The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die

Chapter: 129

1 Second.

Gong Chomun struck first, launching a powerful downward swing at the approaching Jincheon. Jincheon easily dodged it, ducking to the side.

2 Seconds.

The tip of Jincheon's sword aimed for Gong Chomun's waist. Gong Chomun reacted immediately, turning his body and parrying Jincheon's sword with his own. A counterattack followed immediately.

3 Seconds.

Gong Chomun turned half a circle again, aiming for Jincheon's head. But it was Jincheon who had the speed advantage.

Jincheon slipped behind Gong Chomun and swung his sword upward diagonally.

4 Seconds.

Gong Chomun raised his sword to block Jincheon's attack. Then, Jincheon's relentless assault poured down.

Gong Chomun, unable to readjust his posture, was pushed back a step.

The onlookers gasped in amazement.

And so, 9 seconds passed.

Jincheon deftly dodged the trajectory of Gong Chomun's sword and switched the sword to his other hand as if throwing it. Then, he slashed hard at Gong Chomun's unprotected left upper arm.

Immediately, Gong Chomun's face contorted.

"Ugh..."

Drip, drip-

A few drops of bright red blood fell to the ground.

It was flowing from Gong Chomun's forearm.

"Ha, ha..."

He grabbed his bleeding arm with his other hand, and blood smeared across his palm. He stared at his crimson palm and chuckled.

"Ha!"

Clang-!

Gong Chomun threw his sword away. The sword landed on the ground with a loud clang.

Gong Chomun strode towards Jincheon, who was a few steps away.

His aura was ominous, and I involuntarily took a step back.

Sure enough, Gong Chomun grabbed Jincheon by the collar and lifted him up.

No matter how talented Jincheon was, his body was still thin and it seemed difficult to escape Gong Chomun's grip.

"You little brat..."

Gong Chomun gritted his teeth. I grabbed the arm that was gripping Jincheon's collar.

"Let go."

Gong Chomun turned his head sharply and glared at me. He was seething with anger.

“There’s no law that says you can attack your superior.”

What a ridiculous thing to say.

"Law? That was just an accident during a duel."

"Are you protecting this slave right now?"

Gong Chomun snarled as he shook Jincheon by the collar.

Jincheon looked like he was about to explode.

Oh, no.

This was a real mess.

It seemed I wasn't cut out to be a leader after all.

How could a conflict aise so soon after I took charge?

How could I possibly inherit the throne if I couldn't even manage a mere two thousand people?

I wanted to tell the ghost of the founding king, "Excuse me, old man. I think you chose the wrong person. I think I'd be better suited as a stable boy, as that crow of yours suggested. I'm sorry!"

...But if he could hear me, he would probably kill me. I was certain of it.

"Isn't that a bit much for a mentor?"

I glanced at Jincheon and tried to persuade Gong Chomun again.

"Watch your tongue."

Anyway, how did Jincheon get so strong?

He didn't seem to be this skilled when I watched him train...

Could it be that those Huawei Kingdom assassins had approached Jincheon without my knowledge?

I swallowed hard without realizing it.

I raised my hand and unconsciously touched the back of my neck.

The sensation of Jincheon's sword slicing through my neck was still vivid.

Jincheon looked at me.

His eyes were still innocent.

Yes, he was still just a kid. If the Huawei people had wanted to recruit him, they would have done so long ago.

If they had recognized Jincheon's true value, they wouldn't have wasted their time killing a prodigal prince who had long been out of favor with the current king.

As I thought about that, the phantom of the blade hovering around my neck disappeared.

Also, Jincheon didn't use the same swordsmanship as those guys.

For those guys, 'recruiting talent' was synonymous with passing on their secret swordsmanship.

Judging by Jincheon's real skills that I had just witnessed, if he had received it from those assassins, he would have already mastered the new swordsmanship and even created a way to counter it.

But the Jincheon in front of me was still just the young Jincheon.

I grabbed Gong Chomun's arm and pulled him away from Jincheon. Jincheon's feet, which had been dangling in the air, finally touched the ground.

"First of all, he’s no longer a slave since he has been granted freedom."

I pulled Jincheon beside me and covered his head with my palm.

"Now that he is a commoner, if he has any talent, he has the opportunity to contribute to the country just like anyone else. Of course, his status will be lower than yours, but that doesn't give you the right to grab someone else's collar and shake them for such an unreasonable reason."

Gong Chomun stared at me intently. I wondered if he was challenging me, but then he bowed his head.

