A Tale Of A Scribe Who Retires To The Countryside [EN]: Chapter 125

125. The Laws of the Northern Sea (2)

The grand banquet at the Ice Palace of the Northern Sea was a spectacle. Countless people flocked to the palace, each possessing an extraordinary presence and wearing elaborate attire.

There were even representatives from other ethnic groups and people from the south, like Sa Su-yeon. Their presence filled the vast banquet hall, and the maids bustled about attending to the guests.

“Who are those people?”

Sa Su-yeon asked from behind a curtain. The banquet hall below was as noisy and crowded as a marketplace. A young woman, Na Mi-ra, replied.

“They are the young palace lords of the Northern Sea, representatives of the tribes, and commanders of a thousand soldiers or more. All of them are warriors of the Northern Sea.”

“Warriors…”

Sa Su-yeon’s cold gaze swept over the crowd. Some exuded a formidable presence, while others seemed insignificant. Most wore extravagant or imposing attire, but a few were dressed in simpler, more rugged clothing.

All of them mingled, eating and drinking together in the banquet hall.

Those who appeared to be from the south, like Sa Su-yeon, were likely officials from trading companies, judging by their fine clothing.

Koo-oong.

With a heavy resonance, the noise in the banquet hall subsided. A massive silver circle hanging at the front was vibrating. It was clearly producing a sound, but its composition was impossible to determine.

Below the silver circle, sitting on a white chair, the Ice Emperor slowly rose. The white, enormous chair, seemingly covered in frost, stood out prominently.

“Warriors of the Northern Sea.”

The Ice Emperor’s voice was not loud, but it carried enough weight to resonate throughout the banquet hall.

Sa Su-yeon stared at the Ice Emperor. His presence remained imposing, but his age was becoming apparent, as his movements appeared somewhat labored. The gazes of those watching the Ice Emperor seemed more filled with scrutiny than reverence.

“I have something to announce to you.”

The people in the banquet hall murmured with puzzled expressions. However, many seemed to already know, showing no surprise. The Ice Emperor spoke towards the entrance.

“Let them enter.”

Na Mi-ra bowed her head and relayed the message to Sa Su-yeon.

“He says to come in…”

“I know.”

Sa Su-yeon said.

“I can understand that much now.”

Five days after talking with Sareune with Na Mi-ra’s help, Sa Su-yeon could already understand simple phrases well enough.

Sa Su-yeon moved towards the entrance of the banquet hall.

Shwa-rack.

The curtain in front of her was drawn back, revealing the high-ceilinged banquet hall. Sa Su-yeon took a step forward.

Sa-bak.

As Sa Su-yeon entered, silence fell upon the noisy banquet hall. Gazes filled with surprise, shock, and confusion turned towards her, piercing her.

It was nothing new. It was the same look she had always received when passing middle-aged maids in the Ice Palace.

Sa-bak, sa-bak.

Sa Su-yeon walked. Sareune’s words echoed in her mind.

—The late Ice Empress was the only one whom the Ice Emperor truly loved. Because she was the only blood relative she left behind, the Ice Emperor’s affection for the young palace lord was exceptional.

Sareune had said, her eyes welling up with tears. It seemed like there was never a day when tears didn’t dry in her eyes.

—When the young palace lord left the Northern Sea, the Ice Emperor was greatly angered. Instead of establishing a new Seventh Palace Lord, he abolished the position of the Seventh Palace Lord altogether and forbade anyone from mentioning the name. The very breath of the Northern Sea was instantly turned into a taboo.

—If that was the case, why did he allow her to leave the Northern Sea?

To Sa Su-yeon’s question, Sareune replied.

—No one could overcome the young lady’s father. According to the supreme laws of the Northern Sea, no one could stop the two of them from leaving the Northern Sea.

—But I have to go back.

Despair clouded Sareune’s large eyes.

—If the young lady leaves the Northern Sea like this, the Ice Emperor will be hurt once again. I cannot even imagine what his anger will be like.

Tears overflowed from Sareune’s large eyes once more. She always cried and cried again. Sa Su-yeon suddenly thought. Perhaps her name meant endless tears?

Sa-bak.

Sa Su-yeon stopped. The Ice Emperor of the Northern Sea stood before her.

“I am Sa Su-yeon.”

