When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 16
Chapter 16
'She said she chose me because I would provide funds without collateral.'
However, judging by the amount she proposed and the types of items she wanted to purchase, her words were not true.
"You came to me because I deal in spirit stones."
As the value of spirit stones decreased, it became harder to obtain them in large quantities. Since they held no value, no one kept them anymore.
Therefore, only Choi Deokmun could suddenly procure spirit stones worth 500,000 nyang.
"That was part of the reason."
Hearing her low and firm voice, he lowered his gaze, pretending to be deep in thought to hide his agitation.
'But why is she buying these? What could the reason be?'
Having experienced everything from the most miserable position, he couldn't even read the mind of this small girl.
'Could it be that Ju Myoungyoon's family, including this young one, is about to be exiled? That might be possible. Since the Ju clan was defeated, someone must take responsibility. There's no rule saying it can't be Elder Ju Myoungyoon.'
So perhaps she had discovered a use for spirit stones while worrying about life in the human realm.
"Don't worry, I won't sell the spirit stones in the human realm."
"!"
Choi Deokmun's body instantly stiffened as he sat with his mouth shut, pretending to be lost in thought.
"I already know how you've amassed your current wealth, so don't worry. I need them for a different purpose."
"Ah, you knew? Who else... does your father know? Does the clan head, does the Mystic Ruler also know?"
"That's none of your concern. You simply need to accept my proposal if you like it. Now answer me. Will you provide me with spirit stones worth 500,000 nyang or not? What will you do!"
"!"
As if the time passing was too precious to waste, the young woman demanded an answer, almost scolding him.
The young one's gaze and spirit made even Choi Deokmun freeze.
'...This young one hasn't even completed her exuviation yet, how can she possess such momentum...'
After making various complex calculations, he finally nodded.
"I will do as you say, noble lady. I'll provide the spirit stones as requested. And."
Choi Deokmun hesitated briefly before adding.
"...If you make even one nyang of profit with these spirit stones, I'll request the repayment of five million nyang as you mentioned. However, you don't need to keep to the one-year deadline. Please return it whenever it's convenient for you."
After pausing for a moment, Choi Deokmun continued.
"But if you can't make even one nyang of profit, I'll consider my investment a failure and won't reclaim the investment funds. Because it will also be my fault for failing to choose the right investment target."
Logically, in the Mystic Realm where spiritual energy was depleted and divine beasts no longer appeared, there was zero possibility of making profit from spirit stones.
Therefore, Choi Deokmun's words essentially meant he had no intention of getting the money back.
'Yes. In any case, 500,000 nyang isn't too expensive to forge a connection with a member of the Ju Clan's elders.'
He had merely spoken indirectly to avoid hurting this young one's pride.
He had already classified this not as an investment but as funds to purchase a connection with an elder.
"Do so."
But the young one answered easily, as if his words were no different from hers.
Her tone was so nonchalant that Choi Deokmun couldn't tell if she properly understood the favor he had extended to her.
'What could she be thinking?'
Finally, with a sigh, the contract was drawn up.
After they had both signed it with their own blood, the old merchant quickly calculated how many laborers and carts would be needed to deliver the spirit stones worth 500,000 nyang to her designated location.
"Please try not to draw attention. So that I wouldn't want to tell about the effects of spirit stones in the human realm."
"..."
His hand gripping the brush tightened.
"Are you threatening me right now-"
"But if you properly do what you were told to do, I will help your son return to his homeland."
"!"
"Wouldn't that be a sufficient reward?"
"..."
As if he had never frowned, Choi Deokmun had stiffened with a breathless expression.
"Why. Isn't it good enough?"
"Ah, no. No. No, it's not that."
As he leaned forward slightly, desperately trying to calm his excitement, Choi Deokmun's Adam's apple moved up and down a few times.
"Just a moment. Please wait just a moment, noble lady."
The words he had just heard had completely shattered his composure.
Having failed to conceal his agitation, Choi Deokmun asked with a trembling voice while rubbing the tips of his numb fingers together a few times.
"Is that possible?"
"Of course, wouldn't it be possible if he becomes my retainer?"
"...A retainer, you say."
"Why? Do you not like that?"
