Be Careful When Agreeing to Terms and Conditions - Be Careful When Agreeing to Terms and Conditions chapter 74

7. Human or Good Man (10)

After the death of Emperor Amwang, Liyue Sanggye, which had been taking care of itself, was noisy for the first time in a long time. It was just a few days. This was because my superiors, who seemed to be clearly on the defensive, dealt effective blows to Eung-gwang one after another. Liyue Chilseong’s authority was shaken, Okseong turned to my side, and Cheonamgun’s unreasonable inspections were stopped after the last slime attack incident.

Cheonam-gun, which had been interfering with my ancestors’ upward movement at all times, had to pay a huge amount of compensation to my ancestors. Of course, in the long run, the amount was a little insufficient compared to the damage Cheonam-gun caused to Siwoosangdan. This was because there were more than one business partner whose traffic was cut off due to Cheonam-gun’s unreasonable inspections.

But I didn’t bother to risk that issue. First of all, the last trip was the only one where the accident occurred, and what was important right now was securing cash. Instead, it was not a bad result since Eung-gwang and the seven stars of Liyue would have been struggling to appease the angry merchants.

Now, the game, where there were only outnumbered players, was gradually coming into balance. Eung-gwang’s power had lost its strength, while I still had two cards left in my hand. Li Yue’s Okseongseong and Mond’s financial advisor. If he used these two positions to unilaterally put pressure on Eung-gwang, his chances of winning were not very slim.

Of course, we were still outnumbered. Rather, it could be said that the last remaining ‘thirteen’ was the most fundamental problem. The difference in financial power was that Siwoo’s merchant and Eunggwang’s merchant were different in scale. Siwoo Trading Company was also a large trading company that won national projects, but Eungwang Trading Company was literally a huge trading company that was famous throughout the Tivat continent.

Unlike simple conflicts of interest, cash battles were more complex in their calculations. Victory or defeat could not be assured simply by the size of capital power. However, no matter how complicated the calculation, it does not change the fact that the amount of capital that can be mobilized is the power of the top. Even though there were numerous variables, in the end, it was money that determined victory or defeat.

What I’ve been thinking about these days is also about him. As of now, there is no proper answer, so I had no choice but to be satisfied with keeping the top of Eunggwang in check. By demanding inspections, commercial traffic to and from Mond is blocked, and each office is moved to block Eunggwang’s political position. This alone forced Eung-gwang to have limited freedom of movement for a while.

Even so, it was the top of the situation where two of the main projects were shaken due to the blockade of the layered rock and Inazuma’s national isolation policy. If he wanted to secure her cash, he could do it, but there was a limit to how much she could squeeze out. As its size was large, the amount of money needed to maintain it was enormous.

So, in order to defeat Eung-gwang, one decisive blow is enough. I was so sure. It’s just that I have no idea how to prepare for that final, decisive blow.

The sound of my fingers tapping on the table tickled my ears. It was a tea house. It was a luxurious teahouse located in the downtown area of Liyue.

As it is located in the center of Liyue, the number of customers coming and going here was diverse. There were old people who wanted to enjoy a moment of contemplation, and there were also noble ladies who needed a place to chat. And among them, there was a pair of young men and women who seemed to be having fun.

My companion and I belonged to the last type. In front of me was a woman with light purple hair sipping her tea. Her headdress reminiscent of a cat, her wine-colored eyes, and even her haughty gaze. She appeared to be in her early 20s at most, but her true identity was one of the seven merchants who led the best trading port on the Tivat continent.

Her name was ‘Gakcheong’, she was the person I met most often recently and the woman in charge of jade formation among the seven stars of Liyue.

Gakcheong was sipping her tea with a blank look on her face, and then she seemed to have remembered something and asked me. She was one of the few people who knew the full story of the last slime attack incident.

“…… So? “Where is that little boy now?”

Hearing those words, I raised my teacup. Then, after taking a sip of her tea, she slowly opened her mouth. The answer to her question was obvious.

“It’s still time to sleep now. “Because Fissle is nocturnal.”

‘Kid’, that was the word used to call Fissle. Fissle arrived in Liyue as the person in charge of the commercial business where the slime attack occurred not long ago. And this was also a selection that reflected my intentions. A large-scale commercial operation with a pretentious girl in charge was the perfect condition for someone to ignore it.

