When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 61
Chapter 61
Before she could answer, Sehwa's gaze flickered towards her father.
She was worried he might retort with something like, 'Why are you going to the Baek clan head? She’s my daughter, she should stay by my side,' and start bickering again.
However, Ju Myoungyoon remained silent with his arms crossed and gaze lowered, not reacting to Baek Giha's words.
“Father, don't worry.”
Ju Myoungyoon's gaze turned to Sehwa.
“About what?”
“Everything.”
“That's my girl, she's not so naive.”
Only then did a slight smile appear on Myoungyoon's face as he looked at Sehwa.
“You look beautiful today. My daughter will be the most beautiful in the mystic realm.”
“That’s right. I think so too.”
When Baek Giha interjected, a sharp gaze immediately turned towards him.
“My daughter is beautiful even without the Baek clan head's opinion.”
“Wouldn’t it be nice if my opinion were added to her beauty?”
“Why would that be nice?”
Leaving the two bickering again, Sehwa's gaze drifted towards the window.
An enormous procession was heading towards the Mystic Ruler's residence.
Yesterday, he had clearly sent a letter, and today, he had sent a carriage from early in the morning, yet the carriage had returned empty without the person it was meant to carry.
Ju Kyunghyun was no longer even angry, simply waving his hand to dismiss the servant who reported the news.
"Young Lord. Lady Sehwa-"
“Enough. The banquet today is more important. Cheonryeong, did you investigate what I asked you to yesterday?"
“Yes. But.”
Cheonryeong, glancing at Ju Kyunghyun's face, continued in a faltering voice.
“But, because Lady Sehwa repeated the words ‘going to the Baek clan instead of the Young Lord’ countless times two days ago... everyone already knows about it, so there wasn’t any significant progress.”
“...”
When the Young Lord's expression became severe, the guard hurriedly added.
“Still, you sent a mountain of gifts, didn't you, Young Lord? Because you handled things so cleverly, everyone was talking only about how much you care for Lady Sehwa.”
Even knowing it wasn’t true, Ju Kyunghyun didn't reply to the guard's words.
It was only when it was impossible to change anything that the guard would speak like this.
That's when it happened.
"Young Lord, it's Seowol."
A light voice rang out, and Ju Kyunghyun responded indifferently, telling them to come in.
"Ta-da! Young Lord. Isn't Seowol's skill quite good?"
Ju Kyunghyun's gaze flickered to Seowol and the person following her.
It was Sa Yeonju, Sehwa's cousin.
He had planned to take her to today's banquet, and had tasked Seowol with dressing her up, and as she had said, her skills were quite good.
"It's fine."
At that response, Sa Yeonju's face flushed.
"Oh my. Look at Yeonju unnie's face turning red."
“Don’t tease me, Seowol.”
While Seowol giggled at Sa Yeonju, who was embarrassed, Seowol reached out her hand to Ju Kyunghyun.
"I put so much effort in because you specifically asked me, Young Lord, how can you just give me a verbal compliment?"
At those words, a slight smile crept up on Ju Kyunghyun's lips.
“Is a compliment not enough for a gift?”
“Of course not. More than anything, your praise is welcome, but good things are still good things.”
"Then why are you still holding out your hand?"
"Hehe. That's because good things are good."
Cheered up by the easy-going conversation, Ju Kyunghyun had a small box passed to Seowol.
"Now, I must get going."
Having already put on his ceremonial robes and was waiting for Sehwa, Ju Kyunghyun stood up.
His gaze swept over Sa Yeonju from head to toe.
"However, isn't this a bit too extravagant?"
"Huh? What do you mean? Women's attire and accessories should be as extravagant as possible.”
"..."
“Yes, that's right. That way, it shows that the person accompanying them is not someone with a meager heart.”
Some clans would put on extravagant clothes and accessories on themselves, and then make their wives or fiancees dress sparingly. This was not the case.
As Sa Yeonju added that, her cheeks flushed red again.
Wives or fiancees.
"How is it, Yeonju unnie? Do you like today's outfit?"
"I love it. It's all thanks to the Young Lord. Thank you."
"Alright. Let's go."
As if he hadn't asked because he was curious, Ju Kyunghyun waved his hand indifferently and started walking toward the banquet hall first.
Startled, Sa Yeonju took short steps to follow him, but Seowol quickly came up and grabbed her, urging her.
"Brother Kyunghyun's a bit oblivious. You should tell him first."
Seowol's round eyes curved into a gentle crescent moon.
