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Chapter 4

Feigning amnesia was convenient; I had no qualms about lying.

And it seemed the eunuch, being the closest aide, already knew why the First Prince was sprawled on the street.

"How could this humble servant dare to speculate on Your Highness's affairs?"

Despite his words, the eunuch's voice held a hint of resignation.

"It would be presumptuous of me."

Well, wouldn't the real presumptuous one be this swordsman who suddenly took over the prince's body?

"Eunuch Han."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"I was sincere when I said I lost my memory."

Thinking back now, couldn't that Taejo fellow have at least given me the prince's memories when he put me in his body? Wouldn't that have been helpful?

Or at the very least, some backstory.

I guess those in high places aren't known for their attention to detail. No, even so, isn't this a bit too careless?

Is that why he was stuck there despite having the power to revive the dead?

As they say, you reap what you sow.

Tsk tsk.

"So... Eunuch Han, I don't even remember what kind of person you were."

Eunuch Han raised his head.

The moment our eyes met, I asked, "Were you someone who cared for me, Eunuch Han?"

Wiping away any amusement, Eunuch Han knelt and bowed his head.

"This servant's heart is devoted to Your Highness, and my only master is Your Highness! Please retract your words."

Oh, my.

Not that I was really surprised.

"Get up. Don't you know I don't want you kneeling?"

Out of the blue, I covered my ears with my hands.

The ringing was quite bothersome.

"With all due respect, the bond between Your Highness and Prince Jaean is unlike that of ordinary brothers."

"Yeah, I suppose so."

If they were close brothers, the Second Prince wouldn't have been able to cut off the First Prince's head so quickly.

"Do you recall how disrespectful Prince Jaean's bodyguard was to Your Highness?"

"I don't remember... Was he?"

This is getting annoying, though.

Ah, the ringing, I mean.

"Those bastards are real dogs."

"Prince Jaean has only one bodyguard."

"I was talking about both the bodyguard and our dear brother."

"Ah, yes."

I erased the crude drawing I had made on the ground with my foot and stood up.

"Anyway, so that bodyguard beat me up like a dog, and that's why I'm in this state?"

"I don't know how Your Highness was harmed, but if I may speak boldly..."

"Go ahead."

"Judging by the fact that Your Highness's sword is missing, perhaps you were... engaged in a duel...?"

"Sword? Duel?"

Sword.

Reflexively, I reached for my waist, but there was nothing there. The realization of my empty waist left me feeling a sense of loss.

"Oh ho. So I knew swordsmanship too?"

"Indeed, Your Highness."

"If I learned it in the royal palace, it must not have been just for show. Right?"

"...That is..."

Eunuch Han fell silent.

...This me. No, not the real me, but the body I'm now inhabiting. To think it belongs to someone whose skills are so pitiful that silence is the answer.

Shocking.

"Are you sure, Eunuch Han? I challenged Prince Jaean's bodyguard to a duel?"

"How could this servant be certain of Your Highness's decisions? However, reflecting on the past events, I dare say that is the case."

"The past events, you say?"

"Last winter... While intoxicated, you challenged Prince Jaean to a duel and a wager, and after losing, you lost your sword."

What did I just hear?

Lost? Lost what?

"Did you see it happen?"

"Yes, this servant witnessed it with his own two eyes."

I was dumbfounded.

"So I lost two things then?"

Eunuch Han replied gloomily,

"Indeed, Your Highness."

What a fool.

And to think that fool is now me, it's truly lamentable.

"...Was it expensive?"

Eunuch Han answered,

"In terms of money, its value is immeasurable, but... what bothers me more is that the sword was a memento of the Deposed Queen."

A memento of the Deposed Queen?

So this idiotic prince handed over his own mother's memento to the Second Prince. And for such an absurd reason.

To think he could sleep soundly after doing something like that, he's impressive in an unpleasant way.

Some people don't even know their mother's face.

"The first thing? The second thing?"

"There have been countless instances, but... to answer your question, it was the former."

Huh, wow.

"Eunuch Han."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"Didn't I ever think about getting it back? No matter how foolish I was, I wouldn't have just let it go, would I?"

Eunuch Han wore a troubled expression.

...Was I really that pathetic?

This is serious.

"Please, Eunuch Han. Answer me honestly."

"This servant will always speak only the truth to Your Highness."

Eunuch Han lowered his head again. I looked down at his official hat and said, "Honestly, I bet you thought I was pathetic too, didn't you?"

Eunuch Han flinched.

"Not at all!"

A loud but not very convincing answer.

In the meantime, Eunuch Han raised his head again.

As I stared at him intently, his dark eyes quickly darted away from mine.

How dare he avoid my gaze?

"...To be honest, a little,"

Then he squeezed his eyes shut.

"I knew it."

"B-But, Your Highness...!"

"It's fine, Eunuch Han."

Even his closest confidant thought of him as such a good-for-nothing prince.

It would have been interesting if I had heard about it from someone else.

"I'd like you to answer my next question just as honestly."

