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Chapter 8

If I waited for Yoo Geung to make the first move, I'd be dead and turned to dust by then. I could guarantee it. Seeing Yoo Geung hesitate, I grinned and attacked first.

"Heh heh heh."

I held my sword and swung it horizontally in a wide arc. The air split with a whooshing sound.

I swung my sword as if I were going to kill Yoo Geung, and immediately, the distance between us widened. Yoo Geung had retreated. He was looking at me like I was a crazy madman.

I couldn't deny it. I was a master at self-awareness.

I chased after Yoo Geung and swung my sword like a madman. But a real madman wouldn't be able to swing a sword like me.

Because there was a certain order and rules to this. It was a practical sword technique honed through 24 years of experience in my past life as Baekyeon.

If I had learned it properly from the beginning, it might be different, but I didn't have the luxury of time. So now I realized that my swordsmanship was all about extreme survival.

Therefore, it wasn't particularly stylish.

Since I fought however I could, any weapon was fine as long as it could protect my life. Even a wooden sword was acceptable if it was durable.

That's just how it was.

"Are you just going to stand there? I might actually kill you."

Yoo Geung's eyes darted around in confusion. He shouldn't have had the time for that, but he was still acting slow-witted. Was it because he was younger than I remembered?

In truth, Yoo Geung was always a rigid person.

"Your Highness."

The unspoken words would be something like, "What are you doing, you crazy bastard?"

I continued to smile. Even if I knew what Yoo Geung wanted to say, I had no intention of answering.

"Are you trying to beat me with your bare hands? That's reckless."

I ran towards Yoo Geung, who was a few steps away, and kicked him hard. It looked like a street brawl between ruffians. But no one was watching, so I didn't care.

Yoo Geung dodged my attack slightly, but he was too big a target to avoid it completely. He was hit by my weight-enhanced kick and fell to the ground.

I was a little surprised that my low-class kick had landed.

"...Your Highness!"

"I win."

Yoo Geung was a principled man, so he couldn't even yell at my outrageous behavior. I clicked my tongue and retrieved my sword.

"You're no fun."

I checked on Yoo Geung, who was still lying on the ground, and saw that his forehead was bleeding from a cut.

I didn't feel any guilt. It was his fault for not defending or counterattacking.

Similarly, dying on the battlefield wasn't anyone's fault. Besides, a minor injury like this would heal if he just applied some saliva or something.

"I won, right?"

I asked again, and Yoo Geung replied, "Yes, you did."

If it were the Yoo Geung I knew, he would have treated me like a child, but the current Yoo Geung couldn't hide his frustration.

"How does it feel to lose to this troublemaker?"

"How could..."

I extended my hand to Yoo Geung. He hesitated for a moment before taking it.

No way. I flung Yoo Geung away as soon as he grabbed my hand, and of course, he tumbled to the ground.

Even then, he didn't raise his voice, which was truly like Yoo Geung.

"Never let your guard down."

I chuckled, and Yoo Geung, looking bewildered, glanced up at me and stood up on his own.

"That's right. You should get up by yourself. Do you expect your enemies to help you up? Do you think everyone in the world is as boring as you?"

"Your Highness is not my enemy."

Yoo Geung stared at me, mocking him, for a while, then sighed.

"...If I may speak, would you punish me?"

"Let's hear it."

"You are quite different from what I've heard."

"Oh my."

Is it okay to say that to a troublemaker?

"Really? So I'm even more of a troublemaker in person than the rumors suggest?"

Yoo Geung was startled and waved his hands.

"N-No, that's not what I meant."

I asked indifferently, "Then what?"

As if he had belatedly remembered who I was, Yoo Geung stammered.

"...Th-That, ah, no, it's nothing."

"It's obviously something."

"I apologize. I misspoke."

"How boring."

"I apologize."

"I can tell you're boring just by looking at your face, so no need to apologize. Apology accepted, now let's hear your impression. What do you think of me?"

