By Zephyria 
Last night, Namgung Eui couldn’t sleep a wink. The reasons he couldn’t fall asleep were always scattered here and there, but this time, it was an incident, yes. It could be called an ‘incident.’
After finishing his evening training and confirming the contents of the letter delivered by his servant, Namgung Eui pondered all night. The servant said he didn’t know who the sender was, but judging from the engraved seal on the letter, it was clear that it was sent by the evil cult lord.
It was very perplexing for Namgung Eui that the Lord called him out during a time when the martial alliance was in chaos due to the Demon Cult. Moreover, his last actions left in Hunan had a negative impact on the Namgung Clan, making it even more difficult to readily respond to this letter.
Namgung Eui, even after going to work at the martial alliance early in the morning, thought for a long time before finally notifying them that he would be away for a while and heading to the meeting place. Just ignoring it felt quite unsettling.
The place where the evil cult lord was waiting was a small teahouse on the outskirts of a village slightly away from Hunan.
As soon as he stepped into the store, a clerk came out, greeted him politely, and guided him. The place he arrived at was a small table by the window, where a familiar face that Namgung Eui knew well, along with someone he seemed to have seen somewhere, was sitting nearby.
“You’ve arrived.”
“…Lord Jin.”
Jin Geum-ryeon was leisurely drinking tea when he noticed Namgung Eui and rose from his seat with a natural motion, welcoming him. Namgung Eui hesitated, glancing warily at the person sitting at the nearby table.
“Wasn’t this supposed to be a private meeting between the two of us?”
“Don’t worry. This person is tight-lipped. Besides, he’s practically one with me.”
Ak Mujin, hearing those words, almost spat out the tea he was drinking, but fortunately, he was just about to swallow it, so he was able to maintain his dignity. Namgung Eui realized that Jin Geum-ryeon had no intention of backing down since he even said this person was ‘one with him.’
“…What is the reason you summoned me here?”
“I believe the reason was written in the letter.”
Hearing those words, Namgung Eui couldn’t turn back, so he sighed softly and carefully sat down in the seat prepared by Jin Geum-ryeon. Then, Jin Geum-ryeon skillfully brewed tea and poured it for him.
“Is that true? That you hold my father’s… flaws…”
While asking with half-doubt, Namgung Eui couldn’t help but come to this place because of this very point. He looked at Jin Geum-ryeon with a very uncomfortable expression. Jin Geum-ryeon nodded lightly and, seeing that Namgung Eui seemed somewhat anxious, brought up the main subject first.
He slid a small note and a thick booklet, which had been hidden in his long sleeves, towards Namgung Eui. When Namgung Eui looked down at them and raised his eyebrows, Jin Geum-ryeon began to speak in a low voice.
“Recently, I’ve been quite bothered by various things. I apologize for loitering near the martial alliance last time and unnecessarily provoking the martial alliance members, but it seems that your father is also involved in this matter, so I called the hero out to ask for your understanding.”
As soon as the words fell, Namgung Eui felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. To be honest, he had thought that his father’s recent actions seemed suspicious, but he had dismissed it as mere speculation and assumed it couldn’t be true. But…
Namgung Eui reached out, unfolded the small note, and then opened the booklet, which seemed to be nothing other than a ledger with numbers written on it. He sighed softly.
“The martial alliance lord used a private organization to contact the Demon Cult and pursue personal gain. In the process, it is also true that he caused considerable damage to the Sandow Union.”
“…Are you saying my father had a private organization? And even colluded with the Demon Cult?”
Namgung Eui asked in disbelief, but he had seen his father leaving this swallow mark and sending messenger hawk from time to time. His head spun.
“The Flying Swallow using this mark is your father’s private organization.”
“……”
Jin Geum-ryeon explained clearly and pleasantly, but Namgung Eui couldn’t bring himself to speak, so he kept his mouth slightly open for a while, flipping through the ledger.
How much time had passed? He finally gathered his wits and glared at Jin Geum-ryeon, asking.
“Are you telling me to believe that right now?”
“It doesn’t matter whether you believe it or not. I’m just telling you that’s how it is.”
This was Ak Mujin’s opinion. Since Namgung Eui would have some doubts, if they just opened the floodgates like this, his upright character wouldn’t allow him to overlook his father’s corruption.
