Chapter 25
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Prince Imhae Shouts Out Too
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Prince Imhae also cried out at the top of his lungs.
- At the point where the faint light seeping from the cave entrance cut off, slick moss covered the ground, so the Little Prince carefully took a step to avoid slipping.
- The white hawk flew above the Little Prince's head, guiding the way, and eventually they arrived at a vast cavern inside the cave.
- Golden chains tangled densely like spiderwebs had glowing talismans attached to them, and in the center, a black dragon with sealed red eyes gazed at the Little Prince.
The Tyrant Dragon and the Little Prince met.
- A guest after such a long time. Who are you?
- I'm the Little Prince. I came to save the hero White Hawk.
- Save the hero? Kahahahaha, now that you mention it, that white hawk is over there. Little Prince, you've been tricked by that white hawk.
- Tricked? By you?
- Yes. The reason the white hawk brought you here isn't to revive the hero—it's to kill me. Isn't that right, you lying white hawk?
- It's not a lie. The hero White Hawk clearly said it. If you bring the Little Prince here, he can be revived. And the Benevolent Arts will come back to life too. If someone qualified picks up that fan over there and swings it, everything will be revived.
- Euahaha, then you've been tricked too. That fan is solely a tool to kill me—it's impossible to revive the hero or recover the Benevolent Arts. Of course it is. Does the young master's words anywhere mention a way to bring the dead back to life?
With a sinister grin toward the white hawk, the dragon spoke to the Little Prince.
- Little Prince. I know why you want to revive the hero and reclaim the Benevolent Arts. Isn't it to save the people, drive out the kingdom's traitors, and build a proper nation?
- ...Yes.
- Then let me make you an offer you can't refuse. I swear on my heart. If you tear off those talismans and release my seal, I'll share my power with you. Use that power to save the suffering people yourself, drive out those who threaten the nation, and achieve an era of great peace. Why would you need some hero or Benevolent Arts?
- That's...
- Let me be clear. Even if you swing that fan like the white hawk says, nothing will change. I'll die, but the world will still be in chaos, and you won't gain any power.
- So choose. The fan... or the talisman.
"What will you choose, Your Highness?"
"Uwoong..."
"Choose the talisman, and you'll gain the dragon's power. It's evil, but immensely strong. With it, Your Highness could even summon the lightning you've always wanted."
"Really? I can summon lightning too?"
"Yes. Though the hero White Hawk will never be revived."
"Hmm... Then maybe the talisman. No... wait a sec."
Truly a tough question to answer, Prince Imhae rolled his eyes and wiggled his toes nonstop.
His conflicted expression clearly showed him agonizing between lightning and the white hawk. After much deliberation, Prince Imhae slapped his thigh and declared.
"I pick da fevver fan!"
"Why is that? If you choose the fan, as the dragon says, it might be impossible to revive the hero or reclaim the Benevolent Arts."
"Well... Dragons are man-eatin' bad guys... They had both to begin with but stole 'em... Bad guy."
"Is that all?"
"Yeah, and the hero White Hawk said it... He can be revived. White Hawk doesn't lie!!"
To my question, Prince Imhae puffed out his chest proudly and answered.
Hmm, correct answer. Kids are pure, so they always side with the protagonist.
"Excellent. Now Your Highness qualifies as well—as the Little Prince."
"Qualifies?"
"Yes. To revive the hero White Hawk."
I immediately turned to the next page of the book.
- Evil dragon, no matter what you say, I'm choosing the fan.
- What? Why? Why reject such immense power that dwarfs those trivial Benevolent Arts!
- While traveling with the white hawk, I learned many things. Tyrant Dragon, do you know what propriety and righteousness [禮義] are?
- Propriety? Pfft, who cares!
- While you devoured innocent people, the hero White Hawk risked his life to protect the common folk and fought you. Following such a hero's words is the propriety toward heroes that the young master spoke of. Even if it's a lie.
The Little Prince possessed propriety [禮] and righteousness [義].
- Ridiculous! Little Prince, you're truly foolish. You'd give up this power for such petty human sentiments!
- No, and I learned much from my master too.
- The Little Prince slowly walked toward the fan, following the white hawk. Before grasping it, he looked straight up into the Tyrant Dragon's red eyes and said.
- My master always said: When making a decision, survey your surroundings endlessly, deliberate and deliberate again, then choose the right path. That is benevolence and wisdom [仁智]. Evil dragon, didn't you say you'd stake your heart to give me power?
- Yes! Half my power—no, more than that—to you!
- Then swear it once more. Even if I open the fan and swing it, the hero White Hawk truly won't revive? If that's true, swear it on your heart.
- Wh... what?
The Little Prince had learned benevolence [仁] and wisdom [智].
- The Little Prince grasped the fan. It emitted a light resonating with him, and the cave's darkness began to lift bit by bit.
- Stop! Don't do something foolish—choose the talisman now!
- Enraged, the Tyrant Dragon bellowed, but the Little Prince ignored it and opened the fan.
- Evil dragon, your cries are useless. I trust the hero.
- With one swing, the seal within the fan unraveled. Complete light filled the cavern, and one person appeared.
- It was the hero White Hawk.
"Trustin' it worked!!"
The Little Prince's benevolence, righteousness, propriety, and wisdom [仁義禮智] created trust [信] toward the hero.
Thus, the Five Constants [五常].
Above the revived hero's head, the Five Constants the young master spoke of bloomed like five lotus stems.
- The revived White Hawk spoke to the white hawk and Little Prince.
- You did well. Thank you, white hawk. Thanks, Little Prince. Your trust made this possible.
