CHAPTER 81
The morning sun poured gently through the tall windows of the palace chambers. A soft breeze ruffled the sheer curtains, and somewhere in the distance, faint birdsong played over the quiet hush of the castle waking up.
Sihyun stirred in bed, eyes blinking open slowly. He reached out instinctively—only to find the other side of the bed cold.
"Muwon…?"
he murmured groggily. No response.
He sat up, rubbing his eyes, and glanced around the quiet room. Muwon was gone.
After a moment of sitting in silence, Sihyun finally rose from the bed and dressed slowly. His mind still felt heavy—not from sleep, but from the fragments of last night's haunting image. He fastened his robe belt with a sigh, tousled his hair, then quietly left the chamber.
He walked barefoot across the polished hallway, weaving through the silence until he reached a familiar door. Without knocking, he opened it gently and stepped into Yuhyun's room.
The older twin was still sprawled out under the covers, snoring softly, face smushed into the pillow.
Sihyun smiled faintly and padded closer. He crouched beside the bed, leaned forward, and poked Yuhyun's cheek gently.
"Yuhyun."
Another poke.
"Mmm…"
Sihyun chuckled under his breath. He poked again, a little firmer.
"Mmph—stop that,"
Yuhyun groaned, stirring and blinking his eyes open slowly. As his vision adjusted, he found Sihyun crouched in front of him, smirking lightly.
"Sihyun?"
Yuhyun sat up slowly, squinting.
"You're… up early."
"Not really,"
Sihyun replied with a small smile.
"You got drunk last night, didn't you?"
Yuhyun scratched his head and winced.
"How did you know…?"
Sihyun gave him a look.
Yuhyun groaned and dropped back onto the bed, pulling a pillow over his face.
"Ugh… my head feels like it was stepped on by a warhorse."
Sihyun chuckled, standing to draw the curtains back slightly, letting more light into the room. But the light mood shifted the moment Yuhyun suddenly asked:
"…Wait—did you also see him?"
Sihyun stopped. He didn't need to ask who Yuhyun meant.
"Yes,"
he said softly, his back turned.
Yuhyun sat up straighter, concern immediately taking over his grogginess.
"You did? And…?"
Sihyun turned to him with a small, tired smile.
"I'll be okay. Eventually."
Yuhyun narrowed his eyes.
"Sihyun…"
"I think…"
Sihyun hesitated.
"I think he's still lingering because we never gave him a proper burial."
Yuhyun blinked.
"…What?"
"I want to do it,"
Sihyun continued, stepping closer.
"He was… who he was. But he deserves peace. Just once… I want to let him go properly."
Yuhyun threw off the blanket and stared at his brother in disbelief.
"You want to bury Vanyul? Like, actual ritual and all?"
Sihyun nodded slowly.
Yuhyun shouted,
"What?!"
so loudly it startled a bird from the windowsill outside.
Yuhyun was still staring at his brother like he'd grown two heads.
"You want to—hold on. You want to bury Vanyul and then go meet the king?!"
Sihyun blinked.
"…The king?"
Yuhyun's expression dropped into one of realization and exasperation all at once.
"You're supposed to meet him this morning, remember?! He said he wanted to thank you himself!"
Sihyun paused, eyes drifting to the floor in thought, then looked back at Yuhyun with a blank expression and said with perfect calm,
"…That can wait. First, I'm giving Vanyul a proper burial."
Yuhyun's jaw dropped.
"Wha—Sihyun, you can't just—!"
"You're coming with me."
"I—what? No, I'm not!"
Yuhyun sat up again, but the moment he did, a fresh wave of dizziness hit him. He groaned, holding his head.
Before he could protest again, Sihyun added, firmly and flatly:
"End of discussion."
Yuhyun flinched like he'd been hit by a magical gust of wind.
"Agh—! You always pull that older twin card when it suits you…"
His eyes crossed slightly from the pounding in his skull, and with a defeated whimper, he collapsed back onto the bed, arms splayed.
"Fine,"
he mumbled into the pillow, muffled.
"But I'm not walking anywhere unless you carry me like a sack of rice…"
Sihyun let out a small laugh under his breath and shook his head fondly.
"Rest for a bit,"
he said, his tone softening.
"I'll get things ready."
Yuhyun groaned in reply, already regretting everything.
"Your Majesty, before anything else… there is something I must say. And I ask that everyone present listens closely."
A wave of whispers spread among the nobles, curious and intrigued. The king arched a brow, resting his chin lightly on his fingers, giving the prince his full attention.
"What is it, Muwon?"
the king asked.
Muwon took a small breath, steady and unwavering.
"I have decided,"
he began, voice resolute,
"that I would like to be betrothed to Sihyun. And I wish for everyone here to be made aware of it."
Silence dropped over the hall like a stone.
Then—
Murmurs exploded.
"He wants to marry the sorcerer?"
"Is this wise…?"
"But they say he's dangerous—"
"Was this truly his decision?"
The king remained still, staring at his son long and hard. The only sound came from the hushed voices of confused and stunned nobles echoing across the marble floor.
Finally, the king lifted one hand and spoke calmly but firmly:
"Enough."
The murmurs immediately died.
The king then leaned forward ever so slightly and asked,
"So… you would like to be betrothed. To the Demon Sorcerer."
Muwon nodded once.
"Yes, Father. That was my plan all along. I have no hesitation about it."
The king was silent again. His eyes narrowed, as though searching for weakness, uncertainty—anything he could challenge. But Muwon stood firm, his gaze unwavering.
The grand hall had gone silent after Muwon's declaration.
The king stared at his son, unmoving. His voice dropped, laced with a quiet weight.
"Do you understand what this means, Muwon?"
The tension in the room thickened. Muwon nodded once, calm but unwavering.
"I do."
The king's tone sharpened just slightly.
"Then tell me… what about your heir? The continuation of our bloodline? The legacy of the crown?"
Without pause, Muwon answered firmly,
"That won't be a problem. We can adopt a child."
Gasps and murmurs filled the hall again.