I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 28

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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28.

Flustered by So-yoon’s rude words, Ga-jin sat back down, not knowing what to do. Seeing this, Chae-gyo burst into laughter with a “Puhaha!”

“Master Bu. Your bad taste is still the same! If the second gateway had been about humiliating people in public, you would have passed in first place!”

“Well, if that were the case, you would have passed immediately too.”

“Huh? What do you mean? I don’t do such things. Isn’t that right, Miss Cheon? Hurry up and finish the introductions.”

When Chae-gyo flicked her finger toward Ga-jin, a halo burst and sparkled behind Ga-jin’s back. As Ga-jin’s face turned red like a peach from suddenly becoming the center of attention, Seon-o, unable to watch any longer, stepped in.

“Stop it. Can’t you see she’s uncomfortable?”

At Seon-o’s words, a silence fell as if cold water had been poured over them. So-yoon raised her eyebrows and stared at Seon-o, and I-ryeong also gazed at Seon-o quietly. Chae-gyo looked at Seon-o with interested eyes, wiggling her finger.

When Seon-o didn’t back down and met those eyes directly, Chae-gyo soon made a “Hmm” sound and withdrew her light. Then Ga-jin quietly thanked Seon-o in a voice that sounded like she was about to cry.

“Thank you.”

Instead of answering, Seon-o quietly looked at Ga-jin with rather complicated eyes.

“I was just trying to lighten the mood a bit. Well, anyway, let’s all do our best. Though I’m going to win anyway.”

As Chae-gyo finished speaking with a grin, her eyes sparkled with madness. Then So-yoon immediately retorted with a snort.

“Ridiculous. The Phoenix is mine. If I may give you some advice, it would be best for all of you to give up now. It would be a loss to die competing in a contest you can’t even win. Even if you die like that, I won’t attend your funeral, so keep that in mind.”

As the arrogant-faced So-yoon leisurely looked around at the candidates and warned them, the atmosphere became strange.

‘Funeral… That’s one brutal joke. So typical of Bu So-yoon.’

As Seon-o mentally shook her head, Chae-gyo muttered beside her in a rather puzzled voice.

“Huh? Don’t people usually not attend their own funerals anyway?”

Infuriated by those words, So-yoon was about to retort again when the Emperor happened to enter.

“His Imperial Majesty the Emperor arrives!”

Everyone rose from their seats in unison. Even So-yoon, who had been complaining about the Emperor’s summons, closed her mouth and stood up to greet the Emperor.

“Oh! My proud candidates who will become the Phoenix! I’m delighted to see you all!”

A large man wearing a splendid Imperial Dragon Robe entered the garden with a boisterous greeting. The Emperor appeared to be in his fifties and still looked robust.

Coal-black eyebrows and a long beard, a tiger-like impression, but hiding his true thoughts behind exaggerated cheerfulness.

It was exactly as described in the original work.

“We greet His Imperial Majesty the Emperor.”

As the candidates greeted him in unison, a satisfied smile appeared on the Emperor’s face.

“Come, come, everyone sit down. Ah, please. It’s fine.”

As the Emperor urged them with a hearty laugh, the candidates took their seats again.

“I heard the news on my way here. Not a single one of you failed to pass the first gateway? How could we not raise a toast to such joyful news?”

As soon as he finished speaking, golden wine cups were prepared in front of everyone.

“Come, to the Phoenix who will finally be born to share this heavy destiny of mine!”

The Emperor rose from his seat and cried out solemnly, then drained his wine cup in one gulp, and the candidates had no choice but to follow suit.

‘Ugh.’

Seon-o grimaced. It was strong liquor. She could hear Ga-jin coughing beside her, unable to hold it in.

“You’ve all worked hard. Yes, ah. Young Lady Yang, I see. And this is Young Lady Bu. I’ve seen you when you were young.”

Since both Chae-gyo and So-yoon’s families were great noble houses, they seemed to be acquainted with the Imperial Palace.

“It’s an honor that you remember me. I am Bu So-yoon, who will become the Phoenix to share Your Majesty’s destiny.”

“I’m pleased to see you again. We’ll be seeing each other often from now on. Since I’ll be the Phoenix.”

The confident battle of nerves between So-yoon and Chae-gyo showed no signs of ending.

‘I’m sick of this, you two.’

