GMLS Ch 16

The 3rd Prince’s group had the most people. A rough count came to a hundred.

The 2nd Prince had about a third of that, around thirty men. The aura of each and every one of them was extraordinary. Moreover, the horses they brought were all worthy of being called fine steeds. A small elite force with mobility; it wasn’t a bad choice.

A murmur arose from one side, and the widely deployed group parted to both sides. It was a completely different reaction from when they had just stared blankly at the 5th Prince’s appearance. Turning his head, Yihwa saw the former Captain of the Imperial Guard, Wi Junghyuk, walking down the cleared path.

“My apologies for being late.”

Wi Junghyuk bowed his head. His movements were fluid, and a sense of gravity was present in him from beginning to end.

Right after his arrival, the area around Yihwa’s shadow wavered. Heukwol, who shot up from there, lightly touched Yihwa’s finger. It was a signal that he had arrived. Only Muryun saw that connection, which no one else noticed.

“With this, everyone is here.”

Yihwa, who reported to Muryun, looked over the faces. It had been a week since they had gathered like this again.

⊹ ࣪ 💮⊹₊

When they were selecting people in preparation for the test, a total of five people had gathered at the 5th Prince’s quarters. The 5th Prince Muryun, his Captain of the Guard Yeo Yihwa, the 5th Prince’s shadow Monghyun, the former Captain of the Imperial Guard Wi Junghyuk, and Heukwol, sent by the Shangshuling.

They were so taciturn that Yihwa was the most talkative among the five. The one who should have been building bridges was the central figure, Muryun, but he merely watched as Yihwa struggled. This was because he was finally noticing an appearance he hadn’t been able to see while he had his walls up.

I knew he was young, but seeing him like this, he really is young. Muryun, who was twenty-four this year, muttered without considering his own age.

Yihwa was breaking out in a cold sweat between Monghyun and Wi Junghyuk, who were engaged in a strange war of nerves.

Monghyun was the son of a vassal from the Jihan Kingdom, whom the late emperor had framed for treason and killed. It was perhaps a natural course of events for him to be growling at Wi Junghyuk, who had been the Captain of the Imperial Guard until just a short while ago.

The problem was Wi Junghyuk. His original character was steadfast and upright, and his conduct had weight, but once he shed the title of Captain of the Imperial Guard, he was a natural-born warrior at heart. He didn’t shy away from a fight that was brought to him and didn’t hesitate to draw his sword as long as there was just cause.

Sharp words were exchanged, and the atmosphere grew hostile.

Yihwa’s face turned white. He didn’t care who got hurt in a sword fight between the two. However, it was plain to see that he was worried to death about Muryun’s impending test.

Muryun raised his hand and lightly covered his mouth. Deer, do not go where the tiger plays. Why would you get involved there? If you had just stayed in a corner, knowing nothing, just blinking your eyes, I would have taken care of it myself.

Then again, his cluelessness is also cute. Since he’s cute, let’s watch a little longer. Muryun captured Yihwa’s appearance in his eyes, thinking thoughts that would have made Yihwa exclaim, “Your Highness?!” had he known.

Objectively, he had a beautiful face. Moreover, thanks to his light-colored hair and eyes for a person of the Geum Empire, a mysterious atmosphere was added. On top of that, only his lips were a vivid red, making him a face one couldn’t easily look away from once seen.

Wi Junghyuk’s gaze, which had been on Monghyun, had at some point shifted to Yihwa. His narrowed eyes scanned Yihwa with a probing look.

Come to think of it, the two were acquaintances. The story of their sparring match at the Shangshuling’s manor had been carried by the wind all the way to the North Palace. At that time, it was said that Wi Junghyuk had, for once, left words of pure admiration and praise.

“Both of you, stop.”

The moment Muryun opened his mouth, Heukwol approached silently and grabbed Yihwa’s wrist. Then he quietly pulled Yihwa and placed him behind himself.

The gazes of everyone in the room fell on Heukwol. Heukwol just stood there blankly. Monghyun and Wi Junghyuk, having no knowledge of their opponent, became like barley sacks put on a shelf.

Muryun’s attention was stolen by Yihwa’s wrist, held tightly in Heukwol’s hand. A fire raged within him. It was an unfamiliar anger. Words shot out before he could think.

“How long do you intend to hold on?”

Despite the stern threat, Heukwol did not let go. His still gaze was directed at Yihwa.

Yihwa was flustered. Heukwol, who was the quickest-witted in the Ammukdan, responded with feigned ignorance. Even when he gave a look, there was no reaction. In the end, only after Yihwa said in a small voice, ‘Heukwol, you can let go now,’ did the hand finally release him.

Gnash. Muryun’s teeth ground together ferociously.

Monghyun and Wi Junghyuk, who had been growling at each other until just a moment ago, simultaneously shut their mouths and braced themselves. Their movements were perfectly synchronized, as if they had planned it beforehand. The two men’s gazes met in mid-air. Soon, with expressions like they’d chewed on something foul, they snapped their heads away.

What in the world are these men, who are old enough to know better, doing…. Yihwa was so dumbfounded that he ended up letting out a ‘Hah’ sigh.

Two who ignored each other while snorting silently. Two who one-sidedly growled and one-sidedly pretended not to know. A total of four. Yihwa’s worries deepened.

