The Seventh Prince's Intervention
“I, Im Bukjin, will state this very clearly once again, right here, right now,” Bukjin declared in a loud voice. “I know perfectly well what I should do and what I should say. Therefore, I have absolutely no need for anyone else’s teachings. And I have no intention whatsoever of being forced to do anything under pressure from others. Not even the City Lord, or even the Heavenly King himself, can force me to do something I don’t want to do!”
As he finished speaking, Bukjin felt a refreshing sense of relief. It was as if a heavy weight had been lifted from his chest. He finally understood why protagonists in movies would grandstand with cool lines when confronting injustice. It felt incredibly good.
‘Showing off must be addictive, after all.’
A profound silence had fallen over the third floor of the Manseung-ru. No, the entire Manseung-ru, with its dazzling lights, was as still as death. Bukjin’s words seemed to echo through the great hall of the Manseung-ru, refusing to fade away.
Even the guests, who had been enjoying their meals and the lively atmosphere, quietly set down their wine cups, as if cold water had been thrown over them by Bukjin’s single statement.
Cho Heun and the others suddenly wondered if this was truly the Bukjin they knew. His current reaction was completely unlike his usual self.
‘Why did his personality change so suddenly? Could his mental illness have flared up again?’
Ak Hong-hyang and Han Bul-bu felt their bodies tremble involuntarily. An indescribable mix of agitation, fear, surprise, and strangeness enveloped them.
This awkward and peculiar silence persisted until Dam Gogeum spoke again.
“Such fiery youthful vigor, very good,” he said, as if in admiration. “A young man should defy authority and challenge the strong. That is how he expresses his fearless courage. However, young men often forget the two words: ignorance. They are fearless because they are ignorant. Therefore, fearlessness should not be taken as one’s true nature. Only the ignorant act without fear. This Administrator, I think it best to remove Im Bukjin’s name from the list of participants for the main round of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition.”
Lee Woong-bu spoke with a troubled expression. “Administrator, that is…”
Dam Gogeum smiled and said, “It seems student Im Bukjin wishes to gain fame through this method, so shouldn’t we grant his wish? Everyone must take responsibility for their choices. This Administrator, are you now disregarding this old man’s orders?”
“N-no, that’s not it. This official wouldn’t dare,” Lee Woong-bu replied, sounding helpless.
“N-no way…” Cho Heun quickly interjected.
“Administrator…”
Dam Gogeum’s gaze, sharp as a blade, fell upon Cho Heun. An invisible pressure enveloped Cho Heun, and he could no longer continue his words.
“Do you have anything more to say?” Dam Gogeum asked, looking at Bukjin.
Bukjin sneered in response. “Anything more to say? Are you hoping I’ll beg, Administrator Dam?” Bukjin rubbed his brow. “Don’t worry. Even if you live to be a hundred, I will never beg you.”
“Good. Very good. He has spirit, this one,” Dam Gogeum said, nodding as if in praise. “Just like your father in his youth.”
Having finished his words, Dam Gogeum turned to return to Room 1, which bore the character for ‘Heaven.’ Everyone thought the matter was concluded.
Just then.
“Don’t be in such a hurry.”
A warm, clear voice came from somewhere.
Dam Gogeum stopped in his tracks.
‘Is there someone who would speak up for Im Bukjin even in this situation?’
A sharp glint reappeared in Dam Gogeum’s eyes, and an invisible pressure began to emanate from him. Stopping his steps, Dam Gogeum turned around and asked, “Who is it?”
At this moment, even Lee Woong-bu, a powerful Grandmaster, felt his heart tremble. He sensed in Dam Gogeum’s expression the awakening of a sleeping beast. Feeling the intense killing intent, Lee Woong-bu realized that Dam Gogeum was truly furious this time.
Then, the door to an inconspicuous room nearby opened. And from within, several young men emerged. The first to step out was a man in crimson armor, with a face as exquisitely carved as jade, deep eyes like starlight, a sharp gaze, a prominent nose, and lustrous skin. His face was flawlessly clear, boasting extreme beauty. His thick, golden hair was tied back, making him look like a war god from myth.
The young men who followed him out were all exceptionally handsome. One of them was none other than Im Oh, the second son of the Unmong City government.
“Greetings, Elder Dam.” The young man offered a slight bow.
An expression of bewilderment, never before seen, appeared on Dam Gogeum’s face. Dam Gogeum quickly changed his demeanor and, with a respectful bow, said, “It is the Seventh Prince, Your Highness. This old subject greets Your Highness.”
‘The Seventh Prince? An Imperial Prince!’
Everyone present was greatly astonished. Im Jin-nam, Lee Woong-bu, and others also quickly bowed in surprise.
“Greetings, Your Highness, the Seventh Prince.”
