The Hidden Blade (1)

Everyone had finished eating and was returning to their rooms.

Someone suddenly called out to Zhuge Seoyul from behind.

“Lady Zhuge!”

Although she had stayed at the Seonu Clan for some time, the voice was unfamiliar to her. It belonged to Seonu Jin.

Zhuge Seoyul turned around with a puzzled expression and waited for him to approach as she thought,

‘What is it? He would not even look at me properly earlier. Was he merely pretending not to be interested after all?’

It seemed that was indeed the case.

After all, how could a young man possibly have no interest in her?

It was only natural.

Zhuge Seoyul felt her opinion of Seonu Jin fall slightly while her self-esteem rose a little.

She stopped with an aloof expression and waited to hear what he had to say.

However, the words Seonu Jin spoke upon reaching her were completely different from what she had expected.

He spoke with a grave expression.

“Lady Zhuge, you must be deeply grieved over what happened to Lady Cheong-yeon.”

“…Pardon? What do you mean?”

At the sudden mention of her friend Hae Cheong-yeon, Zhuge Seoyul blinked in confusion and questioned Seonu Jin.

Seonu Jin instead became flustered and asked again.

“Ah, perhaps… have you not heard? That Lady Cheong-yeon was attacked by the Blood Cult….”

“What?!”

Zhuge Seoyul could not help but be horrified.

What in the world was he talking about?

Cheong-yeon had been attacked by the Blood Cult?

After her friend Hae Cheong-yeon left for the front, Zhuge Seoyul had not received any word from her.

However, she knew that was simply Hae Cheong-yeon’s nature, and she knew how extraordinary her friend was, so she had not worried at all….

Yet Hae Cheong-yeon had been attacked by the Blood Cult?

Zhuge Seoyul shook her head as though she could not possibly believe it and asked again.

“W-What do you mean? You are lying, are you not? Ch-Cheong-yeon could not possibly….”

However, Seonu Jin answered with difficulty, wearing a dark expression as though apologizing to her.

“…You truly did not know. Since a report was submitted to the Alliance, I naturally assumed you had heard. I apologize.”

“No, no. More importantly, Cheong-yeon… did Cheong-yeon truly…?”

Zhuge Seoyul was so shocked that she stammered, and even her hands trembled.

But Seonu Jin merely nodded heavily to the woman who looked utterly unable to believe him.

Zhuge Seoyul’s expression went completely blank.

It felt as though the world were collapsing.

Seonu Jin sighed deeply and explained the same circumstances he had reported to the Alliance.

“Haaah… Not long after Lady Cheong-yeon entrusted Strategist Zhuge with a letter for you, she was abducted by a Blood Cult fiend. And she was never….”

Zhuge Seoyul shook her head with an expression on the verge of tears and asked,

“That cannot be. It cannot…. And a letter? What letter are you talking about?”

Seonu Jin asked back with a slightly surprised expression.

“You did not receive it? When Strategist Zhuge came to the front, Lady Cheong-yeon entrusted him with a letter meant for you.”

“…What? No. Father never said anything….”

At that moment, several facts became chaotically entangled in Zhuge Seoyul’s mind.

Her friend Hae Cheong-yeon had entrusted Father with a letter.

However, Father had not delivered Hae Cheong-yeon’s letter to her.

Not long afterward, Hae Cheong-yeon had been abducted by a Blood Cult fiend.

Those three facts began combining into an ominous conclusion within Zhuge Seoyul’s mind.

Moreover, had Zhuge Seoyul not recently discovered by chance that her father felt uncomfortable around Hae Cheong-yeon’s father, the Sword Saint Hae Unbaek?

‘Surely not…?’

The conjecture that emerged was something she could neither believe nor wished to believe.

The shock was so great that Zhuge Seoyul’s legs lost their strength, unlike those of a martial artist.

Stagger!

“My lady!”

Seonu Jin supported her with a startled expression as she staggered on the verge of collapsing.

Zhuge Seoyul thanked him with a bloodless, pale face.

“Ah, thank you, Young Master.”

“It was nothing, my lady. Are you feeling unwell?”

“No, it is merely….”

She was uncomfortable.

The suspicion that had arisen in her mind made her profoundly uncomfortable.

She knew better than anyone what kind of people the members of the Zhuge Clan—especially her father—were.

However, she could not speak of such things to an outsider.

Deep confusion clouded her gaze.

Seonu Jin sharply observed her appearance.

It appeared Zhuge Seoyul truly did regard Hae Cheong-yeon as a friend.

There was also a high probability that she knew nothing about what her father, Zhuge Jigang, was doing.

‘In that case….’

Seonu Jin was considering how he might use this fact later when an enraged voice suddenly rang out.

“Third Brother! What are you doing?!”

When he turned his head, he saw the fourth son, Seonu Gi, rushing toward them with a bright-red face.

It seemed he had misunderstood upon seeing Seonu Jin supporting Zhuge Seoyul almost as if embracing her.

