# Chapter 9
Something had changed.
I first noticed something strange when I realized Wimu no longer called me to group training. After experiencing my lungs burning as if on fire several times, I tried my best to skip training. But each time, Wimu would persuade me and lead me to the training grounds.
“If you train with us for just 10 minutes, I’ll have your favorite fruits sent to your room.”
“I said I’m not eating and I’m not going.”
Even knowing I would soon be out of breath, when Wimu smiled and tried to convince me, I would pretend to give in and follow him. During training, I would feign exaggeration and shirk my duties, but nevertheless, Wimu was there to persistently bring me to that place.
But at some point, he stopped calling for me. Clearly, the frequency of soldiers’ training was increasing, yet Wimu no longer sought me out as before. I thought perhaps he had grown tired of dragging along someone who didn’t want to go, but something felt off. If he had ignored me at times other than training as well, I would have guessed that Kadilen had mentioned the curse to Wimu. I could fully understand if Wimu distanced himself after hearing that story.
But he only refrained from mentioning training to me. It was to the extent that I, who had been trying to avoid those sessions by any means, felt strange and checked the next training schedule first. When I tested him by saying I would definitely participate in the next training, he couldn’t hide his stiff expression for a moment. Even his face, smiling gently as he acknowledged, looked somehow anxious.
Around that time, I was also becoming accustomed to Kadilen’s eyes not hiding their irritation when looking at me, and the soldiers’ increasingly suspicious glances. In fact, considering my purpose, I thought that receiving such looks might not be entirely bad.
If I became Kadilen’s enemy instead of Zendal, the situation might unexpectedly flow in a good direction. There was a way to completely divert Kadilen’s attention by making him more angry at me and focused solely on my wrongdoings. So that even if Zendal engaged in increasingly nonsensical politics, I would become his main adversary. So that Kadilen’s purpose would be to hate me, not rebellion.
Of course, it was unfair and painful. There were particularly burdensome days when my body ached. The image of Kadilen looking down with disgust and ordering me not to die kept resurfacing no matter how I tried to forget it. But what was even harder to forget was the moment he changed my life and values. I had a debt to Kadilen, and I had to accept that I couldn’t receive his affection while repaying it.
I could understand his hurtful words and actions. Kadilen was simply being true to his own life.
* * *
“I’m going to check out the training grounds.”
“There’s no need to push yourself. Your symptoms have been more frequent lately…”
“I’m just going to observe.”
I gently pushed away Jiman, who was blocking me with a worried face. Today was a group training day. As expected, Wimu hadn’t notified me, but this was advantageous for me too. I planned to sneak into the building where training was in full swing and quietly participate from a spot where Wimu wouldn’t notice me. Many things seemed suspicious.
Inside the building, soldiers were swinging their swords in perfect unison. Cautiously observing the interior, I was surprised to see far more soldiers than usual. Normally, since efficiency decreases when too many people participate in a single training session, they would have divided into groups. At a glance, it seemed like 80% of the temple’s soldiers were densely gathered in the building. Weapons I had never seen before were piled against the walls. These weren’t the wooden or stone ones typically used in training. The swords they were holding also had sharper edges than usual, gleaming coldly.
Shocked, I silently watched the training, but as their movements continued, I grew increasingly frozen. The sharp swords drew large circles and thrust at a single point. Everyone’s eyes were filled with killing intent. It was completely different from the training I had participated in before. Unlike the defensive or rescue moves they had always practiced, hundreds of soldiers were simultaneously taking offensive postures. They looked fierce, as if ready to behead someone at any moment.
Goosebumps covered my body. There was no need for attacks in the temple. Though it claimed legitimacy in guarding the border, that was merely a pretext. The reason these soldiers hadn’t neglected their training wasn’t so much for national defense but to cultivate strength to protect Kadilen. So that if ever the temple came under attack, they could be of help to Kadilen, even at the cost of their lives.
But now they were moving with a new purpose. Since they wouldn’t act against Kadilen’s orders, all this movement stemmed from Kadilen’s will. There was only one reason he would need to attack.
The rebellion had come far too quickly.
‘Creak.’
Shocked by this revelation, my spying posture tilted, and the door opened slightly. The sound of the door, which I thought would naturally be drowned out by the constant clashing of blades, pierced straight into the sensitive ears of the soldiers.
Instantly, countless gazes turned toward me hiding in the doorway. Standing frozen, not even breathing, I tried to flee quickly but was caught by the strong hand of a nearby soldier and thrown into the building.
The soldiers surrounding me weren’t angry. As one man forcefully made me kneel, they looked down at me with satisfied smiles. There was no point in raising my voice forcefully like last time. Status would mean nothing to those ready to overthrow the king. They had genuinely pleased expressions. My body trembled involuntarily. Soldiers approached with gleaming eyes, extending their hands threateningly. Dozens of swords instantly pointed at me.
“Stop immediately!”
