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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
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Chapter: 199
As soon as the horn sounded, the soldiers rushed to the fortress walls.
But nothing major had happened—just a few enemy scouts appearing before quickly retreating.
I quietly made my way up the wall among them. It seemed that few people recognized my face yet, as they all passed by without paying me any special attention.
I preferred it that way.
The soldiers, still on edge, moved busily along the wall, unable to fully relax.
By the time I reached the top, the enemy scouts were already gone, but the soldiers of Blood Cloud Fortress remained vigilant, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.
Faint hoofbeats echoed from below the fortress walls, and beyond the gates, the shadows cast by the mountain ridges stretched longer as the sun began to set.
"Stay alert!" A commanding officer shouted. His voice carried traces of anxiety, though he was clearly trying to maintain his composure.
The soldiers responded by gripping their shields tighter and checking the trebuchets positioned along the walls.
Even a minor scouting operation meant that the enemy was on the move.
Despite the overwhelming sense of futility—this war seeming endless—the soldiers of Blood Cloud Fortress stood their ground, determined to defend their posts.
Suddenly, a soldier atop the wall shouted as if he had spotted something.
"A banner!"
A banner?
I immediately turned toward the wall. The officers observing the situation near the gates also moved quickly.
From my vantage point, I could see a group moving in the distance, appearing no more than specks on the horizon.
In their hands, red and black banners fluttered in the wind.
On the pitch-black standard of Huawei Kingdom, a crimson insignia stood out—bright as blood.
Even from afar, their presence was palpable, radiating an undeniable pressure as they advanced toward the fortress.
The tension among the soldiers heightened even further.
"Those bastards never seem to tire."
I muttered under my breath.
A soldier beside me glanced at me before responding.
"You’re telling me."
Huh?
I turned to look at him and immediately recognized the familiar face.
Then again, finding an unfamiliar face here would be more difficult.
It was In-hong—the man I had once captured and sent to Blood Cloud Fortress.
He had once fought as a resistance leader, but now, he stood as an ordinary soldier guarding the walls.
Still, he seemed to be doing well. He had more flesh on his bones than when I last saw him in the capital’s marketplace. Though his face looked rough from battle, he seemed to be holding up.
"They're still too far away to tell how many there are,” In-hong grumbled.
I smirked and nodded.
Then, as if suddenly realizing something, he turned to me with a puzzled expression.
"Wait a minute… Have you been here before? Or not? You look familiar, but at the same time, you don’t… This is weird."
I chuckled and asked, "Having trouble remembering?"
"No, no, I’ve definitely seen you somewhere before, haven’t I? You from the capital, by any chance?"
"Who knows?"
"Ah, I got it, I got it! You’ve got that stuck-up air about you—definitely from the capital, right? Right? I swear, I’ve seen you before."
"Where did you see me?"
At my question, In-hong fell silent for a moment.
"Hmm… Now that I think about it, where was it? I know I’ve seen you before…"
He scratched his head with the hand not holding his spear.
I scoffed at him briefly before casually walking away from the wall.
* * *
The next day in Blood Cloud Fortress had arrived.
At dawn, my eyes opened on their own. I got up and stepped outside.
Even before the sun had risen, the fortress was already awake. A thick morning mist blanketed the stronghold, and the cold air added a layer of dampness to the stone walls.
On top of the battlements, soldiers stood guard, their helmets pressed low over their brows. Some clutched their spears, their drowsy eyes scanning the darkness, while others carefully maintained their weapons.
The atmosphere was thick with tension, as if something might leap out from the shadows at any moment.
Was it always this grim? Or had I simply been too dull to notice before?
I made my way toward the outer section of the fortress.
In front of the gate, carpenters were hammering away, sealing the cracks in the damaged doors.
The heavy thud of wood and metal colliding echoed within the walls. Carpenters and soldiers struggled together to reinforce the gate’s lower beams, working against time.
Thick ropes were pulled taut, and the hammering intensified.
The fortress, which had been quiet only moments ago, had become a small battlefield of its own.
The soldiers guarding the area clenched their bows tighter, bracing for an attack that could come at any moment.
Though the dawn mist was slowly lifting, the fortress was already consumed—not by the light of a new day, but by the looming shadow of war.
I returned to the inner keep.
As I stepped into the stronghold’s central quarters, where the lord and my elder brothers resided, a gentle warmth replaced the fatigue of war.
I stopped in place, taking in the familiar sights I had longed for. Then, I wandered once more.
It wasn’t until I entered the servants’ quarters in the back that I finally heard the sounds of everyday life.
White smoke billowed from the kitchen, where breakfast was being prepared.
The rich aroma of simmering broth filled the air, tingling at my nose.
"Ahh!"
My eyes landed on a young servant chopping firewood.
He looked to be about Jincheon’s age, and the awkward way he held the axe suggested he was new to the fortress.
I had been a soldier from the start, so splitting firewood was never my duty. But even I had once been the youngest, burdened with menial tasks.