And if you start to ignore the person in charge of commercial affairs, you will easily end up doing things that cross the line. For example, even though the person in charge at the top left a warning, they arbitrarily touch the cargo.

I wondered what would happen if Cheonam-gun showed cautious movements during the inspection process, but I was worried for no reason. Fissle performed its role successfully. Hundreds of slimes attracted by the ‘element trap’ turned the scene into chaos, and Fissle protected the top employees without even caring about the cargo.

Thanks to this, all the upper level employees were safe, but most of the cargo was lost. It was a situation where Cheonam-gun had no choice but to take responsibility. In the end, it was an ending with no losses for me, all the employees at the top were safe, and Cheonam-gun compensated for the lost cargo.

It was the best result. So, there was nothing to be said about the meritorious person even if he took a nap for a while. Each office must have thought the same thing, so they nodded without saying anything and said.

“If you think about it, you reported until late at night yesterday too.”

“Yeah, well…” There’s a lot going on in Mond too. “Tell me a little about the road restoration project.”

‘Road restoration project’, the eyes of each office that had been bored out of their minds seemed to spark interest at the words. She suddenly asked me.

“How’s the ‘road restoration project’ going these days?”

“Still, it looks like you are interested in civil engineering work.”

In response to my half-joking question, Gakcheong nodded her head as if it was natural. She placed her hand on her heart and spoke in a proud voice.

“Of course, I am the Jade Star of the Liyue Seven Stars. Even if it’s a foreign job, it’s not often you get a chance to hear about national civil engineering projects, right? Something like that could happen to Li Yue someday, but there’s no harm in preparing for anything in advance.”

I smiled slightly at those confident words. If you think about it, each office was always sincere toward Li Yue. He was always worried about Liyue’s future and did whatever it takes to make Liyue a better place.

I didn’t even care about being politically isolated and alone in the process. It was a great attitude for a politician. However, because she was so capable, her colleagues who had been forced to meet her standards grew tired and left her. So each office was lonely. Enough to open my heart to Naburangi, a merchant from a foreign country, in just a few days.

He was a good person, each office. That’s why I didn’t know why I couldn’t hate her. When she touched Lumine, she honestly had a hard time deciding what to do.

In the end, she didn’t mean to hurt Lumine, so she decided to give it a look. Instead, since I am now moving for myself and Lumine, it was an appropriate transaction to pay off the debt in my heart.

“The supply of materials itself is not a problem. However, since the road has been abandoned for a while, there are still hazards and I am worried about the safety of workers. “I heard that even though the Knights of Pebonius cooperate, accidents sometimes occur.”

“…… So what if we hire adventurers?”

I ended up with a bitter smile on my face at each office’s words. It would be a great help if the adventurers came forward, but they were preoccupied with other things right now.

From Noble mtl dot com

“Those friends now have their eyes set on unexplored places. The area around the place where the wind demon dragon stayed has been opened, and it is said that there are so many resources there that adventurers are coming and going.

“Anyway, adventurers… ….”

I clicked my tongue and said, “Tsk,” As if each office understood my feelings. This is why it was difficult for adventurers to be controlled by state power. Putting all things aside, such as safety, if there is adventure and the unknown, we rush into it without fail. I thought it would be worth knowing that wherever there was treasure, it was a tribe that frequented harsh environments like Dragon Spine.

Actually, it would be possible to mobilize adventurers if we spent a little more money, but right now, there was friction between Eunggwang’s top and my top. I didn’t have enough power at the top, and that didn’t mean the Knights of Pebonius had a large budget. In the end, we had no choice but to proceed while ensuring safety as much as possible, even if it meant slowing down a bit.

In this way, several opinions were exchanged about important issues of the country. It was a conversation that was possible because it was people who belonged to me, each government office, or the leadership of the country. Then something suddenly occurred to me, so I opened my mouth. It was a slightly worried voice.

“…… “Now that I think about it, are you okay?”

“What?”

Gakcheong was sipping tea and looked at me as if asking what I meant. Those haughty wine-colored eyes were attractive. I admired her eyes for a moment, and then she continued speaking.

“That import permit from last time. “Isn’t that a bit excessive?”

