Fabre in Sacheon’s Tang

In my previous life—no, even just a little while ago—I couldn’t understand why people had to bow their heads before an emperor.

A king was just someone whose ancestor got lucky and managed to seize a good seat, wasn’t he?

Just because an ancestor had better fortune than others, seeing oneself as beneath that lineage always struck me as absurd.

In the world I used to live in, the concept of royalty had long since faded.

Everyone was equal.

But now, in this very moment, I finally understood what royalty meant—and how loyalty was born.

As they say, only someone who’s stolen before knows how to do it right — and emperors, it seems, are naturally gifted at rewarding others.

Otherwise, how could someone grant rewards this masterfully?

Or perhaps he had handed out so many rewards that it had been etched into his DNA.

One thing was certain: the ability to grant rewards that drove people mad with joy—that was definitely something innate to royals.

Identifying the recipient and giving them the gift that would bring them the most joy—this subtle discernment.

And the sheer generosity of it all.

This man was, without a doubt, an emperor.

So this is what they mean by “royal blood.” And this is probably why people develop loyalty.

Even I felt like I could jump into fire carrying a pile of brushwood if it was for this man.

“Y-Your humble subject is overwhelmed with gratitude, Your Majesty!”

That line carried a genuine loyalty rising from the depths of my chest.

My shout echoed loudly throughout the Hall of Grand Harmony.

The emperor’s satisfied voice soon followed.

“Ha ha, is it truly that good? I heard you liked spirit beasts, and it seems that was no lie.”

“This So-ryong shall henceforth serve the imperial family with even greater devotion. Should any dare to slander or harm the imperial house, I shall not let them be!”

“Slander the imperial house? Have there been such people?”

I had been excited and rambling, and the princess’s eyes widened.

I immediately realized my mistake.

I had just said, in front of the emperor, that people were slandering the royal family.

But the reflexes of a former YouTuber kicked in fast.

“O-Oh! I meant the Five ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) Venoms Sect. When I went to rescue the princess, those bastards had the gall to speak ill of the imperial family! I took them all out, of course, but they were truly wicked scum!”

The moment I shifted the blame to the Five Venoms Sect, the emperor gripped the armrest of the dragon throne tightly.

With a sharp gaze, the emperor declared,

“I shall not leave those bastards be. How dare they use the princess to threaten the royal house?”

There really wasn’t any need to mention the Five Venoms issue further.

It seemed His Majesty would take care of it all himself.

Still, I added a small note.

“This So-ryong shall lend whatever meager strength he can!”

I meant it as a loyal subject who had just been granted a spirit beast.

From now on, anyone who dared upset His Majesty or bring trouble to the imperial house—was my enemy.

I declared that with all my heart, and the emperor smiled in deep satisfaction.

It was the kind of smile that said, What a cute fellow.

“Is that so? Just as expected of a young hero from the martial world. Ahahahaha!”

The emperor looked truly pleased.

Laughing heartily, he addressed me once more.

“Stay in the palace for a few days. Enjoy everything I have prepared for you to your heart’s content before returning.”

“Your humble subject is overwhelmed with gratitude.”

Since the matter with the Five Venoms seemed to be well-handled, there was no need for me to bring it up again.

And I’d already asked the princess to help shield Gun Hye-rin and deal with the matter of the World-Destroying Golden Toad.

I couldn’t just keep asking favors when I’d already been granted a spirit beast, could I?

I was taking careful backward steps according to palace etiquette when a voice, different in tone from the one that had addressed me kindly, called out:

“The princess must have much to say to me, no?”

The princess swallowed hard and looked at me.

But this time, there was nothing I could do.

It was a matter between father and daughter.

She’ll survive a few smacks on the back, probably.

Wishing the princess peace in my heart, I returned to my quarters.

A luxurious feast had been prepared.

Once again, I couldn’t help but praise the emperor’s benevolence, and so I turned toward the Hall of Grand Harmony and shouted:

“Long live His Majesty the Emperor! Ten thousand years, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!”

***

There were all kinds of strange and wondrous dishes.

They were tastier and more diverse than anything I’d ever had at a high-end Chinese restaurant in my previous life.

“Oh, what’s this?”

I pointed at the dish placed before me, and the eunuch serving me politely explained.

“That is called the Eight Treasures Delicacy. In front of you is shark fin, beside it bear’s paw, and on the right, bird’s nest.”

“Oh, so this is bird’s nest. Slurp. Wow, it melts in your mouth. No wonder everyone goes on and on about bird’s nest.”

Martial artists usually live frugally.

They believe eating greasy food accumulates turbidity in the body.

