"I heard that the ugly ahjussi is having a baby"
Mia's eyes stared into his soul, unblinkingly as she waited for his response from the room's entrance, standing like a specter. Joonghyuk's hand, which had been methodically polishing his sword, paused in its motions. A child's face shouldn't have been this unnerving… is this how Dokja felt when he used to stare at him all the time? Maybe he'll have to apologize later.
Joonghyuk raised an eyebrow at her, though unsurprised by her frankness. She took remarkably after him, for better or for worse. "How did you find out?"
Mia shrugged at him nonchalantly as she answered, "I overheard some maids gossiping about it. I don't think that ahjussi even told Gilyeong and Yoosung yet..." She casually walked over to her brother and settled on the sofa beside him, her brother scooting to the side to make space for her.
His grip tightening on his cleaning rag, Joonghyuk fixed his gaze on Mia, "So... what are your thoughts on the matter?"
Mia furrowed her brow, tilting her head to a curious angle, "What do you mean?"
Joonghyuk shifted his attention to his sword again as he broached the topic, "Well, what do you think of your brother becoming a father? You would have a niece or nephew. That 'ugly ahjussi' you seem to dislike may become your brother-in-law, you know?"
Joonghyuk studied Mia cautiously through the reflection of his blade. The girl gazed out the window before letting out a sigh, "If you want to marry him... then fine," she said quietly. "I… I want you to be there for your baby, oppa. If you weren't, I would have been upset with you. You'd be no better than fa—the emperor. Besides, it looks like you love that ugly ahjussi, for some reason," she muttered the last part reluctantly.
Yoo Mia was used to being one of the few people that got her brother's unwavering affection. Always by his side after their parents left them to the wolves of nobility and the palace's vicious hierarchy. She wanted to be able to prove to her brother that she was a big girl, that she was strong and able to take care of herself. But at the same time, there was a part of her that didn't want to let him go. She had been the center of his world for so long. But the way her brother looked at Kim Dokja couldn't be denied. Having to share her brother with someone would be troublesome…. but acceptable, if her brother could keep getting that look on his face.
Softly letting go of a breath he didn't realize he was holding, Joonghyuk turned to regard his sister softly.
"Sometimes I forget that you're still a child."
Mia's smile widened at her brother's words, preening like a cat that just got a treat. "Well, you were just a kid too, oppa, when you took care of me. Maybe it runs in our genes or something…I'm happy you're happy, oppa," she expressed, her gaze fixed on Joonghyuk. "But if I'm not the flower girl at the wedding, then the deal is off!" she declared with a grin, her excitement palpable as she looked forward to the occasion.
Joonghyuk's genuine smile lit up his face as he turned his attention towards the window. "Of course you'll be the flower girl," he affirmed. Then internally winced, knowing he'd have to explain to both Dokja and Shin Yoosung once they got around to telling the other children.
Hyunsung entered the room, his expression fraught with urgency. "Your Grace, there's a large group of people approaching the Underworld Duchy. They look to be armed with weapons and are calling for the devil's demise!"
Joonghyuk's expression hardened as he swiftly stood up to go survey from the balcony. The mob looked to be around fifty people. From their attire, they were most likely commoners, but none looked to be rational enough to be talked down from their anger.
They came here looking only to hurt his star. Turning to Mia, he instructed her urgently, "Go to Gilyeong and Yoosung and take them Dokja now. We will prevent them from reaching the manor. I'll leave it up to you to watch over him and make sure he's okay. Understood?" Mia nodded in response, heading off to warn their friends. Joonghyuk then turned to Hyunsung, determination etched on his face, "Let's go."
Joonghyuk, and Hyunsung went to the manor's meeting room, which the rest of the group were gathered in.
"—we sure we shouldn't tell him? I know why, but he probably wouldn't want to be kept in the dark about this…,"Sooyoung muttered, cracking her knuckles.
"It's what's best for him, now that he's expecting. The first trimester of pregnancy is the most crucial to the child's development, and therefore the most dangerous. It's best if we avoid exposing him to excessive stress."
