Chapter 64: Have You Upheld Your Convictions? Part 5

The wind blowing along the clearing seemed to sweep across the land.

So vast was the expanse that, when riding a horse, the sight of Cheongdo Palace would fade into the distance.

General Seong Sa Wook was a person who enjoyed the strange feeling of freedom he felt every time he rode his horse.

Having spent his life running on the battlefield, he felt most at ease on horseback.

Even though his body had grown old and was no longer what it used to be, he knew he was destined to live his life wielding a sword from horseback.

While he was having these thoughts in mind, he glanced at Crown Prince Hyeon Won. His expression remained the same.

Whenever Seong Sa Wook looked at the Crown Prince, he held disloyal thoughts in his heart.

Could someone like him truly support the throne and lead Cheongdo in the future?

How could someone who wasn’t interested in anything and just went with the flow be able to read the situation and control it?

Yet regardless of anyone’s opinions, Crown Prince Hyeon Won was destined to lead Cheongdo Palace in the future, and General Seong Sa Wook had to do his best as his martial arts teacher.

“Your horseback riding skills have greatly improved, Your Highness. Compared to when you first mounted a horse, your body no longer sways at all and your running posture has become quite stable.”

“Is that so?”

“However, it would be better to place your feet further into the stirrups and lower your posture more. Bend your waist, but with more force so it doesn’t curve too much.”

When Seong Sa Wook said this, Crown Prince Hyeon Won effortlessly adjusted his posture without much difficulty.

It seemed his ability to learn something was indeed exceptional.

Boys of this age usually get excited when riding a horse, but he doesn’t seem to feel much excitement either.

Seong Sa Wook shook his head and then took out his bow.

“I’ve heard you’ve been consistently training in archery. However, shooting while on horseback is very different and quite difficult.”

“…….”

“I’ll demonstrate first. Let go of the reins with both hands, maintain your balance, and shoot the bow. It’s not easy, so watch closely and follow.”

Just when Seong Sa Wook increased the horse’s speed and ran along the forest.

Swish!

At that moment, an arrow flew over the ridge and pierced the neck of Seong Sa Wook’s horse.

Thud!

Neigh!

The horse let out a pained cry, shook its head, and began to thrash wildly.

“What?!”

Seong Sa Wook quickly grabbed the reins, but the severely wounded horse bucked a few more times before collapsing onto the grassland.

Seong Sa Wook swiftly leaped off the horse and performed a roll on the grass. His movements were so agile that it was hard to believe that he was an old man.

Swish!

Thud!

Next, an arrow struck the horse that Crown Prince Hyeon Won was riding.

Whether the arrow was poisoned or not, the horse couldn’t withstand even that one shot and started thrashing around before collapsing.

The Crown Prince couldn’t control the horse and was thrown off while holding the reins. Seong Sa Wook quickly lunged and caught him.

Thud!

Thud!

“Are you all right? Your Highness!”

“Ugh… Ah…!”

Though he somehow managed to protect Crown Prince Hyeon Won from serious injury, they had just lost their mounts in the middle of the vast plains of the imperial garden.

Seong Sa Wook was a seasoned veteran who had been through many battles and he quickly grasped the situation.

They’ve forcibly trapped us…!

This place was the imperial garden within the territory of the palace. Although it was said to be vast, it was not a place just anyone could enter.

Seong Sa Wook sent Crown Prince Hyeon Won behind him and he glared up at the large hill.

There, a group of assassins heavily cloaked in black hoods were looking down at them.

Those people…!

He didn’t know how they managed to bring such a number of assassins into the heart of the imperial garden, but it was obvious who their target was.

“Your Highness…!”

Seong Sa Wook lowered his voice quickly and called Crown Prince Hyeon Won quietly.

Fearing that the Crown Prince might lose his composure in fear, he spoke as calmly as possible.

“It seems we are under a sudden attack. They appear to be targeting you Your Highness, so do not take a single step from behind me. Soon, the guards from the Red Palace who were following us will arrive…!”

It was indeed fortunate that he had brought guards today, just in case.

Within one or two minutes at most, Warrior Commander Jang Rae of the Red Palace would catch up with them up on horseback.

No matter how old he had become, Seong Sa Wook was not someone who would fail to hold off a group of assassins of unknown origin for a few minutes.

For now, the most important thing was to calmly assess the situation.

General Seong Sa Wook tried to encourage Crown Prince Hyeon Won so he wouldn’t lose his composure.

“…Is that so?”

However, there wasn’t even the slightest hint of fear in the Crown Prince’s eyes.

Seeing this, Seong Sa Wook swallowed dryly.

He was facing a situation where he might be assassinated.

A large number of thugs armed with daggers had appeared.

Even though he was in such a dire situation… Crown Prince Hyeon Won showed an empty and hollow reaction.

It’s not just being calm… it’s more like he doesn’t care at all…

General Seong Sa Wook swallowed dryly again.

This young boy had no attachment to life. Therefore, even in the face of death, he felt no sense of crisis.

Seong Sa Wook wiped his face, steadied his mind, and then shouted at the group of assassins on the hill.

“You scoundrels! Do you know where you are that you dare act so brazenly? Do you understand what you are doing now?”

The sharp daggers held by the members of the Black Moon Unit caught Seong Sa Wook’s eye.

He drew the long sword from his waist and shouted loudly enough to shake the heavens.

“The Emperor will never forgive your crimes!”

The Black Moon Unit rushed in.

Their movements were so fast that it was difficult to follow them with the naked eye.

In the wild politics of Cheongdo Palace, the way to handle talent ultimately came down to one of two outcomes.

Either take them under your command, or else push them over the cliff so that they cannot fall under someone else’s command.

Those who talked about humanity or cruelty had all disappeared. It was a place where those who relied on compassion in politics could never survive.

If the Emperor is watching over me, my head will remain attached after today.

When Crown Prince Hyeon Won left for his hunting lesson, the intention of Under Councilor Shim Sang Gon in summoning Inner Swords Commander Seol Tae Pyeong was obvious.

Black Moon Leader Cheong Jin Myeong had already left to carry out his mission. The die had been cast.

After today, the political landscape of Cheongdo Palace would be completely overturned, one way or another.

Before that, Under Councilor Shim Sang Gon had a significant task left.

But… I must not be arrogant enough to believe everything will go perfectly according to my plan.

Under Councilor Shim Sang Gon sat in an old house on the outskirts of Cheongdo Palace.

It was a place once used to store various grains but now it has lost its role and was just waiting for demolition.

It was not surprising that the facility to be demolished maintained its shape for so long. This was all so that it could be used for other purposes.

The main reason was that it was a secret location used by the Under Councilor for private meetings. There was no better place to meet someone without being seen.

Slide

Then, the paper door of the old house opened and someone came in.

The person wore a worn martial arts uniform and carried a large sword on his back.

Two swords extended behind his back and waist. One was the Jade Lead Sword, and the other was the Cold Iron Heavy Sword. They were both precious swords.

Normally, he would have been accompanied by a couple of guards, but today he seemed to have come alone given the nature of the meeting.

Inner Swords Commander Seol Tae Pyeong.

He was the person Under Councilor Shim Sang Gon needed to win over.

“I finally get to see the famous Inner Swords Commander with my own eyes.”

It had been a long time since he had sent a message through the Black Moon Leader, and finally, he could see this man called Seol Tae Pyeong with his own eyes.

Under Councilor Shim Sang Gon rose raised his bear-like frame and spoke with a satisfied smile to Seol Tae Pyeong, who lowered his head without saying a word.

“I heard you know everything that’s going to happen today.”

Considering the gravity of what Shim Sang Gon was planning, this was not something to be taken lightly.

“I didn’t expect the Under Councilor to summon me personally.”

“You’re being humble. You must have known I didn’t have much of a choice.”

The Under Councilor let out a sly chuckle, but Seol Tae Pyeong did not even flinch at the sight.

Shim Sang Gon had already received reports about what kind of person Seol Tae Pyeong was.

A man who never compromised with injustice and always upheld his convictions no matter what.

People like this would never act without sufficient justification.

He was difficult to win over, but once convinced, there was no one easier to manage than him.

So, if you were trying to win over someone like Seol Tae Pyeong, presenting a good justification was more important than anything else.

To do so, it was first necessary to listen to what the other party had to say.

“There are many things I want to ask. How on earth did you know about the grand scheme I was preparing, and why did you keep silent about such an important matter until it was about to happen?”

“I kept silent because there was something I absolutely needed to request from you, Under Councilor.”

The Under Councilor had some inkling about it.

If Seol Tae Pyeong had simply reported the matter to the palace, there wouldn’t have been any problems, yet he remained silent until the end.

In other words, he wanted to negotiate with the Under Councilor regarding this matter to obtain something. Otherwise, it didn’t make sense.

If there was room for negotiation, the Under Councilor had no reason to refuse. Solving the matter simply was the best approach. However, he hadn’t considered that Seol Tae Pyeong would propose such a negotiation himself.

If he wanted money or power, he could give him plenty of that.

However, Seol Tae Pyeong wasn’t someone who could be swayed by such simple things.

He might have set a trap, or he might be trying to exploit another weakness under the pretext of negotiation.

The Under Councilor did not trust people easily. He wasn’t someone who let his guard down just because things seemed to go smoothly.

“A special demonic spirit called the Moon Demonic Spirit has infiltrated Cheongdo Palace. It transforms into a person, mimics them, and destroys them from within. It’s a terrifying demon.”

However, Seol Tae Pyeong’s words were far from what the Under Councilor had expected.

“To catch that Moon Demonic Spirit, I desperately need your help, Under Councilor. The reason I kept silent about this matter is because we need to catch that Moon Demonic Spirit.”

“What?”

The Under Councilor couldn’t understand it all at once and had to ask again.

“The Azure Princess returned to the Azure Dragon Palace and is in the inner chamber doing embroidery.”

“The Vermilion Princess is at the training grounds practicing archery as usual.”

“The Black Princess seemed tired from last night and is taking a nap.”

“The White Princess isn’t feeling well and has canceled all her morning appointments to rest.”