"That's... not it."
Choi Deokmun's heart, which had been pounding, calmed down a little at the word retainer.
A retainer, you say.
It was a permanent slavery contract in which you pledge your life to a master in exchange for sharing their spiritual power.
'But who would sign a retainer contract now in the Mystic Realm?'
When all sorts of new divine beasts were being born in the Mystic Realm, retainer contracts had been prevalent.
Those who did not have spiritual power took the opportunity to receive power from a divine beast with a vast amount of spiritual power and become a spiritual beast or divine beast themselves.
And the divine beasts, too, had tried to solidify their influence among the many other divine beasts by sharing their unending spring-like spiritual power, creating their own groups.
But for the same reason why divine beasts were no longer appearing, and because the spiritual power in the atmosphere of the Mystic Realm was depleting, no one was trying to share their power with anyone else any longer.
The lifespans of mystic beings were determined by their spiritual power.
Since power was life itself, who would want to share their life with someone else?
'And yet, does this young one possess the spiritual power to make my son into a retainer? Even though she looks like she's not in a good condition right now?'
For whatever reason, a mystic being could not live for long after leaving the Mystic Realm.
Choi Deokmun was the same. The longer he stayed in the human realm, the more his blood vessels were becoming entangled, and his lifespan was decreasing.
Even so, he was fine. Since he was a spiritual beast, he had lived for a long time.
'But what about my son? What crime did he commit?'
Even the mixed-blood bastards in the Mystic Realm were able to complete their exuviation.
His son, who had not even been able to complete his exuviation, would live his entire life as a non-spiritual being and die, not even being able to enjoy the same lifespan as humans.
And so, this problem was not one where he had a choice.
Her saying that she would make him into her retainer meant that she would be sharing her spiritual power with him.
'Just to be able to meet a mystic being who would share her power with him is enough to be grateful for. ...Of course, that's only if she really does sign a retainer contract, though.'
"Is it acceptable for me to request that you leave a contract?"
"I don't mind, but I will have to decide after checking the quality of the spirit stones that you are preparing."
"If you leave behind a promise that you will definitely make my son your retainer, then don't worry about that. I will put my heart and soul into it, and I can also procure 5 million nyang worth of spirit stones instead of 500,000 nyang. ...But."
Choi Deokmun threatened, widening his eyes.
"You must make my son your retainer, no matter what. No matter what happens. Do you understand?"
Listening to Choi Deokmun's words, Sehwa let out a low chuckle.
That she had to make him her retainer no matter what?
'What's with that nonsense?'
Of course, she would.
'You're planning on having your son become an important leash that will allow you to completely obey me, and if you don't, how am I supposed to trust a traitor like you and leave a task to you?'
"Kill them!"
"Behead the traitors of the clan! Behead them! Behead them!"
Suddenly, a hallucination-like sound reached her ears, and her hands stiffened.
"Behead them! Behead them!"
She lowered her hands that had been raised, and clasped them together on her lap.
Her body trembled.
Her head spun, and the corners of her eyes burned.
It felt as if her mother's head, which had been kicked by the executioner and sent rolling on the floor, had become vividly imprinted in front of her again.
That scene made it hard for Ju Sehwa to even breathe properly.
'...Absolutely.'
"Just die. Now, give everything to me and leave. Go to a better place."
'...I can't let that happen again, absolutely.'
She hunched over, suppressing her anger and hatred.
Choi Deokmun was the one who had caused the Ju Clan's defeat in her previous life.
"During this war, the Baek Clan freely used the passages connected to the human realm to ambush and strike at us."
"But the only passage that living beings can freely use is in the hands of the Ju Clan. There was no internal collaborator, so how did they use that passage to ambush our troops?"
"I've always been curious about that."
The answer to the words that she had put forward in front of the Clan Head as if she was curious, even though she knew the answer, was this.
The warriors of the six-clan alliance had not attacked the Ju Clan forces by going back and forth between the human and Mystic Realms.
Knowing that they could remove their presence by releasing their spiritual power, they had only transferred the spiritual power and attacked.
The traitor sitting before her had been the first to realize that he could transfer spiritual power without being detected by anyone if he used the human realm.
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