The next morning King Micheon and Princess Dae Yong-Ji gathered the royal advisors to discuss the strange occurrences happening in the Kingdom. They all agreed that the Red Moon was a bad omen and that they needed to take action to protect the Kingdom.
Prince Jeong Hye-Yi suggested that they consult the ancient texts in the palace library to find answers. The group agreed and headed to the library to begin their search.
As they poured over the texts, they discovered a prophecy that spoke of a time when the Red Moon would rise and bring with it chaos and destruction. It also spoke of a chosen one who would rise to defeat the darkness and restore peace to the Kingdom.
The group realized that they needed to find this chosen one and prepare them for the coming battle. They set out on a quest to find this person, searching far and wide for any signs of their existence.
The King of Cheongug strode into the grand library, his cloak billowing behind him. The smell of ancient parchment filled his nostrils as he approached the royal advisor, who was hunched over a large tome. "So, did you find out what the Red Moon sign in Pure Light Day means?" he inquired with a hint of urgency.
The advisor looked up at the King with a troubled expression. "Your Majesty, it signifies that something terrible is going to happen," he replied, his voice hushed.
King Min Seong-Ha's eyes widened with alarm. "What could it be?" he demanded.
The advisor hesitated, then spoke in a grave tone. "It could affect your son and daughters, Your Majesty," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Princess Dae Yong-Ji, who had been listening in silence, stepped forward. "Father, may I suggest something?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.
The King nodded his head, granting her permission to speak. "Of course, my dear," he said kindly.
"Let us send Sun Hee-Yoo, Jang-Mi Gi, and Jia Yon-Si to a safe place," Princess Dae Yong-Ji suggested, her voice laced with urgency.
King Min Seong-Ha hesitated, looking thoughtful. "But Jia Yon-Si won't be in danger," he replied, trying to reassure his daughter.
"But what if something happens to her?" Princess Dae Yong-Ji countered, her voice growing more insistent. "They could place a bomb anywhere. Let's send them all away to be safe."
Prince Hyeon Jun-Woo spoke up, his face etched with concern. "What about our people?" he asked, his voice filled with worry.
King Micheon, who had entered the room unnoticed, spoke up. "Keep them in the dark," he said firmly. "Treat this as a rehearsal before you become the next King."
King Min Seong-Ha nodded in agreement. "You're right, King Micheon," he said, his voice firm. "I'll leave the soldiers and defence minister in your hands."
When the others had departed, Princess Dae Yong-Ji slipped into the secret chamber of the library, a place she often sought solace in. Gazing at the portrait of the goddess Johwa, she felt a pang of remorse surge within her. "I'm sorry, Johwa," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks. "I should have stood up for you when they accused you of treachery. I should have fought for your innocence."
Her heart heavy with regret, she vowed to make amends for her past inaction. "I'll be waiting for you," she murmured to the goddess, hoping that somehow Johwa could hear her plea.
The kingdom of Jiog was abuzz with preparation for the upcoming Indirect Warfare, set to commence in just two days. King Dong Hyeon-Su called his two sons, Prince Song Yoon-Ju and Prince Yeong Su-Jin, to his side and issued a stern command. "Tonight, the three of you must go to a place where no one knows you."
"Why, Father?" Prince Song Yoon-Ju inquired.
"Because it won't be safe when the Indirect Warfare begins in tomorrow," the King explained.
Prince Yeong Su-Jin nodded in agreement, saying "Okay, Father."
Once the King had left, Prince Jeong Hye-Yi spoke up. "So where should we go?"
Prince Yeong Su-Jin suggested, "How about we go to the forest?"
Prince Jeong Hye-Yi agreed, "That's a good idea."
But Prince Song Yoon-Ju was puzzled. "What forest?"
Prince Yeong Su-Jin and Prince Jeong Hye-Yi exchanged a glance before Prince Yeong Su-Jin said, "It's a long story. Let's talk about it somewhere else."
On the opposite side of the Cheongug Kingdom, a group of ministers had gathered in the spacious home of Justice Minister Yun Bok-Ho. The atmosphere was tense, and the Health Minister couldn't help but voice his confusion. "Why have we come here?" he asked, his eyes darting around the room.
Justice Minister Yun Bok-Ho's response was swift and to the point. "I want to be the King of Cheongug you all know about that," he said matter-of-factly, causing a ripple of shock amongst the group.
The Defence Minister spoke up, breaking the stunned silence. "Okay, so what's the plan?" he asked.
