Secret of the Two Kings (89 CHAPTERS - ON HOLD)

제 80 부

All set! Out in the brain-freezing winter afternoon (mid-day? —as if it was easy to tell—Sun, Your Majesty, hello? Where are you?), Jung Min ascended his red, unembellished one-man palanquin. Tailing him were five bigger carriages full of raw, freshly mined iron ores. Roughly, around a ton in gross weight altogether. The last batch of the kind donation. Most of the iron ores had been delivered to the ships, moored in the northern region of the kingdom. This amount of minerals would probably be Balhae's foot of the ladder to end civil wars and group protests. Sae Joo's words a few hours ago popped out in his mind. "This shall be the start of a new era." He had an accurate point though. Jung Min's expedition would be the start of the new timeline between the two kingdoms. The end of the feud; the start of the truce. Two bloodlines of different classes would join forces and come together as one.

They started moving, traveling in a straight line with almost constant speed. He closed the maroon curtains and picked out a war book—tactics on how to defeat... women. Although he was considered by many as the charismatic, chiseled young man of the post-Jung Ho generation, he has never had a moment—even once—sleeping with a woman. Not because he did not like women and liked men more but perhaps he just did not see the value in it. What was intercourse without love? Without the vision to procreate life? Another reason: he was too much inundated with self-improvement, his pride, his definition of manhood. Never in his life had he felt the need (the desire) of a woman's touch or gaze. If it came, then thank you! If not, then alright. Why chase it?

Skimming the book, he slowly felt the lull of the cheesy words. Poetic in structure, but very tacky in context. Chapter One: The Art of Getting Attention Using Your Eyes. I don't need this. Even if I don't look at them, I always capture their attention. The subtitle itself made him want to hurl. It cramped his stomach, his arm hairs raising in repugnance. He rolled his eyes and continued scanning up to the last chapter. The Art of Letting Go. A frown sketched across his face as he thought, Letting go? Why would people even bother studying this? If it is over—if love is gone, then go—Simple!

Jung Min let out a sigh and closed the book. "Well, I guess I have a week to study this."

He grabbed a hot cocoa drink served on his small table. As he took a sip, his main goal walked through his mind. Donate the minerals and marry the Princess. No more, no less. His father must be jumping and prancing in joy as he left, for he had agreed to tie the knot with someone whom he has yet to know.

How about Sae Joo, he wondered.

"What did he sacrifice just for his father to agree with this deal?"

Sae Joo was a mosquito bite in the most remote, inaccessible area of his back, away from all of his appendages. He wanted to ignore it but the itch was too strong. He needed to scratch the nasty bite until the sensation subsided. Surely, it needed attention from his chaotic mind. Vicious thoughts leaped on his visions. He could not imagine how the Prince had been managing to endure all the emotional tortures. The curses that spat out of his mouth while lamenting over the chains of despair. The blue tears of pain every night when he was alone in his chambers in the dark. The woes, the suppressed moans—all fueling his self-despise and the desire to end everything on his own in an instant. Marrying Jin Ri was not worse enough. Now, an unknown deal to close the negotiations in helping the neighboring nation required a blistering sacrifice. It must have been too heavy. The King surely would not change his mind if the propositions were not eye-sparkling.

A sting of disgust rolled along his body—for himself, for hating his little cousin before. He was too insensitive, focusing only on his selfish goal before—to survive the waves of the palace. He realized that not only was he inconsiderate of others' feelings, but he was clouded by his jealousy as well. Jin Ri was right at some point; he was a self-righteous hypocrite who wanted to save himself from humiliation. Sae Joo had the same aspiration as him, but he had a different method. While the Prince was swimming and drowning into the big water, he was surfing and playing through the crests and troughs of the waves.