Book 14: Chapter 2: Those Who Gather

The teahouse in front of the Elders' Hall.

“…What should I say.”

Leaning against the window on the second floor of the teahouse, a young man stroked his short beard and spoke with a reluctant expression.

“My goal today was just to gauge the atmosphere of the Luoyang Main Family and check the local reputation of the Eldest Young Master…” the bustling teahouse was now empty, with no customers other than him and a middle-aged man who appeared to be his guard.

It was because the Yeon family bloodline had receded like the ebbing tide.

“To think that the Eldest Young Master would shatter that high-spirited Yeon family bloodline of the Luoyang Main Family, and even toy with that famous Elders' Hall.”

Although they had no informants here thanks to the scenes unfolding on the spot and the rumors being heard, even if they tried not to know what happened, it was impossible not to know.

Did they say that rumors without legs travel a thousand li?

‘…No. That's not it.’

He shook his head.

The stories inside the Elders' Hall that he had vividly heard through the conversations of the crowd had a discrepancy in many parts to be called mere rumors passed by mouth.

‘…Come to think of it.’

At that sense of incongruity the corners of the short-bearded young man's eyes twitched.

‘The rumor that gathered so many crowds to the Elders' Hall in a short time at first also had a strange point similarly.’

Come to think of it, wasn't it strange?

‘The things that happened inside the Elders' Hall today…’ from the standpoint of the elders, it should have been a story they wanted to avoid being on people's lips at all costs.

‘…Yet for some reason, everyone is talking about those stories as if it were natural.’

He stroked his short beard.

‘From the morning rumor that the Eldest Young Master would visit the Elders' Hall to the rumor circulating now…’ could it be?

‘…Are they the works of the same expert?’

The short-bearded young man was not someone who could be called an expert in the field of intelligence, but when living in the “palace,” even an ordinary person would end up being able to mimic an agent of an intelligence agency.

“…Well, is it none of our business?”

He shrugged his shoulders.

“Anyway, the goal was overachieved.”

His goal to understand the Eldest Young Master before meeting him could be felt vividly, far exceeding the goal, due to today's unimagined accidental experience.

“Isn't that right?”

The short-bearded young man looked at his guard as if seeking agreement, but was he chasing that sword light that split the blue sky, which had now faded with the passage of time?

“……”

The middle-aged guard still, without an answer, was looking up at the sky continuously, as if nailed down.

Come to think of it even in front of the Elders' Hall where the crowds had dispersed since a while ago, at first, they ran over in a hurry, and denied reality, from the previous dynasty to the current State of Zhongyuan, an expert who possessed the authority to enter the Imperial Palace Library of Martial Arts, where all records related to martial arts existed, was saying now that he did not know.

“……”

There was a common point among those warriors.

“……”

Those who appeared to be warriors of the Luoyang Sword Family were checking the trace left by the Eldest Young Master on the outer wall of the Elders' Hall with the same expression as his guard.

“The Eldest Young Master used that single sword of the Grand Patriarch?!”

“No way, such a ridiculous thing…?!”

“This is…” then murmured something as they saw the trace, however.

“……”

And from the middle, they fell silent and just stared at the trace continuously.

“……”

At first, that scene was also funny, but if another ordinary warrior had said so, the short-bearded young man would have just accepted it.

“……”

In front of the Elders' Hall, even just counting the warriors who gathered like that, the number already exceeded dozens.

“……”

Looking at a part, one cannot see the whole, and trying to see the whole, one cannot examine each and every part, so the remoteness and unpredictability of supreme martial arts that he had felt for the first time in his childhood, he was feeling once again now.

“……”

The window frame gripped unconsciously by the middle-aged warrior distorted, making a bizarre sound.

“……”

As the time grew longer, indeed, it became a sight in which one could not help but feel something chilling.

“…Is the martial art of the Eldest Young Master that impressive as a martial artist?”

“Ah…” as he tapped his shoulder, the middle-aged warrior snapped out of it.

