The Wizard of the Circle

During the strict moral codes of the Joseon Dynasty, acts of indecency were severely condemned. In the remote southern province of Seoyeon, a newly appointed judge, Yeon, hears a chilling tale—each year, a human sacrifice is offered to appease the serpent deity that dwells on the island. Outraged by such a barbaric tradition, Yeon sets out to confront the so-called beast, determined to put an end to the superstition. But the moment he steps into the serpent’s lair, he finds himself under attack by a monstrous creature unlike anything he had imagined. Just when all seems lost, a mysterious woman—one of the supposed sacrifices—appears before him. With an arcane power, she subdues the serpent effortlessly. Thump. Thump. “…Is she even human?” As the serpent’s massive form collapses lifelessly behind him, Yeon’s gaze locks onto the woman who saved him. Her crimson hair glows in the dim cave light, burning itself into his memory. Perhaps… this was the moment it all began.