Seon-o swallowed her thoughts along with the bitter taste. However, the Emperor seemed to like their spirit and laughed heartily before looking at the other candidates.

“Ah, I know Young Lady Wi of the great Wi Family well too. How could I forget how the Wi Family cured our mother’s illness?”

“I am deeply honored.”

“Aha. I haven’t met Miss Cheon before, but I can tell right away. Long ago, your father helped me once.”

“I am deeply honored, Your Majesty.”

“And… yes. This must be Young Lady Gwak.”

The Emperor’s gaze became strange as he recognized the internal energy emanating from Gi-rim’s modest clothing and appearance. Gi-rim was a person who was respected as much as the Emperor, or even more than the Emperor.

“To finally see the famous Young Lady Gwak, this is truly an honor. I sent letters several times, but was refused every time!”

The Emperor burst into laughter as if he found this quite amusing, but no one except the Emperor laughed. Soon Gi-rim politely offered her greetings.

“It’s an honor to meet Your Majesty. The reason I declined your previous invitations was because I was not great enough to meet His Imperial Majesty, the sun of this country. Please understand with your generous heart.”

“That’s what was written in the letters too. But Young Lady, do you know? When I receive such answers, it makes me even more eager! Since we’ve finally met like this, it’s my victory!”

The Emperor joked and smiled cheerfully. Gi-rim also smiled in return and said.

“Thanks to Your Majesty’s grace, the peace of all people is maintained. In the future, the common people will trust Your Majesty and lean on Your Majesty with their everything. Please consider even the common people in places where my meager touch cannot reach.”

Though the words were gentle and respectful, both the Emperor and Seon-o could read the meaning contained within them. They carried advice to meet the people’s expectations and please care for all living beings.

The Emperor’s lips subtly hardened.

“Good words indeed. I will surely remember Young Lady’s words.”

Thanks to that, the Emperor’s gaze, which had grown considerably more subdued, turned to the last candidate.

“Ah. Then you must be Young Lady Kang, the sixth candidate of the competition and the talk of Chang’an?”

At those words, sharp gazes pierced toward Seon-o. Since this was something she had prepared herself for on the way here, Seon-o calmly offered her greeting.

“I greet His Majesty the Emperor.”

“I hear you distinguished yourself in this Maehwagak incident?”

“I was fortunate.”

“Now, now, Young Lady Kang. No need to be modest. Such things don’t happen by luck alone.”

When the Emperor encouraged Seon-o with a serious voice completely different from before, the candidates’ expressions became subtle.

“Thanks to Young Lady Kang, we learned that evil magic techniques exist that can brainwash superhumans. Until now, we only knew Yin Power to be invincible, didn’t we?”

That very point seemed to please the Emperor greatly. Only by proving that yang was a more complete and powerful force than yin could he prove that the Emperor was superior to the Phoenix.

If this followed the original story, the Emperor was afraid that the Crown Prince or Imperial Princes might surpass his Yin Power and steal his position. So in this situation, the existence of magic techniques that could suppress Yin Power might be good news for him.

‘The Emperor mustn’t find a way to suppress Yin Power…’

Swallowing her true thoughts, Seon-o showed a formal smile.

“I believe Your Majesty will find the source of that magic technique.”

Hwan smoothly turned a decoration placed on the table.

“Of course I’ll find it. Don’t worry. I will certainly find it. Leave such matters to me and you all just focus on the competition. We cannot have the misfortune of no one passing through the competition.”

At those words, the atmosphere at the dining table became strange. In the last Phoenix Competition held long ago, no one had passed the final gateway and no Phoenix was selected. Due to the aftermath of that competition, the power of yin grew thicker and the number of demons increased exponentially.

But now that magic techniques to suppress Yin Power had emerged, if such a thing happened, this world might reach complete ruin.

“Do not worry, Your Majesty. A Phoenix will certainly be born in this generation.”

Chae-gyo broke the awkward atmosphere at once with a confident voice. Bu So-yoon also spoke up, not to be outdone.

“I will certainly become the Phoenix and punish those guys who use that evil magic technique.”

“Haha! The spirit of youth! If there’s any way I can help with that spirit in the future, please ask for anything.”

When the atmosphere was becoming harmonious, Wi I-ryeong, who had been quietly sitting, opened her mouth.

“Might I be able to see His Highness the Crown Prince?”

At those words, the garden became quiet as if massive cold water had been poured over it.

“…The Crown Prince?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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