The Wastrel Prince Becomes Ruthless Chapter 73

Yuwon, who woke from sleep and checked his physical condition, took a pocket watch from his inner coat and checked the time.

‘Hm? The time…?’

For some reason, the hour hand pointed to an hour earlier than what Yuwon remembered.

Since time could not have flowed backward, it meant the clock’s hand had almost made a full turn.

‘Don’t tell me… I fell asleep for nearly twelve hours? If so, they must have caused an uproar thinking I’d gone missing.’

Realizing he had wasted far more time than expected, Yuwon immediately composed himself and left the secret area of the underground chamber.

Coming out of the library right after, he looked up at the pitch-black night sky and could only let out a hollow laugh.

‘It wasn’t eleven hours but twenty-three… No, wait. What if it hasn’t even been just one day?’

Since his initial assumption of eleven hours had been wrong, it wouldn’t have been strange if more than twenty-three hours had passed.

‘However many hours it’s been, I’m bound to hear scolding for vanishing without a word.’

When Yuwon arrived at the Prince’s Palace, Luis, who was acting as the Chief Attendant in place of Marcellus, fussed as he greeted him.

“Your Highness! You’re finally here. You have no idea how shocked I was when you left without a word.”

“I visited the library after a long time, so I lost track of time. I’ll make sure this doesn’t happen again.”

“Yes, thank you for your consideration. Ah, and Sir Calmodet came and is waiting.”

“Hm, Terrien? Very well, understood. Then I shall head in now, so take it easy. You’ve worked hard.”

“Not at all, Your Highness. Please, rest well!”

Yuwon showed a faint smile and headed to his room.

Behind him, Luis bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

After sending Yuwon off, Luis tilted his head for a long moment.

‘Were His Highness’s eyes always like that? Something seems different…?’

Eyes that seemed to pierce through a person’s heart.

The gaze was so sharp that Luis briefly felt as though he were a mouse frozen before its natural enemy.

If not for the pleasant smile hanging on Yuwon’s lips, he might have actually frozen in place.

‘It must just be my imagination.’

Luis didn’t realize it, but he actually had fairly good intuition.

After swallowing the Poison Core, Yuwon’s eyes had indeed changed.

Yuwon himself had yet to notice.

Clack—

The door opened, and Yuwon stepped into his room.

“Terrien.”

“Ah, Your Highness…!”

Terrien’s eyes were bloodshot red from staying awake all night, having waited for the suddenly vanished Yuwon.

“It seems I caused you worry.”

“Ah… You were gone for an entire day without a word, Your Highness. Though there is surely no one who could dare harm you, it would be a lie to say I was not worried as your one and only knight.”

A faint smile spread across Yuwon’s lips at Terrien’s loyal heart.

“I went to the library.”

“The library? I searched there for a long time, yet I couldn’t sense even a trace of you…?”

“Yes, I imagine so. Still, if you wish to protect me, you must first know how to take care of your own body. I will be more mindful from here on so this will not happen again. For now, return and rest properly, then come again tomorrow morning. I shall personally show you something.”

Terrien could have been curious as to what Yuwon wanted to show him, yet he asked no questions.

“Yes, then I shall rest and return tomorrow morning.”

Following Yuwon’s order, Terrien immediately returned to his guest room within the Fifth Prince’s Palace.

Left alone in the room, Yuwon lit a magic lamp and quietly focused on reading.

‘If one intends to wage war, one must first tend to one’s own blade.’

In truth, the contents of the book did not enter his eyes well.

It was a habit that had formed at some point—Yuwon kept his eyes fixed on the book while his mind was busy elsewhere.

‘I have certainly taken a long way around before finally giving Terrien instruction…’

Despite telling Terrien to sleep well, Yuwon himself stayed awake all night.

He had never needed much sleep to begin with, and after sleeping for a full twenty-four hours to digest the Poison Core, it was only natural that he wasn’t sleepy.

And then the next morning.

“Your Highness, were you safe through the night?”

Terrien came to see Yuwon.

Yuwon took Terrien with him and headed to the secret space in the library.

“What is this…?”

Terrien’s words stopped short as though the unbelievable sight before his eyes had stolen his breath.

“Quite impressive, is it not?”

“So this was the reason you disappeared every time you visited the library, Your Highness…!”

“Yes, that is right.”

“That something like this was hidden in the library… Did Your Highness create it?”

“I do not possess the ability to create something like this.”

“Then…?”

“It was a place created long ago by General Geiorn.”

“G-General Geiorn himself? Personally?”

Terrien’s eyes widened at Yuwon’s reply.

