CHAPTER 82
Gasps and murmurs filled the hall again.
"Adopt?"
a nobleman whispered.
"The royal bloodline—ended by choice?"
"He can't be serious…"
The king leaned back, staring long and hard at his son, as if trying to find any crack in his resolve.
Then, slowly, he spoke again.
"So the royal bloodline will just… die out?"
His tone was not angry—but heavy. Disbelieving.
"That is what you are offering me as your father? As your king?"
Muwon lowered his gaze for the first time, then bowed his head deeply.
"I apologize, Father… but there is nothing I can do. My heart has chosen him. I want Sihyun and no one else."
The weight of his words settled over the court like a storm cloud. The nobles didn't dare speak again.
The king was silent for a long time.
At last, he asked quietly,
"Does he even know about this decision of yours?"
Muwon looked up again, eyes steady.
"Not yet. I'll tell him… when I'm ready."
The king exhaled slowly through his nose, clearly disappointed—but perhaps not entirely surprised. He said nothing more.
A thick silence lingered in the air.
In the outer woods near the palace, late morning.
The forest air was crisp and quiet, sunlight filtering through the tall trees as Sihyun knelt by a shallow grave already half-dug, his magic gently moving soil aside without a shovel. A small wrapped bundle—Vanyul's remains, what was left of him—rested beside the earth.
Yuhyun stood nearby, arms crossed with a deep sigh, watching Sihyun in silence.
"This is so like you…"
he mumbled, though his tone held no malice.
Sihyun didn't respond immediately, only pausing to wipe his brow. Then he said softly,
"No one deserves to wander after death—not even someone like him."
Yuhyun scoffed, kicking a stone.
"He haunted your dreams and nearly made you shatter a mirror last night. You're too soft."
Just then, two familiar voices cut through the air—
"Whoa, whoa, whoa… what do we have here?"
"Isn't Sihyun supposed to be seeing the king right now?"
Sihyun turned sharply to see Dohyun and Taejin approaching with curious faces, the leaves crunching under their boots.
Dohyun arched a brow, glancing between the two brothers and the grave.
"You two sneaking out for something shady?"
he teased, folding his arms dramatically.
Taejin was more direct.
"Muwon's in the grand hall speaking with the king. We thought you were with him, Sihyun."
Sihyun stood slowly, brushing dirt from his hands.
"He didn't tell me that."
Yuhyun gave Dohyun a look.
"We're not skipping royal duties, alright? It's just… personal."
Dohyun's playful smirk faded when his eyes fell on the wrapped form beside the grave. He went quiet.
Taejin took a step forward, serious now.
"Is that…?"
Sihyun nodded once.
"What's left of him."
He knelt again, beginning to close the grave with a wave of his hand, the soil drifting gently over the remains.
Yuhyun quietly pulled out a small charm from his pocket—one that had belonged to their mother—and laid it beside the dirt before it was covered. Sihyun glanced at him in surprise, but said nothing.
After a moment of silence, Sihyun whispered,
"Rest now, Vanyul… and don't come back."
Dohyun and Taejin stood respectfully, saying nothing more.
Once the burial was done, Taejin cleared his throat.
"You should probably go see the king now… unless you want Muwon to get murdered in your absence."
Sihyun let out a breath and gave a small smile.
"I'll go."
Yuhyun watched him as he brushed off his robes and turned toward the palace path.
The Grand Hall – Midmorning
The golden sun streamed through the stained glass windows, casting fragmented light across the polished marble floor. Prince Jin Muwon stood tall in the center of the grand hall, his hands folded behind his back after boldly declaring his intent to be betrothed to Sihyun.
For a heartbeat, silence reigned.
Then, a wave of uproar rippled through the chamber like an oncoming storm.
"This is outrageous!"
"A prince betrothed to a man—unheard of!"
"And not just any man—a Demon Sorcerer! It is forbidden! Madness!"
"Your Majesty, you've spoiled him too much! That boy does as he pleases because no one dares to stop him!"
"If he adopts a child, that child will be an outsider! How can we let someone not of royal blood inherit the throne?!"
"This is not just disobedience—it's an abomination! He's tainting the bloodline!"
The nobles' voices clashed in a chorus of indignation and fear. Some pounded their canes. Others whispered behind silk fans. The younger ministers sat stunned, while the older ones spat venom through gritted teeth.
Yet the King remained still on his throne, not saying a word, his fingers intertwined beneath his chin as his sharp eyes observed the room. He let the storm swirl without interference, letting them all be heard.
Prince Muwon, amidst the roar, slowly stepped forward. Then—gracefully, without a hint of defiance—he bowed deeply, his long hair cascading slightly over his shoulders.
"Forgive me, Your Majesty… and forgive me, my lords,"
Muwon said calmly.
"But my decision will not change."
The hall didn't fall quiet, but the nobles faltered—his serenity piercing through their anger.
"I do not say this to disgrace the throne,"
Muwon continued.
"But because I cannot live dishonestly. I've made my choice—not out of impulse, but out of conviction. I will stand by it."
"Even if the heavens refuse me, I will walk this path."
The King's eyes narrowed slightly. His lips curled into the faintest trace of a smile—but he still said nothing.
The echo of heavy doors creaking open silenced the chamber like a held breath.
All eyes turned.
Sihyun, dressed in muted ceremonial robes, entered the grand hall alongside Yuhyun, with Dohyun and Taejin following just a step behind. The radiant glow from the windows cast soft light on Sihyun's pale features—his expression unreadable, though his dark eyes flicked immediately to Muwon, who stood amidst the nobles, calm but resolute.
Sihyun could feel it—the tension in the air, thick as fog.