The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die - Chapter 105

Chapter 105

Idiot or moron, what did it matter? He didn’t care what name he was called.

The prince was a hero who came to his rescue when he thought he was going to die.

He had never been so scared in his life.

His heart pounded. It felt like his heart was going to break his ribs, pierce his skin, and jump out. Or maybe it would leap out of his throat.

His stomach churned as if a flock of butterflies were flapping their wings inside.

Feeling this way, he knew instinctively that he would never forget this moment.

It would probably be a moment he would remember for the rest of his life.

If he lived to a ripe old age, one day, when he was old and facing death, he would proudly tell anyone who remained by his side that his life had been saved by a prince of the nation.

Jo Seunghoe staggered and barely managed to stand on his two feet.

He thought he heard a voice scolding him for being an idiot.

However, Jo Seunghoe’s ears, staring blankly at the monstrous beast’s head on the ground, heard nothing.

If it had been just a little later, it wouldn’t have been that monstrous beast’s head rolling on the ground, but his own.

Even though he had never experienced it before, he felt as if that miserable dirt floor had been right in front of him.

“Get a grip. Don’t die,” the prince said.

It was a simple command. He would obey such a command willingly.

Only then did he come to his senses properly.

Jo Seunghoe straightened up and nodded.

He tried to express his gratitude in a trembling voice, but the prince had already returned to his original position.

As if saving his life was no big deal.

* * *

The battle progressed smoothly. Of course, there were casualties, but the front line was gradually advancing as planned.

Seeing the prince fighting at the forefront, risking his life, the soldiers straightened their tired backs.

“Huff, huff.”

As soon as he relaxed, his fatigue-ridden body collapsed to the ground.

Jo Seunghoe plopped down on the dirt floor and gasped for breath.

Despite the chilly night, unseasonably cold perhaps due to the murderous aura of the demonic realm, beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Tilting his head back to look at the sky, the lingering darkness caught the edge of his vision.

The turbulent sky was turning into a tranquil dawn.

Red clouds rolled in from the eastern sky, and the accompanying dawn began to illuminate the battlefield.

The exhausted faces of the soldiers who had fought all night were gradually revealed under the light, and their weary breaths were carried far away by the wind.

Jo Seunghoe suddenly turned his head, looking for someone as if it were the most natural thing to do. It was the scoundrel prince.

Prince Ikwon had dismounted from his warhorse, his helmet removed and tucked under his arm. His eyes were gazing at the sun slowly rising above the horizon.

With his back to the vast landscape where the crimson sky was turning a pale pink, the man faced the new sun.

Amidst the pouring golden light, it was as if everything around him had been prepared for this moment.

Then, the prince suddenly turned around. Their eyes met.

Flustered, Jo Seunghoe bowed his head as usual, but then he raised it again, thinking there was no need to bow even in this situation.

And the prince was still staring at him.

“You there.”

It seemed he had noticed Jo Seunghoe stealing glances. Prince Ikwon approached. Jo Seunghoe remained motionless.

“Come see me separately when things are settled.”

A private audience? Why?

The prince hadn’t said much since the day he saved him. Even the nagging from the prince and his aides had stopped. Of course, they had been busy with strategy meetings.

He felt a sense of dread, unable to understand why he was being summoned.

He remembered the thing he shouldn’t have done as a prison guard, something he had pushed to the back of his mind.

After all, wasn’t it because of that incident that he was now away from Wolhan Fortress, suffering hardships he wasn’t meant to face at the edge of the demonic realm?

But how could the prince possibly know about that incident…? It was just needless anxiety.

‘But all I did was hand over the key…’

He must be worrying for no reason. Surely that was it. It had to be.

“Ah, yes, Your Highness.”

Jo Seunghoe bowed his head. And the next moment, the prince took off his glove and wiped his cheek with the back of his hand.

Despite his exhaustion, a long streak of blood stained his ivory-like face.

Come to think of it, his injuries had increased considerably.

Jo Seunghoe recalled the prince’s injuries that he had seen. Yesterday, when they brushed past each other at the camp, the prince had large and small wounds not only on his face but also on his body.

Looking around at the other soldiers, he hardly saw such injuries.

It was somewhat strange that his injuries kept increasing, albeit minor ones, rather than him dying. This was because it was rare for monstrous beast attacks to leave such wounds.

Those looked like they were inflicted by weapons.

But his doubts didn’t linger. Jo Seunghoe wasn’t a very thoughtful person to begin with.

“Go on.”

The prince waved his hand dismissively. Jo Seunghoe bowed his head again and returned to the barracks with the other soldiers.

“His Highness Prince Ikwon has granted a day of rest!”

As soon as he entered the barracks and took off his armor, he heard the commander’s announcement.

It was a rest they had earned after days of fighting. Jo Seunghoe looked around at the soldiers sharing the barracks with him.

