I stared at Dang Iheon’s dead-serious face and the first question that jumped to mind flew straight out of my mouth.
“You got a death wish or something?”
This was so fucking ridiculous it actually gave me a headache. I was exhausted enough to drop dead, and here he was, making me rehash the same damn conversation all over again. Didn’t he just say he respected my wishes?
Maybe he’d braced himself for this reaction, because instead of looking rattled, he calmly explained.
“I’m not teasing you, Yeonhwa. Just hear me out first.”
“Fine. Spit it out.”
I leaned back, arms crossed. I’d hear him out—and if he started spouting nonsense, I was fully prepared to flip the table and deck him right there.
“First off, you don’t want to get married, and honestly, I don’t think I’m ready to take a wife either. But the fact is, our families have had this engagement in place for way too long.”
“Yeah, everybody knows that.”
“Right. But if you’re the one to break it off first, the Dang Clan probably won’t take it well. It could even strain the old alliance between the Sichuan Dang Clan and the Moyong Clan.”
“Hmm.”
I gave him a lazy nod. Frankly, not my problem. I wasn’t planning to stick around here long enough to care about the fallout, or to even have the right to worry about it.
Of course, Dang Iheon didn’t know that, so I kept my mouth shut and let him go on.
“So I was thinking… why not use each other as a shield for now? That way nobody’s going to start scrambling to find either of us another match.”
“Another match?”
“Yeah. I mean, we’re both at prime marriage age.”
Fair enough. If we officially broke things off, people would be crawling out of the woodwork trying to pair me off again—babbling about carrying on the family line or how old I was getting.
“So I think it’d be easier if I was the one to slowly raise the idea of ending things. That way the Dang Clan could ease into it.”
“And then the Moyong Clan would be pissed at you instead.”
“You’re the Clan Head’s only precious daughter. If you tell them you just don’t want to be locked up in the Dang Clan, they’ll probably cave. Sure, they might look for another match eventually, but they’re not going to toss you into some backwater nightmare.”
I found myself studying Dang Iheon more closely.
Huh. I thought he was just winging it, running away from the mess he’d made—but turns out he’d thought it all through. In its own way…
“So you really don’t want to marry me either, huh.”
“Cough—!”
Dang Iheon started hacking like he’d swallowed a bug, face going bright red as he stared at me like I was nuts. Yeah, bet you didn’t expect me to be that sharp, huh? Moyong Yeonhwa probably never was.
“Yeonhwa! That’s not what I—!”
“Anyway, good to know we’re on the same page.”
I leaned over and gave his shoulder a consoling pat. Guy clearly racked his brain trying not to screw me over—he deserved a little positive reinforcement. I was always fair with rewards and punishments, even back when I was the Sect Master.
But for some reason, Dang Iheon didn’t look too pleased. Maybe I’d said “I really don’t want to marry you either” a bit too bluntly for a friend? Hard to tell. I’d never had friends.
I thought it over. Then finally dredged up what sounded like typical friendly banter and tried it out in a gentle tone.
“So… Iheon?”
“Yeah, Yeonhwa.”
“Someday, once I’m strong enough to be worth a damn, let’s spar. I’ll make sure you crawl back to Sichuan in tears.”
Dang Iheon looked so touched by that he couldn’t even get a word out, just sat there with his mouth slightly open. I rubbed under my nose and stood.
Damn, I really was good with words. If I’d picked up a brush instead of a sword in my last life, I probably would’ve gone far.
That solved this headache of a problem and even kept things friendly with him. Now all I had to do was scrub myself clean and pass out for a few days. I practically skipped out of the reception room.
***
A throwing knife sliced straight through the center of the tree, blowing out wood like a tiny explosion. You’d never guess just a single little blade had done it.
It was proof of the sheer internal force packed into that narrow edge. If the target had been a person instead of a tree, they’d have dropped dead on the spot.
At Dang Iheon’s gesture, the dagger ripped back through the air with a violent hiss and snapped into his hand.
It was one of the throwing knives he’d had since childhood. The only gift his usually stern, tight-lipped father ever gave him—and thus the last. He couldn’t even imagine life without it anymore.
