[Wang Chi called Seol and confessed his feelings for her, but she rejected him. He asked if it’s because of Ju, she finally admits. He warned her that Crown Prince will only block her way and offered her his hand when he claimed he will fight for the throne, believing that Seol has a dignity as a queen.]

“Has she returned yet?”

Ju was pacing around Damiwon as Jung and Baek-Ah waited with the princesses. He heard the arrival of Cheon Chu-Jeon and they all ran to him.

“Seol…, where’s she?” Jung asked.

With grim expression, A-Ran’s husband replied.

“She’s still in Hwangju,” he answered with glare, “the Hwangbo clan is caging her as hostage in their residence.”

His words caused a bolts on their head, panic escaped from their eyes. A-Ran walked to him with disbelieving expression.

“Hostage? What do you mean hostage?”

With grave eyes, he looked at his father.

“She told me to call Ji-Mong for help and father, when she returns…bring all member of Chungju clan.”

Seol’s words that spoke from him had confused them even more. Jung was the one who looked bewildered at his last words. When he realized what Seol meant, his eyes were on Baek-Ah’s shocked ones.

“Bring all from Chungju? But why?” Baek-Ah questioned.

“There isn’t much time and she will explain when she gets to return. But first, call Ji-Mong now!” Cheon Chu-Jeon and the others rushed to the astronomer tower.

Meanwhile at Hwangju, Seol tried to figure her way out but Chi told her it won’t work since he was the one who ordered the soldiers to guard every doors. Frustrated and slightly intimidated by his sudden change of behavior, she demanded him what does he want from her. However, his answer caught her speechless.

“…what?” She muttered.

Chi smiled sadly.

“I want to marry you.”

Seol blinked her eyes again and again.

“I—I don’t think I heard you right,” she blurted, “you…what?”

He only grinned as he briefly looked down, then he spoke.

“I have always wondered what kind of human I would become…father might have rot in this house in exile for his foolishness and I began to think I would never make a same mistake as he had once committed…his incompetence. But he and I share one avarice,” he looked at Seol, revealing his eyes that shone his greed, “the throne.”

Seol kept staring at the man who stood in front of her. While she knew, her eyes begin to distort the image of Chi into a man with same smile but has dead eyes in which Seol quickly presumes the man was Chi’s father, Wang Wook. She remembered the day the king, her father, told her why he had his hatred towards Hwangbo; they were responsible for her mother’s death. Deceased eighth prince used her mother as a hostage to keep made previous king “Jeongjong” controlled her father. In which, he was forced to kill Seol’s deceased uncle Wang Eun, and his wife, Park Soon-Duk. Seol could feel her wrath towards the dead sinners for torturing and killing her mother but she quelled them in ease.

Seol forced herself into a small smile.

“I’m not that kind of a woman,” she answered with strained smile, “I’m the exact opposite of a woman you want.”

“I know…so that was the reason I have distanced myself away, letting my sisters remained beside you,” then his eyes darkened, “but…there was something I have forgot.”

He glanced at Seol. Her neck still surrounded by his necklace, and wearing refined hanbok with shades of red, blue, and white. His lips curled with fond smile.

“I was also a man.”

Seol didn’t say anything, letting him continue.

“I loved you for a long time,” He concluded with genuine fondness, “I have a strong belief both of us were fated.”

The silence took over. Seol’s eyes were half-lidded as her thoughts repeated his words. After a long contemplation, she formed an apologetic smile.

“When I was a child, I was told by someone that there was another man who promised my mother to live a life outside the palace,” she began, then she made a cold expression, “but later when her hand reached for him, he rejected.”

Chi frowned, confirmed that she was talking about the man he despised, the man who he called as his father.

“Fate…I don’t believe them much. Especially when it’s from you. Besides, I have someone in my heart.” Seol said.

He bit his lips, then.

“Is it…the crown prince?”

Her silence were taken as a yes. Not bothering to hide his clenching fist, his voice become even more desperate.

“Are you going to support him? If you do, he’ll block your freedom..!”

“Without him, I wouldn’t have forgave the ones for what they have done to mother,” Seol cut off taking off the necklace and handed it to him, “and I already abandoned my freedom.”

Wang Chi glanced at the woman who stood in front of him. As much as her rejection stabbed his heart and pride, he could see the gentle, yet firm grace escaping from her. She knew Hwangju was after the throne and Chi wasn’t the exception. He was trained, and worked for what he wanted. When he first saw Seol, he finally found his learning worthy. Yoo Seol, the eldest daughter of Chungju clan and the woman he desired, has a dignity of a queen. A disguised queen, just like her mother who had a true role of King maker for crowning Wang So as a king.

“Then…, do you want to become the queen?”

His question caught Seol off guard, for she never wanted to become the queen, until today has occurred. For years, her dead uncles and the family fought and brought the bloody discord just for the wretched chair where it belongs to the man who could endure of weight of his crown. And turned out they were too weak, or too immoral to bear the role as a ruler. Because, they treated Goryeo as their possession. Not as their home. The deceased queen Yoo, whose role was supposed to become the mother of country, was not worthy due to her overwhelming greed that killed his son, the previous king, and scarred her father. 

“If I become a queen, what benefits would come?” She asked back.

Eventually, Chi revealed his one-sided smile filled with pride and greed.

“The world become yours.” He replied.

It was Seol’s turn to smirk in skeptical way.

“If the world become mine, am I be able to protect the ones I love? Am I be able to protect my home, my country?”

Chi raised his eyebrows. His teeth slightly gritted.

“If I can protect my family, friends, and Ju,” then Seol formed the most bone-chilling smile, resembling her father, “I will become the mother of Goryeo.”

Her formidable smile caused the goosebumps on his spine, but he found no fear in her intimidation. Instead, it intrigues him with rapture. 

And just in time, he heard the galloping of horses’ hooves outside. The door burst opened, revealing Cheon Chu-Jeon, Jung, Choi Ji-Mong, and…the Crown Prince Wang Ju. Seol’s face brightened at Ju’s appearance as Chi’s lips twitched in irritation. He eyed at Ji-Mong in bewilderment.

“What?”

Ji-Mong stood in front of Seol with smile.

“Come, Lady Seol. The king is waiting for you.”

Seol nodded her head and accepted Ju’s hand as she managed to hop on the horse Hwangbo Su lend it to her. Hwangbo sisters also hopped on their horse to them.

“Wait—”

Before Chi had a chance to stop, Ju blocked him with stern glare.

“It’s an order from the king,” The crown prince then smiled, “stay out.”

Then Ju rode on his horse and escorted Ji-Mong, Jung, Cheon Chu-Jeon, Hwangbo sisters, and Seol back to the palace leaving Chi fuelled in anger. His one hand was gripping the necklace and glanced at it. He looked back at the spot Seol left. His furious eyes replaced with dead ones and he went back to his residence in silence.

Note:
Phew! Chapter 26’s the pain…how was the chapter, everyone? Say what you feel~!