Chapter: 769
“What did you say?”
Ilcheonggeom, upon hearing my answer, blurted out his words with an expression of disbelief.
Enjoying that look, I replied.
“I won’t do it.”
“May I ask why?”
“Reason…?”
If you ask for a reason, there are plenty, but I was contemplating which one to share.
A newly created major position.
An offer to seat me as the Grand Master of that place.
It doesn’t sound bad at first glance. No, it’s actually quite a monumental offer.
Becoming the Grand Master of the Maeng is a position that requires considerable standing and stature.
There’s a branch manager in charge of each region.
They possess enough authority to oversee the area, but even these branch managers are powerless against the main branch’s Grand Master.
Remembering that the Grand Master has the command authority over branch managers puts the position into clearer perspective.
Furthermore, just considering the evaluations and benefits one would receive in the Central Plains immediately after taking on the position of Grand Master, it’s undeniably a remarkable offer.
‘But that’s all in the past.’
For me now, it felt like a pointless endeavor.
No, looking at the current state of the Maeng, I wouldn’t say it holds much value at all…
‘More precisely.’
Thud.
I set down the teacup in front of me and raised the corners of my mouth.
“The part about it being a ‘suggestion’ is quite amusing.”
“Pardon?”
Ilcheonggeom narrowed his eyes at my words.
It seemed my comment struck a nerve, but I had no intention of softening my words.
It was absolutely ridiculous.
“You’re not presenting it as a suggestion.”
“What…?”
Creek.
I leaned back in my chair and addressed Ilcheonggeom.
“This is not a suggestion; this is a request.”
“…!”
Ilcheonggeom’s expression instantly crumpled upon hearing those words.
“…Your Majesty, what does that mean?”
“Did I say it indirectly? I don’t think so. It’s just as you heard.”
Not some ridiculous suggestion.
“Even if I politely requested it, it wouldn’t be enough. That’s what I’m saying.”
“Holy King—!”
Thud!
Ilcheonggeom jumped up violently, shaking the table.
Seeing his reddened face, he appeared to be genuinely angry.
Oh, really.
‘This is too good.’
I felt delighted that things were unfolding so well.
I reigned in the corners of my mouth that were about to lift on their own and glanced at Ilcheonggeom, simultaneously peeking at the door.
“I know about the astonishing achievements and the good deeds you’ve accomplished in Hanam.”
As speculation filled the room,
Ilcheonggeom spoke to me with piercing eyes.
“Knowing that, before a thorough investigation was even conducted, the Maeng surprisingly elevated you to the rank of king. How arrogant. Do you find the Maeng laughable?”
“Yes.”
“…What?”
Answering flatly took Ilcheonggeom aback. I found his reaction amusing.
“Then, doesn’t it seem laughable?”
“Y-You…”
“If someone saw me, they’d think I offered something precious. It’s utterly absurd.”
I spat those words out and grasped the teacup on the table.
And then,
Slurp.
I tilted the cup slightly, letting the tea trickle onto the floor.
It was an unexpected act, but it didn’t matter. Ilcheonggeom’s gaze drifted toward this inconsequential deed.
Taking advantage of that brief moment, I squeezed in my words.
“Who wouldn’t know they’re trying to distract me by putting a crown on my head because it seems public sentiment has gone sour?”
“…!”
“Since I seem to be gaining a bit of fame, they’re just distracting everyone with labels like the youngest king and a hero, while they surely plot how to improve the situation… What? You want me to take on the Grand Master position?”
I laughed heartily.
At that moment—
“Damn, these guys need to watch their mouths.”
Hoo-oooh!!!
“…Cough!”
I raised my aura to suppress Ilcheonggeom’s fighting spirit. That was well enough.
Thud!
‘Oh crap.’
Pain shot through my heart, accompanied by blood rushing up.
‘I wasn’t able to properly check my internal injuries.’
I hadn’t been attentive to my body, being engulfed in other concerns. It seems worse than I thought.
If I keep spewing energy like usual, my blood vessels might get twisted.
So I had to gradually reel in the energy I was expelling.
“The Holy King is a real saint; who asked for it? Thanks for handing it over. I’ll diligently do everything as instructed. Is that how it should be? Don’t make me chuckle.”
