A Command from the Alliance Leader
We arrived at Cheongwol Gate not long after passing through the county.
It had been at least a few months since I last set foot here.
We rode in the carriage Moyong Yeong-sun had prepared for us. Naturally, the guards at the gate tried to stop us, but...
Do-hyeong opened the carriage window and spoke to them, and we were let inside without any fuss.
As we entered the grounds of Cheongwol Gate, a familiar landscape came into view.
I hadn't stayed here very long in the past, but the scenery had already become etched in my mind.
Neighhh!
With a loud whinny, the carriage ground to a halt, and the door swung open.
“We have arrived, young masters.”
The Sword Emperor opened the door, wearing a gentle, benevolent smile.
Just as I was about to step out—
“I told you before. Why do you keep driving like this?”
Dang Cheon-il grumbled, scowling at the Sword Emperor.
My heart nearly leaped out of my chest.
“Both this time and last time. Your handling of the horses is utterly subpar.”
“Ah, oh dear... I must have caused you some discomfort...”
“You call that an excuse—”
Smack!
“Gah!”
Before he could utter another word, I smacked the back of Dang Cheon-il's head with all my might.
“You crazy bastard. Just ride the damn carriage! Why do you have so much to complain about?”
“Ughhh...!”
I must have hit him good, because Dang Cheon-il clutched his head and groaned in pain.
“Are you taking your anger out on him just because I beat you up every day? If you need to vent, go to the training grounds! Don't take it out on an innocent man!”
In truth, the Sword Emperor's driving skills were superb. It was a marvel how he could handle the horses so smoothly with only one arm.
Dang Cheon-il surely knew this too; he was likely just looking for a scapegoat to vent his frustration.
Perhaps because I hit him so hard, Dang Cheon-il glared at me with fierce eyes.
Smack!
“Ack!”
Seeing that glare, I smacked the back of his head once more.
“Who do you think you're glaring at, you little punk?”
I went out of my way to save his life, and he dares to look daggers at me?
If he knew the truth, he'd be on his knees begging for my forgiveness.
Dang Cheon-il had absolutely no idea who he was picking a fight with right now.
Which meant he also didn't realize that I had just saved his life from the Sword Emperor.
I shoved the groaning Dang Cheon-il aside and spoke directly to the Sword Emperor.
“Thank you for your hard work, Elder.”
“Ah... not at all... I'm sure my skills were lacking...”
“Oh, nonsense. It was incredibly comfortable. Don't pay any mind to what this insect says. Hahaha.”
I kicked Dang Cheon-il lightly with my foot as I spoke, signaling him to get lost.
Do-hyeong climbed down next, followed by Cheon Ui-jin.
Moyong Yeong-sun stepped down gracefully, as she always did, her eyes busy scanning the surroundings.
Just then.
A group of people appeared near the entrance. They were members of Cheongwol Gate.
Seeing them, Do-hyeong spoke.
“Let us go report our return first.”
“Understood.”
I replied with a somewhat tense expression.
Having returned from a mission, the person we had to report to was obvious.
Wolseongeom.
The Moonmaster of Cheongwol Gate, Wolseongeom. Right off the bat, I had to face the most uncomfortable person here.
“We greet the Moonmaster.”
Without even unpacking our bags, the three of us headed straight to the Moonmaster's quarters.
Fortunately or unfortunately, Wolseongeom was not away, and we were able to see him immediately.
Wolseongeom looked no different from when we had left.
He was as sharp as ever. No, if anything, he seemed even more piercing than before.
He nodded, looking at the three of us with his characteristic blue eyes.
“You have done well.”
It was a brief acknowledgment. No other words followed for a moment.
Wolseongeom scanned the report Do-hyeong handed him, and after a short silence, he spoke again.
“You have just finished a long journey, so rest first. I will hear the detailed report tomorrow.”
“We obey your command.”
“You may leave.”
It was a remarkably brief conversation, especially considering we had just returned from a long-term mission.
I thought I could just leave and relax, but...
“Agent Bang, remain behind.”
“…….”
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than Wolseongeom held me back.
I hurriedly tried to grab Do-hyeong and Cheon Ui-jin, but the two of them had already slipped out the door.
Those quick bastards...
They were twice as fast as usual. They had definitely run away to avoid getting dragged into whatever this was.
