The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die

Chapter: 133

I waved my hand, and Jincheon bowed and turned to leave.

"Where are you going?" I asked, but he seemed not to hear me. He just walked away.

"Hey, where are you going?"

He wasn't really going to clean the stables.

I narrowed my eyes and watched Jincheon's retreating figure before shaking my head.

"That insolent brat. I could just..."

I trailed off and made eye contact with Yoo Gueng, who looked puzzled.

"Why that face? As I always say, if you have something to say, just say it."

Yoo Gueng hesitated before speaking.

"I think you know that this isn't a normal situation."

I nodded.

"That's right."

But I didn't know what he was referring to.

"What are you trying to say?"

Yoo Gueng seemed slightly taken aback.

"I'm talking about Jincheon's talent."

"Oh, is that so?"

"...A blade that's too sharp can sometimes harm its wielder."

"Well... I've never been injured by my own sword."

I didn't realize he was worried about that.

"But if I were injured by a sword that was out of my control, that would be a different story."

"What do you plan to do with Jincheon?"

I glanced around. When I looked around, Yoo Gueng took a step closer.

Why was he doing this? I tried to deflect his question.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Your Highness," Yoo Gueng's expression turned slightly stern, "I have never lied to Your Highness."

I remembered what he had said before: 'No matter what happens, I will live as a warrior of Mokryeo.'

Hmm...

I still couldn't fully trust him. Perhaps it was my own problem. It was just that his loyalty always seemed to be directed towards 'doing the right thing'. And the 'right thing', as far as I could tell from my past life, was whatever benefited the Mokryeo royal family.

I continued to give a vague answer.

"Jincheon was brought here by my grandfather. Why are you so worried?"

I paused before continuing.

"You know he has nowhere else to go."

"But there are many powerful families who would be willing to take in a warrior with his skills at such a young age."

"You're worried about him betraying me."

"Yes."

I stared at Yoo Gueng for a moment before asking, "What do you think will happen to Jincheon? As a warrior, not as a soldier. Where do you think he'll go?"

I was suddenly curious about how Yoo Gueng saw Jincheon. Did he also see him as a monster?

And did he understand the danger Jincheon posed, as I did?

"To put it simply, I don't think I'll ever meet someone like Jincheon again. Given a few more years, I believe he could surpass even General So in his prime. At least, that's my prediction."

So had Yoo Gueng from my past life thought the same thing when he saw Jincheon?

No, he couldn't have.

While Jincheon was still a monster, he was nothing compared to what he would become in the future.

They were completely different beings.

I was slightly disappointed that Yoo Gueng didn't seem to recognize Jincheon's true value and danger.

"Well, I'll decide what to do with him."

I waved away his concerns.

"Just because he doesn't have anywhere else to go doesn't mean he's mine to keep forever."

“I see.”

Just then, Yoo Gueng added, “However, Jincheon is still very young."

My eyes widened.

“In truth, I felt ashamed, but I wanted to test his skills, so I asked him to spar with me. And…” Yoo Gueng bowed his head in shame, covering the back of his neck with one hand. “I felt like I was facing a different kind of being.”

I gaped at him, speechless.

After a moment, I replied, “You’re wrong.”

“Yes?”

I had thought the same thing. It felt like Jincheon saw the world, and his enemies, differently from how I did. It was as if, while I was standing on a mountaintop, he had ascended to the heavens.

I smiled bitterly. “...To see things differently... it's not possible, is it?”

Yoo Gueng looked startled.

“Perhaps Jincheon has some undiscovered ability. You might want to consider that…”

I shook my head. “No, there’s nothing like that.”

If he had any special abilities, the Huawei royal family wouldn't have let him roam free. They would have either forced him to join them or... killed him.

“In any case, I’m worried,” Yoo Gueng said. He quickly added, “I apologize for overstepping my bounds.”

“No, it’s alright.”

I stroked my chin. Then I turned my head towards the back. I could sense Jincheon’s presence.

He had stopped walking, realizing our conversation was about him.

