Chapter 92
As soon as he turned his head, Zair was sent flying by Sethian’s punch. Feeling a chilling sense of danger, he quickly rolled his body away. It was undignified for a prince to be rolling on the ground, but had he hesitated even slightly, his wrist would have been crushed underfoot. With a loud *thud*, Sethian’s foot slammed down where his wrist had just been.
Even in this chaotic moment, Zair was relieved that they were in the imperial court, meaning Sethian couldn’t bring a sword inside. If he had been armed, Zair’s wrist would have been severed, just like that of the emperor’s attendant, Kaen.
Even as he was flung to the ground and rolling, Zair desperately kept the cloth covering his face in place. He quickly tried to get up and lunge at the emperor again, but a rough hand seized his throat.
“Guh—!” Even with just one hand, Sethian’s grip strength was inhuman. With his throat constricted and his nose and mouth covered by fabric, Zair couldn’t breathe. His face twisted in pain as he struggled. Through his dimming vision, he saw Sethian standing there, breathing effortlessly.
When he widened his eyes in confusion, wondering how, he noticed a small glass vial in Sethian’s other hand. Inside was a clear liquid with a deep blue powder settled at the bottom—an awakening potion from the magic tower. It was known to rouse even those who were unconscious or under the effects of sleeping drugs. Additionally, it granted some resistance to sedatives.
Zair didn’t know why Sethian happened to have such a potion on hand at the perfect moment, but one thing was clear—this was the worst possible situation for him.
Consumed by frustration, Zair instinctively taunted Sethian. “You… can’t even… kill me… because of the contract… can you…?”
His voice was laced with mockery, but in response, the pressure on his throat only tightened.
“Shut up. I really might kill you.” Sethian’s voice was menacing. He reached out to rip away the cloth covering Zair’s face.
“By now… my knights must have secured… Joo Yi-Gyeol’s body….” A rough, raspy whisper escaped Zair’s lips. Sethian’s fingers hesitated for a moment.
“If his body dies… do you think… he can endure…?”
Even if the body died, as long as the soul remained, it could be placed into a newly created vessel. And with their recent research, they could craft a body far healthier than his previously sickly form.
But Zair’s words weren’t about physical survival—they were about Joo Yi-Gyeol’s mental endurance.
Joo Yi-Gyeol might have shown moments of strength, but in truth, his mind was as fragile as thin glass. If handled incorrectly, he could shatter completely. The trauma of his body being killed would be a devastating blow. It had to be avoided at all costs.
“Guh—!” Despite this, Sethian’s grip only tightened further instead of loosening. Zair’s vision blurred as the cloth covering his face was torn away and flung aside.
“You should be more worried about your knights.” As Zair’s consciousness faded due to lack of air, Sethian’s unwavering voice rang in his ears.
* * *
"This way! Some of the knights who were searching have already gone inside!"
At White Butterfly’s command, ten of Zair’s knights moved in perfect unison. Only two at the rear, holding small torches, entered the sealed underground of the castle, while their guide, White Butterfly, led them further in. The underground had been closed off for a long time, and the damp air seeped through the gaps in their armor, but none of them paid it any mind.
However, something else soon made their footsteps slow.
"Wait a moment." At one knight's words, the others also halted. White Butterfly, urging haste, asked why they had stopped.
"I smell blood." As a knight faintly caught the scent of blood, he drew his sword, and one by one, the others unsheathed their sharp weapons.
They had come based on White Butterfly’s information to secure Joo Yi-Gyeol’s physical body, knowing that other knights had already gone in ahead of them.
The presence of blood was suspicious. Either the knights had been forced to draw their swords due to Joo Yi-Gyeol’s resistance, or someone else had been with him, leading to a fight.
—If something had happened inside, the guide spirit would have come to inform us first.
White Butterfly had a point. Unlike the knights, bound by physical forms, a spirit could move much more freely and would have warned them if anything was amiss.
Reassured by these words, the knights quickly resumed their pace.
Before long, they reached the basement door where Joo Yi-Gyeol was supposedly hiding.
—I’ll go in first!
White Butterfly passed through the door without hesitation. The knights, remaining on guard, reached out to open it.
—There’s some…!
A sudden shout came from within, but the words were cut off before they could be completed.
Sensing something was wrong, the knights exchanged glances as one reached for the door.
"…!"
Before he could touch the handle, the tips of his fingers were cleanly severed by an unseen force.
