Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 115

The sunlight streaming through the window was surprisingly clear. It was safe to say that it was now full autumn. The breeze was cool, and the sky was clear. It was even more precious weather because there was still time before the leaves fell.

“Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Yes? Ah, yes!”

Lee Geon put down the object that had been on the bridge of his nose and accepted the teacup as if grateful.

Moyong Woo looked at the object with curious eyes.

“Is that the thing called an aeche [a type of glasses or magnifying device]?”

“Yes? Ah, this. Yes, it is. Come to think of it, I haven’t shown it to the branch manager yet.”

Moyong Woo smiled.

“I’m sorry. I’ve been so busy lately that I haven’t been able to pay proper attention to you.”

“Haha, please don’t say that.”

Lee Geon picked up the aeche.

“I got it through a merchant. It’s something that came from the Western Regions, and strangely, the letters appear large and clear.”

“Is that so?”

“Would you like to try it?”

“It’s alright. It’s not polite to use someone else’s things so easily.”

Lee Geon smiled awkwardly.

Moyong Woo tilted his head.

“But do you need an aeche? With your inner energy, you should be able to read letters engraved on a grain of rice, right?”

“As you know, my inner energy isn’t omnipotent.”

Moyong Woo nodded.

Lee Geon was not originally a member of the Moyong family. He was someone who had formed a bond with Moyong Woo by chance, and Lee Geon, who had received Moyong Woo’s grace, voluntarily offered to be his subordinate.

‘It was amazing back then.’

Lee Geon, as seen by Moyong Woo, was a strong person.

Not just an ordinary strong person, but a strong person who far surpassed him. If Lee Geon hadn’t been seriously injured back then, he wouldn’t have lasted even ten seconds.

However, Lee Geon’s inner energy, or rather his martial arts, had clear drawbacks as much as it generated tremendous power.

That was also why he couldn’t properly utilize his inner energy in normal times.

“Anyway, since I got this aeche, the work has sped up. We’re thinking of trying to produce it on our side as well.”

“It will require some sophisticated technology. Even if you have the materials, it won’t be easy.”

“Haha, I suppose so.”

Moyong Woo leaned back in his chair.

Lee Geon smiled.

“You look comfortable.”

Moyong Woo smiled wryly.

“My body is comfortable. I’ve been freed from a mountain of work, so much so that I don’t know what to do.”

“Then, does that mean your mind is uncomfortable?”

Moyong Woo just smiled.

Of course, it was inevitable. He had a great concern that Lee Geon was unaware of.

And that concern would be resolved in some way. The problem was that no matter how it was resolved, an even bigger concern would await him afterward.

‘A concern.’

A look of anguish flickered across Moyong Woo’s face.

He recalled the contents of the letter sent by Yeon Ho-Jeong.

‘When Moyong Yeon-Hwa goes, you have to make a choice. Will you abandon them, or will you embrace them? The lives of all of them depend on your decision.’

Moyong Woo closed his eyes.

‘The lives of others depend on my choice…….’

It was a burdensome thing.

He had been responsible for his subordinates for many years. But this time, the depth of responsibility was different.

‘Those who have no connection to the martial world. Among them, there are many who do good deeds every year. Those people could end up on the streets with just one choice of mine.’

Moyong Woo sighed.

Lee Geon tilted his head.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hmm? Ah, no. I’m just feeling a bit languid.”

“Hahahaha! You never know when you’ll get busy again. It’s good to rest properly when you can.”

“That’s true.”

The two exchanged words with smiles.

How much time had passed?

‘……?’

The wind blowing from the window seemed a little cooler.

Moyong Woo said calmly.

“Lee Geon.”

“Yes, Branch Manager.”

“Bring them in.”

Lee Geon’s expression hardened.

“Please be careful.”

“Don’t worry.”

Lee Geon, who had picked up the documents, left the office.

A moment later.

“Branch Manager. Someone from the Moyong main family has arrived.”

“Show them in.”

Thud.

