I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 49

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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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49.

At that time, Cheong-eum couldn’t understand what those absurd words meant.

However, only now could Cheong-eum understand Hwan’s words. The decision of whether to help Seon-o or not was not something he could decide for himself. Seon-o had become the only other person who knew his secret and was still his only hope.

“If you mess everything up because you can’t achieve Dragon Transformation… I absolutely won’t let it slide.”

The fierce threat seemed to cling to his heart and squeeze it tightly.

Cheong-eum suddenly wondered if Hwan had also experienced the same thing as him.

Though he would probably never know the answer to that.

Swallowing his confused breath, Cheong-eum stood up from his seat. He had to return to Myeonggyeong and prepare for the third trial.

* * *

“How on earth did you handle the Blood Abyss!”

The Emperor, who had returned to Myeonggyeong, flew into a rage upon hearing about what had happened in his absence. The Emperor immediately summoned the Crown Prince for interrogation.

“I apologize, Your Majesty. Please kill this humble subject.”

The Crown Prince’s face remained calm as always as he spoke, causing fury to surge within the Emperor.

“Crown Prince, answer me. I asked why you stepped forward instead of the First Prince.”

The Emperor, of course, did not personally handle the minor Blood Abysses that appeared throughout the country. That troublesome and dangerous work was carried out by representatives appointed by the Emperor.

The Blood Abysses that occurred in the capital Myeonggyeong were the First Prince’s responsibility.

“What was the First Prince doing!”

When the Emperor struck the armrest in fury, a terrifying boom echoed. Even so, Sa-baek merely looked down at the floor calmly without batting an eye.

Then a clattering sound was heard, followed by a cautious announcement from outside the door.

“Your Majesty, His Highness the First Prince has arrived.”

The Emperor commanded in a heavy voice.

“Let him enter.”

As soon as the command was given, the door opened and a prince with subtly disheveled hair entered. The man with dark shadows under his eyes was First Prince Baek Sa-yeom.

“I-I greet Your Majesty the Emperor. I didn’t expect you to return so early…”

When a terrible smell of alcohol wafted from him, the Emperor’s eyebrows shot up.

He could guess without needing an explanation. It seemed that the First Prince, taking advantage of the Emperor’s absence from the Imperial Palace, had thrown a banquet and was passed out drunk when the Blood Abyss occurred.

Sa-baek, who hadn’t reported the First Prince’s pathetic behavior with his own mouth, continued to gaze into mid-air with a gentle and calm face without wavering.

‘That fool…’

The Emperor held his throbbing head, suppressing the urge to slap the First Prince across the face.

“First Prince, leave.”

“Y-Your Majesty… I… I didn’t receive news that a Blood Abyss had occurred…”

“I said leave.”

Sensing the seriousness in the lowered voice, the First Prince floundered helplessly before eventually fleeing like a coward, leaving only the Emperor and Sa-baek in the room again.

In the heavy atmosphere, Sa-baek finally opened his mouth again.

“Your Majesty, I apologize. Thinking that if the Blood Abyss treatment was delayed, the resentment would surely be directed at Your Majesty, I failed to seek Your Majesty’s permission in time. Please forgive this humble subject’s foolishness.”

Since there was nothing wrong with Sa-baek’s words, the Emperor could only clench his fists while keeping his mouth tightly shut. As Sa-baek said, if the Blood Abyss treatment had been delayed, the resentment would have been directed at the Emperor. Moreover, considering that this Blood Abyss had occurred in the heart of the capital at a school where children of noble houses were stationed, this incident was quite frightening.

The other Imperial Family members wouldn’t have had the courage to go handle a Blood Abyss without the Emperor’s command, so it was obvious that things would have gotten worse if Sa-baek hadn’t stepped forward.

In a situation where he could neither reward nor punish, the Emperor’s insides boiled with rage.

Sa-baek, the current Crown Prince, was already a person whose mere existence disturbed the Emperor.

Sa-baek was a son the Emperor had with a Royal Concubine, and after that concubine’s family fell into ruin over ten years ago, he was a prince the Emperor had never even glanced at.

