I stood there blankly, staring at Dang Iheon’s broad back that blocked half my view. After a moment of tense silence, it was Moyong Pae who finally spoke.
“Is that really true?”
His eyes bored into Dang Iheon, probing, almost predatory. Moyong Muhyeok stayed quiet, as if intending to watch this play out a bit longer, but his gaze was just as fixed on Dang Iheon.
“It is true. That night, since Moyong Yeonhwa was uncomfortable with the crowds, I suggested we take a walk. We chose to meet separately and stroll through the forest path so as not to attract too much attention. Now, because of me, she’s being subjected to this disgrace. It’s honestly mortifying, and I deeply regret it.”
The calmer his voice stayed, the more I could see people waver. Some even let out quiet little gasps, like, Ah, of course!
Dang Iheon’s voice just had that sort of pull. It could make you believe him even if he said the sky was green. For a second, even I almost wondered, wait, did that really happen?
If this bastard ever went into government, he’d run entire provinces with nothing but that silver tongue. Hell, if he turned to outright con artistry, he could probably devour a whole country. It’s unsettling how flawlessly he could lie without so much as a blink.
But then—having someone that dangerous on your side? Nothing more reassuring in the world. Goddamn impressive, my ex-fiancé.
“I did hear of this ‘rumor,’ but I didn’t think anyone would be foolish enough to actually believe such drivel. Truly… it’s both laughable and insulting. It seems some people greatly underestimate the Moyong Clan and the Sichuan Dang Clan.”
The lines between Dang Iheon’s brows tightened. The guy usually looked so steady and gentle, so seeing him openly annoyed made the air practically crackle.
I could tell Moyong Sohae flinched hard. Dang Iheon shot her a glance before continuing.
“Oh, and I suppose there are those wondering how we could be together like that before the wedding?”
“……”
“As you all know, Yeonhwa and I are engaged, and beyond that, we’ve been close since childhood. Sharing time and conversation isn’t exactly something anyone needs to raise an eyebrow at.”
I could feel Moyong Muhyeok’s eyes flick between Dang Iheon’s face and mine. I avoided his look, trying to just look suitably startled, like I was backing up Dang Iheon’s words.
But then I remembered Sahyeon once telling me I was a shitty actor, so I quickly dropped it.
Moyong Pae seemed to weigh his words for a moment, then let out a low, distorted laugh. More like his wrinkled face twisted grotesquely than anything close to smiling.
“Ha ha ha. Young Hero Dang, Young Hero Dang. Please, calm yourself. Who here would be so stiff and old-fashioned to take issue with that? Times have changed, after all.”
…said the old bastard himself.
I bit down on a snort and dipped my head, trying not to laugh outright. Moyong Pae kept up that forced grin as he turned back to Dang Iheon.
“However, since this rumor’s spread so far already, wouldn’t it be easier to silence it if you had some sort of proof?”
“G-Grandfather.”
Moyong Sohae tried to intervene, clearly flustered. But Moyong Pae didn’t know how to retreat if his life depended on it.
“The Moyong Clan and the Sichuan Dang Clan have been like brothers long before this engagement. As the Grand Elder of Moyong Clan, how can I sit by when there’s risk of a stain on the Dang Clan’s good name as well as ours?”
What complete bullshit. And judging by the look on Moyong Sohae’s pale face, she hadn’t signed off on this particular stunt either. She stood there fidgeting like she wanted to vanish.
Should’ve coordinated better with your accomplice before pulling this crap.
Dang Iheon studied Moyong Pae for a long moment, then dropped his next words with a flat, heavy thud.
“Proof? I have none.”
For a split second, Moyong Pae’s face lit up—then immediately soured again. Meanwhile, Sohae looked genuinely stricken.
“No proof, you say?”
“That’s right. None.”
“Well, then that’s rather inconvenient, isn’t—”
“Forgive me, Elder, but haven’t you been having secret meetings with suspicious guests at dawn lately?”
Moyong Pae’s head jerked back like he’d been slapped, eyes wide. Dang Iheon just stood there, stone-faced, and added in the same unyielding voice.
