Book 9: Chapter 11: Response and Repayment

The construction site of the Dragon and Phoenix Gathering arena.

The Third Young Master's camp.

A warrior of Hengshan, one of the subordinate sects of the Luoyang Sword Family, was running toward the physicians' tent.

He was carefully holding a bundle in his arms.

Inside the bundle were snacks obtained from the supply department.

They were items he had painstakingly procured for his comrades who had suffered injuries of various sizes.

“Finally, the support from the Medical Arts Academy…!”

Even while getting drenched by the pouring rain, his fatigue-ridden face could not help but brighten.

'Although I received a subsequent confinement order from my martial uncle, it was still worthwhile…!'

After all, he was the one who had even stormed into the command tent to protest the delayed medical support.

“I heard the physicians have arrived!”

“…That is indeed the case, but.”

For some reason, the reaction of the warriors guarding the front of the physicians' tent was lukewarm.

“What…?”

Sensing something strange, he immediately dashed into the physicians' tent.

“This way! I told you to hold the blood vessel here!”

“The sword wound is too deep! We are short-handed here!”

“O Medicine Fairy…!”

The inside of the physicians' tent, where several large tents were connected, was nothing short of a battlefield.

“Water must not enter the affected area! Why is the preparation of the field beds so slow?!”

Combined with the existing medical staff, even the newly arrived personnel from the Luoyang Sword Family's Medical Arts Academy were all jumping in.

However, the injured were far too many, and there was a limit to the high-end workforce of physicians.

Furthermore.

“W-what are you doing right now?!”

The Hengshan Sect warrior even threw away the bundle he was carrying and rushed at one of the physicians.

“W-who are you?!”

The physician, who had his collar suddenly grabbed while treating a patient, looked at him with flustered eyes.

The warrior's face, reflected in the physician's eyes, was overflowing with murderous intent, even while being drenched in rain and worn down by fatigue.

“Just why are you treating the enemies first?!”

That was right.

The physician whose collar he had grabbed was treating the enemies they had captured as prisoners first.

Moreover, there was more than just one or two such physicians around.

* * *

The fortified poor laborers' area.

The leadership of the uprising forces.

“We survived!”

“We survived! We survived!”

Their attitude toward the Luoyang Governor's order of permanent forced labor was no different from receiving a pardon.

“You have worked hard. All of you have worked hard all this time…!”

“Now we can go back and see our families….”

“Amitabha, Amitabha. Thank goodness. Thank goodness….”

The leadership of the uprising forces cheered, hugged one another, and shared the joy together.

“……”

On the contrary, Yeon So-hyeon was temporarily left speechless by their reaction.

He knew all too well that they would not reject the only way to save everyone's lives.

In reality, they had no choice.

However, the reaction was unexpectedly immediate.

'I had even prepared to persuade them shortly and strongly… It is good that things were resolved easily, but.'

“Eldest Young Master, long live!”

“Long live the Eldest Young Master!”

“Long live!”

Once one person shouted long live, everyone shouted without exception.

“…Long live, of all things. Good grief.”

It was an expression that made him fearful of who might hear it.

Yeon So-hyeon avoided the wild crowd and, with a bitter smile, headed toward the leaders of the poor laborers.

He was kneeling in a corner, looking up at the ceiling and offering a prayer.

“…Did everyone understand properly? A sentence of permanent forced labor is virtually no different from becoming a slave.”

That was the realistic limit Yeon So-hyeon could achieve, saving the lives of everyone who had committed treason.

“Eldest Young Master. We have all understood it properly.”

He smiled at Yeon So-hyeon, finished his prayer, stood up, and answered.

“…I mean that you are not simply being released. Although your lives are saved, everyone will have to work under me for the rest of their lives in the future.”

Though they did not know it yet, time was limited.

And Yeon So-hyeon had to persuade them within that limited time.

Moreover, there was more than just one or two things he had to persuade them of.

That was why, to increase his persuasiveness, he had resolved himself and even revealed his identity as the Dark Venerable, was it not?

“We know.”

“But is it fine to accept it so easily? Without a single moment of contemplation?”

Was it really fine to entrust one's life to another so easily?

At that question, the leader showed a speechless expression.

“……”

He examined Yeon So-hyeon's expression.

Although the facial skin torn off by the mask was still healing rapidly, it was not difficult to read his lukewarm expression.

“Indeed….”

He soon nodded as if he understood.

“If this humble one may dare to say so, it seems the Eldest Young Master is taking his own influence too lightly.”

“My influence, you say…?”

He had been rapidly expanding his power recently, but his influence was still far from a satisfactory level.

Furthermore, was it not they themselves who had said that Yeon So-hyeon would not be able to resolve this situation with the power he possessed?

