When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 73
Chapter 73
"I just want to check quickly if the Clan Head is really not in the room."
He should have noticed something was wrong from the moment I heard those words...
Even then, an ominous feeling had brushed the back of his neck.
But he thought it would be better to clarify early on rather than let them harbor unpleasant suspicions about whether they were hiding him and lying about it.
So he simply opened the door to show them there was no one inside.
'...This insane bastard.'
And then suddenly, criticism started pouring down like a sudden shower before I could even open an umbrella.
"They say you can know ten things by seeing one, and just from this alone I can imagine how our Clan Head has been living here. Whether he's been eating properly, whether he's been served properly - I'm so overwhelmed with tears I can barely think straight. This matter cannot be overlooked, and we must absolutely make this public to the Ju clan in the name of the Six Clans Alliance to clearly determine who is at fault-"
"..."
'...What happened to apologizing for being an uninvited guest when you suddenly appeared?'
What kind of shamelessness was this, going beyond thick-skinned to practically greasing that thick hide?
But even though he wanted to object, that mouth wouldn't stop running, making it impossible to know when to interject.
That's when it happened.
A massive white tiger stuck its head through the open door and caught the collar of the Baek clan's Chancellor, who had been spouting nonsense.
Anyone could see the white tiger's appearance was both startled and enraged, yet...
"Oh my! Clan Head, you were in your Divine Beast form?"
Before he could be dragged out, the Baek Chancellor turned around and, despite the beast's angry expression, couldn't contain his excitement as he quickly ran his hands through the white tiger's fluffy fur.
After that, when the white tiger released the outer garment it had caught in its mouth, the Chancellor prostrated himself before the white tiger.
A voice full of grief echoed through the room.
"How much hardship must you have endured because I couldn't arrive sooner? When I think of how our Clan Head must have been suffering alone in enemy territory without proper treatment, even dying a hundred deaths wouldn't be enough to atone for my sin-"
Baek Giha, judging that those massive tiger paws couldn't stop that mouth, hurriedly transformed into human form and covered the Chancellor's mouth.
Thump!
The Chancellor's eyes widened as his mouth was firmly covered by the large hand.
Cold sweat running down his back, Baek Giha glanced up.
The Elder's expression was quite a sight.
'Ah, no.'
"...Honorable Elder. Our clan's Chancellor is quite capable at desk work, but being young, his thoughts aren't very long-sighted or deep. Please understand that what just came out of the Chancellor's mouth is neither the opinion of the entire Baek clan, and most certainly not my opinion..."
That's when light footsteps appeared in the corridor.
"No. Every word the Chancellor said is correct."
With a beautiful face wearing nothing but a concerned expression, Sehwa hurriedly approached and whispered in a sad voice.
"Even though our household has lost its standards while supplying war materials, that's just our circumstances. It's clearly true that our hospitality was lacking. I completely understand why the Chancellor would be displeased."
"...?"
"...?"
Not just Ju Myoungyoon, but even Baek Giha looked at Sehwa with questioning expressions as she suddenly appeared and spoke in a trembling voice.
"Clan Head Baek, if it's alright, would you please remove your hand?"
"...Ah. Yes."
Baek Giha removed his hand that was covering the mouth and took a step back.
Sehwa personally helped up the Chancellor, who was still kneeling and looking up at her with a puzzled expression.
Truthfully, emotionally, she wanted to say: 'If you know so much about hospitality and have such good manners, why did you stay silent when I was served spoiled rice and tormented by your clan members during my stay at the Baek clan?'
'Is your sense of propriety only applied when it benefits you, but doesn't extend to witnessing injustice done to others?'
'How dare you, with such an opportunistic mindset, open your mouth to criticize my father as being calculating and malicious?'
These words rose to the tip of her tongue.
...But what could she do?
She already knew that this Chancellor, despite his appearance, was quite favored by Giha.
'If later I perhaps, just perhaps, by some chance become the Baek clan's ma... matriarch, I'll have to work with him anyway.'
Sehwa's eyes turned slightly red as she thought of the word 'matriarch'.
'Since I can't kill him, I have no choice. I'll have to try coaxing and persuading him, and if that doesn't work, I'll have to beat him into shape before he dies. Besides, there is one thing that talkative mouth of his can do.'
"I'm embarrassed to say, but among the items used in our household, we've already gathered only the best ones to offer to the Baek Clan Head."
Sehwa wiped her eyes that weren't even wet with her sleeve and apologized for her shortsightedness.
