Chapter: 658
The first discussion hadn’t been about this sort of thing at all; it was somewhat more commercial.
I shared a few highlights of what happened in the North Sea.
I didn’t reveal anything I couldn’t say. I arranged what could be communicated and passed it along to Mo Yong-hee.
Of course, that role should have fallen to Yuri, not me.
Shuffling.
Mo Yong-hee read the organized letter several times.
In the room, the only sound was the rustling of paper as she fiddled with the letter.
After staring at the letter for a while, Mo Yong-hee spoke.
“I’ve listened to your story carefully.”
Even while speaking, her gaze remained firmly fixed on the letter.
“First, I would like to express my regrets about what happened in the North Sea.”
“Thank you for your words….”
Yuri responded to Mo Yong-hee’s remarks, but the tension in her voice was palpable.
What could she do?
Mo Yong-hee was undoubtedly one of the most difficult people to deal with in this situation.
Thud.
Mo Yong-hee put down the letter she had been holding and looked at Yuri.
“Now, aside from that regret, I have many questions for you, Your Majesty. May I begin?”
“…Yes.”
This was just the beginning.
“Thank you for your understanding. Now, let’s discuss the contract we made before starting the work.”
Her voice dropped as the atmosphere grew heavier. The pressure from someone at their peak was nothing to take lightly.
“The contract stated that if we completed the work, we would gain exclusive rights to the North Sea. Is that contract still valid?”
“…It is valid.”
Mo Yong-hee nodded at Yuri’s response.
“Then, after we finalize things, you mentioned that you would proceed with the transaction within three months at the latest. Is that still possible?”
Hmm?
I widened my eyes upon hearing Mo Yong-hee’s words.
Did we have a contract like that?
I knew about the exclusive trading rights, but they seemed to have held firm on the deadline.
Well, I suppose she was serious about handling business.
Yuri’s expression darkened at that.
“…That part seems difficult due to some issues.”
Completing the deal within the three-month window appears overwhelmingly challenging.
Of course,
That’s just common sense. The war isn’t over yet; it’s still ongoing.
From the looks of it, we might win soon and get everything in order, but that would still take around three months.
Rebuilding the Ice Palace, staffing it, and stabilizing it would take at least a year.
Ignoring all that and expecting to start trading within three months? That’s utterly nonsensical.
“That’s understandable.”
Mo Yong-hee nodded lightly after hearing the answer.
Having already been informed through the letter, she probably expected as much.
“Then, when do you think we could possibly start the transactions?”
“At the very least, I believe we could manage it by this time next year…”
“Be precise, please. You said that when we signed the contract.”
“…”
They all look rather similar save for the hair, but the feeling is entirely different.
I noticed Yuri struggling under Mo Yong-hee’s sharp gaze.
Yuri, while smart in her own right, appeared quite inferior compared to Mo Yong-hee.
“I could manage to do it by next fall.”
The timeline shifted from summer to fall—an acceptable change.
However.
“So you mean to say that this situation already extends a few months?”
There’s no need for me to understand that.
“I regret the circumstances in the North Sea, but since the contract was effectively unfulfilled, I think we need to adjust the terms instead of terminating it. Do you agree?”
Before Yuri could reply, the letter had already landed on the table.
When did she pull that out again?
Wait, when did she prepare that?
It was pretty clear she didn’t just prepare it on the spot. From the state of the letter and the hardened ink, it had certainly been several days.
What this indicates is…
…Does this mean she anticipated this from the start?
No matter how you look at it, three months is going to be impossible.
This meant Mo Yong-hee had been thoroughly prepared to change the contract.
What a terrifying individual.
While others might not know, one must never let Mo Yong-hee get the upper hand.
Seeing this gave me a newfound conviction.
Of course, changing a contract isn’t something that happens easily, so as the conversation progressed, Yuri seemed to be trying to figure out a way to negotiate.
Yet…
“Thank you. Well, let’s wrap this up for now.”
“…Yes, yes…”
As time passed and the discussion came to a close, Yuri appeared utterly defeated and contemplative.
Meanwhile, Mo Yong-hee looked as composed as ever—no signs of stress whatsoever.
Watching from the sidelines gave me cold sweats.
The sight of her verbally cornering her opponent was so intense I couldn’t help but feel a little dizzy.
“I’ve prepared the place for the princess to stay. The escorts who accompanied her will also proceed to that location.”
Oh right, those guys were around, too.
Now that I think about it, it seems that the escorts who came to protect Yuri were left here.
I had abandoned them because they were a hassle, but Mo Yong-hee seemed to be taking good care of them.