Sa Su-yeon said, folding her hands and bowing respectfully. The etiquette was in the southern style, but the language was that of the Northern Sea. The Ice Emperor’s eyebrows twitched, but Sa Su-yeon did not care.

The Ice Emperor said.

“This child… is the daughter of the Seventh Palace Lord.”

A low murmur of reverence swept through the banquet hall. The moment Sa Su-yeon appeared, it was clear whose bloodline she carried.

Among the many gazes directed at Sa Su-yeon, several gazes with extraordinary intensity flew like needles and pierced her.

“Today, I reinstate the position of the late Seventh Palace Lord, which had been abolished.”

The Ice Emperor’s heavy voice silenced the banquet hall.

“And I bestow the position of the new Seventh Palace Lord upon Su-yeon, the rightful heir of the predecessor.”

The Ice Emperor’s declaration was simple, but its implications were significant.

The title of “predecessor” implied that Sa Su-yeon’s mother was already dead. And Sa Su-yeon becoming the new Seventh Palace Lord meant that a new variable had appeared in the power struggle surrounding the Ice Emperor’s throne.

Into that already fierce arena, a variable named Sa Su-yeon, the daughter of the late Seventh Palace Lord, had suddenly been thrown.

“Impossible! The Seventh Palace Lord…”

Someone shouted first. But before his words could continue, another voice burst out.

“Silence! Who dares to question the Ice Emperor’s decision! The Seventh Palace Lord…”

His voice also trailed off. Confusion and commotion swept through the banquet hall. Voices rose, and the Ice Palace’s banquet hall instantly transformed into a marketplace.

Koo-oong.

A heavy resonance shook the banquet hall. The commotion quickly subsided, and the Ice Emperor slowly looked around.

“Let those who have objections speak.”

As soon as the Ice Emperor’s words ended, someone stood up. It was a young man dressed in splendid attire.

“I cannot accept it.”

“Why?”

“The late Seventh Palace Lord is a vile woman who betrayed the Northern Sea! How can her daughter be given the position of Seventh Palace Lord…”

Thump!

With a loud crash, a stone table shattered. Stone dust flew and food spilled everywhere, and amidst it, a middle-aged warrior with a tiger-like presence stood up.

“Who are you insulting right now? I, Altan of the North, will tear out your tongue right now.”

The presence of the middle-aged warrior called Altan was not to be ignored. The young man in splendid clothes flinched.

“D-dare you threaten me, the Third Palace Lord?”

He tried to project authority, but his voice only earned Altan’s ridicule.

“Threaten? Where did you learn such a weak word? If you’re a man, risk your life and come at me.”

Altan glared at the Third Palace Lord with intense eyes. His gaze was one that only those who had faced death on the battlefield could emit.

Moreover, he was Altan of the North, one of the four generals of the Northern Sea. Even the Ice Emperor could not treat him carelessly.

“As long as I, Altan, am alive, I will never forgive anyone who insults the late Seventh Palace Lord.”

The face of the young man who was called the Third Palace Lord was distorted with anger. But he could no longer speak rashly.

He realized that not only Altan but also a significant number of people in the banquet hall were showing hostility towards him. Even those on his side were clearly looking at him with eyes that blamed his recklessness.

Gritting.

The Third Palace Lord gritted his teeth.

‘What is it about that woman…’

The young man could not understand the respect that people showed for the late Seventh Palace Lord. If it was the young palace lord, wouldn’t he be treated the same?

“I have an objection.”

In the midst of the silence, someone else stood up. He was an old man with sharp eyes, a white beard, and white eyebrows. The Ice Emperor said.

“Speak.”

“It is a joyous occasion that the bloodline of the late young palace lord has returned to the Northern Sea. However, I, Nergui of the West, have doubts about the new Seventh Palace Lord.”

“Doubts?”

The old man, who identified himself as Nergui, raised a thin, wrinkled finger towards Sa Su-yeon.

“The name, clothing, and even the etiquette of the new Seventh Palace Lord are all from the south, not from the Northern Sea. Moreover, she does not even have a true name approved by her mother of the Northern Sea.”

Nergui said.

“If this continues, she will remain a foreigner. I cannot dismiss the concern that she will eventually leave the Northern Sea.”

The banquet hall began to buzz. Nergui’s point struck at the heart of the matter.

“If that is the case, there is nothing to worry about.”

The Ice Emperor said. His voice was low and irritable.

