The two spear-bearing guards who had previously always escorted Jae Hyuk now returned to carrying out their duty. They walked along the quiet corridors of the palace, heading toward the underground cell where Jae Hyuk was imprisoned.
Upon arriving in front of the cell door, one of the guards took a key from the pocket of his robe, then pushed the door open.
Jae Hyuk was there, inside. He sat in the corner of the room with his head turned toward the ventilation—watching the morning sky revealed with several magpies chirping, ignoring the two guards standing at the doorway.
"It's been three days?" That was the first greeting that came out of Jae Hyuk's mouth. His gaze had not shifted.
"Yes, Your Highness. Today is the time for you to decide on an answer," said one of the guards to Jae Hyuk.
Jae Hyuk was silent. At the moment, his shinigaze was inactive, making both of his eyes appear normal now—light brown in color.
Slowly, Jae Hyuk stood up. As he stepped closer, the guards immediately noticed how disheveled his appearance was. Jae Hyuk's jet-black hair, nearly reaching his nape, looked messy and unkempt, falling in disarray and almost covering one of his eyes. Yet somehow, it made him look even more captivating.
The wound on Jae Hyuk's arm seemed to have dried, and the man had not even had the chance to clean and treat it. However, such a trivial matter was clearly not something he cared about. After all, in the near future, he might die.
"May this guard ask something, Your Highness?" asked one of the guards as they began escorting and restraining Jae Hyuk on his left and right.
"Is Your Highness hungry? Considering you have not eaten or drunk anything for the past 3 days," the guard asked with concern. He suddenly paused, taking something from behind his robe. A piece of glutinous rice cake coated with honey and sprinkled with sesame seeds. He offered it to Jae Hyuk.
For a moment, Jae Hyuk fell silent as he looked at it. His eyes were fixed on the figure. The guard's reflexive action shattered the last of Jae Hyuk's hope—the belief that no one would care about him. Now someone had come in the form of a guard who was holding him captive. He stared coldly and questioningly at the guard. It had been three days, and this was the first time something worthy of being called food was in front of him. What kind of miracle was this?
"Your name?" instead of taking the cake, Jae Hyuk asked back.
"This guard's name is Dae Han. Please eat, Your Highness before anyone sees," said the guard, his hand still hanging in the air—waiting for Jae Hyuk to take and eat it.
"If Your Highness doesn't want it, I'll eat it. I'm also hungry," said the other guard. From the very beginning, this one seemed rather blunt and sharp-tongued.
Jae Hyuk was indeed hungry, but he held himself back. The sweet aroma of the cake spread enticingly, awakening the feeling in his already empty stomach. But Jae Hyuk only stared at the cake for a long time; he hesitated.
Seeing Jae Hyuk remain silent without a single word, the guard continued. "Please fill your stomach first, Your Highness. Today seems like it will be very heavy for you."
"Whatever answer you choose will require great energy, Your Highness. If you kneel, at least you kneel with a filled stomach. And if you are executed today, at least you will not die with an empty stomach, Your Highness," Dae Han said at length, sounding very sincere.
"Does Your Highness think it's poisoned? Don't worry, Your Highness, if we wanted to kill you, you would have been dead since the first day," added the blunt-mouthed guard.
"You? What's your name?" Jae Hyuk asked him with a cold expression.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Your Highness. My name is Kim Shi An," Shi An said while waving his hand.
Jae Hyuk finally chose to take the cake, eating it slowly, without expression. The sweetness of the cake felt numb on his tongue, meaning nothing. Although it was not enough to overcome his hunger, at least today he would not kneel or die in a state of starvation.
''I will remember."
''I will repay this." Jae Hyuk said coldly and quietly.
*****
That morning, the Emperor was already in the Main Hall of the Kingdom along with the ministers. In the middle of the room, discussions flowed seriously. The officials were discussing political cases, war, and laws that had recently occurred in order to make a major decision. There was no laughter on any of their faces; all of them looked composed and controlled.
At the end of the hall, the Emperor's throne, carved with gold dragons mixed with dark red, stood tall. The Emperor sat upon it, calm, elevated, and untouchable in his golden imperial robe. There were several steps that created distance between him and the ministers below. Two spear-bearing guards stood near the steps.
Above all, the Emperor remained silent. Yet it was precisely within that silence that the entire room felt under his control.
"Your Majesty, regarding the eastern border region—"
"Skip it," the Emperor cut in quickly.
The entire room instantly froze in silence. The minister who proposed the matter fell quiet, his face tense. He bowed and retreated without daring to argue. Meanwhile, the other ministers exchanged uneasy glances. Today… it seemed the Emperor was not in a good mood.
A few moments later, another official stepped forward cautiously. "Your Majesty… there is one matter that must be decided immediately."
The Emperor only stared, a gaze that made the official swallow before continuing. "This concerns Prince Jae Hyuk… Your Majesty."
