Chapter 12 The Registration Arena!

The registration arena buzzed with the clamor of weapons and chatter of several ambitious young men.

Sunlight filtered into the corridor and onto the long tables where clerks scribbled names and checked each participant’s credentials.

Young nobles in fine silks lined up alongside seasoned soldiers bearing scars from border skirmishes, and even commoners with nothing but callused hands and desperate hope, they all crowded the space.

Taeyang stood at the end of one line, flanked by Baekho, Soohyun, and Yohan. His simple robes marked him out in the crowd, people pointed at him, many whispered after him but he ignored it all and just stared at the table, waiting for his turn.

"Next," the clerk finally called, without looking up from his desk.

Taeyang stepped forward.

The line behind him fell into a hush that rippled outward like a stone dropped in still water. Then the silence turned into laughter as everyone finally recognized him with disbelief.

“What is he doing here?”

“That's the powerless prince right?" Another person asked.

“That's right!”

“That useless fellow, what is he doing here?”

The clerk finally glanced up at him, then did a double take. “Your highness?” The man queried.

Taeyang nodded calmly without saying anything. His face very impassive and unbothered.

"The Emperor's mercy knows no bounds, allowing this farce here." A soldier standing inches from the table scowled.

Taeyang ignored that too and slid his entry form across the table.

The clerk picked it up with an exaggerated slowness, he skimmed through it with a perfect scowl on his face before finally slamming a stamp on it as if sealing a joke. "May the heavens favor you," he muttered, voice dripping sarcasm.

Taeyang picked the form and his tally up from the table and turned away, but just as he was about leaving the arena a familiar voice cut through the gossips and sidetalks in the courtyard.

“Is that not Brother Yang?” Junho called in a loud polite voice, walking into the arena with a flock of guards and servants in his entourage.

Taeyang paused in his stride and looked up, his step brother smiled and spread his arms apart as if to embrace him. But Taeyang sidestepped him.

Junho frowned. “What is it brother? Are you not happy to see me?”

“I am. Just keep your hands to yourself.” Taeyang said coldly.

“Now, that is not the way to talk to your brother, Senior. We haven't seen in two months and you're not even happy to see me.”

Taeyang said nothing, Junho’s eyes dropped to the tally and form in Taeyang’s hands and his frown turned into a smirk. “What do you have there brother?”

As if stung by a bee, Taeyang quickly stuffed the form and tally into his pocket but not before Junho had gotten a full glance of what it was. “Are you planning on joining the contest brother?”

“Mind your own business!” Taeyang snapped.

“But we both know you don't have any training, Brother — how do you plan on winning the contest?” Junho pressed, the entire courtyard erupted into laughter as if they'd been waiting for someone to finally say it.

Taeyang glanced fiercely at them, daring them all to keep shut, but they didn't. His three friends still processing their registration with the clerk were also frowning.

“Enough!” Junho waved, with a smug smile on his face. “You're courting death brother, I can't stay by and watch that happen.”

“Suit yourself, Junho.”

A guard drew his sword immediately, and aimed it at Taeyang. “Adress the Prince properly immediately!”

Taeyang stepped back and held up his own sword too, Baekho, Soohyun and Yohan jumped down from the registration stand and drew their swords too. In a matter of minutes the guards had surrounded the friends with their swords all drawn out and aimed at them.

“Now, now. Let's not cause a scene, Brother.” Junho said feigning to intervene, but he didn't tell his guards to lower their weapons. “I am only trying to watch after your safety, since you don't have any sword skills and you don't have any resonance. There's no need to draw your sword.”

“Stop pretending to be tough and obey the crown prince.” One of the participants in the line sneered. The others joined in immediately, and in no time the tide had turned against Taeyang.

“He does not even have any resonance, what is he planning to do? How's he going to fight!”

“Weakling!”

Junho kept a tight smile on his face as the insults rained on his brother from all angles, until finally he held up his hand and the whole courtyard quieted down.

“Don't be adamant, Brother. I don't want you to disgrace the family name, alright?”

“Junho mind your own business!” Taeyang snapped again, losing his cool.

Junho shook his head and let his shoulders droop low. “I have tried my best to convince you otherwise but if you insist to ruin the family name, then I'll have to stop you.”

“What will you do?” Taeyang questioned with raised eyebrows.

“I'm registering to show the whole world that your shame will be on you and you alone.”

Taeyang sneered. “Good for you!”

Junho waved at his guards and utmost immediately they lowered their weapons and rushed behind him to form two protective lines.

Junho walked up to the counter beaming at the cheers from everyone and wrote down his name straight up, the clerk curtseyed repeatedly at him, giving him special treatments while Taeyang watched.

“Prince Junho is one of Goryeo’s finest swordsman, he's a better warrior than that useless trash!” Someone suddenly blurted out.

Almost immediately another angry voice retorted back. “How can you compare the crown prince to a disposed prince?”

“You're right, Taeyang is trash!”

“I can't wait to defeat him on the survivor's stage.” Another voice chirped in.

Taeyang said nothing, he just stood there watching, while the entire courtyard humiliated him.

“Don't mind them,” Baekho said fiercely, “They're just trash! Irrelevant!”

“Don't worry, I'm not bothered by them. I only have eyes on Junho— I wonder what my step brother is up to.” Taeyang said, eyeing Junho who was receiving all the praises and attention at the registration stand.

“That's right!” Soohyun chirped in, following Taeyang's gaze. “Junho doesn't need this competition to proof anything.”

“Maybe just wants to humiliate you,” Yohan pointed out.

“Maybe.” Baekho agreed.

“Or maybe not.” Taeyang was sure, Junho had some

thing on his sleeves and there was only one way to find out.

To enter the competition and fight through it all!