Even while recovering my energy, I wouldn’t stop talking.
“Who do you think I am, an idiot?”
I needed to conceal my poor condition as much as possible.
“And this new Grand Master position? It sounds respectable. But let’s be honest here.”
Knock knock… Knock knock.
I tapped the table about four times.
That wrapped up my thoughts.
“Honestly, that’s a situation where it has to be me.”
“…!!”
“But what do you mean by a suggestion? I think it’s not enough to ask politely and nicely. Isn’t it?”
The expression on Ilcheonggeom’s face crumbled as if he’d been struck.
That was sufficient.
“Right?”
“…You.”
I nodded at Ilcheonggeom’s reaction.
“Your words are quite curt, sir. Could you keep it short as well? That way, I’ll be comfortable.”
“…Crack!!”
His expression made it seem like he wanted to pull out his sword at that moment.
Honestly, it would be somewhat dangerous if Ilcheonggeom drew his sword right now.
If he wanted to kill me, it’s doable. If not, I’d be at a loss.
But there’s no need to worry about that either.
After all, it was about time for the protagonist to show up.
“Truly… I should see blood-!”
“Blue Dragon Corps.”
Halt.
Ilcheonggeom’s body froze in place at the sudden voice.
A somewhat feeble voice resonated from outside the door. I didn’t dwell on who it could be.
If the Maeng had ended up like this, there was bound to be one gentleman they called.
Crackle.
I heard a cough, and at that moment,
Squeak—!
The door swung open and someone entered.
The first sight was an old man of massive stature.
No, not just big; he carried a commanding presence.
‘Inspecting.’
In Hanam, to be precise, he was among the top ten masters of the Central Plains, defending the Murim Alliance.
There was an old man said to have not climbed the Three Sacred Peaks merely as a jest to protect his lofty vows.
So did that old man call for Ilcheonggeom?
No, that wasn’t it either.
The inspector entered first, followed by another old man.
A smaller old man with his mouth covered entered quietly.
To describe him, he appeared to have an aura akin to a divine being.
The author.
The person I had been waiting for was that old man.
“That’s enough.”
The tired-looking old man spoke to Ilcheonggeom, causing him to frown.
“However, elder…! The Holy King has disregarded the current Murim Alliance. Are you saying we should remain silent after hearing his words?”
Ilcheonggeom, whose anger was palpable due to his regard for the Maeng, spoke defensively.
“There’s nothing wrong with what he said.”
“…Elder!”
“I ordered you to take a hard line, my lord. I apologize, but for the remaining issues, I’ll discuss directly with the Holy King… Please step out for a moment.”
“…Grr.”
“Please.”
At the old man’s request, Ilcheonggeom left, still red-faced.
Even on his way out, he maintained an exceedingly polite demeanor towards the elder.
That indicated the old man’s significant standing in the Maeng.
That much is true.
‘I need that old man for my survival now.’
The current rift in the Murim Alliance.
As far as I know, only that old man has dealt with it.
Immediately after Ilcheonggeom left,
The old man approached the chair where he had sat and looked at me inquiringly.
“May I sit down?”
A cautious inquiry.
Recognizing that, I nodded.
“Of course, by all means. The owner of the place just stepped out.”
“Thank you for your consideration.”
Having received permission, the old man took his seat.
From that moment on, I straightened my posture.
This was merely the beginning.
“Pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”
The air felt heavy.
Not with energy. This old man’s strength wasn’t enough to radiate such energy.
This oppressive feeling stemmed from his presence.
It’s akin to the sensation felt when a doctor practices medicine or when Mrs. Mi occasionally gets angry at her father.
In other words, the old man is a significant figure who has achieved a considerable degree of merit in his field.
As evidence of this,
“I see you already know who I am, so there’s no need for a formal introduction.”
One thing was already revealed.
“Well, since it’s our first meeting, wouldn’t an introduction be more appropriate?”
“Oh, if you wish… that’s fine too. Introducing ourselves is indeed a good practice.”
The old man nodded, understanding, before replying.
“This old man’s name is Muyeon.”
As I heard that introduction, I pondered.
“I hold the position of strategist in the Murim Alliance, which doesn’t seem to suit my appearance.”
How should I figure out how to remove that old man from the picture?
That was what I was deliberating.
Muyeon.
