'I need to find it.'
I had to find it.
Something I could believe in and follow as my conviction.
Something that could grab me, constantly wavering, and endure steadfastly.
“Young Master?”
Perhaps because I had fallen silent in the middle of our conversation.
Moyong Huia called out to me.
“Sorry, I had something on my mind. So, what did you end up doing?”
“What do you mean, what did I do? I cleaned up everything related to the Dang Clan.”
A sigh was mixed into her voice as she spoke.
Judging by the exhaustion written all over her face, it seemed Moyong Huia hadn't been able to sleep properly since the incident.
She said she had settled matters with the Dang Clan.
Which meant…
“Are you saying you cut off trade?”
I was asking whether she had severed transactions with the Dang Clan itself, separate from matters bound by existing contracts.
Under normal circumstances, she shouldn't have been able to cut them off arbitrarily during the set period.
'But the situation is what it is.'
If things had blown up this much, the other side wouldn't be able to say anything even if we severed ties with the Dang Clan.
Even if the Moyong family unilaterally cut off trade, there would be no problem.
However.
“I didn't cut them off completely. Honestly, if I had, I would have been less busy.”
Moyong Huia denied it.
“It's just that the terms had to be changed, and all the ratios related to the deals had to be completely revised….”
Ah.
So that's why she had been busy.
Moyong Huia's words meant that all the bound treaties had been completely rewritten.
And the trade ratios for them had all been revised as well.
'…Isn't she pretty amazing?'
Hearing that, I saw Moyong Huia in a slightly different light.
I had already known she was capable.
But the reason I was surprised was more than that.
'It seems her position is much higher than I expected.'
The power Moyong Huia currently held within the family seemed far greater than I had thought.
Adapting to the situation and turning things around immediately—that was her ability, so that was one thing.
What I found impressive was that Moyong Huia had been able to revise everything without the permission of the family head, the Baekcheon Sword Lord.
Of course, verifying and stamping it would be the Baekcheon Sword Lord's job.
'Seeing how she did it without hesitation, it must mean she had permission.'
Given Moyong Huia's personality, the fact that she acted first meant she was that certain.
She was confident that the family head would accept this.
Perhaps noticing the meaning behind my gaze, Moyong Huia tilted her head and asked.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“I was thinking you're pretty amazing.”
“…Huh?”
Her eyes said she thought I was spewing nonsense out of nowhere.
I was genuinely surprised; how harsh.
Meanwhile, a question came to mind, and I had to ask her more.
“But why didn't you cut them off completely and just adjusted things?”
If the Dang Clan's scandal spread throughout the Central Plains, it would definitely cause damage to the Moyong family as well, since they had agreements with them.
Moyong Huia would know that better than me, yet she had only adjusted things without particularly severing ties with the Dang Clan.
To my question, Moyong Huia turned her gaze slightly and spoke.
“Honestly, I wanted to cut them off.”
“Hmm.”
“The ship I was on had caught fire. I couldn't stay on it together with them.”
I understood. It was a situation where that was more than possible.
“But.”
“But?”
“I realized people can't live so calculatingly.”
I had to be slightly surprised at the words coming from Moyong Huia's mouth.
The person I considered the most calculating among those I knew had spoken such words; I couldn't help but be surprised.
“What is that expression this time…?”
“The face of someone who just heard the most surprising thing this year.”
“What did you say?”
“Just kidding.”
It wasn't actually a joke, but seeing Moyong Huia's eyes narrow, I quickly changed my tune.
'…Her, of all people.'
The woman who had coldly discarded anyone worth discarding even in the Demonic Realm, focusing solely on survival.
Hearing that she had handled matters this way due to a series of personal feelings sounded rather new to me.
“Because of someone… It's really absurd.”
“What?”
“It's nothing.”
Hmph.
Moyong Huia snorted and furrowed her brow.
“Anyway, since things have come to this… You need to prepare too, Young Master.”
“For what?”
“Now that the Dang Clan is in this state, won't the Gu family need to take some measures as well?”
“…Well, I suppose they will. But I won't be doing anything.”
Even if something were done, it would be by Father or the elders' side.
