CHAPTER 35
Sihyun noticed the way Taeyang's small feet inched backward, the way fear clouded his son's eyes. His heart cracked.
"Taeyang…"
he called softly, his voice breaking with fear.
Taeyang stared into Sihyun's glowing eyes, torn between love and dread, guilt and confusion. Then, before anyone could comprehend, he suddenly spun around and bolted, crying out desperately—
"Papa!"
He ran toward Muwon with all his little strength.
"Get Taeyang!"
Muwon barked hoarsely, clutching his side as pain seared through him.
The guards surged forward at once, Dohyun, Taejin and Yuhyun dashing alongside them to reach the boy.
But Sihyun's expression twisted in an instant. His black eyes flared with fury and desperation—then his figure blurred.
He disappeared—only to reappear right in front of Taeyang in the blink of an eye.
Taeyang skidded to a halt, his tiny chest heaving with rapid breaths.
The guards and the trio, who were racing toward him, were blasted backward violently as Sihyun's magic erupted, a chilling force that sent them crashing to the floor.
Sihyun seized Taeyang by the hair, gripping tightly as his eyes glowed with a dangerous light. Taeyang winced in pain, crying out softly.
"Don't you dare run away from Dada,"
Sihyun said coldly, his voice sharp enough to freeze the entire courtyard.
"Understood?"
Taeyang's tears spilled as he trembled, unable to respond.
Sihyun's grip tightened cruelly, jerking his son's head slightly. His voice thundered now, sharp and unyielding—
"Understood?"
Muwon, still standing but barely able to hold himself up, his injuries burning through every breath, shouted hoarsely—
"Sihyun! Stop at once!"
Sihyun froze for a heartbeat, still gripping Taeyang's hair tightly. His glowing eyes lifted, locking coldly on Muwon.
Muwon's chest heaved. His voice broke, filled with desperation.
"Please… don't hurt our son… he's just a child—our child!"
For the first time, hesitation flickered in Sihyun's gaze—but it lasted only a second.
Then—without warning—Taeyang's enchanted pendant, the very one Sihyun had gifted him for protection, suddenly flared. Its glow burst into a radiant storm of golden light.
A sharp crack echoed in the courtyard.
From the pendant, countless glowing arrows of magic erupted, whistling through the air like divine judgment.
They shot straight at Sihyun.
"Ahhh!"
Sihyun screamed as the arrows pierced into his body, stabbing relentlessly, one after another, forcing him backward. Each strike tore blood from him, each impact shaking the ground.
"No—!"
Muwon cried out, but he was powerless to stop it.
The guards, Yuhyun, Taejin, and Dohyun all froze, wide-eyed, watching the impossible sight unfold.
The arrows did not cease—they rained upon Sihyun like an endless storm, each one driving deeper, his pained roar echoing until finally—
It ended.
The pendant dimmed. Silence fell.
Sihyun collapsed to his knees, his once unyielding figure trembling. Blood soaked his robes as his breath came ragged.
Muwon stared at him, his heart breaking.
"Sihyun…"
he whispered, torn between grief and helplessness.
Tears slipped down Sihyun's face as his trembling hand reached forward toward the child who had unleashed the pendant's hidden power. His lips parted, voice weak—
"Taeyang…"
But Taeyang, terrified and sobbing, had already run to Muwon, throwing his little arms around him.
"Papa!"
he cried, burying his face in his father's chest.
Muwon hugged him back tightly, holding on as if to shield him from the world.
Still on the floor, Sihyun stretched out his bloodied hand further, his glowing eyes dimming.
"Tae…yang…"
he whispered brokenly.
The guards finally moved, rushing in swiftly. With a loud clink, they clasped a heavy sorcerer's chain around Sihyun's neck.
The cursed metal sizzled against his skin, suppressing his power.
His wounds… did not heal.
Sihyun's hand, trembling and bloodied, hovered in the air. His glowing eyes now dimmed, but he was still conscious, still fighting to stay awake. Slowly, his gaze lifted to Muwon.
"Muwon…"
he whispered at first—then suddenly, his voice broke into a desperate cry.
"Muwon!"
