ALL NOVEL Chapter 34
“Here it is, Your Highness. A model sword made by the best craftsmen, inspired by Xiang Yu’s Dragon Blade.”
“Oh, splendid! Well done, Bernhard!”
In a lavishly decorated room of the palace, a hulking subordinate presented the toy to a boy with black hair.
With a beaming smile, he requested a serious update on the current situation.
“How is the ongoing Magic Swordsman training project? Is everything progressing smoothly?”
“Of course. While we can’t perfectly replicate the martial arts from The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort yet, the concept of a hybrid class combining magic and swordsmanship is taking shape.”
“Good! Tell them not to worry about the funding! As the crown prince of the empire, I, Wolfgang, will persuade my father to continue investing money!”
“Understood. I will take my leave now.”
With polite words, the hulking subordinate exited the room.
Then, the black-haired boy, Prince Wolfgang von Clausewitz, lifted the toy with an excited expression.
“General Zhang Han of the Qin, come forth and receive the Blade of the Hegemon!”
Totally absorbed in The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort, he splurged his allowance to commission this special model.
He loved that it mirrored Xiang Yu’s sword down to the smallest detail.
Seeing him, the princess who had been reading at a nearby table shot him a disapproving look.
“Wolfgang, are you skipping your lessons again to play Hegemon? Father will be angry if he finds out!”
“Ugh, sister, please don’t tell on me…”
“Fufu.”
Highlighting her brother’s lively eyes, she smiled kindly.
Despite their age difference, it deepened their sibling bond.
Just after Wolfgang was born, the Empress passed away from illness, so naturally, his older sister Diana took on a motherly role for him.
Thus, Wolfgang respected and revered her like another parent.
“So, you really like Xiang Yu, Wolfgang? Playing his role all day? It wasn’t like this when Phantom’s other works came out.”
“Of course! He is truly the greatest hero, sister!”
Nodding excitedly at Diana’s question, Wolfgang, now just 12, lifted the toy sword and swung it with a flourish.
“What do you think? This is the might that uproots mountains and topples worlds, the courage of the Hegemon that stands against all! Who can dare stand in Xiang Yu’s way?”
His shout echoed with the catchphrase “How is it?” from the play, embodying Xiang Yu’s arrogant nature.
Diana smirked at her brother’s bravado.
“Well, I’m not so sure? Do you think Xiang Yu will truly be the final victor?”
“W-What do you mean?”
“You know, you and I have seen Phantom’s works for a long time?”
Swoosh!
Pages flipped as Diana dismissed her brother’s bravado.
She was reading the first edition of Dialogues, repeatedly examined since its publication.
Diana, who was quietly musing over the inscription “Know thyself” on the wall of the Delphi temple, added thoughtfully.
“There’s always a motivation underlying people’s actions, Wolfgang. Everyone has their own reason for carving out their own path.”
The “hero” protagonists from Phantom’s plays were all similar.
Admiral Lee’s motivation was noble loyalty and the belief in serving the country.
Caesar’s drive was personal ambition and nobless oblige.
Moses’ motivation came from his steadfast faith and duty to rescue his people.
“And Xiang Yu? What drives him?”
“Uh, umm…I mean, a sense of justice?”
“Anger. And a thirst for revenge, Wolfgang.”
His fury toward the Qin for taking his homeland, the desire for revenge against the enemy that slayed his uncle, and the blade aimed at those who dare defy him.
That was the most decisive difference setting Xiang Yu apart from all past protagonists.
And to Diana, that distinction felt like anything but an accident.
“Xiang Yu can never be the ultimate victor, Wolfgang. His character will ultimately trip him up, leading to a major disaster where he’ll fall on his own sword.”
“W-What are you talking about?! Xiang Yu can’t lose! He’s a hero who makes a million troops kneel!”
“Is that so? How about a wager? Coincidentally, the premiere of the second part has also been scheduled.”
Seeing her brother’s outburst, Diana rested her chin elegantly on her hand.
Glancing at Wolfgang’s collection, she proposed.
“If Xiang Yu wins, I’ll give you my most treasured items from my collection. Conversely, if he loses, I’ll take some of your collection. How about it?”
The Clausewitz siblings had inherited the spirit of collectors.
Having become ardent fans of Phantom, they actively collected relevant items.
Thus, there were times where they found themselves competing over unique treasures.
With a confident grin, Wolfgang replied, “Wow! Sister, are you also a member of the Han Liu Bang faction? Very well! Let’s make the bet! I won’t show mercy if you end up crying in regret later!”
“Fufu, alright then.”
Thus, Prince Wolfgang placed his bets on Xiang Yu’s triumph, investing heavily.
…Unaware of the impending disaster looming in the future.
<<<<< Days later. At Geloroushina, the performance of the first half of The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort was abruptly halted, replaced with a poster for the second half.
Like before, an attractive watercolor featured the hero Xiang Yu prominently.
However, the catchphrase for the piece had changed drastically from the first half.
While the first half’s catchphrase emphasized the power to uproot mountains and shake the world, the second half’s catchphrase was “Although one can dominate the world from atop a horse, one cannot govern the world from atop a horse.”
