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Chapter Text

The first rays of sunlight are already peeking through the skyline when Jang Uk returns to the Fortress. There had been worries that the fire bird would set Daeho fully ablaze before even reaching Lake Gyeongcheondaeho, but as Jang Uk walks through the half-lit city, he can barely see any remnants of the fires. Now, there is only one thing left for him to do.

Immediately upon entering the Constellation Room in Cheonbugwan, he is swarmed by a familiar group of faces, all with similarly distraught expressions. Park Danggu is the first to speak, grabbing onto Jang Uk's shoulder-sleeve. "Uk, you should take Young Lady Buyeon to Sejukwon."

He gestures in the direction of Jin Choyeon, who is sitting on the edge of the constellation basin's platform with Cho Yeong—no, Jin Buyeon's head in her lap. Save for the slow heave of her chest, the priestess doesn't seem to be moving. He gives Danggu a belated nod before turning to Seo Yul and Sangho for a status report.

"You don't even seem worried," the crown prince comments, voice dripping with scorn. He is leaning against the closest pillar with his arms crossed, and Jang Uk can tell he is clearly tired. Still, there is a certain peace to him. The confrontation with the king must have been successful. "No sense of urgency. She is your wife, is she not?"

Jang Uk can't hold back a scoff. "I'll carry her to Master Heo if you want, but that person is no longer my wife."

Feeling everyone's eyes on him, for a second, he wonders if he should have kept his mouth shut. He glances back at the slumbering priestess. She is alive, isn't she? She will wake up later, and then she can go to Sejukwon herself.

It's not like he actually has anything against the real Jin Buyeon (even calling her that feels weird, though he knows the name is hers originally), and she did help him out in the past, but he has no desire to act like her husband. It's not like he's a gentleman who would put on an act in the name of politeness, and he certainly won't stay married to her, so they might as well break the ties between them right now. She probably doesn't want to remain married to him either.

Even just catching a glimpse of her face now, he vividly remembers the moment Cho Yeong withered away in his arms, leaving him to sob over her still warm corpse.

He had fallen in love with his master, who protected him despite being powerless, who encouraged him in her own strange ways, and who let him see the vulnerability to her that no one else would ever know. She had depended on him, and put her life in his hands. For the first time, he had felt like he truly accomplished something. After losing her, it was not only the loss of love, but also the the guilt that had eaten away at him. He believed the only way to repent was to join her. And then, in what he had seen as a twist of fate, he got married. Again, he felt his heart begin to thump, and his breath start to hitch. His guilt had only grown stronger, because he was supposed to be dead, and he was supposed to love only her. But just like before, someone had guided him through the darkness, for where he was lost, she was versed. It did not drown her like it did him, instead she embraced it. His bride had pulled him out of his muted misery quite forcefully, and he once again found himself in love. Only to realize, she had been the same person all along, his master and his wife both.

All he can do now is look back and regret that he wasn't able to accept who she was earlier. Deep in his soul, he recognized her from the very first moment, but his head and heart remained stuck, unable to move forward or see what was right in front of him.

She had been the roots of his grief without even knowing, and his carelessness and ignorance had caused her heartache. Even so, they had found each other again, loved each other again. And now she is gone. This time forever.

But it had been Cho Yeong's wish too, to save Daeho. And Jang Uk thinks he could've done anything she asked him to in that moment, be it save or destroy the world.

For an agonizing moment, he had held her lifeless body. Then, the real Jin Buyeon had quietly made her return. She had gotten up on her own, and without giving him any more time to process the loss or pain, she had urged him to return to Songrim as soon as possible.

Numbly, he wonders if Jin Hogyeong will accept a wedding annulment, she was so adamant about them not getting married, after all, or if he will have to go through proper divorce proceedings. He will let Maidservant Kim figure it out. Divorce is not an easy task, even for nobles, but he is a Jang. And he just saved the kingdom.

Danggu shakes Jang Uk's shoulders, as if scolding him. "Are you going to break off the marriage already? I thought you were so in love with her!"

Jang Uk looks at Danggu for a long moment, then groans. How can he even begin to explain the situation? He briefly considers just going with it, telling them they fell out of love, or that there never was any love between them in the first place. It would be the easiest for everyone.

And yet. He can't do it.

There is only one solution. He doubts she would have agreed if she was here, but now he is left alone to pick up the pieces, and this is a lie he can't live.

"Since she is already gone, I might as well tell you, but I'll be mad if I hear rumors about it in town tomorrow," he warns, glancing at Danggu. Jang Uk knows he means well, but if anyone has a talent for talking just a little too much, it's Park Danggu.

The group looks around at each other, uncertainty hanging in the air. Seo Yul and Jin Choyeon are the only ones who seem to realize what he is implying, as both remain unfazed. The crown prince, Danggu and Sangho all look at Jang Uk expectantly. Ultimately, the crown prince gestures for him to go on.

"This person is really Jin Buyeon," Jang Uk says plainly, pointing to the unconscious priestess in Choyeon's lap. They all turn to look at Jin Buyeon.

"Yes, we are already aware," Sangho answers, confusion clear in his voice.

"What I'm trying to say is, she is actually the true Jin Buyeon. Before, she was not."

"Am I the only one who doesn't get it?" Danggu deadpans.

Jang Uk huffs. "How do you not—"

"Three years ago, after the Songrim massacre, we fished her petrified body out of Lake Gyeongcheondaeho," Choyeon clarifies hastily. Although she probably is happy to have her real sister back, she must also feel a sense of discomfort knowing the sister she came to care for over the past three years is gone. Even back in Danhyanggok, Cho Yeong had spoken warmly about Choyeon.

When she was Mudeok she hadn't seemed very fond of Choyeon, but he supposes the two only had each other for company during those three years when Jinyowon's doors remained impenetrable.

"Her soul still belonged to Naksu up until the previous evening, when Jin Buyeon re-emerged," Seo Yul adds onto Choyeon's words, helping them explain. The others exchange glances as the realization dawns upon them one by one.

"That's why she no longer can see," Choyeon says.

"Then," the crown prince starts, wrinkling his forehead. He whips around, facing Jang Uk. "Wait, that means Mudeok—"

Seo Yul nods. "That's right. The Jin Buyeon you knew was still Mudeok, or rather, Naksu, in Jin Buyeon's body."

"How is that possible?" Danggu exclaims, grabbing his head as if the information is making him dizzy.

"Master Lee saved her, we used Naksu's energy to reverse the petrification, that's why she no longer looks like Mudeok—I mean, my sister; she got many of her original features back," Choyeon says.

This is also new information for Jang Uk. Back then, he didn't have the energy to care about how his Master had returned, he just knew it was her, and that was all that mattered. Based on context clues, he had guessed that the face she wore now was indeed Cho Yeong's true face, but he hadn't been able to understand how it happened. Especially since, while he never saw her face, he did see her real body burn in a pyre in front of Cheonbugwan several years ago, and her hands felt the same as the ones he had held when she lived as Mudeok.

Choyeon strokes her sister's head gently, almost absentmindedly, as she stares at an unidentifiable spot on the floor. "But it turns out, Master Lee was wrong. My sister's energy never disappeared, instead, she managed to push Naksu out of the body."

"So Mudeok's real identity was Jinyowon's heiress Jin Buyeon? And this Jin Buyeon was really Naksu?" Sangho asks, as if to sort out what he has heard.

