Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Ch. 58🔒 .｡.:✧ Annulment ✧:.｡.
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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Chaos
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“So, what brings you all the way here?”
Plop—
There was a place in the pavilion where we could talk.
As I sat down on a chair and asked, Tang Hyeon-cheol, who had been silent for a moment, finally answered.
“…Originally, this was something I should have discussed directly with the head of the Silver River Trading Company.”
“You already know that a pack of wolves has taken over my family and is doing as they please, and that they are blocking the family head’s eyes and ears. We are not in a position to be picky about where we talk, so please speak freely.”
“Hmm…!”
As I continued to sharply criticize the current situation, Tang Hyeon-cheol, the elder of the Tang Clan, seemed to be impressed and swallowed deeply.
He muttered softly.
“You… you’ve certainly changed.”
“……”
“Very well. Then let’s get straight to the point without any formalities. It might be a bit shocking.”
Tang Hyeon-cheol looked at me with a grim determination.
At his gaze, I nonchalantly flicked the side of my teacup with my finger.
At that moment, the other party’s words finally came.
“After discussion, the Tang Clan has decided to annul the engagement between you and Tang Yehwa.”
“……”
“Before coming to the Silver River Trading Company, we sent a carrier pigeon to the family head to give some notice, but some collateral branch member we’ve never even heard of sent a reply with the family head’s seal. Seeing that ridiculous act, not only the elders but also my brother, the head of the Tang Clan, became furious.”
“……”
“Of course, from your perspective, who seems to have not even heard the news yet, you may not like the Tang Clan’s decision. From my perspective, if I were to suddenly annul an engagement that had already been promised while my family was being taken over by mere retainers, I would naturally be angry.”
Tang Hyeon-cheol was trying to sugarcoat the reason for his visit as much as possible so as not to offend me.
At his continued explanation, I, feeling a sense of boredom, sighed.
“Huu…”
“What is it? Is there something you don’t like…?”
“Why don’t you just get to the point, Elder?”
“…What?”
“Even a fool would know that the most important thing in this situation is the reason why the engagement had to be annulled. What I want to know is not the excuse, but the circumstances.”
“……!”
Tang Hyeon-cheol’s shoulders flinched.
He had caught the meaning behind my words.
I spoke, my words like a sharp dagger.
“So, there’s no need to beat around the bush. I’ve already guessed enough.”
“Hmm…”
“So, from the beginning, the Tang Clan was reluctant to marry the daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan, one of the Five Great Families, to me, who had been acting like a delinquent for years, wasn’t it?”
“That’s…!”
“The carrier pigeon incident was just an excuse. In a situation where you were already unhappy with the engagement, a few more catalysts were just added.”
There was no wavering in my tone.
I pushed my thoughts forward steadfastly.
My words continued.
“With Eun Ha-seong suddenly entering Mount Hua to learn martial arts and disappearing for nearly two years, you must have thought that the biggest obstacle, the thorn in your side, was gone.”
“……”
“Am I wrong? Try to refute it.”
It was, at a glance, a sharp criticism.
But not only Tang Hyeon-cheol, who had been listening to me silently, but also Tang Yehwa, who was sitting demurely beside him, did not immediately try to refute it.
No, they couldn’t.
‘I must have hit a nerve, but as members of the Five Great Families, they can’t get angry here.’
I clicked my tongue inwardly.
Just as a silence was about to descend upon the two people sitting in front of me, I spoke as if making a declaration.
“You may annul the engagement.”
“……?!”
“Even if it’s a political promise between families with little personal will involved, I don’t want to maintain an engagement when even the family head is in seclusion.”
“What…?!”
“……”
Not only Tang Hyeon-cheol, but also Tang Yehwa, who was sitting next to him, stared at me with disbelief.
Their reaction was, in my opinion, absurd.
So I let out a short sigh and immediately said, as if making a decision.
“The engagement, let’s annul it.”
“You…!”
“I don’t want to maintain an engagement in this chaotic situation, and isn’t it the same for you?”
“……”
“Is there anything else you’d like to say?”
As I said that, Tang Yehwa, who had been sitting quietly and listening to the conversation between me and Tang Hyeon-cheol, glanced at me.
Her eyes were filled with bewilderment.
‘They came here to annul the engagement first, so they won’t say anything different now… In a situation where a tragedy might occur in the family head’s residence soon, maintaining a variable is a big risk.’
My head throbbed as if a needle was piercing the top of my head.
To be honest, though I had said it eloquently, it meant that I didn’t have the capacity to care, so they could do whatever they wanted with the engagement.
As if she had finally understood my intention, Tang Yehwa, who was looking at me with wavering eyes, muttered.
“…Are you serious?”
“I would appreciate it if you didn’t make me say it a third time.”
“Hah…?”
“Something might happen in the family soon. I don’t want to drag you, Lady Tang, and the Sichuan Tang Clan into it.”
“You…!”
