Volume 4 Chapter 8 – Luoyang Sword Family’s Supreme Executive Council

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Translated by Rain

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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The Luoyang Sword Family, the Fourth Young Master’s office.

The door of the office opened, and the Fourth Young Master’s head maid entered.

“Master, is your work winding down now?”

From amidst the pile of documents that was originally the Fourth Young Master’s desk, Yeon Bi’s voice was heard.

“…Uh, yes. There is just a little bit left. I am in the middle of the final check.”

The head maid smiled at the voice of the boy, which had no strength in it whatsoever.

“Now, for our exhausted master, I have prepared some sweets!”

“Sweets!”

The boy jumped up from the tomb of documents.

His eyes sparkled as he looked at the sweets placed on the tray the head maid was holding.

“Woah…”

“Fufu. You should not skip your meal by eating too much, so please make do with this for now.”

Yeon Bi nodded at her words.

“Yes! You have to eat rice to grow tall!”

Yeon Bi perched on the table and licked the sweets bit by bit.

Seeing the boy looking so happy, the head maid spoke with a warm smile.

“But in the end, what was the Eldest Young Master aiming for?”

The Fourth Young Master smiled brightly.

“I don’t know!”

“Really?”

“How could a kingfisher like me know the will of a great Peng like my eldest brother?”

Even as he said so, Yeon Bi wore a playful smile as if he wanted her to keep asking.

“Oh, come on, please teach me the great and grand will of the Eldest Young Master as well. You have something you are guessing, don’t you, Master?”

It was not a question she asked because she had a particular interest in the Eldest Young Master.

It was merely to see her master, who bubbled with strength and energy whenever the Eldest Young Master was mentioned.

“Fufu. In that case, I shall specially teach you.”

“Wow!”

It was her own special way of assisting her master, who had been suffering from consecutive overwork recently.

“Probably, if I were to guess…”

Perched on the table, Yeon Bi swung his feet and spoke.

“…I suspect that eldest brother’s goal was to be summoned to attend the Supreme Executive Council all along.”

“…The Supreme Executive Council?”

It was an unexpected answer.

Did it not mean that the Eldest Young Master was cornered even further as he went through the Elder Council and up to the Supreme Executive Council?

“Is the Eldest Young Master not currently in a crisis because of those who want to enforce his seclusion even further? Moreover, with the issue of the Patriarch’s Seal overlapping, the Supreme Executive Council even intervened.”

Yeon Bi nodded at her question.

“Yes. That is correct.”

“You mean it is a crisis?”

“Yes.”

Watching the Fourth Young Master nodding while diligently licking the sweets, the head maid calmly organized her thoughts.

“…Then what you mean, Master, is that though it is true the Eldest Young Master fell into a crisis, that was the goal he himself wanted?”

The Fourth Young Master smiled broadly.

“Correct!”

“Wow!”

The two clapped their hands together enthusiastically.

“Then what on earth is the Eldest Young Master planning to do after being summoned to the Supreme Executive Council?”

At her question, the Fourth Young Master shook his head.

“Although I can guess what eldest brother is aiming for, I have no idea how he is going to go about it.”

“Is that so?”

The Fourth Young Master wore a bitter smile.

“I have also attended that seat a few times, but not once did things go according to my wishes.”

“…That was indeed the case.”

Yeon Bi crunched down on the sweet.

“They are not high councilors for nothing. They are absolute monsters. Nine people driving you into a corner like a single body…”

He shuddered.

* * *

The Luoyang Sword Family, the Supreme Executive Council.

A modulated voice echoed inside the massive hemispherical stone cave.

“Eldest Young Master. No matter if you are the Eldest Young Master of the main family and possess the Patriarch’s Seal, there is a line that must not be crossed.”

Yeon So-hyeon shrugged his shoulders.

“I am not so sure about that, though?”

Another voice chimed in and raised its pitch.

“Are you speaking without knowing how grave a crime it can be under the Sword Family Law Code to dare to pry into the identity of a high councilor?!”

“This council can formally request the Law Enforcement Department to execute punishment accordingly.”

Yeon So-hyeon smirked.

“On what grounds would you accuse me?”

“There are the minutes unique to the Supreme Executive Council, so that will serve as the grounds!”

Yeon So-hyeon laughed aloud.

The new high councilors were momentarily flustered.

No one had ever dared to show such an attitude in this place until now.

“Are you truly determined to taste bitterness?!”

“Eldest Young Master, please let this meeting proceed in a direction that can be mutually beneficial…”

Finally stopping his laughter, Yeon So-hyeon cut off the voice.

“I am sorry, but no record of this meeting will be kept. Of course, including the minutes.”

The two new high councilors fell silent.

After a moment, the voice of one of them was heard.

“General Affairs. Is the Eldest Young Master’s statement true?”

The voice called General Affairs replied.

“Yes.”

“For what reason is no record being kept?”

“For the same reason that no record is kept, I cannot tell you.”

“…Just how many more meetings that left no records have there been?”

“There have been none other than the meetings with the Eldest Young Master.”

“In that case, how many times has this meeting with the Eldest Young Master take place so far?”

“That also cannot be revealed.”

“Then what were the minutes of the meetings we saw from when the Eldest Young Master attended in the past?”

To that question, Yeon So-hyeon replied.

“Naturally, except for the contents that absolutely had to be recorded, is it not all the creation of the General Affairs councilor?”

No voice was heard.

Yeon So-hyeon raised his hand as if to soothe them.

