An hour before Joonghyuk fell unconscious.
Yoo Sangah, on the verge of falling into her slumber, found herself roused from the brink of sleep by the sight of a gentle, otherworldly glow permeating the distant expanse of the sky. Intrigued by the spectacle, she abandoned the comfort of her bed and ventured towards the balcony. There, beneath the night's embrace, she stood transfixed, her gaze unwavering as she beheld the captivating radiance, the light of the heavens shining down on the kingdom.
She stared hard, not even blinking as she continued to fixate on it. Trying to pinpoint the source of the radiance, she noticed that it was emanating from the nearby forest. Her eyes widened in shock as the realization hit her – it was the very spot where the enchanted rocks were situated. With a sense of anxiety, she could only speculate how it happened. Only someone that held the key to unlock the magic within them could have sparked this phenomenon.
The key was meant to be in Joonghyuk's possession, yet he shouldn't have any idea of the existence of the enchanted stones. Even she didn't know what the supposed 'key' was exactly. Could Joonghyuk have unknowingly held it and stumbled onto the site, or did it fall into the grasp of another, more sinister entity? These questions gnawed at her, fueling her unease as she grappled with the unsettling possibility that someone, perhaps even someone close to her, held the power to unlock the magic concealed within the forest.
Sangah urgently called out to her most trusted maid.
"Ariadne!"
Without hesitation, the maid appeared at the door of her room and bowed respectfully, awaiting her command.
"Have there been any reports from the knights I dispatched to the dukedom?" she questioned, maintaining her gaze on the illuminating light in the sky.
"There have been no reports, My Lady," Ariadne responded formally, her tone respectful and composed.
Sangah fell into a brief silence before addressing her maid once more, her eyes not shifting.
"Do you see that light?" she asked, pointing towards the glowing spectacle in the sky. "Dispatch a group of knights to investigate it immediately," Sangah commanded, her voice firm. "Make it clear that it is my direct order."
Ariadne nodded obediently and replied, "I will, My Lady," before bowing and leaving.
-----
Joonghyuk opened his eyes to the sensation of fingers softly carding through his hair. He looked up to see Dokja gazing down at him, his expression unreadable. His head was resting in Dokja's lap, and he could feel his hand was interlaced within Dokja's own.
"Joonghyuk, are you okay?" he asked, his soft voice laced with concern.
Joonghyuk didn't respond verbally; instead, he reluctantly sat up from the comfortable position, not letting go of Dokja's hand. He gazed at Dokja intently, concern marring the man's usually star laden eyes, and placed a gentle hand on Dokja's cheek.
"Are you okay?" Joonghyuk asked, his voice filled with worry.
Dokja frowned and put his hand over the one resting on his cheek. "I asked you first," he said firmly. "You're the one who passed out."
Dokja vividly recalled the moment Joonghyuk fainted, he was only barely able to catch the man before he hit the ground, already being so worn down by his prior battle with the mysterious knight.
"Don't worry about me, I'm fine," Joonghyuk soothed his companion, his voice as calm as the night despite everything that happened.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I am"
Dokja, still feeling unsettled, sighs softly before looking around the chamber.
"Hey... do you know where we are?" Since Dokja had to watch over Joonghyuk while he was passed out, he couldn't continue his search for an exit. The entire time, he was fretting over if his companion was okay, or if there would be another enemy that would show up to fight. But as he sat there, he also wondered how Joonghyuk had even found a way to the chamber. The only reason Dokja got there was from the magical stone that his necklace unlocked, but perhaps Joonghyuk came across a different entrance.
Joonghyuk followed Dokja's gaze, his eyebrows raising as they landed on the countless treasures for the first time. In his haste to rescue Dokja from the knight, he hadn't even taken in the surrounding room.
"What the hell?" he muttered out, incredulous.
Joonghyuk rose to his feet and walked towards the treasure spread out before them, still in a state of shock. He then recalled his dream and remembered that this chamber must have been a part of the fallen dukedom. "So this is where they hid the treasures..." Joonghyuk murmured, his voice filled with awe at the sight before him.
Upon hearing Joonghyuk, Dokja stood up and walked next to him, curiosity evident in his expression.
"Hid? Do you know something about this, Joonghyuk-ah?" he asked.
Joonghyuk nodded solemnly, his gaze still fixed on the treasures before him. "Yes… this is the wealth of the Kaizenix dukedom."
Dokja's mouth gaped open, taken aback. "Really? How do you know?"
Joonghyuk looked at Dokja, his expression intense. "We're in a hidden chamber of the manor. I was wandering around its halls and found a hidden passage in the library. It led me here when you were fighting the knight," he explained.
Dokja pondered his words, but then suddenly remembered something important. "Come on, since you know the way out we need to get out of here. Hades and Persephone are probably worried sick about us," he insisted, looking at Joonghyuk urgently.
Joonghyuk nodded and led the way back through the hidden tunnel, the atmosphere tense and quiet as they traversed through. Throughout the whole walk, their hands remained interlaced. Upon emerging into the library, the tunnel behind them immediately closed, leaving no trace of its existence.
