Redder Than Wine
"Traveling all over the place on the empire's dime, are you?"
"This is the first I've heard that the empire covered my travel expenses, Warden."
Pop! Bang bang!
Helena, her face expressionless, and Cynthia, grinning from ear to ear, set off small firecrackers.
"Welcome back, Vice Warden Seolhwa."
"Long journey—hope you didn't come empty-handed."
Even the most modern prison among the empire's facilities, Utopia was still a prison. Seolhwa pondered if it was right to celebrate his return from solitary like this, but he handed out the gift-wrapped boxes one by one anyway.
To Ilka Pavola, who had gone to the great lengths of bringing the money all the way to Petergorsk, Seolhwa presented a top-grade feather quill crafted in Moribwe as a token of appreciation.
"Oh! My thanks. I'll use it for the daily newspaper crosswords."
To Cynthia, who had provided him that intel: special magic cookies from Moribwe.
"Oh my. The ones where the flavor changes with every bite? Can't wait to see the pigeons' faces."
To Helena, hiding her anticipation behind her stoic mask: a dagger for self-defense, crafted in a Moribwe workshop.
"I've been meaning to get one someday. Thank you."
And since the mobile patrol captain, Boris, was lingering like he had to stick around: a bottle of rum recommended by Francis Fraia.
"Uh... uh, yes. Thank you. I'll have it after my shift."
He distributed smaller souvenirs to the rest of the Utopia headquarters staff as well. Taking leave to travel to a distant territory like Moribwe wasn't easy, so Seolhwa's gifts earned universal praise.
"Ahem! Hem hem!"
"...?"
In the weekly meeting room of Utopia, where everyone was happy for once, Jepeto cleared his throat repeatedly.
"Ahem. Well... er, hem."
"Something caught in your throat? Water?"
"Are you doing this on purpose? Or is it because I signed those dispatch papers on my own?"
"Ah, so that's what this is about."
The staff, unwrapping souvenirs, sensed the shift and looked up. Spotting Seolhwa's razor-sharp smile, they quickly excused themselves from the meeting room.
"Uh, I've got business in the cell blocks..."
"Warehouse cleanup's today, right? On my way!"
"I was on duty yesterday, so I'll go clock out."
Only the executives like Helena and Boris, plus Cynthia and Ilka, remained in the meeting room.
"Who the hell! I don't know who signed it, but in broad daylight! In a big city like Manrmursk! Got himself arrested by the guards!"
Jepeto shrank under Seolhwa's seething intensity, his words laced with barely contained fury.
"Doesn't bother me at all."
He's pissed.
Yep, totally pissed.
Cute side to him.
Everyone but Seolhwa shared a moment of agreement. Except Jepeto, who had to deal with the fallout himself.
"Well, see... what I mean is..."
"Yes. Go ahead and make your excuses."
"But Byeon Gyeongbaek sent an official dispatch himself—couldn't just flat-out refuse, right?"
"Funny, the warden I know wouldn't sweat something like that."
"What do you take me for?"
Seolhwa was tempted to rub it in more, but decided to let it go.
"Fine, I get it. Can't stay mad at my direct superior, right?"
"Right, right. I apologize. So, what I was getting at..."
"What is it? You've been hemming and hawing."
Jepeto hesitated like a dog needing to go out.
"No gift or souvenir for me?"
* * *
Pop!
As the cork flew out, a rich aroma tickled the nose. Staring into the glass of deep red liquid made it feel like you'd fall right in.
"As expected! Moribwe fairy tears are the best! My retirement's off to a great start with a subordinate like you."
In Warden Jepeto's office, he gazed fondly at the case of fairy tears Seolhwa had gifted him.
"You think I'd skip you of all people?"
"Your face earlier said otherwise."
Clink!
"Ahh... how is the finish this smooth?"
Savoring the aftertaste, Jepeto rummaged through the messy pile of documents and pulled out a few sheets of parchment.
"What's this?"
"Take a look."
The parchment with Jepeto's name was already open; the two with Seolhwa's still had their seals intact. Guessing the contents, Seolhwa opened Jepeto's first.
I, Rudolf von Romanov II, approve the request of Utopia Warden Jepeto Cervantes and hereby permit the transfer of the Utopia warden position to Suhwa Romanov upon this edict's arrival at Utopia.
"Retiring at last?"
"Time to go fishing. You're dying to see yours—open it already."
"Can't I do it alone in my room?"
"Hey now!"
Seolhwa tilted his glass slightly, then broke the seal on the one with his name.
I, Rudolf von Romanov II, approve the request of Utopia Warden Suhwa Romanov and hereby permit the transfer of the Utopia warden position to Boris Lesner upon this edict's arrival at Utopia.