"However, even though the Chancellor urgently visited our unfamiliar household since morning without any notice and with fifty-two people, I should have explained this first. I deeply regret that I failed to explain our household's financial situation even though it's been over a quarter of an hour since your arrival, causing you to misunderstand as if we were mistreating the Baek Clan Head. Furthermore, if we were properly receiving guests, we should have sold what little remains of my mother's jewelry to prepare the finest items for our guest's use, but though mother said it was fine, I couldn't bear to do so knowing she would cry in private. I apologize deeply for these shortcomings. We had the front gate closed because we weren't properly prepared to receive visitors, lacking not only items for guests but even items for our own use, and I sincerely apologize for not making this clearer, leading to the Chancellor's hasty and misguided decision to suddenly appear with fifty-two cavalry members to stay and dine at our unprepared home. As a result, my upright and frugal father received such an unreasonably narrow-minded, superficial, and unpleasant evaluation of being malicious and calculating, but this is an understandable misunderstanding and entirely our fault."
"..."
All these words poured out in the time it takes to blink once.
'...What just happened?'
This was the first time he'd encountered a mouth that could rattle off things twice as fast as his own...
The Baek Chancellor stared blankly at Sehwa with a dazed expression.
"So now that I've tried to explain various things, you might not believe me, so to prove our sincerity, I suggest you stay in my room. Once you see the furnishings in my room, you won't think it's a lie when I say we selected only our finest items for the Baek Clan Head."
"..."
...Why was it?
Her tone was gentle, and one could clearly feel the concern she must be feeling, along with deep remorse.
Looking at the dazzlingly beautiful woman before him who was forcing a smile while trying to hide her reddened eyes, Baek Manyong carefully swallowed.
'Why is it? Why do those amethyst eyes make me feel like I should roll over and expose my belly just by looking into them?'
Licking his parched lips, Baek Manyong managed his expression and struggled to pull up the corners of his mouth.
"Ah, no. No matter what, as a guest, how could I take over the young lady's quarters-"
"Do as I say."
"Pardon?"
"Do as I told you."
"..."
"You will, won't you? I'm offering you my room."
"...N-no..."
"Then should I, who failed to properly explain our situation due to being flustered and confused from having to suddenly receive guests while dining, even though you arrived with fifty-two companions without any notice and it's been over a quarter of an hour since your arrival, and who caused my father to lose face - should I also bear the sin of causing all the members of the Six Clans Alliance to be disturbed when this matter becomes known to them?"
Thinking that coaxing and persuading someone was truly a troublesome and annoying task, Sehwa pressed her sleeve to her eyes again with a concerned face and urged.
"So please do as I say."
"..."
"You haven't answered yet. Please, give me your answer."
"..."
When the Chancellor's mouth remained closed despite her urging for an answer, Sehwa's voice suddenly dropped lower.
"After I've explained our circumstances and apologized with all sincerity, and even though you suddenly appeared demanding accommodation, we've agreed to take responsibility for all of you - shouldn't you give a positive answer, if only to save some face for the host? Is my explanation still insufficient?"
"..."
As the Chancellor's silence lengthened, tension crept into the atmosphere of the room.
After a long while, the Chancellor's pale lips finally moved to make a sound.
Everyone's attention turned to the Chancellor's mouth.
"...h"
"?"
"...hiccup."
Fortunately, before she needed to coax and persuade him further, the Chancellor seemed to understand, and Sehwa excused herself saying she would return shortly.
She needed to instruct the three sisters to keep her room's current items while bringing in new ones.
Baek Giha hurriedly followed after her and caught her wrist, which was so pale it was almost transparent.
His long, firm fingers were pale to the fingertips, showing how tense he had been.
"Are you angry?"
"Pardon?"
"Are you very angry?"
"...?"
Not understanding Baek Giha's question, Sehwa remained silent instead of answering.
'What's with this sudden question out of nowhere?'
"I'm sorry. I'll take that fellow out first-"
"Where would you go? Didn't you hear me say I'm going to have that Chancellor stay in my room?"
"You don't have to do that. I was wrong."
Baek Giha's face was even more bloodless than before as he said those words.
It was a face genuinely concerned and worried that she might be very angry.
Reading the tension in his expression, Sehwa removed his firm hand from her wrist.
"!"
And before he could grab her again in surprise, she held that cold hand with its thick knuckles firmly in both of hers.
"I'm not angry."
"...You're lying."
"It's true. Why would I be angry with you?"
"...You're not angry?"
"Of course not. Why would I be angry with you when you didn't tell the Chancellor to say those things?"
"...You're really not angry?"
She nodded.
"But the room, why are you giving up your room? Don't do that. I'll explain properly."
"No. There's a reason why I need to do this."
"A reason?"
"Yes. Will you help me?"
"Help? With what? Just tell me."
"First, let's go to my room together. I have something good to give you."
As Sehwa walked down the corridor with a gentle expression, she turned to look at Baek Giha, who was slowly following behind with a puzzled face.
"Oh right. By the way, does that Chancellor have enough martial ability to protect himself?"
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