He had intended to head to Helen’s mansion but changed his destination to the village instead. While Ina’s treatment was part of the reason, a bigger concern was that he didn’t want to stir up trouble and make Seo-yul anxious.
The only hospital in the village was incredibly small. The sign outside labeled it as a hospital, but in reality, it was closer to a simple pharmacy that dispensed basic medicine.
The doctor, who had only ever dealt with minor illnesses, trembled at the sight of Ina covered in blood, unable to administer proper treatment. In the end, the frustrated aide shoved the doctor aside.
“You really almost died.”
Despite the teasing tone, his face had turned completely pale. Her arms, her side, and even the wound on her thigh that had gone unnoticed—it was clear to anyone that she had been suddenly attacked.
‘This just got messy.’
He had originally spread the rumors to flush out enemies hiding within the mansion. But the longer he stayed here with Seo-yul, the more he abandoned the thought of returning.
He had wanted to live out the rest of his days with Seo-yul in this quiet, peaceful place. But seeing the state Ina was in, it was clear that things had gone terribly wrong.
No, the moment Ina had shown up here, peace had become an impossibility. They would either have to leave District 1 altogether or find another solution.
“Now talk. Why are you here?”
He had planned to wait until her treatment was finished, but as the delay dragged on, impatience grew. He still had to have dinner with Seo-yul and there was much to discuss.
There was no time to waste lingering here.
“Would you mind stepping out for a moment?”
At Ina’s request, the aide hesitated before standing up and taking the still-shaking doctor with him out of the examination room. Once their presence had completely faded, he pressed Ina again.
“Now talk. What happened at the mansion?”
“This is going to take a while…”
In a detached voice, Ina recounted the situation at the mansion.
Joshua had conspired with the elders and seized the position of the next district leader. And despite the fact that the inauguration ceremony hadn’t even taken place yet, the current district leader had suddenly disappeared.
As a result, District 1 was now without a leader. Taking advantage of this power vacuum, Joshua had begun purging the Shining—
Not just “reorganizing.” A full-blown purge.
“They’ll probably come looking for the hidden Shining once they’ve finished wiping out everyone inside the mansion.”
Once Joshua had committed to a purge, he wouldn’t stop until every last drop of Shining blood had been drained. And if that was the case, then no matter how secluded this village was, it was still within District 1, meaning he was far from safe.
“That’s why I need you, Vincent.”
“…Me?”
Ina’s plan was simple. If Vincent, whom everyone believed to be dead, suddenly reappeared, it would destabilize Joshua’s foundation. That would create an opening to sway the remaining elders to their side and overturn the situation.
But in order to win over the elders, he would need to forge solid blood ties with them, just like the other district leaders had. Ina was skirting around it, but the implication was clear—he needed to take concubines.
“Enough.”
He cut Ina off, pressing his fingers against his throbbing temple. But Ina wasn’t willing to give up so easily and kept trying to persuade him. Still, the moment the word concubine was mentioned, everything else faded into the background.
“Vincent, think about the district, not just yourself.”
At that, Vincent couldn’t help but let out a laugh. Think about the district, not myself? How ironic—he had never once spared a thought for District 1.
The only reason he had ever considered becoming the next district leader was to claim Seo-yul. That was the deal he had made with the previous ruler of the district. District 1 had never mattered to him.
“Sorry, but I have no intention of going back.”
His laughter died, and his voice turned firm, drawing a definitive line. The Shining, District 1—none of it had anything to do with him anymore. He had never wanted it in the first place, so letting it go was easy.
“Are you saying… you’re giving up being a Shining?”
Ina’s voice trembled with disbelief. She had even prepared for the possibility of his death, but not this. Other Shining fought tooth and nail to be the last one standing, yet he was ready to abandon the name so effortlessly.
At that moment, something clicked in Ina’s mind. That odd feeling she had ever since arriving in this village solidified into certainty.
“You were the one who spread the rumors. Why did you pretend to be—”
“I did almost die.”
He cut Ina off again, sinking into thought. If he left the district entirely with Seo-yul, he could evade Joshua’s pursuit for now. But that was only a temporary fix.
For the time being, he had control over the village and could keep information from leaking. But as long as Joshua continued his purge of the Shining, it was only a matter of time before he was hunted down.