The Tang Clan was no exception.

So getting to eat such rich dishes was a rare treat—each bite clung to the tongue in bliss.

“Master, eat slowly.”

“Yes, yes. Gun Hye-rin, you eat plenty too.”

“I will.”

We were happily enjoying the meal together—

When suddenly a voice came from outside.

“His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!”

“Huh?”

I was munching on a perfectly roasted duck leg when I heard the announcement.

“Cough. Cough.”

The cough burst out before I could stop it.

No wonder—this was the very same Crown Prince who’d fallen for me before and ordered his men to find me.

I didn’t know why he was suddenly showing up, but the memory of that moment made the cough explode from my throat.

As I stood up, face flushed red, the door opened and the face I remembered appeared.

That slick, greasy face.

It was the Crown Prince.

“Oh dear, did I startle you by showing up like this? Don’t worry, sit down. Sit.”

I was about to give up my seat, but as expected, he shamelessly walked over and took a seat across from me.

The Crown Prince had already sat down as he spoke.

“I didn’t come here as the Crown Prince today. I came as a younger brother, to thank you for saving my sister. So no need for all the formalities.”

“Your Highness, what of the imperial protocols—?”

“Come now! Enough of that nonsense. If showing courtesy to my sister’s savior is against imperial law, then that law is wrong, isn’t it?”

The eunuch who’d been serving me looked horrified, then let out a sigh of resignation.

It seemed this wasn’t the first time the prince had pulled a stunt like this.

Still half-standing, unsure what to do, I heard the prince say with a gentle smile,

“If you won’t sit, then I’ll make it a command.”

At that, Gun Hye-rin—who had stood with me—plopped down into her seat.

The prince smiled, clearly pleased.

“Yes, that’s how it should be. You too, sit. I came here hoping to meet the young hero of the martial world. Are you going to show me something disappointing?”

Oh, screw it. He’s not going to kill me, right?

What could I do if the Crown Prince himself told me to sit?

I figured, surely he wouldn’t kill the man who’d saved the princess, so I sat back down.

As soon as I did, the prince offered his thanks.

“I am the Crown Prince of this nation. Thank you—for saving my sister.”

“I’m So-ryong of the Beast Palace. And it’s nothing, Your Highness. I merely did what had to be done.”

Even as I replied, I tilted my head a bit in puzzlement.

It was because I’d heard the princess was the Empress’s only child.

And the Crown Prince was supposedly born of one of the concubines.

So it was strange—how tenderly he spoke of the princess.

In the royal family, it was common knowledge that infighting and backstabbing were the norm, so most people like me assumed they didn’t get along.

“Then what’s with that expression? You look like something doesn’t quite make sense.”

“N-No, not at all.”

“Not at all? Then what is it that doesn’t make sense? Answer me.”

“It’s nothing, really...”

“Oh ho? Must I give a royal command now?”

Despite repeatedly denying it, the Crown Prince insisted on hearing it—and even threatened to issue a command—so I had no choice but to speak.

“Well, it’s just... Your Highness and the princess seem to be quite close. But among commoners, siblings are, well... kind of mortal enemies, you see? Tattling to Mother about things I did wrong, and then smirking when I got scolded. But the two of you seem so... affectionate.”

“Really? Ha ha. Mortal enemies with your sister—that’s funny.”

The Crown Prince laughed heartily and explained.

“Well, my sister is truly a remarkable person. Honestly, I owe being Crown Prince to her.”

He owed his position to the princess? I tilted my head, curious, and the Crown Prince smiled.

“When His Majesty was deliberating over who to name as the Crown Prince, my sister told him I was the most upright and virtuous of his sons.

Now, sure, some might say that His Majesty wouldn’t make his decision based on just that, but think about it—despite having several older brothers, I became the Crown Prince. Doesn’t that seem unusual?

So I have to live up to that, don’t I?”

So that’s what happened?

Then yes, he absolutely had to live up to it.

If he was made Crown Prince solely because of the princess’s word, and then turned out to be incompetent, wouldn’t that make him a bastard of a brother?

As I nodded in understanding, the Crown Prince gave me an apologetic look.

“These dishes are going to get cold. Let’s talk while we eat.”

“As you command, Your Highness.”

Just as I was taking another bite of roasted duck, the Crown Prince’s voice turned somber.

“It’s a relief that you were able to save her, but now I’m worried.”

“Worried?”

“His Majesty was so furious, he’s decided to confine my sister to Yeonhigung Palace. Ah, Yeonhigung is where she stayed before the fake wedding, you see.”

