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Chapter: 98

After the discussion in the main hall ended, several military officials gathered together. Discontent and worry were etched on their faces as they left the hall.

"Isn\'t this going too far?"

One of the officials complained. The others nodded in agreement.

Just then, an old man approached their group. It was General So Ik-Gyeom.

He walked towards them with heavy steps, and upon spotting them, he acknowledged their presence with a nod of his chin.

"General So finally emerges."

One of the officials who recognized So Ik-Gyeom remarked. The other officials all turned to face him.

"It seems you were waiting for me,” So Ik-Gyeom said after looking around at the officials.

"Do you have something to say?"

Despite his characteristic blunt tone, no one interpreted his response negatively. The usual General So wouldn\'t even bother engaging in conversation.

Since the passing of the deposed Queen So, So Ik-Gyeom had refrained from any actions that might attract the king\'s attention.

Therefore, even this simple exchange was surprising.

"Yes, we were waiting for you, General,” General Yang, who was among the group, replied.

He was an official who had long shared So Ik-Gyeom\'s views. Moreover, he and his family had benefited from the death of the deposed Queen So.

So Ik-Gyeom\'s gaze shifted towards General Yang.

"Why were you waiting for me?"

The conversation unexpectedly continued, much to the surprise of the officials, their eyes widening.

Since it was a rare opportunity for General So to show interest in a conversation, General Yang quickly continued, "Ahem. It\'s a bit embarrassing to say this here..."

The officials exchanged glances. So Ik-Gyeom motioned with his chin towards a secluded corner. They moved to the new location.

"His Majesty\'s behavior seems to have crossed the line, so we were waiting for General So to discuss this matter."

So Ik-Gyeom lowered his gaze to the ground and said, "What disloyal words are these? How can there be right or wrong in His Majesty\'s will?"

"Even the sky has day and night. How can there be no right or wrong just because it\'s His Majesty\'s word?"

So Ik-Gyeom sighed.

"Despite Prince Ikwon going all the way to Wolhan Fortress and fighting with all his might... His Majesty doesn\'t seem to wish for the Prince\'s victory."

"His Majesty must have his reasons."

"Yes, we can guess those reasons. But can we consider it right for Prince Ikwon to suffer because of them?"

General Yang exchanged glances with the others around him. Then, he cautiously continued," Prince Ikwon is undeniably His Majesty\'s eldest son."

"Who doesn\'t know that?"

"Yes, no one is unaware of that, yet how can things come to this?" General Yang lamented in frustration. "He is of royal blood and the one who will be responsible for the safety of this nation, yet he is stuck in Wolhan Fortress with no certainty of return."

A brief silence followed.

So Ik-Gyeom said,”I believe in His Highness."

"Of course!" General Yang exclaimed. "Of course, His Highness will return. But who knows when that will be?"

"Who knows, maybe a fortune teller could tell us if we asked,” So Ik-Gyeom said flatly. Although his words were a joke, his tone and their situation were not at all suited for jest.

General Yang earnestly urged, "General, we must take action. While Prince Ikwon is in Wolhan Fortress, Prince Jaean is running rampant, treating the entire palace as his own domain. Looking at him, it\'s as if he is the sole heir apparent. Isn\'t that right?"

The other officials nodded in agreement.

So Ik-Gyeom remained silent for a moment, then, as if he had made up his mind, he began to speak.

"But what can we do?"

General Yang opened his mouth to speak. However, he immediately closed it at So Ik-Gyeom\'s following words.

"Are you going to directly remonstrate with His Majesty? Do you truly believe that will be accepted?"

The old general\'s voice grew rougher with each word. Everyone could sense the deeply buried resentment within him.

Remonstrating with King Bonhyeon was undoubtedly futile. All the military officials gathered here were well aware of the king\'s stubbornness and obstinacy.

And they also knew that this was being used most effectively to turn them away.

"At least I don\'t think things will go well that way."

No one could refute his words.

"Then... how about doing this?"

General Yang carefully gauged So Ik-Gyeom\'s reaction.

"Some of the generals who returned to their hometowns recently have private soldiers. What if we send them to Wolhan Fortress to support Prince Ikwon and turn the tide of the war there...?"

"Impossible."

So Ik-Gyeom cut him off firmly.

"The enemies in Wolhan Fortress are not humans, but magical beasts. It won\'t be easy for those who are not accustomed to them to fight them. If we send them recklessly, they might become a burden to His Highness or simply increase the number of casualties. That is definitely not a good idea."

He shook his head with a grim expression.

"If they are sent recklessly and die, it will only harm His Highness."

"Then..."

"What can we do...?"

The officials each expressed their concerns. So Ik-Gyeom simply remained silent as he observed them.

However, these people were now voicing their support for Prince Ikwon, who was widely known as a wastrel.

Looking at this scene, So Ik-Gyeom recalled Shin Gwiryung\'s resentful eyes.

He had actually thought that her ambition to make Prince Ikwon the king was nearly impossible.

