Songrim had been making many changes to the constellation basin for the past days. It was so they had more time in Cheonbugwan.

"This is good enough." The Cheonbugwan mage said. "The constellation basin is fixed. So take all your laborers back to Songrim."

"Do not be ridiculous." Da-hye said. "It is not perfect yet." Da-hye shook her head.

"We think it is good enough." The mage responded. "What is it with you?"

"Goodness, look at that." Da-hye clicked her tongue. "How can you say that is good enough? Do you really not know anything about style?" Da-hye asked.

"The lower part of the basin is a different color from the top." Dang-gu said. "We should exchange the lower part."

"You have exchanged it many times already." The mage raised his voice slightly. "We think it is fine."

"The leader of Songrim promised to return the constellation basin to its original form." Yul said. "We cannot let a single mistake slide."

After that, the three of them went to talk to Jin Mu.

"The construction normally takes a day or two at most." Jin Mu said. "But it is taking quite a long time."

"Do you feel uneasy that we keep coming here?" Yul asked.

"What is there to feel uneasy about?" Jin Mu asked. "I just think Songrim is wasting its time and money."

"Do not worry about money when it come to Songrim." Dang-gu said.

"The constellation basin is yet not to my liking." Da-hye said.

"To your liking?" Jin Mu raised his eyebrow.

"Yes." Da-hye nodded.

"The last time I saw you, you and Yul seemed pretty skilled." Jin Mu said. "Have you both mastered Chisu?"

"Yes." Yul said.

"Then you two must be the first mages in Jeongjingak  to have mastered Chisu." Jin Mu said. He turned to look at Yul. "Like father like son. Your father, Seo II, must be proud." Jin Mu told him. Yul nodded his head.

Jin Mu kept complementing Yul and Da-hye's skills. They were just waiting for the laborers to get everything wrapped up so they could go back to Songrim.

Yul had gone to Jang Uk's house to visit him. Tomorrow was Uk's final duel, if he did not win against Cha Beom, he would lose whatever Mu-deok and the Crown Prince had betted on. Da-hye could not understand why Uk had forfeited when she offered to fight him and let him win.

The next day, Dang-gu, Yul, and Da-hye were discussing Uk's duel.

"Once Uk returns, Beom would want to have the duel right away." Dang-gu said. He had not known that Uk had already returned just last night. "But he is busy fishing right now? And Mu-deok is letting him do that?"

Da-hye actually had a theory for that. Uk was fishing in lake  Gyeonchondaeho. Da-hye had read about a golden fish that could be caught at Lake  Gyeonchondaeho only mages who achieved Chisu could do it. Could Uk be trying to achieve Chisu?

"I doubt she would have let him." Dang-gu said.

"So you can also see that Uk listens to Mu-deok." Yul said.

"He is stubborn about things no matter what other tell him." Dang-gu said.

"Yet, he always listens to Mu-deok." Da-hye said. Da-hye wondered, was Uk in love with Mu-deok? Were they both in love?

"They must not be together." Yul said. Was Uk jealous? Or did he know that Mu-deok was Naksu too? Was he hiding it?

"What?" Dang-gu asked confused. "Why not? Do you not like that they are close?" Dang-gu asked thinking that Yul was jealous.

"I do not." Yul said. "If they end up going down the wrong path, there will be nothing I can do to stop them."  So, Yul knew as well. But he had not told anyone. Should Da-hye also keep this a secret? She had actually thought about telling her uncle, it was only right. But she didn't know how to say it.

Dang-gu scoffed. "Why would they do that?" Dang-gu asked. "You are just jealous aren't you?"

"He is just jealous." Da-hye shook her head disapprovingly. She obviously, had to act clueless like Dang-gu. Except, Dang-gu was not acting, he was really clueless.

In a few hours, Uk's final duel would commence. The Crown Prince would be there as well. It made Da-hye nervous just thinking about it. But she knew that eventually she would have to get over the Crown Prince.

--

The Crow Prince decided to meet with Uk's last opponent.

"So you are Uk's last opponent." The Crown Prince said.

"Yes, Your Royal Highness." Cha Beom said. "I will do my best to win this duel." That was not very reassuring for the Crown Prince.

"You must win." The Crown Prince said. "If you lose the duel, I'll see to it that you never succeed in life as a mage." The Crown Prince threatened. "Give me your word you will win this."

