Sobi was bewildered. She tore her gaze away from Hwan and looked towards Ahn'eum, who sat by the door. Ahn'eum, his face etched with discomfort, avoided Sobi's eyes. Sobi looked back at Hwan, her gaze darting across his form, unable to settle.
"H-how..." she stammered.
"What?" Hwan smirked. "Smaller and prettier than you expected?"
Sobi couldn't find her voice. Hwan, seeing that the conversation had reached an impasse, issued a command.
"Treat Third Emissary Sobi with the utmost respect."
His advisors hesitated, unsure of his intentions, and Hwan's voice sharpened with impatience.
"Get her out of my sight," he clarified.
Sobi heard the footsteps of the guards approaching from behind. She rose before they could grab her and left the room. Hwan, clutching the two letters Sobi had presented, also rose and returned to his chambers. Once his footsteps faded, the room erupted in a cacophony of confused whispers.
Though they had been expecting an envoy from Wi, the ruler of Ju had changed in the interim between the two letters. His unfamiliar advisors were uncertain of Hwan's intentions or the contents of the new letter, so they remained silent. Amidst the confusion, Hui thought he should step forward. He was the one who had known Hwan the longest, and perhaps the only one safe from his sudden bursts of violence. He had a duty to fulfill.
Before Sobi's arrival, after completing his daytime tasks outside the city, Hui would return to the city at night and, with the physician Hwa'on, tend to Hwan's and Yirahng's bodies. Hwa'on, once Jongwon Soh's personal physician, was now Hui's teacher and Hwan's physician. Just over forty, Hwa'on was experienced yet still in her prime, her hands steady as she took pulses and applied needles. When Hwan had first summoned Hwa'on and entrusted her with Hui's care, he had expected resentment, considering Hwa'on had served Jongwon Soh closely. But Hwa'on showed no signs of grief or even regret for her former King.
Hui knelt a step away, watching as Hwa'on examined Hwan's body. Hwa'on's touch was devoid of warmth as she attended to people, like a carpenter handling wood.
"Is Hui learning well?" Hwan asked.
"It's still early, Your Majesty," Hwa'on replied. "I need more time to assess his progress. Sahngjon has already bestowed upon him the hands of a physician; my role is merely to guide his eyes. However..."
"However what?" Hwan pressed.
Hwa'on hesitated, then said, "There's nothing more I can offer you, Your Majesty."
Hwan smiled faintly. Hwa'on seemed surprised by his calm demeanor, considering he had just killed three members of House Jongwon and ordered the flaying of his own crew. Hwan, in turn, was intrigued by Hwa'on's reaction. He had expected the rigid physician to be unfazed.
"Indeed," Hwan agreed. "You're right."
He began dressing and asked, "Have you seen the Emissary? She should have received my instructions."
"I tried to persuade her, explaining that I came on your orders, but she refuses to see me," Hwa'on reported. "I hear she hasn't touched the food we sent either."
"They've sent me a troublesome guest," Hwan mused.
Hui shuddered inwardly at Hwan's curt and dismissive remark. Though he had never met Sobi before, she seemed sincere and gentle, her undisguised unease in Hwan's presence conveying a sense of innocence and honesty. More importantly, she was an Emissary. While they were numerous in Wi, often falling victim to Hwan's blade, Emissaries were a rare sight in Soyeol, usually only seen when envoys arrived from Wi. Worried, Hui spoke up.
"Wouldn't the Emissary be of service to you, Guardian, especially since she'll be staying in Ju throughout the summer?"
Hwan glanced at him, and Hui quickly bowed his head. Both Sobi and Hui were equally incapable of concealing their thoughts. Hwan's brief reply eased Hui's concerns.
"You're right."
Outside the dark window, the sound of rain began to patter against the roof.
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Sobi spent her first night in the Palace of Ju sitting against the wall, unable to sleep. In the early hours of the morning, Hwan arrived unannounced. Sobi jolted awake, her sleep-heavy eyes flying open. Outside, the torrential rain obscured any hint of dawn. Hwan gestured for her to sit, but Sobi remained frozen in place. He was dressed casually, as he had been during their first encounter, but like any Soyeolish warrior, he wore several swords at his hip. He approached her.
"Relax," he said. "I'm not here to kill you."
Sobi still couldn't bring herself to move. Hwan took the seat of honor, then turned his piercing gaze back to her. Sobi finally rose, bowed with her hands clasped together, and smoothed her white robes before sitting.
"Where are the three soldiers?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"Imprisoned," Hwan replied. "There's no need to offer them hospitality."
Sobi's small hands clenched into fists in her lap.
"You must be surprised," Hwan continued. "You crossed the treacherous sea, trusting in the Guardian chosen by Sahngjon, only to find me. Are you curious about what happened?"
