The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]

Chapter 13

Yoo Geung sprang forward. With my hands clasped behind my back, I counted the heads of the Geomgye visible beyond Yoo Geung, and there were exactly five.

All five of them were poor in skill, but perhaps because they were accustomed to committing evil deeds, every attack they unleashed was incredibly vicious.

Thanks to that, our Captain Yoo ended up with a cut on his arm after just five exchanges.

"Disappointing."

Should I sugarcoat it as a glorious wound received while protecting the prince? I wasn't a heartless person, so that level of compensation wouldn't be difficult.

"Ugh!"

Seeing Yoo Geung younger than I remembered, there were a few moments where I couldn't help but click my tongue in frustration. But even originally, Yoo Geung wasn't stronger than me. This was all within my expectations.

Now, let's see what those Geomgye bastards are like.

One looked stupid and acted stupidly. One looked vicious and acted viciously. One looked sneaky and acted sneakily. One looked annoying and acted annoyingly. And one was ugly and acted unbecomingly.

That made five. How come there wasn't a single decent one among them?

What a lack of character.

Thus, the confrontation between Yoo Geung and the five Geomgye was like a life-or-death struggle between fools. Yoo Geung was also a fool.

Because even here, Yoo Geung, unable to overcome his rigid nature, was using a straightforward approach against these idiots.

If it were me, I would have at least thrown some dirt, but Yoo Geung didn't.

Well... that's the kind of person he was, and that's how he died in that place, in that way.

Just then, one of them started to run away, dragging the child who was sprawled on the ground crying.

It was the ugly one among the five.

But strangely, although he was definitely ugly, his ugliness was somehow familiar.

Where had I seen him before?

There's no way I would have any connection with the Geomgye in the capital...

"Hey!"

It seemed he was trying to run away with the child to sell, since he didn't see a chance of winning. He was doing this out of fear of losing his merchandise.

I couldn't just let that happen. I passed Yoo Geung, who was struggling against the remaining four Geomgye, and started chasing the fleeing one.

"It would be wise to stop."

I threw out a bluff, but it didn't have much effect. This was because my stamina was so terrible that running was quite difficult. He could probably hear my heavy breathing.

Damn it.

What a shameful situation this was.

"Hey, aren't you going to stop?"

I shouted again at the running figure's back, but it was useless. Well, if I were him, I wouldn't obediently stop either if someone like me was chasing after me, panting and looking like they were about to collapse and die.

Who could I blame...?

But I didn't give up and continued to shout.

"It would be best to stop right now. Because..."

I couldn't think of anything specific to say after that.

"Because... Because..."

And I was out of breath.

I panted and said, “Because I am the prince. Stop right there. That's an order from the prince."

The guy glanced back and then turned his head away again. The alley was almost at its end, and I could see the turning point just ahead.

Suddenly, two names came to mind.

"In-hong!"

It was the moment I remembered where I had seen that ugly guy. His name was In-hong. I was someone who remembered people's faces very well.

On a different note, that's why the face of Jincheon, the one who beheaded me, was still vivid in my mind as if I had seen him yesterday.

The very next moment, I remembered where I had seen In-hong. He had come to Blood Cloud Fortress as a leader of the volunteer army, leading the troops.

Compared to the troops raised in Blood Cloud Fortress, they were a ragtag group, so they weren't of much help, but at the time, the situation was so dire that we would have taken any help we could get.

What did he say back then?

I remember.

I heard he changed his mind and decided to become a volunteer soldier thanks to a benefactor who guided him, who also came from the streets.

That's all I can remember.

The moment I called his name, the guy stopped in his tracks.

I was out of breath and felt like I was going to die, but I couldn't miss the opportunity now that he had stopped. I threw my scabbard at him with all my might. The scabbard hit the back of his head and fell, and he collapsed along with it. I ran towards him, feeling like I was about to die.

"Ugh. I'm dying."

I was gasping for breath, and the guy glared at me with a serious expression. Seeing him calm while I was struggling made me feel annoyed. Actually, he wasn't calm as the back of his head was bleeding, but so what.

Judging from my feelings, was I always suited to be a madman from the start?

Just then, I heard sounds of Yoo Geung approaching from behind. Yes, Yoo Geung was coming. Trusting Yoo Geung, I smacked the back of In-hong's head.

"Hey, you lowly bastard. The prince tells you to stop, and you ignore him and keep running?"

A sharp smack echoed.

In-hong glared.

"Who are you to know my name?"

"This is His Highness, the Prince."

What's the big deal about two names? But he stopped running at those two words, so maybe it was a big deal.

But was this guy really the In-hong I knew? I couldn't even imagine what had happened for him to go from being a petty thug in the Geomgye to becoming the In-hong I knew.

I thought my life story was quite dramatic, but compared to what this guy must have gone through, from being a Geomgye in the capital to dying in Seopyung, mine might seem rather ordinary. They say there are all sorts of people in the capital, and it was true.

"Your Highness!"

Just then, Yoo Geung called out to me and ran over. But that was all he said. Seeing that he didn't say anything about me hitting the back of In-hong's head, maybe this was something I did often.

Well, I wouldn't know.

