Chapter 103
Chapter 103
The covert presence she had sensed not far away vanished quickly. It seemed they had been watching this way the whole time, but once Namgung Jeok-myeong noticed, they did not force the issue and simply left at once.
This is closer to surveillance than an attack.
Considering Dang Maeryeong had brought up the Jegal Clan and the Cheonma Divine Cult, there was a high likelihood the Namgung Clan was within their line of sight as well.
But there was a separate problem right now.
Namgung Jeok-myeong’s gaze would not leave the direction of the pillar where Yeo Il was hiding.
“……The traces of someone staying there really did vanish right away.”
“No. Someone is still here.”
After firmly denying it, Namgung Jeok-myeong walked toward the pillar—neither fast nor slow.
At a distance of ten steps, she heard the sound of him drawing his sword, yet Yeo Il did not flee. Instead, she quietly lowered herself into a crouch.
And then, after the blade reached her neck a beat before he could see her face—
“……Soyo?”
Once he confirmed it was her, she felt Namgung Jeok-myeong hastily sheath his sword. In a stiff voice that sounded both dazed and faintly wary, he asked again,
“Why are you here?”
“I’m sorry. I was curious what you were talking about, so I was hiding.”
As Namgung Jeok-myeong struggled to speak, Dang Maeryeong approached from behind him.
“It was Namgung Sojeo? Hm. The method isn’t good, but… since the young lady already knows many secrets, it’s only natural she would feel even more suspicious about why I came.”
It was convenient that she chose to interpret it kindly.
With a sigh, Namgung Jeok-myeong dipped his head toward Dang Maeryeong.
“I apologize, Dangju. My younger sister looks grown, but she still lacks sense.”
“It’s fine. If it’s Namgung Sojeo, I’m not particularly worried. More importantly, let’s continue. The Jegal Clan needs a bit more manpower. Jegal Hyeonmun-nim’s condition is not good, and with several bad circumstances overlapping—and the damage being large—they say they’re severely short-handed in searching for the Jegal child.”
Not only was she defending Yeo Il, she was even brisk about it. Yeo Il wondered if this was the power of Hongyu.
“The Tang Clan has already sent people to help. And since the timing is inappropriate in many ways, we are also postponing the banquet that was to be held in eight days.”
Dang Maeryeong’s voice was somewhat dark. It was likely because the chance to obtain Hongyu’s antidote from Yeo Il under the pretext of the banquet had disappeared.
She could have forced the banquet through, or forcibly dragged Yeo Il along, yet she held firmly to the line she had drawn for herself. That part was worth respecting.
“Of course we should help. If that’s the reason, Hui-myeong will probably step in himself—”
As Yeo Il organized her thoughts, she cut in quickly, but not impatiently.
“I’m going too.”
The quiet that followed lasted only a moment.
“What are you suddenly talking about?”
Namgung Jeok-myeong asked in a voice that did not sound pleased at all.
“I want to go and help the Jegal Clan too. I heard the Cheonma Divine Cult is involved. Is that true?”
“It is.”
“Yeonghwang Yuse and the Cheonma Divine Cult have joined hands, so I think victims harmed by Hongyu—like the Namgung Clan—will appear soon. I’ll go and help you, Dangju, and manufacture the antidote.”
At Yeo Il’s words, Dang Maeryeong’s voice brightened at once.
“That is truly something to be grateful for! The young lady’s knowledge will surely become a bright lamp lighting the road ahead for this unstable Jianghu—”
“No.”
The refusal, so firm it was almost murderous, cut off Dang Maeryeong’s joy.
With a small sigh, Namgung Jeok-myeong swept a hand down Yeo Il’s back as if soothing her.
“Soyo, what are you even saying? With your body in poor condition, how could you go to a place where unknown danger may be lurking?”
“But Brother.”
“If it’s the antidote, it’s enough for us to produce it here in the clan and send it. Didn’t you say the method is incomplete, so it will take quite a long time anyway? It’ll be easier to focus here than in that complicated, hectic atmosphere.”
“Mm… the Sogaju’s argument has reason.”
“You can’t complete the antidote just by focusing. We need to administer it to actual poisoned patients and observe the course, and we also need advice from a professional physician if we want to complete it quickly. There might be poisoned people in the Jegal Clan—”
As if there was no need to hear more, Namgung Jeok-myeong coldly cut her off.
“No.”
“Brother.”
“No.”
“I want to go.”
“Didn’t I say no, Namgung Soyo!”
It was a sharp, unstable bark she had never heard from him even once.
“I’m telling you I’ll give you enough time and opportunity here—so why are you being so stubborn!”
Perhaps because Namgung Jeok-myeong—always calm and unhurried—was showing such a rare reaction, Dang Maeryeong looked quite startled, yet she mediated calmly between them.
“Calm yourself, Sogaju. And though I’m grateful for the sentiment, it would be better for the young lady to remain in the Namgung Clan and help slowly. With the Sogaju worrying this much, I cannot forcefully take the young lady with me either.”
But from Yeo Il’s perspective, there was no reason at all to bend her purpose just because Namgung Jeok-myeong had raised his voice.
“Do you think I won’t be able to go just because you stop me?”
Namgung Jeok-myeong asked back in a tone that seemed to be forcing his anger down.
“……Why are you insisting on going that far?”
“Goodwill.”
“You want me to accept that easily?”
Sharp.
After replying icily, Namgung Jeok-myeong flicked his fingers lightly through the air. From the roof overhead, the bodyguard he had encountered a couple of times revealed himself.
“Take Soyo to my room. Bring all my guards to Dongcheong, and make sure Soyo cannot go outside recklessly.”
“Yes.”
As the bodyguard moved to approach Yeo Il, Dang Maeryeong stopped him.
“Now see here, Sogaju—must you really go that far with a younger sister who can’t even see?”
“Yes, I must. If I do not control a child who may bolt at any moment, who will?”
The way he was determined to seize Yeo Il and prevent her from moving at all made him look like a completely different person from the Namgung Jeok-myeong she knew.
And Dang Maeryeong is right beside him.
A man who hid his true feelings so well, yet he could not endure a single emotion and showed such a clumsy move.
It must be because of the conversation we had in front of Namgung Je.
In any case, Yeo Il no longer had anything to hesitate over.
Sensing the bodyguard’s presence reaching right in front of her, she suddenly drew Dang Maeryeong’s sword from her side.
“Let me borrow it for a moment.”
Shing.
A finely refined sword revealed its form in Yeo Il’s hand. Dang Maeryeong was greatly flustered and grabbed Yeo Il’s arm.
“W-wait! Namgung Sojeo, you mustn’t handle a sword so carelessly—!”
Yeo Il lightly tapped the flat of the blade with her fingertip and said,
“It hasn’t been used in a long time.”
“How could you tell? I don’t particularly have talent with the sword, so….”
“Step back.”
Perhaps because it was such a natural command, Dang Maeryeong reflexively backed away. Yeo Il jerked her chin toward Namgung Jeok-myeong.
“No need for a long talk. Let’s settle it with the sword. Draw.”
Namgung Jeok-myeong looked quite startled by the unexpected situation.
But it was only a feeling that passed in an instant.
He did not try to stop Yeo Il’s aggressive stance—something that did not match “Namgung Soyo” in the slightest. Rather, if anything, he accepted it politely, his voice even more calmly composed.
“Then I will take a lesson.”
A lesson?
Sorry, but I’m not planning to teach.