Mu-deok and Uk both looked at eachother. "We were looking at Yul." Uk said. "Mu-deok asked me to come." Dang-gu and Da-hye looked at Mu-deok, both confused.

"Yul?" Dang-gu looked over at Yul who was busy reading a book. "Why not go see him up close?" 

"We were doing it in secret." Uk responded. "Mu-deok seemed to feel uneasy about approaching him, so I stayed with her."

Dang-gu and Da-hye smiled at each other, they knew what that meant. Mu-deok was in love with Yul. Of course, Da-hye was already expecting it to happen, Mu-deok or Naksu was childhood friends with Yul. It made sense. Bur so far, she was the only one who knew that.

"Mu-deok, you must have feelings for Yul." Dang-gu smiled.

"No.." Mu-deok protested.

"Dang-gu." Uk said. "You caught on very quickly. This is making me blush!" Uk laughed. 

"Young Master! This is a misunderstanding." Mu-deok denied.  Da-hye giggled.

"Do not be shy." Dang-gu shook his head. "Many women have fallen for Yul."

"It is natural you feel that way." Da-hye teased Mu-deok.

"It is not..." Mu-deok was interrupted.

"We will help Mu-deok." Dang-gu said. "Uk go to the reception room."

"Why?" Uk asked.

"Master Heo wants to see you." Dang-gu said.

"Master Heo?" Uk asked.

Mu-deok helped Dang-gu organize folders, scrolls, and books. Usually, Da-hye helped with that, she was happy to take a break. However, it also gave her an opportunity to inspect Mu-deok.

"So, Yul sleeps in the room that is at the very far end?" Mu-deok asked.

"Yes. He enjoys peace and quiet." Dang-gu said.

"What time does he got to bed?" Mu-deok asked.

Perhaps Da-hye was being paranoid or Mu-deok was asking very specific questions. Da-hye had a habit of overthinking situations.

"If he is not busy, he normally sleeps early and wakes up early too." Dang-gu responded. "Why do you ask? So you can visit him during his sleep?" Dang-gu teased. Mu-deok slightly smiled.

"Not matter how much you like him, that is wrong." Da-hye said. Mu-deok nodded in response.

"Here is a tip. He always eats at the same hour, so go see him in the dining hall." Dang-gu told Mu-deok.

"All right." Mu-deok said.

Dang-gu accidently slipped and the scrolls fell out of his hand.  Da-hye saw the way Mu-deok rushed to catch them. Those were moves that only mages could do, an ordinary maid shouldn't have reflexes like that.

"Mu-deok, are you all right?" Dang-gu asked dumbfounded. Yul had seen her too.  "Hey, Yul." Dang-gu said.

Mu-deok bowed her head. "Outsiders are not allowed to read the books in Jeongjingak." Yul said. 

"She is only here to help." Dang-gu said. "Besides, they are all about magic spells. She would not understand anyway."  Dang-gu said. At least that's what everyone thought. But Da-hye knew the truth. Mu-deok probably understood better than most Jeongjingak mages.

"You are quite nimble." Yul told Mu-deok. "Do you know martial arts?"

Mu-deok stuttered. "I learned how to dance at the brothel."  Mu-deok smiled. She spun herself around . "That is why I am nimble."

"Wow." Dang-gu smiled and clapped.

"Where is Dong-i? I need to ask for something?" Yul asked. Yul seemed serious, but he was always like that.

Dang-gu touched Yul's shoulders. "Well, Dong-i is not here but Mu-deok is." Dang-gu smiled. "Mu-deok, come help him out."

"I will help you." Mu-deok smiled.

"No, that is not necessary." Yul denied and walked away.Oh, did Yul feel off about Mu-deok? Dang-gu pushed Mu-deok towards Yul. Mu-deok ran after him.

"Why's he acting like that?" Da-hye wondered.

After a while of helping Dang-gu, Da-hye decided to leave because she was bored. As she was leaving the library, she bumped into Sang-ho.

