The Seventh Prince Wants to Bail — Chapter 18

HAVE YOU ARRIVED?

THE ELDER IS WAITING INSIDE.

THIS IS AS FAR AS I'LL ACCOMPANY YOU.

RATEL HERE WILL GUIDE YOU TO THE TEMPLE.

...ALL RIGHT.

THEN I'LL BE GOING...

THE TWO OF YOU LOOK QUITE ALIKE. ARE YOU FATHER AND SON?

I DON'T HAVE ANY PARENTS.

AH... I'M SORRY. THIS OLD MAN'S JUST RAMBLING NONSENSE...

...IT'S FINE.

HOW WAS IT, JING?

DID YOU ENJOY SEEING THIS PLACE?

I DID, BUT...

THAT'S A RELIEF.

SO WHAT HAPPENS TO ME NOW?

WELL, IT'S NOT LIKE WE CAN KILL YOU, SO WE'LL LET YOU LIVE.

AND WE CAN'T MISTREAT YOU EITHER, SO WE'LL TREAT YOU HOSPITABLY.

SO I'M NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE THIS LAND?

IT CAN'T BE HELPED. WE HAVEN'T YET CONFIRMED THAT YOU TRULY ARE AMICA'S MESSENGER.

AS YOU'VE SEEN, THIS ISN'T SUCH A BAD PLACE TO LIVE.

IF I PROVE THAT I'M AMICA'S MESSENGER...

...CAN I LEAVE THIS PLACE?

IF THAT IS HER WILL...

THEN I SUPPOSE SO.

FINE. THEN WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO?

WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO BE RECOGNIZED AS THAT "LION, OR "TIGER," OR WHATEVER IT IS?

WELL... I WOULDN'T KNOW.

WHAT WOULD A PRIEST KNOW ABOUT SUCH THINGS, ANYWAY?

ANYONE WHO GOES AROUND CLAIMING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF GOD IS A FRAUD—

WHAT?! YOU'RE AN ELDER!!!

HOW CAN YOU SAY SUCH NONSENSE...?!

THAT'S ENOUGH.

GHK...!

THAT LEG OF YOURS HAS ALMOST HEALED...

IT'D BE A SHAME IF YOU COULD NEVER USE IT AGAIN.

DAMN IT...!

...MY APOLOGIES, ELDER.

WELL, GIVEN THE CIRCUMSTANCES, I UNDERSTAND.

CALM YOURSELF AND LOOK CAREFULLY.

IF YOU TRULY ARE THE ONE WHO WAS CHOSEN, AMICA WILL OPEN A PATH FOR YOU.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE YOURSELF COMFORTABLE HERE.

JUST RETURN TO THE TEMPLE IN THE EVENING, AS YOU DID TODAY.

SO I COULD END UP TRAPPED HERE FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE...

OTHER THAN GETTING OUT OF PRISON, ISN'T THIS BASICALLY BACK TO SQUARE ONE?

I'LL SHOW YOU TO YOUR ROOM. FOLLOW ME.

ALL RIGHT.

AND I'LL COME SEE YOU IN THE MORNING.

YOU MAY MOVE AROUND FREELY WITH ME THEN.

...YOU? WHY?

IT'S NOT LIKE I WANT TO DO THIS EITHER.

THE ELDER ORDERED ME TO LOOK AFTER YOU.

WHAT'S WITH THAT EXPRESSION? IS SOMETHING BOTHERING YOU?

YES. I'M VERY BOTHERED.

WOULD YOU WANT TO SPEND ALL DAY STUCK WITH SOMEONE WHO TRIED TO CUT OFF YOUR LEG?

LOOK ON THE BRIGHT SIDE.

YOUR LEG IS STILL ATTACHED, ISN'T IT?

HMPH. THANKS TO YOU, I THINK IT'S ALMOST COMPLETELY HEALED.

I'M PLANNING TO CHECK OUT THE PLAINS BEYOND THE ZELKOVA TREE TOMORROW, SO BRACE YOURSELF.

YOU'D BE BETTER OFF NOT GOING THERE.

AND WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?

NO ONE LIVES IN THOSE LANDS.

ARE THERE MONSTERS THERE THAT EAT PEOPLE OR SOMETHING?

