Chapter 23
Although she had never met them in person, she seemed to know the stories of Jegal Haesu, Sosso, and Namgung Jin.
No, to be honest, was there anyone who didn’t know about the incident where that Namgung Jin brought a woman to the clan?
It was said that even the stray dog who sometimes got scraps of food from the Namgung household knew about it.
“Uh, M-Mother, what do you mean, sweetheart…?”
Namgung Jin’s face flushed bright red as he stammered in embarrassment.
Turns out, he was a man whose face reddened far too easily.
Sosso was already used to seeing his face turn crimson.
“If Young Master Ukshin doesn’t see Lady Sam as his sweetheart, then that’s all the better.”
Jegal Haesu spoke cheerfully and then gave a polite bow to Seollin.
“Madam, it is an honor to meet you for the first time. I am Jegal Haesu.”
“Yes, pleased to meet you.”
Sosso quickly caught on and hurried to follow his lead.
“Nice to meet you! I am Baek Sam, who, by the young lord’s grace, has been allowed to stay briefly at the clan.”
“That our Jin actually helped such a lovely young lady—I can hardly believe it. Hoho.”
When Seollin teased again, Namgung Jin’s face went from red to looking like it might explode any second.
“Uh—w-where is Father?”
Awkwardly, Namgung Jin tried to change the subject.
Seollin chuckled quietly and let her son’s clumsy attempt slide.
Since her son had lived so long without ever sparing a thought for women, the very existence of this young lady Baek Sam fascinated Seollin.
Her wooden, stone-like son was actually interested in a woman for the first time.
That was why she didn’t want her excessive teasing to ruin this budding relationship.
“Your father left early this morning. He’ll be gone about a week.”
“He didn’t mention any trip yesterday when I saw him.”
Seollin then sent her son a discreet sound transmission, inaudible to others.
[It seemed an urgent message arrived from the Murim Alliance.]
Namgung Jin gave a small nod and smoothly improvised.
“…Ah, now that I think of it, he did say he had business to attend to.”
It wasn’t strange for his father to suddenly go to the Murim Alliance. Lately, he often went there concerning the Demonic Sect.
‘I wonder what matter took him this time…’
Perhaps it was to report the Soma Flag incident to the Alliance’s leadership.
But while Namgung Jin tried to cover things up, it didn’t matter—Sosso and Jegal Haesu weren’t listening. Instead, they were too busy finishing off the sweets Seollin had given them.
Jegal Haesu, in particular, quickly handed Sosso new pieces the moment she finished one.
“Sam, though I’ve eaten all the dumplings, today’s sweets I’ll yield entirely to you.”
He still remembered the dumpling incident?
An unexpectedly thoughtful side of him. Sosso looked at him anew.
“Go on, eat.”
Encouraged again in his gentle voice, Sosso happily took a bite without refusing.
“It’s really delicious.”
She kept eating, one after another, her cheeks puffing up like little buns.
Why was it that delicious food could always be eaten endlessly?
She was savoring that happiness when—
Her back suddenly went cold.
The chill came from a piercing gaze. It felt like someone was staring intently at her back.
Not far behind her.
Sosso spun around sharply, eyes locking on the exact spot the stare came from.
And for a split second, she felt as though her eyes met someone else’s.
But no—it wasn’t real. All she saw were neatly trimmed garden trees.
‘What was that?’
Tilting her head, she turned back to her sweets.
Truly strange.
…!
The masked man hidden among the garden trees stiffened in shock.
Because that woman, Baek Sam, had looked directly at him.
‘Did she notice I was watching her? How could she possibly know?’
They had said she was just an ordinary young lady. She didn’t even seem to possess inner strength.
The masked man’s name was Dae-woo (Great Worry).
He was a low-ranking member of the Yeongwol Squad, Namgung Seonyul’s personal guard.
The Yeongwol Squad consisted of experts chosen for their mastery of stealth and infiltration, handling Seonyul’s covert commands.
Following Chief Yoo’s orders, Dae-woo had been using concealment techniques to secretly watch Baek Sam’s every move.
It was to ensure there was nothing suspicious about her, and that she wasn’t connected to heretics like the Demonic Sect.
Even though Namgung Seonyul trusted his son Namgung Jin, he still ordered her to be watched, out of utmost caution.
This unease stemmed from a series of “strange incidents” recently occurring within the Namgung household.
The strange incidents being none other than repeated traces of the Demonic Sect—traces that should never have been found inside the clan.
After finishing their conversation with Seollin, Namgung Jin turned to Sosso.
“Lady Baek, since you’ve met my mother already, why don’t you also discuss the request I made of you?”
Sosso nodded.
She had intended to anyway—she wanted to try treating Seollin soon.
“Thank you. Then let’s prepare a place to talk privately.”
This time Namgung Jin looked at Seollin.
“Mother, I have something I wish to discuss privately. Would you accompany Lady Baek to another room?”
“Very well, Jin. I wasn’t planning to stay here long anyway.”
“Then let’s go.”
Namgung Jin led them toward the inner quarters of the clan.
But just as the three were about to leave—
“…Namgung-gongja, where are you going without me?”
Ah, I forgot about that freeloader. Namgung Jin sighed and looked back at Jegal Haesu.
“We are not sneaking off to eat something delicious.”
“When did I ask you that?”
“Considering our last meal together, it seems like something you’d ask.”
“Don’t tell me—you’re calling me a glutton again, Namgung-gongja?”
These young lords, at it again.
Sosso naturally stepped in to mediate between them, as if used to it.
“Ukshin-gongja, perhaps we should bring Glutton-gongja along too.”
Since she didn’t side with either, no argument could spark.
But both men looked at her as if she had said something absurd.
“G-Glutton?”
“Even you, Lady Sosso, are calling me Ukshin-gongja…?”
Especially Namgung Jin, whose brows furrowed as though his chest, not his shoulder, ached this time.
“So please, don’t fight.”
Not wanting to be saddled with such a ridiculous nickname, Namgung Jin quickly straightened and extended courtesy.
“Jegal-gongja, let us go together.”
Jegal Haesu responded in kind.
“Namgung-gongja, thank you for allowing me to accompany you.”
He even added a slanted smile.
See? Wasn’t it nice when people smiled and spoke politely? Sosso looked at the two men with satisfaction.
Even Seollin seemed to gaze at them with approval.
Just as they were about to quietly leave the banquet hall—
“Brother’s wife! Jin! You’re leaving already?”
Namgung Hyuk, who had been chatting with other guests, suddenly blocked their way.
Jegal Haesu laughed casually, hiding Sosso behind his back as if nothing was wrong.
Covering his mouth with a fan, he whispered so only Sosso could hear:
“His gaze on you burns, it burns.”
From behind him, Sosso peeked nervously at Namgung Hyuk.
Though he looked at Seollin and Namgung Jin, his eyes kept flicking back toward her.
His stare made her skin crawl.
There was no mistaking the vile intention in his gaze.
Disturbed, Sosso glared back instinctively.
And suddenly, something strange came into view.
From his back, thick black smoke was rising.
‘…Demonic energy?’