General Geiorn was a legendary hero of Aphahiel, more famous even than the founding Emperor, and a role model to all knights—his reaction was only natural.

“No, even he did not have the ability to create a place like this. I believe it was Sage Bhalsar, the Great Magician, who created it.”

“Ah…! Sage Bhalsar!”

Terrien let out an admiring gasp at the name of Sage Bhalsar, the Great Magician who stood unparalleled not only in the empire’s history but even across the entire continent’s history.

“From now on, you shall accompany me here as well. Save your amazement for later and come stand here.”

Yuwon stood at the center of the chamber first.

Terrien quickly hurried over and stood before him.

“Terrien, listen well. Until now, I never moved first unless my enemies attacked me. But now, I intend to move personally. If I strike at my enemies, they will no longer remain still as they once did. From here on, both you and I will have a harder road than before.”

“I am prepared.”

‘Your Highness, at last…!’

This was the very thing Terrien had longed for.

As his one and only knight, he had no reason to fear it.

“So I shall personally give you instruction. Unfortunately, I cannot teach you everything I know. Though the ultimate goal is the same, the path you have walked and the path I have walked have different markers. Changing your path now is impossible.”

Terrien’s heart already held a Mana Heart, which made it difficult for him to cultivate martial arts whose foundation lay in the ki of the lower dantian.

Yuwon explained this indirectly.

“That is fine. If Your Highness grants me precious instruction, I care not what form it takes.”

“Good. A fine mindset. Your path is different from mine, but it is not wrong, so do not feel regret. From now on, I shall teach you things that will strengthen the path you are walking.”

“Yes! I will do my utmost!”

At Terrien’s spirited answer, Yuwon smiled and took out the White Dragon Sword hanging at his waist.

“Good. That spirit. Now, draw your sword, Terrien. We shall begin with sparring. Attack me as though you intend to kill me.”

Terrien almost blurted out that he could not possibly show killing intent toward his lord, even in a spar.

But instead of speaking, he drew his sword.

Srrring—

“I shall use only the three basic sword techniques in our spar. They are what you must learn from now on.”

“The three basic sword techniques…?”

Terrien’s shoulders, which had been full of tension, dropped immediately at Yuwon’s words.

Not even knight trainees, but children who first touched a sword learned the three basic techniques—his reaction was only natural.

“To be precise, what I mean are not the empty shells of the three basics stripped of their principles, but the original form from which the true three basics were derived: the Threefold Celestial Sword Art. Watch closely. This is the true basic swordsmanship you will learn.”

Seeing Terrien’s wavering, Yuwon personally demonstrated the first movement of the Threefold Celestial Sword Art.

The tip of the White Dragon Sword in Yuwon’s hand rose high and then descended.

It was the first technique of the Threefold Celestial Sword Art—Taesan Apjeong (Mount Tai Crushing from Above).

Fwooosh—

A fierce slicing wind echoed through the chamber as the blade tore through the air.

With Yuwon’s light gesture alone, a massive strength and profound mystery, as though a great mountain were collapsing, surged forth.

“…!”

Terrien’s eyes widened more than Yuwon had ever seen before.

Terrien gripped his sword tightly with both hands.

“Please forgive this subordinate for hesitating and failing to understand Your Highness’s deep intention for a moment.”

“So now you wish to learn?”

At Yuwon’s question, Terrien knelt on one knee before him.

“Please bestow upon me Your Highness’s precious instruction. I shall learn with everything I have.”

After teaching Terrien the Threefold Celestial Sword Art, Yuwon stepped away for a while to take care of other matters.

Since he had a rare reason to personally use poison, Yuwon circled each sector of the chamber to collect various toxins.

From the desert sector, which preserved the desert ecosystem, he gathered venom from the Red-Tailed Scorpion.

From the jungle sector, which recreated a jungle habitat, he collected poison from the Blue-Spotted Frog and white wolfsbane mushrooms.

After spending a long time visiting each sector, Yuwon came out holding not only poisons but also a large armful of medicinal herbs.

“I’ve gathered everything I need… Then…”

Without hesitation, Yuwon began creating a new poison.

About two hours later.

‘If I do this…’

All that remained was the final drop.

If even one drop too many entered at this stage, all his effort would be wasted.

With his nerves strained tight, Yuwon carefully let a single drop of poison fall into the glass vial.

“There. It’s done.”

The potion, containing dozens of mixed poisons and medicines, emanated a dark and eerie sheen.

Even when left alone, bubbles rose and popped repeatedly, making it look far from pleasant.

But Yuwon observed the one-of-a-kind poison he had crafted with a satisfied expression.

“Now all that’s left is to feed it.”

