The thud of the bodies made Jin-Ri scream, she tightly closed her eyes she was too frightened to see the prince acting like a savage marauding beast. With fourteen men dead, the boss started to sweat profusely, his heart pounding with fear that he could be next.
Just as Young-Sik prepared to charge toward the next wave of foes, he felt a gentle yet firm grip around his leg. Glancing down, he found Jin-Ri clinging to him, her tear-streaked face a portrait of desperation. Her lips quivered as she shook her head, silently begging him to halt the relentless bloodshed. The sight of his court maiden in distress soothed the raging tempest of a beast within him.
Without fully understanding why, Young-Sik knelt beside her, placing his sword into her hands as a symbol of surrender. He then picked up the ivory sheath, gently pinching her cheek with a warm smile. Jin-Ri recognized the significance of his gesture and, with a heart full of understanding, released her hold on him, allowing hope to blossom between them.
The prince stood up armed only with his sheath. He extended her hand to Jin-Ri who reached for it, he pulled her up the moment he felt her warm hands within his'."Help the children, lead them out, I'll make sure you all escape safely"
"Will you be okay?"She asked the prince, her voice filled with concern for Young-Sik
"Don't worry,I'll be just fine ,"Young-Sik said with a smile, Jin-Ri smiled back at the prince. He watched as his court maiden ran to the room and held the doors open for the children to run out and into freedom. Nobody dared to stop Jin-Ri and the children, they were too afraid of the prince.
Once he was sure that it was only him and the men who were left, he addressed the loan shark's boss"Only nine are left, shall we continue? I might not kill you but rest assured, you will be in extreme pain"
The men all looked at each other before dropping to their knees and begging the prince to let them live"Please, please don't kill us we beg of you"The boss asked the prince the fear in him was evident in the way he spoke.
The prince sighed and walked over to the room where the children were held, he picked up something and threw it over the boss"You know what to do"The prince told the loan sharks
Outside Jin-Ri along with the children waited anxiously for the prince. A crowd started to gather to see what all the commotion was about. The doors of the slaughterhouse swung open and out came Young-Sik holding a rope and tied to that rope were the remaining loan sharks.
Jin-Ri rushed toward the prince"Are you okay your Highness? You're hurt?"she asked with concern when she saw some bruises on his face
Young-Sik grinned and answered"Did not even break a sweat"he said with a hint of arrogance
The two turned to the sound of blaring whistles of soldiers rushing to the scene. Turns out that some of the residents informed the palace of the chaos within that area. The soldiers were surprised to see the prince and quickly bowed to him"Your Highness, what are you doing here?"
Young-Sik sighed and gave the soldiers the rope he was holding"Late as always...Take them to the magistrate, and charge them with illegal lending with high interest rates, kidnapping, and child trafficking. Find out who they sell the children to"Looking at the children he gave further instructions to the soldiers"Find out the children's names and return them to their families, I want it done today!"He explicitly ordered the soldiers.
The soldiers bowed respectfully as they escorted the loan sharks to the magistrate's office. Young-Sik approached the frightened children, concern etched on his face."Are you all okay? Did they hurt you?"he asked gently, extending his hand toward them. But instead of comfort, the children recoiled in fear, their shrieks echoing in the air. The unexpected reaction startled the prince, prompting him to take a step back.
Jin-Ri quickly stepped in, her soothing presence calming the children's fears. Young-Sik glanced at his hands, shocked to see the dark stains of blood. He instinctively tucked them behind his back, not wanting to scare the little ones further. Kneeling to their level, Jin-Ri spoke softly,"No, no... he's not a bad person. He's the one who saved us all. Please don't be afraid; he's our prince, Prince Kim Young-Sik,"she reassured them, her voice warm and comforting.
The prince was all too familiar with the chilling grip of fear that death and blood could instill. He began to turn away, but Jin-Ri gently grasped his hand, halting his retreat. Her touch rendered him vulnerable once more, and he allowed her to lead him to a nearby stall. There, she requested water, which she used to cleanse his hands. With a handkerchief from her pocket, she tenderly dried his hands before guiding him back to the children.
Despite his initial reluctance, Young-Sik placed his trust in Jin-Ri and extended his hands toward the children. With his hands now free of blood, he waited, hoping for a response. At first, the children hesitated, reluctant to approach the prince. Just as Young-Sik was about to withdraw his hand, a little girl bravely stepped forward. The air was thick with anticipation as everyone, including the soldiers and onlookers, held their breath, wondering if she would take his hands. When she did, her voice rang out like a melody,"Thank you, your Highness, for saving us,"she said, her smile radiating warmth.
Young-Sik felt something he had not felt for a long time, the sensation of a tear. It was not because of anguish, fear, or hurt, but of something more profound and meaningful. The prince knelt in front of the girl and asked her"Would you like to ride on my shoulders?"The girl gave a big smile and a strong nod. Young-Sik turned around and told the girl"Common, hop on".The girl climbs on the prince's back and onto his shoulders. Once secured Young-Sik stood up, he heard the girl shriek in delight.
