My master spoke with a complicated expression on his face.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect a day like this to come so quickly.”
“I didn’t expect to reach the Profound Realm this quickly either.”
My words brought a smile to my master’s face.
“Honestly, as a master, I should be rejoicing over my disciple’s achievement, but with this decision looming, I can’t fully be happy about it.”
I tilted my head and asked.
“What decision are you referring to?”
“The martial art I recently taught you is actually the one practiced by the Young Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace.”
I already knew that.
“If someone who has learned that martial art reaches the Profound Realm, they have to make a decision. Whether to advance or to stop.”
“Of course we should advance…”
“To advance, you must officially become the Young Palace Lord.”
“…!”
Something about that sounded strange.
“Master, didn’t you say the martial art I learned was the one the Young Palace Lord practices? But now you’re saying I have to become the Young Palace Lord? There’s a contradiction there.”
“To be exact, the sword technique of the Young Palace Lord that I’ve taught you until now is a test to assess the qualifications of a potential Young Palace Lord. It’s the sword art that the candidates learn. Through this, the Palace Lord decides whether to appoint that candidate as the Young Palace Lord or not.”
“…”
“And through that decision, we move to the next stage. Because the martial arts I’ll teach you from now on are the foundations for the Palace Lord’s techniques.”
So that’s why, when I asked before leaving for Beijing last time if I’d learn the new sword technique after I came back, Master replied, “I’d like that as well.”
Master continued speaking.
“Deciding to become the Young Palace Lord means aiming to become the Palace Lord.”
Master drew his sword from his waist. Then he drew a long line in front of me.
Ziiiiing.
“If you’ve resolved to become the Young Palace Lord, all you have to do is step over this line.”
“If I choose to stop here, does that mean our master-disciple relationship ends too?”
“You’re stating the obvious.”
“I don’t like that idea. I want to keep our master-disciple relationship forever.”
“…”
Master’s eyes wavered as he looked at me.
“If the Snow Wind Palace wasn’t in its current state, I would have ordered you to become the Young Palace Lord by force.”
“Thinking the other way around, isn’t that exactly why I was able to learn the Snow Wind Palace’s martial arts? Otherwise, how could I have learned the techniques meant for the Young Palace Lord candidates?”
“That makes sense.”
“I have one question.”
“What is it?”
“Does one absolutely have to reach the Profound Realm to become the Young Palace Lord?”
“Not necessarily. But when someone who’s learned the candidates’ sword techniques reaches the Profound Realm, this decision is required.”
“…”
This was clearly a decision for the Snow Wind Palace’s continued existence.
I looked at the line Master had drawn in front of me.
What I felt from that line was a warning.
Young Palace Lord…
But Master, do you know?
I’ve already been tasked by the Patriarch I met in the North Sea to rebuild and revive the Snow Wind Palace through his arrangements.
If that’s not the role of the Young Palace Lord, what is?
I grinned and stepped forward, crossing the line.
Master’s expression as he watched me was difficult to describe.
“So… you’ve made your decision?”
“Yes.”
I nodded as I answered.
“Master, you don’t want to burden your children with the harsh fate of becoming the Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace. As your disciple, shouldn’t I understand and honor that feeling?”
“…!”
Master’s eyes widened at my words.
“How did you…”
“I already noticed it. If you wanted to give the position of Young Palace Lord to Hyeong-won or Jun-ha, you would have done so already, but you’ve been delaying it. And the question you just asked confirmed it for me.”
“I have nothing to say but I’m sorry.”
In my previous life, the position of Palace Lord in the Snow Wind Palace probably wasn’t decided until I died.
Asking me to take Jun-ha as my guard instead of making him an escort warrior in the Changin Escort Bureau was also to help him avoid that fate.
As a father, how could he watch his son walk a path of thorns?
Since I could somewhat guess at that feeling, I couldn’t bring myself to criticize his decision.
But Jun-ha died protecting me.
One of the reasons I decided to become the Young Palace Lord was also for Jun-ha, who died protecting me in my previous life.
Did he not know that he was supposed to be the one?
No way.
Jun-ha wasn’t that foolish.
But his father, Master, didn’t want that and didn’t appoint him as such.
Jun-ha must have suffered from that fact as well.
But if I become the Young Palace Lord, he won’t have to suffer anymore.
“And Master.”