IT'S NOT THAT.

...YOU'RE MAKING IT SOUND LIKE THERE'S SOME SECRET YOU'RE HIDING FROM ME.

DO YOU THINK I WON'T GO IF YOU PUT IT THAT WAY?

NO.

I DIDN'T SAY IT TO MOCK OR DECEIVE YOU, SIR.

IT'S SIMPLY BECAUSE THERE'S TRULY NOTHING GOOD OUT THERE.

DAMN IT!

DAMN IT!!

DAMN IT!!!!!

THAT LITTLE INSECT...!

HOW DARE HE TREAT ME LIKE THIS?!

"IT'S NOT TIME TO RESUME IT YET"...?

THEN WHEN THE HELL WILL IT BE?!

HOW LONG ARE WE SUPPOSED TO KEEP DELAYING THAT DAMNED CONSTRUCTION??!!

WHEW...

IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE TREATMENT, I'D HAVE ENDED THAT BASTARD...

IF ONLY I KNEW WHAT THAT DAMNED BASTARD WAS THINKING.

I CAN'T KEEP LETTING MYSELF BE LED AROUND BY HIM FOREVER...

SHOULD I TALK TO DITO ABOUT IT?

ISN'T THAT WHAT YOU'RE GOOD AT...? BEING OBEDIENT...

YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN THE SECOND PRINCE'S PUPPET.

DAMN IT!!!!

THEY'RE FINALLY HERE...!

COME IN!

WE GREET YOUR HIGHNESS...

ENOUGH WITH THE FORMALITIES!

WHAT ARE YOU DOING STANDING THERE? GET IN HERE!

FORGIVE THE MESS IN THE ROOM!

I WAS JUST DEALING WITH A LITTLE RAT!

ANYWAY, YOU MUST'VE GATHERED QUITE A BIT OF INFORMATION BY NOW, RIGHT?

PLACES HE'S BEEN? PEOPLE HE'S MET? WEAKNESSES? SECRETS?!

ANYTHING ABOUT HIM WILL DO!

TELL ME EVERYTHING! LEAVE NOTHING OUT!

TO ASCERTAIN THE MOVEMENTS OF HIS HIGHNESS THE SEVENTH PRINCE... NO, THE SEVENTH PRINCE...!

FOR THREE DAYS AND NIGHTS STRAIGHT, WE SPARED NO METHOD TO DO IT!

WE DEEPLY REGRET TO REPORT THAT...

...WE COULDN'T UNCOVER ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE SEVENTH PRINCE!

WE WERE CERTAIN WE WERE FOLLOWING HIM PROPERLY,

BUT COUNTLESS TIMES, HE SIMPLY VANISHED FROM SIGHT WITHOUT A TRACE...!

WE COULDN'T EVEN DETERMINE WHERE HE WENT!

WE'RE DEEPLY SORRY FOR DISAPPOINTING YOU!

IF YOU WOULD GIVE US JUST ONE MORE CHANCE—

SHUT UP...!!!

Y-YOUR HIGHNESS! WE ONLY...!!

SHUT UP.

I ENTRUSTED THIS TASK TO YOU BECAUSE YOU SUPPOSEDLY HAD THE FINEST INTELLIGENCE NETWORK IN THE EMPIRE...

URGH...! YOUR HIGHNESS...!

...AND THIS IS WHAT YOU GIVE ME IN RETURN?!

P-PLEASE, MERCY...!!

GHHHK...!!

UGHH... AAGH...!!!

YOU'RE NOT WORTH KEEPING ALIVE.

YOU'RE NOTHING MORE THAN INSECTS,

SO THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR INCOMPETENCE.

BROTHER~ I'M HERE.

IT'S BEEN QUITE A WHILE SINCE YOU SUMMONED ME.

THE ROOM'S GOTTEN DIRTY.

HAVE YOU BEEN UNDER STRESS LATELY?

DITO...

YOU CAME AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME.

I'M ALWAYS GOOD AT ARRIVING AT THE RIGHT TIME.

AS IT HAPPENS, SOMETHING JUST CAME UP...

...SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TAKING CARE OF.

...I'M CURIOUS WHAT THAT MIGHT BE.