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Chapter: 119

“I feel awkward,” I mumbled. “What am I supposed to say?”

...No, wait. Isn’t it strange that I’m lounging around, making small talk with the guy who had killed me?

An awkward silence filled the room.

For some reason, Jincheon stood in front of me, head bowed. Did he have something to say?

I don’t know why he’s hesitating. It’s not like he’s cooking rice. Why is he taking so long? If I were cooking rice, it would be burnt by now.

I don’t like burnt rice, but I’d eat it if it was given to me.

“If you have something to say, just say it.”

Jincheon looked up and our eyes met.

“You know I’m not one for formalities.”

Whenever I look at him directly, I wonder if he is really the same ‘Jincheon’. Maybe I made a mistake bringing him here.

With his unfortunate face and his ability to follow orders, he seems like the right person, but...

There’s something that just doesn’t sit right with me.

The biggest difference is his eyes.

I’ve been thinking about it, and the biggest difference between ‘Jincheon’ and this guy is his eyes.

How should I put it? That assassin’s eyes were like dried codfish in the winter. It was a sign of his madness.

“But...”

But the Jincheon in front of me has the eyes of a living person. I wonder if he used to look like this. I’ll never know.

Even if I could go back in time, I wouldn’t know. I wasn’t brave enough to have a casual conversation with him. The few words we exchanged before I lost my head were only possible because I had given up hope of escape.

“You’re not being watched because of me, are you?”

Jincheon’s eyes widened as if asking what I meant.

How should I explain this? ...Looking at Jincheon, it’s like looking at a horse that’s been injured and can no longer be used for battle.

It has nothing to do with horses or injuries, but that’s the image that comes to mind. I searched my mind for the right words, but nothing came to me.

Damn, I should have read more books.

I could almost hear my Lord’s voice: “I told you to read more books.”

Yes, yes. I know. Why can’t he just leave my head?

“It’s only natural for a servant to be mindful of his master’s wishes...”

“No, it’s not like that.”

Who taught him to say something like that? He’s only been here a short time.

Even the crow calls me reckless.

I scratched the back of my head and mumbled, “If you have something to say, just say it.”

Wait a minute.

A chill ran down my spine.

What if... he’s trying to tell me he wants to leave?

A terrible thought crossed my mind. The wound on my body, which still hadn’t healed completely, throbbed.

Since assassins from Huawei had infiltrated Wolhan, it wasn’t impossible that they would try to approach Jincheon.

What if they discovered Jincheon’s abilities and wanted to recruit him?

Wasn’t it those people who had created ‘Jincheon’ in the first place?

I don’t know who had originally taken Jincheon, but I do know that he had been trained rigorously by Huawei and turned into that monster.

And that wasn’t a secret. The leaders of Huawei had bragged about it every time they invaded.

They had said that Jincheon was the Emperor’s most cherished sword, a shadow of the Huawei royal family.

I had heard they gave him a mansion with ninety-nine rooms, and on top of that, the finest horses and swords in the empire.

A cold dread crept into my heart.

I didn’t have that kind of money.

Damn it. I’d only thought about acquiring him, not maintaining him.

It’s only natural that even a single horse would require a significant amount of feed, so why had I forgotten?

Why? Well, I’d never seen him show any interest in material wealth. He was more like someone who looked at gold as if it were a stone.

But maybe it was different for him. Perhaps he’d lost interest after having everything. How could I know what was going on in that crazy man’s head?

“...Has anyone ever offered you anything valuable in exchange for your loyalty?”

“What?”

He looked startled.

Now was my chance.

“I mean, is there anything you want? Like food? Or nice clothes? A new sword? Is there anything you desire?”

As a former slave, he probably hadn’t lived well and hadn’t owned much. I hadn’t considered that. I’d been so focused on myself. I needed to close any gaps that others could exploit.

It was too late, but I hoped there was still time. I asked again, “Just tell me. I’ll give it to you.”

Just a few months ago, he had been a slave. When I first took him in, I remembered his former master telling me I only needed to feed him to keep him happy.

