Chapter 8

‘Why are you so desperate to stop me?’

Even Yuwon could clearly see Terrien’s determination to block the prince—even if he had to beat him to do it.

But the reason behind it was vague.

“Why the sudden request?”

“…I wish for Your Highness not to undergo the coming-of-age ceremony tomorrow.”

“So why, exactly why go this far?”

“….”

Terrien tightly shut his lips at Yuwon’s question.

A short silence passed before Terrien finally spoke again.

“I fear that Your Highness may suffer humiliation.”

“Me?”

A faint smile tugged at Yuwon’s lips.

Only then did he understand why Terrien was acting like this.

The man, admirable as he was, was simply worried for him.

Yuwon had always been surrounded by the sly Chief Attendant, who acted as though he’d give his liver and gall for him yet hid countless secrets, and the people of the Fifth Prince’s Palace, any one of whom could have been his enemy’s spy.

It had been a long time since someone had shown him such genuine concern.

‘I’d like to humor him… but still….’

He had been itching to use his sword after spending the past few days swinging it into thin air instead of training with anyone.

“I refuse.”

But the words that came out of his mouth did not quite match his heart.

“Tomorrow’s the coming-of-age ceremony. What if I get injured in a sparring match and it’s because of some stray blade?”

“Th-that’s…”

“Of course, I know you wouldn’t intend to hurt me, but a sword has no eyes.”

Terrien tried to persuade him again, but Yuwon’s following words made him shut his mouth at once.

‘His Highness has already seen through my intentions….’

“Then let’s call it a day. Tomorrow will be busy from early morning because of the ceremony, so you don’t have to come.”

“…Yes, I understand.”

“This ridiculous relationship of master and disciple ends today, then. You’ve worked hard, teacher. Thank you for going along with my selfishness.”

“It has been an honor to serve Your Highness, though for a short time.”

“Good. Then, let’s end it here and head in.”

Yuwon turned to leave, as if he had said all he needed to.

Terrien stayed where he was, blankly staring at Yuwon’s retreating figure.

‘In the end… I couldn’t stop him.’

The prince who left that path would, within twenty-four hours, seek the ‘Grave of Swords’ for his ceremony—only to be mercilessly shredded by the tongues of nobles and his brothers alike.

Step, step. Tap.

Just before Yuwon completely left the training ground, the steady sound of his footsteps stopped.

‘I don’t usually do things like this….’

Yuwon turned around and smiled faintly.

“If the offer still stands, we’ll spar next time.”

“Ah… yes! Anytime— hhk!”

Terrien, who was replying calmly, gasped mid-sentence.

At Yuwon’s fingertips, a faint blue haze shimmered.

“Ah….”

The essence of magic, burning like a blue flame.

Terrien’s entire body broke out in goosebumps at the sight.

‘His Highness… already awakened his mana…! It was all just my needless worry… Ah… what impossible talent is this!’

“Then I’ll look forward to our next meeting, teacher.”

As if he truly had nothing more to do there, Yuwon left the training grounds.

Terrien could only stare blankly at his departing back.

‘If the Second Prince is the Sword of the Imperial House… then what in the world is the Fifth Prince, who awakened mana in just four days?’

Terrien’s feet would not move—though for a reason different from before.

The last day of March in the Lunar Calendar—

The day of the Imperial Family’s coming-of-age ceremony had returned.

Early in the morning, Dorin and his deputy, who were on duty, chatted lightly as they took their posts.

“Senior, is there anyone undergoing the ceremony this year?”

“Let’s see… I don’t think so? All the direct heirs except the White Dog have already done it… and I think none of the collateral ones are set for this year.”

“Is that so? What a shame. It would’ve been my first time hearing the ‘Song of the Sword.’”

“Heh, like that’s something you get to see easily. Even I only catch it once every three or four years.”

“Well, that’s true, but still….”

He was lamenting that the year might just pass quietly—but then.

