The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter: 153

"But I can't give up entirely."

After what felt like an eternity, as darkness enveloped the surroundings to the point where it was difficult to recognize his own shadow, he ordered the troops to halt for a rest.

When the camp quieted down, he summoned Do Ye-ran.

"Your silence suggests that it's been useless."

A complex expression crossed Do Ye-ran's face. She looked paler than usual, as if she had been worrying all day.

"I can't believe it."

"What if you can't believe it?"

"...I mean, I can't believe the General's decision."

Do Ye-ran looked straight at So Ik-Gyeom.

Her unwavering gaze shone as brightly as ever. That cold gleam would never change, no matter where she was or what situation she was in.

That was why So Ik-Gyeom allowed Do Ye-ran, a mere daughter of a noble family, to express her opinions so freely in front of him.

"Then, what should I have done?"

So Ik-Gyeom frowned, as if displeased. But the truth was, he was putting on a fierce facade to hide his turbulent emotions.

"Why don't you wait?"

"What would waiting change? The young soldier followed His Highness and lost him."

"Does that mean His Highness will never return?"

"You don't know what kind of person that young soldier is, Jincheon."

"No, it's not about him. What I'm thinking is..."

Do Ye-ran hesitated.

"...You think that His Highness sacrificed himself for everyone else to survive? Is that what you think, General?"

"So what?"

Do Ye-ran let out a dry laugh. It was an unusual reaction, implying that she found it absurd.

"Sacrifice? His Highness... Prince Ikwon sacrificed himself?"

"Are you saying that His Highness wouldn’t sacrifice himself for his subordinates? Are you insulting His Highness now?"

Do Ye-ran shook her head. Her tone implied that So Ik-Gyeom's reaction was unjustified.

"It's not an insult. It's just that from what I've seen..."

She hesitated for a moment.

"He's afraid. I don't think he could ever sacrifice himself for others in the face of death."

"What?"

So Ik-Gyeom's voice grew harsher. Do Ye-ran added defensively, "Perhaps he acted that way because he saw a way out... I think that's what happened."

So Ik-Gyeom fell silent for a long time, lost in thought. Do Ye-ran patiently waited for his answer.

"Yes, few people know His Highness as well as you do. At least, you've been closer to him for longer than I have..."

So Ik-Gyeom sighed.

"I should turn back."

"No," Do Ye-ran said firmly. "You don't need to change your decision. Whether His Highness returns or if something truly tragic has happened..." Do Ye-ran frowned. "You have to do what you need to do. Isn't this ongoing threat a bigger problem?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

So Ik-Gyeom replied with a hint of refusal, "I said that His Highness's safety is the most important thing."

"I remember. But the General doesn't need to do it himself. It's not like we're running out of time. Retreating now will only tarnish the General's reputation."

"Then?" So Ik-Gyeom asked for a clear answer, anticipating her words.

"I'll take that young soldier and a few elite soldiers to find His Highness. I can do my part, can't I?"

So Ik-Gyeom looked at Do Ye-ran intently.

Do Ye-ran was different from him, or even from Jincheon and the special guards appointed by Yegyeong. So Ik-Gyeom knew she was only interested in the position of Prince Ikwon and had no genuine concern for Yegyeong.

However, that was precisely why he could trust Do Ye-ran's words. There was no reason for her to volunteer for a task that wasn't worth the trouble.

"I hope you're not giving me false hope."

"How can I answer that...? His Highness hasn't even touched any magic. Perhaps the situation is still bearable, so he's putting it off as a last resort, or maybe... he might be in a situation where he can't even draw the sword he carries. I don't know."

So Ik-Gyeom pressed his temple with his hand, looking uncomfortable.

"General," Do Ye-ran said. "I'm also standing at the edge of a cliff."

So Ik-Gyeom averted his gaze and stared into the void as if Do Ye-ran wasn't there. After a long pause, he sighed and called his aide.

The next day, Do Ye-ran, Jincheon, and less than ten other people turned back on the path they had taken under So Ik-Gyeom's command.

A black crow circled above them, its wings flapping anxiously.

* * *

I took ragged breaths as I pushed forward. The ground beneath my feet was cracked and uneven. It felt like an ominous energy was seeping up through the fissures.

Or maybe I was just imagining things.

I had been wandering for more than a day. Or maybe I couldn't even be sure if there was a path to follow.

