"Yes."
Cheong-un answered without hesitation. It was Seolhwa who had shown greed, but Seolhwa's will soon became Cheong-un's will. Having decided to risk his life, Cheong-un had no intention of backing down.
At his firm answer, Punghak's eyes glinted.
"Yes. The way you conducted yourself at the Celestial Tiger Hall yesterday was quite decent. A few of the elders seemed to think so as well."
"Thank you for seeing me in that light."
"However, do not think you can close an eight-year gap in an instant. That is mere avarice of the heart."
"I do not think that way. Is that not why I have come to see you, Head of the Elder Council?"
"Hmm."
Punghak's gaze shone fiercely. If he had to say, Punghak was one who pitied Cheong-un. Having lost his wife and daughter before his very eyes, he had been consumed by the guilt of being unable to protect them, locking himself in a small room for nearly a month, withering away like a cripple.
What brought him back to his feet was the slight possibility that his daughter might still be alive. Even that possibility was a very slim one, stemming only from the fact that his daughter's body had never been found. Yet, clinging to that slim hope, he had risen and wandered about, frantically searching for her.
For eight long years. Everyone presumed she was dead and thought his efforts were in vain. But Cheong-un did not give up.
It was the existence of his daughter that kept him alive, so no one could stop him. And so, eight years passed. After eight years, that daughter had truly returned alive.
What father could push his daughter to the side?
"Just five days ago, you seemed to have no interest in the position of Family Head. What made you change your mind? Could it be because of your daughter?"
"I cannot say that is not the case."
"Hahaha!"
"Honesty is a good thing, but in times like these, you must also know how to say no." "I will learn."
"Haha. I think I understand a little why Mucheon cares for you."
Punghak gently stroked his beard.
"The older one gets, the fewer words one should speak. However, it is the nature of old men to speak more. The more one knows, the more one sees, and when one sees much, the mouth itches, and it becomes impossible to hold one's tongue."
"Is that so?"
"Most of the elders support Cheonghae."
Cheong-un's mouth closed tightly. It was a fact he already knew, but hearing it from the mouth of the Head of the Elder Council was a different kind of burden.
"Just because I, the Head of the Elder Council, remain silent, you may think they haven't expressed their will, but the elders' hearts are already set on Cheonghae, with no difference."
Cheong-un raised his unwavering gaze to meet Punghak's. There must be a reason he would say such a thing to him, who had just asked for his support.
"Even as the Head of the Elder Council, I cannot simply ignore the will of the elders. Silence and disregard are two entirely different things."
"Yes."
"Therefore, you must try to turn the hearts of the elders."
Punghak held up three fingers.
"Thirty percent. If you can turn the hearts of thirty percent, I will somehow manage the rest."
Thirty percent.
A person's heart is by nature unmoving; it cannot be easily turned just by wishing it so. This is even more true if it has been hardening for eight years. Yet, a person's heart is also something that can be swayed in an instant for the smallest of reasons.
"Prove your worth at the upcoming Heavenly Martial Tournament. If you truly seem like one who can bear the weight of this Namgung, thirty percent will turn to you in no time."
"I will try."
"You seem quite confident. Do you have a hidden card up your sleeve?"
Cheong-un shook his head. The corners of his mouth curved into a gentle smile. It was a smile that resembled Seolhwa's. "I plan to start looking for one now."
After finishing her training and returning to the pavilion, a familiar face and an unfamiliar one were waiting for Seolhwa.
"Young Lady!"
One was the maidservant who had been friendly to Seolhwa at the Heavenly Guest Room, and the other was... 'A master of the Supreme Realm.' With her long hair tied back tightly, she had thin eyes with slightly raised corners, giving her the stiff and sharp impression of a warrior.
From the clothes she was wearing, she appeared to be a member of the Black Dragon Unit. The Black Dragon Unit member approached Seolhwa, cupped her fist, and bowed deeply.
"Namgung Ryeong of the Black Dragon 1st Unit. I greet Young Lady Seolhwa."
"Gasp!"
The one who was surprised was the young maidservant standing next to her. In truth, she had been standing with her the whole time while waiting for Seolhwa, but her aura was so intimidating that she couldn't bring herself to say a single word. She knew she was a Black Dragon Unit member, but...
"The 1st, 1st Unit...!"
The Black Dragon 1st Unit. They were a unit composed of the most renowned members in Namgung, rumored to be the strongest after the Secret Wind Sword Unit. Each and every one of them was known to be a master of the Supreme Realm, the core of Namgung's martial force!
To meet such a person face-to-face! 'The Young Lady must be very surprised too, right?' With that thought, she turned to look at Seolhwa, but to her surprise, Seolhwa's expression was calm, making the maidservant feel a bit crestfallen instead.
Unaware of her feelings, Seolhwa spoke to Namgung Ryeong.
"Are you the one Grandfather sent?"
"Yes. I have been ordered to serve as Young Lady Seolhwa's escort starting today."
"I see."
Seolhwa nodded calmly. She didn't even say a single word like 'I'll be in your care'. The maidservant beside her subconsciously glanced back and forth between the Black Dragon Unit member and Seolhwa, trying to read the mood.