“In the name of the Ice Emperor, I will hold a banquet of warriors. The one who wins the banquet will have the right to ride alongside the new Seventh Palace Lord, and the new Seventh Palace Lord will bear his child. In this way, the bloodline of the late Seventh Palace Lord will never leave the Northern Sea again.”

“Oooooh.”

Exclamations burst from the people’s mouths. Altan nodded, seemingly satisfied, and Nergui also smiled.

The reactions of the young men were even more enthusiastic. The one who wins the banquet of warriors will become the spouse of the new Seventh Palace Lord. It was a declaration that would surely stir up the entire Northern Sea.

“I refuse.”

That cold voice was like ice water suddenly poured out. So cold that the banquet hall, which had been heated up with excitement, froze in an instant.

“I will not do that.”

The one speaking in clear Northern Sea language was none other than the new Seventh Palace Lord, Sa Su-yeon.

Gritting.

A harsh sound escaped the Ice Emperor’s mouth.

“What does that mean?”

“I have a place to return to.”

Sa Su-yeon said. Her eyes were fixed straight at the Ice Emperor.

Thump!

The Ice Emperor of the Northern Sea slammed his chair. With a tremendous noise, the large white chair trembled. Even the massive silver circle hanging above let out a low wail.

Woo-oong.

“If you leave the Northern Sea, your name and your mother’s name will never be spoken again in the Northern Sea!”

The Ice Emperor’s angry voice echoed throughout the banquet hall.

“The most hideous and filthy name in this world will replace your mother’s name, and your name will be cursed for generations! Is this what you truly desire!”

Flames sparked in the Ice Emperor’s eyes. Na Mi-ra, who was kneeling next to Sa Su-yeon, turned pale.

Na Mi-ra whispered the Ice Emperor’s meaning to Sa Su-yeon.

Sa Su-yeon’s complexion hardened. But her shock was not as great as that of others.

Because in the Northern Sea, where names held special significance, the Ice Emperor’s declaration was a punishment worse than death. Those who revered the late Seventh Palace Lord, as well as those who opposed her, were aghast.

“Then there is only one way.”

Sa Su-yeon said. Na Mi-ra conveyed Sa Su-yeon’s meaning to the Ice Emperor in a trembling voice.

Sreung.

Sa Su-yeon’s sword, shining with silver light, was drawn. But Sa Su-yeon’s presence was sharper than the sharp sword.

“If anyone can defeat me, I will follow his will in everything.”

A strange light flashed in the Ice Emperor’s enraged eyes. The eyes of the people filling the banquet hall were also fixed on Sa Su-yeon.

“But if no one can break my sword, I will leave the Northern Sea as I please, and no one will ever insult my mother’s name again.”

Sa Su-yeon’s voice pierced everyone’s ears like a needle. Something that Sa Su-yeon herself could not understand was flowing from her entire being.

It whispered to Sa Su-yeon. You will never lose. No one in this land can defeat you.

“To the strongest.”

Sa Su-yeon’s red lips moved, and short Northern Sea words flowed out. In that voice, there was an intense something that awakened the soul of a warrior. Something contagious.

Unable to overcome the agitation of his pounding heart, Altan of the North 벌떡 [suddenly] stood up.

“To the strongest!”

That one cry set people on fire.

“To the strongest!”

“To the strongest!”

Everyone, without exception, stood up and shouted at the top of their lungs.

“To the strongest!”

Fists that seemed capable of breaking even steel soared into the air all at once.

“Everything!”

The old man, Nergui of the West, could not help but feel his heart tremble. But thanks to his long years of experience, he was able to refrain from standing up and shouting like the others.

“Yes, this is the law of the Northern Sea.”

His voice was trembling. A shout of intense soul that even made the old frame shudder.

“To the strongest, everything.”

Amidst the cries spreading through the banquet hall like a heatwave, Nergui looked at Sa Su-yeon.

In her eyes, which had drawn her sword, there was not an inch of hesitation.

Standing tall amidst the cheering that even bordered on madness, her appearance was truly like the reincarnation of a war god.

*

*

*

“We’ve been had.”

An old woman with an elaborate headdress said with an unpleasant expression. Her large headdress shook so much that it seemed like it would topple over.

“That cheeky girl got one over on us.”

“Will there be any changes?”