Since he had nothing and had experienced nothing, the best thing he could imagine was a bowl of warm rice.

I thought this boy would be similar. If I could get him when he had nothing and desired nothing, I wouldn’t have to keep giving him more and more as his desires grew.

“You know what they say, ‘Give a beggar an inch and he’ll take a mile.’”

I again heard the Fortress Lord’s voice in my head.

...Fortress Lord, please just go away and stop bothering me.

“I’m serious. Tell me. I’ll give you whatever you want. But hurry up. I have a meeting soon.”

Jincheon bowed his head again and clasped his hands together. His intertwined fingers were quite calloused, showing signs of hard work.

“If I may...”

“Yes?”

He hesitated again.

The silence was tense.

What on earth was he asking for? I hoped it wasn’t something too extravagant.

I wondered how much money I had saved. I hadn’t really paid attention, but I should ask one of my attendants.

What if I didn’t have enough?

But Jincheon didn’t ask for anything that cost money.

“I would like to follow Your Highness.”

“Where?”

Of course, I was going to take him with me. That’s why I found him.

“You’re not assigned to Wolhan Fortress anymore. You’re directly under me, Prince Ikwon.”

Wait, what?

“Do you want a position?”

It wouldn’t be difficult to give him a position if he wanted one.

I couldn’t guarantee a civil service position, but he could definitely be a military officer. Who could fight better than him?

But that would be a problem for me. Having him belong to someone else...

It meant that Jincheon could potentially end up under the command of the Second Prince.

“I want to join you in battle, Your Highness.” Jincheon said hesitantly. “I’ve asked before, and... that’s still all I want.”

I was surprised by his unexpected answer.

I wanted Jincheon to be my secret weapon. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing for him to become famous early on, but it wasn’t good either.

It would make him a target for powerful people.

And this Jincheon was different from the one I remembered. Not yet, anyway.

There was no need to use a sledgehammer to crack a nut, and he still needed more training.

What if he died?

But I’ve already said I’ll give him anything he wants, so I can’t take that back.

“That... I need time to think about it.”

Jincheon’s expression fell. Is that really so disappointing?

I don’t even understand why he wants to go into battle.

“Hey, is it because…” I paused. “Is it because you think I’m going to die in battle soon, and you’re trying to prepare for the future?”

Jincheon looked at me, confused.

“No, nothing.”

Maybe he wants to go to battle and earn some merit to secure his own position.

That was a likely possibility.

I softened my tone and said, “Jincheon.”

When I called his name, his eyes widened.

Why is he so surprised?

“Don’t worry. Even if I die, you won’t have to go back to where you came from.”

“What?”

Is he too overwhelmed to understand? I scratched my nose and continued.

I rubbed my nose and continued, “I understand what you’re worried about. If, by some misfortune, I were to die in battle, you would be safe. If I die, you can take a portion of my fiefdom. You’ll be able to live comfortably for the rest of your life. I promise.”

I do have some land under my name. I could spare a piece.

“If you don’t believe me, I can send a letter to the capital and make arrangements.”

It’s better to turn him into a wealthy landowner than to send him back to being an assassin.

And if I can’t use this sword, no one else should either.

Of course, it’s all hypothetical. I’m not going to die.

“But that’s just in case, and I’m not going to die, so don’t worry.”

Jincheon looked shocked, as if I had hit him.

I didn’t hit him.

“Life and death are not within our control, Your Highness.”

“Who told you that? You’ve been listening to too many strange things.”

Ah, so he’s worried about his future if I die.

I patted his head. Jincheon glanced at my hand on his head.

“My life and your life are not connected. I’m serious. I promise you won’t lose anything if I die.”

Jincheon opened his mouth to protest but closed it again.

I know exactly what he wants to say.

“But if you really want to, I’ll consider letting you join the battle. You’re too weak to leave behind.”

However, Jincheon didn’t look happy. He seemed to want something more substantial, like a land deed.

He’s so demanding.

Just then, Gon, the bird, poked its head out of its nest in the corner.

It looked at me disdainfully and shook its head.

...Why?