I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 42
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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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42.
Yoon-han fumbled through his memories of Seon-o’s casual remarks and answered as if he’d found the correct answer, feeling refreshed.
“….”
However, at those very words, Wi Gong-un’s expression completely hardened.
As an extremely cold air seemed to swirl around him in an instant, Yoon-han and the classmate who had been watching their conversation exchanged glances and read the atmosphere.
‘Why is he acting like that?’
‘I don’t know.’
Just then, the sound of countless footsteps rushing into the school could be heard from beyond the doorway.
The superhumans who had heard news of the blood rift had finally arrived at the school!
The two students’ faces brightened at that sound, but then became cautious again as they remembered Wi Gong-un standing before them.
“…Um, may we go now?”
When they mustered the courage to ask, Wi Gong-un, who had lost all his previous gentle demeanor, stared intently at Yoon-han instead of answering. Yoon-han, interpreting this as permission on his own, helped up his fallen classmate.
Yoon-han bowed his head politely in greeting.
“Thank you for saving us, Young Master Wi! Hey, let’s go.”
“Th-thank you!”
As the two students quickly escaped the scene, the area around Wi Gong-un, now left alone, became even colder.
“…Ha.”
She dislikes sinister men? Surely, he didn’t relay that story about me, did he?
Wi Gong-un, who had somehow become even more displeased, bit his lip.
Of course, whoever Seon-o disliked was actually none of his business. Moreover, he was clearly not a sinister person, so it was irrelevant to him anyway.
Nevertheless, it felt as if sharp poison had been poured into Wi Gong-un’s heart—he who had rushed here faster than anyone upon hearing that a blood rift had occurred at the school Seon-o’s younger sibling attended.
Wi Gong-un’s mood had been terrible since the day he returned to Myeonggyeong. He had gone to the trouble of following Seon-o but failed to obtain any substantial evidence, and worse, he had been caught in the act, preventing him from following Seon-o to the end.
Since he had interfered so much, Seon-o surely wouldn’t be able to pass the second trial anyway. But even that felt strangely unsatisfying, and Wi Gong-un had been pondering for days trying to understand the cause of this absurd feeling.
He thought and thought again, but there was only one conclusion.
It was because Seon-o had dared to make the ridiculous false accusation that Wi Gong-un was following him around out of romantic interest.
And that wasn’t even enough….
“But what should I do? Our Young Master Wi isn’t my type.”
It was the first time in his life he had received such an insult.
Not his type? Him, Wi Gong-un? Because Seon-o’s eyes had been so sincere when saying those words, Wi Gong-un felt a humiliation he had never experienced in his entire life.
So he had to find out that Seon-o’s taste was very peculiar and abnormal. He had rushed all the way here for that purpose.
‘He doesn’t even know his sister’s taste? What a pathetic fool!’
Besides, Seon-o wasn’t his type either. Wi Gong-un didn’t want such a sinister woman full of secrets.
He should have said that first, but he was maddeningly frustrated that he had been beaten to it before he could. Even if he wanted to devise another plan, Seon-o still hadn’t returned to Myeonggyeong, so he couldn’t.
He could use sorcery again to locate Seon-o, but….
‘Then it would really look like I’m following him around.’
Wi Gong-un bit his lip.
But Seon-o would fail anyway. And then he would come looking for him to hold him responsible.
At that time, he could escape from that ridiculous false accusation and repay the humiliation.
If he detoxified Seon-o’s poison without complaint and proved that he had no personal interest in Seon-o beyond matters related to the competition, how would Seon-o’s expression change when his groundless suspicions were proven wrong?
Wi Gong-un even let out a chuckle at that thought as he instantly killed a demon charging at him and turned around.
As he moved, he could see superhumans who had rushed into the school systematically dealing with demons emerging from the blood rift. They were the security forces protecting Myeonggyeong.
Wi Gong-un had no intention of joining them, so he turned toward the main gate as if it were none of his business.
That’s when it happened.
“Hasn’t the Imperial Palace arrived yet!”
