with tears running down her face. She had lost such an important person. She missed Brother Yuha, and she even missed that hateful Brother Jewol. She missed Princess Muyeo, and she missed the gossipy ladies of YeonSung. And more than anyone else, she missed her man. ¡°Oh dear. Why can¡¯t you eat your meals?¡± Her cousin CheongJo approached her as she asked. ¡°You¡¯ve grown too thin.¡± She added in a worried tone. She knew. Yujo could barely stomach her food. No matter what food was brought before her, they all smelled strange to her. Just smelling them, no, even hearing the name of the food would cause her to be overcome with nausea. However, she didn¡¯t know what was happening to her. She merely tried to keep moving so that she could forget the loneliness and yearning. Then one night¡­ When early spring had arrived, Guibin Nok Yeo approached Yujo. After arriving at Yeha, she never spoke a word. However, after living here for a while, her expression grew softer. Nok Yeo was no longer the guibin of the Silver Nation. Like the other common people of Yeha, she¡¯d spend her days underneath the banyan tree with the other elders and children making fabric and embroidering. That night, Yujo tiredly leaned back against the tree. The guibin secretly approached her. She sat down next to Yujo, who was barely able to keep her eyes open. Then she spoke. ¡°The child is a girl.¡± Yujo¡¯s eyes burst open in shock. This was the first time Nok Yeo had spoken. ¡°She¡¯s such a strong, beautiful girl. She¡¯s a child of Paran.¡± What? Yujo¡¯s shocked eyes went back and forth between the guibin and her own stomach. A girl? In my belly? She finally realized that she hadn¡¯t had her monthly menses yet. On that final day, after embracing Garan for the last time, she had had a feeling that they¡¯d created a child together. She finally remembered that now. She realized that all of this had been early signs of pregnancy. A child. Yujo¡¯s hand wrapped around her stomach. A child! His and her child! A new family member. She couldn¡¯t believe it. She began to tremble as she became overwhelmed with emotion. She recalled her dream from a long time ago when she had embraced Garan for the very first time in the cave. The girl in her dream had been so beautiful. She had seemed so strong and free. The child was wearing a golden crown, and she was a queen. ¡°A child!¡± Yujo cried out and placed her hands over her stomach. Then she looked into the guibin¡¯s eyes. The eyes that looked so much like Garan¡¯s were looking back at her. In that moment, she realized. This connection that she had believed to be a curse¡­ It was merely one fragment of the great destiny that lay before them¡­¡­ The day he had appeared at Yeha, he had been shot by her arrow. When she went to the Silver Nation, she met him. All the events that had occurred as they chased after the Heukra, meeting the guibin, Jewol¡¯s betrayal and Brother Yuha¡¯s death¡­ All of this may have occurred for this child¡¯s sake. Is this too outrageous? Is this too much of a leap? However, one thing was certain. Garan was her man. Just as much as she was his woman. The moment he had been struck by her arrow, he would never be able to leave her. And she would never be able to leave him. Just like now. And what was so important? The fact that he was going to become the emperor? Was that so important? It wasn¡¯t more important than her, than their daughter, and their lives. No title was more important than their burning hearts for each other. ¡°Thank you, Mother.¡± Yujo whispered to the guibin. She brought the guibin¡¯s hand to her lips. Let¡¯s not forget the important things. She was Yeha¡¯s daughter. A woman of Yeha didn¡¯t easily let go of the man she wanted. No matter what happened, she¡¯d seduce him and make him hers. Didn¡¯t she have the same thoughts in YeonSung? If she could, she¡¯d steal his horse and bring him back to Yeha. She stood up and called for Tuwan. Although he was a warrior of Yeha, he confessed to her that the Silver Nation¡¯s prince had approached her a few days ago and tried to buy him off as a spy. Yujo knew that the prince was Garan and approved of his communications with him. She knew his eyes would wander in this direction. He was concerned about Yujo, and she knew that very well. ¡°Tell the Red King¡­¡± Yujo softly spoke to Tuwan. ¡°That I am pregnant with his child.¡± Tuwan¡¯s brown eyes widened. He repeatedly asked her, ¡®Seriously?