Surprise rose on Mo Yong-woo’s face.

“You are...?”

“...Ha. Hahaha.”

Tang Sang-a, extremely flustered, ultimately let out an awkward laugh.

Of course, a single thread of laughter couldn’t break this situation open.

Yeon Hojeong glanced at Mo Yong-woo.

“Someone you know?”

“....”

“Hey.”

“Huh! Nngh?”

“I’m asking if she’s someone you know.”

Before he knew it, Mo Yong-woo’s face was full of bewilderment, too.

“Ah, this lady is... well, that is....”

This lady? Hm?

‘Definitely.’

Yeon Hojeong swept his eyes over Tang Sang-a’s attire.

It wasn’t a carefully prepared outfit the way Mookbi’s archery garb was. But the fine silk, the delicate and old-fashioned embroidery—she was likely from a good family.

And—

‘This deep, strangely sharp inner power feels familiar.’

Astonishingly, her internal energy level was almost on par with Mo Yong-woo’s. Mo Yong-woo’s internal energy had grown greatly as he cultivated the Mo Yong Clan’s household learning—so for her to have inner power comparable to his was no ordinary matter.

People like this were rare. Even inside the Alliance of the Martial World.

‘She looks like she’s in her early twenties, but there’s seasoned weight in her eyes. Around thirty, maybe.’

That was when it happened.

Tang Sang-a sprang up, then clasped her hands in a salute so solemn it was almost reverent.

“I’m sorry. I came in without permission and caused trouble. I truly apologize.”

Yeon Hojeong tilted his head.

“Introduce yourself first. So what are you, exactly?”

It wasn’t especially rough, but there was a strangely slippery, spoiled-young-master vibe to it.

Tang Sang-a was startled by Yeon Hojeong’s way of speaking, but she didn’t show it.

Whatever the reason, the one who had done wrong was her. That was what mattered.

“I’m someone who uses the name Sang-a. Uh, so....”

“...?”

“Once again, I’m sorry. My curiosity got the better of me, and I followed behind Commander Mo Yong... and I acted in a way that violated propriety.”

Tang Sang-a folded at the waist.

“I’m truly sorry.”

“...Hm.”

She was oddly interesting.

Yeon Hojeong found himself intrigued by her words and actions.

‘At least she doesn’t seem to have bad intentions.’

He had met so many people that now, just by looking into someone’s eyes, he could roughly tell their nature.

And after breaking through the Martial End Wall and achieving a qualitative improvement in his internal energy, Essence, Qi, and Spirit aligned—his practical sixth sense had sharpened.

To him, this woman called Sang-a wasn’t someone with grand ambitions, nor someone shadowy enough to pry into others.

At least, that was what it felt like.

‘Hm? But “Sang-a”?’

He’d definitely heard that somewhere.

Then Mo Yong-woo spoke.

“Lady Tang.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes flashed.

‘Tang? Tang Sang-a? Then the Dark-Heaven Divine Maiden?!’

One of One Dragon, Three Phoenixes—the eldest daughter of the Tang Clan of Sichuan, rumored to be cherished by the Tang Clan Lord even more than his son.

And she was surely the Tang Clan’s eldest daughter who had met Mo Yong-woo yesterday.

‘That’s why.’

The quality and “color” of her internal energy were completely different from Tang Yangseon’s.

If anything, it resembled Dang Gwan back in the days of the Dark Emperor. Of course, it was far inferior to that—but the flow and force were the spitting image of her father.

Yeon Hojeong was staring at Tang Sang-a as if bewitched when—

“You said you followed me?”

“Huh?”

Mo Yong-woo’s face had hardened slightly.

A shadow fell over Tang Sang-a’s face as well.

“...Yes. I’m sorry.”

“Why?”

“Ah, well....”

That was when it happened.

“Mookbi.”

“Yes?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled darkly.

“Could I ask you for some tea?”

Mookbi, who had been about to ask why he was asking her for that, flinched. Because she’d seen that expression—the one on this man’s face when he had something in mind.

‘Is he scheming again?’

Mookbi nodded.

“Fine. Wait a moment.”

“We’ve got time. You can take it slow.”

“Hmph. Sure.”

As she turned, Mookbi glanced at Tang Sang-a.

Tang Sang-a silently bowed her head. That gesture was full of apology.

Mookbi smacked her lips, then left the room.

