The Mad Dragon Appears
"What do you mean by that?"
"Invite them over for a look-see. If they turn out decent, we put the Seoho Gwak Family up as a candidate for our Seven Great Families in place of the Jusan Baek Family. How about it?"
"Impossible."
"I'm only saying we think about it—just think! Not that we put them up right this second."
"No."
"You shoot your mouth off without even pondering it?"
"Yes."
Jegal Chan cut him off flat. Moyong Wol-un's eyebrows twitched upward, yet Jegal Chan merely kept scratching his brush across the paper, answering in that same dry monotone.
"I'm telling you to give it even a light thought, you stubborn little toad."
"I apologize."
"Why not?"
"Elder. The Seven Great Families is a seat that only those carefully winnowed from the countless martial houses of the Central Plains—more numerous than the stars—can barely hope to claim. Even drawing up the candidate list involves intricate criteria."
"Why are you telling me things I already know?"
"We came solely to observe the Jusan Baek Family, who have already passed that verification."
"But their successor just got beaten, so the Seoho Gwak side can get a shot too, can't they? That Gwak, Gwak..."
"Gwak Yeon, Elder."
"Right! That Gwak Yeon fellow smashed him to pieces!"
Watching Moyong Wol-un fire off in excitement only to repeat the name he himself had just been told, Yeo Geum-hwi smiled inwardly.
The old man is getting worked up again.
Moyong Wol-un was a creature of mood. The remark just now was the same. He had simply watched a Rising Star put on a fine show as drinking entertainment and, under the influence, tossed out a bit of praise in passing.
"That alone is insufficient."
Yeo Geum-hwi clicked his tongue to himself at Jegal Chan's calm reply.
This fellow, really.
Could he not read the room at all? If the man had only said something like, "Haha! I'll give it careful thought. Might I pour you another cup?" or "Raising a Rising Star of that caliber means there may well be a chance of them rising as a family candidate, just as you say, Elder. I'll look into it," the whole thing would have blown over.
In fact, had he gone along, Moyong Wol-un might have laughed it off with a "Haha! I was only talking. Still, that young fellow's quite useful, isn't he?" and moved on.
Instead—
"To replace a candidate family simply because their successor lost to another family's heir is absurd. Beyond that we need honor, wealth, reputation, tradition of course, and information on the other family members as well. Even candidates invited to the gathering must be those who have already been verified to that degree."
"I know, I know! Who are you lecturing?"
"I mentioned it just in case."
"You brat! What kind of attitude is that? How dare you talk back so precisely!"
"Elder."
Even as an aura of rage strong enough to raise goosebumps on the surrounding merchant retainers exploded outward, the man called Jegal Chan answered point by point without the slightest emotional ripple.
"If you mean to cow me through force, Elder, there is nothing I can do. But what is wrong remains wrong."
"Y-you—!"
Faced with that response, even the eccentric Moyong Wol-un chose not to resort to violence. His face flushed scarlet as he opted to argue instead.
"Still! Wouldn't it be fun to invite them to the family gathering just once? There's a vacant seat anyway—invite them, gauge the atmosphere, and if they seem all right we can elevate them to candidate status and review the other factors!"
"The order is wrong."
"No it isn't! If the truly important piece fits, the rest doesn't matter so long as they don't get eliminated!"
"I disagree. Moreover, there are still other candidate families remaining who are already facing their final verification. I fail to see any reason to suddenly insert the Seoho Gwak Family among them."
At eighty-six years of age, Moyong Wol-un still roamed the martial world freely with a seniority higher than most sect leaders. His childlike petulance and ironclad stubbornness had now stretched toward "I refuse to lose an argument."
"Then do you know this? To raise a single child into a proper martial artist requires an entire village! Raising a proper successor in the first place already proves a family's capability to a certain degree!"
"What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Did you not see that Gwak Yeon fellow's martial arts earlier? How many among the successors of those candidate families do you think possess that level of skill?"
"I do not consider him unique."
"Ha! That's why you have no eye for these things!"
Moyong Wol-un grew more and more heated. He began forcefully speaking the name "Gwak Yeon," which he had not even remembered upon first hearing it.
