As Princess Yoo Gyeong entered the palace, she was filled with a glimmer of expectation. What could it be that Ho Cheon-an had called her for?
Would he provide a clever solution to the problems surrounding Hyeok Gi-rin right now?
“Could it be that Ho Cheon-an has thought of some clever scheme?”
“Well… personally, I am quite negative about it.”
Contrary to Yoo Gyeong’s hopes, Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi took a pessimistic stance.
“Come on, think positively. Didn’t Ho Cheon-an’s authority letter work well enough?”
With a wry smile, Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi lowered his head.
‘Ho Cheon-an. He must have guessed that Princess Yuya, or rather the Hyeok Gi-rin he was familiar with, is Dujak’s younger sister.’
As Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi listened to Yoo Gyeong’s complaints, he recalled Ho Cheon-an’s condition. Suddenly, his face turned pale, and cold sweat trickled down.
‘Perhaps there was some clue in Yoo Gyeong’s complaints about the fact that Princess Yuya and the Emperor are siblings.’
Clues could be inferred just like that.
He was said to have been active in Sacheon together with Sa Ma Yeom and Hyeok Gi-rin, so he might have had the chance to observe Sa Ma Yeom’s attitude toward Hyeok Gi-rin. And most importantly…
‘No matter how the princess tried to cover it up, her explanations had too immediate a consequence.’
No matter how quickly events were resolved, some time was necessary. However, since Yoo Gyeong, disguised as Dujak, had shown up despondently in less than a day, it was only natural for Ho Cheon-an to harbor suspicions.
Since there was a limit to how long Hyeok Gi-rin and Ho Cheon-an could stay in the palace, there would inevitably be exposed flaws. They couldn’t invest days in dispelling suspicion, so they had to force the issue.
Seeing each other’s faces daily, they might have been able to confirm Hyeok Gi-rin’s state of mind and offer appropriate advice.
However, speculating about the entangled circumstances surrounding the throne was practically impossible.
‘Ho Cheon-an may help in this situation, but… it seems the Emperor has overly high expectations.’
Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi also acknowledged Ho Cheon-an’s gambling skills. And he recognized that the person himself had a certain quick wit.
He had sensed that the individual was a member of the imperial family, and at the same time, he had realized that his actions were the cause of a sibling dispute, managing to keep his agitation from showing on the outside.
Though Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi hoped Ho Cheon-an would find a way out of this situation, he intentionally spoke negatively because Yoo Gyeong’s expectations seemed too high.
Controlling Yoo Gyeong from becoming overly fixated on one method was part of the duties of the head of the imperial intelligence agency, the Dongchang Commander.
“Ah, come now. Since you’re already pretending to be someone else in the palace, you may as well relax your shoulders.”
Yoo Gyeong, sensing Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi’s intentions, chided him. It was a story that made Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi shake his head involuntarily, given all the disguises and changes of clothes he had gone through to rise to the position of Dongchang Commander.
The expression of Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi, who was about to voice a mild complaint, hardened.
“Your Majesty, stick close to me.”
“…What’s going on?”
A tremendous qi was felt. While it wasn’t a threatening vibe, even Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi, a Peak Stage martial artist, felt considerable pressure.
“Strong energy is felt from the training hall.”
What sort of business had Ho Cheon-an stirred up? Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi frowned. His top priority was Yoo Gyeong’s safety. He was on the verge of suggesting they return immediately, but Yoo Gyeong’s words came faster.
“Let’s go take a look.”
“Your Majesty! It’s dangerous! We should call the guards and secure safety first…”
“Didn’t he call for me?”
Yoo Gyeong smiled brightly. Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi momentarily felt startled as he read a firm resolution in her expression.
“Didn’t we see his skills at the gambling table? If an extraordinary person showed off his talents, it wouldn’t be surprising for extraordinary things to happen.”
“However…”
“Let’s go.”
With Yoo Gyeong’s resolute tone, Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi sighed internally and drew his flexible sword. Since his master’s wishes were set, he had no choice but to follow. Infusing his inner power, he lifted the sword and approached the training hall, keeping watch of their surroundings.
What they saw was Hyeok Gi-rin basking in a moment of realization with half-open eyes and Ho Cheon-an observing him.
“Well…”
Just as Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi was about to speak loudly, he instinctively lowered his voice at Ho Cheon-an’s gesture to be quiet. Not only Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi, even Yoo Gyeong, who understood at least basic martial artists’ common sense, approached Ho Cheon-an silently.
