Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 658

The initial conversation revolved around business matters, not the current issue at hand.

I summarized the events that took place in the Northern Sea, sharing only what I could and leaving out what couldn’t be disclosed. I organized the details and conveyed them to Moyong Hee-ah as clearly as possible.

Of course, this task should have fallen to Yuri, not me.

Rustle.

The sound of paper being handled filled the room as Moyong Hee-ah read through the prepared letter.

For a while, the only noise was the soft brushing of the parchment against her fingertips.

Eventually, Moyong Hee-ah spoke.

“I’ve read the account.”

Her eyes remained fixed on the letter as she continued.

“First, allow me to express my sympathies for what transpired in the Northern Sea.”

“Thank you…”

Yuri responded, though tension was evident in her voice.

It couldn’t be helped.

When dealing with someone like Moyong Hee-ah, few could maintain their composure.

With a light thud, Moyong Hee-ah set the letter down and looked directly at Yuri.

“However, putting that aside, I have many questions for you as the acting representative of the palace. Shall we begin?”

“…Yes.”

Now, the real discussion began.

“Thank you for understanding. To start, let’s address the terms of the agreement made prior to the mission.”

Her voice lowered slightly, but the pressure it carried was anything but mild.

“As per the contract, completing the mission was supposed to secure exclusive trade rights with the Northern Sea. Is that agreement still valid?”

“…It is valid.”

Yuri nodded, and Moyong Hee-ah acknowledged the response with a slight tilt of her head.

“In that case, the promise to commence trade within three months of the mission’s conclusion—does that still hold?”

‘Hmm?’

Her words caught my attention, and I raised an eyebrow.

‘Was that part of the contract?’

I knew they had secured exclusive trade rights, but it seemed they had even nailed down a timeline. Moyong Hee-ah’s meticulousness was truly impressive.

Yuri’s expression darkened at the question.

“…Regarding that, it may be difficult to meet the timeline due to unforeseen circumstances.”

Trading within three months—it was clear that this clause, while agreed upon, was no longer feasible given the current state of affairs.

‘Of course.’

It was an obvious outcome. The war wasn’t over yet; it was still ongoing.

From the looks of things, victory and resolution weren’t far off, but even then, three months would be cutting it far too close.

Rebuilding the Ice Palace, recruiting manpower, and stabilizing the region would take at least a year.

Starting trade within three months? It was laughable.

“I see.”

Moyong Hee-ah nodded lightly. She had likely anticipated this answer after reading the letter.

“Then, in your opinion, when do you think trade can realistically commence?”

“Not until this time next year at the earliest…”

“Please be precise. That’s the same vague answer you gave when the contract was signed.”

“…”

Despite their similar ages, the difference in demeanor was stark.

Pressed by Moyong Hee-ah’s unyielding presence, Yuri seemed visibly flustered.

“By next fall, at the latest.”

The timeline shifted from summer to fall—a reasonable adjustment.

However…

“That means the timeline has been extended by several months.”

Her tone was neutral, but her words left no room for excuses.

“While I sympathize with the Northern Sea’s circumstances, the fact remains that the contract terms have been breached. Instead of nullifying the agreement outright, I propose we renegotiate the terms. Do you agree?”

Before Yuri could respond, another document was already on the table.

‘When did she prepare that?’

It was clear this wasn’t something she’d whipped up on the spot. The state of the paper and ink suggested it had been prepared days in advance.

‘So she anticipated this from the start.’

Moyong Hee-ah had foreseen the impossibility of meeting the three-month timeline and had already prepared to amend the contract.

‘Terrifying.’

If nothing else, I was now more certain than ever: never let Moyong Hee-ah find a reason to pick a fight.

While renegotiating wasn’t a simple matter, Yuri seemed to try everything she could as the discussion dragged on.

Eventually…

“Thank you. Then we’ll consider this matter settled for now.”

“…Yes, thank you…”

By the time the conversation ended, Yuri looked utterly drained, her face pale and exhausted. Moyong Hee-ah, in contrast, appeared as composed as she had been at the start.

Even as an observer, I felt a cold sweat run down my back.

Her ability to corner someone with words was enough to leave me speechless.

“The accommodations for the princess have been prepared. The guards who accompanied you will be taken there as well.”

