Monochrome Sovereign [EN]: Chapter 822

Late at night.

Yeon-wi, gazing at the moon through the window while enjoying a drink, spoke, “Come in.”

“Yes,” a voice replied, and the door opened to reveal Yeon Ji-Pyeong.

Yeon-wi smiled. “You’re not asleep yet?”

“No, I was circulating my Qi [internal energy].”

“Hmm.” Yeon-wi scanned Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s body and nodded. “Your sword energy is overflowing. Have you improved again in just a few days?”

“I’m not sure if it’s an improvement. I’m not really focused on that right now.”

“Haha.” Yeon-wi chuckled. “You’re doing well. The main family’s martial arts are refined yet powerful. If you train with a hurried mind, your progress will be slow.”

“Yes.”

“There’s no need to force yourself to empty your mind. Just live each day to the fullest. However, the achievements you make will naturally differ depending on how you spend that day.”

“I’m just focusing on the sword. How far can a person’s spirit be refined with a sword… It’s a bit vague, but it’s very enjoyable.”

“And painful, too.”

“Yes, it is.”

“You’ve really grown up.”

“Haha.” Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s awkward smile was much more mature than before, yet he still retained the youthful innocence of his childhood.

Yeon-wi smiled and gestured to the opposite side. “Don’t stand there, sit down.”

“Okay.” Yeon Ji-Pyeong naturally sat opposite Yeon-wi.

Just a few years ago, he had found his father intimidating, but now it was different. Yeon Ji-Pyeong had gained the composure of a strong person, understood his father’s heart well, and, crucially, Yeon-wi’s change was also significant.

“Would you like a drink?”

“Yes, I would.”

Yeon-wi handed over an empty glass and asked, “Is this the second time?”

“It’s the third time.”

“Oh, is that so? I’m sorry. I guess your father is getting old.”

The third drinking session with Yeon Ji-Pyeong.

The previous sessions had been quiet. It was awkward to drink with just his second son, and he was also proud of his son, who had grown up so much. So, there wasn’t much to say.

But today was different.

“Let’s drink.”

The two emptied their glasses coolly.

Yeon-wi’s expression remained unchanged, but Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face slightly frowned.

“Ugh, it’s strong.”

“It seems like you’re not used to alcohol yet.”

“I don’t think I’ll enjoy drinking in the future, unless it’s just a few glasses.”

“Haha, that’s good too. Actually, it’s called medicinal wine, but there aren’t many things as bad for the body as alcohol. We can expel the poison with our internal energy, but it’s better to reduce it if possible.”

From the perspective of the human body, alcohol is no different from poison. If you don’t enjoy it, there’s no reason to drink it.

“I’ll pour you a glass.”

“Okay.”

Thus, the father and son drank two more glasses.

“Will you stop drinking now?”

“Just a little rest.”

In fact, Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s face was slightly flushed. He hadn’t deliberately blocked the intoxication, but considering his level, it seemed that alcohol didn’t suit him well.

Yeon-wi turned his head towards the window. “Your mother couldn’t even take a drop of alcohol.”

“Is that so?”

“Once, I got some good wine from somewhere and suggested we drink it together. It was really delicious. But your mother passed out after drinking just one glass.”

“Haha.”

“No matter how many times she tried, the result was the same. In the end, she couldn’t change what her body didn’t accept. But there was no reason to change it.”

“Still, it seems like Mother wanted to have a quiet drink with Father.”

“Yes, she probably did.”

Yeon Ho-Jeong was good at drinking. On the other hand, Yeon Ji-Pyeong was not suited to alcohol. Yeon Ho-Jeong resembled his father, and Yeon Ji-Pyeong resembled his mother.

Yeon-wi spoke calmly. “Do you resent your brother?”

It was a sudden question, but Yeon Ji-Pyeong understood his father’s meaning at once.

Right now, several experts were hiding around their residence. And at the gate of the residence, two members of the inner city combat unit were standing guard.

It was surveillance.

Unless a notice of release came from the higher-ups, they would continue to monitor the Yeon family’s bloodline indefinitely.

“I don’t resent him.”

“Why is that?”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong smiled. “To me, my brother has always been an object of admiration. You could even call him an idol. I just miss him, I don’t resent him.”

“It’s admirable as a father to see that your brotherly love is deep, but Ho-Jeong has been so busy that you haven’t been able to meet often. Of course, the bond of blood isn’t deepened by the number of times you meet, but aren’t you still disappointed?”

“If it weren’t for my brother, the main family would have been in trouble.”

Yeon-wi looked at Yeon Ji-Pyeong.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong stroked his cheek. It seemed he was trying to cool down the heat that had risen.

“I’m talking about the Nine Great Clans. My brother and father worked together to catch the spies, and then my brother went out into the world and joined forces with the righteous to wipe out their ambitions, didn’t he?”

“That’s right.”

“Furthermore, he traveled all over the world, drove out the foreign enemies who tried to trample on our land, and destroyed their schemes.”

“……”

“My brother’s actions were for the sake of the world, but on a smaller scale, it was no different from saving our family.”

Yeon-wi’s smile became warmer.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong smacked his lips. “Apart from the disappointment of not seeing him often, there’s nothing else to be upset about. I just hope he’s healthy.”

“I see.”

“Ah, there’s one more thing I’m disappointed about.”

“What is it?”

“It’s about contact. No matter how busy he is, he could at least ask how I’m doing once or twice a year, but there’s nothing like that at all. That’s really disappointing. I want to contact him first, but he’s always wandering around, so I can’t.”

