Book 14: Chapter 3: Challenger

Around evening, when the twilight descended long the one lingering near Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment was none other than Elder Peng, the head of the Hebei faction and a descendant of the Hebei Peng Family.

‘In the end, I came…’ after taking off all his accessories and putting on a shabby martial uniform he had borrowed, he rubbed a handful of dirt onto his face and roughly dusted it off, and he looked exactly like an elderly warrior far removed from success.

However, his satisfaction with his somewhat perfect disguise was short-lived.

“Haa…” as he realized what he was doing, a sigh naturally leaked out.

‘But even so, it is not like I cannot attend at all, is it?’

It was not a place to prove loyalty but just a place to celebrate the inauguration of the faction.

It was nothing much but not even attending such a trivial event could cause a great misunderstanding.

‘…If I don't even show my face, I might be seen as aligning with the Third Young Master's side.’

And that was not only for Elder Peng himself, but a story that applied equally to all the neutral elders who made up the majority of the Elders' Hall.

However.

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

Just like Elder Peng himself the majority of the neutral elders also, today, experienced helplessly having a member snatched away right before their eyes.

‘Even so…’ they had to attend.

They had no choice but to attend.

‘It is the first time since I rose to the position of an elder in the great Luoyang Sword Family that I have been pushed into such an awkward situation…!’

Amidst the awkwardness and difficulty Elder Peng even had to disguise himself as an ordinary warrior as a compromise to resolve the situation.

He fiddled with his hand-worn favorite weapon.

‘I have no choice but to somehow slip in, somehow give the Eldest Young Master my congratulations, and somehow get out quickly…’ the trio of “somehows.”

Even if he could not let everyone know that he had attended at least, he had to make it clear to the Eldest Young Master that he and the Hebei faction were not “enemies.”

To his plan, which could truly only be called makeshift, Elder Peng looked around while showing a bitter smile.

‘At least, is it a relief that I do not have to worry about standing out…?’

“Have you heard about that single sword of the Eldest Young Master?”

“Have I only heard of it? I even saw that scar engraved in the sky myself.”

“Right. Otherwise, so many people wouldn't have gathered like this.”

Like the conversation of the whispering warriors near Elder Peng the grand avenue in front of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment was filled with warriors of the Luoyang Sword Family who wore swords and loitered in vain, and the procession of carriages lining up to the other side of the grand avenue.

“Will I be able to see the Eldest Young Master? I brought a very important investment case—” merchants dressed in silk who gathered on the off chance that they might meet the Eldest Young Master by accident.

“Ha. For a merchant of your level to see the Eldest Young Master, you would have to line up and wait here for a month.”

“…Why does this procedure take so long? Is it not enough even after stating my name?!”

“Oh, my master. The entry procedure is already finished, but carriages of families with outstanding names are lining up and waiting for entry.”

“Tsk, tsk.”

The carriages forming that procession were all, without exception owned by families that did not lack in name value or fall short in any way.

“How about celebrating the birth of the Eldest Young Master's faction with these firecrackers?!”

“It is delicious! Delicious! A taste so good you wouldn't notice if your friend died right next to you!”

“Look here, those who couldn't prepare a celebratory flower wreath in time!”

All kinds of street vendors who gathered smelling the scent of a jackpot, and abruptly.

“Thanking the grace of the Medicine Fairy…” and if one added the onlookers who just wanted to nose around the famous feast, how grand a move that single sword of the Eldest Young Master was, and how great the repercussion caused by that single sword was could be felt starkly.

“May the protection of the Medicine Fairy be with the Eldest Young Master's future path…” those who gathered to pray for the Eldest Young Master's success even from afar.

“Literally, isn't it a gate crowded with visitors?”

At the words suddenly spoken to him, Elder Peng's body froze.

“……!”

It was not because someone suddenly spoke to him in his disguise.

“Only a few months ago, it was the front of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment where only old warehouses and servants loitered, but it has changed like this now.”

It was because of the identity of the person who spoke to him.

“Watching such a scene, indeed, emotions are deep.”

Laughing in a clear voice the youth dressed in ordinary scholar's attire was wearing a white mask commonly seen in markets.

‘This voice is…!’

Although the people around did not notice at all today Elder Peng, who had that appearance and voice engraved in the deepest part of his head, had no choice but to recognize him, even if he tried not to.

‘The Eldest Young Master…!’

Just by realizing the Eldest Young Master's presence it felt as if all the hairs on his body stood on end.

“…Is that so.”

Feeling his lips drying up, Elder Peng spoke in a voice submerged in tension trying to appear calm.

“This old warrior merely came to pray that the Eldest Young Master's future is full of blessings.”

Elder Peng was quick-witted.

In this situation, instead of greeting the Eldest Young Master in a loud voice to attract attention he stated his business.

“Since you pray like that, the Eldest Young Master will surely be deeply grateful as well.”

“…I see.”

With this, the most important business was finished.

Normally it was the point where he should withdraw now, but at those words, the Eldest Young Master replied with a light laugh, the Eldest Young Master raised his hand and pointed to the entrance of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.

“By the way…” Elder Peng continued the conversation unconsciously.

“What brings the person who should be the busiest at the event to such a place?”

“Because there are many whose situations are awkward like you.”

“Since they are unable to pass through the entrance.”

Although Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment was opened during the event they could not let anyone enter in any manner.

In front of the main gate of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, a meticulous entry verification procedure was underway.

“Next person.”

“Next, please come forward!”

