# Chapter 23
As Jiman had said, nothing happened.
Kadilen’s army joined hands with the Garun tribe at the first checkpoint on the way to the royal palace. They were people who had stood against Zendal during the height of the five nations’ war. Pretending to surrender to Zendal, who had won the war, they had been lurking far from the palace, waiting for an opportunity. Kadilen promised to deliver Zendal’s head to them.
As they advanced toward the palace, the rebel army gradually grew larger. At first, it was just the Garun tribe, but soon they were joined by the Garun’s allies and nobles whom Wimu had successfully negotiated with, all sharing a common purpose. Kadilen’s army consisted entirely of soldiers who had gathered looking up to him alone. Kadilen accepted loyalty from those at the very bottom, regardless of status or gender. There existed no discrimination among them.
Most of the soldiers who revered him as their master were those who had been cast out, unable to adapt to the unified kingdom under Zendal. Some had lost their parents in the war, others had suffered injustice due to their low status. Kadilen continued training with them in the mountains. Their thirst for revenge that had been seething at the foot of the mountain seemed to gradually subside through training.
But now, with the rebel forces stronger than ever, they were expressing all their pent-up anger with all their might. Rather than simply anger toward Zendal, it was fueled by their rage toward a country that had abandoned them and their loyalty to Kadilen, who had taken them in.
And Devan kept his promise.
When Zendal heard of the rebel army and sent the royal forces, they couldn’t possibly defend against what he had prepared. Devan was the commander of all strategies, and he meticulously kept his deal with me.
“There have been no major battles for days. It seems the royal military power is insufficient.”
Jiman stated flatly. No one paid attention to him or me anymore. Jiman and I simply sat in the box, guessing the situation outside from voices that occasionally drifted in. Whenever food was provided or when I needed to use the toilet, it was always Jiman who warmly comforted my helpless, immobile state. Even though I knew he must be struggling greatly too, my confusion hadn’t subsided.
Now I was worrying about something else. Not much time remained before Kadilen reached the palace. What punishment would be given to me was all too obvious, but Jiman still had a chance.
The reason they had imprisoned Jiman at the temple was to use him as a hostage to lure me out, and because of his title as a royal physician. Kadilen would surely know that, unlike me, Jiman had not directly tried to harm him or the temple. He would know that Jiman was also a victim, but if by any chance the blame were to extend to him as well…
My credibility was already at rock bottom, but Kadilen might believe what Jiman said. After all, Kadilen was weak toward the powerless.
“When we reach the palace, tell them everything truthfully.”
“What do you mean?”
“The orders to hide my illness, to stay at the temple—they were all my commands. Kadilen will understand that you were in a position where you had no choice but to follow. So you might be able to avoid death at least.”
Jiman’s face, which had maintained its kindness, wrinkled in displeasure. He frowned, seemingly disliking every word that came out of my mouth.
“I have already fought for you. I did so before, and I do so now. All of it was my choice.”
“Don’t be like that…”
“Kadilen knows I am your person. It doesn’t matter what consequences that brings. Rather, after seeing you leave…”
He couldn’t finish his sentence. Thinking about what would be in his heart on my last day, what choice he would make, made my heart sink. Once we reached the palace, we might not be able to stay together. Perhaps this was my last chance to reveal the truth. I opened my mouth with difficulty.
“I am not the Ludin you know, Jiman.”
“What?”
“I don’t know how it happened either. I am a different person from him.”
Jiman, who had been looking at me with a deeply furrowed face, tilted his head, not understanding the meaning of my words. I didn’t know how to explain it. Should I say that he was a character from a novel I had been reading? And that for some inexplicable reason, I had suddenly entered Ludin’s body? I had already sounded like a madman, and if I explained that far, Jiman would probably doubt my mental state.
I moved my lips several times trying to add an explanation, but couldn’t continue the conversation. Jiman stared at me silently. Seeing my perplexed expression, he softly began to speak.
“I’m not sure what you mean, but the Ludin I know is not someone who would disappear without reason.”
His sincere voice was imbued with affection. Though I knew that the words from Jiman’s mouth would be warm, I wished he wouldn’t say anything.
“Since I got to know you, these days have been the happiest time for me. You’ve been kinder to me than ever before.”
“…”
“You were truly kind.”
He had been imprisoned for following my orders. Inside this shaking box, Jiman’s body was covered with scratches from the rough wood grain. With a face much thinner than usual, he was still sincerely saying he had been happy. It was so like Jiman.
“For me, every moment is you, Ludin. Even if something has changed, I remain unchanged.”
There was firmness in his calm voice.
I could no longer think of him as merely Ludin’s person, a connection separate from the real me.
This place was originally inside a novel, not my life, and a life that would soon end. That was why I hadn’t cared much whether I incurred misunderstandings, put myself in a miserable situation, or even recklessly destroyed someone else’s plans. To save Kadilen, whom I was so grateful for, I didn’t think it necessary to consider too deeply the feelings of other characters. I also didn’t hesitate to ruin my own future. Because I wasn’t someone who would stay here long.
All decisions were made easily because I simply didn’t want to see Kadilen die before my eyes. I thought my sins would be washed away if I just gave the characters who helped me the opportunity to freely choose their future. Although my heart ached, it would soon be over.