At most, Gu Huibi might step up.
'What would I do?'
Leaving aside whether I could do anything, I had no intention of getting involved.
At least not yet.
“You don't seem very interested in family affairs?”
Embarrassing as it was, she was right.
It wasn't something I was greatly interested in.
My interest lay solely in matters related to the Blood Calamity.
When I made an expression showing I wasn't particularly interested, Moyong Huia's expression changed slightly.
“…Then, you'll have a lot more work once you're married later… Should I study in advance?”
“What?”
“It's nothing. If you don't have any plans, it can't be helped. I have a lot of work, so I'll be going first.”
“Wait… Hey. What did you just….”
“If you have nothing to do, please look after Young Lady Dang. She seems to be having a hard time.”
Without even pretending to hear my question, Moyong Huia just said her piece and disappeared.
“…What?”
After sending Moyong Huia off like that, I traced my lips.
“Hmm….”
Now that I was alone, Moyong Huia's words to look after Dang Soyeol lingered in my ears.
The usual smile was nowhere to be seen, and Dang Soyeol's face, dark with gloom, came to mind.
The day I had sought out Dang Soyeol regarding the jewel.
She had refused it and clearly said this to me:
—I can overcome this.
She had been aware of her own inferiority complex.
Dang Soyeol, who had believed that she could overcome it.
Seeing that will, I had to give up on using the jewel on Dang Soyeol.
However.
'Even so, I can't just leave her be.'
Back then, Dang Soyeol hadn't known the incident would blow up.
Now that things had come to this, the story could change.
But to use the jewel on Dang Soyeol now?
'No.'
That was something I refused to do now.
Dang Soyeol had shone when she said she could overcome it herself.
I had no intention of trampling that light.
Then, should I stick by her side and comfort her?
'That's not it either.'
I wasn't capable of such comfort given my personality, and more importantly, that wasn't what Dang Soyeol needed right now.
She needed a path.
Dang Soyeol had conviction; she needed a path to reach the end more smoothly.
Even if Moyong Huia hadn't said anything.
I had already been thinking about this.
I didn't know if this was right or wrong.
In the end, the choice would be Dang Soyeol's.
I would simply show her the paths that looked right to me, one by one.
After exhaling a few times internally, I looked quietly into the empty air and spoke.
“Senior….”
“Yes.”
An immediate answer came to my whispered words.
The voice came from behind me.
When I turned my head, the Dark King was kneeling there.
'I couldn't even detect him.'
I had called for him, but I hadn't sensed the Dark King's presence.
I had merely assumed he was nearby. Fortunately, he really was.
I looked at him and opened my mouth.
“There's something we couldn't finish talking about last time.”
“Yes.”
“I will grant it.”
“...”
At my words, the Dark King's eyes gleamed.
“I don't know how to break the curse… but the latter is at least something I can easily do. I will grant it whenever you wish.”
The request to kill him.
That was something I could easily grant. Even right now.
The problem was.
“However, not right now. I need you, Senior.”
It was that it couldn't be done immediately.
“It won't take too long… but I think I can grant your request after the matter I wish for is finished.”
“...”
“Will that be acceptable? If you don't like it, it can't be helped.”
It meant that if he refused, I wouldn't grant it. The words were laced with blatant threat.
The Dark King showed no significant change in expression upon hearing such words.
He must have already known.
'That I need to use you.'
The Dark King couldn't be unaware of his own value, and he had pleaded with me knowing full well.
“What do you wish for, O Great One?”
As expected. The Dark King tried to accept my words without issue.
Was that how inevitable it was?
“First, I want to change that way of addressing me… but leave that aside.”
I looked into the Dark King's eyes and asked.
“How far are you willing to go for me?”
For me, and further, for what he himself desired, how far could he go?
I asked about that.
And to that, the Dark King.
“If it is something I can do, anything.”
Spat out resolutely.
Rather, I had to be flustered by those words.
“Anything…?”
“If there is someone you wish to kill, I will bring you their head. No matter who it is.”
“Oh….”
I admired him without realizing it.
It was the word of the greatest assassin, so it was all the more believable.
There would be no one better than the Dark King when it came to assassination.
