Chapter Twenty-One: Tiyung’s Confessions on the Northern Road
⚠️ 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
Three days into their journey north, Tiyung and Sora share a tense carriage ride. Sora questions Tiyung’s motives after seeing him give silver to beggar children. Tiyung deflects but later admits he is not like his father, Seok. He recalls visiting his father’s secret poison school as a teenager, where he secretly watched over Sora. He confesses—only to himself—that he has loved her since he was ten. Their conversation turns to Seok’s hunger for power. Tiyung explains that some men are never satisfied, and he urges Sora to accept him as an ally. She reluctantly agrees. Tiyung reveals that his father has ordered him to kill Sora after the king is dead.
Key Events
- Sora observes Tiyung’s kindness to servants and beggars and challenges his intentions.
- Tiyung reflects on his past behavior at the poison school and admits he acted cruel to protect Sora from his father’s scrutiny.
- Tiyung recalls a girl’s body being burned on a pyre and his relief that it was not Sora.
- Sora asks why Seok wants more power when he already controls a quarter of Yusan.
- Tiyung tells Sora that power corrupts and that he wants to help her while he is still “the man I want to be.”
- Sora nods in agreement to become allies.
- Tiyung reveals his father’s order: kill Sora once the king is dead.
Character Development
- Tiyung: Reveals a hidden depth. He has loved Sora since childhood and deliberately played the tyrant to avoid his father’s suspicion. His kindness to beggars is genuine, not performance. He is aware of his own potential for corruption and wants to act before power changes him. The chapter shows his internal conflict between his father’s expectations and his own conscience.
- Sora: Remains suspicious but begins to see Tiyung as more than a copy of his father. Her question about Seok’s insatiable ambition reveals her own struggle to understand those who are “empty inside.” Her quiet agreement to ally with Tiyung signals a shift in their relationship.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Power and Corruption: Tiyung’s line “Power corrupts everyone” is central. He fears becoming like his father, who was once a good man. The journey north becomes a metaphor for the path toward power and the risk of losing oneself.
- Hidden Love: Tiyung’s love for Sora is a secret he cannot share—it would make him vulnerable to his father and unwanted by Sora. This unspoken affection drives his actions without her knowledge.
- Hunger: Seok’s insatiable desire for more is described as a “hunger” that can never be filled. This contrasts with the beggar children’s real hunger and Tiyung’s attempt to address it.
- The Poison School: Symbolizes Seok’s cruelty and control. Tiyung’s memories there show the systematic destruction of innocence and his own complicity through silence.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter Twenty-One provides Tiyung’s deepest perspective yet. It humanizes a character who initially seemed a cold heir. The revelation that his father ordered him to kill Sora raises the stakes for the alliance and creates dramatic irony: Sora trusts him, but Tiyung may be forced to betray her. The chapter also explores the theme of inherited corruption—whether Tiyung can escape his father’s shadow.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Tiyung claim he acted like a tyrant at the poison school? He says he pretended to be cruel to avoid his father’s attention. If he had shown kindness to Sora, Seok might have made her life harder or killed her. Protecting her required him to play the part of a ruthless heir.
2. What does Tiyung mean when he says “there are some men who only know hunger”? He refers to men like his father who are never satisfied with power or wealth. No matter how much they acquire, they always want more. This hunger is a void inside them, unlike Sora, who still has her humanity.
3. How does Sora’s view of Tiyung change during this chapter? She begins by suspecting his kindness is a performance. By the end, she agrees to be his ally, though she remains cautious. Her nod suggests she sees a potential difference between Tiyung and Seok, even if she does not fully trust him.