Volume 2 Chapter 3 – Yeon So-hyeon

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Se-ah remained in the room where the meeting with her closest confidants had just ended.

“That Black Bone Gang, in just two days……”

Luoyang was an incredibly massive city, and the underworld was just as massive.

Although the proportion the Black Bone Gang occupied in that entire massive underworld was small, their numbers and influence were by no means at a level that could be ignored.

Such a Black Bone Gang was being driven to the brink of annihilation in just two days.

Even now, reports regarding the damage status of the Black Bone Gang were flowing in in real-time.

From information about the bizarre scenes where neither corpses nor bloodstains remained, to information that those who did business with the Black Bone Gang were pulling out, information that the government office was responding passively because it was a matter related to the underworld, information that the Luoyang Sword Family showed no sign of moving yet, and crucially, information about the specter wearing the white mask.

‘Dark Venerable ……?’

Crescent Moon Pavilion searched thoroughly even to the slums where that name had started.

However, the prophet who had first uttered that name had already died.

Although information was overflowing, there was no key information, and all the clues to obtain the core information reached dead ends.

Nonetheless, the key figures of Crescent Moon Pavilion were all rejoicing at the downfall of the Black Bone Gang.

Particularly because they had been in a situation where they had to bear massive damage due to the appearance of the Sword Family Bronze Plaque, they rejoiced even more.

There were even those who called it the help of heaven.

Se-ah also felt it was a bit empty that their determination was being realized by someone else’s hand, but it was not that she was unhappy.

However, the reason a corner of her mind was complicated was because she had a mental conviction regarding the identity of that existence called the Dark Venerable.

The night she reunited with her sister after ten years, and the Black Bone Gang had attacked.

She had clearly seen the white mask.

Yeon So-hyeon, who was called by the shameful derogatory name of the Swordless One and was the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family.

He was currently staying with Se-ah in the safe house of Crescent Moon Pavilion.

“What do you think?”

The female guard, who stood silently behind her, tilted her head.

“About what?”

Realizing her mistake, Se-ah added to her words.

“The Eldest Young Master, I mean. The Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family. I told you to keep an eye on him whenever you crossed paths.”

“Ah, the Swordless One?”

Peculiarly, even as she uttered the derogatory term ‘Swordless One,’ she did not show any sign of contempt.

“I told you not to utter that name!”

“Sorry.”

The female guard, wearing a neat black martial uniform and with her short hair tied back, shrugged.

“I just felt that he is different from the rumors.”

At the incredibly dry answer, Se-ah sighed.

“……Do not go around telling people you work at Crescent Moon Pavilion.”

The guard raised her hand.

“Well, among the young men the young lady meets for business, he was the most confident. He was bold too.”

It was because the sight of that night left too strong an impression, but Yeon So-hyeon’s appearance before Golden Spider was also sufficiently impressive.

Particularly, his ability to lead the flow of conversation and changes in the situation as he pleased was outstanding.

For a moment, she even felt that she wanted to learn it herself.

“……That is true.”

“Furthermore, his mind seemed to be quite broad. Should I say he is big-hearted? I tried to press him with my momentum, and even sent him bloodlust, but……”

“What?!”

To Se-ah, who turned pale, the guard continued in a casual manner.

“Yet he did not say much. Whether he is broad-minded or just has no guts, I do not know, hmm.”

Se-ah suddenly stood up and grabbed the guard’s collar.

“You crazy girl! What on earth did you do to the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family?!”

Even if Se-ah, who had no internal energy, shook her, the guard who did not budge smacked her lips.

“No, that young master’s face looks extremely harmless. And he goes around laughing like an old man, saying ‘hoho’.”

“Even so!”

* * *

Next, what Se-ah summoned were the maids who were ordered to serve Yeon So-hyeon by his side.

“The Eldest Young Master?”

One maid’s eyes sparkled.

“Is he not too handsome? A handsome youth himself! That warm smile and the melancholy atmosphere he occasionally shows are seriously amazing.”

“Right, right! Can I not follow the Eldest Young Master when he returns to the Sword Family?”

“A job transfer! I should go too!”

“Would the Luoyang Sword Family even accept the likes of you?”

One maid unfolded a scroll she had brought, cradling it preciously in her arms.

It was a handwriting style that was extremely delicate yet elegant.

It was an outstanding calligraphy that unconsciously made the viewer unable to hide their admiration.

“Now, everyone. This is the very calligraphy I received from the Eldest Young Master!”

Another maid also displayed a small scroll.

“I received this drawing!”

“Wow! Crazy! Sell it to me right now!”

“Shut up and take my money!”

At the sight of the maids shrieking and making a fuss, Se-ah cradled her head.

“Well, he is certainly handsome.”

“Right?”

Her guard had already joined the conversation before anyone knew it.

“Good grief……”

Se-ah struck her desk with the pipe she held.

“Give me proper information!”

There was a reason she spoke like that.

Unlike regular maids, all the maids of Crescent Moon Pavilion were those who had completed education and training as information agents.

“To be honest, except for being a good-natured and handsome young master, there was no suspicious corner.”

“Even at night when you told us to observe him, he did not come out of his room.”

“And we must not leave out that he is highly educated and knows what elegance is!”