Now he floated three daggers up into the air. They just hovered there, humming softly, like waiting dogs. At his command, they’d sink into whatever he pointed them at, clean and lethal.
That’s when he sensed someone. The dagger tips instantly swung around.
“It’s me.”
“…”
Dang Iheon answered by snatching the blades out of the air in a blur, so fast they practically vanished. Then they were just gone, hidden somewhere in his wide sleeves.
The visitor didn’t even flinch. It was Dang Ri, dispatched with Dang Iheon from the Dang Clan to assist in the investigation. He also happened to be a sixth cousin.
“We did as you said—checked with the Beggar’s Union and spread out feelers. But anyone who actually witnessed the transactions, or handled the poison directly… they’re dead. Or vanished.”
“All of them?”
“Yes. Now there are only rampant rumors that the Dang Clan’s been trafficking deadly poisons. No solid proof to confirm it, or disprove it.”
So it really did all come down to catching the real culprit impersonating the Dang Clan.
Dang Iheon’s eyes darkened. He’d been here quite a while already, and still they had no solid leads. It was starting to grate on him.
That’s when Dang Ri lowered his voice almost to a whisper.
“There’s even a rumor the Sichuan Dang Clan’s been secretly selling poison to the enemy to plot against the Imperial Family. The situation is… more serious than we thought.”
Just rumors. Everyone in the Dang Clan—including Dang Iheon—knew the clan would never do that.
But the Sichuan Dang Clan was notoriously closed off, and their reputation for poison and hidden weapons made people uneasy.
If this spiraled into public panic, if the clan caught the Imperial Family’s ire—could they really keep the peace just by hiding behind old agreements?
No wonder Dang Iheon felt the weight of it all pressing on him. As the strongest contender for next Clan Head, it all sat squarely on his shoulders.
Dang Ri seemed to sense his gloom and exhaled. Then, like trying to change the subject, he asked,
“I didn’t go out of my way to eavesdrop, but I ended up hearing anyway. Are you planning to break off the engagement?”
Dang Iheon stayed silent. He just pulled an old throwing knife from his sleeve and stared at it. The one from his father—the oldest, most familiar one.
He’d received it the same day he first met Yeonhwa. At a grand gathering of the five major clans.
Six-year-old Moyong Yeonhwa had stood there in the middle of all that stiff pomp and ceremony and flatly declared,
‘This is boring!’
She was all dolled up like a blooming peony, lips pressed tight in a stubborn line, then abruptly leapt to her feet. All eyes—elders, children, heirs—swung to her at once.
She was only six. But Moyong Yeonhwa didn’t flinch under those stares. Instead, she announced again.
‘I’m going outside to play!’
Even the kids were sitting primly, knowing how important this gathering was. So was Dang Iheon—he’d only that morning inherited his father’s knives, proof he was favored over all his brothers to be the heir. The pressure was crushing.
And then Moyong Yeonhwa pointed straight at him. Of course it had to be him—he was the only kid her age there.
‘You! Come play with me.’
Dang Iheon broke into a cold sweat, mentally chanting his father’s orders not to shame the clan.
Lady Eon and Moyong Muhyeok tried to soothe Yeonhwa, but it backfired spectacularly. She started bawling at full volume like a little general.
‘It’s boring! I’m leaving!’
So Dang Iheon had to take her outside. She clung to his green sleeve the whole time, tears streaming, looking up at him with pitiful eyes.
They ended up awkwardly sitting by a pond, watching fish. Played house when she wanted. Kids were simple—unlike adults, becoming friends was easy.
At the next gathering, and the next after that, they’d wave happily to each other and run off to catch fish or draw in the dirt.
Yeonhwa cried easily—but laughed just as easily. If Dang Iheon sat beside her and told silly stories, she’d forget her tears instantly. A bright kid like that was a rarity in the Dang Clan, and he cherished her for it.
The elders, seeing them like that, had joked about a marriage match. As the years passed, it stopped being a joke. Especially once Moyong Yeonhwa developed her little crush, the betrothal became all but set in stone.
“Brother?”
Dang Ri had to call again before Dang Iheon finally spoke. His lips curved in the faintest smile.
