Chapter 17 Summary: Daehyun – A Crane Among Wolves
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Daehyun finishes securing the saddle on his horse, recovered earlier by Wonsik from the forest. He hears a door slide open and sees Iseul emerge, supported by the shaman, wearing a clean white robe with her hair loose. Daehyun comments that she looks like a vengeful ghost, and she retorts that he is the sort she would haunt forever. Too tired to respond, he lifts her onto the saddle and is disturbed by how light she feels, a direct result of the king’s cruelty in taking food from the people. As he mounts behind her, a strange new anger rises in his chest, but he forces himself to suppress it, knowing that indifference has been his only way to stay sane.
They ride across the grassland. Iseul wiggles and twists, nearly elbowing him, and asks about Wonsik, who has ridden ahead to scout for soldiers. When they reach the Han River, Daehyun slows the horse to a trot and follows the river upstream. After two hours, the main road appears, dotted with people heading toward the capital.
Daehyun asks Iseul whether she has made up her mind about their earlier proposition. She stiffens, then replies that she has two paths that might lead to her sister: her bargain with the king and her bargain with him. She argues that she saw the king’s fury and humiliation, and she is certain he would trade her sister for Nameless Flower, given he has a thousand women. Daehyun asks if she would risk her life to find out. She sweeps her hair over her shoulder and begins braiding it as she speaks. She mentions that people whisper that if there is a revolt, it will be the heartbroken husbands and fathers who take down the king. Daehyun whispers, “And the sisters.” She clenches her fist, an angry flush rising up her collar, and affirms, “And the sisters.” She glances back at him, and a strange sensation stirs in his chest. He quickly looks away and speaks no more to her for the rest of the journey.
Key Events
- Daehyun prepares his horse while Iseul emerges from the shaman’s home in a white robe.
- He lifts her onto the saddle and is troubled by her fragility, connecting it to the king’s greed.
- Daehyun suppresses his growing anger and desire to care, clinging to indifference.
- They ride to the Han River and follow it upstream; Wonsik scouts ahead for soldiers.
- Daehyun asks Iseul if she has decided on their plan; she explains she has two paths (king and Daehyun) and believes the king will trade her sister for Nameless Flower.
- Iseul references popular whispers about a revolt by husbands and fathers; Daehyun adds “And the sisters,” acknowledging the role of sisters in any uprising.
- Iseul affirms the statement, and Daehyun feels a stirring emotion before turning away and remaining silent.
Character Development
- Daehyun: His internal conflict between caring and indifference is central. He feels anger at the king’s cruelty when he senses Iseul’s lightness, but he forces himself to stop. His whispered addition to Iseul’s revolt remark shows he identifies with her cause despite trying to remain detached. The strange sensation he feels when she turns back hints at emotional vulnerability he refuses to acknowledge.
- Iseul: She is resolute and pragmatic, weighing two plans to find her sister. Her fury at the king’s tyranny is visible in her flushed anger. She shares the common sentiment about revolt and accepts Daehyun’s inclusion of sisters, showing she sees their mission as part of a larger pattern of resistance.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Indifference vs. Emotional Engagement: Daehyun’s mantra of indifference is challenged by his physical reaction to Iseul’s plight and the anger he must suppress. The chapter highlights the cost of deliberate emotional detachment.
- Sisterhood and Shared Suffering: Iseul’s mission is driven by love for her sister. Daehyun’s addition of “And the sisters” broadens the revolt from a male grievance to a female one, symbolizing how tyranny victimizes all family bonds.
- Physical Lightness as Symbol: Iseul’s brittle, twig-like weight is a direct consequence of the king’s hoarding, making his cruelty tangible and personal for Daehyun.
- Bargaining with Danger: Both Iseul’s plans involve high risk—she acknowledges she might die but proceeds anyway, showing the desperate calculus of resistance.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 17 deepens Daehyun’s character by exposing his internal struggle between the safety of indifference and the pull of compassion. It also solidifies Iseul’s resolve and the pair’s uneasy alliance. The conversation about revolt foreshadows future conflict and positions their quest within a broader societal rebellion. The chapter ends with a charged silence, leaving their relationship ambiguous and their plans uncertain.
Study Questions and Answers
-
Why does Daehyun suppress his anger when he notices how light Iseul feels?
Daehyun has relied on indifference to stay sane; allowing himself to care would make him vulnerable to the pain caused by the king’s cruelty. He forces the feelings down to maintain his emotional armor. -
What are Iseul’s two paths to finding her sister, and why does she believe the king will trade?
She has a bargain with the king and a separate bargain with Daehyun. She believes the king, humiliated and furious, would exchange her sister for Nameless Flower because he has many women and could spare one. -
What is the significance of Daehyun whispering “And the sisters” after Iseul mentions husbands and fathers?
Daehyun’s addition acknowledges that women—specifically sisters—are also potential agents of revolt, not just victims. It aligns his mission with Iseul’s and signals that their personal quest is part of a larger, gendered resistance against the king’s tyranny.