Traveling the Eastern Road in Yusan, Royo privately doubts the group’s plot: Tiyung’s family owns Sora’s indenture, Aeri’s hatred of King Joon feels deeply personal, and both Mikail and the supposedly dead Prince Euyn are dangerous men who might simply replace one tyrant with another.

In the carriage, Mikail probes Royo’s background, sensing he is not truly a guardsmith. With Aeri’s reluctant confirmation, Royo admits he is a strongman—muscle-for-hire—and Aeri vouches for him by recounting how Royo fought off pirates.

Royo presses Euyn about his “banishment,” and Euyn explains King Joon effectively sentenced him to death by exile. Royo then reveals another of Joon’s actions: an order to execute thousands of prisoners. Mikail confirms it, describing an edict to “cleanse the prisons,” supposedly for cost cutting, despite the king funding an enormous prize purse for the Millennial Championship.

Mikail adds that all prisoners with sentences longer than ten years are to be executed after the celebration, even if they were not originally sentenced to die. Disturbed, Euyn agrees that such deaths are unreasonable and says he would undo the law if he becomes king.

Realizing Euyn’s reversal could save Hwan and countless others, Royo formally pledges his loyalty. He offers his sword on the condition of Euyn’s promise, then kneels and declares fealty—committing himself to help Euyn take the crown, even if it means killing King Joon himself.