The door opened, and a person appeared.

She wasn’t a beauty that would make one’s eyes pop out, but she was a beauty who somehow drew people’s attention. Her luxurious silk clothes suited her very well.

The woman, Moyong Yeon-Hwa, bowed her head.

“Yeon-Hwa greets you, Uncle. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Moyong Woo rose from his seat.

“Yes, it has been a while.”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

In fact, the age difference between the two was not that great. Moyong Yeon-Hwa was born when Moyong Woo was a young boy who had just begun to train with the sword.

With an eleven-year age difference between uncle and niece, a friendly atmosphere could easily be formed.

However, there was a strange wall between Moyong Woo and Moyong Yeon-Hwa. It was an invisible wall that the two had built for each other.

Moyong Yeon-Hwa smiled.

“Is it been a year?”

“I guess so.”

“You seem to have become more handsome since I last saw you, Uncle. If you went out to the marketplace, women would line up for you, wouldn’t they?”

Moyong Woo smiled bitterly.

“I’m almost thirty and haven’t been able to get married. I think I’ll be alone forever.”

“Hoh ho ho, you shouldn’t say that. What woman in the world would refuse you, Uncle?”

It was not an easy topic to bring up, even between close uncle and niece. Moyong Yeon-Hwa regarded Moyong Woo not as an uncle, but as an older stranger.

“I’m fine, I just hope you marry a good person first.”

“I’m still far from that. There’s so much work to do in the family.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes. There’s so much that I’m completely out of my mind. My father makes me do so much work.”

“That must be very hard.”

“What can I do? My father trusts me that much.”

Moyong Woo was inwardly puzzled.

‘Did this child ever say such things?’

They had only exchanged a few words, but Moyong Woo felt a change in Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

He didn’t know exactly what that change was. But he knew one thing. Unlike before, there was a clear crack in the solid wall surrounding Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

She was grumbling about being busy, but she was subtly boasting. It was a side of her that she had never shown before.

‘Has something shaken her heart recently?’

Well, now was not the time to worry about Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

“I’ve kept you standing for too long. Please, sit down.”

“Yes! Ah, you were having tea.”

“It wasn’t bad.”

“Could you pour me a cup as well?”

Moyong Woo flinched.

Ask him to pour tea?

No matter how much she was out of favor with the family, it was not something a niece should say to her uncle. It was a very inappropriate act that went against the rules.

Moyong Woo looked at Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

Moyong Yeon-Hwa smiled.

“Is there something on my face?”

Different.

The more they talked, the more he felt the change in Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

‘She’s forcing a smile.’

It was a completely different mask from the one she usually wore. Moyong Woo could clearly see that Moyong Yeon-Hwa was pushing herself.

Moyong Woo, who had been staring at his niece, asked as if throwing a question.

“Are you asking me to pour you tea?”

“Yes.”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa smiled and tilted her head.

“Why? Is there any reason why you can’t?”

“……”

“You’re not upset, are you?”

Moyong Woo was not upset at all.

Rather, seeing this reaction, he felt relaxed and at ease.

It was so unexpected that he even briefly wondered if this was a trap. Of course, Moyong Woo’s instincts immediately recognized that his niece’s reaction was not a trap at all.

‘I don’t know why, but…….’

He could feel the unstable ego maintained behind her smiling face.

‘I’m glad.’

Moyong Woo was afraid of Moyong Yeon-Hwa.

It wasn’t that he was afraid of his niece’s existence itself, but he was afraid of how far she would go astray. He didn’t want his niece to live a cold-hearted life like his brother.

Moyong Woo rose from his seat.

“I’ll brew you the best one.”

“Thank you. You’re the only one, Uncle.”

“I’m grateful for the words.”

Moyong Woo lit a fire in the brazier under the window. Then, he poured water and gently boiled it.

Moyong Yeon-Hwa looked around the office and said.

“There are more books than before, aren’t there?”

“I read a lot of books in my free time.”

“Hee, is that so? What kind of books are you reading these days…….”

