When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 62
Chapter 62
Before getting out of the carriage, Sehwa hesitated before pulling out a thin white mask from her sleeve.
"Could you wear this?"
Both Ju Myoungyoon and Baek Giha's gazes fell upon the mask Sehwa held out.
"Why this?"
"If what you said is true, my story about the Baek clan will come up today, but I can't go there yet."
"..."
"So I need to be the one to draw Mystic Ruler's attention today."
Attention?
The expressions of both men changed instantly.
Ju Myoungyoon's face carried a 'what does that mean?' look, while Baek Giha...
"Do you fully understand what that means?"
He rarely showed anger.
"That means you could be placed in the same danger as those children."
His voice dropped so low it sounded almost threatening, enough to startle Ju Myoungyoon.
"Yes. I know."
"Ju Sehwa."
"I know. It's fine."
"..."
"It doesn't matter if you remove the mask by the end of the banquet. I just need it until I catch Mystic Ruler's initial attention."
Baek Giha wanted to say more but ultimately kept his mouth shut.
Because he knew she would carry out her plan regardless of what he said.
"...It's dangerous. Please be careful."
As Sehwa nodded, Baek Giha put on the mask she had offered.
Neither noticed how Ju Myoungyoon's gaze was studying their exchange with particular interest.
And here again, all eyes in the vast banquet hall were fixed on the opening doors.
They had come here counting down the days to this banquet, solely for this moment to see Baek Giha in person.
Otherwise, why would they have tried so hard to secure a place at such a banquet? There were plenty of other banquets where they could enjoy themselves more freely, rather than attending one where they had to maintain strict etiquette in the Mystic Ruler's presence.
Just as someone's throat constricted with the desire to achieve their goal as quickly as possible...
At last, soft footsteps flowed into the banquet hall first. And then, a wave of immense spiritual power followed a step behind.
"!"
"Gasp!"
Those with weak spiritual power hastily retreated before fainting under the pressure.
The musicians seated in one corner of the banquet hall had to stop playing as their hands began to tremble.
To the mystic beings, spiritual power was both strength and authority.
While one might reveal everything in their own territory, they wouldn't show all their cards in the heart of enemy territory, so even this remarkably large power must be somewhat restrained.
'Yet it's still this powerful?'
Indeed, worthy of a Divine Beast's power.
As amazement upon amazement gathered, the tension among the onlookers reached its peak.
Finally, along with the soft footsteps, the owner of the spiritual power revealed themselves.
"..."
"..."
Breathing stopped all at once.
Perfect silence spread throughout the banquet hall, where even the music had stopped, as if no one existed there at all.
The one who entered wasn't the Baek Clan Head they had expected.
But upon witnessing a face so beautiful it seemed painted by an artist's utmost devotion, everyone's minds simply went blank.
The unfocused pupils of people who had forgotten how to speak moved automatically, following the newcomer.
'...What is this?'
...Just who could this person be.
The one passing before their eyes wore pure white ceremonial robes, something never seen at Ju clan banquets.
The gold thread embroidered on the white silk robes sparkled brilliantly in the banquet hall's firelight, and the deep purple-red skirt visible beneath mysteriously accentuated the wearer's presence.
Her ebony hair, half pulled up with the rest flowing freely, was long enough to trail the ground, making her appear even more elegant as if it were part of her ceremonial attire.
A tingling pressure emanated each time she passed, not concealing her spiritual power in the slightest.
To wear such white clothes to a Ju clan banquet...
'Could this person be... the Baek Clan Head?'
They already knew the Baek Clan Head was male. After all, stories about the mystic realm's only Divine Beast were of interest to all mystic beings.
But this moment of watching her seemed to dim any beautiful melody or scene in comparison.
With such appearance and ability to display spiritual power strong enough to make one's skin tingle, couldn't this person only be the Divine Beast?
Thus, they began to speculate if this person was the Baek Clan Head.
Moreover, though they hadn't immediately noticed due to their intense focus on the person in front, who was that distinguished figure behind?
The man walking in step with the person ahead, his face completely concealed by a mask, also captured people's attention equally.
The incomparably beautiful woman was graceful yet dignified, and the one following behind, appearing to be her guard, also looked majestic and of high status. People might have been justified in wondering if the Baek Clan Head had actually been female all along and was mistakenly reported as male.
But then...
Ju Kyunghyun, who had been staring blankly at the woman with the same amazed expression as others, suddenly stood up.
"Sehwa!"