As they walked through the library, Dokja surveyed the room with a sense of remorse. The room itself was magnificently large, but its books were dirty and beyond recovery. If he squinted hard enough, he could make out the intricate woodwork and detailed carving of the shelves, along with the calligraphy that once lay pristine on the pages of the books.
"Dokja?" Joonghyuk's voice broke through Dokja's reverie, pulling him back to reality. "Are you okay? You seemed lost in thought," Joonghyuk, noticing Dokja slowing his pace, turned back to see his quiet demeanor as he stared wistfully at the library.
"Ah... yes" Dokja turned his attention to Joonghyuk before shifting it to the surroundings. "I was just thinking how beautiful the library would have been when the dukedom was still here…" he trailed off.
Joonghyuk took a moment to look around, taking in the state of the library. Seeing the prior state of the manor in his dreams, he understood Dokja's words; it really had been a beautiful sight to behold, he could imagine his mother meandering through the halls, perhaps softly gazing at the flower garden.
It was a shame that such an integral part of his mother's life crumbled to ruin. But the duke chose to abandon it, not out of neglect or carelessness. He did so with a heavy heart, driven by a singular desire to protect its legacy. It could be argued whether his single-mindedness on only allowing his daughter— Yoo Joonghyuk's mother— to inherit dukedom was warranted. Nevertheless, the abandonment was, in essence, an act of love, intending to keep the dukedom's treasures and secrets safe until they could be rightfully claimed by his heir.
Joonghyuk contemplated everything before him now, the implications of his mother's death and the looming threat of losing his title as crown prince. Armed with the truth about the Kaizenix dukedom and his birthright, newfound determination sparked within him.
Joonghyuk saw an opportunity to continue his family's legacy, his real family's legacy. The decision weighed heavily on him, it would change the course of his life and potentially the fate of the kingdom.
However, claiming his birthright wouldn't be easy. Whispers of the once opulent Kaizenix dukedom were still circling around, and once nobles found out that its treasures had resurfaced, he'd no doubt be faced with other political adversaries just like his grandfather had, no doubt the Emperor and Empress would try to stop him too. Yet, fueled by the memories of his mother and the desire to honor her legacy, he began to consider the possibility of stepping into the role of the duke of Kaizenix.
Whether he would succeed in his quest would be up to his future self to see, but one thing is clear: he was ready to embrace his destiny and carve out his own path.
"Joonghyuk~ah...?" Dokja called out, waving his hand in front of his face. "You're the one spacing out now. Are you sure you don't need to rest more?" His tone was laced with worry.
Joonghyuk shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. "I'm fine, Dokja. Just thinking about everything that's happened" he replied.
Dokja nodded understandingly. "It's a lot to take in, but we'll get through this together." he grinned confidently at the (soon to be former) crowned prince.
Joonghyuk's eyes softened as he gave Dokja a small smile, grateful for his presence. "Thank you, Dokja. I appreciate it," he said, gently squeezing together their interlaced hands. "How about we head home now?" he suggested, feeling a sense of comfort in Dokja's company.
Dokja nodded in agreement. Hand in hand, they made their way through the grand halls of the manor, their footsteps echoing softly against the floors.
The soft morning light had already begun filtering through the manor's broken windows, illuminating their path. Dokja looked on in apprehension, mourning how fast the time seemed to go by. They'd told his parents that they had planned to go to the night market, walk around, and return immediately. Yet, here they were, with morning already upon them.
Dokja sighed deeply as he continued to walk alongside Joonghyuk, his mind still plagued by dread. They reached the main entrance of the manor and were about to continue going on their way when a group of knights suddenly emerged, surrounding them.
One of the knights, clearly the leader with his more ornate armor, demanded, "Who are y—" but he cut himself off, his eyes flashing in recognition as they landed on Yoo Joonghyuk. The leader knelt down immediately, followed by the rest of his men, their heads bowed. "Please forgive me, Your Highness," the knight addressed Joonghyuk with respect.
Joonghyuk furrowed his brow, still not fully grasping the situation. "Rise. Who are you?" he ordered, his tone authoritative.
The lead knight, still maintaining his posture, replied, "Your Highness, we are the Saintess' knights, tasked with exploring this manor under her orders."
Joonghyuk processed the knight's statement. "The Saintess? Yoo Sangah? Why would she be interested in this manor?"
"Your Highness, I believe our Lady should be the one to explain it to you."
As Joonghyuk contemplated following the knight, he remembered Dokja's situation. Aware of Dokja's concerns, he decided to prioritize his star's well-being.
"Wait," Joonghyuk interjected, "Before we proceed to meet the Saintess, it's best for Kim Dokja to return home. The Duke and Duchess have yet to know about his whereabouts. It's best that we get rid of any unnecessary misunderstandings."
Dokja nodded in agreement, relieved that he took his parents into consideration. "He's right. I need to return home, lest we all face the wrath of the Underworld Ducal," he felt guilty for making his family worry about him once again.
Joonghyuk turned to the lead knight, "We will accompany Dokja to the Underworld Ducal. Once he's safely home, we will meet with Saintess Yoo Sangah as planned," he declared with finality.
The lead knight bowed in agreement, "As you wish, Your Highness. We shall ensure Sir Dokja's safe return home," he assured, his commitment unwavering.