Nothing much had changed—study, sword practice, more lessons.
Just the usual rhythm of royal education, and whatever else the teachers could throw at me and the rest of the students.
But that morning, a sealed letter arrived.
No—three letters.
Each one from my beautiful betrothed wives.
And one from my parents.
Letter from Hana (The Fire in His Heart)
To my beloved Jinseo,
The man I want to spend the rest of my life with,
I should be afraid. I should be overwhelmed with anxiety.
But I’m not—because it’s you.
I feel joy. I feel peace.
Jinseo, I am carrying your child.
Every night, I tell our baby the story of how we met.
I tell them how great a man—and king—you’ll become.
You always said you’d return to marry us.
Well, when you do…
You’ll be meeting two of us.
Our baby will be strong. Brave. Just like you.
Come home safe, Jinseo.
We’re waiting—with all the love in the world.
Forever yours,
Hana
P.S. I still wear the red ribbon. Every day.
Letter from Yura (The Mind Behind the Crown)
My Dearest Jinseo,
I write to you not just as your betrothed…
But as the mother of your child.
The kingdom may be quiet, but my heart is full.
There is peace in knowing you live on—
Not just in memory, not just in legend.
You live within me.
The Queen Mother was the first to know.
She wept with joy.
Your father placed his hand on my shoulder and whispered,
“Then our bloodline shall never fall.”
I read to our baby every night.
History. Poetry. The letters you once wrote me.
One day, they will read yours back—
And know their father was a king born of brilliance and kindness.
Come home to us.
With gentle pride and everlasting love,
Yura
P.S. I’ve already picked out a name. But I’ll wait to tell you in person.
Letter from Mirae (The Light in His Darkest Hours)
Seoooo~
Guess what?
You’re going to be a dad!
I still can’t believe it.
I cried when I found out… and then laughed so hard I scared the birds off the balcony.
You gave me so many things, Jinseo.
But this?
This is a piece of you I get to hold close—even when you’re far.
I already talk to them every day.
I say,
“You’re going to meet someone amazing. Strong, smart, quiet, and kind.”
Then I giggle and add,
“He’s also really bad at hiding his feelings.”
Come back soon. So we can be a family.
Not just in dreams—but for real.
Saranghae.
We love you.
Mirae
P.S. If you cry when you read this, I’ll cry too.
Letter from Eomeoni (The Blossom of Wisdom)
To My Beloved (and Surprisingly Naughty) Son, Jinseo—
I raised you with discipline. With grace. With balance.
I taught you to wield a blade with care, and a word with precision.
But apparently…
I forgot to teach you restraint.
Three, Jinseo.
Not one.
Not two.
Three.
Do you know what it’s like to receive three letters in one afternoon—
Each beginning with “I carry your child”?
The maids dropped their trays.
Eunchae choked on his tea.
Your father hasn’t stopped laughing since.
I, however…
Sat very still.
Closed my eyes.
And said, “Of course he did.”
You are your father’s son, after all.
I should be furious.
I should summon the heavens to strike some sense into your brilliant, beautiful head.
But when I saw the trembling handwriting…
The tiny pressed flowers sealed in each envelope…
The way each girl wrote “we’ll wait for him”…
…I cried.
Not out of shame.
Out of pride.
Even in your wildness…
Even in your youth…
You loved them enough to leave pieces of your soul behind.
So…
I give in.
But I swear on the royal seal, when you return,
You and I are going to have a very long talk about responsibility.
Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.
Bring me my grandchildren.
Bring me their mothers.
And bring me that charming, chaotic heart of yours—still beating, still kind.
With reluctant approval and eternal love,
Your Eomeoni
Letter from Baekho, Eunchae, and Sohwa
From Baekho:
I knew you were strong, Jinseo.
But this?
This is… a different kind of strength.
Three children.
Three mothers.
You’ve conquered hearts the way others conquer kingdoms.
I’ve started training again.
I’ll be strong enough to protect them all when they’re born.