“No. I’m not breaking off the engagement.”
***
A week passed in such peace, it was like all that earlier chaos never happened.
Every now and then groups of clan members stomped around claiming they were hunting for whoever beat up Moyong Gyeom. Some even showed up at my quarters with questions.
Was it awkward? Nope. Not at all. The whole thing was so perfunctory, there was hardly anything to answer.
Had I seen Moyong Gyeom getting attacked? Did he smell like booze? They always ended with the same line.
‘You don’t remember, do you?’
So I only had to say one thing.
‘Yup.’
It was obvious no one was actually trying to find the real culprit. Even Elder Pae stayed surprisingly quiet.
“Maybe he was so humiliated he just took to bed,” I said around a mouthful of cinnamon rice cake. Hyangah rolled her shoulders in a ‘yeah right’ shrug.
“He’s not that sort, my lady. Who knows when he’ll cause trouble again, so please be careful. Try to hold back even if something upsets you.”
“You’ve got guts, you know that? Talking like that about a big shot Elder.”
“Well, he’s not standing right here, is he? I’ve got a mouth, I may as well use it.”
“Fair point.”
Yeah, I liked Hyangah’s attitude. She nagged a lot, but she was firmly on my side, which counted for more.
“Once I finish this, I’m heading out. Don’t come looking.”
“You’re not off to train again, are you?”
“I am.”
Hyangah squinted at me, then suddenly leaned in and whispered.
“If there’s something I’m supposed to keep secret—please, tell me now.”
What the hell was that supposed to mean? I just blinked. She sighed in frustration and added,
“Like if you’re sneaking out somewhere, or meeting someone…!”
“Uh… well, not exactly sneaking out. But yeah, it’s a secret place. Can’t tell you where. Someone showed it to me, but not sure if they’ll even be there today.”
I answered honestly.
“Someone showed you…? Is… is it a man?”
She looked so horrified I almost laughed. But I just stuck to the facts.
“Yeah, a man.”
“Oh, heavens. Oh dear lord.”
Hyangah slapped a hand over her mouth like she was seeing her child come home corrupted. I just dusted off my hands and stood.
But right then, someone shuffled outside and knocked.
“S-s-sahyeon here.”
The hell? How did he always pop up the second someone mentioned him?
Sahyeon came in wearing that bland, featureless mask. I’d gotten so used to seeing his real face that it actually looked weirder now.
He brought two bits of news that surprised me. One, Lady Eon was looking for me. And two…
“Sohae’s back?”
“Y-yes.”
“That… that’s Moyong Dog’s sister, right?”
Hyangah stifled a laugh and nodded.
The fuck? I thought she wasn’t coming back—off on that prayer retreat thing?
I shot Sahyeon a look. He just awkwardly shrugged, clearly as surprised as I was. Some intelligence network he ran, tsk tsk.
“So why the hell do I have to go greet her?”
“Uh, well… she returned from praying for the clan’s safety, so Madam thought it best if you two shared some tea…”
“Did I say I wanted that? Unreal.”
I grumbled, but I still dragged myself after Sahyeon in my training clothes. Too damn tired to argue.
Sahyeon murmured low enough that Hyangah wouldn’t hear.
“You didn’t forget what I warned you about, right?”
How the hell was I supposed to know what he meant when he talked so damn much?
Before I could dredge it up, a palanquin rolled to a stop in front of us.
The first thing I saw was a bright, elegant swirl of yellow skirts. Delicate feet touched down lightly. Even just that told me how graceful and polished Moyong Sohae must be.
Finally, she stepped fully into view…
“Pretty.”
She was gorgeous. And then her eyes met mine, almost like she heard me. I braced for a glare—but instead, her soft face bloomed into a smile, sweet as moonflowers.
“Sister! I missed you so much!”
Before I could even react, she was running straight at me, throwing herself into my arms like an armful of blossoms.
I, very naturally, froze. I’d never had anything like this. Not in this life, not the last.
“You missed me too, didn’t you, sister? You’ll stay with me all day today, right?”
Faced with those sparkling eyes, I… accidentally nodded.
What the actual hell is this?
