[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Chapter: 201
Late in the evening, Yegyeong summoned Baek An. As Baek An stepped outside, he tried to discern the true intentions hidden behind Yegyeong’s request.
He had been asked to be a sparring partner, but given the significant difference in skill levels, he doubted he would be of much help. When it came to swordsmanship, Baek An was actually a level above his older brother, Baek Yu.
Yet, his confidence had been utterly shattered. Baek An was coming to the painful realization that he had been nothing more than a frog in a well—ignorant of the vast world beyond.
The moment Yegyeong swiftly raised his sword, Baek An’s own blade was sent flying toward the sky. Having lost his weapon, Baek An’s face had already turned bright red.
Adding to his humiliation, a warrior losing his weapon in combat was an utter disgrace. His face now looked as if it might explode from shame.
Just then, a cold chill brushed against the nape of his neck. Yegyeong’s sword was pointed at him. However, rather than feeling the horror of being threatened, Baek An was overcome with a hollow sense of defeat.
Acknowledging his loss, Baek An spread his arms wide.
"I have been defeated."
At that, Yegyeong burst into laughter. Baek An, feeling awkward, forced a small chuckle in return.
"You admit it quickly."
"There is no reason to deny such an obvious defeat."
Yegyeong gave a nod. Then, motioning toward his blade with a tilt of his chin, he added, "You should at least show some fear."
Even with the sword hovering at his throat, Baek An had not so much as flinched. Realizing what Yegyeong was implying, Baek An blinked a few times before responding.
"If you had intended to kill me, you would have done so already. Given my current position, where I have no means of resistance, wouldn't it be meaningless to show fear?"
"In other words, if I wanted you dead, you'd already be dead, so there's no point in resisting?"
"That is correct."
At Baek An’s response, Yegyeong immediately withdrew his sword. At the same time, the smile that had lingered on his face vanished.
"You should fight back, at least as much as you can…."
Muttering under his breath, Yegyeong sheathed his sword at his waist. It seemed like he was speaking to himself, yet his words carried a weight that could not be ignored.
"Why do you give up your life so easily?"
"I'm not saying I wish to die. It’s just…."
Baek An scratched the back of his head. Having lived with the belief that dying in battle was only natural, he wouldn’t find it unfair even if he were to be captured and executed by the enemy.
Of course, that didn’t mean he wanted to die.
It was simply that he believed wasting energy on futile resistance was meaningless. If anything, surrendering early would at least save his allies the trouble of trying to rescue him.
"Don’t think that way."
Yegyeong frowned. Baek An quickly assessed whether he had somehow offended the prince.
Yegyeong looked directly at Baek An, his gaze unwavering as he continued, "Even if not for yourself, don’t give up—for the sake of those who would come to save you."
Baek An hesitated before nodding, taken aback.
There was something in Yegyeong’s words, beyond just a lesson—something deeper, something personal.
"Let’s go."
"Ah, yes."
Yegyeong started walking first. As Baek An followed, he found himself looking around at the scenery of Blood Cloud Fortress with newfound awareness.
It was strange. All it took was one person’s arrival, yet the atmosphere of the entire fortress seemed to have changed.
"Your Highness,” Baek An called out, following behind Yegyeong. The prince turned to look at him.
"Thank you… for your guidance."
Yegyeong silently observed Baek An for a moment before turning away, resuming his stride without a word.
The next day, Baek An accompanied Yegyeong out of the inner fortress after the prince expressed his desire to visit the village.
"Where are you going?"
Just before leaving, Baek Yu, who was still recovering from his injuries, questioned him.
"I won’t be gone long," Baek An answered vaguely.
Baek Yu gave him a suspicious look but didn’t press further.
Hearing that the prince wished to observe the lives of the common people had come as a shock.
Baek An reminded himself that Yegyeong’s actions—helping the servants, showing genuine interest—were not an act. Yet, he couldn't help but wonder how someone like him had become entangled in such a web of rumors.
His thoughts drifted to the second prince, Prince Jaean, who had previously visited Blood Cloud Fortress.
In truth, there wasn’t much to recall. Despite staying for a considerable period, Jaean had rarely shown himself.
He had claimed to have come to aid in battle, yet he had barely stepped onto the battlefield. Compared to him, it was hard to believe that he and Yegyeong were brothers.
"You’re finally here. I’ve been waiting forever."
As Baek An reached the back gate of the inner fortress, Yegyeong was already there, waiting.
Baek An had made the prince wait.
Panicked, he quickly bowed his head. But Yegyeong only chuckled.
"It’s fine. Let’s go."
With Baek An leading the way, the two of them headed toward the village of Blood Cloud Fortress.
Fortunately, the village bore little evidence of battle. However, Yegyeong’s memories told a different story. In his mind, the sight of a ruined Blood Cloud Fortress still lingered, breathing faintly.
Crumbled walls, cracked roofs, sunken roads—these remnants felt like scars upon the village itself.
Yet, what lay before him now was a simple yet lively street, bustling with people.
