Chapter 9: The Fruits of Peace
Cheering echoed across the battlefield. Soldiers on both sides sheathed their swords and waved at each other. There was no war.
King Daemusin and King Choe Ri of Nakrang met on the neutral border. The two kings respectfully bowed to each other.
"Your Majesty, King of Nakrang, from today onward, we are one nation," King Daemusin said.
"Your Majesty, King of Goguryeo, I thank you for your wise decision," Choe Ri replied.
The two ministers stepped forward. The Goguryeo minister said, "Your Majesty, all of this is thanks to the wisdom of Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang. The document they drafted was truly remarkable. It was a rational analysis based on meticulous research and numerical analysis."
The minister of Nakrang continued, "That's right. And I know. They are truly in love. Instead of agonizing over their country and love, they found a way to protect both."
King Daemusin laughed heartily. "Haha, then quickly summon Hodong and Princess Nakrang! Shouldn't we hold the wedding?"
Choi Ri smiled and said, "Very well! This will be a wedding celebrating the unification of our two nations. Let's quickly choose an auspicious day!"
Soon, Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang were summoned. Gyeongpil and Yeongjin held each other's hands and stood before the two kings.
"Father." Hodong bowed to King Daemusin.
"Father." Princess Nakrang bowed to Choi Ri.
King Daemusin patted Hodong on the shoulder. "Well done, my son. You have accomplished something greater than war."
Choi Ri embraced the princess. "My daughter, you did not betray your country; you saved it. I am truly proud."
Cheering erupted from all sides. The people of Goguryeo and Nakrang rejoiced together. It was a historic moment, uniting in peace, not war, and in life, not death.
A month later, a magnificent wedding ceremony took place. Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang were wedded before the eyes of all the people of their two countries. Their marriage was not simply a personal love, but a symbol of peace and unity.
Chapter 10: Return and a New Beginning
After the wedding ceremony, and in the midst of a banquet, Gyeongpil and Yeongjin suddenly saw a light. Golden light enveloped them.
The voice of Buddha was heard. "Well done, Gyeongpil and Yeongjin. You have transformed tragedy into peace. Now it is time to return."
"Thank you, Buddha," they said simultaneously.
When the light faded, Gyeongpil and Yeongjin were back in the 21st century. They were in a study room in the Yeungnam University library. They were sitting at their desks, and it felt as if they had just dozed off.
A studio apartment in Daegu. Minjun sat in front of his laptop, staring at the screen. The typing paused. The last sentence was complete.
"And Gyeongpil and Yeongjin returned to reality."
Minjun was overcome with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes. "Really... really, something like this..."
He read the completed manuscript from cover to cover. It was an incredible story. A story of tragedy transformed into hope, war transformed into peace. The kind of story people desperately wanted.
Just then, a message arrived. It was Gyeongpil.
"Hyung! Great news! Your master's thesis was accepted! The examiners said the research topic was novel and meaningful! Youngjin and I have decided to pursue doctoral studies!"
Minjun replied with a smile. "Congratulations! That's so great!"
Soon, another message arrived.
"Hyung, and for my doctoral studies, I've decided to research a more interesting topic: 'Historical examples of world cases where choosing peace over war resulted in great synergy.' We want to prove that peace is more powerful than war."
Minjun stared at the screen for a long moment. Then he muttered, "Yes, peace is more powerful. You showed me."
Epilogue: The story continues
Minjun sent the completed manuscript to the publisher. This time, it was different. He received a call from his editor. "Author, this is a truly moving story. I'd like to publish it."
The novel "Prince Shin Hodong and Princess Nakrang" created a sensation immediately after its publication. It was particularly popular among couples. Many who struggled with the choices between love and nation, individuality and community found comfort in this story.
"Thank you for showing that peace is possible," one reader wrote to Minjun. "Now I feel confident in my choice."
Kyungpil and Youngjin diligently continued their research during their doctoral studies. They unearthed historical examples of choosing peace around the world. They proved that these examples yielded far better results than choosing war.
One evening, the three met again at a Korean restaurant.
"Hyung, I enjoyed reading the novel," said Gyeongpil. "But why do the main characters have the same names as us?"
Minjun smiled and replied, "I was inspired by you. Two lovers studying peaceful unification. Aren't they the perfect characters for Prince Hodong and Princess Nakrang?"
Yeongjin smiled and said, "It's an honor, oppa."
The three raised their glasses and toasted.
"For peace!"
"For love!"
"For a better future!"
Somewhere in the sky, Jesus and Buddha looked down on them, smiling.
"Well done, Buddha," said Jesus.
"Thanks to your good will," replied Buddha. "Now they will walk their own path. The path of peace and love."
Jesus nodded. "As they showed, peace is possible. As long as there are people who believe in it."
"That's right," said Buddha. "And this story will continue. Until more people choose peace." With their blessings, new stories continued to be written on Earth.
- End -
"Tragedy into peace, war into love."