With the booming voice of the gatekeeper warrior announcing the opening of the gates, the main doors of the Inner Court began to open simultaneously.
Protocol stewards, holding various instrunts, played with all their might.
Standard-bearers carrying various flags followed behind the Grand Young Master and his maidservants.
Among them, the largest flag symbolizing the Grand Young Master of the Luoyang Sword House fluttered in the wind.
Amidst the orderly movent of everyone, the Grand Young Master’s distinctive sauntering gait stood out.
“The highest echelons of the Inner Court didn’t need to attend the opening ceremony?”
The Six Departnts Chief’s gaze was directed towards the highest echelons of the Inner Court lined up in front of the main building.
“So why are they here…?”
* * *
Luoyang Sword House, Second Young Master Jin’s quarters.
The morning sun sharply illuminated the docunts filling the walls.
“The Inner Court Supervisor and the Swordless One…”
Han Myeong-hwi, Second Young Master Jin’s advisor, reviewed his conclusions repeatedly.
“It’s expected from the Inner Court Supervisor, but…”
His face was filled with strong suspicion.
“…Why would the Swordless One be involved?”
Just then, one of his aides entered his open office.
“Sir, we’ve received an unusual report.”
Han Myeong-hwi didn’t respond, but the aide continued as usual.
“The Grand Young Master is leaving the Inner Court, and they conducted an opening ceremony.”
Annoyed at being disturbed over a trivial matter, Han Myeong-hwi frowned.
“What’s so unusual about that to report to ?!”
The aide hesitantly continued.
“Well, the highest echelons of the Inner Court ca out to attend the opening ceremony.”
“What does that…?!”
Han Myeong-hwi’s irritation halted mid-sentence.
“Were they supposed to attend?”
Noticing Han Myeong-hwi’s interest, the aide quickly relayed the rest.
“According to the source, no. Moreover, they even conversed with the Grand Young Master before the ceremony started. And…”
He finished the report with a tone of disbelief.
The atmosphere was so good that laughter could be heard occasionally. That’s all for the report.”
After finishing, the aide glanced at Han Myeong-hwi to gauge his reaction.
“To think that they had a pleasant conversation and a good atmosphere with the Grand Young Master, who turned the Inner Court upside down until this dawn… It seems we need to re-evaluate the reliability of our informant. For now, I’ll confirm again with another source later.”
“…No.”
“Sir? You an there’s no need for re-evaluation?”
Han Myeong-hwi, looking at the wall filled with docunts, trembled his lips.
“It ans that report is most likely true without the need for further confirmation!”
“But how could that be…?”
The aide stopped asking as he noticed Han Myeong-hwi’s grave expression.
“Right. That makes everything make sense. It all fits!”
Han Myeong-hwi’s hands trembled.
“Summon all my strategists! Right now! Even those outside, tell them to co in!”
“Yes, yes! Understood!”
The aide hurried out of the office.
Alone, Han Myeong-hwi approached the wall.
Everything was falling into place.
“Yes… the Swordless One, no, Grand Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.”
He had changed how he referred to Yeon So-hyeon.
Who were the people closest to the young Grand Young Master in the past?
There could be many, but among them, the Inner Court, closely serving the Family Head, couldn’t be excluded.
And the higher the position among them, the closer they would have been to the Supre Family Head and the Grand Young Master.
Why else would they all gather in one place to see the face of the Grand Young Master, who had been like a dead man until now?
And not yesterday when the Grand Young Master visited, but today, creating an excuse with the opening ceremony?
“Those madn of the Inner Court’s highest echelons gathered to see him with their own eyes! Right for…”
At that mont, he understood the source of the rumor that “the Grand Young Master would end his seclusion.”
“To witness the mont another successor appears in this clan!”
He cried out as if in anguish.
“Wanting to see for themselves the one they might serve in the future!”
He shouted as if in a fit.
“This entire incident! All of it! It was the Grand Young Master’s coming-of-age ceremony!”
* * *
An elderly woman, wrapped in an elegant robe, the protocol secretary, smiled gently.
She was looking at the Grand Young Master, who was departing through the last door in the distance.
At the final mont when the door closed, she felt as if her gaze t with the Grand Young Master’s.
She smiled brightly.
Others might not know, but she was certain.
And she thought that surely a few among them shared her thoughts.
For them, this was not just an opening ceremony.
It was a welco ceremony announcing the return of Grand Young Master Yeon So-hyeon.
‘Welco back, young master.’
Her gaze remained fixed on the doors until they completely closed.
‘Soday, this old lady is sure to serve the young master.’
Tears moistened the eyes of the elderly woman who had once been the dedicated steward of the young Yeon So-hyeon.
* * *
The triplet maidservants felt as if they were walking on air.
Now at Wongak Pavilion, although no one followed them, the mont of the opening ceremony was exactly what they had dread of.
“It truly was a mont befitting maidservants serving the Grand Young Master of the Luoyang Sword House!”
“So, everyone should start doing opening ceremonies from now on!”
