Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 45 - Manor Lord (3)

Chapter 45 – Manor Lord (3)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The lights of the manor that could be seen below the hill.

There were two figures in the darkness, gazing at them with indifferent eyes.

Of them, the one with the larger build asked the one beside him,

“Is this the place?”

“Yes.”

At that answer, the large figure took out something the size of a finger from inside his robes.

It looked like some kind of seal.

“I heard the owner of this was released from kill. What was the cause?”

At that question, the figure beside him, who was forming a blade-finger seal with one hand, curled up the corner of his mouth and said,

“Gudiao.”

“What is that?”

“One of the demons and monsters of Nogo Mountain.”

“Demons and monsters?”

“I once heard that in Meng City, not far from here, there is an occult practitioner who handles the monster beast Gudiao as a shikigami. It seems that person is over there.”

At those words, a strange light appeared in the eyes of the large figure.

“So that was it. There was interference from an occult practitioner.”

“We have the answer, so what will you do?”

“We have to bring it back.”

Together with those words, the large figure raised his hand upward.

At that moment, the sounds of many people could be heard from behind them.

* * *

“I shall determine through a test who among you has the qualifications to succeed this manor.”

‘!!!!!’

At the Manor Lord’s declaration, the air in the room changed in an instant.

The youngest, Mok Yu-cheon, could not hide his delight at those words from the Manor Lord, and his lips twitched.

It was only natural. If it was a test, he was the one with the greatest advantage over anyone else.

‘Ah! Father is giving me a chance.’

What would a test in a martial family be?

Naturally, it was something that would highlight martial talent.

The eldest son, Mok Yeong-ho, was second-rate, the second son, Mok Eun-pyeong, was first-rate, and the third one beside them, Mok Gyeong-un, was only third-rate.

No one could defeat him.

Whether it was a martial contest or anything else, he had the advantage.

-Clench!

The second son, Mok Eun-pyeong, bit down hard on his lower lip.

He too was thinking something similar to Mok Yu-cheon.

No matter who heard the Manor Lord’s declaration, it was obvious that it was meant for the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon, whose martial talent was the greatest.

If it came down to martial arts, who could defeat that monstrous brat who had reached the threshold of the Peak Realm at the age of only sixteen?

‘How can you do this?’

If it was going to be done like this, it would have been better to simply designate Mok Yu-cheon from the start.

Thinking all of this was unfair, Mok Eun-pyeong, though he normally would not have dared, gathered his courage and barely opened his mouth.

“Father, there is something I wish to say.”

“What is it you wish to say?”

“If you say it will be a test, what exactly will we be doing?”

At that question, Manor Lord Mok In-dan stared straight at his second son, Mok Eun-pyeong.

Under his father’s oppressive gaze, Mok Eun-pyeong, who had only barely managed to gather his courage, slightly lowered his head and avoided his eyes.

Then Mok In-dan gave a small snort.

He had gone so far as to speak his opinion, yet he could not even meet the eyes of his own father.

He was pathetic beyond words.

Having survived death once, he had decided that, at least in the process of selecting the Manor Lord, fair opportunity would be given to all of them.

That was why he said,

“If I simply judged martial talent through a martial contest, not one of you would be able to defeat the youngest.”

“………”

At those words, Mok Eun-pyeong’s expression twisted for an instant.

His pride had been wounded.

However, because it was in front of his father, he quickly composed his expression.

Without minding that, Manor Lord Mok In-dan continued,

“So I shall distinguish the one who is qualified to be Manor Lord.”

‘Qualified?’

At those words, expressions of puzzlement spread across the faces of the Mok brothers.

Mok Yu-cheon as well had naturally thought that, since this was a matter of selecting the successor of a martial family, everything would be decided through martial arts, but when qualifications were brought up, unease flickered in his eyes.

If those qualifications were not martial talent, then he would instead be the one at the greatest disadvantage.

‘Ah!’

Perhaps because of that, this time Mok Eun-pyeong’s expression brightened instead.