“Well, you must be flustered since this is the first time you are experiencing such a case, but let us do well.”

Inside the small cave, sitting on the other side of the veil, the new high councilor clenched her teeth.

‘…What in the world is this!’

She recalled the preliminary meeting that had occurred before Yeon So-hyeon’s arrival.

* * *

“What on earth do you mean that the high councilors will not agree on a solution to this problem in advance?”

“It means not only will we not agree on a solution, but we will not establish any countermeasures themselves.”

“Do not talk nonsense! Are you saying this because you do not know how huge of a problem this issue can cause for the main family?!”

“I know. Rather, it is precisely for that reason that this council cannot agree on any matters in advance.”

“What on earth do you mean by that?”

“Will the other high councilors just let such an absurd matter pass like this?”

There was no reply in return.

Except for the two new male and female high councilors, no one was raising issues regarding this absurd situation.

She felt an urge welling up to run out of this dark cave immediately and grab the other high councilors by their collars.

But that was a grave crime that broke the ‘Oath of Silence.’

Because the high councilors themselves were not allowed to try to know the identity of their fellow councilors, nor to reveal their own identity.

After a moment, the female new high councilor, who had regained her composure to some extent, spoke.

“…Please at least tell me the reason.”

“It is because this discussion is one that cannot be held without the party involved, the Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.”

“The very party involved is the core figure of the problem that this council must prevent, yet we cannot discuss it where he is not present…”

A long sigh was heard.

“…You will also know the reason soon.”

* * *

The female new high councilor let out a sigh and spoke.

“…I will try to understand the situation where no records are kept. Therefore, we would be grateful if the Eldest Young Master also shows sufficient respect for this council.”

“No, I understand, but…”

Even at her gentle request, Yeon So-hyeon only chuckled.

“It is hard to resist a situation where one is not punished even for teasing high councilors…”

“Eldest Young Master!”

The male new high councilor shouted as if throwing a fit.

“What an insolent bastard you are! Where do you think this is, that you dare to spout such nonsense?! I will immediately…”

“Stop!”

A new voice cut him off.

“That is enough. Do you still not know why the Eldest Young Master is provoking you?”

The voice rebuked the new high councilors.

This was also a sight that no one else besides Yeon So-hyeon had ever witnessed in this Supreme Executive Council.

“You should have realized by now that each time you speak another word, it amounts to nothing more than confessing your identity to the Eldest Young Master!”

Although modulated, it was a manner of speaking that felt uniquely experienced.

As the two new members fell silent, the voice echoed toward Yeon So-hyeon.

“I would also like the Eldest Young Master to stop teasing the new high councilors every time.”

He asked Yeon So-hyeon in a gentle tone.

Yeon So-hyeon nodded and politely bowed toward the voice.

“Long time no see, Chairman.”

The Chairman of the Supreme Executive Council replied.

“Long time no see, Eldest Young Master.”

The Chairman added.

“You have become remarkably dignified in the time we have not met.”

“Why do you seem to have aged more? It must not be easy to rule this family that grows larger day by day.”

“Haha, thank you for worrying about this old man.”

The atmosphere was remarkably warm.

Exchanging greetings with each other?

It was something that was absolutely never permitted in this Supreme Executive Council.

Nevertheless, the two new high councilors who had been scolded by the Chairman could not easily open their mouths.

Right now, they were in a state of being more out of it than when they first became high councilors and attended the meeting.

However, Yeon So-hyeon exchanging greetings was also only with the Chairman.

He did not bother to greet the other high councilors, and the high councilors did not bother to open their mouths either.

“Haha. Now we must officially begin this meeting. General Affairs, please proceed.”

The General Affairs councilor began the proceedings, just like any other meeting.

“The purpose of holding this Supreme Executive Council is to summon Yeon So-hyeon, the Eldest Young Master of the main family, to put an end to the anxiety regarding the Eldest Young Master that is currently spreading around the uppermost echelon of the main family.”

The General Affairs councilor asked Yeon So-hyeon.

“What is the name of the summonee?”

“Yeon So-hyeon.”

“What is your status in the main family?”

“The Eldest Young Master who possesses the Patriarch’s Seal.”

“Is it correct that the summonee was notified of this summons in advance and attended upon agreeing to it?”

“Yes.”

“Does the summonee swear before the sacred law code of the main family to speak only the truth in this place?”

“Yes.”

“May the heroic spirits of the great Luoyang Sword Family bless this place.”

Subsequently, the Chairman’s voice rang out.

“Then, high councilors, please begin questioning the summonee.”

The female new high councilor spoke.

“Eldest Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.”

From beyond the special veil, her gaze stared directly at Yeon So-hyeon.

“In this council in the past, you swore that the Sword Family’s Golden Seal in your possession would not affect the successor competition.”

She asked.

“Is this record true?”

Yeon So-hyeon wore a bitter smile.

“Yes. Though it is slightly different.”

He replied.

“How is it different?”

“In the past, I said not to worry because I would ensure the Patriarch’s Seal in my possession would not affect the successor competition of the main family.”

He continued.

“…Would you tell me how that is different?”

Yeon So-hyeon spoke clearly.

“That promise is not some ‘result you extracted’ from me.”

“Then…”

“That means I was the one who ‘first’ and ‘voluntarily’ brought it up to the Supreme Executive Council at the time.”

His voice rose.

“In order to help you guys, who did not know what to do about the Patriarch’s Seal issue back then!”

He bared his teeth.

“Yet you did not even publicize that fact at the time!”