Right after stepping out of the Poison King’s room.
I put some distance between us and let out a sigh.
“Phew.”
Relief washed over me. Fortunately, the method had worked.
*Nice escape.*
The Poison King had been about to ask me how to extract energy from the demonic stone. But I’d taken advantage of his situation to slip out before hearing the question.
The problem was, by now the Poison King had probably caught on.
*That old man… He won’t get sulky again, will he?*
You’d think an old man his age wouldn’t get sulky over something like this, but honestly, remembering what happened last time, it wasn’t impossible.
“Tsk.”
I figured a little anxiety wouldn’t hurt. No, it had to be fine.
*If I’m even taking care of the merchant guild affairs for him, he should let this slide.*
Isn’t that what society is about?
Even if he was a “former” one, I believed the head of one of the Four Great Powers would have enough flexibility for this.
If not…
*…I’ll tattle.*
I’d have no choice but to tell the person the Poison King cherished most. And that person…
“Come out now.”
…was right by my side.
At my call, a rustling came from the nearby bushes. And sure enough, a woman with an awkward expression slowly walked out.
Needless to say, it was Dang Soyeol.
She looked at me with a slightly downcast expression and asked.
“…Did you know?”
She was asking if I had known she was hiding. I answered nonchalantly.
“No.”
I hadn’t known. Surprisingly, Dang Soyeol was quite skilled at hiding her presence.
Of course, if I had raised my qi perception to the maximum, I could have caught her…
*I’d literally have had to push it to the absolute limit.*
Right now, my Nine Flame Wheel Technique was broken, so I had to use even more qi perception than usual.
“You didn’t know?”
Dang Soyeol was flustered to hear I hadn’t known. She had apparently assumed I would naturally know.
“Yeah. I didn’t know.”
“But… then how did you know I was there?”
The answer to that was simple.
“Because if it were you, I figured you’d do something like that.”
If it was Dang Soyeol—if it was the her that I knew—she would have done exactly this.
It was that kind of faith, that kind of certainty.
“And as it turns out, I was right.”
As if to prove my certainty correct, Dang Soyeol had been right here. That was all there was to it.
Upon hearing my words, Dang Soyeol, whose eyes were already large, went wide.
“Hehehe…”
Before long, she covered her mouth and laughed aloud.
Her smile was so cute that I casually placed my hand on her head and petted her.
Dang Soyeol flinched at the sudden touch, but since she didn’t seem to dislike it, she quietly enjoyed it.
Pale green hair wrapped around my light touch. The texture was especially soft.
Did she take special care of it?
*Probably not.*
A martial artist. And not just any, but a Transformation Realm martial artist, still young in age.
When you’re like that, your skin and outward appearance are bound to be excellent.
After petting her head for a moment like that…
“I heard what happened with Lord Dang.”
…I brought up what I’d wanted to say.
At that, Dang Soyeol’s body stiffened once more. She didn’t bother pulling away.
“H-how much did you hear?”
Dang Soyeol asked anxiously. I could tell just from her tone.
She was probably worried I’d heard everything, even what I’d said to the Poison King about how I’d handle the engagement. That seemed to be what made her anxious.
“It’s not like I heard much… Just that Lord Dang made a slip of the tongue, and you got angry and ran away from home?”
So I hadn’t revealed everything either.
There was no need to say it all, anyway.
Fortunately, relief seeped into Dang Soyeol’s expression at my words.
“I see…”
“Why? Did you want me to hear more?”
“Ah, no.”
When I teased her lightly, Dang Soyeol waved her hands. She looked quite flustered.
Seeing her reaction, it seemed I shouldn’t tease her further.
“Then that’s fine.”
Speaking thus, I withdrew my hand and continued.
“Whatever happens, work it out. It’s not like Lord Dang said it with ill intent.”
She didn’t deny it. Meaning Dang Soyeol thought the same as I did.
No, perhaps she understood it even better.
But…
“…I’m doing my best.”
Even knowing that, Dang Soyeol didn’t seem able to let it go easily.
“But Father… doesn’t seem to know that.”
“Why?”
“If he knew, he wouldn’t have suggested I take shortcuts.”
“…”
“For me, this is a fight where I can’t use methods like that.”
Truly strong eyes. I could feel an attitude of absolute refusal to back down.
“…I don’t know what kind of fight it is, but is it that important?”
“Yes.”
“O-oh, I see…”
Her answer without hesitation left me flustered instead. Was this really something worth answering like that?
