Chaos erupted within the Briol royal palace.
An assassin had infiltrated the palace last night, targeting Joshua.
Fortunately, the intruder was repelled, but the very fact that the Empire had sent a killer stirred a tense, volatile atmosphere inside the palace.
Even Rosso, the usually cheerful captain of the royal guards, furrowed his brow in grim displeasure.
“Sir Rosso, why the scowl today? You usually wear a smile.”
“Didn’t you hear the news from last night?”
“Ah, so you’re angry because of that. I understand. If those Empire bastards weren’t part of the royal guard, I’d send them straight to the front lines myself…”
“That’s not it.”
“Oh? Then what is it?”
“Didn’t you hear? I was the one who took down the assassin.”
“Wait, are you seriously wearing a smug look?”
“Not just smug—stern and impressive.”
“Ah, of course.”
As such conversations echoed throughout the palace, Yekaterina, now a guest of Briol, was enjoying tea in the garden with Elaine.
Elaine spoke first.
“They say an assassin came last night.”
“Really? What happened?”
“They stopped it.”
“I see.”
Yekaterina nodded, lifting her cup to sip the tea. A faint flush tinted her lips.
Watching her, Elaine said quietly, “I think I need to move.”
“Hm?”
“There’s a time constraint communicating with the front lines. This is urgent—I can’t just wait around.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m heading east.”
Elaine fixed Yekaterina with a steady gaze.
“It was always the plan. I’ll leave for the East immediately and gather reinforcements.”
“Understood.”
“Until then, please take care, Your Highness.”
“Are you staring at me that intently?”
“I won’t see you for a while.”
No matter Yekaterina’s temperament, it was undeniable that her face was a work of art.
Elaine held her gaze, wanting to imprint that beauty in her memory.
“I don’t know how things will unfold, but if I see Your Highness again while I’m away, I sincerely wish you well.”
“Oh, thank you.”
“I mean it.”
Elaine had known Yuri Briol as both investor and partner.
An extraordinary man.
If anyone could handle Yekaterina, it would be Yuri Briol.
“I’m rooting for you, Your Highness.”
“That sounds a bit suspicious, but I’ll take it as thanks for now.”
“Suspicious?”
“Right?”
“You’re sharp. Heh…”
Elaine chuckled softly.
Though she genuinely supported them, she also anticipated that if Yuri and Yekaterina united, the stock of Elaine Trading Company would skyrocket.
If Briol won the war, Yekaterina would be the only royal bloodline worthy of continuing the Empire’s legacy.
The war hero Yuri Briol, destined to hold the world’s power, and the fallen yet still most noble beauty of the continent, Yekaterina.
Their union would be monumental.
What if Yuri quietly revealed he was co-chairman of Elaine Trading Company?
She could retire without regrets.
Elaine indulged in this sweet dream, trying to mask the daunting journey ahead in the East.
“Heh, heh… I’ll leave for the East when the time comes.”
“You don’t sound eager.”
“It won’t be easy. Ugh…”
Securing deals in the East was no simple task.
This time, it wasn’t goods they sought, but people.
They had to buy lives.
Perhaps the martial artists of the East, feeling insulted, might even come at them with blades.
“Then before you go, meet the Easterners here in the palace.”
“Easterners?”
“Haven’t you seen them?”
“No. Are there Easterners here? Besides Moyongchan?”
“Yes. I met one during a walk yesterday. He said some flattering things, so we exchanged a few words.”
“What kind of things…?”
Yekaterina lowered her voice, almost like a man’s.
“‘You are so beautiful that fish forget to swim and sink, and wild geese forget to flap their wings and fall!’”
“Hm…”
“‘The moon and flowers will be so ashamed they’ll hide their faces!’”
“I see.”
“‘I thought the Three Phoenixes of the Eastern martial world were the most beautiful, but there’s a heaven above heaven!’”
“Alright. But if he’s Eastern, his continental language is surprisingly good.”
“Yes.”
“Though I’m skeptical, I’ll meet him.”
Yekaterina rose from her seat.
“Shall we go now?”
She led Elaine somewhere, followed by palace attendants.
After a short walk, they arrived at the training grounds.
There, sitting cross-legged and reading a book, was an Easterner.
Yekaterina called out his name.
“Cheongun?”
He sprang to his feet and bowed deeply.
“Your Highness.”
He was Cheongun, leader of the ronin unit hired by Yuri.
“Even more beautiful than before, Your Highness.”
“Thank you.”
“In the East, there’s a saying about a beauty that can topple a nation.”
“What does it mean?”
“To explain that meaning…”
Their conversation grew lengthy, and Elaine interjected.
“That’s enough. Let’s talk about going East.”
“You are…?”
“I’m Elaine.”
Cheongun nodded upon hearing her name, then bowed again.
“Pleased to meet you, Elaine. I’ve heard about you.”
“You have?”
Elaine sensed something unusual about Cheongun.
His continental language was flawless.
He was clearly Eastern, and when he pronounced ‘beauty that topples a nation,’ his native tongue’s accent shone through, yet his continental speech was perfectly natural—as if he’d lived here for years.
Elaine found him intriguing.
“Who told you about me?”
“His Majesty.”
“What did he say?”
“That you will soon take me with you to the East.”
Her eyes widened.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Elaine realized Yuri had already prepared new talent for her journey East.