The Duchess's demeanor turned resolute as she unsheathed her sword, a symbol of her readiness to defend her beloved son at all costs. "Earlier our discussions ended with unanimous agreement, but now is the moment of truth to determine if each of you is truly prepared to make any sacrifice for my son. The people awaiting us will be callous and irrational, allowing none of them to get through." she ordered, her tone unwavering.
As the group exchanged solemn nods, they dispersed to carry out their respective tasks. On his duke's orders, Hyunsung was to take charge of a portion of the Underworld Duchy's knights and position them around the east wing of the manor. Sooyoung sent a messenger back to her home, calling for the Han Marquis' knights to ready themselves to be summoned on a moment's notice. While she didn't doubt that the Underworld Duchy's force would be more than capable of handling some unruly citizens, there was no telling if the situation would escalate to something more dangerous.
On the forefront of it all would be Yoo Joonghyuk, Hades, Persephone, Yoo Sangah, and Han Sooyoung. They would face the citizens head on. Hopefully, they would be able to put some reason into them and deter them from pursuing violent means. At worst, they would have to be the manor's first line of defense.
Of course, the inside of the manor was just as busy as the outside.
Lee Seolhwa stayed inside the manor, working with the maids to prepare medical supplies in case anything happened to Dokja or anyone defending against the mob. Jiwon observed the staff from afar, looking for any suspicious activity that may indicate a conspirator. Lee Jihye and Kim Namwoon were sent by Joonghyuk and Hades respectively to discreetly protect Dokja without alarming him to the imminent threat.
With a sense of urgency, each member of the group mobilized to defend their friend and the Duchy against the impending danger, united in their resolve.
Dokja awoke from his slumber, disoriented. The meeting from earlier had left him drained, and while he'd wanted to stay up to talk things out a bit more with everyone, both Joonghyuk and Seolhwa urged him to go rest. It was noon when he'd fallen asleep, but his room was shrouded in darkness.
Did he really knock out for that long? His body must've been really tired…
Weakly lifting his head from his pillow, Dokja was surprised to find it wasn't nighttime… or at least it may not have been. The windows were closed, and all the curtains were drawn for some reason. He could've sworn they were open when Joonghyuk carried him in. Pushing himself to sit up with a grunt, Dokja blinked a few times to let his eyes get adjusted to the dark. Only to almost scream when he made out four pairs of curious eyes staring at him from the foot of his bed
"GAhh! You all almost gave me a heart attack! What brings all of you here during…whatever time it is right now?"
As Namwoon and the three youngsters exchanged uncertain glances, grappling with how to broach the delicate situation unfolding outside, Mia took the lead with a quick response.
"It's nighttime ahjussi, and none of us could fall asleep! Namwoon ahjussi said you have the softest bed in the house, so can we sleep here for the night?" she blurted out, her expression tinged with anxiety. The other three were glancing nervously around the room, eyeing the curtains and windows they had hastily closed just a few minutes prior. Hopefully the room would be able to block out any commotion that might happen outside the manor.
Dokja looked at surprise at Mia. He'd always thought that the little girl didn't care much for him, but maybe she was coming around since she hung out with Gilyeong and Yoosung all the time? Either way, he was happy about it. He couldn't let the little sister of the man he intended to be with dislike him forever, after all.
The thought of all of them becoming a true family warmed his heart.
Dokja gave a playful smile to the children. "Are you sure we'll all fit? My younger brother might take up all the space," he remarked, his tone light-hearted.
Soft smiles of relief broke out from the children as they laughed at Namwoon's expense, but the younger brother didn't find himself minding it. Instead, he playfully protested, pouting as he insisted, "Hyung, I'm not that big! Just pretend it's like all those times we made bed forts together as kids!"
Dokja's smile widened as he affectionately pinched Namwoon's cheek, playfully teasing him further. "Oh, you'll just be a baby then," he quipped.
"Hyung!"
