Chapter 164 - Culmination of Emotions (2/2)
Prince Yi glanced at him and bowed, playing the part of the loyal subject, ”I could never...What if your majesty gets hurt?...” Normally, no one other than the Imperial guards was allowed to wield swords in the palace for the Emperor's protection.
The Emperor snorted with dry amus.e.m.e.nt and simply motioned for two guards to bring their swords. He took one and then looked at Prince Yi who was frowning down at the sword the other guard held out to him. Prince Yi glanced at the Emperor's indifferent expression and then frowned down at the door again and then took it.
The Emperor then turned back to the guards and ordered, ”Withdraw.” They bowed and quickly moved to the far ends of the walls.
Prince Yi watched them withdraw and then turned to the Emperor, who was leisurely scrutinizing the sword in his hand. The thought that if he decided to run the Emperor through right there, the guards were too far to get there in time stop him. He could kill him now.
Prince Yi frowned and he tightened his grip on the sword then calmly asked, ”What if I accidentally end up seriously hurting you? I would rather not bear the blame for such a crime as your death.”
The Emperor glanced up at Prince Yi with a raised eyebrow, ”Do you want to kill me?...” Prince Yi blinked at the question, taken aback by the directness of it. But before he could find his words to deny such a ”preposterous” suggestion, the Emperor continued, ”You can try, if you can...But know that you will not leave here alive either.”
Prince Yi angrily blurted out, ”So you are allowed to kil-” But caught himself before he said more. This place was messing with him and making him agitated.
The Emperor snorted and then smirked, ”I would have never thought you were afraid to die. You don't seem to care very much of late...” The Emperor's smile disappeared and he flatly said, ”A simple sparring session, I will not kill you.” And with that said, he swiftly moved towards Prince Yi with sword raised to attack. Prince Yi still had reservations but his hand instinctively moved to defend and he raised his sword to block the Emperor's.
The Emperor raised an eyebrow with a small smirk on his face as he looked into Prince Yi's eyes, as he pushed back against the strength of his sword, ”You've improved.”
On hearing that statement, words he had never heard from those around him. Words he once sought to hear and would have given anything to have heard from their father...Right now coming from his brother, from this particular brother enraged him. Prince Yi's eyes suddenly burned with immense fury, with the rage of many years long passed...All the pain, anger, humiliation, a lost life of hopes and dreams, all he once was and had become bubbled to the surface c.u.mulating into one emotion, rage. He pushed the Emperor back with all his strength as he bit out through gritted teeth, ”I don't need to hear that from you.”
{...You have no right!...}