Since he hadn’t awakened as a superhuman until adulthood, he naturally wasn’t included in the succession order, but suddenly four years ago, he demonstrated unbelievable Yang Power in the succession assessment.

Above all, in the Imperial Palace where only high Yang Power proved one’s existence, appointing Sa-baek as successor was a rule that even the Emperor couldn’t avoid. It was a variable that made the Emperor’s neck hair stand on end.

The current Emperor possessed the most Yang Power among all previous emperors, and the Yang Power of the First Prince, who had the highest Yang Power among the princes, was less than half of the Emperor’s.

However, Sa-baek’s Yang Power was far superior to the Emperor’s inherent Yang Power. If this fact were revealed, he would soon have to transfer all the Yang Power of half this world that he carried in his heart to Sa-baek.

It was an unexpected crisis, but the Emperor had thought of a clever plan.

A clever plan to hide and bind Sa-baek.

That was the ‘prophecy.’

“You haven’t forgotten the prophecy about the Imperial Court, have you.”

When the Emperor quietly hinted at him, Sa-baek bowed his head respectfully.

The prophecy.

Long ago, several Divine Oracles that came down to the First High Priest foretold events of the distant future. Among those prophecies, classified as top secret and accessible only to the current High Priest and current Emperor, the Emperor had secretly conveyed one to Sa-baek.

It was a prophecy that if a prince born in the true moon month ascended to the position of Crown Prince, his face must not be exposed to the common people for ten years from that time, and if this was violated, great calamity would befall the country.

The true moon month was the month Sa-baek was born.

The Emperor added that the reason he had not presented Sa-baek before the common people, unlike the other Imperial Princes, was also because of this prophecy.

“How could that be possible. I always keep in mind the prophecy Your Majesty conveyed to me. No one saw my face that day.”

At that gentle voice, the Emperor clenched his fist tightly. The reports that came up also stated that Sa-baek had thoroughly covered his face after putting on the mask, so Sa-baek’s words would not be lies.

Nevertheless, the Emperor was anxious. He could instinctively sense that if that Crown Prince fellow, who wore an inscrutable yet gentle expression, revealed his existence to the world, many would surely follow the Crown Prince.

While I am still so vigorous, such a thing cannot happen.

“Ensure the same thing never happens again. The Crown Prince must not forget that he should make it his mission to never put this country in danger by upholding the prophecy.”

“I will keep it in mind, Your Majesty.”

“Withdraw.”

When the Emperor turned his head away as if he couldn’t stand the sight, Sa-baek bowed in greeting and turned around. Upon stepping outside, he saw the First Prince waiting anxiously outside.

Soon, the First Prince’s eyes, which met Sa-baek’s, became bloodshot.

He dared to glare at Sa-baek while ignoring the hierarchy. It was an act of insubordination he could commit knowing that the Emperor did not acknowledge Sa-baek.

Sa-baek looked at him quietly and then showed a bright smile.

Gently and affectionately, as if saying, “Let’s see how well you navigate through this hardship.”

“…!”

Seeing the First Prince’s face flush at his provocation, Sa-baek moved his steps without lingering.

“….”

Over his face as he walked peacefully, a quiet coolness different from moments before had emerged.

When Sa-baek returned to the Crown Prince Palace and gestured to mid-air, whitish smoke rose there. A large hawk that emerged from the smoke descended onto Sa-baek’s hand.

After stroking the hawk, Sa-baek untied and unfolded the secret letter bound to its leg.

[Seventh day, hour of the rooster, Kang Seon-o safely returned to Myeonggyeong]

A strange light flickered in Sa-baek’s eyes as he saw the information written in the secret letter. There was still time left until the end of the second trial. Returning with time to spare meant the mission had already been completed.

It was regrettable that he couldn’t witness Seon-o’s extraordinary behavior with his own eyes due to the Myeonggyeong incident, but there were still many opportunities left.

Looking at the hawk flapping its wings impatiently, he smiled.

“We’ll be able to meet again soon.”

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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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