Chapter Seventeen: Pirate Attack on the Sol River
⚠️ 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
Royo and Aeri are aboard a riverboat on the Sol River in Yusan when a pirate fire ship closes in. Royo urgently tells Aeri they must escape, but she first insists on gathering her belongings. After arrows rain down and grappling hooks board the vessel, Royo kills three pirates who break into their cabin. Aeri, perched on the balcony railing, suddenly grips Royo’s hand and dives backward, pulling him overboard. Instead of hitting the cold water, they land in a lifeboat—both completely dry. Aeri rows while Royo regains consciousness, then he takes over. They watch both ships burn as they row away. Royo is stunned and cannot explain how they survived or ended up dry.
Key Events
- A fire ship carrying fifty Yusanian pirates approaches the riverboat
- Royo tells Aeri they need to jump overboard; she hesitates and argues about her trunks
- Pirates fire arrows, then throw grappling hooks; Royo kills three pirates on the balcony
- Aeri dives backward off the railing, pulling Royo with her
- They land in a lifeboat, entirely dry, as the pirate ship and riverboat burn
- Royo rows them to safety, baffled by the impossible escape
Character Development
- Royo – His primary motivation is to get Aeri and the diamond safely to Oben so he can pay off Savio and save his brother Hwan. The attack sharpens his protective instincts and his willingness to kill. He is also forced to acknowledge that Aeri is not as helpless as he assumed.
- Aeri – Reveals unexpected resourcefulness and physical skill, especially her ability to pull Royo overboard and land them in a boat without getting wet. Her calm rowing afterward contrasts with her earlier indecisiveness, hinting at hidden capabilities.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Survival vs. Greed – Aeri’s initial focus on her trunks versus Royo’s insistence on leaving everything behind highlights the tension between material attachment and the instinct to survive.
- Appearance vs. Reality – Aeri’s delicate appearance and earlier hesitation mask a secret talent that enables their escape. The dry lifeboat suggests there is more to her than meets the eye.
- The Fire Ship – Represents the destruction of the old path; the riverboat burning forces Royo and Aeri into a new, uncertain journey.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter Seventeen is a turning point for the Royo–Aeri partnership. Royo’s combat skills are tested, but it is Aeri’s mysterious action that saves them. The impossible nature of the escape—landing dry in a lifeboat—opens the first clear hint that Aeri possesses abilities beyond ordinary. The chapter also reinforces the high stakes: Royo’s failure would mean Hwan’s death, making every decision life-or-death.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Royo become so frustrated with Aeri during the attack?
Aeri repeatedly delays their escape by arguing about her belongings, especially her trunks. Royo knows that every second lost increases the chance they will be captured or killed, and he cannot afford to return to Umbria without her or the diamond.
2. How does Aeri’s action at the end of the chapter challenge Royo’s understanding of her?
Aeri dives backward off the railing, pulls Royo with her, and they land in a lifeboat completely dry—an outcome that should be physically impossible. This forces Royo (and the reader) to reconsider her as more than a weak or foolish noblewoman.
3. What does Royo’s internal monologue reveal about his larger goal?
His thoughts about needing the diamond to “pay off Savio” and prevent Hwan’s death show that the mission for the king is secondary to a personal, desperate need. The attack only heightens his determination not to fail after eight years of preparation.