If you need names for future bodyguards,
Just tell me how many more you plan to have.
Proud of you.
—Baekho
From Eunchae:
First of all—HOW DARE YOU not write us first.
I had to hear it from a screaming maid in the hallway!
Secondly—congratulations, you magnificent disaster.
I knew they loved you.
I just didn’t know how much until now.
Sohwa cried.
Baekho punched a wall (out of joy).
I updated the palace records. Drew three tiny crowns in the ledger.
Come home soon.
We have gifts to prepare… and a kingdom to baby-proof.
—Eunchae (your still-disappointed, still-proud Eunuch)
From Sohwa:
I cried.
Then I smiled.
Then I cried again.
I always believed you’d be a great king.
But now…
You’ll be an even better father.
They’ll have your eyes.
Your smile.
Your heart.
And when they’re older,
I’ll tell them how their father once saved a village with a blade…
And another time with a story.
We’re already preparing tiny clothes and cradles.
And don’t worry—we’ve already argued over who gets to hold the first baby.
With love and excitement,
—Sohwa
Letter from Joon (Your #1 Fan in Soryun)
THEY TOLD US!!!
THREE BABIES???
When Farmer Dalsu heard, he dropped his rake into the rice field and yelled,
“That boy’s faster than a rabbit in spring!”
Seo Haneul nearly dropped his tea.
Even the five boys you trained stood at attention like they were saluting a war hero.
I ran around the village three times screaming,
“I KNOW THE PRINCE WHO DID THIS!”
You’re going to be the best Appa in the world.
We already made baby shoes.
And I’m writing a poem for each one.
Don’t laugh.
Okay, maybe just a little.
Come home someday so I can tell your kids how awesome their dad really is.
With all my love,
—Joon
Even though I was far from Yeonhwa—far from my kingdom, my family, and the three women I love—those letters… they kept me going.
Today marked the beginning of our academy exams.
There would be five in total:
- Essence Aptitude – with Scholar Danji
- Beast Bonding & Tracking – with Madam Bae
- Sword and Physical Ability – with Master Hwarang
- World Geography & Map Strategy – with Old Man Gudo
- Written History – with Lady Mireun
It was early.
The sky was still pale when I left the dorm.
Birds flew overhead. Trees rustled in the morning breeze.
Vendors lined the streets as usual—selling fresh dumplings, silk scarves, and spicy rice cakes.
I missed my mother’s cooking. My wives’ too.
But I kept walking.
The guards stood at attention along the path.
Nothing ever seemed to distract them.
Maybe that’s why this place was called the Sun-Blessed Kingdom.
Even the three princes walked with purpose as we all headed to our first test.
Jinseo’s First Exam – Scholar Danji’s Essence Test
The exam hall was dim.
Floating orbs hovered in the air, casting soft light across the ancient stone.
Scholar Danji stood at the center, his long sleeves folded, voice calm.
“This test will not ask for answers, but for alignment,” he said.
“Yin or Yang. Inward or outward. Passive or forceful.
Essence defines more than magic—it defines who you are.”
One by one, students placed their hands over the glowing orb.
It shimmered—glowing red for Yang, blue for Yin.
Most people were one or the other.
Then it was my turn.
System Nova (whispering):
“Caution: Your dual-core essence will shatter the orb, Master Jinseo.
Initiating suppression protocol…”
A faint chill ran through my palm.
My essence pulled inward, like breath held in silence.
System Nova:
“Essence signature reduced to 7% visibility. Projecting light Yin alignment.”
I stepped forward.
Placed my hand over the orb.
It flickered.
Then pulsed softly—blue light glowing beneath my fingertips.
Scholar Danji raised a brow.
“Yin-aligned,” he announced. “Quiet depth. Reserved potential.”
I bowed.
Returned to my seat.
To the others, I was just another calm student.
But Nova whispered again.
System Nova:
“True nature hidden. Potential preserved.”
