the duty | hongjoong

History remembers victories. But it rarely tells of the price paid behind them. When kings ascend the throne, the people see them as symbols of power and might. Yet every crown is not woven with gold; it is forged with sacrifice, fear, and secrets. Some secrets are so old that they can destroy not just a dynasty, but an entire empire.
The roots of the Milas Empire rose in the shadow of forgotten legends and forbidden magic. Deep within the royal lineage lies a power whispered only in times of war. Giant creatures from antiquity, carrying the wrath of nature. Whoever can summon them becomes invincible on the battlefield. But this power has never been a gift.
The power of this force is nourished by the life of the one who wields it. This magic has brought victory to many rulers of royal lineage throughout history, only to drag them to their graves. Legends say that one of the last victims of this power was a king who sacrificed his life to save his own dynasty. From that day forward, magic was erased from history. Or so it was thought.
When Prince Hongjoong returned victorious from the battlefield, the people would greet him as a hero. But for him, the war was not yet over. Losses, grief, and a desire for revenge would drag him towards the darkest secrets of the empire. Although he knew the price of power, he was determined to reawaken the curse of the past. But every curse has a key. When the truth is revealed, the line between betrayal and love, duty and conscience, and power and sacrifice will begin to blur. Because some secrets, once learned, can no longer be ignored. And some loves, from the moment they are born, bring their own catastrophe with them.