Chapter 80
Part 5: The Conclusion of the Meeting
Luoyang Sword Clan.
Elder Yeom’s training ground.
“Now, everyone understands, right?”
Yeom Baek-ha, an enforcement envoy known by the nickname “Law Enforcement Princess,” was explaining.
“The education you are now receiving is being conducted because a special education period has been declared by the main family’s Law Enforcement Court.”
In front of her, several dozen warriors were gathered close together and seated.
“The purpose is to strengthen the discipline of the main family due to the recent incident in the Inner Court. Everyone, have you understood this much?”
A warrior sitting beside another warrior who was nodding off burst into laughter at her words.
“Haha, young lady. No matter what, we can understand at least that much.”
Another warrior laughed as well.
“It’s not as if we’re thugs from the marketplace of Luoyang…”
“Aren’t you looking down on us too much?”
As they noisily chattered, even the warriors who had been dozing pretended to laugh along.
Yeom Baek-ha sighed and opened her mouth.
“Now then, let me ask our warriors, who possess both learning and refinement, one question. What kind of place is the main family’s ‘Supreme Operations Council’?”
One warrior answered energetically.
“Isn’t it the organization with the greatest power?”
“It’s the scariest place!”
“It’s also the most important organization!”
Yeom Baek-ha covered her face and sighed.
If they had studied as well as they wielded swords, they would not have become warriors; they would all have become enforcement envoys.
She somehow composed herself and continued the lesson.
“The main family’s Supreme Operations Council is currently the Acting Patriarch of the main family, and at the same time, it is also the name of the current system. It is the main family’s highest decision-making and deliberative body, with the authority to forcibly intervene in issues that the Council of Elders or various lower organizations cannot resolve on their own.”
“…Doesn’t that mean it’s the strongest?”
“It sounds like it means it’s the scariest place…”
“My answer was correct! You are saying it is the most important organization!”
Yeom Baek-ha roughly nodded.
“Yes, yes. You all did very well.”
The warriors clapped vigorously.
Yeom Baek-ha waved her hand to stop the applause, then asked another question.
“Then, does anyone know how many members make up the Supreme Operations Council?”
“Isn’t it three?”
“…Huh? I thought it was five.”
Yeom Baek-ha forced a smile.
“The answer is, ‘No one knows.’”
The warriors booed at her.
“Come on, that was a trap from the start, wasn’t it?”
“You asked how many people there are, and the answer is that no one knows? Are you mocking us?!”
“…My apologies.”
“It’s all right!”
“Anyone can make mistakes!”
Yeom Baek-ha’s smiling face twitched.
“Now then. Not only the number of supreme council members who make up the Supreme Operations Council, but also their identities are unknown. Why do you think that is?”
“I believe it is for their protection!”
“They hold important positions, but not all of them would have learned martial arts, so I think it is an excellent measure.”
This time, fairly decent answers came back.
Guarding key figures was part of their training curriculum as well, so that must have been why.
“Yes! Those are good answers.”
Everyone clapped excitedly.
“Now, now. However, the most important reason is to keep all power from being concentrated in their hands.”
Yeom Baek-ha calmly continued her explanation.
“In exchange for possessing tremendous authority, they must uphold an oath of silence not to reveal their identities anywhere, or to anyone.”
“…Uh, then they would not even be able to brag about it anywhere.”
“Hmm, in that case, I would not do it. My rising in the world is my mother’s only source of pride.”
“…Ah, yes. That is right. They are making a noble sacrifice for the sake of the Luoyang Sword Clan.”
A chief warrior who had been listening from the very front sprang to his feet and shouted.
“That is why all of us must also follow their example, arm ourselves with a thorough warrior spirit, and possess a boundless spirit of sacrifice for the main family! Do you understand?!”
Everyone answered in a loud, resounding voice.
Yeom Baek-ha wanted to collapse where she stood.
Ah, I really want to quit this lesson right now…
Whether its master suffered or not, the white tiger was happily hopping around the training ground.
***
Luoyang Sword Clan.
The Council of Elders, Grand Assembly Hall.
After the Inner Court Chief’s statement, another recess was declared at the elders’ request.
The elders gathered according to their factions and exchanged whispered conversations.
“It has been quite a while since that Inner Court Chief made a statement.”
“Is it not because he had a major clash with the Eldest Young Master this time?”
“Is that man someone who would so much as blink over something like that?”
“At the very least, his pride must have been wounded. The Eldest Young Master all but held a departure ceremony in his own front yard.”
Elder Yeom’s faction was also exchanging words.
“What happens if the Supreme Operations Council foolishly releases the Eldest Young Master from confinement?”
“What reason would they have to do that?”
“Let us simply discuss it once.”
“If we think of it that way, even if his confinement is lifted, as long as civil war can somehow be prevented, it would not harm neutral parties like us.”
Elder Yeom opened his mouth.
“Besides, the Eldest Young Master’s confinement was bound to be lifted someday anyway.”
At his words, everyone nodded.
“That is true. There is his ‘betrothal,’ after all.”
“…Then would the Supreme Operations Council not also try to retrieve only the Patriarch’s Seal somehow? The confinement itself is not the issue.”
“Do you think the Eldest Young Master would trade the Patriarch’s Seal for his confinement?”
“If it were me, I never would.”
“This discussion is a mess.”
