Volume 6 Chapter 6 – Unpredictable (2)

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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[If we drag this into a battle of justification and draw the Eldest Young Master in deep enough, we will have a chance of winning.]

“If we completely crush an opponent trying to enter a battle of justification, we win.”

[If that happens, we will be able to stay in the Eldest Young Master’s residence together with the Tea Fan Maidens.]

“If that happens, Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment will be able to separate the Emei Sect from the Tea Fan Maidens.”

Abbess Chongmu and Yeon So-hyeon.

The strategies of the two people, who had never even met face to face, clashed at a single point like a lie.

* * *

Jeong-ah asked, wrapping a black silkworm silk cloak around Yeon So-hyeon’s shoulders.

“Are you ultimately stepping forward yourself?”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded.

“Because if I want to suppress the opponent’s justification with authority, it is certain that I should step forward.”

His cloak fluttered.

The faithful head maid followed behind him.

* * *

The time when the sun set.

It was the time when, normally, contacts from merchant groups, merchant bands, or families would be leisurely enjoying their dinner.

However, today, an exceptionally large number of people were gathered in the street in front of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment’s main gate compared to usual.

“The Tea Fan Maidens will arrive soon.”

“Are they really planning to open a new branch in Luoyang?”

“The joint plan of the Eldest Young Master and the Fourth Young Master will gain great momentum.”

In addition to these contacts,

“Oh, the opportunity to see the Number One Beauty of Sichuan with my own eyes!”

“You in front! Please stop cutting in line!”

Even those who gathered just to sightsee the Tea Fan Maidens, drawn by rumors, were there.

With the people gathered like that, the street in front of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment was in a bustle, and because of this, the appeal of the proctor nun of the Emei Sect could gain greater strength.

“This document is a letter that the parents of the Tea Fan Maidens gave us!”

As her appeal continued, the number of people around nodding and agreeing increased.

“Yeah, that’s right. How would the parents feel having to send their daughters to a land ten thousand li away?”

Moreover, the Buddhist nuns who got down from horses and carriages standing in an orderly line and earnestly clasping their hands in prayer toward Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment became quite a plausible performance.

“Since the Emei Academy usually showed a sufficiently trustworthy appearance to the parents of the Tea Fan Maidens, wouldn’t that be why they handed over such a letter?”

“Even if it wasn’t that, at least they must have wished for trustworthy people from the same hometown to be with their daughters.”

The murmuring grew louder.

“Shouldn’t the Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family show generous tolerance and accept them together?”

“Right. The format of an invitation is also important, but the Eldest Young Master wouldn’t be ignorant of a parent’s heart either.”

Since even the quick-witted contacts had no way of knowing the complicated circumstances of the Tea Fan Maidens, they even said that the proctor nun’s justification was persuasive.

* * *

Listening to the proctor nun’s appeal from inside the carriage, the Tea Fan Maidens felt as if they were being choked.

“A document obtained by threatening our parents…!”

The other Tea Fan Maiden ladies held back the youngest Tea Fan Maiden lady who stood up abruptly from her seat, unable to bear it.

“No! If that fact leaks outside through our mouths, we don’t know what will happen to our families in Sichuan!”

“This is not the time to act impulsively!”

The youngest Tea Fan Maiden lady slumped back into her seat.

“But…! But…!”

Sangwan Nan-hwa quietly hugged her as she seethed with anger.

The atmosphere inside the carriage was heavy, and the Emei Sect’s self-defense teacher, who was riding with them, was on pins and needles, not knowing what to do.

Cheongsu clicked his tongue at her.

“What on earth is the problem with the Emei Sect that you torment these kind young ladies?”

“Th-that is…”

As the self-defense teacher hesitated, Cheongsu frowned.

“That is?”

At that, the self-defense teacher hung her head low.

“…When carrying out the sect’s affairs, one must not put personal feelings first…”

“Hmph.”

Cheongsu snorted at her muttering.

‘Whether it is the orthodox faction called the Nine Great Sects, or a family that lacks even a hint of human scent. They are equally desolate and twisted.’

It was the same for him, whose stomach was bitter at the nun’s answer.

Loyally serving the Luoyang Sword Family as a warrior of the Institution until now, how many incomprehensible things had he done?

Wasn’t he the one who had taken not questioning things as a virtue?

‘…At least I quit because I didn’t like that irrationality.’

He showed his uncomfortable mind on his face and stared out the window.

Outside, the Emei Sect proctor nun’s appeal was reaching its peak.

“…So, please, Eldest Young Master!”

At that moment, a clear voice cut in and cut off her appeal in an instant.

“Who is making such a racket in front of someone else’s house?”

* * *

The footsteps of Yeon So-hyeon and Jeong-ah, who had almost reached the main gate of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, stopped.

“This voice…?”

A faint disturbance of emotion and a fragment of longing flickered across his face.

* * *

It was a street in front of the main gate of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment that was in a bustle with people who had gathered due to the Tea Fan Maidens in the first place.

On top of that, the action of the Emei Sect’s proctor nun was like pouring oil into boiling water.

The commotion was reaching its peak with those who agreed with her appeal, exchanged opinions, or argued back and forth.

“Who is making such a racket in front of someone else’s house?”

All that noise ceased at once.

The majority of the people did not even know the reason why they shut their mouths.

The voice that was heard so clearly through that commotion was bizarre indeed.

But more than that, there was an unmistakable presence in that voice.

It was the same for the Emei Sect’s Buddhist nuns who felt it.

‘An expert…!’

That voice, echoing clearly through the commotion, was imbued with vast internal energy.

And even more than that vast internal energy, the presence shown by the person appearing in the distance was weighing down on them.

