Yeong's eyes flickered over Seong. A moment later, a young couple, who appeared to be around Seong's age, emerged from the tunnel. The man held a tightly swaddled bundle in his arms. They knelt before Seong, their foreheads beaded with sweat. A tiny face peeked out from the folds of the blanket. As they shifted, preparing to prostrate themselves, Seong stopped them.

"There's no need for formalities," he said gently.

"Your compassion honors us, Guardian," the woman replied.

They bowed their heads respectfully, careful not to disturb the sleeping infant.

"What are your names?" Seong asked.

"I am Dahm(潭)," the woman replied, "and this is my husband, Seomok(嶼木)."

"Are you the child's parents?"

"We are."

"When was the child born?"

"Two months ago."

"Where do you live?"

"In a small village near Nahmgyo. We are not residents of Wicheong Palace."

Seong's brow furrowed as he looked at Seomok. "You brought your child all the way here?" he asked. "So soon after birth?"

"I told her we should wait until after the hundredth day," Seomok replied, "but she insisted."

Dahm, ignoring her husband's excuse, bowed deeply before Seong. "This child is a precious gift," she pleaded. "Please bless him."

Her earnestness touched Seong. He knelt, meeting their gaze. Seomok held the infant out to him. Seong gently touched the child's tiny hand, his fingers brushing against the soft fuzz of his hair. The infant was warm and impossibly small. His tiny lips moved, and Seong felt a warmth spread through his chest.

"May the light of Sahngjon protect this child," he murmured. "May he grow to follow that light."

He looked at the parents. "This child will grow up in the Wi shall resurrect," he promised.

Seomok's eyes filled with tears. "We will fight for the light of Sahngjon, under your name, Guardian."

Yeong stood frozen, her body rigid. She seemed reluctant to approach the couple, her hands hovering awkwardly in the air. Seong gently took her hand, guiding her closer. Yeong flinched at his touch, her eyes widening in surprise. She tried to pull away, but his grip was firm, his gaze reassuring. He led her towards the child, his hand gently resting on her back as he urged her to kneel. Yeong looked up at him, her eyes questioning. Seong nodded encouragingly. Yeong, mirroring his earlier actions, gently touched the child's hand, her fingers brushing against his soft hair. For a fleeting moment, Seong noticed a tremor in her touch, a flicker of fear in her eyes. A strange sense of relief washed over him. Though her face remained impassive, he could have sworn he saw a hint of a smile.

Yeong seemed hesitant to touch the child, but she also seemed reluctant to let go. She looked up at Seong.

"Am I supposed to say something?" she asked.

Seong almost laughed. He bit his lip, suppressing the urge. Since her arrival, Yeong had exuded an otherworldly aura, her presence both chilling and captivating. But now, kneeling before him, her eyes wide and innocent, she seemed strangely vulnerable. He smiled faintly and shook his head.

"You don’t have to," he reassured her.

"Our daughter doesn't have a name yet," Dahm said. "It would be an honor if you would bestow one upon her."

Seong glanced at Yeong, and the couple followed his gaze. Yeong hesitated, then spoke.

"Siahn (始安)."

She traced the characters on Dahm's outstretched palm. The child's parents bowed their heads.

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"Thank you," they murmured, their voices thick with emotion.

Their gratitude was overwhelming. Neither Seong nor Yeong could fully comprehend it. What is it about the blood of the Celestial Scions, the title of Guardian, that gave us the right to bestow names and blessings? Though Sahngjon had never granted him such power, such authority, these people clearly believed in it. It was a burden he wasn't sure he could bear.

Dahm and Seomok, led by the soldiers, disappeared down the tunnel, but Yeong's gaze lingered on the retreating figures, her eyes following the child. Her expression was unreadable, her dark eyes distant. Seong remembered the tremor in her touch, the fleeting moment of vulnerability.

"Shall we talk?" he asked.

"Why?" Yeong replied.

Seong, caught off guard, fumbled for an answer. "There doesn't need to be a reason," he said. "I just... I want to get to know you better. I need your help, and I have many questions about Sahngjon."

Yeong rose and walked towards her chambers without waiting for him to finish. Seong followed, his heart pounding. The silence in the tunnel was unnerving. Yeong entered her room and sat on the bed, her gaze fixed on her hands, her fingers tracing the lines of her palms.

"What are you doing?" Seong asked.

Yeong didn't seem to hear him. She continued to stare at her hands.

"They were so soft," she finally whispered.

Seong's lips twitched. He felt another wave of relief. He sat beside her.

"They're new," he explained. "Her hair, her skin, her eyes... they're all new."

Yeong clenched her hand into a fist, then hid it within her sleeve.

"Is this the first time you've touched a child?" Seong asked cautiously.

"I've seen them before," Yeong replied. "Sahngjon showed me your life, your birth, your childhood."

Seong straightened. "All of it?"

"Sahngjon showed me everything," Yeong said. "From the beginning of time to the moment the star fell. I saw you as a babe."

"Then you must have seen how I was born."

Yeong nodded. Seong's relaxed demeanor vanished. Though she had always seemed to possess an otherworldly knowledge, hearing her speak of it made her seem even more distant and enigmatic.

His own birth was not a story he wished to share. If Sahngjon had shown Yeong everything, then she had seen his mother die in his father's arms. She had seen the officials, their faces grim, cut her open and pull him from her womb. And she had seen his brother, so small and fragile.

The memory brought a wave of grief and longing. "Then you must know my brother as well," he said.

"Hwan?"

"Do you truly know everything?" Seong asked. "Everything that happened before you arrived?"

"Sahngjon showed me everything," Yeong repeated.

Seong hesitated, then asked, "Is Hwan alive?"

Yeong's voice, usually low and melodic, now held a chilling edge.

"Why do you ask?" she asked back.

"You said you knew everything," Seong pressed. "Then you must know where Hwan went, what happened to him."

"Is that truly your concern?"

"It is," Seong stated firmly.

"Why?"

"He's my brother. Isn't that enough? Answer me. Is he alive?"

Yeong remained silent. Though her expression was calm, Seong could sense the truth in her hesitation.

"He's alive," she replied.

Seong’s eyes darted around the room, his mind racing. Yeong's silence, her cryptic words, the deaths of the Emissaries... everything suddenly made sense.

"Was it Hwan?" he asked, his voice trembling. "Did he kill the Emissaries?"

Yeong's lips remained tightly sealed.

"Answer me!" Seong demanded, his voice rising. "You wouldn't lie in the name of Sahngjon, would you?"

A long silence stretched between them. Finally, Yeong spoke flatly.

"He's alive. He killed the Emissaries. And he brought me here."

"Where is he?" Seong asked.

"He is on the sea," Yeong replied. "You won't find him unless he chooses to reveal himself. You are bound to the land."

Seong's heart sank. A tear escaped his eye, tracing a path down his cheek. He reached out, his hands gripping Yeong's shoulders. She looked at him.

"Are you going to imprison me again?" she asked.

Seong quickly released her, his hands falling to his sides. He blinked back his tears. "You've done nothing wrong," he said. "I won't change my mind."

"I hid your enemy from you."

Seong shook his head. "He is my brother, not my enemy."

"Even after everything he's done?" Yeong asked.

"Especially after everything we've been through," Seong replied.

Yeong's face twisted into a grimace. Seong gripped her shoulders, his gaze intense.

"Don't tell anyone about this," he warned. "Especially not Ryang or Seon. They won't tolerate you harboring Hwan, Guardian Crimson or not."

"Because they believe he killed their father?" Yeong asked.

Seong's face paled. He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "Is there any way to find him?" he asked.