Part 20 - Embrace
What kind of conversation would two sisters have after facing each other directly for the first time in nearly ten years?
One thing was certain—these sisters were anything but exemplary.
"Unni, my master is nothing like the person you described."
Jeong-a's words were like a cold, parched north wind.
"...Is that so."
From the woman sitting across from her, it was impossible to find even a trace of emotion.
"You know it too. The Luoyang Sword Clan is now in a state of complete political chaos. The power of the heirs keeps growing, and there are even those openly backing them."
Her one remaining eye fixed squarely on Jeong-a.
"Many people analyze that the influence of the Retired Supreme Clan Lord, who has shut himself away, is finally at an end. Some are even whispering again about the poisoning theory—something that used to be dismissed as mere conspiracy."
At the words 'poisoning theory', Jeong-a showed not the slightest reaction, only letting out a low scoff.
"Complete nonsense."
The woman studied Jeong-a's reaction for a moment, then shrugged.
"...It seems you still haven't earned the First Young Master's trust."
Jeong-a was not naïve enough to fall for such an obvious provocation.
Whether her older sister was speaking from certainty or merely probing Jeong-a to gain certainty herself did not matter.
Either way, her sister's goal was clearly to extract internal secrets of the Sword Clan by any means necessary.
Jeong-a set the teacup she was holding down on the table.
"That wasn't the topic in the first place, was it? Whether I've earned trust or not."
Though she had seen through the provocation, her counterpart calmly lifted her own teacup, unfazed.
"Right. The topic was that the reason the Luoyang Sword Clan—praised as the greatest clan under heaven—has fallen into such chaos is entirely the First Young Master's responsibility."
Then, quite casually, she stabbed words into the most painful spot on Yeon Sang-hyeon's side.
"The First Young Master is still just the First Young Master. He's not the Clan Lord who fully acts on behalf of the Clan Lord, so placing full responsibility on your master—"
Her sister curved a smile at the corner of her lips and drove the wedge in.
"Isn't it because he still hasn't become the Clan Lord?"
Though phrased as a question, it required no answer.
"..."
Jeong-a's mouth closed, her gaze narrowing.
"..."
The woman across from her slightly lifted her chin, returning a sharp stare.
If Jeong-a, adorned in elegant clothing, possessed a refined beauty and displayed calmness and innate intuition, then her older sister, Se-a, dressed in restrained attire, possessed a rough, wild beauty, priding herself on coldness and thoroughness.
"...Do you know how dumbfounded I was when I heard you switched your affiliation to the First Young Master's Wongakjeong yesterday?"
At the word 'yesterday', Jeong-a swallowed a silent contemplation.
It meant her sister had obtained information about her at roughly the same speed as the Second and Third Young Masters' subordinates.
"I can't know what calculations led you to place yourself under the First Young Master. And you won't tell an outsider like me your reasons either."
Her sister, Se-a, had no talent for handling qi.
She was simply a woman who, with nothing but herself, had built an independent intelligence organization even within the massive city of Luoyang.
She pulled out her pipe and let out a small sigh.
"Of all people, that 'Swordless'… What on earth were you—"
Her words cut off.
"Please don't speak that title."
"...!"
Se-a looked at Jeong-a with mild surprise.
For the first time, a strong emotion was unmistakably visible on Jeong-a's face.
Steam rose from the two teacups placed before the sisters, scattering light as it met the sunlight streaming through the window.
"...I'm sorry."
Jeong-a accepted Se-a's apology with a slight bow of her head, saying nothing.
"Hm."
A hint of fatigue surfaced on Se-a's face.
The emotional expenditure had been significant.
No one would think these two were sisters seeing each other face-to-face for the first time in ten years.
"As someone who works in intelligence, I do know that the First Young Master isn't just an ordinary person."
She let out a quiet scoff, lit her pipe, and slowly exhaled smoke toward the ceiling.
"But the situation has already tilted beyond recovery. It's been ten years since he went into seclusion."
Her gaze turned toward the sunlight entering through the window.
"During that time, his rivals have amassed tremendous power. What do you think the First Young Master can possibly do now?"
"You'll find out if you keep watching."
Jeong-a returned to her calm demeanor and simply savored her tea.
Inside, however, she was hiding her astonishment.
The high-grade tea leaves one might see only from Sword Clan reception halls.
The diverse and beautiful tea utensils.
A location overlooking the streets in the very heart of Luoyang's commercial district.
The heavy, composed interior decor.
Even the reputation spoken of within the Luoyang Sword Clan itself.
All of it was a great achievement her sister had built with nothing but her own body.
As expected, Unni is amazing.
At that moment, Jeong-a's eyes emitted a strange gleam.
"...Unni. It seems something has happened on the first floor."
"Hm?"
At that instant, the door burst open, and one of Se-a's subordinates rushed in, panting.
"Pavilion Master! It's the Black Bone Sect! They've suddenly attacked!"
Se-a rose from her seat.
"Who barges in like this when I have a guest?!"
"I—I'm sorry!"
Se-a waved her pipe dismissively at her subordinate.
"All right. Report."
"They're unarmed, about forty of them. No martial artists detected. They forced their way in without saying a word, smashing furniture and causing a riot. No deaths on either side. We're currently holding them off from coming upstairs!"
Jeong-a did not miss the slight twitch of Se-a's eyebrow beneath her composed expression.
