The Yongrin who had grasped the situation went to him. The ground split and began to heave and rise unevenly around him as its center. The Yongrin hurriedly pinned his arms behind his back to restrain his body, but they seemed unable to overcome his strength and were jostled about.

Yunseo's face went white. He had never seen it before, but it was unmistakably clear that this was the precursor to a rampaging sacred power.

"Huije!"

Yunseo immediately stepped up onto the battlements. Huije, who had been guarding this place while watching the battlefield and simultaneously keeping watch here, came running swiftly.

When Yunseo leapt down, Huije caught him stably. His heart plunged and then bounced back as his pulse beat large and fast. He did not know where such courage had come from. There was only the single thought that he had to get there quickly.

Huije took Yunseo into her arms and brought him to the Yongrin who was rampaging without being able to control his sacred power. Seeing up close, he could tell who it was.

Gangbaek.

The youngest of the Yongrin Guard, Gangbaek.

With Huije joining in as well, three Yongrin were holding Gangbaek down. Yunseo bit his lip and placed his hand on the body of Gangbaek, whose face he could confirm was white with foam and in terrible distress.

He immediately injected the guardian star, but the sacred power and poison swirling wildly within his body could not absorb the strength. Blood burst from Gangbaek's mouth. Gangbaek twisted his whole body trying to break free from the restraint.

"Unh, khurgh……!"

The bestial moan made real the suffering Gangbaek was enduring. Yunseo, with his eyes wide open, pressed down steadily on Gangbaek and once again sent out a tightly condensed mass of guardian star.

The guardian star that had rushed in like a shot through the rampaging sacred power struck at the center of the tightly coiled and scattered poison. For a moment Gangbaek let out a low groan and all his movement stopped at once. The pain that had been rampant on the young, bloodless face subsided.

Yunseo confirmed that Gangbaek closed his eyes and went limp, then removed his hand. A drop of sweat trickled down Yunseo's forehead.

"Take him quickly."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

A Yongrin slung Gangbaek over his shoulder and ran quickly toward the fortress. Yunseo watched them until they disappeared, then slowly rose and took a step.

"Your Majesty, I will attend you."

"It is fine. You must preserve your strength as well."

Under his plodding feet, a Yeongchunhwa flower with its petals in full bloom was crushed. Flowers that bloomed and bloomed again, with vitality strong enough to endure whatever season came, even as the ground cracked and shook. Their vitality was wondrous and at the same time heartbreaking.

Tears suddenly welled up. Yunseo wiped the corner of his eye and looked up at the sky. He glared at the sky that was being overlaid with dusk along with the dark clouds, adding to its desolate impression, and then walked briskly back into the fortress.

The moment he returned, Yunseo called the senior consort and court nobles and explained the method he had just used and the experience of it. It was decided that two court nobles would be assigned to a Yongrin showing signs of rampaging sacred power, and if he stabilized, he would first be treated on the fortress wall and then sent to the barracks next.

When the court nobles dispersed, the inside of the fortress became somewhat busier. Those who had received summons and returned from Hwasicheong near the capital moved under the orders of each superior to their positions. With the manpower now filled in, he felt considerably more reassured.

"Your Majesty. The momentum is subsiding……!"

At the senior consort's exclamation, Yunseo hastily looked back at Yongrim Peak. The change of the previously bottomless darkness gradually diminishing was visible at a glance.

The Yongrin actually fighting seemed to have sensed it for themselves — their movements became a little more fierce. The three-layered wall moved forward, further forward, and surrounded Yongrim Peak. As the Hell Realm stopped spewing out more monsters, an end was in sight.

The Yongrin who had pushed all the way to the entrance continued their focus until the very last, swinging their swords. Before long, not a single remnant could be seen from here. They had finally seized victory in their hands.

Even so, the atmosphere atop the fortress wall grew more solemnly subdued.

The gate of the Hell Realm had not closed. Yongrim Peak only maintained its black void with an indifferent silence, as though playing dumb.

With Hwi at the lead, the Yongrin confirmed the entrance thoroughly. But they seemed to gain no particular result and before long withdrew. Warriors who could not purely celebrate even after winning returned with heavy faces.

"Your Majesty."

Yunseo carefully examined Hwi, who had returned honoring his promise, from head to toe. No external wounds were visible, but his dark clothing was so stained with dirt and dust that the original color was unrecognizable — which made the urgency of the battle felt anew.

