The Wastrel Prince Becomes Ruthless-Chapter 11

Chapter 11
The very next day after the coming-of-age ceremony.
Yuwon, as if oblivious to the fact that he had become the greatest topic of interest within the Imperial Palace, made his way to the private training ground of the Prince’s Palace as though nothing had happened.
“You were here after all.”
The person Yuwon had been looking for—no, not a guest, but that person—was there.
“You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”
Terrien, who had arrived earlier, greeted Yuwon with a warm smile.
“I heard the news that you’ve been chosen by the White Dragon Sword. Congratulations, Your Highness.”
“Thank you. It’s all thanks to having a good teacher.”
“Please, spare me. It’s far too generous a compliment for someone who’s done nothing worthy of it.”
“It’s a joke. A joke. Though half of it was true.”
Yuwon smiled faintly. Terrien didn’t press the matter further.
Just as an awkward silence began to flow between them, Yuwon opened his mouth again.
“I heard from the Chief Attendant. That I once said something terrible to you. I finally understand why you treated me that way when we first met.”
Of course, it was a blatant lie. He had merely been waiting for the right time to bring it up.
“That was nearly ten years ago. I haven’t held it in my heart, so please, Your Highness, don’t trouble yourself over it.”
Regardless of what Terrien said, Yuwon said what needed to be said.
“I’m sorry.”
“N–No, Your Highness. You needn’t do this over something you don’t even remember. Please, don’t trouble yourself.”
“No. Even if I don’t remember, I must settle it today. My lack of virtue hurt you. To have clawed at your most painful wound like that… it was something no person should ever have done.”
Yuwon intended to carry the sins Yurion had committed as his own. Though amnesia provided a convenient excuse, he couldn’t simply gloss over them and still live proudly in Yurion’s body.
‘This is the first step.’
And because Yuwon himself had once been a son born out of wedlock, he understood the pain of Terrien—a fellow illegitimate son—better than anyone.
“…Since Your Highness says so, I’ll gladly accept your apology. Thank you, Your Highness.”
“No, it’s I who should thank you—for accepting it so readily.”
“Not at all. As I said before, it was nothing that required an apology.”
“This will go nowhere at this rate. Let’s end it here—consider it settled with my apology and your acceptance.”
“Haha, as you wish.”
Yuwon shifted the subject.
“I’ll write you a letter of recommendation for joining the knight order.”
“Pardon…? A letter of recommendation?”
“Even if it’s from the White Dog, it’s still the White Dog who wields the White Dragon Sword. That should make a bit of a difference now.”
Yuwon laughed, easing the tension with a self-mocking tone. Yet his next words were no less serious than before.
“Take up your sword again, Terrien.”
Terrien declined, politely yet firmly.
“…I appreciate your concern, but I must refuse. I’ve walked that path once before, and it wasn’t my road to take.”
“Do you truly believe you’ve walked it far enough?”
“I once stood toe-to-toe with the Second Prince, who was called the Imperial Family’s Sword. But the gazes that followed were never kind. An illegitimate son should know his place….”
“‘An illegitimate son acting above his station.’”
It was a phrase that had followed Yuwon in his previous life like a shadow. The smile vanished from his face.
“To abandon your sword over something like that… I can’t understand it.”
The bright atmosphere that had lingered from the celebration of Yuwon’s successful coming-of-age shifted in an instant.
The air in the training ground grew heavy.
“How could Your Highness, born a prince, possibly understand that pain? I know your intentions are noble, but please refrain.”
It wasn’t sarcasm as it had been when they first met. Terrien spoke carefully and respectfully.
“What if I said I did understand?”
“…It’s something Your Highness cannot possibly know.”
“Is that so? Am I truly so ignorant?”
Yuwon, who had always spoken with calm ease, now placed weight into his voice.
“There’s the Crown Prince, a genius swordsman. Another brother, a genius magician loved by the Empire’s people—a saint. You know who they are, don’t you?”
“….”
“They’re all my brothers. Those are the titles given to them.”
Yuwon didn’t just lead the conversation—he overwhelmed Terrien with it. Pressed by his intensity, Terrien couldn’t find a response.
“And the names I’m called? Degenerate. White Dog. The disgrace of the Imperial Family. The most noble addict of them all.”
It was Yuwon’s story, and yet not entirely his.
“How about now? Do you still think I can’t understand how that feels?”
“But still….”
“No. I’ve felt that pain more sharply than anyone. I may not be an illegitimate son, but I was more of one than any true-born prince. Do you truly believe I wouldn’t understand you? Honestly?”
“…It was shortsighted of me. Forgive me, Your Highness.”
“It’s fine. I got carried away myself. I didn’t bring this up to make you apologize. What I meant to say is—when I saw you teaching swordsmanship, I saw the path of a knight who walks the way of the sword.”
Yuwon continued, his tone filled with conviction.
“It’s only a brief period of wandering. Before that detour turns into a lifelong one, choose your path again. You already know where it leads.”
“….”
Perhaps something in Yuwon’s speech had reached him, for Terrien said nothing.
With Yuwon having said all he wanted and Terrien with nothing left to say, silence fell upon the training ground, where only the two of them stood.
In that awkward stillness, Yuwon began to move toward the center of the ground.
“…?”
Terrien’s gaze quietly followed his steps.
‘Perhaps this would’ve been better from the start than all that talking.’
Yuwon picked up a practice sword, one he had grown familiar with over the past few days.
“The spar we didn’t finish last time—how about now, Teacher?”
“…So suddenly, Your Highness?”