Of course, these people weren\'t trying to stand up for Prince Ikwon out of loyalty. They were motivated by their guilt over the death of the deposed Queen So.

However, So Ik-Gyeom was convinced that Prince Ikwon had changed.

If Prince Ikwon succeeded in returning to the capital with a victory in Wolhan Fortress, the throne might not be so far out of reach.

He parted ways with the officials and mounted his horse to return to his residence.

As he took in the familiar scenery along the way, he dredged up the painful memories he had been trying to suppress.

"Eunyun..."

Her name was uttered softly, dispersing into the air filled with bright sunlight.

So Eunyun. Regret flickered in the eyes of the father who secretly called out the name of his daughter he had tried to forget, only to disappear again. He couldn\'t forget her no matter how hard he tried.

Expectation soon filled the void left by the regret.

How long had it been since he had looked forward to tomorrow? How long had it been since he had hoped for the world to change?

"If the world changes, how can I remain alone in the past?"

He rode his horse back to his residence.

* * *

"Aaagh!"

It seemed the news of my injury had reached the Pyeonggwang Merchant Guild, thanks to all the fuss everyone made about me being bedridden.

"I apologize, Your Highness."

As a result, physician Soon Gang visited me as soon as I lay down...

"Uwaaagh!"

"I understand your pain, Your Highness, but your screams are so loud that I... I\'m losing my concentration."

I was reprimanded for potentially deafening him completely when he was already half-deaf.

He said that special treatment was needed because I had been severely injured while using acupuncture points.

He also said that the excessive bleeding was due to the acupuncture.

After citing those reasons, that quack... no, that renowned physician Soon Gang stuck a long needle, as thick as my forearm, into my forearm.

"I will insert one more."

"I think that\'s enough."

I recoiled in horror, but there was nowhere to escape.

In the end, another long needle, no different from a weapon, was added to my arm.

But what he said after that was even more absurd.

"Oh my, oh dear."

Oh my?

"I will have to insert it again."

Huh. I couldn\'t help but scoff.

"Is this guy crazy...?"

I gritted my teeth and tried to snatch the long needle from Soon Gang’s hand.

"Ugh."

But I failed.

This damn body. It was shocking that it had become this weak from just that much. I couldn\'t even take away the needle from the old man\'s hand.

"Ugh..."

"Please stay still, Your Highness. I earnestly implore you to cooperate so that I can treat you."

I scoffed.

"Earnestly my ass."

"I\'m sincere. Please do not misunderstand my loyalty."

"Do you think I don\'t know you\'re sticking those things in me on purpose?"

"Acupuncture is an essential part of treatment."

"Be honest. You\'re an assassin, aren\'t you? Who sent you? Tell me now, and I\'ll spare your life, old man."

Soon Gang responded playfully, "Such words wound my heart."

"Nonsense. I don\'t believe you."

Soon Gang laughed heartily.

"You need to receive proper treatment and recover quickly so that I have something to report back to Pyeonggwang. This is not just for your benefit, so I beseech you to cooperate."

"...Damn it."

"In that sense, I\'ll insert one more."

Poke-

"Aagh!"

"Seeing that you used acupuncture points, have you stopped using bellflower?" Soon Gang asked calmly, in contrast to me, who felt like I was about to pass out.

"You knew?"

"The head of the Pyeonggwang Merchant Guild informed me in secret."

"Don\'t tell anyone."

"Yes, Your Highness. I will keep this a secret until I go to my grave."

"You don\'t have much time left anyway."

"Unfortunately, your words are true."

I chuckled for a moment and then asked seriously, "Is there no way to stop using this? Acupuncture doesn\'t seem like a good method to use frequently."

"Indeed. This acupuncture greatly stimulates the body\'s energy and temporarily numbs unnecessary sensations. You probably felt even more pain after the effects of the acupuncture wore off than before."

"That\'s right. That\'s what happened."

It was as if all the agonizing sensations that had been suppressed while the acupuncture was in effect were now rushing back at once.

If I used this every day, I would go crazy.

"From what I see, Your Highness\'s biggest problem is... that you have already become addicted to bellflower and have developed a constitution that cannot tolerate stimulation."

"Addicted?"

"Yes, Your Highness."

Soon Gang said he had thought something was strange from the first time he saw me.

"How do you cure addiction?"

Soon Gang stroked his beard.

"Do you know why the bellflower is also called \'jongmeokgicot\'?"

“Why?”

"There is a story from long ago about a servant who was starving on a freezing cold day. He saw a flower blooming in the snowy mountains and, in his extreme hunger, he hastily swallowed it."

"And so?"

"That flower made the poor servant forget his hunger. That\'s how it came to be called \'jongmeokgicot\' (servant-feeding flower)."

Why was he suddenly explaining the origin of the name?

"So what?"

"Didn\'t I say it was a snowy mountain on a cold day?" Soon Gang said exasperatedly.

"The master of the North Wall knows how to cure addiction."