Even calling out her name.
The eyes of onlookers widened in confusion.
'Sehwa? But the Baek Clan Head's name should be 'Giha'?'
'Moreover, how could the Young Lord call that woman's name so familiarly?'
As the Young Lord descended from his seat and approached them, the observers' surprise only grew.
That surprise turned to shock when the Young Lord bowed in greeting to the masked man.
"Baek Clan Head?"
"!!"
What? That man was the Baek Clan Head?
Then who was that woman? Who could she be?
At that moment, the woman's red lips parted as a clear voice flowed out.
"I'll go to my seat now."
The words were directed not to the Young Lord but to the Baek Clan Head behind her.
Seeing him nod, the woman immediately headed somewhere as if very familiar with the Ju clan's banquet hall.
It was toward the seats of the Ju clan elders.
She sat down in a place closest to the Mystic Ruler among them.
After taking her seat as if there was no doubt it was hers, she even poured and drank some wine, causing everyone to stare at her as if they had seen a ghost.
"That's Elder Myoungyoon's..."
"Then that lady is..."
"That lady is Elder Myoungyoon's daughter?"
"The one they said was half-wit?"
"...Just what part of her seems half-wit?"
This surprise worked to the Young Lord's advantage.
No one noticed that she hadn't greeted Ju Kyunghyun and had only sought permission from the Baek Clan Head.
Only after seeing her take her seat did the Young Lord invite Baek Giha.
"Shall we go to our seats?"
They too crossed the center of the banquet hall and sat down on the tier just below the Mystic Ruler's seat.
When Ju Myoungyoon, who had entered the banquet hall a step behind, sat down next to Sehwa, the attendees were convinced she was indeed Myoungyoon's daughter and sighed in amazement.
'I can understand why Elder Myoungyoon has hidden his daughter's existence until now.'
'Indeed. To think he had such a daughter. Everyone was already giving up their spiritual power for compensation, so he wouldn't want to burden his daughter with that responsibility too.'
'Still, she's truly remarkable. I heard she just completed her exuviation a few days ago. For such a young lady who just finished exuviation to already have this level of spiritual power. Who knows what she'll become as time passes.'
'Could this display of spiritual power be all there is?'
'This is just her first banquet after exuviation, isn't it? Surely she must have more hidden power.'
Though the initial shock had largely faded from people's expressions, they still couldn't take their eyes off Sehwa.
Sitting with her back straight, she slowly moved her hand as if thirsty.
As she extended her hand, delicate fingers revealed their fragile form from beneath the long sleeve.
Her white hand, embodying the phrase 'jade-like fingers,' elegantly lifted the wine bottle before her and poured wine into her cup.
When she brought that cup to her lips, her red lips stood out even more in contrast to the white cup.
Gulp.
It was impossible to tell whose throat had made that sound among those watching.
What was certain was that it definitely hadn't come from that woman.
The sight of her slender white neck moving as she swallowed the wine...
The careful movement of her hand rolling up her sleeve to avoid touching things on the table...
And the white, slim wrist revealed in the process was enough to make observers' throats run dry.
'...How can she have such dignity, unlike a young lady?'
'For a lady who hasn't attended banquets before, she shows no sign of fear despite attracting this much attention.'
Then someone remembered the most important question.
'But how did that lady enter together with the Baek Clan Head?'
Indeed. An unmarried lady would never enter with someone who wasn't her betrothed.
Normally, she should have entered with her father, but it was also somewhat suspicious that Elder Myoungyoon had entered separately from them.
Moreover, hasn't that lady been expected to become the Young Lord's betrothed until now?
'The Young Lord entered with Lady Sa, that lady's cousin, while that lady instead entered with the Baek Clan Head.'
'Perhaps she received some indication from the Mystic Ruler?'
'Right. There was talk of a marriage alliance before. There must have been some discussion.'
'Surely not. Besides that lady, who else could be suitable as the Young Lord's betrothed? Surely the Mystic Ruler wouldn't use his son's fiancée for a marriage alliance.'
'That's right, isn't it?'
But there was something else that made it hard to simply dismiss...
'Look at the Young Lord's burning gaze.'
'The atmosphere is as if his betrothed was stolen by the Baek Clan Head.'
While people were hesitating, sensing the strange undercurrent between the Young Lord, the Baek Clan Head, and the Elder's daughter, it happened.
A second massive wave of spiritual power washed over them.
People's gazes turned back toward the door.
The Mystic Ruler was arriving.
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