I vaguely imagined a winter landscape, but the reality was far from what I’d pictured. It wasn’t winter, so that was only natural.
If I’d thought one step further, I would’ve realized my mistake, but I don’t know why I envisioned a castle blanketed in white snow.
Do I like snowy scenery? No, actually, I hated snow.
It was because of memories from Hyeolyunseong, clearing snow from the training grounds and the courtyard in front of the dormitory.
While shoveling snow, I’d sometimes roll it into snowballs and throw them at comrades sweeping the courtyard with me. Then, even the lazy ones who only halfheartedly cleared snow would rush in, joining the snowball fight. By the time we finished and returned, we’d be soaked to the bone.
How childish, in retrospect.
The lord of the castle, passing by occasionally, would see my drenched state and click his tongue.
“Take it easy.”
He’d add something like that.
Or my older brother would say, “Looks like you had fun.”
Or my younger brother, “What are you, a kid?”
That’s how it was.
Anyway, since it wasn’t winter yet, I wouldn’t see any snow. I’d probably return to the capital before the first frost.
The snowy scenery I’d see would be that of the capital’s palace.
Meanwhile, I wondered how long Go Yeongsin planned to travel with my group.
Led by Go Yeongsin, the Pyeonggwang Merchant Group’s caravan had passed through Guryeseong with us and reached this point. Wolhanseong was now in sight.
I hadn’t paid them much attention, but I couldn’t completely ignore them either. No matter how much I tried not to care, there was something unavoidable: the fact that Go Yeongsin was Shin Gwiryeong’s subordinate.
Who knows? If I treated him poorly, he might scurry off to tattle to Shin Gwiryeong…
Hmm.
Surely someone as high-ranking as the head of the Pyeonggwang Merchant Group wouldn’t be that petty.
Since Wolhanseong is the heart of the north, they might have a branch there.
We were almost there; just a little further, and we’d finally reach our destination. I urged the group to quicken their pace.
And so, we truly arrived at Wolhanseong.
Finally.
But Wolhanseong wasn’t easy to enter. I hadn’t expected such a grand snub, so both I and my group were quite flustered.
“Wait a moment, please.”
One of the gatekeeper soldiers spoke to Heoseokgyeom, who was at the forefront.
Just before, Heoseokgyeom had told the gatekeepers that I was Grand Prince Ikwon, a prince from the capital.
And yet, they told us to wait? What nonsense was this?
It was clearly the Lord of Wolhanseong who requested someone be sent from the capital. You’d think I’d begged to come here or something.
It was rude and bewildering.
I frowned. “How dare you question the identity of a grand prince?”
The gatekeeper soldiers looked at me. They wore iron helmets covering their faces, so all I could see were the pairs of eyes peeking through the slits.
If you want to nitpick, they should’ve removed their helmets before a prince like me. But…
“My apologies, Grand Prince.”
The gatekeepers bowed their heads, their tone suggesting they wanted to brush off the hassle.
Heoseokgyeom and Yu Geung glanced at me, seemingly worried I’d cause a scene. I shouldn’t throw a tantrum at the castle gate. Instead of making a fuss, I let out a single sigh.
“How long do we have to wait?”
At my words, the gatekeepers whispered among themselves. Perhaps because of this, Heoseokgyeom’s face grew increasingly grim. It was surprising he was getting so angry when he’d been worried about me causing a scene.
Glancing at Yu Geung, he wasn’t much different, and the rest of the group showed similar reactions.
These guys—were they getting mad on my behalf just because we traveled together? That’s some loyalty.
“It won’t take long. My apologies.”
Having to wait outside the gate without entering was laughable, and the Lord of Wolhanseong not coming to greet me was, frankly, absurd. It wasn’t mandatory, but a basic courtesy was expected.
Even if Wolhanseong was a castle overseeing the entire north, I’d heard it wasn’t impregnable. I’d also heard the Lord of Wolhanseong was the only one who could unite and lead the northern tribes.
For reference, the north was practically beyond the king’s reach.
If someone planned a rebellion, the capital would have no way to prepare. News would travel slowly, and even if troops were dispatched after receiving word, the situation would already be over.
In some ways, the royal family could be at the north’s mercy. Sure, that’s true, but…
Does that mean they can treat me like this?
Ignoring me?
I’m still a representative of the capital!
“Ha, it won’t take long? Really now.”
There are things to endure and things not to. Having put up with this much, no one could blame me for throwing a fit.