“Right! Did you hear him play the flute last night?”

“Of course. I shed tears right on the spot.”

“Ah, I did not hear it.”

At the maids who started shrieking again, Se-ah shouted.

“Everyone, get out right now!”

Grumbling, Se-ah grabbed the back of the guard’s neck.

This was because she was leaving the room together with the maids.

“Why are you naturally joining them to leave too?!”

“Ah, I want to hear the flute play too.”

* * *

“My master?”

As Jeong-ah asked back, Se-ah leaned against the doorframe of the kitchen and wore an awkward smile.

“Yeah. It is nothing much, I just wanted to know more about what kind of person the master my younger sister serves is.”

Jeong-ah, who was prepping the soup ingredients with experienced hand movements, smiled gently.

“I do not have much to say, though.”

For some reason, because her sister’s expression felt as if she knew everything, Se-ah quickly added.

“No, it is not a personal interest……”

Jeong-ah let out a chuckle.

“I know that too.”

Right……

However, finishing with those words, Jeong-ah did not open her mouth further, and did her best in cooking.

“No, last time when I said a few words, you argued back with veins popping on your neck to defend the Eldest Young Master……”

Jeong-ah only kept laughing.

Staring at her sister’s face, which was beaded with sweat, Se-ah asked.

“Is your body alright?”

“Yes. Thanks to you.”

“Yeah. That is a relief.”

Se-ah nodded and turned back from the threshold.

Behind her, Jeong-ah’s quiet voice was heard.

“If you are curious, it would be best to meet him in person.”

Se-ah turned her head and asked.

“Are you not curious about anything?”

“Well……”

Jeong-ah only wore an incomprehensible smile.

* * *

Se-ah sighed at her last step, which did not lift easily.

‘If anyone saw me like this, they would absolutely not believe it.’

She fidgeted with the jade case in her hand, which contained the highest-grade tea leaves.

The jade case gleamed because of the sweat from her hand.

For someone who was called the iron-blooded witch or the cold-blooded one-eyed woman in this underworld, what a sight she was right now.

‘Even I find scary things scary……’

In fact, even now, thinking of that night made her knees tremble.

The sight as if the freezing winter wind submitted and even the darkness worshipped.

The ominous stories where every single word seemed to choke her.

And that white mask, which was hard to find words to describe.

[My path is the demonic path of the underworld where the mountain of corpses and sea of blood of the inhuman demonic realm unfold.]

His voice, that terrible voice filled with metallic resonance, was vivid even now.

[I pray we do not meet upon it…….]

What on earth did the meaning of those words be?

“Why are you hesitating so much?”

The guard walked past Se-ah and knocked on the door of the room where Yeon So-hyeon was staying.

“Are you there? It is the Crescent Moon Pavilion Master.”

While she was gasping, dumbfounded by the guard’s action, his voice was heard from inside.

“Come in.”

Unlike the white mask in her memory, that voice was gentle, so she felt slightly relieved.

* * *

Yeon So-hyeon, brewing the tea himself with the tea leaves Se-ah had brought, spoke to the guard.

“Do not let out bloodlust today. It changes the taste of the tea.”

The guard nodded.

“You do not need to worry. That mission has ended.”

At her words, Yeon So-hyeon raised his eyes and looked at Se-ah.

“It was a mission?”

Se-ah sent a gaze, like that of a person who had suffered the most absurd thing in the world, to her guard.

“Young lady, why are you looking at me with those eyes?”

Regardless, Yeon So-hyeon shrugged and offered the fully brewed tea to them.

“Now, it is best to drink it now.”

Se-ah quickly stood up and, receiving the cup, said.

“T-Thank you. But there is no need to give it to the guard too……”

“I will drink it well, Eldest Young Master.”

Her guard had already received the teacup.

“It is an outstanding aroma. As expected, you seem to have a deep knowledge of tea as well.”

“You flatter me.”

“No. I am a woman who does not know how to speak empty words.”

“Haha, you are indeed amusing. If you ever feel like changing jobs, tell me anytime.”

“If I lose my job, I will visit you. Looking at the current atmosphere of my direct superior, it does not seem it will take long.”

“hahahat!”

If it was a relief that she was standing instead of sitting with them, was it?

Her guard was a person whose likes and dislikes for people were extreme.

She never spoke a single word to those Se-ah met for business.

Seeing her treat him so comfortably, she thought that the Eldest Young Master was certainly not a bad person, but……

Nevertheless, the appearance of Yeon So-hyeon she had seen that night did not disappear from Se-ah’s mind.

“So, what business brings a busy person to a playboy like me?”

As the conversation entered the main topic, Se-ah’s guard naturally backed away from them and stood by the window.

“Eldest Young Master……”

“Mmh.”

Enjoying the aroma rising from his cup, Yeon So-hyeon looked at her.

On his skin, which was white enough to be envied, and a face with thin lines like a girl, long eyelashes were reflected in her eyes.

However, she felt as if the white mask she had seen that night was watching her.

The expression that seemed to smile yet cry, the white and rough surface where the brush strokes were felt, and even that feeling as if it pierced through everything though there were no eyeholes.

Feeling her lips grow dry, Se-ah brought out her question.

“Eldest Young Master, are you that Dark Venerable ?”