Book 11: Chapter 7: Loyalty and Oath

The Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family and her husband, who had kept silent for a moment after their telepathic conversation.

Exchanged glances.

“I will be a moment…” with that, she rose from her seat with a modest demeanor.

“…If the relationship between the Eldest Young Master and the former patriarchs of the Sixteen Families is true.”

“In the end, it would mean that the one who set the stage for His Majesty the Emperor and those old demons to meet is the Eldest Young Master, wouldn't it?”

The patriarchs, who were exchanging serious words, cast glances at her as she stood up.

However.

“I would like to tidy up my attire.”

“Yes, you can come this way.”

As she headed to the inner room following the waiting maid, they soon lost interest in her.

“The inner room is prepared over here.”

A high-standard reception.

The attitude of the cute-looking maid was polite, and her tone was elegant.

“If you need water, if you just give a command—” those were the words of the Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family to the maid as she stepped out into the hallway, the door of the reception room closing behind her.

“The inner room is not necessary.”

“If you want another room instead of the inner room—?”

“No.”

The Acting Patriarch cut her off once again.

“Let me see the Eldest Young Master.”

“……!”

To the maid whose eyes widened, the Acting Patriarch spoke in a short and firm tone.

“Right now.”

“Do you mean you want to see the Eldest Young Master right now?”

“Yes, that is what I mean.”

Feeling frustrated by the maid's attitude of reconfirming her words, the Acting Patriarch tried to urge her.

“It is an urgent matter, so without a moment's delay—” the Acting Patriarch's words were cut off by the maid's laughter.

“Fufu.”

Just as the Acting Patriarch was about to say something at that incomprehensible laughter, the maid spoke first.

“Surprisingly, the military Seo Family was the fastest on their feet. The Acting Patriarch is the first.”

“You are…?!”

The one in front of her eyes.

Was certainly not an ordinary maid.

“I am a maid of Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment.”

The maid spread her maid uniform in an elegant manner and smiled.

“My name is Il-ryeong.”

“…You were the Eldest Young Master's person.”

“Yes, that is correct.”

Il-ryeong, with a smile on her lips, extended her hand toward the other side of the hallway.

“If you wish to see the Master, please come this way.”

The mind of the Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family, who was following her toward Yeon So-hyeon's office, was complicated.

'To think that a maid from Pavilion of Perfect Enlightenment was deployed in advance…' her state of mind was as complicated as her thoughts.

'And to say that our Seo Family is the first…?'

While the footsteps of the maid named Il-ryeong, who guided the way, were light.

Conversely, the Acting Patriarch was feeling that her own steps were heavy.

As if she had fallen into the center of a giant spiderweb without realizing it.

All this time.

She felt like she was playing on the spiderweb laid out by the person named Yeon So-hyeon.

“We have arrived.”

As the maid Il-ryeong opened the door and entered first, the Acting Patriarch followed her inside.

“Excuse me for a moment.”

“Hm?”

The figures who were already sitting in the reception room widened their eyes upon confirming the appearance of the Acting Patriarch.

'Those people are…?'

The one whose eyes widened was the same for the Acting Patriarch.

Sitting in the reception room were the two District Chiefs, with whom the Seo Family did not have a good relationship.

However, Yeon So-hyeon's figure was not there.

'Was the Eldest Young Master not meeting with these District Chiefs?'

Then where was the Eldest Young Master?

Perhaps guessing her thoughts, the maid Il-ryeong raised her hand and pointed to the inner door.

“The Master is meeting an important guest in the office inside.”

At that, the two District Chiefs, who were looking at the Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family with dissatisfied eyes, grumbled.

“Hey. We were waiting first.”

“Why is the Eldest Young Master meeting the Seo Family first?”

The maid Il-ryeong waved her hand slyly.

“Oh, it is not the order that is important, but the Master's will. Can you not wait even this short time?”

Il-ryeong placed both hands on her waist.

“Or would you like to go back now and schedule an appointment again later?”

“……!”

At those words, the Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family was rather surprised.

It was because if she were a maid from another place, it was a provocative remark that would leave her with nothing to say even if she were beaten severely.

However.

“Schedule a new appointment…?”

“Ahem. Did we say we could not wait?”

“So, bring some more tea.”

“Yes, yes, I understand. Please wait just a moment.”