And I preferred it that way.
Let them underestimate me.
Let them forget I’m here.
Because when the time comes…
They’ll never see me coming.
The results wouldn’t be released for another month.
The three princes?
They all did well—strong alignments, clear signatures.
They were on the path to developing their own magical essences.
We didn’t speak much. But I could feel the heat in the air—the quiet competition.
Jinseo’s Second Exam – Master Hwarang’s Sword Test
We gathered on the east training field.
Mist still clung to the grass.
Steel clashed in the distance as students warmed up.
In the center stood the exam boulder.
Smooth. Reinforced with magic.
It had only one purpose—test our ability to cut.
Master Hwarang stood beside it, sword at his hip.
“You must strike the stone,” he said.
“with or without essence.
Channel your essence. Show me your spirit.”
One by one, the students stepped up.
Swords glowed faintly with essence.
Some made shallow cuts.
A few split pieces off the edge.
Then it was my turn.
System Nova (low):
“You could split it without even drawing, Master Jinseo.”
“But I assume you wish to remain… unimpressive?”
“Exactly,” I replied.
No glow.
No essence.
Just breath.
Just grip.
Just timing.
I raised the sword—
and brought it down in a single, clean stroke.
CRACK.
The stone split perfectly down the middle.
No effort. No light. No flame.
Silence.
Master Hwarang stepped forward.
Ran a hand along the clean edge.
“No aura signature,” he muttered.
“Did you not imbue your blade?”
“No,” I said quietly.
He stared for a second longer.
Then smiled—just a little.
“Interesting. Proceed.”
I bowed and stepped back.
The other students stared, but I didn’t care.
Let them wonder.
I wasn’t here to impress.
Only to endure.
The princes, of course, did use essence.
Their strikes were impressive. Loud. Glorious.
It meant everything to them—and to the kingdoms they represented.
But me?
I was saving my strength for something else.
Jinseo’s Third Exam – The Beast Hunt
At 11 a.m., we gathered at the forest edge.
Madam Bae stood tall, her arms folded beneath her cloak.
“Today’s task is simple,” she said.
“You and your bonded beasts will track a wild creature.
Observe. Corner. Do not kill.
Work with instinct. Not force.”
The three princes were ready—hawk, panther, and boar at their side.
My fox walked quietly beside me.
System Nova (soft):
“All patterns normal. Proceed, Master Jinseo.”
We moved quietly through the forest.
I let the others go first.
Listening. Watching.
Then—
A scream.
A hawk’s cry—sharp. Violent.
The crash of trees.
“That’s Seohan’s hawk,” I muttered, already moving.
Nova:
“Warning. One unregistered entity detected.
No beast core. No natural aura.
Infection pattern… familiar.”
“This creature is not part of the exam. It’s a cursed form.”
I ran.
The clearing was chaos.
The hawk spiraled above.
The panther and boar tried shielding the princes.
In the center—
A twisted beast. Blackened. Burning.
Its fur was singed. Its breath, fire.
Eyes glowing with white flame.
System Nova:
“Confirmed. Residual essence from a fallen fragment.
Not a creature of nature.
This… is corruption.”
It lunged at Ryu Seohan.
He froze.
That was all it took.
I moved.
No hesitation.
The fox leapt with me.
Asherign burst from beneath my sleeve, curling around my arm like a serpent of molten shadow.
“Jinseo—!” someone yelled.
Too late.
The chain lashed forward—snaring the beast mid-air.
It roared. The trees cracked.
I pulled.
The chain ignited—my fire essence pulsing through it.
The beast screamed—
—and crumbled to ash in the sky.
Snowfall.
Of cinders.
Silence followed.
Seohan stared, breath shallow.
Wonyul’s eyes flicked between the ground and my hand.
Taesung whispered, “What the hell was that…”
System Nova (calm):
“Threat neutralized. Infection cleansed. No injuries sustained.”
Madam Bae approached slowly.
