Before the awakening brought by the Honorable Person, Miss Yeo Il-ye considered the ones who killed her parents as Outcasts.
However, as young Yeo Il-ye grew older, she began to sense something.
It was impossible that just a few Outcasts could have caused such an event back then.
Even if the Outcasts who entered the villa were all genuine Outcasts, it was evident that there was someone behind them who had hired them.
She was simply trapped in the memories of her childhood and the fire mark left in her heart.
“Hwang Geum-seon.”
Fifteen years ago, the Hwang Gold Clan was teetering due to reckless business investments. But thanks to the efforts of the third son, Hwang Geum-seon, who somehow secured massive funds, the Hwang Clan was able to overcome the crisis and gained the reputation of being the best in Sacheon.
Young Yeo Il-ye did not know this, but as she matured, became an adult, and a Martial Artist, she could at least guess the value of the villa she had lived in.
While it wasn’t quite worthy of claiming to be the best in Sacheon, the Hwang Merchant Company was certainly among the best that anyone could name. They already had enough influence, yet the Hwang Clan gambled everything to leap further.
Despite the Hwang Clan mobilizing all their resources, where could the third son, Hwang Geum-seon, possibly have gotten any funds as their finances were running dry?
“That’s something I don’t know.”
It was something she couldn’t know. After all, it happened fifteen years ago, and the only survivor of that incident was Yeo Il-ye, while the opponent was the Hwang Clan. Even if the Hwang Clan was one of the attackers of the villa, there would be no evidence left to prove such a fact.
However, such details weren’t important to Yeo Il-ye.
What mattered was that she herself was certain that Hwang Geum-seon was the culprit.
The Yeo-ga Mountain Villa was a place of immense wealth, and Hwang Geum-seon had supplied considerable funds to his clan around the same time.
Of course, Hwang Geum-seon was likely uninvolved in the attack on the villa and he could have attracted investments through his own efforts, but was that even a reasonable possibility? If someone could have invested such money in the Hwang Clan, it would have been a chance to show kindness to the whole clan, yet he merely handed it over to the third son of the Hwang Clan?
If he did hand it over, that meant Hwang Geum-seon would owe a debt that couldn’t be repaid to that person or organization.
Yet, since becoming the Family Head, Hwang Geum-seon had never acted as if he owed such a benefactor anything.
He was a figure who stood out clearly in her mind.
Thus, she came to visit the Hwang Clan, seeking that slight thread of connection between her heart and reality.
“Family Head, I have brought Great Hero Yeo Il-ye.”
“Let them in.”
Upon entering through the door opened by the Grand Overseer, Yeo Il-ye faced Hwang Geum-seon immediately.
She expected to be welcomed at a high throne-like seat or at a heavy, grand desk, but instead, there he was sitting at a simple table, preparing tea with an arching brow.
“It’s an honor to meet the famous new martial expert in Sacheon. I am Hwang Geum-seon, the Family Head of the Hwang Clan.”
“Too great of a courtesy. The Hwang Clan and the Jeomchang Faction have had a family-like relationship since ancient times. It would be inappropriate for me to receive such honor from you, who stands even above my Master.”
“Haha, then I shall speak casually.”
Where had all the burning hatred gone? Even if she thought she had buried it by altering her mindset, she had expected at least a spark to ignite when confronting presumed enemies, yet her heart was as calm as a lake.
As the owner of the best merchant company in Sacheon, Hwang Geum-seon’s gaze seemed to pierce through Yeo Il-ye, but she did not care in the least.
“Special.”
She too was looking into the depths of Hwang Geum-seon. It might have just been a first impression, but Yeo Il-ye saw a desire for gold and some hidden darkness within him.
Of course, none of that held any importance to her.
Whether Hwang Geum-seon was agitated or not, whether there existed a connecting thread to convert her assumptions into certainty.
“It seems the Great Hero has quite an interest in me?”
“Yes, I am curious.”
Yeo Il-ye smiled.
“When I was a child, I was the daughter of a very wealthy villa called Yeo-ga Mountain. Though it has burned down due to an Outcast attack, and my parents and relatives have all perished.”
“…I offer my condolences. I have heard about that unfortunate incident as well.”
“Please don’t mention it.”
Yeo Il-ye did not accept his condolences. If Hwang Geum-seon was truly the culprit, what she should receive was not an apology but blood and a severed neck.
“Consequently, I became curious. The villa during my childhood was so wealthy that a five-year-old’s eyes could hardly contain it. As memories fade, it suddenly occurred to me.”
