Volume 5 Chapter 19 – A Motley Crew

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Before the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, appeared in the meeting room, Elder Yu from the Fourth Young Master’s side was biting her tobacco pipe, quietly looking around the assembly.

“Now, preparations are finished.”

First, Yeom Baek-ha, clapping her hands and enjoying herself alone.

She was in the middle of enjoying herself after decorating her seat with the things she had brought packed in bundles before the meeting began.

Stuffed dolls of all shapes, spring wild flowers presumed to have been picked by herself, a comb, a mirror, stationery items that exuded a strong girlish vibe, and so on.

“Ugh, argh?! Is, is there no one who can take this off for me? Excuse me?”

Yeon Ha-eung, struggling and twisting his body alone as the small clip fixing his wig tangled in his hair.

His tight European-style aristocratic pants were an eyesore that one could hardly bear to open one’s eyes to look at.

“…Oh dear, my nail split.”

And though seen for the first time today, a beauty in gisaeng attire whose reason for being here was completely unknown.

She immediately searched her chest, pulled out a tool, and was meticulously grooming her nails.

“…”

At least only the Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord, Se-ah, appeared to be organizing her thoughts with folded arms, but…

“Snore…”

If looked at closely, she was sleeping while snoring.

A week ago, when she first saw this combination of characters (now a gisaeng was added!), only one phrase came to Elder Yu’s mind.

A motley crew.

Yet at this point, out of all these people, the person Elder Yu disliked the most was none other than…

“Whoa?! Th-that is a stuffed doll modeled after Eldest Brother! Lady Yeom! Please sell that doll to me!”

The Fourth Young Master, Yeon Bi, talking to Yeom Baek-ha.

“Fufufu. If you join our ‘Gathering of Girls Who Adore the Eldest Young Master,’ we are currently giving this doll as a gift.”

“Th-the application form right now…!”

Yeon Bi, playing out a ridiculous scene with Yeon Ha-eung.

“W-wait! Advisor Yeon! You have to stay still for me to untangle this or not, right?!”

“Argh! It hurts! It hurts!”

“Ah?! I ended up cutting the hair too…”

“A bald spot on my head?!”

And Yeon Bi, teasing the dozing Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord Se-ah.

“Hahaha, the Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord dozes while drooling with a cool expression.”

“…Snore.”

…That person was indeed the Fourth Young Master, Yeon Bi, who inherited the blood of the Tang Family, whom Elder Yu was pushing with all her might.

‘…How true the saying that he who touches pitch shall be defiled.’

As if pleased merely by getting to sit right next to the Eldest Young Master, the Fourth Young Master sat chattering endlessly with the people around him while swinging his legs.

It had been a week since they held meetings together.

Now he looked splendidly like one of the motley crew.

‘Why does that child, who possesses the caliber and ability to easily become the Young Patriarch, know only his eldest brother like that…’

Just what would those in the Second or Third Young Master’s camps think if they saw this sight.

She merely exhaled a sigh along with the smoke.

Still, at least the better thing was…

Just then, that person spoke to Elder Yu with a beaming smile.

“Elder Yu. The organization of the documents has been completed.”

A polite, modest, and elegant woman.

She was indeed the Fourth Young Master’s closest aide, the Red Venom Spider.

“…Yes.”

Casting down her eyelashes neatly and pretending to be the most modest in the world, one would wonder if she was indeed that same woman seen in the Fourth Young Master’s office.

The sight of her running wild and shrieking on top of the desk, rolling on the floor like a dog or pig while throwing a tantrum was still vivid.

“Hoho. Shall I pour you a cup of tea first?”

The powder she had applied in immense thickness to conceal the spots that had come down to her chin was scattering slightly every time she spoke.

“…No.”

At that abominable (and on one hand, pitiful) image management, Elder Yu’s wrinkled eyes trembled.

‘Indeed. This child hasn’t been normal since long ago either…’

Nevertheless, there was an individual who ran at the front even among all these eccentrics.

That individual’s actions were always carried out outside of Elder Yu’s imagination, and she did not dare to even guess what he was thinking.

That individual was none other than…

“The Eldest Young Master is entering.”

Everyone rose from their seats.

The figure appearing with a black coat draped like a cloak fluttering.

An appearance ambiguous to pinpoint whether he was a beautiful boy or a handsome young man.

The possessor of an impression where decadence and at the same time intense wildness were revealed.

“I apologize for keeping you all waiting.”

Mysterious.

Extraordinary.

Extremely bizarre.

What word in the world could exist to express this individual in a few characters.

“Then, let us begin the meeting.”

It was the entrance of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon.

* * *

When Elder Yu first met them a week ago, she had considered this meeting merely a gathering of a motley crew.

But it had not taken long for her to withdraw her judgment.

The basis for that could be verified in this meeting as well.

First, in the case of Yeon Ha-eung.

As always, when his turn to speak came, he stood up from his seat and politely greeted the assembly.

Although for some reason, it was European etiquette this time.

Then, after receiving applause, he sat back down just like always.

“…”

It was because he had been banned from speaking during the meeting by the Eldest Young Master on the grounds of talking too much.

Instead, the rumors he had gathered were first organized and processed by those called the triplet maids to be produced in the form of a report.

Amazingly, the value of the report produced based on the rumors the “Rumors with Legs” had gathered was beyond imagination.

To the point that it was surprising even for Elder Yu, who attended the elders’ meetings where the secrets and confidential matters of the Luoyang Sword Family were exchanged, to see.

“Next, Crescent Moon Pavilion will report.”

