Chapter 110
Carrying Yuwon on his back, Terrien, Bernid, and Hastings cautiously made their way to their destination through the less-crowded paths.
Though there were a few close calls along the way, it seed the library hadn’t drawn much attention, making their journey smoother than taking another route.
At last, the group arrived at the library and succeeded in entering the secret archive beneath it using the dagger Hastings had received from Marcellus.
“Hmm?”
“Huh…?”
Thud—
As if to greet their arrival, a white envelope lightly dropped before their eyes. Hastings bent down to pick it up and read the writing on one side.
「To His Highness the Fifth Prince, from Marcellus.」
“A letter… it seems.”
It was a letter Marcellus had left for Yuwon.
The following evening.
Yuwon, who had been in a deathlike sleep, finally opened his eyes.
Right in front of his gaze, Terrien was dozing off, bowing his head, and behind him stretched a familiar background.
‘…The library basent. There were plenty of rooms down here—this must be one of them. Terrien must’ve stayed beside the entire ti. I shouldn’t wake him.’
Understanding the situation in an instant, Yuwon quietly shifted his body so as not to disturb Terrien and began checking his condition. But sothing felt strange.
Not bad—on the contrary, it felt too good.
‘…I’m definitely not normal. It doesn’t feel like I’ve slept that long, yet I’ve recovered this much already. Unless… I was asleep for far longer than I thought? Or perhaps it’s the effect of that elixir I consud in the Tomb of Swords.’
Yuwon had no idea how much ti had passed, but his body—which could have died from blood loss just the day before—felt surprisingly light.
Though he refrained from exerting full strength, he was clearly well enough to handle daily activities with ease.
For a man who could have easily died yesterday to recover overnight—this was anything but ordinary.
‘Well, fine. I won’t complain about good fortune.’
Not wanting to wake the sleeping Terrien, Yuwon quietly slipped out of bed and looked around. As if sensing his movent, the door opened slightly, revealing a familiar face—Hastings.
“Your Highness…! You’re awake.”
“Yes, I’ve had a good rest. How long have I been asleep?”
“It’s been over a day, but not quite thirty hours yet.”
“I see. What’s the situation above?”
That was the question Yuwon truly wanted to ask—and it instantly darkened Hastings’ face, which had brightened upon seeing him awake.
“Well… when we escaped the tomb, the situation inside the palace was already dire. Our top priority was ensuring Your Highness’s safety, so we sought refuge here. We haven’t been able to confirm anything since.”
“I see….”
‘According to what the enemies said, both the Emperor and I were attacked at the sa ti… The aftermath likely wasn’t optimistic.’
It was just as Yuwon had suspected, so Hastings’ report didn’t surprise him.
“Terrien’s over there… What about Bernid?”
As Yuwon asked, Bernid popped his head out from behind Hastings.
“Would’ve been disappointed if you hadn’t asked.”
Seeing him, Yuwon smiled.
“Knew you’d be fine.”
“Of course, who do you think I am?”
At Bernid’s half-joking remark, Yuwon replied with a faint grin.
“Bernid Aphahiel. The only man I acknowledge as my brother.”
Apparently satisfied with the answer, Bernid chuckled and approached Yuwon, handing him sothing.
“This brat, coming back from the brink of death, suddenly starts saying pleasant things. Here, take this.”
Thud—
“What’s this?”
It was a familiar sight—a small vial in Bernid’s hand.
“Brewing dicine’s more my specialty than yours, you know. Found so good stuff here, so I made sothing to help your recovery.”
“Thanks. I’ll drink it well.”
“Good. Drink up and heal fast. Though honestly, you’re unbelievable. Keeping this kind of grand secret chamber all to yourself and never saying a word. I always wondered where you were getting all your poisons and dicines—so it was here, huh?”
“Well… sothing like that.”
Their conversation filled the room with a lively noise, yet Terrien kept nodding off, completely oblivious.
“Tsk tsk, told him to take turns resting, but he’s too stubborn. Now look at him.”
“How long’s he been like that?”
“We’ve been taking shifts, but even when it was his ti to rest, he refused to leave your side. Guess that’s one thing he inherited from his father, Marquis Bradman.”
At Bernid’s explanation, Yuwon looked at the dozing Terrien and smiled faintly. Then Hastings, as if rembering sothing, carefully spoke up.
“Ah, Your Highness… we found this.”
“Hm? What is it?”
In Hastings’ hand was a white envelope.
“…It’s a letter Marcellus left for you, Your Highness.”
“…”
Without a word, Yuwon took the letter from Hastings.
* * *
‘Judging by the handwriting and tone, it must’ve been written a couple of months ago….’
Silently, Yuwon read through the letter.
‘As expected… so that’s how it was.’
