Since becoming the ruler of Ju, Hwan had only been able to see Yirahng at night. Though it had only been a few days, the change was stark for the two who were once inseparable. Yirahng looked up at Hwan with a mix of resentment and longing as he entered their chambers. She didn't voice her complaints, but Hwan, settling beside her, apologized.
"I'm sorry," he said. "These people are unfamiliar, and there's so much I need to learn."
"I need to learn new things too," Yirahng retorted. "But I'm stuck here all day, surrounded by strangers, without you."
"You're carrying a child," Hwan reminded her gently. "Once the baby is born, I'll take you wherever you want to go. Just be patient a little longer."
"When will I ever be free?" Yirahng sighed. "Once the baby is born, I'll be even more burdened, carrying them around."
"You won't have to do that," Hwan assured her. "We'll have a wet nurse to take care of the difficult tasks."
"A wet nurse?"
"It's a... a person who helps with childcare."
Hwan pulled Yirahng closer and kissed her forehead. They lay down together on the bedding. The monsoon season had begun, and the air was heavy with humidity, but their beddings, freshly ironed with charcoal, were crisp and cozy. Yirahng, her belly swollen, shifted onto her side, finding it more comfortable. She used to smell of the sea, a salty, seaweed scent clinging to her skin whenever Hwan held her. But the scent of the sea had vanished, replaced by the subtle fragrance of the incense that permeated their beddings.
"Do you like living in the palace?" Hwan asked.
Yirahng, her earlier annoyance forgotten, smiled brightly. "It's all so new and exciting," she said. "Except for the constant stream of strangers bothering me... I can't believe we used to sleep on the ship every day. I don't think I could ever go back to that life. Even Wicheong Palace felt more comfortable than the ship, but this is incomparable. It was dark and suffocating there, and everyone hated me."
Yirahng's chatter washed over Hwan, her pale skin, even the white patches, tanned from the sun and sea. He felt a pang of guilt, realizing how much he had put her through. Yirahng, oblivious to his remorse, continued to describe her past hardships as mere inconveniences. The guilt pierced him, bringing to the surface the fear, despair, and relief he had been suppressing. Tears welled up in his eyes, and Yirahng, startled, gently held his head against her chest. Hwan reached up and stroked her pale hair.
"You know what I miss most since you got pregnant?" he asked.
Yirahng blinked, her eyes filled with concern. Hwan suddenly leaned in and kissed her deeply. Yirahng, momentarily surprised, returned his kiss, her hands exploring his neck and chest. Then, she laughed and pushed him away.
"What's gotten into you?" she teased.
Hwan chuckled. "Already acting like a mother?"
Yirahng simply laughed, her smile playful. Hwan rested his head on her arm, his gaze fixed on the flickering candlelight dancing on the ceiling.
"I have this thought sometimes," he confessed. "What if I suddenly burst into flames while holding you like this?"
"Can't you control it?"
"It's not that," Hwan replied. "It's just... unfamiliar. It makes me anxious sometimes."
Yirahng chuckled. "I might burn to death, but the baby might survive. It's your blood, after all."
Hwan glared at her playfully. "The child is precious because of you. What meaning would a child have if you weren't here?"
"Hey, even if that happens, you have to protect our child. Would you abandon them if I were gone?"
"That won't happen," Hwan assured her.
He changed the subject, his mood dampened. "What do you think of the physician?" he asked. "Hwa'on, I mean. She seems a bit cold."
Hwa'on was the person Yirahng had grown closest to since arriving at the palace, but Hwan couldn't help but worry about the detached way she treated her.
"Why are you so mean to her?" Yirahng chided. "She's so kind, always calling the baby 'little prince' and taking such good care of us... Don't say such things about her. You make it sound like you'll suddenly have her killed."
"There are plenty of physicians," Hwan said dismissively. "We can easily find another one."
"Hey!" Yirahng exclaimed, annoyed by his cruel joke.
Their meaningless chatter continued, their voices drowsy, until Yirahng finally fell asleep. Hwan lay awake, thinking of Hwa'on's cold demeanor.
"What a strange bitch," he murmured.
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Hwan's emulation of Seong had brought him unexpected benefits. The people of Ju revered Hui, addressing him with the honorific title "Lord(公)." Many had witnessed Hwan, engulfed in flames, incinerating Jongwon Soh and Chuya. The rumors of his power, embellished with each retelling, spread like wildfire. Yet, Hwan himself refrained from displaying his abilities, choosing instead to remain in the shadows, consolidating his power amidst the turmoil. The people, unaware of the events within the palace walls, believed that Hui's gentle touch, healing the sick, was no different from Hwan's.
Within the palace, a silent purge was underway. With Jahan's assistance, Hwan discreetly eliminated those among Jongwon Soh's advisors who posed a threat. Before making a decision on each individual, Hwan consulted with Jeong'wu. Jahan was unaware that Jeong'wu had the final say, and Jeong'wu kept this information to herself.