"Good. Report again if the situation changes."
"Yes!"
The subordinate withdrew swiftly.
As soon as the door closed, Jeong-a spoke.
"The situation doesn't look good."
Se-a frowned and nodded.
"It's fortunate they're unarmed, but our main force of martial artists is temporarily absent. Even my personal guards."
A look of surprise crossed Jeong-a's face.
"What kind of situation would make even your personal guards—"
She knew she wouldn't get an answer.
Jeong-a shook her head and asked again.
"How long do we need to hold out?"
Se-a bit down roughly on her pipe.
"At most, 15 minutes. Within that time, the safeguards I prepared will activate."
Jeong-a nodded.
"Then that should be more than enough for me."
At those words, Se-a's eyes widened.
"What are you talking about? You—?"
Just then, Jeong-a grabbed her and pulled her toward the window.
Crash!
At the same time, the windows shattered, and men in black clothes burst in.
Jeong-a's eyes swiftly assessed them.
With dozens of black skull tattoos covering their bodies, they were clearly elites of the Black Bone Sect.
But they were not martial artists.
"Well, well! Isn't this the famous beauty Pavilion Master of the Hyunwol Pavilion!"
The man at the front of the four spread his arms exaggeratedly as he shouted.
"Wow, you're even prettier than I heard. How about a hug?"
Se-a snorted around her pipe.
"Attacking a neutral intelligence organization in broad daylight—this is beyond absurd."
No matter how much the Black Bone Sect ran wild in the back alleys, there were limits.
Touching a neutral intelligence group protected by competing interests was tantamount to suicide for a sect of their size.
"Well, if we're told to do it, we do it. We don't know about all that complicated stuff..."
The men behind him began stepping closer.
"We'd prefer it if you let yourselves be tied quietly, but you won't cooperate so nicely, will you?"
Se-a's eyes shone with a cold blue light.
"Lay a finger on us, and remember this—I, the Pavilion Master of Hyunwol Pavilion, will remember every single one of your faces."
The men hesitated slightly.
It wasn't just her fierce aura—the meaning embedded in her words was downright chilling.
"Tch."
Still, they didn't stop advancing.
They had clearly received firm assurances of some kind of reward.
Seeing that they're unarmed, this isn't the worst-case scenario. But if we're captured like this, we'll be completely pushed back in later negotiations…
Even if they didn't seem intent on killing them, there was still the risk of assault—perhaps even rape.
Yet even in such circumstances, Se-a worried first about future bargaining power. That was the kind of person she was.
"Hey."
Se-a pointed at Jeong-a and spoke to the leader.
"If even the slightest harm comes to her, remember this—both you and I will end up dead."
The leader shrugged.
"I don't know who that lady is, but if she stays still, we'll let her go without incident. The only one we're interested in is the Pavilion Master of Hyunwol."
Judging by her attire and the fact that she was meeting the Pavilion Master privately, Jeong-a clearly wasn't an ordinary woman.
"All right now, step back."
One of the men approached Jeong-a with a somewhat polite attitude, gesturing for her to move toward the wall.
Se-a signaled Jeong-a with her eyes to cooperate, but Jeong-a wasn't looking at her.
Standing demurely, Jeong-a appeared utterly calm, as if nothing were happening.
Seeing that relaxed demeanor, Jeong-a's earlier words—"That should be enough even for me"—echoed in Se-a's mind.
"Hey! I said cooperate already?!"
The man took another step forward.
"...!"
Jeong-a seized one of his fingers and snapped it cleanly.
That wasn't the end.
Her body slipped inside his guard, and gripping his broken finger and arm, she slammed him straight into the floor.
"Ugh!"
With a heavy crash, the man felt his breath knocked completely out of him.
As his vision turned yellow, Jeong-a's swung poker filled his sight.
Thud!
With a powerful strike, his consciousness vanished.
Every movement up to that point was as precise, natural, and perfect as a painting.
"Huh...?"
Everyone present stared, eyes wide open.
***
"Good heavens, Young Master! Where on earth have you been?!"
Sweating profusely, the gatekeeper shouted at Yeon Sang-hyeon.
"What, are you yelling at me right now?"
As Yeon Sang-hyeon calmly turned his gaze while tearing meat off a skewer, the gatekeeper immediately shrank back.
"N-no, that's not it. It's just that the attending maid was walking around alone, so I was worried..."
Yeon Sang-hyeon let out a chuckle.
"Her? In danger?"
The gatekeeper froze in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
Without answering, Yeon Sang-hyeon merely shrugged and continued eating his skewer.
***
The leader kicked his unconscious subordinate.
"You stupid bastard!"
The surrounding men snickered as they watched.
Jeong-a's move had been impressive, but it was ultimately within the realm of self-defense—and a surprise attack.
Moreover, the techniques she displayed clearly revealed that she had no internal energy, that she was not a martial artist.
A woman who wasn't a martial artist, no matter how well trained, had clear limits.
"Hey, miss. We were going to let this slide since you seemed important, but now that's getting difficult."
The remaining men stepped past their leader and approached Jeong-a.
"You're not even a martial artist, so don't get ahead of yourself. How about cooperating quietly while we're being nice?"
Jeong-a gave no reply.
Even before the fierce aura radiating from the elite members of the Black Bone Sect, she didn't waver in the slightest.
Her pale irises seemed to hold a mysterious, golden gleam.