The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die - Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Jo Seunghoe, exhausted from setting up the barracks, crouched down in an empty space beside the tent to take a breather.

However, that spot happened to be the path between the barracks.

“What the hell, blocking the way.”

A man approached Jo Seunghoe from behind and kicked him hard in the back. Jo Seunghoe tumbled over helplessly.

He couldn’t help but be furious at being kicked while he was simply sitting there.

‘Which son of a bitch…’

He whipped his head around, nearly hitting his nose on the ground.

“What are you looking at?” The man said, his displeasure evident.

It was clear the man was picking a fight, but Jo Seunghoe couldn’t retort.

The man was wearing the armor of the elite forces’s soldiers, recently selected and appointed by Prince Ikwon himself.

“I apologize.”

As an ordinary soldier, he couldn’t argue with a special forces soldier who had Prince Ikwon’s backing. He swallowed his irritation and lowered his head.

Just then, someone approached.

“Ahem, Bu-Seop. You shouldn’t do that.”

A face that appeared glamorous at first glance. He had an air of leisure about him, as if he had never fought and sweated on the battlefield.

Despite being covered in dust and the blood of monstrous beasts, there was an undeniable magnetism that drew attention to him.

It was Prince Ikwon.

That damned prince who had dragged him from his peaceful life in a quiet prison to this place. The root cause of all his suffering.

‘Damn it, after working me like that, can’t you just let me rest?’

Feeling doubly annoyed, Jo Seunghoe quickly lowered his head. He wasn’t good at managing his expressions.

The prince casually slung an arm around the elite forces soldier, called Bu-Seop, and said with a chuckle, “Let’s all get along, okay?”

The prince’s eyes, which had been looking at Bu-Seop, suddenly turned towards Jo Seunghoe.

“In a situation where we could die at any moment, let’s not create reasons to hate each other. You might regret it later.”

“My apologies.”

Bu-Seop readily apologized. Jo Seunghoe’s lips jutted out, thinking that the apology should have been directed at him, not the prince.

“I wouldn’t want to nag anyone else, but I don’t want to nag you, Seop. You can go now.”

The prince removed his arm from Bu-Seop’s shoulder and patted him instead.

Bu-Seop’s expression brightened, and he bowed his head before turning to leave.

‘Is his name Bu Seop? No… They’re on first-name basis? Even though he’s a prince?’

Meanwhile, Jo Seunghoe was confused, witnessing the prince’s attitude towards his subordinate for the first time.

That was because the prince he had seen for the past two days since being dragged into battle was completely different.

After bringing Jo Seunghoe, Yegyeong had kept him constantly by his side.

If he tried to move away, pretending it was a mistake, Yegyeong would chase after him. If he got separated while chasing the enemy, Yegyeong would find him like a ghost and occupy the space around him.

Moreover, he wouldn’t even let him be at peace during mealtimes.

Having spent the past two days under the prince’s constant gaze, Jo Seunghoe was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

But in truth, just being stared at wasn’t a big problem. Of course, it was a huge burden, but it was bearable.

What was truly driving him crazy was the prince and his close aides constantly calling for him and nagging him.

“-Can’t you do anything right?”

“-Do you think battle is a game?”

“-Your mental state is completely messed up.”

‘…Wait, was all that nagging only directed at me?’

He had witnessed him joking and laughing with his close aides before.

But they were from the capital, holding positions he couldn’t even dream of. How could he dare expect to be treated the same as them?

However, it was different with the soldier, who was also from Wolhan Fortress. What was so lacking about him that he had to be the only one being nagged?

Of course, Jo Seunghoe wasn’t an idiot, so he was mindful of the things that bothered him.

But if he were the prince and knew that the lowly soldier in front of him had committed treason at someone’s behest…

He didn’t think he would just leave him be like the Prince Ikwon was doing now. Nagging and punishment were completely different.

Therefore, he concluded that the prince must dislike him for some unknown reason.

“What are you staring at?” The prince asked.

Jo Seunghoe, startled out of his thoughts, waved his hands.

“Oh, no, Your Highness. My eyes just happened to be directed at you…”

Jo Seunghoe trailed off. He had spotted the head of a monstrous beast in the prince’s hand.

His face instantly turned pale.

“Ah, this. I was going to look around for a bit, and I found one wandering around. I couldn’t just leave it alone, could I?”

“…Yes, you’re absolutely right, Your Highness.”

It wasn’t a dangerous species, but if he had to catch it alone, he would want to run away.

Yet, in the short time the soldiers were setting up the barracks, the prince had silently killed a monstrous beast.

He was indeed formidable.

Not only the head of the monstrous beast that Prince Ikwon had brought, which still seemed warm, but the atmosphere of all the soldiers participating in the battle was clearly different from before.

It felt like everyone was looking up to this one man.

