I Decided to Give the Contract to the Male Vassal - Chapter 74

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 74

 

The moonlight was particularly bright tonight.

 

Cheongwolgung was the first independent residence that Wicheonso had received when he came to Cheonsan.

 

It was a place of deep meaning to him, and also the only place where he could truly relax.

 

As soon as he entered his residence after finishing his sparring match with Chung-rin, something flew toward him.

 

“Sorang, have you been waiting long?”

 

A beautiful beast with blue-gray fur wagged its tail, welcoming the master of Cheongwolgung.

 

It was Sorang.

 

On the outside, it looked like a wolf-dog, but in reality, it was a type of spirit beast that had lived in Binghondae Gorge.

 

Six years ago, when its mother died and it was about to become material for elixirs, Wicheonso had saved it. Since then, it had been an intelligent creature that would obey any of his commands.

 

As Wicheonso stroked its neck and groomed its fur, Sorang made a purring sound and lifted its head.

 

It had grown considerably in size over the six years, but in front of Wicheonso, it still behaved just like when it was a pup.

 

On the desk in his study, scrolls awaiting review were laid out.

 

They must all be things that Chungbeom had brought.

 

Information about the movements of the First Prince and Second Prince before and after the wedding ceremony, as well as intelligence about events happening in the martial world where influence was gradually expanding, was placed there.

 

Wicheonso picked up a scroll stamped with a red seal.

 

[Nothing is known about former Sangteon-dang Leader Chung-rin. However…, there is someone who claims to have seen someone carrying a chest containing a person near that area.]

 

This was unexpected news.

 

Perhaps his master might still be alive.

 

For the past six years, he had been searching for traces of Chung-rin, who had been his master.

 

He had fallen off the cliff together with his master but had survived through various twists and turns.

 

After coming to Cheonsan, he had gathered all information about bodies that had surfaced from that place, but he had not found any trace of his master.

 

So whenever news about Sangteon-dang reached him, he had people search for traces of Chung-rin.

 

But this time, they had finally found something.

 

Chung-rin, who seemed to have completely vanished, might actually have been taken away by someone.

 

This was the first time he had found a clue like today’s, so his heart was pounding.

 

Perhaps Chung-rin had not died.

 

Since he believed that his master was hiding for some reason, this was even more valuable information.

 

[Find him.]

 

He wrote a message and placed it in the message tube attached to a black hawk’s leg.

 

The hawk flew into the darkness.

 

Would he be able to meet his living master? No, was this really a clue about his master?

 

The more he thought about it, the more complicated his feelings became.

 

So when he came out to the rear garden, he saw moonlight reflecting on the calm water surface.

 

This place, true to its name Cheongwol, received moonlight well.

 

On days when his heart felt stifled like today, he would take up his sword.

 

He thought that if he practiced the swordsmanship he had learned from his master Chung-rin, his troubled mind might become organized.

 

As he swung his sword like this, his head gradually became clearer.

 

Then naturally, his wife Chung-rin, bound to him by contract, came to mind.

 

Chung-rin was mysterious.

 

Even after giving part of the Bloodstone Flower to Yeonhopyeong as a deception, she had absorbed the remaining crystal almost perfectly.

 

This was impossible without accurate knowledge about the Bloodstone Flower.

 

She knew about the Bloodstone Flower.

 

She had also shown amazing abilities in moments of crisis.

 

She was hiding something.

 

But since she hadn’t revealed anything about the Bloodstone Flower to the Leader, he couldn’t probe deeper.

 

So instead of asking questions, he observed her skills.

 

Her swordsmanship wasn’t perfect, as befitting someone who had been confined for 10 years, but it contained the cold energy of Seolsan intact.

 

But during their sword exchange, a change occurred.

 

The yang energy of the Bloodstone Flower met with the energy of Seolsan, transforming from piercing ice into something like cold, flexible water.

 

Perhaps she herself had noticed it too.

 

‘Can I trust this woman?’

 

When he first heard from Chung-rin that she would give him Mageyo, this was what he thought.

 

But after holding the wedding ceremony with her and entering Cheongwolgung together, his thoughts changed.

 

She was someone who had voluntarily entered under Wicheonso’s shadow.

 

Wicheonso had no intention of easily discarding what had come into his hands.

 

Whatever past she harbored, whatever she was hiding, she was now within the fence he had built.

 

He intended to protect what had come inside and not easily give it away.

 

When he made this resolution, he heard the clear sound of water droplets from somewhere.

 

When he turned around, she was looking at him.

 

She, who had not hesitated to throw herself away to safely conduct the Cheonmu Festival, was shedding tears forlornly.

 

Seeing that sight, he somehow felt he knew who she was thinking about.

 

Because of that, Wicheonso ended up asking.

 

Who ‘Baekah’ was.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

‘Baekah’.

 

The moment I heard that name, I thought my heart would stop.

 

Why did he know about Baekah?

 

Even though it was just an instant, countless thoughts flashed through my mind.

 

‘Could it be…’

 

When I had fainted due to the side effects of my ability at Bukhangnyo. There was a time when I woke up crying in front of Wicheonso.