Leaving Terrien behind in the chamber, Yuwon exited the library and headed toward the Third Prince’s Palace.

Imagining Bernid’s reaction to receiving an unexpected gift lightened his steps.

‘What would Bernid think when he sees this…? Even if I tell the truth, he’ll probably doubt it and refuse to drink it… Well, I’ll confirm that myself now.’

Yuwon hid his presence and vaulted over the wall of the Third Prince’s Palace.

And about five minutes later—

“Bernid.”

“Wah—! What is this!”

“You’re startled.”

Bernid, who had been holed up deep inside the research lab of the Third Prince’s Palace, jumped in fright at Yuwon’s sudden visit.

“What? Do you just barge in without permission now?”

“I hid my presence because it was bothersome to announce myself.”

“Sigh… Fine, whatever. What brings you here? You made it sound like you wouldn’t be leaving the library anytime soon.”

“Well? What do you think I came for?”

“I’m busy right now because of the assignment you threw at me, you know? Those scales are plenty for riddles, so if you have business, say it directly. Thanks to someone, I’m under strict secrecy working alone—I could use ten bodies, honestly.”

Seeing Bernid’s stiff reaction, Yuwon gave up teasing him and went straight to the point.

“A dull reaction. Fine, then. I came because of this.”

Yuwon took out a small vial from his inner coat.

Aside from the fact that the contents were poison, it was an ordinary-looking medicine vial.

“…? What’s this? A new research subject?”

“You seemed worn out, so I brought you something good for your health. If I say it’s medicine… you won’t believe me, will you?”

“Of course not. What do you take the person in front of you for?”

“The Genius of Magic, Bernid Aphahiel?”

Bernid scowled at Yuwon’s brazen answer.

“When I look in the mirror, I only see a magic slave whose life got ruined because of one little vial.”

“If I tease you anymore, you’ll probably get mad, so I’ll stop here. From this point on, I won’t say a single lie, so listen carefully.”

As Yuwon erased his playful tone, Bernid also straightened up and listened earnestly.

Yuwon continued.

“In truth, the poison I fed you—that one was a failure.”

“The poison I drank was a failure? Then…”

Reading Bernid’s thoughts, Yuwon spoke first.

“You should listen to the whole sentence. In your current state, even with continual antidotes, you won’t live long. And this—this is the answer.”

Yuwon lifted the vial in front of Bernid’s eyes and shook it lightly.

The liquid inside sloshed with the motion.

“So… I was dying?”

“Mm… in a way, yes. But it’s not something to worry too much about just yet, so calm down.”

To be honest, when Yuwon had taken Bernid in, he never planned to keep him alive for this long.

The poison Bernid swallowed had originally been a tool to torture enemies and extract information.

Even if the antidote prolonged his life, there was no reason to care if his body suffered damage.

“You said I’d be fine if I just took the antidote on time!”

“Did I? As far as I remember, I only said the antidote relieves the extreme pain.”

Yuwon smiled mischievously.

“So, are you going to drink it or not?”

“…Yeah.”

“Hm? Didn’t hear you.”

“I’ll drink it. I said I’ll drink it.”

Bernid let out a long sigh and grabbed the vial from Yuwon’s hand.

“Good. Down it in one gulp.”

With a sulky expression, Bernid swallowed the potion in one go out of frustration.

And then—

“Aaaaagh— it tastes awful—! This is the worst-tasting thing you’ve ever given me!”

Medicine good for the body was bitter to the tongue.

Yuwon had begun teaching Terrien martial arts instead of merely supervising his swordsmanship as before, and he had also completed compensating for the weaknesses in the poison Bernid had ingested.

‘Terrien’s situation is settled… Bernid’s problem is solved, so next is…’

It was time to collect the debt he owed from the Emperor.

What he had held onto, thinking it would someday be useful, finally proved its worth.

“Attendant.”

“Yes, Your Highness! You called?”

“Send a message to the main palace. Tell them I wish to see His Majesty the Emperor today.”

“Today, at once?”

“Yes. Just tell them I wish to collect the payment for our past wager.”

“Yes, understood. I will convey it immediately.”

The attendant who received Yuwon’s order left to fulfill his task.

It took about an hour.

As Yuwon expected, the response did not take long.

“Your Highness, His Majesty has granted an audience. You may go at once.”

“Very well, let us go.”

Yuwon rose from his seat and headed toward the Emperor’s main palace.

The Iron-Blooded Ruler everyone revered—Yulaios Aphahiel.

Even on his way to meet that Emperor, Yuwon felt neither fear nor hesitation.

‘I wonder if the old man is still in good shape…’

Yuwon only let a small smile curl quietly at the corner of his lips.