"That's it?"
"That's it," Yeol said curtly.
"Her life is at stake, and that's all you have to say?" Hyeok retorted in disbelief.
Yeol glared at him, his jaw clenched. "Her life..." he echoed. "Those soldiers who died because of your recklessness had their lives. And so do the soldiers you want to send to Birahng without a plan."
"How can you compare the life of the Princess to those of mere soldiers?"
"You're in no position to lecture me about the value of life when you couldn't even save a single royal without sacrificing countless soldiers!" Yeol thundered.
His patience was wearing thin, his hand twitching with the urge to strike his brother. Hyeok, his eyes red with anger and frustration, could only glare back.
"Are you... really my brother?" he asked.
"That's the only reason you're still alive after speaking to me like that," Yeol retorted.
Hyeok's anger choked him, then gave way to a helpless despair. Yeol waited in silence for him to yield. Finally, Hyeok spoke.
"We need to evacuate Sahpung," he said. "We need support from Sahcheon. There's not much time before Soyeol arrives."
"I'll have it prepared by tomorrow," Yeol said. "You'll depart together the day after."
While support for Kyeong'ui seemed out of reach, it was readily available for Sahpung. Hyeok, overwhelmed by a mixture of anger and despair, glared at his brother, then turned and left. Yeol watched him go, his gaze lingering on his slumped shoulders.
The moment Hyeok left the room, officers carrying stacks of scrolls entered. The door closed behind him, the echoes of their argument still lingering in the air. He couldn't understand the hurried whispers and discussions taking place within. There was no place for him in their world of strategies and calculations. He exited through the back door and slammed his fist against the wall repeatedly. His hand, more accustomed to a brush than a sword, was easily bruised against the hard stone. The raw skin throbbed with pain.
Yeol's unwavering authority felt both familiar and alien. He had always been a strong and imposing figure, his shadow looming large over Hyeok. As he grew older, Hyeok had accepted his inferior position, born later from the same womb. Yeol was predictable, his actions rarely deviating from expectations. This predictability, however, had bred a sense of complacency, a reliance on his brother's judgment. But in this moment of desperation, Yeol had refused to budge. He was an insurmountable obstacle.
Hyeok was frustrated, the reality of his powerlessness settling over him. Does my brother even realize the consequences of inaction? Will Kyeong'ui fall into the hands of Soyeol? Will she die? What if she is waiting for me, believing I will come to her rescue? His desperation pulled him towards House Myeonghyeon's risky offer, away from his brother's rigid stance.
His thoughts raced, fueled by a reckless passion. Kyeong'ui, the woman he loved, saw the world differently, challenging the hierarchy he had always accepted. She refused to be defined by her birth order, defying the natural order, challenging the Crown Prince. He had initially found her ambition absurd, but now, he found himself agreeing with her. He admired her courage, her defiance. He thought to himself, If I want to be worthy of her, shouldn't I also defy expectations?
His mind, once ignited, explored every forbidden possibility. If Yeol won't help, who can reach Hyangdo and rescue Kyeong'ui? The Shadow Legion, already stationed in Sahcheon, was the answer. It was their duty to protect a royal, so mobilizing them couldn't be a grave sin. Yeol's refusal to act without the King's command meant that with the King's command, he would have to act. His plan, reckless and impulsive, began to take shape. He was confident in his ability to forge the King's seal. He could replicate it perfectly; it would only take half a day. Caution was not in his nature.
The time Yeol granted for Sahpung's evacuation was a single day. It was a curt promise, given as if it were a trivial matter to Hyeok. But the war preparations in Sunyahng were not yet complete, and with no reconnaissance of Soyeol's fleet, Yeol was anxious despite his outward calm. He prepared the support forces with the assumption that they would encounter Soyeol's flag at sea, and the Sahcheon harbor bustled with activity, the tension palpable. Hyeok, taking advantage of the chaos, slipped unnoticed into the archives.
He selected three old decrees from the archives, their coverings worn and faded, their absence unlikely to be noticed, and hid them within his robes. Back in his chamber, he bolted the door and carefully unfurled the scrolls, muffling the rustling sounds. The seals on the decrees were identical. Hyeok, having never served in the military, didn't realize that the King used different seals for official decrees and secret orders. He placed the stolen decrees beside a blank sheet of paper and meticulously copied the King's handwriting, forging a message granting permission for the Shadow Legion to mobilize. He then carefully replicated the royal seal with a fine brush. He felt a surge of confidence, the task easier than capturing a person's likeness on paper. But even the slightest noise from outside sent shivers down his spine.
The support forces were ready within a day, and Yeol informed him that they would set sail before noon the next day. Before dawn, Hyeok slipped the forged letter under the door of the Shadow Legion's chamber. The soldier who found it was startled by its unexpected appearance, the letter lying beneath the door as if placed there by the morning dew. He opened it and read:
'I issue this secret order in light of Soyeol's imminent attack. Though the honor of the royal family and the court is important, as a father, I cannot abandon my child. Upon receiving this order, mobilize with utmost haste and infiltrate Hyangdo via Sahpung. Rescue Princess Kyeong'ui from the clutches of the rebels in Hyangdo and return her safely to the palace. This is a command issued without the consent of the court, so do not inform the governor of Sahcheon. Proceed in secrecy and ensure her safe return.'
