Until the morning of his departure back to Nahmgyo, Seong didn't leave Ryang alone. More precisely, he kept him under surveillance. The reports from the soldiers were unremarkable. Ryang cleaned himself, changed into fresh clothes, and caught up on the events that transpired in Wicheong Palace during his absence. He also organized the matters that needed to be taken care of in Nahmgyo. He spent his remaining time in Wicheong Palace as usual, meticulously attending to his duties, but the soldiers reported that he seemed hollow, as if his spirit had been drained.
Seong was anxious when Ryang, ready to depart, was summoned before him. He explained Joon's situation, and Ryang listened attentively.
"He hasn't returned even though he's long past his due date," Seong said. "We need to send out a search party, either using the map Jang'gyeong Yoon drew and mobilizing a House Myeonghyeon merchant ship, or borrowing a vessel from Lady Seolyo if that's not feasible."
"I'll ask the Lady as soon as I arrive," Ryang replied. "It's not safe to use our merchant ship if Cheon Hwan is out there."
"What should we do about Jang'gyeong Yoon?" Seong asked.
"The High Commander is right," Ryang answered. "Once Joon returns safely, execute the remaining sailors in Wicheong."
Seong, somewhat relieved by Ryang's reliable response, was again unsettled by the cold-blooded advice to execute the sailors without hesitation.
"But I haven't decided what to do with the sailors Joon took with him," he said.
Ryang's head tilted slightly. "Haven't you already decided? Otherwise, there would have been no reason to send almost all of them."
"The High Commander was in charge of the personnel deployment," Seong explained.
"Summon him and confirm," Ryang urged. "Even for someone like Cheon Hwan, that many men aren't needed to capture one person. Nor are they needed to operate the ship. I suspect there were other instructions."
"Alright, I'll confirm it," Seong conceded.
"Do you have any further instructions?" Ryang asked.
"That's all for now," Seong replied.
Ryang's tightly pressed lips and downcast eyes suggested he had more to say, so Seong waited. Ryang spoke after a brief silence.
"I have a request," he said.
"Tell me."
"Once we reclaim all four cities of Birahng, I wish to hand over Yeonyahng to House Seolyo."
Though somewhat sudden, Seong had expected Ryang to make this decision eventually, so he agreed without questioning.
"Prepare as you wish," he said.
Seong assigned five plainclothes guards to Ryang and saw him off to the entrance of Wicheong Palace. Even after Ryang disappeared into the forest, Seong remained rooted to the spot. He couldn't shake off the anxiety that this farewell, like the previous two, would lead to another disaster. That was why he had sent a soldier ahead to Nahmgyo to inform Seon of the situation without Ryang's knowledge. Although Ryang appeared composed within Wicheong Palace, as if he had poured out his entire soul, it might be different with his family. Seong had asked Seon to be considerate, even if Ryang acted in ways she couldn't understand. But there was nothing Seon could do to prepare after receiving the news. Just as Seong had sent Ryang off with anxiety, Seon awaited his return with equal apprehension.
Seon, accompanied by U'nso, greeted Ryang as he entered through the back gate. Ryang kept his gaze fixed on the ground until he saw Seon's feet. He slowly raised his head, and Seon greeted him.
"You're back, brother?" she said.
Ryang's voice was cold. "Don't call me brother. I don't have a sister like you."
"Why are you acting like this?" Seon asked.
Ryang's brow furrowed as he looked at her. Seon sensed a murderous intent from Ryang, who had never uttered a harsh word to her in his life. His suppressed rage seeped out with each word.
"You handed over military funds to the enemy without permission, brought that vulgar barbarian to your bed, and now you're instigating Cheongro to get rid of someone who's in your way? Just how low will you stoop? Where do you draw the line?"
Seon froze. The "vulgar barbarian" was undoubtedly Baek Ryucheon. She wondered how Ryang had learned about her and Ryucheon, but calming him down was her priority.
"Brother, there seems to be a misunderstanding," she began.
"I'm not your brother," Ryang interrupted.
Seon closed her mouth, unable to speak. Seeing Ryang's taut neck and the suppressed fury in his voice, she abandoned any attempt to deflect the situation with her usual frivolous words. Ryang pushed past her and headed straight to his chamber.
"If he finds out I diverted funds to Sunyahng," Seon murmured, "he might actually kill me."
U'nso also recognized that Ryang's anger was different from the usual sibling squabbles. "Is what he said true?" he asked.
"We all need to survive," Seon replied. "You, me, and brother."
Seeing U'nso's grave expression, she added, "Of course, I didn't mention the funds."
To Ryang, who had just gone through hell alone, even revealing the necklace incident to Cheongro must have seemed like madness. U'nso, choosing not to add fuel to the fire, simply bowed his head.
"He'll calm down soon," he said. "It's always been like this. Don't worry too much."
Ryang stumbled into his chamber and gulped down a bowl of cold water. His heartbeat, which he had barely managed to control in front of Seon, wouldn't slow down. He clutched his chest and sank to the floor, his back against a pillar.
This turmoil isn't because of Dara, nor the blood on my hands. It is because of Seon, because she has so readily revealed my secret to Cheongro. Was it Seon who had smuggled out the funds, not Dara? If she could tell Cheongro about the necklace to get rid of Dara, if she has strayed that far, won't she be capable of that too? Ryang was tormented by the suspicion, but he didn't want to dwell on it.
Must I even hold onto this suspicion? Must I hate Seon to push away the recurring image of Dara's severed neck? As he suppressed the violent surge of emotions, he feared he was losing his mind, just as Ryucheon had said.
