Volume 3 Chapter 21 – Puppet

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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Luoyang.

A large workshop that had a contract with the Inner Courtyard to supply various types of furniture.

It was the time when the sun was stealthily hiding itself in the west.

Those guarding the main gate of the workshop were trembling while standing in their places.

They were security servants who were normally notorious in the neighborhood as thugs.

Clad in thick leather armor, gaiters, and even wrist guards, they looked quite formidable.

However, they could not even think of reaching for the clubs at their waists.

“W-what business do you have with our workshop?”

“Step aside.”

A single word was enough.

The subordinates who had been going in and out of the workshop owner’s inner quarters scattered in shock at the sight of the people walking in with large strides.

It was because the black uniforms they wore were uniforms that no one in all of Luoyang did not know.

“Why is it so noisy outside?!”

The elderly workshop owner, who had been having a good time with his concubine, flung the door open.

Half-dressed, he froze on the spot.

With trembling eyes, he looked at the words embroidered in silver thread on the shoulder straps of those wearing the black uniforms.

“The Sword Family’s Guardian Pavilion…?!”

The woman who stepped forward smiled coldly.

“Are you the owner of this workshop?”

“Yes! Yes! That is correct. I am a certain Lee, the owner of this workshop.”

He immediately fell to his knees on the spot.

“I-I do not know what this is about, but please spare my life!”

“I am a Guardian Envoy of the Luoyang Sword Family.”

“Yes, yes. Guardian Envoy, honored one!”

She took out a document from her bosom.

“I have something to investigate regarding the contract you made with the main family’s Inner Courtyard, so answer honestly to what I ask from now on.”

The workshop owner bowed his head to the ground.

“Yes, I understand. Please ask anything.”

Such scenes were unfolding all over Luoyang.

* * *

The Luoyang Sword Family, Inner Courtyard.

Near the Inner Courtyard, which had been completely sealed off by the Guardian Pavilion, not a single person could be seen passing by.

The reason why people who would have peeked out of curiosity in other matters were not seen at all was surely because of the figures in black uniforms densely surrounding the Inner Courtyard.

At the main gate of the Inner Courtyard, the procession of those who had been outside and were being dragged in under escort crossed with the procession of those heading out to arrest others.

From all over the main building, wails of those being tortured leaked out quite often, and the screams of those who could not endure the harsh interrogation also echoed.

Only the essential personnel of the Inner Courtyard were spending hellish daily lives under the strict surveillance of the Guardian Pavilion.

* * *

Inner Courtyard Main Building,

Temporary Joint Investigation Headquarters, Command Room.

“This is truly nothing short of lightning speed.”

The one laughing heartily while praising himself was the Head of the Guardian Sixth Department of the Guardian Pavilion.

“…”

But even though the atmosphere among the attendees did not respond, he continued speaking with his characteristically thick skin.

“Of course, is this not because the Head of the Central Inspection Pavilion here took prompt and excellent preliminary measures?”

The Head of the Central Inspection Pavilion, Dokgo Ya-yeon, merely nodded her head slightly in silence.

“Haha. I look forward to working with you in the remaining investigation. By the way…”

He smacked his lips.

“The investigation inside the Inner Courtyard is almost finished, so where would it be good to set up the Joint Investigation Headquarters hereafter?”

“Do as you wish.”

“Haha. Then, for the subsequent Joint Investigation Headquarters, in our Guardian Pavilion…”

“Yes.”

Dokgo Ya-yeon, who cut off the useless conversation with a short reply, directed her gaze toward the person sitting in the seat of honor.

At that blatant gaze of wariness, Department Head Yook looked at the seat of honor with a smile.

“By any chance, does the Eldest Young Master have any questions?”

The Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, smiled.

“Then will the investigation of the case within the Inner Courtyard be completely finished within today?”

“Of course, I cannot tell you all the details, but since you are the Eldest Young Master, if I may speak specially…”

He smiled and continued his words.

“Even if the investigation within the Inner Courtyard ends, the ongoing investigation outside seems like it will take a few more days.”

“Is that so?”

He laughed as if he knew Yeon So-hyeon’s mind.

“Do not worry. The punishment of those who dared to mock the Eldest Young Master of the main family will take place immediately as soon as the external investigation is completed.”

