Free Web NovelA heavy silence flowed, and the Fourth Seat opened his mouth again.
“It would be a lie to say we were not afraid. Only, we had no thought to give up. Not only I—most of the Ice Palace people felt the same.”
The old man added, with self-mockery,
“However, before we could even move, the castle gate opened, and those who had gone out past the gate knelt and received the Blood Demon.”
Sohwa’s brows rose.
He had said “received,” not “surrendered.”
The old man did not see that expression. He averted his gaze, as if to hide his shame, and continued.
“We had no intention of yielding to the Blood Demon, but the people outside the palace thought differently. They said they would hand the Ice Palace over to the Blood Cult just as the bastard wished. They even seemed to know what the Blood Demon wanted, for they had already bound in advance the Ice Palace Lord’s direct and collateral blood—wives and husbands, sons-in-law and daughters-in-law. The lord’s blood kin were dragged to the shore, neatly tied like property, and the Blood Demon took them and entered the Ice Palace.”
Sohwa’s gaze dropped to the old man’s arm.
As was his habit, the old man scratched his arm.
Observing the Fourth Seat’s words and actions, Sohwa listened closely.
“We stood on the road that led to the Ice Palace and tried to block the Blood Demon. We knew it was woefully insufficient, but we could not retreat. Yet the Blood Demon felt no threat at all; on the contrary, he told the seven of us who had survived that he would entrust us with the North Sea and bade us do our utmost and fight. At that insult to the Seven Seats, all the Ice Palace people rushed the Blood Demon, but in less than a moment we were defeated, and we were forced to drink his blood.”
Veins stood out on the old man’s forearm.
“The Blood Demon, as if bestowing tremendous magnanimity, said that though none met his standard and he wished to kill us all, he would forgive us since he needed those who could teach the Northern Sea Ice Palace’s martial arts. From that day, he locked all the blood kin and Ice Palace people who had been outside the palace inside the Ice Palace...”
“That is enough.”
Sohwa cut the old man off.
She knew what would follow. She had seen the ghastly records the Blood Demon left.
The Fourth Seat also seemed to find it hard to go on. At Tang Sohwa’s words, he closed his mouth at once.
Sohwa parted the heavy silence and spoke.
“You need not say more.”
“They say the North’s resistance was fierce; out of shame, I spoke too long.”
The Fourth Seat let out a hollow laugh.
“At any rate, the Northern Sea Ice Palace had no chance to resist. Of the seven sovereign seats, only two had been filled, and the three houses we trusted handed us to the Blood Demon and begged for their lives.”
The Fourth Seat tapped the genealogy lying on the table.
“Therefore this genealogy is of great importance to me. I intend to take back what the traitors carried off, and to restore the erased names as blood kin of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, not as the Blood Demon’s toys.”
Sohwa could not answer.
She, too, had lived in a world where her clan had vanished. Only, she had thought only of repaying resentment; she had not thought to leave the vanished names in the world.
Sohwa felt that the Fourth Seat was stronger than she.
A person who could prepare for what lay beyond his own misfortune and pain.
For the first time since arriving in the North, Sohwa saw hope. It was the hope that the Northern Sea Ice Palace could be rebuilt.
Sohwa studied the Northern Sea martial artist sitting by the Fourth Seat.
The First Seat’s expression had changed. The man who had not concealed his troubled look at the order to receive the Four-Directions Hall Administrator now calmly gathered his aura.
By contrast, the young martial artist, perhaps mired in emotion, wore a severe face.
Boom.
Now the sound of the boat had grown so faint one had to focus to hear it.
Perhaps thinking the boat was far enough, the Fourth Seat rose from his seat.
“It is about time we moved.” ƒгeewёbnovel.com
Sohwa felt her sight rise. The Fourth Seat had lifted her chin with the tip of his fingers.
He took in Sohwa’s face for a long while. Soon his gaze dropped to the corner of her eye. He showed a smile of unknown meaning.
“I plan to go to the northeastern coast and break their boat in half. Even if another boat comes, I intend to hold them to the northeast for a time; if a problem arises, hang a red cloth on the eastern cliff.”
In a low voice, he added,
“Let us meet again.”
Before Sohwa could answer, the Fourth Seat withdrew his hand and vanished.
She did not even feel the sign of the door opening, yet his figure was already gone.
In that strange feeling, Sohwa could not move for a moment.
Najin quietly rose and shut the door. The Northern Sea martial artists also, without a word, cleared the empty bowls and tidied the table.
They looked as if they wanted to be doing something—anything.
When they finished setting things in order, the First Seat also stood up from his chair.
“I ought to go out as well.”
“Where are you going?”
Baek Unhyeon gave a wry smile.
“If the Four-Directions Hall Administrator sees me, she will try to kill me; we must not meet here. If there is a commotion, those on the island may notice we have come.”