I looked straight at Master and said.
“I’m the only one who can access the Patriarch’s arrangements. Doesn’t that mean the Patriarch has already acknowledged me as the Young Palace Lord?”
“That makes sense. But…”
Master looked at my feet. Precisely at the line he had drawn behind me.
“Officially becoming the Young Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace means walking a thorny path. Not only will unknown forces who destroyed the Snow Wind Palace threaten your life, but the Deputy Merchant Lord’s family will also be put in danger.”
Master said.
“You can still reverse your choice now. Are you truly without any regrets?”
Master, the path of revenge I’m already walking is already a thorny path.
A threat to my life?
I already died at the young age of thirty-nine in my previous life because of the Baekcheon Merchant Group and the Murim Alliance.
My family couldn’t avoid a miserable fate either.
Whether I reject or accept the fate of being the Young Palace Lord, it won’t change much in my life.
I smiled.
“Didn’t I tell you earlier? I want to continue our master-disciple relationship forever.”
“You’re making this choice for that reason?”
“That’s one of the many reasons.”
But I didn’t make this choice simply for Master, for the Snow Wind Palace, or for the Patriarch.
Becoming the Young Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace means the Snow Wind Palace becomes my force.
In other words, it’s also for myself.
I still remember what Namgoong Gang said as I was dying.
— Because you were an eyesore to the higher-ups.
The higher-ups he mentioned were the leadership of the Murim Alliance.
That’s why my ultimate target for revenge is the Murim Alliance.
But the Murim Alliance is the largest organization in the martial world.
To oppose and take revenge on such a place, I needed power.
In that situation, the position of Young Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace was something I absolutely couldn’t pass up.
Of course, the Snow Wind Palace isn’t just a tool.
Naturally, I intend to do my best for the Snow Wind Palace.
I looked at Master and smiled brightly.
“Master, I promise you that I will definitely bring prosperity to the Snow Wind Palace.”
Master bit his lip at my words. Seeing his eyes redden, he seemed to be struggling hard not to cry.
Was he moved by my words?
“Haa…”
A moment later, he seemed to have barely gathered himself and spoke.
“I should have said this first…”
“…?”
“You’ve worked hard reaching the Profound Realm. It couldn’t have been an easy task.”
“…”
This time, I was the one who was moved.
I hadn’t explained in detail, but fighting that life-and-death battle with the Young Cult Leader of the Heavenly Demon Cult was truly difficult.
It was so hard that I wanted to give up, but the thought that I couldn’t die there made me grit my teeth and hold on.
Master was acknowledging that effort.
“Since you’ve decided to officially take the position of Young Palace Lord, I’ll teach you with even more care from now on. First, let’s check on what you’ve trained so far.”
“Is it a spar?”
“More precisely, it’s a guidance spar.”
Master drew his sword again.
Seeing the sword glowing, it was sword qi.
W-wait, Master? Why are you using sword qi for a guidance spar with your disciple?
I had been moved just a moment ago, but that feeling completely vanished.
Because of Master’s sincere aura, cold sweat started running down my back.
Now that I’d reached the Profound Realm, I could be certain.
The difference between Master and me was still enormous.
Hey, Master?
If I get grazed by that sword qi by mistake, your disciple—your one and only Young Palace Lord—will die.
.
.
.
As soon as the training ended, I collapsed right there on the training grounds.
Haa…
My vision was spinning yellow; I felt like I was going to die.
As if all the training until now had been child’s play, today’s guidance spar was truly terrifying.
If someone like me, who had just stepped into the Profound Realm, ended up this exhausted and collapsed, that said it all.
“Today’s training is over.”
At those words, I barely stood up and paid my respects.
“Thank you for the guidance.”
“Since you’ve decided to officially become the Young Palace Lord, please stop by the Changin Escort Bureau this afternoon.”
“Understood.”
I needed to inform the important people about this.
“Then, may I speak with my new nephew?”
“Ah, yes. Of course. And… I have one request.”
Gwak Myeong-hyeon returned to the Changin Escort Bureau.
“Welcome back, sir.”
The people who saw him cupped their fists and greeted him. Gwak Myeong-hyeon lightly nodded in acknowledgment.
“Where is the Chief?”
“He’s in his office.”
He headed straight to the Chief’s office.
“It’s Gwak Myeong-hyeon.”