Gakcheong snorted at my worried question. The attitude was that he was worried about everything.

“Hmph, what else can I say…” Don’t worry, the temporary import permit was granted as an inducement device to exclude risk factors from outdoor construction. “Who would say anything to Ok Seong-seong about civil engineering?”

That’s right, but even as I said that, I couldn’t help but look at him with suspicion.

In fact, Li Yue Chilseong’s power was like a kind of tightrope walk. It won’t be known unless someone makes it a problem, but if they want to make it a problem, they can make it as much as they want. The boundaries were vague, and the separation between private and public work was not well established.

Even if it were just to respond right away, didn’t Li Yue Chilseong’s power be mobilized for personal matters? However, if even he failed to walk the tightrope, he had no choice but to be cautious of his actions for a while, just like the last slime attack incident. In that respect, what each office is doing now was the same.

She may think it was for Liyue’s future, but to others, it could have been seen as a personal abuse of power for her own convenience. Especially in a situation like these days where there are rumors of an affair between me and each office.

However, each office remained calm. On the contrary, she even asked me in a cautious tone, as if she was more worried about me.

“…… What about you? How do you think we can raise the insufficient funds?”

Gwaaah, a moan came out of my mouth. Even without that, it was a problem I was thinking about. After being silent for a while, I eventually sighed and shook my head. It meant that there was no way to do it yet.

“Is there… “Even if we don’t do that, Eung-gwang keeps snatching up our business partners and we’re leaking cash.”

No matter how well my business was financially sound, it was natural that cash would dry up when business partners began to cut off. This was because various indicators, such as maintenance costs, penalties, and expenditures compared to expected income, were messed up.

There was no way for there to be a place that would lend money to such a top. However, the burden of taking on debt under unreasonable conditions was also considerable. As if they had sensed my thoughts, each office muttered and remained silent for a moment. It was some time later that her mouth opened.

“Then how about taking advantage of the traveler’s connections?”

“…… “You’re Rumi?”

Each office nodded to my immediate rebuttal. It was an attitude of questioning something obvious.

“Yes, you are still the hero of Mond, right? I heard that she traveled around Liyue and left behind many achievements. Did you know? She might find some of them helpful.”

I frowned and thought for a moment. Lumine’s connections? Come to think of it, I heard a rumor that during the period when Lumine became awkward with me, she was moving around and helping people.

Until now, I didn’t pay much attention to the issue. It was Lumine’s job to do it anyway. However, after listening to each person’s comments, I realized that I had been thinking too much about Lumine’s work and mine separately.

What if I won’t get help from her Lumine connections? When I thought that way, all problems began to become simple. I jumped up.

When they saw me like that, each office snorted. She said, putting down her teacup.

“Are you stupid? I haven’t even thought of that until now… “I heard that the traveler is acquainted with the second Young master of the Empty Chamber of Commerce. Why don’t you visit her?”

After hearing that, I approached each office. And when Gakcheong looked at me with her bewildered eyes, I immediately grabbed her delicate hand. Gakcheong, who suddenly grabbed her hand, looked at me with her blank eyes, and immediately her face began to blush.

Anyway, I spoke in an admiring voice.

“Gakcheong, are you a genius?”

“…… “What, what, what are you saying!”

In the end, I had to be punished by being trampled by each office because I arbitrarily grabbed her hand. It was a very simple punishment: her feet would trample on mine. I thought as I groaned in pain.

No, at most we can just hold hands. I really couldn’t understand the woman’s heart.

**

‘Biun Sanghoe’ was the name of one of Li Yue’s caravans. Their reputation in various businesses, including flowers, was widely known even in Liyue, the best trading port on the Tivat continent. In terms of size, it was similar to or larger than my upper level.

Sangsan, with its tradition and history, had a huge influence on the commercial world. There were countless ties they had against Li Yue Sang-gye, so if I could gain their power, the fight with Eung-gwang might be a fight worth fighting.

I am still just a stranger. So for now, there was no choice but to silently accept the checks of the Sanggye based on Eunggwang’s influence. But what if Biunsanghoe acts as a shield? Or, what if they could counterattack Eung-gwang?

