CHAPTER 1 – REIGN

Love has no limits, that's what they stated. You can do everything for your loved ones even it can hurt at the end. Protecting someone is not easy. All the dangers kept occurring and you need to face it together. You loved her before but will you still love her when you find out the truth?

"Kevin, it's bedtime! Go to bed!"

"Mom! I don't want to sleep! I just want to play all night!"

"You'll not able to grow up if you don't sleep?" The child glanced at his mom annoyingly as he doesn't want to sleep.

"I will read you a legend story!" The mother said and Kevin grinned widely.

"Really, mom???" The child went to bed and lay down. The mother brings out a book.

"Are you ready to listen to my new story?" urged the mom.

"Yes!" Kevin nodded. "I want to hear King Sejong's story!!!" and he claps emphatically. The mother beamed and opened the book.

"Once upon a time in the 15th Century where the Joseon Dynasty is still existing, there is a kind, strong, and congenial King named King Sejong. He is the 4th King of the Joseon Dynasty. He's such a benevolent king and he cares about the community of the kingdom."

"Give praise to our King, King Sejong of Joseon!" Everyone gave praise and bowed as King Sejong entered a place where the Choga jip's are located.

Choga jip is a lower-class house covered with a thatched roof.

"King Sejong! It's such an honor to be visited by you!" A guy bowed in front of King Sejong. The King smiled and everyone looks bewildered.

"It's my responsibility and duty to visit each everyone." The King walk and observed the place. He notices a young child who's playing in the dirt.

"Why is he playing in the dirt? He might get sick" The parent of the child gets him and carried it instantly.

The young child looks unpleasant and hungry. The king gets a rice cake in banana leaves from their horse rig and gave it to the child.

"Thank you, Your Highness," said the parent

"Working too hard is tiring to everyone. Since all of the individuals is hardworking, I would like to confer my little present. For each family, you will receive a whole fresh rooster you can use for your courses. I assume you like it" everyone acted shocked because of what the King spoke. Most of them are teary-eyed because they eat meat infrequently due to scarcity.

Most of them bowed to manifest their gratitude and reverence for the King.

"Thank you so much for your kindness, your Majesty!" The King grinned again and he went to his horse.

"That's a small payback for everyone's hard work" he sits on his horse and it started walking while everyone still praising the king.

The king and his servants left. Their next destination Jiphyeonjeon where a conference will happen.

Jiphyeonjeon or Hall of Worthies was a royal research institute set up by Sejong the Great of the Korean Joseon Dynasty in March 1420.

~*~

The King and his lackeys came in Jiphyeonjeon and they began their discourse.

"Your Majesty!" an old gentleman approached the King and he stooped. "Why did you relinquish over hither? What can we do for you, your Excellency?"

"I would like to talk to you. You're the leader of this organization and I want this committee to be significant" the King remarked.

"You may take a seat, your Highness" The King sat down to a chair and they started the discussion.

"Gonjo and Yejo said informed me that there is a much lower class here in my kingdom" the head of Jiphyeonjeon stared at the King seriously.

"Did you noticed that there are people who can't study. Most of the children now can't even read and write their names" the King appended.

"Because of our education system? Pyeha, it's not your efficiency anymore if they can't study"

"I cannot affirm that they do not get their rights. Education is the right of everyone, not just the privileged ones" Said by the King. The Head of Jiphyeonjeon gulped deeply.

"Before I die, I would like to produce a new writing system for everyone. Chinese is difficult to learn and there are lots of attributes you need to get familiarized with. Help me to make a writing system" he added. The king looks certain and determined with his plans. "I will make a bizarre and our very own writing system to promote literacy among the common people"

King Sejong started designing the Hangul. It was devised so that people with inadequate education could learn to read and write. A popular saying about the alphabet is, "A wise man can acquaint himself with them before the morning is over; even a stupid man can learn them in the space of ten days."

The letters for the five basic consonants reflect the shape of the speech organs used to utter them, and they are systematically modified to indicate phonetic features; similarly, the vowel letters are systematically modified for related sounds, making Hangul a featural writing system.

"The Korean Alphabet or Hangul was published in the year 1446 entitled in a document Hunminjeong'eum or The Proper Sounds for the Education of the People." The mom said.

"Mom, what's Hunminjeong'eum?" Kevin asked his mother.

"It is a document describing an entirely new and native script for the Korean language. The script was initially named after the publication, but later came to be known as hangul." Kevin's mother explains.

"Oh, it's transcendent! As time flies, we get modernization"

"Yes, and I hope your generation treasure and cherish what our ancient natives inherited to us" the mother's response.

"Of course mom, we will take care of it. What happened to the people in the Kingdom?"

"Of course, they're glad because of this news. Lower Korean People can write their names and read books easily but there is a bad thing that occurred." The parent stated in a doleful voice. Kevin became curious and he looked at his mom weirdly.

"What happened, mom?"

After the years of Hunminjeong'eum publication, King Sejong suffered in disease they can't treat.

The Uinyeo gave King Sejong a lot of herbal medicines that could cure his disease but nothing happened.

Uinyeo or literally "medicine women" were female physicians who specialized in the treatment of women during the Joseon dynasty (1392 – 1910) of Korea

"Maybe this is my time to let go to my throne and pass it to the next king," King Sejong said while lying in his bed.

The queen can't stop grieving because of what King Sejong stated.

"Father, please fight back," Crown Prince Munjong said while sobbing.

"Munjong, my son, please serve well this kingdom and continue what I have done. I will be happier if I will know you're helping everyone well" King Sejong reminded his son.

"The King died because of his Diabetes and the throne was succeeded by the Crown Prince, Munjong. King Sejong's eldest son." Kevin's mom said.

"Really? King Sejong died because of diabetes?"

"Certainly, yes"

"How pity they didn't cure them," Kevin said in disappointment.

"That's their life. As I always said, their lives are difficult than now. If we feel discomfort, we can go to infirmaries and specialists will cure us. That's how the technology works, Kevin" mother explained.

"So, what happened to Crown Prince Munjong?"

"He became the king of the Joseon Dynasty..."

"I would like to introduce to everyone, the 5th King of Joseon, King Munjong of Joseon" everyone acclaimed when King Munjong is wandering towards the palace. Today is his succession.

Everyone was happy because of the news but King Munjong looks sad because of the death of his beloved father.

He did a ritual as respect and welcome to his throne. After doing it, he faced the people behind him.

"I will serve well this Kingdom as what my father did..."

"And that's enough for tonight. Go to sleep, Kevin!"

"Mom! It's a cliffhanger!!!" Kevin replied.

"I will tell you the continuation tomorrow. For now, you should rest" the mother smiled at Kevin and fixed his comforter. She turns off the lampshade and the room became dark...

To be continued...