Only then did the two realize how close their bodies were and hurriedly spring apart.

The sight could only further inflame Seonu Gi’s suspicions.

Seonu Gi charged over fiercely and shouted again.

“How dare you! Just what were you doing to Lady Zhuge?!”

Seonu Jin hurriedly waved his palms and made excuses.

“W-What do you mean, doing something?! It is not like that! Lady Zhuge appeared unwell, so I merely supported her for a moment!”

Lady Zhuge was unwell?

Seonu Gi flinched at those words and looked at Zhuge Seoyul in surprise.

“Are you feeling unwell, my lady?!”

Zhuge Seoyul had regained some composure by then and shook her head.

“No. I am fine now. And thank you for earlier, Third Young Master Seonu.”

“It was nothing.”

The two once again conversed gently.

Although it had only been a brief moment, it seemed as though some inexplicable sense of understanding had formed between them.

Seonu Gi, who was already watching the two suspiciously, forced his way into the conversation as his eyes twitched with anger.

“My lady! If you are unwell, I will support you!”

Seonu Gi could not forget the scene of Seonu Jin’s body pressed closely against Zhuge Seoyul’s.

He was envious.

He wanted to do the same somehow.

However, Zhuge Seoyul had now recovered her composure and naturally had no intention of allowing it.

“No, thank you. I can walk alone now. Then I will take my leave.”

Seonu Gi looked distressed at her firm refusal.

With the possibility that Eldest Brother Seonu Seong might steal her from him, he even felt desperate not to let her leave like this.

It was then.

Seonu Gi suddenly noticed Seonu Jin.

His third brother was smiling foolishly, despite giving him countless reasons to beat him senseless.

Seonu Gi smiled coldly and asked Zhuge Seoyul as she turned away.

“My lady, now that you are feeling better, would you perhaps observe a spar between me and Third Brother?”

Zhuge Seoyul, who had been about to leave, paused.

“…A spar?”

Zhuge Seoyul was a martial arts fanatic.

No, more precisely, she loved contests.

If one had to name her favorite thing, it was winning a spar. Her second favorite was participating in a spar, and her third was watching one.

Therefore, she had no reason to refuse the chance to observe Seonu Jin’s spar when he had already caught her attention.

In contrast, Seonu Jin looked horrified by his younger brother’s sudden suggestion.

“W-What are you talking about, Gi?! A spar between you and me?!”

Seonu Gi glared sharply at Seonu Jin and said,

“Now that you have lost all that weight, should we not have our second match? Surely you did not intend to simply forget how you knocked me unconscious that day, Brother?”

“N-No, that happened because you unilaterally…!”

Seonu Jin waved both arms, clearly showing that he had no intention of participating, but Seonu Gi had no reason to listen.

He cut Seonu Jin off and immediately charged.

“Haaap!”

Seonu Gi’s straight punch split into four.

This time, Seonu Gi had no intention of letting his guard down.

Seonu Gi’s Thirteen Storm Strikes, which had clearly advanced since before, descended upon Seonu Jin with all his strength.

The next instant, however, all four fists landed squarely on Seonu Jin’s body with absurd ease.

Pabababak!

“Guuuuurgh!”

Unable to block anything, Seonu Jin screamed as though his throat were being slit, was hurled backward, and rolled disgracefully across the ground.

Seonu Gi’s figure instead faltered in confusion.

That attack had involved three feints leading into a single genuine strike.

Yet every blow, whether a feint or a true attack, had landed.

His ability was so pathetic that it made Seonu Gi’s diligent training feel pointless.

“Ow! Gi! You are going to kill your brother! Owww!”

Seonu Gi looked contemptuously at Seonu Jin as he screamed and rolled pathetically across the ground.

How much humiliation had he endured after being knocked unconscious by that pig that day?

He had even heard whispers that perhaps Seonu Gi, rather than Seonu Jin, was the true disgrace of the Seonu Clan.

And yet….

“How infuriating. To think I suffered such humiliation because of trash like this!”

Still unable to calm his anger, Seonu Gi kicked Seonu Jin before he could even rise from the ground.

Thud!

“Ow! Gi!”

Deep disappointment likewise covered Zhuge Seoyul’s face as she watched from beside them.

His handsome face and the mysterious air around him had continuously drawn her attention.

Even when he supported her, her heart had somehow fluttered slightly.

Yet he was actually nothing but trash.

She even felt somewhat betrayed.

Zhuge Seoyul decided there was nothing more to see and turned away.

Seonu Gi’s treatment of an opponent incapable of resisting seemed somewhat excessive, but she did not even feel inclined to point it out.

‘Even when he was a pig, his defense was at least decent. Now he cannot even do that. Did his skill actually decline after going to the front…?’

However, as Zhuge Seoyul walked away with that thought, something struck her as strange.

‘Was the front truly such an easy place that someone of that ability could survive unharmed and receive leave? The same front where even Cheong-yeon supposedly died? And he went to that front and somehow became weaker? Even though he lost all that weight?’

