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.