Yeon Hojeong clapped his hands once.

“Alright. Let’s sit first.”

“Huh?”

“Sit. Standing the whole time is awkward.”

Mo Yong-woo looked at Yeon Hojeong in flustered confusion.

‘Brother Yeon?’

Yeon Hojeong ignored his eyes. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

“You said Lady Tang?”

“Huh? Ah, yes.”

“Sit.”

There was a strange force in Yeon Hojeong’s voice. Tang Sang-a hesitated, then sat down.

The three of them sat with the table between them.

Yeon Hojeong asked.

“So. What kind of relationship do you have with Commander Mo Yong, that you secretly tailed him?”

“Huh! None at all!”

She seemed startled by what she’d blurted out, and she hurried to continue.

“Ah, well! It’s not that we’re ‘anything,’ but how do I say this... so....”

“Oh? Then maybe?”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes were openly wicked. Nostrils flaring, he wore a strange smile—Tang Sang-a hurriedly said—

“It’s not like that! Absolutely not! I’m just...!”

“What did I even say?”

“Huh?”

“I didn’t say anything at all.”

“Ugh...”

Tang Sang-a’s face flushed red.

Yeon Hojeong spoke as if he found it delightful.

“Ah! The season is turning into autumn, yet the wind that blows carries warm spring sunshine. Hahaha—my chest feels warm. So good!”

Mo Yong-woo said in a tightly restrained voice.

“Commander Yeon. Don’t tease her too much.”

“Tease? What, do you and I have some friendship that gives me the right to tease you?”

“I’m not talking about me.”

“Then who?”

Mo Yong-woo was flustered.

“Why do you keep doing this? In any case, if you have nothing else to say, let’s take our leave now.”

Take our leave, my ass. It was just about to get fun.

Still, the mood needed to be steered.

Yeon Hojeong opened his mouth.

“Lady Tang.”

“Yes?”

“Did you come because of your younger brother?”

Younger brother?

Tang Sang-a’s eyes deepened.

“Do you mean Yangseon?”

“That’s right.”

Yeon Hojeong’s expression had turned calm.

“You’ve probably heard it. What he did—and who it was that crushed him.”

“...The Green Mountain Tiger General, Yeon Hojeong. Commander Yeon.”

“That’s right.”

A chill rose in Yeon Hojeong’s eyes.

“He was clearly the one at fault first. I think I showed a measure of mercy just by letting him live after he even unleashed killers out of spite. Twice, at that.”

“....”

“But as blood, regardless of cause and effect, you can show enough hostility toward the person who ruined your younger brother. If it were me, I probably would’ve done the same.”

Tang Sang-a replied in a much calmer voice.

“So your meaning is that I came aiming for Commander Yeon, not Commander Mo Yong?”

Yeon Hojeong smiled.

“The Tang Clan is a renowned family of poison and hidden weapons. When it comes to killing one person, you’re better than most assassins, aren’t you?”

It was an extremely provocative line.

No matter who had been at fault first, it wasn’t something a descendant of a great family would accept lightly. For someone with strong pride in their clan, it would be fair to explode in anger.

So how would Tang Sang-a react?

“Yangseon’s fault is clear.”

“Hm?”

“For the one on the receiving end, it’s like lightning from a clear sky. Like you said, Commander Yeon—just being spared is something to be grateful for.”

Yeon Hojeong’s eyes glittered.

Tang Sang-a’s calm face was real. But it didn’t seem like she hated or despised her younger brother, either.

And yet she could say that—what did it mean?

“I’ll ask directly. You didn’t come to kill me?”

Tang Sang-a wore a faint smile.

“Young Tiger of Gangdong. A hot-blooded boy who tried to face the Under-Heaven’s First Clan alone. The Evil-Smiting Corps Commander of the Alliance of the Martial World. A genius master who broke through the Martial End Wall at the youngest age of this era.”

“......”

“At my level, I can’t lay a hand on you. I’d just end up the same as my younger brother.”

She had been sincere when she begged forgiveness. She didn’t flinch easily even at provocative words. She had the wisdom to soothe an aggressive counterpart, guiding them to accept her innocence from the heart.

She was someone who could draw a clear line. Man or woman, people like that were rare in the martial world.

‘I like her.’