We didn't have a proper match, but I did show him my swordsmanship, so he should be able to tell if I'm completely useless or if I have some potential.

And since I'm obviously not useless, this was also an opportunity for me to gauge Yoo Geung's discernment.

If he judged me solely based on my crazy act, then that's all there is to his caliber.

"If you ask me..."

Yoo Geung's demeanor shrank even more at the sensitive question.

Like any other nation, Mokryeo was also established through military power.

But that didn't mean that even in the present age, a prince had to possess outstanding military prowess.

However, it wouldn't hurt to have it.

If the person I'm being compared to is superior to me, it's better to have something, even if it's not very useful in reality.

That's what military power was all about.

It must be uncomfortable for him to evaluate a prince based on his rank as a captain.

After a long silence, Yoo Geung finally answered after I yawned once.

"...Have you been hiding your skills?"

I raised my hand and wiped under my nose.

It seemed the rumors that the troublemaker prince was incompetent were prevalent.

Unfortunately, there was nothing I could do about it. Cleaning up the mess was my job.

"What skills do I have?"

"But, Your Highness."

"What?"

Yoo Geung said with a wary look in his eyes.

"With all due respect, I am confident in my judgment."

"So in your eyes, I seem quite decent."

It was true that the Second Prince, Jaehandaegun, was widely known for his excellence in swordsmanship. So if the First Prince had been looked down upon for not showing any particular talent, that wouldn't be a problem anymore.

I wasn't sure how many opportunities there would be within the palace to show that I'm quite capable.

"That's absurd."

Yoo Geung seemed to regret what he had said. Praising royalty was something one shouldn't dare to do.

But words couldn't be taken back. Perhaps deciding to go all-in since he had already started, Yoo Geung continued hesitantly.

"May I ask why you chose me?"

"Do you think I brought you here for some other purpose?"

"With all due respect, Your Highness, I believe that's not the case."

It seemed Yoo Geung had a high opinion of me, perhaps because he hadn't heard many of the rumors about the troublemaker.

It wasn't likely that someone known as a troublemaker would be intelligent.

Foolish people are the ones who usually cause trouble.

Smart people are cunning and know that causing trouble would harm their future, so even if they have a bad temper, they tend to restrain themselves if they're intelligent.

"It's not, but it is."

"Forgive me, but is that a joke?"

I clasped my hands behind my back and shook my head.

"You're a sparring partner."

Today was just about getting acquainted. Letting him know what kind of person I am.

"I'll have some expectations for tomorrow. Do your best."

"Tomorrow... you say."

"Let's meet again tomorrow."

Yoo Geung stared at me blankly.

Suddenly, I thought I should act like a troublemaker once again.

I spoke like a troublemaker.

"Now get lost."

Constantly acting like a troublemaker is quite tiring.

* * *

It was only when I sat down for dinner that Eunuch Han appeared, exhausted.

The first thing he said after a long time was this.

"I apologize..."

It seemed he couldn't find the bird after all.

Unfortunately, all of this was because Eunuch Han happened to be assigned to this troublemaker.

Who's to blame?

I'm acting like a troublemaker out of necessity, so I don't need to feel guilty.

Eunuch Han was holding something that looked like a letter in his hand.

"What's that?"

"It's a letter from General So Ik- Gyeom."

"General So Ik- Gyeom?"

It sounded familiar. I quickly searched my memory to recall who General So Ik- Gyeom was.

But I couldn't remember.

Perhaps sensing that I had forgotten who General So Ik- Gyeom was, Eunuch Han added, "He is Your Highness's maternal grandfather."

Now that he mentioned it, the deposed Queen's family name was So.

"Give it to me."

I immediately opened the letter.

The content could be summarized as follows:

You agreed to a duel with the Second Prince's bodyguard? What are you thinking, with your skills? I'll come right away, so stop any foolish actions and wait for me.

"May I inquire about the content?"

"Hmm."

I closed the letter.

So, to summarize it even more simply.

"My maternal grandfather is coming. Probably tomorrow."