Have I already gone mad? No. He couldn't allow that. This turmoil can't be because of Dara or the lingering effects of the poison. Then what is it? Am I simply insane? No, it is nothing. Killing a person is commonplace for someone like me. Killing one's beloved is also commonplace. Ryang was consumed by a feverish confusion.
After sunset, U'nso knocked and entered. He frowned at the sight of Ryang sprawled on the floor, his face pale and dotted with sweat.
"Why are you here?" Ryang asked.
"I thought you might need something."
"I don't."
U'nso never trailed off like that. When Ryang remained silent, he confessed, "There were instructions from Wicheong before you arrived."
"What instructions? Did the Guardian say not to leave me alone?"
U'nso bowed deeply instead of answering, remaining standing despite the cold reception.
"Did the Princess visit while I was away?" Ryang asked.
"No, she didn't."
"I see. You can leave now. Don't come in unless I summon you."
"But..." U'nso started to speak, then stopped, looking at Ryang's face. He bowed once more and left.
Ryang leaned his head against the wall again. He had used Kyeong'ui as an excuse when Cheongro visited, claiming he couldn't leave for Wicheong Palace. It was strange that he hadn't heard from her, rendering his excuse meaningless. Must I be relieved that I have one less problem to worry about? If he continued to sit here, mulling over these questions, he would truly go mad. He splashed water from a basin on his face and headed to Seolyo Jin. He persuaded the reluctant Jin, concerned about Dahn's watchful eyes, to dispatch a ship from Nahmgyo. Even after two more sleepless nights for Ryang, Kyeong'ui still hadn't contacted him.
Ung arrived before Kyeong'ui. He appeared two days after Ryang returned to Nahmgyo. Seon, who had received Ung before Ryang, offered him a separate house. Assuming Ung had come because of Joon, Ryang gave him some time to settle in, then went to the house and explained the situation.
"A ship from Nahmgyo departed yesterday," Ryang informed him. "We should receive good news within a few days."
"I'm sure they will. They'll return safely," Ung said.
"Why don't you stay in Nahmgyo until Joon returns?" Ryang suggested.
"No," Ung replied. "I can't leave Wicheong for long, especially with you away. You must be mindful of the Princess as well."
He glanced at Ryang's face. Is his haggard appearance due to physical or emotional distress? He recalled Seon's words when she greeted him, saying that Ryang had changed, and she wasn't sure if it was because of the lingering effects of the poisoning or because of Dara. What does the cause matter? The important thing was that Ryang was suffering.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help," Ung said. "With the Guardian already defending you, I thought it best to remain silent, as anything I said would be dismissed as the words of a relative."
"There was no need for you to intervene," Ryang assured him. "Don't blame yourself."
"I have something for you," Ung said, rummaging through the luggage he had left behind.
He took Ryang's weakly curled hand and placed something heavy in it. Ryang quickly closed his hand into a fist before Ung could let go.
"I heard from the Guardian," Ung said. "Even if you find it repulsive and want to discard it, your mother would understand."
Ryang froze, his fist clutched tightly against his chest. Ung held out another object, a small porcelain box that fit comfortably in his hands.
"The Guardian had it retrieved and sent," he explained.
Ryang instantly knew what was inside. "What does this have to do with me?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
"Don't speak like that," Ung urged. "Scatter her remains in a good place. It's the only way to find some closure."
"She was a traitor I executed with my own hands," Ryang retorted. "Are you asking me to perform her funeral rites with these bloodstained hands?"
"Ryang," Ung said softly.
A tear, held back for so long, escaped and traced a path down Ryang's cheek.
"Do you resent the Guardian?" Ung asked.
"Am I... not allowed to?" Ryang choked out.
Ung gently enveloped Ryang's clenched fist. Ryang lowered his head, trying to swallow his sobs, but his shoulders trembled uncontrollably. Ung gently stroked his shoulder and the back of his hand.
"Yes," he said. "Perhaps resentment is all we can offer. I am overjoyed that you returned alive. I'm proud of you for enduring."
Ryang's tightly pressed lips trembled. He surrendered his shaking shoulders to Ung's touch and wept silently.
He returned to his chamber with the box clutched in his hands. He sat alone until nightfall, staring at the box before him. The phantom of the sword Seong had given him blurred with the image of the box. Just as the sword had felt unreal, the porcelain box seemed like an illusion. He touched its surface. The cold, smooth texture spread through his fingertips, sharp as if his hand had been cut. What should I do? Should I throw it away? Should I empty it into a ditch? How can I tear away the lingering afterimage, the tactile memory that has spread like poison through my mind? Ryang spent another sleepless night. The box was visible even in the darkness and didn't disappear even when he closed his eyes.
Before dawn broke, Ryang left, his footsteps heavy in the thick darkness. He walked towards the coast near Nahmgyo, his untethered spirit leading him. The sky turned purple as he walked. Reaching the rocky shore where waves crashed against the black rocks, he took a deep breath and set down the box. Carefully, he opened the lid and scattered a handful of ashes into the air above the sea foam. Dara's fragmented remains, unable to settle on the waves, scattered in the wind.
As the last handful left his grasp, Ryang collapsed, clutching the empty box. His knees hit the hard ground. He tried to swallow his sobs, but they escaped his constricted throat. The wind, unable to travel far, swirled around him, carrying his cries. He raised his hand, intending to throw away the necklace he had been clutching, but his clenched fist wouldn't open. He pressed his fist against his nose and wept. The ash-filled wind carried no scent of her.