Kapitel 29 Euyn
Spoiler Warning: This summary and analysis contains major plot points from Chapter 36 of Five Broken Blades – Verrat ist Pflicht. Read only if you have finished this chapter or don’t mind spoilers.
Summary
Euyn arrives in Rahway, Yusan, bathed and dressed in new clothes, feeling reborn. At dinner with Prince Rune and Tiyung, he notices a stunning woman named Sora. When she mentions her original name, Athora, and her sister Daysum, Euyn is visibly shaken—he realizes he was lied to years ago about these two. Prince Rune then stages a dramatic demonstration: he poisons Sora’s water glass, lets a large dog drink from it, and the dog dies in convulsions. Yet Sora had been drinking from that same glass moments earlier and remains unharmed.
Rune explains that Sora is a product of a secret Gift School near Gain, where seventeen of the twenty most healthy and beautiful girls were systematically poisoned over ten years. Sora is one of the few survivors, now immune to over a hundred poisons and capable of killing with her kiss. The plan to assassinate King Joon involves having Sora get close to him, but first the crown—which grants Joon immortality—must be removed. Sora, who had been told she would kill a god, is shocked to learn the true nature of the target. She leaves the table in distress.
The chapter also reveals a new political alignment: the southern prince (Seok) and the western prince (Rune) are united, while the northern prince (Bay Chin) remains neutral and the eastern prince (Dal) awaits the conspirators in Tamneki. Euyn and Mikail must also find someone with the skill to remove the crown.
Key Events
- Euyn meets Sora, whose original name Athora triggers a memory of past deception.
- Prince Rune demonstrates Sora’s poison immunity by killing a dog with tainted water.
- The Gift School’s brutal training process is explained: seventeen girls died to create one poison assassin.
- Sora learns for the first time about the crown that makes King Joon immortal.
- Political alliances are clarified: South and West cooperate against North and East; the North stays neutral.
- Mikail recognizes Sora’s deadly potential and feels both respect and pity.
- Sora leaves the dinner in anger and confusion.
Character Development
Euyn shows vulnerability when Sora’s identity shakes him. He struggles to suppress past guilt and focus on the mission. His reaction hints at a personal history involving Athora and Daysum that the narrative has not yet fully revealed.
Sora is presented as a living weapon stripped of choice. Her anger at Rune’s callous demonstration, her clenched fists, and her retreat from the table reveal a person forced into servitude. Despite her deadly skills, she is kept ignorant of the conspiracy’s details—a pawn in a larger game.
Mikail remains observant and calculating. He reads Sora’s body language with professional admiration, recognizing her as a peer in lethality. His empathy for her suffering is a rare glimpse of his humane side.
Prince Rune embodies casual cruelty. He smiles while poisoning the dog, enjoys Tiyung’s discomfort, and treats Sora as a bargaining chip. His snake-like eyes and love of secrets paint him as a dangerous ally.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
Poison as a symbol of corruption and control: The Gift School and the systematic poisoning of girls represent the rot at the core of Yusan’s power structures. Sora’s immunity comes at the cost of her autonomy—she is both the cure and the poison.
Deception within the conspiracy: Sora is lied to about the true nature of the assassination target. This echoes Euyn’s own earlier sense of betrayal (connected to Athora/Daysum). The conspirators keep secrets even from one another, suggesting that trust is fragile.
The crown as a barrier: Joon’s immortality depends on a physical object that must be removed. This introduces a practical obstacle and reinforces the idea that true power lies in symbols, not just strength.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 36 introduces Sora, a key asset for the assassination plot, and expands the world’s political landscape. The revelation of the Gift School adds a dark layer to Yusan’s society, showing how human lives are commodified for power. Euyn’s personal history with Sora’s family creates a moral complication that may affect his loyalty to the mission. The chapter also clarifies the four-pronged conflict between the southern, western, northern, and eastern princes, setting the stage for complex alliances and betrayals ahead.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Euyn react so strongly when Sora says her original name is Athora and her sister is Daysum?
Euyn was lied to about these two in the past. He believed that Athora and Daysum were dead or something else entirely, and their sudden reappearance reignites a sense of betrayal and guilt he must suppress for the mission. -
How does the Gift School training shape Sora’s personality and abilities?
The training forced Sora to survive repeated poisonings, making her immune to many toxins and able to kill with a kiss. However, the years of suffering and the deaths of seventeen other girls have left her angry and distrustful. She is a lethal weapon who resents being used and kept in the dark. -
What does Prince Rune’s demonstration reveal about his character and methods?
Rune uses spectacle and violence to assert control. He derives amusement from others’ pain, as seen when he kills a dog in front of Sora and enjoys Tiyung’s discomfort. His willingness to sacrifice lives for a political goal shows him to be ruthless and manipulative, yet he is also a pragmatist who values results over sentiment.