He stroked the scar on his cheek and let out a sigh.
“I had better go and settle old feelings with her from as far away as possible. Give me just a day.”
Namgung Jin and Tang Sohwa reflexively met eyes. Perhaps thinking the situation needed explaining, the First Seat spoke cautiously.
“In truth, the Four-Directions Hall Administrator and I are bound by a bad tie.”
Both knew what ill-fated tie he meant, and the son of one corner of that triangle stood here.
“Because of me, the Four-Directions Hall Administrator broke with her lover, and since I betrayed her, she must bear a deep resentment toward me.”
The two direct lines of martial noble houses could not easily acknowledge it; their lips only trembled.
“I must take a few blows before we can talk, so I will go.”
“W-wait, great hero. Rather than that, please come with us...”
While Namgung Jin tried to stop him, the First Seat disappeared.
As cold seeped in through the open door, Namgung Jin and Tang Sohwa hurriedly pressed the martial artists.
“Do you know the Four-Directions Hall’s route?”
The martial artist was flustered but nodded.
“Yes, they will likely arrive in about half a day, so it is not so far...”
“Guide us at once!”
To Namgung Jin’s urgent words, Sohwa added in a calm voice,
“If we are late, the First Seat may die.”
The Northern Sea martial artist could say nothing. Thinking back, when they had seen the Four-Directions Hall Administrator at the border, the First Seat had given up the fight and withdrawn.
One Northern Sea martial artist, grown uneasy, drew his clothes tight and stood.
“P-please, follow me. I will guide the way.”
***
The blue light of dawn dyed the snow mountains.
Joy touched the face of the Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord when he confirmed the high mountain range.
“Administrator, once we cross that mountain, we will arrive at the harbor!”
“There is little left, so let us cross without resting.”
“Yes!”
The Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord, about to carry the Administrator’s words forward, suddenly sprang.
Leaping down just ahead, he drew his sword.
The Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord’s blade touched the neck of a man with ash-gray hair.
“Who are you?”
The stranger wore a sword at his waist, yet his hands were empty. He did not seem to have any thought to draw his sword.
Feeling no killing intent either, the Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord acted with caution. He could be a man of the North Sea Branch.
Yet the stranger spoke without even looking at the Pavilion Lord.
“I did not come to harm you.”
In a low voice, the man added,
“I came to unwind a bad tie, so lower your blade.”
The Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord narrowed his eyes.
Unable to take his gaze off the stranger, he could not know what the man was looking at. What was certain was that he was staring not at the one who held a blade to his neck, but at the line of comrades arrayed behind.
Cautiously, the Pavilion Lord sent a sound transmission to the Administrator.
[Administrator, please withdraw a little for the moment. Judging by his reaction speed, he is not one to take lightly. I will bind him shortly, so...]
“Leave him.”
For all the good the transmission did, the Administrator spoke aloud.
Tap.
Dismounting, the Four-Directions Hall Administrator came toward this side instead.
For an instant, the Pavilion Lord took his eyes off the stranger and turned his head to the Administrator.
But the Administrator had already gone past him.
Boom.
Drawing her saber, the Administrator charged the stranger.
Where the misdirected saber stroke passed, scores of white trees vanished.
For an instant, the Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord could not react. The Administrator had drawn the blade without even hearing the circumstances.
“A-Administrator!”
“I doubt she can hear. She is already far off.”
When the Pavilion Lord shouted, a subordinate standing behind restrained him.
Though the sound of saber strikes could no longer be heard, the mountain was being stripped bare in real time, so the Administrator’s position was plain to see.
“...Is it someone she knows?”
When the Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord muttered, the subordinate beside him answered.
“Could it be an unorthodox wretch who sinned against the Administrator and fled to the North Sea?”
That sounded plausible. Judging from how the Administrator treated the man, she was almost as unrestrained as when dealing with the Blood Cult or the greenwood’s unorthodox.
At least, she was not one to draw her blade recklessly while within another sect’s territory. Only, what he could not understand was...
“No, if he is such a man, why would he appear before the Administrator of his own accord?”
“Mm, to test superiority?”
“Superiority?”
The Black Tortoise Pavilion Lord let out a snort.
“Is he not being pushed back one-sidedly?”
“Well... if you think of it the other way, he has not even drawn his sword, and yet he is avoiding every one of the Administrator’s saber strikes, is he not?”
Hearing it said, so it was.
The Administrator was engaging the man in earnest, yet the fellow, retreating backward, blocked the saber with his scabbard.
Thus from afar... our Administrator looked like an overbearing unorthodox, and that man, seeking conversation, looked like the orthodox.
One could not begin to guess what story lay behind it.
The Four-Directions Hall Administrator thought the same.
Here, killing intent had stirred on her side; over there, not a trace of killing intent was shown.
He even spoke as if to taunt.
