Chapter: 651
As soon as I spoke, the room fell silent in an instant.
With the added silence to the already cold space, I felt a wave of unease wash over me.
Fortunately, the silence didn’t last too long.
“Old Confucius,”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what you just said?”
“Half I know, half I don’t.”
I asked the princess, who claimed she could provide rewards, for information about sorcery and the right to hand over the idiot locked up in the dungeon behind me.
I didn’t realize how important the first part was, but I definitely understood the significance of the latter.
“You are now asking for the instigator of the rebellion to be handed over.”
The idiot starving away in the underground prison.
That guy is Woohyuk.
Of course, if that guy had come trotting in here directly, he would have ended up imprisoned.
Regardless of the situation, he was still one of the people who led the rebellion.
‘Stupid kid.’
I told him to come back later, but I never expected him to show up so brazenly.
‘Wait, the one who came in that body was Namgung Myung, so isn’t it really his fault?’
I briefly considered that, but I already knew that if it were Woohyuk, he would’ve crawled here on his own anyway.
Anyway, these guys are utterly incomprehensible.
‘They could have just snuck in or come quietly.’
Why do they all live like fools? It’s just infuriating.
Seeing such frustration unfolding right before my eyes makes it even worse.
‘What can I say? This is the price I pay for befriending fools.’
I could let it slide a couple more times.
After all, I had received a lot in my past life.
I could afford to give at least that much.
“Ha.”
I let out a huff of exasperation.
It wasn’t the princess; it came from behind.
It wasn’t the Black Lion either. It was someone I hadn’t seen before.
‘Another general, huh.’
An old man with a bald head and a white beard.
He was glaring at me with a drastically contorted expression.
“No matter how much I helped save the North Sea, how could I stand before the princess—!”
His voice raised loudly, clearly displeased.
The Black Lion tried to raise his hand to intervene, but—
Thump.
It was already too late; my hand had already moved.
Kuuuwng—!!
“Ugh—!?”
As I struck the air with my mental focus, the bald man was thrown against the wall by the mental force.
“Oh.”
I couldn’t help but marvel at it.
I had only adjusted my strength moderately, and yet this was the kind of power it exhibited?
On one hand, it made me realize how much I had improved.
‘I’ll need more time to get this under control.’
It seemed like it would take longer than I thought to adapt to this sudden surge of power.
“…Ugh…!!”
The bald general, who had briefly collapsed, started to get back up.
At the same time, he withdrew a long spear from his back.
Clang—!
Not just him, but most of the other generals were drawing their weapons, ready to confront me.
“Stop….”
A soft voice from the princess mediated the situation.
“I’m still talking with the guest.”
“Your Majesty—! But, he—!”
“White Eagle. Are you planning to disobey?”
“…!”
The bald old man seemed to be named White Eagle.
‘A bald eagle, huh?’
Thinking about it made me want to chuckle.
“Confucius, I hope you can exercise restraint.”
“Yes, my apologies. I didn’t mean to lose my composure.”
Honestly, I could have held back, but I wanted to make a point.
‘It felt like the stage was set for things to go my way.’
And, as expected, the stage I desired was indeed set.
Truth be told, I had hoped the princess wouldn’t intervene in this situation, but that was likely too much to wish for.
“…I apologize for failing to manage my subordinates during this discussion.”
The princess spoke, her stern gaze fixed on me.
“However, do you realize how heavy the words you just uttered are?”
“As I mentioned before, I understand half of it.”
“Which half are you referring to?”
“Of course, I mean Woohyuk… No, I’m talking about the non-commissioned officers.”
“…”
A chill filled the air.
I could feel the temperature in the room drop.
‘Hmm.’
Clearly, all the icy energy that had been with the princess was just sucked away.
Not to mention she was probably feeling under the weather yet still exerting this much pressure.
‘…She’s surprisingly powerful.’
It seemed that the princess’s realm was higher than I had anticipated.
Now that I’ve regained my previous life’s level, it was even clearer to me.
The princess was a formidable individual.
Much more so than I initially realized.
‘Is she still like this even after losing her energy?’
It was genuinely intriguing.
Even in her weakened state, she somehow emanated strength.
‘This feels more like it was being suppressed by a curse.’
After the Yong-in Flower was released, the curse was lifted.
While it was a relief to see the curse lifted, it also meant she was likely weakened now that the energy had been released.