Afterward, Yuwon quietly read the letter to the very end.
When he finally finished the piece that was short if short, long if long, he carefully folded it back and placed it inside its casing.
Then, closing his eyes where he stood, Yuwon reached into the mories left behind by Yurion, recalling the monts Marcellus had shared with him.
The recollections were no different from those he had once reviewed when he had co to know Marcellus as his enemy—but now, reading through them again, they felt entirely different.
“…How is His Highness?”
“He hasn’t said a word, but it must’ve hit him hard. He said he wanted to be alone. Really, what a strange world. To think that the inscrutable Marcellus was actually Yurion’s guardian. Now I finally understand why he let live. If I had intended to betray Yurion back then when he ca to alone, he would’ve killed on the spot, wouldn’t he?”
“Most likely… yes.”
“And then there’s what he did for you too, Hastings… Marcellus was truly a ruthless one. To have lived hiding his true identity for over twenty years.”
“He’ll… be fine, right? He’s strong.”
“Yes, I believe so… He just needs a bit of ti.”
While his companions exchanged their worried words, Yuwon sat alone in silence, lost in thought.
‘Marcellus… was the shadow that guarded Yurion… All this ti, I lived unknowingly in this man’s shell, and yet soone else gave his life for the sake of such a man as .’
When Yuwon had first awakened in Yurion Aphahiel’s body, Yurion had rely been a dium—a vessel allowing Tang Yuwon a second life.
‘Yes… that was how it began.’
But that didn’t last long.
As ti passed and his life as Yurion grew longer, Yuwon quickly adapted to his new existence.
Almost as if it had been waiting for this, the identity of Yurion Aphahiel—once buried beneath—rose to the surface and stood on equal ground with Tang Yuwon, the self Yuwon had once been.
‘It must’ve been around then that I started desiring to beco Emperor not just to survive, but because I truly wished to be one.’
Once, he had been only Tang Yuwon—but at so point, he had beco both Yuwon and Yurion. He was content with that. He thought it enough.
Yet now, the weight of the na Yurion Aphahiel pressed upon his shoulders heavier than ever before.
‘Too many have died rely to keep alive….’
It was Yurion they had saved with their lives, not Yuwon—and Yuwon knew that painfully well.
‘I clung to my past all this ti, living as both Tang Yuwon and Yurion….’
Having lived in Yurion’s body and under his na, Yuwon had still believed himself to be Tang Yuwon first, Yurion Aphahiel second. But only now did he realize how foolish that was.
“How laughable. I worked so hard as Tang Yuwon, yet in the end, it’s as Yurion that I was redeed….”
A self-mocking smile spread across Yuwon’s lips. It tasted bitter—too bitter.
‘Am I Tang Yuwon… or Yurion Aphahiel?’
It was a question that had lingered in his heart ever since he had taken the na Yurion, tornting him constantly.
Closing his eyes, Yuwon sat still, as though ditating.
But the struggle didn’t last. Yuwon decided he would wander no more.
‘…The answer was there from the beginning. I’ve just taken too long to return to it.’
When Yuwon opened his eyes again, the two blue irises he had inherited from Yurion no longer wavered.
No—that wasn’t right. They weren’t inherited. They had always been Yurion’s eyes to begin with.
“I am… Yurion Aphahiel.”
After living as Yurion for so long, Yuwon finally chose for himself—to bear the na Yurion Aphahiel, not Tang Yuwon.
“…The rightful heir of the Empire—none other than Yurion Aphahiel.”
Born of Aphahiel and Reqil, protected by a shadow—that na flared once more, fierce and unyielding.
「To His Highness Prince Yurion,
Marcellus, Chief Attendant of the Fifth Prince’s Palace, humbly offers his greetings after so long. Forgive for having to speak through letters alone.
By the ti Your Highness reads this, my true identity will no doubt have been revealed. To read this letter, you must have used the raven’s token entrusted to to open the door to the secret archive, so I can be certain that must be the case.
If the token has left my hands and rests in another’s, then it must have found its way either to Your Highness or one of your trusted subordinates.
There is soone I’ve been keeping an eye on lately—soone Your Highness knows well. Hastings Bartlett. If Hastings continues as he has, perhaps by the ti this letter is read, he may well be the one who received my token.」
「I know Your Highness must be deeply surprised. To learn that I, who seed nothing but a villain, was in truth the captain of the Ravens who guarded Reqil—how could that not be shocking?
Though I pretended indifference toward you, the one called White Dog, I deceived our enemies to protect Your Highness from the other princes who sought to harm you whenever chance allowed. To uncover the spies embedded within the Fifth Prince’s Palace, I had no choice but to mingle with them, deceiving everyone alike. I trust Your Highness will understand this, and I offer my deepest apologies.」
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