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Chapter Title: Brats' Guts!!
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“Your Highness, are you ready to save the white falcon?”
“That path is steep and treacherous, a thorny road full of hardship. Are you truly prepared to walk it with us?”
“Very well. Then we'll follow the white falcon.”
I read the words slowly, line by line.
The young prince slipped out of the palace, following the white falcon that had descended from the heavens. The white falcon and the young prince walked and walked. They crossed towering mountains, forded deep rivers, and evaded fierce beasts like tigers and wolves, journeying all the way to distant Jinhae in the south. One day, exhausted from the endless march, the young prince collapsed against a massive tree nearby and asked the falcon, “Where are we headed right now?” The falcon replied, “To the place where the hero first learned the healing arts—the place where his comrades await.” “We're almost there. See that red flag over there?” The young prince looked where the falcon pointed: Cheonja Peak of Ung Mountain, said to touch the heavens. At its summit fluttered a red flag emblazoned with the characters for Hwalbindang. “That's Hwalbindang, where the hero's comrades gather.” “Indeed, Your Highness. It's the home of Hong Gildong, another hero who stood with the champion against the wicked storm dragon.”
The white falcon and the young prince headed straight for Hwalbindang. Suddenly, at the peak of Ung Mountain, a man wearing a red octagonal hat appeared before the young prince in a flash. The man in the hat spoke. “Who are you? And... it's been a while, white falcon.” “Long time no see, Hong Gildong. Doing well?” “Yeah, still at peace thanks to you. Who knows how long it'll last, though.” “Haha, glad to hear it. This is the young prince. He's traveling with me to save the hero, the white falcon.” “Hong Gildong, teach him the path the hero white falcon walked.” Hong Gildong eyed the young prince up and down. Small stature, delicate build, soft hands that had never gripped a sword. Living a sheltered life without a hint of hardship. Frowning, Hong Gildong said, The white falcon chuckled. “Haha, don't worry. Young prince, you can do it, right? You want to save the hero. You'll walk the white falcon's path yourself.” “I can. If it means saving the white falcon.” I set the book down for a moment and looked at Prince Imhae.
Reading my gaze, he replied in a bold voice.
“Very well. Let's walk the white falcon's path.”
“Fine. If that's your resolve. Hwang Geun-chul!” At Hong Gildong's call, another man in a red octagonal hat appeared like lightning and bowed deeply. Still wearing his impassive expression, Hong Gildong turned to the young prince. “From this day, assign the young prince to the Marine Corps. Issue him a soul-cleaving blade and put him through training!” “Yes, sir! Follow me at once, you little brat!” “The reply is 'Sir'! All responses from now on are 'Sir'! Got it, you little brat?!” “Try it yourself, Your Highness!”
“Excellent. I can feel Your Highness's resolve to save the white falcon.”
“But what's the Marine Corps?”
“They're the soldiers who combat anything harmful to the people—ghosts, goblins, you name it. They're called the Ghost Marine Corps for wielding soul-cleaving blades to hunt spirits.”
“This is no time for awe, Your Highness. The Marine Corps training is far more grueling than the path the young prince has walked so far.”
The Marine Corps training was truly brutal. “You little brat! You're too slow! Run faster!” “You little brat! Can't even align properly? Drill is the foundation of a marine! Repeat it a hundred times until you get the rows and columns right!” “You little brat! Training is combat! What was that?!” “Training is combat! Rows! Columns! Combat! Sir sir sir!!” “You little brat! We're entering extreme training atop Cheonja Peak now. Ready?!” The harsh training and shouts began at dawn, nearly impossible for a young prince raised solely in the palace to endure. Especially the extreme regimen without sleep or a single meal nearly brought tears to his eyes unbidden. That earned him a reprimand. “Brat's guts! A marine's body flows only with sweat and blood! Cut that puppy whining right now! Even at this moment, people starve to death without a meal, and parents work sleeplessly to save their starving young! Got it, you little brat?!” “Your Highness, reviving the white falcon and learning the healing arts is this arduous. Will you truly continue?”