¡¯ Yujo¡¯s face was gaunt as she answered in the affirmative, but she was glowing. While his letter raced over to the Silver Nation, Yujo prepared for her journey before heading for the Silver Nation herself. She hesitated and wondered whether she should take the carriage, but Yujo felt a powerful vitality coming from the child in her belly. This child would be born with the spirits of the heavens and earth, the wind and water, in her hands. Yujo believed. When she returned to YeonSung, it was spring. Yellowish green buds began to adorn the tips of branches. The plants that had been frozen within the ground began to rear its heads and show off its bluish green leaves. The ChiHwaRu where the Nine Family¡¯s Danju had died was still the same. CheongRyu Hall had also been rebuilt. The forest where she had ridden Garan¡¯s horse also remained unchanged. No, actually, the forest was now filled with spring and light. It was so different from that day when she had raced in the rain. The cliff where she had jumped with his horse, Jukmu, was the same. Yujo stood on the other side of the cliff. The green hue of spring was underneath her feet. She ordered Tuwan to steal Garan¡¯s horse and bring it to her. If she stole his warhorse, Jukmu, he¡¯d know she was here. A soft wind brushed past her and made her hood flutter in the breeze. She gathered her hands in front of her and looked down at YeonSung. Would he come? Would he really come? She believed he would, but she was still afraid he wouldn¡¯t. Yujo gazed at the forest path. The flower blossoms shook on its branches, making her heart flutter even more. He¡¯ll come, right? I¡¯m the one who chose Brother and Yeha over you. However, he¡¯d understand. And he¡¯d acknowledge her heart as she raced back here. She wanted to believe that was true. She knew she was too selfish. She knew that. However, she couldn¡¯t live in the Silver Nation. She didn¡¯t want to live here like a stuffed animal and become the emperor¡¯s concubine. In order to walk down the path that belonged to the two of them, he needed to evade the imperial throne. Would he be able to do it? Is there any man who would give that up? Neigh. Jukmu approached her and pressed his face against hers. Yujo greeted him happily before staring off beyond the woods. She wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed like this. Suddenly, she heard the sound of hooves. Finally, she saw some rustling in the leaves. Then the man, her man, the Crown Prince of the Silver Nation and the Red King, Garan, came racing towards her. His eyes pierced her like an arrow. ¡°Ah, the cliff.¡± Yujo remembered that she was standing on the other side of the cliff and froze. She was in a hurry, but shouldn¡¯t she just go around to the other side? However, Garan didn¡¯t slow down. Yujo¡¯s lips parted and her face paled when Garan continued at full speed and leaped over the cliff. ¡°Garan!¡± Yujo shouted out angrily. Why was he needlessly putting himself in danger?! However, he didn¡¯t answer her. He merely got off his horse and hugged her. Then he frantically buried his lips against hers. He licked, bit, and sucked her fragrance. He embraced her so that she wouldn¡¯t be able to go anywhere. ¡°Yujo, Yujo, my Yujo.¡± He repeatedly called out her name. Yujo stretched out her arms and tightly wound them around his neck. She knew it very well. He had missed her. Every single day, every single moment, he had missed her. He had missed her so much until his body had grown thin and his mind had gone blank. He had wanted to be by her side like this. He never wanted to be separated from her again. ¡°I love you.¡± Yujo whispered. ¡°I love you, my Garan.¡± She said it again. Come with me to my land. Don¡¯t leave me alone ever again. He wrapped his hand around her head. He pressed his lips against hers once again and opened his eyes. The bewitched king grinned at the female warrior. He plunged into her mouth once again before replying. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go together. My queen, my wife. Let¡¯s stay together until we die.¡± He loved her deeply. She heard the whispers of his heart. Spring flowers were in full bloom around them. Jukmu approached the mare that had just jumped over the cliff and sniffed. Garan arms tightened around her. He knew she¡¯d come back. He knew she¡¯d call his name. He had believed that she¡¯d tell him she loved him. However, if she ever left again, he really wasn¡¯t going to let her off the hook so easily. Chapter 19 [END] - epilogue Ten years later. The wind was blowing in Yeha. The vast, powerful wind passed through the cracks of the boulders of Mount Paran and continuously brushed through the grassland. In the distance, one could hear the wolves howling to each other. The large circle in the blue sky looked down on the earth. Ten years had passed since the Silver Nation¡¯s prince, the Red King, had given up his position as Crown Prince and come to Yeha. Ten years had also passed since he had become the husband of Yujo, the Mergan of Yeha, and the king of the three nations of Yeha, EulMok, and TaeRyung. During all this, the whole world had turned upside-down. The enraged emperor had leaped up and threatened to burn Yeha to the ground, but when he heard that Yeha¡¯s Mergan was pregnant with the Red King¡¯s child, he pushed back his invasion a day or two before pushing it back indefinitely. While the government officials complained that the Red King¡¯s departure to Yeha was his surrender and a betrayal, the empress didn¡¯t miss this opportunity to take the Crown Prince¡¯s son and declare him the new Crown Prince. Time