Of course, Biun Sanghoe was a target group, and of course it did not put its head in places where there was no profit. It was a principle shared not only by the Biun Merchant Association but also by all merchants in Liyue. But that was something I had to do something about, and rather, I should have been grateful just for the fact that I had the opportunity to contact a key figure in the Biunsanghoe.

Li Yue Sanggye was connected with difficult personal relationships. In particular, if he was a key figure in the caravan, there were many more routes to go through to meet him. No matter how much money he had, he wasn’t someone a stranger like me would immediately show his face to. I was even currently in conflict with the top of Ying Guang, one of Li Yue’s caravans.

But interestingly enough, I came here following Lumine’s connections. I could never have imagined that the second Young master of the Biunsanghoe and Lumine were acquainted.

I was politely guided by the Biunsanghoe and entered a room with a locked sliding door. The door opened with a clang sound. Inside was a small reception table and an androgynous-looking boy.

Blue hair, amber eyes, and a delicate body. His hair was unusually long, especially on the left side. He had a body so slender that anyone would mistake him for a woman, but if you look down on him, you could end up in a terrible situation.

He was a martial arts expert and a skilled person with the ‘eyes of God.’ He is the ‘genius Young master of the Biun Chamber of Commerce’, and his talent does not distinguish between martial arts and civilization. His father and older brother led the Biunsanghoe, but even they did not dare to listen to the opinions of this genius.

The name is ‘Haengchu’. He sat down and was looking at a small book, but when he felt a tickle, he closed the book. He said with his eyes closed.

“I guess you are that ‘Siwoo’. Mond’s Grand Prize Danju, Prince Geumrang, and… A traveler’s companion.”

I looked at Haengchu’s expression for a moment. I couldn’t make sense of that calm yet unreadable expression. Words of humility reflexively flowed from my mouth.

“…… “I am honored that the famous second Young master of Biunsanghoe knows my name.”

“Ahahahaha… That sounds like too much humility. How could you not know? “He is the one who made the famous old man Cheon-gwon embarrassed.”

With that, Haengchu slammed the book down on the table. Then he raised his body, folded his arms, and bowed politely at the waist.

“…… My name is ‘Haengchu’. “I happened to come into contact with your colleague.”

Then, Haengchu offered me a seat. I greeted Haengchu and sat down in the seat he offered me. He poured warm tea into his teacup. When socializing on the continent of Tivat, tea usually followed.

I sipped my tea. Haengchu was still looking at me with an incomprehensible expression on his face. In the end, it was me who brought up the agenda first.

“The reason I visited the second Young master today… ….”

“You must be short on funds.”

It was a puzzling remark. I closed my mouth. Regardless, Haengchu picked up the teacup and took a sip. He continued speaking in a relaxed voice.

“I also feel sorry for her. Because I know full well that travelers are not that type of person. ‘When you see injustice, think of righteousness, and when you think of righteousness, act righteously.’ This is what I take as my credo.”

The tone was as if he would listen to my request just by hearing the words. But I sighed deeply. Because if you had really intended to grant my request, you wouldn’t have needed such a long introduction.

I was also a merchant. I had already learned the merchant’s speaking style.

“…… “I’m saying it can’t be done.”

In my reasoning, Lee Chae flashed across Haengchu’s eyes. He immediately smiled bitterly and put the teacup down on the table.

“Yes, I am the second Young master of the Biunsanghoe. I don’t have that much authority. “This is a matter you need to discuss with your father or older brother.”

“…… But I heard that those two also listen to the opinions of the second Young master.”

Hangchu did not deny what I said. He simply lifted the teacup once again and sipped the tea. It was after some silence that his mouth opened.

“I want to help you without any conditions, but… ….”

“…… “Not your father and eldest brother?”

“Because it’s the top.”

Haengchu’s tone was firm. At first glance, he looked like a preacher preaching the truth. And this was true to some extent. In a capitalist society, the top does not move unless profits are at stake. At least in Liyue, this was a widely accepted statement of truth.

His eyes glanced at the book he was reading. The book on the table looked like a martial arts book at first glance.

“Even if there is righteousness, righteousness cannot be achieved without martial arts. That’s why it is ‘martial arts (武俠)’. This also applies to the top. “No matter how right it is, it cannot be done without profit.”

“…… “What if there is profit?”

In response to my question, Haengchu was silent for a moment. He looked at my expression without saying a word, and then smiled.