Before taking care of the surroundings, I first grabbed In-hong. I had a sword in my other hand, so he wouldn't dare try to run away.

Ah, but this was truly unbelievable. Although it was something that happened in the distant future, and I experienced it in a different body, there were two people from the capital who died in Seopyung, right here in this place.

What a strange connection.

Was it a bad connection because he died?

"You take care of that one for now."

I pointed to the child left dangling in In-hong's hand. Yoo Geung glared at In-hong and brought the child over as if snatching them away.

"You're safe now that I'm here. I'm a Captain in the Geumo Guard, and..."

I'm not sure why it's "I" instead of "we," but anyway.

"Is Your Highness alright?"

Yoo Geung asked after rambling a few words. He sure asked quickly. I nodded.

"Not really."

"Pardon?"

Yoo Geung was flustered by the negative response despite my seemingly fine appearance, but I ignored him and continued.

"This guy called me 'this guy.'"

"Pardon?"

Yoo Geung seemed to get flustered more easily than I thought.

"Don't be dazed."

"Ah, yes."

"This guy's name is In-hong, and he called me 'this guy,' so I'll punish him for the crime of disrespecting the royal family."

"Pardon?"

Perhaps because this was the first time this had happened, Yoo Geung couldn't gather his wits and just repeated the same word in response.

"What did you just say...?"

"Shut up."

When I snapped, In-hong shut his mouth and glared instead.

In-hong's eyes were unnecessarily sharp, and even after being hit, they didn't lose their intensity.

"Don't glare at me like that."

Even after all this.

"Bodyguard Yoo."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What happened to the guys over there?"

"I caught them and tied them up."

"Tied them up? With what?"

Yoo Geung answered proudly.

"I carry a rope just in case."

"...Oh, okay."

I thought Yoo Geung wasn't an ordinary person either.

"If you permit, I'll escort them to the government office."

I nodded.

"Do that."

In-hong couldn't hold back and started squirming.

"And this guy..."

I pondered for a moment about the charges.

"Insulting the royal family? Good. That should be enough. Bodyguard Yoo, apprehend the criminal."

"Your order is my command."

In-Hong exclaimed in shock, "What nonsense...."

"We'll have to throw him in the Royal Guard prison and let him rot for a few days before sending him off."

Yoo-Geung rummaged through his pockets and pulled out another rope. How did that even fit in there? When I asked, Yoo-Geung replied, "I have prepared thoroughly to ensure no problems arise while serving His Highness."

Such loyalty.

In-Hong hesitated before asking, "You're... sending me away? Where...?"

"You're with the Geomgye, aren't you, you son of a bitch."

I smacked the back of In-hong's head again.

"You pathetic fool."

I hit him again.

"You spineless coward."

Another smack.

"Ugly bastard."

At that, Yoo Geung made a face as if he were hurt. In-hong was the one who was being insulted for being ugly, so why was he reacting that way? I didn't say that he was ugly.

"You ugly jerk. You can't even control how you look, and you do whatever you want. Did you eat the law with your rice? Ugh."

I clicked my tongue and then spoke to Yoo Geung.

"Bodygaurd Yoo, take this scoundrel and his gang to the magistrate's office."

"And what will Your Highness do?"

"I'll go with you to the magistrate's office. Did you think you'd leave me alone on the street?"

"No, Your Highness."

A spoiled brat doesn't care about time. My grandfather wouldn't mind if we took our time. After all, I never told him when we would arrive.

"Let's go."

"Yes, Your Highness."

On the way to the magistrate's office, I continued to berate In-hong. He didn't back down and continued to glare at me. I couldn't help but wonder who the mysterious person was who managed to reform In-hong.

In any case, they must have been an extraordinary person, not only reforming someone like him into a decent human being but also nurturing him into a righteous army leader.

"Whoever they are, they should thank me."

It would be easier to guide In-hong thanks to my help, so they should be grateful.

As I muttered to myself, Yoo Geung and Inhong looked at me as if I were a strange creature.

"What are you looking at?"

Meanwhile, Yoo Geung was muttering something to the little boy we had just rescued, looking quite pleased with himself. He seemed to think he had done a good deed.

When we arrived at the magistrate's office, Yoo Geung said, "I will take them in."

Kidnapping was a serious crime, and so was human trafficking. The officials didn't look kindly upon the Geomgye either, so In-hong was immediately imprisoned even though I hadn't said a word.

I put my hands behind my back and approached the official.

Although I had him arrested, In-hong still had the potential for redemption.

"Hey there."

"Yes?"

"I'm Prince Ikwon, the First Prince. I'll contact you later, so don't be too hard on him and take good care of him. Also, treat the wound on the back of his head. I hit him."

"... Yes, yes? Yes?"

"If you have anything to tell me, tell Yoo Geung of the Geumo Guard."

I decided to keep an eye on In-hong and told the official to watch him closely. The official wore a confused expression as he looked back and forth between me and Inhong.

In any case, since fate had brought us together, I intended to observe him.

I clasped my hands behind my back and left the magistrate's office.

Looking up at the sky, I saw that it was a beautiful day.

"It's a lucky day."

[Translator - Jjescus ]

[Proofreader - Starfall ]