Chapter 82
Chapter 82
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 82
Chapter Title: The Will of the Wild Heaven
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"But Kyle, you know I can't just up and abandon the crown prince position on a whim, right? Now that we've made this decision, of course I'll help you..."
"Yes. I'll make the preparations."
It was astonishing that a mere twelve-year-old boy could imbue the word "preparations" with such gravity.
Basen was quietly impressed.
"By the way, what do we do about that thing?"
Basen's finger pointed, and Kyle's gaze followed.
"Ah, Manun?"
He had finally unburdened the long-held issue in his heart, but the problem right in front of them wasn't so easily dismissed.
Bringing Manun back into the palace wouldn't be simple.
Kyle glanced down at Manun, then turned toward Deanin, who was racing toward them on cockatoo-back.
"Normally, the person in charge would handle it themselves..."
"And?"
"Leaving it be could be an option too."
Basen stroked his chin at that.
Manun was a massive monster.
Drakes had wide-ranging territories, and if it wandered into populated paths or villages like that, it would spell disaster.
It sounded absurd at first, but coming from Kyle, it seemed plausible.
"How?"
"I'll explain to the Hunt Minister when he arrives."
Kyle mounted a cockatoo with Basen and descended the mountain alongside Deanin.
Along the way, Kyle explained his plan for Manun. Deanin initially balked, his expression turning grave, but eventually nodded.
As they reached the wooden bars Manun had burst through, Deanin replied.
"Very well. We'll do as Prince Kyle says. It's a proposal I have no reason to refuse anyway."
"I look forward to your continued support, Hunt Minister."
With that, Kyle vanished into the palace depths with Basen.
Deanin watched him go with puzzlement.
The Hunt Division handled banquets and hunts, so it wasn't unrelated to royalty, but Kyle— who preferred books and scholarly debates— had no reason to favor the Hunt Minister.
'Could it be... perhaps...'
Atop the palace tiles sat Eldar, speaking to Seong-un.
"Lady Nebula, is this truly alright?"
"Why wouldn't it be?"
"The third prince is clever and doesn't defy the gods' will— that's good. Even peering into his thoughts reveals pure intentions. But..."
Seong-un nodded.
"He might interpret the revelations I show him freely?"
"Does that not worry you?"
Seong-un replied.
"Not really."
"Why not?"
"When playing Lost World, I treated them as game characters, so yeah, it bugged me when they didn't follow my intent. But even then, I played well."
"...Yes."
Rather than betting everything on Kyle's first uncertain plan, Seong-un had extended contingencies to second and third options.
His goal this time was simply for Kyle to become king somehow. Kyle's intellectual competence in voicing Seong-un's will— combined with his candid honesty— had prompted Basen to relinquish the crown.
"Now I know the pieces below are real people. Even if their intentions differ, as long as they deliver the results I want, it doesn't matter. No need to cling too tightly. And above all..."
"Above all?"
"It worked out even better, didn't it?"
Seong-un preferred Kyle as king, but Basen was too valuable to discard.
Without Kyle, Basen ascending naturally would have suited Seong-un fine too.
'But there can only be one king.'
Eldar nodded.
"You're not concerned? So far, luck aligned Kyle with your will, Lady Nebula..."
"Eldar."
"Yes?"
Seong-un leaned in.
Eldar flinched, glancing aside.
Seong-un flicked Eldar's forehead.
"Ow."
Eldar knew it wasn't meant to hurt— just a wake-up call.
"Why?"
Straightening, Seong-un said.
"I didn't choose Kyle lightly."
Intelligence was just one factor.
Seong-un had been present at Kyle Rak Orazen's birth, listened to his debates with scholars, read his writings and words.
Kyle honored past heroes' values while relentlessly seeking better ways.
Even if Kyle ever thwarted Seong-un's will someday, that thwarting might hold greater meaning.
'Like Rakrak did.'
King Anpyeong skipped the evening council.
Rumors of his chronic illness flaring up buzzed among the ministers, but it was an old affliction from his youth— nothing new.
Administrative Minister Salushin O chaired the meeting.
The first topic was, predictably, Manun.
Having lingered in the palace all day, the ministers naturally fixated on the escaped drake as the hottest gossip.
"But we haven't heard it's been captured yet, Hunt Minister."
The Guard Captain answered faster than Deanin.
"Indeed. Our Imperial Guard remains on standby."
"Hah, if they haven't nabbed it by sunset, who knows before dawn. What if it harms someone before then, Hunt Minister?"
Deanin gave a light nod.
"Fortunately, we've located Manun."
"Isn't that obvious? A beast that size..."
The Finance Minister, ever nitpicking Deanin, trailed off as Deanin added.
"Prince Basen assisted us."
"...Well, that's fortunate, then."