“…… Then the story is different. “What becomes important is what kind of profit we can make, and whether our Biunsanghoe is worthy of being overlooked by senior citizens.”

“Biun Sangdan had done business with me in the past.”

My answer was immediate. Heng Chu closed his mouth as if to listen, and then he sipped his tea. His amber eyes turned to me.

He was not just a nice person. He was also a skilled merchant as a son of Biun Sangdan.

“There were quite a few items that I sold at that time. ‘Dandelion’, ‘Wind Mushroom’… ….”

“The flower industry is the main business of our Biun Sanghoe.”

I nodded at Haengchu’s words. The deal I said I did before was during my second trip to Liyue. ‘Biunsanghoe’ was the place where Mona disposed of the dandelions and wind mushrooms she had prepared. There were few places with the capital to purchase such a quantity at once.

It was also an issue related to the pride of the Biunsanghoe. They had to be the best in the flower industry. However, ‘Dandelion’ and ‘Wind Mushroom’, which were only available in small quantities for a while, have arrived in large quantities? There was no way they would miss this opportunity. I don’t know, but they must have made quite a profit from that transaction.

In that case, it was enough to stimulate their pride. First I threw some suitable bait.

“From now on, we will exclusively supply ‘dandelions’ and ‘wind mushrooms.’”

Hmm, Haengchu’s eyebrows narrowed. He seemed to think about it for a moment, then sighed.

“…… “It’s not enough.”

He then slammed the teacup down. He said in a sighing voice.

“Of course, this is a welcome development for the Biunsanghoe. I know that the Siu Merchant Marine Company has a virtual monopoly on Mond’s trade routes. So, if we can receive an exclusive supply, we, as a business association, can make a big profit. But, that’s not enough.”

He then took a quick look at my expression. It seemed like he was trying to see what emotions were showing on my face. But I just remained silent, and there was no significant change in my expression.

“Don’t you know what it means to be outside the eyes of Chilseong in Liyue? Besides, Mr. Cheon Kwon is still young. You may still be there for several more decades. To take that risk…….”

“I have to endure it.”

Tight, Haengchu stopped speaking. Haengchu’s brows, which had never been distorted before, narrowed slightly. He asked back in confusion.

“…… Yes?”

“I have to endure it. No, I’m saying that you have to endure it anyway, so you have to be with me. “You could say it’s a kind of opportunity.”

Haeng Chu was silent for a moment, then burst out laughing and shook his head as if he had heard a funny joke. He picked up his teacup again.

“The reason why the Biunsanghoe should be like this… ….”

“…… How long are you going to stay under Eunggwang?”

Haengchu’s hand that was about to tip the teacup stopped. His amber eyes turned to me. Those eyes were a little cold.

It was because it touched his pride. In Liyue, pride is sometimes more precious than one’s life. Even if I wasn’t actually offended, I had to at least pretend to be angry when I heard that I was under someone. Because it was respect.

But that’s why I needed to scratch my pride. I continued speaking in a calm tone.

“Liyue’s Caravan Biun Sanghoe is called the best in the flower industry. However, it is not actually ‘Liyue’s best’. “Because there was always only one ‘Liyue best.’”

With a thud, the teacup was set down. Haengchu looked at my expression closely. I didn’t care. Read it, because it was something I wanted to do anyway.

I put my hand on the table with a thud. And then he slightly raised his body. The upper body tilted, and Haengchu’s gaze and mine became closer.

“…… “Now is your only chance.”

“Why?”

“Because times are changing.”

I then straightened my upper body, which had been tilted. Haengchu was silently looking into my eyes. That alone was enough. He was a boy so smart that he was called a ‘genius.’ You must have already guessed what I meant.

All that’s left is to pop the abacus. You will be weighing what is possible and what is impossible.

“Li Yue Chilseong’s authority has been shaken, and Eungwang’s freedom of movement has become narrower than ever due to the blockade of the Beiyan Geoyeon and Inazuma’s national isolation policy. “Even recently, he abused his power for personal matters and suffered a crisis due to backlash from merchants.”

“…… “You planned that, right?”

Haengchu smiled as if he was dumbfounded by my words. I didn’t necessarily deny it. Except for the blockade of the Layered Rocks and Inazuma’s national isolation policy, it was all I had planned.