The playful banter elicited another round of giggles from the three kids, while Namwoon whined. He cast a quick glance over at the door. While he was glad their little charade was working, Namwoon sincerely hoped Lee Jihye wasn't hearing anything from where she was stationed outside the door. He'd tried so hard to keep up a cool façade in front of her. He doesn't think he could ever live it down if Jihye heard him whining like a baby to his older brother.
"Ahjussi, we saw a weird picture in the newspaper. Were those things really magical animals?"
Yoosung's question prompted a thoughtful smile to grace his features. "Yes, they're my dear friends!" he confirmed
"There were never animals like those in the book you read to us, Hyung. What are they like?" Gilyeong asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Let's all have a seat on the bed," Dokja suggested, settling under the blankets with Namwoon and the kids. With a contemplative expression, he began, "Well, where should I begin? Ah, here we are!" Retrieving a newspaper from the coffee table, he pointed to a particular image and continued, "See this white puffball? Her name is Biyoo, at least that's the name I gave her. She's the cutest and most gentle creature of the forest I've met! She's smart too! I met her when I got lost in the forest, and she helped me find my way out. Now, whenever I go into the forest, she's always there waiting for me to play with her!"
"Oooh, can we meet her someday, Ahjussi?"
Dokja's smile faltered as he heard the distant sounds of shouting, sitting up sharply from where he was laying, "What's that?" However, before he could investigate further, the four companions quickly intervened, grasping his wrist to prevent him from approaching the window.
Mia, with a shaky pout on her lips, urged him to continue, "It's nothing, Ahjussi... c'mon, you haven't even finished telling us about those creature things…"
"I think father and Joonghyuk are doing some training with the knights. You know how they are, especially with everything that's happened currently. Just let them do their thing, Hyung." Namwoon chimed in, steering Dokja's attention away from the commotion outside.
"That's right, Hyung! Tell me more about the creatures, did you meet any cool magical bugs?" Gilyeong added on, exchanging a knowing glance with Yoosung.
"Ugh of course that's what you focus on, bug boy! Tell us about that one with the bunny ears, Ahjussi!" Yoosung lightly shoved Gilyeong away to lean in closer to Dokja.
Dokja gazed at them for a moment, then let out a sigh and relented, saying, "Alright... let's see, what else should I say about them?" with a smile. Namwoon and the three kids immediately sigh in relief
"Well, you see...."
-----
"SHUT THE FUCK UP, BITCH!! If there's a devil here, it's all of you! You ugly ducklings!" Sooyoung yelled as kicked at the people attempting to breach the duchy's defenses.
"You've all been deceived by that devil, every single one of you!"
"That scoundrel is a devil! We've all seen the stories and witnessed his camaraderie with those creatures! He must be the Raven Veil killer!"
"That devil deserves to burn alive! My daughter perished because of him!"
Joonghyuk's gaze hardened as he retorted, "You have no evidence for any of your claims. Leave now or prepared to face heavy consequences for your trespassing." His loyalty to Dokja was unwavering, and he was prepared to defend him at any cost.
"That photograph showed everything that we need to know! Why would he make alliances with creatures of the forest!? That forest has been taking away and killing citizens of this empire for ages. If he were innocent he would've killed them on sight!"
"I've come into contact with the creatures you speak of and have seen for myself that they have no harmful intentions. Will you trust my words or deem me a 'devil' as well?"
"He's already been manipulated! Duke Joonghyuk, what are you thinking? That devil is controlling you!'' The accusations continued, with tensions escalating as doubts and accusations swirled around Dokja and his companions.
"Duke Joonghyuk, please snap out of it – that devil only wants power over the Kaizenix Duke!" one individual suggested, fueling the growing animosity.
"Shut up, you bastard! If anyone is capable of manipulation, it's that scoundrel!" the Duchess interjected, pointing an accusatory finger at Joonghyuk. "My precious son would've never fallen for a brute like him otherwise!"
"Your Grace... Are you being serious right now?" Joonghyuk questioned, turning towards her with a disparaged look on his face.