"You should make sure that he walks by your side, and that he holds your hand. You should be assertive."
"Thank you. But I'll take care of that on my own."
Promising to speak more later, Sa Yeonju quickly caught up to Ju Kyunghyun, while the slender girl who was left behind gazed at Sa Yeonju for a long time.
The grand banquet hall, comparable to the size of most clans' mansions, was filled with flames made of spiritual power flickering in the air.
Musicians sat in a circle on one side of the banquet hall, repeatedly playing pleasant harmonies.
In the neatly kept garden, the sweet aroma of azaleas drifted like a storm whenever the wind blew.
The banquet hall was extremely large, but it was not large enough as the invited Ju clan members had all gathered, leaving few empty seats.
They were constantly looking at the large round table next to the seat of honor where the Mystic Ruler would sit, unable to suppress their anticipation.
The more spiritual power mystics possessed, the more beautiful they became.
In this mystic realm, who was more powerful than the Baek clan head Baek Giha?
Furthermore, those who had returned from the battlefield had brought back nothing but tales of the Baek clan head's fearsome martial prowess, making everyone curious as to what kind of person the sole divine beast of the mystic realm might be.
The Ju clan members’ shallow curiosity kept wandering around the banquet hall.
It must be about time for him to arrive.
Hadn't he arrived yet?
Had he still not arrived?
As the gazes, filled with impatience hidden behind smiles, flitted around, the door of the banquet hall, connected to the hallway, was silently opened by a servant.
“Gasp. Could it be that the Baek clan head has arrived?”
“Right. Has the Baek clan head arrived?”
Those who were far away couldn't help but crane their necks, unable to stand up, worried that they might appear unrefined.
But soon, gasps of disappointment echoed from here and there. “...Ah.”
Ju Kyunghyun had entered first.
'Hah. Even so, our Young Lord is someone who would not be lacking anywhere.'
Having seen the Young Lord so rarely at banquets, those who saw him today could not help but admire his beauty.
'Just how hard did he train with the sword? I can see it just by looking at his build.'
'That's right. Such a handsome face, and yet he's so kind and caring.'
‘But… why is that Sa girl accompanying him?’
The clan members, who had been looking over Ju Kyunghyun, then turned to the woman walking beside him, acting as if she was his fiancée.
She was wearing a luxurious red silk ceremonial dress embroidered with golden thread, a dress so beautiful that it made her look like a rose in full bloom.
She was walking proudly next to Ju Kyunghyun, with her chin held high.
The gazes of the clan members grew sharper.
Red was the most popular color at Ju clan banquets, but that was only for Ju clan members.
How dare a Sa clan member, of all things, wear such a flamboyant red ceremonial dress and walk next to the Young Lord at the banquet hosted by the Mystic Ruler?
The clan members were at a loss for words.
That's when it happened.
As Ju Kyunghyun, who was about to ascend to the high platform that was prepared for the Young Lord, stopped for a moment while noticing Sa Yeonju still walking beside him.
“Just how far are you going to follow me? Go and stand by the wall."
"...Yes?"
Sa Yeonju's round eyes blinked, unable to understand what he was saying.
“What ‘yes’ are you giving me? Isn’t the wall your place?”
His words were blunt and cold. The blood drained from Sa Yeonju's face.
“What. Why are you so surprised? Were you thinking you would sit in the seat of the Young Lord’s fianceé?”
With that, he started ascending the platform alone, leaving Sa Yeonju behind.
‘…What is happening?’
Even though he had called her here to come with him to the banquet. She thought she was going to enter the venue with him.
But Ju Kyunghyun's indifference showed it was not the case. All the Ju clan members were in the main area.
The servants were wearing servant uniforms, the most extravagant one was the one that the servants who served the Mystic Ruler were wearing, and they had stayed next to the wall.
The shock was so much that Sa Yeonju couldn't even move her feet. It was only after a moment, with a stiff face, did she finally walk towards the wall as he had told her to.
Seeing her shame, the clan members couldn't help but sneer and laugh.
Having to endure such humiliation, Sa Yeonju's nails dug fiercely into her palms under her sleeves.
Nothing seemed more humiliating than this moment.
That's when it happened.
The doors of the banquet hall opened, and a huge gust of spiritual power flooded into the hall before the master did.
The people present all felt a chill on their skin as they sat, and they all realized right away who the newcomer was.
The Baek clan head.
The sole divine beast of the mystic realm.
It was Baek Giha.
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