I quietly observed him. Lee Seonghak also stared into my eyes with a smiling face as if waiting for my answer. He had a calm expression, but the atmosphere surrounding him was by no means gentle.

After intently gazing into his eyes that weren’t smiling, I closed my eyes and then opened them, speaking quietly.

“It’s nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you, Elder Lee Seonghak. I was told that this banquet was also hosted by the Holy Stream League, where you are. I wanted to express my gratitude.”

“It’s nothing. I simply did what I had to do as an elder of the Demon Cult. You don’t need to mind it. By the way, I wanted to congratulate the Young Cult Leader as well…”

He rolled his eyes and glanced at the empty chair. I was about to answer his trailing words, but Joo Hwarin stepped forward before me.

“The Young Cult Leader will return soon. If you wait, you’ll be able to see him, Elder.”

At her voice, my gaze and Lee Seonghak’s gaze turned to Joo Hwarin. Joo Hwarin stepped forward as if shielding me and slightly twisted her body, erasing Lee Seonghak from my field of vision.

Lee Seonghak seemed displeased with Joo Hwarin’s action, but since Joo Jonghak, who was standing behind, didn’t stop her and I remained silent, Lee Seonghak couldn’t express his dissatisfaction.

His face appeared to be turning red, but his expression remained gentle.

“Is that so? I understand. By the way, could you step aside for a moment? I have something to say to the Young Madam, but I need to have a conversation with her blocked like that.”

“The young Miss was told to refrain from having long private conversations with her since she’s not feeling well.”

“Who said that?”

At the moment Lee Seonghak’s face crumpled, Joo Hwarin’s voice flowed out.

“It was the Young Cult Leader.”

“…”

“He said that simple congratulatory greetings are fine, but private conversations should be arranged separately at a later time. So, will you also follow the Young Cult Leader’s words, Elder?”

Lee Seonghak silently looked at Joo Hwarin and then shifted his gaze to me. It was a sharp gaze as if telling me to decide.

However, that gaze couldn’t linger for long. It was because Joo Hwarin blocked that gaze even this time when she was building a wall.

Lee Seonghak gnashed his teeth, alternately looking at me and Joo Hwarin, and as if catching his breath, he sighed and nodded his head.

“…I understand. Then, let’s meet separately later and take my leave for now.”

Even as he stepped back, Lee Seonghak glared at Joo Hwarin. Then, he rolled his eyes and glanced at Joo Jonghak, who was standing behind with his hands clasped, clicked his tongue, and turned his body.

It felt like a typhoon had blown and passed. Joo Hwarin glared at Lee Seonghak and then hurriedly turned her body to check on me.

“Miss, are you alright?”

“I’m fine. Nothing happened, right?”

Joo Hwarin quickly rolled her eyes to examine my physical condition and spoke with a determined expression.

“Miss. It’s not something to say here, but it’s best to avoid people from the Southern Manchuria Do clan, the Cliff Rivers Shin clan, and the Holy Stream League as much as possible. Especially the Cliff Rivers Shin clan, you must avoid them at all costs.”

Not the Southern Manchuria Do clan or the Holy Stream League, but the Cliff Rivers Shin clan?

As I slightly furrowed my brow, Joo Hwarin rolled her eyes as if checking the surroundings and carefully opened her mouth. No, she tried to open it, but the words came out first from Joo Jonghak, who was standing behind, not Joo Hwarin.

“Hwarin’s words are correct.”

He was a man who had never spoken to me first. He was a man who always lightly greeted me from behind Hyuk Dojin.

I only knew that he was Joo Hwarin’s father and Hyuk Dojin’s loyal subordinate. Joo Jonghak stepped forward, stood beside me, bowed his head, and slowly spoke.

“Even if other clans are all fine, you must avoid the Cliff Rivers Shin clan.”

“Why is that?”

“That’s because the Cliff Rivers Shin clan is the most outraged by this matter. The head of the Cliff Rivers Shin clan, Shin Hohyeol, is sensitive to principles and at the same time, obsessed with the purity of the Demon Cult. Sometimes he can be an ally, but in cases like now, he’s a man like a knife that will never turn back.”

In cases like now, it probably meant the fact that I was from the Righteous Sect. As I kept silent, Joo Jonghak continued.

“Moreover, although not revealed externally, the Cliff Rivers Shin clan possesses the greatest power among the renowned clans within the Demon Cult. Numerous masters and elders are from the Cliff Rivers Shin clan, and one-third of the Demon Cult’s military units are also from the Cliff Rivers Shin clan.”

Joo Jonghak looked around and pointed to an old man conversing in the distance.