Instead of denying what he said, I asked him a question. It was a question that penetrated the conversation we had had so far.

“…… Do you think an opportunity like this will come again?”

The answer is ‘absolutely not.’ Haengchu must have thought of this as soon as he heard my question. These were special times. The absolute leader of Liyue, the King of Darkness, died suddenly, and as the times changed, everything was drifting away in the torrent.

Now Eung-gwang was shaking. But will this continue to be the case? That couldn’t have been possible. As time passed, Liyue Chilseong would regain its former authority, and the upper echelon of Eungwang, which had been temporarily shaken, would regain its former glory. Eung-gwang was such a capable merchant.

‘Liyue Best’, that title was an honor that all merchants dreamed of. And beyond the superficial issue, real benefits were also involved in this issue.

As her fortune fell, her place was bound to be taken by someone else.

“…… “The prey is too big.”

“The bigger the game, the more meat there is to eat.”

Haengchu ended up bursting into laughter at my analogy. He raised both his hands. It meant surrender.

“Okay, this is enough to tell my father and older brother. But I’m not sure what decision will be made.”

But I could be sure from his relaxed voice. Biunsanghoe cannot miss this opportunity.

For that reason, the bleeding prey was too attractive.

A few days later, a rumor hit the Liyue merchant world that the Biun Merchant Association had transfused a large amount of Mora to my merchants in exchange for acquiring ‘exclusive trading rights.’ And the Biunsanghoe began to blatantly keep Eunggwang’s upper management in check. Even so, Eunggwang’s upper division, which was on the defensive, was being pushed even further into a corner.

Li Yue Sanggye, who had been predicting my defeat until recently, had no choice but to think again at that time. Until now, Li Yue Sangye had been evaluating me like this. ‘A reckless challenge swayed by emotions,’ or ‘a foolish choice that fails to control youthful energy.’ But the situation was becoming more favorable to me with each passing day.

At this point, they couldn’t help but think about this thought at least once. What if the young owner of Siwoo Trading Company didn’t just make a decision based on emotion? If you think about it calmly, what if you took on the challenge because there was a chance of winning? The alliance between my top and the Biunsanghoe was fueling such thoughts even more.

If so, how huge will be the profit that the gambler, who was even called reckless, will bring?

The merchants of Liyue began striking the abacus once again. Before we knew it, these rumors were floating around Liyue Sanggye.

The wolf smelled money. Young master Geumrang went hunting with Biunsanghoe on his back. And that prey was Li Yue, who boasted the highest weight class.

**

Gamwoo visited Gunokgak today as well. This was because he had work as a secretary. Her arms were full of documents.

It was a document about various current conditions of Liyue. Originally, it was a document that was reported once a quarter, but recently the situation has changed so rapidly that it is now a document that is published every week. It was the same today.

It’s only been 3 days since the last report, and the cycle is getting shorter and shorter. And this meant that the confusion in Liyue was becoming more extreme.

Gamwoo bit her lip. Increasingly, the Liyue left behind by Emperor Empress was collapsing. The flow of time swept away everything. As if a new era wants a new order. Gamwoo hated that fact to the core.

Why is everything Gamwoo loved leaving? Emperor Amwang, and Li Yue, who enjoyed peace and prosperity under the reign of King Emperor Empress, and again… ….

Gam-woo, who was unconsciously thinking of a man’s face, suddenly came to his senses in shock. Before she knew it, she was in Gunokgak’s office. There was a woman with silver hair, looking at the numerous documents on the wall without saying a word.

Those were ‘snow’. When those documents were organized in Eung-gwang’s head and a conclusion was drawn, it would create a big stir in the Liyue commercial world that day. The pieces of documents that were torn to shreds by her hands and scattered beneath the Gunok Pavilion became treasures that every merchant in Liyue would aim for.

The fact that Eung-kwang was now looking into those ‘eyes’ meant that she was taking this matter seriously. A man’s name was mentioned throughout the document.

‘Siwoo’, the moment I saw those two letters, I felt like my heart was tightening. Her breath caught. For some reason, Gamwoo was out of breath, but managed to calm his breathing by pressing his chest. Why is she doing this, she couldn’t understand herself.

