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Chapter 17
Interrogation Room, Outer Perimeter of the Royal Inquisition Bureau.
Surrounded by ominous mechanical devices densely lining the chamber, the interrogation of Yu Sang-hyeon was in full swing.
“You said you’re the father of Yu Arin. But…”
An Royal Inquisition Bureau officer flipped through a folder and questioned him coldly.
Yu Sang-hyeon lifted his head and stared directly at the man.
“We ran a genetic test. She’s not your biological daughter. Care to explain?”
“She’s a war orphan. I registered her in my family registry when she was still an infant.”
“A war orphan, of all things, just so happened to be an Ability User? And this war orphan, of all people, turned out to be of royal descent? Are you telling us all of that was mere coincidence?”
“I said, she’s a war orphan. That’s the truth.”
The agent’s eyes sharpened, but Yu Sang-hyeon’s voice was unwavering.
He glanced over at the forensic team. They subtly shook their heads.
No anomalies in brainwave activity.
Seeing that confirmation, the agent narrowed his eyes.
’Does he really not know anything? Or is he capable of controlling his emotions enough to fool the detection system?;
The doubt only lingered for a moment. As if refusing to give him any room, Yu Sang-hyeon snapped back with a counter-question.
“According to the material you presented in the first place, the royal blood running in Arin’s veins is a collateral branch of a collateral branch, isn’t it? Barely strong enough to even awaken an ability—let alone that kind of...!”
The power of a king.
He halted mid-sentence.
This was the main base of the Royal Inquisition Bureau.
A single careless word could stab back like a dagger.
“…A power of that nature should be impossible in her bloodline.”
“Yes, in theory, you’re right.”
The agent let out a sigh after hearing Yu Sang-hyeon’s rebuttal.
Naturally so.
Tracking and monitoring royal bloodlines was one of the Royal Inquisition Bureau’s top priorities.
And now, a royal descendant had manifested—one unknown to them. The higher-ups were likely in a frenzy by now.
“But the ability has manifested. And the young lady indeed possesses royal blood.”
“……”
“There was more than enough time to run a standard genetic profile and register her in the citizen database, wasn’t there?”
“Register? Goddammit, this is driving me insane.”
Yu Sang-hyeon shot to his feet, shouting.
“We reported it countless times! We submitted genetic tests, filed every form, and submitted the birth report with all the proper documentation! You people in Central didn’t accept any of it just because she was from the Northeastern region—!”
The agent fell silent at Yu Sang-hyeon’s outburst.
Because it was true.
He glanced at the forensic team again. The brainwave monitor still showed no signs of deception.
All indicators pointed to Yu Sang-hyeon speaking the truth.
‘If we want to dig deeper, we’ll have to interface directly with his neural network… but…’
Even if he was just some man from the frontier, Yu Sang-hyeon was still a regional military commander.
Even if his post was minor, he was a member of the noble class.
Using direct neural probes—reserved only for Class 1 criminals—could easily spark backlash from the higher authorities.
‘We don’t have the justification to go that far.’
Just then, a message arrived through the Royal Inquisition Bureau’s secure communication network.
A message with Level 1 security clearance.
The agent’s expression twisted as he read the contents.
“This ithe s Interrogation Room. Agent 03. Confirming with the field unit—can you verify the reported incident?”
—“This is Agent 37. Affirmative. There was an attack during transit, and the armored helicopter was destroyed. However, the target was dealt with as ordered.”
“…I see.”
Agent 03 turned his eyes back to Yu Sang-hyeon.
If the target—the girl—had been eliminated, then the threat was neutralized.
There was no longer any need to detain this man.
“Understood. The interrogation will end here.”
“…What?”
“I apologize for the offense. We’ve arranged accommodations for you. Please, head there.”
The agent’s demeanor flipped as easily as turning over a hand.
Yu Sang-hyeon’s expression darkened.
‘Just moments ago, these Royal Inquisition Bureau bastards were ready to tear me apart—and now they’re clearing out like they’re done with business. That can only mean…’
“…Arin.”