Identical to Jepeto's, except the names were swapped.
"Shouldn't you have shown this to the mobile patrol captain too?"
"I just found out myself—how? Tell him tomorrow."
No wonder Boris had looked clueless when receiving his gift. Imagining Boris Lesner's face tomorrow was its own amusement.
The next edict...
The remaining one addressed to Seolhwa was far shorter than the others—just a single line and the emperor's seal.
"Warden... er, Jepeto?"
"Mmm, sounds good. No pesky titles after my name."
"Do you know what this second edict says?"
"I don't make a habit of peeking at others' mail."
With a light smile, Seolhwa handed the parchment to Jepeto, who had just drained his glass and was refilling it. His eyes shifted to Seolhwa's edict.
Suhwa Romanov's petition is hereby approved.
Glug glug glug.
The priceless 30-year Moribwe fairy tears soaked the office floor.
"Argh! What a waste..."
"You know what petition this approves, right?"
"Of course. Felt like my life was flashing before my eyes."
Seolhwa's audacious petition to the emperor: permission for a rebellion against the empire. To Jepeto, it felt like Palatium might become his grave.
"Never dreamed he'd approve it."
"A gamble worth taking when even his own aides can't be trusted."
"Where do you plan to stop a rebellion? Hell, I don't even know your real goal."
Academy valedictorian, a once-in-a-generation talent. Yet he volunteered for a backwater prison like Utopia. Upon arrival, he bested the mobile patrol captain to prove his strength and won over inmates like Cynthia and Ilka. He pitched rebellion to the visiting emperor, then attended the electors' Round Table and secured arms and horses for 3,000 mercenaries.
"Seolhwa. What are you really running toward?"
"My goal?"
"What's waiting at the end?"
The crimson fairy tears shattered in the sunset glow. Seolhwa's eyes, splintered into a thousand shards, weren't seeing this moment.
Should I reveal it now?
Everyone Seolhwa had connected with in Utopia was necessary, but Jepeto was essential. A peerless general who proved himself across countless battlefields. A man who cast off his hard-earned ducal title without regret to leave the capital for power's sake. That's why even Seolhwa couldn't pinpoint what Jepeto truly wanted.
But.
Can't wait for perfect conditions forever...
"Do you know the Three Dukes who propped up the kingdom?"
"Post-war generation might not. They've become the empire's two great dukes now."
"Know which houses they were?"
"Sachsen, Fraia. And..."
"Ironheart."
Seolhwa nodded lightly and continued.
"They held such vast mithril mines that all mana reaction stones—or mana stones—came from Ironheart."
"The forces raised to guard those mines became a mighty knight order, and with no mage able to ignore mana stones, they even built a magic tower within the family. Immense power."
"But that became their poison."
"Yes."
"Family vaults overflowed with mana stones and gold. Crowds wore paths to the gates, desperate to curry favor with my father—or just glimpse him once."
"Even I, who ignored high society, knew of it. The influence was staggering."
"And so the family grew arrogant."
Ironheart never looks back. It was the proud family crest, but the world saw it differently: Ironheart 'even turns its back on its own vassals.' Who wouldn't bow to mighty Ironheart? Monopolizing mana stone trade—more valuable than its weight in gold—their power threatened even the throne. And the Ironheart Duke had no intention of hiding or sparing it.
"Enemies multiplied naturally. Alliances fractured, and on the day the territory burned, Ironheart's knightly houses ignored the summons."
"Shocking news. No matter how much Sachsen grew through war, I didn't think they could take Ironheart in territorial combat."
It felt like a fishbone stuck in his throat. For the first time since receiving his revenge oath amid endless flames, Seolhwa had to reveal himself to the world. Their emptied glasses remained unfilled; neither man lifted one.
"But... Seolhwa, I asked your goal. Why talk of a house already fallen?"
Jepeto wore a forced smile, though he surely suspected.
"That's why I mean to take it back."
The family castle blazed before his eyes.
"That fortress that seemed eternal."
The spires melting, crashing earthward.
"Even the tower where I stargazed with Father."
Shamanism training grounds with Teacher now danced with embers.
"The endless territory, mines, rights—all of it! Not leaving a single scrap!"
Bam!
He slammed the table hard enough to splinter it.
"Everything that should have rightfully been mine, Suhwa von Ironheart's by right—I will reclaim it all from Sachsen."
Only then did Jepeto raise his glass. His shoulders shook, unable to hide his mocking grin.
"So, will you join me?"
Seolhwa lifted his own.
"In a revenge that will spill blood redder than this wine?"