Dahn's advance party departed early in the morning. Kyeong'ui saw them off at the harbor. Song'un Wu and Seo'oh were excited, eager to set up their operation on Sahpung. Kyeong'ui watched them with satisfaction.
"You seem excited," she remarked.
"How often do we get opportunities like this?" Wu replied with a grin.
"You've made this opportunity possible," Kyeong'ui said. "Be sure to present me with another Yeom'myeol before we return to Sunyahng."
"If we succeed, I'll give you something even better," Wu promised.
Wu and Seo'oh bowed deeply to Kyeong'ui and boarded the ship. Hyeok waited until everyone else had boarded, then kissed Kyeong'ui's hand before joining them.
"I'll unload the cargo and return with the support ships from Sahchun tomorrow," he said. "Wait for me."
Kyeong'ui nodded. "I'll be waiting," she replied.
Once Hyeok was on board, the advance party raised anchor, and the four ships sailed into the vast sea, their sails billowing.
Kyeong'ui watched them go, her gaze lingering on the blue sea. Hongyoo, standing a few steps behind her, observed her with a melancholic expression. A few strands of her hair, lightly sun-kissed, fluttered in the breeze. Even from a distance, the memory of her scent and the touch of her skin was vivid.
She was slipping away. Although neither of them had spoken of it, Hongyoo could sense her gradual withdrawal. She consulted him less, smiled at him less, and sought him out less. He had believed he knew her better than she knew herself, but now he couldn't understand her excessive kindness towards Ryang, her impulsive intimacy with Hyeok. The signs were undeniable. Everything had gone wrong since they arrived in Birahng. Could I have prevented her from meeting House Myeonghyeon if I hadn't allowed Jang'gyeong Yoon into the camp? Or should I have prevented the connection between Ryucheon and House Myeonghyeon? As Kyeong'ui slipped further from his grasp, he felt his sanity slipping, his desperation turning into madness.
She was doomed, whether she stayed in Birahng or returned to Sunyahng. Since he had already infiltrated her inner circle, even the ruthless King of Dahn wouldn't be able to protect her if Sung decided to eliminate her. No, the King is capable of killing his own daughter if it suits his needs. Hongyoo believed the King had done nothing for Kyeong'ui except give her half his blood, that it was he who had protected her, shaped her into who she was now. The King didn't know her resentment, her vulnerability, her desires. And just as he didn't know her, she didn't know him. She didn't know Myeonghyeon Ryang, she didn't know Hongyoo, and she didn't know the dangers closing in, the horrors of the world.
Ryucheon had ordered him to return, so he had to leave her, regardless of what happened to Dahn. Just as Sunyahng and Birahng were death traps for Kyeong'ui, Hongyoo knew Dong'gyeong, the place he had to return to, wasn't where he belonged. He thought of a place where he could hold her hand and stand safely. Every place beyond his reach was a death trap for her, and every place without her was no place for him.
Kyeong'ui, mesmerized by the clear blue water, had taken off her shoes and dipped her feet into the waves. A soldier approached and held them for her. Hongyoo's heart ached at the sight of her playing innocently, the hem of her black robe soaking in the water.
"Are you sad to leave?" he asked, approaching her.
"Of course," she replied, her gaze fixed on the shimmering water. "When will I ever see such a sight? I might never leave Sunyahng again."
"Sahpung might not be as beautiful as Birahng, but it's more beautiful than Sunyahng," Hongyoo assured her. "Don't be too sad."
He paused, then asked, "Would you like to take a walk before we depart? I can accompany you if you wish."
Kyeong'ui straightened up and smiled brightly. "I'd like that," she replied.
"Five of you, follow me," Hongyoo instructed the soldiers. "We'll return soon."
He dried Kyeong'ui's wet feet with his sleeve, brushed off the sand, and helped her put her shoes back on. She walked ahead, and he followed, staying close behind. The wide sandy beach gave way to a forest lining the coast, then to black cliffs. The camp was barely visible, and the path became rough, the rocks sharper than the sand. Further on was the Hyeondahm Waterfall, where she had come with Hyeok to paint.
Thinking they should turn back, Kyeong'ui turned around at the sound of a thud. One of the soldiers who had been following them lay on the sand between the rocks, blood pooling beneath him. Kyeong'ui froze. Before she or the other soldiers could react, Hongyoo swiftly struck down two more soldiers behind her. They collapsed without a sound, their throats and necks severed by his dagger.
"What are you doing?!" Kyeong'ui shouted.
Hongyoo glanced at her but didn't answer. The two remaining soldiers drew their swords and charged at him. Hongyoo's dagger was hidden within his long sleeve. He dodged the first soldier's attack with a twist of his waist, and as his sleeve brushed against the soldier's leg, blood splattered. He plunged the dagger into the back of the soldier's neck as he knelt, his leg injured. The last soldier, instead of attacking Hongyoo, shielded Kyeong'ui.
"Why are you doing this?!" he shouted.
Hongyoo retrieved the dead soldier's sword and said to Kyeong'ui, "Come to me, Your Highness. I will protect you."
Kyeong'ui couldn't understand his words.
"What's this?!" she exclaimed. "What the hell are you doing?!"