“……”
His voice turned steel-cold as he glared at the agent.
“Where is my daughter right now?”
The agent did not respond.
But that silence was all Yu Sang-hyeon needed.
Arin.
Something had happened to her.
BANG!
“Answer me! What happened outside?! What the hell have you bastards done to my daughter—?!”
“He’s losing it!”
“Activate the tactical module! Restrain him—hurry!”
As the machines embedded in the room sprang to life and locked down Yu Sang-hyeon, the agents quickly filed out.
“Arin! Arin—!”
He roared like a beast, fighting to break free.
But no matter how strong an Ability User he was, no unarmed man could overpower the Royal Inquisition Bureau’s tactical restraints.
THUD!
And so, without learning a single thing, Yu Sang-hyeon was thrown into solitary confinement.
Collapsed on the floor, barely able to move, a heavy sigh escaped from Yu Sang-hyeon’s tightly clenched lips.
“Arin…”
If he had known this would happen, he would never have brought her to Hanseong.
If he had known she would awaken that kind of power…
If he had known she carried such a dangerous force…
Then none of this would have ever happened—!
Just then—
—Ah, ah. Can you hear me?
A voice emerged from the small communicator tucked inside his clothes.
“This voice…?”
—Oh! You kept it with you like I asked. Thank goodness.
It was Kim Chang-woon—the boy who had looked after Arin during the Formal Assembly, and who had been with Sang-hyeon on the day of the Formal Assembly.
—I’m relieved to hear you’ve finished the interrogation safely. Judging from your location, it seems you’re in solitary confinement. No guards nearby either.
“What’s the reason for this sudden contact?”
—I wanted to share some good news.
The calm, relaxed tone of the boy twisted something in Sang-hyun’s gut.
‘Good news?’
In a moment like this, when he didn’t even know what had happened to his daughter?
“I’m sorry, but I’m not in the mood to—”
Still, it wasn’t in his nature to lash out at a boy who had nothing to do with this.
He barely managed to swallow down his rage.
But then—
—We’re protecting Arin on our side.
“What!?”
Sang-hyeon could no longer maintain his composure.
“Protecting? Where is she now!? What happened to her—!”
—Please, calm down, General. I’ll explain everything step by step.
He pressed the communicator closer, ears straining to catch every word.
****
“While playing around at the Formal Assembly, I managed to acquire some of Yu Arin’s biological material… a strand of hair,” said Chang-woon, beginning his explanation slowly.
From there, he recounted everything that had happened.
How a clone had been created from Arin’s hair.
How the Royal Guards had tried to “dispose” of his daughter in the outskirts of the city.
And how he, working with Hahoe, had switched her out at the last moment.
—How did you find out Arin was of royal blood?
“She told me herself. Said her real name was Yi Bang-seon. Good thing no one was eavesdropping nearby—could’ve gotten me killed.”
—Hah…
Now that he understood the full picture, Yu Sang-hyeon felt a wave of relief—but also an uncontrollable chill.
As he’d suspected, the reason they had let him go was because they thought Arin was dead.
They assumed the new royal bloodline had been erased.
“Now that the seed of discord—little miss Yi Bang-seon—is dead, the Andong Kim clan will call you in soon. They’ll inform you of her death and wait to see how you react.”
From the other side of the communicator, Sang-hyeon gave a low grunt of agreement.
—They’re hoping I’ll lose my mind. So they can use that as an excuse to get rid of me.
“Exactly. So General…”
Here, Chang-woon pretended to hesitate, pausing dramatically.
“You’ll have to put on a very difficult performance.”
—Performance?
Before Sang-hyeon could question further, Chang-woon spoke in a tone more serious than ever before.
“Get down on your knees and beg them for your life.”
—…What did you just say?
His voice halted.
A difficult performance.
He had already started to grasp what Chang-woon was suggesting.
Still, Chang-woon pressed on.
