While I moved toward the most deserted storage area, I subtly checked that the dagger hidden in my clothes was still secure. Hopefully, I wouldn’t need to use it.
This bastard had brushed aside my restraining arm far too easily. My once-tiny inner energy was now barely the size of a grain of rice, and all I’d done as Moyong Yeonhwa was some basic strength training. No way could I overpower someone like him.
Tension crawled up my spine fast.
I wasn’t the only one suspicious. This guy was clearly suspicious of me too.
I’d just meant to figure out who was backing him and what his plan was to get to Moyong Muhyeok. But this bastard turned out to be far stronger than I expected—and he’d even caught on that something was wrong with me.
Long story short, this was royally fucked.
Sahyeon stopped in a shadowy corner, rolled his neck around, and stretched. Once that hunched, unimpressive posture straightened out, he seemed to grow a whole head and a half taller than me.
Shit. Seriously, this guy was huge.
“I figured something was weird, but I didn’t think My Lady would actually catch on to me. How’d you know?”
Like hell I’d tell him. I stared him down and finally answered.
“Call it a good hunch. I’ve been around the block more times than you’d think.”
“Oh, sure. You definitely hit ‘the block’—or was it the stream—a little while back, right?”
A joke, even now. He obviously didn’t see me as a threat.
Sure enough, he took a step closer. I almost flinched back but forced myself to stand still.
“But here’s the thing. The Moyong Yeonhwa I’ve heard of couldn’t possibly pull something like this off. You really not going to tell me? Because if you don’t, I’ll have to assume you’re a fake.”
“Believe what you want. I already answered.”
“Okay, then where’s the real Moyong Yeonhwa? That’s the question keeping me up at night.”
He sounded genuinely tormented, like this was bothering him. His tone was playful and light, without the slightest hint of menace. His hands were even empty.
But I knew better. If he decided to kill me, he could do it barehanded. Would I even be able to dodge when those hands moved?
I swallowed hard. He took another step, close enough that I could feel his breath. I glared into that still-smiling face and spoke.
“You’ve got it all wrong. I am Moyong Yeonhwa.”
“Ohh. Sure. Denial works. I like riddles anyway. Figuring out why the Moyong family’s precious youngest daughter suddenly turned into someone else could be worth a lot.”
“You a broker or something?”
“Among other things. Gotta make that money while I’m young.”
Sahyeon smiled faintly and reached out. I couldn’t stand it—I jerked back and whipped out my dagger. But he only touched behind my ear, pressing lightly. My blade was already at his throat.
If he even twitched to channel inner energy, I’d take us both out.
But after a moment, he withdrew his hand and gave a careless shrug.
“Huh. The body seems legit. Not some disguise technique. I can’t figure it out. You really won’t tell me?”
“Put your hands on me again and I’ll actually kill you.”
“Oh, that could be fun too.”
He was toying with me. Fury rose from deep in my gut, but my mind stayed icy. When your life was on the line, your belly burned hot and your head turned cold—that habit had saved me many times before.
I shoved him hard. He could’ve resisted easily, but he let himself be pushed back.
“If I screamed right now, you’d never get out of here in one piece.”
“Mmm. I wouldn’t just stand still either. Who’d be more screwed, you think?”
“Guess we’d have to find out.”
I opened my left hand, revealing a tiny pouch hooked on my middle finger—something I’d lifted right off his belt while he’d gotten close.
I hadn’t stood there frozen for no reason. Back in the day, I could steal the coins out of a man’s underpants. Don’t underestimate a former back-alley rat.
“Don’t know what’s in here, but I bet you’d hate for it to get out. Is it what you were planning to use to assassinate the Young Master?”
This had been nagging at me for a while. The more I thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
When I’d wiped out the Moyong clan, Moyong Muhyeok hadn’t even been alive.
If a healthy, martial-arts-trained Young Master had died young, there would’ve been whispers. I hadn’t heard any rumors of sudden illness, either.
So I figured maybe the culprit was nearby.
Sahyeon looked at the pouch in surprise, then chuckled.
“So the precious jewel of the Moyong family has sticky fingers.”
“And the servant of that jewel was busy climbing over walls.”
“He probably learned it from his light-fingered mistress. Plus, that mistress is playing at being the youngest daughter, so what’s a little wall-hopping? Could even be a demonic cultist for all we know. Right?”
I forced my face to smooth out and laughed lightly, hiding how close it was to twisting.
“Who do you think the Moyong family would believe?”
Sahyeon stared, then gave a derisive smile.
“Sounds like you trust them a lot. Gotten attached? Always been the sentimental type?”
Dripping sarcasm.
What bullshit. It was just… I knew how much they cared for Moyong Yeonhwa.
And somehow, that made my chest tighten. I tucked the pouch deep inside my clothes.
“So? Want me to shout and see what happens?”
“That could be fun too, but wouldn’t it be a shame to wake everyone up? Guess I’ll have to silence you for good—out of gentlemanly duty.”
Gentleman, my ass. That was the fanciest way I’d ever heard someone say they’d kill me.
If I were him, I’d do the same. Kill me now to shut me up and keep playing servant. Then disappear.
I didn’t dare even blink. That could be all it took to lose my head.
A brief silence fell as we locked eyes. Each of us held something over the other—but he also held my literal life in his hands. So I was still at the disadvantage.
