Tales Of The Nine Dragons [EN]: Chapter 185

Nine Dragons Chronicle (185)

While attending Heungchinwang [Prince] Ju Young-guk’s birthday celebration, Hwa-rin focused on networking with landowners and other influential figures, building connections that would serve him better than simply socializing with the princes.

Later that evening, Hwa-rin was summoned by Heungchinwang Ju Young-guk and found all the members of the royal and imperial families gathered.

“You summoned me, Your Highness.”

“Call me uncle, please. Have a seat.”

Hwa-rin gave a slight bow and sat down. Several people watched him, tilting their heads, remembering him only as a child and failing to recognize the adult he had become.

“Brother, who is that?”

Those who didn’t recognize Hwa-rin asked their neighbors in hushed tones, their eyes widening when they learned it was Ninth Prince Hwa-rin.

The weakling they had bullied in childhood was nowhere to be seen.

‘Hwa-rin has become so handsome? Unbelievable.’

The princesses and royal daughters showed interest in Hwa-rin’s transformed appearance, while the princes and royal sons displayed displeasure.

Only Fifth Prince Ju Young-ho, who knew something of Hwa-rin’s true abilities, showed friendliness.

Heungchinwang Ju Young-guk, sensing the undercurrents in the room, began to speak.

“First, I want to thank you all for attending my birthday.”

“As nephews, it’s only natural to be here,” Second Prince Ju Mun-hae, the highest-ranking member present, said on behalf of the group.

“Thank you. I arranged this gathering because it’s difficult for you brothers to see each other often. Once you marry and leave the imperial or royal palace, meetings can become strained. I wanted to create an opportunity for you to get to know each other better.”

The attendees exchanged glances and offered awkward smiles.

Hwa-rin, uninterested in forging bonds with them, simply ignored them.

“In the meantime…,” Heungchinwang continued, giving a speech explaining the purpose of the gathering and urging them to maintain good relationships to ensure the continued prosperity of the Central Plains, just as he was helping the Emperor protect it.

“…Now, I’ll leave you to enjoy each other’s company.”

As soon as Heungchinwang Ju Young-guk left, the atmosphere shifted dramatically.

While he was present, the atmosphere was restrained, but now, in the relaxed environment, some people’s remarks began to cause others to frown.

“Hwa-rin, what do you do now that you’ve left the imperial palace?” Emperor’s third son, Mun-jin, asked.

“Just… this and that.”

“This and that?”

“Brother, Hwa-rin is in Seoseong…”

‘If you talk about me, you might not make it back to the imperial palace alive.’

Fifth Prince Ju Young-ho flinched.

‘Who will manage things if you bring them to Nine Dragons Inn? It was difficult enough when you came alone. If these people come and try to tell me what to do, I might take revenge for what happened when I was a child.’

Hwa-rin spoke as if joking, but Ju Young-ho, having heard rumors, quickly changed his words.

“What in Seoseong?”

“He runs an inn in Seoseong.”

Hwa-rin’s expression briefly darkened before returning to normal.

“Is the inn doing well?”

“It’s enough to make a living.”

“Is running an inn all a prince can do after leaving the imperial palace?” Seventh Prince Ju Young-soo scoffed.

“It seems Seventh Brother thinks running an inn is easy. Have you ever earned even a single copper coin with your own hands?”

“What?”

“Well, if you had the experience of earning even a single copper coin yourself, you wouldn’t speak so lightly.”

Ju Young-soo bristled at Hwa-rin’s words.

“Living comfortably in the imperial palace with a full stomach and a warm back, how would you know the difficulties of life?”

“It seems you’ve lost your fear after leaving the imperial palace.”

“Fear…”

A faint smile appeared on Hwa-rin’s lips. Ju Young-soo felt a sudden chill at the sight of that smile, and he hunched his shoulders, trembling for reasons he couldn’t explain.

“Shall I teach you what real fear is?”

“Hwa-rin, just think that Young-soo misspoke and let it go,” Fifth Prince Ju Young-ho interjected, trying to defuse the situation.

Hwa-rin looked at the trembling Ju Young-soo and chuckled.

“I’m not angry enough to bother. I only get angry at those who are worth it.”

Ju Young-soo bristled at Hwa-rin’s dismissive remark, seemingly unaware of the source of the chill he was feeling.

“It seems you need to be beaten like you were when you were a child to come to your senses.”

Hwa-rin’s smile deepened at his words. This time, everyone in the room felt the chill.

‘Killing intent.’

Ju Sang-cheol, the son of Heungchinwang, who had trained in martial arts with the generals at Heungchinwang’s residence, sensed Hwa-rin’s killing intent and turned to look at him.

‘The killing intent is getting stronger. It’s not a killing intent I can handle.’

Ju Sang-cheol felt fear at Hwa-rin’s intense killing intent.

‘Hwa-rin was rumored to be a foolish prince when he was in the imperial palace, but what did he experience after leaving? Come to think of it, Father seems to know a lot about Hwa-rin…’

The conflict between the Blood Oath Alliance and the Nine Dragons Gate had been widely discussed not only in the martial arts world [Wulin] but also in other circles.