‘Oh, right. Those guys.’

It occurred to me that Yuri’s guards had been left behind when we came here.

I had left them because dealing with them was too much of a hassle, but it seemed Moyong Hee-ah had taken good care of them.

‘That means Yuri will be here until at least next fall.’

From the palace’s perspective, this was likely a strategic retreat for her safety. But in reality, it was no different from being held hostage.

The trading company now had every reason to keep her until the contract was fulfilled, ensuring the palace’s cooperation.

With a faint smile, Moyong Hee-ah pointed this out.

“…Thank you.”

Having nothing left to say, Yuri nodded wearily as the conversation ended.

She followed an attendant out of the room, her steps heavy.

I nudged Woo Hyuk to follow her. Without a word, he complied.

“Excuse me.”

Woo Hyuk’s polite bow was ignored by Moyong Hee-ah, who didn’t even glance his way.

Her dismissive attitude was sharp enough to cut, leaving no room for further comments.

Once they left, silence filled the room.

The seconds stretched on, each moment heavier than the last.

Finally,

“Hoo…”

Moyong Hee-ah let out a soft sigh, the tension in the room easing slightly.

Her previously rigid expression relaxed as she turned to me.

“Did you have a good trip?”

“…Sort of?”

“Judging by this, it doesn’t seem like it.”

She gestured to the letter, her tone pointed.

Whatever the palace had written clearly didn’t reflect well on me.

The thought made me feel an uncharacteristic bead of sweat on my brow.

Was my unease that obvious? Moyong Hee-ah’s lips curled into a faint smile as she observed me.

“It’s fine. I never expected you to go anywhere and come back without causing trouble.”

“…That sounds like an insult.”

“It is. It’s not a compliment.”

“…Right. Got it.”

Her bluntness left me scratching my head awkwardly.

“Where’s Madam Mi?”

“The leader is away on business for a few days. She should return by tomorrow.”

Business, huh? It made sense given the timing.

‘The martial tournament is coming up.’

The busiest time for the trading company wasn’t during the festival itself, but the preparation leading up to it.

“Also, there’s been some recent rumors keeping her busy.”

“Rumors?”

I frowned, sensing the weight in her words.

It was something I had overheard earlier during my conversation with Bumdong.

“The visit from the Daeju of the Martial Alliance seems to be tied to the issue. Did something happen?”

“Ah…”

Moyong Hee-ah hesitated briefly before delving into the topic.

“A new organization called the Magyo (Demonic Cult) has recently been causing quite a stir in Zhongyuan.”

Hearing this, I couldn’t help but smirk.

‘It seems they’re doing well.’

The plan I had set in motion was progressing faster than expected, but it wasn’t bad news.

“They say it was founded by an unknown master called the Cheonma. They’ve been attacking both righteous factions and unorthodox sects indiscriminately.”

This, too, was expected.

In fact, I had instructed them to spread rumors to this effect, so the delay in their circulation almost felt surprising.

So far, everything was proceeding smoothly.

But then—

“They say the identity of this Cheonma (Heavenly Demon) is rumored to be one of the Three Revered Masters, Paejon (Defeated Master).”

‘…What?’

That was unexpected.

This development was definitely not part of my plans.

Where did this rumor even come from?

Before I could contemplate it further—

“Hm?”

A curious voice rose from behind me.

“...”

I felt a piercing gaze lock onto me, forcing me to swallow dryly.

‘…I think I’ve really screwed up this time.’

No doubt about it.

That person—he had started to suspect me immediately. No hesitation, no deliberation. He zeroed in on me without a second thought.

Come on, I might be guilty, but shouldn’t he at least mull it over a little?

‘Damn it, who started this?’

Where did this rumor originate?

This wasn’t something that should have leaked—at least not yet.

Who was responsible?

‘Could it be Pil-Duma?’

He was the most likely suspect, but I doubted it.

The old man wasn’t foolish enough to spread such rumors recklessly.

So then, who?

‘I have no idea.’

I didn’t know, and there was no time to think about it now.

“Master Gu?”

“Paejon… That doesn’t sound likely.”

Feigning ignorance was my best bet for now.

Moyong Hee-ah nodded as if she agreed with my assessment.

“Yes, I think so too.”