“Do you see that old man over there? That person is Shin Hohyeol, the head of the Cliff Rivers Shin clan. Do Seokhwi, Lee Seonghak, and Baek Geon of the Holy Stream League are also people to be cautious of, but you need to be especially careful of that person. He’s a man who extremely dislikes, no, despises the Righteous Sect to the point of expressing anger. So, avoid meeting him separately.”

“What’s the reason?”

“What?”

“I think there must be a reason for disliking people from the Righteous Sect. I can understand disliking someone because they’re from a different background, but to the point of despising them, I think there must be a reason…”

I turned my head away from Shin Hohyeol and looked at Joo Jonghak. Meeting his eyes, I continued speaking.

“Don’t you think so?”

“…”

Joo Jonghak tightly closed his mouth. As if thinking about what to say, he silently looked into my eyes, and his lips tried to open again, but in the meantime, Hyuk Dojin returned.

“What were you talking about?”

He alternately observed Joo Jonghak and me, then smiled. Joo Jonghak briefly bowed his head to Hyuk Dojin and stepped back, saying it was nothing. In the end, Joo Jonghak delayed his answer.

“Sowol?”

I looked up at Hyuk Dojin, who tilted his head and called my name. I was about to ask Hyuk Dojin but decided against it. There was no need to cause unnecessary worry. I shook my head with a forced smile.

After that, there were hardly any people who came to congratulate. Even those who came to congratulate delivered a light congratulatory greeting along with a gift and immediately disappeared.

After confirming that no more people were coming, Hyuk Dojin smiled and asked.

“Aren’t you hungry? It seems like you’ve been sitting here for at least one shichen, skipping dinner. Should I order to bring some food?”

At his words, I remembered that I had forgotten about my hunger. Looking up at the sky, I gauged if I was hungry and smiled brightly.

“It’s okay. The food is right in front of us, so I can just go and eat it myself. It’s more uncomfortable to sit here, receive food, and eat it. Besides, my back hurts from sitting too much.”

Although I said that, it didn’t look good to make someone else bring food all the way here. As I stepped on the stairs to move directly, I felt the gazes of people around me. Was it surprising to see me move after sitting like a doll?

Hyuk Dojin tried to follow me but was held back by someone who approached him. I gave him an expression indicating it was alright and moved downward.

With Joo Hwarin behind me, I approached the place where the food was. As I passed by, people made way for me as if they had seen something strange.

I could feel the murmuring sounds around me growing louder each time I passed by them. Joo Hwarin, who was following behind, whispered to me with concern.

“Miss…”

“It’s okay.”

I smiled brightly at her and moved towards my destination. Let’s not mind them. I had already prepared myself. To them, I was an outsider and at the same time, an object of interest. So don’t forcibly pay attention…

“…Is that really white hair? It’s not fake?”

“Doesn’t it look real? Wow, it’s truly white. She looks just like a snow lady.”

However, the words that reached my ears didn’t stay away just because I tried not to mind them. Even though my ears weren’t that sharp, the sounds penetrating them were too clear. However, I was used to such words and whispers, so I tried to ignore them, but at that moment-

“Is that wench really the daughter of one of the Five Great Clans of the Righteous Sect?”

“I heard she’s the daughter of the Moyong clan. According to the rumors, she’s so frail that she can’t even use martial arts.”

“…A wench who can’t even use martial arts, does that make sense? How can someone like that become the Young Madam?”

“The Young Cult Leader is also unusual. I wonder what he likes about a frail wench who can’t use martial arts. Does she remind him of his own mother?”

My fists clenched. Why were they saying such things? It was natural for me to be scolded. This place wasn’t my hometown, nor was it a place where many people would be favorable to me. If anything, it was a place with more enemies. So, it didn’t matter if they didn’t like me.

However, I couldn’t understand why Hyuk Dojin had to be scolded because of me. He had done nothing wrong. Just because his smile directed at me was so beautiful and bright, I also wanted to help him. While I was alive, even if it was just a little…

“I never imagined that the future leader of the Demon Cult would be swayed by such personal feelings. He should be ready to paint the Central Plains with blood, but instead, he’s clinging to a wench from the Righteous Sect. The Demon Cult is finished.”

“Cult Leader Hyuk Muhyeol must also be troubled. His only successor is embracing the Righteous Sect that he should be striking down.”

“I think everything has a meaning, but… It makes me sigh.”

“Eek, be careful with your words. Your voice is too loud.”