"What? It's the truth! I stand firmly by my words!" the Duchess insisted, crossing her arms in defiance.
Amidst the confusion and tension, a voice in the crowd called for action: "Enough of this nonsense! We need to eliminate that devil!" The chaos and clamor resumed, prompting a surge of unrest.
"You think I would stand idly by and allow you to harm my son?" Hades declared; his gaze filled with fury as he confronted the agitated crowd.
"You'll need to kill us before you even touch his body" Sangah stood her ground, ready to defend against any threat with unwavering determination.
"The Saintess herself has fallen under the devil's influence. We must eliminate him before more are ensnared!" a voice in the crowd urged, echoing the growing sentiment of fear and mistrust.
"Are you all out of your minds? Kim Dokja, a devil? Did our beloved Empress take action when countless lives were lost due to the collapsed wall? No, she did nothing! The 'devil' you seek is in the royal family!" Sangah's voice rang out, cutting through the chaos of the crowd.
"Ugh, all these nobles think they can trample over all of us however they please!"
"Foolishness! Pay no heed to her words, they're just trying to distract us from Kim Dokja!"
"There are devils running everywhere, amok in our empire! We suffer while they live in luxury!"
"I've been left with nothing because of them! They all deserve to burn…" the crowd became split in their ideas, yet their cries of anguish only heightened, pushed to the limit by the fear that had permeated into their everyday lives
"Have you all lost it? There's nothing we can do about the royal family, but Kim Dokja is just an arm's reach away from us, ripe to pick off! We can rid this empire of its rot, one by one!"
"What, you want us to just sit back and continue enduring all the abuse they throw onto their own citizens. What good is picking off nobodies when the source of the rot is never destroyed!"
"You're speaking as if you've never experienced loss – how convenient for you!"
"You have no right to judge! You're just a puppet of the royal family!"
The narrowed eyes and glares of the crowd turned against their own as the two schools of thought began clashing against each other, one for the elimination of Kim Dokja and the other to focus their anger against the empress. The narrative spun by the empress had already taken root just as Sangah's words were about to, and both sides refused to back down.
The crowd's growing animosity against one another was abruptly interrupted by a deafening explosion that resonated from somewhere within the capital. The shockwaves from it made everyone's insides shake, goosebumps spreading from their toes to the tips of their fingers.
They could only stare at the clouds of smoke rising in the distance, wondering what the hell had just happened. After a deathly silence, the faint sounds of bells rang in the distance. It continued, the sounds getting closer and closer as each of the capital's subsequent bell tower responded to each other's call. Finally, the bell tower closest to the Underworld Duchy sounded off. Each ring to the drop of everyone's heartbeats.
Seven rings.
The empire had gone into a state of emergency.
A wave of panic surged through the onlookers as the remnants of the last ring echoed through their ears. For a second, all of them had held their breaths, hoping to god that maybe the bell would toll one more time, that it was a mistake. But the evidence was right in front of them, the remnants of a chunk of the capitol's sector burning away in the distance.
Dokja, Namwoon, and the three kids were jolted by the sound of the explosion and the subsequent alarm. Eyes widened in fear, they exchanged concerned glances before Dokja took the lead, rushing out of his bedroom against the weak protests of the others. The door to his room slammed against the wall with a loud bang, startling an already tense Lee Jihye, who had gone to look out the window to see what was happening.
Seeing the young knight, Dokja rushed up to her and grabbed her shoulders.
"Knight Jihye why are you here, what the hell is going on!?" he demanded urgently. Jihye's body stiffened under his intense stare.
"I was sent by Duke Joonghyuk to guard you, sir, but I don't know the reason for the explosions… maybe the mob outside—"
Though the last words were spoken under her breath, it didn't stop Dokja from breaking into a sprint to reach the commotion himself after hearing them. Racing through the manor, he caught sight of all the staff clustering near the windows, whispering loudly amongst themselves with brows furrowed at the smoke rising in the distance.
