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Chapter: 68

The letter contained a request for a secret meeting late at night.

It was none other than Son Gye-du, who had so brazenly mocked me to my face, who now wanted to see me.

Curiosity alone wouldn\'t let me ignore such a request.

So, at the appointed time, I went to the designated meeting place - a secluded spot behind a certain pavilion.

Son Gye-du was already there waiting for me.

"Ah, you have arrived."

His tone was insolent. Did he lack the sense to recognize who he was addressing? He must have been quite confident that I would come.

I decided to play along. As I sauntered over, Son Gye-du chuckled.

It was the quintessential villain\'s laugh.

"I greet His Highness, Prince Ikwon."

His belated and insincere greeting was a performance, a mockery even.

I nodded curtly and asked, "Why did you want to see me at this hour?"

As I spoke, I stroked the hilt of the sword at my waist. Yet, Son Gye-du remained all smiles.

"Surely, it couldn\'t be to gaze upon the face of this madman."

"Hahahaha."

Son Gye-du burst into laughter, but his voice was hushed, as if to avoid being overheard by any passersby.

"Please, I beg you, do not take it to heart."

"You tell me not to take it to heart after saying such things…? You must have thought I was that magnanimous."

I chuckled.

"I\'m afraid I\'m not quite that magnanimous."

"If you are to achieve great things, should you not possess a broad mind?"

"Great things? What great things?"

"Whatever Your Highness undertakes must surely be a great thing."

"You misunderstand. My role is merely to relay messages."

"Is not the three-inch tongue mightier than the sharpest blade? Your Highness\'s words may well determine the fate of this fortress."

"Oh, please. Can such weighty matters hang on the lips of a madman?"

Son Gye-du fell silent, a smile plastered on his face. He seemed to want to change the subject.

I obliged him.

"So, what\'s the main point?"

"The Wolhanseong Clan is ancient. Though its standards and rules are now meaningless, they persist, and with them, outdated and harmful customs."

"Well, that\'s true."

"So, isn\'t it time for a new wind to blow?"

What was he talking about?

I just blinked, standing still.

"...A rebellion?"

Even if a new wind blew, a noble clan with this much history wouldn\'t accept a new bloodline. In that sense, they were no different from the royal family.

So what did he mean by a new wind?

"Are you crazy?"

"Hahahaha."

Son Gye-du erupted in laughter again. Why does he keep laughing? Am I the only one who doesn\'t find it funny?

"What do you think?"

"...This side should handle its own affairs. I\'m an outsider, after all."

"Do you really think so?"

Son Gye-du\'s eyes gleamed unpleasantly. No, not gleamed, more like they glistened.

"Then, I have a request..."

Ah, I want to go home.

"What is it?"

"It\'s not a difficult task."

"What is it?"

"If you grant me a small request, this Son Gye-du will never forget your grace."

"I\'m asking you what it is!"

"Please delay the request for reinforcements... That is what I ask."

"Delay the request for reinforcements?"

Wouldn\'t that just increase the casualties?

The sooner we gather people and hunt those demonic beasts, the fewer people will be hurt or killed.

"Do you even realize what you\'re saying?"

"Of course."

"The people\'s resentment will be directed towards this fortress."

"That is the burden a leader must bear."

"Aha, I see. You seem to have a strong dislike for the Wolhan Fortress Lord. Now I understand."

Perhaps this wasn\'t a comfortable topic, as Son Gye-du, once again, remained silent, only the corners of his mouth lifting.

Then he said, "So... will you accept my request?"

"Hmm."

Frankly, I didn\'t care. Except for the innocent people who would get hurt.

It was quite far from the capital, so what did it matter to me? What I needed was the power of the northern noble families, not Son Cheon-Geum, the Lord of the Wolhan Fortress.

However…

"Fine, let\'s say I agree. I have nothing to lose. His Majesty isn\'t particularly interested in this place anyway."

As I subtly expressed my disapproval, Son Gye-du\'s smile faded.

"But there\'s no reason why I should, is there?"

"Would it not bring you one step closer to the North Wall?"

The North Wall.

The northern wall of Wolhan Fortress.

And, the throne.

"Ha."

I scoffed, and Son Gye-du clasped his hands together and bowed exaggeratedly.

"But everything depends on Your Highness\'s will. I merely make my request and await your answer."

It was a ridiculous statement. If I refused, he would surely bear a grudge. In this situation, I had to choose between protecting the Wolhan Fortress Lord or siding with Son Gye-du and bringing about his downfall.

"Thank you for your precious time."

I narrowed my eyes, glared at Son Gye-du\'s bowed head, and turned away.

* * *

Back at my quarters.

"Deliver this."

I wrote a short letter. It was addressed to the Pyeonggwang Merchant Guild.

They were my only connection, the only ones I could ask about this.

Since the leader, Shin Gwiryung, had promised to do his best to help me, it wouldn\'t hurt to make use of him.

The contents of the letter were nothing special. Whether Son Gye-du and Son Cheon-Geum were on bad terms, and if so, why… That was about it.