"But wait a minute, does that mean you two always knew?" The crown prince points fingers first at Seo Yul and then at Choyeon. "It's obvious that Jang Uk would know, after all, everything makes sense now. Regardless of how pretty she is, or how strong her divine powers are, Jang Uk wouldn't suddenly forget Naksu. But why did you two keep quiet about it?"

Choyeon twirls her hair nervously. "I wasn't completely sure. I always had a feeling, but I guess I just didn't want to accept it at first. As for everything else, my mother only told me last night."

"I found out recently," Seo Yul says apologetically. "Soon, I learned that she would disappear when Jin Buyeon returned anyway. I wanted her and Uk to be able to be together for her remaining time, so I didn't say anything."

"In any case, the marriage is over," Jang Uk declares. Everyone looks at him again, but this time, he can tell there are mixed feelings.

"I can't believe you hid that assassin again," Sangho says, though there is more pity than malice in his voice.

The crown prince nods solemnly. "Hid her and lost her again. You're a miserable creature, Jang Uk."

Jang Uk shoots him a glare.

The crown prince ignores it and continues talking. "So that's why Seo Yul said there were seven people by Jang Uk's side, one was Naksu."

"I can't believe Mudeok was so close to us all this time, and I didn't realize," Danggu sighs ruefully. "I truly had no idea. She seemed so different, the thought didn't even cross my mind."

That much is true, Jang Uk supposes. Naksu and Jin Buyeon had been quite different, even the persona she had cultivated as Mudeok the servant had a distinct voice. However, there were many clearly identifiable similarities as well. Her love of chicken, for one. She used to go to Chwiseonru and eat chicken with Juwol on his tab all the time. The thought almost makes him smile.

"She played me for a fool. I really thought she was some ditzy and unlucky shaman," The crown prince says grumpily. Even if that was true, it wouldn't have been the first time he got fooled by her, Jang Uk thinks.

"She didn't have her memories," Jang Uk reminds them instead. "She didn't even recognize me."

It was only after escaping from Jinyowon and returning to the Jang estate that she had started steadily regaining her memories. She had spent a year there, after all, living like a maid, cleaning each nook and cranny, tailing him like a shadow and dutifully tending to his every whim. He should have spent a lifetime repaying her for her dedication, but in the end, he never got the chance. Nor did he get the chance to make up for how he had treated her while she was Jin Buyeon. She had answered all his prayers and returned to his side, but he had pushed her away.

"She might have been an assassin, but she was always manipulated by Jin Mu, ever since her childhood. In the end, when she ran wild three years ago, it was because of Jin Mu's divination bells. Shaman Choi had this potion she used to feed soulshifters, and she could control them fully with the bells. That's why Naksu even killed Uk," Seo Yul says.

"So that's why," Danggu murmurs. "I was never sure what to believe, especially after what happened in Sejukwon. Her eyes were so cold, it didn't even seem like her. I had the impression that she genuinely cared for Uk, so I couldn't figure out why she would kill him. Later, there where all these rumors saying she did it for revenge, so I kinda just accepted them as facts."

"It was because of those bells and Jin Mu that my father really died," Choyeon says bitterly, dress-hem clenched into her fist.

"They're all dead now," Sangho says. "The entire Unanimous Assembly. Except for Park, Seo, Jin and Jang, the heads of all the prominent mage families are gone. From now on, things will most likely be in disarray for a while. The other family members may demand answers as well."

"It will be up to your four families to restore the Assembly, then. Or at least find a replacement to represent the mages." The crown prince remarks. "Then, because the real Jin Buyeon is back, does that mean she will inherit Jinyowon? What if she takes a husband who marries into the Jin family? Will you be alright with that, Jang Uk?"

Jang Uk shrugs, keeping his cold demeanor. "The real Jin Buyeon means nothing to me. Since Naksu is no longer here, I have no interest in whatever Jin Buyeon chooses to do."

As if summoned by the mention of her name, Jin Buyeon begins to stir. She grabs onto Choyeon's wrist.

"Buyeon-eonni?" Choyeon asks with a small gasp.

"Choyeon," Jin Buyeon says weakly. She lets out a soft cough, and Choyeon helps her sit up, letting her older sister lean against her shoulder. Choyeon's arms are placed around her protectively. They all gather around them, except for Jang Uk, who remains frozen in place. He suddenly thinks that seeing her like this, knowing that it's not the person he wants, is far more painful than not seeing her at all.

Jin Buyeon pulls down the cloth around her eyes slightly, as if to check if she can see anything, before putting it back and letting her hand drop.

"So you are Jin Buyeon," the crown prince says, then he adds, "the real one, I mean."

"You are the crown prince," Jin Buyeon says in return. Jang Uk supposes she must sense some amazing energy emitting from him, and that is how she recognizes him as the crown prince despite, presumably, never having met him.

"How do you feel?" Danggu asks, trying to help Choyeon hold Jin Buyeon up by grabbing her other shoulder. It doesn't look like he is helping that much.

"Park Danggu?"

"You collapsed after the fire bird was defeated," Seo Yul says, as if trying to jog her memory.

"Seo Yul," she says. He hums in reply.

Jang Uk clears his throat. He tried to do it quietly, but the room goes quiet, even though he is standing several meters away.

"Jang Uk," she says, as if all the others are forgotten. She turns towards Choyeon, trying to sit up on her own. "Where is Jang Uk?"

"The priestess is asking for you," the crown prince waves his hand for Jang Uk to come closer, and, despite his hardened expression, he does as he is told.

"What?" He tries not to sound too rude, but he can't fully mask his discomfort. He deliberates for a moment if he should ask her to take the ice stone out of him, but he knows she wouldn't agree. Besides, he has to keep living. For her. He doesn't seek death any longer. One day, he will join her and be at peace, but there is much he still wants to protect in this life.

Instead, since there is no reply, he kneels by Jin Buyeon's side.

"What do you want?" he asks. He can feel the already pent-up frustration growing inside of him. "I've already gotten rid of the fire bird. If you want something more, ask the crown prince, or Songrim, or better yet, your mother. I've completed my duty, so don't bother me about anything else."

"Uk," Danggu protests.

"Cut her some slack," the crown prince says with a scoff. "She just woke up."

But then, Jin Buyeon rips off the eye-mask. She blinks rapidly, as if to familiarize her eyes with the light. She sits up on her knees and leans in close to Jang Uk.

He meets her gaze, and there they are, the blooming flowers he thought were gone forever. The mark of a soulshifter.

His stomach tightens. Can he allow himself to hope?

As he looks into her eyes, an almost aggravated expression appears on her face. Nothing like Jin Buyeon's perpetually neutral bearings.

"Jang Uk," she says once again, her voice heavy.

"Cho Yeong?" He asks carefully, his voice barely a whisper. He has never actually called her name before. He always knew it, ever since Maidservant Kim had arranged the memorial service for her father, but he never had the chance to use it. She was Naksu, then Mudeok, then Jin Buyeon. Even so, it hadn't come as a shock to him during their wedding ceremony that she had chosen to wed using her birth name. Cho Yeong. Yeong. The shadow to his light. Master Lee and Jin Buyeon had both called her that.

Cho Yeong's hardened expression falls immediately, her large eyes watering, before she topples over, engulfing him in an embrace.