Shoving his way through the front entrance and pushing through the knights that tried to block his way, Dokja breathlessly approached his family. Like Jihye said, there was crowd of citizens out front, but they were spread out with their backs to the manor, all of them too anxious about the unfolding situation at hand. A good portion started breaking away and running back to their homes, too shaken up from the explosions and just wanting to seek shelter.
"Father, what's happening out here? Where did those explosions come from?"
His father's head snapped at him in surprise, not expecting his presence, "Dokja how did you—? No, that doesn't matter right now. Listen, you need to go back to your room and take cover. While we're uncertain of the situation, Joonghyuk and I are planning to make our way to the royal palace for a meeting, immediately." Joonghyuk nodded in agreement, a silent acknowledgment of the urgency of the situation. "Let's proceed," he affirmed.
Joonghyuk's eyes lingered on Dokja before walking over to press a gentle kiss to his forehead, a tender gesture of reassurance. "Don't worry about us and take care. I'll return promptly," he promised. Dokja offered a hesitant nod in response, watching as they boarded the carriage bound for the royal palace before being whisked back into the manor by the remaining group.
--------
In the meeting room, a cacophony of voices filled the air as everyone voiced their concerns, their panic only heightened with the lack of information about the attack. The atmosphere crackled with tension as discussions swirled around the identities of the perpetrators – were they individuals acting alone, part of an organization, or agents of another empire trying to take over the Seoul Empire?
"This was caused by the same culprits that attacked the palace before, wasn't it? We cannot stand idly by and allow our empire to be destroyed!" a duke declared emphatically, the force of his conviction reverberating through the room as his hands struck the table with a resounding bang.
"Has anyone caught sight of their faces?"
"Yes, indeed," the emperor confirmed, accepting the papers from his attendant and placing them on the table for all to see. "A guard managed to catch a glimpse of their faces, and I had an artist sketch what he saw." His expression grave, he directed their attention to the drawing before them.
The assembled individuals studied the image before them, letting out confused murmurs at what was depicted. Rather than a lowlife crook and a mysterious hitman, on the paper there was a man with yellow skin, horn-like protrusions on his head, and piercing black eyes. "What manner of person is this?" someone voiced the question that lingered in the minds of all present, their unease growing in the face of the supposed culprit.
Joonghyuk's expression remained inscrutable as he gazed at the drawing, recognizing the resemblance to Bihyung with a sense of disquiet. He'd thought that Bihyung was just another creature of the forest, like Biyoo and the rest. All this time that Dokja has known the man, was he scheming against the empire or was this conflict separate from his involvement?
The Archduke's disbelief at the sight before him mirrored the sentiments of many in the room, each struggling to comprehend the kind of threat they faced.
"No matter what that …thing is, it appears they are provoking us. What course of action should we take?"
All eyes turned to the emperor, who deliberated with closed eyes, deep in thought. After a moment of contemplation, he delivered a resolute response. "If it is a response they seek, then they shall get one. We cannot allow our empire to be destroyed without a fight. We must act swiftly to eliminate the threat and protect our homeland."
The emperor redirected his focus towards Joonghyuk, his tone imposing, "Duke Joonghyuk, I will entrust you with leading our people in this battle." His decision elicited widened eyes from the gathered assembly, while Joonghyuk's expression darkened in a frown.
"Shouldn't it be the crown prince, Your Majesty?" the Archduke inquired,
"No, the crown prince is nowhere near prepared to face a threat on this scale. Duke Joonghyuk possesses the necessary experience and will lead. That is my decision, and the matter is settled," he stated with finality, cutting off any further debate as he turned his attention back to Joonghyuk. "Is that clear, Duke Joonghyuk?"
Joonghyuk held the emperor's gaze for a moment. He wanted to scoff. This was the outcome of the royal family's incompetence. An emperor too frail to lead his men himself and a crown prince too incompetent to do anything. The only thing they could do was throw their responsibilities onto him, like they'd always done.
But if he was the only one that could defend the empire, then so be it.
"…Yes, Your Majesty. I understand."