Frozen in place, unable to even register the pain, he could only watch as his hand, his wrist, and then his forearm were sliced away in succession.
"Aaagh!" With a scream of agony, the knight staggered backward. As the others hesitated, the closed door creaked open on its own.
Standing in the doorway was a small man, dressed entirely in black, just like the knights. The flickering torchlight revealed only his indifferent black eyes and his slight frame.
The knights had expected a menacing intruder wielding a weapon, but instead, they were faced with a thin, unimposing figure. However, what lay behind him was even more shocking.
Inside the dimly lit basement, Joo Yi-Gyeol was seated on the lap of a one-handed man, leaning against him as if asleep. Some of the knights recognized the man. He was none other than the imperial servant who had once assisted their master, Zair.
The realization struck them like a hammer—this was betrayal.
Scattered beside the bed where the one-handed man sat were several glass jars, used to trap wandering spirits. Three of them already contained captured souls—including White Butterfly.
It was an ambush. Even so, the knights did not retreat.
Their opponent was a single man, and behind him, there was only the unconscious Joo Yi-Gyeol and the one-handed servant.
Whatever trick they had used, the knights held the advantage in numbers—ten against one.
But then, an unexpected voice made them lower their swords.
"Wait a moment." A door near the basement opened, and a familiar voice emerged.
Walking toward them was a man clad in black armor—a fellow knight. His armor was now loosened, revealing bandaged arms that stood out starkly against the darkness.
"If we continue like this, we will all lose our bodies and become wandering souls again." Another knight, also wrapped in bandages, followed behind him. The two had once sought the life energy of Sethian by searching for the stone tower. After delivering the blood to Zair, they had disappeared.
Many believed they had been captured by Sethian’s men, but now, seeing them here, it was clear that was not the case.
"Don’t tell me… you’ve sided with Crown Prince Sethian?!" A knight raised his sword in disbelief.
"How could you betray Zair?!"
"And what if we did?" More black-clad figures appeared behind the two bandaged knights. Some were injured—knights from the vanguard who had entered the basement first.
"Our bodies will soon fade away."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Zair’s plans have been exposed. His research has been discovered."
The shouting knight swallowed hard. More than Zair’s schemes, the word "research" brought to mind the glass cylinders filled with blood—the horrifying sight of living humans strung up and drained.
"With everything revealed, Zair will never become emperor."
"But even if he doesn’t, as long as he’s alive—"
"The moment Sethian ascends to the throne, his first act will be to eliminate Zair."
Silence fell.
There was no need for further explanation.
Framed for the murder of a royal and infamous for his cruelty, Sethian would never let Zair live once he became emperor.
"We devoted ourselves to Zair to obtain physical bodies. But if that very loyalty now costs us our bodies, what will you choose?"
No one in the rearguard could answer immediately.
Their eyes wavered with uncertainty.
"It’s time we lived for ourselves, not for someone else."
One by one, their swords lowered.
Only one knight still held his weapon, hesitating. "But… even if we run, the life energy in our bodies won’t last long. Only Zair can supply us with more."
"We know. That’s why we made a deal with Crown Prince Sethian."
"A deal?"
The bandaged knight nodded without hesitation. "We already have plenty of Zair’s life energy stored."
The knights’ eyes widened in realization.
Deep in Zair’s research chamber, there was an enormous glass cylinder filled with blood—blood that contained his very essence.
"Sethian has agreed to give us all of Zair’s blood. With that much, our entire order could sustain these bodies for a long time."
The last sword fell.
It was, in a way, a relief.
If they had been given truly human bodies, their souls would have been bound to them, living and dying together.
But this was different—these were artificial bodies, needing only periodic replenishment of Zair’s essence to remain intact.
Even if Zair perished, as long as his blood remained, there was no reason to follow him to ruin.
There was guilt, but in the end, they sheathed their swords.
Because to them, the life of a human was far more valuable than the master they had once served.
* * *
Sethian confirmed that Zair’s body had gone limp and carelessly discarded him onto the floor.
Holding a vial of stimulant, he approached the emperor. Traces of Joo Yi-Gyeol’s presence still lingered within him.
According to Roa, if one’s soul was possessing another’s body and lost consciousness, they would be trapped inside, unable to escape.
Supporting the emperor’s head, Sethian held the stimulant under his nose.
As he inhaled the potent substance, the emperor’s eyes twitched and slowly fluttered open.
He blinked several times as if struggling to focus before his wrinkled eyes curved gently.