It's an awkward position on the floor, a confused Choyeon's hand still holding on to her shoulder, and Danggu barely maneuvering sideways to avoid being pushed. Jang Uk falls backwards until he is sitting on the floor, Cho Yeong's full, white skirts draped over his legs, and her arms wrapped around his neck. He takes only a second to process the situation, then his grip tightens around her waist and he hugs her back with everything he has.

She is not gone, she is not dead. He didn't lose her again. Relief seeps into his bones, and he feels his own eyes begin to water.

"Cho Yeong," he says again, the sound muffled by her hair, and she hugs him even closer. He doesn't even care about the others gawking, his world consists only of her in this moment.

"Jang Uk," she sobs. He cradles the back of her head, holding her closer to him.

"I don't understand," Choyeon says, slowly getting up. She dusts off her skirts.

"It's still her?"

"How?"

"She is Naksu?"

The crown prince, Sangho and Danggu murmur among themselves, but Jang Uk doesn't pay attention to anything they are saying.

Cho Yeong, however, turns her head quickly once she hears the name Naksu. She looks back at Jang Uk, who can only begin to apologize for revealing her identity prematurely, but in that moment, a new figure appears.

"Jin Buyeon's real identity was actually Jin Seolran," Master Lee announces, as he strolls into the Constellation Room with his trusty staff in hand.

Though he feels it to be regrettable, Jang Uk lets go of his hold around Cho Yeong's waist. Even as they stand up, he doesn't let go of her hand.

They all greet Master Lee hurriedly.

"Jin Seolran?" Choyeon stutters. "What do you mean by that?"

"When Jang Gang used the ice stone on the deceased baby in your mother's stomach, Jin Seolran's soul, which was attached to it, entered the body, and was reborn as Jin Buyeon. She likely predicted something like this would happen, and that's why they left the stone in Jinyowon's protection."

Cho Yeong speaks, though somewhat guarded. "She said that she wanted me to return to Jang Uk's side and protect him. That way, he can protect the world from darkness."

Master Lee nods solemnly. "She must have decided to let go, now that the fire bird is gone. There was no more reason for her to cling to life, so she let you, the child she picked, stay in the body of a powerful Jinyowon priestess. Perhaps that was always her intention."

"She said I would have to disappear soon," Cho Yeong says, "but that didn't happen."

Jang Uk jumps in, "she told me that as well, that my shadow would be discarded so she could step out into the world again."

"Was she testing us?" Cho Yeong wonders.

"She must have wanted to see what you two would do with the knowledge that you could be together at the expense of the world."

"That's quite a gamble," the crown prince mutters.

"Then, if Uk had chosen to save Young Lady Buyeon, I mean, Mudeok, I mean, Miss Cho Yeong," Danggu stumbles over his words, "the world would have ended?"

Jang Uk shrugs sheepishly. He can't say it was never an option for him, having offered her a way out in Gwido, where they both would have remained there together while Jin Mu went on his power trip, but for everyone's peace of mind, he won't let them know about that little detail.

"You may continue to call me Buyeon," Cho Yeong says firmly. "I have no intentions of giving up my ties to the Jin Family. We need to protect Jinyowon, after all. I'm still a Jin by blood."

Upon hearing these words, Choyeon gives her an enthusiastic nod. Jang Uk doesn't find helping Jin Hogyeong high on his list of priorities, but he supposes it's true that they all benefit from Jinyowon's safety.

"Then we will continue to do so, Young Lady Buyeon," Sangho agrees.

The mages start discussing among themselves, about the future, and how to calm the chaos. The fire bird is gone, the Unanimous Assembly is gone, even the king has been dethroned. They all have a lot of work ahead of them.

Jang Uk turns his focus back to Cho Yeong. She looks up at him, a soft smile unfolding on her lips as their eyes meet. They have so much to talk about, so much life to live together. And now, they have the opportunity. She won't disappear, and he won't die. For once, they have time.

Chapter Text

"So the secret is out." Cho Yeong grumbles to herself. 

Jang Uk sends her a pitifully apologetic look, and she can't really find it in herself to be mad at him. He wouldn't have revealed it lightly, and besides, neither of them could have guessed she would be able to make a return like this. 

No one has tried to attack her yet, that is a good sign, at least. Not that anyone would dare. But she senses the constant glances the other mages send her, even as they are busy discussing what happened to the Unanimous Assembly. From what she can gather, Jang Uk might have killed them all. What frightening power.

If her past self as Mudeok, who had to haul him out of bed and push him off a cliff to train, could see Jang Uk now, how proud would she not have been? 

But she is also that Jin Buyeon who witnessed how the wraiths haunted him and left him unable to sleep because of the ice stone's power. She is Naksu, and Mudeok, and Jin Buyeon, she is all these identities she once wore in front of the people she now faces. How terrifying it is, being seen in this way, all her actions and words traceable back to her.

A tiny part in the back of her brain screams at her to kill them all in cold blood and cover her tracks well, so she never can be found out. But it's already too late. She could never do it. She couldn't back in the barrier created by the ice stone, and she certainly can't now. Ultimately, all she can do is hope that the affection she has for these ridiculously high-profile brats somehow is rivaled by theirs for her. 

"Seeing as she was given this body by Jin Seolran, I don't see a point in punishing her for sorcery," Master Lee declares, the conversation having circled back to her. "Naksu is indeed gone from this world, so my offer is this: use your powers to protect the world, as Jin Seolran would have done, and Songrim has no reason to see you as a villain."

Seo Yul and Danggu exchange a brief look. 

"Then, Songrim will abide by Master Lee's decision," Danggu says in reply.

"I will also accept this," the crown prince says. "Given my role in previously abiding Jin Mu, I will refrain from passing judgment."

"Jinyowon agrees, naturally," Choyeon adds. "It was Jin Seolran's decision, after all."

They all know who she is, and what she has done, and yet, after everything, they still choose to place their trust in her.

How terrifying it is, for her, who always lived in the shadows, to be seen. And yet, what a relief it is.

While everyone prepares to leave Cheonbugwan and head home, Cho Yeong takes a good look at the people around her. It's a pleasant sight—she didn't think she would ever see any of them again, after all.

Before she departs, Choyeon clutches her hands and offers her a bright smile; a promise to remain sisters. 

Danggu excitedly embraces her. He only lets go when Jang Uk pries him away, wherein Danggu swiftly turns the affectionate embrace on Jang Uk instead. 

She thanks Seo Yul and Master Lee, and exchanges a small nod with Sangho, before the trio departs for Jeongjingak. She guesses Sangho intends to check if Park Jin has made it safely home, and Seo Yul had previously expressed his desire to speak to Master Heo.

As for the crown prince, he looks at her for a long moment. She can see the conflict within him as plain as day on his face. Perhaps it's not so easy for him to unite the Mudeok of the past with the Jin Buyeon of the present in his mind. Not that she can blame him.

"I'm happy for you," he finally says. "I'm glad you're both alive. If you need any more relationship advice, let me know."

Cho Yeong and Jang Uk both frown.

"That's right. Both of you should also feel free to apply for the position of my new Gwanju." He pats Jang Uk's shoulder before he too leaves, seeming fairly pleased with himself.

It's a slow walk back to the Jang estate, hand in hand, neither wanting to expend any more energy. It's late morning, and the streets should have been bustling, but perhaps because of last night's events, it's quiet. 