But after betraying Devan and hearing Jiman’s confession, I felt something had changed.
What was the novel, and what was reality, after all?
I was given the opportunity to enter a novel I liked and change the ending as I wished. I naturally wanted to save Kadilen as I had always thought, and despite repeated failures, I was finally on the verge of success. Yet, more than ever, I felt like giving up everything.
When would Ludin’s life end? Probably soon, at Kadilen’s hands. I didn’t feel any particular emotion about it. I just wanted everything to end quickly, but at the same time, I kept remembering the debts I needed to repay before that.
* * *
After an easy march, the final night arrived.
The rebel army had been victorious in every battle so far. They had eliminated quite a number of soldiers, and thanks to Devan’s secret help, they hadn’t lost much of their strength either, so the possibility of success was certain.
Nevertheless, they planned to infiltrate the palace secretly tonight to conclude their long journey. It was a strategy for an even more certain victory.
I could hear the soldiers, who would normally be in bed by now, sharpening their weapons and conversing. It wasn’t about the feelings or resolutions one might expect before a major event. Just ordinary conversations like those they had at the temple. I quietly listened to their conversations.
Thinking that if there was anything I wanted most right now, it would be such a conversation.
I couldn’t immediately think of whom I would want to have such a conversation with. But soon, various faces slowly crossed my mind. It was an unavoidable imagination, even though I knew that if I had just pursued my own happiness in Ludin’s body, I would have regretted it before long.
‘I’ll ask again. What were you doing?’
On the day I first saw Kadilen’s candle at the temple, what if I had answered his question by saying I was trying to place flowers for you?
Given Ludin’s many past misdeeds, he might not have believed me. Even if he had, the better our relationship became, the more things I would have had to explain. Even if I had succeeded with all the explanations, the more Ludin’s trust suddenly increased, Zendal’s greed and vigilance toward Kadilen would have grown as well. In the end, to save him, I would have had to make more plans and devise bigger deceptions against the royal family.
Still, I could have had such conversations with him. Ordinary conversations without any special intent. Perhaps I could have even asked him the things I was curious about while reading the book.
“Move out!”
The rebel army set out on their final journey. The sky I glimpsed through the hole was pitch-black. The royal palace, enveloped in darkness, was as quiet as a grave except for the footsteps of countless soldiers.
Thanks to the betrayal of a noble cooperating with the rebel army, the main gates of the palace opened wide without any resistance. Zendal was the king who unified the five nations, but the fact that he unified all countries meant that he had won victories against four countries. Those who had held power in those countries could not have sincerely welcomed the new king.
There was nothing to block Kadilen’s path. He probably entered the palace fearlessly, standing at the very front.
Soon, the movements of the soldiers subsided. The surroundings became so quiet that even the breathing of the soldier standing right beside us resonated inside the box.
Kadilen’s army didn’t encounter any royal guards protecting Zendal at all. I thought that either the nobles had already taken care of them, or Zendal had given up everything and fled. But neither was the answer.
“You’ve come.”
For a king who would soon lose his power, his voice was composed and relaxed. Despite Zendal’s words, no response from Kadilen could be heard.
“So it has come to this. A bit sooner than expected, but not entirely unforeseen.”
All the soldiers, including Jiman and me, held our breath and watched their conversation. Finally, Kadilen spoke.
“Your suspicion became the seed for this entire situation.”
“My suspicion pushed me toward my death…?”
Zendal let out a hollow laugh. Kadilen continued, unconcerned.
“You enslaved farmers from other countries before unification. Many of them are standing here to witness your downfall. You cast out soldiers who lost in the war, deeming them useless, and used female prisoners as sex slaves. Despite the state of the country, your only concern was maintaining your powerful throne.”
“…”
“Even with all that happening, I built a temple, thinking I wasn’t qualified, and went into hiding to honor the souls sacrificed for our war. But you, unable to overcome your own suspicions, were obsessed only with maintaining power.”
He became even more fixated on his power after Ludin’s downfall. His excessive vigilance toward Kadilen was an extension of that. Unlike when he was known as a general with unification aspirations, there was nothing left for him to seize or conquer in this land. For Zendal, who was a general to the bone who had roamed battlefields, all that remained was what he had to protect, and the son he had relied on was gone.
“In the end, what moved me was also a selfish thought. I wanted to ensure that you couldn’t touch my people any longer.”
Zendal, whom I expected to fly into a rage, was silently listening to Kadilen’s words. I couldn’t even guess what he might be thinking now.
“My vision has broadened while preparing all this. I lacked courage before, but now it’s different. I’ve finally realized that the only way to overcome fear is to step forward yourself.”
Kadilen finished speaking, but Zendal still remained silent. After a long silence, Kadilen ordered his soldiers to imprison him. At dawn, when all the rebels and collaborators gathered, his head would fly.
The sound of hurried footsteps following Kadilen’s orders was heard. No one let out cheers of victory. Only the cool night air swirled through the fallen king’s palace. It was the moment when the outcome of the rebellion, made so easy by numerous choices, coincidences, and deals, had arrived.
Kadilen had claimed the throne.
