The Bastard First Prince Doesn't Want to Die-Chapter 206

[Translator - Jjescus ]

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Chapter: 206

Baek An tightened his grip on his sword, tense. Beside him, Yegyeong was sharply observing the enemy’s movements.

‘Can he really see them?’

The thought crossed Baek An’s mind. He narrowed his eyes, looking in the direction of the enemy, but their figures were barely discernible—so small that they seemed no bigger than ants. Tracking their movements with perfect precision should have been nearly impossible.

‘No way… It has to be an exaggeration.’

He had heard tales of Prince Ikwon’s feats—how he personally slew demonic beasts in the forsaken northern lands of the kingdom. He had already seen firsthand that the prince’s swordsmanship was not mere rumor.

But even so, that did not mean he had eyesight beyond human limits.

“They’re moving. Prepare for an attack. Or get up on the wall,” Yegyeong said, his gaze fixed on the enemy.

Baek An’s eyes widened in surprise. But before he could process the words, Yegyeong had already sprung forward.

He ran ahead, glancing at the fortress wall. It was a signal. Immediately, the soldiers raised their bows, narrowing their focus beneath the sunset’s glow.

As the archers prepared to release a volley of arrows, the enemy scouts—once mere shadows at the forest’s edge—emerged fully from the darkness and charged forward.

“Archers, ready!”

A commanding voice rang out from atop the fortress wall. The soldiers pulled back their bowstrings, but they did not fire just yet. Yegyeong was already ahead of them, making his move.

And there weren’t enough enemies to justify wasting arrows. If all the archers loosed their shots at once, it would be overkill.

For now, they simply held their bows at full draw, waiting. The moment Yegyeong fell back and gave the signal, they would release the arrows in perfect synchronization.

‘Less than ten of them.’

Baek An, following slightly behind Yegyeong, quickly counted the enemies.

Fewer than ten. Hardly a large force. If that was all they had sent, then they likely had no intention of storming the fortress outright.

They must have planned to scout Blood Cloud Fortress undetected and return safely. That is, if Yegyeong hadn’t noticed them first.

‘Could it really be…?’

Did Prince Ikwon truly detect their approach? From that distance? When even the fortress guards, stationed atop the walls specifically to keep watch, had failed to notice them?

Baek An felt a surge of doubt. But he quickly shook his head.

Impossible. That was absurd. Unless the prince had a second pair of eyes in the sky.

‘What kind of nonsense am I thinking?’

Perhaps he had let admiration cloud his judgment. Lately, he had spent much time near Yegyeong, officially to keep an eye on him, but in truth, he had begun to feel a grudging respect.

Even so, the idea that Yegyeong had detected enemy scouts from such a distance was too much. That was bordering on deification.

The prince was royalty, yes—but he was still human.

Baek An let out a quiet, self-deprecating chuckle.

‘But then… how did he know?’

Unless… he had known all along?

If that were the case, could it mean that Prince Ikwon was in league with the enemy? The possibility was troubling.

But Baek An’s suspicion was soon shattered.

Because at that moment, Yegyeong closed the distance with lightning speed and cleanly severed an enemy’s head with a single stroke.

The severed head spun through the air, blood spraying in a crimson arc. Time seemed to slow.

Then, the enemy leader lunged at Yegyeong. The prince met his blade head-on, their swords clashing as they exchanged fierce blows.

The fact that the enemy was able to hold his own, even momentarily, was proof that he was no ordinary soldier. But it was clear how this fight would end.

And just as expected, in mere moments, yet another head flew into the sky.

From atop the fortress wall, a chorus of cheers erupted.

‘Fast.’

Baek An was no longer just impressed—he felt something close to awe.

Perhaps even fear.

If a prince—not even the heir—was this skilled, then what of the revered General So? What of the other elite warriors stationed at the royal palace?

By comparison, he was nothing more than a child taking his first steps.

A fire lit in Baek An’s eyes.

Had Yegyeong sensed that?

For amid the storm of blades, Yegyeong suddenly turned his head ever so slightly, glancing back at him.

Their eyes met.

Then, Yegyeong’s lips moved as if forming a word.

Baek An could read his lips without difficulty.

‘Brother.’

Brother?

Baek An was caught off guard. He was in no position for Yegyeong to call him that.

‘Why is he calling me brother?’

Had he misread it? That seemed more reasonable.

‘Yes, that must be it. Besides, if we’re talking about skill, even Baek Yu is leagues ahead of me. There’s no way he’d call me “brother.”’

Shaking off his thoughts, Baek An refocused on the fight.

With a sharp clang, his blade met an enemy’s, sparks flying from the impact.

His palm burned. His arm throbbed.

‘This one isn’t weak.’

Baek An gritted his teeth. The enemy before him was no mere foot soldier—he was among the best of the best.

Meanwhile, Yegyeong had already slain two foes and was now driving a third into a corner.

