Prologue

"I can never forgive your father."

Dam-I's words were like a sword piercing through his heart. They became etched in his brain, making his body numb and weak. It was as if all of the strength and courage he had had evaporated with his tears.

Jung Ji Un had experienced pain before but nothing like this. He thought he was strong. Dam-I had been the motivation for him to be anything but weak. Without her, he was nothing.

"Why?"

He silently cried to himself as he fell onto his knees on the cold, pebbled ground, thinking to himself why must he be the son of Jung Seok Jo, the man who kills innocent people without batting an eye.

He used to look up to his father and even wanted to grow up to be just like him at one point. That all changed when he witnessed his father gruesomely murder a young court maid.

"Your father killed my friend and my twin brother," Dam-I reminded him just moments ago before he took off from the palace in heartbreak.

"He killed countless other innocent people and forced me to live a life meant for my brother."

"Why?" Ji Un sobbed softly to himself.

It was the only question he had but could never answer. Why wasn't their love powerful enough for her to leave all of those memories behind them? More importantly, why him? Was it because he committed unforgivable sins in his past life?

"Everything will be okay," said a sweet, familiar voice.

His head jerked up at a pitiful Shin So Eun. She forced a soft smile, although she was probably as much of an emotional wreck as he was. He'd broke her heart after all.

Without saying a single word, he got up on his feet and let her lead him to Samgaebang, which was pretty much his home before he entered the palace to become Royal Tutor Jung.

"I'm staying here temporarily," So Eun told him, as she opened the doors.

It was quiet inside. It was then that he suddenly realized how much he missed this place.

"Jung Ji Un?"

His long-time friend, Bang Jil Geum, descended the stairs and approached him. He hadn't seen the guy since they defeated Lord Sanghyeon some months ago.

"I'm back," Ji Un replied in a low tone.

"It's good to see you're still in one piece," said Jil Geum.

Shin So Eun shook her head at Jil Geum as a warning to be careful with his figurative speech.

"I miss you," he quickly added. "We miss you!"

Ji Un did a quick scan of the room for Bang Young Ji, Jil Geum's younger sister.

"Where's Young Ji?" he asked.

He assumed she was still living there as well since Jil Geum had spoken on behalf of her.

"You see, my little sister has grown up," Jil Geum replied. "She's with that royal bodyguard from the palace."

Ji Un slightly lowered his head at the word "palace".

"They just went to the market and will be back shortly," So Eun added.

It was her attempt to alleviate his sadness judging by the expression on his face.

"Oh," said Ji Un. "It's good to see you both again."

His eyes rolled onto Shin So Eun, who quickly looked away. She found it difficult to make eye contact with him since they called off their wedding.

"So I hope all is well with you," Jil Geum blurted.

He must've felt the awkward tension rising and tried to make better of the situation.

"I won't be returning to the palace anymore," Ji Un told them.

He gulped and paused for a moment.

"I've resigned from being a royal scribe," he added.

"Oh," said So Eun.

"Well Samgaebang is looking for a physician if you're interested," said Jil Geum.

"I'm interested," Ji Un nodded.

Jil Geum smiled brightly and playfully pat Ji Un on the shoulder.

Shin So Eun also beamed at the sight of what she anticipated will only get better.

"Welcome home, my friend."

Ji Un thanked Jil Geum for his years of solid friendship. He didn't have any siblings but perhaps, this is what it felt like to have one. Honestly, he was glad that he was an only child because he didn't have to worry about sharing the burden of his father's actions with anyone. He couldn't imagine having a brother or sister who would be equally afflicted and having to share his pain.

"My heart is broken but at least I can still choose to live whatever life I want," Ji Un told So Eun later.

He occupied himself by picking out the bad herb leaves from the good ones. They usually leave the herbs drying outside and only stored them indoors in their pharmacy after they were segregated.

"His Majesty, on the other hand, is still forced to live a life that he didn't choose."

"That's terrible," So Eun sadly replied. "I don't think I am strong enough to do that."

"Yes, His Majesty is a very strong person," said Ji Un with a smile.

Whether she was His Majesty Lee Hwi, Dam-I, or Yeon Seon, she had always been strong. He was the weak one.

"I wish I was that strong," said Ji Un.

"As do I," said So Eun, looking away. "I gave into my own desires and made a mess of myself."

"If you're referring to...

"I don't need anyone to pity me," she interrupted. "Especially you."

"I'm not pitying you," he replied. "I just want you to understand that I never meant for any of this to happen."

Ji Un let out a heavy sigh and thought for a moment. He had to select his words carefully so that she doesn't take it the wrong way.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm sorry," he said finally. "Sorry for making you feel the way you did and the way you currently do."

So Eun stared at him and realized she was never angry at him.

"I'm sorry, too," she replied. "I thought I was helping you out of a bad situation at the same time back then."

"Let's be friends again?" Ji Un suggested, setting the round, woven basket of herbs to the side.

"I was never not your friend," So Eun replied.

Ji Un smiled and extended his hand.

"Come," he said. "I'll show you how to segregate the herbs."

She carefully placed her hand on his and he gently pulled her up from the stone hedge they were sitting on.

"Even though you're only temporarily staying here, you must make yourself useful," he joked, hoping to making light of the situation.

So Eun nodded.

Together, they organized the herbs and transported them inside to be stored in the pharmacy. It wasn't long before Young Ji and Kang Eun Soo returned from the market.

Jung Ji Un smiled at the sight of them. His heart was happy to see that Young Ji had found her happy ending.

On another note, his presence came rather as a surprise to Kang Eun Soo, His Majesty's royal bodyguard.

"Take care good care of His Majesty for me," he told Eun Soo.

He'd dragged the guy outside to the front for a one on one talk after he and Young Ji shared a brief embrace.

"You have my word on that," Eun Soo replied, staring at the setting sun in the distance. "My father was loyal to the former king, and I only wish to continue that loyalty to His Majesty."

"I also wish you and Young Ji the best," said Ji Un. "She's like my little sister so if you ever break her heart...

"I don't intend to do that either," said Eun Soo. "You have my word on that, too."

Ji Un smiled and held out his right hand. Eun Soo stared at it for a second before a formal handshake occurred.

Despite all of the recent bloodshed and heartaches, the sun still set the same as it always did. Arms crossed behind his back, His Majesty Lee Hwi stared at the blood orange and yellow hues at the horizon from the balcony of the right wing of the royal palace.

"Your Majesty, your bath has been drawn," said a court maid behind him.

Lee Hwi ignored her and continued to stare in the distance. Despite all of her efforts to make things better, she was still the same person. The only difference is that she was Lee Hwi without all of the people who were once here with her.

Dam-I was never returning now. She was gone with Jung Ji Un, the man her heart longed for and to whom her soul belonged. Her affections for him were just that. He was good to her as she was good to him but that wasn't enough for her to move forward with the son of the man who killed her twin brother, and ultimately turning her life upside down as a result. Her brother's soul would never forgive her for that.

From here on forward, there was only King Lee Hwi, who will lead Joseon into its brightest future. Even if she had to sacrifice her life to live up to what her twin brother could've been and her father's legacy, she was no longer stopping at the account of anyone.