Even My Life Is Yours Chapter 2

“Are you alright? Are you hurt?”

Gamyoung, who had been holding Hongyo, looked up at the voice above him. Not only had he witnessed his close friend nearly die, but he himself had almost lost his life. Before he could fully regain his senses, Gamyoung checked on Hongyo first, and upon feeling his breath, belatedly paid his respects to the person before him.

“Your Imperial Majesty, I greet you. I apologize for failing to greet Your Majesty first…”

“I asked if you were alright.”

“Yes. I seem to have lost consciousness when I fell.”

“No. Not Hongyo. You. Gamyoung.”

It was his name, a name he hadn’t been able to hear comfortably since Kyungrak ascended the throne. Gamyoung looked at Hongyo, then back up at his brother. Even clad in the dragon-embroidered armor that only the emperor could wear, the person looking at him was still his brother.

“Yes, I am alright. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

At Gamyoung’s reply, Kyungrak’s face finally showed relief. Following close behind, the group that had participated in the Gangmu approached them. The general at the front, upon discovering the tiger killed by an arrow, exclaimed,

“His Majesty has slain the tiger!”

While everyone cheered at the announcement, a woman quickly rushed towards Gamyoung. Looking down at Hongyo, who was unconscious on his lap, she spoke urgently,

“Hongyo!”

Ki Mohyun, the High Priestess and head of Hyunjingwan, the order serving the Dragon God, had taken Hongyo in as her adopted son. In Won’guk, a land blessed by the Dragon God, women born with even a trace of the dragon’s power were all inducted into the Hyunjingwan priesthood. Thus, it was quite common for the priestesses, who dedicated their lives solely to the imperial family and the Dragon God, to adopt children from outside the order.

“He’s alright. He seems to have just fainted.”

At those words, the High Priestess’s pale face gradually regained its color. It was the first time Gamyoung had seen Mohyun, who always maintained her composure as the High Priestess of Hyunjingwan, look so flustered. Regaining her composure, Mohyun carefully took Hongyo from Gamyoung.

“I will take responsibility for Hongyo’s treatment, so Your Highness should attend to His Majesty.”

Mohyun was right. Gamyoung handed Hongyo over to her. Though he held him only briefly, the warmth that lingered felt like an eternity. Before the faint warmth faded completely, Gamyoung mounted his horse, following Kyungrak, and looked back. The image of Hongyo’s limp body and wounded cheek lingered in his mind.

˖°⛩️⋆˙️

After the hunt, the altar was piled high with the animals caught by the generals and their bodyguards. Among them, the tiger Kyungrak had killed lay atop the highest point of the altar, an arrow embedded in its eye.

Looking at the tiger with its jaws agape, Gamyoung glanced at the bustling preparations for the feast. Having received some basic treatment, Gamyoung was advised by the royal physician to rest, but as a prince and a subject, he couldn’t miss the banquet following the Gangmu.

Besides the tiger, the only other ferocious beast had been a bear, so there were hardly any injuries. In the first place, being the first event hosted by the newly enthroned emperor, it would have been planned to avoid any casualties. Therefore, he couldn’t be sure whether the tiger’s appearance was merely a coincidence. Gamyoung couldn’t shake off his uneasy feeling. The only consolation was the lack of casualties and the fact that Kyungrak had killed the tiger.

Kyungrak had been the most skilled in martial arts among the brothers since he was the crown prince, so even though his skills were well-known, slaying a tiger at the first state event after his enthronement served to reaffirm his strength as emperor. Especially since he had saved his younger brother from being mauled to death by the tiger, it was a good opportunity for Kyungrak to demonstrate both his strength as an emperor and his benevolence as a ruler.

Amidst the voices praising the emperor and the sounds of laughter, those who had participated in the Gangmu presented the animals they had hunted to the emperor. Behind Kyungrak, who was commending the generals and bodyguards offering the carcasses of wolves, bears, and other animals, the tiger that had driven him and Hongyo to the brink of death was displayed on the altar, its eyes still open.

Gamyoung looked at the yellow eyes, then turned away. Amidst the joyous banquet, he thought of his friend, who would be at Mohyun’s quarters by now. Although he hadn’t been bitten or broken any bones, he had just stared death in the face, so the shock must be immense.

‘I wonder if he’s awake now. If he is, someone should be by his side.’

He wanted to rush to Hongyo’s side. His heart ached. Just then, Kyungrak, who had been commending his subjects, raised his hand, and the musicians stopped playing. In the sudden silence, everyone who had been laughing and talking looked up at the emperor.

“I have witnessed your bravery in this Gangmu. I am grateful for the courage and loyalty you have shown in this first hunt since my ascension to the throne.”

