Chapter Thirty – The Bounty of Four Million
⚠️ 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
Tiyung and Hana arrive in the coastal city of Trove, soaked and cold. They stop at a messenger house, where Tiyung sends a coded letter to his mother, though he lacks his seal and doubts it will reach the palace. Hana sends two envelopes and receives one in return. She decodes the letter with a pencil and, without revealing its contents, burns it in the fire. Once the papers are ash, they leave.
As they walk to their horses, Tiyung presses Hana for information. She reveals that Sora, Mikail, Royo, and Aeri are alive and in Rahway. Overjoyed, Tiyung feels the muddy city become beautiful. However, Hana’s troubled expression hints at bad news. Tiyung asks directly: King Seok believes Tiyung is dead and has placed a bounty on the five blades—one million gold each for Sora, Aeri, Euyn, and Mikail, to be brought in alive. Royo is excluded. The total of four million gold is the highest bounty in realm history, ensuring the hunted will be pursued by every bounty hunter and the king’s guard.
Tiyung wants to ride to Rahway immediately, but Hana tells him the group has already left, possibly heading to Oosant, though she suspects disinformation. Hana’s source is someone from her past, but she admits the source cannot be fully trusted; only their interests align for now. With no better plan, Tiyung agrees to stay the night at The Maker’s Inn.
At the inn stables, Tiyung helps Hana dismount and carries their luggage. While crossing the street, Hana nearly gets hit by a carriage. Tiyung grabs her, but they both slip and fall into the gutter, landing in muck. Laughing despite the filth, Hana thanks him sarcastically and calls him Ty for the first time. Tiyung’s joy at the blades’ survival is now overshadowed by the bounty. He resolves to go to the palace tomorrow to confront his father and discover the real scheme, hoping to stop the manhunt before it succeeds.
Key Events
- Tiyung and Hana send and receive messages at the Trove messenger house; Hana burns her decoded letter.
- Hana reveals that Sora, Mikail, Royo, and Aeri are alive in Rahway.
- King Seok has placed a four-million-gold bounty on Sora, Aeri, Euyn, and Mikail, believing Tiyung dead.
- Hana refuses to go to Rahway; the group has already fled and their location is uncertain.
- Hana admits her source is not trustworthy, only temporarily aligned with their goals.
- Tiyung saves Hana from a carriage, but they both fall into the gutter, sharing a moment of laughter.
- Hana calls him Ty for the first time.
- Tiyung decides to ride for the palace the next day to reason with Seok.
Character Development
Tiyung experiences a swift emotional shift from exhilaration at the blades’ survival to dread over the bounty. His instinct to ride immediately to help them shows his loyalty, but he accepts Hana’s pragmatic advice. The gutter fall lets him drop his princely composure and laugh with Hana, marking a moment of vulnerability and trust with her.
Hana remains guarded and pragmatic. She shares just enough of her intelligence to keep Tiyung informed while protecting her sources. Her acceptance of Tiyung’s help and her reciprocal humor hint at growing trust, yet she still withholds the full truth.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Bounty as a weapon: The four-million-gold bounty symbolizes King Seok’s ruthless use of wealth as a tool of control and punishment, far exceeding any previous reward.
- Rain and mud: The monsoon setting reflects Tiyung’s emotional turmoil—beauty undercut by filth. The gutter fall literalizes his fall from hope to gritty reality.
- Trust and deception: Hana’s ambiguous source represents the theme of unreliable alliances; even allies may serve their own ends.
- Bonding through mishap: The carriage incident, though embarrassing, deepens the emotional connection between Tiyung and Hana, introducing a lighter note into the tense narrative.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter drastically escalates the conflict by revealing the staggering bounty, making the blades’ survival a race against the entire realm. It also sets up Tiyung’s next move: a direct confrontation with his father. The softening of Tiyung and Hana’s relationship adds a personal stake to the political and survival plot, and the uncertainty of Hana’s source introduces a thread of intrigue that will likely affect future events.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does King Seok leave Royo off the bounty list?
The chapter does not provide an explicit reason, but Tiyung notes the omission is deliberate, suggesting Seok may have a specific plan for Royo or that Royo’s death is already assumed. This omission hints at deeper manipulation behind the bounty. -
What does Hana’s refusal to fully disclose her source indicate about her character?
It shows she is cautious, strategic, and accustomed to operating with partial trust. She believes that temporary alignment of interests is sufficient and does not need total loyalty—a pragmatic survival instinct that contrasts with Tiyung’s more idealistic approach. -
How does Tiyung’s reaction to the bounty reflect his growth from earlier in the book?
Tiyung panics but quickly moves from despair to a concrete plan: confronting his father at the palace. This proactive thinking, despite the overwhelming odds, shows he is no longer a passive prince but someone willing to risk direct action for those he cares about.