“Seems you haven’t heard the gossip. It’s already quite the talk of the town.”
“That’s… what utter nonsense!”
Truth be told, it was the first I’d heard of it too. But then I realized exactly what Dang Iheon was playing at.
“If it’s nonsense, perhaps you could provide proof to clear it up. It would go a long way toward easing concerns.”
Dang Iheon even offered a polite clasp of his hands, like some smug bastard performing a formal bow. Moyong Pae stood there with his mouth hanging open, like he’d just taken two punches to the gut. Finally, he clenched his teeth and spat out the only answer he could.
“There is… no such proof. If anyone is making accusations, they should be the ones to bring forth evidence…”
Exactly. Whether it was them claiming I’d done something improper or us denying it, neither side had any proof. And since they were the ones who started this, it was on them to back it up.
Dang Iheon just laid that out for him—extremely politely, and also extremely obnoxiously.
“G-Grandfather was only speaking so bluntly out of deep concern for Yeonhwa and the Clan,” Moyong Sohae tried to patch things up with a gentle smile, desperately trying to gather spilled water back into a cup.
I let my gaze drift over to her, feeling a wry little flicker of pity, then drawled,
“Well, I hardly know what to do with myself, with everyone so devotedly worrying about me and the Moyong Clan like this.”
“……”
“Now that you’ve all seen these rumors are complete bull—pardon me, nonsense—and it’s getting late, why don’t we call it a night? Especially for our elders: worries are poison, sleep’s the real medicine. If there’s more to say, let’s have it out tomorrow, with clear heads.”
I put a particular bite into clear heads.
Moyong Muhyeok finally nodded.
“Everyone, return to your duties.”
The crowd hesitated a bit, then slowly dispersed. You could hear mutters like, “Oh right, I’ve got to chop wood at dawn,” and “Ah yes, I’ve still got to scrub the shrine floor early tomorrow…”—probably embarrassed they’d even lingered around for such gossip with no proof to show for it.
With just Young Master Moyong Muhyeok, Moyong Pae, Moyong Sohae, and the two of us left, there was a short, tense standoff. But I was tired, my body still loose from the earlier sparring, and frankly too goddamn exhausted to keep glaring.
“Can’t believe this shit. Anyway, I’m going to go stretch my legs out and get some sleep.”
I flashed a lazy grin and turned. Naturally, Dang Iheon fell in step beside me.
Thinking of how that old bastard was probably grinding his teeth to dust right now, I felt like a century of pent-up stress just drained right out of me.
Of course, I didn’t forget my thanks. Gratitude and apologies—always better delivered sooner than later. I nudged Dang Iheon with my elbow.
“Hey, thanks. You made that a hell of a lot easier. Turns out you’re perfect Young Hero material for a proper orthodox clan—slippery as a snake.”
“Uh… slippery… that’s a compliment, right?”
“Of course it is. Not just a compliment, a high compliment.”
He finally cracked a small laugh.
“It’s only natural I’d stand by my fiancée.”
“Oh? Well, true enough. Would’ve looked pretty damn weird if you hadn’t. Ha. I’d have come off like the foulest woman alive.”
Dang Iheon didn’t answer, just seemed to drift into thought and slowed his pace.
I laced my hands behind my head and ambled on. Now that Moyong Pae’s spirit had been thoroughly crushed again, he’d probably lie low for a bit, scheming up his next plan. I’d deal with that when it came.
“Ahwa. Me… and you…”
Dang Iheon started to say something beside me, but I didn’t catch it—because just then, I felt eyes on me.
My head snapped around. For a heartbeat, I was sure I’d locked eyes with Sahyeon. My mouth almost called out his name.
But the shape in the shadow of the trees vanished like it had never been there. Maybe I was imagining things.
“…Yeonhwa? Ahwa? What’s wrong?”
I blinked.
“Huh? Oh. Uh, nothing. What were you saying? Didn’t quite hear you.”
If that really had been Sahyeon, there was no point dragging Dang Iheon’s eyes over there. I brushed it off.