“Thankfully, the General was very cooperative with the Royal Inquisition Bureau’s investigation. And during the ceremonies, you flattered the noble families like a loyal dog, didn’t you?”
—Yes… I did.
“Then keep it up. Say you had no idea what your daughter really was. That you only took her in out of pity. That she means nothing to you. That you’re begging—just begging—for your life to be spared.”
—You want me to bow my head to the people who tried to kill my daughter? Me, the Commander of Iron Tiger Corps?
“Yes.”
Because that’s the only way you’ll survive long enough… to see her again.
When Chang-woon added that final line, Yu Sang-hyeon let out a deep, exhausted sigh.
—And when I do see her again… then what?
His voice was filled with sorrow.
—Either way, our Arin will just go back to that cold, desolate Northeastern front, won’t she?
A bitter, self-mocking voice.
Chang-woon remained silent.
—To that land overflowing with monsters… death around every corner. That little girl will have to spend the rest of her life there. Giving up everything other kids her age should enjoy, everything they should dream of…
Yu Sang-hyeon’s voice trembled over the communicator.
He had only wanted her to live as an ordinary noble’s daughter.
That was why he had brought her all the way to Hanseong and endured so much disgrace.
And this was how it ended.
That’s likely what he was thinking.
‘What devotion. A father’s love like that… it’s enviable.’
Chang-woon thought.
No wonder she had tried to burn down Joseon for the sake of her dead father.
But he couldn’t let Sang-hyeon fall into despair now.
So he spoke into the communicator once more.
“A talent one cannot bear is a curse. So said a wise man, long ago.”
There was no answer.
Still, he continued.
“From the moment she awakened, the King’s power, she could no longer live the life of an ordinary girl. The fragile tides of war will inevitably call upon her strength—and whether she wants to or not, she’ll be thrown into battle, fighting monsters head-on.”
That’s the nature of being an Ability User—someone who wields such immense power.
That’s why the Central Government kept such tight control over them.
However—
“That’s why, General, your role is not to protect Arin.”
What are you saying?
Yu Sang-hyeon’s silence asked the question.
Chang-woon spoke again, this time calmly.
“After she awakened, Arin told me something. She said she would grow stronger. Strong enough to beat up all the monsters that bully her dad… and the uncles who make his life hard. If she did that, then her dad wouldn’t have to keep getting dragged into things like this because of her.”
—Arin… she really said that?
“Yes.”
That was a lie.
The Yu Arin, Chang-woon knew, the legendary woman he clashed with dozens of times while living like a lapdog to the nobility, never said such a thing.
He had merely imagined her saying it.
But what choice did he have?
If Yu Sang-hyeon decided, “Since my daughter’s alive, I’ll just hide away and live in seclusion with her!”, then everything he’s done—all the bruises, blood, and betrayal—would be meaningless.
‘You were saved. So earn the worth of being saved.’
Chang-woon had chosen revolution.
And for it to happen, Yu Arin and the Commander of Iron Tiger Corps had to become the flames that would ignite it.
Whether they wanted it or not.
“Now that Arin has shown her power, neither the noble class nor you, General, can share the same sky anymore.”
They’ll either devour her, or be devoured by her. There is no middle ground.
So…
“If it must come to that, then let her grow strong.”
There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the communicator.
“Train her in the harsh cold of the Northeast. Guide her Ability User strength until it blooms. So that no monster, no noble house—nothing in this world—can ever threaten her again.”
…!
“And one day, when the right moment comes…”
Chang-woon paused.
“Let her be the one who changes the world she lives in.”
—Are you saying…
His voice trailed off.
But the weight in it spoke volumes.
—Are you telling me to commit treason? To use Arin to rebel against the nation?
Tension.
And at the same time, a statement that struck at the heart of my intentions.
Chang-woon smiled faintly and replied:
“If we’re going to talk about it, let’s at least use prettier words.”
‘Because saying it like that… makes us sound like villains.’
“We’re not committing treason.”
“We’re starting a revolution,”
Chang-woon answered with a smile.
“For Arin.”
---The End Of The Chapter---
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