"I already know of you, as you said," Sobi replied, her gaze fixed on his feet. "I also know how Soyeol chooses its King. You needn't explain yourself."
"What have you heard about me?" Hwan asked, intrigued by her defiance.
Sobi remained silent. Hwan scoffed at her feeble attempt at defiance.
"Judging by your pale face, you've heard everything worth hearing," he remarked.
He conjured a flame in his hand. Sobi's eyes widened in terror, her breath catching in her throat.
"But I'm sure you haven't heard this," Hwan said.
He held her gaze for a long moment, then extinguished the flame. He leaned back, his posture relaxed, and said, "Let's talk about the letter. It was Ryang's handwriting, wasn't it? Despite being practically marinated in Crystal Haze, he seems to have retained his sanity. A Scion is a Scion, after all. What excuse did Ryang tell you to give Jongwon Soh if he found out about your plans with Dong'gyeong?"
"The King no longer requires an answer to that," Sobi replied.
Hwan didn't press further. "That's true," he conceded. "But you do need an answer. I admire your resilience, but you're transparent. I can see your turmoil."
His gaze slowly traveled up her body, assessing her. Sobi trembled, her upright posture faltering. She was small, with delicate features and a youthful face, but her expression was weary, making it difficult to guess her age. He was certain he had never seen her in Wicheong Palace.
"How did you become an Emissary?" Hwan asked.
Sobi remained silent. Hwan chuckled. "I wouldn't consider that a question worth refusing to answer," he remarked. "Your silence only makes me more curious about your background. You know that most Emissaries in Wicheong are orphans. And you're clearly too young to be a Third Emissary. I've never seen you in Wicheong, so you couldn't have been wearing those white robes for more than four years. The elders wouldn't break tradition, so it must have been Norahn who promoted you. Why would that coward, who can barely look the elders in the eye, make such an exception? Are you of noble birth?"
When she still didn't answer, his voice turned cold. "Don't test my patience."
Sobi finally spoke. "You're mistaken."
She hesitated, then confessed, "I was a streetwalker in Dongrahng."
Hwan was intrigued by her unexpected answer, delivered in a clear, steady voice. Sobi continued calmly, "The High Emissary once came to the city alone, without any attendants. He was dressed in pristine white robes, but I didn't know who he was then. I only saw his fine clothes, so I approached him, tugged at his sleeve, and held his hand."
"And Norahn, seeing no one around, decided to take you in?" Hwan scoffed. "Or were you lured by a few coins?"
Sobi ignored his mockery and fell silent, her eyes slowly welling up with tears.
"He just stood there, looking down at me," she continued. "He simply looked at me. Then, he placed his hand on my head and closed his eyes. I started to cry. I must have cried more than when my parents died. I followed him that day. I didn't know where he was going, but I vowed to follow him wherever he led. I can never forget that day. I don't have the words to express the emotion I felt. Before that day, I lived in darkness. The High Emissary gave me a new life."
Hwan watched her for a moment, then asked, "Do others know about this?"
Sobi shook her head. Hwan was unmoved by her fervent loyalty.
"I can't say I understand," he admitted, "but I see why Ryang sent you."
He recalled his own recent experience. "A new life..." he mused. "I, too, died and was reborn here, but I wouldn't say it gave me a new life. Similarly, the Third Emissary in white robes and the woman who sold herself in Dongrahng are the same person."
"I haven't denied my past," Sobi said quietly.
"You haven't denied it, but you concealed it."
"What are you trying to say?"
Hwan interrupted her. "I don't despise your origins. I'm saying you don't need to revere Norahn so much. He's not your savior."
Sobi, who had been avoiding his gaze, finally met his eyes. "Why are you trying to manipulate me?" she asked.
"You're a mere Emissary," Hwan replied. "And a devout one at that. I have no reason to manipulate you. I'm merely curious about the current state of the Ministry. And I find amusement in observing the cracks in those who try so hard to appear righteous."
He straightened his posture and revealed his true intentions. "There can be only one Guardian of the Azure Scripture connected to Sahngjon."
"The Guardian in Birahng has awakened to Sahngjon's power," Sobi argued. "Even you fled overseas because of that."
Hwan laughed. "Have you already forgotten what you witnessed? Have you ever seen Cheon Seong wield his powers properly?"
Sobi remained silent.
"Tell me, Emissary," Hwan pressed. "Who is the true Guardian of the Azure Scripture?"
"I am but a mere Emissary," Sobi replied. "I do not presume to speak of Sahngjon's will."
"Is that so?" Hwan asked. He leaned closer. "If the High Emissary were to accept me, what would you do?"