CHAPTER 41
The doors burst open, armored boots clattering against the stone floor. Guards rushed in, weapons raised.
"Your Majesty!"
Muwon didn't even look up. His voice was sharp, commanding.
"Get the royal physician. Now!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
the guards scattered immediately.
Muwon turned back to Yuhyun, who was limp in his arms. His pale face was streaked with sweat, his breath shallow.
"Hang in there,"
Muwon whispered, clutching him tighter.
"You're going to be alright soon."
Yuhyun's trembling fingers clung weakly to the fabric of Muwon's robe. His lips moved, voice breaking,
"…Y-your majesty…"
And then his eyes fluttered closed. His grip slipped away as he fell unconscious.
"Yuhyun!"
Muwon's voice cracked, but the boy didn't respond.
On the other side of the room, Dohyun caught Taejin under the arm, helping him stand. Blood still dripped from Taejin's broken limb, his breathing ragged.
"Are you okay?"
Dohyun asked quickly.
Taejin only shook his head. His pain was nothing compared to what he'd just witnessed. His gaze lingered on Yuhyun's collapsed body, horror etched across his face.
"…He hurt his own brother,"
Taejin whispered, disbelief and sorrow mingling in his voice.
The three of them—Muwon, Dohyun, Taejin—turned toward the shattered window.
Outside, Sihyun lay sprawled in the courtyard. His body convulsed with shallow, choking gasps, the enchanted sword still impaled deep in his stomach. Blood glistened across his lips as he writhed, clawing uselessly at the blade that refused to vanish. The glow seared brighter every time he moved, denying his wound the chance to heal.
Dohyun's jaw tightened as he looked back at Muwon.
"Your Majesty… what are you going to do?"
The question hung heavy in the air.
Muwon's eyes darkened, fixed on the broken figure outside. For a long, agonizing silence, he said nothing. The weight of betrayal, pity, and duty all warred inside him.
Finally, his voice came, low and bitter.
"…Prepare the guards."
Dohyun blinked.
"For what—?"
Muwon didn't waver. His gaze never left Sihyun's struggling form.
"We're going to put him in chains."
The sword piercing Sihyun's stomach began to dissolve, leaving behind a deep, ugly scar across his abdomen. His chest rose and fell heavily as he exhaled, then suddenly his tattoos and eyes flared to life, glowing brighter than ever before.
Before their eyes, the wound sealed itself, the torn flesh knitting together until only faint traces of blood remained.
Dohyun, startled, shouted,
"Your Majesty—he's healing!"
Everyone's gaze locked on Sihyun. His body straightened unnaturally, as though pulled by an invisible force. His breaths slowed into an eerie calm, and when he looked up, the killing intent in his stare was suffocating.
Sihyun's burning eyes locked onto Taejin. His voice was low, venomous:
"I shall end you."
Taejin's chest tightened, his heart thundering against his ribs. He staggered back instinctively, clutching his broken arm, but Sihyun took a deliberate step forward—each movement slow, heavy, like the steps of execution.
Dohyun's panic broke the silence.
"Muwon! Do something before he—!"
But before Muwon could answer, Sihyun's glow flickered. His eyes dimmed, tattoos fading like dying embers. In the next instant, his body gave out.
Sihyun collapsed to the floor with a heavy thud, unmoving.
The chamber was dim, the air heavy with the sharp scent of medicine. Yuhyun lay motionless on the bed, his skin pale, chest rising and falling in shallow breaths. The royal physician finished binding the last of his wounds before straightening.
Muwon, standing at Yuhyun's bedside with his hands clenched behind his back, finally spoke in a low, strained voice.
"Will he be alright?"
The physician bowed his head respectfully.
"His Majesty need not worry—Lord Yuhyun will live. But…"
He hesitated, glancing at Yuhyun's fragile form.
"He suffered broken bones and lost much blood. It will take time for him to recover. He is strong, though. He endured far longer than most men could before help arrived."
Muwon's jaw tightened, his gaze dropping to Yuhyun's still hand resting against the sheets.