Apparently, the Emperor was planning to place the princess under house arrest. But that didn’t sound like a big deal to me.

“Isn’t that... a fairly light punishment?”

Thinking it wasn’t so bad, I said it aloud. The Crown Prince shook his head.

“My sister is someone who loves freedom. She won’t be allowed to train in martial arts anymore, and she’ll be confined... then eventually married off to some—wait, hold on?”

He’d been explaining something, but then tilted his head.

The Crown Prince suddenly stared at me.

I looked side to side awkwardly, and he squinted.

“Have we met before?”

“Eh? N-No way...”

“No, seriously. You look oddly familiar. Where have I seen you before?”

Was he remembering that incident?

The moment the Crown Prince stared daggers into my face, a cold sweat ran down my back.

Just then, a eunuch outside shouted frantically,

“Your Highness! You must come to the Hall of Grand Harmony immediately!”

The Hall of Grand Harmony—that was where we had just met the Emperor.

The Crown Prince scowled and shouted toward the door.

“The Hall of Grand Harmony? What’s happened now to warrant such alarm?”

Then came the shocking news.

“His Majesty the Emperor has collapsed!”

“What!?”

The Crown Prince sprang to his feet and ran out in a flash.

But the Hall of Grand Harmony... that was where the Emperor had been left with the princess.

It had to be because of her.

Here we go.

***

As So-ryong disappeared beyond the doors, the Emperor turned to the princess.

“So... you wanted to leave your father so badly that you went as far as to stage a false wedding?”

His voice wasn’t angry.

It was layered—filled with emotions too tangled to name.

The princess fell to her knees and bowed her head.

“This lowly girl has committed a grave offense worthy of death.”

The Emperor shook his head.

“What kind of parent kills their child for doing wrong? Don’t say such things.

I was simply... very worried.”

“Y-Your Majesty...”

At those words, the princess burst into tears.

Because she knew he meant it.

There was no one who had loved and cared for her more than the Emperor.

He asked,

“Were you hurt?”

Unable to speak, the princess only nodded through her tears.

The Emperor looked at her and said,

“I heard from my Grand General. You disguised yourself and became a disciple, didn’t you? I will not punish Bo-ta Temple separately. However, from now on, martial arts training is forbidden. I also forbid you from ever visiting Bo-ta Temple again—at least while I live.”

The princess nodded again.

From the way he said “while I live,” it seemed she’d be free to do as she pleased after his death.

He wasn’t severing ties completely.

This was a surprisingly lenient punishment.

“And for now, you are forbidden to leave the palace. Stay in Yeonhigung and reflect.”

That, too, was entirely expected.

She nodded once more—

But then the Emperor said something strange.

“Тhe Grand Scholar’s son—the one I’ve been considering as our next Grand Scholar—his wife died earlier this year during childbirth.”

He suddenly brought up the death of the Grand Scholar’s son’s wife.

Just as the princess was wondering why, he dropped the bomb.

“After spending a year in Yeonhigung, you’ll become his new wife. I hear you’re still a virgin, though even if that’s not true, you’ve already had one marriage ceremony. You won’t find a better match.”

The Emperor was trying to marry her off to a man she didn’t even know—as his second wife.

It was clear what he meant:

No more martial arts. Just settle down and become someone’s quiet little wife.

But she couldn’t do that.

Because she no longer saw her life or her body as hers alone.

Her sect, her master, her senior and junior disciples—and the one man who had saved her life.

Even if she could never truly be with him because her body belonged to another, she wanted to spend the rest of her life by his side, repaying his kindness.

“Your Majesty, I—I shall obey all your commands. But I cannot obey the one where I become the second wife the Grand Scholar’s son!”

With those words, the princess slammed her forehead to the ground.

The Emperor looked stunned—then angry.

“What do you mean? Why not? Why can’t you live safely, far from the dangers of the martial world—start a family, have children, and live a peaceful life?”

“B-Because...”

“It seems I’ve spoiled you far too much. But this time—I will force you to obey me!”

Those words—force you to obey—triggered a desperate cry from the princess.

“I—I’m already b-bound to another man! So I cannot!”

“B-Bound!?”

The Emperor tilted his head in confusion, and the palace eunuch nearby spoke up with a horrified expression.

“Bound, as in... perhaps s-she means she has, um... been physically intimate... with another...”

“W-What!? D-Don’t tell me... Seo Bin-ak!? No, wait—that one’s known to be incapable of bedding a woman... Then it’s—i-is there another man!?”

As the princess silently nodded, the Emperor clutched the back of his neck and collapsed.

“Ughk...”