“I absolutely won’t lose.”
“Still, if the family head approaches you first to apologize, cut him some slack.”
“…That…”
Dang Soyeol hesitated for a moment, chewing her lips slightly. Then she averted her gaze and said.
“I’ll… think about it.”
“Good.”
It seemed she was willing to at least talk if he approached her first.
Was that a relief? More accurately, rather than being a relief for me…
*It’s a relief for the gentleman inside the building.*
I smiled, picturing the Poison King anxiously biting his nails.
*Since I pulled some strings, maybe I should help out a little.*
Since I’d done something, it was on my mind, so I felt I should do something before leaving.
Having made up my mind, I spoke to Dang Soyeol.
“I’m heading back first, so you come about two hours later. You can make it alone, right?”
“Huh? Why, why? I could come with you…”
“It’s an order. Don’t talk back.”
At the word “order,” Dang Soyeol’s mouth clamped shut.
Her face was full of displeasure, yet she had nothing she could say.
I lightly touched her plump cheek.
Ah, she’d lost so much cheek fat now that calling them plump was a stretch.
It had been the same with Wi Seol-ah, but this part was truly a shame.
“Well then, I’m going ahead. See you later.”
After exchanging farewells, I moved my feet.
Having spent the day, it was time to return.
******************
After returning to the branch, I went straight to the branch chief.
“Great Lord Seongnyong.”
Branch Chief Mok, having confirmed it was me, greeted me with a bow.
“Nothing out of the ordinary, I trust?”
“Ah, of course. With your dependable agents protecting me, what could possibly happen?”
Words coated in honey, spoken with slyness. Hearing them, the corner of my mouth lifted.
As always, I didn’t enjoy these situations.
Because those who coat their tongues in sweetness are never in their right minds.
“I heard you stopped by the Dang Clan for a moment…”
“Yes, I went briefly. I had business with the family head.”
“A few days ago, I heard Lord Dang had visited as well. It was truly a shame that I happened to have business that day and couldn’t meet him.”
The branch chief must have been watching Daehwan at that time. This was something I’d heard from the Dark King.
Knowing all of this, I smiled as if I didn’t and said.
“That can happen when you’re busy. I’ll put in a good word for you with Lord Dang.”
“Hahaha… Thank you.”
“…”
“…”
The conversation ended, and silence fell for a moment. In the broken atmosphere, I took a sip of the tea before me.
Holding it in my mouth, I slowly swirled it around.
*No poison.*
There was no poison in the tea. Had they been unable to act up to this point? That would be a real shame.
*Or did they catch on?*
Just as I was thinking I might need to rack my brain a bit, given the possibility they’d noticed something…
“W-well then… why you wanted to see me…”
“Ah.”
At the branch chief’s words, I stopped thinking for a moment and recalled the main subject I’d come for.
“My apologies. I was lost in thought for a moment.”
“Oh, not at all. That is perfectly understandable.”
I wasn’t sure what was so perfectly understandable, but I ignored it for now.
“The reason I sought you out is none other than… I was wondering how many troops you could support us with, should the need arise.”
“T… troops, you say?”
At my question, the branch chief’s eyes widened.
“Yes. I believe we’ll need some support.”
“…I… uh.”
He needed troops. The branch chief immediately grasped the true meaning behind these words.
“P-perhaps… have you discovered something?”
The acquisition of information.
There would be no reason to suddenly request support otherwise. Moreover.
*Saying more support is needed means he’s also grasped the enemy forces to some degree.*
The words carried countless implications like this. Fortunately, the branch chief seemed to grasp their meaning well.
Reading that reaction, I also leaned forward slightly. It was to close the distance between me and the branch chief.
“It’s not a certainty… but I have found out a few things to some degree.”
“S-such…! Even the Blue Dragon Corps said they don’t have much information yet… Hup!”
The branch chief stopped mid-sentence and covered his mouth.
His words just now contained the implication that if even the Blue Dragon Corps hadn’t managed it, how had we?
Realizing this, the branch chief hurriedly added.
“My apologies… I spoke out of turn.”
“Ah, it’s fine. You could certainly see it that way.”
Moving my hand, I applied the same words the branch chief had used on me earlier.
“You may not believe me, but what I found is real.”
“R-really?”
“Yes. I need to investigate further what they’re planning… but I think I’ve roughly confirmed their forces…”
I hesitated for an instant, putting on an air of consideration.
