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Chapter 10

"Hmph."

My grandfather scoffed. He found it absurd. But this was within the range of what I had expected.

"Your Highness."

My grandfather spoke in a tone devoid of any amusement.

"I am Supreme Commander So Ik Gyeom."

No lengthy explanation was needed to describe a person of his stature.

You\'re not in a position to challenge me. Neither my military prowess nor my status was easily earned.

That\'s what he was saying.

His white hair and wrinkles on his face weren\'t simply due to the passage of time.

He had the experience and achievements to match the time his aging attested to.

But then again.

"Yes."

Baekyeon hadn\'t had an easy life either.

"I am Yegyeong."

Yegyeong was the grandson of that So Ik-Gyeom.

Great achievements don\'t always pass down through bloodlines, but if So Ik-Gyeom\'s blood flowed in my veins, I must have inherited something similar.

My grandfather, who was said to be cold even to his own daughter, the deposed Queen, didn\'t seem to value that, but I thought differently.

In response to my seemingly irrelevant answer, my grandfather asked, "What would a duel with Your Highness be? What meaning would it have? Would I be able to see any difference in you?"

"Yes."

"What would be different?"

"Everything would have changed."

"Forgive me, but I believe people don\'t change easily."

"Is that so? In my opinion, there\'s nothing that changes as easily as people."

I stared directly into my grandfather\'s eyes, which clearly showed his disapproval. I didn\'t avoid his gaze, as if challenging him to a staring contest.

My grandfather sighed.

Do people sigh more as they get older? Or do they become short of breath?

"If that\'s what you say."

My grandfather bowed his head.

"As you wish."

* * *

The location wasn\'t ideal, but it wasn\'t a major issue. I stood in the courtyard of Hyunning Hall, where I had sparred with Yoo Geung yesterday, and faced my grandfather.

"I\'ll concede the first move."

A shameless request, but reasonable under the circumstances. I was publicly known for my incompetence, while my grandfather was a respected general.

Grandfather nodded.

"That would be virtuous."

With a metallic clang, two swords were drawn from their sheaths.

Grandfather\'s sword was simple in design, reflecting his personality. The unadorned sword matched its stoic owner.

Mine, on the other hand...

My sword was something one of the eunuchs had procured from somewhere.

It was crafted with care, but not for me. It didn\'t feel familiar in my hand, and it hadn\'t earned my affection either.

Its ornate appearance belied its lack of history.

Armor is usually tailored to the sword, but I didn\'t even own a decent set of armor, let alone any preparation for this. This sword was the only weapon I possessed.

Could there be a better match for a dissolute prince with only a flashy exterior?

"No need for long speeches. Let\'s begin."

I immediately raised my sword and charged at Grandfather. My blade aimed for his neck, but he didn\'t flinch.

Clang!

Grandfather twisted his upper body, dodging my attack. Then he countered, and a strong vibration traveled through my arm.

A sharp pain pierced my bones. It was a familiar sensation, but also different. This body was weaker than my original one.

Damn it.

My strength, agility, and flexibility were all far inferior to what I once possessed.

It was an obvious fact, but it felt unfair because my efforts had been in vain.

All the hardships I had endured didn\'t even exist. How could I not feel sad?

So, this one clash is for my forgotten past. And another clash is for that pitiful boy who was kicked while begging...

Clang!

My palms felt like they were tearing as I parried Grandfather\'s blows. Thanks to my pampered upbringing, they were as soft as a baby\'s.

Ouch, it hurts.

Grandfather\'s relentless attacks served as a balm for my wounded spirit.

To be honest, it wasn\'t really comfort, just a lack of respite. But out of newfound respect for my grandfather, I chose to interpret it as such.

If I was going to have a grandfather, couldn\'t he have appeared sooner? Then maybe I wouldn\'t have been beaten up while begging.

Feeling resentful, I fiercely countered Grandfather\'s "comforting" attack. It was a strike fueled by bitterness.

The sad thing was that my counterattack wasn\'t as strong as my resentment. My body wouldn\'t cooperate.

This is pathetic. How can I be even more pathetic than when I had an actual beggar\'s body?

"Consistency beats any talent."

Grandfather suddenly spoke.

He had noticed that I was struggling due to lack of strength.

And there was only one reason for my struggle. I had simply neglected my usual training.

"I told you before."

I instinctively took a step back.

"Today\'s sweat protects tomorrow\'s blood."

"Uh,"

Clang!

"But you."

Grandfather\'s sword parried mine. The skillfully applied force pulled my sword away.

My forearm tingled as I tried to hold on. I almost lost my grip.

Tomorrow, I won\'t even be able to lift my arm because of the muscle pain. I suddenly remembered the time when I had just entered Blood Cloud Castle.

Back then, I was rolling around every day, my muscles screaming in protest. Meanwhile, there were those who were jealous that I got to see the castle lord every day.

