“Problem?”
Lee Gyeonui, looking uneasy, replied, “Well, Jungnangjang Heo asked the soldiers if the training grounds were available…”
To summarize briefly: Our dear Jungnangjang Heoseokgyeom asked the soldiers about using the training grounds, and they blatantly ignored him.
It was unmistakably deliberate. Unable to tolerate the unfair treatment, Heoseokgyeom and my entourage’s officers called out a fifty-man leader, who showed the same attitude… and, out of anger, a fight broke out.
I laughed first.
My people were being disrespected. It twisted my gut.
“Are they still fighting?”
“It’s not intense enough to call a fight.”
Still, Lee Gyeonui took their side, being part of the same group. I let out another laugh and asked again.
“Whatever, same thing. Where are they?”
“I’ll guide you.”
I followed Lee Gyeonui immediately, the Lord of Wolhanseong followed me, and a few of her soldiers tagged along like pests.
Lee Gyeonui led us not to the training grounds or barracks but to a wide open area on one side of the castle.
When I stopped, a group of fools, cautiously sizing me up, turned toward us. There were more than a few. That number could sway public opinion in the castle. I sighed.
“Seems they’re quite dissatisfied.”
My entourage from the capital recognized me and bowed immediately. The other fools, slower to catch on, noticed the Lord of Wolhanseong behind me and belatedly bowed.
It was a moment to feel how little the capital’s authority mattered here.
“Raise your heads.”
At my command, the fools lifted their heads in unison.
“What’s the problem?”
They flinched at my words.
“Seems you’re all very unhappy. Why’s that? Hungry? Didn’t sleep? Irritable because you missed lunch? It’s past noon, so what’s wrong?”
It wasn’t just talk. If they understood, it was quite insulting. The northern frontier isn’t a place of abundance.
No answer came. Instead, the Lord of Wolhanseong stepped in.
I expected her to be angry, but she was calm.
“Your Highness.”
She was asking me to back off.
But this wasn’t about her. She could order her soldiers not to mess with my group, but that wouldn’t solve the root issue.
I knew it. Wolhanseong was filled with resentment toward us from the start. I don’t know why, but it’s not something that can be fixed overnight. And it probably wasn’t her intention.
She seemed to hold a different view from the castle’s mainstream, but so what?
Even if she suppressed their resentment, it would only be temporary.
Ignoring her, I continued.
“Seems you’ve got something to say. Let’s hear it all now.”
A few of her soldiers gasped.
What, did they think a mad prince would beat around the bush?
Expecting too much from a mad prince. They should be grateful I’m not cursing them out.
But there was no response. I gave them a chance to speak, and they ignore me like this?
“Hey, you lot. Are you all deaf? Can’t hear me?”
For some reason, Heoseokgyeom’s face grew redder. Is it hot? It doesn’t feel that warm.
“This is a problem.”
I clicked my tongue, and the atmosphere grew darker. I wasn’t sure if it was because of me or the lord behind me.
“The soldiers of Wolhanseong, guardians of the northern border, can’t even hear a shout from the streets?”
A few, including the fifty-man leader, glared at me. Nice eyes they’ve got.
I was about to say something when Heoseokgyeom caught my attention.
“Seems our Jungnangjang Heo can’t hear well either?”
At least Heoseokgyeom, remembering I’m a no-holds-barred mad prince, gave a polite reply.
“My apologies.”
A few exchanged glances, still glaring at me, then at the lord’s direction. I’m not scary, but she must be. Makes sense—I’m just passing through, so they don’t care about me. But the lord could chew them out for life, so she’s scarier.
“As someone in charge, I should take responsibility for this.”
The lord stepped in again.
“Your Highness?”
I couldn’t ignore her twice, so I turned around.
“What is it, my lady?”
“It’s my fault for not maintaining discipline. Please don’t worry…”
“Lax discipline is inevitable. I know.”
No one’s better at being undisciplined than me.
