Chapter 20 Summary: Sora Gears Up for the Unthinkable
⚠️ Spoiler Notice
This summary contains detailed spoilers for Chapter 20 of Five Broken Blades – Verrat ist Pflicht. If you haven’t read the chapter, proceed with caution.
Summary
Sora stands before her wardrobe, choosing the finest silk, velvet, and lace garments to bring on her mission. Beneath the luxurious pile she hides her fastest-acting poisons: sweet poison for desserts and wine, tasteless and odorless poison for food, and her best poisonous lipsticks. She selects the most exotic and lethal substances for which no antidote is known to her—though she suspects the palace stockpiles antidotes for everything. Her only chance is to catch the king alone, ideally outside the capital Qali.
Knowing the mission is likely suicide, she sits on her bed and buries her face in her hands. She accepts she will not survive and will never see Daysum again, but at least Daysum will be free. Sora regrets not understanding what her sister whispered in farewell. Her cat Mau jumps onto her lap; she has hired Gli to care for him, hoping Gli will continue after Sora’s death. She locks the leftover poisons in a box and places it atop the wardrobe, trusting the prince will empty the house after she is gone.
At noon, Tiyung, the prince’s only son, arrives. He is twenty-two, tall, with black hair, brown skin, and blue eyes—his mother’s. His handsome features mask cruelty. Sora snaps at him to have his servant fetch her luggage. After a tense exchange, they board a navy-blue carriage. Inside, she finds an unconscious man reeking of alcohol and perfume. Tiyung explains it is Duri, a nobleman he found drunk at his uncle’s pleasure house. Sora mocks his concern, and Tiyung retorts with a jab about poison being used from ambush.
The carriage halts at a villa. Tiyung kicks Duri awake, and the groggy man leers at Sora. Duri calls her “Püppchen,” but Tiyung warns him she belongs to his father. Duri leaves, thanking Tiyung, who threatens that Lord Kang must not hear of the incident. Alone again, Sora and Tiyung talk.
Tiyung admits he has no real friends; he only helped Duri to hold a debt over him. Sora says she once had friends, but his father killed them all. Tiyung leans forward and claims his homecoming reminds him of the same pain. Sora nearly feels empathy but stops herself, remembering Tiyung dragged her back from Xingchi when she pleaded to be freed, ignoring her story of the prince buying twenty girls, poisoning them, and selling their siblings to brothels. Worse, after they returned, Tiyung himself whipped Daysum and even asked, “No more?” when the prince ordered him to stop.
Sora resolves: once Daysum is free, she will kill Tiyung and send his head to the prince in a basket.
The conversation shifts to their route. Sora suggests avoiding Use, but Tiyung reveals they are not heading directly to Tamneki. Instead, they must go to Rahway—far to the west—and wait for further instructions from his father. Sora is suspicious and frustrated by the unexpected detour. She challenges him, but Tiyung answers that they have no choice. For a moment his eyes show genuine pain, but Sora steels herself against feeling sympathy. She knows she can never be friends with him, no matter how much she longs for companionship.
Key Events
- Sora packs luxurious clothes and lethal poisons for the assassination mission.
- She hires Gli to care for Mau and locks away leftover poisons.
- Tiyung picks her up; they travel with a drunk nobleman named Duri.
- Sora recalls Tiyung’s role in dragging her back from Xingchi and whipping Daysum.
- Sora vows to kill Tiyung after Daysum is free.
- Their route is changed to Rahway, adding uncertainty.
Character Development
Sora – Her acceptance of death shows her selflessness toward Daysum. She plans revenge against Tiyung, revealing a cold, determined side. Her fleeting desire for friendship highlights her loneliness, but her will to protect her sister overrides all.
Tiyung – He appears cruel yet claims he also suffers under the prince’s rule. His act of helping Duri is purely transactional. The brief emotional crack in his eyes hints at hidden depth, but Sora refuses to trust it.
Daysum (off-page) – Though absent, she is the emotional core. Sora’s entire mission is for her freedom, and the memory of Tiyung beating her fuels Sora’s hatred.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Poison as a Tool and a Trap – Sora’s meticulous packing of different poisons mirrors the careful calculation needed to survive in a world of manipulation. Even the most exotic poison may be useless if the palace has antidotes.
Clothing as Disguise – Silk, velvet, and lace conceal deadly intent. Sora literally hides poisons under elegance, symbolizing her role as a beautiful weapon for the prince.
Debt and Obligation – Tiyung collects debts from Duri; Sora owes the prince; Daysum’s freedom is the debt the prince owes her. The chapter runs on unbalanced ledgers of power.
The Wound of Betrayal – Tiyung’s participation in the whipping of Daysum is an injury Sora can never forgive. It cements that even shared suffering cannot bridge the gap between oppressor and victim.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 20 deepens Sora’s personal stakes. The assassination of the king becomes secondary to her private revenge against Tiyung. By revealing Tiyung’s direct cruelty, the chapter ensures the reader understands why Sora cannot be swayed by his moments of apparent humanity. The detour to Rahway adds narrative tension and signals that the prince’s plans are unpredictable, forcing Sora—and the reader—to adapt.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Sora decide to lock away some of her poisons before leaving?
She does not want Gli or anyone else to access them after she is gone. She trusts that the prince will clear out the house when she does not return, but locking the box provides immediate safety.
2. What event makes Sora irrevocably hate Tiyung?
After she was dragged back to Gain, Tiyung personally whipped Daysum when ordered by the prince. Worse, he asked “No more?” as if wanting to continue. This act of violence against her sister is unforgivable.
3. How does the change of route to Rahway affect the mission?
It introduces uncertainty. Instead of a direct journey to Tamneki, they must detour west and wait for new orders. Sora fears the prince’s opaque motives, and the delay could complicate the already dangerous plan to assassinate an immortal king.