What was slightly disappointing here was.
'Is assassination the only thing worth asking for?'
The point was that it was rather ambiguous to actually request that.
There were too many problems with requesting the heads of the Heavenly Demon or the Blood Demon.
'Anyway, it's fine since I wasn't planning to ask for that.'
If the Dark King wished it, he could move the Cheolya Assassination Squad as well.
His belonging to me meant that obtaining the Cheolya Assassination Squad was no different.
'If that happens, I can quickly finish one plan.'
I had been thinking of creating an assassination squad within a few years, but if the Dark King was added here, I could erase that plan and insert something else.
'Not bad.'
Looking at the situation alone, it was very good.
Dark guests were needed not just for assassination, but also for gathering information.
Being able to command the greatest assassin squad in the Central Plains was a far greater harvest than expected.
However.
“That's good too, but there's something you need to do before that.”
What I wanted from him wasn't that.
There were many I wanted to kill.
But I preferred killing with my own hands rather than borrowing another's.
And the ones I actually wanted to kill.
'I need to make them into demonic humans and use them.'
Since I planned to corrupt them all with demonic energy, I wouldn't use the Dark King for such a purpose.
Then what was the request I would make of the Dark King now?
The most urgent thing right now was none other than…
I recalled a woman with light green hair in my mind and called out to the Dark King.
“Senior.”
The Dark King raised his head and met my eyes.
I looked at him and spoke.
“Please take on a disciple.”
“?”
Question marks rose in the Dark King's eyes upon hearing this.
The Dang Clan was shaken.
Rumors had begun spreading subtly within the Dang Clan, and throughout Sichuan.
A tremendous incident had occurred in the Dang Clan.
Along with rumors that the Dang Clan, which had pursued vain power, had conducted human experiments.
Rumors were spreading throughout the Sichuan region that it was the Dang Clan's elders who had carried this out.
Experiments using demonic creatures.
An enormous number of people had died for this.
Rumors also circulated that they had all been people secretly abducted by the Dang Clan.
Not content with human experimentation.
They had even attempted kidnappings for it.
The Demonic faction.
The rumors that a righteous faction's renowned clan had done something that even blood-crazed demonic faction lunatics gathered in the remote regions would do were inevitably shocking.
Of course, it was still just rumors.
Even if the rumors spread for a hundred days, fewer than half believed them.
But everyone belonging to the Dang Clan knew.
That it wasn't just a rumor.
At the point when night fell and the moon began to shine.
With a single lamp lit in her quarters, Dang Soyeol was meeting her older brother, Dang Juyeok.
“What should we do…?”
At Dang Soyeol's words, the Dang Clan's young lord, Dang Juyeok, tilted his head.
A somewhat nonchalant reaction.
To that reaction, Dang Soyeol's eyes reddened instead.
“You know… Brother.”
“Hmm….”
Dang Juyeok sighed at Dang Soyeol's miserable reaction.
'So she found out.'
He had hoped, if possible, that Dang Soyeol wouldn't know about what happened in the main family.
It seemed someone had spoken of it.
Or perhaps, since the rumors had grown so large, she might have heard them.
“She wouldn't believe me even if I denied it.”
“I would believe you. However, when I later found out it wasn't true, I would resent you, Brother.”
“Hmm.”
Watching Dang Soyeol speak clearly despite her tears, Dang Juyeok's eyes gleamed.
In the past, she would have thrown a tantrum in a somewhat childish tone.
The current Dang Soyeol did not.
'Has she grown up?'
If so, it was regrettable.
Dang Juyeok had quite liked his younger sister's childish appearance.
'If she has grown up, the cause must be….'
Thinking of the fierce-looking young man who had flashed through his mind, Dang Juyeok smiled.
“Brother?”
“I'm sorry, I was just thinking of something else.”
His feelings were renewed.
When he first saw him, he was just a scion of a renowned clan.
At most, the younger brother of a sword prodigy. He had seemed to be nothing more, nothing less.
That young boy had grown so immensely in just a few years.
He was influencing not just his younger sister before his eyes, but the entire Dang Clan.
In Dang Juyeok's estimation, even if just a little more time passed.