He’s known to be over eighty and isn’t from any particular family or sect.
So-called an independent figure.
This wasn’t particularly unusual in the Maeng.
In lower-tier positions within the Maeng, there are often more independents than individuals from prestigious families.
But,
‘That old man is special and yet not at all common.’
Among them, the man named Muyeon is a person whose trajectory is distinctly different.
It’s understandable; he is a person who managed to reach the upper echelons of the Murim Alliance despite being an independent!
Not to mention he’s an old man lacking martial arts skills with a frail body; he had once held the third highest position in the history of the Murim Alliance.
It was during the time when the Sword Lord held the leader’s position.
At that time, the Sword Lord’s mouth and ears were like Ubongchui, and his eyes were like Cheonan’s.
The one who served as his head was the old man named Muyeon.
A genius who never forgets what he sees once and could assess a situation in a heartbeat.
The person who knows ink and contemplates deeply.
That was the name of the mightiest strategist in the history of the Murim Alliance.
The strategist was right in front of me.
To be accurate,
‘Just not at the moment.’
If expressed, it would be appropriate to qualify him as a former strategist.
A few years after the Sword Lord stepped down, Muyeon retired and left the Maeng.
So many years have passed now.
How could a once-dominant strategist, having disappeared for such a long time, suddenly reappear in this chaotic situation?
It could seem surprising, but truly it wasn’t odd at all.
‘…It was like this in my past life, too.’
Immediately after the appearance of the Heavenly Demon and the foresight of bloody calamity.
Even then, Muyeon had resurfaced. Despite his age, he joined the Alliance claiming he would lend his assistance…
‘He ultimately died.’
The strategist had passed away soon after.
Why?
‘Because the first target that Cheon Yu-rang aimed to eliminate was that old man.’
Cheon Yu-rang, known as the brain of the Demon Cult.
He initially set out to eliminate Muyeon with all his resources.
After three months of intensive struggle, he was finally able to take Muyeon’s life.
Have I ever mentioned the tale of how Cheon Yu-rang single-handedly took down three peak martial artists and fled?
That old man created that tale.
That meant he was a figure endowed with remarkable intelligence.
“This is Gu Yangcheon.”
Hearing his introduction, I introduced myself as well.
“It’s an honor to meet the hero of Hanam.”
Upon hearing my introduction, Muyeon smiled while I responded with a slight smile in kind.
“I’m also nervous because I’m meeting someone who was referred to as the brain of the Murim Alliance.”
“Hahaha, that’s all in the past… merely past glory.”
“Past glory…”
After pondering Muyeon’s words briefly, I looked at him and said,
“All that considered, you appear to maintain good health. And you’re even creating a situation like this.”
At my comment, there was no discernible change in his expression. The smile he directed at me only deepened slightly.
“May I ask why you think so?”
Oh, this isn’t good. A few trivial exchanges were all it took for me to conclude.
This old man.
‘I do not like him.’
He embodies the archetype I most dislike.
So much so that I should ideally eliminate him right now if possible.
“The first oddity I noticed was when you immediately relinquished your position at the left hand.”
I barely managed to calm my racing thoughts and continued responding to the old man.
“What’s this…it felt urgent enough to catch attention. I was going to let that slide.”
Knock knock.
I tapped the table twice with my hand.
“The fact that the Blue Dragons came to pick me up. That irked me a bit.”
“Why?”
“It’s simply a matter of policy.”
There wasn’t any exceptional reason behind it.
If I had to explain.
“Though it may seem vast, it’s a tight space, and news travels swiftly within it.”
“True.”
“Yet, regardless of how busy or incompetent the Murim Alliance may be, can we truly believe they were unaware?”
I opened my eyes wide to deliver the crux.
“I had a minor fracas with Ilcheonggeom. Under those circumstances, not only did the Cheongryongdae come to fetch me, but they even arranged a meeting between Ilcheonggeom and me in the interrogation room…? And under the guise of an investigation, proposed something? Isn’t that peculiar?”
Even if that friction wasn’t particularly significant, it existed; at least a few in the Maeng were aware of it.
But, at such a vital point, connecting me and Ilcheonggeom in conversation?
That’s ludicrous.
Do you know something might happen, yet you squander the situation like this?
