It was the worst.
Everything was a ss.
The female executive committee mber involuntarily clutched her head.
Although she had not been a committee mber for long, she had faced every kind of battlefield in her life.
She had defeated countless enemies, overthrown powerful political adversaries, and received both fear and respect from all.
Now, as an executive committee mber, she pursued naless honor, aspiring to endless dedication.
To her, that was what being an executive committee mber ant.
That was what the Supre Operating Council represented.
Those who worked for everything, not for themselves but for the Luoyang Sword House, without seeking fa or glory.
Those who had successfully managed and grown the Luoyang Sword House amidst crises following the absence of the family head.
Those who, while above the family laws, never abused their power, maintaining fairness and balance, earning recognition from everyone.
Until this very dawn, her belief in this had been unwavering.
At her age, looking towards twilight, what more could there be to surprise her?
But now, in this mont, in this place.
She felt the foundation of that belief shaking.
* * *
The two new executive committee mbers had reached the pinnacle in the great Luoyang Sword House.
They realized sothing right after Yeon So-hyeon ntioned original sin.
That up until now, they were the only ones caught up in Yeon So-hyeons web, ranting in anger.
That they were the only ones who had objected when Yeon So-hyeon demanded his confinent be lifted.
And that they were standing before a terrible truth.
With a trembling voice, she asked,
Original sin? Can soone please explain?
Yeon So-hyeon was the first to speak.
Do you still not understand when these etings I attended started not being recorded, or couldnt be recorded?
At least I understand its related to that original sin.'
As Yeon So-hyeon was about to speak again, the chairmans voice rang out.
From the beginning, our etings with the Eldest Young Master could not be recorded.
From the beginning?
The Supre Operating Council has been established through a single lie until now.
Yeon So-hyeon snorted.
Chairman. Dont you think its grossly insufficient to rely call it a lie?
Indeed, it is.
The chairman readily admitted.
He addressed the two new executive committee mbers.
Its a story of those who committed an unforgivable fraud, an unacceptable rebellion.
It was an original sin they could never turn away from, no matter when.
A fraud?
A rebellion?
Even in distorted voices, the agitation of the two new executive committee mbers couldnt be hidden.
We were arrogant and foolish. It was an act of outrageous greed, a truly shaless deed.
The female executive committee mber, unable to hold back any longer, pressed the chairman.
What exactly happened?
Instead of answering, the chairman posed a question.
Do you know when this Supre Operating Council was first ford?
The new executive committee mbers responded.
When the family head lost consciousness, the council was ford according to the Sword House law, right? As a asure against the absence of a supre decision-maker in ergencies.
I heard the original na wasnt Supre Operating Council but Ergency Response Council.'
Yes, thats right.
The chairman looked up at the ceiling as if recalling that ti.
Everyone was disoriented, confused. The family head was like an unshakable mountain, and their absence was a terrifying void for us gathered in the ergency council
The two new executive committee mbers also rembered that ti.
Yes, I rember. Thirteen elders, designated in advance, gathered, and all the martial forces remaining in the family guarded the place tightly.
Most who were unaware of the situation experienced severe chaos and fear.
The chairman nodded and then asked,
What was the first thing we had to do in that situation?
Before announcing the family heads condition to the entire family, we needed to establish a plan, didnt we?
And to do that, we first had to decide on the highest decision-maker, right?
Then, as per the ceremonial hierarchy, the Eldest Young Master would be appointed as the acting family head
But I heard the Eldest Young Master refused the acting head position due to being under confinent by the family head. So, the ergency response council at the ti
Could it be?
Fraud.
Rebellion.
Original sin.
A shaful history.
The reason why etings with Yeon So-hyeon could never be recorded from the beginning.
Yeon So-hyeon, who ridiculed and called them thieves for claiming their positions were legitimately and justly attained.
The words they heard in this eting seed to strike their minds with force.
It cant be, can it? Chairman, please tell my hypothesis that just ca to mind is wrong.
Chairman
As no answer ca from the chairman, Yeon So-hyeon grinned twistedly.
Now do you understand? Why, from the beginning, what was discussed in the etings I attended couldnt be recorded?
The two new executive committee mbers looked pale as they couldnt take their eyes off Yeon So-hyeon.
You deprived of my rightful authority. You usurped a position that rightfully should have been mine.
His smirk twisted even more.
Supre Operating Council system? Legitimate procedures? Justifiable positions? All these years of excellent performance?
Contempt and hatred that he had harbored for a long ti finally showed on his face.