“Breaking news! Urgent report!”

The gatekeeper of the back gate came running, abandoning his post, his face pale with shock.

“What’s going on? Did some hidden child of the Imperial Family suddenly appear to take the ceremony today?”

Dorin’s deputy burst into laughter at his joke—but it didn’t last long.

“It’s even more shocking. The Fifth Prince…!”

“The Fifth Prince? You mean the White Dog, that troublemaker?”

“The Fifth Prince—His Highness—will be taking the coming-of-age ceremony today!”

“What!?”

Dorin’s startled voice shot up into the clear sky, echoing loudly.

The news spread through the imperial palace like wildfire.

‘The Fifth Prince is undergoing the coming-of-age ceremony!’

That one sentence overturned the entire palace.

The impact was on a completely different level from the rumor that had been circulating quietly within the Fifth Prince’s Palace—that “the Fifth Prince has changed.”

From the Fifth Prince’s Palace itself, which had been unaware, to the main palace, and even to the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Princes’ palaces—everyone was talking about it.

“Oh my, oh my! Did you hear? His Highness is holding the ceremony tonight!”

“What? Which prince? Haven’t they all done it already? Gasp…! Don’t tell me—it’s our Fifth Prince?”

A eunuch working nearby clicked his tongue and butted into their conversation.

“Tsk, tsk. Where did you hear such nonsense? Don’t say unlucky things like that and get back to work.”

“Eh? Why is it unlucky? Isn’t it good for His Highness to hold the ceremony?”

“Tsk, tsk. This is why the uneducated never understand. Look here—if His Highness really holds the ceremony today, it’ll ruin him just when he’s finally showing signs of turning things around. That’s what’s unlucky. Am I wrong?”

“But why is that so wrong? Even if he fails this time, can’t he just try again later?”

Apparently, the explanation wasn’t enough.

The eunuch raised his chin, eager to show off his knowledge.

“Listen well. When commoners like us go to the fish market and come back empty-handed, it’s one thing. But when a royal descendant goes to the Grave of Swords and returns empty-handed—well, the weight of that failure is entirely different.”

At that apt comparison, the maid nodded as if she finally understood.

“Then that means…?”

“His Highness may have taken an interest in swordsmanship lately, but that alone is far from enough. If he really performs the ceremony as the rumors say…”

Bang—crash—!

A loud noise erupted as an attendant burst in, out of breath.

“Hey! Did you hear!? His Highness truly is holding the coming-of-age ceremony this evening!”

He had run so fast that his neatly groomed beard was completely disheveled.

“Ah, come on, man. I just explained to everyone that it was all gossip, and now you show up late to stir things up again. Now I’ve gotta start over—”

“What are you talking about? It’s true! Everywhere you go in the palace, that’s all anyone’s talking about!”

“What? You’re saying all of that is true?”

The eunuch, who had been acting all high and mighty, shouted in surprise.

And it wasn’t just the Fifth Prince’s Palace in an uproar.

Such reactions erupted simultaneously throughout the imperial palace.

Each of the palaces where Yurion’s brothers resided was no different.

“The youngest is holding a coming-of-age ceremony?”

“Yes, it’s confirmed to be true.”

“Well, now that sounds entertaining. He’s been acting strange lately—guess I was getting bored. Our adorable little troublemaker’s coming-of-age, hah!”

—From the Crown Prince’s Palace.

“That useless fool is holding a ceremony? It’ll take him a hundred years at least. He really doesn’t know his place. Tsk.”

—From the Second Prince’s Palace.

“To think he’d volunteer for the ceremony when he should be hiding away… Seems dying once wasn’t enough. The idiot’s lost his mind.”

—From the Third Prince’s Palace.

“Really? The youngest is actually trying to do something? That’s quite the surprise. Well, it’ll be hard to expect any meaningful results, though…”

—Even from the Fourth Prince’s Palace.

