Chapter 30
“I have been looking for Young Master Cheong Eon-woo, who was kidnapped by the demonic cult five years ago.”
Namgung-jin repeated the name “Cheong Eon-woo” to himself several times, as if trying to pull a familiar face from his memory.
“I owe Young Master Eon-woo a great debt. I’m searching for him to repay that debt.”
Our Young Master Eon-woo.
Just saying that name made her chest ache a little.
“Miss, thank you for telling me.”
Namgung-jin was moved—truly moved, not just saying it.
She had always kept her origin, her family, everything secret; this was the first time she had spoken honestly.
“Since you’ve shown your sincerity, I must give you something in return that’s appropriate.”
“Yes?”
“I will look into the traces of the demonic cult within the Namgung household myself. I will definitely tell you what I find.”
“…!”
“Rest for today. I’ll need a little time too.”
“All right, Sama. You must be exhausted from everything—rest some more.”
“Thank you, Namgung Junior Hero! Jeagal Junior Hero, thank you as well.”
The two men nodded and left the room.
Alone, Soso flopped onto the bed and blinked.
She had worried whether to tell Namgung-jin her secret, but after speaking of Young Master Eon-woo her heart felt much lighter.
‘I should’ve told him sooner.’
In this state she felt she could even reveal a bigger secret—like that she had been targeted by the Cheongseong faction.
But being cautious couldn’t hurt. At least until she learned what traces of the demonic cult appeared in the Namgung household.
Behind a large cabinet in the patriarchal hall of the Namgung family, there was a hidden chamber.
That space was reserved for the head of the Namgung family and the Yeongwol company members directly under him.
Like a burrow, that space sheltered Namgung Seonyul—reported to be visiting the Martial Alliance—Commander Yu, Dae-woo, and another Yeongwol member.
“Miss Baek healed Seollin’s inner injury?”
“That’s right.”
“Truly… it’s an unbelievable story.”
Namgung Seonyul, whose beloved wife’s inner injury had been completely cured, nevertheless wore a troubled expression.
‘Jini cared about Seollin’s injury all this time.’
He couldn’t shake that thought.
He had assumed after some time had passed that everyone was fine, but he had been troubled that, as a father, he had failed to understand his son’s and wife’s hearts.
He wanted to visit Seollin, now healthy, at once.
But Namgung Seonyul had things to do.
There was a matter he had to confirm, even if it meant pretending to go on a trip to the Martial Alliance.
“So do you think Miss Baek is a master? To cleanly heal such an old inner injury…”
Dae-woo tilted his head.
“But I didn’t feel any internal energy at all.”
“Right. I felt the same. It’s really strange.”
Was she an eccentric person, or the result of a fortunate encounter?
In any case, the woman named Baek-sam had undoubtedly become a benefactor to his family.
They had placed a watcher on her just in case, but given how things had unfolded, perhaps they could trust her a little more.
‘Now I understand why Jeagal Haesu, who had bloodied clothes, seemed to have few wounds.’
Perhaps Haesu’s injuries had also been healed by Baek-sam after whatever Soma-gi did to him.
And Namgung-jin had known this earlier and had concealed it thoroughly.
Yet Namgung Seonyul did not want to punish Namgung-jin for deceiving him—he realized that everything had been for Seollin’s sake.
“Is there a possibility that Miss Baek’s healing method is sorcery or related to the demonic cult?”
Dae-woo answered, voice full of certainty.
“I didn’t sense anything perverse from the young lady. If anything, she seemed gentle. She had no internal energy, but there was a strange serene aura.”
“Hmm.”
“Considering that she healed Lady Gamo’s inner injury, and that she used a peculiar healing ability despite lacking internal energy, I was reminded of the Golden-Clad Divine Maiden from fifty years ago.”
“The Golden-Clad Divine Maiden…”
Namgung Seonyul also knew of the Golden-Clad Divine Maiden from fifty years earlier.
The demonic cult’s revival and the appearance of a woman reminiscent of that Golden-Clad Divine Maiden—was it coincidence, or fate?
Regardless of trust, Namgung Seonyul decided to watch Baek-sam more closely.
“In any case, she seems more than suitable as Jini’s partner. Ha ha ha.”
Of course, it would be better to keep observing her through Namgung-jin.
“……”
Commander Yu glanced at Namgung Seonyul, whose jesting face had gone serious.
He still hadn’t grown used to the feeling.
But Junjok’s report, coming from within the small group, hardened Namgung Seonyul’s expression.
Junjok (Junsok), literally “fleet-footed good horse,” was the name given to a man who was also a Yeongwol member; he had been assigned to watch Namgung-hyeok.
Recently, Namgung-hyeok had met suspicious people, so Seonyul had placed Yeongwol agents behind him.
“Master, we discovered that Lord Namgung-hyeok contacted the black-clad group again.”
“The black-clad group—what are they?”
“…We suspect they are the demonic cult.”
Namgung Seonyul let out a deep sigh.
Namgung-hyeok had been a perceptive child who realized his limitations early and had not coveted the position of family head.
He followed orders faithfully—had not once defied him.
So it was hard to believe Namgung-hyeok had colluded with the demonic cult.
But a month earlier, they discovered Namgung-hyeok had clandestinely dealt with suspicious people.
The item Namgung-hyeok traded was a Yeongdan possessed by the Namgung family.
They couldn’t understand why he would hand Yeongdan to such wicked people.
It certainly wasn’t for money.
He was the head of the financial department; he oversaw the family’s wealth—there was no reason he’d lack funds.
Namgung Seonyul watched Namgung-hyeok quietly for a month because he wanted to know why.
Eventually he found out.
He discovered that Namgung-hyeok had traded with the demonic cult for a considerable time.
“Did Hyeok deal with the demonic cult again this time?”
At that question, Junjok answered.
“Yes. This time, it seems he received an item from the demonic cult rather than giving them one.”
“What is that item?”
“Tianhong Bewildering Incense (Cheonhong Mihonhyang). It’s a bewildering incense made by the demonic cult—stronger than ordinary bewildering incense, which merely causes fainting. This one is potent enough to put even capable fighters to sleep, and repeated exposure can destroy the mind.”
Bewildering incense didn’t work well on top masters, but those with weak or middling martial arts could be rendered helpless.
Why did my brother obtain Tianhong Bewildering Incense?
“Master, instead of watching, shouldn’t we arrest Lord Namgung-hyeok and interrogate him?”
Commander Yu added.
“I’d like to do that too, but it’s a difficult matter.”
Namgung Seonyul had another younger sibling under Namgung-hyeok.
Unlike Hyeok, that brother had achieved a high level of martial skill, and Seonyul often enjoyed sparring with him.
He had been a reckless young man who feared nothing.
But that brother had died pointlessly fifty years ago during the war with the demonic cult—leading bravely and perishing.
Namgung Seonyul had never forgotten the emptiness and despair he felt then, and he had vowed never to watch his kin die meaninglessly again.
So although he wanted to believe in Namgung-hyeok, he worried…
‘Hyeok doesn’t seem intent on cutting off dealings with the demonic cult.’
As time passed, the fact that Namgung-hyeok had colluded with the demonic cult seemed increasingly clear.
They couldn’t understand why—what reasoning or thought had driven him to do such a thing.
Had he completely forgotten the death of their youngest?
The time to decide what to do about Namgung-hyeok did not seem far off.
Namgung Seonyul might soon have to remove his own kin with his own hands.
