Seong didn't answer immediately. Ryang, seeing his lips pressed together, could sense the gravity of the situation without hearing a word.
"This isn't something I can discuss alone," Seong finally said.
He seemed about to summon Yeong, but Ryang stopped him. "No, please don't summon the Guardian Crimson. I wish to discuss this with you first."
"You can trust her now," Seong assured him.
But Ryang only showed distrust and animosity. He couldn't comprehend Seong calling her so comfortably, and Seong couldn't find a way to appease him. The distrust and resentment brewing within Wicheong Palace weighed heavily on him. He felt as if it were a sandcastle, ready to crumble with a single blow. Am I truly holding it together? He wished Ryang could see the vulnerability and confusion he had glimpsed in Yeong, but it was a distant hope.
"Everything in the record is true," Seong confessed. "Yeong told me."
"Of course, you heard it from her," Ryang said. "Why didn't you share it with me?"
"I promised not to share it with anyone."
"If I had known, I wouldn't have been so complacent. Princess Kyeong'ui intends to melt the sphere with the help of the scholar. The situation has become more complicated while we were idle."
"We can resolve it together now," Seong said.
"The Guardian Crimson was weighing her options between you and Cheon Hwan until recently," Ryang argued. "Is your trust in her more important than such a critical matter?"
Seong's eyes flickered. "How could I have known there was a record left by the High Emissary Divine?" he asked. "I didn't know it would end up in Birahng... It's not that I didn't trust you. But it's true that there's a leak within us. If I had told you, wouldn't it have reached Hwan?"
Seeing Ryang's eyes clenched shut, Seong regretted his words. Ryang's expression seemed filled with suppressed resentment, and Seong felt a pang of anxiety.
"When did you find out?" Ryang asked.
"She told me on the day you came to report that the Princess had retrieved the Sphere," Seong confessed. "She said it shouldn't be in her hands. I've never seen the Sphere, but both the sphere and Yeom'myeol are made of Ji'uigeum, as described in this record. Yeong called it by the same name. Yeom'myeol is a sword meant to sever its owner. It carries Sahngjon's will for the Guardian to sever their eternal life and find peace. Our Founder accepted that will..."
"The Sphere is enormous," Ryang interrupted. "We don't know how much is inside. If the scholar figures out how to melt Ji'uigeum with Iridescent-black Stone, they could obtain hundreds of swords and thousands of arrows from that Sphere alone. The Sphere is different from Yeom'myeol. Only the Guardian can wield Yeom'myeol, but."
"Hwan can wield it too," Seong interjected.
Ryang bit his lip, then continued, "The Dahnians retrieved the Sphere easily. That means it doesn't have the same limitations as Yeom'myeol. They will gain the power to break the immortality you've obtained."
Seong held his breath. Ryang's concern echoed Yeong's warning that they had to retrieve the sphere and return it to the sea.
"The Princess said she would move the Sphere to Sahpung and begin proper research in nine days," Ryang continued. "We have to mobilize before that. That is why I came here urgently, more than because of this secret record."
Seong took a deep breath. The timing of the war had been repeatedly pushed forward by external forces. He thought of his own unrefined flames, barely able to hit a target, and he faltered, despite being the one who had declared their intention to mobilize when Kyeong'ui found House Myeonghyeon.
"I'm not ready yet," he confessed. "If we act recklessly, our soldiers will be harmed."
"You are not the one fighting the war," Ryang assured him. "Trust the soldiers who have endured and waited. Although the situation is precarious, it's also an opportunity. I saw them loading cargo on my way here. If we strike when their defenses are down, we can seize the sphere, their warships, weapons, scholars, and blacksmiths."
"How will the soldiers recognize the scholars and blacksmiths?" Seong asked.
"The Princess requested people who knew how to cook anchovy soup for the camp during Summer Greetings," Ryang explained. "I sent our soldiers and artists within Nahmgyo to familiarize themselves with their faces."
Seong was both impressed and relieved. He was grateful to Ryang, once again reminded that Wicheong Palace and the royal family of Wi had survived solely because of House Myeonghyeon. The tragedy brought by Hwan had befallen both him and Ryang, but while Seong was still trapped in the past, Ryang had been steadily working, shouldering his own burdens and Seong's. Even after all the turmoil, Ryang continued to persevere, rendering Seong's impatience insignificant. Seong felt a fondness and sympathy for Ryang, ashamed of his own guilt and self-pity in the face of Ryang's unwavering dedication.
