Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 750

“……!!”

The Empress’s face turned pale.

Throughout the Empire’s history, there had been several rebellions that had shaken the Imperial Palace to its core. While the reasons for each rebellion varied, they all involved force, and the battles between those seeking to overthrow and those defending the throne were always bloody.

However, no rebel leader had ever breached the gate of the Emperor’s audience chamber.

Faced with this unprecedented situation, both the Empress and Woo-Heon were rendered speechless. The figure on the shadowed dragon throne also remained silent.

“Hoo.”

Yeon-wi, breathing lightly, gripped his armor.

Clang!

With a sharp metallic sound, the armor over his martial uniform was torn off.

Yeon-wi, having ripped off and discarded the upper and lower pieces of armor, planted his blood-stained iron sword on the floor.

Then, he slowly knelt and lowered his head.

“A mere martial artist from Gangdong [a region in the eastern part of the country] greets the master of the Empire.”

It was an extremely disrespectful greeting.

Regardless of the nation’s weakened state, one should have performed a full prostration [a deep bow with the forehead touching the ground] upon seeing the ruler of the country.

However, Yeon-wi did not. He ended with a disciplined bow, as if a general were paying respects to his superior before going into battle.

It was an uncharacteristic sight for Yeon-wi, who was usually meticulous about etiquette and decorum. If the people of the Martial Alliance were to see Yeon-wi now, they would be as surprised as the Empress.

“You scoundrel!”

When had he changed his expression?

A stern dignity settled on Woo-Heon’s face. There was a strong confidence ingrained in a ruler who had governed countless people.

“How dare you enter this place so recklessly! Not only did you intrude into the audience chamber without His Majesty’s permission, but you even damaged the gate! You deserve to be torn limb from limb for such a grave crime!”

Woo-Heon quickly turned and prostrated himself toward the dragon throne.

“Your Majesty! That man is a rogue from the martial world, belonging to a group of rebels, one of the six great…!”

It was then.

‘……?!’

In a moment that split a fleeting instant.

Woo-Heon felt a delusion that dozens of huge blades were piercing the ceiling of the audience chamber and pouring down toward the crown of his head.

It was an illusion, not reality. Although his martial arts were sealed, Woo-Heon could discern that much.

However.

He did not have the ‘certainty’ that the downpour of those illusory greatswords was entirely fake.

That uncertain premonition instinctively guided Woo-Heon’s body.

Whoosh!

Woo-Heon’s body quickly moved to the wall of the audience chamber.

Although his martial arts were sealed, the skill of a master, evident in his movements, did not disappear. It was a footwork as sharp as his senses.

“……!”

And it was only after sticking to the wall that Woo-Heon realized he had moved.

Woo-Heon’s eyes trembled.

‘What is this?!’

He turned to look at Yeon-wi.

Yeon-wi, who had already raised his head, was sitting upright with his knees still on the ground.

Like a disciple before his master, or like a seeker who had come to ask for guidance from an unknown master.

Even though he had not paid proper respect to the Emperor, he exuded an austere atmosphere that no one could criticize.

Yeon-wi opened his mouth.

“I am a member of the Yeon family, and I will accept the punishment for entering His Majesty’s palace without permission after I have dealt with the treacherous officials and their backers.”

It was a statement that sounded arrogant, even audacious.

Nevertheless, Yeon-wi’s gaze and the atmosphere he exuded were surprisingly clear. That incongruous mismatch made Yeon-wi look strangely mysterious.

Woo-Heon’s face contorted.

“That impudent…!”

It was then.

“I have heard that in the so-called martial world, there are the righteous sects of the White Path, who uphold justice and righteousness, and the evil sects of the Black Path, who will resort to any means for their own gain.”

A languid voice flowed from the dragon throne.

Woo-Heon’s mouth closed involuntarily. He had no choice. No matter how flustered he was, he could not interrupt the Emperor while he was speaking.