“Well…” at that response, the short-bearded young man showed a bewildered expression.

“What do you mean, 'well'?”

“Were you that engrossed just because of such an impression? Such a—” the middle-aged warrior said as he looked at the trace left clearly on the outer wall of the Elders' Hall.

“That is not what I mean.”

“It is clear that the Eldest Young Master crossed the wall. But neither the technique contained in that single sword nor its principle.”

“If I think I understand one thing, another is revealed, and if I chase that, yet another something else is revealed…” did they call it blind men touching an elephant?

“…In the end. There is nothing I can draw a conclusion on.”

“……”

The short-bearded young man swallowed dry saliva.

“…You, an expert of the Imperial Palace, are saying you can't draw any conclusion?”

“Not at all.”

“……”

The middle-aged warrior's gaze fell away from the short-bearded young man, who was lost for words, and directed toward the warriors gathered in front of the Elders' Hall.

“Although my realm is different from theirs, and there are those whose realms are different even among them, I can guarantee it.”

The middle-aged warrior asserted.

“They too, just like me, currently do not properly grasp a single thing.”

And because of that like that, as if possessed searching for an answer that seems like it would be solved but is never solved, wandering in fascination within the maze itself from which they can never escape.

“……”

The short-bearded young man, who was in shock for a moment, nodded his head.

“…That could be.”

As if resisting an fact that was just hard to accept, as if trying to make an excuse.

“After all, isn't it the martial art of the Grand Patriarch, who was called the Number One Sword Under Heaven?”

The short-bearded young man continued.

“If one were to penetrate the principles of that unique martial arts at once, that would rather be strange, wouldn't it?”

He waved his hand as if it was nothing.

“So, don't think too deeply—” the middle-aged warrior cut him off.

“But.”

“The one who used the martial art of the Number One Sword Under Heaven is the Eldest Young Master.”

“……!”

Can one who does not understand a martial art use that martial art?

Can one who has not realized the principles of that martial art implement that single sword?

“……”

The eyes of the middle-aged warrior looking outside narrowed even further.

“…Perhaps.”

“The talk of martial artists that there might be a new wall beyond crossing the wall might not just be a wild story.”

“……”

Suddenly, in the short-bearded young man's head, feet did not touch, and the sunlight did not reach, so the scene of the deep sea where the bottom could not be seen came to mind, and he felt as if he caught a glimpse of something giant and anomalous passing through that deep sea.

Was it a wonder?

Or was it an awe stemming from fundamental fear?

“Welcome!”

At the voice of the teahouse employee heard from the lower floor, the short-bearded young man snapped out of it.

“…Anyway.”

He cleared his throat once or twice and continued.

“Then, did His Imperial Majesty choose the best talent to solve the northern problem?”

He wore a complex expression.

“Just how…” doubt dwelled deeply in his eyes.

“How did His Majesty the Emperor, who has been living almost in seclusion within the imperial palace, know about the Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family and target him accurately—” the middle-aged man raised his hand, stopping the young man's words.

“Shh.”

“My, my.”

Along with footsteps close to soundless, the person who was coming upstairs smiled as if embarrassed.

“Was it too much after all?”

Although his impression was gentle a man who would hide a sharp blade deep inside his good-naturedly smiling face, was how the short-bearded young man felt his first impression.

“With my shallow martial arts skills, I could not deceive the ears of General Geum Mun-hwi, who is famous even in the imperial palace.”

“…Umm.”

At those words, the middle-aged warrior groaned, and the short-bearded young man smiled bitterly.

“…I knew we might arouse suspicion, but I didn't expect our identity to be exposed so instantly.”

“Haha. Is that so?”

Everyone in that place naturally accepted the young man's low/informal speech.

“But you can rest assured.”

