An Unexpected Meeting
"Hmph. A purse that fat—someone's here to buy a truly staggering amount of information."
The woman from the Beggars' Sect spoke, tension tight in her voice.
"It's nothing so grand. Please, don't be so tense. I only ask that you find my elder sister."
"Your sister?"
"A sister, you say?"
The two of them asked at the same time.
"I've lost contact with my eldest sister, Rin. I'd like you to track down her whereabouts."
At that, both women let out a short, dismissive laugh.
"Just leave it to us! The Beggars' Sect will turn her up in a single sweep. Tell us what she looks like and where she operates."
"Hmph. Finding one person? We'll do it faster than these beggars. So—where did you lose contact with this sister of yours?"
Once they heard it was only a matter of finding someone, both of them looked down their noses at the job. But this was no simple search.
"I don't know."
"What?"
"What did you say?"
"I don't know where she was last active. It's been so long since I saw her that I couldn't even describe her features. Which means you'll probably have to scour the entire Central Plains."
At my words, the Hao Sect woman's brow twitched.
"Listen here, young master. Are you toying with us? You want us to comb the whole of the Central Plains for a single person?"
She leaned on me, a threat edging her voice. I only kept smiling, bright and easy.
"Bah. We're washing our hands of this. Sort it out with that little clerk over there."
The Beggars' Sect woman went so far as to rise from her seat.
"Once you see what's inside, I think you'll change your mind."
Calmly, I indicated the coin purse I had handed over earlier.
"Hmph. I can tell just by looking. A few silver ingots, a couple taels of gold tossed in, and then a speech like that...."
The Beggars' Sect woman snorted and checked the contents.
"......"
Whatever she found in there, she could not get another word out for a long while.
"What's the matter with you, you beggar brat?"
The Hao Sect woman called over to her.
"Young master... you did say tenfold. Tenfold, didn't you?"
She ignored the other woman completely and spoke to me instead.
"That's right."
Her eyes changed in a single instant.
"The Beggars' Sect will find her, no matter what it takes! The name is Yu Rin? Yu Rin—is that correct?"
I gave a quiet nod.
"Then I'll take my leave first. Farewell."
The Beggars' Sect woman snatched up the purse and hurried out.
"Honestly. What in the world was in there, to make that beggar brat act like that...."
Watching her go, the Hao Sect woman opened the purse I had given her as well. The stern set of her face began, little by little, to come undone.
"G... gold...!!"
A moment later, the corners of her mouth hooked all the way to her ears.
"You filled the whole thing with gold ingots? Young master, have you lost your mind?"
She asked it in a biting voice.
"Of course not."
"L-later—don't you dare change your tune. You clearly said tenfold."
Excitement pitched her voice high.
"I will keep my promise."
"Then I'll be on my way as well. Next time we meet, I'll bring good news."
Having heard me out, the Hao Sect woman all but danced out the door, shoulders bouncing with every step.
So money really could change a person that completely.
With this, the matter of the succession ought to be settled, at least in part. If they brought my sister back by any means necessary, there was no chance of the heir's seat being passed to me.
"Well. Nothing left for me to do today, then."
"You did spend a tremendous sum, though."
"It's fine. I'll just collect that much as an allowance. It's money I couldn't spend in ordinary times anyway."
I lifted my arms high and stretched.
"Ahh. Maybe it's because I met too many people today, but I'm exhausted."
"You've worked hard. Please get some rest."
"I should. At least I can breathe a little easier now. I don't know how well they'll actually do the job, but all I can do is trust them."
And so I went to bed in good spirits, glad to have settled one thing.
But the next day, an unexpected guest came looking for me.
"Young master. The Clan Head says you are to dress in formal robes and come to the reception room."
A servant delivered those words just as breakfast was drawing to a close.
Formal robes, first thing in the morning—had a guest important enough to warrant that arrived? And yet Mother hadn't breathed a word of it the day before.
"All right. I'll be right there."
I set the rest of my meal aside and went to my room to change.
"Tomusa, how was I supposed to do this part again?"
"Please turn around. I will help you."
Formal robes were what they were—ornate, and miserable to put on—so I had no choice but to accept Tomusa's help. Once I was changed, I stood before the reception room and spoke.