"A lot could happen in a duel, uh..." Cha Beom stuttered. He was not sure that he could actually win either.

"Enough." The Crown Prince said. "I need someone who will win for sure. Say you will win."

"I'm afraid I cannot say that for certain, because no one expected him... to defeat you either, Your Royal Highness." Cha Beom got nervous. "There is only 2 people who can beat him at all costs. Park Da-hye and Seo Yul." He said. The thought of Da-hye made the Crown Prince feel a knot in his stomach. "However, Park Da-hye was Uk's previous opponent and he forfeited." Cha Beom explained.

Da-hye had offered to fight Uk? Was her intention to let him win? Was this her way of saying she was going against the Crown Prince? No, it could not be. It was known that she did not like Uk that much. Maybe he was just overthinking the situation.

"So the only option is Seo Yul, Your Royal Highness." Cha Beom said.

"Seo Yul." The Crown Prince said. It would be hard to convince him to defeat Uk, considering they were friends. But it was his only option.

--

Uk's duel was taking place now.

"Today is Uk's last duel." The Crown Prince announced. " I have to talked with the person who I made this bet with, and the prize for today's winner will not be a gold toad. It will be something else." The Crown Prince said. Da-hye raised her eyebrow in confusion, what could His Royal Highness be talking about? "The winner of today's duel will be winning that maid." The Crown Prince said talking about Mu-deok.

"I have agreed to serve... the winner of today's duel as my master." Mu-deok announced. Well Uk now had to win obviously.

"All right, then." The Crown Prince said. "The person fighting Jang Uk for his last duel. Step forward."

Everyone looked at Cha Beom expecting him to step forward, but he took a step back. Da-hye saw Yul, who was standing next to her, step forward. What? What was going on? He was the only who was going to be fighinting Uk?

"Jang Uk." Yul stood in front of Uk. "The person you will be fighting against is me." The mages watching started whispering to each other.  Da-hye gasped. Was he doing it for Mu-deok?

"You may begin." The Crown Prince.

Yul had won the duel, even when Uk used Tansu against him. But there was no water around. Uk had achieved Chisu! Da-hye had clearly seen him use Chisu.

Yul had sent Uk flying to the ground. That meant Uk had lost, Mu-deok now was Yul's maid. "The duel has ended." Eunuch Kim said. "Seo Yul has won."

"I knew it." Cha Beom said. "Uk lost all 10 duels."

"How did he use Tansu at the end?" Gu-hyo asked. "He collected the energy in the air and turned it into water."

"That is absurd." Cha Beom said. "Only those who have reached Chisu can do that."

"He achieved Chisu." Da-hye said. She was sure that he did. 

"When did you achieve Chisu?" Yul asked Uk.

"I told you yesterday that I had something surprising to tell you." Uk said.

"That is incredible."  Yul smiled. "Congratulations."

"Jang Uk!" Dang-gu ran towards him. "You have reached Chisu. Congratulations, my friend." Dang-gu hugged him.

"Congratulations, Uk." Da-hye walked toward her friends. " You achieved Chisu just after we did." Da-hye said talking about her and Yul.

"Our fellow mage, Jang Uk, has reached Chisu!" Dang-gu announced.

"Really?" All the mages gathered around him. And cheered him than left back to Jeongjingak.

"Mu-deok just left with the Crown Prince." Yul said. "They are probably putting an end to their bet."

"I am just worried they may be up to something ridiculous again." Uk said.

"I will go and check." Yul said.

"Yes, you should take care of her." Dang-gu said. "After all, you are now her owner." Uk looked at him, a bit hurt. Did he really like Mu-deok. "That is what we want the Crown Prince to think." Dang-gu said. "So Yul can go to see Mu-deok."

"Let us take Uk to Sejukwon, then." Da-hye said.  She wanted to be as far away from the Crown Prince as possible. Thinking about him made her feel a knot in her stomach.

"Let us go, hurry." Dang-gu helped Uk walk. Da-hye trailed behind them.

𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗮-𝗵𝘆𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗜 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 ☹️. 𝗜𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗺𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗵, 𝘆𝗲𝘁. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝘆 😔. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁'𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗯 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗗𝗮-𝗵𝘆𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰.