Chapter 61: Have You Upheld Your Convictions? Part 2

A few strands of the Azure Princess’s blue-gray hair slid gently down her shoulders.

It was the only movement observable in that frozen moment.

“Black Princess… Wh-What are you doing… Why are you here… Why are you two…”

“N-No, no, Azure Princess, this is… Please don’t misunderstand. This is, I mean, where do I even begin…”

The trembling eyes of the Azure Princess were visible above the ends of her sleeves, which quivered as if in an earthquake. Indeed, the Azure Princess who always appeared so composed and calm seemed utterly flustered by this unexpected scene.

Disasters strike like lightning. And without warning.

“In this dark and secluded corner of the hills… How are you two… like this…”

“Azure Princess! It’s better not to jump to conclusions! I-I’ll explain everything!”

The Black Princess quickly stood up and began to straighten her disheveled court robe.

In reality, rushing to tidy up your disheveled clothing at this point only served to worsen the misunderstanding.

However, the Black Princess had no time to consider such details.

Her pupils were darting around the place which meant she was really flustered.

Indeed, no matter how accustomed she had become to her authority as the mistress of the Black Tortoise Palace, she had never been involved in such a scandalous situation.

In this regard, she was quite inexperienced so her response was naturally clumsy and fraught with panic.

Furthermore, considering that her opponent was the Azure Princess who could see through any deception, it was natural for her to be even more nervous.

“Y-you’ve also heard that Tae Pyeong was kidnapped by the Black Moon Unit, right? I was just here to check if he was alright and got caught…! Azure Princess, please don’t misunderstand!”

“I’ve heard that you, Black Princess, are so swift that even the warrior of the Red Palace can’t touch you. How did you get captured so easily?”

“Well, that’s because… the Black Moon Leader is much more skilled than I expected… I was caught before I had a chance to do anything.”

“……”

The eyes of the Azure Princess that could be seen above her sleeves grew sharper. She clearly did not believe her.

However fast the Black Moon Leader might be, it was hard to believe that he could so easily overpower the Black Princess who was blessed by the divine fever.

Ordinary people couldn’t grasp the full extent of the power granted by the divine fever, but the Azure Princess was no ordinary person. She did not believe the Black Princess’s explanation at all, and her eyes narrowed even more.

“I’ve heard that the Black Moon Leader Cheong Jin Myeong is indeed highly skilled… but it’s hard to believe that he could catch the Black Princess just like that …”

“Well, that’s why I came here alone… but it was completely different from what I expected…”

“Why did you come here alone? As the mistress of the Black Tortoise Palace, you should always be careful with your movements…”

“We-Well, I thought that maybe Tae Pyeong might have intentionally gotten caught by the Black Moon Unit….so I figured he must have some plan. I just wanted to check his condition first and …no, this explanation is getting too long…”

She didn’t know where to begin. Even if she explained, she wasn’t sure anyone would believe her.

In the Azure Princess’s mind, she was already speculating that the Black Princess was just trying to dominate Seol Tae Pyeong by using her authority as a princess consort, and the Black Moon Unit was just a convenient excuse for her.

In fact… even the Black Princess herself couldn’t help but think that this was the more natural assumption …!

No matter how skilled the Black Moon Unit might be, someone as powerful as Seol Tae Pyeong wouldn’t be easily subdued, nor would the Black Princess be caught so easily. And the Azure Princess had witnessed the “critical” moment with her own eyes.

Moreover…

She was really embarrassed and didn’t want to think about it, but she managed to overcome the shame rising in her heart and muster the courage to do so …

When she dominated Seol Tae Pyeong with her position and climbed onto his waist…. she couldn’t deny feeling a slight sense of immoral pleasure. After all, the Black Princess was only human…!

Seol Tae Pyeong who could easily overpower someone like the Black Princess with a single sword strike was helpless due to the difference in their status, and that slight sense of immoral pleasure that rose when he surrendered to the Black Princess’s touch…

For someone like the Black Princess who grew up like a flower in a greenhouse, this might have been a bit of a stimulation, maybe, maybe not, but perhaps it was, or perhaps it wasn’t!

How can a man’s chest be so wide? When she saw his broad shoulders, prominent Adam’s apple, and the tiny veins visible at the ends of his arms up close, it all suddenly felt real.

She thought there was nothing she could do about it. Such feelings could happen to anyone.

However, the other party was not easy to fool.

The other party was a young Taoist who could see through the confusion in her heart. To the Azure Princess, it was clear that the Black Princess had briefly harbored such feelings.

And given the circumstances…. it might have already become an established fact.

Black Princess Po Hwa Ryeong had used the Black Moon Unit as an excuse to leave the Black Tortoise Palace and pounce on Commander Seol Tae Pyeong…!