"Do you doubt Jahan's judgment?" Jeong'wu had asked.
"No," Hwan had replied. "Jahan is intelligent and ambitious. That's why I keep him close."
"Then why..."
"He's too eager, always trying to overstep his boundaries," Hwan had explained. "A subject's ambition shouldn't exceed their king's."
Jeong'wu had bowed silently.
After nightfall, Hwan summoned Seojeok to the palace. He offered him a cup of fine tea and began their conversation with a question.
"How was the Third Emissary's first sermon?"
Seojeok's face hardened. "I regret to inform you that she did not appear."
The conversation ended there. Hwan rose and went to Sobi. She sat upright, as if anticipating his arrival.
"I told you not to test my patience," Hwan reminded her.
"I cannot speak of Sahngjon's will without the High Emissary's command," Sobi replied, clinging to her principles.
"Is that so?" Hwan turned towards the door and called out, "Bring them in."
Soon, the soldiers dragged Nuyahng, Moyo, and Doseon, who had escorted Sobi to Ju, into the room and forced them to kneel before Hwan and Sobi. Sobi, who had remained composed until then, paled at the sight of them, realizing what was about to happen.
"I've taken on a heavy burden," Hwan said, drawing his sword. "I'd rather not stain my hands with more Emissary blood."
His intentions were clear. He looked at the terrified Sobi and asked calmly, "Will you obey my command?"
He pressed the blade against Moyo's neck. Moyo, though afraid, hadn't grasped the gravity of the situation. He looked at Sobi with a bewildered expression.
"M-Ma'am..."
Before either of them could react, the blade sliced through Moyo's neck. Blood splattered across Hwan's face and Sobi's white robes. Moyo collapsed, blood gushing from his mouth and the gaping wound on his neck. He died quickly. Doseon and Nuyahng prostrated themselves, begging for their lives.
"Please spare us! We'll do anything!"
Hwan raised his sword again.
"Wait!" Sobi cried. "Give me time to think!"
Before she could finish, Hwan struck, and Doseon fell lifeless over Moyo's body.
"I told you I wasn't jesting," Hwan said coldly. "I've given you enough time to think. Will you obey my command?"
Sobi's voice shook with anger and despair. "How can you claim to be the Guardian of the Azure Scripture after this?!"
"Will you obey?" Hwan repeated.
Sobi looked at Nuyahng, who was trembling with fear. A dark stain spread beneath him, the floor damp with his urine. Torn between rage and terror, Sobi threw herself at Hwan's feet.
"He only followed you because he wanted to serve a greater purpose," she pleaded. "He said he couldn't go back to his old life after holding a sword blessed by the High Emissary. If you show him mercy, his loyalty will be yours. Please, I beg you, show him mercy."
Hwan, granting her a moment to compose herself, repeated his question.
"Will you obey?"
"Please!" Sobi cried desperately. "I've heard that Keumpyeong Hui is already demonstrating your benevolence. Why do you force me to speak when he is already acting on your behalf?"
"You talk too much," Hwan snarled.
He plunged his blade into Nuyahng's chest. The tip twisted, following the tendons in his wrist, and Nuyahng gasped, his body convulsing in agony. Sobi scrambled forward on her knees, clinging to Hwan's leg.
"Please," she begged, "grant him a swift death. Please..."
"Will you obey my command if I do?"
"Please!"
Hwan, with a contemptuous shove of Sobi's neck, continued his gruesome work. Nuyahng choked and gurgled, his own blood filling his lungs. Sobi lay sprawled on the floor, eyes squeezed shut, hands desperately covering her ears, but the tortured screams still pierced through her fingers. Then, silence. The only sound was the soft patter of rain against the windows. The straw mat beneath them was soaked, a dark pool of blood spreading across its surface.
Hwan looked down at Sobi, his lips curled into a sneer. "Your integrity is worth more than three lives?" he mocked. "Such noble convictions."
The blood crept closer, staining the floor where Sobi's face was pressed. "You killed them to intimidate me," she choked out, her voice thick with tears and rage.
"Their lives are mine to command," Hwan stated coldly. "But you could have saved them. Isn't it an Emissary's duty to guide the Guardian? Unfortunately, you failed."
Sobi's eyes, red and swollen, glared up at him, her white robes splattered with blood. "End this mockery and kill me," she demanded.
"I told you," Hwan scoffed, wiping his blade on his sleeve and sheathing it, "I have a use for you." He turned to leave. "Don't think for a moment that this is over."
Sobi remained huddled on the floor, the bodies of her companions surrounding her like a macabre tableau. She didn't sleep. As dawn broke, attendants arrived to clean the room, removing the bodies and replacing the blood-soaked mat. They presented Sobi with fresh white robes, a stark contrast to the crimson stains that clung to her skin. Outside, the torrential rain continued, and the Emissary's sermon echoed through the muddy streets of Ju.