passed by. The Silver Nation¡¯s emperor was still well and alive. The Crown Prince had just turned seventeen, and thankfully, he didn¡¯t take after his father. Instead, like his mother, he was bright and kind. One never knows the fate of humans. Although they had all believed the empress would live a long life, one year after Garan¡¯s departure, she fell down the stairs and died. A year after that, the deposed Crown Prince succumbed to an unknown illness and died as well. Of course, there were a lot of rumors floating around that it was actually the work of the emperor or that he had been killed by a religious fanatic who still believed in Paran¡¯s priestess. However, no one could prove these theories. Ultimately, as time passed, the rough waters gradually calmed, and everything took on a new shape. The nations of EulMok and TaeRyung that had fallen to the Silver Nation united with Yeha to become one nation. They invited Garan to become their Supreme King and called their new nation ¡®Paran¡¯. This wasn¡¯t just because these nations had their roots in the ancient empire of Paran. Actually, this decision was made by those who had long dreamed of the resurrection of the divine nation of Paran. The Supreme King and the Mergan of Yeha had one daughter and two sons between them. Out of all the children, their eldest daughter stood out. She was strange. That was the best way to describe her. From the moment she was born, she had a mysterious blue aura within her eyes. Anyone who met her for the first time noted that it was as if those eyes pierced through their souls, and she shocked everyone with her predictions. The most famous example happened on the year she turned five. The drought was severe, and the nation groaned. At this time, the young girl claimed that the sky would cry in three days. However, these words merely brought laughter to the adults. Three days later, when the rain fell, everyone was shocked. However, usually, she was just a normal, beautiful child. Like her father, she and her annoying brothers went around the capital and caused up a stir wherever they went. And like a daughter of Yeha, she was incredibly gifted on the horse and very talented with the bow and arrow. More than anything, she had completely bewitched her father. It was rumored that if it had something to do with the princess, the Supreme King would wake up from his sleep and chase after her. And like this, the days passed by. Happy days and difficult days repeated one after the other, but Garan and Yujo were blissfully happy. Because they were together in the present and in the future. ¡°Noona!¡± ChungYeo ignored her brother¡¯s call and raced up the hill like the wind on her horse. The faraway Mount Paran was facing her. It was strange. ChungYeo stopped her horse and looked around the vast grassland. The soft line of the horizon, the tents posted below, the dogs strolling with the flock of sheep¡­ Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, something was different. Something. The flow in the air, the feel of the heavens¡­ They were different. The fact that her heart was racing was different. Something was coming. Something was approaching her. ChungYeo narrowed her eyes and gazed at Mount Paran. A breeze rustled her long, black hair and caused it to flutter near her mysterious eyes. She tilted her pale face as she continue to gaze at the mountain. Suddenly, she saw a group of horses racing down the road from far away. Then she saw the carriages following behind them. Blue flags fluttered in the wind as it pierced the sky. They bore a phoenix, the symbol of the Silver Nation. ChungYeo stood still and waited for them to come closer. A bulky man with a terrifying expression was at the front, his beard fluttering in the wind. However, only his face was scary. He was actually a kind-hearted person. The man behind him had a thin face and slumped shoulders. Although he looked like that, he was actually a very talented person. And¡­¡­ ChungYeo stopped breathing. There was a boy behind him. Half of his hair was neatly tied up, and his jade-like face was very handsome. His posture on his horse was impeccable, and his eyes were sharp and clear like the blade of a sword¡­¡­ Aah. It was them. A soft smile spread on young ChungYeo¡¯s lips. The nine families who would come to protect her. And he was the strongest and bravest of them all. Although he was soft, he could become fierce like a savage beast. He was her sword. The wind blew through the grassland. The ambassadors from the Silver Nation who had come to meet with the Supreme King glanced at the pretty girl who was perched on top of a white horse. However, they didn¡¯t call out to the child. The boy who was following behind them was struck with an odd feeling and looked up. He gazed at her. Their eyes met. The girl grinned, but the boy merely stared blankly back at her. Then, as if he were annoyed, the boy turned his head away. The girl¡¯s smile grew even brighter. It was a new spring, and it was a new beginning.