Gam-woo quietly placed the documents he had prepared on Eung-gwang’s desk. She was worried that she might disturb Eung-gwang. However, it soon became clear that that consideration was meaningless. This was because Ngwang, who was quietly staring at the wall, opened her mouth.

“…… “It’s amazing.”

Gam-u, who was about to turn her body and head outside, stopped at those words. Eung-kwang continued her words regardless.

“At first, I thought it was no big deal. Of course, I thought she might be a difficult opponent, but… hehehe, I never thought it would go this far.”

Eung-kwang, with that bitter smile on her face, then turned her body and approached the desk. Her crimson eyes scanned the documents that Gamwoo had put down. It didn’t take long for Ngwang to come to her conclusion.

“…… “It’s a mess.”

This did not mean that the report was a mess. Wolhaejeong, led by Gam-u and Gam-u, were skilled secretaries. No matter how hard they worked every day, they rarely made mistakes. If so, what those words were referring to was one thing.

The current situation of Liyue was a mess. There was no place where anything was working properly. Although she was somehow pretending to be stable, many changes were taking place inside.

“…… “I’m sorry, old man Cheon-kwon.”

Gamwoo had no choice but to say that. If you think about it, it wasn’t her fault. No, she actually wasn’t anyone’s fault.

The king of kings died, and Li Yue was facing a change. Who is responsible for that? If there was anyone, there was only one person that came to mind: Gam-woo.

Jade formation, Gakcheong, Gamwoo’s eyes that reminded her of her sank with a dreary chill. Eung-gwang didn’t seem to notice that fact, so she just sighed and laughed self-deprecatingly.

“There is no one to blame. If you think about it, it should be said that it is Chilseong’s fault for not leading Liyue properly… If not, is it my mistake for not knowing that one man would shake up the entire Liyue like this? hehehe… ….”

“…… “Ok-hyung, the elder.”

It was an unexpected question. ‘Jade Seongseong’, why is she coming out now? Eung-gwang’s gaze was cast towards Gam-woo with a question in his eyes. And soon she had no choice but to remain silent.

Gamwoo’s eyes were cold. It was eyes that could not feel any warmth at all. Eung-gwang was looking at Gam-woo with a knowing gaze.

“What does Mr. Okhyeong say about Li Yue now?”

Huh, Eunggwang let out a strange sound. Her gaze returned to her desk. She immediately spoke in a calm tone.

“It emphasizes large-scale reform. Now that the times have changed, we must abolish the past teachings issued by the King of Darkness and establish a system centered on the Seven Stars.”

Gamwoo was silent. I knew that would happen, Gamwoo thought to himself. What a selfish woman she was, she ruined the fields that the King of Darkness had planted. It was the King of Darkness that she respected. She was Li Yue, whom she loved. And again.

Gamwoo’s mouth opened freely again. The voice became a little colder.

“…… Elder Ok, are you still with Siwoosangdanju?”

This was the second question that came out of the blue. While we were talking about current issues in Liyue, Okseong came up. Next came Siwoo Sangdanju. However, Eung-gwang did not seem to care much. She smiled slightly, as if she was rather interested.

“I heard you spent time alone at a teahouse last time? Holding hands and blushing. It seems that Okseong-seong likes Siwoo Sangdanju a lot… “Seeing him do that in such a public place.”

I see, Gam-u answered. I couldn’t remember much after that. She just left the military prison and walked. Impatience was gradually appearing on her face. Her steps became faster and faster. Without even knowing where she was heading.

With a cluck, Gam-u bit her thumb nail. Yes, that’s right. She likes Siwoo’s younger brother. So, she is changing Liyue, which was built by you, the King of Darkness, as she pleases. I wanted to be liked by Siwoo’s younger brother, so I could fawn over him.

Then what becomes of me? Gamwoo thought so.

In order to protect Li Yue from the King of Darkness, she became distant from Si-woo. Her heart ached. There wasn’t a day that went by where she didn’t regret it. When she woke up from her sleep, she hugged her body and shivered from the overwhelming chill of loneliness. Why is loneliness such a cruel feeling? Every night, Gam-woo was so shocked by the pain that she would think of Si-woo and wipe away her tears.

