The hierarchy at the palace was beginning to shake. With Gang Jang off training, King Go Soon decided that it was time to make some moves.An attack from a soul shifter—one that came far too close to succeeding—was the final straw. King Go Soon, frustrated and eager for a decisive change, decided to promote Jin-Mu to the position of Gwanju in the absence. But there was a catch. Jin-Mu, as reckless as he was cunning, was not particularly liked among the Seasons

Jin-Mu, however, had a different idea. Rather than accepting a promotion, he struck a deal. He demanded the right to burn Naksu's body and keep hold of her sword for the time being. Uk, ever the vigilant one, stood in his path. He inspected the sword himself, confident in his own ability to sense its power.

Jin-Mu was smug, convinced that Uk would never be able to unsheathe the blade. "For now," Jin-Mu said with a calculating grin, a comment that only piqued Uk's interest even more.

Outside, Naksu's body lay still, and Mu-Deok, unaware of the ongoing negotiations, had been watching the flames burn. Uk walked up to her, the sword in his hand.

"I found it," Uk said quietly.

He held Naksu's sword out to her.

"Try. Unsheathe it, and you'll have your powers back."

Mu-Deok took the sword, her hands trembling as she tried, but the blade refused to move. Her magic remained absent, and she slumped, defeated.

"I guess this is it," Uk muttered, disappointed.

"You should just stay as Mu-Deok." But Mu-Deok was not willing to give up.

"This is hell," she hissed, her eyes burning with something Uk couldn't quite understand. With one final surge of determination, she took the sword and, without warning, hurled herself into Lake Gyeongcheondaeho.

Uk, his heart racing, watched her dive, and the moment she hit the water, something inside her clicked. Underneath the surface, her power seemed to ignite, and the blade, which had once been immovable, now lay within her grasp.

When she emerged, dripping wet and panting for air, Mu-Deok's eyes glowed with renewed energy. But the cost had been steep. She collapsed on the shore, and Uk was by her side in an instant.

After being back to normal, Mu-Deok's action was about to have more repercussions. She had carefully brewed a pot of herbal tea for Uk, and as he drank, he soon found himself choking, unable to breathe properly. His throat tightened, and the world spun.

Master Heo Yeom arrived, his face full of concern. But Mu-Deok remained calm, her expression unreadable.

"There's only one way to save him," she said softly, her voice filled with quiet authority.

"You have to open his gate of energy."

Master Park was not pleased, his frown deepening.

"That's dangerous."

"If not," Mu-Deok continued, "he'll die."

Master Park didn't hesitate. He looked at Uk, who was writhing in pain, and made a decision.

"We do it. Open the gate."

Mu-Deok smirked to herself, relieved that Uk would have his powers back. But the cost of the ritual was high, and as Master Park began to work, Mu-Deok was tortured, strung up by the ropes, her body aching from the effort. Yet she didn't care. This was the price Uk would pay for his strength.

The procedure was long and excruciating, but in the end, Uk's energy was restored. He limped out of the room, his body weak but his mind more focused than ever. The moment he noticed Mu-Deok hanging, he rushed to her side and cut her free. She collapsed into his arms, her breath shallow but steady.

"You saved me," she murmured, but Uk said nothing in response. Instead, he knelt down beside her, his eyes filled with concern.

"I won't leave you," he whispered, a promise she could feel deep in her bones.

Master Park demanded an explanation for what had happened, his expression fierce as he questioned Uk about the state of his maid and what had led to the poisoning.

Uk, despite everything, refused to get treatment until Mu-Deok received hers. Master Park's face turned an even darker shade of red at his defiance, but Uk remained firm. He refused to let anyone treat him while she remained injured.It was only when Kim Maid, ever the mediator, stepped in and begged that Master Park finally conceded, allowing both of them to be patched up at Sejukwon.

Soon Seo Yul, Hae-rin, and Dang-gu arrived, having rushed after hearing about the events from a mage who had informed them.

Seo Yul's gaze shifted from Uk to Mu-Deok, and an unsettling feeling grew in his chest. There was something strange about the connection between them—something he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Hae-rin, equally curious, watched Mu-Deok closely, her sharp eyes picking up on the unspoken tension between the two.

"Uk risked his life for her," she murmured softly to Dang-gu, her voice carrying a mixture of concern and suspicion.

"Why?"

Meanwhile, Master Park Jin turned to Master Heo Yeom with a grim expression.

"Uk's gate of energy is open now," he said quietly.

"We can't leave it like this. We need to retrieve the power."