 

At that time, I might have spoken that name while I was in a daze.

 

He probably heard it then.

 

“Baekah is… the name of someone precious to me.”

 

Wicheonso’s brow furrowed slightly.

 

“Since you came to Cheonsan ten years ago, you must be from Seolsan Jeokga. Was he your betrothed?”

 

I shook my head.

 

“That’s not it, but… anyway, he’s someone who’s no longer in this world.”

 

Wicheonso’s sword tip lowered slightly. His expression looked calm, but only his red eyes were glowing strangely.

 

“You often think of that person when you look at me. Do I perhaps resemble him?”

 

Baekah wasn’t someone who had died long ago for me.

 

My disciple who had been alive and breathing in front of me until just recently.

 

Even now, when I closed my eyes, Baekah’s smiling face was vivid.

 

“No… you don’t resemble him.”

 

There wasn’t a single aspect where he resembled Wicheonso.

 

His clear face, kind-looking eyes and stubbornly closed lips, and even his gentle-seeming impression.

 

His appearance was completely different from Wicheonso, who gave off a dangerous feeling just by facing him.

 

Yet strangely, when I looked at him, Baekah would sometimes come to mind.

 

It was probably because I missed that child too much.

 

When I lowered my head, Wicheonso didn’t ask any more questions.

 

“Let me escort you.”

 

He carried me in his arms and headed toward my residence.

 

Thanks to his use of internal energy, my hair and clothes were perfectly dry and fluffy.

 

Sawol and Okxiang, who had been waiting at the residence, discovered Wicheonso and bowed their heads.

 

Yet he didn’t put me down and walked all the way into my bedroom.

 

As he set me down on the bed, he spoke in a whisper.

 

“I prepared the residence hastily. Are there any inconveniences in your daily life?”

 

“It’s fine so far.”

 

“If you need anything, tell Manager Gwon.”

 

When I nodded, he covered me with a blanket.

 

“Rest.”

 

His voice was cold, yet somehow I felt warmth in it.

 

What was Wicheonso’s true face?

 

He knew that I was using him, and he too was aiming for the position of Young Leader through me.

 

I thought we were helping each other without mixing emotions, but seeing his actions today made me feel strange.

 

‘This is difficult.’

 

Since my days at Sangteon-dang, I had been devising schemes and factoring human hearts into my calculations.

 

I thought he would choose one of two options: either thoroughly use me or reject me. But his attitude was beyond my expectations.

 

‘I don’t know…’

 

Perhaps it was because I had been living tensely at Cheonyanggung. Sleep was coming to find me.

 

Since I had many things to do starting tomorrow, I put aside my thoughts and closed my eyes.

 

❖ ❖ ❖

 

Baekryeong Valley in the northern inland of the Heavenly Sect.

 

Chomundan Leader Yeo Gyeong-o returned to Baekryeong Valley as soon as the Cheonmu Festival ended.

 

“…Cheongwolgungju.”

 

Chung-rin had instantly gained the title of Palace Master and even brought Mahu up to the altar.

 

Though he pretended not to be surprised seeing that, his heart was actually greatly shaken.

 

He never knew that one person’s existence could shake the order of Cheonsan like this.

 

Chung-rin, who was called the Heavenly Prodigy.

 

Chung-rin, who introduced herself as her disciple, was certainly extraordinary.

 

Thud-.

 

Yeo Gyeong-o stopped his finger while unrolling a scroll on his desk.

 

[Former Sangteon-dang Leader Chung-rin — Life or death unknown]

 

As Chung-rin had said, Chung-rin’s life or death could not be confirmed.

 

He slowly read the sentence written below.

 

[There was someone who received a letter from Seomseo. There was someone who witnessed Chung-rin traveling with a young boy called ‘Sobaek’.]

 

Yeo Gyeong-o’s eyes sharpened.

 

“Sobaek…”

 

Chung-rin’s disciple that Chung-rin had mentioned.

 

Chung-rin had asked him to find out what happened to Sobaek.

 

[As Chung-rin disappeared, Sobaek’s figure also vanished.]

 

If Sangteon-dang’s information was correct, that child was probably dead.

 

But the scroll contained another fact.

 

[There was testimony from a Beggar’s Sect beggar that an elderly man brought a similarly looking child to a physician to save his life.]

 

Yeo Gyeong-o folded the scroll and lit a lamp.

 

Then he placed it on a silver tray.

 

Watching the scroll burn in the flames, his hands trembled.

 

There was a possibility that Sobaek had not died.

 

He was a disciple who was no different from Chung-rin’s legacy.

 

Like Chung-rin, he might have survived somewhere.

 

Yeo Gyeong-o immediately picked up a brush and wrote a letter.

 

[Find traces of that boy.]

 

If Sobaek was alive somewhere, this would be important information to trade with Chung-rin.

 

Yeo Gyeong-o opened the message tube tied to Jeon Seo-eung’s leg and put the letter inside.

 

Jeon Seo-eung flew up into the dim dawn sky.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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