Zhuge Seoyul suddenly turned around again to look at Seonu Jin.

She saw him curled up while being beaten relentlessly.

No matter how she looked at it, he truly was being struck terribly hard.

Even a warrior concealing his abilities might die after being beaten like that.

Her mind once again became confused.

However, she eventually concluded there was no point thinking about it and sighed before deciding to stop Seonu Gi.

At this rate, Seonu Jin truly seemed likely to die.

She spoke in a cold voice.

“Young Master Seonu Gi, is it entertaining to beat an opponent who cannot even resist?”

Honestly, Seonu Gi was enjoying himself.

It felt as though all the resentment accumulated over the past several months was being released at once.

However, the instant he heard Zhuge Seoyul’s cold voice, he abruptly came to his senses.

He had shown her something he should never have allowed her to see.

Startled, Seonu Gi attempted to explain himself.

“Ah, m-my lady, this was merely….”

However, after seeing Zhuge Seoyul’s expression, Seonu Gi could not continue.

She was looking at him with an expression of contempt she had never displayed before.

Of course, Zhuge Seoyul had always despised him inwardly.

It was merely the first time she had shown it so directly.

She spoke in a voice so cold that it seemed capable of freezing ice itself.

“You do not even seem like a martial artist, let alone a member of the orthodox faction.”

After coldly throwing out those words, Zhuge Seoyul turned her back and began walking away.

Seonu Gi hurriedly followed and tried to stop her.

“L-Lady Zhuge!”

He absolutely could not allow her to leave like this.

However, the moment Seonu Gi tried to catch up with her, Zhuge Seoyul gripped the hilt of her sword and released the aura of a pinnacle master.

Whoosh!

“Urgh!”

Faced with that threatening momentum, Seonu Gi had no choice but to stop immediately.

Zhuge Seoyul looked sideways at the frozen Seonu Gi and said,

“Do not follow me. I might cut you down.”

Seonu Gi did not possess enough courage to disregard the warning of a pinnacle master.

In the end, he could only lower his head and fall into despair.

After glaring at Seonu Jin with a gaze filled with venomous resentment for a while, Seonu Gi left without touching him again, afraid that Zhuge Seoyul might return.

Finally left alone, Seonu Jin brushed the dust from himself and leisurely stood as though nothing had happened.

For Seonu Jin, who had cultivated external arts strong enough to grapple with Demonic Humans, enduring Seonu Gi’s beating had not been particularly difficult.

Pretending that it hurt had actually been harder.

However, Jeok Mahyeok naturally had no way of knowing that yet, and his worried voice transmission reached Seonu Jin’s ears.

-Are you all right, Young Master?

Seonu Jin chuckled and answered.

-No, I am not. It was far too ticklish. My clothes are dirty now as well, which feels unpleasant.

He had intended to cheerfully convey that he was fine, but Jeok Mahyeok did not seem to understand.

He transmitted another message in a sympathetic voice.

-Was there truly a need for you to let a bastard like that treat you in such a way?

It seemed Seonu Jin had appeared far too pitiful to him.

Seonu Jin smiled bitterly and transmitted another reply.

-There was. Right now, I must be perceived as an utterly insignificant and weak existence. Remember this well. The people we truly need to face are not pathetic fools like him, and a blade becomes deadlier the longer its existence remains concealed.

After a moment, Jeok Mahyeok’s reply came.

-…I will remember it, Young Master.

However, Jeok Mahyeok, who appeared to have accepted the explanation, sent another transmission shortly afterward.

It was slightly longer than usual.

-Honestly, I envied you, Young Master. I thought you had been born with everything. But… it appears everyone possesses trials of their own. I only watched briefly, but if I were in your position, I am not confident I could have endured such trials.

His voice sounded strangely sentimental.

Seonu Jin smiled at the transmission.

He truly was a softhearted man.

Seonu Jin could hardly understand how he had endured life as an assassin with such a heart.

It was then.

Gyeon Jung, whom he had sent to watch his younger sister Seonu Yeonha, returned and transmitted a message.

-Young Master, just as you predicted, Lady Seonu Yeonha made contact with a handsome young man. As you instructed, I did not approach closely, but he felt extraordinarily dangerous.

Seonu Jin had predicted that the Un Clan, which had been involved in the previous conflict with the Righteous Chivalry Guild, had most likely been taken over by the Blood Cult.

The chief of the Hao Clan’s Guiyang branch, No Samryong, had confirmed that his prediction was correct.

Therefore, Seonu Jin had focused his attention on the youngest, Seonu Yeonha.

Because her maternal family was the Un Clan, he expected that if the Blood Cult extended its reach toward the Seonu Clan, they would most likely do so through her.

And if they were targeting the Seonu Clan, they would never remain still now that Father Seonu Jung had effectively declared the eldest son Seonu Seong his heir.

Seonu Jin grinned and murmured,

“Good. You appeared at exactly the right moment.”

He then began moving toward the location Gyeon Jung had told him about.