"Yes. We're monitoring it now. Exhausted from prowling all night till dawn, it's just sleeping— no incidents so far."
The Administrative Minister spoke.
"That's a relief, but... His Majesty is deeply worried. We can't deploy the Guard till morning. Why not borrow them sooner once located?"
Deanin nodded.
"I initially planned to. But investigating the escape revealed oddities, so I halted."
The ministers startled.
White-haired Left Guard Chief Huimun questioned.
"So you had no intent to retrieve Manun today— nor tomorrow, or ever?"
"Yes."
"Dodging His Majesty's orders with excuses?"
Deanin stepped forward, deeming a seated explanation insufficient.
"I know the morning briefing shift surprises you all. But hear me out— there's reason."
The Finance Minister bristled, but the Administrative Minister waved him off.
"Very well, Hunt Minister. Let's hear it."
Deanin said.
"This morning, chasing Manun to its garden enclosure, I inspected the broken wooden bars— worm-eaten."
The Finance Minister scoffed.
"You're not claiming someone sabotaged them by gnawing the bars? Besides, Manun could've smashed them regardless."
"Of course not. I thought the same."
"Then?"
Deanin smiled.
"But Prince Kyle saw differently. The worm damage weakened the bars, letting them snap quietly without toppling the stone pillars— no big noise. The Guard's delayed discovery makes sense. Intentional sabotage is impossible undetected, and they'd have been flogged if caught."
"Just coincidence?"
"No. If not human intent, who else could orchestrate it?"
Some eyed Deanin curiously; others gaped in awe.
The Administrative Minister spoke.
"You don't mean..."
"Yes. The deed of the Wild Heaven."
"But deciding miracles isn't your call."
"Precisely. So this afternoon, I consulted the church priests. You may know the Wild Heaven was once called the Blue Insect God, and before that, the Nameless Beetle God. Many miracles via insects. The priests inspected the site..."
Mid-sentence, the council hall doors opened. A priest in robes entered; all bowed hastily.
"Yes, I've confirmed it. A true miracle of the Wild Heaven."
The Administrative Minister addressed him.
"What brings you here, Prince Shun?"
Shun Rak Orazen, King Anpyeong's second prince, replied.
"The Hunt Minister suggested a priest come personally, so here I am."
"No need for a prince to..."
"I'm just a Wild Heaven priest now— no need for titles. I heard my brothers aided the Manun hunt; felt left out."
Shun had long joined the Wild Heaven Church as a priest.
Deanin bowed gratefully to Shun, then turned back.
"Thus, Manun's escape was the Wild Heaven's will. I dare not defy it by sending the Guard."
No one could object.
Capturing Manun was the king's order.
Releasing it? The Wild Heaven's will— the greatest pillar of royal authority.
The Administrative Minister said.
"Very well, Deanin. If it's the Wild Heaven's will, we mustn't defy. But is leaving Manun be safe? Priests discern divine intent; till then, we safeguard the people."
Others nodded.
Deanin replied.
"Thus, I propose expanding the Hunt Division."
Murmurs rippled.
"What do you mean?"
"If Manun stays, it endangers hunters, farmers, merchants passing those mountains. We must bar access to its area, requiring more personnel for our mountain-managing Hunt Division."
Unassailable logic.
Yet the palace balanced power through checks.
Expanding one division meant new power.
The Administrative Minister voiced the concern.
"Er, Hunt Minister..."
"Time is critical. As you worried, Manun's unpredictable, its size amplifying risks. Can't use the palace-guarding Imperial Guard for this."
"True. Realistically, where to source manpower for a beast?"
"Plenty of skilled civilian hunters. Hire them to track Manun, block others..."
"Just manpower?"
"No, of course. To keep it from wandering, provide feed on-site. Hauling cattle needs carts; mountain paths wreck them, incurring repair costs. And..."
Deanin rattled off seamlessly; ministers' faces— especially the Finance Minister's— soured.
They yearned to refute, but if Manun caused havoc, Deanin would blame the dissenters.
"Hmm, we grasp the outline. Submit documents by morning for His Majesty and us?"
"Excellent idea."
"Then... head aches, but next item."
Deanin returned to his seat.
Normally, he'd never push hard— even for Kyle's kingship, opportunities were rare.
He'd have bided time, subtly winning allies.
But this convinced him of Kyle's resolve.
'Prince Kyle intends to be king.'
That simplified everything.
Even a low council seat mattered—who sat, how used.
More personnel and funds bred power; exploited gaps allowed private use.
Deanin would wield that private power publicly.
'With it, make Prince Kyle king.'
Six months later, King Anpyeong deposed Basen Rak Orazen as crown prince, naming Kyle instead.
Three years on, King Anpyeong succumbed to long illness; Kyle Rak Orazen ascended as the 11th King of Heukrin.
Kyle was fifteen.