A young man sitting in front asked. Dressed in fancy clothes, he leisurely sipped fruit wine.

“There’s nothing great about a young girl’s martial prowess. It’s just a childish trick to excite drunk old men.”

The old woman, the Ice Empress, scoffed at the young man, the Third Palace Lord.

“You shouldn’t underestimate that girl. If you had seen that girl’s father even once, you wouldn’t dare say such a thing.”

The Ice Empress shrugged slightly. The one who took the late Seventh Palace Lord from the Northern Sea. Even now, a chill ran down her spine when she thought of that disaster-like man from the South.

But the Third Palace Lord looked bored, as if he was tired of hearing that story.

“Why are we even talking about that girl right now?”

The Third Palace Lord said with an unpleasant expression.

“The next Ice Emperor’s seat is as good as decided. It’s not something that a single girl can shake up now. Besides, she said she’ll leave if she wins, right?”

The Ice Empress shook her head. As expected, this child knows nothing. Just like his father did.

“Do you think it’s a coincidence that that girl came back at this time?”

“That’s…”

The Third Palace Lord frowned. Certainly, the timing of Sa Su-yeon’s return was exquisite. If it had been a little earlier, it wouldn’t have been time to discuss the succession yet, and if it had been a little later, the power succession would have already been decided.

“That girl will never leave.”

The Ice Empress asserted.

“With one word that she would return, that girl erased all her weaknesses. No, it has become a situation where they are holding on to the girl who said she would leave. If a guy with decent power sticks to her, it’s not impossible to aim for the throne with that girl who has the Ice Emperor’s favor.”

“The Ice Empress is right.”

A middle-aged man said. He was wearing southern clothes that were different from the Northern Sea’s attire.

“Through this grand banquet, that young lady has suddenly risen to the center of the storm. The whole Northern Sea is buzzing with that story. In this way, both those who agree and those who oppose cannot escape from that young lady’s influence.”

Tuk-tuk.

The Ice Empress tapped the table with her finger and said.

“We need to prepare a candidate too.”

The middle-aged man’s eyes twinkled.

“Does that mean…”

“Other concubines and young palace lords are already moving. They are trying to attach a young man from a manageable family to that girl as her partner. The bloodline of the late Seventh Palace Lord has many uses.”

“The bloodline of the late Seventh Palace Lord…”

The Third Palace Lord licked his lips slightly.

“Then shouldn’t we hurry?”

The middle-aged man said.

“If other forces take that young lady, will we become hawks that have missed their prey?”

“Hmph.”

The Ice Empress snorted.

“She’s not a girl who will give in easily. And there are many opportunities. We’ve already promised eight martial arts contests.”

“Eight times?”

At the man’s question, the Ice Empress nodded.

“Yes. Following the rules of the Northern Sea coming-of-age ceremony, it was decided to grant a total of eight opportunities, seven days apart and one final day. The Ice Emperor also allowed it, and that girl accepted it willingly.”

A bitter sneer appeared on the Ice Empress’s lips.

“Yes, right now, she must be feeling like she’s choosing flowers, wondering which one is prettier and more fragrant. But that leeway will end up strangling her.”

“Please include me in that candidate.”

“What?”

The Ice Empress frowned at the Third Palace Lord’s sudden words.

“What are you talking about? You and that girl…”

“It’s not like there’s no precedent, so it doesn’t matter, does it?”

The Ice Empress glared at the Third Palace Lord. What was flashing in his eyes was secret greed. A low, cowardly, twisted desire to conquer.

“Hmph, that would be nice.”

The Ice Empress rather liked that base feeling. The woman who stole the Ice Emperor’s heart, the late Ice Empress. Because of that woman, she didn’t even know the Ice Emperor’s true name.

Not only her. None of the numerous concubines know the Ice Emperor’s true name. For the Ice Emperor, countless women, including herself, are just substitutes.

“It would be fun to see that woman’s bloodline ruined.”

Adeuk [gritting sound].

The Ice Empress gritted her teeth.

“I heard that your trading company has everything.”

The Ice Empress asked the middle-aged man. If the Third Palace Lord was to win against that girl, there were things to prepare.

“Making it so that she can’t use her internal energy for a while would be easy, right?”

“Something like Sanggongdok [a type of poison that weakens internal energy] is basic.”

The man smiled. The Ice Empress was satisfied.