Ominous Portents
Jegal Clan Manor was bustling.
Because it was three days until Jegal Seyeong’s birthday, preparations for the celebration had already been underway for quite some time.
It made sense, really. Jegal Seyeong was the granddaughter of the clan head, after all.
And in this place, a “birthday banquet” was nothing as simple as a meal with cake and a few well-wishers, like the ones I knew.
For Jegal Clan Manor, it was practically the same as a festival for all of Waryong itself.
At this rate, every beggar in Yangyang was probably going to end up here. It was that grand.
Usually, a banquet like this was also a periodic event that helped cement a clan’s influence.
That was why everything was so noisy.
Amid the commotion, people had gathered at the main gate to see Byeokunja and Geukseon off.
Byeokunja was called the Sword Venerable, and he was one of Murim’s senior figures, so just about everyone had come out to bid him farewell.
And among all those people, I walked up to Byeokunja and Geukseon.
“Byeokunja elder. Geukseon senior.”
When I spoke calmly, Byeokunja wore a disappointed expression, while Geukseon looked at me with a frosty face.
They’d probably already guessed from the fact that I hadn’t brought any luggage with me.
“What the two of you have shown this girl will always be something I’m proud to boast about. Still, I don’t think I can live up to your expectations, and I’m sorry to say I won’t be able to accept your invitation.”
There was no beating around the bush when it came to refusing.
I had to say it clearly.
I’d even turned down Baek Jin-ah’s invitation to go to the Ice Palace with her.
As expected, the two of them let out small sighs.
No, wait. Why is the Jegal clan head smiling like that?
Sir, is it really okay to be grinning there? It’s way too obvious.
“I can’t drag a child away against her will if she doesn’t want to go. Very well. It’s a pity, but what can one do?”
With that, Byeokunja let go of his lingering regret.
“Understood.”
Geukseon answered just as coldly and snapped her head away.
“Please take care on your way.”
Still, it seemed like making myself sound as feminine as possible had helped a little.
They didn’t get too angry or anything. Thankfully.
Though honestly, I was getting more and more used to talking like this too. It was terrifying.
“We shall. It would have been nice if you’d stayed a little longer until our Seyeong’s banquet.”
“No matter. I’ll be going now.”
“Then let us be off. Clan Head, thank you for your hospitality on such short notice.”
After saying that, Byeokunja and Geukseon left the Jegal Clan without hesitation.
The Jegal clan head was still laughing heartily.
Was that old man grinning because he thought he’d trapped me?
Anyway, with Byeokunja, Geukseon, and Baek Jin-ah all gone, the Jegal Clan became a little quieter again.
The clan head’s expression brightened even more.
He moved among the people preparing the banquet, handing out wine and meat to those who were working hard.
This... might actually be harder to shake off than I thought.
That man was the head of the Jegal Clan, the family famous for being the most cunning of all, after all.
Who knew what kind of scheme he was plotting?
Before I knew it, I might find myself settling into the Jegal Clan without even realizing it.
And then, that afternoon.
The Jegal Clan, which had briefly quieted down, began to receive more guests.
I was a guest too, so there was no reason for me to go out and see them.
But when Moyong Jua and Paeng Jeon-ho heard that people from the Sichuan Dang Clan had arrived, they were about to head that way—until they turned to me and asked, “Baek ssi! Do you want to come too? It’s a good chance to get to know everyone, isn’t it?”
“Hmm. All right.”
So I followed the two of them to meet the people from the Sichuan Dang Clan.
When we got to the reception room, Jegal Seongjin and Jegal Seyeong were seated there, and across from them sat a man and a woman in green martial robes.
But Jegal Seyeong’s face was red as a perfectly ripened persimmon.
Ah. That Dang clan guy is the one Jegal Seyeong’s in love with, isn’t he?
Hm. He is pretty handsome, I guess. Enough to see why she’d fall for him.
But if his face is that red, isn’t that way too obvious? He doesn’t even seem interested in hiding it.
“Oh! Jeon-ho! It’s been a while! And Moyong ssi too, it’s been ages!”
The Dang Clan man greeted them warmly at first, then looked at me and his expression stiffened slightly.
And seeing that expression made a sudden unease creep into me.
That look. That face.
No way. This can’t be right. Could it be? No, it probably isn’t.
“Hm. Say, Seongjin. Who might that young lady be...?”
The Dang Clan man couldn’t tear his gaze away from me as he asked Jegal Seongjin.
“Ah, that is an honored guest of our clan. Ahem... Baek ssi. What brings you here...?”
Jegal Seongjin looked at me with a somewhat troubled expression.
And Jegal Seyeong’s eyes were wavering too, just a little.
“I see! I am Dang Ho-jun of the Great Sichuan Dang Clan! This one here is my younger sister, Dang Yeong-young. It’s an honor to meet you!”
Damn it. I shouldn’t have come.
No, wait. Even if I hadn’t come, would we have ended up running into each other anyway?
“I’m Baek Harin.”
So I gave my name in the coldest tone I could manage.
No matter how dull I might be, I could read the room here.
Jegal Seyeong was clearly in love with Dang Ho-jun.