“The spar was supposed to come first. The talk just wandered off course for a bit. So, what do you say? It’ll be a fitting farewell between master and disciple.”
“…Very well. But I won’t be holding back. A disciple who awakened his mana in five days… is a little terrifying, even for me.”
Terrien smiled faintly, and Yuwon smiled back.
“That’s just how I like it.”
The tension in the air broke in an instant, replaced by the thrill of challenge. Terrien stepped to the center of the training ground and faced Yuwon.
“What rules shall we use?”
“No mana use. Practice swords only. The winner will be decided when one side becomes unable to fight or yields.”
“Are you sure that’s enough? I could give you a few moves’ advantage.”
Terrien meant no offense; he simply worried that Yuwon wouldn’t gain much from the spar under such simple conditions.
“Don’t worry about me.”
He intended to prove himself—not completely, but just enough.
‘Just one strike. A half-step difference is all I need.’
“Understood… Then, please do your best, Your Highness. I’ll be in your care.”
“Please take care of me, Teacher. I’ll learn a move from you.”
A relationship that had begun with the sword would now end with it. The two chose to mark their final moment with a duel.
Yuwon’s piercingly blue eyes fixed upon the man before him.
‘With this duel… I’ll make him take up the sword again.’
In truth, Yuwon had no real reason to go this far. Whether Terrien chose to wield his sword again or not, their affairs had already come to an end.
‘But still…’
Yuwon’s heart didn’t see it that way. And so, he went this far.
Just as Terrien had once gone to such lengths to stop Yuwon before his coming-of-age ceremony—when there had been no real need to—Yuwon now did the same.
‘Then this is my way of repaying him. Since I’ve decided to do it, I’ll do it properly.’
Holding the practice sword in his hand, Yuwon aimed its tip toward Terrien.
“Watch closely.”
‘Because from now on, I’ll teach you.’
The duel lasted for just over ten minutes. As expected, the outcome unfolded predictably.
The blunt tip of Yuwon’s practice sword stopped just before Terrien’s neck.
“Looks like I’ve won.”
“…Yes. I’ve lost.”
The man once mockingly yet truthfully called the strongest illegitimate swordsman—Terrien Calmodet—acknowledged his defeat before Yuwon.
Yuwon withdrew his sword from Terrien’s throat.
“Well fought. That was a good match.”
“But h-how in the world…?”
To lose against the Fifth Prince, who had barely been learning the sword for a few days—it was a difficult truth to accept.
Terrien’s eyes quivered with a storm of emotions. He was shaken.
“Talent and luck. Let’s just say I was lucky today.”
It was an absurd excuse, but that was how Yuwon chose to answer.
“If you ever want to know the truth, come find me again. Next time, I’ll fight with my full strength.”
“…!”
He even added that today hadn’t been his full strength—lighting a fire within Terrien’s heart.
“I hope our next match will be an even better one. For today, let’s end it here. Thank you for everything, Teacher.”
Thus, Yuwon brought an end to their brief master-disciple bond.
Finishing those words, he left the training ground as if his business there were done.
‘I’ve done all I can. What Terrien needs now is time to think on his own… I wonder what choice he’ll make.’
If Yuwon had judged his character correctly, Terrien would surely seek him out again.
‘If not, then today will be the last.’
There was no regret or worry that he might have done something foolish.
‘Think of it as an investment with nothing to lose.’
A faint smile curved across Yuwon’s lips as he exited the training ground.
Terrien stood frozen even after Yuwon had gone, forgetting to bow as etiquette demanded.
The right hand that had dropped its sword felt so empty that his chest ached with hollowness.
“Ah…! Damn it.”
Snapping back to his senses, Terrien bowed in the direction Yuwon had left, paying his respect even though the prince had long vanished from sight.
He remained with his head lowered for a long while—far longer than necessary.
When he finally lifted his head, the turmoil in his eyes was gone.
Terrien picked up the practice sword he had dropped during the duel and returned it to its original place.
Then, he turned to look back at the training ground.
Slowly—very slowly—he took in the empty space before him, as if trying to remember a place he would never return to.
“Let’s go.”
The words were spoken to himself.
The time of wandering, not knowing where to go, had come to an end. After a long period of hesitation, he had finally found his path.
And then, Terrien left.
As always, the Fifth Prince’s private training ground was left completely empty.
“That boy wants to see me?”
Marquis Bradman, who had just returned to his private quarters in the main palace after changing shifts, was informed of a visitor.
“Yes, my lord. He says he’s willing to wait as long as necessary if you would grant him a moment of your time. What shall we do?”
It was Terrien, the son he had taken in from the South, who had come seeking him.
“Hm… that boy, doing something he’s never done before… I’ve heard he’s been associating with the youngest prince lately. It wouldn’t hurt to see him—I have a few questions about that matter anyway. Call hi—”
Bang—!
Just then, the marquis’s office door burst open violently.
Someone barged inside.
“Marquis!”
It was Terrien.
“You insolent brat…! What kind of behavior is this?!”
“I’ve come to beg a favor of you. Please forgive my discourtesy.”
Though they were father and son, theirs was a relationship that could not truly be called that of parent and child.
Terrien, who always shrank before the marquis, was different today.
Even his eyes burned with resolve.
“A favor? From you to me?”
Such a thing had never happened before.
The marquis blinked in surprise—
Thud—
Terrien fell to his knees before he could even ask what the favor was.
“Please…!”
Terrien shouted in a voice that bordered on a cry.
“Please teach me the sword, Father!”
Terrien Calmodet, once known as the strongest illegitimate swordsman—Yuwon had rejoined the blade that had long been broken.