“Haha, yes. That’s one of your brother’s big flaws.”

Yeon-wi looked at Yeon Ji-Pyeong with admiration.

Even though he was naturally kind, it wouldn’t be easy to maintain such a clear mind after hearing the rumors of his brother wandering around the world.

He could feel a sense of competition or jealousy as a martial artist due to his incredible talent and explosive growth. He might also doubt whether he was not being recognized as a martial artist or a member of the family because he was not with him.

Moreover, Yeon Ho-Jeong had become the successor of the Black Path martial world. This was a clear act of treason, and he could feel an even greater sense of betrayal because of his deep trust and affection.

These emotions were something that anyone would naturally have. It was not a matter of good or evil, but a matter of human nature.

However, Yeon Ji-Pyeong had never felt such feelings towards Yeon Ho-Jeong.

He just believed in him as always. He loved him as a brother and wished him a healthy future.

Of course, Yeon Ji-Pyeong was not a fool. He had not lost his innocence, but he was not so young that he did not know the impact of Yeon Ho-Jeong’s actions on the family.

Where did this unrealistic belief, which was hard to express even with the word absolute trust, come from?

“What made you trust your brother so much?”

“Yes?”

“This father of yours is such a petty person that I’ve clashed with your brother a lot. Even if you’re family, if you don’t meet often and confirm each other’s feelings, you become suspicious, and sometimes you can even lose affection. But you don’t have that.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong smiled. “Do you perhaps remember? The ancestral rites [ceremonies honoring ancestors] from the old days.”

“Ancestral rites?”

“Yes. When my brother was imprisoned in the ancestral hall for his impulsive actions.”

Yeon-wi’s face showed embarrassment. “Yes, I punished him.”

“At that time, I went to see my brother with rice balls.”

“I heard that.”

“Until then, I thought my brother… didn’t like me very much.”

“……”

“But that day, I realized that my brother didn’t dislike me, he just didn’t have the time. In reality, he cared about me more than anyone else. I realized that that day.”

“……”

“At that time, my brother said this to the Vice Commander of the Flying Eagle Unit. He said that he had ordered me to bring the rice balls. He told him to make that clear.”

“…Yes.”

“I didn’t mention it separately, but at that moment, I was sure. My brother truly thinks of me as a brother, and he threw himself to protect me in the face of the strict family rules.”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong closed his eyes. “That one incident is enough. It was a kindness and a moving experience that I wouldn’t trade for anything.”

“……”

“Since that day, I have never doubted my brother.”

“Doubt?”

At that moment, Yeon Ji-Pyeong, who had opened his eyes again, spoke in a firm voice. “He risked his life and went out into the martial world for the sake of his family and bloodline, so is it a big deal that he converted to the Black Path? Whether he’s a big deal in the Righteous Army or a vice leader of the Black Dragon Unit, to me, he’s just a reliable brother.”

At those words, Yeon-wi felt a lump in his throat.

Perhaps Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s excessive trust in Yeon Ho-Jeong was due to the overly rigid family rules.

‘In the end, it was my fault.’

It was just one act of kindness. That one act of kindness was everything to Yeon Ji-Pyeong.

He regretted creating such an environment, and at the same time, he felt sorry for his children. He was also proud of Yeon Ji-Pyeong, who had not lost his righteousness in such an environment.

And he couldn’t help but feel like a fool for having to watch his eldest son, who had gone through everything and returned, suffer like this again.

“To a useless father, you two are excessively generous children.”

“Don’t say that, Father.”

“If I could turn back time, if I could go back to the past…”

Just like the eldest.

“Then, I now have the confidence to make your childhood much more fulfilling.”

“Haha, don’t say such things. I’m still very happy now. When I was young, well… it was a bit strict, but I still played as much as I could without Father knowing.”

“Haha, is that so?”

“Of course. I even drank a few times when I was young.”

Yeon-wi’s eyes, which had been filled with emotion, slightly stiffened.

“You drank alcohol?”

“Yes. I probably drank much better back then than I do now. Back then, it was amazing, good, and fun, but now it’s like this.”

“……”

“……Did I say something unnecessary?”

“Ahem.”

“Haha, it’s in the past, so what can we do now? But I didn’t cause any trouble, did I?”

Yeon Ji-Pyeong was showing a rather sly side. Yeon-wi couldn’t help but laugh at his son’s appearance.

“I’m realizing every day how much of a delusion it is for parents to think they know their children well.”

Yeon-wi filled Yeon Ji-Pyeong’s glass. “It’s a punishment. Have another glass.”

“A sweet punishment.”

“Was it all a lie that you’re not good at drinking?”

“It’s just that I’m not.”

The father and son laughed and exchanged glasses.

How much time had passed?

“……?”

“……!”

Yeon-wi’s face hardened.

Yeon Ji-Pyeong was also surprised and looked out the window.

“Ji-Pyeong.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Bring him in.”

“Understood.”

Chiiik!

Yeon Ji-Pyeong, who had instantly drawn his energy, left the room.

After a while.

Creak!

The sound of the gate opening was heard from far outside the window.

Squeak. Squeak.

Soon, the sound of someone climbing the stairs outside the room was heard.

One step, one step, heavy yet light, as if there was nothing to stop him.

“May I come in?”

“Come in.”

Creak.

Moyong Gun appeared through the open door.

“I’m an uninvited guest who came late at night, but can I get a drink?”

Yeon-wi’s eyes deepened. “If cheap white liquor suits your taste.”