“Among them, if there is a force most famous in Gangdong, it is said to be the Yeon family of Byeoksan, regardless of whether they are from the Black or White Path. Are you the head of the Yeon family?”

Yeon-wi slightly lowered his head.

“It is an honor that the noble Son of Heaven [a title for the Emperor] knows of a mere martial artist’s family.”

“Son of Heaven. Son of Heaven, you say….”

It was strange.

The shadowed area of the dragon throne was not clearly visible even to Yeon-wi, a master of his caliber. Only his well-groomed beard and subtly revealed eyes were visible; the Emperor’s face was not.

“Interesting. I was not aware that martial artists like you had entered the Imperial Palace. In other words, you entered the Imperial Palace with someone’s help.”

At that moment, the Empress’s eyes slightly twitched.

Yeon-wi nodded.

“That is correct.”

It was such an easy admission.

“Oh, so it was like that.”

What was surprising was the Emperor’s reaction.

The voice flowing from the dragon throne was always languid, but at this moment, it was different.

As if he found it curious, as if he was surprised.

And the Emperor’s voice, speaking as if he was intrigued, made the Empress and Woo-Heon’s hearts tremble.

“A martial artist from Gangdong, and a member of the Yeon family. To think that you are the head of the Yeon family, whose fame has reached the Imperial Palace, it is truly an interesting day.”

Yeon-wi’s eyes deepened.

The Emperor’s reaction was breaking everyone’s expectations here.

Apart from anything else, the rebel forces and the Imperial Guards were fighting outside the audience chamber. It wasn’t a distance away; the battle was taking place right in front of them.

Nevertheless, the Emperor showed no signs of agitation. He didn’t even seem flustered when a great master of the martial world had broken down the gate of the audience chamber and entered.

‘What is it?’

Woo-Heon thought.

‘Is he different from usual?’

It wasn’t strange that the Emperor wasn’t flustered and was willing to step back even though a rebellion had broken out in the palace.

The Emperor was that kind of person. He had gifted the Emperor all kinds of pleasures that existed in this world, and he had also guided him to that place.

No matter how intelligent a person is, once they are addicted to pleasure, their thinking slows down, and the moment they are convinced that they can live in pleasure for the rest of their lives, they forget about the future.

The Emperor was like that. Even though a rebellion, an event that could shake the heavens and the earth, had broken out, he was even trying to leave his seat, believing that he, the eunuch, could handle it as he had always done.

That’s what he had thought.

But the Emperor now was not the Emperor that Woo-Heon had been confident in.

“Very well. I will put aside the question of whose help allowed a martial artist from the martial world to enter the Imperial Palace.”

“……”

“May I ask why you came to this place, even going so far as to harm the Imperial Guards with your masterful swordsmanship?”

Yeon-wi bowed his head again.

“As I said, it is to eliminate the treacherous officials and the heretical group that is backing them.”

Woo-Heon shouted without realizing it.

“Can’t you shut your mouth! How dare you defile the sacred audience chamber with that filthy mouth…!”

At that moment, the Empress spoke in a sharp voice.

“Eunuch, do not be rude any further! Is His Majesty not speaking! How dare you disregard His Majesty’s authority just because you hold some petty power? Are you truly in your right mind!”

It was an amazing remark that reversed the situation in an instant.

Woo-Heon gritted his teeth and bowed his head on the spot. That was all he could do now. For the time being, he had no choice but to watch the situation unfold.

However, the Empress was just as nervous.

‘What on earth is he planning!’

She never imagined that Yeon-wi would harm the Imperial Guards and barge into this place.

This was a matter of the Empress’s own life. If Yeon-wi were to say anything related to her, even if she didn’t lose her life, she would be revealing a major weakness in front of her political enemies.

Furthermore, if that happened, it was only a matter of time before she fell into hell. It was fortunate that the Emperor had overlooked that part, but now the Empress’s heart was beating as wildly as Woo-Heon’s.