The princess’s presence felt stronger than when I first met her.
Of course…
‘Still, she’s weaker than me right now.’
If she were in peak condition, who knows? But in her weakened state, I would likely be able to overcome her.
That was the only detail that mattered to me.
“I know that the non-commissioned officer is your close friend. He is the person who led the rebellion and is currently imprisoned as a criminal.”
“I know.”
“Are you still asking me to hand him over?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“…Old Prince.”
An ominous aura began to radiate from her.
As I sensed it, I frowned.
“I wish to repay you for saving the North Sea, but that request crosses the line.”
“I understand that. However, since you said you could compensate me, I merely stated what I need most.”
“Regarding matters of sorcery… those are privileges granted only to blood relatives, but I can allow you access to the information under the princess’s authority.”
That wasn’t terrible news either.
At the very least, I could still acquire information regarding sorcery.
“But the matter concerning the non-commissioned officers exceeds what is permissible.”
“Yes, I suppose that is the case.”
That made sense.
I figured she wouldn’t agree to something like that.
What kind of insane person would entertain such a request?
Yet…
“Your Majesty. But…”
“Speak.”
“If you don’t comply, then I have no choice but to consider you my enemy.”
“…!”
I lanced right to the point without dodging the issue at all.
The impact of my words must have created quite a stir; the princess and even the generals froze in place.
Observing the princess’s reaction, I continued.
“I know that fool messed up. I’m sure he had reasons behind his actions. But frankly, I’m not concerned about that—what matters is the result, and it’s clear he caused trouble.”
I was completely in the dark regarding Woohyuk’s intentions, especially his collaborations with Yoo-seon, but the timeframe didn’t allow for such considerations.
Moreover, even if I had learned the whole story, it wouldn’t change the fact that Woohyuk erred.
But still…
“That truly has nothing to do with me.”
“Old Prince…!”
The princess’s expression twisted at my words.
“I tried to convey this politely, but I figured this was the quickest way. I get your predicament, Your Majesty, but if you don’t release him, I will have to take him by force.”
That was a clear threat.
This was a definitive stance that no negotiations would be entertained.
Give it to me. If you don’t, I’ll forcibly take it.
Because I had the strength. And it was something I could say while the entire Ice Palace, including the princess herself, was weakened.
In reality, I could easily break through if everyone decided to grab onto me.
A few pinnacle warriors stationed outside three Hwagyeong units.
I couldn’t accurately gauge the princess’s level right now, but under the current circumstances, I felt she could probably fit into the Hwagyeong. Four?
Though it might be somewhat challenging for me alone, I had Sungyul accompanying me.
Here, if we consider variables…
‘Besides the devil’s power preventing me.’
That chance seemed slim, so I was inclined to keep my stance easygoing, though perhaps a bit reckless.
‘Thinking it through feels annoying.’
No matter how much I thought, this was likely my only approach.
‘Besides…’
I observed the princess’s warped expression quietly.
Since the moment I mentioned Woohyuk, I found a subtle yet distinct unease in her light blue eyes.
‘This lady…’
The princess had a cunning side akin to a fox.
I had thought politics was going to be chaotic, yet it appeared that was not entirely the case.
Whoosh.
The sound of someone drawing their sword echoed.
I had no need to look.
It was Sungyul unsheathing his weapon.
Yet, he wasn’t the one to draw first.
Whiiish—!!
I chuckled lightly at the sensation of being stabbed in the back.
Dare I say, speculation.
Sungyul had reacted to a looming threat coming from the generals.
As I sensed this, I focused my heart.
At that moment…
Kuuuu—!!!
“Gah…!!”
“Huh—!”
An overwhelming pressure permeated the room, emanating from the tips of my toes.
‘It’s been a while since I’ve done this, and it feels refreshing; not in a bad way, either.’
I unleashed a strong burst of energy to keep everyone else from making any sudden moves.
In the chaos, Sungyul and the princess needed to adjust themselves to evade the pressure.
That way, it would become easier for the princess to maneuver.
Swish.
The princess rose from her throne, aligning her gaze with mine.
The distance wasn’t excessive.
At most, only around five steps.
I met her gaze and spoke first.
“I get where you’re coming from. Therefore, I don’t want to fight either.”
The rebellion instigated by my daughter had resulted in her untimely demise.