The two District Chiefs were so dispirited that they were overwhelmed not just by the Eldest Young Master, but even by his maid.

'It seems the rumors circulating in the Imperial Capital are truly not ordinary.'

Local officials usually played the king in their own regions.

But in times of emergency, they were more sensitive to the situation in the Imperial Capital than anyone else.

“Master, it is Il-ryeong.”

The maid Il-ryeong softly knocked on the office door and announced toward the inside.

“The Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family requests to meet the Master.”

“…….”

The Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family worried for a moment what would happen if the Eldest Young Master rejected the request, but.

“Let her in.”

Fortunately, Yeon So-hyeon's permission was granted.

“Now. Please step inside.”

The maid Il-ryeong opened the door.

“Thank you.”

As the Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family entered, the first thing that caught her eye was.

The figure of Yeon So-hyeon sitting in the seat of honor in the office.

'Who is that…?'

And the young man sitting opposite the Eldest Young Master was a figure she was also seeing for the first time.

The owner of an impression closer to young than mature.

“…….”

The young man bowed slightly toward her, then turned his gaze and fiddled with his glasses.

'…Glasses.'

It was an expensive item.

'Seeing that the Eldest Young Master is sitting in the seat of honor, he must not be a person of higher status than the Eldest Young Master.'

Although the faces of the prominent families of Luoyang and the key figures belonging to those families passed through her head.

'Who is he?'

She could not figure out the identity of the young man wearing glasses.

“Indeed. You said you wanted to see this Eldest Young Master?”

Her thoughts were cut off there.

'Yes. Now is the time to focus on the Eldest Young Master.'

She pulled herself together and directed her gaze to Yeon So-hyeon.

“That is correct.”

She placed her hand on her chest and bowed politely.

'This decision is the right decision.'

Shaking off the doubts she had held until the last moment, she knelt toward Yeon So-hyeon.

“As the Acting Patriarch of the Seo Family, our Seo Family wishes to pledge eternal loyalty to the Eldest Young Master of the Luoyang Sword Family.”

For a moment.

The surroundings were submerged in silence.

“…Is that so.”

Regrettably.

Unlike when he permitted the meeting, this time Yeon So-hyeon did not give her an immediate answer.

'…I was prepared for this much.'

The feeling of humiliation rose, but.

She soon shook her head inwardly.

“Please accept our pledge of loyalty.”

With that, she chose to bow her head even deeper.

Yeon So-hyeon had confirmed their position to them several times, and now nothing remained but to accept it.

“The loyalty of the Seo Family…” Yeon So-hyeon opened his mouth again, but the subject was not the Acting Patriarch.

“What do you think?”

It was toward the young man wearing glasses who was sitting in front of him.

“M-Me…?”

The young man was flustered.

“Yes. I asked for your thoughts.”

The young man, who was flustered at first, soon.

“The Seo Family…” spoke while fiddling with his glasses.

“Is a time-honored and excellent military family. Although they achieved no small merit during the Northern War.”

Once the words started coming out, they poured out like flowing water.

The young man's gaze through his glasses directed toward the Acting Patriarch.

“More than that, across dynasties and over that long period of time, they have not forgotten their loyalty to the empire.”

What on earth was the young man's identity that he evaluated the Seo Family, a prominent family in Luoyang, as if looking down on them.

“Unless their family tradition and family motto have collapsed in this generation, their oath will be of sufficient value.”

How could he be so thoroughly aware of the Seo Family's family motto and family tradition.

“They will not kick away the loyalty they have pledged once, either.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded.

“So it seems.”

This time, his words were directed at the Acting Patriarch.

“Y-Yes, that is correct. Our Seo Family's family motto is 'Be green and upright like giant bamboo'.”

She bowed her head further, almost touching it to the floor.

It was an action closer to throwing herself to the ground rather than just bowing.

“The loyalty the Seo Family has pledged once to the Eldest Young Master. No matter who becomes the patriarch in the future, they will never dare to break the oath first.”

“Very well.”

Yeon So-hyeon's acceptance.

“I, Yeon So-hyeon, will permit the Seo Family to pledge loyalty.”

“T-Thank—” in order to give her thanks.

When she raised her head, Yeon So-hyeon raised a finger to block her words.

“How does a military family prove its loyalty?”

