No matter that there was no Yeongchunhwa with a compatible guardian star, there were still court concubines — it could not help but be a cause for concern as to why he did not lie with them. On the contrary, the less compatible the guardian star, the deeper the union should be to make up for the inefficiency.

'Because he considers it unlikely to have much effect regardless. He simply does not wish to bother with something so troublesome. He would probably prefer to spend that time hearing reports from the Hwasicheong.'

'But……'

'The Emperor underwent Gakchim at the young age of seven. Because his body had not yet fully grown, he had to endure for a long time through mere contact alone. So the Emperor is simply accustomed to it. And on the other hand…… he does not wish it either.'

Jeongjoo could not fully understand the Yongrin's answer. Why refuse to drink water that was right in front of him and capable of quenching his thirst even a little? Why did some Yongrin crave the guardian star of a Yeongchunhwa and yet, when the time came for union, withdraw into themselves?

Was this not medicine that could save lives and heal the body? Was it not also one part of saving the nation?

'What were you doing?'

'Ah, I was writing a letter to my younger brother.'

'Again? I have never seen siblings so fond of each other.'

'Ha ha. Well, it cannot be helped. My younger brother is different from other children.'

'What a doting fool.'

Jeongjoo received a flick on the head from his superior and still could not wipe the smile off his face. Since entering the imperial guard, it had been difficult to go back to his hometown even once a year, so exchanging correspondence often like this was a necessity.

'Finish up. Time is almost done.'

'Ah, I hear a court noble who has bloomed is entering the palace?'

'That's right. They say it has not even been a full month since sprouting, and already bloomed — quite fast, isn't it.'

'Has there been no such case before?'

'Women sometimes have such cases, but this court noble is a man, so it can be considered special.'

'Oh, I do hope his guardian star proves helpful to the Emperor.'

With that exchange, Jeongjoo finished the letter he had been writing and rose from his seat. He went with his superior to the main hall to attend the Emperor and headed to the detached palace. And while standing guard before the detached palace, he earnestly prayed that the newly bloomed court noble would bring the Emperor some stability.

Soon there was a sound of movement and a court eunuch brought the court noble over. Jeongjoo turned his head without thinking — and the color drained from his face as though he had seen a ghost.

Deogyun. Why are you……

Deogyun, who had grown strikingly taller since they last met and was wearing the attire that court nobles wore, looked unfamiliar. But unfamiliar as he was, this was Deogyun, his younger brother, the one he knew.

Deogyun's wandering, unsettled gaze reached Jeongjoo. His eyes that had widened in apparent surprise turned away, carrying a desperate gladness and a vivid fear within them.

So the Yeongchunhwa who had bloomed had been Deogyun. Why had there been no word to him……Right, he had bloomed not even a full month after sprouting, so there would have been no time to send news. How could such a thing have come to pass……

If Deogyun's guardian star was judged compatible with the Emperor, what would become of things? His heart pounded, heavy and deep. To become the Emperor's Yeongchunhwa would be an honor without equal, yet strangely he was afraid that such a thing might come to pass.

Why. Jeongjoo looked into the source of the fear he felt, but could reach no conclusion, and strained every nerve toward the detached palace.

From when the door opened again until the Emperor emerged — only about a quarter of an hour had passed, yet it felt as though he had passed through a long, long tunnel of time. He had to follow in the Emperor's wake, but his feet would not easily move. Jeongjoo forced his steps forward and observed the atmosphere.

Fortunately, it appeared that Deogyun's guardian star had been judged incompatible. As Jeongjoo swallowed a sigh of relief, his eyes went momentarily hollow.

But truly,

was this fortunate?

'Straighten your back more. Release the tension.'

Having ascended through the ranks at an exceptionally young age to the position of general, Jeongjoo realized he was saying the exact same words his master had said to him, and a smile touched his lips.

As the imperial guards let out vigorous battle cries and threw themselves into training, the sunlight pouring down on the training grounds was warm and the sky, with a single wisp of feathery cloud drifting by, was clear and bright. On days like this — or in truth even when it was not clear — Jeongjoo would find himself thinking of Deogyun without warning.

Was he faring well.

The Consort had been considerate of his circumstances — having a bedridden widowed mother — and sent Deogyun to the Hwasicheong in his hometown, which meant he could set his worries aside at least a little. With the neighbors they had lived alongside, adapting would not be overly difficult.

