The Ruler Of Darkness - Chapter 567



Only Noblemtl

Episode 567

Part 16: The Deep Willow Flower

The reception room of the Gongsun family’s main house was beautiful.

Warm sunlight streamed deep into the living room through the wide, south-facing windows.

A cool early autumn breeze blew through the air, cooling the floor, which could otherwise become hot.

And carried by the wind, the scent of autumn flowers in full bloom in the garden passed through my nose along with the smell of wet earth.

“… … .”

Yeon So-hyeon, sitting cross-legged on a large chair, thought.

‘Big sister… .’

In his memory.

She was a warm person who was well suited to gardening and vegetable gardening.

“Sohyun, how are you? The fruits are ripe…!”

When autumn comes.

She always visited Won-gak-jeong (the original garden) carrying an armful of fruits and vegetables that she had grown herself.

Even though she wore a straw hat, was covered in dirt and sweat, her face always had a bright smile.

“You try some too, Sohyun. The apples and grapes are really sweet…!”

“… … .”

As she sat quietly eating the fruits she had washed in the well water of Won-gak-jeong, she came up to her without any hesitation and patted her on the head.

“Your hair is a total mess. I need you to fix it.”

The way her hands ran through my hair was so warm.

The younger version of himself wanted to rub his forehead against her hand.

“Big sister.”

But, actually.

Contrary to what he had in mind, the words that came out of his mouth were different.

“It is not good to frequent Won-gak-jeong. People around you will suspect you and look at you with negative eyes.”

Abandoning the duties of a firstborn son.

It was not good for her to keep coming to see her, who had chosen to live in seclusion.

“I guess so. But, it doesn’t matter.”

But she shook her head indifferently.

As her hair flowed softly, a warm autumn scent spread around.

“I’ll soon be leaving this house and becoming a married man. They’ll soon lose interest in me too. Don’t worry about it.”

“… … .”

When she said that she was going to become a monk, a part of my young self’s heart felt heavy.

‘…I see.’

There came a time like that.

‘My older sister is going too.’

The young man was deeply depressed inside.

Everyone I cared about, loved, and cherished is gone.

In this Won-gak-jeong pavilion where time seems to have stopped, he alone seems to be left behind, even being ignored by time.

Was left alone.

“But, big sister.”

nevertheless.

In order not to show his feelings as a child, he said different things with his mouth.

“The Hwangbo family (皇甫世家) pretends to be a fair and just family with a lot of humanity on the outside, but in reality, it’s not like that. Rather than worrying about ‘this kind of thing,’ my sister should be a little more-.”

“This kind of thing is much more precious to me, Sohyun.”

“Sister… .”

“Come here.”

She took the hand of the much older man, sat him down on a chair, and began to straighten his messy hair.

Square, square.

The sound of her scissors was pleasant to hear.

As each cut continued, my shoulders felt lighter.

Every time her hands brushed my head, it felt so warm and cozy that I fell asleep.

Was this what my mother’s hands were like?

Square, square.

“… … .”

When I was young and nodding my head under the cool shade of falling maple leaves.

Her voice sounded dreamy.

“… I’m sorry, Sohyun.”

What, are you sorry?

Big sister, you have nothing to be sorry about.

I wanted to say that, but I couldn’t because I was so sleepy.

“When you lost your mother, the medicine fairy, I told you to think of this older sister as your mother. And now I have to leave first.”

“… … .”

The young man remembered every single word she said to him while he was sleeping.

“This is how I was supposed to leave.”

“Why, I regret not being able to treat you better.”

“What was so important about the words and gazes of those around me? It was only when the seasons changed that I showed my face…”

“I’m sorry, Sohyun. I’m sorry… .”

“Actually, I didn’t want to go either. To get married or something…”

A small sobbing sound.

“… … .”

The young man woke up before he knew it, but he couldn’t say anything to her, so he just pretended to be asleep.

No matter how smart and excellent you are, to your older sister you are just a cute younger sibling.