Cho Yeong, still dressed in the proper Jinyowon priestess attire prepared for Jin Seolran, has the eye-mask hanging across her neck. She finds it slightly bothersome, but the expensive material and intricately woven Jinyowon crest makes her hesitate in throwing it away. 

She thinks back to the first time she wore pink, a color which later came to dominate her wardrobe. She had only been Mudeok, then. She no longer had a reason to wear servants' clothing, so she had gone to the market to buy something new. In the end, she had settled on a pink gauzy tunic, which allowed her to keep the movability of her previous clothes. The fine fabric felt almost foreign in her hands, and yet, she remembers how excited she had been. At the palace, the crown prince's servants had dressed her up as well, and she had found it terribly awful and uncomfortable, but this felt like something different.

She has to admit, she did once or twice look at the beautiful clothes of Choyeon and Heo Yunok, and wonder if she would have dressed like that too, had her father been alive. Cho Chung hadn't been as big and important as the four families, of course, but he had a title, and she can sometimes remember the layout of her old family house. They had several servants, and she might have had a big sleeping chamber, but the exact look of it escapes her memory. 

"Be careful," Jang Uk says, as Cho Yeong stumbles slightly. Jin Seolran's tall shoes are nothing like the boots she wore as Naksu, or the cloth-flats she had as Mudeok. She had gotten somewhat used to them as Jin Buyeon, but now both her balance and her mind feels jumbled. 

Jang Uk had initially wanted to take her to Sejukwon, but she vehemently refused, saying she really wanted to return home.

"I am," she answers with a small huff. She has grown fairly used to the body she possesses now. She doesn't stumble about like she did when she was Mudeok, at least not often.

"Your mind seemed to wander."

"Don't think I'm still the naive and foolish Jin Buyeon." She lets go of his hand, turning around to face him.

Jang Uk's mouth-corners crease downwards, in one of his trademark downturned smiles. "I never thought you were naive or foolish."

Cho Yeong rolls her eyes, recalling several of her past grievances with him as Jin Buyeon. "Oh please, you spoke to me like I was dumb." 

"When did I?" He protests. "I spoke to you like a normal person!"

"Surely not. Besides, you were awfully rude, you jerk."

"I-I only tried to spare you from heartbreak or expectations!"

"You only cared for your stone tower," she pouts, thinking of the tomb in the forest. The one she had painstakingly rebuilt after it crashed down. She had thought she was alone, and badmouthed Jang Uk to all of her ability, but he must have stuck around, seeing as he sent her fireflies to light up her path. Even when she hadn't known who she was, he protected her. 

She pauses, abruptly seeing things from a different angle. Her scowl deepens. "You fell totally and completely for Jin Buyeon, didn't you? Makes sense you would want some—some doe-eyed beauty who only has you in her heart and does whatever you say, bossy as you are!"

Jang Uk huffs, clearly offended. "Don't flatter yourself, Jin Buyeon never listened to what I said! Being told I'm bossy by you of all people, what a joke. Besides, it's only natural that I would fall for her when she is you."

Cho Yeong considers his answer for a second. It's true, she supposes. Since meeting her, he genuinely has never loved another woman. The thought makes her sad, suddenly. She has always been annoyingly in tune with her own jealousy and anger, but in truth, if she did die, she wouldn't want him to be burdened by her forever.

She sniffs, quickly rubbing at her watering eyes so he doesn't see them. "You accepted Jin Buyeon into your heart so readily. And you who said you'd hold only my hand forever."  

"I am holding your hand right now," Jang Uk says, much softer than she had expected. 

He takes her hand and presses it to his heart. "It doesn't matter to me if you're Mudeok or Naksu or Jin Buyeon, you're still the person I love. And even if death claims me once more, I will still love you. I'll certainly be buried next to you."

"Don't curse me to die first," she deadpans.

"Besides the fact that I'm basically immortal, I'm pretty sure I'm younger than you."

"Women tend to live longer."

"Fine. I die first, you get buried next to me. Happy?"

"H-how can talk like that?" she stutters. They have only been together for a day, and he is already talking about the end? She crosses her arms. "And what's more, you don't want a joint tomb?"

"I'm not trying to pick a fight, I'm trying to reassure you about how much I love you."

She pauses. All of a sudden, she is reminded of a moment long past, when they both seemed like different people. 

In truth, Jang Uk has been smiling more since he let Jin Buyeon into his heart. And she is the only one to witness it. How can she ask for more? Even now, she devours any reminiscence of the young man she met all those years ago, who held her hand and brimmed like the sun. She remembers what he said to her in Danhyanggok, they both had lit up each other's lives when they needed it the most. 

She had been an assassin with no care for the world, but when she met him, she chose to let go of power to protect him. Likewise, when he had turned his back on the world and chosen to do nothing, she had once again and spurred him into action. 

"Still, don't you ever get embarrassed?"

"My Master, you have said many embarrassing things to me as well," Jang Uk says with an amused glint in his eye. 

The sappy thoughts fade immediately, and Cho Yeong can only slap herself mentally, wondering why she was so eager and lovesick as Jin Buyeon. 

She thinks of all the things that happened between them after he found her in Jinyowon. Even from the very first moment she, as Jin Buyeon, laid eyes on him, she had felt taken with him. Now she thinks it must have been her soul aching for him, even if her mind couldn't remember.

But she also recollects the callousness of his words, and all the times he had sent her away. During one particular argument, he had accused her of trying to replace Naksu, saying that it sounded like she was offering to be a stand-in, for if so, he would gladly accept, and hold her close when he was missing his beloved. How her heart had shattered in that moment.

After the queen's disastrous banquet, he had suddenly kissed her, leaving her to feel both elated and miserable. He had called her unpredictable, but was that not him? 

She glares at Jang Uk, who smiles at her, none the wiser. 

"You're so rude," she remarks, once again. 

"First you're mad I moved on with Jin Buyeon, now you're mad I was rude to Jin Buyeon, you're harder to grasp than the ice stone itself," he huffs, though there is no malice in his voice. "Doesn't it just prove that no matter what, I can only fall in love with you?"

"Me, and your twelve ex-fiancées?"

"Hey, I was only engaged seven times."

"That's right, it was twelve former masters you had. For engagements, it was nine, if you count me."

He clicks his tongue. "We got married quickly, so it doesn't count."

She glares at him even harder. "If you count a wedding drink while I was barely conscious as getting married."

"Master, don't forget, you were the one who said it counted."

Damned be that eager Jin Buyeon, she curses herself.

"Do you remember when you told the Assembly you were preg-"

"Don't even mention it!" She yells, before sprinting off ahead, making him chase after her. 

A bit later, as they approach the Jang estate, Jang Uk pauses, his grip on her hand tightening. "Are you sure you want to keep being known as Jin Buyeon? With your father's name being cleared, don't you think it's possible for you to return to being Cho Yeong?"

"I will always be Cho Yeong. Unfortunately, my name is too traceable. Everyone already knows Cho Chung is Naksu's father. I would rather be Jin Buyeon to the public, after all, being a Jin gives me tons of power and privileges, everyone will treat me well!"

Naksu will always be a part of her, for she can never shake her past, but at least, as Jin Buyeon, she won't be seen as a ghost in the eyes of Daeho's people. She can wander the streets, visit market stalls and listen to gossip to her heart's content. She can be seen as a hero, rather than a pitiful monster. They already put Naksu to rest, that is enough for her. 

