My Lost Prince (English translation)

Chapter 1: In search of the lost prince

Joseon. Year of 1574.

The king celebrated his 40th birthday alongside his beautiful queen and her three children. Crown Prince Park Jinyoung, just 10 years old, and his two older sisters, Soyoung and Boyoung, smiled and played happily during the extravagant party that was organized in the palace gardens. Flaming lanterns illuminated the festive night and the cherry blossoms brought by the wind were like snow falling from a starry sky. The perfume spread through the air. The drums and flutes sounded high, accompanied by the soft sound of the gayageum. Beautiful ladies in red hanboks swirled in the garden, while the king and his family enjoyed the music and dance from the highest point on their thrones. Everything seemed perfect.

However, the palace doors were abruptly opened and soldiers entered unannounced. The music stopped. It was a bloodbath. Slit throats and the sound of swords piercing guts. The ladies lying on the floor, dying. The king and his family were escorted from there by a trusted general, whose name was Kim Kap Soo. However, everything was a trap. The general became a traitor, and the king was executed in front of his children. The queen took the children and tried to escape. However, the powerful shaman Ji Won, General Kim's wife and also the queen's older sister, used a spell to capture her. The queen, who also had shamanic powers, still managed to save her children at the last moment, transporting them out of the palace. However, she failed to survive.

Soyoung and Boyoung, the princesses, were rescued and obtained a refuge with their grandmother, who had the support of a great minister of the lands of Ming and who from that moment, would protect them from any attack by General Kim and their evil aunt shaman. However, no one is sure what happened to the Crown Prince. He disappeared. Many say he is dead, but others claim he suffered an accident while on the run and lost his memory, and so he is still wandering around, unaware that he is actually the future king of Joseon.

"WOW!!! What an incredible story!" Exclaimed a small boy with pink cheeks and tattered clothes, while the others also looked shocked. "So you mean Prince Jinyoung is still alive? Who could he be?" Asked another boy, and then scratched his snotty nose.

"Well ... nobody knows, but ... This is my newest job! Find the lost prince!" spoke a man with wide features and a wide smile, known by the name of Shindong. "I came from distant lands to find the prince and take him back to the palace! I'm a detective!" Completed, full of himself.

"Detective ??? " asked the children, curious, since they had never heard such a word before.

"Yes! My job is to find people! Even though they are very well hidden! And I never failed!" He said raising his finger high in a smug tone.

"Can you stop bragging to the kids and go straight to the point?" Said another guy, whose name was Mark and was a friend of Shindong.

Mark was a foreign guy, who came from the Ming Lands and had English descendants. His features were very delicate, with a small head, long neck and long brown hair, the length of which almost reached the waist, and although he looked quiet and had a menacing look, he was a nice guy.

The two boys were in an orphanage, where children, mainly children of gisaengs, were abandoned there. The place, which used to be a Buddhist temple, was now maintained by a noble well-maker in the region and was under the care of monks. Although quite humble, it had a roof and food to feed the poor homeless children.

"We're looking for clues, man!" Shindong replied. "Perhaps our dear prince can be right here!"

"You must be kidding ... There are only children here! Our 'dear prince' must be over 20 now, you forget it?" Snorted Mark, already losing patience with the whole situation.