The bloodline that had guarded the Ice Palace diligently over centuries finally found itself unshackled. Yet, this also indicated that the princess no longer needed to sacrifice herself to remain on the throne.
In other words, it simply meant there was now more justification to sustain ongoing conflicts.
“Therefore, I hope we can reach an understanding.”
I said this while smiling.
What a selfish thing to say.
A manipulative move to exploit the other party’s dire straits brutally.
Even I found the audacity rather bold, but this was precisely the role I needed to play right now.
“If you don’t accept this, you’ll be the sole party at a loss. Your Majesty is fully aware you cannot restrain me at present.”
“…”
I flooded the air with a suffocating aura, pressing the princess.
No, I pretended to be the one applying pressure.
This way, the princess could also secure her justification in some form or another.
Ugh…!
One of the generals struggling against my pressure exhaled loudly.
They were unable to make any rash movements.
Not just because Sungyul was blocking the way, but also because they understood that if they made a wrong move, I might just strike down the princess cleanly.
This was the pressure I was laying down to instigate that realization.
After a few brief seconds.
Or maybe a dozen more seconds passed with still no response, so I leaned in and spoke softly to the princess.
“Or, should I deal with the generals behind me first and then think it over?”
“…Hoo…”
After hearing that, the princess sighed meekly.
“…I shall concede.”
The words felt like they were forced out, and I immediately released my grasp.
Fwoosh—!!
“Ugh!”
As the pressure dissipated, the generals who had been holding on faltered and regained their footing.
Yet the look in their eyes held shock as they stared at me, but I pretended not to notice.
The princess’s expression was fraught with conflict.
Her heart was clearly torn at the thought of letting a sinner walk free like this.
‘What a good actor she is.’
Had I not known better, I might have fallen for that and felt an ounce of guilt.
‘She was the one who started laying down the groundwork right after I spoke up.’
I smirked at the sight.
This entire board wasn’t solely my doing; the princess had laid it out too.
What may seem senseless to an outsider was anything but, as I had set the intent, yet it was the princess who orchestrated the scene.
I was left with no choice but to hand over Woohyuk.
What mattered here was the term ’no choice.’
To be more precise.
‘Establishing the princess’s position and ensuring there would be no political fallout.’
That was what we were creating presently.
A weakened princess unable to thwart a powerful force.
While emanating murderous intent and declaring that if such a person was not dealt with, he would wipe everyone out.
Throughout this, even though the princess held her ground against the looming threat, in the end, when her subordinates were taken hostage, her acceptance was evident.
With that…
“…I recognize that I have no option but to yield to prevent any further harm.”
“An excellent choice indeed.”
“Your Majesty…! How could…!! Because of us—!!”
“Ugh…!”
My status plummeted from that of the benefactor who saved the North Sea to a villain who threatened the princess.
‘It doesn’t matter much. It’s just kind of uneasy.’
Perhaps having endured so much in my past life made me feel oddly uncomfortable being seen as a villain here.
‘If I can achieve my objective in the process, I wouldn’t have any qualms.’
It seemed that was adequate.
Having figured I was nearing the conclusion, I turned to the princess, waiting for her next words.
“However… there is a condition.”
The princess continued with her stipulations regarding Woohyuk’s fate.
As she shared her conditions, I listened closely.
Once she finished, I nodded affirmatively.
“That’s certainly manageable. I don’t think it’ll be an issue.”
Fortunately, the conditions weren’t anything too difficult.
Afterward, I stepped out from the audience room and made my way towards the prison.
With the meeting with the princess concluded, it was time to address the most crucial task of the day.
Perhaps the lingering chill hadn’t fully dissipated, for the pathway leading to the dungeon felt oddly cold.
As I descended the seemingly distant stairs, I finally spotted the iron bars guarded by multiple personnel.
And I recognized a familiar figure among the sentries.
“What are you doing over there?”
Upon my casual questioning, someone flinched.
This princess of the North Sea.
No, now Yuri, who became the first princess, was here.
“Ah… I’ve met your benefactor.”
Yuri widened her eyes at my sudden entrance and bowed respectfully.
‘I see, she must have come to see that guy.’
Calmly seated beyond the iron bars was a young man.
Woohyuk sat there with a blank expression.
After taking that in, I asked Yuri,
“Should I come back later?”
“No… I’ll step back first.”
