Chapter 25
Vain Hope
“Ugh….”
At the sound of a painful groan, the old man set aside the mat he had been weaving. He hurried over to the broad-shouldered man lying in the corner and studied his pale complexion.
Although the bandages around the man’s torso had been changed that very morning, fresh blood was already seeping through.
“Are you awake?”
“…Who are you?”
“Would you even know me if I told you my name? I’m just an old man who lives alone in the mountains.”
Indeed, the old man’s appearance matched his words—his sleeves and collar were patched in many places, his clothing worn and shabby.
“Then where is this place…?”
“Deep inside the valley, far removed from any village.”
Though his tone was indifferent, the old man’s hands moved with care, gently wiping the sweat from the man’s face with a cloth.
“You… saved me?”
“I merely found you collapsed while fetching water. I carried you here, that’s all.”
The wound had been grave, and the fever had burned high for days. The old man had thought the man would not live long—yet miraculously, he had survived.
“Don’t worry. No one in the nearby villages knows I live here.”
After soaking the cloth again and placing it on the man’s brow, the old man returned to his seat and picked up the mat once more. But his hands faltered. His eyes kept drifting back toward the wounded stranger.
“Judging by his attire, he must be of noble birth…”
The old man glanced at the bloodstained silk garments and the armor hanging on the wall. The breastplate bore intricate designs—not something a common soldier would possess. And the wounds on his body, all cut by blades, told a grim story.
Just then, the man groaned again and tried to sit up.
“Stay still! If those wounds reopen, it will be disastrous.”
“I cannot simply remain lying here. I must—”
“At least until your companions return, you must rest.”
“…Companions?”
The man frowned. That was not something he expected to hear.
The door burst open. A young man entered the room.
“Since your companion has come, I shall prepare some food.”
With that, the old man slipped away to give them privacy.
“…Seonghyeon?”
“Your Highness!”
The man—Prince Baek Danho, heir to the fallen Seolhwa Kingdom—was helped upright by Seonghyeon.
“Why are you here? You should be in the capital…”
At this, Seonghyeon lowered his head, sorrow clouding his features. The prince pressed urgently.
“Seonghyeon.”
“…Seolhwa has fallen. Destroyed by Hwangseon.”
“What nonsense is this—argh!”
Danho tried to rise, but pain lanced through him.
“Your Highness, please! You must remain calm!”
“And… my father and mother? What of them?”
His trembling voice was filled with desperate hope. He begged silently for the answer he longed for. But reality was merciless.
“His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen… were slain by Hwangseon’s Grand General.”
“No… No, it cannot be!”
Prince Danho collapsed to the floor, screaming in anguish. The loss of his kingdom, and now his beloved parents, tore his heart apart.
“It’s my fault… If only I hadn’t fallen into that trap…”
Grinding his fists into the ground, he recalled the moment it had all unraveled.
General Cheon Taesu of Hwangseon had lured him in with an offer:
“If you defeat me in single combat, I’ll release the prisoners and spare the villages.”
“You swear it?”
“By my name as Grand General, I swear.”
Seolhwa’s army, weary and outnumbered, had clung to that shred of hope. Villages had been ravaged, citizens slaughtered—Danho felt the weight of responsibility as Crown Prince. Desperation drove him to accept the duel… never realizing it was a trap.
When he realized the ruse, it was too late. Arrows rained down as Cheon Taesu fled. His horse, struck, had carried him over a cliff.
Seonghyeon’s voice brought him back.
“This was not your fault. But for the sake of Their Majesties who died unjustly, you must endure, Your Highness.”
“And… Dansul? My sister—what became of her?”
Gripping Seonghyeon’s shoulder, Danho’s eyes were frantic with hope.
“…I have not heard any news of the Princess.”
“Then… she may yet live!”
Relief flickered across his face. He leaned against the wall, exhausted.
“Forgive me. I lost my composure. But you, Seonghyeon… as her betrothed, no one could worry for her more than you.”
Seonghyeon forced a bitter smile.
“I am unworthy to be called her betrothed, having failed to protect her.”
He had been charged with guarding the King and Queen in the capital—and failed them all.
He remembered their last exchange:
“I will go with you, Princess!”
“No, you must stay with Their Majesties. That is the duty of a general.”
Dansul’s gentle yet firm refusal had cut him deeply. And now, she was gone.
Still, he could not allow grief to chain him.
“We cannot stand idle. We must search where she was last seen. Though… Hwangseon’s soldiers are everywhere.”
A sudden thud silenced them. They turned. The old man stood pale-faced, rice balls spilled at his feet.
“Th-the Crown Prince!”
He fell prostrate in shock. Danho quickly helped him up, flustered.
“No, rise. I am no longer Crown Prince.”
“What nonsense! Even if Seolhwa has fallen, in the hearts of the people, it lives on!”
The old man spoke with conviction. Even the poorest had lived without fear under Seolhwa’s benevolent rule. Even he, a hermit in the valley, had never gone hungry.
“You have already done enough, saving my life.”
“No, Your Highness. Tell me where you wish to go. I know hidden paths to avoid the enemy. I shall guide you.”
Hope sparked between Danho and Seonghyeon.
“Then… we will accept your help.”
First, they had to find Princess Dansul—alive, if fate allowed.
Meanwhile, far away, Dansul sat silently by the window, staring into the bleak night sky. The moon was hidden, the heavens darker than ever.
Cheon Taesu’s words echoed in her mind:
“Your brother, Baek Danho—the Crown Prince—fell from a cliff after our duel. He is dead.”
The breath had left her body at those words. Her brother, her last pillar, gone. Alone, abandoned in a cruel world.
She had endured only by clinging to the hope of seeing Danho again. A hope now revealed to be vain.
“Can I truly take revenge?”
Her will drained away. What meaning did her actions hold anymore?
Then she remembered his voice, the promise he made before leaving for war:
“Seola, no matter what, I will protect Seolhwa. Everyone I love is here.”
The image of her brother, armored and astride his horse, ready to ride out, filled her eyes with tears. He had fought for family and country—yet here she was, hiding behind despair.
“I cannot remain idle.”
To do nothing would insult the sacrifices of those who died for her. She must repay the humiliation Seolhwa had suffered—whether through vengeance or any means available. That was the reason she still lived.
But first… she had to escape the Empress’s watchful eye. With Lady Gyeonji constantly at her side, she could do nothing.
“If I use that method…”
A daring thought crossed her mind. If executed well, not only Gyeonji but other obstacles might be removed in one stroke.
✅ End of Chapter 25