She will forge her own path, and she will carry with her a little bit of all her old identities. If using Jin Buyeon's name is the safest way to do so, for herself and all her allies, she shall not complain.

"You get those privileges just by being Madam Jang too, you know," Jang Uk says.

"Yes. But I'd rather have it double. I can mooch off the Jin family for a bit, they owe me that much."

He laughs. "You're rather greedy, my Master."

"I'm not your master anymore. You should address me as 'dear wife' instead."

"W-wife?"

"I am your wife, am I not?!" She clicks her tongue, glaring at him from the corner of her eye. "Don't tell me you're embarrassed to say it."

"Of course not!"

"Then you what are you waiting for? Come on, say it!"

The next morning, while they are eating breakfast, Maidservant Kim returns to the manor. Cho Yeong scrambles up from her seat to greet her, though she has no idea what to say. Maidservant Kim must have heard everything from Master Lee already. It worries her slightly, but she knows this is something she has to get over with. After all, Maidservant Kim is a kindhearted woman.

"So you are back here, after all. Right by the Young Master's side," Maidservant Kim says, her voice carrying a terrifying tone of disapproval. 

Cho Yeong casts her gaze to the ground. Perhaps it has become a reflex, just like being a subservient maid came easy to her as Mudeok. The horrible thought strikes her that, as Jin Buyeon, her nature is to cower under the eyes of watchful mother-figures, even though she told Jang Uk she was done with it. 

However, her fear lasts only for a moment. Then she has Maidservant Kim's arms around her. Cho Yeong is frozen in shock for a long second, before carefully returning the embrace. 

"Don't try to leave anymore," Maidservant Kim chastises. "Just stay here."

Cho Yeong exchanges a look of relief with Jang Uk, who is wearing the biggest grin she has seen.

"Whether you are a plucky servant or an anxious young lady, as long as my young master needs you, how can I turn you out? I understand now, he belongs by your side." 

Remembering the kindness she has been shown by this woman almost makes Cho Yeong want to weep. They didn't always see eye to eye, but she knows that Maidservant Kim only ever has had Jang Uk's wellbeing on her mind.

"Do you want something to eat, Maidservant Kim?" Jang Uk asks. 

"I might as well, since I'm here." She sits down at Jang Uk's left side. "You sit too, Young Lady Buyeon."

"We got married, you know," Jang Uk states, pointing at her with his chopsticks. "Actually properly married. She's the Madam of the house now."

Maidservant Kim clicks her tongue. "I can't simply accept that, I wasn't even there to witness it! You at least need to hold some celebratory banquet to mark the occasion before I address you as Lord and Lady."

"I really don't want to," Jang Uk whines.

"How can you say that?!"

"It's a bother."

"You think celebrating your new wife is a bother?!"

"I didn't mean it like that!"

As she watches Maidservant Kim fuss over her young master, Cho Yeong is reminded of the evening right before the disaster, when Maidservant Kim had suggested celebrating her resignation as a servant, and they had ended up drinking together until late at night. Jang Uk had returned from Songrim too, and he had heaved her over his shoulders before carrying her to bed. She had been so drunk, she had been babbling nonsense, but part of her is grateful too, as she had been able to express her feelings towards Jang Uk clearly. 

Noticing her going quiet, both Jang Uk and Maidservant Kim turn towards her. She looks up, meeting their gaze.

"You didn't touch your food yet," Maidservant Kim nags.

"Are you feeling unwell? Should we go to Sejukwon?" Jang Uk asks, worried. 

"Is the food not to your liking?"

"Should we go out and buy chicken instead?"

Maidservant Kim raises an eyebrow. "Only chicken for breakfast?"

"Chicken is tasty."

"You need to eat a balanced meal! Especially when you drink as much as you do."

"We are adults, Maidservant Kim, we can take care of ourselves," Jang Uk says.

"Clearly not," she clicks her tongue.

Cho Yeong shakes her head, stifling a laugh, and she can't help but think that this must be what home feels like.

Chapter Text

Later that afternoon, it is Jin Choyeon, two handmaids in tow, who comes to the Jang estate. She settles down across from Cho Yeong by the Jang family's large dinner table.

It's not really a surprise, Cho Yeong thinks. Initially, she felt secure in her relationship with Choyeon, but now, talking seems appropriate. There is the matter of Jinyowon to settle, and it has become clear that Choyeon has been aware of her identity for a while. Jin Hogyeong is out of commission for the time being, so all responsibilities regarding Jinyowon have fallen to Choyeon.

"Since when did you know?" Cho Yeong asks, while taking a honey biscuit from the plate that her newly assigned personal maid prepared for them.

Choyeon shrugs without looking at her, busy fidgeting with a golden ring on her finger. "I think part of me always knew."

"I see." Cho Yeong isn't quite sure what to make of that. She felt comfortable with Choyeon for a long time, but now, the space next to her feels tainted by the polarizing nature of Cho Yeong's two identities.

The two sisters sit in silence for a while.

Suddenly, Choyeon straightens up in her chair. A wild look appears on her face. "Do you not resent me?"

"What?"

"For a long time, I did nothing. I was too afraid to stand up to Mother, even though I pitied you and knew what she was doing was too much. And yet, part of me despised you, too. Knowing Jin Mu was behind everything, there is no longer any reason for me to hold onto hatred. But back then, I never was sure if I wanted you to recover and stand trial for what you had done to me, or if I wanted you to remain as you were, as my sister." Choyeon is near tears when she finishes, having gripped onto the table with such force that her hands have turned white.

"There are many things we could choose to resent each other for," Cho Yeong agrees. She thinks back to her time as Mudeok, when Choyeon once locked her inside Jinyowon, leaving her to die. Cho Yeong later blamed it on her youth and recklessness, with a personality so much like Jang Uk's that she found that she couldn't hold onto bitterness for too long. Despite everything, she had wanted Choyeon to be happy.

Then, Cho Yeong had ended up with Choyeon's father's blood on her hands. Since recovering her memories, she can vividly recall Choyeon's cries clutching her father's blood-soaked body.

She, too, knows that pain.

And there was a time when she had chosen to forsake the rest of the world in pursuit of her vengeance. It had led her down a dark path, guided not by light, but by a monster disguised as a savior. At the time she thought she had found her own path, feeling nothing but satisfaction as she cut down the obstacles in her way, but in the end, it had been nothing but a false hope.

"But Choyeon," Cho Yeong says, taking one of Choyeon's hands between her palms. "I do not wish to hold onto any of that hatred."

Choyeon rubs at her eyes quickly with her other hand, a small sniffle escaping her. "I don't know what deal you've made with Mother, but I want you to know that I'll always consider you my Buyeon-eonni."

"And I will continue to see you as my younger sister. However, I think mother will need some more time. I'll stay away from her for the time being, but we will talk someday, the three of us."

Choyeon nods, and Cho Yeong can't help but smile. When she was simply Jin Buyeon, she had held Choyeon so dear. The image she has of her younger sister is somewhat fragmented after getting her memories as Mudeok back, but the love hasn't diminished.

"In my childhood, I found being the heir of Jinyowon bothersome. I just wanted to live my life freely, with no burdens," Choyeon sighs. "But lately, I've felt this pull. I want to protect this place too. Jinyowon, I will take it. I want to make up for letting the fire bird out into the world. After all, if I hadn't opened the doors, Jin Mu never would've gotten his hands on the egg in the first place."