Even though I cut her off and rambled, she didn’t react much.
“It’s not your fault if your soldiers look down on me.”
As I chuckled, her expression visibly hardened.
“Your Highness?”
Her tone grew firmer. So what? My mouth didn’t stop.
“If they’re so skilled that they see me as a joke, that’s understandable. If calling a fool a fool is a crime, everyone would be a liar. Truth is truth, lies are lies—it’s only natural. If I’m truly laughable, who’s to blame?”
As I rambled, the surroundings grew quiet.
I didn’t care and kept talking.
Honestly, I wasn’t impressed.
If the Second Prince were here, would they dare treat my men like this?
No way.
Even if Wolhanseong is far from the capital and its influence is weak, they can’t completely ignore it.
This is all because I’m weak.
Because I have nothing and am weak, even those who follow me are disrespected.
There’s a time to endure, a time it’s okay to endure, and…
“So, why don’t you show me? Anyone, doesn’t matter.”
…a time not to endure.
Heoseokgyeom, sensing trouble, narrowed his brow.
“Your Highness?”
“Why do you keep calling me? Speak.”
I clicked my tongue and approached the fools. They flinched as I got closer.
“Why don’t you show me how strong and brave the northern swords, the northern shields, the guardians of this great wall are? If you’re looking down on me, I’d have to accept it, wouldn’t I?”
The fifty-man leader spoke up.
“My apologies, but to say we disrespected Your Highness…”
“Shut up.”
That guy was the biggest problem. I could just chew out the low-ranking soldiers and be done, but I had to deal with him.
As my words grew harsher, the atmosphere chilled further. Even I, creating it, could feel it.
The lord stepped in again.
“Your crime is great! The Grand Prince Ikwon came to address our castle’s difficulties, yet you trouble his peace. Are you in your right mind?”
She was so calm she seemed cold, so her sudden anger felt off. She was deliberately scolding her subordinate to calm me down.
I understood her intent not to escalate, but I wasn’t stopping.
“Truly not in their right minds.”
I nodded a couple of times, eyeing the soldiers closely.
“Since you seem to look down on me, I wanted to give you a chance to clear my misunderstanding or help me know my place. Why isn’t anyone stepping up? Does not a single soldier in this castle follow the lord’s lead?”
They were young and spirited, unable to hold back. They faltered when she shouted, but as I kept talking, their glares returned.
“The upper waters may be clear, but the lower ones aren’t always.”
I clicked my tongue mockingly.
Finally, someone stepped forward.
“Talking about the north’s harshness, my skills may be lacking…”
Not the fifty-man leader. The largest soldier stepped forward.
“If I may, I’d like a chance to clear the misunderstanding.”
I agreed readily.
“Why not?”
He was a huge man, half a head taller than me. His eyes looking down were far from pure.
A bold fool, unaware of what’s ahead.
“A warrior proves himself only by showing his martial skills.”
“Exactly.”
“My apologies, but if I may, I’d like to draw my blade before Your Highness.”
“No problem with that.”
He bowed low and said, “It’s hard to show skill alone, so I humbly request an opponent.”
“Fine.”
I grinned. When I didn’t respond further, he spoke again.
“Who would you choose as my opponent?”
I raised one finger.
And pointed at myself.
His face turned to shock.
“…Your Highness?”
“What?”
Gasps of shock came from around us. No need to look—the horror on his face was entertaining enough.
My body’s nothing special, but I’m not so pathetic as to embarrass myself in front of the lord. I’ve put in some effort. I trained when I could, and…
Didn’t I recently gain a new weapon?
The blood-point technique Sun Gang brought from Shindanju.
“Your opponent is me. If I don’t want to be seen as a joke, why put someone else forward?”
“But…”
“No buts.”
He bristled, frustrated.
“I can’t harm Your Highness’s body!”
I pressed my chest, following Sun Gang’s technique.
And smirked.
“No need to worry about that.”