“Ahem…”

Although they talked about being careful with their words, they didn’t seem to have any intention of actually being careful. It wasn’t just the two of them, but others also kept bringing up words in a voice loud enough for me to hear, whether intentionally or unintentionally.

“By the way, according to the rumors, her hair turned white like that because she’s sick… Do you know anything about that?”

“Ah! I heard about that. What was it? They said she has some disease and won’t live long.”

“Really? Then shouldn’t she just die quickly instead of holding on?”

“Haha, that’s right. Even if she looks pretty, the thought of a disgusting wench from the Righteous Sect looking down on us from above is revolting. If she’s going to die anyway, she should just die without dragging on.”

I stopped walking. At the voice that reached my ears, I held my breath and looked at the ground. My head felt like it was ringing. I turned my head and looked at the people.

They were talking without distinguishing between words that could be said and words that couldn’t be said, but not a single person met my eyes.

Should I go and get angry? Or should I confront them and ask why they were saying such things? Countless thoughts came to mind, but all I could do was stand there blankly. The deep sense of helplessness. The helplessness of 40 years was weighing down on me.

“Miss…”

At Joo Hwarin’s voice calling me, I slightly twisted my waist. I relaxed my stiff expression and gave her a forced smile in response to her worried gaze.

“It’s okay.”

That’s right. It’s okay. Let’s get used to it.

The pain will only be momentary.

Smiling, I turned my body.

I returned to my seat with the food. In the meantime, Hyuk Dojin, who had finished his conversation, greeted me with a smile.

“Is the food to your liking?”

“It’s delicious.”

After smiling brightly, I looked at the seat. Hyuk Dojin observed my appearance and raised his gaze from bottom to top. He made a puzzled expression as if asking why.

I smiled slightly at him and shook my head. I lightly covered my forehead with my palm, looked around, and blinked a few times.

“Are you very tired?”

“No. It’s just…”

I wanted to smile at him. As if nothing had happened. However, the voices that had penetrated my ears just now and the sharp gazes.

The pure malice of numerous people that was never favorable came to mind. I blinked my eyes with my lips tightly closed and shook my head. Facing Hyuk Dojin, who was looking at me, I carefully spoke.

“Dojin. I’m sorry, but can I go back first?”

“Let’s go together. I’ll support you…”

“No. I’ll go alone.”

I showed him my palm. As he hesitated to get up from his seat, I wanted to show him a bright expression, but the corners of my mouth wouldn’t rise any further.

“…It’s okay.”

I wanted to stay longer, but that would be selfish. If I stayed like this, I would definitely make him worry, and other people would scold Hyuk Dojin, not me, when they saw me like this. Exhaling, I smiled brightly.

“I’ll get going. Have fun.”

Accepting his gaze on my back, I slowly moved my feet.

* * *

Hyuk Dojin’s brow furrowed as he watched Sowol’s retreating back. Sowol said she was fine, but he thought no one in this world would be fooled by those words.

Hyuk Dojin followed Sowol’s footsteps with his eyes, then slightly turned his head and scanned the place she had headed towards. There were still people gathered there, having conversations.

Hyuk Dojin stared at them intently and frowned.

[Eun Do.]

[Yes.]

[You must have something to tell me.]

At his words, silence flowed for a moment, and then a low telepathic message flew in.

[No matter how strictly I warned them to watch their mouths, there were too many people who freely wagged their tongues. Perhaps, she was hurt by those words…]

[What did they say?]

[…]

[Eun Do.]

Even at Hyuk Dojin’s call, Eun Do couldn’t hastily answer. That was because even Eun Do wanted to draw his sword and cut out the tongues of those people the moment he heard those words. However, if Hyuk Dojin heard that…

Eun Do didn’t want the peaceful banquet hall to be stained with blood. It wasn’t because he felt sorry for them.

It was because he knew what Moyong Sowol would think after hearing this story.

[…The Young Miss wouldn’t want that. Given her personality, she wouldn’t want the Young Cult Leader to overexert himself because of her. So…]

[That’s not for you to judge.]

Hyuk Dojin slowly rose from his seat. The people who had been paying attention to Hyuk Dojin, who was looking at the empty seat left by Moyong Sowol, raised their gazes together as he moved.

Hyuk Dojin met the gazes of the people looking up at him and spat out a cold telepathic message.

[You just speak. Whether to get angry and enraged at those words is solely my role, and at the same time, if there’s someone who brought sadness to my wife, it’s my role to inflict pain and despair upon that person.]

Hyuk Dojin’s feet moved.

[The sadness and suffering of my wife are what I must bear, so tell me right now.]

The corners of his mouth twisted.

[Who made my woman sad?]