“Tell me when your anger has eased.”
He was, {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} then as now, one who knew how to make one lose one’s reason.
Realizing she had grown agitated, the Four-Directions Hall Administrator stopped. In a chilly voice, she ordered,
“Draw your sword.”
“As I said, I came to talk. I have no thought to harm you.”
“Is that so?”
The Administrator raised her saber’s edge.
“I told you that if you ever crossed my sight again, I would kill you. I plan to kill you here today, so do not spout nonsense—draw. If you do not wish to die.”
Baek Unhyeon did not answer.
The Administrator did not endure; she swung her saber.
The broad blade went forth like a gust. The hair on Baek Unhyeon’s head was shorn by the saber wind as he lowered his posture. Had he been late, his neck would have been cut.
The First Seat unconsciously swallowed dryly.
‘She is serious...’
Smiling, the Four-Directions Hall Administrator rested the saber on her shoulder. She gave the First Seat another chance.
“To be honest, you want to kill me too, don’t you?”
Teasing him, she crooked a finger.
“Draw. Do not play such paltry tricks.”
It was the attitude of a senior yielding the first move to a junior.
Given he was an unorthodox with pride held high, he would be provoked enough to spring out.
Only, the White Wind Cloud Adept did not so much as twitch. In a chilly voice, he answered,
“I will say it again: I have no thought to fight you.”
“I do not know what scheme you have, but I know you too well to be fooled by your ploy.”
“I am not trying to fool you.”
Shraaak.
A great mass of iron flew toward one who stood defenseless.
The saber gave off a chilly aura as if to smash a skull at any moment.
More piercing than the internal energy that sheathed the saber was the gaze that struck down.
“All your comrades died by my hand.”
“...”
“And yet you say you bear no grudge against me?”
A red fine line appeared on Baek Unhyeon’s brow. The blood that seeped out wetted the red corners of his eyes.
To the Administrator, who awaited his answer, the White Wind Cloud Adept gave a short reply.
“...I tried very hard to resent you.”
Boom.
Drawing back his body, Baek Unhyeon blocked the saber with his scabbard.
With a cold gaze, the Administrator stared at the swordsman.
“You still lie well without changing your face.”
Grind.
The well-honed saber edge and the scabbard could not mesh; they made a hideous sound against each other.
“You never once resented me?”
There was laughter in her voice.
The scabbard was pushed back and pressed the White Wind Cloud Adept’s throat. He spoke in a calm face, as if feeling no pain.
“Are you not the same?”
“What?”
“You could not kill me that day.”
“...”
“And even now, you are hesitating.”
As Pang Shihyeon flinched, someone shouted.
“Administrator, stop!”
It was a voice heard somewhere before, yet not that of a Four-Directions Hall warrior.
Pang Shihyeon could not bring herself to take her eyes off the foe before her, when another voice came.
“Administrator! I have come to convey the request of the Sagye Hall!”
At the word “Sagye Hall,” Pang Shihyeon sprang far back. Expanding her view, she could at last identify the owner of the voice.
She had been about to punish one who dared impersonate the Martial Alliance—but a familiar face came into her sight.
Pang Shihyeon narrowed one eye, unable to believe what she saw.
“Young Clan Head Namgung Jin?”
It was a face the Four-Directions Hall warriors, who monitored fifteen branches, could not fail to know. Pang Shihyeon’s pupils widened as she shifted sideways.
‘Is that not the eldest daughter of Tang Ji-ha?’
She was a child of whom talk had lately arisen here and there.
Direct lines of the Five Great Families, who had come down from the snow mountains, stood back to back and blocked the space between Pang Shihyeon and the First Seat.
“Hahh, I greet the Administrator.”
Even then, Tang Sohwa observed courtesy and offered a bow.
Grateful that the First Seat was not yet dead, she quickly took a token from her sleeve.
A deep furrow formed between Pang Shihyeon’s brows.
A long wooden bar, one face of which bristled with countless protrusions, was in Tang Sohwa’s hand.
With eyes of disbelief, she fixed her gaze on Tang Sohwa.
“Why is that in your hand...?”
“The Sagye Hall Lord said it is the token that proves one is performing the Sagye Hall’s business.”
Receiving the token Sohwa offered, Pang Shihyeon took something out.
It was a wooden piece that looked similar to the token given by the Sagye Hall Lord. That bar, too, was full of protrusions and grooves.
When Pang Shihyeon fit the two wooden bars together, they clicked, and the tokens meshed precisely. Then a pattern that had not been visible on the surface appeared.
The Martial Alliance’s mark of fifteen moons.
A great circle in which a crescent grows thicker and becomes a full moon.
Letting out a breath, Pang Shihyeon lifted her head, and Tang Sohwa brought her hands together.
“As the Sagye Hall Lord’s proxy, I request the cooperation of the Four-Directions Hall.”