Her gaze shifted slightly—toward the person seated behind me.

Did she realize Paejon was here? No, that didn’t seem to be the case.

‘She’s probably just looking at Bi Eujin because he’s a member of the Bi family.’

Bi Eujin, a descendant of the Western Bi family, which traced its lineage back to Paejon.

With someone like him here, it wasn’t a topic she could freely comment on.

“…It’s unthinkable that one of the Three Revered Masters of the righteous factions would do such a thing.”

“Indeed, that wouldn’t happen.”

For the first time since entering, Paejon chuckled softly and spoke.

“That great individual would never stoop to such deeds…”

Calling himself “that great individual” nearly made me grimace, but I held it in.

“Do you know why such a rumor might have spread?”

This question, directed at Moyong Hee-ah, came from Paejon.

“There’s speculation that someone deliberately spread this information, but…”

Her tone suggested she didn’t think that was the case.

So, if it wasn’t deliberate, then what?

As I mulled over this, Moyong Hee-ah continued,

“…It’s said that when this Cheonma killed a Wudang elder, the martial technique used bore a striking resemblance to the unique techniques of Paejon.”

“…”

“This hasn’t been confirmed yet, but they are investigating based on reports that the Cheonma demonstrated an aura on par with one of the Three Revered Masters.”

I nodded along.

‘I see. So that’s what it is.’

‘This is my fault. Damn it.’

It seemed my recklessness had left behind traces that caused this issue.

‘What a mess.’

I thought the Tua Pacheonmu technique was nondescript enough to go unnoticed, but it appeared someone had seen it.

Either another elder had been present, or they had found some kind of evidence.

‘This is bad.’

I suppressed the cold sweat running down my back and tried to think.

Was the leak itself a problem? Not really.

‘I don’t care.’

After all, my identity wasn’t exposed.

The real issue was…

‘I can’t let him find out.’

I absolutely could not let Paejon discover the truth.

‘His gaze is burning through me.’

I could already feel Paejon’s intense stare drilling into me. Turning to meet it would be the end.

What should I do?

I pondered briefly before coming to a conclusion.

‘No choice.’

When it comes to situations like this, there’s only one solution.

‘Run.’

I stood abruptly.

“Master Gu?”

“Something urgent came up. I’ll see you later.”

“What? Suddenly? Mas—!”

Moyong Hee-ah’s startled voice followed me, but I had already vanished.

“…Huh?”

She stood there, stunned by the sudden turn of events.

“He really just left? After all this time?”

Clenching her fists tightly, Moyong Hee-ah ground her teeth in frustration.

“We weren’t even done talking…!”

She hadn’t even touched on the matter of the Sword Peak. What could possibly be so urgent?

As she tried to calm her simmering anger,

“Well, I’ll take my leave too. See you later!”

Tang So-yeol, who had been quietly watching from the sidelines, quickly bowed to Moyong Hee-ah and darted out of the room.

That irritated her even more.

“…The next time I see either of them, they won’t get off lightly.”

Moyong Hee-ah vowed silently as she steadied her breathing.

Then, she realized something.

She was now alone in the room with a particularly unsettling individual.

“…”

Straightening her posture awkwardly, she turned her attention to the young man seated before her.

Dark hair, dark eyes, and a calm yet subtly unsettling presence.

‘Bi Eujin.’

A descendant of Paejon.

Though part of the same martial community, she’d never had a conversation with him.

She assumed he was merely an associate of Gu Yangcheon, given how often they were seen together.

But Moyong Hee-ah found him deeply unsettling.

‘…There’s something strange about him.’

He didn’t seem to actively distance himself, yet he exuded a sense of indifference.

His disinterest in everything made his dark eyes even more unnerving.

Her instincts warned her: Do not treat this man carelessly.

Suppressing her discomfort, Moyong Hee-ah studied Bi Eujin.

‘Why isn’t he leaving?’

Though everyone else had left, Bi Eujin remained seated, showing no intention of following.

As her curiosity grew,

“I have something to say.”

Bi Eujin broke the silence.

“Your name is Seolbong, correct?”

“…Yes, that’s correct, Master Bi.”

Bi Eujin smiled—a gentle smile that somehow sent a chill down her spine.

And then, in his unsettling manner, he made an unexpected proposition.