'He will influence the entire Central Plains.'
This was not a prediction, but a conviction.
Because otherwise, there was no way his father would have given him such a warning.
—Be careful of Young Master Gu.
This was not simply to treat him as a dangerous individual.
In the words “be careful,” there was also the meaning to treat him carefully.
Furthermore, it contained the meaning that he was not someone to be treated recklessly.
The Poison King had definitively concluded that Gu Yangcheon was someone who must not be treated carelessly.
So he must have warned his young lord son as well.
Of course, even if that weren't the case, Dang Juyeok would have treated Gu Yangcheon carefully.
'How could I not know?'
Gu Yangcheon currently possessed an enormous presence.
So much so that it was strange he hadn't noticed it before.
Soon, a storm would sweep in with that young man at its center.
There were a few such individuals that Dang Juyeok knew of.
Those who brought storms around them because the potential they possessed was so outstanding.
'I too once wished to become like that.'
Dang Juyeok knew better than anyone that he could not become so.
Moreover, even those who initially carried such storms.
Many were swept away by that wind and collapsed.
No, most were like that.
Objectively speaking, he knew he lacked the capacity to withstand carrying such a storm.
Then conversely, what about Gu Yangcheon?
'That friend…'
Dang Juyeok thought of Gu Yangcheon and observed the wind around him.
It was red.
Gu Yangcheon's storm was burning red.
Not content with staying in the eye of the storm, he would drape his own color over all the wind.
The red wind would gradually grow, soon settling over the entire Central Plains.
How much time remained until then?
Probably, it wouldn't take long.
Dang Juyeok was convinced of that.
'So, I suppose it's a relief.'
That such a Gu Yangcheon viewed his younger sister favorably was a relief in its own way.
As Dang Juyeok was thinking so, Dang Soyeol asked him in a trembling voice.
“…Wh-what about Father… No. Is Father… alright?”
It was a question about the Poison King's well-being rather than the Dang Clan's danger.
Because Father must be having the hardest time right now.
Hearing that question, Dang Juyeok smiled slightly and answered.
“How could he possibly be alright?”
“How can you give such an irresponsible answer….”
“If I had to say, he actually looked more comfortable.”
It was an incomprehensible story.
The shadow he had borne when the Dang Clan was at the height of its power had disappeared precisely when it was collapsing.
Dang Juyeok understood the Poison King's feelings yet couldn't help but feel regret.
But he didn't say a word.
“Brother….”
“If that is the Lord's choice, we must follow.”
“...”
“Soyeol, didn't you see it? The Lord's expression.”
Even as he smiled bitterly.
Or even as he looked parched.
The smile on the Poison King's lips looked much lighter.
Since when had it been so?
No, he probably hadn't even realized it.
'I didn't know Father's smile had been so heavy.'
He could only now realize what he hadn't known before, because it had changed.
—I'm sorry.
His father apologizing while speaking of his choice had been a rather unfamiliar sight to Dang Juyeok.
He couldn't question why he had done so.
Nor could he deny that choice.
—Even if much changes because of this choice.
—Shouldn't this be how a righteous faction acts, at the very least?
It could be said to be words that pursued romance while turning their back on reality.
Dang Juyeok could not refute those words.
It was a fact he had forgotten for a moment.
Perhaps it was something he had naturally thought about.
The Dang Clan is a righteous faction.
Those obvious words felt particularly heavy.
“It's alright.”
“…Brother.”
“Even if the Dang Clan is shaken by this matter. It will be my job to grab hold of it again.”
He didn't go so far as to call it 'our' task.
Dang Juyeok would become the clan head.
Having resolved to respect the Poison King's choice, he intended to bear the many burdens that would follow.
“So, Soyeol, you don't need to worry about anything.”
“...”
“The Dang Clan will not fall.”
If it did fall, he could raise it back up as many times as needed.
“So, do not fret.”
“…!”
Dang Soyeol flinched in surprise at Dang Juyeok's words.
Because she realized what intention he had spoken with.
“I know what you are worrying about.”
What Dang Soyeol was worrying about, that was probably.
“Your worries regarding Young Master Gu, right?”