At Kyungrak’s words, the generals and officials bowed their heads modestly. The bodyguards who accompanied them waited nervously for the announcement. Participating in the Gangmu as a bodyguard offered the chance to be directly appointed without further examination based on performance, so it was the moment they all anticipated.

“Therefore, following the tradition passed down from previous generations, I intend to reward the most outstanding performer in this Gangmu.”

Gamyoung looked at the animals piled up before the altar. He had only hunted a few wolves. Although they were ferocious, they were insignificant compared to the most savage bears, let alone the tiger. His participation in the Gangmu was merely perfunctory.

However, Kyungrak’s gaze, which had been sweeping over his subjects, stopped at Gamyoung.

“I intend to reward the Sixth Prince, who confronted that tiger before my arrival.”

Gamyoung’s eyes widened. There were many generals and their bodyguards who were more skilled than him, but Gamyoung couldn’t bring himself to decline. This was the occasion where the new emperor first established his imperial authority. Everyone present knew that this event was more than just a hunting game. Kyungrak continued.

“How can I not reward a man who was willing to risk his life for his bodyguard and face danger head-on? I expect you to show me the same courage and loyalty.”

In the ensuing silence, Gamyoung prostrated himself. It was no different from the newly enthroned emperor declaring him as one of his own. Although all he could see was the ornate red carpet, Gamyoung could feel the gazes directed at him from behind.

“I am eternally grateful, Your Majesty. I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly.”

As Gamyoung bowed his head and spoke, Kyungrak’s voice echoed above him.

“I shall also issue an edict to your bodyguard soon, so inform him.”

Traditionally, if the master received an award, it was customary for the bodyguard to be rewarded as well. However, to issue an edict… Gamyoung looked at Kyungrak. But Kyungrak, who he expected to be grinning mischievously, was expressionless.

“It’s strange, though. That there would be a tiger in this ravine.”

His voice was calm and level, but the meaning behind it was far from calm. The emperor couldn’t be unaware of the suspicion Gamyoung also harbored. The convivial atmosphere instantly froze. In the silence, where no one dared to speak, the general seated closest to the emperor spoke up.

“Your Majesty, I hear that tigers have been frequently descending from the north these days. Although this is a hunting ground, the terrain is treacherous, and if a tiger establishes its territory, even the tiger hunters will have difficulty eradicating it. When winter comes, they will come down to the villages in search of food, so wouldn’t it be wise to eradicate them before then?”

“I see such a thing has happened. The general is right. What good is an emperor who cannot protect his people?”

Kyungrak seemed lost in thought for a moment. Then, nodding, he softened his stern expression. However, his eyes, as they scanned the bowed heads of his subjects, still held a lingering suspicion. Only Gamyoung, who had known Kyungrak for a very long time, could faintly perceive this suspicion. A smile returned to Kyungrak’s lips, and he spoke with a much more relaxed expression.

“No one died, and we have caught a mountain of offerings for the Dragon God, so this is a truly auspicious day. Now that we have safely concluded the Gangmu, all that remains is to proclaim the Royal Edict.”

The Royal Edict.

At those words, all the officials present tensed up even more than before. The Royal Edict was the first official decree proclaimed by a new emperor upon ascending the throne. It wasn’t simply important because it was the emperor’s first decree, but because it declared the direction the nation would take.

It was an oath not only to the people but also to the Dragon God, the protector of the nation. Therefore, the dragon guided the nation according to the new emperor’s will. Hence, the Royal Edict of a new emperor, enthroned after half a century, was more crucial and garnered more attention than any other decree.

“The late Emperor was a benevolent man who dedicated his life to solidifying the foundations of the nation. Upon his enthronement, he declared in his edict that he would prevent the shedding of his people’s blood. However, my thoughts are different.”

His voice was steady and unwavering, as if he had contemplated this for a long time.

“Although Won’guk is prosperous, blessed by the Dragon God, if we do not wield that power, it will eventually be eroded. From without, or from within.”

It was the moment when the last vestiges of hesitation he had held since his enthronement transformed into certainty. As the emperor rose from his seat, everyone present, without exception, prostrated themselves on the ground. Gamyoung followed suit. The Royal Edict was the emperor’s command, but it was also the dragon’s first covenant with the new emperor.

Kyungrak looked down at his subjects, their foreheads touching the ground, and then looked up at the sky. Clouds suddenly gathered in the night sky, which had been clear just moments ago, threatening an imminent thunderstorm.

“All directions shall become our land, and the grains and animal hides from that land will make us even more prosperous and affluent.”

The unique blue eyes, possessed only by the emperor chosen by the dragon in Won’guk, grew even brighter.

“The 12th Emperor of Won’guk proclaims this Royal Edict: All roads in the world shall lead to the capital, Juan.”