The place I had fallen into was even more sinister than the northern wilderness of the northern region. I had first landed in a cave-like space after being dragged by the beast's claws.

Luckily, the beast was dead. That had given me a brief respite, but my problems went far beyond needing a short break.

"Poison..."

The air was thick with poison. My nose was burning, even though there was no stinging sensation.

The effects of the bellflower had worn off long ago. When I wiped my nose with the back of my hand, dark blood smeared on it.

"Damn it."

And my head? It felt like someone invisible was holding my head and shaking it from side to side.

There was no way I could walk properly. I would walk a few steps forward, then stumble again.

A few times, I tripped over rocks or exposed tree roots.

Fortunately, my broken ribs didn't hurt as much as I thought they would. Maybe I had imagined the injury.

"Ugh..."

As I wandered around, my sense of direction faded until it was completely gone. It felt like I was seeing the same scenery over and over.

With each step, my body felt heavier, and I had no idea how much longer I could keep going.

I wasn't hoping to find my unit or any allies. It would be greedy to hope for such a miracle in a situation like this.

I just wanted to find some clue as to where I was.

But my arms and legs felt as heavy and stiff as rusted iron, and a sharp pain seemed to pierce through my bones and flesh.

And it wasn't just the pain. My stomach was empty, which made it even harder for me to move.

As I wandered, I thought back to the time when I had wandered alone after the fall of the Blood Cloud Fortress.

Back then, I hadn't been able to sleep properly, afraid that Jincheon would come after me.

I could barely remember the last time I had slept lying down.

I could only close my eyes and lean against a tree or a wall when I was so exhausted that I couldn't move anymore.

Sometimes, my comrades would protect me while I rested, but I still couldn't sleep properly.

What if Jincheon found me while I was asleep? I probably would have been killed. And Blood Cloud Fortress would have been forgotten.

Those worries and fears had kept me awake.

But now, I wished Jincheon would appear.

Thud-

I collapsed to the ground. I didn't think any beasts would come after me. If they were going to, they would have already.

But I couldn't sense any living creatures anywhere.

I slumped down, relaxing my entire body, and pulled a dagger from my robes. It was a gift from my grandfather.

He said it was a magical artifact from Soldier Do’s clan.

It was a secret technique of an ancient noble family, so its effects were said to be certain.

However, I hesitated to use it right away.

"It's highly poisonous, isn't it..."

I pulled the dagger from its sheath and examined the blade, recalling what I had heard about it.

He had said it was a spell that used the blood of a shaman as a medium, and that the blood used in this spell had to be from the Do clan.

But the Do clan had been training their bodies for generations to turn all their bodily fluids into a deadly poison...

"I just need to cut myself with the blade," I muttered. If I cut myself with this blade and the blade was stained with my blood, then Soldier Do could sense my location.

"Haah."

I looked up at the sky. The reddish sky held a different color than a sunset, evoking nothing but unease.

"That idiot..."

I hadn't noticed if it was following me for a while now. Maybe it'd been eaten by some monster...

It was a possibility I couldn't entirely dismiss, as it had almost happened a few times.

"If I bleed with this..."

Soldier Do would probably be able to sense my location, but according to my grandfather, the poison they possessed could kill a person with just a tiny amount.

It would be too much for me to handle in my current condition. I hesitated to use the spell.

"Maybe I should find a safer place first."

Although I wasn't sure if there was such a place.

Even if they knew my location, I doubted they could find me. If they risked the lives of the soldiers just to find me...

If that happened, my chances of ascending the throne would be ruined.

"Haah..."

I stared at the sky, then thought of Gong Chomun, the cause of all this trouble.

"...Huawei."

It seemed that the connection between him and Huawei began with the battle at Blood Cloud Fortress.

Because he talked so much, I knew more about him than I wanted to.

That was the only opportunity he could have had to make contact with the outside world. He had mentioned going missing once. That confirmed my suspicions.

"...The second prince said he was going there."

I remembered what my grandfather had told me. When I told him I was going to the northern frontier, the second prince had said he would go to Blood Cloud Fortress to earn his own merits.

I couldn't believe that he would be so foolish as to betray his own country, but I couldn't shake off the bad feeling.

"I hope it's just unnecessary worry."

I soon got up and resumed my journey.

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]