“Seeing as I have been quietly watching…”

The sound of footsteps stepping on the paving stones resounded in the quieted street.

A firm and elastic physique that could be felt even under the loose clothing.

A height rivaling that of a tall adult male, and a stride that was refreshing just to look at.

With an unbladed sword resting on her shoulder.

“This place isn’t some night market or anything.”

Long hair, roughly tied with a string, fluttered randomly in the wind.

“How dare…”

And beneath that hair, there was the gaze of a woman glistening with destructive and violent energy.

She was looking down on everyone.

“What kind of trash are they.”

Her footsteps stopped.

People gasped.

“I must personally hold you accountable for that sin.”

Under the street lights, the Second Young Lady of the Luoyang Sword Family, Yeon Seo-rin, revealed herself.

* * *

Those who gathered here were, in the first place, people who worked in the Luoyang Sword Family or as contacts for merchant groups, merchant bands, or families, so they were naturally well-informed about the Luoyang Sword Family.

And it did not matter even if they were not well-informed about the affairs of the Luoyang Sword Family.

Nowadays, among those living in the Central Plains Empire, how many would there be who had not heard the name of the person standing before them?

“S-Second Young Lady!”

“The Tyrant of the Sword Family!”

“Seamless Heavenly Robe!”

“The Phoenix Among Men, Yeon Seo-rin!”

There were those in the crowd who called out her moniker and name loudly.

However, that was far from the curiosity-filled attitude of those who had gathered to sightsee the Tea Fan Maidens.

It was longing for the strong.

Awe toward the ruler.

“Oh?”

Yeon Seo-rin tilted the practice sword resting on her shoulder and spoke toward the Buddhist nuns.

“Aren’t these the Buddhist nuns of the Emei Sect?”

It was an incredibly arrogant attitude.

Yet none of the Emei Sect members felt anything strange about that attitude.

An energy that flowed out so naturally just by standing there.

Would the energy of a monarch walking the path of hegemony in a troubled age be like this?

“It is a pleasure to meet you for the first time.”

The proctor nun swallowed dry saliva and stepped forward, greeting with her hands put together.

“We, as the Second Young Lady of the Sword Family mentioned, are from the Emei Sect of Sichuan…”

“You seem to have forgotten.”

“…?”

Yeon Seo-rin, ruthlessly cutting off the proctor nun’s words, looked down at them with glowing blue eyes and continued.

“I said I would hold you accountable for the offense of causing a commotion.”

“…”

There was no logic, nor any courtesy.

Those who would have argued as if they had ten mouths under normal circumstances could not say a single word.

Was it because an unknown energy was imbued in every single word she spoke?

Was she showing what it meant to inherit the bloodline of a ruler?

The proctor nun composed her mind once more and opened her mouth.

“Even if you are the Second Young Lady of the Sword Family…”

Her lips were drying up.

“We are members of the Sichuan Emei Sect, and it is hard for us to dare accept being treated in this manner.”

Yeon Seo-rin’s eyes curved like half-moons.

“It is hard to accept?”

When Yeon Seo-rin asked back, the proctor nun, feeling that they were finally communicating a bit, forced a smile.

“We merely wished to seek favor from the Eldest Young Master…”

“You mean it is hard to accept.”

Without even listening to the proctor nun’s words, Yeon Seo-rin stroked her chin.

“Indeed, that’s possible.”

What on earth should she say and how?

Another Buddhist nun opened her mouth to help the proctor nun.

“Excuse me…”

“In that case,”

At that moment, Yeon Seo-rin smiled, showing her teeth.

“Draw your weapons like martial artists.”

Her practice sword pointed at the Buddhist nuns.

“Fight like martial artists and earn my respect.”

Would an herb gatherer facing the Mountain Lord all of a sudden feel like this?

Would a diving haenyeo encountering a shark feel like this?

It felt as if the practice sword, which was not sharp at all, was being thrust into their chests.

‘Th-this is an opponent with whom words and logic do not work.’

The Tyrant of the Sword Family was an even more terrifying existence than what they had heard.

The proctor nun changed her strategy and resolved to appeal to the crowd filling the street.

“Everyone! We merely wished to… for the children of the Tea Fan Maidens…”

However, her shout died down without her realizing it.

“Oohhh!”

Already, the crowd was chanting Yeon Seo-rin’s name and moniker with feverish gazes and shouts.

“Tyrant! Tyrant!”

“The Emei Sect is challenging the Seamless Heavenly Robe!”

“Draw your sword if you want to seek respect!”

“Prove yourself!”

Indeed.

This was the Luoyang Sword Family.

Although prominent figures of the Central Plains Empire deployed political schemes and dark conspiracies here, this was ultimately a family where even the Chief Manager of the Inner Courtyard, who received elder-level protocol, walked on his own two feet.

It was the Luoyang Sword Family, a family of warriors armed with the martial spirit.

Amid the enthusiastic chanting and frenzied cheering of the crowd, the queen of warriors,

Seamless Heavenly Robe Yeon Seo-rin smiled arrogantly.

“Now, come.”

The Buddhist nuns of the Emei Sect felt their legs go weak with fear.

* * *

“As expected.”

Without revealing himself, Yeon So-hyeon, who confirmed his older sister’s appearance, laughed out loud.

“…So that person is the famous Second Young Lady.”

“Yes, that Second Young Lady. She is my unpredictable sister.”

Yeon So-hyeon shook his head with a smile.

“The unpredictable Way of the Hegemon. The saying that she inherited our father’s bloodline the most intensely is absolutely not wrong.”

That confident attitude.

How long had it been since he last saw that arrogant face?

Yeon So-hyeon looked at his own sister with a face as if looking at something far away.

“…Yes. That person is my sister.”