Of course, it wasn’t an entirely pleasant sight. The only reason the enemy’s blades had not yet reached the helpless civilians was because the war had not yet brought them to this point.
The swords had not touched them, but the exhaustion of war had already seeped past the fortress walls, cloaking the people in an invisible weight.
But what drew Yegyeong’s attention the most were the faces of those sitting along the roadside.
Exhaustion was etched into their faces—tight-lipped expressions, heavy gazes weighed down by hardship.
Yegyeong recalled the scenery in his memory. This was the very place where "Baek Yeon" had first met the Lord of Blood Cloud Fortress.
It was here that he had been given the chance to start a new life. Whether his memories had softened over time or not, the streets before him appeared far more desolate than he remembered.
Baek An, observing Yegyeong’s silence, discreetly studied his expression.
"This area has always suffered the worst damage," Baek An explained. From what he could see, Yegyeong’s face had darkened slightly.
Baek An assumed it was because the prince felt sympathy for the suffering of the people.
"When the first attack began, the fortress's defenses were breached, and the enemy swept through the village. Since then, recovery has been slow."
At Baek An’s words, Yegyeong was reminded of a past he had long tried to forget.
The memories returned with unsettling clarity. If not for the fact that Baek An was now speaking to him with deference, Yegyeong might have mistaken this for a moment from his past.
But he feigned ignorance, instead asking the kind of question a newly arrived prince might ask.
"When exactly was this 'first attack'?"
As he walked slowly, his gaze drifted toward the small street stalls lining the road.
Most of them were closed. Even the ones still open had few, if any, customers.
To one side of the street, a child in tattered clothes sat playing with a carved wooden figurine. His eyes, far too dark and somber for someone his age, caught Yegyeong’s attention.
"That child must have lost his parents."
It was a mere observation, but such a fate was all too common. The boy was likely in the same position Yegyeong himself had once been.
Baek An nodded.
"There are many children orphaned by the war. The fortress is doing its best to shelter them, but resources are painfully scarce. The lord provides what he can, but there is simply not enough to go around."
"…I see."
The Lord of Blood Cloud Fortress often took in orphans with no place to go, raising them as workers or training them as soldiers. The most exceptional of them all had been Baek Yeon.
In the midst of his sorrow and nostalgia, Yegyeong rediscovered a sense of superiority he had almost forgotten.
Out of so many war orphans, he had been the most special.
He remembered how much pride he had once taken in that fact—and the thought made him smirk bitterly.
He stopped for a moment, watching the child.
Perhaps sensing their gaze, the boy hastily picked up his wooden figurine and ran off. Yegyeong silently nodded as he watched him go.
Baek An, after hesitating, spoke cautiously.
"If we could reinforce our forces, we could strike the three nearest enemy fortresses first and bring the battle to an end."
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At Baek An’s words, Yegyeong turned away from the streetscape to face him.
Seeing the prince’s indifferent expression, Baek An feared he had overstepped.
"…My apologies."
He berated himself for his recklessness. Even his father, the fortress lord, would not dare to say such a thing out loud.
"Raise your head. I understand what you mean."
Blood Cloud Fortress was situated on the border with Huawei, a kingdom with whom they were in a constant state of war. There were only two possible outcomes: either they would be overrun, or they would strike first.
If they did nothing, this exhausting cycle of battle would never end.
Yet surrendering and being conquered was not an option. He would rather die than let that happen. And in truth, they had already come dangerously close to such a fate.
Yegyeong knew what needed to be done. Since Jincheon had not yet fallen to Huawei, there was still a chance of victory if they advanced.
The only issue was that they lacked a legitimate reason to launch an attack. At the very least, they needed approval.
But King Bonhyeon would never give such an order.
As long as Yegyeong remained in Blood Cloud Fortress, the king would refuse to allow an offensive—no matter the cost, even if it meant the fortress’s complete destruction.
That left Yegyeong with only one choice: to act first and return to the capital with victory already in hand.
But if he failed, he would lose everything.
With a heavy heart, he clenched his eyes shut for a brief moment, then reopened them to face forward.
This was not a decision he could make alone. First, he had to wait for General So, who was already on his way to Blood Cloud Fortress.
"Your Highness?"
Baek An, who had been anxiously sweating over his earlier misstep, hesitantly called out.
Yegyeong, his expression unreadable, finally responded.
"I cannot make any promises just yet."
Baek An, who had braced himself for the prince’s anger, let out a quiet breath of relief.
Still, he knew that once word of his reckless remark reached his father, he would not be spared a reprimand.
This time, his father would not turn a blind eye.
Feeling chastened, Baek An lowered his voice.
"Ah, I did not mean to burden you, Your Highness."
Yegyeong simply nodded.
He felt a deep sense of weariness. He was in no position to offer a definitive answer, nor could he promise to give everything he had for Blood Cloud Fortress.
Would things have been different if the second chance granted to him by Emperor Taejo had instead been given to the lord of this fortress or his sons?
As that thought weighed on him, mingling with self-reproach, Yegyeong turned and walked away.
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]