But there was a bigger issue at hand. Master Park Jin had just realized something that made his blood run cold: his supply of alcohol—his precious remedy for insomnia—had vanished. It was gone, every last drop.

Master Park  was standing in his office, eyes narrowed as he stared at the empty shelf where his precious bottles of alcohol used to sit. His hand clenched into a fist, but his voice remained calm, though tinged with fury.

"Who took my alcohol?"

The room fell silent for a moment. Dang-gu and Hae-rin, standing by the door, exchanged a quick glance, both of them knowing they were caught red-handed.

Dang-gu trying to act innocent spoke, "Alcohol? Master, we have no idea what you're talking about."

Hae-rin feigning ignorance, joined him raising an eyebrow, "Yeah, Master. Surely, you don't think we'd do something so... mischievous?"

Master Park Jin's eyes narrowed further, his fingers tapping impatiently on the desk.

"Don't lie. The alcohol is missing, and I can smell it. You two were in here earlier. What did you do with it?"

Dang-gu and Hae-rin both turned their heads in unison toward the back of the room, where a faint smell of liquor lingered in the air. It was too late to deny it now.

Dang-gu gulping, trying to think made an excuse, "Uhm... maybe it went... missing on its own? You know, alcohol is a tricky thing. Sometimes it just disappears...", Hae-rin playing along with a mischievous grin.

"Yes, and with your stressful days, Master, it must have just slipped away without anyone noticing. Surely you wouldn't blame us for such a minor thing?"

But Master Park Jin was no fool. He grabbed a nearby broom and pointed it directly at the two. Master Park sternly said, "I have one simple question for you two. Where. Is. It?"

Hae-rin gave a dramatic sigh, turned to Dang-gu with a mock serious expression and whispered, "Should we tell him?"

Dang-gu grinning, shaking his head replied, "Not yet. Let's see how far we can push this."

Before Master Park Jin could react, Dang-gu grabbed Hae-rin's wrist and made a break for it, darting out the door with surprising speed.

Dang-gu yelled back, "Catch us if you can, old man!"

Master Park angrily roared, "You two are not getting away with this!"

Hae-rin sprinted after Dang-gu, laughing as she ran. She could hear the heavy footsteps of Master Park Jin following close behind, cursing under his breath.

Master Park shouting at them, "You think you can run away from me?! Do you know how many years I've spent chasing down irresponsible children like you?"

Dang-gu slowed his pace just enough to glance behind him and mocked, "C'mon, Uncle! It's just a little fun! Live a little!"

Hae-rin shot him a look as she tried to keep up, a huge grin plastered on her face.

"You know, you're asking for it. He's going to throw you in the lake after this."

Dang-gu laughed, "He can't catch me, though. We're too fast!" They skidded around a corner, running straight into the corridor where some of the other servants were working.

Seo Yul who was passing by got startled, watching them rush past and asked them, "What's going on? Is there a storm coming?"

Hae-rin barely had time to reply laughing spoke, "Master Park Jin's hunting us down!"

Just then, Master Park Jin appeared at the end of the corridor, his face flushed with both anger and exertion. He waved his broom like a weapon, causing a few nearby servants to jump back in shock.

"You can't escape justice! Not while I'm still standing!"

Dang-gu and Hae-rin darted through a doorway and into the storage room, panting as they slowed down.

Dang-gu still laughing, "Alright, let's lay low for a minute. I think we lost him." Hae-rin chuckled, leaning against a shelf as she wiped her brow.

"This is the most fun I've had all week."

But then, they heard a loud crash, followed by Master Park Jin's voice booming from the hallway.

"WHERE. IS. MY. ALCOHOL?!"

The two exchanged a look and broke into laughter once more, just as the sound of footsteps approached. The game was far from over.

Dang-gu grinning asked Hae-rin, "Think we can outrun him?"

Hae-rin with a twinkle in her eyes replied, "Only one way to find out." And with that, the chase continued. The halls of Songrim would never be the same after this, and Master Park Jin's fury would be remembered for years to come.

Back at Sejukwon, Uk sat beside Mu-Deok, who had finally recovered. He looked down at her, his gaze filled with gratitude.

"No one has ever helped me like you have," he admitted quietly.

"I'm willing to submit to you as my true master."

Mu-Deok, despite her inner turmoil, nodded. "I will train you, but remember this—once I get my energy back and become Naksu again, our ties will be severed. And don't you dare tell anyone about our training."

Uk nodded, his heart settled for the moment.

"I won't. I promise." And with that, their fates were sealed. Uk would be her pupil, and she, his master, even if only for a short time.