“A treacherous official, you say….”

“That is correct.”

“Is the treacherous official you speak of the eunuch here?”

“That is correct.”

Woo-Heon’s face flushed red. He wanted to denounce Yeon-wi immediately and manipulate the Emperor to capture him.

It wasn’t difficult. If he left the audience chamber right now and mobilized the Imperial Guards, it would be more than possible.

“Haha.”

The Emperor laughed.

The Emperor, who had only ever shown a smile once in a while in front of his concubines, was now laughing in this situation, in front of a martial artist he was seeing for the first time.

“Interesting. The eunuch Woo-Heon here is a grateful person who has shared the great burden that has weighed on my shoulders. He has even given me the greatest pleasure.”

“……”

“What loyal subject in the world would think of me like this? You, who call such a loyal subject a treacherous official, what do you live for?”

“I live by righteousness.”

“Hmm?”

Yeon-wi no longer bowed his head.

He spoke confidently toward the dragon throne, which was far away, and the Emperor who was sitting there with his chin resting on his hand.

“The righteousness of public and private matters, the righteousness of battle, the righteousness of politics.”

“……”

“I live by the righteous martial arts and the righteous way of a person.”

“Those are good words to hear. But how can someone who knows so much about righteousness enter the Imperial Palace without an imperial decree, and even intrude into the audience chamber with a sword? Isn’t that something the world would laugh at?”

“Because it is not righteous.”

“What?”

“The Imperial Palace, the officials, the Empire.”

Yeon-wi’s eyes flashed.

“And because it seems that Your Majesty the Emperor is not righteous, I have come this far.”

It was a terrifying statement.

The Empress’s mouth dropped open. Woo-Heon’s eyes widened as if they would tear.

At the words that were not only audacious but also reached the heavens in their rudeness, even the Emperor was speechless.

“This madman!”

Woo-Heon shouted without realizing it.

“Guards! Is there no one outside! Immediately drag this impudent man out and tear him to pieces…!”

“Enough.”

The Emperor’s characteristic languid voice stopped Woo-Heon’s words.

“Your, Your Majesty! If you leave such a heinous man’s lies unchecked, the palace’s laws will fall to the ground!”

The Emperor no longer spoke to Woo-Heon.

“I am not righteous, you say?”

“That is how it appeared.”

“That is how it appeared… Does that mean it is not so now?”

“It is ambiguous.”

“That is quite the confidence.”

Swoosh.

The Emperor’s posture changed.

With his head in the deeply shadowed area, his face was still not visible. However, the Emperor, who had been resting his chin on his hand, finally straightened his posture.

“No one in the world has ever uttered such nonsense to me. On what grounds do you slander me?”

“That is why the Imperial Palace has become like this, I believe.”

“What do you mean?”

“Your Majesty, who boasts of your intelligence that reaches the heavens and loves your people, has clearly fallen into the wrong path, even though there were the evil schemes of the heretical group.”

Was it a delusion, or was it real?

For a moment, Yeon-wi saw a small smile on the Emperor’s shadowed face.

And that smile disappeared in an instant.

“So?”

“Even though the ruler of the nation has fallen into the mire, most people are too afraid for their lives to even offer advice, let alone pull him out. Although that is also due to the treachery of the treacherous officials, if they had had righteous loyalty and were willing to die, things would not have come this far.”

“That is empty nonsense. You know nothing about the Imperial Palace.”

“That is correct. That is why I could only think this far. And that is why I have come to this place.”

“To think that you would try to teach me, even going so far as to disregard the authority of the Son of Heaven, believing in the petty fame of the martial world. Are you such a great person?”

“It is not just me.”

“……?”

“Not only me, but also the farmers, merchants, beggars in the streets, the unjustly accused criminals, and even the martial artists who are living a miserable life due to the wrong governance!”

Yeon-wi closed his eyes.

“All of them are people who can offer advice to Your Majesty.”

“……!!”