“……Ahem.”
Left alone with him in the room, I cleared my throat to break the silence and spoke to Wolseongeom.
“Have you been well—”
“You have reached the Peak realm.”
“…….”
He cut me off before I could even finish my greeting.
His eyes were so filled with certainty that there was nothing for me to say.
“Or were you already at that level from the beginning?”
“……Well.”
“You do not have to answer. I am not that curious.”
“Ah, yes……”
As if my breakthrough to the Peak realm wasn't of grave importance, Wolseongeom simply nodded and moved on.
“I have reviewed the report you sent ahead. Is it all true?”
“If nothing went wrong along the way, then yes.”
“Hmm……”
Wolseongeom's gaze fixed on me. Man, every time I looked at him, it felt like his eyes alone could slice a man to pieces.
“The alliance you forged with the Dang Clan, and their official declaration to sponsor you personally... all of it is true?”
“Yes, it is.”
“And the reason is that you saved the Dang Clan by killing Ma Hyeok-chang?”
“According to the Lord of the Dang Clan, yes.”
“And their desire to establish trade between the Iron River and Cheongwol Gate?”
“Yes. Though, of course, that is entirely up to you, Moonmaster.”
I said it was his choice, but there was no way Wolseongeom would refuse.
It was priority trading rights with the Iron River, of all things. Who in their right mind would turn that down?
Especially a martial family.
“…….”
Wolseongeom stared at me in silence. I couldn't read his expression.
After a quiet moment, his gaze shifted slightly.
It landed on my waist.
“Your sword has changed.”
“…….”
I kept realizing this, but the man was terrifyingly sharp. It was inside its scabbard, so how did he even notice?
“……Yes. It was a gift.”
“I see.”
“The repair on Man-wol was also completed successfully. Have you checked its condition yet?”
I deliberately changed the subject.
“Not yet. I will check it later.”
“Understood.”
“…….”
“…….”
The conversation died once more.
Was there nothing left to say?
In that case, could I ask him something?
I actually did have something to ask Wolseongeom.
My heart wanted nothing more than to leave and rest, but since I was already here...
I should ask him about the Patheongung.
I resolved to ask him based on what I had experienced at the Dang Clan. But just as I was about to speak—
“The Yongbong Association will be held soon.”
“Pardon?”
Before I could open my mouth, Wolseongeom beat me to the punch.
“Ah, yes…… the Yongbong Association. Right.”
I had already heard the news.
It was a grand festival that most people in the Central Plains looked forward to, but...
What do I care?
Personally, I didn't care about it at all.
Besides, Cheongwol Gate is excluded anyway.
Since it was a tournament hosted by the Martial Alliance, the rules dictated that Cheongwol Gate, as a direct affiliate of the Alliance, could not participate.
So I figured the Yongbong Association had nothing to do with us.
“You will participate.”
“Yes, understood. I will participate in…… wait, participate where?”
I froze mid-sentence, my face stiffening. Did I mishear him? Yes, I must have.
Hoping to get a proper answer, I asked him again.
“Participate in the Yongbong Association as the representative of Cheongwol Gate.”
“……What kind of crazy talk is that?”
“What?”
“Ah, shoot.”
I quickly covered my mouth the moment the words slipped out. It was a slip of the tongue.
Wolseongeom's eyes instantly flared with intensity. At the same time, the air in the room grew heavy and cold.
Shiver!
A chill ran down my spine, and the hairs on my body stood on end.
“What did you just say?”
I had crossed the line without realizing it. But putting that aside...
……This is insane.
My body trembled under the sheer pressure Wolseongeom was emitting. It felt as if countless sword tips were pointing at me from all directions.
It was a sensation entirely different from mere bloodlust.
“I apologize.”
I apologized immediately. It was indeed my fault for crossing the line. However...
“……But I do not understand. I was under the impression that Cheongwol Gate has traditionally been barred from participating in the Yongbong Association. Why are you suddenly telling me to go?”
“…….”
At my words, I felt the oppressive aura Wolseongeom was emitting gradually recede.
“And I understand even less why I should be the representative. I joined the sect less than a year ago.”
Even if I was nominally the successor of the Sword Saint, my tenure here was incredibly short.
Even the young geniuses who had spent ten years in the sect barely got the chance to be the representative, and he wanted me to do it?
