Sohwa kept the windows of the Medical Division open at all times, and when night fell, she pretended to be working in the Medical Division while waiting for cultists.
Once the sun set and people’s eyes grew dull in the darkness, cultists would come looking for her at the Tang Clan quarters.
But today, someone else came instead.
“Young Lady.”
At Han-won’s voice, Sohwa turned her head toward the door. There stood Han-won with a face full of displeasure. His brows were deeply furrowed as he spoke.
“The Namgung Clan’s Second Young Master has requested a meeting.”
“Bring him here.”
Under normal circumstances she would have received guests in the reception hall, but she had moved the sound-severing formation into the Medical Division, so Sohwa summoned Namgung Hyun here instead.
However, Han-won did not move and answered,
“There is also the option of issuing an expulsion order and telling him to come again during the day.”
Sohwa ignored Han-won’s advice. Judging by the fact that someone like Namgung Hyun had disregarded others’ eyes and come at night, it did not seem ordinary.
Since arriving at headquarters, Namgung Hyun had not sought Sohwa out even once.
He knew she had gone to the Northern Sea, and had even personally created a Passage for her, yet he pretended not to know her.
Sohwa assumed he had grown cautious because many eyes were on him.
For that very reason, she could not simply brush off the fact that Namgung Hyun had come looking for her at this hour.
When Han-won reluctantly went out to fetch Namgung Hyun, Sohwa closed the window.
Not long after, she sensed someone’s presence by the doorway. Before he could announce himself, Sohwa spoke first.
“Please come in.”
Namgung Hyun entered the Medical Division and looked at her silently.
Perhaps because the silence stretched on, a strange atmosphere settled between them. So Sohwa quietly waited for him to speak first.
After a long moment, Namgung Hyun opened his mouth.
“I am relieved that you returned safely.”
“Yes. It is all thanks to Young Master.”
Namgung Hyun let out a hollow laugh.
Unable to understand that reaction, Sohwa asked back,
“Seeing as you came at such a late hour, it seems you have something urgent to say. Is everything all right?”
“I heard that you closed all the Passages in the Northern Sea.”
“Yes.”
“That matter has greatly displeased Blood Demon.”
Blood Demon’s mood was of no concern to her.
When Sohwa fell silent, Namgung Hyun continued.
“Cultists keep coming to me, requesting the reconstruction of the Passages. They should know headquarters has become sensitive, yet they continue with ill-timed moves. That is how precious the Passages have become.”
Namgung Hyun’s voice darkened.
“So news from Geumeunsan reaches me rather quickly.”
He carefully brought out the main point.
“Geumeunsan knows about the antidote you created, Young Lady Tang.”
“Yes. It was something that would be known sooner or later.”
“No. It is far too fast.”
Namgung Hyun spoke in a cold voice, as if issuing a warning rather than letting it pass lightly.
“There is the time required to travel back and forth from Geumeunsan, and there is also the time a cultist must waste in order to approach me. It hasn’t been that long since you demonstrated it, yet word has already reached my ears that Blood Demon has recognized the antidote. That means Geumeunsan noticed it quite some time ago.”
Sohwa remained silent.
If Blood Demon had learned of the antidote’s existence, and the news had reached as far as Namgung Hyun’s ears, then it should have affected her as well.
Yet the cultists who came to see her had simply removed the Dokgo from their bodies and left, without any threatening behavior.
Because she had expected Blood Demon to erupt in rage upon learning of the antidote, his lack of response bothered Sohwa.
But hiding those thoughts, she asked again in an emotionless voice,
“So you came to warn me?”
Namgung Hyun lowered his gaze to the table.
“I know you have been luring cultists to your quarters. But from now on, you should be careful.”
Sohwa nodded.
“Yes. Thank you for the advice.”
Namgung Hyun seemed to have finished what he came to say.
Yet he did not move and stood there in place.
“I...”
He rolled his eyes as if forcing himself to find something to say, then lifted his head.
“I heard you went to the Northern Sea together with my elder brother.”
“Yes.”
At her answer, Namgung Hyun’s face twitched. Only then did Sohwa understand what he was trying to ask.
“The Hall Administrator of the Four-Directions Hall was there as well.”
Namgung Hyun bit his lip for a moment, then spoke again.
“I can also...”
A small voice followed.
“I can help you.”
Though it did not sound difficult to say, Namgung Hyun spoke with effort.
“I have already received more than enough help. If it were not for you, Young Master Namgung Hyun, I would not have been able to go to the Northern Sea. By now, I would likely have been trapped at Geumeunsan.”