If you open your mouth rashly.

“Here, I just wanted to… Sohyun take care of you… Play with our little Sakongja… Go out to pick out accessories with the cute twins… Take Serin, who only knows swords, out… I also wanted to see the youngest Nan grow up well…”

Because Yeon Yu-hwa has to put on the mask of a strong older sister again.

therefore.

“… … .”

He just.

I had no choice but to listen.

On the other hand, I thought this.

‘Better yet. This might be better…’

The terrible fate into which one was born.

It would be to their advantage if at least one more person were to escape that fate, from themselves.

“I’ll write you a lot of letters, Sohyun…!”

The day I left for Hwangbo Se-ga.

She came and said with a forced smile.

“And I’ll grow a garden there and send you delicious fruits and vegetables…!”

She looked back several times and waved.

and.

Her vegetables and fruits never arrived.

Even the letters that arrived occasionally.

One day it suddenly stopped.

And as time passed.

In the north, in the far corner of the underground prison of the Murong family.

I was able to hear news from her.

Through the Je-Am-Jin-Cheon-Gyeong.

[Your eldest sister died after being beaten by her husband’s fists until her pretty face was bruised.]

“… … .”

Yeon So-hyeon is slow.

I opened my eyes.

The sunlight seeping deep into the living room was still there, as was the cool breeze and the scent of autumn.

It seemed as if lightning was flashing in Yeon So-hyeon’s eyes, and frost was falling around her.

“Your Majesty, Your Majesty…!”

There was someone who bowed his head to the floor in front of Yeon So-hyeon.

The head of the Min clan was Min In-ik.

“I heard you called…!”

yesterday.

The Min family’s home was like the epicenter of an explosion called Amcheonjonja.

How much physical and mental suffering there was.

When he showed up outside after only one day, his face was extremely haggard.

Even more, he looked even more unsightly as he knelt down in front of Yeon So-hyeon and trembled.

but.

He had no choice.

“… … .”

Yeon So-hyeon had been sitting on a chair without saying a word, and stretched out her hand.

A stick leaning next to a chair.

It was because I was fiddling with the handle of an old sword.

Gooooooooooo…!

Is it the roar of the sword, or the killing aura of the Heavenly Killer?

That moment.

The comfortable chair that Yeon So-hyeon was sitting on was an iron throne.

The old black armor he was caressing was that of a tyrant king.

So, dare.

It was natural that someone like Min In-ik couldn’t even make eye contact with Yeon So-hyeon.

“Min In-ik.”

“Yes, yes! Your Majesty…!”

When Yeon So-hyeon’s voice called his name, it was only natural for Min In-ik to jump up from his seat and answer.

Yeon So-hyeon looked down at him with her pitch-black, glass-like eyes that showed no emotion whatsoever.

“Tell me everything you know about the Hwangbo family.”

* * *

Luoyang.

“If they are the Four Princes of the Sword Family, I should meet them too.”

“But, Lord Soga-!”

“But this is Nabal, this guy.”

The ancient swordsman Hwangbo Dusung grabbed the shoulder of his aide and spoke in a small voice.

“If you leave the two of them alone, how would you know what will come out of that woman’s mouth?”

“… … .”

In the eyes of the aides who heard those words, for a moment.

A look of clear contempt passed over Hwangbo Du-sung, but he was too busy talking to notice.

“If that girl doesn’t even know the topic and starts talking bad about our Hwangbo family in detail, she’ll end up getting stabbed in the back with the sword before our mother can make up her mind…!”

“…All right.”

Hwangbo Du-sung’s mother.

When the Empress of the Hwangbo family was mentioned, the attitude of the aides changed.

But he is one of his close associates.

In reality, he is a person who is like his mother’s limbs.

Hwangbo Du-sung didn’t like the sight of his confidant, but there was nothing he could do about it at the moment.

‘Let’s hold on, let’s hold on for now… .’