Sangrim [scholarly societies], which is closely linked to the martial arts world, and Seorim [Confucian academies], which enjoys debate, watched the battle between the Blood Oath Alliance and the Nine Dragons Gate with interest.

In addition, the military and Gwanrim [government officials] were also concerned about public safety and paid attention to this battle, so finding out about Hwa-rin would be easy for them.

“Thinking about that time still makes me shudder. Should I take this opportunity to get proper revenge?”

“Revenge?”

“Yes. I think I can remove one of your limbs without you feeling any pain. Shall I do that?”

As Hwa-rin reached out into the air and mimed pulling something sharply, a sword materialized in his hand.

“Hwa-rin!”

Ju Young-ho, who had been friendly with Hwa-rin, tried to stop him, but Hwa-rin’s killing intent only intensified.

“Just because I treat you like a brother, do you really think you’re better than me?”

In fact, Hwa-rin was not much different in age from the Seventh and Eighth Princes. They were all born in the same year, but the two were born a few months earlier than Hwa-rin, so they were addressed as brothers.

“The only reason I treat you pathetic guys, who found joy in tormenting me when I couldn’t see, hear, or speak, as brothers is because of Father’s request.”

Hwa-rin mentioned the Emperor.

“If Father hadn’t stopped me, I would have killed everyone here and left the imperial palace.”

“This bastard…”

The moment Ju Young-soo, trembling, tried to shout, the sound of air pressure bursting from Hwa-rin’s body shook the room.

“Kyaaaa!”

The princesses and royal daughters screamed and cowered, hiding under the table.

Seventh Prince Ju Young-soo, stunned by the sudden chaos, turned his head sharply and fell to the floor, unable to withstand the force.

“Kuh-huh!”

A groan of pain escaped his lips, and Hwa-rin looked down at him with contempt.

“I am enduring this much because you are Father’s son and because Father told me to forgive the past. But remember, if you let that mouth run wild one more time, you will suffer the same pain that I went through.”

Hwa-rin turned to Second Prince Ju Mun-hae, the eldest of those gathered, and bowed slightly.

“I apologize for the commotion. Brother, I don’t think this place suits me. I’ll leave first, please understand.”

Hwa-rin turned and left the room before hearing Ju Mun-hae’s reply. Fifth Prince Ju Young-ho hurriedly called out to Hwa-rin, trying to stop him, but Hwa-rin, who had already left the room, did not return.

“What is going on?”

Third Prince Ju Mun-jin asked, but everyone was speechless.

“It seems Hwa-rin left the imperial palace, met a strange person, and learned martial arts,” Ju Mun-hae offered.

“Met a strange person and learned martial arts?”

“Otherwise, how can we explain the current Hwa-rin who can see, hear, and speak? Mysterious things happen in the martial arts world, so perhaps such a thing happened to Hwa-rin.”

Just as Fifth Prince Ju Young-ho was about to tell them about Hwa-rin, a telepathic message reached him.

‘-Don’t say unnecessary things. Brother, it will only be tiring for each other if you get involved with the brothers and sisters.’

“Heo-eok!”

Ju Young-ho was so surprised by Hwa-rin’s ability to read his mind that he almost fainted.

“Why, what’s wrong?”

Ju Mun-hae asked, noticing Ju Young-ho’s surprised expression, and he quickly replied that it was nothing.

“No, it’s nothing. I was just surprised by Hwa-rin’s changed appearance.”

Ju Mun-hae nodded in agreement.

“Since Hwa-rin has already left the imperial palace, he won’t return. So, don’t try to do any unnecessary harm to Hwa-rin and just forget about him.”

“Are you saying we should just leave that pathetic bastard alone?” Ju Young-soo, feeling wronged by Hwa-rin’s humiliation, shouted.

“Then do you want Hwa-rin to argue with us about the past?”

“Brother, I’ll take care of it myself. So, the other brothers and sisters don’t need to interfere.”

“What do you mean interfere? Honestly, didn’t we bully Hwa-rin when we were young? Hwa-rin was always on the receiving end. So, who should we take revenge on now?”

When Ju Young-ho spoke, Ju Young-soo glared at him and spoke as if he would attack him.

“You shouldn’t say such things, Brother. You were the ringleader who took us to bully Hwa-rin.”

“Yes. So, I apologized to Hwa-rin for my past mistakes. Hwa-rin readily forgave me, saying it was a childish time, and we decided to forget the past. But now, you’re the one who brought up that past.”

“Brother!”

“Why don’t you admit your mistakes and only get angry at Hwa-rin?”

“At that pathetic bastard?”

“Do you think you can compare to the current Hwa-rin?”

Ju Young-soo made a dumbfounded expression at Ju Young-ho’s words and burst into anger.

“What is it that makes me worse than that pathetic bastard?”

“Does Hwa-rin look pathetic to you? He can now see, hear, and speak.”

Ju Mun-hae stopped them as their argument seemed to be escalating.

“Stop it.”

“Brother, am I supposed to endure this humiliation and bear it?”

“I said stop it.”

When Ju Mun-hae shouted at Ju Young-soo, he breathed roughly, unable to control his anger, his face reddened.