His pained plea echoed through the courtyard, raw and aching. His tears spilled freely, staining his pale cheeks.
Muwon's chest tightened, his own eyes stinging with tears. He wanted to run to him, to hold him—but his battered body refused to move.
Before he could even speak, the guards moved in without waiting for his command.
"Unhand me!"
Sihyun cried out, his voice hoarse yet sharp as the chains dragged against his neck. He thrashed weakly, blood dripping down his torn robes.
"Let me go! Muwon! MUWON!"
His desperate screams cut through the silence, but the guards did not falter.
Muwon, Taeyang, Yuhyun, Taejin, and Dohyun could only watch in stunned helplessness as Sihyun was pulled away, his cries echoing even as the courtyard swallowed his figure.
"Papa!"
Taeyang cried, clutching Muwon's robes tightly.
"Papa, don't let them take him!"
Muwon swallowed hard, his heart shattering at his son's tears. He knelt slowly, despite the searing pain in his body, and patted Taeyang's back.
"It's okay now,"
he whispered, forcing steadiness into his voice though it quivered.
"It's all over… shhh, you're safe."
The trio rushed over, their expressions filled with worry.
"Muwon—are you alright?!"
Dohyun asked, his voice sharp.
Muwon groaned, pressing his hand against his side, but gave a small nod.
"I'll live."
Yuhyun immediately crouched beside Taeyang, pulling him into his arms.
"Are you hurt, little one?"
Taeyang shook his head, but tears streamed down his face.
"Uncle Yuhyun… I was so scared!"
His small fists clutched Yuhyun's sleeve desperately.
Yuhyun's chest tightened as he hugged him close, stroking his hair.
"I know, I know,"
he murmured softly.
"It's alright now. You're safe."
He then looked up at Muwon, eyes filled with guilt.
"Your Majesty… I'm so sorry. This is my fault. I should have—"
Muwon shook his head weakly, cutting him off.
"No… it's not your fault, Yuhyun. None of this is."
Taejin finally stepped forward, his jaw tight as his gaze swept over Muwon's bloody form.
"Your Majesty, you need to be treated immediately. You won't last long if this continues."
Muwon sat in the grand chamber, his wounds freshly bound, the scent of herbal medicine lingering in the air. The flicker of candlelight illuminated the weary lines on his face. Taeyang had finally fallen asleep in Yuhyun's care, but Muwon's heart was still unsettled.
The heavy doors creaked open, and the five elders entered, their robes dragging across the polished floor. Their stern expressions cut through the silence like blades. They bowed briefly, then raised their heads with eyes sharp as judgment itself.
"Your Majesty,"
Elder Baekjin spoke, his tone grave.
"You have seen with your own eyes what that demon is capable of."
General Gunho voice followed swiftly.
"He did not only harm you—he dared to threaten your son. What greater proof do we need? The Demon Sorcerer killed the late king, and now he seeks to destroy what remains of this kingdom."
Their words struck the chamber like thunder, each syllable heavy with accusation.
"Your Majesty,"
Lady Miran pressed,
"Sihyun will not stop at nothing. His nature is clear. For the sake of the crown, for the sake of the people—he must be put on trial!"
Muwon's chest tightened. His mind raced back to Sihyun's tear-filled eyes, his desperate cries. The image cut deep into his soul. He hesitated, his lips parting but no words coming out at first.
Finally, he spoke, his voice low but firm.
"Now… is not the time to put Sihyun on trial. Who knows what might come of it?"
The elders stiffened, their faces hardening in disbelief.
"Not the time?"
Elder Baekjin barked, slamming his cane against the floor.
"Your Majesty, hesitation now will cost us our lives later!"
"If we do not act,"
Elder Jaesuk added sharply,
"we will be forced to kiss our lives goodbye in the hands of the last surviving Demon Sorcerer!"
Their voices overlapped in protest, echoing around the chamber like a storm. But Muwon only sat there, his expression unreadable.
He stared at the impatient elders standing before him, their words ringing in his ears—yet his heart whispered another truth. His lips tightened, his hands curled on the armrest of his throne.
And still, he could not form a single word in reply.