Yun Bok-Ho's eyes glinted with excitement as he responded, "For this plan, I'm going to invite someone." His cryptic response only served to heighten the group's apprehension.
The Education Minister leaned forward, curiosity etched on his face. "Who is it?" he asked.
Yun Bok-Ho's response came in the form of a woman who entered the room at that moment. "Sook Yeon-Ji, please come here," he said, beckoning her forward.
As Sook Yeon-Ji walked in the cool breeze towards the group of ministers, their attention was immediately drawn to her stunning beauty. Her every step was graceful and elegant, and her eyes shone like jewels in the fading light.
As she drew closer, her smile was so radiant that it seemed to envelop the group, leaving them speechless. Her presence was like a breath of fresh air, and they couldn't help but be drawn in by her magnetic charm.
Despite the gravity of the situation, the ministers couldn't help but be mesmerized by Sook Yeon-Ji's beauty. Her flawless complexion, lustrous hair, and sparkling eyes seemed to cast a spell on them, making it difficult for them to focus on anything else.
As she finally reached the group, they were left stunned and speechless, unable to tear their gaze away from her. In that moment, Sook Yeon-Ji seemed to be the only thing that mattered, and her presence left an indelible mark on the group, one that they would not soon forget.
Sook Yeon-Ji greeted the Ministers with a nod and got straight to the point. "I would like to talk about the plan," she said, her tone serious.
After a brief exchange, Sook Yeon-Ji posed a question to the group. "What will happen if the King dies?" she asked, her eyes scanning the room for a response.
The Finance Minister responded with a grave expression. "The Kingdom will be a mess," he said.
Sook Yeon-Ji nodded, her gaze unwavering. "Correct. If the King dies, the throne will be left empty," she said, causing a murmur to ripple through the group.
The Commerce Minister spoke up, confusion etched on his face. "So what are you telling us?" he asked.
Sook Yeon-Ji's response was chilling. "The King of Cheongug, Min Seong-Ha, needs to sacrifice his life for Justice Minister Yun Bok-Ho," she said, her eyes gleaming with a hidden motive.
The other Ministers were stunned into silence, but Yun Bok-Ho's response was swift. "Then let's do this," he said, his voice betraying a hidden ruthlessness.
Unbeknownst to the group, Yun Bok-Ho's wife, Soo Min-Ki, had been seeing and listening in on their conversation, though she couldn't quite make out all the details. As the group continued to discuss their sinister plan, she couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen.
After a nerve-wracking encounter with the King of Cheongug, Soo Min-Ki and Sun Sik-Ok finally found themselves in the serene garden where the King sat, admiring the blooming flowers. Upon seeing them, the King greeted them with a smile, but the tension in the air was palpable.
Soo Min-Ki wasted no time in addressing the matter at hand. "Brother, my husband Yun Bok-Ho is trying to become the King of Cheongug," she said, her voice quivering with concern.
Sun Sik-Ok was taken aback by the news. "What?" he exclaimed in disbelief.
The King's expression turned serious as he asked, "Are you sure?"
Soo Min-Ki nodded her head vigorously. "I saw and heard it with my own eyes and ears," she affirmed.
Sun Sik-Ok shook his head in disbelief. "I never expected this," he murmured.
Soo Min-Ki had more to reveal. "Not only that, I also saw the dead King of Thekla's oldest sister, Princess Sook Yeon-Ji," she said, her voice filled with urgency.
The King looked surprised. "But Thekla Kingdom turned into Jiog Kingdom after the King's death," he pointed out.
Soo Min-Ki nodded in agreement. "Yes, but this can't be a coincidence," she said.
The King pondered over this for a moment before making a decision. "I'll prepare an order scroll," he said, determination etched on his face. He turned to Sun Sik-Ok. "Do as I say," he commanded.
Sun Sik-Ok bowed his head in obedience. "Yes, King," he replied, before hurrying off to carry out the King's orders.
As the night fell, the three Princes, Yeong Su-Jin, Jeong Hye-Yi, and Song Yoon-Ju rode their horses towards the pitch black forest where the King Jaeyoung and the children were staying. The dense foliage blocked out even the faintest glimmer of starlight, casting the woods into complete darkness.
Prince Yeong Su-Jin broke the silence. "We will stay here until the Indirect Warfare is over," he said with conviction.
Prince Jeong Hye-Yi nodded in agreement, her eyes adjusting to the dark. Prince Song Yoon-Ju pointed to a familiar spot. "Ah, this is the place you mentioned," he said.