"…Seth” The affectionate nickname only one person could call him by.
Only after hearing it did Sethian’s expression finally soften, "Let’s go back, Joo Yi-Gyeol."
Even in this chaotic moment, Zair was relieved that they were in the imperial court, meaning Sethian couldn’t bring a sword inside. If he had been armed, Zair’s wrist would have been severed, just like that of the emperor’s attendant, Kaen.
Even as he was flung to the ground and rolling, Zair desperately kept the cloth covering his face in place. He quickly tried to get up and lunge at the emperor again, but a rough hand seized his throat.
“Guh—!” Even with just one hand, Sethian’s grip strength was inhuman. With his throat constricted and his nose and mouth covered by fabric, Zair couldn’t breathe. His face twisted in pain as he struggled. Through his dimming vision, he saw Sethian standing there, breathing effortlessly.
When he widened his eyes in confusion, wondering how, he noticed a small glass vial in Sethian’s other hand. Inside was a clear liquid with a deep blue powder settled at the bottom—an awakening potion from the magic tower. It was known to rouse even those who were unconscious or under the effects of sleeping drugs. Additionally, it granted some resistance to sedatives.
Zair didn’t know why Sethian happened to have such a potion on hand at the perfect moment, but one thing was clear—this was the worst possible situation for him.
Consumed by frustration, Zair instinctively taunted Sethian. “You… can’t even… kill me… because of the contract… can you…?”
His voice was laced with mockery, but in response, the pressure on his throat only tightened.
“Shut up. I really might kill you.” Sethian’s voice was menacing. He reached out to rip away the cloth covering Zair’s face.
“By now… my knights must have secured… Joo Yi-Gyeol’s body….” A rough, raspy whisper escaped Zair’s lips. Sethian’s fingers hesitated for a moment.
“If his body dies… do you think… he can endure…?”
Even if the body died, as long as the soul remained, it could be placed into a newly created vessel. And with their recent research, they could craft a body far healthier than his previously sickly form.
But Zair’s words weren’t about physical survival—they were about Joo Yi-Gyeol’s mental endurance.
Joo Yi-Gyeol might have shown moments of strength, but in truth, his mind was as fragile as thin glass. If handled incorrectly, he could shatter completely. The trauma of his body being killed would be a devastating blow. It had to be avoided at all costs.
“Guh—!” Despite this, Sethian’s grip only tightened further instead of loosening. Zair’s vision blurred as the cloth covering his face was torn away and flung aside.
“You should be more worried about your knights.” As Zair’s consciousness faded due to lack of air, Sethian’s unwavering voice rang in his ears.
* * *
"This way! Some of the knights who were searching have already gone inside!"
At White Butterfly’s command, ten of Zair’s knights moved in perfect unison. Only two at the rear, holding small torches, entered the sealed underground of the castle, while their guide, White Butterfly, led them further in. The underground had been closed off for a long time, and the damp air seeped through the gaps in their armor, but none of them paid it any mind.
However, something else soon made their footsteps slow.
"Wait a moment." At one knight's words, the others also halted. White Butterfly, urging haste, asked why they had stopped.
"I smell blood." As a knight faintly caught the scent of blood, he drew his sword, and one by one, the others unsheathed their sharp weapons.
They had come based on White Butterfly’s information to secure Joo Yi-Gyeol’s physical body, knowing that other knights had already gone in ahead of them.
The presence of blood was suspicious. Either the knights had been forced to draw their swords due to Joo Yi-Gyeol’s resistance, or someone else had been with him, leading to a fight.
—If something had happened inside, the guide spirit would have come to inform us first.
White Butterfly had a point. Unlike the knights, bound by physical forms, a spirit could move much more freely and would have warned them if anything was amiss.
Reassured by these words, the knights quickly resumed their pace.
Before long, they reached the basement door where Joo Yi-Gyeol was supposedly hiding.
—I’ll go in first!
White Butterfly passed through the door without hesitation. The knights, remaining on guard, reached out to open it.
—There’s some…!
A sudden shout came from within, but the words were cut off before they could be completed.
Sensing something was wrong, the knights exchanged glances as one reached for the door.
"…!"
Before he could touch the handle, the tips of his fingers were cleanly severed by an unseen force.
Frozen in place, unable to even register the pain, he could only watch as his hand, his wrist, and then his forearm were sliced away in succession.
"Aaagh!" With a scream of agony, the knight staggered backward. As the others hesitated, the closed door creaked open on its own.