And Dang Ho-jun was showing far too much interest in me.
This was a disaster. In fact, this could become a deeply unpleasant situation.
Moyong Jua, who was usually sensitive to this sort of thing, must have realized she’d made a mistake too, because she turned pale with an “ah” expression.
But we’d already come. Storming out now would be incredibly rude.
“Baek ssi. Since you’ve greeted them, you should go now. Someone must be waiting for you.”
But the one who saved me from that situation was none other than Paeng Jeon-ho.
He spoke to me in a calm, matter-of-fact voice, as if this had already been decided.
“Yes. I should. I’m sorry to leave right after greeting everyone. I only came to say hello for a moment. Then I’ll be off.”
With that, I bowed and left immediately.
Then I went straight back to the guest quarters and only then let out a long breath.
Wow. That was a near thing. I’m still sweating from the back of my neck.
But Paeng Jeon-ho really was amazing. How did he come up with that so fast in a situation like that?
Of course, maybe I was making too big a deal out of it.
Still, the fact that Paeng Jeon-ho had read the situation that way too meant I was probably right.
Thinking about it like that, Moyong Jua was lucky. She’d promised her future to a man like Paeng Jeon-ho.
He was so dependable even a man would admire him.
Either way, I’d been careless too. I’d underestimated my own looks.
It was a little embarrassing to say this about myself, but my face really was astonishing.
So I should have considered the impact that would have.
But who could have known?
I never expected that Dang Ho-jun guy would react like that.
When I heard about it that night, I was sure they’d said the Dang clan brat knew about Jegal Seyeong’s feelings.
Or maybe not? Had it all just been Jegal Seyeong’s misunderstanding and Moyong Jua’s overreaction?
Anyway, much later, Moyong Jua and Paeng Jeon-ho returned to the guest quarters, and I thanked Paeng Jeon-ho.
“No. I merely did what needed to be done.”
That was all Paeng Jeon-ho said, as calmly as ever.
“Ugh. I never thought Young Master Dang would be like that. Ahhh, I was so foolish!”
Moyong Jua blamed herself like that, and I comforted her.
“What did Moyong ssi do wrong?”
Anyway, since that mess had been settled, I made sure not to leave the guest quarters if I could help it.
Besides, people from the Namgung Clan and other families arrived after that too, but I stayed in the guest quarters the whole time.
I didn’t want to make things more troublesome for myself. And I didn’t want Jegal Seyeong to hate me either.
For the next three days, I kept thinking about how I could leave the Jegal Clan naturally.
This had been a comfortable place, but it wasn’t anymore. So it would be better to go.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
After returning to Mount Zhongnan with Byeokunja, Geukseon summoned the disciples said to be the finest among the Jongnam Sect’s third-generation disciples as soon as she got back.
Seven disciples came hurrying at Geukseon’s call, all of them stiff with tension as they looked at her.
“Is there anyone among you who has learned the Seven Stars Steps?”
At that, none of the disciples answered, and Geukseon looked at the children with a cold face.
“From this moment on, I shall recite the mnemonic verses for the Seven Stars Steps. You will memorize every single line and then try to perform the movements. Understood?”
To the disciples, it sounded like lightning out of a clear sky.
Seven Stars Steps? That difficult technique, and they were supposed to memorize it just from hearing the mnemonic verses? And then perform the movements too?
But the disciples had no choice.
Geukseon immediately began reciting the verses, and the disciples focused desperately, straining every nerve just to memorize them.
“All right! Finished! Then you, go first.”
Geukseon pointed to the disciple on the far left, but there was no way that would work.
The disciple hadn’t even memorized the first two passages. He dropped flat to the ground, trembling as he apologized.
Geukseon was furious to the point of bursting, but she still didn’t actually explode.
With a face as cold as ice, on the verge of blowing up, she simply pointed to the next disciple.
And when none of the seven disciples could recite even half of it—no, not even a quarter—only then did her temper finally burst with a roar.
“You can’t even memorize the verses, let alone perform the form! What on earth makes you worthy of being called outstanding?”
Her shout was so loud that everyone on Mount Zhongnan that day must have heard it and shuddered.
Heck, even Byeokunja, who was staying in a hermitage some distance away, heard it and clicked his tongue.
“Enough! Enough! Get out of my sight at once! I can’t bear to look at you!”
Left alone after that, Geukseon snorted in fury and returned to her own quarters.
Then she immediately spread out her bedding and lay down.
She was so enraged that her head had started throbbing, and she couldn’t stand it.
She lay there grinding her teeth for a full two days, but eventually thought that this wasn’t the way to do things.
Then she sprang up, quickly changed her clothes, and went to Byeokunja’s hermitage.
“I heard you’d lain down sick. You’re up?”
“Uncle-master! I’m going to the Jegal Clan.”
“And if you go, what will change?”
“If she refuses again, I’m prepared to abduct her if need be.”
At that, Byeokunja threw his head back and laughed heartily, then lifted the wine cup he’d been drinking and drained it in one gulp.
Then, grinning like a mischievous child, he looked at Geukseon and said, “Ho ho! That’s a fine idea! Then let’s go together! Right this instant!”
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