Previously…

Warped into a parallel world, Yujin finds the guidepost whom she respected so much which is Sakura but the latter couldn’t help much but gives some vague clue for our young knight. Not long after, Yujin is back to her original world…

***

“Think about everything that led you until this point. Remember that one point which makes everything out of control.”

“Always remember your beginning, Yujin!”

Those two sentences from Sakura is enough to wreck Yujin’s brain. She bit her lips as she let out an exasperated sigh upon hearing Mino’s words. Yujin is at loss, as if the world is crumbling around her. She is just at a loss, not knowing where to head next as she is totally clueless of her current situation.

“I forget to tell you, unnie. Some doctor entered this maze while bearing the royal emblem.”

Upon listening to Mino’s words, Yujin whipped her head towards the little child as her eyes wide opened. A certain person crossed her mind as Yujin urged Mino to usher her towards this said doctor. Her heart is racing, as if there’s some power directing Yujin to hurry up and meet this certain doctor fast.

She briskly walked alongside Mino before her hurried steps turned into a sprint as she barged inside a well-lit room. There, she sees a certain blonde girl who looks anxious turning her head towards Yujin.

“Oh, you’re safe and sound, Yujinnie.”

“Yena unnie…”

Tears are b inside Yujin’s pair of eyes as she dashed towards Yena and tackled the girl into a tight embrace. She felt like forever since meeting this goofy yet reliable duck-like doctor who always sticks by Yujin’s side since they know each other. At first, Yena might seem a bit haughty which intimidates young Yujin from the Duke Choi heiress but after spending a few hours together, Yujin is surprised to find that she and Yena share the same wavelength. After that, everything is history.

Sitting on the cloud-like fluffiness in the form of a sofa while sipping a mug of hot chocolate, Yujin sniffles as she chugs down every drop of that serotonin boost of drink. She can see Yena fiddled with the end of the doctor’s hem, an act which Yena often commits when the older girl is trying to strike a conversation.

“I heard that you need some help.”

“Oh, from who?”

Yujin is quick to alleviate herself from this sappy mood of hers as she is all ears in listening to Yena’s words. She can tell that this doctor feels quite hesitant, judging from the way Yena chewed her inner cheek before heaving a loud breath.

“Chaewon contacted me earlier, saying that both you and Wonyoung skip schools and come to this maze. What the heck are you both thinking?”

Stiffened from Yena’s words, she slumped her head and focused on the ground as she groaned in frustration. She knows that she owed Chaewon a favor for calling Yena over in this maze which isn’t accessible to any normal people. Yujin lifted her head and stared directly into Yena’s eyes, mustering her courage to confess about her crazy situation.

“So, where’s Wonyoung? It’s been awhile since I got to meet that beanpole. Oh hey, why are you crying again?”

burns upon hearing that question. Tears are slowly welling in the edge of Yujin’s pair of pools as she bit her lower lip, fighting hard to not let her cries escape but failed miserably. Scampering into Yena’s arms, Yujin bawled her eyes out which startled the doctor but instead of barraging Yujin with questions, the older girl wrapped her arms around Yujin’s trembling body while whispering words of comfort.

“It’s alright, Yujin. I’m here, unnie is here for you.”

Witnessing Yujin’s devastated state, Yena couldn’t help but b in tears too. She couldn’t imagine what kind of arduous journey that Yujin had gone through which pushed this tall yet younger girl into such depression. If anything, Yena didn’t want to see Yujin being soulless again, just like when Sakura was gone years ago. No, she wouldn’t bear to let that miserable Yujin make a comeback.

Running her fingers through Yujin’s hair, Yena pulled the girl closer towards her chest as she rested her own temple against sniveling Yujin. “It’s okay, Yujin. I’ll stay with you whenever you need me. Trust me, Yujinnie.”

***

Where is this place?

A few fighting voices disturbed her slumber as the girl twitched her eyes. She couldn’t see the surrounding well as it is poorly lit around this part. Somehow, her head feels heavy and there’s something itching inside her heart, calling upon a name. A dear name.

“Yu…Jin…”

“Oh my, it seems our dear princess is wide awake already.”

A menacing, throaty voice paired with those ugly chuckles makes Wonyoung flinched. Out of sudden, her head is forcefully lifted by the man’s thumbs. An intense pain can be felt throughout her body and Wonyoung realized that she is being tied up with several visible bruises stinging on her face. She can feel a tinge of blood inside which makes Wonyoung grow wary of this mysterious man.

“Who are you?”

“I’m your blood relative, ah, maybe you can call me your great uncle.”

“Don’t lie, my family didn’t have-”

A heavy punch landed on her face, pushing Wonyoung’s face to the right as she coughed out blood from the impact. It’s freaking hurt, she can feel that her face is burning hot right now and her left eye couldn’t be opened properly. Even so, she refused to cry in pain as she turned her head towards this vicious man who squeezed her cheeks while glowering at Wonyoung with his flared nose.

“I’m here to claim what is mine, niece. It’s time for your wretched family to fall into the deepest pit of hell.”

At that moment, Wonyoung can smell something familiar to her, musk laced with vanilla, a scent which is her father’s favorite perfume. She lifted her head hurriedly and surprised upon seeing the man’s face was morphed and already taking the form of her father, Wiz Empire’s Emperor.

“Now, let me see this freaking empire fallen into dust, right niece?”

She can feel this man’s intimidating aura and what’s more terrifying is when this mysterious man used the Emperor’s voice while talking. Something suddenly clicked inside her head when she saw this man. All along, both Yujin and her are chasing the wrong guy. They had been suspicious over Wonyoung’s father when all along, there’s an impostor within the castle’s wall.

The question is, how? Wasn't all magic forbidden inside the palace?

“Oh, princess. Don’t think too much and just be my guest to see a spectacular show by yours, truly.”

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