Just as I opened my mouth, thinking it might work out well, I said, “It seems the Lord of Wolhanseong doesn’t welcome me…”
“Is that Grand Prince Ikwon?”
A calm voice interrupted between me and the gatekeepers. Looking toward the voice, a woman, slightly young for middle age, approached on horseback.
When our eyes met, she dismounted immediately and walked toward me on foot.
Up close, her complexion wasn’t great. Was it lack of sleep, or was she weighed down by worries? Her eyes looked exhausted. She bowed her head.
“My apologies, Grand Prince. I beg your understanding for greeting you this way.”
I stared at her bowed head for a while before replying, “It doesn’t seem like I’m the only one you should apologize to.”
“I apologize to everyone as well.”
This was the Lord of Wolhanseong. Raising her head, she nodded slightly to my group before looking back at me.
“Have you been waiting long?”
“Well, not too long…”
Wait, no. That’s not right.
“I waited a long time. A very long time. I thought my eyes would fall out.”
“My apologies. It’s due to my negligence.”
Negligence, my foot. If there’s one position in this kingdom that shouldn’t be negligent, it’s the Lord of Wolhanseong. If Wolhanseong, the northern bulwark, fell, everything below it would be helplessly overrun. By whom? The magical beasts beyond the northern wall.
It’s not for nothing that the kingdom conscripts soldiers and sends them to this northern frontier.
Only if the Lord of Wolhanseong were absent and the position vacant could the king himself be considered for such a critical role.
That’s how vital Wolhanseong was.
“If the Lord of Wolhanseong is negligent, that’s a problem. This isn’t just any castle—it’s Wolhanseong.”
Yet, because of this, being called the Lord of Wolhanseong could also be an insult.
The leader of the northern tribes, united against the bitter northern winds.
People who could never blend with the central or southern powers.
Thus, the blood-soaked boundary between south and north.
Eternal outsiders.
Most northerners, made up of these tribes, were destined to fight the northern winds and magical beasts their whole lives until death.
Falling without ever feeling a warm breeze, their place of rest an endless white plain.
Who would visit their cold graves?
The Lord of Wolhanseong, overseeing these northerners, could thus be seen as a derogatory title.
I didn’t think that far.
They were just people who, for generations, lived and died in this northern corner, guarding the border as the king ordered.
People who lived like obedient hunting dogs, never once rebelling.
What grudge could they have to endure such hardship?
By that logic, our Lord of Hyeolyunseong would be a pathetic man too. He devoted his life to defending Hyeolyunseong in the sticks, thinking it was the right thing to do, until the moment he closed his eyes.
I’m not saying their time was wasted. Who am I to judge the paths others took?
But I could never say that out loud. I couldn’t make our lord a pathetic man, so naturally, the Lord of Wolhanseong became a great figure to me.
“My apologies.”
Whether out of pride or because she thought I’d forgive her for making me wait, the Lord of Wolhanseong lowered her gaze without responding.
Now that I noticed, the gatekeepers hadn’t said a word since she appeared.
She didn’t seem like it, but was she scarier than she looked?
“Are you going to keep me standing here, Lord?”
Our eyes met again. Her face looked weary, almost exhausted. Was she overworked? Was it related to why I was sent here?
“Enter.”
The Lord of Wolhanseong permitted passage through the northern gate.
The massive gate slid open with a heavy groan, clearing the path.
We were heading to our lodgings.
Had these people never seen someone from the capital? Every time I passed, they stared at my face as if their lives depended on it. It was so overwhelming I could’ve died. If I weren’t so thick-skinned, my face would’ve been burning.
Or were they staring because I’m handsome? In a backwater like this, where would they see a guy as good-looking as me? I turned to the onlookers with a grin, but they scattered like mice into a hole.
Then, at some point, a shadow fell over my head. Looking up, a dark mass was hurtling toward me… no, plummeting.
“Whoa!”
I dodged quickly, and the black mass crashed into the ground. But it wasn’t just any mass.
“This guy… no, wait, not that. Isn’t this Your Highness’s crow?”
Han Naegwan, who’d leaned in abruptly, spoke. Having been burned once, he seemed set on calling it “this guy.” I picked up Gon, stuck to the ground, and nodded.
“That’s right.”
Another shadow fell overhead. Looking up, a figure floated in the air. This time, it didn’t crash.
A hawk slowly descended and perched on my arm.
“What’s this?”
On closer inspection, it had a note tied to its leg. Tying notes to legs—seems others used this method too, not just me.
I untied and read it. The sender’s name caught my eye first.
Shin Gwiryeong.
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.