“That… was not part of the exam,” she said.
“And yet… if you hadn’t acted, three princes would be dead.”
I nodded.
Behind me, the fox curled into a sitting position—watchful. Steady.
“You carry something dangerous,” she added quietly.
“But it listens to you.
That matters more than anything.”
The other students arrived later.
Too late.
Only the fire, the ash, and the silence had witnessed what happened.
I wiped a streak of ash from my sleeve.
Let them whisper.
Let them wonder.
I wasn’t here to stand out.
Only to protect.
The rest of the exams were a breeze.
I completed the world geography challenge from Old Man Gudo with ease—his scrolls were well drawn, but nothing compared to my falcon’s eyes from the sky.
Lady Mireun’s history test was detailed, but nothing I hadn’t already studied on my own. I finished quickly, turned it in, and left the room without a word.
By late afternoon, the academy buzzed with murmurs. Rumors spread like wind—about the fox spirit, about the blade, about the ash. I didn’t respond to any of it.
Instead, I slipped out.
The streets of the capital were alive—laughter, music, the smell of sizzling food carts. Vendors called out in sharp voices. Children ran through the alleys with paper fans and red bean buns.
I bought a lantern.
One of those sky-lanterns, hand-painted with tiny phoenixes and golden brushstrokes. I didn’t ask for change.
Back in my dorm chamber, I stepped out into the quiet courtyard alone.
I lit the lantern. Held it close.
Then released it.
It floated gently upward—gold and orange against the deepening blue.
I watched it rise until it disappeared into the clouds.
I sat down beneath the tree just outside my door.
The breeze brushed my robes.
The fox curled at my side without a sound.
Tonight, I wasn’t a prince.
Not a warrior.
Not the wielder of Asherign.
Just a boy who missed his home.
I whispered to the moon:
“Let time fly.”
“So I can return to them.”
“My family. My wives. My people.”
Back in my dorm chamber, I stepped out into the quiet courtyard.
I bought a lantern earlier—painted with phoenixes in gold and red. I lit it and released it into the sky. It drifted upward, slow and steady, swallowed by the stars.
I returned inside. Closed the door.
Lay on the mat.
But I didn’t sleep.
Not in the way others do.
Inside My Mind – Nova’s Realm
System Nova Activated
[Entering Internal Combat Chamber – Dream-State Link Confirmed]
[Vital signs stabilized. Consciousness tethered. Pain dampening: 60%]
My eyes closed in the real world.
But in here—
I stood tall in a world of ash and embers.
A silent horizon.
Black skies.
Endless plains littered with memory and ruin.
It was a battlefield.
One only I could walk.
A place Nova built just for me.
The weight of my blade pressed into my palm.
Asherign coiled loosely around my wrist—alive and waiting.
System Nova:
“Welcome back, Master Jinseo.
You may begin when ready.”
Figures formed in the distance—fast, unnatural, echoing the movements of the fallen I once faced.
They rushed forward.
I moved.
A blur of strikes, parries, flames.
No hesitation. No wasted energy.
Each opponent moved faster than the last.
Each illusion learned from the last blow I delivered.
System Nova:
“Simulated threat level: 62%. Essence control: Stable.
Mental clarity: High.
Emotional disturbance: None.”
This was where I could be my true self.
Where the shadows couldn’t touch my people.
Where failure meant only another chance to grow.
Strike.
Roll.
Fire-burst.
Asherign lashed forward—piercing five illusions at once before curling back like a serpent made of vengeance.
I was panting.
But I didn’t stop.
System Nova:
“You are improving at an exponential rate.
But your silence remains… unsettling.”
I smirked through the ash.
“Then let them be unsettled.”
And I continued—sword in one hand, chain in the other, flame trailing behind me.
Outside my mind, my body lay still on the mat—breathing slow. Peaceful.
But inside…
I was still fighting.
Still rising.
Still becoming something the world wasn’t ready for.
Then I closed my eyes.
And let the night take me.