"Where are you going?" Sang-ho asked.

"I'm not sure." Da-hye responded. She didn't where to go or what to do.

Sang-ho raised his eyebrow, clearly confused. "The leader requests your presence." Da-hye wondered what this was about.  She went to her uncle's room.

"Uncle." Da-hye bowed. "Why did you want to see me?"

"You achieved Ryusu a few years ago." Jin began speaking. "To be honest, I was surprised. I didn't see you training as hard as the other Jeongjingak mages."

It took Da-hye 6 years to master Jipsu. 7 years to master Ryusu. Many mages had not achieved the third level which was Chisu. 

"You were always a quick learner." Jin said. "It took me nearly a decade to achieve Chisu." Jin touched Da-hye's shoulder.

Da-hye knew where this was going. Ever since she achieved Jipsu, her uncle had pushed her to be better than all of there other mages. That was one of the reasons why Da-hye's ego was so big.

"I believe you'll be able to achieve Chisu in half the time that I did." Jin said.

"I don't think so." Da-hye said. "I don't think I'll be able to achieve it in 5 years. I'll achieve it in 3 years." Da-hye said sarcastically.

"3 years?" Jin asked. "So you achieved it already?" he asked sarcastically.

Da-hye had been training to achieve Chisu for 3 years now.

"I will really soon." Da-hye smiled. "Just wait and see, uncle."

--

The leader had decided to meet with Jang Uk in the training center, a lot of Songrim mages were there. Da-hye, Dang-gu, Yul, and Mu-deok were also there.

"I sincerely apologize for all the trouble and chaos I have caused." Uk said.

"Songrim decided...to open your gate of energy, so you will not be held responsible." The leader said. 

"I, Jang Uk, the eldest of the Jang family, am now ready to practice and learn. If Songrim gives me a chance, I will do my best." Uk said.

Da-hye could almost feel bad, she knew that her uncle would never let Uk be a mage of Jeongjingak. Uk was so delusional.

"And to show my loyalty, I will pass on Naksu's sword, a sword I took from Jin Mu." Uk announced. "And keep it in Songrim's Sword room." Uk looked at Mu-deok and she stepped forward.

"I refuse the offer." The leader said. "That sword was meant for the Jang family, so your family can keep it safe." The leader told Uk. 

Sang-ho stepped down and placed Jang Gang's sword on the table.

"You may take your father's sword as well." The leader said. "From this moment forward, I hereby banish Jang Uk from Songrim." The leader said.

Da-hye did not expect her uncle to say that. All Uk wanted his whole life was to be a Songrim mage and now, he was banished from Songrim. Dang-gu, Yul, and Da-hye all looked at each other.

"I allowed you to freely enter as you were the son of an old friend." The leader said. "But you have no right to enter Songrim as a mage. From now on,  Jang Uk will not be give access to anything in Songrim." That was cruel. Da-hye felt so bad, but it was the consequences of his trouble maker actions. "Hand in the Spirit Plaque that allows you to enter this place." The leader said.

Uk scoffed. "I do not have it." The punishment for losing the Spirit Plaque was severe.

"What?" The leader asked.

"I lost it." Uk said. "I lost the Spirit Plaque."

"What kind of punishment is given to those who lose the Spirit Plaque?" The leader asked.

"A hundred floggings, my lord." Sang-ho said.

"Then I hereby order a hundred flogging for Jang Uk for having lost the Spirit Plaque." The leader ordered.

Why, of all things, did Jang Uk have to lose his Spirit Plaque?

𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝘁𝘄𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗹 𝗗𝗮-𝗵𝘆𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁. 𝗕𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝟭𝟬 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲𝗱, 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗽 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝘁. 𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗶𝘀𝗲, 𝗶𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗮𝗶𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁, 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗺𝘆 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆. 𝗦𝗼 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗼𝘄. 𝗢𝗿 𝗮𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗮𝘆.