The operation has begun.
“Older Brother, this way!”
“Oh, Younger Brother.”
I approached Moyong Mo, who raised a hand to show me the way. It seems that he readily accepted my request to visit the faction and came out himself to introduce me to the clan.
He’s such a good kid.
Honestly, I could’ve just given a heads-up to a servant or a gatekeeper about this.
“Come, come, let’s go inside.”
After momentarily holding back Moyong Mo, I slowly looked around outside.
“Wow, the majesty of the Moyong Clan is truly impressive.”
Moyong Clan Shengsu Faction.
My reaction to the appearance of the Moyong Clan Shengsu Faction was very simple.
It’s huge.
With a massive gate that looks about five spans wide and seven spans high, and a grounds so large that even such a massive gate pales in comparison, the scale itself was a clear indicator of what majesty looks like.
“Hahaha! Is that so?”
Moyong Mo laughed heartily at the compliment about the clan.
“The writing on the signboard of the Moyong Clan feels so powerful that it truly gives off the vibe of a prestigious faction!”
“Hahaha!”
“Also…”
When I caught the curious glances of the two gatekeeper martial artists that seemed to ask, ‘What on earth is that person doing here?’, suddenly…
A commotion began!
At the sound of the uproar in the street, both the gatekeepers and Moyong Mo turned their heads in that direction.
“Hmm?”
Though it was obvious who had arrived, I pretended to be oblivious and dramatically turned around.
There stood Moyong Yeon-hwa.
Moyong Chan-gyeong, the younger brother of Moyong Yeon-hwa, was also standing next to her, casting me an unamused look, but the gazes of those around were focused solely on Moyong Yeon-hwa.
Dressed in a beautiful silk gown with her hair elegantly styled and adorned with various accessories, Moyong Yeon-hwa was radiating charisma from every angle.
Her figure, assertive and graceful, pierced through the exquisite gown, embodying the noble aura unique to the prestigious family along with the calm and gentle atmosphere only she possessed. Her already beautiful face was glowing thanks to a touch of makeup.
Moyong Yeon-hwa then walked calmly towards the main gate.
“Hello, I am Moyong Yeon-hwa. This is my younger brother Moyong Chan-gyeong. We have come to see Master Moyong Jin-gyeong on behalf of Elder Moyong Seo.”
“M-Moyong Yeon-hwa…?”
The gatekeepers, completely captivated by her presence, came to their senses and bowed.
“I-I apologize, but we were not informed about the arrival of those from the main family.”
“We are only visiting unexpectedly, so you do not need to be flustered. Here is a letter for Master, so please hand it to him.”
“Understood! I will confirm it promptly!”
One of the gatekeepers hurriedly dashed inside.
Suddenly, the scene at the Moyong Clan’s Shengsu Faction consisted of a tense gatekeeper, Moyong Mo and me, along with Moyong Yeon-hwa and Moyong Chan-gyeong.
“It’s been a while, Sister. It’s really been a while, Chan-gyeong.”
Moyong Mo greeted Moyong Yeon-hwa, a surprised expression on his face.
Moyong Yeon-hwa also took a moment to look at Moyong Mo before pretending to be surprised and spoke.
“So it’s Moyong Mo.”
Her acting was so natural that it was hard to believe she had planned to meet him here.
“It’s been so long since we met, and you have become truly majestic. I’ve heard about your considerable growth in martial arts.”
“Hahaha! You too have become stunningly beautiful, Sister! Chan-gyeong has grown a lot too! Hahaha!”
As Moyong Chan-gyeong silently bowed, Moyong Yeon-hwa opened her mouth again.
“What a coincidence to run into each other right in front of the main gate. But…”
“Oh dear, I’m late in introducing you! Hahaha! This is my sworn brother, Ho Cheon-an!”
At that moment, my gaze finally met Moyong Yeon-hwa’s.
“Hem. Hem… I am a martial artist named Ho Cheon-an. Although I’m lacking, I have sworn brotherhood with Moyong Mo.”
“I am Moyong Yeon-hwa of the Moyong Clan.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa greeted me with a light smile, and I awkwardly lowered my head in response.
“Hmm…?”
While Moyong Mo was looking back and forth between us repeatedly, suddenly…
“You have been waiting for a long time! Please come in!”
The breathless gatekeeper shouted.
“Thank you. Then I’ll see you later, Moyong Mo.”
“Yes.”
As soon as I separated from Moyong Yeon-hwa, I called out to Moyong Mo.
“Ahem. Younger Brother. Was that Miss Moyong Yeon-hwa?”
“That’s correct. It’s been a long while since I last saw her.”
“Wow, she truly is as beautiful as the rumors say…”
I pretended to mutter quietly enough for only Moyong Mo to hear.
Upon hearing my whisper, Moyong Mo looked at me with a peculiar expression.
“Older Brother, do you perhaps… have feelings for Yeon-hwa?”
“Ahem! What nonsense are you talking about! I was just concerned about her…”
Feigning great embarrassment caused Moyong Mo to laugh slyly.
“Why are you getting so flustered if it’s not true?”
“I-I never got flustered! It’s just that you’re saying absurd things!”
“Hahahaha! Let’s go with that then! Hahaha!”
Moyong Mo burst into hearty laughter as if he knew everything. His laughter clearly conveyed, ‘That person’s smitten at first sight!’
Well done, Younger Brother.
Become the bridge connecting me and Moyong Yeon-hwa.
*
Moyong Mo greeted me cheerfully at the entrance.
Seeing Moyong Mo welcoming me so warmly, Moyong Yeon-hwa felt relieved in her heart.
Even though it had been years since the extreme situation declaring the Moyong Clan Shengsu Faction as the main family, Moyong Mo welcomed her warmly.
As time passed, her heightened emotions began to settle down.
She thought about this and felt a little reassured.
Then, facing the faction master, Moyong Jin-gyeong, and the key figures of the faction, Moyong Yeon-hwa realized that her thoughts had been completely wrong.
“It’s been a while, Elder.”
“It has indeed been a while.”
An aura of subtle vigilance and hostility wafted through the air.
Since they had to outwardly present themselves as a family, they reluctantly feigned goodwill, further amplifying the pain of concealed animosity.
Had there been no justification, they likely would not have hidden their hostility at all.
“You are here for an inspection… Isn’t it a bit sudden? I don’t see this as a respectful attitude towards us.”
“I apologize for that. However, it’s also strange that we haven’t established any familial interaction since arriving in Shengsu for so long, isn’t it?”
“Hmph.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa alluded that it was Shengsu Faction’s fault for neglecting the group from the main family.
“We cannot disregard our long tradition. While we may not be well-prepared to host guests, if you insist, you may stay.”
“…Thank you for your consideration.”
As Moyong Chan-gyeong, who had been guided out of the great hall, let out his dissatisfaction.
“Isn’t this a bit too much?”
“Chan-gyeong.”
“No matter how dissatisfied one may be with the main family, we’re of the same blood, right? Didn’t you see how they were glaring at us as if looking for something to criticize? The faction’s attitude has crossed a serious line!”
“Don’t forget we have come here to resolve that issue.”
“Ugh.”
Moyong Yeon-hwa consoled Chan-gyeong and thought.
‘Something is definitely happening within the faction.’
Moyong Yeon-hwa recalled the faces of the faction master and the senior members she just met. Despite the hostile atmosphere, their expressions were undoubtedly unusual.
Their pale faces and bulging eyes looked as if they were suffering from heavy burdens.
It was evident that martial artists who had reached a certain level were engrossed in something that had taken such a toll on them.
Logically, one would think they hurriedly prepared for the visitors from the main family and made arrangements for any potential political schemes from the branch family, but…
‘According to what the Brain Knife Outcast reported, the Shengsu Faction has recently shown no interest in the mines.’
Then what on earth were they doing?
And how monumental could their plans be to treat even members from the main family with such disdain?
She absolutely had to uncover the truth behind this.
However, hostility from the faction was far more severe than Moyong Yeon-hwa had anticipated.
It seemed that discovering the faction’s secrets wouldn’t be easy.
To investigate, did I have to continue to pretend to be in a romantic relationship with Ho Cheon-an?
‘Brain Knife Outcast…’
As the situation looked worse than expected, I had no choice but to engage more actively in the romantic act.
It couldn’t be helped.
Sighing lightly at the chilling image of Ho Cheon-an from the observatory, Moyong Yeon-hwa spoke up.
“I must go and meet Moyong Mo.”
“Indeed.”
*
Guided by Moyong Mo, I explored various parts of the faction.
And I could feel certain of my impression.
“Hahaha! This is my sworn brother!”
“Oh. I see.”
“Nice to meet you.”
Moyong Seok-jil, greeting me politely, was followed by two members behind him. While they bowed politely, their gazes toward Moyong Mo felt like they were looking at a troublemaker.
“Though he claims to be my sworn brother, he is not a faction member, so please understand that we cannot grant full access everywhere.”
“Hahaha! Seok-jil! Of course, I wouldn’t expect anything less than to guide me properly!”
“Of course. I merely said this out of concern.”
However, from the way Moyong Seok-jil spoke, it was hard to sense any trust toward Moyong Mo.
Was he giving up on giving hints altogether and just resigned to the situation?
Ignoring his desperate glances that screamed for me to mind my own business and leave quickly, I smiled.
Noticing my demeanor, Moyong Seok-jil sighed heavily and bowed before departing.
I thought about Moyong Seok-jil’s retreating back.
Aren’t they being a bit too closed-minded?
For a faction of this scale, it’s natural to have various guests coming and going. In an era where connections equate to power, disregarding sworn brothers from late-stage families is counterproductive to common sense.
Having such a sharp focus on each guest would make proper faction management challenging.
Perhaps they were on guard due to the main family’s presence?
This was something I had to confirm through a longer stay at the faction.
Seems like it’ll be busy.
At that moment, a servant approached Moyong Mo, who was giving me a tour.
“Moyong Yeon-hwa is looking for you.”
“Oh, I see.”
Moyong Mo smiled at me after hearing the news.
“It appears the guests are looking for me as well. If it’s alright with you, would you like to join us?”
“Ahem. Wouldn’t it be burdensome for the Miss to have an outsider in a family gathering?”
“Haha, it’s fine. Since it’s an unexpected visit, my sister will surely understand.”
“Still…”
“Come on, let’s go!”
“Oh, alright! I understand!”
I pretended to relent and followed behind Moyong Mo.
And at the arranged venue, I exchanged glances with Moyong Yeon-hwa. Noticing her gaze had turned serious, it seemed the faction’s condition was graver than expected.
I also sent a look back to Moyong Yeon-hwa.
It seemed I needed to put more effort into our romantic act.
Did she receive my signal?
Moyong Yeon-hwa smiled charmingly at me.
“Once again, it’s good to see you.”
I stammered in reply.
“Heh, indeed.”
With all meeting preparations complete and recognizing the situation called for acting, there was nothing to hold us back.
Moyong Yeon-hwa and I.
We began to exchange intense glances.
