Previously…

Returning to Minjoo’s arms is a long-life dream for Chaewon who had been missing the crybaby princess for a decade. However, their meeting is cut short when strings of Dark Magic appear, controlling people inside the castle. Knowing that her brother, Chaeun is using Dark Magic, Chaewon tried to confront him but failed miserably. Fleeing from the scene, both Chaewon and Minjoo visited the Temple of Truth that revealed a troublesome prophecy regarding the bearer of True Blood as well as impending doom about to hit their way. Then…

***

“Wait, Minjoo. My eyes somehow activated.”

Chaewon whispered urgently as soon as they were about to arrive at the dilapidated village. A pounding headache can be felt as soon as her eyes landed upon the mysterious village shrouded with an enormous white aura, making Chaewon flinch as she tried maintaining her consciousness.

“Remember, Chaewon. The prolonged usage of your jewel eyes might cause mental exhaustion. There’s always a price to use such power, okay?”

Sakura’s voice boomed inside her head as Chaewon mumbled to herself to withstand the pain so that Minjoo won’t need to be anxious about the platinum-mint hair condition. Closing her eyes, she tried relaxing her muscles, detaching herself from this world for a moment to collect some inner peace.

“Don’t use your jewel eyes too much, Chaewon. There’s not much documentation about it. I’m afraid that you can be blind if you keep on relying on it too much.”

Maybe it’s due to Chaewon’s spend almost ¾ of her life in Miyawaki Residence, making her able to remember most of Sakura’s warning regarding her jewel eyes. Stabilizing her breath, Chaewon barely listened to Minjoo’s trembled voice as the princess whispered back hurriedly, “So? What do we do? Should we have retreated?”

Puckering her lips, Chaewon tried coming up with several other options but failed in finding an optimal way for them both to crack those ominous prophecies. “No, I guess this village is okay. I only saw a white aura surrounded it,” aura can be categorized into several distinct categories and most aura differs from one another. However, Chaewon never finds any aura as pure white as this and concludes that maybe something intriguing is hiding within this village that has more than what her eyes can see.

“Welcome, bearer of True Blood.”

She didn’t even expect to see an old, wise-looking man with a long beard suddenly greeted them as soon as both Chaewon and Minjoo unmounted from the griffin. Perplexed by the sudden appearance, Chaewon scooped Minjoo and leaped away onto a tree, trying to gain a distance from the old man who appeared mysteriously.

“Chaewon? What’s wrong?”

“I can’t sense his presence at all. What if he isn’t the one designated to be in this village?”

“Your eyes, it turned into emerald again.”

“Oh geez…”

Ruffling her curly hair hurriedly, Chaewon used her finger to pull down the hair as much as she can to cover her eyes. “Hey, that won’t do. Here, let me do it,” Minjoo’s soft voice flew into Chaewon’s ears and she swear that the girl with platinum blonde hears sounds like an angel. Her heart is thumping out loud upon the soft caress from Minjoo who carefully and gently parting Chaewon’s hair, forming a bang covering her eyes.

“See? You look better.”

“Tck, you will say that even though I look like a beggar.”

“Just because it’s you.”

Okay, stop about your indecent fantasy Kim Chaewon!

The girl with curly hair scolded herself as she huffed in reply to Minjoo’s words. She isn’t stupid, Chaewon is fully aware that Minjoo harbor some feelings towards her to some degree. To be honest, Chaewon currently is in cloud nine with Minjoo’s attentive care and attention towards her even after they both didn’t meet for over ten years. However, her euphoric feel deflated as she reminded herself not to be ahead of herself as Minjoo is a princess, a person who bears blue blood while Chaewon might be an artificial being born through Dark Magic.

“He didn’t seem to have any ill intention. Shall we go now, Minjoo?”

Even so, Chaewon wants to be selfish just for the last few moments she might spend with Minjoo. It’s alright for her to act out of her benefit, right? Minjoo also didn’t seem to mind about Chaewon’s presence just yet. Maybe, just maybe, they both can work things out after figuring out about whatever secret lies behind the meaning of True Blood as well as clearing out the trial lies in front of them.

“It is rare to see a bearer of True Blood acting close like you two. Maybe it is correct that you both might be able to end this curse.”

Those words came out from the man as soon as both Chaewon and Minjoo landed in front of him who waited patiently for the pair of Kim. He then ushered them into the only standing house in the area and Chaewon couldn’t hide her surprise upon entering the house.

Before, Chaewon would always be reminded by Sakura about the scarce amount of documents that exist, explaining in detail about the jewel eyes. However, in this house which turns out to be a wide mansion with countless murals, Chaewon can feel her jewel eyes activated as tons of drawings float in the air. She gasped in excitement upon reading and deciphering those murals which just auto-translated inside her mind. The platinum-mint-haired girl looked around in awe as she read every story which turns out to be only a mere piece of jumbled-up stories as if someone intentionally scattered the information around.

“I have been waiting for you both for a long time. Ever since the day you were born, I am anticipating the day to train you both before being released from my role.”

The old man with a guttural voice mumbles as he continues his speech, “This era is a wonder for sure. I have waited for three generations that have no bearer of True Blood. However, in this lifetime, I encountered three of you. I’m afraid that without proper guidance, all of you will repeat the history and initiate another version of the Founding War like in the Wiz Empire all over again.”

Even though she didn’t understand half of this old man’s words, Chaewon is quick to retort upon the mention of the Founding War, “I’d rather die than crossing Minjoo. She is the only reason I’m still alive. My whole existence only for her benefit. I’ll do anything for her, even sacrificing myself.”