Hongyoo advanced towards the two of them. The soldier, seeing no escape, tightened his grip on his sword. As Hongyoo came within striking distance, the soldier swung his sword. Hongyoo blocked it with his own.
"You can't protect her with such pathetic skills," he sneered.
He twisted his body, freeing his sword, and slashed the soldier's side. The soldier collapsed, his intestines spilling onto the rocks.
"Hongyoo!" Kyeong'ui screamed.
Before she could reach for her dagger, Hongyoo grabbed her arms. He restrained her and plunged a long needle into the back of her neck. Kyeong'ui struggled, but her strength quickly faded, and her legs gave way. Hongyoo lifted her limp body and carried her deeper into the forest.
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As soon as the long conch horn blared from the harbor, U'nso raced towards Nahmgyo. Ryang was in the rear garden, reviewing the battle plans for the next day. He shot up from his chair when U'nso informed him of the advance party's departure.
"They left?!" he exclaimed.
U'nso's forehead and neck were drenched in sweat. "Four ships have left," he reported, his voice catching. "Including the one carrying the sphere."
"And the funds?"
"I couldn't tell which ship those were on."
"And the Princess?" Ryang asked, his voice tense.
"The ship with the tiger-bird flag is still at the harbor."
Ryang was relieved that the situation wasn't the worst.
"The rest of the troops are loading the remaining cargo," U'nso continued. "It seems they'll depart soon. The Wicheong forces are waiting behind the north gate. You need to make a decision about the attack. We can't lose the Princess."
"Go to the High Commander and tell him we're attacking now," Ryang ordered. "No, wait. I'll go myself. You and Seon prepare the troops in the city."
Ryang raced towards the north gate. People scurried out of the way of his galloping horse. Is this Hongyoo's doing? Or did Ryucheon conceal it? Or has Kyeong'ui deceived all? Ryang couldn't find an answer. Jiwigum had already left Birahng, and the whereabouts of the funds were unknown, but Kyeong'ui's flag remained. He had to focus on what he couldn't lose, what he could still grasp.
Ung, waiting in the forest outside the north gate, was alarmed by Ryang's urgency.
"We're starting the battle without the Guardian?" he asked.
"We don't have time to debate this," Ryang insisted. "We'll lose them all if we hesitate."
"But it's still daylight," Joon argued. "If our movements are exposed, Dahn's forces might withdraw before we reach the coast."
"I'll go and sink their ships," Yeong volunteered. "That will stop them. It was part of our original plan anyway."
Although it was unusual for her to take the initiative, the situation was urgent, and Ryang bowed his head.
"Thank you," he said.
"I'll accompany you," Joon offered, grabbing his spear.
"I won't be noticed if I move alone," Yeong said, shaking her head. "But with an escort, the enemy will spot us. It's an unnecessary risk. Just lead the troops and attack the camp when you see the waves surge."
"But..."
"She is right," Ryang interrupted, cutting Joon off. "Prepare the troops and enter Nahmgyo."
He assigned a soldier to guide Yeong, unarmed, and provided them with two horses. After confirming the soldiers were preparing, Ryang raced back to Nahmgyo. The city was in chaos, soldiers armed and ready. He found Seon and Jeong assembling the troops near the south gate. Jin stood near the gate. She recognized Ryang approaching and seemed surprised by the accelerated attack.
"Can you handle this?" she asked Ryang.
"Trust me," he replied curtly.
Jin seemed to want to say more, but Ryang climbed onto the gate tower, cutting their conversation short.
Ryucheon stood beneath the gate tower, his lower face covered with a black cloth. Ryang recognized him by his amused eyes. His gaze was fixed on the harbor below, where several empty spaces had appeared.
"This gate tower offers a good view of the battlefield," he remarked casually. "It seems you've been outmaneuvered by the young Princess."
He turned his gaze to Ryang.
"How can Dae-Sung trust and support you when you're so careless from the start?" he taunted.
"Do you even know the whole story?" Ryang retorted. "Explain why Hongyoo remained silent all this time."
Ryucheon chuckled. "We'll find out eventually. At least, you're lucky not to lose the Princess. Now's not the time to shift blame."
"Prepare your own excuses," Ryang warned.
His gaze shifted towards the harbor below. Ryucheon, sensing he was waiting for a signal, moved closer, following his line of sight. What is he waiting for? There were no advancing soldiers, only the sea. Ryang seemed anxious.
The longer they waited, the more his frustration turned into anxiety. Ryucheon, deciding he couldn't wait any longer, turned to Ryang. Just then, the sea surged skyward. A wall of water erupted, forming a whirlpool that dragged the four remaining warships beneath the surface. The sound of the explosions reached Nahmgyo, shaking the ground. The sea calmed, and the ships were gone. Only the black tiger-bird flag remained, barely visible above the water.
Ryucheon, his hands gripping the railing, froze, his breath caught in his throat. Ryang, inwardly relieved, turned abruptly. Ryucheon grabbed his arm as he was about to descend the wall, his eyes blazing, devoid of any usual amusement.
"What was that?" he demanded in disbelief. "What did I just see?"
"I'll explain later," Ryang replied calmly.
He descended the wall, his long robes billowing. The soldiers, who had been waiting in the streets, formed ranks and began to march out the south gate.