Yeo Il-ye and Hwang Geum-seon gazed at each other steadfastly.
“Since the Yeo-ga Mountain Villa was so rich, if I were to meet a wealthy person, I might catch a whiff of my parents’ nostalgia. If I could meet a great man like the Family Head of the Hwang Merchant Company, perhaps I could retrieve the hazy image of my parents.”
“Hahaha…”
Seeing Hwang Geum-seon laugh made Yeo Il-ye close her eyes.
So, it really was futile.
The Family Head of the Hwang Clan was not someone who would reveal any flaws to a mere beginner who had just reached the Peak Stage. While she had not had high expectations, it was unavoidable that a tinge of disappointment wrapped around her.
Staring into his calm eyes, Yeo Il-ye acknowledged her neat defeat in their mental battle.
“I have taken too much of your valuable time. This is a letter that the Sect Leader asked me to convey.”
“I have received it well. Could you tell the Sect Leader that I shall reply promptly through a messenger?”
“Of course.”
Just as Yeo Il-ye turned around to open the door…
“Great Hero Yeo.”
“Yes, please speak.”
“I have heard you have made great achievements recently. I am a bit curious about how great those achievements are.”
“Is that so?”
Yeo Il-ye raised her internal energy from her dantian.
Whoooosh!!
Hwang Geum-seon was someone who had practiced martial arts as well. Yeo Il-ye thought he might not be extraordinarily talented, since even after consuming precious spiritual medicine regularly, he still remained at a first-rate level.
‘Spiritual medicine.’
Taking control of the room with her internal energy. The magnitude of her energy, embodied like the momentum of a torrential river, filled the room in an instant.
But that was not the end.
The massive whirlpool created a current, and that current became pressure, instantly suppressing all ‘people’ in the room except for Hwang Geum-seon.
Hidden Bodyguards.
“Gah… Ugh…”
“Cough… Hah…”
The hidden bodyguards who had trained extensively to remain silent while protecting their master emitted cries. These Hidden Bodyguards, trained to the utmost to stay concealed, were helplessly forced to scream.
Yeo Il-ye’s internal energy was low for being a disciple of the Nine Great Sects. Although she had the martial arts skills to be part of the Ten Prodigies, she was often judged as emotionally unstable. The Jeomchang Faction had decided to delay bestowing her surplus internal energy, thinking it would be detrimental to her, and even confiscated the spiritual medicine she was supposed to receive as discipline due to frequent trouble caused by Outcasts.
Hyeok Gi-rin.
A rising talent of the Jeomchang Faction, having all expectations upon him, he had received concentrated amounts of spiritual medicine. His vast internal energy didn’t need to be mentioned.
‘Honorable Person.’
It was merely a phrase of eight letters. A phrase that granted her realization.
With that alone, Yeo Il-ye gained internal energy that surpassed Hyeok Gi-rin. Just spreading her energy around was enough to subdue the Hidden Bodyguards protecting the Family Head of the Hwang Clan.
Yeo Il-ye retracted her internal energy. The Hidden Bodyguards, who had been pressed down and barely letting out moans, took a moment to catch their breath and stifled their presence.
The enormous whirlpool binding the four people disappeared in an instant, sucked back into Yeo Il-ye’s body.
“…Impressive. The Hwang Clan’s perspective has broadened considerably.”
“Too kind. I merely displayed a humble skill, for you seemed curious.”
Yeo Il-ye calmly showed her palm and exited the office. There was a bodyguard stationed just three steps away from the office door, yet he was completely unaware of what had just transpired inside.
As she descended from the Family Head’s quarters, she thought.
“I need more information.”
It wasn’t without gain. By meeting Hwang Geum-seon today, Yeo Il-ye had learned one important thing: at least as long as the Elder-level figures from the Nine Great Sects did not intervene, there was no one in Sacheon who could stop her from seeking revenge.
If she turned her back on her sect and let go of the beloved ermine fur, she was certain that revenge was entirely possible.
She contemplated that the next time they met, she might just be drawing her sword, and gazed up at the sky.
Paararararak!
A handful of paper was shot into the sky.
“Hah.”
A small exclamation escaped as she admired the clean skill. It was truly remarkable to send the whirlpool of internal energy that far. Was it a technique of energy manipulation? Or a spell? The way the condensed internal energy flowed and took shape was so clean that one couldn’t help but wonder who had shot it.
As the whirlpool unraveled, papers rained down in all directions.
Yeo Il-ye manifested the intricacies of manipulating air and swiftly drew one paper to her hand.
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Her expression contorted.
