The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die Chapter 44

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 44

The Lord of Naam Fortress accepted my fake proposal. Since it was difficult to proceed with the formalities imdiately, he wrote a temporary Sasung as proof of our engagent and handed it over. The proper way would be to return to the capital later and submit a formal proposal.

Gae Yeohwa looked uneasy before I left.

It was absurd how her thoughts were written all over her face.

She seed to be thinking, 'I'm going to beco this man's subordinate...'

Even though the engagent wasn't sincere on my part either, her expression, as if she had been tainted by sothing filthy, annoyed .

But it was only natural, since it was a transaction, not loyalty.

If it weren't for her prophetic ability, I wouldn't have been so desperate.

Thus, I finished my business at Naam Fortress and mounted my horse.

Compared to Oro Fortress, where I had stayed before, it was quite noisy. Perhaps that's why my departure wasn't quiet either.

You could say there was a bit of a commotion.

"Eunuch Han, are you alright?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

I'm not talking about Eunuch Han.

"Are you really okay?"

"Yes, Your Highness. Don't worry."

Eunuch Han answered confidently. He was smiling. But it must still be uncomfortable. No matter how much he said he was fine, his actions couldn't lie. I didn't quite believe him.

"I don't know..."

It couldn't be helped. It was sothing I had to take care of. It was my fault too.

Gon was the one who caused the trouble, but I was the one cleaning it up.

I suddenly looked up at the sky. Thanks to the cool breeze, it was gliding through the blue sky.

As a human who couldn't leave the ground, it was a strange sight.

"Eunuch Han, tell if you're tired."

"Don't worry."

"You must tell ."

Since we were traveling with soone who wasn't fully healed, it seed we would need to take frequent breaks along the way.

"Yes, Your Highness. I will."

Eunuch Han closed his mouth, seemingly embarrassed.

Does he think he's the one who should be taking care of ? It's possible. After all, he's a eunuch.

He also seed concerned about the group's travel speed. But even Heo Seokgyeom, who had been nagging , wasn't actually a bad person, so he didn't say anything about Eunuch Han falling behind.

He just kept nagging at .

Did he find easier to pick on than Eunuch Han?

Since I was already labeled a troublemaker, I thought it wouldn't be bad to beco even more approachable and make friends. Just then...

Rustle.

Suddenly, in the middle of our journey, I sensed the presence of people. It wasn't just one or two people moving. To exaggerate a bit, even if I were taking a nap, I would have woken up startled by the presence.

It seed I wasn't the only one who felt it, as the others in my group, starting with , turned around one by one.

"What is it?"

I was the first to speak among the group who were now looking back. Then, the others also added their comnts.

"I sensed a presence, Your Highness."

"Ah, it wasn't my imagination."

"It seems soone is following us."

Since we had just entered a deserted road, it was possible that so idle fools were clinging to us. Like bandits or sothing.

If the identity of those presences turned out to be bandits, they would probably beco the unluckiest bandits ever. Except for Eunuch Han, everyone in the group was a trained warrior.

Moreover, even if they risked their lives and attacked us, there was nothing to steal.

"I will check it out, Your Highness."

While we were pondering what to do, one mber of the group stepped forward. Was his na Lee Gyeon-ui?

"Do so. Let's stop for a mont."

As the group stopped moving, Lee Gyeon-ui got off his horse and walked towards the rear.

The group watched him quietly. And a mont later, Lee Gyeon-ui, returned with a group of rchants.

As soon as the rchants ca into view, the group drew their weapons and changed their stance.

The air turned cold in an instant.

However, the fight we expected didn't break out. As soon as the rchant saw , he knelt on the ground and bowed his head.

"We greet your esteed presence."

"Uh... uh-huh."

You might think receiving formal greetings would always be exciting, but in reality, it's quite cumberso and burdenso.

Anyway, bowing their heads like that ant they already knew who I was.

Lee Gyeon-ui wasn't a fool, so he wouldn't have already told these strangers my identity. That ant they already knew about my movents, which was...

Very suspicious.

Before allowing these people, whose identities I didn't even know, to raise their heads, I asked about them.

"What is that?"

And instead of Lee Gyeon-ui's answer to my question, I heard Eunuch Han's advice.

"Your Highness, it is not proper to refer to people as 'that'."

Tthe group's expressions turned strange. How should I explain it? It was an atmosphere as if they were pitying Eunuch Han.

Why? I'm a troublemaker, so what's wrong with acting like one?

To change the subject, I asked Lee Gyeon-ui again.

"Anyway, who are they?"

They didn't seem like an ordinary group. In the first place, if they were people who fard for a living, they wouldn't even think of leaving their village.

They were carrying a lot of luggage, so they were rchants, but since they suddenly appeared near , the prince, it was worth being suspicious.

They even knew my identity. Maybe they were guests sent by my ugly younger brother.

"They are rchants who stayed in Naam Fortress for a while..."

"rchants?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

rchants traveling north from Na-am Fortress.

"Shall we check them out?"

I had the military officials in the group check the luggage the rchants were carrying.

"The inspection is complete, Your Highness."

"Did you find anything? Anything strange?"

"There seems to be nothing unusual."

The luggage contained goods for sale.

There didn't seem to be any reason for major suspicion, but my gut still told they were fishy.

I raised my hand and beckoned Lee Gyeon-ui closer.