Standing in the doorway was a small man, dressed entirely in black, just like the knights. The flickering torchlight revealed only his indifferent black eyes and his slight frame.
The knights had expected a menacing intruder wielding a weapon, but instead, they were faced with a thin, unimposing figure. However, what lay behind him was even more shocking.
Inside the dimly lit basement, Joo Yi-Gyeol was seated on the lap of a one-handed man, leaning against him as if asleep. Some of the knights recognized the man. He was none other than the imperial servant who had once assisted their master, Zair.
The realization struck them like a hammer—this was betrayal.
Scattered beside the bed where the one-handed man sat were several glass jars, used to trap wandering spirits. Three of them already contained captured souls—including White Butterfly.
It was an ambush. Even so, the knights did not retreat.
Their opponent was a single man, and behind him, there was only the unconscious Joo Yi-Gyeol and the one-handed servant.
Whatever trick they had used, the knights held the advantage in numbers—ten against one.
But then, an unexpected voice made them lower their swords.
"Wait a moment." A door near the basement opened, and a familiar voice emerged.
Walking toward them was a man clad in black armor—a fellow knight. His armor was now loosened, revealing bandaged arms that stood out starkly against the darkness.
"If we continue like this, we will all lose our bodies and become wandering souls again." Another knight, also wrapped in bandages, followed behind him. The two had once sought the life energy of Sethian by searching for the stone tower. After delivering the blood to Zair, they had disappeared.
Many believed they had been captured by Sethian’s men, but now, seeing them here, it was clear that was not the case.
"Don’t tell me… you’ve sided with Crown Prince Sethian?!" A knight raised his sword in disbelief.
"How could you betray Zair?!"
"And what if we did?" More black-clad figures appeared behind the two bandaged knights. Some were injured—knights from the vanguard who had entered the basement first.
"Our bodies will soon fade away."
"What are you talking about?!"
"Zair’s plans have been exposed. His research has been discovered."
The shouting knight swallowed hard. More than Zair’s schemes, the word "research" brought to mind the glass cylinders filled with blood—the horrifying sight of living humans strung up and drained.
"With everything revealed, Zair will never become emperor."
"But even if he doesn’t, as long as he’s alive—"
"The moment Sethian ascends to the throne, his first act will be to eliminate Zair."
Silence fell.
There was no need for further explanation.
Framed for the murder of a royal and infamous for his cruelty, Sethian would never let Zair live once he became emperor.
"We devoted ourselves to Zair to obtain physical bodies. But if that very loyalty now costs us our bodies, what will you choose?"
No one in the rearguard could answer immediately.
Their eyes wavered with uncertainty.
"It’s time we lived for ourselves, not for someone else."
One by one, their swords lowered.
Only one knight still held his weapon, hesitating. "But… even if we run, the life energy in our bodies won’t last long. Only Zair can supply us with more."
"We know. That’s why we made a deal with Crown Prince Sethian."
"A deal?"
The bandaged knight nodded without hesitation. "We already have plenty of Zair’s life energy stored."
The knights’ eyes widened in realization.
Deep in Zair’s research chamber, there was an enormous glass cylinder filled with blood—blood that contained his very essence.
"Sethian has agreed to give us all of Zair’s blood. With that much, our entire order could sustain these bodies for a long time."
The last sword fell.
It was, in a way, a relief.
If they had been given truly human bodies, their souls would have been bound to them, living and dying together.
But this was different—these were artificial bodies, needing only periodic replenishment of Zair’s essence to remain intact.
Even if Zair perished, as long as his blood remained, there was no reason to follow him to ruin.
There was guilt, but in the end, they sheathed their swords.
Because to them, the life of a human was far more valuable than the master they had once served.
* * *
Sethian confirmed that Zair’s body had gone limp and carelessly discarded him onto the floor.
Holding a vial of stimulant, he approached the emperor. Traces of Joo Yi-Gyeol’s presence still lingered within him.
According to Roa, if one’s soul was possessing another’s body and lost consciousness, they would be trapped inside, unable to escape.
Supporting the emperor’s head, Sethian held the stimulant under his nose.
As he inhaled the potent substance, the emperor’s eyes twitched and slowly fluttered open.
He blinked several times as if struggling to focus before his wrinkled eyes curved gently.
"…Seth” The affectionate nickname only one person could call him by.
Only after hearing it did Sethian’s expression finally soften, "Let’s go back, Joo Yi-Gyeol."
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