Prince Yeong Su-Jin grinned. "Yes, this is it. Come on, let's go meet King Jaeyoung," he said, urging his horse to move forward.
The trio navigated the forest, the rustling of leaves and twigs under the horses' hooves providing the only sound in the eerie silence. After a few minutes, they reached a clearing where they saw the faint glimmer of a campfire. As they approached, they saw the King sitting beside it, surrounded by children.
"King Jaeyoung, we've come," Prince Yeong Su-Jin announced as they dismounted their horses.
The King turned to them, a warm smile on his face. "Ah, my dear Princes. Welcome," he said, his eyes glinting in the flickering firelight.
Princess Sun Hee-Yoo, Princess Jia Yon-Si, and Princess Jang-Mi Gi rode in a luxurious chariot, making their way towards the same destination as the Princes. As they arrived, their eyes landed on three magnificent horses. Sun Hee-Yoo recognized one of them as belonging to the enigmatic Covered man, the second horse belonged to Prince Jeong Hye-Yi, but the third one remained a mystery.
As they drew closer to the campfire, they spotted Prince Yeong Su-Jin, Prince Jeong Hye-Yi, and Prince Song Yoon-Ju. Jeong Hye-Yi was the first to extend a greeting to the Princesses, followed by Jia Yon-Si who immediately recognized Song Yoon-Ju as the Jiog Prince.
Sun Hee-Yoo appeared puzzled, and Jia Yon-Si explained that the three Princes were Yeong Su-Jin, Song Yoon-Ju, and Jeong Hye-Yi, respectively. However, Sun Hee-Yoo's confusion deepened as she realized Yeong Su-Jin was nowhere to be seen.
As they exchanged glances, suspicion grew towards the Covered man who had kept his face concealed all this while. Jia Yon-Si dismissed the idea, as their spy had confirmed Yeong Su-Jin's arrogance, which was not the case with the mysterious figure.
Jang-Mi Gi's stomach growled, interrupting the tense atmosphere. Sun Hee-Yoo suggested cooking for the three of them, and the Princes agreed to the offer. As they cooked Samgyetang and Bibimbap, Sun Hee-Yoo took notice of King Jaeyoung, who seemed to have no appetite.
When the meal was ready, the group shared their food, enjoying the delicious flavours. Soon after, King Jaeyoung excused himself, heading off to sleep. The others bid him good night before continuing their conversation under the twinkling stars.
Princess Sun Hee-Yoo and Prince Jeong Hye-Yi huddled together in a secluded corner of the forest, voices hushed as they discussed the impending war. "Tomorrow the war is going to start. I hope both kingdoms won't get in trouble," the prince muttered, his brow furrowed with worry.
But Princess Sun Hee-Yoo wasn't so quick to dismiss the individuals on the other side. "I hope Jiog kingdom people are bad, but it was wrong. Some are good also," she replied softly, eyes scanning the darkness as if searching for answers.
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of a masked man, Prince Yeong Su-Jin. "Yes, and do not accuse a person by not knowing about them," he chimed in, his voice calm and collected.
But Sun Hee-Yoo wasn't swayed by his words. "Fine, whatever you mask man," she scoffed, before turning to him with a mischievous grin. "Can I call you Chinjeol?"
She continued "Because it's kind of weird calling you mask man." To her surprise, the prince didn't protest. "Ok," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Their conversation took a strange turn when Sun Hee-Yoo remarked on the familiarity of his eyes. "I can see your eyes, and it looks like a familiar," she said, her voice low and husky.
Prince Yeong Su-Jin was taken aback by her words. "No, it can't be," he stammered, his heart pounding in his chest.
With a beautiful voice that seemed to speak directly to his heart, Sun Hee-Yoo bid him goodnight. "You too, Chinjeol," she said, her eyes locked onto his.
As she disappeared into the night, Prince Yeong Su-Jin was left reeling, his heart fluttering and his thoughts consumed by the princess. "My heart is beating fast," he confessed to his sister, Prince Jeong Hye-Yi, who had been watching the exchange with amusement.
"It must be nothing," she replied, a hint of teasing in her voice. "I hope you've never seen any beautiful girls, that's why your heart was beating fast."
The prince chuckled, unsure of what to make of his own feelings. "It could be," he agreed, before following his sister to bed. The forest was quiet as they drifted off to sleep, the calm before the storm of war.