“You seem to enjoy negotiations. How about making a deal with me? I can offer you a reward worth your while.”

“…What sort of deal? If it’s about the topic we just discussed…”

“Oh, no. That’s a trivial matter—I’ll handle it myself.”

“Pardon?”

So it wasn’t about Paejon? Then what was he after?

“I believe you’re someone trustworthy, so I have a favor to ask. I’d like you to find some information for me.”

“…Information?”

“Nothing too complicated.”

Bi Eujin’s expression shifted slightly.

“I’d like you to find information about the King of Flames.”

Though his lips still smiled, his eyes did not.

And in that moment, Moyong Hee-ah felt a cold shiver run down her spine.

 
   ********************
   

I left the trading company as if fleeing.

Though I quickened my pace to put distance between us, I couldn’t help but glance over my shoulder every so often.

‘…Why isn’t he following me?’

I fully expected Paejon to chase after me and grab me by the collar, but to my surprise, he didn’t follow.

That made it even scarier.

It felt as though he was silently saying, We’ll talk later.

‘Damn it.’

Who would’ve thought such rumors would spread? This was getting troublesome.

“…Tsk.”

Clicking my tongue, I shook my head. Whatever, I’ll just deny it if it comes up. What else could I do?

‘If I say it isn’t true, what can they do?’

I decided to keep things simple. The kind of attitude that says, Do what you will.

If worst comes to worst, I could just keep running for a few days.

Though that might only make things worse when I inevitably ran into him again.

Pat, pat.

Dusting myself off after the hurried escape, I surveyed my surroundings.

“Hm.”

There were more people than I had expected.

It seemed the festival season was drawing near, with many arriving in preparation.

Among the crowd, I noticed an unusual number of martial artists.

‘And their skill levels are high.’

There were plenty of first-rate fighters, and occasionally I even spotted those at the peak level.

Most of them were likely here for the martial tournament.

‘Seems there’s a lot of interest in this year’s tournament.’

And understandably so.

It was the first tournament in several years, and the prizes on offer were extraordinary.

‘There will be rare swords and miraculous elixirs, but the real highlight is…’

‘The revival of the Divine Dragon Corps.’

The elite unit directly under the command of the Alliance Leader and a symbol of the Martial Alliance’s might.

The Divine Dragon Corps, which had disbanded due to certain events, was being reinstated with this tournament marking their return.

Not only was it a chance to reestablish their symbolic value, but it was also an honor to participate in such a historic moment.

For those who lived and died by reputation, the allure was undeniable.

And for me, it was an opportunity of utmost importance.

It was crucial to my upcoming plans.

One way or another, I needed to leverage the Divine Dragon Corps.

‘There’s less than a month until the tournament. I should start preparing.’

It was irritating to have to get moving the moment I arrived, but there was no time to hesitate.

I was about to head to Pil-Duma to check on a task I had entrusted to him when—

Thunk!

“Ah!”

Someone bumped into me and fell to the ground.

I looked down to see a woman sprawled on the ground.

Naturally, I didn’t bother offering her a hand to help her up; I simply stared.

The woman scrambled to her feet and bowed deeply.

“I’m terribly sorry. I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you hurt?”

As she bowed, I caught a whiff of her perfume.

I wrinkled my nose instinctively.

The scent was overwhelming—a fragrance I couldn’t stand, even if others might not mind.

Through the veil covering her face, I caught a glimpse of her features.

My eyebrows twitched slightly.

‘Well, well.’

A smile crept onto my face as I recognized her.

She was undeniably beautiful.

If Wi Seol-ah and Namgung Bi-ah were the kind of women everyone in a crowd of a hundred would stop to look at, this woman would draw the attention of at least ninety out of a hundred.

Her mature air, seductive eyes, and curvaceous figure would ignite desire in most men at a glance.

‘But still…’

Considering the exceptional women around me, her level of beauty wasn’t enough to truly stand out.

What surprised me wasn’t her looks.

‘Quick as ever. He sent her immediately.’

This woman was known as Bihyeonhwa (Tragic Radiance).

She was an operative of the Martial Alliance’s investigative unit, infamous for using her beauty to extract information.

In other words, she was sent by the Martial Alliance.

And more specifically, by Bumdong.