I figured she might come back later, but Yuri offered a slight bow and stepped back into the shadows.
Turning my attention back to Woohyuk, I queried,
“Were you two having an important talk?”
“…It wasn’t that important.”
“Sure, my apologies if I interrupted.”
Not really.
Even his face was ominously tense.
‘What’s this, trying to throw me off?’
It was crystal clear that their relationship was peculiar.
I excelled at sensing things like this.
Although I wouldn’t say anything outright.
Hiding my amusement, I addressed Woohyuk.
“You look ridiculous. Are you comfortable?”
“Haha…”
“Pat yourself on the back, huh? You just had to lay low. Why on earth did you crawl in here and end up caught?”
“…”
Ignoring Woohyuk’s silence, I stretched my hand out toward the iron bars.
“Huh! Sleep…!”
The guards, seeing this, rushed to stop me frantically, but crackle!—the iron bars in my grip melted from the heat and tore apart.
The guard stood there dumbstruck by how casually I had broken the bars.
I added an explanation for him.
“You have permission from the princess, so you can leave things as is.”
“Yes…?”
Ignoring the guards, I stepped through the prison bars and approached Woohyuk.
“I’ll be returning to the Central Plains tomorrow. That’s where our chat wraps up.”
“…You…”
Woohyuk looked surprised at my words, biting his lips and shaking his head.
“…I won’t go.”
Even after he said that, my expression remained unchanged. I had anticipated that’s how he would respond.
Still, out of courtesy, I asked,
“Why?”
“…I have committed an unforgivable sin. I must face the consequences.”
It was a classic Woohyuk response.
“Right, you really caused quite a ruckus.”
I didn’t deny it.
It would take considerable effort to perk him up or relate to him, but this time, it was too tough.
“… So, I won’t go to the Central Plains.”
Woohyuk declared resolutely, demonstrating he had no intention of changing his mind.
I nodded as I observed him.
“That’s an acceptable stance.”
“Understanding…”
“Before that, two matters I need to address first.”
I set Woohyuk aside for now since I needed to finish the main topic for which I had come.
I’d held off for three days without asking these.
At my words, Woohyuk’s expression stiffened, seemingly nervous.
Maybe he thought I would inquire why he had done what he did, or why he had acted in such a way.
But…
I wasn’t curious about that in the slightest.
“Is it you?”
“…Huh?”
Woohyuk appeared flustered by the ambiguous question.
“I mean, is it you?”
“What? Why are you suddenly saying that…?”
Confused by his cluelessness, I plainly stated what I meant.
“Red Feather.”
“Ah?”
“You’re the one who spread the rumors about the red feather. It’s you, isn’t it?”
Woohyuk faltered at my words. It was a flash of hesitation. For just a moment, he hesitated, then continued, as if to brush off the matter.
“Haha. Red feather? I don’t know what that means.”
The moment for him to speak up passed far too quickly, making it seem futile.
“You guys.”
“No.”
“Just like I thought, it was you after all.”
“I’m hearing that for the first time. What is it?”
“I’m sure it’s the first time you’ve heard that phrase. Most likely, you only threw it around without much thought.”
Observing his reaction, I quietly moved my hand.
Carefully, I aligned the melted and torn piece of metal back into the hole.
Then, I touched its edges, melting them again to seal it up.
Crackle—!!
“…Why are you patching it back together…?”
Woohyuk spoke with unease, watching the iron bars draw closed again, but this time I cut him off for another question.
“And you.”
Red feathers or whatever.
This was the most pressing issue I needed to address.
“You stabbed Namgung Bi-ah, didn’t you? Is it true?”
“….”
“Answer me, friend.”
“…I’m sorry—.”
Wham—!
Woohyuk’s head jerked away, and his body flew back against the wall.
Thud—!!
“Ugh!”
With the impact, Woohyuk fell, spitting out blood from the shock.
Even amidst violent trembling, his body was visibly healing.
This indicated that the regenerative abilities were kicking in.
I found comfort in witnessing that.
“First, I need to figure out why you caused that incident. But before we even get to that…”
At the very least, it seemed he wouldn’t easily die from this beating.
“Let’s start with a little bit of punishment. I have a lot to vent, so you, my friend, should understand.”
Crack!
I moved closer to Woohyuk, clenching my fist.
I had a plethora of ‘stories’ to share with Woohyuk.
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