“What’s the meaning of this? It’s an expression that feels like a riddle?”
“Eh. You’ll understand once you see it, hurry up and let’s go in to find out what Xiang Yu’s later story holds.”
As the audience whispered amongst themselves, they entered the theater, eagerly wondering what exploits Xiang Yu would unveil this time.
…And behind the curtains, Rosalyn was nervously swallowing her dry throat.
“Feeling anxious, senior?”
“Um, a little.”
Rosalyn giggled while turning to look at me in my Xiang Yu costume.
Currently, she was dressed as Wu He, another leading character of the second half.
Perhaps it was due to me referencing Rosalyn a lot while crafting Wu He’s character?
She fit the gentle yet sickly, refined image surprisingly well.
It felt as if the beautiful Wu He from history was standing in front of me.
“But it’s okay. We’ve practiced a lot.”
“…”
Though she said it was okay, it seemed she was quite nervous given it’s her first stage.
I was also pressured into accepting the role of Xiang Yu reluctantly due to the prospect of an A+ grade.
At that moment, I stretched out my arm and took Rosalyn’s hand.
“Hmm? Balthazar?”
“Just hold on a sec.”
“Eep?!”
Rosalyn’s eyebrows wrinkled slightly as she shivered. Her cheeks were flushed bright red like cherries.
…Of course, I hadn’t done anything strange to her.
I just applied some pressure on her palm to release her nervous tension.
After giving her a moment’s massage, I asked, “How is it? Is the tightness easing up now?”
“…Um. I feel much calmer. Where did you learn such useful techniques, Balthazar?”
“Uh, well. My family belongs to a martial family, you know? It’s just some first-aid techniques from my father.”
“First-aid techniques? Wow, Balthazar, you really know a lot of amazing things!”
That was a lie. I simply learned acupressure techniques as a Korean familiarity with traditional medicine.
I was only adopting it for fun, but it turned out to be surprisingly useful in many situations.
“Still, you’ve always been so knowledgeable. You have bizarre tidbits that I’ve never heard of, and you come up with unique ideas that are different from others.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Sometimes you seem like you don’t even belong to this world, like you fell from some other dimension.”
I flinched. She was just jesting, but for a moment, it felt like a massive shock.
In fact, my inner self is a blend of my previous life as Ha Eun-seong and my current life as Balthazar.
“Does that make you uncomfortable? Do you think I’m a bit strange?”
Wryly throwing in the joke, I saw her shake her head.
A gentle smile resembling a soft crescent moon blossomed on her lips.
“No? On the contrary, it makes you even more charming? I’m truly happy to be with someone like you, Balthazar.”
“R-Really?”
This is awkward. She probably doesn’t mean it, but it still feels a bit embarrassing.
Once again, our innocent Rosalyn, it’s nice to be kind, but she has no idea she’s capturing the hearts of boys all at once.
At that moment, the stage manager shouted from the side.
“Alright, the performance is starting! In ten seconds, you’re bursting through the poster!”
With that, I extended my hand, as if escorting her.
“Shall we go now, my Wu He?”
“Fufu, yes.”
In response, Rosalyn’s radiant smile bloomed like summer roses.
With her sparkling emerald-like eyes locked onto me, she replied sweetly.
“Let’s go together, my Hegemon.”
Just as we were about to step out as a pair of lovebirds,
“Oh, wait. Did you receive the changes in the script?”
“Changes? Yeah, I did. Why?”
“N-No reason. Forget about it.”
…but did she genuinely receive them? I couldn’t shake off the feeling.
The second half had undergone several minor alterations to enhance impact before the premiere.
The main narrative stayed intact, but some scenes were continuously refined for entertainment and romance.
Yet, after the final rehearsal, when adding the last-minute changes, she had been meeting her father and missed the discussion.
Furthermore, the newly added scenes between Xiang Yu and Wu He just happened to…
“Hey, Rosalyn? Did you really get the update? There’s one more change to our script…”
“3, 2, 1! It’s starting now! All actors to your positions!”
But there wasn’t time to ask more.
With a grand melody, the curtain for The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort second half rose.
<<<<< Thump thump thump-!!
“Facing fierce waves, the passion boiling within is hotter than the red sun~♬”
“With iron-like courage, a steel-like bone, a grand ambition in my chest, my gaze shines for all to see~”
Before the show started, the Elven acrobats played the theme from The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort.
To the joyful melody of Namdangjangga, the audience couldn’t help but sway and cheer.
During the first part of The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort, the future “protagonist” stormed in by tearing apart the central painting along with the music, making a bold entrance.
“Ahaha, finally starting?!”
“Come on out, Xiang Yu! Show us your amazing martial arts again today!”
As the audience clamored for the Western Hegemon, someone ripped through a watercolor and jumped onto the stage.
…but it wasn’t Xiang Yu.
“Hahaha! Oh no! Did you all expect Xiang Yu to appear?”
Dressed in crimson military garb and a matching cloak, the Red Emperor’s son appeared with a mischievous grin.
It was Liu Bang, Xiang Yu’s rival, who entered dramatically.
“Western Hegemon! You didn’t forget about your sworn brother, Uncle Liu Bang, did you?”
