The Ruler of Darkness

“Can I have a look at that?”

All eyes turned towards the source of the voice, coming from the direction of the shattered window.

“Huh.”

Yeon So-Hyeon and the gatekeeper came in through the window frame.

Amidst the concentration of everyone’s gaze, Yeon So-Hyeon dusted off the wooden debris that had stuck to his body.

“Master, let me assist you.”

“Oh, thank you.”

Jung-ah, who had quietly approached, helped Yeon So-Hyeon with careful hands.

With Jung-ah’s touch, Yeon So-Hyeon straightened his disheveled clothes and tilted his head.

The puzzled expressions on the faces of the Black Bone Faction turned into anger.

“Who the hell are you?!”

One of the martial artists standing behind Geumju shouted out.

The outcry filled with internal energy made the room rumble.

“……Ah, my ears.” Yeon So-Hyeon, in a playful manner, rubbed his ears and continued to speak, “Don’t you know by looking at this outfit?” As Yeon So-Hyeon pointed to the gatekeeper’s clothing, all eyes focused on him.

Although the attention might have been burdensome, the gatekeeper calmly stood up and faced them.

“… A member of the Sword House’s guard?”

“Um..”

Everyone’s expressions were complex. The name ‘Sword House’ was something everyone in Luoyang would fear, but a guard? Perhaps among ordinary people, but weren’t they infamous lawless people in Luoyang?

Yeon So-Hyeon shook his head. “Be careful. He might be dressed like this, but he’s an amazing martial artist.”

Everyone’s complex gaze shifted towards the guard. One person burst into laughter at the sight of the middle-aged man, who didn’t look like a great martial artist, let alone an ordinary one.

“Pfft.”

Upon hearing this, all members of the Black Bone Faction burst into laughter.

“A martial artist, they said, a martial artist.”

“If he’s a martial artist, then I’m the greatest martial artist in the world!”

Geumju didn’t laugh along, but she was looking at Yeon So-Hyeon with skeptical eyes.

“…….”

He didn’t seem like much, but with her opponent acting so confident, she was at a loss for what to do.

“…Tsk.” Yeon So-Hyeon, losing his appetite, gave an order to the gatekeeper. “We can’t continue like this. Fetch it.”

“… Your command.”

When the gatekeeper stepped forward, everyone’s laughter stopped. Their eyes filled with vigilance. And when he took another step forward, three of the martial artists around Geumju prepared to attack. By the time he took the next three steps, the Sword House token that had been in Geumju’s hand was now in the hands of the gatekeeper.

“…..?”

The person most surprised was Geumju, who had been holding it herself. She had felt a slight breeze brush against her hair, but suddenly the Sword House token she had been holding was in the hands of her opponent.

At that moment, the same thought crossed everyone’s mind.

‘A true master…!’

A heavy and chilly silence descended upon the room.

“Hmmph.”

Regardless of the surprise of the crowd, Yeon So-Hyeon looked at the Sword House token from all sides.

Jung-ah cautiously asked, “Master, is it a genuine one?”

Yeon So-Hyeon nodded, “Yes, it’s real.”

A gloomy mood surfaced in his eyes as he looked at the Sword House token.

“In the past, the Sword House token was a symbol of a vow to repay any debts to those who had bestowed favors upon the Sword House, no matter when or where.”

His voice was somber.

“When the benefactor possessing the token fell into crisis, the people of the Sword House would rush to their side, wherever that may be.”

The Sword House token in his hand shimmered in the sunlight.

“And together with their benefactor, they would draw their swords, not fearing even death.”

“It was a symbol of endless trust, wasn’t it?” It was Se-ah, who had risen from her seat, speaking. Having already deduced Yeon So-Hyeon’s identity from Jung-ah’s actions, she couldn’t dare to sit in front of him.

Yeon So-Hyeon, having briefly turned his gaze towards Se-ah, nodded his head.

“……That’s right.”

A bitter smile surfaced on his lips.

“Now, it has just become a mere token left to a business partner.”

He casually tossed the Sword House token towards Geumju.

Geumju, who caught the token out of the air with a thunk, spoke to Yeon So-Hyeon with her thin eyes open. “As you say, it’s just a piece of trinket, but it’s also a symbol that guarantees safety from the blind blade of the Sword House. Don’t you think so?”

Her words were very much conscious of the ‘master of the Sword House’ standing behind Yeon So-Hyeon.

“That’s true.”

Yeon So-Hyeon nodded calmly.

“If you ignore the Sword House token and act as you wish, the credibility that the Sword House has built up to now will collapse.” A smile hung on Geumju’s lips. “If you have power within the Sword House, you might be able to overcome it, but it will be difficult, won’t it?”

Yeon So-Hyeon shrugged as if he agreed.

Geumju spoke with conviction, “So, you’re the infamous Swordless One.” A deep smirk hung on Geumju’s lips as she mentioned the derogatory term ‘Swordless One.’

“That’s right, I am Yeon So-Hyeon.”

The moment Yeon So-Hyeon finished speaking, Geumju burst out laughing. It was a laugh that made her feel like she was choking. After laughing for a while, she wiped the tears that had gathered at the corners of her eyes from laughing so much and opened her mouth.

“Oh, I was so scared. I thought my heart was going to drop.”

Her gaze turned towards Yeon So-Hyeon. There was clear contempt in her condescending gaze.

“What business does a man who spends his time fooling around and rotting away his sword sheath have here?”

Jung-ah’s beautiful face twitched at her unbearably arrogant words.

“It’s nothing much. My maid had some business with the master of this place.”

Yeon So-Hyeon was nonchalant.