“……”

⊹ ࣪ 💮⊹₊

The first and last meeting to prepare for the test. That was already a week ago.

Somehow, Monghyun and Wi Junghyuk ended up standing right next to each other, and the atmosphere between them is already foreboding. Shouldn’t I be more worried about internal strife than the other princes’ mischief? Yihwa seriously pondered.

“They’re here.”

At that moment, the 2nd and 3rd Princes appeared. A thunderous roar erupted from each camp. Once the sun rose, no one other than those gathered in front of the throne hall could enter or leave. The people here were the ones who could participate in the test.

In such a situation, what was so great about arriving late? It seemed they had been having a battle of wills until the very last moment and were now finally crawling in.

“It would have been fun if they were both late and couldn’t even stand at the starting line.”

Muryun muttered. Yihwa thought he had misheard. Not ‘it would have been for the best,’ but ‘it would have been fun’…?

“Ah, then would they have drawn their swords and started a rebellion right here? It would have been great if they really had. I could have ascended the throne comfortably without going all the way to Mount Cheontae.”

Are you serious? ……Judging by your expression, you are serious. Oh my, Your Highness. Yihwa’s light-colored eyes wavered helplessly. However, he couldn’t bring himself to say anything and only worried inwardly.

Was this the kind of person he was? Even thinking about it, he couldn’t know. In truth, Yihwa didn’t know much about Muryun. The Muryun he knew was the endlessly gentle Muryun from five years ago and…….

“What is it? You don’t look well. Are you perhaps worried? Do not worry. As long as the late emperor is dead, there is nothing holding me back anymore. This situation is in my favor from one to ten.”

……the noble and dignified, yet still gentle Muryun.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Yihwa answered obediently and bowed his head. Muryun, who chuckled, fixed Yihwa’s clothes. It was as if their roles of master and servant had been reversed.

Monghyun, watching him from the corner of his eye, pretended not to see, Wi Junghyuk narrowed his eyes, and Heukwol, as if uninterested, stared at Yeo Yullyeong walking out onto the platform.

The main gate leading to the throne hall closed. People murmured as they watched the 5th Prince’s party, a mere five people gathered in the vast space.

“What’s this? Is that really all of them? They’re going to take the test with just five people?”

“I was nervous because the Captain of the Imperial Guard joined them, but it’s actually nothing special, is it?”

“They don’t even have horses.”

“Is it just horses they lack? They have no supplies either. Other than the swords at their waists, they’re almost empty-handed. Are they just participating for the sake of it?”

“Maybe the Captain of the Imperial Guard is just going along to act as an escort.”

Perhaps because of Wi Junghyuk, no one openly scoffed or insulted them. Still, contempt was evident in their words.

Yihwa was flabbergasted by their conversation. Those who knew nothing had nothing but mouths.

In any case, the necessary supplies were just food, blankets, and tents. Food was not needed. With beef jerky, grain pills, and full water skins, they could last for a fortnight. The martial arts uniforms and cloaks they were wearing now would take care of the blankets and tents.

The black martial arts uniforms, which looked like they had been coordinated, were prepared by Yeo Yullyeong. They were made of silk from the ‘Black Scale Silkworm,’ which only grew in the Jihan Kingdom, and were as light as a feather, had excellent insulation, and did not get wet easily. They were items that were at least ten times more expensive than silk of the same weight.

Above all, since they were supplied only to the royal family of the Jihan Kingdom, it wasn’t something any Tom, Dick, or Harry could get their hands on just because they had money. The only ones who recognized their value were the 2nd and 3rd Princes.

‘He prepared five of those?’

‘Damn it. That old serpent bastard.’

They were furious, but they couldn’t protest. If they said anything to Yeo Yullyeong, he would just say something like, ‘I merely gave my son a set of clothes to wish him well. But it would have been unseemly for me to just give it to my son alone, so I had the rest of them made while I was at it. Surely you wouldn’t bring up fairness over a mere set of clothes again, would you?’!

A mere set of clothes. It wasn’t wrong, but they were too magnificent to be called ‘mere’ clothes.

‘Patience. Be patient. In any case, even Yeo Yullyeong cannot overturn the result.’

‘Even if the Captain of the Imperial Guard is with them, there are only five of them. Nothing to worry about. If I just take care of the 2nd Prince along the way, I will be the one to become emperor.’

The two suppressed their anger inwardly. The one and only proposition that even Yeo Yullyeong couldn’t do anything about. That the one who first climbs to the top of Mount Cheontae and lays a hand on the ‘Sky Monument’ becomes the next emperor.

Yeo Yullyeong, who had sauntered onto the platform, looked down at the crowd. The people’s gazes gathered on him. Yeo Yullyeong, who smiled brightly, opened his mouth. Taking a deep breath, he stretched his folded fan forward and shouted.

“Sangseon (上仙) Hee (希) Gyeonchacheo (見此處)!” (May the High Immortal see this place!)

There was no speech. It was a shout announcing the start of the test.

“What?!”

“I-It’s starting?”

Unlike the flustered princes, Muryun and his four companions shot forward just like that. The five black figures leaped over the walls of the imperial palace like flying birds.

The jaws of the warriors who had been ignoring them until just a moment ago dropped. The remaining two camps could only stare blankly at the backs of the 5th Prince’s party as they ran as if flying.