Hui stared at him, speechless. Hwan gently lifted his chin.
"Sahngjon has chosen you," he said.
Hui quickly prostrated himself. "Guardian, please don't say such things."
"How else can we explain this miracle?" Hwan countered.
"If my survival is truly Sahngjon's will," Hui said, "then it's only to serve you. I'm just an insignificant..."
"Celestial Scion," Hwan finished for him.
Hui looked up at him, his eyes filled with confusion and doubt. "But Guardian..."
"Why do you deny Sahngjon's miracle?" Hwan asked, his gaze piercing.
Hui couldn't answer, lowering his head in shame.
"Is it because you pity me?" Hwan pressed.
Hui's cheeks flushed. "No, it's not that. It's just..."
Hwan studied him, his gaze lingering on Hui's small frame. Despite his size, Hui's shoulders and back held the strength of a young man. Hwan imagined Sahngjon looking down at Hui, just as he had looked down at Seong. Two Celestial Scions, chosen in a matter of days. What has drawn Sahngjon's attention to them? He saw a reflection of Seong in Hui, who, despite learning to kill with a sword, would weep for the dead, praying for their souls in the quiet solitude of the forest. They shared a gentle kindness, a vulnerability that bordered on weakness. If that was what Sahngjon valued, then Hwan knew he stood no chance. He didn't possess their compassion, their empathy for all beings. He couldn't force himself to feel what he didn't, no matter how hard he tried. Perhaps this inability to care, to feel affection for anything that wasn't his, was Sahngjon's curse upon him. If so, is it my duty to send Hui to Seong, to ensure the awakened Celestial Scion serves the chosen Guardian?
Hwan questioned himself. Is it truly their kindness that has earned Sahngjon's favor? He recalled the contents of the secret message Dara had left behind. The first Celestial Scion to awaken their powers was the High Emissary Norahn. While Hwan had often considered Norahn weak, he had never thought of him as kind. Why Norahn, then Seong, and now Hui? What is the key?
"Did Jang'gyeong Yoon lead this?" Hwan asked.
Hui couldn't answer, his shoulders shaking with suppressed sobs. He had been bewildered by his newfound abilities, but the thought of his lord, abandoned by his own men, filled him with grief. Hwan didn't scold him for his tears, sensing his genuine sorrow.
"I asked if Yoon led the mutiny," he repeated.
"I don't know," Hui choked out. "This is what I woke up to."
"I apologize, Guardian," he sobbed. "I... I couldn't stop them."
"I wouldn't have been able to stop them either, not in that situation. You did what you could."
"Guardian, I..."
"Yirahng is alive. Thanks to you."
Hui looked up, his eyes filled with gratitude.
"Thank you," Hwan said, his voice sincere.
Yirahng smiled weakly and reached out to tousle Hui's hair. "Where did you find such courage?" she said.
Hui wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "I don't know. I just acted. I..."
"Wait," Yirahng interrupted, her hand clutching her stomach. "I don't feel well."
She doubled over in pain, and Hwan and Hui rushed to her side.
"Are you alright?" Hwan asked.
Yirahng groaned, unable to answer.
"We need to take care of her first," Hwan said to Hui.
He lifted Yirahng into his arms and carried her to Hui's tent. He laid her down gently and covered her with a blanket, his gaze lingering on her pale face, beads of sweat forming on her brow. She tried to sleep, but a sharp pain made her cry out. Her face was even paler now, her hand trembling as she reached out from under the blanket. A few drops of blood stained her palm.
"The baby..." she whimpered. "What about the baby?"
Hwan clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white. He could only guess the commotion on the beach had caused complications with her pregnancy. They needed to find a physician, but even with Hwan's speed and Hui's newfound abilities, seeking help was impossible. He pulled Yirahng close, her tears soaking his shoulder.
Hui quietly retreated, leaving the couple alone. He sat outside, his back against the tent, his mind filled with worry and uncertainty. He recalled the fading lines of the Azure Scripture, the stories of House Keumpyeong's founder, who possessed the power to heal. But were those stories true? He had witnessed the parting of the sea, had survived a fatal wound, yet doubt lingered in his heart. The scriptures claimed that Sahngjon's healing touch would shine through the founder's descendants upon those who sought it with a pure heart. He had to believe it now.
He took out his dagger and made a shallow cut on his forearm. Blood welled, forming tiny beads on his skin. He placed his right hand over the wound, a warmth spreading through his fingers. He prayed, his heart filled with desperate hope, his cheeks burning with shame at his own desperation. He removed his hand. The wound was gone, leaving only a faint trace of dried blood. He rushed back into the tent.
"Guardian!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement. "I think I can do it!"
"What are you talking about?" Hwan asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"I think I can save her and the baby!"
Hwan instantly understood. "Do you even know how?" he asked skeptically.
"I just tried it on myself..." Hui hesitated, rolling up his sleeve to reveal his unblemished skin.