Until just a moment ago he had thought the Manor Lord had made up his mind in favor of the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon, but if qualifications were to be discussed, then Mok Yu-cheon, the son of a concubine, would have difficulty gaining the recognition of the retainers.

‘Then it will be between that bastard and me.’

Mok Eun-pyeong glanced sidelong at the eldest son, Mok Yeong-ho, who was standing beside him.

He was a fellow whose thoughts could not be read at all.

The Great Madam was trying by all means to make him the successor, yet he himself had gone so far astray that he had done nothing but disappoint the Manor Lord.

‘A possibility has appeared.’

Mok Eun-pyeong had not been able to hide his disappointment when he heard that the Manor Lord had awakened.

However, a sliver of hope now rose within him.

If things went well, he might receive his father’s recognition and formally become the Manor Lord.

At that moment, Mok Yu-cheon cautiously opened his mouth.

“Father. May I ask what you mean by looking at qualifications?”

“The position of Manor Lord is the seat of the head who leads this single group called Yeon Mok Sword Manor. I shall test whether one is a person suited to that.”

‘A person suited to be Manor Lord?’

It became even harder to guess what sort of test it would be.

Sweeping his gaze over those children, Manor Lord Mok In-dan continued,

“Though your mothers may be different, all of you are my children. Therefore, in determining the successor, fair opportunity will be given to all. So for now, return and think over for yourselves what kind of test there may be, and prepare.”

Having finished what he had to say, he ordered his children to withdraw.

Accordingly, all of them brought their two hands together, bowed their heads, and were about to withdraw, when,

“I beg your pardon, but this son will not take the test.”

Everyone’s gaze turned to the one who had spoken.

It was none other than Mok Gyeong-un.

‘What is he talking about?’

‘He says he will not take the test?’

Mok Eun-pyeong and Mok Yu-cheon both looked at him with eyes that seemed unable to understand.

Was he saying that he himself would decline the officially granted chance to become the successor?

As they were puzzled, Manor Lord Mok In-dan asked back,

“You say you will not take the test?”

“That is correct.”

“And why do you say you will not take it?”

“This son has many shortcomings compared with the elder brothers beside me, and also compared with my youngest younger brother. Therefore, I believe I do not have the qualifications to be the successor. For that reason, I will not take the test.”

At those words, Mok Eun-pyeong let out a small snicker.

He did not know what scheme he had, but if he removed himself of his own accord, there was nothing bad about it.

It only made the competition easier.

‘So it really was true?’

Mok Yu-cheon found it unexpected.

Unlike when the Manor Lord’s life and death had been unclear, the fact that he was refusing the official chance to become the successor meant that what he had said to him was true.

He had not known he truly did not desire the position of Manor Lord.

What in the world was he thinking?

‘This is good.’

Mok Gyeong-un rather welcomed this situation.

If he officially withdrew from the fight over the succession, these people would no longer bother him.

His purpose was martial arts anyway.

Once he had secured a certain degree of foundation, he would leave Yeon Mok Sword Manor.

There was no reason for him to bind himself here.

However,

“Why do you think you are lacking?”

The Manor Lord’s question followed.

Mok Gyeong-un found such a question strange.

As far as he knew, the Manor Lord had regarded both the eldest son, Mok Yeong-ho, and the dead Mok Gyeong-un as pathetic.

If that was the case, there was no reason for him to regret it if he withdrew from the successor’s test.

‘He is being troublesome.’

It should have been over if he had simply said he understood.

Still, there was nothing to be gained from offending the Manor Lord’s feelings here.

Then he had no choice but to offer an appropriate justification.

“There is a saying that, first of all, the eldest son should be prioritized in succession, and if not, then it is right to establish the one whose ability is outstanding and whose merit is high.”

“………”

“Moreover, my maternal family is no longer what it once was, so it cannot lend strength to Yeon Mok Sword Manor. That makes me still less qualified to be the successor.”

He smoothly explained the reasons why he could not be the one.

At that, Mok Eun-pyeong nodded his head.

‘The bastard knows his place.’

He was pleased.

