Introduction

In the kingdom of Haneulguk, beneath the grandeur of the palace walls, lies a web of secrets, deceit, and betrayal—threads tangled so tightly that no one knows where they begin or end. King Dong Man, a ruler driven by a sense of duty, has buried his own heart in the pursuit of power and survival. His only son, a child born in the shadows of scandal and death, is kept hidden from the world, an heir no one knows about, except for those who would do anything to ensure he never sees the throne.

Mina, the king’s concubine and mother to the hidden prince, died in childbirth, but her death was no accident. The queen, unable to bear a child of her own, attempted to rid the kingdom of the prince at all costs, but fate had other plans. A year later, the king’s son is whisked away in the dead of night, raised in secrecy by a soldier turned farmer and his wife, far from the prying eyes of the royal court.

The years pass, and the prince, Choi Haesu, grows into a young man, unaware of his true lineage. But as the kingdom faces a new threat—an alliance between the queen and an enemy kingdom—his existence will no longer remain a secret.

In desperation, King Dong Man summons seven men from all walks of life, each chosen for their unique skills and strength. The king’s elite soldiers, bound together by a shared fate, will serve not only as his guardians but as the key to the kingdom’s future.

Among them are men with dark pasts, fractured loyalties, and untold stories. From the son of a corrupt politician to the heir of a disgraced royal bloodline, to the orphaned son of a humble baker—each soldier has something to prove. But as they are drawn deeper into the web of palace intrigue, they will discover that their lives are entwined by more than just duty.

For each of them, love will find a way into their hearts, even as they face the most dangerous secrets of all: their own. With the fate of the kingdom hanging by a thread, alliances will be tested, loyalties shattered, and the truth about the hidden prince will change everything.