"Summon those who are needed," Ryang said.
Seong nodded, and his orders were quickly relayed throughout Wicheong Palace. Ung and Joon were the first to arrive, followed by Norahn from the Ministry of Emissary Divine. Yeong entered last and sat beside Seong. Ryang avoided eye contact with everyone. They were all curious about the reason for his urgent visit, but the recent events had created a tense atmosphere.
"Let's begin," Seong declared.
He relayed the information from Ryang in a dry tone, omitting the matter of the secret record.
"Although it's sudden," Ryang urged, "we risk losing the opportunity to capture the Princess, the warships, and the sphere if we delay. I implore the Guardian to make a decision."
"We mobilize in five days," Seong declared.
Everyone bowed in unison. Ryang addressed the group.
"There are two critical objectives in the upcoming battle," he said. "The first is capturing the Princess alive. This is a demand from both Sung and Nahmgyo. It shouldn't be difficult with the Royal Attendant, who is collaborating with us, by her side. However, we must ensure she isn't harmed or killed during the battle. The Princess is only valuable alive."
"Why do both sides demand the Princess alive?" Norahn asked.
"Sung's reasons are complicated," Ryang replied. "Nahmgyo's is simple. We must prevent Dahnian forces from crossing over before the monsoon season, by any means necessary. Although we don't know how much the King of Dahn values his daughter's life, we need every advantage we can get. We must be the ones to cross the sea. If Dahnian forces reach us first, we have no chance of winning."
"What's the other objective?" Ung asked.
"We need to eliminate all of Hyangdo's ships before the battle begins. The reason is the same. If we fail to achieve these two objectives, the Lady of Nahmgyo won't open the gates."
The atmosphere grew heavy after Ryang finished speaking. He had mentioned two critical objectives, but there was one more he hadn't revealed, not even to Seong. It was the funds Seon had offered Kyeong'ui, the military funds of Wicheong Palace. No one in Wicheong Palace knew exactly how much wealth House Myeonghyeon possessed, as they only needed to deliver the necessary supplies on time. Fortunately, this made it difficult to notice the missing funds, but if they were depleted too quickly, it would create a difficult situation. Recovering the funds was as crucial as securing the sphere. He concealed his anxiety.
"Wouldn't news reach the Princess if something happened to Hyangdo?" Seong asked.
"That's why we have to attack simultaneously," Ryang explained.
"Are you suggesting we divide our already limited forces?" Ung asked, frowning.
"Is there a way to attack simultaneously without dividing them?" Ryang countered.
Ung sighed. He was a good teacher to all the soldiers, but he had no experience commanding a battle. Aware of his limitations, he chose his words carefully. The others also understood Ryang's argument but had no solutions to offer. They avoided his gaze.
"I'll go to Hyangdo," Seong volunteered.
His voice was soft but firm. Everyone looked at him.
"I'm still clumsy with the flames," he continued, "but it doesn't require much precision to burn down moored ships. I can do it. I won't even need ten men. That way, our forces won't be divided. Isn't that a solution?"
Ryang nodded silently, but Ung, his frown deepening, questioned Seong. "You're going to be absent during the battle, Guardian, after half a century of waiting?"
"After I attack Hyangdo, the message from Hyangdo to the Princess and me will arrive in Nahmgyo at roughly the same time," Seong explained. "We both have to travel by land. I can reach Nahmgyo before the battle begins. I won't be absent."
"The Guardian has devised a good plan," Ryang said. "Moving with a small number will make a surprise attack easier. It's not a dangerous operation if we select elite soldiers to protect the Guardian and attack from a distance."
"Let's proceed with this plan," Seong declared.
Although they seemed to have reached a conclusion, Ryang felt uneasy. He looked at Yeong, who had remained silent throughout the discussion. She hadn't even moved, making him wonder if she was even listening. Her silence seemed like a declaration that the war was irrelevant to her.
"Don't you have anything to say, Guardian Crimson?" he asked.
Contrary to her earlier silence, Yeong answered immediately. "It seems I have nothing to add to your wisdom. You are now the High Councilor, the Mirror of the Guardian, wielding his authority. Proceed with your plan and command the soldiers of the Azure Scripture."
"Where do you intend to be during the battle?" Ryang asked.
"Is that a request for me to fight?" Yeong countered.