In the end, I’ll have to…
Like it or not, he now had a reason to return to that wretched mansion.
***
Putting the conversation on hold, he left Ina at the hospital and made his way back to Helen’s mansion. Ina had refused to give up until the very last moment, trying again and again to change his mind, but he had reinforced his decision each time, making his refusal crystal clear.
He had no intention of going back. Not then, not now.
After shaking off Ina’s relentless persistence, he finally arrived at the mansion, only to realize that it was already deep into the night—far past dinner.
No matter what happened, he had wanted to eat with Seo-yul. But he was already too late.
Clicking his tongue softly, he stepped into the quiet mansion. He climbed the stairs in quick strides and stopped in front of Seo-yul’s room. Worried that he might disturb Seo-yul’s sleep, he carefully turned the doorknob without making a sound.
As he tiptoed into the darkened room, he noticed that the bed was empty. His gaze followed the gentle breeze, leading him to Seo-yul, who was sitting by the wide-open window.
“You’re back?”
The cold moonlight behind Seo-yul shimmered like jewels. For a moment, he was mesmerized by the faint smile gracing Seo-yul’s lips, but then his eyes landed on the meal sitting cold and untouched on the table.
“You didn’t eat?”
“I had a little.”
But contrary to Seo-yul’s words, there wasn’t a single trace of food missing from the plate. The only thing that had been touched was a few pieces of bread from the basket—far too little to count as a meal.
Letting out a brief sigh, he strode over to Seo-yul. Perhaps it was just his imagination, but Seo-yul’s cheeks looked thinner. Carefully, he cupped them in his hands. The cool touch of his skin made him frown—Seo-yul must have been sitting by the open window for quite some time.
“Do you want to take a walk with me?”
“…Right now?”
Seo-yul glanced up at the distant moon before asking. Instead of answering, he lowered his hands from Seo-yul’s cheeks and took his small hand in his own.
Seo-yul flinched slightly, but he didn’t pull away. Taking that as permission, he slowly entwined their fingers, locking their hands together without any gaps.
Seo-yul’s steps were slow, his body still recovering. It took them quite a while to make it outside the mansion. As the cold night air made Seo-yul’s shoulders tremble slightly, he slipped off his outer coat and draped it over him.
“I’m fine.”
“The wind is chilly. You don’t want to catch a cold, so just wear it.”
Seo-yul nodded quietly, grasping the oversized coat with his free hand. The way he was swallowed up in the large garment made him look even smaller than usual. He had always been within arm’s reach, but like this, he seemed even more fragile.
Their hands remained clasped. As their cold and warm body temperatures mingled, it created a comfortable warmth between them. The feeling was pleasant, so much so that a smile kept creeping onto his lips.
They passed through Helen’s carefully maintained garden before he reached the mansion’s tightly shut front gates. Swinging them open wide, he looked out into the deep darkness beyond before stepping forward with Seo-yul.
“Where are we going?”
“Hmm, we’re almost there.”
He answered vaguely before letting go of Seo-yul’s hand and stretching out his arms. He wanted to let Seo-yul walk on his own as much as possible, but from here on, the terrain was a bit rough.
Seo-yul stubbornly insisted he was fine, but after a brief struggle, he ultimately allowed himself to be carried.
Lifting him effortlessly, he picked up the pace toward their destination.
Beyond the dense darkness of the forest, a vast field bathed in icy moonlight revealed itself. A sea of yellow flowers stretched endlessly before them, glowing beneath the silvery light. Seo-yul’s eyes, reflecting the dazzling scenery, sparkled even brighter than the moon above.
Gently, he set Seo-yul down. As he took a step forward into the moonlit field, a soft breeze rolled in, carrying the rich, comforting scent of flowers.
He walked over to Seo-yul and pulled the slipping coat back over his small shoulders. It was only then that Seo-yul finally took his eyes off the flowers and turned to look at him.
His deep eyes, mirroring the night sky, shimmered with a thin veil of moisture. He must have felt the same way he had when he first stumbled upon this place. Even without words, he was sure of it.
“From the moment I first found this place, I wanted to show it to you, Seo-yul.”