“Still, isn’t there more that I can do to help?”
Namgung Hyun was a sorcerer whom even Blood Demon held in high regard.
Whether his intent was sincere or not, there was no reason to flatly refuse goodwill.
“The help I have received so far is more than generous. However, if the time comes when I need your help, I will shamelessly ask for it.”
“Yes. Please do so.”
Words about asking later were hardly pleasant, yet Namgung Hyun’s face brightened.
“I truly mean it. Please, be sure to tell me first...”
After saying “first,” Namgung Hyun cleared his throat awkwardly. Sohwa understood what he wanted.
He was conscious of Namgung Jin.
Instead of explaining that nothing had happened with Namgung Jin, Sohwa decided to make use of the sorcerer’s unease.
She turned her gaze toward the closed window and said,
“But it is already rather late. When Namgung Jin, the Little Clan Head, came by previously, Father and the Supreme Elder were quite furious.”
As if worrying about Namgung Hyun, she issued an expulsion order.
“They might become very angry with you as well, so it would be best if you returned now.”
As Namgung Hyun was about to say something, Sohwa added,
“I was scolded quite severely that day myself, so I am a bit frightened.”
Namgung Hyun could not insist on staying any longer.
“I am staying at the Namgung Clan quarters, so please come and see me anytime. No—if that would be inconvenient, send someone. I will come to you.”
“Yes. I will do so.”
Namgung Hyun gave a brief, regretful smile and left.
Once he disappeared, Sohwa opened the window again. The scentless night breeze flowed inside.
It seemed unlikely that any cultists would come tonight.
Whether because of Namgung Hyun’s warning or not, Sohwa felt an unease she could not put a reason to.
***
The Tang Clan estate in Sichuan was quiet to the point of stillness. Not only the Clan Head and the Little Clan Head, but most of the Tang Clan’s peak strength had left the main estate, leaving those who remained with a strange feeling.
If someone were to attack at a time like this, it would be disastrous, so there was unease. Yet at the same time, because critical matters requiring the Clan Head’s decision had been postponed, their tension loosened as if they had been granted a brief holiday.
Tang Hae-han of the Old Pavilion experienced those conflicting emotions several times a day, as if moving back and forth between cold and hot baths.
Carrying his journal, Tang Hae-han went out to the outer courtyard. With more than half of the inner courtyard’s personnel gone, the stillness of the Old Pavilion felt unsettling.
He also thought that if he stayed in the outer courtyard, he might be able to pick up passing news. With that in mind, he positioned himself in the middle of a path where people often came and went.
Tang Hae-han scribbled with his brush once, then suddenly lifted his head. He fluttered the pages as if drying them, then sharply turned his gaze elsewhere, repeating the same motions over and over.
However, the Tang Clan members passing by did not react to his behavior. Such antics might draw attention once or twice, but when strange behavior became habitual, people naturally grew accustomed to it.
Thus peaceful, tedious days continued.
“Elder Brother Hae-han.”
A voice on the verge of tears pierced his eardrums.
Tang Hae-han quickly turned toward the sound. The twins were standing behind him. It seemed the sisters had come out from the inner courtyard as well.
Yuhwa covered her mouth with her sleeve and looked at Tang Hae-han as if she were about to burst into tears.
“Why are you out here again.”
The younger cousin said this as she took hold of his arm, as though trying to comfort him. At that, Yehwa pulled Yuhwa’s arm away and scolded her.
“Why are you asking for a reason? Didn’t the Medical Division Head say he’s acting like that because he injured his head badly, so we should just leave him alone? You always ask even when you already know everything. Are you trying to make fun of him or what?”
Yuhwa raised a small finger to her lips, signaling her to keep quiet.
“Why do you have to say out loud everything you know? Don’t you understand what comfort is? If you were going to be like this, why did you even follow me.”
“What are you talking about? I came to see Elder Brother Hae-han. You’re the one who followed me.”
As if remembering something, Yehwa turned her head toward Tang Hae-han.
“Oh, right, Elder Brother. That thing. The Medical Division Head said that if you’re going to keep embarrassing yourself and have nothing to do, you should go to the Medical Division and sort through the new medicinal ingredients they brought in.”
“Embarrassing myself? When did the Division Head ever say such a thing.”
“Hey, hey. Saying you’re acting strange because you were emotionally hurt is just a roundabout way of saying you’re being embarrassing. Why are you so bad at understanding things—how are you even like Hak, Elder Brother, in that regard?”