As I continued to speak with a blank expression, Tang Yehwa seemed to have finally realized the level of determination I had when I spoke.
I thought.
‘Seeing that reaction, I might have been in love with her since I was young and followed hr
Er around, courting her. Well… childhood promises and vows are meaningless in the Jianghu, so is she really hung up on this?’
It was ridiculous.
Not wanting to explain the reason any further, I twisted my lips into a slight smile and drank my tea.
The bland scent of the tea filled my nose.
Thud—
I set down the teacup and said in the same tone as before.
“If there are no further proposals or protests, I will take my leave.”
“……”
“I will not see you out, but it would be rude to immediately dismiss guests who have just come a long way from Sichuan. Please rest comfortably in our family for a few days. I will provide you with a few of my pavilions.”
“You…!”
“Then, I will see you later.”
Swish—
As soon as I finished, I stood up from my seat.
Then I walked out through the open door.
‘Is the matter with the Tang Clan resolved with this…?’
I felt the end of a long and tiring day.
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Late at night, after hearing the news from Eun Hajin who had come to see me, I tilted my head.
“…Those wolves are holding a meeting?”
“Yes, it seems they are determined, seeing as they are even mentioning the family head’s authority and holding a meeting in the family head’s residence.”
“Do you know when it will be held?”
“Hmm… it seems they will gather all the relatives and branch heads in five days.”
“……”
At Eun Hajin’s words, I frowned in thought.
At my reaction, Eun Hajin nodded as if he understood my feelings.
“It seems we need to prepare things a little faster than expected.”
“Hmm, well, we’ve secured some evidence. However…”
“Yes, the problem now is probably… the lack of power and martial force to punish them.”
As Eun Hajin said without wavering, I smiled bitterly.
Thanks to Eun Hajin’s efforts in various ways, the relatives and branch heads who had been scattered for fear of being purged were slowly starting to side with us.
But it was still not enough.
Considering the hidden martial prowess of not only the Black Serpent, but also the physician’s assistant who was sticking by the family head, Eun Hacheol, our forces were far from enough to make a move.
Acknowledging the current reality, I couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
‘Can’t the heavens just drop a peak-level master to be on our side…?’
But it was safe to say that such a thing would not happen.
I was standing there, feeling dejected.
Knock, knock—
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of the pavilion.
At that, Eun Hajin, who was beside me, tilted his head, thinking that there was no one who would visit at this late hour.
“…Who is it?”
“Hmm…”
Likewise, I, who was feeling puzzled with my arms crossed, spoke towards the outside.
“If you have business, come in.”
“……”
After a brief silence, the person who finally revealed themselves was the elder of the Tang Clan, Tang Hyeon-cheol, who was looking around awkwardly.
“…Elder, what brings you to such a secluded place?”
“Hmm, I thought you would be conversing in a place like this.”
At Tang Hyeon-cheol’s confident words, Eun Hajin responded in a thorny tone.
In fact, the place where Eun Hajin and I were having a secret conversation was none other than a shabby thatched house located deep in the mountains.
It was originally a thatched house abandoned by a slash-and-burn farmer, but at some point, Eun Hajin and I discovered and renovated it, turning it into an excellent hideout.
Perhaps because their hideout had been discovered, like Eun Hajin, I couldn’t help but ask Tang Hyeon-cheol coldly.
“I won’t ask how you found this place, but why did you come to see me in person?”
“Hmm… that is.”
“…?”
Tang Hyeon-cheol, who had entered the house, awkwardly scratched the side of his head, then opened his mouth and said.
“I just can’t seem to make up my mind.”
“…Pardon?”
“When I reported your family’s situation to the Tang Clan, my brother flew into a rage and told me to annul the engagement and return immediately.”
“That’s to be expected, of course.”
I slowly nodded.
I was already prepared for the engagement to be annulled.
In that situation, Tang Hyeon-cheol said,
“But… I just can’t bring myself to obediently follow the family head’s orders.”
“…Why is that?”
Ahem, Tang Hyeon-cheol cleared his throat and answered.
“In my opinion, the trouble your family is facing is a problem that you can solve on your own, given time.”
“……”
“However, I don’t know how much time is left. An outsider like me has no right to know that.”
“Then, why?”
“……”
Unlike my silence earlier, Tang Hyeon-cheol maintained his silence for another moment.
Just as the silence was about to continue, Tang Hyeon-cheol, as if he had finally made a decision, asked me as if making a request.
“You, can we have a match?”
“……!”
“Putting aside the sense of unease I have, if I am to not regret this decision later… I want to cross swords with you just once.”
Perhaps, if things go wrong after this, this will be the last chance.
Tang Hyeon-cheol muttered to himself.
At Tang Hyeon-cheol’s unexpected request, I, who had been slightly dumbfounded, soon regained my composure and smiled.
Then I answered Tang Hyeon-cheol’s question nonchalantly.
“…That much, I can certainly accept.”
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