“...But I can do it! I just won't rest a moment and care for the people!”
“Very well. Like the young prince, Your Highness is prepared.”
At Prince Imhae's spirited cry, I smiled and turned the page.
The young prince endured every trial with the sole thought of saving the white falcon. Months passed. In the midst of intense training, the fearsome drill instructor Hwang Geun-chul approached. “Brat's spirit! The young prince has completed all basic Marine Corps training. You're no longer a brat—you've earned the right to wear this red badge. Understood?!” “Good. Young prince, word just arrived from Cheonja Peak. Ogres from the east have crossed the sea and invaded Dongnae. Grab your soul-cleaving blade and march with your comrades at once!” The young prince marched to Dongnae with his Marine comrades, soul-cleaving blades in hand.
There, the ogres bared razor fangs, mercilessly devouring the flesh of Dongnae's people with their foul maws. Sickening crunches of shattering bone echoed before screams could even rise. Crimson blood dripped from the starving ogres' mouths.
“Hwalbindang Marines! Form ranks and charge!” The clash between marines and ogres erupted. Ogre fangs sought flesh, met by the gleaming edges of soul-cleaving blades aiming for throats. Sparks flew into the night sky. Beastly ogre roars mingled with the marines' fierce shouts, turning Dongnae into a hellish battlefield. The young prince, too, swung his blade without retreat, driven solely by the will to save the people. But this was an era without the hero white falcon or the master's healing arts. The marines were slowly being pushed back. Shouldn't they retreat, regroup, and reform the lines?
Watching his marine comrades fall one by one to ogre clubs, the young prince unwittingly stepped back.
Then the white falcon swooped in and said,
“Young prince, remember this.” “Scars on the back are the shame of a scholar-official.” “Think of the countless people at your back. That's the propriety you owe them.” Park Haeseo, listening to the white falcon's tale beside me, was deeply impressed inwardly.
Scholar-officials sit atop the hierarchy of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Born with privilege.
While farmers till fields, artisans hammer away, and merchants brave rivers and mountains for trade, scholar-officials command respect simply by virtue of being gentlemen scholars.
And privilege demands responsibility.
Leading by example in daily life, standing at the vanguard to protect all in times of crisis—that is the honor and duty of a scholar-official. The propriety owed to the people.
To explain the Five Constants' propriety and righteousness so accessibly.
Scars on the back are the shame of a scholar-official. A maxim the royal physician must never forget.
Park Haeseo leaned in once more to Heo Gyun's words.
At the white falcon's counsel, the young prince gripped his soul-cleaving blade tight and shouted, “Brats' guts!! Never retreat! Recover the fallen and reform ranks! Turn and die no more—face them and live!” At the forefront, the young prince swung ceaselessly. Without rest or a single meal, he moved that small body solely for the people. Only blood and sweat flowed from him. Finally, sunlight crested the ridge, shining on Dongnae as the battle with the ogres ended. “Your Highness, that is propriety. The mindset you must hold to learn the healing arts.”
“...Yeah, propriety. Got it. Stand at the front so no scholar-official shows their back.”
Rubbing the back of my head at Prince Imhae's reply, I turned the page.
The white falcon and Hong Gildong were conversing.
“Impressive. I underestimated the young prince.” “Haha, I told you. He can do it. He'll be great someday.” “Fine, I admit it. I was wrong. So, heading to her now?” “Have to. He's barely grasped propriety, but the young prince has much left to learn.” “Alright. I'll lend you a horse. The road to her is long.” With all battles ended and Hong Gildong's approval won, the young prince shared camaraderie with his comrades before departing on the next leg. Riding hard for a stretch, the young prince asked the white falcon, “A Taoist in the north still seals the wicked storm dragon.” “Her name is Jeon Woochi.” “The white falcon hero's master.” 