[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter: 50
"A problem?"
Yoo Gueng replied with a troubled look.
"Well, Commander Heo asked the soldiers if they could use the training grounds..."
To summarize briefly, this is what happened.
Our dear Commander Heo asked the soldiers if they could use the training grounds, and the soldiers ignored Heo Seok-gyeom's words as if they hadn't heard him.
It was a clear and unmistakable act of disregard. So, Heo Seokgyeom and the other military officers in my group, unable to tolerate the injustice, called out one of the Wolhan Fortress's captain, but he also showed the sa attitude... and in the heat of the mont, a fight broke out, just like now.
A hollow laugh escaped my lips first.
My subordinates were being ignored. It made my blood boil.
"Are they still fighting?"
"It's not intense enough to be called a fight."
Yoo Gueng was taking their side, even though they were supposed to be on the sa team. I let out another hollow laugh and asked again.
"Either way, it's the sa thing. Where are they?"
"I'll guide you."
I imdiately followed Yoo Geung, and the Wolhan Fortress Lord followed , with a few of his soldiers trailing behind.
The place Yoo Geung headed to wasn't the training grounds or the lodgings, but a wide open space on one side of the fortress.
As I stopped, a group of bickering fools turned to look at us. It wasn't just one or two people. There were enough of them to sway the opinion within the fortress. I sighed.
"It seems your discontent is significant."
The mbers of my group from the capital, recognizing , imdiately bowed their heads. The other fools next to them awkwardly gauged the situation, then belatedly bowed their heads upon noticing the Wolhan Fortress Lord standing behind .
This was a mont where I could truly feel that the authority of the capital didn't hold much sway here.
"Raise your heads."
At my command, the idiots all raised their heads at once.
"What's the problem?"
My words made the fools flinch.
"It seems you have a lot of complaints. Why is that? Are you hungry? Did you not eat? Are you irritable because you didn't eat? It's past lunchti, why are you all like this?"
These weren't just empty words. If they understood the aning, it was quite an insulting remark. Because the Northern Region wasn't a place abundant in food.
No answer ca. Instead, the Wolhan Fortress Lord intervened.
I thought he would be angry, but the Wolhan Fortress Lord was indifferent.
"Your Highness."
He ant for to step back from this.
But this wasn't an issue between and the Wolhan Fortress Lord. The Fortress Lord could order them not to bother my group, but that wouldn't be a fundantal solution.
I knew it. Wolhan Fortress was filled with resentnt towards us from the beginning. I didn't know the exact reason, but it was clear that it couldn't be resolved overnight. And that resentnt was probably not the intention of the Lord of the Wolhan Fortress either.
The Wolhan Fortress Lord himself seed to have a different opinion from the prevailing sentint in this fortress, but so what?
Even if he suppressed their open resentnt, it would only be temporary.
I continued speaking, ignoring the words of Wolhan Fortress Lord.
"It seems like you have sothing you want to say. Let's hear it all here and now."
A few of the soldiers who had followed the Wolhan Fortress Lord gasped.
What, did they think a tyrant would beat around the bush?
It seems like they were expecting too much from a tyrant. They should be grateful I'm not showering them with curses.
But there was no answer. I generously gave them a chance to speak, and they're ignoring my goodwill like this?
"Hey, you guys. Are you all deaf? Can't you hear?"
For so reason, Heo Seokgyeom's face started turning red. Is it the hot weather? It's not really hot, though.
"Oh, this is a big problem."
Tsk tsk. As I clicked my tongue, the atmosphere grew darker. I'm not sure if it was because of or the Fortress Lord behind .
"The soldiers of Wolhan Fortress, who protect the northern border, can't even hear us talking from a stone's throw away?"
A few soldiers, including the captain, glared at . They sure know how to glare beautifully. I was about to say sothing when Heo Seokgyeom caught my eye.
"It seems our Commander Heo has trouble hearing as well?"
Heo Seokgyeom, perhaps rembering that I was an unpredictable tyrant, gave a polite answer.
"I apologize."
A few of them exchanged glances, still glaring at , then looked at each other again before glancing in the direction where the Wolhan Fortress Lord was standing. It seed they weren't afraid of , but they were afraid of the Wolhan Fortress Lord. Well, I suppose it made sense. I was just a visitor who would be leaving soon, so there was no need to worry about . On the other hand, the Wolhan Fortress Lord was soone who could reprimand them endlessly until the day he died, so he was probably scarier.
"Since I'm technically your superior, I should take responsibility if there's a problem."
The Wolhan Fortress Lord stepped forward again.
"Your Highness."
I couldn't ignore him twice, so I turned around.
"What is it, Fortress Lord?"
"It's my responsibility for failing to prevent the lax discipline. Please don't worry..."
"Lax discipline is inevitable. I understand."
Because no one was as lax as .
Even though I interrupted him and spoke my mind, the Wolhan Fortress Lord didn't react much.