Swish!
Drawing his sword that had just beheaded a giant white serpent, the actor playing Liu Bang shouted.
“Having overcome the disgrace of Hongmen, I, Liu Bang, have returned! Let’s settle the martial supremacy once more, haahaha!”
<<<<< Liu Bang, having returned for a grand return to conquer the world, However, his initial triumph didn’t play out as effectively as anticipated. Due to dissatisfaction with Xiang Yu's leadership, an overwhelming number of armies flocked to Liu Bang. Deploying them, he temporarily seized the capital of the Chu, Pengcheng, but... ...was swiftly crushed by Xiang Yu, who returned with just a small detachment. “Liu Bang! Do you dare challenge me?!”
Xiang Yu cried, slaying Wang Zhi, Han Wang Shanyang in a virtual cascade of enemy troops,
With a meager 30,000 soldiers, he defeated an astounding 560,000 opposing troops in the Battle of Pengcheng.
It was a battle that could disregard all common sense and military strategy, marking the opening of the second half of The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort.
“Wahaha! I knew this would happen! Flee now, coward Liu Bang!”
“It was obvious from the start! How dare the Han to defy the Hegemon?”
“Quickly, chase after him! Show him the price of defying the Hegemon!”
Despite being a family and subordinates, Liu Bang hastily retreated, abandoning them.
Most of the audience erupted in laughter at his disheveled retreat.
Meanwhile, a handful of Liu Bang’s fans swallowed their disappointment in tears, crying out,
“Hic, Uncle Liu! You made an excellent entrance, but we expected more…”
“Aaaah! I had great hopes for this, and this is what we got?! Phantom Writer, please buff Liu Bang!”
In any case, the Battle of Pengcheng was a complete victory for the Western Hegemon Xiang Yu.
Out of 560,000, approximately 100,000 were tragically slain during combat, with 200,000 captured by the Chu forces.
Seeing this overwhelming victory, the audience believed that once again, Xiang Yu would seize the world just as in the first half.
…However, suddenly, the story began to take a strange turn.
“I’ve been fighting day and night to obliterate the wicked Qin and restore the old order of the World Tree. Yet, you, Liu Bang, dare to rebel against me because of your tongue?!”
Seated upon the golden throne of Chu, donned in armor, and wielding the Dragon Blade, Xiang Yu conducted the state affairs.
With his characteristic arrogant expression, he suddenly issued an unimaginable decree.
“General Yongzhu, bury all 200,000 captured soldiers alive. There is no mercy for those who disturb the order of the Hegemon!”
“W-What?!”
“Burying 200,000 captives alive?!”
The audience gawked, wide-eyed at Xiang Yu’s decree.
Of course, prisoner massacres took place quite often even in this medieval world.
In a pre-modern age, where human rights awareness was inadequate, the value of life was lower than expected.
But to order the burial of 200,000 innocent soldiers outright transcended common sense.
Even characters in The Hegemon-King Li’s Consort shared this sentiment.
“Hegemon! Please reconsider! We must not commit such an atrocious crime!”
Fan Zheng, who was both a lord and disciple of Xiang Yu, clung to his clothes in horror, desperately pleading.
“We rose up against the evil Qin to save the people! If you kill all the people, everything we’ve done so far will be in vain! That’s simply not the way of a Hegemon!”
“Let go of me, flatterer! What do you mean by this is not how I should be?!”
But Xiang Yu shrugged off his teacher’s grasp with annoyance.
Then he turned his furious gaze towards the audience with a bellow:
“I have trampled the enemy with my sword and established peace centered around Chu! So, I will equally respond to those who dare defy my order with the same sword!”
“Hegemon! No matter what, that’s not right! While it may be Han and his generals, those are innocent soldiers!”
“Innocent soldiers? Don’t be ridiculous! Those who dare oppose the Hegemon are no different from the evil Qin! This is the most ‘me’ decision, so stop your babbling, flatterer!”
The atmosphere of the play flipped a full 180 degrees in an instant.
And the audience was left slack-jawed, unable to catch up with the turn of events.
On stage, the actor playing Fan Zheng mournfully recited,
“Oh dear! It’s obsession! Ah, foolish Fan Zheng! How could I have missed the Hegemon falling into the clutches of obsession?!”
“What? Obsession? What does that even mean?”
“What the heck is that supposed to be?”
“Obsession and slaughter! What could they possibly be?!”
For the confused audience, a narrator stepped in to explain the martial world’s concept.
Obsession (心魔) is the darkness rooted deeply in one’s heart, manifesting when it acquires immense power.
Slaughter (殺刧) describes the accumulating heinous acts through rampant killing.
Hearing this, the audience’s faces paled.
“So, that’s what it is?”
“Because of relying too much on violence…he ended up corrupting himself without realizing?”
The narrative of a hero falling into demonic temptation is fairly common in this realm as well.
As a result, the audience could metaphorically grasp the disconcerting situation unfolding.
The Western Hegemon Xiang Yu had appeared like a hero battling the evil Qin in the first half.
Now, he was transformed into a tyrant no different than the First Emperor of Qin in the second half.