The aide spoke to Hwangbo Du-sung, who was swallowing back his anger that was boiling over again.

“For now, I will take both of you with me. We will have to see how they react.”

“under…!”

Hwangbo Du-sung laughed as if he couldn’t believe it.

“I am the Sogaju of the Great Hwangbo Family. Sogaju! How could a mere sage of the Geom Family refuse to sit with me?”

“… … .”

The aide sighed deeply and nodded vaguely at him, then bowed politely toward the inside of the room.

“lady.”

He told Yeon Yu-hwa.

“When you are ready, please let me know. I will serve you.”

In that regard.

“This is fine…!”

Yeon Yu-hwa couldn’t hide her excitement and pointed to her clothes as she spoke to him.

“This is not Hwangbo Se-ga, but Luoyang. We have prepared for external activities at any time. So, right now-.”

“Oh my…!”

The one who cut her off was her husband, Hwangbo Du-sung.

He clicked his tongue as he looked at her delicately elegant attire with disapproval.

“How can you, the eldest daughter-in-law of the Hwangbo family, meet an outsider like that?!”

“Yes? But-!”

“What are you guys doing?!”

He did not listen to Yeon Yu-hwa’s words and shouted at her maids.

“Without preparing for the dignity of the Hwangbo family!”

* * *

“This way.”

at last.

Until she’s ready.

It took quite a bit of time.

But it didn’t matter.

During that time, Hwangbo Du-sung himself also changed into flashy and splendid clothes befitting the Hwangbo Se-ga family’s small family.

“Do you understand?”

He spoke in a small voice, as if urging Yeon Yu-hwa, who was following behind him.

“You must never do or say anything that will harm the family.”

“… I know. I am also a human being, Hwangbo Se.”

“What do you mean by knowing? Always, talking so loudly… .”

at that time.

Hwangbo Du-sung’s voice died down, and his footsteps also slowly stopped.

“What is this…?”

The reception room where the Sagongja Yeonbi of the Luoyang Sword Family was waiting was at the end of a long corridor, and the entire corridor was filled with people.

“… … .”

“… … .”

They didn’t say anything.

Shhh, shhh-.

I just looked at Hwangbo Du-sung and his party through the glass beads that opened up the view of the poison mask.

Shhh, the hallway was filled with the unique sound of their breathing, and the pungent smell of their bodies filled the hallway.

‘The level of the Sagongja’s subordinates was like this…?’

Feeling their prayers with his whole body, Hwangbo Du-sung was astonished.

They were never just people who looked good.

They were a perfect elite combat force that had been perfected through repeated battles, so if it weren’t for the patterns of the Luoyang Swordsman and the Sagongja embroidered on both of their shoulder straps, they would have been like that.

They were so elite that they could be mistaken for the best warriors of the Sichuan Tang family.

at that time.

Squeak-.

The door at the end of the hallway opened, revealing Sakongja Yeonbi.

Okay then.

Thud thud thud…!

The soldiers in the hallway lined up at the same time, stepping toward both ends of the hallway.

It looks like sharp, blue-edge swords are aligned.

The sight was so full of military discipline that it gave people goosebumps when they saw it.

“I’m sorry.”

Sakongja Yeonbi approached Hwangbo Dusung and his group with an expression that showed no apology at all and spoke.

“As you know, the atmosphere inside my home is so tense right now. Without escorts, it’s hard to go out.”

The atmosphere of the four-legged reaper’s room was also unusual.

From his appearance, which was so cold and refined that he could cut people to pieces with just a glance, you could feel that the absence of Grand Duke Yeon So-hyeon had helped him grow further.

Thud thud.

“But, for some reason… .”

The servant Yeon-bi, who had come right up to him, looked at Hwangbo Du-sung.

“… … !”

How sharp those eyes are, how cold that voice is.

Hwangbo Du-sung and the Hwangbo Se-ga warriors who followed him almost grabbed the swords on their waists.

“We have an uninvited guest.”