“What else did he say?”
“Hmm…”
Cheongun blinked.
“I’ll tell you separately. My apologies, Your Highness.”
“That’s fine. You two talk.”
“Thank you.”
Yekaterina excused herself.
Cheongun said, “Shall we walk and talk? The Briol palace is a lovely place for a stroll.”
“Alright.”
They wandered through the palace grounds, occasionally greeted by guards or attendants.
“You’ll be useful in the East, since you speak the language well. But I doubt His Majesty sent you to me for that alone.”
“Hm?”
Cheongun looked flustered.
“What do you mean?”
“I’m a prodigy, quick to learn new languages. I only recently learned the continental tongue. His Majesty trusts my intellect and…”
“Don’t joke.”
“Yes.”
Cheongun smiled.
“I have information from His Majesty. With it, it won’t be impossible for Eastern martial artists to come on an expedition to this distant Western land.”
“What information?”
Elaine’s expression brightened.
They had planned to bring warriors from the East, but the odds seemed slim. Who would welcome a sudden call to fight in a faraway land? Such a proposal might even endanger her.
But Cheongun seemed to hold the key.
“There’s a relic of the Eastern martial world in the Empire.”
“A relic?”
“In the East, there’s a group everyone fears and hates. They bring bloodshed and madness with their dark magic. They’re called the Demonic Sect.”
“The Demonic Sect…”
Elaine had heard whispers of them in the East.
“Their leader is the Celestial Demon.”
“You’re saying he’s in the Empire?”
“Yes. And along with the Celestial Demon, the Empire holds the Demonic Sect’s forbidden manual. Here, it’s called the ‘Demonic Grimoire.’”
“Ah…”
Elaine gasped.
She hadn’t realized that cursed grimoire’s influence reached the East.
Cheongun continued.
“If it becomes known that these two exist in the West, and that the West seeks to wield their power, Eastern martial artists won’t stand idly by.”
“Will they really come?”
“Yes. The Martial Alliance isn’t just talk—they sense their own peril keenly. They’ll know the Empire’s victory threatens the East’s safety.”
“I see. But…”
Elaine voiced her concern.
“Will they believe us in the East?”
Having lived as a merchant, she’d seen all kinds of people and political intrigue. People often deny truths they don’t want to accept.
They might even react with hostility.
Cheongun smiled reassuringly.
“That’s where I come in.”
“You?”
“Yes. Though I’m a wandering ronin, my sect’s name still resonates in the martial world. My words carry weight because of it.”
“Your sect?”
“Yes. I’m Cheongun, the last disciple of Cheongseong. Though the sect has vanished, I still hold the headmaster’s token. Showing it will earn the Martial Alliance’s trust. Cheongseong’s legacy is no small matter.”
Elaine didn’t fully grasp the details, but it was clear he was a scion of a great sect, and with proof in hand, the Martial Alliance would believe him.
Elaine suddenly felt as if a bright light had illuminated everything before her.
Though she had traveled to the East, she hadn’t met the true power players—the Murim Alliance and the Nine Great Martial Sects. They were notoriously proud and unyielding. Elaine had secretly worried whether this mission could succeed, but thanks to Cheongwoon, things now seemed to be falling into place.
“But—”
Cheongwoon spoke up.
“Murim people ultimately speak through their swords. If we appear weak, they won’t trust us.”
“Huh?”
“I’m not very skilled myself, so I won’t be much help in that regard.”
Elaine had her own guards, but she wasn’t sure if they were strong enough to persuade the core forces of Eastern Murim.
“However, don’t worry.”
Once again, Cheongwoon had an answer.
“There’s someone I befriended while staying at the royal palace. He’s very interested in the East. If it’s him, no one in the East would dare look down on us.”
“Who is he?”
“There are others in the East with similar titles, but I’ve never met anyone who fits the role so perfectly.”
Cheongwoon smiled faintly.
“Bernard, the Sword Ghost.”
“Ah…!”
Elaine’s face lit up. She had heard countless stories about Bernard, Yuri’s swordsmanship master. As a child, Yuri was always injured, and most of those wounds were thanks to Bernard’s rigorous training.
Someone of that caliber was more than enough.
“He’s curious about the swords of Eastern Murim and wants to come along. Since it’ll also help His Majesty, he’ll definitely join us.”
Elaine grasped Cheongwoon’s hand tightly.
“That’s a relief. Meeting you has really turned things around.”
“No, it’s not thanks to me.”
Cheongwoon looked up at the sky.
When he left the East and arrived in the Western Regions, everything had seemed bleak. He worried about what might happen next, whether worse trials awaited.
But meeting one person changed everything.
Perhaps his coming to the West was fate’s guidance. He had journeyed to this distant land just to meet that person.
“All of this is thanks to His Majesty Yuri’s arrangements. So truly, it’s all because of him. The wars ahead will unfold exactly as he has planned.”
At that moment, Yuri was also gazing up at the sky, just like Cheongwoon.
“Sigh…”
He draped an arm over Jared’s shoulder.
“Jared.”
“Yes?”
“What now?”
“What do you mean?”
“Do we just gather everyone and push straight into the palace?”
“Follow the plan, Your Majesty.”
“Plan? There is no plan.”
“Huh?”
“What if we just fight as things come?”
“Sigh…”