Clicking her tongue, Yehwa added,
“If you were going to take after something, you should’ve taken after his fighting ability. Why copy something like that instead? How are you going to live your life going forward? I can already see you getting caught by some strange man someday and getting sucked dry to the marrow.”
“When would I ever meet someone strange. I’ll just get along properly with whoever Father and Mother arrange for me...”
When Yuhwa hesitated and trailed off, Yehwa turned back toward Tang Hae-han as if it wasn’t worth hearing any more.
“Anyway, Elder Brother. The Medical Division Head told you to come to the Medical Division.”
Tang Hae-han looked at the twins with tired eyes and asked,
“Then why were you looking for me? You must have gone to the Division Head to see me.”
“Oh. You know how the Division Head brought minerals into the Medical Division this time? I heard she swept up all the red stone ore. Just sneak me one sack of it.”
“Red stone ore? What do you plan to use it for?”
“They say it’s good for bathing. I want to try it once, and if it’s good, sell it.”
“......I was under the impression that the Clan Head provides you with ample funds. Why do you live like that.”
“By that logic, Elder Brother, you receive more than a little money too. So why do you live your life as a medicine peddler?”
“A medicine peddler?!”
Tang Hae-han snapped, and Yuhwa cautiously cut in from the side.
“Wouldn’t poison peddler be more accurate? Even though the Old Pavilion belongs to the Medical Division, it produces poison, not medicine.”
“You fool, if you don’t understand, don’t interrupt. Do you think I’m really calling Elder Brother a medicine peddler? I’m being sarcastic. Honestly—if you kept quiet, you’d be half decent, Yuhwa.”
At that moment, Tang Hae-han deeply understood why Tang Sohwa avoided the twins.
They had not even talked for very long, yet his head already hurt.
It felt like being stuck between Hak, who could not fight, and Hak, who talked too much, at the same time.
Tang Hae-han folded his journal as if to flee, but then sat back down and asked,
“But you said the Medical Division Head is collecting red stone ore?”
“Yes.”
“That’s strange. There should already be plenty of red stone ore. Why would she gather more? She’s not someone who wastes medicinal materials.”
Just as Tang Hae-han narrowed his eyes—
“Right? That’s what I’m saying. It’s strange. She didn’t just sweep up red stone ore. She took all the magnetic quartz too.”
“Magnetic quartz as well?”
“Yeah. That precious stuff, and she’s using it as medicinal material. It’s not like she’s trying to attain immortality—using that as medicine.”
“......Then how do you know all this?”
“The General Manager knows everything.”
“You’ve become close with the General Manager?”
“Is the General Manager the only one working there or something.”
The Great Madam’s family was among the foremost merchant houses, but perhaps a merchant’s instincts were something one was born with. Tang Hae-han could not understand how someone so young could already be so sharp when it came to wealth and the workings of the world.
Looking at Yuhwa, who possessed the completely opposite temperament, Tang Hae-han thought to himself,
‘Right. Rather than taking after the Clan Head, taking after the Great Madam might actually make living in this world easier.’
Soon his thoughts turned to Tang Sohwa. He had heard that when the Clan Head’s temperament had once been weak, he nearly abandoned the position of Little Clan Head, led astray by a maidservant with the opposite disposition.
In Sohwa, there was none of the Tang Clan Head’s softness. She must have inherited that maidservant’s disposition entirely, and suddenly Tang Hae-han found himself wondering what kind of person that maidservant had been.
The Great Madam had been forthright, yet also flexible. Like Yehwa, she knew how to communicate with multiple groups and did not obsess over minor rights and wrongs.
Normally, people would ignore a child left behind by a former wife—especially one born of a mere maidservant—but the Great Madam treated Tang Sohwa as her own child. In truth, Sohwa grew up without suffering discrimination.
No matter how much the Clan Head cherished her, there were inevitably corners of the household beyond his direct attention, yet Sohwa was acknowledged everywhere as the Tang Clan’s eldest daughter.
On the other hand, it was difficult to say that Tang Sohwa was broad-minded. Rather, she held grudges even over small matters. When Tang Hae-han teased her several times as a child, he once ended up poisoned by some strange toxin and spent the entire day clinging to a chamber pot.
Unlike the Great Madam, Tang Sohwa was persistent and utterly thorough.
‘Just what kind of person was Tang Sohwa’s birth mother...?’
Lost in thought, Tang Hae-han lifted his head high. A massive hawk was flying overhead.
Screech.
Turning his gaze to follow the hawk’s path, Tang Hae-han flinched. The hawk was heading toward the pavilion of the Black Tiger Unit.