"How ruthless of you to send me on an errand at this late hour."

"I can\'t do it in broad daylight, can I?"

Word had already spread that I had a crow with me. It wasn\'t ideal, as it attracted unwanted attention.

"Are you not going?"

"You wicked boy. I will repay this debt in due time."

"Should I give you this?"

I pointed to a small jewelry box among the luggage piled in the corner. It wasn\'t much, but it contained a few trinkets. They weren\'t really my style, but the original wastrel prince seemed to have had a fondness for such things.

"Jewels!"

Gon flapped its wings and landed on top of the jewelry box. It seemed quite pleased with the reward, nodding his head repeatedly.

"Alright, I shall be extra careful on my journey!"

Whatever.

As soon as I tied the letter to Gon\'s leg, it flew out the window. I watched it soar into the night sky for a moment before returning to my bed.

"I should get some sleep."

I didn\'t know when it would return.

If it was late, Gon might come back tomorrow.

I fell asleep not long after lying down.

And how much time had passed?

"Cawww-!"

Suddenly, I heard a crow\'s cry. It was quite far away, but it was enough to wake me up. I opened my eyes and walked over to the window.

"Where is it?"

The pitch-black crow was flying in the night sky, making it impossible to see where it was. I narrowed my eyes and scanned every corner of my vision for a while, and then I heard another cry.

"Cawww!"

The cry was sharper than usual.

It sounded almost like a scream.

But there shouldn\'t be any danger for a bird flying around... What was it?

"What are you doing, you rascal?"

The cry sounded ominous for no reason. And since I couldn\'t see Gon, I felt uneasy.

After hearing the cry three or four times, I finally found it.

Gon was hurtling towards me at a terrifying speed.

I narrowed my eyes and observed it closely.

But looking closely... its flying posture was a bit strange?

"What the...?"

It was the moment I muttered a short question. A dark lump flew in front of my eyes as fast as lightning.

...Huh?

"Uwaaagh!"

Thud!

Crash!

Crash, bang, boom!

"Ugh."

There wasn\'t much I could say, sprawled on the floor.

Except for a low groan.

"Ugh... this..."

I groaned and flailed my arms in the air. I couldn\'t see anything because my vision was completely dark. After swinging my arms around uselessly a few times, I was finally able to remove this bird-brained creature that had attacked my head.

"Hey."

What was going on?

"Couldn\'t you have come normally?"

I had been hit by the diving crow and collapsed, hitting the back of my head on the floor. It wasn\'t a big deal, but it did hurt.

I rubbed the back of my head and tried to check on Gon, but my palm was wet.

I looked at my hands, and they were covered in blood.

"Huh?"

Was it from my head? I didn\'t feel any wounds, though?

It didn\'t seem like my blood, so I lifted Gon and examined it. Its feathers were dark, making it hard to notice, but Gon was bleeding.

"Is it... dead?"

Come to think of it, Gon was usually quite noisy, but it was silent now. Its body seemed strangely limp...

"Are you dead? Really?"

No matter how much I called Gon bird-brained, I had been with it for a while now, and to think it would die like this...

"...Really?"

At that moment, it abruptly lifted its head.

"Eek!"

"S-save me!" Gon cried out.

Save it? Was someone chasing it? As I thought that, I sensed someone approaching rapidly.

Who was it? An assassin? I knew the Wolhan Fortress elders didn\'t welcome me, but they wouldn\'t try to assassinate me, would they?

"Ugh."

Gon flapped its wings and slammed into my chest. It suddenly headbutted me with its whole body. This rascal was heavier than I thought. It made me stagger.

Ouch. This darn bird.

"What\'s gotten into you today? You scared me."

"Does your fright matter more than my life? We must flee!"

It flapped its wings and slapped me on both sides of my face. I was dumbfounded, being hit for no reason.

I grabbed it by the neck and lifted it up to stop it from thrashing about.

"What took you so long?"

"Later! I\'ll explain later! First, hide! We must hide!"

Hide?

I could guarantee that this room was the safest place in Wolhan Fortress. It was the prince\'s quarters, with several guards stationed outside. Plus, there were the military officers I had brought with me.

"Flee? What..."

"Listen to me! Hide now!"

Gon screeched and squeezed itself under the crumpled blanket on the bed.

"Is someone really coming? An assassin?"

Still, I couldn\'t be too sure. I lightly placed my hand on the hilt of the sword at my waist, ready to draw and swing it at any moment.

Rustle.

"Cawww-!"

The leaves of a nearby tree rustled. My room was on the second floor, and the window was almost touching the branches.

"Hey, be quiet."

But Gon, this rascal, screeched as if trying to burst my eardrums.

"Cawww!"

"Calm down. It\'s just a tree."

"Someone is trying to kill me-!"

It wouldn\'t have gone crazy overnight, so it couldn\'t be nonsense. But Gon was a bird, and I was a human. No one would be crazy enough to commit murder here, practically in the front yard of the Wolhan Fortress Lord.

Someone must have been out hunting birds.

...Was that it?