He has sharp ears.

I chose my words carefully. “But it’s a sudden topic. Are you bringing this up because you think Jincheon might betray me?”

“That’s not what I meant. It’s just that there have been rumors among the soldiers about Jincheon.”

I joked, “You’re joining in on those rumors, too?”

“I assumed that Your Highness recognized Jincheon’s abilities early on and gave him special treatment.”

“That’s right, that’s right.”

Jincheon was listening to our conversation without leaving.

I decided to throw him a bone.

Even if he was as perceptive as a hawk, a little flattery might work on him, especially now.

“And I trust him.”

Yoo Gueng looked surprised.

“If I treat him sincerely, he will treat me sincerely.”

Of course, I knew that wasn’t true.

From my past life, I knew what motivated him.

Money? He didn’t seem interested in that.

Fame? That was obvious.

I racked my brain, trying to remember. The only thing he seemed truly interested in was killing me.

He had never married, nor had he taken on any disciples. He didn’t seem to care about family.

The same old question was bothering me again.

I didn't know. I'd think about it later. For now, I would leave it at that.

“Well, anyway. I won’t forget the contributions of those who fight for me. I can promise you that. And that includes you.”

I didn’t want to forget to remind him.

“If you ever suspect him of betraying me, make sure you tell me.”

“Of course, Your Highness.”

“Good.”

I nodded.

“And let’s make sure to completely wipe out those demons. That land looks promising.”

I pretended to be eager to fight, tapping the hilt of my sword at my waist.

“Yes, I will take care of it. However…”

Yoo Gueng’s gaze fell on my sword.

“There are many who would like to take Your Highness’s place.”

I chuckled, but nodded.

“You mean you want me to let you take the credit. Alright, I suppose I can do that.”

Not all the volunteer soldiers and local militiamen who had followed my grandfather had the same motives. Of course, there were some who were truly dedicated.

Though I could probably count them on one hand.

“I guess I’ll stay behind.”

Some of the officers who were closely associated with my grandfather had been dismissed due to the failed coup.

They were mixed in with the troops, though no one explicitly told me. But I wasn't oblivious.

After all, the ultimate goal was to restore me to the throne. To achieve that, they needed a strong reputation. And that's where military merit came in.

"Jincheon's been causing too much trouble. I'll make him my personal attendant for now. Pass the word."

"Yes, Your Highness."

And so, the army marched towards the valley. The beasts, sensing the approaching humans, charged with ferocious intent. Jincheon's earlier bloodlust had stirred them up like a hornet's nest.

Though the enraged beasts swarmed, the army's morale remained high. Those who were eager to earn merit were undeterred by the tough, leathery hides of the beasts.

They slaughtered the creatures as if they were hunting in a game reserve.

The soldiers and commanders from the northern region were momentarily stunned by the sight, but soon ignited with a similar fervor.

Among them, one person stood out. As expected, it was Gong Chomun.

Towards the end of the battle, he was covered in blood, laughing heartily.

Even after the situation had calmed down and a new camp was established, Gong Chomun remained a focal point. He was often surrounded by a crowd.

As the battles continued, his following grew.

If he had been incompetent, no one would have paid him any mind. But after slaughtering dozens of beasts and laughing heartily, he had captured the attention of many.

A general's hearty laughter is often a popular trait. However, Gong Chomun only interacted with the commanders who were loyal to my grandfather.

And when the commanders from the northern region tried to talk to him, he would brush them off.

Nevertheless, perhaps because they were both from the capital, Gong Chomun was quite friendly towards Yoo Gueng.

The only problem was that Gong Chomun would often appear whenever Yoo Gueng was trying to connect with the commanders from the northern region, interrupting them.

It was easy to see that he would soon form his own faction within the army.

I unfolded the map of the demon realm and calculated how far we were from the agreed-upon meeting point.

It was dangerous to have factions forming in a place like this.

The only way to prevent further division was to join forces with my grandfather's army as soon as possible.

A few days later, we finally approached the agreed-upon meeting point.