Chapter 7

“I was too flustered earlier and forgot to introduce myself. I am Seong Mo-ran of the Iron Sword Sect.”

Her crescent-shaped brows curved as she smiled.

Gye Cheol-yeong, who had spent the entire journey scowling as though he had swallowed something bitter, immediately brightened.

“I heard that a single beautiful flower had bloomed among the wolves of the Iron Sword Sect. It seems the rumors failed to capture even half of your beauty.”

“You flatter me, Young Master Gye. Please come inside. The Young Sword Lord has been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild and the Taeul Sect.”

Gye Cheol-yeong puffed out his chest, making himself look even more foolish than usual.

The Iron Sword Sect was packed with guests.

Every door and window stood open, and the halls were filled with people drinking, eating, and talking loudly.

“Ha ha ha! Welcome, Guild Master! Goodness, Cheol-yeong came as well! How long has it been?”

A middle-aged man with eyes similar to Seong Mo-ran’s greeted Gye Yeon-seok and Gye Cheol-yeong with hearty laughter.

He was Seong Ju-tak, the Young Sword Lord.

“It has been a long time, Young Sword Lord.”

“Ha ha! I told you to stop being so formal. We are growing old together, so why put up such walls between us?”

Despite his words, Seong Ju-tak looked delighted by the respectful title.

“Have you been well?”

“Whenever I think about how I missed the chance to take in a talent like you, Cheol-yeong, I become so frustrated that I cannot sleep at night.”

“You praise me too highly.”

“Truly, if not for the ridiculous privileges granted to the One Hundred Eight Peaks, I would have accepted you as my disciple long ago. Ha ha ha!”

I glanced at Kang Chae-seok and Jin Tae-san.

Their expressions looked as though they had bitten into something bitter, much like Gye Cheol-yeong’s had earlier.

“Father, these are the representatives of the Taeul Sect. You should greet them.”

Only after Seong Mo-ran reminded him did Seong Ju-tak finally look in our direction.

“I am Kang Chae-seok, Hall Master of Swift Blossom Hall.”

“……I am Jin Tae-san.”

The two clasped their fists in greeting, but Seong Ju-tak merely gave them a slight nod.

“Kang Chae-seok, I have seen you several times at the Murim Alliance. As for you, Jin Tae-san, it has been quite a while. Has it already been twenty years?”

“……It seems so. I had not realized so much time had passed.”

“Heh heh. The Taeul Sect is truly fortunate. We have worked tirelessly for twenty years without finding a disciple like Cheol-yeong, while you did nothing and had such a blessing fall into your laps.”

“……”

His words sounded like praise, but the contempt behind them was obvious.

Jin Tae-san and Kang Chae-seok’s expressions gradually darkened.

“This must be Sect Leader Hong’s daughter. And this young man is……?”

Before anyone could answer, Gye Cheol-yeong interrupted.

“He is the Outer Hall Master’s son.”

“Ah, your son?”

Seong Ju-tak looked me up and down.

“His aptitude appears rather poor. Do not waste your efforts on someone hopeless. You would be better off devoting yourself to supporting Cheol-yeong.”

He chuckled.

“I know enough about the Taeul Sect’s martial arts to judge that much, do I not?”

This was already different from what had happened in my previous life.

Back then, the Iron Sword Sect had hidden its intentions. They had pretended to ignore the Taeul Sect before attacking us from behind.

They had never openly humiliated us before such a large crowd.

If their hostility became too obvious, their later scheme would lose its effect.

The Iron Sword Sect wanted to force the Taeul Sect to its knees, not earn a reputation as a group of common thugs.

More importantly, this was the first time I had heard that Father had visited the Iron Sword Sect twenty years ago.

In my previous life, Seong Ju-tak had been too busy entertaining the Gyeryong Merchant Guild to speak with us properly.

Of course, I had also been far too occupied memorizing the faces of the Twin Wolf Iron Swords and Namgung San.

“So, how much of the Taeul Sect’s martial arts have you learned?”

How should I answer?

I knew this banquet would end badly no matter what happened.

Still, perhaps I should at least show that I had tried to remain patient.

“Have you not even learned how to answer when an elder speaks? Hah. One cannot help but worry about the Taeul Sect’s future.”

“Every word that comes out of your mouth is irritating. You sound like a common back-alley thug.”

“……!”

The noisy hall instantly fell silent.

The guests stared at me as though they had seen a ghost in broad daylight.

Several of them even dropped the cups in their hands.

“Wh-what did you say?”

The moment the words left my mouth, I realized my mistake.

‘Ah. I should not have said that aloud.’

I had never behaved like this in my previous life.

But after spending years among the shameless scoundrels of the Sojeong Squad, some of their terrible habits had clearly rubbed off on me.

Those damned bastards had never been helpful in the slightest.

“You wretch! What did you just say?”

It was already too late to take it back.

Once an arrow had left the bowstring, how could it be recalled?

“Ah, my apologies. I meant to say that only in my head, but it slipped out.”

“You call that an apology……?”