The maids of the Heavenly Dragon Hall had returned after following their mistress Ah Hyun’s orders to check on what the four crown princess consorts were doing.

It was said that Crown Prince Hyeon Won had gone hunting in the Imperial Garden, so it seemed clear that Moon Demonic Spirit Yoran would appear within Cheongdo Palace around this time.

There is no telling whom it would devour or how it would attempt to kill Seol Tae Pyeong. The Moon Demonic Spirit who was controlled by the Plague Demonic Spirit would inevitably move to kill Seol Tae Pyeong.

Hmm…

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun who was sitting in the Heavenly Jade Pavilion was deeply troubled as she received the reports from her maids.

Who could it be?

The Azure Princess, the Vermilion Princess, the Black Princess, and the White Princess.

Other than Seol Ran, she had to clearly identify who among them was the most important to Seol Tae Pyeong right now.

People’s hearts are like reeds, always changing. The person Seol Tae Pyeong valued the most would change frequently.

Depending on the timing and the experiences one had gone through, the target of the Moon Demonic Spirit would also change. This only made it hard to predict.

At first, it seemed like the easiest way was to ask Seol Tae Pyeong directly about the matter, but experience had shown her that people often didn’t understand their own hearts. On the contrary, asking him could complicate matters even more.

Who was the person Seol Tae Pyeong valued the most right now?

In the end, the most certain method would be to thoroughly examine all four crown princess consorts.

“Your Highness.”

Headmistress Lee Ryeong, who had been watching Ah Hyun lost in thought, asked with a worried expression on her face.

“You seem deeply troubled. Is there something concerning you about the inner palace…?”

“No, it’s just that I have a feeling something bad will happen soon…”

In fact, it was closer to a premonition than just a feeling.

To proceed with the plan, the first thing to do was to smoothly subjugate the Moon Demonic Spirit.

While she was deeply lost in thoughts,

Crrk, crrk, crrk────────

A strange sound seeped through the spring water of the Heavenly Jade Pavilion.

It was a creepy sound like someone was scratching a metal plate. It was a strange sound as if someone was laughing or, on the contrary, crying.

At first, it seemed like a hallucination, but as the bizarre noise continued to echo, the expressions of the maids who had their heads bowed began to harden.

“Th-This is…?!”

“Wh…what…is happening…!”

What followed happened in an instant.

It was an energy that was difficult to say whether it should be called divine energy or demonic energy.

A sinister dark red energy spread like a cloud over the Heavenly Jade Pavilion. And soon, it became so thick that it obscured the view.

Whoosh!

It was a chaotic scene, like hell had descended on earth.

The continuous eerie sound felt like it was scraping the brain.

Crrrk! Crrrrk!

A lower demonic spirit could be defeated by an adult man wielding a weapon, and an intermediate demonic spirit could be defeated by a group of skilled demonic spirit hunters.

However, special demonic spirits often required unique abilities or powers to kill them.

In the case of the Moon Demonic Spirit….one needed resistance to its illusion arts.

“Ugh!”

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun managed to momentarily surround herself with the energy of the Heavenly Dragon to fend it off.

If she took the force head-on, it might have been difficult, but successfully blocking it meant she could protect herself.

However, it was a different story for the maids gathered at the Heavenly Jade Pavilion.

Blood vessels began to burst visibly in their eyes.

Headmaid Lee Ryeong seemed to be resisting the Illusion somehow, but the junior and senior maids began drooling and losing their sanity. They eventually started to strangle themselves.

“Guh, huh…!”

“Ka… guk…!”

The scene was so horrific that Lee Ryeong quickly regained her senses and struck the back of the maids’ necks to knock them out. Her fingertips trembled in the process.

“Your Highness…! Your Highness…! Are you alright…?”

Just when Headmaid Lee Ryeong was about to rush to protect Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun,

She suddenly felt a strange presence wrapping around her shoulders.

It gave her goosebumps. It felt like being hugged by a chilling ghost.

A whisper from a demonic spirit clad in azure robes seeped into Lee Ryeong’s ears. It was endlessly cold yet somehow comforting. And it shook her heart.

Draw your sword and stab your own neck.

The whisper was so calm that Lee Ryeong felt an overwhelming impulse to obey those words.

“Huh… huh…”

When Lee Ryeong fell to the floor while drooling, she grabbed her wrist tightly.

Just before she could take any drastic action, the rising energy of the Heavenly Dragon knocked her out cold.

“……”

The demonic spirit bowed its head and started giggling.

Moon demonic spirit Yoran.

That burned and tattered robe was unmistakably the attire of the crown princess consort of the Azure Dragon Palace.

Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun quickly tidied her disheveled collar and stood up, and when she saw the Moon Demonic Spirit’s miserable appearance, she thought to herself,

…it’s me…?

In the chaotic situation where a special demonic spirit had fallen into the middle of the Heavenly Dragon Hall,

Even in that situation… Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun felt embarrassed and touched the tip of her collar to calm herself down.

… it’s really me?

A strange shiver of embarrassment ran up her spine.

Though this scene had been repeated many times over the years, it was the first time Moon Demonic Spirit Yoran had come to take over the body of Heavenly Maiden Ah Hyun.

TN: Of course!