The Ruler of Darkness - Book 4: Chapter 8

Luoyang Sword House, the office of the 4th Young Master.

As the office door opened, the 4th Young Master’s steward entered.

“Master, are you nearing the end of your work?”

From the pile of documents on what used to be the 4th Young Master’s desk, Yeon Bi’s voice emerged.

“…Yeah, almost done. Just doing the final checks.”

The steward smiled at the boy’s weak voice.

“Here, I’ve brought some sweets for our tired master!”

“Sweets!”

The boy jumped out from the pile of documents.

He gazed at the sweets on the tray the steward was holding, his eyes sparkling.

“Wow…”

“Hehe. Don’t eat too many and skip your meal, just have these for now.”

Yeon Bi nodded at her words.

“Right! I need to eat to grow taller!”

Yeon Bi sat at the table and started nibbling on the sweets.

Seeing the boy’s happy expression, the steward spoke with a warm smile.

“But what do you think the Eldest Young Master is aiming for?”

The 4th Young Master laughed cheerfully.

“I don’t know!”

“Really?”

“How could a little bird like me understand the intentions of a great eagle like my elder brother?”

Despite his words, Yeon Bi had a playful smile, as if he still wanted to continue the conversation.

“Oh, come on, tell me about the Eldest Young Master’s great intentions. You must have some guesses, right?”

Her question wasn’t out of particular interest in the Eldest Young Master.

It was simply to see her master energized, as he always became lively when talking about the Eldest Young Master.

“Hehe. Well then, I’ll make a special exception and tell you.”

“Wow!”

It was her special way of supporting her master, who had been burdened with consecutive heavy duties recently.

“Well, if I were to guess…”

Yeon Bi, sitting on the table swinging his feet, began.

“…Maybe, elder brother’s goal was to be summoned and attend the Supreme Operating Council meeting?”

“The Supreme Operating Council meeting?”

It was an unexpected answer.

After passing through the Elder Council and reaching the Supreme Operating Council meeting, wasn’t the Eldest Young Master pushed further into a corner?

“Now, isn’t the Eldest Young Master in a crisis, put there by those who want to intensify his seclusion? Plus, with the issue of the family headship, the Supreme Operating Council meeting had to intervene.”

Yeon Bi nodded to her question.

“Yes, that’s right.”

“You mean he is in a crisis?”

“Yes.”

Watching the 4th Young Master eagerly licking the sweets and nodding, the steward calmly organized her thoughts.

“…So, what you’re saying is, the Eldest Young Master is indeed in a crisis, but that was his intended goal?”

The 4th Young Master laughed brightly.

“Correct!”

“Wow!”

They both clapped enthusiastically.

“Then, what exactly does the Eldest Young Master intend to do by being summoned to the Supreme Operating Council meeting?”

At her question, the 4th Young Master shook his head.

“I have a guess about what elder brother is aiming for, but I have no idea how he plans to do it.”

“Is that so?”

The 4th Young Master gave a wry smile.

“I’ve attended that meeting a few times myself, but never managed to get things to go my way.”

“…That’s true.”

Yeon Bi crunched on a sweet.

“Those guys aren’t high committee members for nothing. They’re like monsters. When all nine of them press together, it’s like they become one…”

He shivered at the thought.

* * *

Luoyang Sword House, the Supreme Operating Council meeting.

A modulated voice echoed in the huge hemispherical stone cavern.

“Eldest Young Master, even though you are the Eldest Young Master of the main house and hold the position of the acting family head, there are lines you must not cross.”

Yeon So-Hyeon shrugged.

“I don’t quite understand?”

Another voice interjected, raising its tone.

“Do you not realize how grave a crime it is under the Sword House Law to even attempt to uncover the identity of a high committee member?!”

“The meeting can formally request the judiciary court to punish you for this.”

Yeon So-Hyeon chuckled.

“On what grounds would you accuse me?”

“There are meeting records exclusive to the Supreme Operating Council meeting, which will serve as evidence!”

Yeon So-Hyeon laughed loudly.

The new high committee members were momentarily taken aback.

Such an attitude had never been seen before in this setting.

“Do you really intend to taste bitterness?”

“Eldest Young Master, please let this meeting benefit both sides…”

After finally stopping his laughter, Yeon So-Hyeon cut off the voice.

“Sorry, but this meeting leaves no records. This includes the minutes as well.”

The two new high committee members fell silent.

After a moment, one of them spoke.

“General Affairs Officer. Is what the Eldest Young Master saying true?”

The one referred to as the General Affairs Officer responded.

“Yes.”

“Why are no records kept?”

“I cannot disclose the reason, just as I cannot disclose why records aren’t kept.”

“…How many more meetings like this, unrecorded, have there been?”

“Other than meetings with the Eldest Young Master, none.”

“Then how many times has this meeting with the Eldest Young Master occurred?”

“I cannot disclose that either.”

“What about the records of the meetings the Eldest Young Master attended?”

Yeon So-Hyeon answered that question.

“Of course, except for what needed to be recorded, wasn’t the rest just the creation of the General Affairs Officer?”

No voice responded.

Yeon So-Hyeon, as if to comfort them, raised his hand.

“I know it’s confusing as it’s a first-time situation, but let’s do our best.”