The soldier, his heart pounding, quickly hid the letter and shared its contents with the others. The King's words, filled with a father's desperation, were crude, but the forgery was meticulous. The seal, however, wasn't the King's private seal used for secret orders to the Shadow Legion, but the royal seal itself. The soldiers were confused.
"But this is definitely his seal," one of them argued.
"His Majesty wouldn't issue a secret order in this way," the officer in charge countered. "And even if it's a secret order from the Royal Court bearing the royal seal in some exceptional way, he would have sent someone we recognize to deliver it."
Another soldier, however, focused on the urgency of the situation. "But what if it is truly his command?" he argued. "If we disobey and the Princess falls into Soyeol's hands, the consequences will be dire. Soyeol's attack is imminent, isn't it? We don't have time to verify its authenticity."
"If this is truly his command," another soldier added, "then disobeying it would be treason. He already defied the court by sending us here in secret. He could certainly issue such an order."
They couldn't set sail for Birahng without being detected by the Sahcheon navy. And to reach Birahng without alerting Gahngyun Yeol, their only option was to join the support fleet heading for Sahpung. The order to maintain secrecy prevented them from seeking verification. The debate raged, but they had to make a decision before midday.
Yeol didn't see Hyeok off. Hyeok waited anxiously, aware of the forged letter he had slipped under the door, but there was no reaction from the city as the warships prepared to depart. The last gangplank remained lowered, awaiting his arrival. Resigned, Hyeok stepped forward. Just then, five men in plain clothes, who had been mingling with the crowd gathered at the harbor, approached him. The soldiers guarding Hyeok moved to intercept them, but Hyeok waved them away.
"Where are you headed, Young Master?" one of the men asked.
"Who are you to inquire about my destination?" Hyeok countered.
The man stepped closer. "We belong to the Shadow Legion," he revealed. "We're here on His Majesty's secret orders."
Hyeok bowed his head in acknowledgment. "I've heard about you," he said. "I'm returning to Sahpung. The Sahcheon forces won't move without the court's command, so we're evacuating the island."
"May we board your ship?" the man asked. "We've been waiting for you."
"I just told you Sahpung is being evacuated," Hyeok said, feigning confusion. "Why would you go to an abandoned military camp?"
The man hesitated, and Hyeok pressed his advantage. "I begged my brother to help rescue the Princess the other day," he lied, "but he refused. Unless you tell me your purpose, I cannot allow Shadow Legion soldiers on a Sahcheon ship. I don't want to raise any suspicions."
The delay was drawing attention, and the man quickly revealed their mission. "We have orders to infiltrate Hyangdo and rescue the Princess," he said.
Hyeok frowned. "If you have the King's command, why not ask my brother directly?"
"It's a secret mission. We were ordered not to inform the governor."
"So the governor must be kept in the dark, but his wastrel brother is privy to this secret mission?" Hyeok scoffed.
"Young Master, please trust us."
"Can you show me the order?"
The man produced a scroll from his robes. Hyeok took it and carefully examined the forged script, his confidence growing as he noticed the soldier's anxious gaze.
"Board the ship," he said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The support forces arrived in Sahpung before nightfall. Wu had already made preparations for their evacuation. Hyeok relayed his fabricated story, presenting it as truth. Seo'oh listened, his eyes darting nervously towards the five men from the Shadow Legion. Despite the arrival of their supposed rescuers, they couldn't shake off their anxiety.
"What should we do?" Wu asked.
"You've done your part," Hyeok replied. "Wait in Sahcheon, and you'll receive new orders regarding your research."
"What are you saying...?" Wu's eyes widened in alarm. "Aren't you returning to Sahcheon?"
"I'm going to Birahng," Hyeok declared. "Inform my brother when you arrive in Sahcheon."
Wu immediately understood his intentions. She grabbed Hyeok's arm. "Young Master, be careful," she pleaded. "You have no orders. This is not your fight."
"What orders do I need to rescue my beloved?"
"But..."
"Safe travels, Master."
Hyeok cut him off and hurried towards the Shadow Legion, who were eager to depart. He assigned them one of the medium-sized warships from the evacuating fleet. As the ship was about to leave, Hyeok rushed towards it, calling out to them.
"Hey! Let me go with you!" he pleaded.
One of the soldiers, sitting at the stern, rose and looked down at him. "We will fulfill our duty, Young Master," he said gently. "Don't worry yourself. Return to Sahcheon and wait. We will bring the Princess back."
"You've never been to Birahng," Hyeok argued. "I spent the whole season there, mapping the island under her orders. I may not be a skilled warrior like you, but I know the terrain. Let me accompany you. I can be of assistance."
His reasoning was sound. Though they had maps of Hyangdo, Birahng was unfamiliar territory, even for the agile Shadow Legion soldiers. But they weren't convinced that the young man, soon to be the King's son-in-law, was worth the risk. The soldiers remained silent.
"If I become a burden, if I slow you down, leave me behind," Hyeok pleaded. "Pretend you never saw me. I'll die alone."
The soldier finally nodded. Hyeok, his legs heavy, stepped onto the ship. Two soldiers helped him aboard. The small vessel, carrying its handful of passengers, set sail, guided by the stars that emerged in the twilight sky. The sea between Sahpung and Birahng was calm on that early autumn evening.