I Will Become a Phoenix More Noble Than the Emperor - Chapter 50

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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.

But now, Cheong-eum could finally 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 can’t achieve Dragon Transformation and ruin everything… 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.

Perhaps the answer to that would never be known.

Cheong-eum swallowed his confused breath and 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 great rage upon hearing about what had happened during his absence. The Emperor immediately summoned the Crown Prince for interrogation.

“I am sorry, Your Majesty. Please kill this lowly one.”

The Crown Prince’s face remained as calm as always as he spoke, causing a surge of anger to rise 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 Abyss incidents that occurred throughout the country. That troublesome and dangerous work was carried out by representatives appointed by the Emperor.

The Blood Abyss incidents occurring 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 sound echoed. Even so, Sa-baek didn’t even blink and simply stared calmly down at the floor.

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

“Your Majesty the Emperor, 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 the First Prince, Baek Sa-yeom.

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

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

He could guess what had happened without hearing an explanation. It seemed that while the Emperor was away from the Imperial Palace, the First Prince had enjoyed his freedom, held 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 his usual gentle and calm face, unwavering.

‘That fool…’

The Emperor held back his urge to slap the First Prince and clutched his throbbing head.

“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 he was running away, 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 am sorry. 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 lowly one’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 and at a school where children of Noble Houses were stationed, this incident could have been disastrous.

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 clear 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 frustration.

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 achieved Superhuman Awakening 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, making Sa-baek the 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 Sa-baek away and bind him.

That was the ‘prophecy.’

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

When the Emperor quietly hinted at this, 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.

The prophecy stated that if an imperial prince born in Jin 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.

Jin Month was the month Sa-baek was born.

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

“How could that be possible? Your Majesty, I always keep the prophecy you conveyed to me in mind. 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 concealed his face after putting on the mask, so Sa-baek’s words would not be lies.

Nevertheless, the Emperor was anxious. He could intuitively sense that if that Crown Prince, who wore such a gentle expression that his true intentions could not be read, 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 that 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 of him, Sa-baek bowed and turned around. As he stepped 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 because he knew 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 you navigate through this hardship well.”

“…!”

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 before had risen.

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.

Sa-baek stroked the hawk and 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 deeds with his own eyes due to the Myeonggyeong incident, but there were still many opportunities left.

Looking at the hawk that flapped its wings and urged him on, 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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