"I apologize, Your Highness. I was excited by Jin Cheon’s skills. I will gladly accept any punishment for causing this disturbance."

Punishment? If I punished him, the volunteer soldiers who shared my grandfather's ideals might resent me.

Besides, Gong Chomun had already been injured by Jincheon, so it wouldn't look good to others.

"Let's just consider this a warning."

However, Gong Chomun requested punishment again.

"No, Your Highness, please punish me."

"...If you really think you should be punished..."

"For the next seven days..."

I turned around. Next to my tent, the horse I had ridden was tied up. I pointed at the horse.

This would be a suitable punishment, not too harsh.

"You'll clean up the horse manure."

Gong Chomun replied without any sign of displeasure.

"Yes, I will."

Huh. I chuckled. I thought he would refuse, but he calmly replied and turned away.

I folded my arms and watched Gong Chomun's back as he went to clean the stables.

I began to think that Gong Chomun didn't simply join me because he admired my grandfather.

He seemed to want me to become king, in an overly obvious, almost desperate way.

Too much of anything is a bad thing.

"Your Highness."

Jincheon called me. I turned my head.

"I'm sorry."

Jincheon apologized in a voice as small as a child who had been scolded. Bu-seop clicked his tongue behind him.

"It's okay."

Jincheon was crazy anyway, so whatever he did was within the realm of possibility.

As long as he didn't kill me, that was fine.

I nodded.

"Just don't commit treason. You can do whatever you want."

I was being sincere.

But did he take it as a joke?

"I'm sorry..."

Jincheon apologized again in an even smaller voice.

"It's okay. By the way, you've improved a lot."

I looked at Jincheon’s hands. They looked a mess. Even someone with a natural talent would still get injured.

The scars on his young hands didn’t match his extraordinary skill.

I sighed inwardly. This kid makes me feel inferior just by existing.

“You should tell me about your accomplishments.”

Jincheon's head shot up.

His eyes lit up.

"...May I report my achievements to Your Highness?"

Hmm?

"Of course."

At my reply, Jincheon's eyes seemed to... sparkle. As if he had been waiting for these words.

Huh?

Then I felt a piercing gaze from behind.

I turned around, and about fifty paces away, a soldier was looking at me.

Or was he glaring?

I didn't know why, but he felt familiar. I was sure I had never spoken to this soldier before.

He was wearing the uniform of a lower-ranking officer, but I didn't recognize him.

Was there someone like him?

I couldn't remember. The piercing gaze continued to follow me, but I turned away from the soldier and went to find Yoo Geung.

Yoo Geung was talking to other soldiers.

“Captain Yoo.”

“Your Highness.”

Yoo Geung, who was holding a map, bowed his head. I asked him about Gong Chomun, who had served in the palace.

“Ah, Gong Chomun left the capital when I was in charge of a branch office. ...I don’t know the details.”

“Really? You were in the Golden Guards, so you must have heard something, right?”

Yoo Geung looked around and lowered his voice.

“I heard that he had a rather peculiar personality. But he was also very outgoing, so many people followed him. I remember one incident…”

I nodded.

“What was it?”

“I apologize, but I overheard Your Highness talking about Gong Chomun’s time in Blood Cloud Fortress.”

Of course Yoo Geung would have heard, since he was right next to me.

“Yes, go on.”

“At that time, he went missing for fifteen days. Everyone thought he was dead, but contrary to expectations, he returned to the main camp in perfect condition.”

He went missing while fighting in Blood Cloud Fortress?

And he returned safely? ...Even the most experienced warriors couldn’t survive alone in that place.

Even though I had lived in Blood Cloud Fortress my whole life and had only explored a part of the nearby Taeryeong Mountains, I was barely able to survive. Most of the Huawei enemies who had been searching for me had died.

So, the fact that a general sent from the capital returned alive was an unbelievable story, unless he was incredibly lucky.

“I heard that he changed a lot after that... But looking at how he is talking to you, it doesn’t seem so. However, this is just what I heard. Please trust your own judgment.”

Yoo Geung added with an uncertain tone. I nodded.

I had thought I could trust him because he was brought here by my grandfather, but now I had a suspicious feeling.

It was suspicious that he was so interested in Jincheon.

Of course, it was natural for people to be curious about a boy the prince was bringing around, but the problem was the way Gong Chomun was interested in Jincheon.

There was no reason for a warrior of his caliber to provoke a young boy.

“I understand. You should rest too.”

I patted Yoo Geung lightly on the shoulder.

“It’s reassuring to have you around.”