Midnight Counsel and Lovers' Vows (2)
It was well past midnight, and in the main hall of the Moyong Family estate, where the family head resided, two men faced each other.
"San."
"Yes, brother."
Moyong Cheon and Moyong San. Brothers born from the same womb, yet the gap in their martial prowess was vast beyond measure, impossible to compare.
Without Moyong Cheon, Moyong San—who had reached the Super Peak realm—would have become the head of the Moyong Family. But no matter how high the mountain, it cannot touch the sky.
"I'm sorry for not telling you everything."
Such a man as Moyong Cheon bowed his head toward Moyong San, his younger brother.
"No, brother. How can you say that? There's always a reason you haven't shared it with me."
Moyong San waved his hand vigorously toward Moyong Cheon.
"And I'm no fool who knows nothing. Even without you telling me, I know why it's a secret."
"......"
Moyong Cheon lightly stomped his foot. In an instant, the internal energy surging from him enveloped the room.
Qi Barrier.
The profound energy Moyong Cheon emitted formed a barrier, a soundproof shield that prevented anyone outside from hearing their conversation.
"What do you think it's for?"
"That physician, Seok Mu Wol, is a Magyo spy... one of the Godok."
"You knew."
"Pretending not to know is my specialty, isn't it?"
"......"
Moyong Cheon tapped the table with his finger.
"Tell me more."
"For you to take such a Godok as your son-in-law means he truly cured Seol, and it's not mere repayment—you've accepted him because they've truly fallen for each other."
"......"
"You've welcomed him into the Moyong Family not because of his background or abilities, but because he's Seol's partner."
"......You're something else."
Moyong Cheon shook his head slowly.
"I can't win against you."
"Don't worry. I won't tell a soul. You can brush me off like always when I shout 'Brother!' and say 'You don't need to know.' That way, when others ask, I can go around saying, 'How could I possibly know all of brother's intentions?'"
"......"
"Other families' siblings might feud and keep secrets, but I'll say it proudly now, even if it's embarrassing from my own mouth. Brother, I'm proud to have you as my brother."
"...Thank you, San."
"On that note."
Moyong San's expression turned serious.
"How far will you 'allow' it to go?"
"Allow?"
"Yes. With Physician Seok Mu Wol."
"......"
"Surely you're not permitting everything... Wait."
Seeing Moyong Cheon's silence, Moyong San raised a hand.
"I'm not talking about his relationship with Seol, am I?"
"Then what?"
"Money."
"...Money?"
"Yes."
Moyong San earnestly drew a circle in the air with his finger.
"Through Physician Seok, countless Jeolmok Jeong patients will come flooding in, and those women will offer their bodies to him, prepared to do anything for a cure."
"That's...!"
"Regardless of your or Seol's will, they'll come from every corner of Murim. Brother, if the Jeomcheong Sect announced a cure for Seol, what would you have done?"
"......"
Moyong Cheon knew all too well what his own actions would have been, though he couldn't voice it.
"I won't belabor the point. That's why I can say it with certainty. Even the lord of the Self-Sword Sect would offer his liver and gall—and go beyond."
"Beyond?"
"He'd push his own daughter as Seok's concubine, slyly positioning his sect under the Moyong Family's wing."
"Nonsense."
Moyong Cheon sharply drew the line at Moyong San's prediction.
"How dare those hypocrites in righteous garb try to creep into Moyong's shadow? Know their place."
"That's why they're testing the waters now that they know their place."
"......The Jeolmok Jeong cure."
"Yes. A treatment only Physician Seok can perform. You've said it's via the Geukyang Jihwan method, so even without the act itself—saliva or whatever mixed into medicine—they can cure it."
"Hm."
"Whether to obtain that treatment or to leverage it while boldly standing tall across the Central Plains with Moyong's subtle support—now that the Moyong Family has embraced Physician Seok, we need countermeasures."
"Then."
Moyong Cheon asked very cautiously.
"What would be best? I can cut down enemies, but I have no demands of such people."
"Leave it to me. Just set the criteria and boundaries, and I'll handle everything without inconveniencing you, Seol, or Physician Seok."
"Criteria and boundaries?"
"Yes. First... there's one thing we need a firm answer on."
Moyong San raised his index finger, then spread all the others.
"Concubines—how many?"
"What?"
"I can't ask Physician Seok directly; he won't answer honestly. I figured you might know."
"......Taking another woman as concubine besides Seol? He did save her from Jeolmok Jeong, a life debt, but—"
"Brother, didn't you see how Jeomcheong's senior disciple looks at Physician Seok?"
"......That girl harbors feelings for him?"
"If it weren't affection, why else would a Jeomcheong disciple—in the heart of Moyong Family—tell him to come to them, or precisely, to her?"
"Hm...."
"Brother. If you permit Physician Seok three wives and four concubines—or more—I could build an opulent palace next to the Moyong estate within three years."
Moyong San said gravely.
"You'd reside at its pinnacle, Physician Seok below you, Seol at his side, and layer by layer, room by room, his wives would fill it."
"My home is Seongnakwon."
"Yes, I know. Just a figure of speech. But... it's not impossible."