He turned to the remaining soldiers and said"We'll take the children to the registry department"The soldiers bowed and cleared a path for the prince, the court maiden, and the children. Jin-Ri held two children as she followed the prince with a smile.
She crept up to the prince, she couldn't help but be concerned for the prince."Are really alright, where does it hurt?"The prince smiled and shook his head, his expression playful."I'm sorry your Highness, if it wasn't for me, you wouldn't be hurt,"she asked again wanting to affirm the prince's condition.
"It's not your fault, don't be too hard on yourself"Young-Sik replied with a casual shrug as they strolled along.
Intrigued, Jin-Ri leaned in, her curiosity bubbling over."Your Highness, why didn't you fight back?"
"I didn't want you to get hurt!"he declared as if it were the most casual thing in the world.
"Wait, what?"Jin-Ri's eyes sparkled with curiosity as she turned to the prince.
Young-Sik frowned slightly,"Uhm...what I meant was...I can't let the kids and you get hurt"he replied, trying to maintain his royal composure.
"You didn't want me to get hurt?Jin-Ri pressed, her enthusiasm bubbling over as she imagined the epic tales of his battlefield victories.
Young-Sik let out a nervous laugh, shaking his head."Did I say that? I don't remember saying that, maybe you heard me wrong"
"No, I distinctively remember you say, you don't want me to get hurt!"Jin-Ri insisted, and their playful banter continued to the magistrate's office.
That afternoon, after the children had been returned to their families, Young-Sik was relaxing in his residence after a warm bath. Suddenly Jin-Ri bursts in startling him"Your Highness, you need to see this quickly"
Thinking it was an emergency, Young-Sik was about to reach for his sword, but Jin-Ri took him by the hand and pulled him outside"You won't need your sword, your Highness"
"Where are we going?"He asked his court maiden, wondering what could be so important
"To the northern gates, the King, Queen, and crowned prince are already there"She answered excitedly while dragging the prince.
As Young-Sik arrived, he was greeted by the sight of the King kneeling to speak with a group of children—the very ones he had saved, now happily accompanied by their parents. He paused, letting the moment wash over him, and walked slowly toward the crowd. His eyes met those of his brother and the Queen, who were observing the scene. Then, he focused on the King, who was sharing kind words with the little ones.
"Then what did the prince do?"The King asked enthusiastically. Eager to hear of his son's escapade
"The prince jumped so high to attack one of the bad guys, then he ran so fast to stop some more bad guys"A little boy narrated to the delighted King, who was emulating the prince, swinging his arms like he was holding a sword.
Another child chimed in"Then he tied the bad guys and told the soldiers."The child tried to copy the prince's voice"Take them to the magistrate and tell him they are troublemakers"
The King laughed full-heartedly at the stories about Young-Sik's heroics. One of the parents noticed the prince"You Highness, thank you so much for returning our children"The crowd gathered in front of the speechless Young-Sik, they all took turns holding the prince's hands.
The King placed his hand tenderly on Young-Sik's shoulders, his voice filled with warmth as he said, "Seeing how you helped get their children back...You have made me proud my son, truly proud."
Young-Sik stood speechless, unsure of how to respond. Suddenly, a little girl approached him, the same one he had carried earlier. She shyly offered him a bouquet, and Jin-Ri accepted them on the prince's behalf."Thank you, Prince Young-Sik, for helping me find my parents,"she said, kneeling and bowing her head in respect.
Inspired by her example, the crowd mirrored her actions, their voices harmonizing in praise for Young-Sik and the King."Thank you, Prince Young-Sik, for your valor! Thank you, your Highness, for blessing us with such a kind-hearted prince!"
Still, the accolades for Young-Sik were not universal, as Queen Eri stood in the shadows, her gaze fixed on the crowned prince as he tightened his fist. She leaned in to whisper to Prince Man-Ju,"Calm your heart, dear son; this triumph is but a momentary flicker, destined to be forgotten.
You must ready your mind for even more magnificent victories to solidify your dominion,"her voice thick with treachery.
"Keep this moment close, my son. Imprint in your memory the way your father dotes on your trivial half-brother. Trust is a luxury we can no longer afford with either of them. From this point forward, we must be vigilant, for that insufferable prince may very well set his sights on us both"Queen Eri declared, her words stoking the flames of jealousy in Prince Man-Ju's heart, driving an even deeper rift between the brothers.
Prince Man-Ju shot a furious look at his mother before storming out in a fit of rage. The Queen, sneering quietly, relished the sight of Young-Sik basking in the accolades from the King and the gathered crowd."One day, you will falter and reveal your vulnerabilities, and when that moment comes, I will dismantle your very essence."