Cho Yeong sees the anguish in her eyes. "I don't know if I would have done differently. My father was my world. If I had the chance to save him, who knows what I'd be willing to do."

"Nonetheless, the responsibility falls onto me. I might not have the same powers as you, and I know you might have been ordered by Jin Seolran to take over Jinyowon, but—"

Cho Yeong shakes her head firmly. "I've always believed that you are the true heir. And if you ever need a hand, I'm always willing to assist you."

Choyeon shines like the sunshine in spring. "Under our joint protection, no one will be able to harm Jinyowon again."

"But what about Danggu? If you're the leader, you can't marry him."

"We're going back to our original plan. We have decided to buy a house between Jinyowon and Songrim, and if we have daughters, they will belong to Jinyowon, and if we have any sons, they will be Songrim's. It's not an ideal situation, but it works. Mother and Lord Park both agreed to it last time. Though, I wouldn't deprive any son of mine of Jinyowon's heritage! If they wish to become priests they will be."

Cho Yeong grins. "And if your daughter wanted to be a Jeongjingak mage?"

Choyeon pouts. "I'd have to think about it."

"It's a shame though," Choyeon giggles as Cho Yeong is sending her off. "You always listened to me so well, I almost felt like I was the older sister."

Cho Yeong raises an eyebrow. "You know I'm older than Jin Buyeon was, right?"

Choyeon covers her mouth with her hands. "You must be really old, then."

"Old? You brat, what do you mean old?"

Choyeon just laughs, waving goodbye as she runs off in a flurry of pink, her maids having to hurry after her.

"Did you solve your issues?" Jang Uk asks, as they're eating dinner.

"We didn't have any issues," Cho Yeong grunts.

"What did you decide to do with Jinyowon?"

"Choyeon is the heir, naturally she will take it."

"But you'll still be Jin Buyeon? I'll still have Lady Jin on my back as Mother-in-law?"

Cho Yeong purses her lips. She puts her chopsticks down and turns to face Jang Uk.

At this point, Cho Yeong finds her relationship with Lady Jin difficult. She told Choyeon she would be staying away for a while, but it is just as much for Cho Yeong's sake as Jin Hogyeong's. Love, hate, resentment, respect, gratitude, torment. For the sake of Jin Seolran, and her identity as Jin Buyeon, she has already decided to continue seeing Jin Hogyeong as her mother. For all the pain she caused Cho Yeong, their ill-fated relationship can primarily be attributed to Jin Mu. In Lady Jin's eyes, Naksu was an enemy who stole her real daughter's body and killed her husband. However, Cho Yeong will no longer listen to her like an obedient daughter, nor will she lead Jinyowon, even with her divine powers. It's not like she can ever have the bond with Jinyowon that Choyeon or Jin Hogyeong possesses, anyway. For her, it was more like a gilded cage.

And yet, she once took great pride in being a priestess. Not to mention, she does feel immense gratitude towards Jin Seolran.

Numbly, Cho Yeong wonders what her life would have been if Jin Seolran hadn't stepped in and trapped her in this body.

She would not have met Jang Uk. She would not have lost her powers, either. She would have continued on her destructive path, next to Jin Mu, or perhaps she would have lost her life to Songrim already.

"I don't think Jin Hogyeong will be that interested in us anymore."

Jang Uk blinks. "What do you mean?"

"I'm no longer her monster, but she also knows I'm not really her daughter either. If she summons us, we will go, and if they need help protecting Jinyowon, we will go, but as it stands, she doesn't need me anymore."

"Indeed, she would certainly prefer an heir born to Jin Choyeon than us," Jang Uk says. He carries an expression that makes her wonder if he is considering having a daughter just to infuriate Jin Hogyeong.

"That isn't too far off," Cho Yeong agrees. "And she might not have to wait that long."

"What?"

Cho Yeong thinks of the energy she saw within Choyeon. "Let's just say, Choyeon and Danggu should probably hurry up and get married soon."

Chapter Text

It's been a week since the fire bird's defeat, and her subsequent resurrection, and Cho Yeong has one final checkup at Sejukwon to attend. She feels fine for the most part, but Master Lee recommended she get checked again, seeing as her body has gone through a lot of changes in a short amount of time. There may still be residual energy from Jin Seolran possessing it, which could affect her control over her powers, not to mention her sight. 

Up until now, she has been taken care of by Master Heo, but today, it is Heo Yunok who greets her at the entrance to the infirmary. A small part of Cho Yeong wants to groan out loud, or even just leave and come back when Master Heo is available, but she really needs a physician's clearance. Only then can she and Jang Uk start hunting down the relics that escaped during Jinyowon's collapse. 

The proposal had come from her mother quite unexpectedly, but she can't help but feel eager about getting to it. Jang Uk had also seemed excited to hunt something other than people for once. It's the type of adventure that fits the two of them perfectly.

"This way," Yunok says courtly. Cho Yeong follows her in silence. 

Even though she has no love for the nosy physician, Cho Yeong has to admit her interference did produce satisfying results. It was thanks to her that Cho Yeong was able to get her memories back properly. Well, truth be told, she already had her suspicions, but at the time, denial had seemed like a far more compelling solution. She had wanted to live a lie rather than admit how deeply she had hurt Jang Uk. Only when staring at her own blue-eyed reflection did she realize it was time to wake up. She had lost herself twice, then. 

Thankfully, Heo Yunok doesn't seem to be in the mood to pick a fight. Sejukwon is very busy these days, and the senior physicians are all preoccupied. And thus, a patient like Cho Yeong, who is only there for an evaluation, even if she is the new lady of the Jang Household, was given to Young Lady Heo.

In the past, Cho Yeong had been jealous of Heo Yunok, and everything she had been. Sophisticated, beautiful, wealthy, well-mannered, beloved by her family, a healer rather than a killer. Someone who easily could approach Jang Uk and be accepted into his life. Cho Yeong's pride had convinced her the jealousy was only a temporary madness, a result of not bracing herself properly when letting Jang Uk close to her. It would disperse with the wind once she returned as Naksu. Even so, her illogical distaste for the physician had remained. 

Then, Yunok had showcased a rather bitter side of herself when dealing with her as Jin Buyeon. Cho Yeong had only showed her ugly jealousy to Jang Uk. Yunok had hid it from him, instead taking it out on her. The thought suddenly annoys her, even as she is sitting in Sejukwon with Yunok examining her sight. 

Cho Yeong used eye drops to hide the still-visible marks before leaving home. Yunok already knows her identity, and surely wouldn't go against Master Lee's decision to keep quiet, but Cho Yeong isn't too keen on showing anyone else her soulshifter marks, least of all the person who made them appear in the first place. Even if Cho Yeong can recognize that she did it to protect Jang Uk. 

Yunok is a bit like Seo Yul, she supposes. Perhaps she would've been able to get over Jang Uk quickly if he hadn't been cruelly ripped from his life only to return as something so broken that it felt impossible to put behind her. A kind of pity. At least the physician never treated him differently after his resurrection, like the rest of the people of Daeho, who cowered and fled at his arrival.

During her time as Naksu, Cho Yeong seldom gave a thought to anyone else. She couldn't afford to put herself in others' shoes. But things aren't like they used to be, and she is not Naksu anymore.

She thanks the physician on the way out, and Yunok reminds her to take her medicine on time to recover properly, without even making any fuss or thinly veiled insults. There is a first time for everything. Next time though, Cho Yeong thinks she would still prefer to be treated by Master Heo. 