I calmly stepped closer, like I had something up my sleeve.
“If you kill me to shut me up, you’ll blow whatever mission you’ve been working so hard for. Whoever hired you won’t be happy. They’ll hunt you to the ends of hell. Moyong family too.”
“Why are you so sure I’m working for someone?”
“If it were personal, you wouldn’t be going about it like this.”
Sahyeon studied me with faint interest. I moved in even closer.
“You’ve made a mistake. If I’m not Moyong Yeonhwa, there’s no guarantee I didn’t secretly learn martial arts. Or that I’m alone.”
He didn’t look too shaken, but he definitely watched me more closely.
Bluffing would keep me alive.
Eventually, he stepped half a pace back and lifted both hands.
“So. Now we’re both holding something delicate of the other’s.”
…Why did he phrase it like that? Most people just said “weak point.”
Still, he wasn’t wrong. I nodded. Neither of us belonged here, and we were the only ones who knew.
Sahyeon gave a sly grin.
“Alright. Since we’re such close confidants now, let’s each say what we want.”
I didn’t even have to think.
“Forget the Young Master.”
Sahyeon’s brows drooped into a wry expression.
“That’s a problem. I need to make a living too.”
“There’s plenty of rice in the Moyong stores. Stuff your face.”
“Charming offer, but I don’t plan to stay a servant forever.”
Fair enough.
No way this would work if I only demanded he back off. It’s not like I could beat him into submission.
He just kept smiling like he was enjoying this, waiting for my next words.
“…I need to stay here safely for a while. That means I need Moyong Muhyeok alive.”
“So you want me to behave for ‘a while,’ huh?”
“Exactly.”
Basically, we’d pretend we hadn’t seen anything.
“You’ll have to be more specific. If my clients stop trusting me, what then?”
“Not my problem. If they chase you down and kill you, I’ll thank them.”
“Wow, that’s real demonic-sect talk. Are you sure you’re not from one?”
Didn’t bother answering. What else would I be?
Sahyeon no longer looked nervous—he was back to smirking shamelessly.
“So while I leave the Young Master alone, you’ll leave me alone? I guess I can stick around here a bit longer. The food’s good… and there are some interesting things here.”
Couldn’t argue about the food. The kitchen here was excellent.
We didn’t know each other’s full identities yet. But one thing was certain: neither of us should be in the Moyong household.
If I couldn’t cleanly kill him off now, a deal was the best option. Besides, if I killed him, someone else would just come—and I’d have to figure them out all over again.
A pact it was.
“I’ll be watching you. Try anything, and you’re done.”
He laughed and offered me his pinky. What, wanted me to cut it? When I asked, he recoiled.
“It’s a pinky promise.”
“Yeah. A promise that if you break it, I’ll slice it off.”
“That’s… not usually how that goes. You’re definitely not Moyong Yeonhwa.”
For whatever reason, he let out a long sigh. Looked at me almost pityingly. It pissed me off.
“Whatever finger it is, I don’t link them with masked bastards. Take off that creepy shell first.”
“Oh, you spotted that too.”
Sahyeon’s eyes sparkled like he was genuinely amused. Then he suddenly leaned in close, studying my face. His breath brushed my skin, freezing me.
After a few seconds, he stepped back into the moonlight and ran a hand down his throat.
Then his face—no, the skin mask—peeled off.
Beneath was a face like sculpted jade. Dark, fathomless eyes, sharp brows, high nose, tight lips. An almost annoyingly handsome man, with laughter still lurking in his gaze.
“How is it?”
“What is?”
“Handsome, right? Did you fall for me at first sight?”
Thanks to three very special teachers in my past life, I’d learned to tune out pure bullshit.
“Do you know why hardly anyone’s ever seen my real face?”
“Why should I care?”
“Because people who do either end up dead… or married to me.”
“I’d rather die. And trust me, that’s saying something.”
“Not even considering marriage? That stings.”
He acted hurt but clearly wasn’t. Somehow that handsome face made it more infuriating.
Then footsteps echoed from down the hall. My heart plummeted.
“Get lost. We’ll finish this another time.”
“Aww. I could stay a bit longer.”
“Shut it. You pull anything and I’ll take us both out. Got it?”
I shoved him into the darkness and rounded the corner, schooling my expression. The footsteps belonged to Hyanga. Hair still messy from sleep, she jumped when she saw me and ran over.
“My Lady, why are you out here in different clothes? This far from your room…”
I shot a glance back. Sahyeon was already gone, swallowed by the dark.
“Oh, uh. A rat! Thought I’d catch one. Little martial arts practice.”
Not a lie. I had come out to catch a rat. Even if to the Moyong family, I was the bigger rat.
Hyanga’s face turned white.
“A rat! Oh heavens!”
“Don’t worry, I chased it—”
“Chased it? Should’ve beaten it dead on the spot!”
“What?”
She immediately ran into the storage room, grabbed a thick club, rolled up her sleeves, and came back.
“Where is it, My Lady? I’ll wipe out every last one tonight!”
“Uh. It was huge. And I dunno where it went. Ran off. Yawn… I’m so tired. Got that dawn training too.”
I barely managed to drag her back.
When I finally made it to my room and shut the door, my legs gave out. Exhausted. Completely drained. Why was this so hard?
I crawled to bed. On my pillow sat a small note.
You’re a terrible actress.
That bastard.