By the time Baek An had blocked the enemy’s strikes three or four times, yet another head rolled to the ground.

“Aaaagh!”

Immediately after, an arm fell to the ground with a dull thud. The severed limb landed so close that Baek An staggered as he accidentally stepped on it.

At that moment, the enemy he was fighting swung his sword directly toward his face.

“Ghh…!”

But the blade never reached Baek An. A few strands of his hair fluttered lightly before his eyes. The enemy’s sword had only managed to sever some loose strands of his hair. It was clearly a sharp blade—but ultimately, it was useless.

It never touched Baek An. Not a single drop of blood stained it before it fell toward the ground. The enemy’s sword clattered as it struck the earth, letting out a cold, metallic cry.

Baek An’s pupils dilated to their limits. He barely managed to regain his stance and looked toward Yegyeong.

Yegyeong, who had mercilessly cut down the enemy that nearly skewered Baek An’s face, was standing there with a faint smile, his complexion slightly pale.

But it wasn’t a smile of satisfaction.

The awkwardly raised corners of his lips couldn’t fully conceal the underlying fear and dread in his expression.

“Are you unharmed?”

“Yes, Your Highness. I am unworthy of such concern.”

A strange, indescribable feeling overcame Baek An. What could he possibly be so afraid of?

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He was so flustered that he didn’t even register Yegyeong’s voice, which had shrunk into a reserved tone. Instead, he immediately turned back to parrying the next enemy’s strike.

The battle didn’t last much longer. Soon, reinforcements from Blood Cloud Fortress arrived, overwhelming the remaining enemy scouts. Long spears mercilessly impaled them.

The enemy, as expected of an elite force, fought back to the very end—but the sheer difference in numbers was too great. They had never intended to approach the fortress in the first place, and now they were trapped, unable to move as they were skewered by countless spears.

Not a trace of fear could be seen on the faces of the allied soldiers.

Amidst the chaos, Yegyeong spotted an enemy soldier still clinging to life, though bleeding profusely. Without hesitation, he grabbed the man by the scruff of his neck and shouted, “This one stays alive!”

With that declaration, no one dared to finish the enemy off. But that didn’t mean the captive had any reason to feel relieved. He would soon be interrogated, and death here on the battlefield would likely be a kinder fate than what awaited him.

Perhaps sensing the risk of suicide, Yegyeong abruptly tore off one of his sleeves and stuffed it into the enemy’s mouth like a gag.

Even that didn’t seem enough. A nearby soldier ripped the cloth lining from beneath the captive’s helmet and forced it further into his mouth.

The message was clear: under no circumstances would they allow him to bite off his own tongue.

The sight of it was so absurdly thorough that Baek An couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Take him away for interrogation.”

Only then did Yegyeong hand the prisoner over to the soldiers. The men, having just witnessed his skill firsthand, received the enemy soldier with nervous expressions.

“…Well fought,” Baek An cautiously remarked once the captive had been dragged away.

Yegyeong nodded slightly, a subtle, unreadable smile lingering on his lips.

“You as well.”

“I was only doing my duty. But Your Highness, you didn’t have to step in personally—you went out of your way to assist me, and for that, I must express my gratitude.”

“If that’s how you feel, then make sure to convey it properly to Lord Blood Cloud.”

Baek An nodded at once.

“I shall, without fail.”

“That will suffice.”

With that, Yegyeong turned and began walking away. Baek An followed suit, heading back toward the fortress.

A few steps later, Yegyeong suddenly lifted his head toward the sky.

There was no particular reason for it.

The setting sun, burning red, was hardly a sight unfamiliar to him. The twilight over Blood Cloud Fortress was something he had seen countless times—it wasn’t special.

But for some reason, a strange feeling gnawed at him.

‘Did I… forget something?’

It felt like he had forgotten something.

Whatever it was, it wasn’t anything so urgent that his life depended on it. But at the same time, it didn’t seem like something trivial enough to be ignored.

Yegyeong stood still for a long moment, lost in thought.

‘…What am I forgetting?’

He carefully traced his memories, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t recall what it was.

“Your Highness? Is something the matter?”

Baek An, noticing his sudden halt, called out to him with a puzzled expression.

“…I feel like I’ve forgotten something.”

“Pardon? If it pleases Your Highness, I shall help you look for it. What is it?”

“Ah… That’s the problem. I don’t know what it is myself. But thank you for the offer.”

At last, Yegyeong resumed walking.

Yet, even as he took another step forward, he couldn’t shake the lingering unease at the back of his mind.

Once more, he lifted his head.

The fiery sunset was gradually being swallowed by the encroaching darkness.

For a moment, he was captivated by the deepening dusk. Then, with a quiet breath, he looked ahead once more.

Caw— caw—

Somewhere in the distance, the cry of a crow echoed.

For some reason, it sounded unbearably sorrowful.

[Translator - Jjescus ]

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