What a dizzying rumor this was.

“……”

The Azure Princess’s expression grew even darker.

What a frivolous and sinister woman she was… the Azure Princess’s eyes began to burn with a strange emotion.

“Black Princess…”

At times like this, Jin Cheong Lang’s mind worked quickly. She knew better than anyone how to silence her opponent.

“Why…. do you address Commander Seol Tae Pyeong as Tae Pyeong?”

“……!!”

No matter how quick-witted the Black Princess was, she made a mistake in this situation.

Perhaps it was the way she casually called him Tae Pyeong, which felt very out of place. It became clear that she had known Seol Tae Pyeong for a long time.

“We-Well, that’s because…”

Lying further would only make the situation worse.

The Black Princess spoke in a subdued voice as she lowered her gaze cautiously.

“…We became friends. About three or four years ago…”

“……”

“I, I know exactly what the Azure Princess would say. How can the mistress of the Black Tortoise Palace be friends with a mere warrior? You would say I need to maintain my dignity. But, as you know, living in the lonely Cheongdo Palace makes you want to have a few friends your age. Tae Pyeong and I are the same age and we get along well…”

“Black Princess…”

“There are a lot of things I want to say, and a lot of things to explain, but when I try to explain it all in words… I just keep on rambling…”

The Azure Princess shook her head and walked into the cabin.

Outside the open door, the members of the Black Moon Unit lay sprawled on the ground.

They had tried to attack the Azure Princess but couldn’t even touch her and were completely overpowered. It was only normal.

Sword Master Seol Tae Pyeong, Sage Butterfly Po Hwa Ryeong, and Young Fairy Jin Cheong Lang.

The three people gathered here were beyond the Black Moon Unit’s capabilities.

From their perspective, it was too unfair.

“Is Tae Py… Is Commander Seol okay?”

“Ah, yes… well, to explain the situation…”

“You don’t need to explain anything.”

The Azure Princess examined Seol Tae Pyeong for a moment, confirmed he wasn’t seriously injured, and spoke in a much calmer tone.

“Alright, you’re just a victim, so don’t worry too much. We’ll clear up the injustice you suffered in due time.”

“…Huh? A-A victim?”

“Being kidnapped by the Black Moon Unit is one thing, but you almost suffered greatly under her authority, so it must have been very shocking for you. It’s understandable that you feel disoriented in many ways. You should rest for now.

It’s said that the arm bends inward. (TN: humans have a tendency to take care of their own people before strangers.)

In the Azure Princess’s eyes, Seol Tae Pyeong was just an innocent young man who could have easily shaken off the Black Princess but was helpless under the authority of the mistress of the Black Tortoise Palace.

“I am truly disappointed in you Black Princess. How can you claim to be the mistress of the Black Tortoise Palace with such conduct?”

When the Azure Princess spoke in a cold voice, a menacing aura surrounded her.

There was a deep emotion in her eyes as she looked at the Black Princess like that. the Black Princess shivered for a moment…

“You should be more careful with your behavior and be aware of your status.”

“……”

“What crime has Commander Seol committed to be attacked like this?”

“……”

“Since this could greatly harm the innocent Commander Seol, I won’t make a big issue out of it, but you should be aware of your high status. You must understand that you can’t live freely as you did when you roamed the White Immortal Mountain.”

“…”

But… no matter what, the Black Princess was also human…! She had emotions…!

When the Azure Princess suddenly appeared, the situation was urgent and she rambled on…. but as she quietly listened to the Azure Princess’s words, her pride began to crack.

It was only normal. What crime has Commander Seol committed to be attacked by her? Attack Seol Tae Pyeong? Even if the Black Princess had been slightly captivated, she wasn’t someone who would do such a reckless thing.

She had been somewhat distracted by Seol Tae Pyeong’s broad body, but Seol Tae Pyeong could have pushed her away and he didn’t.

He enjoyed it too.

Knowing that saying those words would be the end of her as a human being, the Black Princess bit her tongue and swallowed her words…

No matter what, she wasn’t someone who should be spoken to like this by the Azure Princess!

And to be precise, it was usually the Azure Princess who caused trouble for the crown princess consorts regarding Seol Tae Pyeong.

Listening closely to what the Azure Princess was saying, the Black Princess felt the urge to tell her to take care of herself first.

When she realized this, the Black Princess’s cheeks puffed up like a freshly caught pufferfish.

“And what about you, Azure Princess?”

“…What?”

“What brings you to the wild hills of the Hwalseong District at this late hour, Azure Princess?”

Now, it was the Azure Princess who had to be flustered.