“That is good.”

“Just trust us.”

Yeon So-hyeon sent a smile to Department Head Yook, who was talking big.

“You are reliable. If so, can I also get back the budget that they embezzled, which I have not received all this time?”

“Ah, ah. That is…”

After quickly tapping the abacus in his head, he naturally continued his answer.

“The amount is one thing, and since it is a matter related to the budget in the first place, would it not have to be concluded at the Council of Elders?”

The smile on Yeon So-hyeon’s lips deepened.

“Then, putting that aside, since misconduct of this scale has been revealed, should the investigation not be expanded to target the entire Inner Courtyard in the future?”

“T-that is…”

The one who raised his hand to cut off his words was the Head of the Guardian First Department, who had been sitting silently until now.

“It is a point in time when the investigation has not even been properly concluded yet. For now, it would be correct to focus on the case before us in accordance with the purpose of the Joint Investigation Headquarters.”

“However…”

Department Head Il’s heavy gaze turned toward Yeon So-hyeon.

“Since anything beyond that has room to be interpreted as an overstepping of authority, please be careful, Eldest Young Master.”

Without any lingering attachment, Yeon So-hyeon turned his head to look at Dokgo Ya-yeon.

“The Central Inspection Pavilion does not state its position while investigating.”

Yeon So-hyeon shrugged his shoulders.

“Then it cannot be helped.”

He stood up.

The people who had been sitting hastily stood up after him.

“The investigation within the Inner Courtyard will end today, right?”

“Ah, yes. It seems it will conclude at the latest by dawn.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded.

“There is nothing more to hear, so I should go back and eat dinner.”

Department Head Yook looked at him.

“If you are going back to Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, I will provide a temporary pass…”

“No. Should the Eldest Young Master of the main family carelessly go around ignoring the seal order?”

Department Head Yook was dumbfounded.

“…Then are you saying you will have your meal in this Inner Courtyard now?”

The main building of the Inner Courtyard was a place where screams and the scent of blood were still flowing everywhere if one went outside.

“Yes. The Protocol Secretary of the Inner Courtyard said they wanted to treat me to the finest banquet to express their apology.”

“…No, are you by any chance not worried about poisoning?”

Yeon So-hyeon chuckled.

“If such a thing happens, all of you are here, so you will catch the culprit in no time.”

He turned his body.

“Well, then, keep up the good work, everyone.”

Having finished speaking, Yeon So-hyeon opened the door and walked out before they could even greet him.

Department Head Yook’s face, looking at the direction he had left for a moment, wore an expression as if he had witnessed something bizarre.

In the meantime, Department Head Il and the Head of the Central Inspection Pavilion had already sat down.

“My goodness…”

Shaking his head, he took out a small case containing tobacco from his bosom.

“Does anyone need some…?”

There was no reply.

He shrugged, pulled out a piece of tobacco, and lit it with the Samadhi True Fire.

After puffing smoke toward the ceiling once, he opened his mouth.

“…Could it be that I am the only one who feels uneasy about this case?”

Neither Department Head Il nor the Head of the Central Inspection Pavilion answered, but it was a silence equivalent to agreement.

He continued speaking with the tobacco in his mouth.

“For a case of barely this scale, to think that the First and Sixth Departments of the Guardian Pavilion are mobilized at the same time? I have only recently become a low-ranking department head of the Guardian Pavilion, but has there ever been such a case?”

“It is my first time too.”

At Department Head Il’s agreement, Department Head Yook smacked his lips.

“Moreover, did both the First and Sixth Departments not happen to have several ongoing cases?”

Smoke was rising from his tobacco.

“Shall we speak more frankly?”

He flicked the ash into an empty teacup.

“I received instructions to mobilize all available personnel of the Guardian Sixth Department and conclude the investigation in the shortest period.”

Department Head Il, who had been silent, opened his mouth.

“A maximum of three days. You will know the limits of the investigative authority once you go to the site.”

Department Head Yook’s eyebrows twitched.

“I also received the same instructions as you.”

“Damn it…”

Department Head Yook irritably crushed and put out the completely burnt tobacco, pulled out a new one to put in his mouth, and opened his mouth.