The physician added carefully,
"For now, Lord Yuhyun must rest. He should not be agitated with thoughts of… or encounters with his brother. That would only worsen his condition."
Muwon gave a slow, grim nod.
"I understand."
With another bow, the physician quietly withdrew, leaving the chamber cloaked in silence.
Muwon lowered himself into the chair beside the bed. His hand hovered for a moment before he allowed himself to brush Yuhyun's wrist lightly, almost as though to confirm he was still alive.
"You shouldn't have had to suffer like this,"
he murmured, voice heavy with guilt.
"If I had been faster, if I had stood in front of you instead… this wouldn't have happened."
The Crown King's usually steady eyes wavered as he sat there, keeping vigil by Yuhyun's side, the weight of his failure pressing down on him like an invisible chain.
After hours of sitting silently at Yuhyun's bedside, Muwon finally rose to his feet. He lingered for a moment longer, studying Yuhyun's pale face before turning toward the door. His voice was sharp as he addressed the guards stationed outside.
"Do not leave your posts. No one enters this chamber without my permission. Not even for an instant."
The guards bowed deeply.
"Yes, Your Majesty."
With that, Muwon made his way down the quiet corridors until he reached Taejin's chamber. He pushed the door open and found Taejin seated upright, his arm bound tightly in clean bandages. Dohyun was there too, leaning casually against a table, though the concern in his eyes betrayed his posture.
Muwon stepped inside, his gaze immediately falling on Taejin's injury.
"Are you alright?"
Taejin gave a lopsided grin despite the stiffness in his shoulders.
"After what your demon did to me? Of course I'll be fine."
Muwon let out a tired sigh, lowering himself into a nearby chair.
"No one could have foreseen this. Still… I'm sorry, Taejin."
Taejin shrugged, but he didn't meet Muwon's eyes.
Muwon turned to Dohyun.
"And you? You weren't hurt?"
Dohyun tilted his head, his playful tone undercut by seriousness.
"You're asking the wrong person, Muwon. Shouldn't I be asking if you're alright? You're the one carrying the heaviest burden here."
Muwon's lips pressed into a thin line. He brushed the concern aside with a shake of his head.
"What matters now is Taeyang. He must not see Yuhyun like this. If he does… he'll know it was Sihyun's doing."
The room grew heavier with his next words.
"For now, no one is to see Sihyun. Not even the two of you."
Dohyun nodded slowly, though unease flickered across his face. Taejin, however, turned his gaze away, silent. His jaw tightened, as if holding back words he didn't dare speak.
Muwon caught the shift immediately, his eyes narrowing slightly. He could feel the tension settling between them like a blade poised in the air.
The next morning, the soft light of dawn spilled into Yuhyun's chamber. When Dohyun and Taejin entered, they found him sitting upright in bed, his back straight despite the fatigue in his face. His gaze lingered out the window, far away, as though his thoughts were drifting to places only he could see.
Taejin cleared his throat gently. The sound drew Yuhyun back, his dark eyes shifting toward them. Slowly, he turned his head, and the faintest flicker of recognition softened his expression.
His gaze fell on Taejin's arm. The bandages were clean but still fresh.
"...Taejin,"
Yuhyun murmured softly, voice carrying both guilt and worry.
Before he could say more, Taejin cut in quickly, his tone light but firm.
"It's nothing. Don't concern yourself over me."
They both moved to sit at the edge of the bed. Taejin leaned slightly forward.
"Are you feeling any better now?"
Yuhyun's lips parted, but before he could answer, Dohyun leaned back with a dramatic sigh.
"Your brother has completely gone berserk, Yuhyun. He's turned into a maniac—he's lost his mind."
The words cut too sharp, and Taejin immediately smacked him on the arm.
"Dohyun!"
he hissed under his breath, shooting him a glare.
Yuhyun lowered his gaze, silence stretching as if the air had grown heavier. He clasped the blanket loosely between his hands, his breathing measured. Then, at last, his quiet voice broke through.
"What… happened to Sihyun?"
Both Dohyun and Taejin froze. The question lingered in the chamber like a blade poised above them, neither of them daring to be the first to answer.