Chapter 57
If she added guilt on top of everything else, that would be the icing on the cake.
“…The antidote… I made it myself… I was taught the method, but my skills were insufficient…”
At her words, Tang Maeryeong urgently asked,
“You said you were taught how to make the antidote? When, and by whom—!”
“Master Tang! Is this really the time for that?”
Only after being sternly rebuked by the leader of the Martial Alliance did Tang Maeryeong come to her senses.
“…My apologies, Lady Namgung. I never intended for things to go this way. My emotions got ahead of me, and I seem to have been rude without realizing it.”
At least the mood shifted after that fit of coughing up blood.
‘What a bother this has turned into.’
Among the members of the Assassins’ Den (Salmak), only a handful knew the formula for the Hongyu antidote.
Of course, Yeil (disguised as Namgung Soyeo) had no intention of revealing the complete recipe to Tang Maeryeong. But even the slightest hint of an effective antidote would make the Tang Clan—or worse, the Yeonghwang Yuse Clan—try to trace its origins.
“Brother Jeokmyeong… the fact that I know how to make it… must be kept an absolute secret… cough!”
Her face pale, Yeil pleaded weakly before coughing up blood again.
“Soyeo!”
“Lady Namgung!”
If she fainted right here, that would get the message across nicely.
“…She’s fainted. For now, keeping her body warm is the priority. Gather some clothes and cover her.”
It was, admittedly, a convenient tactic.
Still, she’d used this “cough blood then faint” trick too often lately—she’d need a new one before people started getting suspicious.
After a moment of silence, Tang Maeryeong spoke heavily.
“Alliance Leader! Lady Namgung is right. If word spreads that she knows the antidote recipe for Hongyu, those people will certainly come for her.”
“She’s already been under threat of assassination constantly. Thanks to someone, she’s in for twice the trouble now.”
At Jin Cheongak’s dry sarcasm, Moryong Sanghwi replied calmly,
“There’s no need to worry on that front. Everyone present here is not the type to let secrets slip easily.”
“Then let’s all make an oath here and now—to take Namgung Soyeo’s secret to the grave.”
The request felt all the more desperate for being laced with subtle hostility.
‘Smooth talker. His acting’s getting better by the day.’
Yeil couldn’t help but think that, at this rate, he might even fool her someday. She recalled the moment she’d first crossed blades with Jin Cheongak, grounding herself in the memory.
After a brief silence in which everyone gauged one another’s reactions—
“Of course. It’s only proper.”
The Alliance Leader agreed first, and the rest followed suit.
“I agree as well.”
“Not a difficult thing to promise. At my age, I don’t have many people left to gossip with anyway.”
“I’ll stake my life on keeping this secret. You have my word.”
“Whew.”
The sigh of relief didn’t come from Jin Cheongak, but from Namgung Jeokmyeong.
He clasped his fists and bowed respectfully to all present.
“As the heir of the Namgung Clan and as a junior among you all, I offer my heartfelt thanks to Master Tang and the senior masters here.”
Moryong Sanghwi turned to the Alliance Leader.
“Shall I bring paper and brush?”
“No need, General. In matters such as this, it’s better not to leave any written trace.”
“A wise decision. In that case, whoever breaks the oath…”
“I will personally hold them accountable.”
No one dared to question the Martial Alliance Leader’s words. Their trust in Gwon Jaseong was absolute.
‘I should keep my distance.’
Anyone with this much unquestioned loyalty and authority was dangerous. With so many obeying him without hesitation, the Alliance Leader must have both sharp foresight and flawless judgment—making him the most troublesome kind of man for someone like Yeil.
“So then… what’s the real reason we summoned Lady Namgung here? Surely it’s not just about Hongyu?”
Jin Cheongak’s relentless prodding left no room for rest—living up perfectly to the fearsome reputation of the Demonic Cult. Excellent.
“Lady Namgung has long been targeted by that assassin sect you’ve all been monitoring—the Salmun. To be exact, the Yeonghwang Yuse.”
“How do you know about them…?”
“And yet, despite that—”
Jin Cheongak pressed on, not even letting Moryong Sanghwi finish his question.
“Since our Lady Namgung risked her life to reveal her secret, I believe it’s only right we share any information that could further endanger her.”
“…”
“Especially regarding that ‘somewhat plausible but incomplete truth’ the General mentioned earlier.”
“…That you even know of the Yeonghwang Yuse is surprising. Before you became Namgung Clan’s bodyguard, where exactly did you come from?”
The Alliance Leader’s tone carried a subtle note of suspicion. Jin Cheongak deflected smoothly.
“My past? Only Lady Namgung knows that. If you’re curious, ask her.”
Then, he went one step further—shamelessly.
“Ahem. I’m quite something, but it feels a bit indecent to praise myself.”
Infuriating as he was, he wasn’t technically wrong—so no one rebuked him.
Knock, knock.
Someone rapped on the door hurriedly.
“The physician seems to have arrived. Shall I let him in—”
“No, wait a moment.”
The Alliance Leader raised his hand to halt Tang Maeryeong, then turned to Namgung Jeokmyeong.
“Heir Namgung, can Jin Cheongak be trusted?”
“Alliance Leader.”
“Lady Namgung and that man are directly involved in this matter, Lord Bulye. I believe he has the right to know.”
After a moment’s contemplation, Namgung Jeokmyeong answered firmly,
“Yes, he can be trusted. His strength was proven when he defeated one of the Eight Ghosts. For Soyeo’s safety, he deserves to be informed.”
The Alliance Leader nodded, closing his eyes briefly as if organizing his thoughts. Then he said—
“…The ones moving suspiciously beneath the surface are not only the Yeonghwang Yuse, but also the Demonic Cult.”
“…”
“The Yeonghwang Yuse originated from Salmak, the assassin faction once under the command of Cheonmuryeong. Given their nature, it’s unlikely they were absorbed into the Cult—so the two must have joined hands.”
The unexpected name almost made Yeil’s eyes snap open to study Jin Cheongak’s face.
The Demonic Cult was reaching out to the martial world again?
‘Impossible.’
She expected Jin Cheongak to burst into his usual boisterous laughter, shattering the heavy air in the room.
Something like—“The Demonic Cult? Ha! Good one. That’s the funniest nonsense I’ve heard all week.”
But instead—
“On what grounds?”
There wasn’t the slightest trace of amusement in his voice.
The Alliance Leader replied,
“I’m sorry, but I can’t disclose that. The information is credible enough. You’d do well to take it into account—and protect Lady Namgung accordingly.”
“…”
“Now, let’s bring the physician in. I pray there’s no lasting harm to Lady Namgung…”
And so, Yeil—still playing the unconscious Namgung Soyeo—was carried back to the inn in Jin Cheongak’s arms, accompanied by the silent Namgung Jeokmyeong and the pale, shaken Namgung Huimyeong.
