TACBD 57

Chapter 57 …

I shook my head, but next to me, Yeowoon kept chirping annoyingly.

“Passing off the duties entrusted to you onto others without fulfilling them yourself is not good. You should start by relearning the scriptures.”

“Yeah, you talk a lot, you ugly thing.”

“I told you, I’m not ugly!”

And in that moment, he had a fit over being called ugly.

Ignoring that reaction lightly, I focused only on what I wanted to say.

“You said you’re a prince. Then isn’t it your responsibility to work for the kingdom?”

“Huh?”

“It’s the emperor’s duty to care for the kingdom. Why are you passing it onto someone else? Do what you have to do yourself.”

“Pfft! Hey, Crow, you talk well, huh?”

Shihyun, who had been holding back laughter, finally burst out laughing and ruffled my hair from behind.

I didn’t dislike the gesture of admiration, but the timing was all wrong. The situation was serious, yet he had no sense.

I took a deep breath and then fired off the most decisive refusal I had learned in my previous life.

“No. I won’t. Go away.”

Then I raised my fist and slammed it up to his elbow.

Take this as a serving of my anger.

The two didn’t immediately understand whether it was an insult to have a fist aimed at them in this place, but they did notice it wasn’t a friendly act.

Shihyun, who had never seen me express such strong displeasure, seemed amused.

“Whatever that was, you’re impressive. To hear such harsh words from a crow.”

Yeowoon’s cheeks burned red with shame at the mocking words.

He fumed, unable to find a proper reply, and perhaps wanted to insult back. Judging by the way he carefully chose words, it seemed intentional.

“Damn lowly crow… If it weren’t for Jinmyung, you’d be nothing!”

Quite insulting, but honestly, it didn’t hit me much.

‘Not as damaging as I thought.’

I’d heard similar words repeatedly when I first came to the Yin-Yang Hall.

‘If it weren’t for Jinmyung. You’re a useless, unlucky crow.’

At first, it used to prick at my heart, but now, it didn’t bother me at all. Maybe because I had a reliable ally by my side.

‘Lucky that Shihyun’s here…?’

No, it wasn’t really luck.

In an instant, Shihyun’s expression hardened fiercely, and he grabbed Yeowoon by the collar and lifted him up. The sudden force made Yeowoon gasp for air.

“Gah! Uhck!”

“Say that again. What did you just say?”

“L-let go…!”

“I’m asking you now. Answer me. What did you just say?”

Wow. Shihyun was truly, genuinely angry.

‘Uh… this is bad.’

I held my throbbing head at the troublesome situation.

Shihyun’s intensity, eyes almost wild, was so vivid that even I felt a chill. I had never seen this side of him, not even in fights with Haun.

‘How do I stop this?’

Honestly, I didn’t really want to stop him. It was kind of satisfying. He had been irritating with his arrogant tone.

“Do you dare insult him in front of me?”

“I-I’m a prince. Everyone must… ugh, be looking for me. Do you think I’d get away with this?”

“Oh, really? You need a friend on your way to the afterlife? I’ll send them along too.”

As Shihyun’s grip tightened, Yeowoon’s face gradually turned blue.

I hesitated for a moment.

‘Should I stop him? He looks like he could really die.’

Waiting a bit longer before intervening…

“Thinking you can mess around just because you’re royal? Without divine power, killing someone like you is nothing.”

“Ugh… huh… gk!”

Alright, time to intervene. If he really dies, that’d be a headache.

“Shihyun, let him go.”

Even if the kid was annoying, he was still royalty. Killing him would have serious consequences. Many people would come looking for him, just as he said.

If Shihyun killed him and got caught, he could go to prison—or worse, be executed.

Most of all, I didn’t want Shihyun to stain his hands with his blood just over such a brat.

‘I’m the one who should discipline him, not Shihyun.’

I tried to stop him, but Shihyun showed no sign of letting go.

“How can you? Crow, you heard what this damn kid just said!”

Ah. I felt happy and sad at the same time, touched that Shihyun was angry on my behalf. When did I become so important to him?

Enough that he’d take the damage of insults for me.

“Yeah, Dohee hates him too. But right now, I hate that Shihyun’s angry even more.”

But not everything deserves anger. Some things could just be let go.

So, I thought, it’s really fine. I hope Shihyun thinks the same. Being by my side, he would face countless things that could hurt him.

“No need to get angry over such a little brat.”

Shihyun stared at me with a peculiar expression. But I was genuinely calm, because I was truly okay. Alone, it would’ve been hard, but now I was with Shihyun.

I gave him a sly smile.

“And anyway, Shihyun, you don’t like him because of Jinmyung, right?”

At my confident question, Shihyun’s expression only grew stranger.

“That’s why he’s wrong. Dohee isn’t just some nobody. You’re here, and Haun too.”

The veins in Shihyun’s hand gradually relaxed, just a little, but his amber eyes still shimmered intensely, like stars through a cloudy sky.

“Getting angry at a useless person is a luxury. So don’t get angry, okay? You look better when you’re smiling.”

I deliberately hugged Shihyun’s waist, and his aggressive energy softened. The grip on Yeowoon’s collar weakened, and at the same time, Yeowoon collapsed to the floor with a thud.

Through gritted teeth, I heard Shihyun mutter suppressedly:

“Crow, you sometimes make people so sad it’s irritating.”

“Hehe… sorry.”

“I’m not saying you have to apologize.”

“Yeah, world’s best Shihyun hyung.”

“Tsk…”

His voice was hoarse, like he was holding back tears. He must have been overwhelmed with frustration and emotion.

I felt both grateful and apologetic. Grateful that Shihyun valued someone like me enough to get hurt, and sorry for the pain he’d take for me. I understood well the heart that suffers for someone you like.

Shihyun, managing to calm himself, looked aside and coldly warned Yeowoon, who was gasping for air.

“Listen carefully. No one can call him a crow except me. Got it?”

Yeowoon, still sobbing, didn’t respond, and Shihyun’s tightly clenched hand twitched.

I watched nervously, afraid he might change his mind.

“Answer me, or I’ll kill you.”

“Ah, a-alright.”

The furrow of Shihyun’s thick eyebrows relaxed slightly.

“Alright? That’s a short answer.”

“A-alright…”

I fell from Shihyun’s embrace and inwardly admired him.

‘Making a prince speak politely… Shihyun really is amazing.’

Seeing this, I was reminded how surprising it was that Shihyun shows such respect to Hyeyun. Even to someone like him, who doesn’t care about royalty.

“Understood? Now get lost. Before I regret sparing you.”

The moment the words fell, Yeowoon scrambled away and then bolted upright and ran.

Watching him leave, I suddenly remembered:

‘By the way, did the snake guard come back?’

Of course, Yeowoon was annoying, but the memory that stuck most clearly that day was the snake.

Vertically slit eyes, flickering tongue, and the poisonous mist from its mouth.

I rubbed my arms, shivering.

‘No, let’s not be curious. Whatever happens, happens.’

Shaking off my thoughts, I came face to face with two yellow eyes.

“Eeek!”

Startled, I nearly fell backward, but a large hand quickly supported my waist.

“Clumsy crow. Be careful. Do you want to smash your head?”