"Mother, it's me. May I come in?"
"Yes. Come in."
I opened the door and found Mother in conversation with a neatly dressed young woman. I didn't study her closely, but I knew who she was by instinct.
"It's been a while."
"What are you doing here?"
"Mother sent me."
None other than Ha-ryeon.
Mother cleared her throat.
"So. Is that all Hwi-gyeom had to say?"
"Yes, Clan Head."
"Then I'll step out for a while. The two of you should spend some time together."
The moment I entered, Mother made a hasty exit.
Well, well. She'd staged this atmosphere on purpose.
In the end, only Tomusa, Ha-ryeon, and I remained in the reception room.
"This is awfully sudden. What brings you here?"
I settled into a more comfortable posture and asked her.
"I came to seduce you. What other reason would I have for coming all this way?"
Ha-ryeon batted it back, shameless as ever.
"There's got to be a reason besides that."
"On the surface, I came to deliver my mother's words. It was a message that had to be passed in person."
"You've gotten smoother. So what's the real reason?"
"I told you. To take you as my bride."
Ha-ryeon said it flatly, then drank her tea without so much as a flicker. I turned my head just enough to glance at Tomusa. Sure enough, she was pouring out a terrifying aura, glaring a naked threat at Ha-ryeon.
And she's drinking tea through that? How is any of it even going down her throat?
"How long are you planning to stay?"
"More than a year. I've already gotten your mother's permission."
She might as well have announced she was moving in for good.
"By the way, you're still wearing that bracelet? I'm so happy."
Ha-ryeon said it with a smile. I only scratched at my cheek.
"...But I see you've picked up other ornaments since we last met."
For an instant her eyes locked onto my necklace—then slid to Tomusa. Their gazes met, and for several seconds the two of them filled the room with a tremendous pressure, locked in a silent battle of wills. I couldn't simply sit and watch, so I broke it up at once.
"So I'll ask you straight. How am I supposed to believe you like me? The last time we saw each other was ten years ago. How would I know your heart hasn't changed since then?"
Ha-ryeon went on as if she had been waiting for exactly that.
"Love is a noble thing. No matter how much time passes, its worth doesn't change. You just don't know, because you've never truly been in love.... It's all right. All I have to do is prove to you what my love is like."
"Can you say you have no other motives?"
"Of course. Strength, power, wealth—all of it is secondary. If I sought those things, it was only because I was afraid you might look at me differently without them. They were never the ultimate goal. To anyone else, it might look as though I'm trying to marry you to gain power or riches. But remember this. My only purpose is you, and you alone."
Ha-ryeon brought the words she had been speaking in that solemn air to a close.
"I understand what you're getting at. But you know as well as I do that words alone aren't enough to fully convince me."
Ha-ryeon smiled.
"I'm already glad you understood even that much from words alone. I don't want you convinced here and now either. I'll live at your side and prove it."
Hmm... If I went by her words alone, she'd be steadfast as a pine....
There was no law that every word had to be the truth, and a prepared speech was something anyone could give whenever they pleased. Believing her completely would not be easy.
"Let's speak the way martial artists should. Come outside."
I rose and beckoned her to follow. Ha-ryeon tilted her head, puzzled. Before she could fully make sense of what I'd said, I dragged her out.
The place I brought her was the training ground.
"Ah. Now I understand. You want us to talk with swords, the way martial artists should?"
Ha-ryeon picked up one of the wooden swords laid out on the grounds.
"You catch on quick. Don't hold back. Come at me for real."
I said it, rolling up my sleeves. The two of us took up our wooden swords and stood at opposite ends of the training ground.
"I'll show you how hard I've trained—to protect you, and to stand at your side as your equal."
Ha-ryeon declared it, bold and unflinching.
"Ah, wait just a moment."
With a harsh rip, I yanked loose the robes tangling my movements and tore them apart.
"What's this, a honey trap? I never imagined you'd have a tactic like that."
"That's how serious I am."
I settled into my stance. Seeing me set myself, Ha-ryeon took hers as well. Tension drew tight between us, and we charged.
CRASH!!
It had been a long time since I'd fought with inner energy behind my blows. I was nervous—and eager, too. This was my chance to see how much stronger I had become, and to learn just how hard Ha-ryeon had been living.