"I am back."

"Welcome…… back."

He forced the corner of his mouth upward and Hwi kissed the end of it. He took Yunseo's hand and came down into the fortress. Through their clasped hands, Yunseo continuously conveyed the guardian star.

In one part of the fortress, one barracks had been set aside separately. Entering it, they were met by the commander of the imperial guards and the three senior generals of the three imperial guard regiments, along with one of the chief ministers, the Sado.

"Your Majesty. How are you?"

"Excellent."

Hwi answered indifferently and then scanned the faces of those standing inside the barracks. Cold authority settled on his expression.

"The gate of the Hell Realm has not closed, and it is unknown when this emergency will end. Therefore, all Yongrin and Yeongchunhwa deployed to Hwasicheong are recalled. With the exception of the border, however."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Control strictly so that the situation here does not spread carelessly or idle rumors do not circulate. Also, the officials of the capital, the gentry, and their families must not be allowed to flee and stir up the anxiety of the people."

"Is it not necessary to impose martial law inside and outside the capital?"

"It would only create needless chaos with no substance. What most needs attention and vigilance is the court. I trust that you gentlemen will manage it well in my absence."

"We are overcome with gratitude, Your Majesty. We receive your command and will devote our utmost sincerity to serving you."

Despite the precarious situation, everyone was calm as though they had been preparing for this kind of emergency. Looking at them, Yunseo was able to steady his own heart in turn.

Next came the generals of the Yongrin Guard, the court consorts led by the senior consort, and the instructors of Yeonwiwon. After reporting and sharing the condition and reserve strength of the Yongrin and Yeongchunhwa, they refined their strategy.

When they emerged from the barracks, it was already the dead of night. Under the dim moonlight, dark clouds could be seen flowing past. Beneath them, Yongrin were sitting here and there, filling their hunger with the meals the palace servants had prepared. The sight of them — disheveled with dust, their appearance ragged — made his chest ache.

And beside them, court nobles were sharing a meal together and conducting treatment through surface contact. Yunseo took in their faces one by one and then took hold of Hwi's hand.

"Your Majesty. You must eat."

"Yes, let us eat together."

Upon entering a building, a meal had been prepared. The number of dishes was not many, but a broth of slow-boiled chicken had been brought to nourish the body. Yunseo placed well-deboned meat onto Hwi's spoon and conveyed the guardian star through their clasped hands.

Hwi slowly closed and opened his eyes and let out a quiet breath of relief. His hand, with sinews tensed sharp, twitched fiercely. Yunseo studied Hwi's complexion and then raised a spoon to bring to his lips. Hwi gave a short laugh and took the spoon. After eating his own portion, he scooped a spoonful and ferried it to Yunseo's mouth.

As they ate in turns and gradually emptied the bowls, no conversation passed between the two. Yunseo was absorbed in dispelling Hwi's poison, and Hwi traced Yunseo's face with a gentle gaze.

When the meal was finally finished, the two held each other. Hwi bored into Yunseo with even more persistence than usual, and Yunseo held Hwi with even more tender and desperate emotion than ever before.

"Are you unable to sleep?"

Yunseo, who had been blankly staring at the ceiling submerged in darkness, turned his head at Hwi's voice. Not a trace of drowsiness was visible in Hwi's faintly discernible face.

After finishing treatment, he had asked Hwi if he wanted to be put to sleep, but Hwi declined, saying he could be called to lead personally at any time so it was better to just rest his eyes. But it seemed he was not even doing that. Then again, was it only Hwi and him who could not sleep tonight?

"Your Majesty."

"Yes."

"If one believes firmly…… will things flow as one believes?"

Hwi reached out and gently caressed Yunseo's cheek. At that tender touch, the hell outside seemed like nothing but a dream. Why must such a warm and tearfully peaceful calm be a dream that must soon break?

"Yes. For now let us look only ahead. If we run the road before us well, hide, and stand our ground…… we will either reach the end, or find a side path."

Hwi quoted the words Yunseo had said at the altar. Yunseo recognized it and smiled faintly. But Yunseo's expression soon clouded. The doubt he had thought of on the way to Geumju Fortress had climbed back up his ankles again.

This was the first opening since he had breathed guardian star into the Hell Realm. It was far too coincidental to be just chance. If those things had tasted the guardian star once and had gone into this frenzy……