“Go back to the family after you finish your tea.”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa’s eyes hardened.

It felt like the conversation that had been flowing naturally had suddenly been cut off.

She looked at Moyong Woo.

His back, as he boiled water, looked like a scholar.

“I’m sorry. I think I misheard you. What did you say?”

“I said, go back after you finish your tea.”

“Uncle.”

“I’ve seen your face, so that’s enough. I don’t think there’s anything more to talk about with you.”

It was quite a cold remark.

Moyong Yeon-Hwa was inwardly flustered. And as much as she was flustered, she was also secretly angry.

“You have nothing to talk about with me?”

“Yes.”

“Really? I don’t think that’s possible?”

“No matter what you say, my intention is clear. So, I don’t think we need any more conversation between us.”

Moyong Woo turned around.

Moyong Yeon-Hwa flinched. Her uncle was looking at her with a bitter smile.

“You’re not really interested in my personal affairs, are you?”

“I’m…….”

“Yes.”

Moyong Woo nodded and cut her off.

“You came here because of the orders of the family head, didn’t you? You were planning to observe the situation here and notify me that you would swallow up the Jeolgang Trade Alliance.”

“……”

“I have no intention of listening to that notification, so I’m telling you to drink a cup of tea and go back.”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa’s expression hardened.

“You have no intention of listening to the notification…… That’s unexpected. I didn’t know you would be so rude, Uncle.”

“I was also surprised. I didn’t know you were so broken.”

“……!!”

“I don’t know if your brother knows about your condition, but emotional wounds are not easy to heal. You should take care of yourself first.”

“……That’s interesting.”

A frank feeling of anger appeared in Moyong Yeon-Hwa’s eyes.

“I’m here representing the main family. Even if you are my uncle, you should treat me with proper respect, shouldn’t you?”

“Even if you are here representing the family, you are still my niece. Even though the laws of the world have fallen to the ground, your way of speaking is too rude to just let it slide.”

“……!!”

“Go back to the family and rest for a few months. What you need is not excessive work, but time to look back on yourself.”

At that moment, Moyong Yeon-Hwa’s eyes twitched.

Excessive work? Look back on herself?

‘This……!’

She almost blurted out a curse without realizing it. Her precariously maintained self-esteem was about to shatter.

Yeon Ho-Jeong and the children of the merchant alliance had ignored her, and now even her uncle, who had been kicked out of the family, was ignoring her.

Bang!

Moyong Yeon-Hwa pushed her chair back and stood up.

“Moyong Branch Manager.”

Moyong Woo’s eyes deepened.

Moyong Yeon-Hwa continued coldly.

“Bring all the trade-related documents.”

It was a blunt command.

Moyong Woo shook his head.

“There are no such documents. And even if there were, I have no intention of showing them to you.”

“Branch Manager! I’ll say it again! Bring the documents right now!”

“As your uncle, I’ll say it again. If you’re not going to drink tea, then go back now.”

“You……!”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa, trembling, shouted towards the window.

“Red Wind Squad Leader! Come into the office right now!”

Moyong Woo shook his head.

“Don’t do that.”

“Shut up!”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa gritted her teeth.

“I’ve been treating you as my uncle, but it seems this person has lost all sense of hierarchy. You should be grateful that my father didn’t purge you!”

Moyong Woo remained silent.

Bang!

The office door opened, and Cheon Il-Sang entered.

“Did you call for me, Young Miss?”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa pointed at Moyong Woo.

“Subdue this person right now! I will escort him back to the main family!”

“……”

“What are you doing! Right now…….”

At that moment, Moyong Yeon-Hwa’s eyes widened like full moons.

Thud!

Cheon Il-Sang fell forward.

Behind the fallen Cheon Il-Sang, Lee Geon was standing.

“Yeon-Hwa.”

Moyong Yeon-Hwa, startled, looked at Moyong Woo.

Moyong Woo’s eyes shone with a blue light.

“Go back to the main family now.”