Nothing beats home – to Seungcheol who was an orphan of unknown origins, these words held the crux in his heart, weighing heavily and dearly and woefully.

Seungcheol stared at the small courtyard standing in front of him, a bit transfixed.

Since he was a child – from the time he had started to remember things – this humble abode had been his shelter, his haven from all the storms cruel reality had brought upon him.

From the immense bullying of the neighborhood children to the vicious onslaught of gossip mongrels, even from the suspicious interrogation of the authority, these four walls had protected and cultivated him into the person he was today.

This building… this structure… this was his home, he sighed deeply inside his heart.

He continued to stare at the closed gates, a faint nostalgic smile surfacing on his lips.

The doors of the gate were made of the sturdiest Yu mu [1] found in the forests of Teine and was built both to welcome and protect its masters. His gaze followed the familiar pattern of vines and leaves, entwining and unraveling with every twist and turn, creating an intricate visage of endlessness and splendid artistry; even after all these years of familiarity, Seungcheol was still left in awe of its complex and exquisite patterns. He, as a resident, was already speechless. What more of others? The imposing structure of the gates alone could already fend off a number of those busybodies who liked to meddle with everyone and anyone in the streets. Funnily enough, people in the neighborhood know never to utter a word of ill-meaning and no sense whenever they're in front of the gates. It was frankly quite a sight, especially for a bored child, to see people shutting their mouths once they're in the vicinity of the gates; some even sped up their pace just to quickly evade the doors - as if there were ghosts haunting them. There were times Seungcheol suspected his mentor had put in some charms on the gates when these things happened but was instantly refuted once he checked the carvings with his elemental Qi [2].

Distractedly, he reached out and traced the intricate wood, feeling the texture in his fingertips. A deep sigh then escaped his lips. The smooth surface eventually made his troubled heart gradually calm down into a sense of placidity.

With a light push, the doors slowly opened and Seungcheol saw the empty hallway. No one could be seen waiting for him. You couldn't even hear a sound. He wasn't disappointed or surprised by this matter. There were hardly any people living in their house whilst he was growing up – the residents could be counted with just one hand - he was sure everyone was busy with their own tasks so he didn't take it to heart.

He then walked along the corridor, glancing at the outer courtyard with a tinge of fondness in his eyes.

When he was little, Seungcheol would always train in the outer courtyard with his wooden sword. First, he would do the set of exercises his mentor had instructed him to do as warm-ups. Afterwards he then would hit the wooden post a hundred times each side – this resulted in the development of his arm muscles and the improvement of his grip in holding swords. Then Seungcheol would practice the basic sword techniques imparted by his mentor until the sun was high up in the sky, indicating noon. By afternoon he would either be focusing on his books, wholeheartedly cultivating his Qi or whichever activity he deemed was necessary. The only time he would take a break from his strict training schedule was during meals or if his mentor has tasks needed to be done by him.

That was how his days had passed for several years. Wake up, exercise, train, eat, cultivate, study – it was a strenuous and disciplined schedule. Seungcheol admittedly is a cultivating fanatic. He wasn't a genius per se but he liked training his body and pushing himself to his limits.

He worked incessantly hard in building up his foundation thus it resulted in his stellar performance once he joined the army. From his swordsmanship to his military strategies, he was certainly a cut above the rest due to his perseverance. Seungcheol had sacrificed so much blood, sweat, and even tears in order to stand where he was now. A titled general in just his early twenties – definitely a feat anyone could even achieve!

The tips of his lips quirked upwards. His stripes were definitely his honor. He worked so damn well hard, even working himself to the bones, just to accomplish and succeed in his missions. All those sufferings and hardships he had to go through was definitely worthwhile – especially now that peace was finally upon them, he proudly thought.

Yet at the sudden thought of his engagement, the smile in his eyes gradually diminished. Ridicule flashed in his gaze. How could Seungcheol ever forget the real reason he came back home? His marriage was definitely inevitable. It's like he's riding on a raging tiger - there wasn't anything he could do to oppose it, he could only go with the flow. Seungcheol was merely an official. Albeit a titled official, his rank was still low. How can he challenge the most powerful person in their empire, right? Moreover, Kim Jaejoong is also an elite elemental [3] – Seungcheol could barely hold a candle against his monarch if they were to be matched up in battle. No matter his reluctance or indignation towards his marriage, there was absolutely nothing he could do about the situation. He was undoubtedly powerless against it. Unless he deemed himself a traitor to both Teine and Domhan – and Aer too if he counted his fiancée’s nation as well; yet his strong loyalty to his lands made him begrudgingly accept his reality.

An abandoned dog would always stay true to its benefactor after all, he ruefully scorned himself.

"Little Choi, you're back!" a feminine voice then reeled his thoughts back.

A youthful face met his slightly dazed stare. The per