Watching him, I found myself reminiscing.
"Ugh!"
The longer I observed, the more frustrated I became.
That’s not how you do it. At this rate, it would take him an eternity to finish.
If Jincheon were in his place, there would already be a neat pile of firewood stacked high.
Judging by the boy’s clumsy technique, the sun would set long before he was done.
I could hardly stand to watch any longer.
I approached him.
"I’ll teach you how to do it properly."
Perhaps I had moved too quietly—he flinched and turned to look at me in alarm.
"A-Are you a guest?"
A guest?
Ah, he must have assumed I was one of the villagers I had brought here.
I had no interest in correcting him. Explaining was a hassle, and I had grown tired of people bowing and scraping before me.
So I simply nodded.
"Give it here."
I held out my hand.
He hesitated before reluctantly passing me the axe.
I turned it in my grip a few times, testing the weight, then got to work.
Each time I swung, the wood split cleanly apart, cracking into multiple pieces.
"Wow!"
The boy gasped in awe—pure, unfiltered amazement.
Grinning, I said, "Watch carefully. I’ll show you again so you can learn."
"Yes, sir!"
My intention wasn’t to chop the firewood for him—I was here to teach him the proper technique.
His admiration spurred me on, and I swung the axe again and again.
Then, I deliberately slowed down, demonstrating the movements step by step.
As I continued, I sensed the presence of my second eldest brother approaching.
But I didn’t turn around.
He wasn’t coming any closer, simply watching me from a distance.
Dealing with his excessive formality was something I had no desire to do, so I ignored him.
Even as I reminded myself that I might not have much time left to see my brothers, I still found it difficult to approach them.
The thought of future regret already sent a tremor through my fingertips.
* * *
“I still can’t believe it, Brother. That he’s really a Prince.”
It had happened the night before.
Baek An had visited his elder brother Baek Yu, whose leg was broken, and spoken in a hushed voice. Both of them had heard the rumors about Prince Ikwon—the infamous wastrel of the royal family.
“They say his reputation is terrible… Do you really think someone like that helped you out of pure goodwill?”
“You shouldn’t doubt someone who saved your life.”
Baek Yu replied firmly, displeased by Baek An’s suspicions. Still, even he couldn’t shake the thought that Prince Ikwon might have had some hidden motive.
“Don’t entertain foolish ideas. Father hasn’t said a word about it, so who are you to question him?”
‘Father, as always…’
At dawn, Baek An opened his eyes.
He pressed himself against the wall that separated his room from the adjacent one and listened carefully.
The next room belonged to Prince Ikwon.
But there was no sound.
‘He’s not there?’
Where could he have gone at this hour?
The man was called a wastrel, after all. What kind of person did he have to be to earn such a reputation?
An unexpected concern took root in Baek An’s mind, and before he knew it, he was searching for the prince.
After wandering through several parts of the residence, he finally found him.
In the back courtyard, where the servants were hard at work.
Prince Ikwon was helping a young servant chop firewood.
Baek An froze in shock.
He hadn’t expected to see such a sight. And then, shame washed over him.
He had doubted the sincerity and righteousness of the man who had saved his brother’s life, relying only on hearsay.
Baek An lingered for a moment, silently watching the prince assist the servant, before turning away.
“Brother, it’s me. I’m coming in.”
Without hesitation, he headed straight to Baek Yu’s room.
“What brings you here so early in the morning?”
Baek Yu, having just woken up, pushed himself upright. He frowned at the strange look on Baek An’s face.
“What have you been up to?”
“Brother… I’m so embarrassed I could die.”
Baek An raised both hands to his head and began pulling at his hair in frustration.
Baek Yu merely observed him, unfazed. It wasn’t unusual for Baek An to be dramatic.
“What is it now?”
“Yesterday, I told you, didn’t I? That I thought Prince Ikwon had some hidden agenda.”
“Yes, you did.”
Baek An let out a deep sigh.
“But I don’t think that anymore. I must have misunderstood.”
“What made you change your mind so quickly?”
“I just went outside,” Baek An replied, “and I saw him helping a young servant with his chores.”
Baek Yu’s eyes widened.
“Are you saying His Highness the Prince was personally assisting a mere servant with menial labor?”
“Yes, Brother.”
Baek Yu exhaled in amazement, then lowered his gaze to his injured leg.
The memory of that moment was still vivid—the moment he had resigned himself to death.
He had truly believed it would be the end.
But then, out of nowhere, his savior had appeared.
That alone was a debt he could never hope to repay.
And now, to learn that his savior was not only a Prince but also a man who cared enough to involve himself in the trivial tasks of the lowly?
It was enough to stir the unwavering loyalty in Baek Yu’s heart.
“I truly have met a noble man.”
He murmured the words under his breath.
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HELHEIM SCANS
[Translator - Jjescus ]
[Proofreader - Starfall ]
Join our Discord for release updates!
https://discord.com/invite/dbdMDhzWa2
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