“To be honest, was anything I said untrue?”

I continued calmly.

“A moment ago, you spoke of my junior sister’s father, the Sect Leader of the Taeul Sect, as though he were beneath you. You insulted my sect’s martial arts. Then you questioned another martial artist’s level of attainment, something no warrior should ask so carelessly.”

“Y-You wretch……”

“How could anyone who carries a sword hear such words and not become angry?”

I clasped my fists in greeting.

“Still, the sages taught that arrogance and disrespect should not be answered with more disrespect. In that regard, I was at fault. Please accept my apology.”

Seong Ju-tak’s face turned a magnificent shade of red.

But why did Seong Mo-ran look as though she were desperately trying not to laugh after hearing her own father insulted?

Around us, the guests who had listened to the exchange began nodding one after another, apparently convinced by my reasoning.

“You…… I will……”

Seong Ju-tak’s face grew even darker as he struggled to find a response.

Just then—

“The Grand Strategist of the Murim Alliance has arrived!”

A thunderous announcement shook the hall.

Everyone immediately rose from their seats.

The Iron Sword Sect Leader, Seong Cheon-wol, rushed out of the main hall with his retainers, not even taking the time to put on their shoes.

“What are you doing standing there? Follow me at once!”

At Seong Cheon-wol’s shout, Seong Ju-tak looked back and forth between him and me.

Then he ground his teeth and hurried after his father.

Gye Yeon-seok and Gye Cheol-yeong followed close behind.

“Sh-should we go as well?”

Hong Sa-ryeon finally recovered from her shock and turned to me.

“Hundreds of people will rush over to make themselves known to the Grand Strategist. We would be better off going inside and finding good seats.”

“……”

Sa-ryeon looked toward Jin Tae-san and Kang Chae-seok for guidance.

However, both men were still staring at me in disbelief.

In the end, Seong Mo-ran made the decision for us.

“He is right. I will guide you to better seats, so please follow me.”

With Seong Mo-ran leading the way, the others had little choice but to follow.

“Did I not tell you to restrain yourself?”

Kang Chae-seok approached from behind and glared at me.

“Please be honest. If I had not spoken first, were you not about to draw your sword?”

“……”

There was no point in denying it.

I had clearly seen Kang Chae-seok’s hand move toward his sword.

And if I had noticed, there was no chance Seong Ju-tak had missed it.

Had I not stepped in, we might have been forced to kneel and apologize on the very first day of the banquet instead of the last.

Kang Chae-seok pressed his lips together.

“Please do not act rashly. You know what the Iron Sword Sect is planning, do you not?”

“……”

“I am telling you to behave like a gentleman. Do not deliberately step into a pile of dung.”

“You brat! ……I know.”

“Then relax your expression. What happened between you and Seong Ju-tak twenty years ago? Why do you glare at him as though he murdered your parents?”

Kang Chae-seok hesitated, then glanced at Jin Tae-san.

When Jin Tae-san silently shook his head, Kang Chae-seok quickened his pace without answering.

Before long, we arrived at the same place where we had been seated in my previous life.

A disciple of the Iron Sword Sect stepped forward.

“The seats for the Taeul Sect are this way.”

He led us toward a corner of the training ground crowded with drunkards.

Just as I was about to sit down, Seong Mo-ran spoke.

“Seat the other guests here. I will guide them myself.”

Instead, she led us to a large table deep inside the hall.

As we crossed the grounds, countless eyes followed us.

“Please sit here.”

“Thank you for your consideration, Young Lady.”

Jin Tae-san, who had remained silent for some time, finally spoke.

Seong Mo-ran smiled and sat directly across from me.

“……!”

“……!”

At a gathering this large, an important member of the host sect choosing to sit with someone meant that they regarded that person as an honored guest.

Her actions surprised not only us, but everyone watching nearby.

“Over here! Bring us wine first!”

The moment Seong Mo-ran called out, wine and food arrived as swiftly as arrows.

Although many guests had arrived before us and were still waiting, not one of them dared complain.

Father and Hall Master Kang Chae-seok were so tense that they could barely move, despite the feast spread out before them.

I picked up a chicken leg and took a bite.

“What is your name, Young Master?”

“Jin So-un.”

“When I saw you earlier, your skill seemed quite remarkable…… Ah, was that an impolite question?”

Seong Mo-ran was showing me an unusual amount of interest and kindness.

Had I still been the person I was in my previous life, sitting before the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword would have made me so nervous that I would not even have tasted the food.

“Yes. Having the Beautiful Wolf of the Iron Sword Sect watch me eat is rather distracting.”

“Oh my. Ho ho, I apologize.”

“The Grand Strategist has arrived. Should you not go and greet him?”

“Who knows? The Iron Sword Sect has a rule that women are excluded from important matters. I doubt anyone will blame me for missing the gathering.”

“I heard the Beautiful Wolf’s fangs are sharper than the Blood Wolf’s. From the Taeul Sect’s perspective, perhaps that rule is fortunate.”