"It's not your fault that your soldiers look down on ."
As I chuckled and said this, the Wolhan Fortress Lord's expression noticeably hardened.
"Your Highness."
His tone beca firr. So what? My mouth didn't stop.
"If you're all so skilled, then it's inevitable that I seem insignificant. If calling soone incompetent is a sin, then everyone in the world would be a sinner. The truth is the truth, and a lie is a lie. It's the right principle. If it's true that I'm laughable, then who can I bla?"
As I rambled on with nonsense, silence fell around us.
I continued talking without a care.
Because, in truth, it wasn't really nonsense.
If the Second Prince, not , were in this position, would they dare to treat my subordinates in such a way?
No, they wouldn't.
No matter how far Wolhan Fortress in the Northern Region is from the capital, and how difficult it is for its influence to reach here, they can't completely ignore the capital.
All of this is simply because I'm weak.
Because I have nothing and I'm weak, even those who follow are being looked down upon.
There are tis when you should endure, tis when you can endure, and then…
"So why don't you show ? Anyone is fine."
...There are tis when you shouldn't have to endure.
Perhaps sensing sothing was amiss, Heo Seokgyeom furrowed his brow.
"Your Highness?"
"Why do you keep calling ? It's getting annoying."
I clicked my tongue and approached the fools. As I got closer, they flinched.
"Why don't you show ? How strong and brave the soldiers who protect the Northern Sword, the Northern Shield, this massive Northern Wall, are. Then, even if you say you're treating this way because you look down on , I'll have to accept it, won't I?"
The so-called captain opened his mouth.
"I apologize, but with all due respect, the idea that we look down on Your HIghness..."
"Shut up."
That bastard was the biggest problem. The ordinary soldiers had less responsibility, so I could just scold them and be done with it, but I had to make sure to step on this guy before I left.
As my words beca harsher, the atmosphere around us grew even colder. Even I, who was creating this atmosphere, could feel it.
At that mont, the Wolhan Fortress Lord intervened again.
"Your offense is grave! The First Prince Ikwon has co to assess the difficult situation in this fortress and take appropriate asures. How dare you create a situation that disturbs His Highness's peace of mind! Are you out of your mind?"
The Wolhan Fortress Lord, who usually seed calm to the point of being cold, didn't seem like he would suddenly beco enraged over sothing like this. More than anything, it felt awkward. He was deliberately scolding his subordinate to try and calm my outburst.
I understood the Wolhan Fortress Lord's intention to avoid making a big fuss, but nevertheless, I wasn't planning to stop.
"He's truly out of his mind. Hmm."
I nodded a couple of tis and then carefully observed the Wolhan Fortress soldiers.
"I thought you were looking down on , so I wanted to give you a chance to clear up my misunderstanding or help understand my place, but why is no one stepping forward? Is there not a single soldier in this fortress who follows the Fortress Lord's spirit?"
All of them were hot-blooded young n, and they seed unable to contain their provocation. They had been slightly subdued when the Wolhan Fortress Lord had reprimanded them, but as I started talking, their eyes gradually lost their respect.
"It seems that even if the upper stream is clear, the lower stream isn't always clear."
I clicked my tongue and sneered, making sure they saw.
Finally, soone stepped forward.
"My skills may be lacking to speak of the harshness of the North, but..."
It wasn't the captain. One of the soldiers, the largest among them, stepped forward.
"If you permit, I dare to ask for a chance to clear up the misunderstanding."
I readily agreed.
"Why not?"
The man was quite large. He was about half a handspan taller than . His eyes, looking down at , were full of defiance.
He was a bold one, despite not knowing what lay ahead.
"The only way for a warrior to prove himself is to display his swordsmanship."
"That's right."
"With all due respect, if you allow, I dare to draw my blade before Your Highness."
"That's also fine."
The man bowed low and said, "It's difficult to show the level of one's swordsmanship alone, so I dare to ask for an opponent."
"Sure."
I grinned. When I didn't respond further, the man spoke again.
"Who would you like to face?"
At that, I raised one index finger.
And then I pointed to myself.
Imdiately, the man's face was filled with shock.
"...Your, Your Highness?"
"Your Highness?"
Surprised murmurs also arose from those around us. But there was no need to look around. The shock on the man's face was enough to fuel my excitent.
Even though I wasn't particularly strong, I wasn't so pathetic that I would be easily defeated in front of the Wolhan Fortress Lord. I had put in my own efforts all this ti. I had trained whenever I had the chance, and besides... hadn't I recently acquired another weapon?
The acupuncture technique that Leader Shin had brought Soon Gang to teach .
"Your opponent is . I don't want to appear weak, so who else would I put forward?"
"B-But..."
"There's no need for 'buts'."
The man retorted, flustered.
"I cannot harm the First Prince!"
I pressed on my chest, following the thod Soon Gang had taught .
And then I grinned.
"Don't worry, that won't happen."
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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