“Sure enough, when I arrived, the Accounting Secretary of the Inner Courtyard, who could be called the core figure of the case, had already committed suicide and fallen dead. In addition…”

His gaze directed toward Dokgo Ya-yeon, whose expression could not be read.

“I came here hearing it was a request for cooperation from the Inspection Department, and do you know how surprised I was to see that the Head of the Central Inspection Pavilion was here? No, why on earth is the Central Inspection Pavilion investigating a case like this?”

There was no answer.

Having not expected an answer in the first place, he let out a hollow laugh.

“And that Eldest Young Master, who had not caused friction with the power organizations inside the main family for the past ten years, is the accuser?”

The smoke leaking from his mouth made the air hazy.

“…Is there anyone who can tell me what on earth is going on?”

He turned his gaze to the two people.

“Since both of you here must naturally know more than I do, right?”

“The Central Inspection Pavilion does not share internal information with other organizations.”

Dokgo Ya-yeon stood up from her seat.

“Then, excuse me.”

Department Head Yook opened his mouth while looking at the door through which she had left.

“…Though her expression cannot be read, just as her reputation goes, it seems certain that she is in a bad mood. It seems she does not know much either.”

He sighed softly.

“In the Inspection Department, which is said to hold the most secrets, even the Head of the Central Inspection Pavilion is ultimately nothing more than a puppet manipulated by someone on stage?”

He slumped back into his seat and rubbed his eyes.

“…Senior.”

“Yes.”

He was calling Department Head Il just like in those old days.

“I crawled up to this position with my teeth grit because I did not want to suffer this kind of treatment.”

His tobacco burned redly with a crackling sound.

“I thought that if I were around the rank of a department head of the Guardian Pavilion, there would be nothing I did not know, and even if I made deals with someone, I would not be manipulated.”

His gaze turned toward the ceiling.

“I am a department head. A department head. And of all places, a department head of the Guardian Pavilion.”

The air above was stained hazy with smoke, so the ceiling could not be seen properly.

“…Yet it is still in this state.”

Department Head Il, who had kept silent until now, opened his mouth.

“…That is something that even I, who have barely risen to the Elder Seat of the main family, feel as well.”

“…Senior?!”

Department Head Il took out a piece of tobacco from Department Head Yook’s case, put it in his mouth, and lit it.

“The Council of Elders? It is a grand place. Information that others dare not even imagine goes back and forth, and decision-making that sways the entire main family is made there, but…”

The one who had become the Head of the Guardian First Department and one of the elders of the Luoyang Sword Family wore a hollow smile.

“I also think about that sometimes when I lie in bed.”

His gaze wandered in the air.

“If I become the Head of the Guardian Pavilion, will it be different? If I become the Head of the Elders’ Pavilion, will it be different? Or if I retire and am selected as an Elder Statesman, will it be different? If I break through the slimmest probability to become a Supreme Committee Member, will I finally be able to know everything?”

“…”

Department Head Yook could not even open his mouth.

Nor could he close it.

He merely let out a sigh mixed with smoke and buried his head.

Looking at Department Head Yook’s head full of gray hairs, Department Head Il sighed softly.

Had his far-behind junior already chased him up to this point?

If so, it was time for him to gradually encounter the true face of the Luoyang Sword Family as well.

‘…Do not speak of the story I am about to tell you anywhere. No. Do not just not speak of it, but forget the content you heard itself.’

At the sudden sound transmission, Department Head Yook flinched for a moment.

‘It is highly likely that the Eldest Young Master and the Chief Manager of the Inner Courtyard are behind all of this. Beyond that, even I do not know.’

‘What do you mean by…’

‘As I said, forget it.’

Department Head Il sprang up from his seat.

“Well, let us return to work too.”

‘Forget it. If only for the sake of your family.’

He casually loosened his shoulders and opened the door.

“…”

As he stepped out of the door, he looked back for a moment.

Department Head Yook remained frozen in that posture, lost in deep thought.

His mind would surely be extremely chaotic.

At the same time, he would realize that the things that had not made sense until now were falling into place one by one, and he would feel joy in that.

And fear as well.

That appearance was one that reminded him of a certain day in the past, not long after he himself had become a department head.

He, too, would pass the story on to someone else in the same manner in the future.

Just like this method that Department Head Il had heard from his senior in the past.