"Just pretend to eat it," Jang Uk advices, three days later, on their way to Park Jin's residence in Songrim. "It's really terrible, but for some reason, he can't accept that." 

Cho Yeong has heard a lot about the former Songrim leader's cooking, but she has yet to taste it for herself. It almost makes her feel excited. Park Jin had been on bedrest for a good week, and was apparently brimming with energy. She wonders how it will reflect in his food.

"He really shouldn't have been cooking already," Jang Uk sighs, shaking his head in disapproval. 

Cho Yeong suddenly remembers their first trip to Danhyanggok together, where they met Master Lee. Ironically, it was Master Lee who had taught Jang Uk how to cook, despite his tantrum upon seeing her show Seo Yul how to steam rice and cut vegetables. She supposes it's preferable to Park Jin having taught him. 

"Both him and—" she pauses.

She thinks of Jin Hogyeong. For better or worse, her fate has always been closely tied to the Jin family. Whatever is next, it is going to be difficult to navigate their relationship, but she knows she can endure, and Jin Hogyeong and Choyeon will too. Their Jinyowon will stand tall. 

"Both him and my mother got badly hurt." 

She then thinks about her relationship with Park Jin. In some ways, there is less personal bad blood between them. They didn't interact as much, either. She was Jang Uk's loyal servant, and then his perhaps rather scandalous love affair—on two separate occasions. Jin Mu's actions still haunt her, even in death. She was sent to kill Park Jin on his orders, after all. Sent there, to be discarded. Now, the former leader is aware of everything, but he has promised to keep quiet, as per Master Lee's request. 

A lot of people have become aware of her identity lately. And yet, she doesn't really feel afraid. She is no longer that person whose only motivation for life itself was revenge. She never believed she would be able to live like this, but now, she has the courage for trust and even for peace. 

She looks at the sword, Naksu's sword, hanging on Jang Uk's hip. Will she ever miss carrying it? Will she miss the satisfaction of cutting down her enemy? The clang of the metal as blade meets blade? She can't tell. Perhaps the wounds are too fresh. The sword was given to her by Jin Mu, she recalls. She had only been a child then, clinging to anything that was given to her, anything that could bring her closer to power. 

She remembers her desperation attempting at getting it back after shifting souls. She thought it would be the answer to all of her troubles, but it was not. 

The last time she wielded it, it had been against her own will. She had killed Jang Uk, then left it in his corpse, and he had carried it ever since his resurrection. As an omen or a curse. Or perhaps it was her poison that forced his hand. 

The sword no longer reacts to her. It has truly become Jang Uk's blade. She realized the change as soon as she returned to life after Jin Seolran gave up the body. In the past, it was Jin Seolran who restrained Cho Yeong's powers, but now her own energy is truly gone. Instead, she was was given all of the priestess's divine powers. Even in this moment she senses the magic trickle through her, to the very tip of her fingers, feeling both unfamiliar and intimate at the same time. While having seen both Choyeon and their mother in action, Lady Jin's powers have been waning for years, and Choyeon, while not weaker than any other priestess, cannot be called especially strong. 

The most powerful priestess in Daeho in this moment is Cho Yeong herself. The thought is exhilarating. She will never be powerless again. This divine power, that far exceeds the limitations of ordinary magic, she can use it to protect the people she holds dear.

"You've come," Park Jin acknowledges as soon as they step inside, first looking at Jang Uk with a smile, then Cho Yeong. As his gaze falls upon her, she can't help but feel somewhat unnerved.

Cho Yeong had interacted with Park Jin on several occasions when she was only Jin Buyeon. He had been kind to her, but he had also wanted Jang Uk to move on from Mudeok. At the time, she had felt happy to be seen as Jang Uk's savior. Now she knows, they all know, that she was his undoing. 

And yet, even knowing all that, Park Jin still accepted her into his home. 

"Thank you for the invitation," she says, the tension within her easing slightly. 

As they all sit down around the table, Cho Yeong can't help but glance at the other guests' facial expressions. There is Danggu, whose expression seems to say: let's just get it over with, Maidservant Kim with a fake smile plastered on her face, and of course a defeated-looking Jang Uk. No one seems particularly thrilled to be there, save for Park Jin himself. 

Taking a proper look at the many lavishly presented dishes, Cho Yeong can't really tell what it's supposed to be. She considers herself fairly apt in terms of cooking, and she enjoys it too, though it has been a while since the last time she was in a kitchen. 

"Help yourself," Park Jin says with a smile, gesturing to the plates. 

"It was quite unexpected," Park Jin begins, after they've eaten. 

Maidservant Kim and Danggu have gone off into the gardens to discuss some new accessories Danggu bought for Choyeon. It's just the three of them left, Cho Yeong, and Jang Uk, and the former leader of Songrim. The opponent she once fought on an ice-covered lake. 

In time, she has come to view Park Jin less as an enemy, and more like a family elder.

"Master Lee said you wouldn't tell," Jang Uk reminds him. Part of him must carry some doubt, given Park Jin's history with hunting down sorcery. But it was none other than Jin Seolran who left Cho Yeong this body. If Park Jin is okay with Master Lee being a soulshifter, he has to accept Cho Yeong as well. However, he does not have to accept her past, she knows that. At any moment, if he changes his mind, Cho Yeong could be in trouble. 

But she finds that it's not really the worry of getting thrown in Songrim's prisons that eats at her. 

She almost feels like a young suitor desperate for the hand of a fair maiden, facing down the only obstacle between their love: her disapproving father. Which is a ridiculous thought. Park Jin has no say in hers and Jang Uk's relationship. Besides, they are already married! She doesn't need anyone's approval, and certainly not Park Jin's. She doesn't need it. But perhaps a small (insignificant, really) part of her does want it. 

Propriety was never on her mind as Naksu, and whatever relationship she had with Jang Uk as Mudeok, she would always be considered unfit for him because of her status. Jin Buyeon is different. In Park Jin's eyes, she had once been Jang Uk's protector. Regaining any semblance of this trust, could it be possible? 

"Don't worry," Park Jin promises, leaning towards Jang Uk with a positively goofy smile. "No need to be so defensive." 

"I didn't expect it either," Cho Yeong says, wondering if she is overthinking. "I thought you never would agree to keep this secret."

"I can't say I agree with all of your actions, but I'm sure you don't agree with mine either. I've already put my leader-days behind me, so I'll trust that Songrim and Jeongjingak are in good hands. The fact is that I failed you first. You were the daughter of a friend, I should've done more to protect you and your family," Park Jin sighs. He folds his hands over the table. "Now that I look at you, I do see similarities to the skilled assassin I fought all those years ago." 

Cho Yeong nods in acknowledgment. It had been a worthy fight. And her first loss. In many ways, it was the start of her unraveling. 

Park Jin leans back in his seat with a dramatic sigh. "You must have shrunk."

"Courtesy of Jin Seolran," Cho Yeong says. Despite getting her own face's likeness back, the body is still the daughter of the Jin family. She possesses none of the moles or scars from her time as Naksu. At times, she will look in the mirror and experience a sense of strangeness. Legs that sometimes feel too short, arms that can't reach where they should. Running had been particularly difficult for her, often resulting in her stumbling over her own legs. In the past, when she was locked up in Jinyowon, she couldn't understand why, but at least the reason is clear to her now. 