“Didn't you say until just now that I wouldn't be able to resolve this situation with my power?”

“This humble one was not speaking of that kind of influence.”

At those words, the smile hanging on the leader's face deepened.

“They say a sage does not know the weight of his own virtue, and the Eldest Young Master is precisely such a person.”

“A sage…?”

Yeon So-hyeon did not hide his dumbfounded expression.

It was not his mother, Yak So-yu, either.

Yeon So-hyeon had never imagined he would hear such words.

“That is truly an excessive expression.”

Around Yeon So-hyeon, who firmly shook his head, all the members of the leadership had gathered before they knew it.

“An excessive expression, is it…?”

The leader of the poor laborers just smiled at Yeon So-hyeon, and one of the righteous gentlemen of the Spring of Luoyang spoke to Yeon So-hyeon.

“Is it really so?”

A sage.

Yeon So-hyeon shook his head.

“I will consider it a grandiose expression that came about because you received the grace of saving your lives. Rather than that…”

He spoke to the people gathered around.

“Just because we have the Luoyang Governor's order, it does not mean the whole situation is over. Rather, the difficult part might start from now.”

Many nodded.

“…Indeed, that must be the case.”

“I had guessed as much.”

The leader spoke to Yeon So-hyeon.

“A moment ago, the Eldest Young Master said that the Supreme Executive Council of the Luoyang Sword Family would also 'make' the same decision as the Luoyang Governor.”

Those whose minds worked well picked up on those words.

“Those words mean that the Supreme Executive Council of the Sword Family has not yet made a decision.”

“That is correct.”

Yeon So-hyeon nodded.

“Although we hold the Luoyang Governor's order, Luoyang is virtually the Sword Family's.”

Was there anyone in Luoyang who did not know that fact?

“And the Sword Family, and the Supreme Executive Council, cannot 'first' reach out to those who launched an armed uprising.”

For the Sword Family to release those who launched an armed uprising first.

No matter how much they held the Luoyang Governor's order, even that was difficult.

Even at this very moment, there are countless poor laborers suffering in Luoyang.

If a bad precedent was left, no one could guarantee what kind of chain reaction would occur.

“Those words mean…”

The leader continued.

“In terms of sequence, we must 'first' completely surrender and show movement in compliance with the order.”

“Exactly.”

Yeon So-hyeon added an explanation.

“Only by doing so will the Supreme Executive Council of the Sword Family reveal the Luoyang Governor's order and make the same decision accordingly.”

Everything has a proper order.

Although the Chairman was on Yeon So-hyeon's side, he could not handle everything solely for Yeon So-hyeon's convenience.

Yeon So-hyeon did not wish for that either.

Such an act would only provide the enemies with a strong justification.

It would soon bring about a greater problem.

“I know it is difficult.”

Yeon So-hyeon looked at the crowd and spoke.

“But you must disarm completely first, and dismantle all the explosives installed throughout the area.”

“What about the Third Young Master's side, which has been confronting us until now…?”

“They will only completely withdraw from here once the decision of the Supreme Executive Council is made.”

It meant they had to discard all means of defense first while the enemies were pointing swords at them.

Low groaning leaked out from various places in the crowd.

“That is not all.”

Yeon So-hyeon decided to lay out all the difficult demands while he was at it.

“No one can leave this place until the supervisors dispatched by the Supreme Executive Council identify everyone who participated in the uprising and verify that my control is secure.”

“……”

Silence descended.

The sound of the harsh downpour, which had not been felt until just now, was felt even more clearly.

Yeon So-hyeon looked at them and spoke.

“What I can say for sure right now is that when all of that is implemented, the Supreme Executive Council will definitely keep its promise, and…”

As if drowning out the sound of rain, his tone grew stronger.

“I, the Eldest Young Master of the Sword Family and the Dark Venerable, Yeon So-hyeon, will also spare no effort to keep that promise.”

Having finished speaking, Yeon So-hyeon stepped back.

Although they did not have much leeway, it was to give them time to at least discuss it.

Now, this issue was entirely a matter of whether they could trust the guarantee of Yeon So-hyeon, who belonged to the ruling class they had resisted.

'They must be worrying a lot.'

Yeon So-hyeon intended to watch their discussion and make additional proposals to persuade them afterward.

“……”

“……”

However, they did not discuss.

They just looked at Yeon So-hyeon.

“……?”

Just as Yeon So-hyeon's eyebrows twitched, the leader spoke on their behalf.

“We will accept all the conditions the Eldest Young Master has presented.”

“……”

It was the same immediate response as before.

“…Are you aware that if you only trust my words and the Sword Family shows a movement different from the promise, you could all be slaughtered without even being able to resist?”

He meant it might be better to die resisting until the end.

At Yeon So-hyeon's words, everyone smiled.

“As expected….”