As the girls dressed in eye-catching, gorgeous court dresses clapped their hands, one of the waiting guests in the next turn approached them.

“Oh, aren't you the Third and Fourth Young Ladies of the Sword Family?”

That was right.

They were none other than Yeon So-hyeon's younger sisters, Third Young Lady Yeon Da-eun and Fourth Young Lady Yeon Da-hye.

They had directly stepped forward to block any disturbance that could occur at the crowded main gate.

“Congratulations on the official launch of the Eldest Young Master's faction!”

As he offered his congratulations while writing his name in the guest book, third Young Lady Yeon Da-eun burst into an exaggerated, sweet laughter with a haughty expression, and as Fourth Young Lady Yeon Da-hye subtly sent her characteristic sharp gaze, the guest quickly headed inside with a flustered look.

“Ohohoho! Thank you!”

“You had better make sure that heart does not change in the future.”

“O-Of course.”

“Next person.”

“Next, please come forward!”

Although it was an event to announce and celebrate the launch of the Eldest Young Master's faction somehow, they were the ones who became even more triumphant.

“…Anyway, so.”

Smiling beneath his mask as he saw that scene, the Eldest Young Master shrugged his shoulders and turned back to Elder Peng.

“I have no choice but to go around secretly meeting them directly like this.”

Elder Peng showed a bitter smile.

“I see…” indeed.

It seemed that elders who were in the same situation as him were loitering around Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment in disguise.

“But when the very person who created this situation says so, it's somehow a bit…” even after he spoke at his tone that was somehow like complaining, Elder Peng was internally surprised.

“Is that so?”

The Eldest Young Master just laughed comfortably, "Haha."

“……”

Why was it?

Although they were in a relationship where it was fine to call them grandfather and grandson by age difference the feeling that the attitude of him and the Eldest Young Master was reversed from their age did not feel that strange.

‘…Is this the difference in caliber?’

Did they say in the old proverb that seeing once is better than hearing a hundred times?

The hegemonic way he felt today in the Elders' Hall.

And the grand caliber of the Eldest Young Master that he felt directly here now.

He was a person of a different nature than anyone he had met.

Thus Elder Peng found himself unconsciously admiring the boy who was previously ignored and called the Swordless One.

“…Our Hebei faction.”

And was it because of that?

“Due to various positions, we cannot support the Eldest Young Master publicly, but” Elder Peng was able to speak, more comfortably, the words that came from his depth.

“we deeply hope to continue maintaining a good relationship with the Eldest Young Master in the future. And…” Elder Peng hesitated for a moment, then decided to finish the words he had begun to speak.

“And?”

“…Personally, too, someday. I really want to see the Eldest Young Master become the Young Patriarch.”

That was a expression of pure goodwill, separate from political dynamics.

Even Elder Peng himself felt it was unlike a veteran politician.

“Is that so…” however returning goodwill with goodwill Yeon So-hyeon, as if looking into his mind, readily nodded his head.

“I look forward to working with you in the future.”

“…Thank you.”

Although he did not know himself what precisely the thank-you was for Elder Peng, who expressed his gratitude, stepped back and said, to Elder Peng, who turned his head and asked, Yeon So-hyeon asked again, at that response, Yeon So-hyeon's eyes visible through the mask's holes curved narrowly.

“Then, I shall get going—” as if grabbing the back of his neck, Yeon So-hyeon's words stopped his feet.

“Is that your only business?”

“…What do you mean?”

“I asked if that was the only reason you came all the way here.”

“…What else would there be?”

“Your origin family, the Hebei Peng Family, is a prestigious family that has historically brooked no comparison in terms of the saber.”

“That is so, but…” Yeon So-hyeon raised his hand and pointed at the sword tied to Elder Peng's waist.

The hand-worn sword was Elder Peng's own favorite weapon.

“Yet, though you are a direct descendant of the Peng Family, you are dedicating yourself to this Sword Family and carrying a sword around.”

At those words, Elder Peng fiddled with his favorite weapon out of habit.

“……”

To the silent Elder Peng, Yeon So-hyeon continued, that was the general choice.

“Many elders who were reluctant to visit in person chose to send representatives.”

There was practically no way to sneak in over the wall of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment, and it was also impossible to bribe the staff of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment to visit secretly, so he opened his mouth with an embarrassed attitude.

“Yet you came to seek me in person.”

“……”

The silent Elder Peng eventually opened his mouth with a sigh.

“If you return like this, there might never be such an opportunity again.”

“…I heard rumors that the Eldest Young Master reads people's minds, though.”

“That might be true.”

Did he make up his mind?

He untied the sword bound to his waist, held it, and clasped his hands to show a fist salute to Yeon So-hyeon.

That appearance was more polite than any other warrior.

“The nameless warrior, a certain Peng, dares to request a lesson from the Eldest Young Master of the Main Family.”

Before being a politician of Hebei Peng Family origin and before being a leader of a faction he was a youth who had the surname Peng, but had been fascinated by the sword instead of the family's saber, throwing himself into the Sword Family.

In the rough waves of the world and the swamp-like political circle, the heart of the old and rusted warrior was starting to beat again.

“Good…!”

Laughing in satisfaction, Yeon So-hyeon threw his mask into the sky as he took it off.

“That's what makes a warrior of the Sword Family.”

Around them, those who recognized him let out exclamations.

“That is…!”

“It is the Eldest Young Master…!”

Holding his hands behind his back and extending a hand forward, an arrogant smile hung on the face of the Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon.

“This Eldest Young Master, Yeon So-hyeon, will accept your challenge.”