Dream in the Sky [Arthdal Chronicles]

Chapter 13: The Death of Inaishingi

Eunseom was not in the marketplace when the king's declaration was made, but he didn't have to be. Everyone in Arthdal was talking about it.

"...the remnants of the Ago army will now meet their end..."

"...finally the vermin will be exterminated..."

"...cowards are hiding somewhere along the cliffs a day's march south of Keomeuldun Stronghold..."

"...the king's troops will attack on the day of the new moon... will move out this afternoon, they say..."

"...not even the moon will witness their end..."

"...only a few Agos still fighting..."

"...easy and quick..."

"...forsaken by Inaishingi, forsaken by their god..."

"...so pathetic..."

"The war will end at last," Daedae said.

Eunseom jerked his head to the side, where Daedae stood over a selection of newly imported scrolls from Aniartz. He and Daedae had come to this scroll shop in search of new collectibles for the palace's private archives, but Eunseom had been listening so intently to the gossip of the vendor and his patrons that he had almost forgotten where he was and who was with him.

"It has to end in due time," Daedae muttered absentmindedly as he leafed through a scroll. "Wars that drag on are expensive, and this one was expensive enough as it is."

Eunseom didn't trust himself to speak, so he didn't.

Daedae continued, "I have to admit that I feel a little sorry for the Ago Tribe. The last ten years were already hard for them, but now... At least Tanya Niruha has improved their situation in Arthdal somewhat."

"True," Eunseom forced out. His voice sounded hollow to his ears.

Daedae looked up from his scroll and regarded Eunseom. "Is everything all right, Lord Saya? You are awfully quiet today."

"Daedae..." Eunseom said, "did you know about this?"

"Ah," Daedae said. "You must be surprised that the king did not share this information with you." He gave him a look that was probably meant to be reassuring. "There is no ill will there. The king received this information only a few days ago and decided to act on it immediately."

"Someone gave him that information?"

"Ah... My mouth ran away with me." Daedae said, then looked around, as if he only now realized that they were in public. "Let us just say that there is an informant who brought the knowledge of the Ago remnants' location to the king's attention."

Their location... Somewhere along the cliffs a day's march south of Keomeuldun Stronghold, the rumor said.

It sounded vague, but Eunseom knew exactly which place they were talking about. But that was because he belonged to the Ago forces. So how could an outsider know?

It hit him all at once. How bad this was. Eunseom's mouth suddenly felt very dry, and the stuffy air in the shop didn't help.

If this wasn't just based on some kind of rumor, if there was an informant among the Ago remnants, then they were in serious danger.

He had to do something.

He had to...

He didn't know how he made it back to his quarters in the palace. His legs moved on their own, and his mouth made up some kind of excuse to Daedae. Daedae couldn't know. If Daedae became suspicious... He just hoped that Daedae would write off his strange behavior as that of the spoiled Lord Saya, who was in a sulky mood because he was excluded from Tagon's plans, and nothing more.