How dare a re band of thieves, a handful of fraudsters!
Though Yeon So-hyeon insulted them and disrespected the council, this ti, none of the new executive committee mbers could utter a word.
You didnt even tell about my fathers collapse! Instead, you spread the false fact that I had given up my succession rights!
He spat out his anger.
Then you conveniently pushed father aside as the forr family head and appointed yourselves as temporary family heads!
His outcry, though devoid of inner power, was filled with a chilling determination more daunting than any masters.
You thought that by doing so, I, who was in confinent, wouldnt be able to act rashly! I still rember when I was first summoned to this council!
He shouted as if spitting blood.
You told that day! Not to act rashly in the tumultuous tis of the family! That if I spoke out, it could lead to a civil war, so I should wait quietly!
The two executive committee mbers swallowed hard.
It was a threat beyond their wildest imagination.
You promised that day! Just wait a little, and once the chaos subsides, you would hand over the position to !
Yeon So-hyeon stepped out of the sunlight illuminating the center of the cave.
That was your first promise to !
He strode into the darkness, approaching the executive committee mbers.
But soon you transford the family into a Supre Operating Council and began running it officially!
In the darkness, his eyes seed to flash fiercely.
And I have waited ten years since that first promise!
He roared.
Can you fulfill that promise even now?!
All the executive committee mbers were silent.
They hung their heads, simring in thought.
It was a promise that could no longer be kept.
A reality where the promise was unattainable.
It was an impossible demand, now that other successors had grown and gained power.
* * *
Yeon So-hyeon stood in the darkness, looking up at the ceiling.
He knew all along they couldnt keep their promise.
He had lost interest in them.
As everyone maintained their silence, he dusted off the dirt from his plain white clothes.
The dust whirled up, leaving ugly yellowish stains on his garnts.
The chairmans voice echoed again.
On the day the ergency council first t. Soone said it. We can do much better than a child not even ten years old.
A heavier silence settled.
This great family should no longer be swayed by one person.
The chairman continued with difficulty.
Who first voiced that opinion, I still dont know. But it didnt take long for that opinion to beco everyones.
In the cave, only the old mans voice echoed mournfully.
By gathering opinions together, we convinced ourselves that we could further develop the family.
The old mans shadow clenched a bony fist.
Thus, at that ti, we announced that the Eldest Young Master had refused the position of acting family head.
It was a terrible lie.
An irreversible, massive lie.
They effectively imprisoned Yeon So-hyeon, who was living in seclusion, in Wongak Pavilion.
The new male executive committee mber shook his head.
I cant accept it. The people who were part of the ergency council, renowned in the family, rebelled for just that reason?
The chairman gave a bitter smile.
What dominated us at the ti was not greed for power. It was an ugly jealousy, the end of a feeling of defeat.
Could it be, the Bloodbath?!
As the word Bloodbath was spoken, Yeon So-hyeon, standing in the darkness, turned around.
He walked back into the sunlight and looked up at it.
Right. At that ti, we were survivors of the Bloodbath. We were never able to escape its aftermath.
The chairman covered his face.
Werent the elders purged at that ti clear enemies of the family?!
And only a few at the top knew the reality of that incident, no one else knew, right?!
The chairman hung his head.
Nevertheless, we couldnt escape the fear of having been defeated by, no, mocked by a re child.
He muttered to himself.
Thats why we wanted to prove ourselves. And so, we committed an unthinkable, irreversible act.
It was thievery.
A fraud.
They didnt inform the Eldest Young Master about his fathers collapse and stole the family from him.
The new male executive committee mber shouted almost like a scream.
But even so, apart from not consulting the Eldest Young Master at that ti, everything thereafter was conducted legitimately, wasnt it?!
At that, Yeon So-hyeon burst into laughter.
Have you still not realized?
What are you talking about?
Yeon So-hyeon pulled an item from his sleeve.
The object glittered golden in the sunlight.
It was the Luoyang Sword Houses head seal, the Sword Houses Golden Seal.
Why I, who was in confinent, had this and still legitimately possess it.
!
The chairmans voice followed.
The family head had arranged for the head seal to be transferred to the Eldest Young Master in case of ergency.
Yeon So-hyeon bared his teeth.
And there were also fathers usual words.
The chairman nodded weakly.
The family head always used to say to us, who were closest, almost like a habit.
He uttered the family heads words like a sigh.
If sothing unexpected happens to , everyone must rember.
He clasped his face.
That Yeon So-hyeon is in this Sword House.
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