If this isn't crazy talk, then what is?
As I continuously voiced my doubts about this incomprehensible decision—
“You ask for the reason?”
“Yes.”
Wolseongeom spoke to me.
“This is an order directly from the Martial Alliance.”
“……Pardon?”
An order from the Martial Alliance...?
“And it was issued by the Alliance Leader himself.”
“What do you mean……?”
“For this year only, Cheongwol Gate's participation in the Yongbong Association has been permitted. Along with that came the order to send the Young Sword Saint, Bang Seong-yeon, as the representative.”
“…….”
While my face soured as if I had swallowed a toad, Yoo Chun-gil clapped his hands and cheered the moment he heard the news.
“……The…… Alliance Leader did?”
“Yes.”
“……No, wait……”
How on earth did things turn out this way...?
The Alliance Leader...?
Of all people, the leader of the Martial Alliance had personally singled me out. My mind raced.
If it's the Alliance Leader...
The current leader of the Martial Alliance was undoubtedly...
Sinchang.
The Divine Spear, Jeok Ho-myeong.
He was the one who ascended to the position of Alliance Leader after Yoo Chun-gil's death, and one of the heroes who fought in the Great War between Justice and Evil.
I had heard he was an absolute master of the spear from the Shanxi Jeok family.
Why would he target me...?
It was utterly baffling that a man with whom I had absolutely no connection had singled me out and issued such an order.
And they're even changing the rules just for this?
The participation of Cheongwol Gate in the Yongbong Association.
I couldn't even begin to imagine the political ripples this would cause.
And on top of that, he wants me to go as the representative?
He was telling me to represent the young generation of Cheongwol Gate.
What kind of ridiculous nonsense was this?
“But Moonmaster—”
“The orders of the Martial Alliance are absolute.”
Before I could voice any objections, Wolseongeom cut me off with cold finality.
“I have delivered the message. Agent Bang, you may also rest. I will hear your detailed report tomorrow.”
“…….”
To prevent me from saying anything else, Wolseongeom shifted his blue eyes away from me and looked down at the documents on his desk.
It was a clear sign that our conversation was over and I should leave.
Damn it...
Swallowing a sigh, I turned around and grabbed the doorknob.
“And.”
Wolseongeom's voice made me pause.
What now? As I braced myself, wondering what other shocking news he was about to drop—
“Regarding the mission, you did exceptionally well.”
“……Ah, thank you.”
Wolseongeom actually praised me. I gave a half-hearted nod in response.
Then, I walked out.
Outside Wolseongeom's quarters, Do-hyeong and Cheon Ui-jin were waiting for me, standing perfectly still.
“Are you alright?”
Do-hyeong asked, his voice tinged with concern. I forced a smile.
“Yes. Well, I'm fine... He just told me I did a good job, that sort of thing.”
I had no intention of mentioning the Yongbong Association yet.
It was Cheon Ui-jin who reacted to my words.
“……Young Master, what did the Moonmaster say to you?”
“I just told you. He just praised me for doing well on the mission.”
I gave a casual reply, hoping to brush it off.
“What?”
“……What?”
Upon hearing my reply, both of their eyes widened to the size of saucers.
What? Why were they acting like this?
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Young Master.”
“Yes?”
“My fath... no, the Moonmaster actually praised you?”
“……Yes.”
“Are you serious?”
“Yes, he did. He said I did well.”
“…….”
“What's wrong with you two?”
Cheon Ui-jin's expression turned incredibly strange. Why was he suddenly acting like this? I frowned, unable to comprehend their reaction.
“Bang Seong-yeon.”
“Yes, senior brother?”
Instead of Cheon Ui-jin, Do-hyeong answered my unvoiced question.
“The Moonmaster does not give praise.”
“……Pardon?”
What kind of statement was that?
“He doesn't give praise?”
“Indeed.”
“Why……?”
Why wouldn't he praise anyone? It wasn't like giving a compliment cost him anything.
“I do not know. But among all the agents, not a single one has ever received praise from the Moonmaster.”
“……And that single person has emerged today.”
Cheon Ui-jin spoke with a deeply conflicted expression.
……Hmm.
It seemed...
That praise was far more valuable than I had anticipated.
……But so what? I don't need it.
Even if Wolseongeom showered me with a mountain of praise, I couldn't care less.