“…I was thinking it might be somewhat dangerous with our current forces.”
“…Huu…”
“Would it be possible?”
“W-why, of course. Naturally. It is for the Alliance… It would be an honor.”
The branch chief couldn’t afford to show hesitation and said it immediately. Looking at him, I let out a breath as if relieved.
“As expected… I knew you would help, Branch Chief.”
“Hahaha…”
“Then, we’ll trust in you and make our preparations accordingly.”
“…Y-yes. Understood.”
The branch chief showed a peculiar reaction and nodded.
The conversation ended just like that.
******************
On the way to the Seongnyongdae quarters. I assessed things one by one as I walked.
The branch chief had agreed to the sudden talk of troops but was clearly flustered.
Had I really discovered something? That anxiety could be felt very faintly from him…
On the contrary, it was a reaction I liked because he seemed to have understood clearly.
*Will it flow in well?*
Whether word reached Ilcheonggeom.
Or whether it reached Daehwan.
It didn’t matter which of the two. What mattered was making them aware that I was planning to do something.
*If possible, it should be Ilcheonggeom.*
Since I couldn’t control this part as I wished, I could only hope things flowed favorably.
*…I need to wrap things up on this side soon.*
Seven days and nights at the latest.
As short as three days. I planned to settle everything within that timeframe.
Having quite diligently laid my plans, as long as there were no major issues, it would go well, but…
If there was one thing hanging me up here…
*It’s that I can’t use the Nine Flame Wheel Technique right now.*
Since my main martial art was blocked, I had to be careful.
*Not that I can’t do anything without it.*
Still, it meant I had to be cautious.
Because if things went wrong, everything could fall apart.
“Tsk.”
Most of my calculations had been made with the assumption that I was at full power. To think a problem would suddenly crop up here.
I tried to think nothing of it, but clearly, it was a huge variable.
*Is there no way around this?*
Either resolve the heart demon as quickly as possible, or do something to make things manageable even in this state.
I needed to come up with some kind of method.
Tap. Tap.
Because of that, while I was lightly tapping my fingers with my arms crossed…
*Hum.*
“Hm?”
I felt a presence somewhere. Straight ahead.
*Who is it?*
Judging by the path, they were definitely coming toward me. I sent my gaze straight ahead, and before long, a face came into view.
It was a man. Moreover, a man wearing the martial uniform of the Seongnyongdae.
“…Great Lord.”
He approached cautiously and cupped his fists to me. Looking at him, I spoke.
“Excuse me… I am Mun Do…”
“Mun Dohyeok. What is it?”
“…”
I remembered the name.
His level was that of a first-rate martial artist, I believed. He was probably…
*Ilcheonggeom’s eyes and ears.*
…the guy Ilcheonggeom was currently using to pull his schemes.
When I called his name first, the guy made an inscrutable expression. Why was he making that face?
It was a strange reaction, so I watched him silently.
“…Did you know my name?”
Mun Dohyeok uttered something even stranger.
“What?”
I let out a hollow laugh at such a nonsensical question.
“What kind of crazy talk is that? Why wouldn’t I know an agent’s name?”
“…”
If you wanted to keep someone under you, you had to remember their name at the very least. Did he think I couldn’t even do that?
Was he implying I was so incompetent I couldn’t even remember names?
No, that didn’t seem to be it?
“You don’t look like you’ve got heatstroke in this weather. What’s the matter?”
“…Th-that is…”
*Ah.*
Mun Dohyeok hesitated.
Seeing that, I understood.
*Looks like Ilcheonggeom said something.*
He must have come here now following Ilcheonggeom’s orders to do something to me.
I could tell that instinctively.
Realizing the truth, I laughed inwardly.
*Right. He’d feel slighted if he didn’t do something.*
If he’d stayed still, it would have been more nerve-wracking. How nice of him to make a move like this.
It made him so much easier to read.
*Now. What is he trying to do?*
What exactly was Ilcheonggeom trying to do?
My guess was that he’d spit out false information first.
To leak that he’d found something and check my movements.
That seemed the most likely possibility right now. I was thinking of a few other scenarios as well.
There had to be at least one among them.
Thinking so, I watched Mun Dohyeok… and after maintaining silence, he finally broke his hesitation and spoke to me.
However…
“…Great Lord.”
“Yeah.”
“Ilcheonggeom… is targeting you.”
“…Huh?”
Surprisingly, words I hadn’t expected reached my ears.