A new high committee member behind the curtain of a small cave clenched her teeth.

‘…What is this!’

She recalled the preliminary meeting that took place before Yeon So-Hyeon’s arrival.

* * *

“What do you mean the high committee members won’t agree on a solution to this issue beforehand?”

“It’s not just that we won’t agree on a solution, we won’t establish a plan at all.”

“Don’t talk nonsense! Do you not realize how much trouble this issue can cause for the main house?!”

“We are aware. That’s precisely why the meeting cannot agree on any matter in advance.”

“What does that even mean?”

“Will the other high committee members really let this absurd situation pass?”

There was no response.

Excluding the two new high committee members, male and female, no one else raised an issue about this absurd situation.

The female new member felt an urge to run out of this dark cave and grab the collars of the other high committee members.

But that would be a grave violation of the ‘oath of silence’, as even the high committee members themselves were not allowed to try to learn or reveal the identities of their colleagues.

After regaining some composure, the female new high committee member spoke.

“…Please at least tell us the reason.”

“It’s because this discussion cannot take place without the person concerned, Eldest Young Master Yeon So-Hyeon.”

“The core figure of the problem that this meeting needs to address is absent from the discussion…”

A long sigh was heard.

“…The reason will soon become clear to you.”

* * *

The female new high committee member sighed and spoke.

“…I’ll try to understand the situation of no records being kept. So, I would appreciate it if the Eldest Young Master would also show sufficient respect for this meeting.”

“No, I understand but…”

Despite her gentle request, Yeon So-Hyeon just chuckled.

“It’s hard to resist teasing high committee members when there’s no punishment…”

“Eldest Young Master!”

The male new high committee member burst out.

“You are outrageously insolent! How dare you speak such nonsense here?! I should right now…”

“Enough!”

A new voice interrupted him.

“That’s enough. Haven’t you understood why the Eldest Young Master is provoking you?”

The voice reprimanded the new high committee members.

This was also a scene none other than Yeon So-Hyeon had ever witnessed in this Supreme Operating Council meeting.

“Every time you speak, you’re only revealing your identities to the Eldest Young Master!”

The voice, though modulated, had a particularly experienced tone.

As the two new members fell silent, the voice addressed Yeon So-Hyeon.

“I would appreciate it if the Eldest Young Master would also refrain from teasing new high committee members from now on.”

He requested politely to Yeon So-Hyeon.

Yeon So-Hyeon nodded and bowed respectfully towards the voice.

“It’s been a while, Chairman.”

The chairman of the Supreme Operating Council meeting responded.

“It has been a while, Eldest Young Master.”

The chairman added.

“In your absence, you have become remarkably emaciated.”

“And you seem older. Managing this ever-growing family must not be easy, is it?”

“Ha-ha, I appreciate your concern for this old man.”

The atmosphere was surprisingly genial.

They were exchanging pleasantries?

Such an interaction was never permitted in the Supreme Operating Council meeting.

Despite this, the two new high committee members, who had been reprimanded by the chairman, could not easily speak up.

At this moment, they were more bewildered than when they first attended the meeting as new high committee members.

However, Yeon So-Hyeon’s inquiries were directed only towards the chairman.

He did not bother to ask about the well-being of the other high committee members, nor did they volunteer to speak.

“Ha-ha. Now, we should start this meeting in earnest. General Affairs Officer, please proceed.”

The General Affairs Officer, as usual for other meetings, began the proceedings.

“The purpose of convening this Supreme Operating Council meeting is to summon Yeon So-Hyeon, the Eldest Young Master of the main house, in order to quell the unrest concerning the Eldest Young Master that is spreading at the top levels of the main house.”

The General Affairs Officer asked Yeon So-Hyeon.

“What is the name of the summoned?”

“Yeon So-Hyeon.”

“What is your status in the main house?”

“The Eldest Young Master, holder of the family headship.”

“Did you receive prior notice of this summons and agree to attend willingly?”

“Yes.”

“Do you swear to tell only the truth here, in the presence of the sacred laws of our family?”

“Yes.”

“May the valiant spirits of the great Luoyang Sword House bless this gathering.”

Then the chairman’s voice resonated.

“Let the high committee members begin their inquiries to the summoned.”

The female new high committee member spoke.

“Eldest Young Master Yeon So-Hyeon.”

Her gaze from behind the special curtain was fixed on Yeon So-Hyeon.

“You had previously sworn in this meeting that the Sword House Golden Seal in your possession would not influence the succession competition.”

She asked.

“Is this record true?”

Yeon So-Hyeon gave a wry smile.

“Yes, though it’s a bit different.”

He replied.

“How is it different?”

“In the past, I said that I would ensure that the family head’s seal I possess would not influence the succession competition of the main house, so there was no need to worry.”

He continued.

“…Could you please explain how that is different?”

Yeon So-Hyeon spoke emphatically.

“That promise was not some ‘achievement’ you extracted from me.”

“Then…”

“That means, I ‘voluntarily’ and ‘firstly’ brought up the matter in that meeting of the Supreme Operating Council committee.”

His voice grew louder.

“To help you, who were at a loss with the family head’s seal issue at that time!”

He bared his teeth.

“But you didn’t even announce that fact at the time!”