“Is the problem not that we cannot predict how they, or the Eldest Young Master, will judge and move in the first place?”
Elder Yeom cut in.
“Perhaps this matter will reach a conclusion once we observe their decision.”
Their gazes turned toward the people Elder Yeom had indicated—that is, the elders belonging to the Second Young Master’s and Third Young Master’s factions.
***
“We agree to raise this agenda item to the Supreme Operations Council!”
“We are also in agreement!”
The elders belonging to Elder Yeom’s faction nodded.
“As expected, Elder Yeom’s prediction was correct.”
“There is no way they would make a decision that harms the successors they serve.”
“It seems they are certain the Supreme Operations Council will stop the Eldest Young Master.”
“We have no ill will toward the Eldest Young Master, but…”
“Even so, we cannot simply release someone who could bring about the worst situation—civil war.”
“Then let us also express our agreement.”
Elder Yeom also nodded.
But inside, his thoughts were complicated.
If the Supreme Operations Council summoned the Eldest Young Master, even he could not predict what sort of conversation they would have or how they would clash.
However, it seemed obvious that the Supreme Operations Council, which stood at the peak of all power in the Luoyang Sword Clan, would place a major restriction of some kind on the Eldest Young Master.
That was also the reason his heart felt uneasy.
Because deep down, there was a part of him that wanted the Eldest Young Master to end up confined inside Wongakjeong.
If that happened, then the burden regarding the treatment of his daughter would also be greatly reduced.
Yeon Sang-hyeon’s words from that day came to mind.
I am merely one doctor and a Swordless. But what about you? Can you be simply the father of one child?
Just as he clenched his molars tightly, the vote began.
The conclusion was reached.
“Then next, the agenda item regarding internal reform of the main family. Due to the unfortunate incident that recently occurred in the Inner Court…”
It took only one double-hour for the Council of Elders to grasp the Eldest Young Master’s situation and reach a conclusion.
***
The regular meeting of the Council of Elders ended, and the elders who had been locked inside poured out of the grand assembly hall.
“I hereby announce that this agenda item has been referred to the Supreme Operations Council!”
The head of the Council of Elders struck the presiding gavel hard.
“Heh heh, then I will see you at the next regular meeting.”
“Please take care of yourself.”
After leaving the grand assembly hall, they had returned to being perfectly sensible elders of dignity and refinement.
As everyone scattered and went their own ways, one elder asked Elder Son through sound transmission.
What you said earlier is true, is it not?
Elder Son answered with a smile on his face.
Do not worry. The Supreme Operations Council will absolutely not leave the Patriarch’s Seal in the Eldest Young Master’s hands.
May I trust that?
Of course.
He sent his sound transmission filled with boundless trust.
Because it is what the Second Young Master, my lord, told me directly.
The empty grand assembly hall.
“Was this the best choice?”
The head of the Guardian Court asked.
“Was there another way?”
The head of the Law Enforcement Court also asked.
“…There were ways. Many of them.”
The head of the Council of Elders sighed.
“But they were not the best of the best, were they?”
“Raising it to the Supreme Operations Council was the best judgment.”
“If it is them, who possess all power and authority, they will be able to prevent the worst outcome.”
The head of the Council of Elders inhaled.
“That is the problem. The fact that there was only one choice that could be called the best judgment.”
His gaze turned toward the main entrance of the grand assembly hall.
The grand assembly hall had only one main entrance.
Whether entering or leaving, one had no choice but to use that door.
The head of the Guardian Court opened his mouth.
“From what I have heard, this Inner Court incident began with a single inspection investigator.”
The head of the Council of Elders nodded.
“Was his name Kang Ho? I know his name because I was acquainted with his grandfather.”
“And they say it was the Eldest Young Master who summoned Kang Ho by name.”
“We already knew all these facts before discussing this, and each of us had already made our judgments. Yet here we are, gathered and talking about something that is no different from the obvious.”
The heads of the Guardian Court and the Law Enforcement Court fell silent.
It was because they were uneasy.
Even after finishing all their calculations and taking the strongest measure they could,
the head of the Council of Elders shook his head.
“…For some reason, I am reminded of the time of that ‘Bloody History.’”
No answer came back.
The head of the Council of Elders moved his reluctant feet.
Toward the single exit.
“…It seems I must visit the family’s elders for the first time in a while.”
Suppressing his unwillingness, he let out a deep sigh from the tightness in his chest.
The head of the Council of Elders fell silent.
“…As a result, the Eldest Young Master moved only a single low-ranking inspection officer and shook the Inner Court.”
The head of the Law Enforcement Court opened his mouth in a low, subdued voice.
“On top of that, through advance work using rumors, he left me with no options at all. He forced the Law Enforcement Court to make such a commotion in the central plaza.”
“It is hard to imagine that this was done by one man who had no strength, no power, and had been confined for ten years.”
The head of the Council of Elders slowly nodded.
“Even the Inner Court Chief, that old monster, was struck by a sudden blow…”
“It is likely the same for everyone here, but this is not because we are hostile to the Eldest Young Master.”
“It is merely because he is far too dangerous a figure.”
“Now, while he is at his weakest, we must cut off the sprout.”
“And we have brought out the strongest card we can mobilize within the main family—the Supreme Operations Council. Our judgment is correct.”
“…Do you all realize?”
The head of the Council of Elders gave a hollow smile.