Just as promising heirs received attention and expectations befitting their talent, a troublemaking wastrel had his own kind of attention and anticipation.

In that sense, the coming-of-age ceremony of the infamous Fifth Prince was bound to be a fascinating spectacle.

Everyone in the imperial palace—without exception—whispered and strained their ears at the news.

The long-silent palace began to stir once more with the rumor of Yuwon’s coming-of-age.

Inside the Emperor’s office.

Marquis Bradman, who had briefly left that morning, now stood once again beside the Emperor.

“You truly have no intention of stopping him, I see.”

“It’s something he chose himself. He can handle it. You know as well as I do—before being recognized as an adult, no prince can appoint even a single knight.”

“But… the Fifth Prince still cannot control mana. A coming-of-age ceremony without mana? He’ll walk out empty-handed and become a laughingstock.”

The world believed that the Emperor had abandoned his youngest son.

But in truth, that was not so.

And no one knew that better than Marquis Bradman.

“If things turn out that way, then that, too, will be my responsibility. Personally, I think he’s doing well.”

“Do you truly mean that…?”

“Of course. Whether he’s mastered mana or found some other trick to deceive the world, he must have prepared something. Would he dare challenge me to a wager otherwise?”

“But still…”

“If anything, I’m starting to worry that I was a fool for accepting his wager. Aren’t you curious as well, Rev? To see what that boy’s come up with?”

“Hmm…”

Marquis Bradman swallowed his words instead of answering.

He could understand the Emperor’s desire to give a chance to the wayward son who had finally changed after ten years of disappointment—but this was too much.

Summoning his courage, the marquis spoke again.

“This will go down in history as something unprecedented. It will be a humiliation for the prince, yes—but it could also stain the imperial name itself. Does that not concern you, Your Majesty?”

“Rev.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

The Emperor had used his old friend’s name instead of his title—something he only did when speaking as a friend, not as a ruler.

“Do you know what they’re saying in the Fifth Prince’s Palace these days?”

“In the Fifth Prince’s Palace, Your Majesty?”

“The people working there are all saying that the prince has been reborn.”

“The effects of the memory loss, no doubt.”

“Most likely. Even I can tell he’s become a completely different person since then.”

“Even so, this ceremony is reckless.”

“Yes… but when he brought up my own childhood in front of me, I just couldn’t refuse him. They say no parent can win against their child—and it seems I’ve become the perfect example of that, haha.”

“Haha…”

Marquis Bradman let out an awkward laugh, realizing the matter was already out of his hands.

Only five hours remained until the Fifth Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony that had set the entire palace ablaze.

The sun, which had climbed high into the sky, was already leaning westward as though nothing had happened.

Time flowed easily onward.

With the ceremony drawing near, Yuwon sat leisurely in his bedchamber, reading a book.

It was the very same one Terrien had been reading before.

Knock, knock, knock—

At the sound of knocking, Yuwon lifted his eyes from the page.

“Your Highness, it’s time to leave.”

It was Marcellus.

“Ah, right. I didn’t realize it was that late already.”

“It’s still not too late to reconsider, Your Highness. The ceremony—”

The same words again.

Yuwon cut him off.

“Everyone seems desperate to stop me. You’d think I was heading to my death.”

Marcellus parted his lips, as if wanting to say more, but fell silent under Yuwon’s gaze.

“Then, let’s go. You’ll guide me, won’t you?”

“Yes, Your Highness. This way.”

Following Marcellus out of the prince’s quarters, Yuwon was greeted by a sky bathed in sunset hues.

There wasn’t a single cloud in sight.

“The moon will be bright tonight.”

As he made his way toward the Memorial Hall, the sky deepened in color, layer by layer—red, orange, then blue—until darkness slowly crept in from the horizon.

The last day of March in the Lunar Calendar.

The sun had set, and the moon had risen.

Yuwon’s coming-of-age ceremony had begun.