At this point, he thought that naturally the Manor Lord would no longer say anything about Mok Gyeong-un refusing to take the successor’s test.

‘Hm?’

But something was strange.

The Manor Lord’s expression as he looked at Mok Gyeong-un was not bad at all.

Rather, it was closer to the gaze of someone who thought better of him than before.

‘What is this?’

And that intuition was correct.

What Mok Gyeong-un had said was self-deprecating, so there was nothing especially outstanding about it.

However, to the Manor Lord, the sight of Mok Gyeong-un clearly grasping himself and properly voicing his opinion before him was utterly unlike the boy he had been before.

The weakness and the pathetic appearance he had once shown were nowhere to be seen.

Just what had happened to this boy in the time while he himself had lain unconscious in a sickbed?

‘He has changed.’

What had changed this fellow like this?

Or had he been changing in the years during which the Manor Lord had paid him no attention?

The Manor Lord grew curious about Mok Gyeong-un.

-Srrk!

Suddenly, the Manor Lord pulled back the upper garment he had been wearing.

Then the scarred upper body of the Manor Lord was revealed.

What seized everyone’s gaze among them was,

‘…….Ah.’

Though it was wrapped in bandages, the severed arm was plainly visible.

Everyone already knew the story that a few days earlier he had met with an accident because of some attacker.

However, they had not known that it had resulted in the loss of an arm.

Manor Lord Mok In-dan was a swordsman.

For a swordsman who used his right hand, losing an arm was no different from losing his prime, so it was an extremely unfortunate thing.

Yet he himself opened his mouth as though he did not care in the least.

“You said it with your own mouth.”

“Pardon?”

“That the eldest son, or the one whose ability is outstanding and who has rendered merit, should be made the successor.”

“……..Yes. But this son, in none of those…”

“I heard that you stopped and killed the one who cut off this father’s arm.”

‘What?’

At those words, everyone looked at Mok Gyeong-un.

They had heard that Mok Gyeong-un, who had visited the main hall, had been injured and stayed in the infirmary for a while, but they had not known that such a thing had happened.

Of course, this fact itself had been embellished by Mok Gyeong-un.

‘Ah……’

Mok Gyeong-un had not expected that the story he had suitably embellished and passed on would produce such an annoying result.

Pointing to his severed arm, the Manor Lord said,

“As you said, one who has rendered merit also has sufficient qualifications to be the successor. Therefore, it seems that such a reason cannot serve as grounds to refuse the test.”

“………”

At those words from the Manor Lord, Mok Gyeong-un’s face became expressionless.

He was saying he would not take the test, yet the man was trying to draw him in like this, so it was becoming quite bothersome.

Because of that, Mok Gyeong-un judged that it would be better to simply say outright that he would not take the test.

However, something entered Mok Gyeong-un’s sight.

‘!?’

It was a scar visible at the Manor Lord’s side.

It had healed, but the scar that remained clearly visible seemed to have been made by something like a sharp sword, and the moment he saw it, Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes narrowed.

‘That scar…’

It looked very similar.

To the mark he had been searching for.

Because of this, nothing else about succession or anything of the sort entered Mok Gyeong-un’s head.

How the Manor Lord had come to have that scar, only that…

-Flinch!

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un frowned and slightly turned his head.

The Manor Lord, wearing a puzzled expression, asked,

“What is it? What…”

It was before he could even finish speaking.

Manor Lord Mok In-dan as well abruptly rose from his seat, his gaze turning sharp.

“Father?”

The other Mok brothers looked puzzled.

No sooner had that happened than clamorous shouts suddenly burst out here and there from outside.

-It is an enemy attack! Intruders have entered!

-Manor Lord! Inform the Manor Lord!

‘!!!!!!’

A sudden emergency situation.

None of them could hide their bewilderment.

At the same time, the youngest, Mok Yu-cheon, who had sensed presences almost at the same moment as those tumultuous cries, turned startled eyes toward Mok Gyeong-un.

‘What is with this bastard?’

This fellow, who was no more than third-rate, had noticed it even before his father and himself.