After stroking the Little Prince's head briefly and greeting the white hawk, the hero smiled gently, calmly picked up the fan, and walked toward the sealed dragon. At the same time, a massive fireball engulfed the cavern.
Benevolent Arts [仁術]: Fireball [火焰球]
- Stop! Th... that much power!! Even you can't handle it! You just revived and now you'll die again?
- Haha, evil dragon. When do you think people die?
- Wh... what are you saying!
- When pierced by sharp fangs?
- When slashed by razor-sharp claws?
- When engulfed in raging flames?
- The hero opened the fan in his hand and said.
- None of that. It's when people forget you.
The hero fully opened the fan and swung it toward the evil dragon.
The massive flames filling the cavern began devouring the dragon.
Watching it, the hero whispered softly.
- So I won't die this time either.
- Because the young master's words will never fade away.
"Ah... How profound... such deep thoughts."
"Hero White Hawk!! Benevolent Arts! Fireball!! Trustin' it worked!!"
Park Haeseo and Prince Imhae were lost in their own emotions, letting out sighs and cheers.
Yeah, yeah, this scene was super famous even in my past life. Gotta have reactions like this.
I smiled contentedly at the two and turned to the next page.
"Now, let's check the Tyrant Dragon's end."
- Kraaaah!! No!! Kraaaah!!
- The dragon's screams filled the cavern.
- The hero's flames seeped between its pitch-black scales; the dragon's massive wings melted like lava, and the red glare that once terrorized Joseon gradually lost its light.
- Damn it!! Kraaaah!!
- Unable to endure the pain, the dragon's head slammed into the ground, shaking the earth. In its place remained only a smoldering lump of charcoal.
- The evil Tyrant Dragon's demise.
Confirming the dragon's end, White Hawk turned with a bittersweet smile.
He approached the Little Prince, who stared blankly at the scene, and placed his own fan in the boy's hand.
- I want to teach you more, but I don't have much time. So remember this well, Little Prince.
- Never lose propriety, no matter the situation. If you uphold it, others will uphold it toward you.
- To walk the right path, always learn and observe. No matter who they are or their status, bow your head and learn if there's something to gain. That's how you'll find the right path.
- Once you've chosen a path, trust it. Trust yourself, your master, and those around you.
- These are the Five Constants the young master spoke of. Can you do it?
- Yes. The Little Prince nodded.
At that moment, the Five Constants' lotuses swirling around White Hawk began wrapping around the Little Prince. Amid the voices of the Five Constants echoing from all directions, the Little Prince unconsciously murmured softly.
Benevolent Arts [仁術]: Fireball [火焰球]
Though it didn't bloom like the hero's, the Little Prince could feel it.
The red flames boiling in his chest.
"Can Your Highness feel it too?"
"Huh... what?"
"The hot blaze burning in Your Highness's chest. Doesn't it feel like your heart is heating up?"
"Oh... come to think of it. Gasp! No way!"
"Yes. You're still lacking in learning to manifest it, but Your Highness has inherited White Hawk's will."
"!!!!"
Nope, no.
Just dopamine rushing.
Aigoo, exhausting. Anyway, it's the end, so wrap it up.
- Having passed everything to the Little Prince, the hero finally raised a hand to call the white hawk.
- Take good care of him. This era's hero.
- Understood. Are you leaving now?
- Yes. My role is done.
- With those words, the hero White Hawk's form gradually scattered in the wind.
- Clutching the fan tightly, the Little Prince watched and vowed in his heart.
- With this power, he would save the suffering people, drive out those threatening the nation, and achieve great peace.
- Because that's what hero White Hawk would do.
"Hahaha, truly grateful. Thanks to you, things went smoothly."
"Ah... y-yes... well..."
After the reading ended and they exited the Nourishment Bureau, Park Haeseo, in high spirits, slapped my back repeatedly.
"Only the hero's successor, His Highness the Prince, can use the Benevolent Arts now! What a refreshingly clear answer!"
Mm, handled that part neatly.
"Plus, he'll have to study endlessly to master the Benevolent Arts—what could be better! I hear those twenty problems are no joke either!"
Mm, understanding all twenty will take at least a decade? By the time his head thickens and he realizes he's been had, he'll have learned everything already. Perfect.
"And the hero White Hawk isn't dead—he lives in our hearts... Truly wise. Even His Highness should accept the hero's death now."
Mm? What is this guy saying?
Oh right. I tossed the book to him saying only the successor qualifies to see the hero's end.
So he wouldn't know.
In lieu of an answer, I stared silently at the door of the Nourishment Bureau's classroom, where Prince Imhae remained alone.
"Whew... White Hawk's end."
With tense anticipation, Prince Imhae turned to the book's final page.
- Hero White Hawk opened his eyes.
- Pungent herbal scents and bitter licorice filled the room. The gentle glow of the brazier brewing medicine flickered between shelves.
- The hero bolted upright, shaking his head in confusion.
- What is this? I clearly defeated the dragon and passed all my power to the Little Prince—how am I alive...?
- Then the apothecary door opened, and one person entered.
- Glad you're conscious. I brought you here after finding you collapsed alone in the cave. Are you alright?
- Yes, thank you. I'm a scholar named White Hawk... Where is this? More importantly, who are you?
The woman answered the hero's question.
- I'm Great Jang Geum.
- Great Jang Geum?!
Finally, a profoundly anticlimactic line entered Prince Imhae's eyes.
- Hero White Hawk returns from Culinary Duel: Jang Geum...
Prince Imhae also cried out at the top of his lungs.
"Culinary Duel: Jang Geum!!!"