Moyong Cheon nodded heavily.
"San."
"Yes, brother."
"Seol's feelings matter most to me too, but at least for now, she wouldn't want any other woman approaching Physician Seok, whether as concubine or otherwise."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
As Moyong Cheon affirmed, he covered his face with one hand.
"...I just heard it."
"...Brother. You've spread your sword over the entire estate?"
"Not the whole estate. Just around the medical quarters. The air's vibrations carry through the sword's resonance without transmitting the sound."
"......My guess from your reaction."
Moyong San clapped his hands with a sharp clap.
"Those two are doing it right now, aren't they?"
"......"
"Wow. Physician Seok is impressive."
"What are you saying, San?"
"Come on, honestly. Seol is beautiful, but... what she's done to him so far?"
Moyong Cheon flinched.
"If I were Physician Seok... whew, even if she's my niece...."
"Enough."
Moyong Cheon swallowed hard and shook his head.
"Seol... she was just in a lot of pain. Hanging on the brink of death. If she weren't suffering, she wouldn't have acted that way."
"......"
"The evil is Jeolmok Jeong. Not Seol."
"Y-yes. Right. It's the disease."
Moyong San scratched his cheek.
"Still, that temperament must come more from sister-in-law than—"
"She wasn't a bad person either."
Moyong Cheon shook his head more firmly.
"She just loved me too much."
* * *
"Physician. Should I just cut down all the women coming for Jeolmok Jeong treatment?"
"Restrain yourself, Lady Moyong."
I stroked the head of Moyong Seol—sweet-faced but fierce in words—as we returned to Seongnakwon.
"When we have so much joy ahead, why stain your hands with their blood?"
"Physician...."
"Or is it that our secret tryst in the medical quarters earlier wasn't enough?"
"...Not that."
Moyong Seol blushed and smiled faintly.
"I'm just still craving more."
She licked her lips, glistening red under the moonlight.
"I haven't even fully recovered from Jeolmok Jeong yet."
As Moyong Seol said, she wasn't 'cured' yet. Her condition had simply improved more than most.
If the Yin energy suppressing her meridians was now 1/100, it would gradually rise to 2/100, 5/100 over time.
Each infusion of Yang energy brought it closer to 0/100.
"If just staying glued to you like this fills me with Yang energy, that'd be perfect."
"Planning to cling to me forever?"
"Oh, didn't you know? I have no intention of ever letting go. Earlier, when I wasn't in your room, that crazy... ahem."
"A thoroughly mad woman."
Sitting with Moyong Seol on Seongnakwon's veranda, I unfolded a small folded paper.
"Yugiyeon, daughter of Yugoein. Age 24. Has sexual experience. Likely with one of the Self-Sword Sect lord's disciples."
"She has a fiancé?"
"Well... not necessarily a fiancé, but a 24-year-old woman who's been intimate isn't some grave flaw."
"But she threw herself at you."
Moyong Seol openly vented her irritation.
"She thought the Moyong Family was threatening and confining you."
"Delusional disorder."
"Delusional what?"
"She believes you—or the Moyong Family—are holding a sword to my throat, threatening me."
I lay back.
"After researching and developing a Jeolmok Jeong cure that worked, the mighty Moyong Family—strongest of the Five Great Families—uses one night with Moyong Seol as an excuse to hide it."
"What nonsense...."
"The thinking of ordinary folk bound by common sense. The problem is when those with such twisted minds don't realize their folly and cling to strange convictions."
I've seen it.
"Especially when they think it's 'justice'—nothing's more headache-inducing."
That woman who looked at me as if she'd 'rescue' me.
"She's not right in the head. Partly because she's afflicted with Jeolmok Jeong herself, but she thinks I—the one who can cure it—can't think or judge straight now."
"......"
"The root is she doesn't consider others first; she judges everything by her own standards, for herself. If she thinks she's saving me, it's not truly for me, but...."
"'I heroically rescued a Murim hero from the clutches of great evil. How cool and noble I am.' ...Something like that?"
"Exactly. And she did it against the Moyong Family, in the presence of the Sword Saint—no wonder she's convinced."
What madwoman fears the Sword Saint?
Even her father can't control her.
"I wouldn't keep even 108 such women by my side."
"...Is that so. Whew, my mistake."
"Mistake?"
"I thought you rejected her because she's not a virgin...."
"I'd call that my misunderstanding."
I pulled Moyong Seol into my arms.
"Virgin or not, there's only one woman I want to hold like this."
"......Then."
Moyong Seol blushed but stared straight at me.
"It's silly to ask now, but... why?"
"Why what?"
"For three years, honestly, I tormented you enough for her to be that convinced...."
"Ah, that."
Well. It was tough.
Tough, but.
"Water under the bridge. I harbor no grudge."
"Physician...."
"If I must name the root reason, it's because I'm mad for you."
I kissed Moyong Seol's forehead.
"First love must be this terrifying."
"Same for me."
Moyong Seol embraced me. Under the night sky as our blanket, we closed our eyes right there on the veranda.
Moyong Seol's body, which should have been colder than the night air, was warmly human, warding off any chill.