I believed this delinquent prince must have had some secrets.

"Was there anything I was hiding?"

"Pardon? Pardon?"

Because otherwise, I couldn't believe such a guy was a prince of this country.

Just kidding, there was a more reasonable reason than that.

My reasoning was that unless the late King Bonghyeon had gone completely senile right before his death, he wouldn't have entrusted the country to such a scoundrel.

...That's right, isn't it?

"I mean, did I do anything that others wouldn't?"

Eunuch Han looked dumbfounded, as if he had no idea what I was talking about.

"Nothing?"

"I'm not sure what you mean..."

He doesn't know?

Suddenly, the sound of a drum signaling the time echoed. Eunuch Han jumped in surprise at the sound.

"Your Highness, I apologize, but it's almost time for you to pay your respects to His Majesty."

I'll find out later why King Bonhyeon suddenly appointed the First Prince as his successor right before his death...

For now, there are more pressing matters at hand.

Proving that I'm a capable person.

I need to show that this delinquent actually has the qualities to be a worthy successor to the throne.

I nodded.

"Let's go."

...But isn't the first task a bit too difficult?

* * *

I'm not sure if it's fortunate or unfortunate that I didn't run into anyone on the way to the bedchamber to pay my respects...

But the fact that the first royal family member I meet is the Second Prince wasn't great.

"...Yo."

I had no idea how to greet him. We weren't exactly close.

Eunuch Han looked like he was about to faint at my casual greeting, but that's not my problem.

"You've arrived, brother."

The Second Prince greeted me politely, which was unexpected. That didn't mean his attitude was positive, though. Absolutely not.

The way he's looking at me is like a gatekeeper who's just encountered a drunken, naked man in front of the women's quarters.

But, he's...

"Ugly."

The Second Prince's expression hardened instantly.

I thought the Second Prince would look similar to the First Prince, who was somewhat handsome, but maybe because they're half-brothers, they don't resemble each other much.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me clearly, didn't you?"

I looked around the bedchamber once and then took a seat. Kneeling wasn't really my style, but given the location, I have no choice.

"Has something happened?"

As expected, he's a different breed from a country bumpkin swordsman like me. Even though I spouted nonsense to his face, the Second Prince addressed me with a composed demeanor.

But it wasn't his place to ask if something had happened.

I became curious about what kind of person the Second Prince was.

"You're right to ask, brother. Getting beaten up by your bodyguard last night left me so wounded that I couldn't sleep."

The Second Prince's face turned serious.

"If it's about that incident, we agreed to settle it then and there."

I craned my neck like a turtle and said, "Did I say that?"

The Second Prince leaned back as I got closer.

"How could someone as magnanimous as you say such a thing?"

"Magnanimous? There's no one in the world as petty and narrow-minded as me."

The Second Prince suddenly looked at Eunuch Han.

"What are you doing not attending to my brother?"

Treating me like a madman, huh?

Eunuch Han was startled and bowed his head.

"M-My apologies."

Oh, the blame shouldn't fall on him.

"Why are you scolding our Eunuch Han, brother?"

"He failed to fulfill his duties as a eunuch, so it's only natural."

I shook my head.

"Even if it doesn't seem like it, Eunuch Han did his best. Don't be too hard on our poor Eunuch Han, whose knees are probably worn out from dragging me, who was sprawled out on the street, all the way back to my chambers."

The Second Prince asked indifferently, "Is that so?"

"Of course, I'm joking. You don't think I'd be such a bad master as to drag around a subordinate with shattered joints, do you?"

As I let out a hearty laugh, the Second Prince frowned.

"Joking around like this... You seem to be in a good mood today."

"Joking...? Does it seem that way?"

I put my arm around the Second Prince's shoulder. He made a disgusted face and swatted my arm away.

Look at this guy.

Anyway, here's what I wanted to say.

"I'd be in an even better mood if I could learn a thing or two from your bodyguard."

As I put my arm around him again, the Second Prince's voice grew louder.

"Are you referring to Woo Byeol-Gam? He's not skilled enough to teach you, brother."

"Does someone have to be better than me to teach me something? No. A wise man can find something to learn even from a three-year-old. Of course, you can't learn anytime, anywhere, right?"

"What are you trying to say?"

"The right time, place, and people need to align, you know? Balance and harmony, that sort of thing. That's what's needed."

Even to my ears, it sounded like nonsense, but it seemed to be at a level he could still tolerate. Honestly, I thought he'd ignore me, but the Second Prince responded.

"Are you saying that Woo Byeol-Gam also needs the right time and place?"

"Exactly. When do you think that time is, brother?"

The Second Prince replied, annoyed, "How would I know?"

"I think I know. That perfect time."

I grinned.

"Like, say, a duel. The sooner the date, the better."

"I'm worried that Woo Byeol-Gam's meager skills might cause further trouble for you, brother."

Oh ho.

I thought if I pushed him a little more, he'd give in, but just then, a eunuch shouted from beyond the door of the bedchamber.

"His Majesty the King is entering!"

And the door opened.