I spent my days training and my nights being bullied.

The castle lord had also said, "The time you invest will never betray you."

Are all old people like this?

I couldn\'t help but laugh.

A cold disappointment fell upon me.

"You don’t remember a single word."

Excuse me, but I don\'t recall ever hearing that?

There\'s no time to catch my breath. Grandfather pursued me. What should I do?

What else can I do? Instead of running away, I lunged towards Grandfather.

As expected, a gap opened up. The heartless old man retreated to avoid his adorable grandson. Then he unleashed another flurry of attacks.

I might lose my head if I\'m not careful.

He was incredibly skilled at maintaining distance to prevent that from happening.

Not only was he good at fighting, but he was also a fantastic teacher.

At that moment, my sword and Grandfather\'s clashed head-on. It was literal confrontation. The only way to win here was with overwhelming power.

Can I withstand this?

Should I try?

Can I even do it?

"... I can\'t withstand this."

I let go.

A crack appeared in Grandfather\'s posture.

But he didn\'t crumble. He was too solid to collapse. I was too inexperienced and weak to exploit that opening.

Grandfather led me along at his own pace, paying no mind to when I needed to breathe.

He was aggressive enough to keep even a teacher on edge.

"Of course."

Persistent yet light. Deadly yet clean.

I liked his style. Grandfather\'s sword rose in a circular arc, its tip pointing towards the clear blue sky.

Oh no.

I made a mistake.

The reflected sunlight stabbed my eyes.

And in the next moment.

"Oh dear."

I let out a short sigh.

Grandfather\'s blade was hanging over my neck.

I even had the illusion of feeling a chilling, bluish aura.

"You\'re dead."

He was right. If Grandfather had been my enemy, I wouldn\'t be alive right now. My head would be rolling on the ground, separated from my body. Just like that time. That rainy day.

But.

"However."

My sword was almost touching Grandfather\'s side.

"I wouldn\'t have escaped unscathed either."

Grandfather withdrew his sword first.

I took a deep breath and followed suit, sheathing my weapon. The overexerted muscles in my arm trembled slightly.

"Well, this is something..."

The tension suddenly dissipated, leaving me gasping for breath. I leaned back, taking deep breaths, and looked up at the sky.

It was that damn sun that blinded me. That\'s why I lost, and by a hair\'s breadth, too. I could have won if things had gone slightly differently.

That\'s what I thought, but as I raised my head and saw my grandfather looking far more composed than me, the thought of potentially winning vanished.

Time beats down on people. And my grandfather was someone who had endured it. I had endured it too, of course, but not for as long as he had.

"Tsk."

This is exhausting.

I plopped down on the ground.

In the distance, I heard a eunuch who had been watching us gasp in shock.

"You were so confident, yet if this were a battlefield, you would have presented your head on a pike to the enemy."

"What a dreadful thing to say!"

I protested, but the image was a bit funny to imagine. My head stuck on a pole several times taller than a person.

Funny? It wasn\'t funny at all; it was horrifying.

It was practically reality for me.

I chuckled.

"This foolish grandson has something to say too, but I\'ll hold my tongue."

"There are times to hold one\'s tongue and times when it\'s unnecessary."

"Is this a time when it\'s unnecessary?"

I couldn\'t let a single word slide.

Grandfather stared at me, then abruptly turned his head away.

"I\'m a man of manners, so I won\'t speak ill of my grandfather."

Grandfather seemed taken aback, repeating the word.

"... Manners."

"Yes."

His gaze returned to me. This time, the cold contempt was gone. He looked at me for a moment, then turned away again.

"You shouldn\'t be subjected to humiliation."

Oh.

He\'s acknowledging me, right? Right?

"Yes, Grandfather."

I\'ve always been susceptible to praise. The corners of my mouth twitched. I hid my expression and replied smoothly.

"But if you help me, Grandfather, I can show you more than just avoiding humiliation."

Even now, I didn\'t consider a mere soldier a formidable opponent, but how often does one get the chance to win the favor of a general?

"Are you requesting my assistance?"

"Yes. Is that not allowed?"

Grandfather fell silent for a moment.

"You have already rejected me once, Your Highness. Have you forgotten?"

I did?

Crazy. To have such a first-rate teacher within reach...

Plus, as a general, he\'d make a very powerful backer.

Well, I guess I shouldn\'t expect anything from someone who discarded his own daughter\'s keepsake.

"I apologize. This foolish grandson must have been out of his mind."

"Withdraw your words."

But judging by his brief response, he didn\'t seem to think it was entirely untrue.

Yeah... Even I sincerely think I\'m an idiot...

"But Grandfather."

"Yes, Your Highness."

"What\'s in that bundle you brought?"

Grandfather replied as if I was asking something completely out of the blue.