"Was she really tall before?" Jang Uk asks eagerly. He always expressed regret for not having seen her original appearance, and while he now is able to see her real face, she has come to embody Jin Buyeon in many unexpected ways. Though, she should be grateful, she supposes. Most people never get anything of themselves back after choosing to perform the alchemy of souls.

"She was nearly my height," Park Jin confirms. "Much more intense-looking too. Now, you look like a young lady of the Jin family." 

Jang Uk sighs deeply, then points at Park Jin. "She's Madam Jang now, you know. She's not a young lady of the Jin family anymore." 

"I'm simply following Maidservant Kim's lead," Park Jin groans.

"We already had a proper wedding ceremony, just ask Master Lee!"

"It's true," Cho Yeong says.

"Please take this up with Maidservant Kim, not me."

As it darkens, and Jang Uk is getting a word from Park Jin and Maidservant Kim, Cho Yeong finds herself chatting one-on-one with Park Danggu.

"I was always thankful for your friendship," she says wistfully. When she was a mere Songrim servant, being close with him had been a great fortune, as everyone treated her kindly, regardless of how lazy and useless her young master was. Standing next to him like this, she almost feels like she is back to those near-peaceful days, over three years ago. At that time, her only concern had been how to regain her energy and return to the world as the Shadow Assassin Naksu. In the end, she had regained her powers, but destroyed everything that really mattered to her. "And... since I didn't get the chance to say this earlier, I'm sorry for everything. I'm so very sorry to you and to Choyeon."

"It was never your fault," he reassures her quickly. "Even Choyeon acknowledges it, Jin Mu caused everything. Besides, all of us played a part in failing to stop what happened three years ago. It's not your burden alone."

Despite his kind words, the lump in her throat doesn't quite want to loosen up. There is something muted about him, and Jang Uk, and Seo Yul, and Choyeon too. The four seasons, once Daeho's ideal of vigorous youth. Did they simply grow up, or was it her presence that wrecked their balance? She supposes she will never know. In truth, Cho Yeong would rather blame herself than admit how powerless she was. 

"Selfishly," Danggu says, his voice suddenly dropping, "I'm thankful that you came back for Uk, and Choyeon and Yul's sake. They all struggled a lot after— afterwards. I just wasn't able to reach them. I'm not sure how to treat you, either. It's not like you're a servant in my care anymore. Everything feels different." 

Cho Yeong smiles weakly. "Things are different indeed, but we are still friends. If you're willing."

A familiar grin spreads across his face. "Of course."

"Might as well just tell everyone at this point," Jang Uk suggests lightly. They're sitting next to each other on his quilt, dressed in sleepwear. Cho Yeong has cast the wraiths away, and summer's warmth has begun seeping back into the estate. 

"I don't need everyone to know. The people who need to, in order for us to live safely, have already been informed." 

"So from now on, no more reveals."

"No more," she agrees. 

"There is not a single person you'd want to tell?"

Cho Yeong pauses. 

There is one, she supposes. A person who took care of her, who shared food and drinks and good memories with her. A gutsy bar owner who defended her and lit candles to commemorate her death anniversary. But Cho Yeong knows she can't risk it. Even if she might never get the opportunity to be as close to Juwol again as she once was as Mudeok. The thought makes her feel an abrupt sense of loss. 

"You don't have to decide anything now," Jang Uk says gently. He takes her hands in his, as if wanting to warm them up. Instead, his hands are cold, almost refreshingly so in the summer heat. "Think carefully about what to do, and then make your decision."

She hugs him. "I'm always careful."

"That's a stretch."

"Look who's talking," she retorts. He laughs, the billowing sound echoing through the room, and providing her with the kind of warmth that only can come from him.

Chapter Text

It's been several seasons since the fire bird's defeat, and the pleasant spring breeze is once again engulfing Daeho. Jang Uk, Seo Yul and Park Danggu are seated by the table in Jinyowon's waterborne pavilion, while Cho Yeong and Jin Choyeon are standing by the pavilion's balustrade, looking out towards the large pond. Danggu and Choyeon both carry a small bundle in their arms. 

"Next time, you have to invite the king too. Even if he doesn't have time to hang out with us, he gets sour if he doesn't get an invite," Jang Uk sighs, taking a sip of his tea. 

"For this, I can understand him," Danggu says. "It's best to feel included, after all." 

A small yelp coming from Choyeon pulls them from the conversation.

Cho Yeong has grabbed little Park Dan with both hands, holding him up to eye-level. 

"I've never been around babies much," she says. 

"Eonni, please hold him gently," Choyeon complains, rushing to properly support the child's head with her hands. "This is not what I meant when I asked if you wanted to hold him."

Cho Yeong surrenders the baby to his mother, staring intently into his little face even as Choyeon coddles him in her arms. It scrunches up into something resembling a smile. Cho Yeong turns to Jang Uk, giving him a small, but firm nod. "I want ten."

Jang Uk chokes on his tea. Choyeon laughs nervously, while Seo Yul and Danggu exchange a look of disbelief. 

"I'll train them and have a brigade stronger than Cheonbugwan," she says brightly, folding her hands behind her back. 

"I pity whoever has to go through your training regiment," Jang Uk shudders. 

"They won't have a choice," Cho Yeong counters quickly. 

"Sounds like you want students to teach, not children," Jang Uk whines. "However, I'm your only pupil in this life, you can't have any others."

She rolls her eyes at him, then quickly returns her attention to little Dan, pinching his chubby cheek lightly. 

"Taking care of two children is already hard enough, I can't imagine ten," Danggu sighs, patting Park Gang's stomach gently. He grimaces as the baby drools on his sleeve. Seo Yul, ever the gentleman, leans over the table to offer him a napkin, which he gratefully accepts. 

"What about you, Yul? Aren't you going to get married?" Danggu asks, after he has wiped his sleeve. While he talks, Choyeon joins them at the table, sitting down right across Danggu.

"I can't say for sure. I still have a lot of things to do at Jeongjingak," Seo Yul says. "My father is hinting at becoming impatient, though."

"You should tell him how busy we are here in the Fortress," Danggu suggests. "Your father loved the idea of you taking over Jeongjingak, after all. You can ask Lady Cho Yeong to help you find a suitable bride, she's doing interviews for the king, I bet she's acquainted with tons of noble ladies!"

"I haven't gotten around to much of that yet, honestly. We still have a lot of things to do first," Cho Yeong says, putting her hands on her husband's shoulders. "We still have a lot of relics to find." 

"You're headed out of town soon, then?" Choyeon asks, looking up from the infant in her arms. 

"Yes, we are going to the North Fortress first. But we will be back for the twins' 100th Day Anniversary," Cho Yeong promises. 

"Be careful," Seo Yul says. "Take care of each other."

Danggu shakes his head dismissively. "Who would even dare try to hurt them?"

"Anyone are welcome to try," Jang Uk remarks smugly, crossing his arms as he leans back.

Cho Yeong smacks Jang Uk's shoulder lightly, before sitting down next to him. "We will definitely be careful," she says.  

The future looks bright, for once. Peaceful. They have proven that unlike their predecessors, they will not allow the world to go up in flames so readily, nor will they sit by and do nothing while it crumbles. Theirs will be a steady, safeguarded world, one where greed and fear won't be allowed to rule its people. 

Cho Yeong and Jang Uk smile at each other. They will always be around to protect it.