The other soldiers immediately lay down on their blankets or offered silent prayers for the fallen.

Feeling a discomfort in his stomach as if he had indigestion, he hurried outside. He was heading to the prince’s barracks as instructed.

But once he stood in front of the barracks, he couldn’t bring himself to enter. For some reason, Prince Ikwon hadn’t even placed any guards in front of his barracks.

‘What if some madman suddenly attacks…?’

Of course, the prince wouldn’t be easily defeated.

Besides, the only ones who could approach him were the specially appointed soldiers and the military officers from the capital.

He must just not be thinking much of it, Jo Seunghoe thought and brushed it aside.

“What is it?”

Just then, someone approached. Startled by the sudden voice, Jo Seunghoe reflexively bowed his head and then subtly checked the person’s identity.

“Are you here to see His Highness Prince Ikwon?”

The face wasn’t unfamiliar. It was one of the military officers from the capital who was always around the prince. Was he called Captain Yoo?

Feeling intimidated for no reason, Jo Seunghoe spoke in a meek voice.

“Yes… that’s right. His Highness Prince Ikwon summoned me…”

“If His Highness summoned you, you should go in immediately. What are you doing standing around?”

Yoo Geung clicked his tongue. He then spoke towards the prince’s barracks. Jo Seunghoe wanted to stop him, but he couldn’t.

“Your Highness, the soldier you summoned wishes to see you.”

Soon, Prince Ikwon’s voice was heard.

“Oh? Tell him to come in.”

Yoo Geung looked back at Jo Seunghoe and gestured towards the prince’s barracks with his chin.

Finally, Jo Seunghoe entered the barracks. The inside of the barracks felt strangely quiet.

Despite the noise from the bustling camp, the atmosphere felt isolated from the outside.

He had expected something special in the prince’s barracks, but it wasn’t much different from his own. Even the blanket was the same.

Except for the single table in the middle of the barracks with a map spread out on it, and the fact that the prince occupied this space alone, it was no different from the sleeping quarters of an ordinary soldier.

The prince was sitting on a crude chair in the corner. He was only wearing a breastplate on his upper body, having taken off the rest of his armor.

“Gr-Greetings, Your Highness.”

Even though they had met just an hour ago, he greeted him because he wanted to avoid the prince’s eyes by bowing his head.

‘Why is he making that expression…?’

The prince had an expression Jo Seunghoe had never seen before. It was extremely cold, but it also seemed angry.

Jo Seunghoe’s palms became damp with sweat, unable to be sure that it wasn’t directed at him.

Silence hung in the air for a moment. Then, finally, Prince Ikwon opened his mouth. The words that came out were unexpected.

“I know you’re Elder Son Gye-du’s pawn.”

Actually, Jo Seunghoe had been somewhat prepared for the possibility of the prince saying those words.

However, facing it directly was a different story. Moreover, there had been no indication that this would happen today. It was just a cruel bolt from the blue.

“It means I also know what you did.”

At those words, Jo Seunghoe’s whole body began to tremble. Even a three-year-old child would know that what he had done was no small matter.

Was this the end of his life? Prince Ikwon had saved his life, but did that mean it was right for him to die at his hands?

‘If he was going to kill me anyway, why did he save me back then…?’

He couldn’t even bring himself to beg for his life. Hadn’t he witnessed countless times how the prince killed monstrous beasts? Taking his head would be as easy as pie.

Tears welled up in his eyes at the thought that he couldn’t escape death.

The prince continued calmly, “I can’t say that you won’t be punished.”

“Ye-yes…?”

What did that mean? Did it mean there was a sliver of hope that he wouldn’t die? Jo Seunghoe’s tearful eyes widened.

“You will have to pay for your crime, but you can’t return to Wolhan Fortress right now anyway. Since we’ve come this far, we will achieve our goal and then return.”

Saying so, the prince abruptly rolled up his sleeve.

Under the black sleeve, a bandage wrapped around his forearm was visible. It was soaked with darkly discolored blood.

“Do you see this?”

“If you’re referring to your injury…”

“Yes.”

The prince nodded once. Then, with an irritated look, he continued.

“Someone is deliberately trying to harm me. Elder Son Gye-du of Wiyeon District is the most likely.”

He had seen it earlier and already knew, but the prince’s injuries, while not fatal, were numerous.

He had already thought that it was strange for them to be injuries sustained from fighting monstrous beasts.

Jo Seunghoe’s gaze, which had been fixed on the prince, slowly fell to the floor.

A chilly sensation spread as if the surrounding air had suddenly frozen.

‘An attempt to assassinate a royal…? Just how far are they willing to go…?’

His face was now completely pale, drained of all color.

If he had known he would be caught up in such a huge incident, he would have refused the offer even if the elder had given him a fortune.

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