The Blood Wolf Iron Sword, Seong Mo-hyeon, was the chosen heir of the Iron Sword Sect.

Since childhood, he had consumed countless spiritual medicines and undergone both Marrow Cleansing and Body Reformation.

Seong Mo-ran, on the other hand, had not even begun cultivating internal energy until she was nine years old.

Despite starting so late, she had still entered the Murim Academy alongside him.

Years later, after the Blood Wolf Iron Sword brought nearly half of the Iron Sword Sect to ruin, Seong Mo-ran stubbornly led the survivors all the way to Bukhae.

There, she secured them a place within the Murim Alliance and preserved the Iron Sword Sect’s lineage.

“Ho ho ho. You truly are an amusing person.”

She smiled.

“I apologize for my father’s behavior earlier. Our family has dealt with the Gyeryong Merchant Guild since I was young, so he must deeply regret losing the chance to accept Senior Brother Cheol-yeong as a disciple.”

“You can still take him.”

“Ho ho ho!”

Seong Mo-ran clutched her stomach and burst into laughter.

The mood had changed so suddenly that Kang Chae-seok and Jin Tae-san could not bring themselves to eat. They merely continued drinking.

“There is something I would like to ask.”

“What is it?”

“Why did the Iron Sword Sect invite the Taeul Sect?”

Jin Tae-san and Kang Chae-seok immediately turned toward me.

Seong Mo-ran gave me an unreadable smile.

“Does a banquet not become more meaningful when many people gather to offer their congratulations?”

“Many assassinations throughout history have also taken place during banquets.”

Seong Mo-ran’s eyes widened.

A moment later, her smile returned.

“Heh heh. Young Hero Jin truly is an amusing person.”

Seong Mo-ran rose from her seat.

“Will you not stay and dine with us, Young Lady Seong?”

“I would like to remain and ease your suspicions, but I believe it would be better for me to leave now.”

She politely bid farewell to Father and Hall Master Kang Chae-seok before walking away.

“……Young Lady?”

Hong Sa-ryeon, who had been silent beside me, grumbled unhappily.

“Hm? Should I have called her Young Hero instead?”

“Hmph!”

I had only been trying to discover how much the Iron Sword Sect had prepared against us.

Sa-ryeon, who knew nothing about the situation, glared at me as though I had betrayed her merely by speaking with the Beautiful Wolf.

Perhaps she was still too young to understand such things.

“‘Young La~~dy?’ Hmph!”

Hong Sa-ryeon angrily unpacked her belongings in the private quarters Seong Mo-ran had arranged for them.

“‘You truly are an amusing person. Ho ho ho.’ That fox-like woman……”

She imitated Seong Mo-ran’s voice before letting out a quiet sigh.

Bright silk robes made from the finest fabric.

Elegant ornaments that naturally drew attention.

A dignified posture and eyes filled with confidence.

Above all, a beauty that made everyone look wherever she went.

Sa-ryeon could not think of a single way in which she could compete with her.

“Haa……”

Because the Taeul Sect and the Iron Sword Sect were rivals, she could never admit it openly.

Even so, she had heard countless stories about the Beautiful Wolf Iron Sword.

Rumors of a girl her age with extraordinary talent had spread throughout Anhui.

Sa-ryeon understood that people developed differently depending on the gifts they were born with.

Still, meeting Seong Mo-ran in person had not filled her with simple jealousy.

Instead, she felt a painful longing for something that seemed far beyond her reach.

“……”

She had worn the cleanest martial robes available in the Taeul Sect.

Yet for some reason, the fabric beneath her fingers felt especially rough today.

Knock, knock.

Sa-ryeon snapped out of her thoughts.

“Who is it?”

“It is me.”

“Senior Brother Cheol-yeong?”

When she opened the door, Gye Cheol-yeong stood outside.

He had changed out of his martial robes and into expensive silk clothing.

“Change into this.”

He held out a set of brightly colored silk garments.

“What is this?”

“The younger members of Anhui’s prominent families are holding a separate gathering. Young Master Namgung San will also be there. You cannot attend dressed in martial robes like those.”

“……I am tired. Go without me, Senior Brother.”

“Strictly speaking, I will be attending as the representative of the Gyeryong Merchant Guild.”

Gye Cheol-yeong paused before continuing.

“If you refuse, Jin So-un will have to go instead. Are you comfortable with that?”

It would be a gathering of people closely connected to the Iron Sword Sect.

For a disciple of the Taeul Sect, it would be an unpleasant place filled with hostile looks and mocking remarks.

Could Jin So-un really endure such a gathering?

He had already openly insulted the Young Sword Lord of the Iron Sword Sect.

Would he quietly tolerate the heirs of Anhui’s most powerful families?

“……”

“If you come with me, the atmosphere will at least be more pleasant.”

Sa-ryeon bit her lip.

“Fine. I will go.”

“Then hurry and change.”

She looked at the clothes in his hands, then pushed them back toward him.

“No, thank you. If you like them so much, Senior Brother, you may wear them yourself.”

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