It was obvious from her expression. She had never expected the Black Princess to retaliate like this.

It was only normal. The Black Princess was like an angelic and benevolent figure in the world. She was the embodiment of radiance.

The thought of the Black Princess snapping back at someone was… It was something that was hard to even imagine,

“Surely you used illusion arts to sneak out, but as the mistress of the Azure Dragon Palace, is it proper to wander the hills at this late hour without any guards?”

“Th-that’s…”

“Didn’t the Azure Princess come here just to check if Tae Pyeong might be harmed by the Black Moon Unit?”

Strictly speaking, no.

She had simply woken up from a strange and hazy nightmare, and for some reason, she suddenly wanted to see Seol Tae Pyeong.

However, to be precise, this was indeed more of a reckless act.

The Azure Princess who was hiding her mouth with her sleeve and darting her eyes here and there… started to break into a cold sweat.

That’s right. She had confidently spoken up, but she wasn’t exactly in a position to be so confident…!

And considering their usual behavior, the Black Princess was by far the more exemplary person…!

“Tae Pyeong-ah, tell the Azure Princess. It’s ridiculous to think we were having a secret affair or something like that here…!”

“Th-that’s true, but…”

“Azure Princess, like I said, I was just trying to untie Tae Pyeong! Look, you can even see my silver dagger!”

“Do you think I can’t see through the immoral feelings in your heart, Black Princess?”

“Ugh! Th-that…”

The Black Princess was momentarily taken aback by the unexpected counterattack but she soon shook her head and spoke.

“I, I just had a brief moment of infatuation for the Black Moon Leader, but it had nothing to do with Tae Pyeong…!”

There, the Black Princess casually dropped a bombshell.

“……”

“……”

“…Huh?”

“I-I’m a woman too! Isn’t it possible? Seeing a powerful man can make anyone feel a bit dizzy for a moment! It’s possible, isn’t it!”

“Black Princess! Please calm down!”

You’re going overboard. You’ve got too agitated that you’ve lost your reason.

Seol Tae Pyeong shouted with that meaning in mind, but the furious Black Princess yelled at the Azure Princess.

“Fine, I admit it! Yes, Tae Pyeong and I are close friends! A long time ago, I had a tiny, minuscule, barely noticeable bit of personal feeling! But that’s all in the past! Tae Pyeong and I are just really close friends, and I have someone else in my heart!”

“…H-Huh?”

“Tae Pyeong and I decided to stay close friends for life. Such feelings would only be a burden to him! Don’t you understand that simple fact, Azure Princess?!”

From the Black Princess’s perspective, she was just using the Black Moon Leader to diffuse the situation, but the Azure Princess couldn’t grasp that.

“Sure, Tae Pyeong has a lot of good qualities, and he’s a very deep and reliable person…. but as a man, that’s a different story! If I had to choose, I prefer someone with wild charm and strength like the Black Moon Leader, so please drop your strange misunderstanding, Azure Princess!”

This woman had never even seen the Black Moon Leader’s face. They had just met.

However, to gain the upper hand against the Azure Princess, it was best to push her into thinking she was mistaken. In reality, the Azure Princess was left speechless by the Black Princess’s spirited outburst.

She was pushed back. It was that very Jin Cheong Lang… She was pushed back against the fierce spirit of Po Hwa Ryeong!

“Just friends, I said, we’re just friends!”

“Th-that…”

The Azure Princess pressed her sleeve tightly while observing Black Princess, but she didn’t sense any falsehood in her words.

Of course, it had to be true. The Black Princess actually felt her heart race when she saw the “Black Moon Leader”…

“Haa… haa…”

“……”

The Black Princess who was panting heavily finally regained her composure as if cold water had been poured over her.

Yes, she had emphasized that she and Seol Tae Pyeong were just friends…

But saying she liked men like the Black Moon Leader was not proper behavior for a princess consort…! What kind of nonsense was she spouting…!

Realizing she had practically handed over her own weakness, the Black Princess regretted it but…

“…I see, so that’s how it is! Now I understand why you came to this remote mountain where the Black Moon Unit gathers, Black Princess!”

“…Huh?”

The Azure Princess’s face suddenly became surprisingly calm.

Indeed, as long as Seol Tae Pyeong wasn’t involved, she didn’t care about anything else…! Black Princess’s words didn’t seem false either…!

Was this situation really returning to normal?

Seol Tae Pyeong felt dizzy but the Azure Princess continued to speak with a calm face.

“Of course, this is not an ideal situation, but how can one’s heart always follow reason? I fully understand, Black Princess! You’ll handle this well, I’m sure!”

As long as she wasn’t a rival in love, nothing else mattered to her!