News that Lee Yak-so, the Seventh Prince of the Empire, was in Unmong City had already spread widely throughout the city. And everyone knew that the Seventh Prince had attended the opening ceremony of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition earlier that day. But no one had expected him to appear in the Manseung-ru in such a manner at this particular time.
“Everyone, you may rise.” The Seventh Prince’s demeanor seemed very gentle and mild. He looked at Dam Gogeum and said, “Administrator Dam. This king has taken a great interest in Im Bukjin. Today, for my sake, how about not escalating this matter further with this young friend and allowing him to remain in the main round of the Academic & Martial Arts Competition?”
Upon hearing this, Dam Gogeum was greatly surprised. He had never imagined that the Seventh Prince would personally intervene for Bukjin. Moreover, mentioning that he had ‘taken an interest’ and appealing to his ‘sake’ made it a very difficult request for Dam Gogeum to refuse. If the Seventh Prince had spoken on the grounds of justice, law, or right and wrong, there would have been room for rebuttal. But with his plea for personal consideration, Dam Gogeum had no way to argue against it.
Dam Gogeum felt that today’s matter clearly had to be resolved. Any choice was now in his hands. He was the Chief Administrator of Education for the entire Pung-eo-haeng-do province. The authority of the Education Bureau within Pung-eo-haeng-do was among the top three. Therefore, his power could be said to be supreme. However, even such strong power could vary depending on who the opponent was. Compared to the power of the Empire’s Seventh Prince, his own was greatly lacking.
The Seventh Prince, a native of Baekun City, had distinguished himself from a young age and was renowned for his handsome appearance. He enjoyed the favor of the current Divine Martial Emperor and was high in the ranking among the ten princes. Therefore, from Dam Gogeum’s perspective, there was no reason to antagonize the Seventh Prince, who was revered as an imperial genius, all for the sake of a single young man named Bukjin.
Having made up his mind, Dam Gogeum took a deep breath, bowed, and said, “If that is Your Highness’s will, this old subject will comply.”
“Hahaha, thank you, Elder Dam.” The Seventh Prince, Lee Yak-so, laughed heartily. He turned his head to look at Bukjin and said, “Haha, student Im. It seems you are a student of great pride, but surely you wouldn’t be unwilling to offer your thanks to me, would you?”
Upon hearing his words, Bukjin immediately put on a sly smile and, as if he had become a different person, bowed deeply and said, “How could I possibly be so rude!”
Bukjin remained bowed for quite some time before slowly rising, then spoke with an extremely respectful expression. “I deeply thank Your Highness for saving my face today. Witnessing Your Highness’s righteous, fair, elegant, and wise handling of this matter has broadened my horizons. Indeed, you are truly the peerless hero I’ve heard of. Your Highness’s brilliant demeanor, truly a dragon among dragons, is a model that we young people should emulate. In truth, I have respected Your Highness for a very long time. I have nurtured my dreams while listening to countless heroic tales about Your Highness. My respect for Your Highness is like an endlessly flowing river, overflowing in my heart to the point where even this humble one finds it difficult to contain…”
“…”
Such excessive flattery left the Seventh Prince with a blank expression, and the other people present also looked dumbfounded. A brief silence fell, then the Seventh Prince said mockingly, “Is that so? What heroic tales of this king have you heard?”
Bukjin replied without the slightest hesitation, his words flowing like water. “I have heard so many heroic tales that my ears have worn out. There are so many outstanding stories that I can’t recall any at this moment…”
“…”
Silence fell once more.
‘Where did that spirit from just now go?’
‘The defiance that wouldn’t bow to power?’
‘The youthful passion?’
People thought Bukjin’s change in attitude was too fast, too sudden. Even Dam Gogeum was speechless.
‘Does that rascal not even consider the power of a provincial education chief as power?’
“Hmph, Im Bukjin. You truly are a shameless fellow. Do you think anyone who offers you a teat is your mother?” Jo Pacheon, unable to hold back, sneered at Bukjin.
Bukjin glared at Jo Pacheon and said, “You’re spouting nonsense again. If someone can’t offer a teat, what else would they be but a father?”
“…”
Jo Pacheon was left speechless. The tense atmosphere eased considerably. Just as everyone thought the conflict that had erupted tonight was completely resolved and over, another unexpected incident occurred.
“Hmph, Your Highness, isn’t your conduct here today unjust? To use imperial authority to overturn an administrative order. If news of this reaches His Majesty’s ears, Your Highness might find yourself in an uncomfortable position, no?”
A familiar voice to Bukjin emerged from the crowd. The Seventh Prince, with a surprised look, shifted his gaze towards the speaker. Upon hearing his voice, an unconcealed joy appeared on Jo Pacheon’s face. Jo Pacheon quickly bowed respectfully and said, “Master…! Your disciple greets you.”