…Yuri will be here at least until next fall, then.
While sent as a refugee, that makes her essentially a bargaining chip.
It gives Mo Yong-hee the leverage to hold onto her until the contract is duly executed.
Thus, the princess had more than enough reason to start trading with the upper class as soon as the war came to an end.
In essence, Yuri would soon become a “pet” to Mo Yong-hee.
Mo Yong-hee smiled as she said that.
“…Thank you.”
With nothing left to say, Yuri wearily nodded, and the conversation concluded.
Following that, Yuri stood up first, following the servant’s directions.
I saw this and prodded Woohyuk, telling him to follow suit.
Without a word, Woohyuk trailed after Yuri.
“I’ll take my leave first.”
Mo Yong-hee chose to ignore the greeting from Woohyuk as it went unnoticed.
Her fierce demeanor left me hesitant to point it out.
Once the two departed, a brief silence enveloped the room.
After feeling like seconds had turned into eons…
“ Phew… ”
Mo Yong-hee let out a quiet sigh, and the atmosphere lightened a smidge.
She relaxed her previously stiff expression and looked at me.
“Did you have a pleasant trip?”
“…It was alright?”
“From the looks of it, it doesn’t seem like you had an easy time.”
What could be written in the letter penned by the princess?
A cold sweat was already trickling down my back, and I hadn’t even realized it.
Perhaps noticing my demeanor, Mo Yong-hee greeted me with a smile.
“It’s fine. I’ve known from the beginning that you wouldn’t just have a normal experience wherever you go.”
“…That kind of feels like a curse?”
“Yes, it’s not a compliment.”
“Uhh, yeah… right.”
That had me awkwardly smiling.
“Where did Mrs. Mi go?”
“She mentioned she had some matters to attend to for a few days. She’ll probably return around tomorrow.”
Scheduling matters or something? Given the timing, it makes sense that Mrs. Mi would be quite busy.
Pretty soon, it’ll be competition time, after all.
The upper echelon embarks on their most frantic preparations not during the festival itself, but just prior to it.
Mrs. Mi, being the rightful owner, indeed needed to bolster contracts and make arrangements ahead of time to maximize the festival’s gains.
“And… even if that weren’t the case, the rumors might keep her a bit occupied.”
“Rumors?”
I remarked, intrigued.
It was the same topic I had heard moments earlier.
In my previous exchange with Beomdong, I had picked up on the chatter regarding ‘rumors.’
“I believe it was concerning the Lord of the Meng Clan visiting. That seemed to be causing problems. What’s going on?”
“Ah….”
Mo Yong-hee paused briefly before starting to explain, and I realized that this was precisely the story I had heard before.
“A group known as the Demonic Cult has been causing quite a stir in the Central Plains lately.”
Rather than being surprised by her words, I couldn’t help but smile.
Looks like things are rolling along just fine.
It seems like the job I assigned is being executed without a hitch.
Sure, the pace might be a bit fast, but it’s not bad by any means.
“They say it’s an order founded by an unheard-of powerhouse called Cheonma, and they attack indiscriminately without regard for whether you belong to the righteous or demonic sects.”
This is pretty much on cue.
In fact, I had actively encouraged them to spread such rumors while they were out and about, but it did seem it took a bit longer to get out than anticipated.
So far, so good.
But then…
“There’s a rumor that the identity of that Cheonma is none other than Paejon, one of the three Lords.”
…What?
I didn’t see that coming.
That implies this isn’t part of my plan at all.
Where did this absurd rumor come from?
Before I could even contemplate it,
“Hmm?”
A puzzled voice floated in from behind.
“…”
I suddenly felt a piercing gaze directed at me, which made it hard to swallow my dry throat.
I think I just got caught.
There’s no doubt about it.
This person just began to approach me, aiming right for me without any hesitation whatsoever.
This is going too far; I accept my involvement, but surely, they should at least consider the situation first?
Who the hell started this rumor?
It’s clear that this shouldn’t have spread ‘yet.’
Who could it possibly be?
Could it be the first horse?
That’s the most likely suspect, but I couldn’t believe it.
He isn’t stupid enough to spread rumors like this.
So, who could it be?
I don’t know.
Honestly, I couldn’t pinpoint that right now.
Plus, it wasn’t the moment to mull it over, either.
“Confucius?”
“Paejon… I really don’t think that’s possible.”
First things first, I needed to play dumb; watching was the priority.
Mo Yong-hee nodded as if she agreed with my response.
“Yeah, I’m inclined to think that, too.”
Mo Yong-hee’s gaze shifted somewhere.
It was directed at the figure sitting directly behind me.
