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.