“I was just about to exchange a few moves with Great Hero Hyeok Gi-rin before you both came.”
The words from Ho Cheon-an left both puzzled.
“Then it seems you suddenly realized something and have entered this current state. I wanted to pass a message when you both met, but it seems the situation is not appropriate.”
“…Is Great Hero Hyeok Gi-rin okay?”
“He is just in a state of realization. As long as someone watches over him, I think it will be sufficient.”
The two looked at Hyeok Gi-rin once more at Ho Cheon-an’s words.
Dense, blurred qi swirled around Hyeok Gi-rin. This was the first moment Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi, the Dongchang Commander, had witnessed realization.
It was a mystical sight. Hyeok Gi-rin’s motionless body seemed to maintain life by contracting and expanding in a vibrant manner, showcasing a dynamic presence. Hyeok Gi-rin resembled a giant heart, with the qi of the entire training hall flowing in and out through him like blood.
The two silently observed the spectacle. There was no need for further explanations on why Ho Cheon-an simply gazed at Hyeok Gi-rin.
Yoo Gyeong watched the scene as if entranced. Even someone like Yoo Gyeong, who wasn’t a martial artist, could vaguely feel the tremendous flow of qi, and the tangible qi swarming around Hyeok Gi-rin was enough to follow with her eyes.
“Truly… how peaceful.”
Unknowingly, Yoo Gyeong muttered that. Hyeok Gi-rin was wielding tremendous power. Though Yoo Gyeong had no knowledge of martial arts, she understood that if the energy Hyeok Gi-rin emitted were to turn towards her for even a moment, she would be extinguished like a candle in front of the wind.
Yet, she felt no fear.
It wasn’t because of blood ties.
Rather, she sensed the peace and warmth in the flow of that immense qi. This energy was not there to harm people. It was a flow of energy that wanted to embrace and care for others.
Even though Yoo Gyeong didn’t know a thing about martial arts, somehow, she could comprehend that fact.
Such a realization was possible only because she was in the moment of grasping enlightenment.
It was comprehensible because the path traveled by the martial artist Hyeok Gi-rin, accumulated over a lifetime, was knocking on the door of the heavens with just a few words of contemplation.
‘So this is who you are.’
The unexpressed inner thoughts of Hyeok Gi-rin, hidden due to a lack of achievements to boast, and the desire not to burden his brother, were now revealed to the world along the path of contemplation.
Yoo Gyeong reflected on the pulsating flow of qi.
This heartbeat-like flow of energy was none other than Hyeok Gi-rin as a martial artist. No, it was the very essence of Hyeok Gi-rin, a person built by Princess Yuya after leaving the imperial palace.
Ho Cheon-an gently patted Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi’s shoulder.
“Now that you both are here, I feel the tension easing, and my legs are trembling.”
Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi, who had been engrossed in the scene of Hyeok Gi-rin’s realization just like Yoo Gyeong, snapped back to his senses.
“It’s embarrassing, but since I haven’t wielded a sword for quite a long time, I might have gotten overly excited just now. Could you help support me to a place where I can rest?”
Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi almost refuted reflexively, thinking what nonsense he was talking about. It was evident from the drenched clothes that he had just engaged in a duel with Hyeok Gi-rin, yet now a top-tier martial artist was saying that his legs had gone limp just from swinging a sword.
However, rather than responding, Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi looked at Hyeok Gi-rin and Yoo Gyeong.
“…Alright then.”
In truth, it was an irrational decision. No matter how exceptional Hyeok Gi-rin was, he was in a state of trance, and if something unexpected were to happen, Yoo Gyeong, who was an ordinary person, could suffer significant injuries just from the aftermath.
Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi thought to himself. If someone were to question later what grounds he’d made such a decision on, he probably wouldn’t be able to answer.
He was unsure what kind of events were about to unfold before the two left, and even though he had neglected his duty to ensure Yoo Gyeong’s safety, he could only say he felt like everything would be fine just by looking at Hyeok Gi-rin.
Still, Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi supported Ho Cheon-an’s shoulder.
‘Have I been captivated by this moment of realization?’
With a wry smile, Sa Ma Gyeong-hwi exited the training hall with Ho Cheon-an.
Left behind in the training hall were Hyeok Gi-rin, who was digesting his realization, and Yoo Gyeong, who was gazing at him.