He missed that child terribly. Since his promotion it had been difficult to find the time, and meeting a Yeongchunhwa privately was no easy thing, so he had not seen him even once since the day he saw Deogyun off. Exchanging letters was the most he could manage, and even that had become less frequent than before.

Deogyun had duties of his own and would certainly be busy. But whether that child, with his frail constitution, was alright……

Lower-ranking members of the imperial guard were sometimes assigned to stand watch outside the rooms where treatment was performed between a Yongrin and a Yeongchunhwa. This was to prevent a Yongrin from losing reason and taking a Yeongchunhwa by force. Jeongjoo himself had of course experienced this as a new recruit.

It was medicine. That was certain.

He brushed aside the rising thoughts and concluded the training. But when he subsequently arrived at the main hall for the changing of the guard, a distinctly unsettling atmosphere permeated the air. Jeongjoo studied the tension-filled air carefully and approached a colleague.

'What is happening?'

'……One of the Yongrin has caused an incident.'

'What sort of incident?'

An ominous premonition crawled up his spine like a worm. He could not tell where this instinctive feeling originated. The color drained from Jeongjoo's face instantly, going white.

'During treatment, he lost control of his sacred power and harmed a court noble……'

Jeongjoo stepped inside without waiting to hear the rest. His stride was unfaltering, but his vision seemed to spin in a circle, making it difficult to be sure whether he was even walking properly.

Just as he reached the entrance, voices came from within.

'Your Majesty. Although it is true that Commander Cheon committed a wrongful act, one must take into account that he had previously exhausted his sacred power suppressing bandits, and that he had consistently been unable to receive proper treatment due to the passivity of the affected court noble.'

'A shortage of manpower is always a problem, so we beg Your Majesty's understanding. If, following past precedent, treatment is restricted and closely supervised, he will experience hell in life itself — which may, we submit, serve as an even greater punishment.'

Commander Cheon.

A Yongrin stationed at the Hwasicheong in his hometown. The slender hope that it might not be him collapsed before it could even form.

A piercing ringing, impossibly long and sharp, echoed in his ears. Jeongjoo wanted to storm in right then and tear apart those Yongrin — those Yongrin with whom he had shared time laughing and in close friendship.

'They say that killing someone sends you to hell.'

He was raising his uncontrollably trembling hand when, from beyond the door, a cold and dignified voice flowed out, carrying not a trace of any emotion or expression.

'Must I keep him alive and furnish him with a hell of his own?'

'Your Majesty. Please……'

'No matter how hellish life may be, there is hope in this world. Is that not precisely why people all struggle on so desperately?'

'……'

'Your will and mine are no different. Let us sacrifice the small for the sake of the greater good. If killing one criminal can settle the unrest among the court nobles, it is trading the small for the great. If a Yongrin who has committed a crime is not given death, what will they have to believe in?'

'……Yes, Your Majesty.'

'Have the criminal executed with the most severe punishment, and erase him from the records so he may enjoy no honor whatsoever.'

The door opened, and the Yongrin, tightly bound in chains, revealed himself. It was a face he knew well. A surge of breath choked his throat, making it difficult to breathe.

'Brother. I am frightened. I, I actually……'

'Do not worry, alright? Every Yongrin I have ever met has been a good person. So all you have to do is trust and follow them. You can do it, Deogyun.'

There had been no time, and it had been only a brief moment before Deogyun left for their hometown, so those were the only words he had been able to give. He had said them intending to comfort Deogyun, hoping that he would not be frightened……

It was said that a Yongrin harming a Yeongchunhwa was a very rare, truly very rare occurrence — an incident that could not be prevented even with another Yongrin and imperial guards attached for the purpose of surveillance and restraint. An ill fortune, they said. He could not accept at all why that ill fortune had to fall, of all people, on Deogyun.

The Yongrin, his face drained of all color and stained with self-reproach and guilt, was led away. Watching that sight, the person Jeongjoo most wanted to kill was none other than himself.

He wanted to tear apart and kill himself — himself who had been able to say nothing more than that on that day, and himself who had not gone to find and look after Deogyun even after.

The ringing in his ears deepened. Jeongjoo clawed at his ears as though tearing them, then raised his head.

Before he knew it, the prison door was open. A Yongrin came inside and made him stand. Jeongjoo swallowed a bitter smile and let himself be dragged away by them without resistance.

The ringing had only happened once, on that day — yet the auditory hallucinations never went away. Even now, it was as though some sound was humming and buzzing around the rim of his ear.