A decent nature. No—Tang Sang-a, to Yeon Hojeong, was someone who strangely had a human warmth to her, unlike what you’d expect from the infamous Tang Clan of Sichuan.

“So I wasn’t your objective.”

“Yes. I hate fighting to begin with.”

“I didn’t think someone called the Dark-Heaven Divine Maiden would say that.”

Tang Sang-a spoke bitterly.

“Right? Everyone thinks that way.”

“Seems you only know a person once you meet them.”

Yeon Hojeong nodded, then put on that dark expression again.

“Then what business did you have with Commander Mo Yong, that you followed him in secret?”

“Ugh.”

Tang Sang-a fussed with her hair for no reason.

“Th-that....”

“That?”

Mo Yong-woo, apparently curious himself, glanced at Tang Sang-a.

Tang Sang-a’s face turned slightly red.

“You might not believe me.”

“Speak.”

“...Because I was bored.”

“...?”

Yeon Hojeong blinked like an idiot. Mo Yong-woo stared blankly at Tang Sang-a as if drained.

Tang Sang-a’s complexion reddened even more.

“I—I know it sounds ridiculous, even to me. But it’s true. I was really bored. I happened to see Commander Mo Yong, and his expression looked kind of serious. I got curious, and I didn’t have anything to do, so I just....”

“And you went as far as hiding in the ceiling?”

“Ghk! I was going to leave right away! And—this too, you might not believe, but... I have a serious illness where if I get fixated on something, I can’t control myself. There’s this mad, unconscious part of me that even I don’t know about....”

“I believe you.”

“...Huh?”

“I said I believe you.”

Tang Sang-a’s eyes bulged like beads.

“R-really?”

It seemed she’d expected to be treated like an idiot the moment she said it. Instead, her face looked even more dumbfounded than Yeon Hojeong’s or Mo Yong-woo’s.

Yeon Hojeong asked Mo Yong-woo.

“You don’t believe her?”

Mo Yong-woo shook his head.

“There’s no particular reason not to.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

Mo Yong-woo truly meant it.

Not because he was quick to read people—but because he thought it was possible. If a person was bored, sure, they could do something like that. Of course, in the martial world where swords and blades run wild, how many people like that would exist? But she was saying it with such sincerity—why wouldn’t he believe her?

People came in every kind. There were plenty stranger than her. That was the world.

Yeon Hojeong nodded.

“Anyway, I understand you don’t have malice.”

“Huh! Thank you! You really believe me!”

“I believe you. But I think belief and forgiveness are separate matters.”

Tang Sang-a’s face, which had brightened like a fully bloomed flower, shriveled in an instant like dried weeds.

“R-right. I did something seriously wrong, after all.”

“That’s right.”

“...I’m truly ashamed. As long as it’s within the bounds of propriety, I’ll pay any price.”

Both Yeon Hojeong and Mo Yong-woo smiled.

A good person.

Strange, but she knew how to be serious, and she didn’t put lies in her mouth. It was a character set that way.

For Yeon Hojeong, aside from Mookbi and Yeon Jipyeong, it was a kind of purity he hadn’t seen in a long time. For Mo Yong-woo, it was the first time he’d ever seen a type like her.

“Commander Mo Yong.”

“Hm?”

“How long until the inauguration ceremony?”

“Huh? Oh—!”

Mo Yong-woo jumped up from his seat.

“It’s already almost noon. We need to get up now.”

“Looks like it.”

As Yeon Hojeong nodded, he gestured toward Tang Sang-a with his chin.

“Take her with you.”

“...Huh?”

“Take her with you.”

“M-me?”

“Then should I take her? They told me not to come, remember?”

“That’s true, but Lady Tang doesn’t need to attend the inauguration ceremony....”

“She does. Starting today, she’s in the Demon-Sweeping Corps.”

Mo Yong-woo’s eyes went wide. Tang Sang-a couldn’t even begin to gauge what was happening—her eyes just rolled around.

“What are you talking about?”

“Lady Tang said it herself. She’ll pay the price. With strength like hers, wouldn’t she be a huge help to the Demon-Sweeping Corps?”

“W-what?!”

Yeon Hojeong grinned.

“If you did wrong, you should pay the price. Right, Lady Tang?”

“......”

“You said you were ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) bored. Then work.”

Tang Sang-a’s eyes unfocused, blank.

For the first time in her life, she cursed her own curiosity.