Had she noticed the presence of Paejon here? That didn’t seem likely.
She likely just saw a descendant of the Hidden Clan.
Given the nobility of the Seoanbi clan, they wouldn’t dare to speak ill of them here.
“… Surely, none other than the three Lords of the righteous sect would act in such a manner.”
“Indeed, that seems unlikely.”
Paejon chuckled softly, his first words since being here.
“Such a great being wouldn’t stoop to such trivialities…”
He even used the term “great being.” I had to desperately suppress my grimace.
“By the way, do you know why such rumors are circulating?”
Paejon directed the question to Mo Yong-hee.
“As for information, there’s a prevailing notion that someone is behind the rumors.”
Mo Yong-hee’s tone carried an assumption that this was perhaps not quite the case.
Does that mean there’s no one spreading this information?
Then, what is it?
Before my curiosity fully formed, Mo Yong-hee continued.
“… There’s information circulating that the martial arts he used to kill the Mu-Dang elder were the poison techniques deployed by the Demon King.”
“…”
“This isn’t confirmed information… but they’re investigating it based on the report that Cheonma displayed a power on par with the Three Lords.”
Upon hearing this, I nodded.
Ah, I see.
I guess it’s my doing then. Ugh, damn it.
It seems the chaos I stirred is causing problems after all.
I can’t even vent my frustration at the absurdity of all this.
Having thought that the Toua Paeon technique wouldn’t leave a mark, I was clearly mistaken.
Seems someone caught a glimpse of it.
If they are noticing enough for this, they were probably other elders lurking nearby.
Or perhaps they discovered a trace….
Something must have tipped them off.
Great, I’m in trouble.
I wrestled with the cold sweat flowing down me while trying to keep a calm façade.
Is it problematic that information is spreading like this? That’s not the case.
What do I even care about it?
At this point, my identity hasn’t been revealed, so I couldn’t be concerned about that.
What truly matters is…
I can’t let that guy find out about me.
At the very least, the responsible party must remain hidden.
The pressure is killing me.
Paejon was locking his gaze onto me.
I absolutely must not turn my head.
If I turn now, that could spell disaster.
What then? I briefly considered my options when a notion struck me.
I have no choice.
Sometimes, you just have to pull the emergency exit.
I’m outta here.
Time to run.
With that thought, I stood up.
“Confucius?”
“Something urgent popped up. See you later.”
“Huh? So suddenly? P-!”
Mo Yong-hee tried to call me urgently, but I was already disappearing, just like that.
“…Huh?”
Mo Yong-hee was left flabbergasted at the sudden turn of events.
Is he really going to leave just like that? After so long since we last met?
“That guy is unreal…!”
Mo Yong-hee clenched her fists and gritted her teeth angrily.
We haven’t even finished our conversation yet!
The topic regarding swordsmanship hadn’t even crossed my mind, so why did he ghost us so quickly?
Just as Mo Yong-hee was attempting to calm her seething emotions,
“Then I’ll head out as well. Until we meet again!”
Dang So-yeol, who had been watching discreetly, quickly greeted Mo Yong-hee and vanished.
That was even more infuriating.
“…You two, just wait until we meet again. I won’t let you off easily.”
Mo Yong-hee, feeling that catching them would lead to trouble, managed to catch her breath.
Then she noticed the situation.
Now, she was left alone in this room with an uncomfortable individual.
“…”
Perhaps realizing how awkward her behavior had been, Mo Yong-hee adjusted her posture.
She turned to face the young man present.
He had black hair and eyes that seemed gentle; a handsome demeanor altogether.
Two Dragons.
A bloodline of the fallen.
Turyong of the Bi family.
Although he shared the same status as the Six Dragon Three Peaks, they had never really conversed before.
He was merely a companion of Gu Yangchen to me.
Mo Yong-hee felt an unease around him, fueling her discomfort.
…What a strange fellow.
It didn’t feel as if he’d built walls around himself, yet he seemed indifferent towards others.
His uninterested gaze only deepened the shadow in his eyes.
Her instincts warned her.
You shouldn’t treat this person lightly.
A strange feeling of anxiety tightened Mo Yong-hee’s demeanor.
As she kept an eye on Turyong, she wondered.
Why isn’t he leaving?
For some odd reason, Turyong chose to remain seated instead of leaving the room quietly.
After everyone had vacated, it would normally be expected for him to stand up and head out as well.
Mo Yong-hee’s curiosity only grew on the matter.
“Uh, excuse me.”
Turyong initiates a conversation with Mo Yong-hee.
“I believe it was called Seolbong.”