Hwan's skepticism remained, so Hui repeated the process, making another small cut and then placing his hand over it. He held his breath, his anxiety growing. He removed his hand. The wound was gone again. Hwan, though still doubtful, saw no other option.
"You're the only one I can rely on now," he said, his voice heavy with guilt. "I'm a poor excuse for a lord."
"No, Guardian," Hui insisted. "I'll do it. Please trust me."
He gently laid Yirahng down and placed his hands on her belly. She moaned softly as a wave of heat emanated from his touch.
"How will we know if it's working?" Hwan asked.
"I don't know yet," Hui admitted. "I wish I'd studied..."
Despite his uncertainty, Hui's movements were surprisingly confident as he tended to Yirahng. He stayed by her side for half a day, his bloodstained clothes a stark contrast to his gentle touch. Hwan boiled seawater to make it drinkable, keeping them both hydrated.
As dusk approached, Yirahng's color returned, and the sweat on her forehead subsided. She was asleep when Hwan returned to the tent. He listened to her steady breathing, then turned to Hui.
"Is she getting better?"
Hui smiled, his hand gently stroking Yirahng's belly. He took Hwan's hand and placed it over hers. Hwan froze, his body trembling as he felt the warmth, the faint flutter of life beneath his palm. A tear escaped his eye, sliding down his cheek. The baby kicked, a powerful movement that filled him with an overwhelming sense of joy and love. He closed his eyes, unable to contain his emotions. Hui, startled by his leader's tears, lowered his head.
"If Sahngjon's will truly favored Cheon Seong," he said, "then he wouldn't have saved me and granted me this power today. I'm alive, Sister Yirahng is alive, and the baby is safe. And most importantly, you're still here with us, Guardian."
"Hui."
"So please, Guardian, don't give up."
Hwan remained silent. Hui, sensing the weight of the moment, bowed his head and quietly withdrew, leaving Hwan and Yirahng alone. Despite the loss of his ship and crew, Hwan felt a sense of calm wash over him as he looked at Yirahng, her face peaceful in sleep. He gently stroked her forehead, his touch light and reassuring.
Yirahng stirred, her eyes fluttering open. She looked at him, her gaze searching his. "Aren't you angry?" she finally asked. "Why are you so calm?"
"I am angry," Hwan admitted. "If I had a ship, I'd sail back and kill Jang'gyeong Yoon a thousand times over. But I can't deny my own part in this."
"What did you do wrong?"
Hwan scoffed. "I thought Yoon feared me most. But he doesn't. He fears a ghost. If I ever see him again, I'll make him understand that it's me he should fear."
"How are we going to leave this place?"
"Don't worry about that. Rest. Focus on our child."
He gently stroked her hair, holding her close until she drifted back to sleep. Then, careful not to wake her, he slipped out of the tent.
Hui was huddled by the campfire, his shoulders slumped, his fingers tracing the scars on his arm. The day's events still seemed surreal to him. He turned as Hwan approached.
"Change your clothes," Hwan said, offering him his own robe. "The night air is still cold."
"I'm fine," Hui insisted.
"Your clothes are stained with blood. Take it."
Hui reluctantly accepted the robe and changed. Hwan sat beside him, their gazes fixed on the dark horizon. The sea stretched before them, a vast expanse of darkness punctuated by the rhythmic crashing of waves. They were back to where they started. When they left Wicheong Palace, they had a small band of followers. Now, all that remained was Keumpyeong Hui, his newfound abilities still untested, and Yirahng, carrying their unborn child.
"What will you do now, Guardian?" Hui asked.
"If Yoon truly returned to Wicheong, as you said," Hwan replied, "then Seong will send his men after us soon. Wicheong has no ships besides the Myeonghyeon merchant vessels, so they'll likely come on the Black Wings. They don't know the sea routes, and they don't know how to sail, so they'll bring the crew with them, or at least some of them."
"Yoon and the others fear you, Guardian," Hui said. "If they thought they could kill you, they would have done so before leaving. Even if Cheon Seong orders them to return, do you think they will, knowing they betrayed you?"
"They already betrayed Wicheong once," Hwan countered. "They betrayed their lord again when they returned. If they want to earn even a shred of trust from Seong, they have no choice but to obey. And they might believe they can overpower me with the Wicheong soldiers."
"If we stay here, we'll die eventually. Why would they bother coming after us?"
"Because that's the kind of fool Cheon Seong is."
Hui hesitated, then asked, "But what if they don't come?"
"We're not far from the Soyeolish pirates' routes," Hwan reminded him. "If we're truly desperate, we can always set fire to the island."
He turned to Hui, his gaze intense. "Hui, you need to be my key now."
"I'll follow your every command, Guardian."
"No, that's not what I need. You need to think for yourself, act for yourself, even without my orders. If you disagree with my decisions, find another way, and prove your worth to me. Do you understand?"
Hui bowed his head, his hands clasped together. "I will keep your words in my heart, Guardian."