“Got tired of ruining the Sword House from the inside, did you? Now you’re going to tarnish the name of the Sword House by wandering around outside?”

Se-ah banged her cigarette holder on the table. “Geumju, you better watch your words. Regardless of what anyone says, he is still a member of the Sword House…”

“The Sword Sect?” Geumju snorted. “In your eyes, does this naïve young lord look like a Luoyang Swordsman?”

At her words, Jung-ah gritted her teeth.

“…….”

However, she was unable to step forward. Knowing that she was powerless, she knew stepping forward would only make a mockery of her master’s honor, not restore it.

“I can’t believe it…” Geumju let out a hollow laugh and brushed back her hair. “Mistress of the Crescent Moon Pavilion, don’t you get it yet? Can’t you see what I’m banking on?”

She shook the Sword House token she held in her hand.

“What I’ve caught is, you see, a golden fish that is far superior to a mere Grand young master who only has Luoyang Sword House to his name.”

Her voice rang clear and high.

“It means I’m not an incompetent who can’t even fathom the fringes of power like this! Today, as always, I meet with one of the true successors of the Sword House, his lordship’s close confidante and…” Geumju’s gaze lingered on Jung-ah as she spoke. “Today, as always, I meet with him again and…”

Trailing off, she stroked her chin, alternately looking at Jung-ah and Yeon So-Hyeon. Then, as if she had realized something, she pointed at Jung-ah.

“You! You’re the troublesome girl his lordship mentioned!” 

“…….”

Jung-ah tightly closed her eyes.  The touch of the fingertips felt as if they were piercing the most vulnerable part of her soul.

“Ah, what a fun coincidence. I heard about it this morning, and here I am meeting the person involved.”

Geumju approached Jung-ah.

“That’s far enough.”

The gatekeeper blocked Geumju from getting any closer to Jung-ah. But that was all he could do in front of the powerful Geumju.

“Hey, say something. Why did you kick away that golden opportunity to potentially become the consort of the 2nd young master, and instead go to that swordless fool? Huh?”

Geumju taunted Jung-ah, looking at her as if she were some curious animal.

“Even if you were just a pawn, wouldn’t that be better? What are you going to achieve trusting a nobody like him?”

Jung-ah blocked Geumju who was belittling Yeon So-Hyeon. “Don’t insult my master. You should not dare to speak ill of such a noble person.”

Despite her protest, Geumju just laughed it off. 

“A noble person? Yes, he’s so noble. He has thrown away all the rights he has had since birth, abandoned his responsibilities, and even accepted finger-pointing from his own family members…….” From her eyes, a dark flame sprouted. “…still, he’s far more noble than a lowly street w*nch like me.”

Even against Geumju’s terrifying momentum, Jung-ah didn’t avoid her gaze and met her eyes directly.

But, 

“…….”

There was no rebuttal she could make.

Swordless One.

It was a name that was ridiculed not just within the Luoyang Sword House, but in the massive city of Luoyang, and even in the entire province of Henan.

People were too familiar with the name of the Luoyang Sword House, considered the best in the world, and at the same time, they were too familiar with the name of the recluse from the same family, the Swordless One.

While his father, the clan’s patriarch, was bedridden and tirelessly supporting the family, this son showed no sign of existence on this earth.

A coward.

A weakling.

Had it not been for the continuous growth and progress of the Luoyang Sword House under the leadership of the patriarch, the name Yeon So-Hyeon would have simply become a jest.

“Got nothing to say? If you have something to say, I’ll listen, go on?”

Jung-ah was seething.

Brimming with anger

The Grand young master Yeon So-Hyeon was not like that, she wanted to shout out that the master she serves is not like that.

She wanted to loudly assert about the Yeon So-Hyeon she knew.

But, whatever she said, her words would just be in vain.

She, who had no power at all, felt powerless for the first time.

She hadn’t felt this powerless even when she had been chased out of the reception hall by the 2nd and 3rd young masters.

But not being able to prevent her master from being insulted, she felt the impotence all the more acutely.

“How about you stop right there?”

The one who turned Jung-ah’s shoulder back was Yeon So-Hyeon.

“She’s still my one and only maidservant.”

He gave a simple smile.

“…If you go further, I might get angry, you know?”

“It’s getting boring already.” Geumju chuckled, but tried hard to suppress the coldness she felt deep within her. Mocking Yeon So-Hyeon made her head hot.

But the position of Grand young master of Luoyang Sword House was an undeniably burdensome, even for her as well.

She turned her gaze and spoke to Se-ah, “Woman. No matter how hard you glare outside, the security guards you’re waiting for are not coming.”

It’s been a long time since Se-ah spoke her thoughts. “You put pressure on them……!”

Geumju, seeing Se-ah glaring at her, once again shook the Sword House token she held in her hand.

“Because, this is totally the real deal.”

Chuckling, Geumju turned her body and walked towards the door.

“Originally, I was planning to carve a stern warning onto your body……” She glanced at Yeon So-Hyeon. “Unfortunately, due to an interference, that might be a bit difficult.”

As she left the building, flanked by her escorts, she waved her hand towards the back.

“Next time I come around, your dear  little Grand young master of yours won’t be able to save you.”

With that, Geumju disappeared beyond the door and her escorts followed suit, leaving the building like a receding tide.

“Geumju……”

Se-ah gritted her teeth.

And Jung-ah, who had been holding on with sheer willpower until then, collapsed.

“Grand young master, I apologize…”

Yeon So-Hyeon caught her, but she was already unconscious.

“Jung-ah!”

Se-ah’s urgent voice echoed in desperation.

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