“…Yes, that’s correct. Prince Turyong.”
As Mo Yong-hee responded, Turyong smiled.
While it appeared to be a warm smile, an undeniable sense of unease marred the atmosphere.
Amidst such uncertainty, Turyong nonchalantly proposed an unexpected offer to Mo Yong-hee.
“You seem to enjoy trading. How about making a deal with me? I promise the reward will be satisfactory.”
“…What kind of deal are you suddenly talking about? If it’s something regarding what we just spoke of….”
“Oh, this isn’t about that. It’s rather obvious, so I can figure that part out myself.”
“Excuse me?”
So it isn’t a question about Paejon?
Then what on earth does he want to trade?
“I’m reaching out to you because you appear to be a reliable individual. All I need is for you to retrieve one piece of information for me.”
“…Information?”
“It’s nothing major.”
Suddenly, Turyong’s expression shifted.
“I would like you to procure information about the Flame King.”
While he still seemed to smile,
In reality, Turyong’s smile felt frightening.
Mo Yong-hee couldn’t shake off the chill creeping up her spine.
I fled like a bat out of hell.
I quickened my pace, distancing myself, but I couldn’t help sneaking glances over my shoulder.
…Why isn’t anyone chasing me?
I fully expected Paejon to follow me and grab me by the collar at any moment, yet to my surprise, he remained behind.
That was even scarier.
It was almost as if he were saying, “Let’s meet again later.”
Oh, crap.
I never thought such rumors would circulate this quickly.
This definitely muddled things up considerably.
“…Tsk.”
I clicked my tongue and shook my head.
Whatever, I’ll just act innocent if I get caught. What else is there to do?
So what if I say it wasn’t me?
I decided to keep it straightforward. It’s like saying, “I couldn’t care less.”
Alternatively, making a run for several days could be a viable option too.
Yet, meeting them later could be even more daunting.
Thud thud.
I dusted myself off after a hasty escape.
“Hmm.”
As I brushed off the dust, I noticed a bustling crowd.
With the festival season approaching, it seemed many were arriving.
In fact, I noticed an unusually high number of martial artists among the crowds.
Their levels are impressive too.
Not only were there first-class experts, but I even spotted some peak-level martial artists.
Most of them likely came for the purposes of the non-battle event.
There must be a lot of interest in this non-combat event, huh?
That’s hardly surprising.
After all, it’s the first event held in several years, and the prizes on offer aren’t just your typical goods.
Sure, there might be famous swords or elixirs involved.
However, more importantly,
The revival of the Dragon King.
A group directly under the leadership of the alliance and one that served as representatives of the martial world.
That was the Shinryongdae, whose unit had vanished for a time due to an incident, now rumors of its comeback coinciding with the non-battle events ignited newfound excitement.
Signifying a restoration of their stature, it also offered honor to those who could partake in its revival.
Among nobility, your reputation is everything; it’s only natural they’d crave what it brings.
And for me, this meant a significant opportunity.
A vital element for the grand ‘plan’ ahead.
I would have to figure out how to utilize that Dragon King when the time comes.
With less than a month until the non-battle event, it’s time to gear up.
Although it irked me to have to be constantly on the move upon arrival, hesitating wasn’t an option now.
Thus, as I pondered returning to my previous duty with Pilduma,
Thud!
“Yikes!”
Someone crashed into me and fell.
I turned to see a woman sprawled on the ground.
Naturally, I didn’t offer a hand to help; I just observed.
The woman hastily rose from her fall and bowed deeply toward me.
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you properly. Are you hurt anywhere?”
As she bowed, the pungent scent of incense wafted through the air.
Feeling it fill my nostrils, I scrunched my face.
That scent was terrible; while others might adore it, it wasn’t to my liking at all.
At the same time, I caught a glimpse of her face through the veil.
My brows twitched slightly at the sight.
Hahaha.
I couldn’t help but smile.
It was a face I recognized well.
The woman boasted a fair complexion.
If Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah were faces that could draw gazes from 100 people out of 100, this one was certainly a 90 out of 100.
With a mature demeanor and alluring eyes, her alluring figure stood out strikingly, naturally igniting desire in any onlooker.
Look at this!
The women around me were all extremely gorgeous, making this level of beauty seem unremarkable in comparison.
The shock stemmed from an entirely different sentiment.
Still quick on her feet; that woman needs to be sent off immediately.
Her alias: Bihyeonhwa (悲炫華).
A member of the Murim Alliance’s investigation team, renowned for utilizing her charms to extract secret information.
This, of course, meant she was someone dispatched by Beomdong from the Murim Alliance.
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