…That mindset wasn’t quite normal either, but the Azure Princess was always like that.

She bowed her head and apologized to the Black Princess.

“Because of my personal misunderstanding, I have committed a great discourtesy to you, Black Princess. I’m sorry. So the Black Princess holds such feelings for the Black Moon Leader.”

“Y-Yes! Please be careful from now on!”

“But, how could someone as noble as you be attracted to a person like the Black Moon Leader?”

“W-Well…um… How should I say this… From the very first moment I saw him, I felt it! His powerful movements and manly spirit felt like they cut through my delicate heart. It felt like a fateful encounter. My breath quickened and my heart pounded, and I realized that this must be what love feels like!”

There didn’t seem to be any falsehood in her words.

She did tend to spill too much in order to prove her innocence in front of the Azure Princess, but it seemed the situation could be resolved.

It was a great relief that the Azure Princess had regained her calm.

“……”

However, Seol Tae Pyeong was sweating profusely.

At least, there was no one in the cabin who understood why he was sweating so much. They could only guess that he was afraid of the two princess consorts fighting fiercely.

“Anyway, the Black Moon Leader I saw yesterday is my destined partner…! Tae Pyeong is just a friend! I would never have the immoral feelings you suspect towards Tae Pyeong, so please understand that! I don’t want to lose a precious friend like Tae Pyeong!”

After pouring out her words, the Black Princess let out a long sigh.

It was exhausting, but she seemed relieved to have explained everything clearly.

And she looked to have sorted out her feelings to some extent.

Having feelings akin to love for Seol Tae Pyeong who was a person within Cheongdo Palace would be nothing but discourteous, so if she were to harbor such feelings, it was better directed towards someone outside of Cheongdo Palace.

It felt like a sort of refuge, but it was better this way.

Seol Tae Pyeong was just a friend.

How precious was the presence of a peer with whom she could open up in the cold and harsh Cheongdo Palace. The Black Princess knew this better than anyone.

Therefore, to avoid losing him, it was best not to see him as a romantic interest.

That boundary had to be clearly drawn, and to accept this, she needed another refuge.

At that moment,

“W-What! All the guards at the cabin have been subdued!”

“D-Damn it… Someone attacked us! Leader! They are inside the cabin!”

Panicked voices could be heard from outside.

One Black Moon Unit guard who had barely regained his senses was reporting to someone.

“……”

“……”

The Black Moon Leader had returned to examine the situation.

Everyone inside the cabin swallowed dryly.

Black Moon Leader Cheong Jin Myeong was said to be so strong that not even the swift Black Princess could escape.

As the Black Princess assumed a serious expression and readied herself… he emerged from the mist.

“……”

Black Moon Leader Cheong Jin Myeong gasped when he saw the inside of the cabin.

Seol Tae Pyeong, Po Hwa Ryeong, and Jin Cheong Lang.

Each one of them, given the right conditions, could take on the entire Black Moon Unit easily.

Seeing such formidable individuals gathered inside the cabin, he instinctively swallowed dryly and took a step back.

Even the usually composed Black Moon Leader could not grasp the current situation.

It was often said but…

The Black Moon Unit were truly a pitiful bunch.

…Who is that?

The Black Moon Leader… is that person…?

Meanwhile, Po Hwa Ryeongs’s head was filled with question marks as she looked at the appearance of the Black Moon Leader wearing a pure white hood.

Since she herself reached a certain level of mastery, she could roughly gauge the opponent’s level.

Of course, she couldn’t measure someone who was above her own level. However, Cheong Jin Myeong who had come in claiming to be the Black Moon Leader was far less impressive than when she had seen him before.

She could see the flow of his energy at a glance. He was older than the one she fought, and his physique and body shape were different.

It was impossible to think that this person was the same one who had effortlessly subdued Po Hwa Ryeong the night before. It was unimaginable that someone like him could overpower Seol Tae Pyeong, who had the qualities of a Sword Master.

Indeed… I see…

Po Hwa Ryeong closed her eyes briefly, then opened them with a gaze that sparkled like stars as if she had realized something.

They must be using a double…! As expected of the organizational strength of a famous assassin group…! They cannot carelessly show their leader’s true appearance…!

Considering this one’s level… the one I saw yesterday must be the real Black Moon Leader…!

However, only Seol Tae Pyeong was sweating nervously with a pitiful expression on his face.

That was only natural.

The person Po Hwa Ryeong had seen yesterday. The man who was dressed in a white hood and Black Moon Unit uniform was Seol Tae Pyeong himself.

If I could meet him again… I would like to see his face…

…The situation only seemed to be getting more chaotic.

Stay strong, Seol Tae Pyeong.

There was nothing he could do… but console himself in this way.