CHAPTER 9
"So it's done. The demon sorcerer said yes."
General Nam Gunho, arms folded across his chest, leaned against the wall with a grunt.
"The prince is lost. Sihyun has him wrapped around his finger like a spell."
Elder Lady Seo Miran, her silver hair pinned in perfect form, narrowed her eyes.
"And with the people watching, there is no undoing it. Not without… backlash."
Elder Yoon Jaesuk tapped his ring against the table, voice calm but cold.
"Then we must plan ahead. If we cannot prevent the union, we must control what comes after."
High Priest Sangwook, whose eyes remained half-lidded in thought, finally spoke—his voice as soft as a blade.
"The 20th mark will awaken. And when it does… he will be vulnerable. His power will either consume him… or make him uncontrollable."
Baekjin stepped closer, his cane clicking against the stone.
"That's when we strike."
"And what of the prince?"
Seo Miran asked sharply.
"Surely we can't risk harming the heir."
"No,"
Baekjin agreed.
"We won't harm the prince. Not directly. We'll… drain him. Slowly. He'll fall ill. Too ill to rule. The people will grieve, and we shall provide a better choice."
Gunho grunted again.
"And the demon?"
"Chains,"
Sangwook replied, voice smooth.
"Assassins with magic-resistant weapons. We'll shatter him while he's weak. And if not… we'll turn the people against him."
Jaesuk smiled faintly.
"Let the world think a demon sorcerer cursed the prince he claimed to love."
Silence followed—thick and suffocating.
Baekjin lifted a sealed scroll and placed it at the center of the table.
"The prophecy of the 20th mark. Forged into legend, buried by truth. It will be our weapon… and his downfall."
Then slowly, each elder nodded.
Beyond the secret passage, music and laughter continued in the palace courtyard. But in the dark... a storm was beginning to take form.
Laughter rang under the moonlit courtyard as music and wine flowed freely. Lanterns floated in the air like fireflies, casting a golden hue over the betrothed couple.
Sihyun sat beside Muwon, his fingers calmly brushing the rim of his goblet, smiling faintly at the soft teasing between Dohyun and Taejin.
Then... it started.
The wine in Sihyun's cup began to ripple. Small, almost unnoticeable—until every flame in the lanterns around him flickered wildly. Wind circled the feast, though the night air had been still seconds ago.
A faint, golden-red glow danced beneath Sihyun's skin. His tattoos shimmered like molten lines. His pupils shone with a glow neither red nor gold, but both—colliding.
Gasps.
Some guests dropped their chopsticks. Others whispered frantically.
"Is that… is that his magic?"
"The demon sorcerer's eyes—look at them!"
"The gods… are they angry?"
The king sat up abruptly in his pavilion.
The elders froze. Minister Hwan Baekjin's lips parted, stunned. Lady Seo Miran muttered beneath her breath. High Priest Sangwook gripped his prayer beads tightly.
Beside Sihyun, Muwon quickly reached for his hand, masking his own surprise with calm.
"Sihyun. Look at me. Are you okay?"
Sihyun blinked—he could see the glow in his peripheral vision. He hadn't invoked anything. He hadn't said a word. He felt... calm. But his magic wasn't.
"Yuhyun—"
Muwon called softly.
Yuhyun reached them in seconds. Kneeling, he gently placed a palm against Sihyun's back.
"It's okay. You're okay. Just breathe."
Sihyun swallowed hard.
"I'm not doing it… it's just happening—on its own."
They shielded him as best as they could, Muwon gently drawing part of his robe over Sihyun's eyes. The glow dimmed—slowly, reluctantly—until it vanished completely.
Whispers continued. Suspicion. Awe. Fear.
But Sihyun… was still.
I didn't lose control, he thought. It faded. I didn't hurt anyone.
And that brought him the faintest relief.
But in the shadows of the courtyard, the elders shared one look.
"It's begun,"
Baekjin whispered.
The night had quieted, the celebration faded into memory. In the royal bedchamber, the warm flicker of candlelight danced across the walls.
Sihyun lay still, his back to Muwon, his thoughts racing. The echo of whispers, gasps, and stares from the feast still haunted him.
Muwon sat beside him, gently brushing Sihyun's hair from his face, voice low and soothing.
"It's over now,"
Muwon murmured, patting him softly.
"You're safe. No one will ever hurt you… I promise."
Sihyun didn't respond, but he didn't pull away either. He closed his eyes—not in peace, but in restraint.
Muwon leaned in closer.
"You didn't lose control, Sihyun. Whatever that was, you came back from it. That matters."
Outside the chamber, Yuhyun quietly closed the door, leaving them in peace.
Yuhyun stepped into the cool night, his expression unreadable. Dohyun and Taejin, who had been waiting near the garden archway, walked up quickly.
"Yuhyun!"
Taejin whispered.
"Is he okay?"
"That glow,"
Dohyun added.
"It wasn't normal, right? That wasn't supposed to happen."
Yuhyun shook his head.
"I don't know what it was. Sihyun didn't even cast anything… it just started."
"You think it's the 20th mark?"
Taejin asked.
"It's too early,"
Yuhyun said quietly.
"It wasn't supposed to happen yet. We haven't even—"
He trailed off, glancing back toward the chamber.
"Whatever it is... it's beginning."
Royal Study
The king stood near a brazier, silent, his gaze lowered in thought. The room felt heavier than usual, the crackle of fire unable to thaw the tension.
Minister Hwan Baekjin was the first to speak.
"Your Majesty. What we witnessed tonight—his eyes, the glow... it was the 20th mark. We are certain."
Elder Lady Seo Miran folded her arms tightly.
"You saw how the magic reacted. Without a command, without intention. That is not sorcery—it is awakening."
General Nam Gunho stepped forward.
"This… cannot be overlooked. If the mark fully manifests and the sorcerer loses control, this kingdom is at risk."
High Priest Sangwook clutched his prayer beads.
"The gods warned us in scripture. The 20th mark reveals the soul of a demon sorcerer—either salvation… or devastation."
The king raised a hand, silencing them.
He sat slowly, his face clouded.
"...But Sihyun has shown no cruelty. No madness."
Baekjin replied swiftly.
"Yet. Your Majesty. Not yet. When the mark takes over, even he will not recognize himself."
A long silence filled the chamber.
The king looked into the fire.
"He saved my son's life… more than once."
"And he may end it next,"
Sangwook warned.
The king closed his eyes.
"We'll watch. Quietly. For now. But if it worsens…"
He didn't finish.
The fire crackled louder than before.
Morning Light – Heir's Chamber
The sun seeped gently through the embroidered curtains, casting golden patterns across the bedding.
Sihyun stirred slowly beneath the silk sheets, blinking his eyes open. For a moment, he remained still, basking in the rare quiet after days of tension. Then a familiar voice spoke beside him.
"You're up."