At one superhuman’s urgent question, Wi Gong-un’s steps, which had been heading out of the school, stopped.
“They should arrive soon!”
Only then did Wi Gong-un turn around and look up at the blood rift that had completely devoured an entire building. Like a gate to hell had opened, a black, round portal in the air was spewing out terrible yin energy.
While any skilled superhuman could deal with demons, that blood rift was different. A blood rift, being the extreme of yin energy, could only be eliminated by the yang power of the Imperial Family.
Of course, the Emperor never personally handled blood rift disposal. Instead, whichever Imperial Family members had caught the Emperor’s favor at the time would receive orders and build their reputation through such activities.
Wi Gong-un had stopped to find out who would be representing that glory this time.
Just then, a welcome shout came from outside the school’s main gate.
“Support from the Imperial Palace!”
At the welcome announcement, the Superhumans cheered. Wi Gong-un crossed his arms and leaned against the shadowed stone wall, watching to see which member of the Imperial Family would enter through the school’s gate.
Finally, a silhouette appeared where anticipation and tension flowed.
The moment he stepped through the gate, the surroundings instantly fell silent and an overwhelming presence flowed as if time had stopped.
Wi Gong-un, who had lowered his breathing, also narrowed his eyes and looked at him.
Would it be the First Prince who had shown the most activity recently? Or one of the Emperor’s nephews?
Wi Gong-un’s eyes, which had been weighing the candidates like making a bet, suddenly hesitated and hardened.
‘Wait. An Imperial Dragon Robe…?’
Wi Gong-un’s face twisted with subtle bewilderment upon discovering the yellow garment. The Imperial Dragon Robe was the Emperor’s clothing.
‘The Emperor has never appeared for such trivial matters before?’
Wi Gong-un soon noticed that the dragon depicted on the Imperial Dragon Robe had no claws.
‘No way.’
Wi Gong-un’s gaze hurriedly turned toward the man’s face.
The man wore a hideous black mask that materialized an evil spirit called the primordial demon. Because of this, his face wasn’t visible, but it wasn’t difficult to figure out who he was.
Excluding the Emperor, there was only one person on the continent who could wear the Imperial Dragon Robe.
‘The Crown Prince…!’
The Superhumans who recognized his identity were shocked in unison and then quickly bowed their waists. The Crown Prince, who didn’t look heavy at all despite wearing the long Imperial Dragon Robe thanks to his tall stature, approached the blood rift with calm steps.
Right on cue, a demon that burst out from within the blood rift was split in half by a long sword swung at the perfect moment.
Dark red blood splattered onto the Crown Prince’s dragon robe as he split the demon in one strike. Not caring in the least, he only drew closer to the pitch-black hole.
Finally, the Crown Prince standing before the blood rift extended his hand over that black hole.
The moment his noble hand touched it, the massive blood rift was terrifyingly sucked into his grasp.
“Wow!”
After a brief purification, when the blood rift finally disappeared, the Superhumans cheered and bowed. The Crown Prince turned around without giving any response to their reaction. Though hidden by the mask, one could sense that there was no change in his expression whatsoever.
He passed by the Superhumans and left the school as if nothing had happened. And just as quickly as he had come, he boarded the Ghost Carriage.
The Ghost Carriage carrying its master closed its door by itself and began to move smoothly.
Wi Gong-un watched the departing Ghost Carriage with narrowed eyes.
* * *
Only after the carriage had moved away from the school did a blood-stained hand smoothly remove the stifling mask.
The face hidden within the hideous mask was exposed, revealing the calm and cool gaze that had been concealed inside.
As Wi Gong-un had guessed, he was Baek Sa-baek, the Crown Prince of Geumhwi Kingdom who would succeed the Emperor and later become the manager of the positive realm.
He was also the prince of rumors who had never appeared at any external events due to mysterious hives covering his entire body.
And also—
“…”
He was the man who had introduced himself to Seon-o as ‘Baek-ryu’ at Maehwagak.
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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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