“…In our Seo Family.”

A complete speaking-down.

However, the Acting Patriarch answered without a single trace of displeasure.

“We are taught to fulfill the duty of a military family and remain loyal by unsparingly sacrificing our lives on the battlefield.”

“Indeed.”

Kneeling, she looked up at Yeon So-hyeon with a bit of anxiety.

'Does he want us to sacrifice our lives?'

“However.”

The words of Yeon So-hyeon that followed allowed her to breathe.

“Highly evaluating your courage and wisdom in being the first to pledge loyalty, I will not demand your life in the first command.”

She pressed her head to the floor again.

“Thank you!”

“Currently, the Seo Family is not in charge of any legion, is that correct?”

“…Ashamedly, yes.”

There was no way a military family pushed out of politics could produce a commander.

“I will give you your first command.”

“Please issue your command.”

Yeon So-hyeon's voice was heard from above her head.

“Attack the families in charge of the defense of Luoyang.”

“……!”

“And the Seo Family will take over their positions.”

Yeon So-hyeon's words continued.

“It does not matter whether it is a political attack, actually carrying out an assault, digging up past corruption, or even slander.”

At Yeon So-hyeon's command, the Acting Patriarch worked her brain to grasp the situation, immediately understanding the intention.

“…The families in charge of the defense of Luoyang are closely related to the sides of the Second and Third Young Masters.”

She spoke toward Yeon So-hyeon with her head still bowed.

“The Eldest Young Master is aiming for the gap when the Second and Third Young Masters' sides are in confusion.”

“Yes.”

“Of course. The Seo Family will uphold the command, but…” she trailed off.

Cold sweat was flowing from her forehead and dripping onto the floor.

Although raising objections from the first command was not something she wanted to do.

“While it is possible to attack them immediately, taking away their positions would mean that our Seo Family would soon become one of the Guardian Families of Luoyang.”

Saying she could do what she could not was bound to become a bigger problem later.

She pressed her head to the floor.

“That much is difficult with our Seo Family's capabilities…!”

Since that was not a decision of the Luoyang local government, but one that required a decision from the Imperial Capital.

Before even talking about the capabilities of the Seo Family.

It was not something that could be done in Luoyang in the first place.

“You do not need to worry about that.”

Although she did not dare look at Yeon So-hyeon's face.

She instinctively felt that a deep smile was hanging on his face.

“If your Seo Family sufficiently proves your loyalty through the attack.”

Yeon So-hyeon spoke as if declaring.

“The Seo Family will become one of Luoyang's new Guardian Families.”

Yeon So-hyeon's self-confidence.

At the declaration containing that endless conviction, the Acting Patriarch's breath was choked up.

'…Is the Eldest Young Master confident that, sitting in Luoyang, he can decide the affairs of the Imperial Capital!'

How on earth.

Even such thoughts did not come to her.

Just as all the appearances Yeon So-hyeon had shown her so far were.

She would only be able to grasp a little of how things were turning out after the results came.

Therefore.

“I will receive your command.”

That was the only thing she could say.

* * *

“You have finally brought one of Luoyang's prominent families completely under your command.”

After she left and a brief silence flowed, the one who opened his mouth was the young man wearing glasses.

“I congratulate you, Eldest Young Master.”

“It is no big deal.”

Yeon So-hyeon's usual attitude.

Made it look as if what had just happened was truly no big deal.

“Rather than that, let us return to the conversation we were originally having.”

“…Yes, Eldest Young Master.”

The young man adjusted his glasses and asked Yeon So-hyeon.

“The reason you called me here—” Yeon So-hyeon corrected his words.

“It was not that I called you, but rather, Kang Ho, you came looking for me.”

The young man wearing glasses.

Kang Ho of the Central Inspection Department spoke to Yeon So-hyeon.

“…Since you excluded me from the operation, had I any choice? Although attacking the Great Immortal Merchant Group is dangerous…” he continued with a tense expression.

“It is not because of that.”

“…If so.”

“I heard from the Main Family the news that there might be a massive crustal shift in the Imperial Capital.”

He swallowed hard and asked Yeon So-hyeon.

“Is that matter by any chance also related to my retired grandfather?”

A meaningful smile hung on the corner of Yeon So-hyeon's mouth.

“Yes.”