“Chaewon-ah, you die, I die. I won’t think twice if you ever pull a stupid trick and leave me all alone in this world, alright?”

Explosions of happiness spread through Chaewon’s body as soon as she heard Minjoo’s voice. Her fingers naturally found Minjoo and laced them together, making her carved the sweetest smile towards the princess who looks furious. A small cough can be heard coming from the old man, breaking apart exactly at the moment of sweetness swelling inside Chaewon. Her eyes reluctantly returned towards the wise man as he muttered, “It’s sure a sight to see this but for sure, you all are just the same as the previous bearer of True Blood. You have your own goals and that can either be good or vice versa.”

“I assure you that this will turn out different from before. I swear upon my skills and my name.”

“Then, you for sure will not reject me to test your skills, hmm? I know that you already activated your jewel eyes. It seems you have emerald eyes, right?”

Her face turned pale at the man’s word. How did he find out when Chaewon didn’t even show him her eyes since their first encounter? Sheathing her sword, the short-haired makes a quick move, gliding along with the wind and aim at those frail-looking necks just to be stopped by a deathly aura that suddenly shrouds the room.

Her heart almost stopped as Chaewon’s mind trails back to Minjoo which will be exposed to the danger due to her own reckless decision and retreated towards the princess with a heavy breath. “Chaewon? What’s wrong? Why are you sweating a river?” Minjoo’s voice sounds distant as her skin felt like she was already being pierced by a thousand needles, ripping apart her muscles making Chaewon shudder in her place.

“Quick-tempered, just like a typical emerald eyes bearer. You better readied yourself, Kim Chaewon.”

“H-how did you know about my eyes? Where did you learn about my name?”

“Plus, those dense manners, you are truly an emerald eyes bearer. Didn’t I say that I have waited for an eternity to find the right bearer of True Blood which will end my role at last?”

“What kind of rubbish are you spouting?”

Before she can react, Chaewon finds herself lying on the floor, groaning in pain as the back of her sword is now aimed at her.

“What the-”

“Rule number 1, always be mindful about your manner.”

“Ow- Okay. I’m sorry.”

Staggering on her feet, Chaewon felt like being tossed a few times in the air, and pain screams from every inch of her muscles. It’s been so long since she felt like screaming out of agony. The last time she had this urge to run and give everything up was when Sakura initiated the Spartan training about a decade ago. Unknowingly, the edge of stretched up as her eyes glimmered with anticipation towards the test about to be introduced by this mysterious man.

“My name is One. No need to use any honorifics. Sorry about my late introduction but we all lack the luxury or also known as time. So, Chaewon, I need you to go to the sacred ground and have you test your skills there.”

“How will I know that you won’t touch and hurt Minjoo?”

Blurting out her question, Chaewon is sure to see One snorted as the man scratches his head in frustration before bringing out a pair of daggers from his pouch. “Don’t bother to react. Just look,” he uttered before throwing out those blades and aimed towards Minjoo, making Chaewon curse out loud while trying to jump in. However, she is surprised seeing those daggers deflected away from Minjoo and instead of flying full speed back towards One who avoided them perfectly. However, those daggers stabbed him on the back of his palm, making Chaewon winced in pain just looking at the dripping blood on the floor.

“Satisfied? As one of the Trial executors, I couldn’t scratch the True Blood candidates. My role is to guide you both and sharpen your skills before facing other trials.”

The man sighed as he faced Chaewon with his cold gaze, “Kim Minjoo wouldn’t just sit still like a sitting duck. I will make her learn more about this world and she indeed needs this lesson. She has wasted her potential to wait for your return over the past 10 years. It’s time for the princess to wake her jewel eyes and don’t worry. Given by her talent, she will even be able to surpass you by the end of your trial in the sacred ground.”

“Shoot, you didn’t even filter your words, huh?”

Upon finishing her words, Chaewon can feel something hit the back of her head, making the girl groan in pain as she rubbed the swelling while pouting. “Manners, Kim Chaewon,” One uttered which made Chaewon grumbles silently while nodding curtly at the old man.

“I will give you both space to talk because the test will take a considerable amount of time. Who knows, it might even take a couple of years before you can see each other again.”

With that, One; the Trial Executor leaves the pair without glancing back, clearly respecting their privacy. Chaewon turned towards Minjoo and she realized that they both didn’t have much time to talk like they intended to do after meeting each other. Lacing their fingers together, Chaewon braced herself and uttered, “I’m sorry, Minjoo. We both just met and didn’t have a chance to sit and talk properly. I promise that I’ll clear the trial as fast as I can. Until then, can you wait for me?”

Her hands turned cold as Chaewon’s heartbeats doubled when Minjoo didn’t even return her gesture nor reply to her words. Tons of bad thoughts filled the short-haired mind as she gulped hard, waiting for Minjoo’s answers. What if Minjoo decided that she had it enough, to just wait for Chaewon and didn’t want to wait anymore? If that is the case, how will Chaewon convince Minjoo to not leave her side?

Her uneasiness swiftly poofs into the thin air as Minjoo brought Chaewon’s fingers and kissed it tenderly before uttering, “Chaewon-ah, I’ve waited for 10 years. For sure, I wouldn’t mind waiting for you for another 10 years because I know, you are worth the wait.”

Shades of pink blushes appeared on Chaewon’s face and at that moment, she is sure that Minjoo is the one for her.

***