"What that Gwak Yeon showed earlier was dual-wielding—fighting with weapons in both hands. You need experience handling or facing a variety of arms to use it so naturally... Yet at that age, with nothing but a single sword and its scabbard, to display that level of prowess means not only innate talent but abundant real combat experience as well. That is living proof of the family tradition that raised him, and if a family with such a tradition claimed one of the seats among the Seven Great Families, it would greatly aid our own growth!"
As the excited Moyong Wol-un even began to spit while talking, Yeo Geum-hwi thought to himself.
Things are turning out strangely.
Because of Jegal Chan's tone-deaf retorts, Moyong Wol-un's interest in Gwak Yeon seemed to be swelling instead.
Perhaps, if we use this Gwak Yeon fellow well, we might forge ties with the Seven Great Families side in a different way...
Yeo Geum-hwi was clicking the abacus beads of long-term merchant-group profit—far beyond this single caravan—when Jegal Chan, who had been quietly listening while tapping the paper with his finger, slowly opened his mouth.
"If what you say is true, Elder..."
"Then you believe the martial prowess Gwak Yeon displayed earlier not only surpasses the successors of the families we put forward as candidates, but that his potential would place him above even the Rising Stars of the Seven Great Families themselves?"
"Th-that's right! Didn't you see it either?"
"Yes. My studies have not yet reached your level, Elder, so I could not see that far."
Jegal Chan nodded calmly. To him, martial arts were relative; to truly gauge a vessel required examining responses across many situations.
"And there were several moments I missed because you kept cheering in the middle, Elder."
"You little—using me as an excuse—"
"Now, now!"
At that moment Yeo Geum-hwi of the Cheonhae Merchant Group cut in.
"More importantly, what do you all think? We plan to hold a banquet soon. Why not attend and grace the occasion with your presence?"
"A banquet?"
"Yes! The Jusan Baek side may not come, but the victorious Seoho Gwak Family will certainly attend. If there is anything you wish to know, why not inquire further in person there?"
"Oho."
"I am fine as I am."
Jegal Chan cast his gaze back to the paper and answered indifferently.
"I must organize the materials to report upward. Detailed investigation remains regarding the common folk's reputation of the Jusan Baek Family and their related businesses."
"They're going to be dropped anyway, so why?"
"That and this are separate matters. If we set a precedent of violating the format decided at the gathering, trust in the standards applied when drafting documents afterward will collapse."
At those words Yeo Geum-hwi of the Cheonhae Merchant Group and Moyong Wol-un exchanged glances.
Doesn't seem to mean any harm...
...What an exhausting bastard, though?
They nodded with the same thought. Then Yeo Geum-hwi sent a look.
"Then drop by later. You'll also be able to see that young Gwak Yeon fellow you found so entertaining just now."
That evening, a banquet was held at the largest manor owned by the Cheonhae Merchant Group.
Sizzle—
Smoke rose from great cauldrons and bonfires everywhere, mingling with laughter and spreading in every direction.
At one moment, amid the lively chopping of cooks preparing pork, beef, chicken, and every sort of seafood and rare ingredient—
"Everyone, if I could have your attention, please!"
The salt-and-pepper-bearded chief steward of the Cheonhae Merchant Group called out before the crowd.
"Today's protagonist! The second young master of the Seoho Gwak Family, who showed such a splendid figure in the duel—Young Master Gwak Yeon!"
Gwak Yeon, standing beside him, clasped his hands and bowed in greeting to all present.
Waaaaah—!
A great roar of cheers followed—from the Cheonhae Merchant Group members and the Seoho Gwak people attending the banquet.
Naturally the Jusan Baek side had not come, and the Cheonhae Merchant Group made no effort to detain them. It was only natural. Unlike before the duel, with the result now decided there was nothing to gain by manufacturing further conflict between the two. They would send someone separately to maintain relations with the Jusan Baek Family, but not at this gathering.
Besides, this was no longer a simple celebration.
"And as of today! Our Cheonhae Merchant Group's next caravan will be accompanied by Young Master Gwak here!"
From now on it was work time. With the winner of the duel set to accompany the group's next caravan, the merchants had to begin evaluating whether they could form a long-term relationship with these people of the Seoho Gwak Family.
"The detailed schedule will be explained later by the group leader himself, but I ask every member present to commit Young Master Gwak's face to memory!"
The salt-and-pepper steward introduced Gwak Yeon to the merchant retainers present. As Gwak Yeon courteously formed a fist-and-palm salute, those watching began to murmur among themselves.
