Chapter 7: The Wastrel’s Gambit

Good thing this crow’s a birdbrain. If it was smart and scheming, I’d have no way to pry out its secrets.

Too frail to torture—it’d die in an hour.

“I can’t say!”

“So there’s something to say.”

After returning from the audience, I asked Eunuch Han something.

“Han, was I often sick? Got a headache.”

“Pardon? Oh, Your Highness always mentioned that. But you refused medicine… Shall I bring some for your headache?”

“I refused? Why?”

“You said it was for a grave reason, but, begging pardon, you didn’t elaborate… Also, the medicine was useless and only added to your discomfort.”

My gut’s telling me something.

Honed through four years of life-and-death battles, this instinct saved my neck countless times. Can’t ignore it.

And now it’s saying this crow and my headache are linked.

Or not.

There’s got to be a reason this talking crow only dealt with the first prince.

If it just wanted food, a foul-tempered wastrel prince wouldn’t be the best choice.

Or not.

“Hey.”

I called it softly; its tail feathers twitched.

“Wanna bet?”

“W-what!”

I smirked arrogantly.

“I’ll figure out your identity. Four days sound fair?”

“And then?”

“If I nail it, you answer my questions straight.”

“If you fail?”

“I’ll do whatever you want.”

“…Anything?”

“Sure. Obviously.”

“…What if I refuse the bet?”

I drew my thumb across my throat.

“Gurk. Like that.”

It lowered its head, pondering.

Then looked up.

“So be it.”

“Nice.”

I had a guess about its identity. With clues already, tracking its trail should do it. Easy enough, I thought.

Plenty of time before evening, so I decided to scout around.

I needed someone to use as a lackey.

No urgent destination, and my movements aren’t exactly free, so no rush.

But no harm in looking early, right?

Plus, I needed a sparring partner to test this body’s limits—good excuse.

Since I don’t know many people, I started with those I’d crossed paths with in Hyeolyunseong.

Listing their names in my head, I left Hyeonnyeongdang.

My destination: the military headquarters.

“Y-Your Highness…?”

A martial officer in a feathered cap spotted me and froze. Seeing the sword at my waist, he froze again.

Looked like a break during training.

“I greet Grand Prince Ikwon!”

I waved off their salutes casually and strode to the training yard.

Scanning the officers’ faces as I walked, I didn’t forget my main goal.

I knew a few future heroes’ names or faces, but not their pasts.

So, I had to check them out one by one.

Some green officers stared at me, visibly rattled.

Maybe the dusty faces reminded me of wartime—not when Hyeolyunseong fell and I was thrashing alone, but long before.

The guy I was after, I met back then.

How would a backwater swordsman like me know a capital officer?

Because he’d come to support Seopyeong’s Hyeolyunseong.

“I greet Grand Prince Ikwon!”

As I passed, officers shouted. Their booming salutes were to make an impression. War was opportunity for such men.

In chaotic times, the low could rise, and the high could fall.

If only the kingdom hadn’t collapsed. If we’d held on somehow.

I stopped.

“I-I greet Grand Prince Ikwon!”

This dim-looking guy was one of those cases—on the way up, not down. No reason to panic if he was falling.

“Hm.”

My gut was churning, but I kept my face calm. Acting like a spoiled rich kid browsing luxuries, I stopped before him, sizing him up.

Grimy, clueless face. Kindly put, a simple look.

“What’s your name?”

Panic flashed across his dopey face.

“Y-Yu Geung, Your Highness.”

Yu Geung.

“Was from the Golden Guard, I heard.”

The central army split into two armies and six guards. The two armies were the king’s personal guard, so the six guards handled capital defense and royal protection.

The guards had ranks, and the Golden Guard was top-tier.

They rarely got sent to backwaters like Hyeolyunseong.

In a kingdom on the brink, anything’s possible, but Yu Geung was slogging in Hyeolyunseong long before that.

An officer from the Golden Guard leading troops to the border? Absurd. Back then, Yu Geung wasn’t even in the Golden Guard.

Here’s the kicker: the Golden Guard’s main turf was the palace.

A Golden Guard officer going to Hyeolyunseong wasn’t normal.

Not by choice, that’s for sure.

Why?

“Oh?”

Not my problem.

Whether past Yu Geung was demoted in a power struggle or stubbornly marched to Hyeolyunseong himself.

“Your name’s Yu Geung, huh.”

Forget the past. In this life, he just needs to follow me and pick up scraps.