Dang Iheon just looked at me for a moment, then sighed lightly. Before I knew it, we were at my quarters.
“…It’s nothing. I’ll tell you another time.”
“All right then. Here we are. Go in and get some rest. Maybe press something cool to that side you kicked.”
“Yeah. Thanks for worrying.”
“It’s not worry, it’s treating the bruise I gave you, idiot.”
Seriously. Orthodox clan types always had to phrase it like that.
I punched his shoulder lightly, then turned inside. It was only once I’d stepped in that I realized I was still wearing his cloak. I draped it over a chair, planning to return it later.
Just in case, I stayed up a little, hoping to catch Sahyeon—if that had been him—but he never showed.
* * *
“You think I brought you back here just to have you playing at love games and little courtships?”
Moyong Pae’s voice cracked like a whip. Everyone else had been cleared from the hall. Even Moyong Gyeom was off wasting himself at some brothel, leaving only Moyong Pae and Moyong Sohae in the chamber.
“You boasted you’d break off that engagement yourself. And now look—still no progress. You couldn’t capture one man’s heart, so shouldn’t you at least prove your worth as a woman?”
“……”
“As it stands, there’s no evidence tying this back to us, and on the surface it even looks like we stepped up to quell the rumors, so there’ll be no immediate trouble. But Moyong Wi isn’t a fool. He’ll be more guarded from now on. That’s all on you—useless thing.”
Truth was, none of tonight’s fiasco was actually Moyong Sohae’s fault. It was just Moyong Pae lashing out. She knew it, and she was used to it.
Still, the back of her neck flushed dark red, all her fine hairs standing on end. Her hand inside her sleeve clenched into a white-knuckled fist.
Even now, all she could see was Moyong Yeonhwa draped in that oversized cloak of Dang Iheon’s, standing there like the picture of smug affection. And Dang Iheon had genuinely protected her…!
Just because only one of them could raise their voice didn’t mean Moyong Pae was the only one who could lash out.
“This entire mess is your fault, Grandfather.”
“What did you say?”
“I was waiting for the rumor to reach the Sichuan Dang Clan. But who started stirring things up without a word to me? Was I so far beneath you you couldn’t even discuss it? Couldn’t even give me the courtesy of coordination?”
“You… insolent wretch—!”
“Oh, I’m not done yet. Listen closely, then curse me. You leaped up like your ass was on fire—what exactly did that gain us? You even ruined the quiet groundwork I’d been laying. Now that Dang Iheon’s openly sided with that woman, it won’t matter if the rumor does reach Sichuan. And after all that, you drag me here just to hurl insults. Does that seem fair to you?”
Moyong Sohae was nearly panting. The air between them stretched razor taut. A killing aura seeped off Moyong Pae in slow, suffocating waves. With no martial arts foundation, she struggled just to breathe—but clenched her jaw and held firm.
He glared at her, spitting each word like venom.
“So… you mean to stand here and humiliate your own grandfather? Is that it? How dare you?”
“All I’m saying is if you can’t help me, then don’t take it out on me!”
Her voice cracked into a shrill rasp.
“You were the one who always told me: it’s the predator who can wait that snatches the biggest prey. But now you can’t even wait yourself—how do you expect to pull off anything grand? Nobody wants Moyong Yeonhwa cut out of this family more than I do.”
For a moment, Moyong Pae actually fell silent, stunned by his granddaughter’s words. Because she wasn’t wrong. And waiting was something he understood intimately; he’d spent a lifetime crouched inside the Moyong Clan’s shadow.
In calmer days, he would’ve weighed her plan, maybe taken a colder, cleverer path.
“…Don’t tell me. Are you actually running scared now?”
Moyong Sohae’s voice dropped to a hush, her face tightening. Even with every ear cleared from the room, it was a risky thing to say.
Moyong Pae glared down into his cooling tea, then stood. His hands clasped behind his back, he took a few stiff, restless steps.
Instead of answering, he muttered to himself in a low, eerie growl.
“That wretched Moyong Yeonhwa… let’s see if she’s still so arrogant after Moyong Muhyeok’s birthday feast.”
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