But Jin Geum-ryeon thought this was somewhat lacking, so he continued slowly.
“I had no intention of directly attacking the Demon Cult unless there were any particular conflicts. But this time, the martial alliance lord provided a small opportunity by contacting the Demon Cult’s young master. Ultimately, everything worked out in my favor, so in a way, I am also grateful to the martial alliance lord.”
Namgung Eui’s eyebrows twitched once. Jin Geum-ryeon, watching it with interest, spoke again in a light tone.
“However, if the martial alliance lord continues to bother me like this, I may turn the martial alliance into an enemy altogether.”
“…Are you threatening me right now?”
“No. I desire peace in the Central Plains.”
Hearing that far, Namgung Eui closed his eyes to calm his mind. And after taking a deep breath for a moment, he raised his head and looked at Jin Geum-ryeon.
“If this is true… I can’t just stand by and watch.”
Namgung Eui’s answer was surprisingly docile, so Jin Geum-ryeon was satisfied. He took back the evidence and handed over another small note instead. Namgung Eui looked back and forth between it and Jin Geum-ryeon’s face, and inside was written the location of the martial alliance lord’s private organization.
“Since you’re still half-doubtful, it would be good to check it yourself. I am an outsider, so I could only collect this much evidence, but the hero is different.”
With those words, Jin Geum-ryeon rose from his seat. Looking out the window, the outside was somewhat busy, and a group of people was entering the teahouse. Feeling the presence, Namgung Eui also stood up awkwardly and looked out the window, and indeed, Jegal Seol-ran was leading a group of martial artist at the forefront.
Namgung Eui’s face darkened even more.
“The faster you deal with it, the better, wouldn’t you agree? That’s why I called others.”
As the sound of footsteps gradually approached, Ak Mujin raised his head and looked at the doorway. In fact, Ak Mujin had told Jin Geum-ryeon that he didn’t think he needed to go this far, but one could never know what might happen. Certainly, if Namgung Eui in this world happened to be too filial and tried to cover up the martial alliance lord’s flaws, it wouldn’t be very interesting.
Namgung Eui chuckled once, nodded, and stood up to see him off. As Ak Mujin left with Jin Geum-ryeon and looked back, Namgung Eui’s expression seemed very complicated, but he soon composed himself and greeted Jegal Seol-ran.
*
Ak Mujin left the teahouse and looked at Jin Geum-ryeon with a lighter heart. Jin Geum-ryeon also didn’t show any worries on his face, but he was holding his hand tightly, as if worried that Ak Mujin might fly away somewhere. Ak Mujin held his hand tightly in return to alleviate his concerns even a little.
But then, he noticed that the eyes of many people were fixed on them.
Even an elderly man had a smile on his face and nodded, looking very pleased. Of course, it wasn’t a strange world where men couldn’t hold hands, but it also wasn’t a world where such affectionate appearances were openly displayed, so it was inevitable that attention would be drawn.
Ak Mujin cleared his throat and tried to pull his hand away, but Jin Geum-ryeon held his hand even more firmly.
“Would you like to see some scenery while we’re out?”
“No, it’s okay.”
Jin Geum-ryeon asked Ak Mujin with a straight face, and Ak Mujin refused with a slightly flushed face. But Jin Geum-ryeon didn’t give up.
“It’s been a long time since you’ve walked around with your face exposed, hasn’t it? You’ll be a little disappointed if we just go back.”
Hearing those words, Ak Mujin blinked, thinking he had a point. Since being led to the martial alliance by Jin Geum-ryeon, he had always been in the position of a hostage or a Demon Cult fugitive, so it was impossible to walk freely in broad daylight like this. Thinking that way, Ak Mujin also felt that it would be a bit of a waste to go back like this, as Jin Geum-ryeon said.
“Is there anywhere you want to go?”
At Ak Mujin’s question, Jin Geum-ryeon made an “eum-” sound and pondered for a moment. Then he smiled brightly and shook his hand.
“Let’s look around all the famous places on the way back to headquarters.”
It was a childish answer, but Ak Mujin liked it very much and ended up laughing. He nodded lightly and walked leisurely, thinking that the palms of their hands, which were tightly pressed together, were hot.
Then, suddenly, Ak Mujin had a thought. He asked Jin Geum-ryeon.
“Are you… really going to quit being the Lord?”