Doesn’t have to be Yu Geung, but I’m shy, so a familiar face is easier.

Since he’s doomed anyway, if my meddling screws his life, less guilt.

Better a twisted life than death, right?

“You’ve got a good face.”

I clapped a hand on Yu Geung’s shoulder. He twitched like a fly’s wings.

“Looks virtuous.”

“Pardon?”

“Like… someone with a mysterious past who’d dive into a border war, fight fiercely, and die gloriously, yet tragically.”

Yu Geung dipped his head, looking dumb.

“I’m… honored.”

I nodded once.

“A young man who appreciates the small things.”

I could’ve been that kind too. Feeling a kinship, I grinned.

Then a sharp gaze hit me. Glancing sideways, the feathered-cap officer was staring holes through me.

A general, maybe.

But not suspicious—just worried about what this lunatic might do.

I know that look well.

Being a wastrel’s great. Most suspicions get brushed off as slacker antics—what a deal.

“Shall we have a quiet chat somewhere?”

Maybe the Founder, who I thought was clueless, planned all this, sticking me in this wastrel’s body.

If so, he’s a true sage with uncanny foresight.

Not likely I’ll see him again, so it’s just a hunch.

Anyway, no one questioned this wastrel’s nonsense.

Or so I thought, until someone butted in.

“Will you deign to question me too, Your Highness?”

Unfamiliar face.

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Jin, of the Ah clan.”

Ah Jin?

Don’t know him.

“To think Your Highness came to inspire us—I’m overwhelmed.”

Ah Jin was all smiles. Didn’t like it. 

It reeked of a schemer, polluting the training ground’s air.

Interesting.

“What are you?”

“Unworthy, but I hold the rank of Jungnangjang.”

Jungnangjang. Fifth-rank officer.

As Ah Jin approached, Yu Geung hesitated and stepped back, so Yu Geung’s rank must be lower.

I asked Yu Geung,

“And you?”

“I-I’m called Nangjang, Your Highness.”

Nangjang. Sixth-rank officer.

Freshly joined, maybe. I remember Yu Geung as a general, but this is much earlier, so it tracks.

I looked at the feathered-cap general.

“Can I borrow Yu for a bit?”

A sixth-rank officer isn’t low, but one missing won’t cause a stir. As expected, the general agreed without fuss.

“Do as you please.”

Yu Geung bowed, looking clueless.

“Follow me.”

As I walked, I felt a persistent stare.

I headed to Hyeonnyeongdang with Yu Geung. If Eunuch Han was back, he’d come out, but the pavilion was quiet. Still searching for what I asked, probably.

He won’t find it, so he’ll be gone until sunset.

“Your Highness.”

Yu Geung spoke as we crossed Hyeonnyeongdang’s gate.

“Speak.”

“May I ask why you brought me here?”

Asking right after crossing the gate—pretty impatient. Was Yu Geung always this antsy?

I remember him as tight-lipped and dull. Even sharing drinks, he’d sit in a corner, silent.

I only talked to him after we nearly died together.

“I’m set to spar with someone.”

I answered, walking to the pavilion’s courtyard center.

“So I need a practice partner.”

Yu Geung’s face crumpled.

“Am I Your Highness’s practice partner?”

His tone turned slightly rude, pride clearly stung.

Getting mad at being a practice partner for a scrawny prince? If he didn’t, he wouldn’t be a warrior.

From what I saw in Hyeolyunseong, Yu Geung might be stiff, but he wasn’t a bad fighter.

No matter how much you put him down, he’s not some pampered palace flower like a notorious prince.

“Yeah.”

Yu Geung composed himself and said,

“How could a foolish man like me dare be Your Highness’s opponent?”

I snorted on purpose.

“If you’re foolish, you’re perfect for me.”

His face slowly reddened. Less control than I saw in Hyeolyunseong.

“Begging pardon, but I fear my foolishness might harm Your Highness.”

“And?”

“My duty is to protect the royal family and the state. Please consider my position and grant this humble request.”

Nope.

“Thought you’d be quiet from your face, but you’re chatty.”

“Didn’t know Your Highness was a face-reading expert.”

“Matching me word for word too. That’s your real personality?”

If this is closer to his true self, the Yu Geung in Hyeolyunseong was probably beaten down.

“More interesting than I thought, you.”

“Have you seen me before?”

“No way. Think I’d chase after someone like you?”

I grinned and drew the sword at my waist.

The blade hummed faintly.

“Let’s start.”