Next was the Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord, Se-ah.

“As reported previously, we at the Crescent Moon Pavilion succeeded in secretly kidnapping three agents of the Great Immortal Merchant Group and extracting information.”

She continued speaking without hesitation in her characteristic confident manner.

Although it was a flaw that she had not noticed the drool mark still remaining on her chin.

“And based on the information extracted from them, we destroyed one secret branch of the Great Immortal Merchant Group, and in the process, were able to acquire one prisoner and a large quantity of ciphers.”

“The reaction from the Great Immortal Merchant Group’s side?”

“There is none. The secret branch we raided appears to anyone as nothing but a fire scene caused by carelessness.”

“Good.”

At her report, Elder Yu clicked her tongue inwardly in admiration.

The Great Immortal Merchant Group was the Second Young Master’s secret organization (this too was a fact revealed in this meeting).

Kidnapping members of such an organization and raiding their bases was not something that could be done merely by having courage.

In the first place, this level of operation was not the domain of information brokers, but something to be done by an intelligence agency.

Furthermore, that all of this was happening under the Second Young Master’s information network could not help but be even more astonishing.

“Next, this girl, attending on behalf of Elder Yeom Gwak-chu of the main family, will report.”

Clearing her throat with an “ahem,” Yeom Baek-ha began speaking.

“I have analyzed the internal organizational situation of the Second Young Master’s camp.”

Yeom Baek-ha, who looked much younger than her age due to her chronic illness.

“…The Second Young Master’s faction still seems to depend heavily on their maternal relative faction, Evil Tyrant Heaven, and therefore…”

A sharp analysis.

A vision that reads the board.

A bold reasoning ability based on an outstanding memory.

Elder Yu could not count how many times she had been surprised by her over the past week.

“…Therefore, the Second Young Master, in order to not lose his prestige any further, is expected to have no choice but to cross the line.”

Yeon So-hyeon’s eyes narrowed.

“If he crosses the line?”

Hesitating for a moment, Yeom Baek-ha replied.

“…In conducting this business, I expect there will be physical clashes with the Second Young Master’s side in the future.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded as if satisfied.

“It was an excellent analysis.”

“Thank you, Eldest Young Master!”

And the same went for Elder Yu, who nodded as well.

For the conclusion she had drawn and Yeom Baek-ha’s conclusion were almost identical.

Elder Yu could not help but let out a dry laugh.

At first, she had felt like flaring up in anger at the Eldest Young Master for holding a meeting after gathering such people.

But what about now?

‘It is to the extent that I want to recruit at least one of them to our camp somehow.’

The Crescent Moon Pavilion Lord, who lacked both power and financial strength.

The “Rumors with Legs,” who seemed endlessly light.

The Law Enforcement Lady, who became a Law Enforcement Envoy at a young age but was sickly and could not even go to work daily.

Just how did the Eldest Young Master discover such people?

Would she have been able to find those who were in the mud?

Elder Yu groaned deeply in her mind.

“A physical clash…”

The Eldest Young Master set down his teacup and smiled.

“Is there anyone in this place who fears a physical clash?”

Was there any need to answer?

At that question, everyone smiled along with the Eldest Young Master.

Yeom Baek-ha, who possessed surprising courage and competitive spirit, being called the Law Enforcement Lady despite her frail outer appearance.

Yeon Ha-eung, who looked frivolous on the outside, but concealed ambition and wildness in the depths, and above all, was sharpening a keen blade.

Reaching Se-ah, who started all alone and stood in this place today, one could even catch a glimpse of an air welcoming a physical clash instead.

“At this moment, the investment delegation is heading here.”

Yeon So-hyeon rose from his seat and slowly moved his steps.

Elder Yu’s gaze moved after him unconsciously.

While thinking that the Eldest Young Master would, as always, bring out a strategy she could not even imagine.

However, this time too, the Eldest Young Master betrayed her prediction.

“The enemies will definitely target them.”

Yeon So-hyeon spun around on the spot and looked at the assembly.

“The enemies will definitely target us.”

The black silk coat draped over his shoulders fluttered accordingly.

“Some might think this way: that enemies will launch a surprise attack on us unawares, and that enemies can attack us at any time.”

Yeon So-hyeon’s voice grew louder.

“That we must perform defense in such a difficult situation!”

He stepped up to the front of the table.

“But that thought is wrong.”

The Eldest Young Master, who normally kept his thoughts unknown and pressured the assembly in silence, was not there.

He was in the middle of pouring out an eloquent speech, like a general encouraging his subordinates before going into battle.

“It is not a fight where enemies attack and we defend.”

Moving his gaze to look each and every person in the face, he spoke.

“It is a fight where we attack and the enemies defend!”

He continued his eloquent speech without hesitation.

“Are we not the ones pushing the plan? The ones who must block that plan, the ones who must defend, are not us, but them!”

At his words, everyone wore expressions as if they had been struck on the head.

Even Elder Yu could not conceal a dry laugh.

It was so.

The forces of the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Master combined were merely a handful compared to the enemies.

Because of that, without even realizing it themselves, they had been placing themselves in the position of defenders.

“Have you all realized it now?”

The Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, smiled at the expressions of the assembly and spoke in a rather calm voice instead.

“We will make this plan succeed no matter who comes at us, and we will push this business through.”

He slowly raised his fist to show it.

“We will crush and destroy all resistance of the enemies…”

Sparks flew from his eyes.

“And pierce our victory straight into the pit of that Second Young Master fellow’s stomach.”