As if only now remembering that Jae Hyuk was on the brink of death, the Emperor asked for confirmation. "So, three days have passed?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. It is time to decide whether Prince Jae Hyuk will be punished according to Gwimun law or according to—"
"The decision lies in Hwan Jae Hyuk's own hands," the Emperor said firmly, cutting him off.
"But, Your Majesty. If Prince Jae Hyuk is not punished firmly, this could become a bad precedent, Your Majesty," the official continued carefully. He lowered himself before the Emperor in full respect.
"The noble blood that Prince Jae Hyuk possesses should not make him immune to the law, Your Majesty," the official continued his criticism.
"If he is allowed to live today, then tomorrow there will be more Jae Hyuks born from the wrong kind of courage." For a moment, the official swallowed nervously. Perhaps he had gone too far? Did he sound too defiant?
"This kingdom cannot bear such a precedent, Your Majesty." The official prostrated himself on the floor, bowing as deeply as possible—nearly pressing his head down in apology for his firmness.
"A wise opinion. But it will not change my decision, Minister. The choice remains in Hwan Jae Hyuk's own hands. He alone can choose to live or to die." Just as the Emperor delivered his firm decision, a voice suddenly came from the entrance, echoing coldly and sharply.
"To live by begging, you mean, Emperor?"
Instantly, everyone in the room turned toward the source of the bold and challenging voice. At the doorway, Jae Hyuk stood there, firm and unwavering. The two guards who brought him froze a few steps behind him.
"Watch your words, Prince Jae Hyuk," one official warned.
Jae Hyuk stepped inside. Somehow, the atmosphere immediately changed when he appeared. The air grew colder than before. "The Emperor summoned me… to ask for my choice?"
"Until now, I have not decided," Jae Hyuk said honestly. He kept walking, slightly lifting his head to look at the Emperor seated firmly on the throne. Jae Hyuk tried to read the thoughts of that man. What kind of choice did the Emperor want from him today?
Meanwhile, for the officials and ministers, their movements were already clearly read in Jae Hyuk's eyes. Those cunning gazes, the soft whispers from one official to another, even the way they held their breath—all pointed to the same thing.
They wanted his death.
If Jae Hyuk chose execution, then of course—everything would become easier for them. No more obstacles, no more someone who could disrupt their path. And behind all that, Jae Jin—would slowly be pushed forward, supported by power-hungry people, toward the throne of the Hwan Empire, becoming the future king.
Those two-faced officials stood on the same side as Lee Sang Ah. Meanwhile, they were on opposing sides and harbored hatred toward Bae Hae Rin—Jae Hyuk's only mother whom he loved sincerely from the depths of his heart.
But as for the Emperor? The Emperor was different. Nothing could be read from him. So gray that Jae Hyuk had to provoke him to know what he was thinking, if he could.
"Before I decide, allow me to ask one thing, Your Majesty the Emperor." Jae Hyuk stopped right beside the official who was still kneeling. Jae Hyuk glanced at him briefly, a faint mocking smile appearing. He lowered his head slightly, just enough so that his voice could only be heard by the official.
"Pathetic."
Jae Hyuk straightened his body again, directing his attention to the Emperor. He held back the storm in his chest. Every time their eyes met… it was always like this. As if something inside him cracked slowly. There was anger. There was pain. And the remnants of hope that he himself hated for still existing. Had it always been so difficult for the Emperor to see him properly? Or at least look at him as his son whom he once loved so dearly?
Jae Hyuk swallowed all that bitter reality. His face turned cold again. "The incident 5 years ago happened with your permission, Emperor?" Direct. Without pleasantries. Jae Hyuk did not need a long explanation. He only needed one answer. He only wanted to confirm whether the Emperor was also involved in the attempt to kill him. Even though he already knew what the answer would be, he just wanted to make sure once more, even if that answer would shatter him the same way as before. Yet somehow, half of Jae Hyuk refused to believe that reality. That he still wanted to believe that his father could not be that cruel.
"What do you mean, Hwan Jae Hyuk?" the Emperor only raised one eyebrow.
"Were you also involved in my attempted murder 5 years ago, Your Majesty the Emperor?"
The Emperor did not answer immediately. Meanwhile, all the officials in the Main Hall held their breath, as if a single word from the Emperor could change everything. Yet the Emperor remained calm, deep, and unreadable.
His voice was neither loud nor soft, but enough to fill the entire room. "If you want a simple answer, Hwan Jae Hyuk."
"Then listen carefully."
The situation turned completely silent.
"Whatever happened 5 years ago…,"
"was part of my decision to keep this kingdom standing."
Jae Hyuk was silent. He was stunned but finally understood. Truly understood. There was no explosion of anger within him, no shouting, no protest. Only a suffocating silence.
But for the first time, there was no longer any doubt left in his eyes. Jae Hyuk had made his choice. He clenched his fists quietly. He looked calm and unafraid of anything.
''I will kneel."