At his words, the door opened right away. The Chief had opened it himself.
That was natural, since Gwak Myeong-hyeon was the Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace.
“Please come in.”
“I have something to report.”
“Please sit.”
Gwak Myeong-hyeon didn’t speak casually to the Chief. This was to deceive the eyes of the world.
“What brings you here?”
“It’s about the new Young Palace Lord.”
At those words, the Chief straightened his posture.
“Does that mean the Young Palace Lord position has been established?”
“Yes.”
“Is it Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho?”
Gwak Myeong-hyeon’s eyes widened for a moment before he nodded.
“That’s correct.”
“Well, it’s not that surprising since I already expected it.”
He gave a faint smile.
“Given his actions so far, there was no one else who fit.”
“I’m sorry. I ended up appointing someone other than my own son as the Young Palace Lord.”
“You have nothing to apologize for, Palace Lord. Honestly, the Young Palace Lord we need right now is one who can help with the reconstruction, whether they carry the Palace Lord’s blood or not.”
He continued.
“And in my view, Deputy Merchant Lord Eun is an exceptionally outstanding figure.”
“That’s true.”
“Anyway, you’ve made a major decision.”
At those words, Gwak Myeong-hyeon shook his head.
“No.”
“Pardon?”
“It wasn’t my decision. This decision was made entirely by my disciple.”
The Chief’s eyes widened.
“That means… so… he made ‘the choice before the line’?”
Gwak Myeong-hyeon nodded.
Drawing the line in front of Eun Seo-ho and forcing the decision wasn’t something impulsive.
It was drawn using the profound principles of one of the Snow Wind Palace Lord’s martial arts. Without true resolve, one couldn’t cross that line.
Knowing the significance of ‘the choice before the line,’ the Chief looked satisfied.
“We can look forward to the future of our Snow Wind Palace.”
“My disciple said he would promise the prosperity of the Snow Wind Palace.”
Gwak Myeong-hyeon said with his eyes closed.
“I think I can finally face my father properly in the afterlife.”
As promised, I headed to the Changin Escort Bureau.
While riding in the carriage, I stroked Geumryeong inside my sleeve.
Geumryeong seemed happy, letting out soft Kui sounds.
It suddenly occurred to me that I had the Silver Mist Sword, the token of the Snow Wind Palace Lord.
And I also had the Ice Guardian Beast, the guardian spirit of the Snow Wind Palace Lord.
I wondered if this was fate.
I hadn’t thought about any of that this morning.
“Whoa.”
Lost in thought, I soon arrived at the Changin Escort Bureau.
After getting out of the carriage, I led Palgap and the escort guards toward the small side gate in the carriage yard.
The escort bureau also needed space for carriages and horses to enter and exit, so they had a carriage yard like the merchant groups.
And there was the main gate to enter the building from the carriage yard, which was called the small main gate.
“Where are you from?”
At the gatekeeper’s question, Palgap answered.
“This is Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho of the Eunhae Merchant Group.”
“Please wait a moment.”
Then he rang the bell attached next to the gate.
Ding ding ding! Ding dang ding! Ding ding ding!
At the sound of the bell, someone came running hurriedly from inside.
Huh? Why is this person coming out?
It was Escort Chief Ha Cheol, brother Jin-ho’s father-in-law.
“I greet my in-law.”
“You don’t need to be so formal. Please come inside quickly. Everyone is waiting.”
Escort Chief Ha Cheol led me to one of the buildings.
Inside, eleven people including Master were waiting for me.
Master spoke as the representative.
“The Snow Wind Palace has ten Protectors, and these individuals are currently serving in that role.”
They were people whose faces I often saw.
Including the Chief of the Changin Escort Bureau and Escort Chief Ha Cheol.
“As the Palace Lord of the Snow Wind Palace, I wish to appoint Deputy Merchant Lord Eun Seo-ho here as the Young Palace Lord. If anyone has any objections, please speak.”
Hmm?
Wasn’t this supposed to be my decision?
But thinking about it, even the Palace Lord couldn’t decide unilaterally.
Just like how important matters in the Eunhae Merchant Group had to go through the Eunwol Council.
As I carefully observed the ten Protectors, my gaze stopped on one person.
And then his mouth opened.
“I am against it.”
Why is my intuition never wrong?
–TL Notes–
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