One of the righteous gentlemen smiled bitterly.

“The Eldest Young Master is underestimating his own influence.”

Another righteous gentleman spoke.

“Eldest Young Master. Among us here, there is not a single person who has not been indebted to the House of Benevolence and Love even once.”

The righteous gentleman who had previously expressed concern about Yeon So-hyeon participating in the Spring of Luoyang also stepped forward and spoke.

“Even if we dared to doubt the Eldest Young Master's true intentions, no one says there is no grace bestowed from the past.”

Another righteous gentleman took out a wooden carving necklace engraved with the Medicine Fairy from his chest and showed it.

“Also, although not everyone believes only in the Medicine Fairy…”

“Just because the history of the Fairy faith here is shallow, there is no one who denies or does not accept her great mercy and great compassion.”

The leader calmly recited the teachings of the Fairy Cult.

“Life is noble in itself, so there is no worldly weight to its gravity.”

Smiling, he looked at Yeon So-hyeon.

“Eldest Young Master. The reason we were able to resist to protect our dignity until now was because of the teachings of the Medicine Fairy.”

“……!”

That was a fact Yeon So-hyeon, who had only known them through records before his regression, was learning for the first time.

* * *

“K-kheck…! Let go of this…!”

It was Elder Yu of the Fourth Young Master's side who helped the physician whose collar was grabbed and was choking.

“Let go of that hand, young warrior.”

A tone familiar with command.

Eyes without a trace of shaking.

Both hands stained with the blood of the injured.

Even at a glance, her dignity could be felt, making Elder Yu look like someone of no ordinary status.

“…Please explain. Treating the enemies first. Just what on earth is going on here?”

The warrior of the Hengshan Sect asked her, releasing his grip on the physician's collar.

“Cough…!”

However, the answer came not from Elder Yu, but from the physician who sat on the floor clutching his neck.

“…I, we are only doing what we must do as physicians.”

A shout burst from the mouth of the Hengshan Sect warrior.

“Are you saying it is a physician's job to treat the enemy before our own allies?!”

“It is only saving the more urgent patient!”

Even as he felt his tongue stiffen from the stinging murderous intent, the physician did not avert his gaze from the Hengshan Sect warrior.

“Th-this…!”

The other physicians and support staff were also aware of this situation, but no one interfered.

Their priority lay in the patients they were responsible for.

“Crazy people…!”

His grip on the sword hilt was clearly visible even under the shaking oil lamp.

“The duty of a physician is to save lives. Life is noble in itself, so there is no worldly weight to its gravity.”

The physician mumbled as if reciting a prayer, slowly stood up, and approached him.

“So, if you are going to cut, cut.”

Even though he had no inner force, the physician's spirit did not yield to the young warrior in the slightest.

“I belong to the Sword Family's Medical Arts Academy, and the masters who taught me are those who directly received medical arts from the 'Medicine Fairy' in the past.”

The young warrior's gaze turned toward the Buddhist rosary hanging around the physician's neck.

It was a rosary symbolizing the Fairy faith.

“I live according to her teachings and have sworn to pass those teachings down to future generations.”

“…Such a thing.”

The young warrior could do neither this nor that.

Behind him, older senior physicians could be seen nodding as if proud.

“……”

Watching that scene, Elder Yu marveled inwardly.

'I had heard since long ago that there were many with the Fairy faith in the Medical Arts Academy, but when did their power grow so large?'

* * *

The leader spoke.

“That the Eldest Young Master, the son of the Medicine Fairy, appeared in the form of the Dark Venerable who punishes evil on behalf of heaven…”

His gaze turned toward the mask Yeon So-hyeon was holding in one hand.

“I would say it feels like a necessity, in a way.”

Following that, one of the righteous gentlemen beat his chest and spoke.

“That such an Eldest Young Master came here in person.”

“And that you have even prepared a solution that commoners like us could not dare to imagine…”

The leader spoke.

“How else can we express this other than that our earnest prayers offered to heaven have received a response?”

One of them knelt before Yeon So-hyeon first.

The appearance was, in a way, so reverent that it was almost like worshiping.

Then, the rest of them all knelt.

“As the Luoyang Governor has made clear, our lives now belong to the Eldest Young Master.”

“Therefore, we will follow whatever decision the Eldest Young Master makes.”

Yeon So-hyeon could not find the words to say.

“……”

In the past.

His mother's devotion to the world was sown as seeds everywhere.

And the efforts of the young Yeon So-hyeon, who tried to carry on that will even a little, were added, bearing fruit.

The fruit had become a flower, blooming in full glory amidst this harsh downpour without Yeon So-hyeon even knowing.

'So-hyeon.'

His heart grew heavy, and it felt as if he could hear his mother's voice.

'It is only people who can save people.'