As if suppressing the vigilance of Geum Mun-hwi, who was fiddling with the short sword at his waist “I am Yeon Ha-eung, who serves as a protocol advisor of the Outer Courtyard in this Sword Family. People also call me ‘Rumors with Legs.’ And…” the opponent, Yeon Ha-eung, approached with a subtly friendly attitude and spoke the most critical part.

“I am also the Eldest Young Master's person.”

“Is that so?”

However, the short-bearded young man was not an easy person.

“I don't see what connection there is between you being the Eldest Young Master's person and me.”

Did he like the appearance of not falling for the probing words?

Yeon Ha-eung smiled and said, at those words, the short-bearded young man— the Prince Consort— the husband of the Emperor's younger sister, Princess Yeonghwa, had to admit it.

“Did not the Prince Consort make an appointment to meet the Eldest Young Master two days later by the order of His Majesty the Emperor?”

“…That appointment is a matter known only to the parties concerned, His Majesty the Emperor and the Eldest Young Master. You, at least, seem to be a person sent by the Eldest Young Master.”

“Isn't that why I told you so from the beginning?”

Showing a smile, Yeon Ha-eung stretched out his hand toward the stairs.

“Then, the Eldest Young Master is waiting, so I shall guide you.”

“…Wait.”

Before rising from his seat the Prince Consort had a question that needed to be resolved.

“Just how did you find me? How on earth did you know that I, who made an appointment for two days later, would be here today?”

“Actually, precisely…” Yeon Ha-eung scratched the back of his head as if slightly embarrassed.

“I merely moved as the Eldest Young Master told me, so…” again, it was the Eldest Young Master.

Under the secret command of the Emperor to grasp the Eldest Young Master before meeting him, the Prince Consort had visited the Luoyang Sword Family in advance, but for some reason, he felt as if all his actions were dancing on the palm of the Eldest Young Master.

Such a feeling arose.

“…How did the Eldest Young Master become acquainted with His Majesty the Emperor?”

Once it broke out, the questions that the Prince Consort had harbored came out one after another.

“Just what is the relationship between His Majesty the Emperor and the Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family?”

“Is my presence here the will of His Majesty the Emperor, or is it the will of the Eldest Young Master?!”

“……”

Without confirming or denying, Yeon Ha-eung just smiled quietly, waiting for the Prince Consort's momentary excitement to calm down.

“…I apologize. I got excited.”

“It is fine.”

Just looking at that response the Prince Consort could tell why Yeon Ha-eung was the protocol advisor of the Outer Courtyard, and how skillful of a tactician he was.

“The answers to those questions would be better heard directly from the Eldest Young Master rather than someone like me. I have particularly many things to do today—” and at that moment, the Prince Consort realized.

“Rumors with Legs.”

“Yes?”

“It was you.”

“What do you mean?”

To the feigning Yeon Ha-eung, the Prince Consort said, instead of an answer, rumors with Legs Yeon Ha-eung showed his characteristic light smile as if he did not know what he meant.

“The source of all these strange rumors today. You were the perpetrator of this information operation.”

* * *

The time when the sun was sinking.

“No way. Having lost the youngest elder of the faction like that, surely the leader won't attend the celebration?”

The head of the Hebei faction.

Elder Peng had shaken his head at the leader of the other faction.

“Of course!”

He asserted.

“No matter how thick-skinned this Peng is, I am the leader of a faction. How could I do such a shameful thing?”

He had said so.

“Elder Peng. What should our faction do?”

“Attending would be a shameful thing, and…” thinking of the youngest elder who had left their faction right in front of them to enter the Eldest Young Master's faction, his face was hot even now.

“Not doing so seems like sympathizing with the Third Young Master's side…” to the worrying elders of the Hebei faction, Elder Peng shook his head.

“Our faction will not participate!”

Surely, he had said so.

However.

“A-Ahem.”

Wearing modest martial robes to hide his identity, Elder Peng cleared his throat in vain near Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.

‘I did not come as the head of the Hebei faction, but just as a single warrior who was interested in that single sword…!’

With effort Elder Peng was trying to convince himself.