In the chilly atmosphere that felt like it could freeze over, the maidservant hurriedly introduced herself.
"I, I too! I will also be serving you from today, Young Lady."
Seolhwa's gaze turned towards her.
"My name is Namgung Yeoyul. Please take good care of me, Young Lady Seolhwa."
Her cheerful smile suddenly reminded Seolhwa of Yu Kang. I wonder if he has left Namgung by now? Quickly pushing the thought away, she asked the maidservant.
"Aren't you a maidservant from the Heavenly Guest Room?"
"When they said they were selecting a new maidservant for you, I applied right away. Hehe. You have no idea how much I wanted to see you after you left the Heavenly Guest Room."
She may seem a bit ditzy, but in Namgung, being a maidservant at the Heavenly Guest Room meant that she was among the most skilled of the maidservants. Yeoyul's age seemed to be only two or three years older than Seolhwa at most.
To become a maidservant at the Heavenly Guest Room at such a young age meant she was that much more recognized, and it was likely for that reason she was chosen to be Seolhwa's maidservant.
"I'll be in your care from now on."
Seolhwa greeted Yeoyul with a smile.
"Ye-es..."
At the completely different reaction compared to the one she had given Namgung Ryeong moments ago, Yeoyul couldn't help but glance at Ryeong's face.
"Oh... ah, that's right! You're starting your sword training today, aren't you, Young Lady?"
"Yes."
Starting today, Seolhwa was to officially participate in the Namgung family's sword training. There was a limit to saying she had learned from Namgung Mucheon, so she planned to use the excuse that she learned it during sword technique training. She was also curious about the training, which consisted of the Namgung direct line and outstanding branch family members.
"Hurry and get ready! It's the first day, you can't be late."
Yeoyul urged Seolhwa on. Watching Yeoyul, who somehow seemed more excited than she was, with a curious gaze, Seolhwa followed her into the pavilion. Namgung Ryeong, who had been watching the two, let out a long sigh.
Yeoyul had been in such a hurry that Seolhwa was the first to arrive at the Training Ground. The Training Ground, where the training took place, was the largest and most lavishly decorated place in the Inner Hall.
She couldn't understand why a training ground needed to be lavish, but seeing as it felt full of gathered energy, similar to the training grotto, it seemed to be constructed with a special formation. As soon as she entered the Training Ground, Ryeong went to one side and stood still.
From the first moment Seolhwa saw her, she had worn a calm expression devoid of any emotion.
"Well, well, who do we have here?"
"...?"
At the noisy sound, Seolhwa looked toward the entrance of the Training Ground. A group of about a dozen people, led by Namgung Soryong, was entering the Training Ground.
"Older sister!"
Namgung Ung waved happily at Seolhwa.
However...
"Who's your older sister! Didn't I tell you not to acknowledge her!"
"Ack! That hurts! Older brother!"
Soryong smacked Ung on the back of the head. Soryong, who had been fuming at his younger brother, soon approached Seolhwa with a vile smile. The other children flocked behind him.
'Aside from Soryong and Ung, they are all children from the branch families.' Namgung Hwarin was nowhere to be seen, so it seemed she was still too young to train with them. While she was roughly guessing the age range of the children, Namgung Soryong snickered and spoke to her.
"Hey, what do you think you're doing, crawling in here? This place doesn't accept beggars like you."
Seolhwa tilted her head.
"A beggar? Am I a beggar?"
"Yeah. Is there another beggar here besides you? Ugh, that rotten smell. Where on earth have you been rolling around for the past eight years?"
Soryong even pinched his nose and scowled deeply. At Namgung Soryong's sarcastic remarks, the children from the branch families all snickered in unison, as if this was a familiar occurrence. 'So he lords over the branch families just because he's from the direct line.'
There were even children who, at a glance, looked stronger than Soryong, but every one of them was going along with his childish games. In a clan-based society, the power of the direct line is great, so it can't be helped, but...
'How foolish.'
The person they should really be trying to impress is someone else. Seolhwa's gaze turned to Namgung Ung, who was fidgeting anxiously off to the side. He was the only child among the gathered who did not participate in Soryong's games.
Seolhwa's eyes read the pure and profound energy flowing from Namgung Ung. You can know a warrior by their energy. Among these children, Namgung Ung was the one most befitting of the Namgung's energy.
"Are you ignoring me?"
When Seolhwa didn't respond, Soryong shoved her shoulder and shouted. But Soryong was immediately flustered.
'Wha, what!'
Why... why won't she budge...? I clearly pushed with enough force to knock her over, right? But she isn't moving an inch!
It felt just like pressing against a boulder.
"You, you...!"
"You say I have a rotten smell?"
Seolhwa took a large step forward, closing in on him.
"You have a good nose, don't you?"
"Wha, what...!"
"How is it?"
At her face that had suddenly drawn near, Soryong unknowingly faltered, stepping back. She was clearly smiling, yet an unknown pressure tightened around Soryong's throat.
"Doesn't it smell like a rotting corpse?"