The endless swarms of monstrous beasts that only disappeared at sunrise. A sight that rendered even the will to survive useless.

Therefore, the image of Prince Ikwon standing tall in front of them shone even brighter.

Even Jo Seunghoe, who disliked him, had moments when his heart stirred.

He was undoubtedly in a situation where he had made a very bad impression on such a leader. There wasn’t a moment of peace for him.

He had always wanted to return to the prison in Wolhan Fortress, but seeing the head of the dead monstrous beast made him want to go back even more.

‘Damn it… Why do I have to suffer like this here!’

He desperately wanted to beg to be sent back to where he belonged.

But what could he do? He was just a soldier with no backing or anything. Even the elders of the fortress had no power here.

‘Even if they did, those elders wouldn’t save me anyway.’

No. It would have been better if this young prince had never come to Wolhan Fortress in the first place.

If the prince hadn’t appeared, he would still be leisurely passing time in the dark but quiet prison of Wolhan Fortress.

The arrow of resentment that had been directed at Son Gye-du now turned back towards Yegyeong.

“You have a strange look in your eyes,” the prince said.

Jo Seunghoe was startled by his words. He really had no talent for hiding his expressions.

“Oh, no, Your Highness.”

“What do you mean no? Just looking at you, you seem disrespectful…”

The prince narrowed his eyes.

Was he going to nag him again?

It seemed like a joke, but there was a chance it wasn’t.

In front of the prince, he was nothing but a lowly soldier, so he couldn’t let his guard down even if the prince’s attitude seemed playful.

“Well, alright. Rest up.”

But it ended anticlimactically.

The prince turned around without hesitation, waved his hand, and disappeared.

Relieved, Jo Seunghoe crawled into the barracks.

Even though it was daytime during the rest period, he was already exhausted. Sleepiness overpowered the discomfort of the sunlight.

However, perhaps because he was too tense after exchanging a few words with Prince Ikwon, sleep wouldn’t come.

* * *

Nevertheless, night came. The evening glow gradually deepened, changing from orange to purple, and then to dark navy blue.

The chirping of insects intensified in the cool air.

One by one, stars began to appear in the sky. The first stars to emerge were timid. They appeared quietly, accompanied by a faint glow.

As the moon followed, its light offered a dim guide in the dark night.

Jo Seunghoe dragged his weary body out of the barracks. He stood in formation, holding his spear. Monstrous beasts swarmed, and the battle resumed.

Before he knew it, Jo Seunghoe’s eyes were following the prince’s position.

Because Prince Ikwon had been hovering around him throughout the battle, he felt anxious if he didn’t keep track of him.

He followed the prince because his presence seemed like proof of being alive.

The thought that the prince wouldn’t die felt like reality. In other words, Prince Ikwon’s back was like a landmark.

Fortunately, he was not far away this time either. And he was still at the forefront, with his back to the soldiers.

Whether that was bravery or recklessness, he still didn’t know. Only victory could determine that, as always.

The trumpet blared.

Jo Seunghoe swallowed hard. His throat tightened.

The approaching monstrous beasts weaved through the ranks of soldiers. The entire force fought back. Jo Seunghoe also became one of them, wielding his spear.

The blood of a monstrous beast splattered on his face, and its characteristic strong stench wafted up. He pushed back the rising disgust with fear and moved forward.

“Kuaaak…”

Just then, a groan came from right beside him. A short groan.

As if an invisible hand had grabbed his head and turned it, Jo Seunghoe’s head turned.

His hair stood on end. At the end of his gaze was a sight he didn’t want to face.

His comrade’s crushed upper body collapsed, and his head fell with a thud from his limply bent neck.

Then, another monstrous beast suddenly popped out from the gap created.

“Uwaaaak!”

Terrified, Jo Seunghoe raised his spear. If he couldn’t kill this monstrous beast here, he would be the one to die.

He swung his spear with the determination to kill. But he wasn’t confident.

His mouth went dry. He looked around, but there was no one to ask for help. Everyone was risking their lives against the enemy in their respective positions.

‘Am I going to die like this…?’

He hadn’t even used half of the wealth he had received in exchange for releasing the criminal at the behest of Elder Son Gye-du.

Even though he had seen countless people die in battle, he had never doubted that he would return to his original place, to his home, safely.

He had believed without a doubt that luck would be on his side, as it always had been.

Why, wasn’t there a time when everyone believed they were special?

But now, he couldn’t rely on vague hopes. He sensed death. Regrets from the past flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern. He squeezed his eyes shut.

However, the moment the blood-soaked flesh landed at his feet with a splat, he trembled and forced his eyelids open.

His face, pale with fear, turning blue, slowly relaxed as he recognized the silver blade.

“What are you doing, you idiot?”

The scoundrel prince stood there, covered in the blood of the monstrous beast.

It felt like he had just faced lightning head-on.

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