Wimu’s loud voice echoed through the building. He was walking toward me with a troubled face. Soldiers with interested expressions gathered around him. I quickly assessed the situation. I instinctively realized what Wimu’s increasingly darkening expression meant as he approached me step by step.
Unity was more important than ever. To have everyone’s swords pointing in one direction, a reward to boost morale was needed. I had walked right in and sat down in the building, becoming that reward. Wimu had always been there for me, but circumstances were different now. The soldiers who needed to move as one body for Kadilen’s purpose all wanted the same thing. I gritted my teeth, trying not to send him pleading glances, and tore my gaze away from him. I couldn’t be certain his choice wouldn’t hurt me.
“He is Zendal’s son!”
“He was spying on our training. We must not let him go alive!”
Voices mixed with expectation burst out one by one among the soldiers. Unable to look at Wimu, I couldn’t guess what decision he would make. I swallowed hard.
“Since he peeked without permission, he must be punished.”
The soldiers’ excitement escalated at Wimu’s words. Everyone was waiting for Wimu to speak further. Weapons that could threaten my life at any moment gleamed in every soldier’s hand.
“But we cannot kill him yet. You all know the reason why.”
Sounds of disappointment were heard here and there. Voices calling for punishment just short of death grew increasingly louder. Wimu approached me closely and bent down. His face, which I had been trying to avoid, suddenly came before my eyes. With a pained expression, he whispered softly:
“What would you have me do?”
His agony was evident in his cracking voice. Amidst the soldiers shouting chaotically, Wimu captured my gaze in an instant. The commotion around him gradually faded within me. My wildly beating heart slowly regained its pace, and my mind started working again.
I had promised myself not to drag Wimu in. Since becoming Ludin, all my actions had been focused on saving Kadilen, but I had no desire to rely on him in the process. That would only blur his true choice.
“Do as you please.”
Wimu’s face contorted at my lip movement. As he silently stared at me for a while, soldiers who sensed something strange called his name. Wimu straightened his back again and looked at the soldiers.
“…Just spare his life.”
I closed my eyes to avoid seeing Wimu turn away. Once his permission was given, the enraged soldiers each delivered violent kicks. Fists and blades fell from all directions, tearing clothes and breaking my body. Even though I was already trampled with nowhere lower to go, the relentless violence made my body fall to the floor, and even lower. Pain beyond limits no longer stimulated sensation. Dull sounds, limbs bent lifelessly, and flowing blood faintly proved the life still shallowly attached. Not fixing my gaze anywhere until I lost consciousness, I barely raised my head before letting go of my fading awareness and looked toward where Wimu was.
He was staring directly at me as I collapsed. Without blinking once, as if trying to capture all of my miserable appearance.
* * *
I thought I had grown accustomed to Jiman’s nagging, but his silence was something new.
“Why aren’t you sayin’ anything. Say something. It’s scawy.”
With my mouth completely raw and holding a cloth in it, I couldn’t speak properly. I felt somewhat sorry thinking about how Jiman must have taken care of me after I lost consciousness. Still, I never expected him to be this silent. His face was so frighteningly cold as he treated my wounds with precisely measured movements that I couldn’t even apologize. It was an expression I had never seen on Jiman before.
His lengthy treatment ended in the frozen atmosphere. Since the treatment would have started before I regained consciousness, Jiman had spent enough time by my bedside for his legs to go numb. I wanted to lift his mood but gave up trying to smile when my eyelids stung.
“I am your person, Ludin.”
I awkwardly nodded as he spoke in an uncharacteristically stiff voice.
“But I don’t know how long I can stay by your side.”
Though I didn’t show it, my heart sank at his words. Jiman must be struggling a lot too. I was well aware of how emotionally difficult it must have been for him to always follow Ludin and support him with lies he wasn’t even accustomed to.
“Whether I’ll be able to see your last day,”
He couldn’t continue and lowered his head as if overcome with emotion. I wanted to comfort him maturely, but with the cloth in my mouth, anything I said would sound childish. I just quietly waited for his emotions to calm down.
After some time passed, Jiman raised his head bravely and shared new information with me.
“His Majesty is looking for you. Once your body heals, let’s visit the palace briefly. There’s going to be a banquet soon.”
This was the worst course of action in the current situation. If Kadilen discovered my secret visit to Zendal, I wasn’t sure if I could handle his fury. But as I was also cornered within the temple, if I couldn’t directly stop the rebellion here, I needed to find out if there was anything I could prevent before information reached Zendal. How many resources and people could Ludin utilize at the royal palace? It was also an opportunity to check whether Zendal had noticed Kadilen’s rebellion at all.
Jiman was still unaware of the possibility of rebellion. I was anxious about leaving him behind, but I needed someone to monitor the situation in the temple. I didn’t intend to tell him all the information—not because I didn’t trust Jiman, but to prevent any potential risks. There were many facts he was better off not knowing. I nodded to Jiman once more, indicating that I would go to the royal palace.