"Unlike a certain someone, he's not stiff-necked. Nice."
"So that's the guy who beat Baek Jung-hyeok so savagely?"
"Still can't get used to it."
"Damn it! I bet against him..."
"Tsk tsk. That's why they say never put money on marketplace rumors."
"He's handsome."
"Completely different from earlier."
"Still, looking at how he carries himself, he seems like someone you can talk to."
While the Cheonhae people each made their own remarks and fixed Gwak Yeon's face in their minds—
"..."
Gwak Seo-ryong, Family Head of the Seoho Gwak Family, watched the scene with a pleased smile. Beside him, Wi Jong-geuk, leader of Biryongdang, sent a sound transmission.
— Family Head.
At the following words Gwak Seo-ryong slowly nodded.
— Confirmed. Someone from the Seven Great Families side will soon attend the banquet.
At once the nearby hall masters of the Seoho Gwak Family snapped their heads around.
— Remember what I told you all before we set out.
Everyone nodded at Gwak Seo-ryong's words.
Gwak Yeon's victory was truly joyful.
But it was not yet over.
What they had hoped for through the fight with the Jusan Baek Family was not merely a contract with the Cheonhae Merchant Group.
— If possible, use this chance to forge ties with the Seven Great Families side.
The Jusan Baek Family had sought to fill the currently vacant final seat among the Seven Great Families. Stepping straight into that seat in their place would be difficult, yet the goal had been to obtain information on the Seven Great Families through this opportunity somehow.
— We still do not know which of the Seven Great Families may be linked to the dark forces, so mind your words and actions.
The dark forces the Seoho Gwak Family must avenge. One of the groups suspected of being those dark forces was said to have deep ties with one of the Seven Great Families.
And so, even while watching Gwak Yeon receive the crowd's cheers, they waited with complicated feelings for the person from the Seven Great Families side who might appear at any moment—
"Hahahahaha!"
At last Yeo Geum-hwi and a certain hunchbacked old man appeared at the banquet grounds.
"Everyone! Are you enjoying the banquet?"
"I offer my sincere apologies for opening the gathering yet appearing later than the guests! However! I hope you will understand that this is entirely because there is someone I absolutely wished to introduce before you all!"
Yeo Geum-hwi raised his clasped hands in salute.
"Today! To congratulate Young Master Gwak, victor of the duel here! A distinguished guest has come from none other than the Seven Great Families of the realm!"
Both the Seoho Gwak Family and the Cheonhae Merchant Group began to buzz.
The Seven Great Families.
Together with the Nine Great Sects and One Union, they reigned as the overlords of the entire Central Plains—people of a heaven beyond heaven, in the truest sense.
Savoring the reaction, Yeo Geum-hwi paused for effect and glanced toward Gwak Yeon standing off to the side.
If this goes well...
Until now his relationship with Moyong Wol-un had been private. Now there was a chance to elevate it, with Gwak Yeon as the intermediary, into a public relationship between groups.
With a dramatic flourish of his hand, Yeo Geum-hwi cried out—
"From the illustrious Moyong Family! The renowned Elder Moyong Wol-un of that very Moyong Family has come to grace this gathering today!"
He pointed to Moyong Wol-un standing beside him.
"Waaaaah—!"
A stagger.
Yeo Geum-hwi saw it clearly.
Just before the cheers began, Gwak Yeon's legs seemed to give out; he nearly toppled backward and only caught himself against a tree.
"Welcome!"
"I-I've heard that name! He's incredibly famous!"
"Waaaaaaaah!"
"C-could it really be him!"
"Wow! The Seven Great Families!"
The cheers soon grew louder and buried it, yet to Yeo Geum-hwi's eyes the reaction just now had seemed a touch excessive.
But Gwak Yeon's position was different.
Had anyone known his circumstances, they would have understood that the surprise just now had been an extremely restrained expression of emotion.
"Wh-what?!"
Gwak Yeon could not hide his shock.
Yet... there was no way he was mistaken.
The Moyong Family. A congenital hunchback. And above all, that all-too-familiar name.
Wol...un?
It was certain.
Thump!
The old man who had appeared before him now was the son of a dear friend.
Moreover—
Someone he had met face-to-face in his previous life.