"I'll ask one thing myself."

I jumped off my horse and approached the man who seed to be the head of the rchants. Judging by his appearance from above, he wasn't soone I knew. But why did he feel familiar?

Huh?

Wait, a familiar feeling?

After a brief mont of conflict, I spoke.

"Raise your head."

Then, all the rchants raised their heads at once.

"Hmm?"

Sothing...

I don't know why, but it was a very familiar atmosphere.

I unconsciously leaned my head forward and stared at the man in front of .

I didn't just stare, I tilted my head from side to side, observing him carefully.

"Hmm..."

Why did he feel so familiar?

"Who are you and where are you from? State your na and affiliation."

When I asked, the man replied.

"My na is Go Yeong-shin, and I am the head rchant of Pyeonggwang rchant Group."

Go Yeong-shin, the head rchant of Pyeonggwang rchant Group...

Wait.

What?

"Pyeonggwang rchant Group?"

Go Yeong-shin bowed his head and answered.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Pyeonggwang rchant Group?

That's absurd. Was this the reason I found them suspicious? I scoffed. But Go Yeong-shin didn't react.

"...So that's why you appeared like this."

The situation was clear. Who was the head of the Pyeonggwang rchant Group? It was none other than Shin Gwiryung, my maternal grandfather's supplier of the bellflower.

A head rchant wasn't a low position either. That ant he had sent soone of that rank to follow .

I wasn't particularly offended. Regardless of the reason, it ant that at least a head rchant was needed to be worthy of following .

If they were from the Pyeonggwang rchant Group, it was understandable why they knelt as soon as they saw .

"Alright. Now that I know, you can go back."

I waved my hand dismissively. But they wouldn't have co all this way just to say hello. They would stick around, as expected.

And as expected, they did.

"Your Highness."

"Yes, what is it?"

"With all due respect, we have an earnest request."

Ugh.

I didn't have any ill feelings towards this man, but for so reason, Shin Gwiryung, who must have given the orders from above, made uncomfortable.

Even if it wasn't him directly but soone associated with him, it was still uncomfortable.

I felt like Shin Gwiryung was watching from sowhere, even though I was dealing with soone else.

...It must be my imagination, right?

He was a busy man, so it would be impossible for him to chase all the way here. Yeah.

I reluctantly replied.

"...What is it?"

Go Yeong-shin's eyes lit up as he spoke.

"Thanks to Your Highness's grace, our Pyeonggwang rchant Group is prospering without any trouble, so we are deeply grateful even to speak to you..."

Was it okay to say sothing like this? But even if everyone else in the world was a fool, Shin Gwiryung wouldn't be.

He was destined to beco the head of a giant rchant group that would devour the entire nation and even expand overseas. He wouldn't make a mistake like this. He clearly wanted to make it known in front of my entourage that I had a connection with the Pyeonggwang rchant Group.

I didn't know if it was for my benefit or his, but even if it wasn't for right now, it would all co back to soday.

As long as Shin Gwiryung held a grudge against Queen Woo, there was no one else he could reach out to but .

"We earnestly beseech you to allow us to travel with you, Your Highness!" Go Yeong-shin exclaid passionately.

It wasn't uncommon for rchants to attach themselves to a group of warriors. Whether it was bandits, wild beasts, or magical beasts, they were all dangerous enemies to people like them.

I could feel everyone staring at . Their gazes poked at my back.

"Where are you going?"

Actually, it was sothing I didn't even need to ask.

There was only one place a rchant group heading north from the capital could go.

The center and focal point of the north.

Wolhan Fortress.

Among the places you could go by passing Naam Fortress and heading further north, there wasn't a single place where comrce flourished. Except for Wolhan Fortress. But that wasn't because Wolhan Fortress had a thriving economy or amazing specialties, it was simply because there was a big city in Wolhan Fortress.

"For your information, I'm going to Wolhan Fortress. You're going to Wolhan Fortress as well, right? It's obvious. We'll stop by Gurye Fortress on the way, but we won't stay long. You guys, uh, sell stuff, right? You must be selling sothing. I can't wait for you to do that."

The fact that I was going to Wolhan Fortress was already widely known in the capital. And I had already confird that they were from the famous Pyeonggwang rchant Group. So even though I had revealed my destination, my entourage didn't try to stop .

"Our destination is also the sa, Your Highness. We plan to only spend the night in Gurye Fortress and pass through, but if it goes against Your Highness's wishes, we will not impose and will rely on our own strength..."

"Alright."

I nodded, feigning annoyance. Then, Go Yeong-shin and the rchants bowed their heads.

Formal greetings are truly uncomfortable.

As soone with a commoner's disposition, I still found the act of bowing awkward.

"Then let's go."

I mounted my horse again. Since the rchants were traveling on foot, the group's speed inevitably slowed down. But even this ti, Heo Seokgyeom didn't express any dissatisfaction.

I guess I'm the easiest target.

As we were traveling for a while, Yoo Geung spoke to .

"Your Highness."

"What is it?"

"I am deeply moved by Your Highness's kindness."

I looked at Yoo Geung with a weary expression, and saw his eyes were sparkling.

It was a very burdenso gaze.

"Commander Yoo."

"Yes! Your Highness!"

Look at that spirited response. Why is he acting like this?

I frowned.

"Just look ahead."

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]