It was unfathomable unless some rationale existed.
There are two reasons why things have become so tangled, in my viewpoint.
“To intentionally provoke, or… to create a specific situation.”
“Hmm.”
“Then another question surfaces. Provocation likely bears no benefits. Thus, the cause must relate to the latter. What situation are they aiming to fabricate?”
Complicated issues intermingled.
Within that chaos, I detected a crucial matter.
“Rather than provocation, it feels like they’re attempting to gauge my response using Ilcheonggeom… But why? Why are they trying to understand my reactions?”
By this point, it’s likely transformed from certitude to speculation, but that’s inconsequential.
For now, I’ll speak as if I’m sure.
After all, my attitude should convey ‘no, that’s simply it.’
“It’s because they don’t know me well. They lack an understanding of how I’d react. How I might respond in this situation. They’re probably curious about those elements. The response upon provocation is likely to be illuminating.”
“Did you infer that this old man might be present to gauge the Holy King’s reaction?”
“No. That’s fundamentally accurate but with a deeper complexity.”
It’s true that I’m being probed for my reactions.
But more importantly,
“When I was conversing with the Grand Master, you were standing just outside the door.”
“Correct.”
“I understand you have scarcely practiced martial arts.”
“That’s correct as well. I’ve merely learned a little for self-defense.”
“But you, as someone who’s been active in the Maeng for decades, wouldn’t expect me to be oblivious to your presence outside the door.”
“…”
Muyeon, who had been answering, fell silent, his eyes subtly shifting.
“You must’ve known, and yet you remained. Even though the Sword Master concealed it with his energy… You’ve surely studied my known realm enough to realize it.”
“Hmm…”
“Yet, despite knowing that, you went ahead with it,”
Thud.
I tapped the table once instead of twice.
“My temperament, my current condition, whether I harbor resentment towards the Murim Alliance, and what kind of person I am. Was that your inquiry into me?”
Could you detect your own presence outside? That was likely an act to discern that.
Half of it… No, most of this is nonsense.
It would be unreasonable to assume Muyeon called me merely for that reason.
These deductions stemmed solely from experiences related to my past life, leading to an expectation that he would again appear in the Alliance.
Is the Blue Dragon coming to pick me up?
It may seem absurd, yet it could happen for the sake of business.
Is Ilcheonggeom proposing something and interrogating me?
It’s possible, despite the prior friction between us.
But when I consider all this in context with Muyeon, the situation begins to appear differently.
It’s all intertwined like a spider’s web.
After I articulated that,
“Hehehe.”
The silence shattered, and after listening intently, Muyeon bore a grin deeper than before.
That laughter, which had been light before, now enveloped us.
HACK!
He coughed, covering his mouth with the cloth.
He seemed to suffer considerable pain, yet the laughter still lingered.
After a brief moment,
“Well, this is it. Holy King.”
Muyeon addressed me.
“Yes.”
“Would you, by any chance, consider taking this old man’s place in this seat?”
What a preposterous joke. I answered sincerely.
“I appreciate the kind words, but I’m not as bright as you, so it’s simply easier for me to handle things physically.”
As I stated while making a face of disdain, the old man tilted his head thoughtfully.
“…Hmm? Hmm. Is that right?”
Ignoring Muyeon’s reaction, I inquired further about my pending questions.
“Now, Elder, what brings you to meet me here?”
If Muyeon sought to see me, then surely there must have been another matter at hand.
I asked, eager to find out.
“To start, it was indeed this old man who wished to see the Holy King. I owe you an apology for that.”
Surprisingly, Muyeon readily admitted to his earlier actions.
I didn’t expect him to acknowledge that so easily. In fact, the acceptance of his words struck me as slightly humorous.
‘I too was only half… no, perhaps even less accurate than that.’
That seemed to ring true.
It might’ve actually been acceptable.
Slipping a subtle nod of satisfaction to myself, I was lost in thought then suddenly,
“However, I never intended for it to unfold in this manner. In truth, it’s quite beneficial. Isn’t it better to ask questions while looking into one another’s eyes? Now then, I’ll proceed to ask what I wish to ask.”
“Indeed. So, what would you like to inquire—”
“What is your relationship with the Heavenly Demon?”
“…”
In an instant, my breath was caught in my throat.
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