Si-woo was more important to Gam-woo than each office thought of him. It was the first time in thousands of years that I felt such warmth. Standing in front of Si-woo, Gam-woo was able to forget everything. Wolhaejeong’s general secretary, a mixed race between human and sage. All of that was meaningless in front of Siwoo. He playfully teased Gam-woo, listened to her complaints, and warmed her heart with his careful consideration. But why?

Now, each office was taking away everything that was precious to Gam-woo. As if the Emperor’s Li Yue wasn’t enough, even Siu’s younger brother.

A cold fire burned in the eyes of the dirty b*tch, Kamu. A prostitute, a farmer, a prostitute. All kinds of accusations that Gamwoo could think of surrounded his mind. The sound of Gamwoo biting his thumb nail was becoming more and more frequent.

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Will everything be taken away from me like this? The moment Gamwoo thought of that, her breath caught in her throat. Her chest felt tight. I will continue to be lonely and lonely like this for a time that may be thousands or tens of thousands of years. Then she became so scared that tears came out. Ever since she lost her queen, her spirit has been unstable. But no one understood her feelings. If it was Siwoo, I don’t know.

Then her steps stopped in the hallway again. A quiet hallway with no one around. It was an encounter that felt like fate. A woman with light purple hair was walking across from her. Walking arrogantly and confidently, Kamu quickly lowered her head to hide her hostility.

Gakcheong glanced at the woman who was walking across from Kamu. She must have thought that the reason Gamwoo lowered her head was to greet her, so she nodded and said.

“Yes, good work.”

At that casual voice, a fire burned again in Gamwoo’s heart. Gamwoo asked inadvertently.

“…… “Old man in prison.”

Each office stopped for a moment. And then he cast a puzzled look at Gamwoo. Gamwoo kept her head down and spoke, trying to calm her heart.

“I heard that there have been frequent meetings with Lord Siwoo Sangdan recently. These days, there are ugly rumors going around about him…….”

“Gamwoo.”

It was an indifferent voice. Each office called the secretary’s name like that in a voice that showed no irritation or displeasure. Gam-u shut her mouth.

“…… “It’s very precious, isn’t it?”

At those words, Kamu took a deep breath as he felt like he had been caught off guard. Her purple eyes wavered. Gamwoo thought.

I knew it. How much I value my brother Siwoo.

“So it’s scary? I’m afraid Siwoo will be influenced by my ways. “In a direction you don’t want.”

Every word was a direct hit. Gamwoo just remained silent. What did he think of that sight, Gakcheong sighed. And she asked in a cold voice.

“…… But, do you have the right to do that?”

Tap. Something breaks. Gam-u clearly heard the sound. However, each office just continued talking regardless.

“No, right? No matter who I meet, you have no right to say anything. Even if the other person is Siwoo.”

Gakcheong then snorted at her. Her body turned again. She meant to go on her way. She said it as if it were the last time. It was a firm tone.

“…… So, don’t cross the line. My private life is just my private life. “It’s not your business to interfere.”

And Gakcheong took her steps again. No, I was trying to move it. If it weren’t for the cold voice piercing her ear.

“…… On the topic of traitorous years.”

“Right,” The steps of each office stopped. She took in her breath. Each person’s head turned quickly, and her expression was a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

Kamu was still lowering her head. So each office could not be sure. There was a gap between her common sense and reality.

The frowns of each office narrowed. Doubt and perplexity. Each office voiced their doubts in a half-confident voice.

“…… What?”

Only then did Gam-u slowly raise her head. Her bent back straightened, and her expression was revealed. Surprisingly, her face was calm. It was the same friendship as always. She grinned and smiled. It was a refreshing smile.

Gamwoo tilted her head slightly and spoke in her usual soft voice.

“…… ‘Traitor b*tch’, she said. “Old man in prison.”

As far as the content was concerned, it was extremely cold.

Each office was silent for a moment. Confused emotions passed through her face moment by moment. She tried to say something, shut her mouth, and eventually she got angry. Each office approached Gamwoo with angry steps.

“You… it’s crazy?”

Hearing her voice tremble with anger, Kamu finally erased her smile and returned to her cold face. A cold expression without any sense of warmth. It was a face that contrasted with the angry looks of each office.

The hot and cold gazes of the two women, Gakcheong and Gamwoo, were intertwined in the air. As if it would explode at any moment.