“Hold the flags like this! Blow the trumpets! Walk in step like this!”
The special task force mbers guarding the main gate of Wongak Pavilion were flustered.
“Ah, young ladies. What are you talking about all of a sudden?”
“Opening ceremony? Does anyone know what that is?”
Each one, a middle-aged man, was particularly soft-hearted towards these young girls.
Then, the masked sword-wielder sighed and spoke up.
“Opening ceremony or not, whatever it is…”
He pointed towards the forest path of Wongak Pavilion.
“The Grand Young Master has already gone inside with the chief maid.”
Realizing this, the triplet maidservants squealed and ran inside.
“Wait!”
At his shout, the triplets turned around.
“That line about ‘going to step on the line’. What did the Grand Young Master an by that?”
The triplets shrugged.
“The master said that now he has stepped on the line, things will start moving on their own.”
* * *
As they quietly followed their master, Jung-ah spoke up.
“Master.”
“Hmm?”
“It’s about what you told Inspector Kang Ho yesterday.”
“Oh. What about it?”
Jung-ah’s downcast eyes sparkled.
“Your strategies in the Inner Court were brilliant. But you didn’t just give advice for this incident alone, did you?”
Yeon So-hyeon’s steps halted.
“…As expected, even the Chief Maid’s eyes can’t be deceived.”
He turned to look at Jung-ah.
“From now on, we will be able to see things that are out of our hands begin to unfold interestingly.”
A deep smile spread across his face.
A mischievous smile, but for so reason, it made Jung-ah feel chills.
* * *
Luoyang Sword House, Central Square.
With an hour until noon, many gathered in the Central Square, so voluntarily, so not.
The novice maidservants who had caused trouble for Wongak Pavilion’s Chief Maid, Jung-ah, and received re-education, were also there.
It was part of their training.
They were brought here by a steward from the Steward Departnt responsible for their education.
‘Oh, did you hear? The trial we’re going to witness is related to that Grand Young Master’s book expenses.’
‘Oh my, is it really necessary to have a public trial for sothing so mundane?’
‘If it were our clan, we would have handled it quietly.’
‘This will be another public embarrassnt for that head steward of Wongak Pavilion.’
‘Indeed.’
They had happily gossiped like this until they left.
Now, those sa girls were crying, covering their ears, and burying their heads.
“Stop it! Please, stop!”
Bound to the execution rack, Court Lady Seomun scread in agony.
She writhed like a fish skewered on a spear.
Her screams prompted the Execution Judge to shout with his inner power.
“This woman still has not repented for her cris! What is the Law Enforcers doing?!”
His shout echoed thunderously across the square.
The Execution Judge, with bizarre makeup on his face, looked like a judge just ascended from hell.
The training steward scolded the novice maidservants.
“Novice maidservants, open your closed eyes and take your hands off your ears!”
The maidservants from the Steward Departnt, standing behind the novices, acted.
They forced the novices to raise their heads, open their eyes, and watch forcibly.
The training steward looked around at them.
“Rember this! This is the final fate of those who defy the solemn laws of the main family, dare to mock the Grand Young Master, and undermine the discipline of the family!”
The hands of the imposingly dressed and terrifyingly made-up Law Enforcers moved.
“Nooo!”
With a horrific scream, Court Lady Seomun’s skin was being peeled off alive.
The movents were rciless.
“Ugh…!”
So of the novice maidservants vomited, but the maidservants from the Steward Departnt did not let go.
Their vomit dirtied the fronts of their dresses.
Beside Court Lady Seomun, another was undergoing punishnt.
“Please! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”
Screaming as if her throat was tearing, it was Court Lady Bang pleading for rcy.
“Good! You’re repenting very well!”
The Execution Judge, sitting on a high platform, nodded in satisfaction.
“Keep repenting for your sins until the mont your life ends!”
The Law Enforcers stared directly into her terrified eyes and poured boiling water on her lower body.
A death rattle ca from her mouth, but it was just the beginning.
Law Enforcer with an iron comb started to peel off her cooked flesh.
Screams erupted from her.
The servants of the Bang family, who had co to retrieve her remains, closed their eyes tightly.
The Execution Judge shouted at them.
“Go back to the Bang family and report! Tell them the price of trying to influence the main family just because so of their mbers are associated with us!”
The servants collapsed to their knees on the spot.
“Watch and listen here carefully, then report back! Let them know the end of the criminal who dared to disturb the order of the main family!”
Besides her, all those under Court Lady Seomun received the death penalty.
Each scread as they endured the terrible punishnts.
People gathered in the Central Square, both voluntarily and involuntarily, watched this scene in fear and trembling.
So mocked, pointed fingers, and laughed at the criminals.
Court Lady Seomun, eventually completely skinned, was hung up like a flag at one of the entrances of the Central Square.
The servants of the Bang family returned, carrying only the torso of their lady, her flesh completely peeled off and her head severed.
The heads of the criminals, screaming in agony at their deaths, were preserved and displayed in busy areas, with their cris listed beside them, instilling a sense of caution in all who passed by.
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