The Ruler of Darkness

“As instructed, I have opened the account book archives for the inspection officer.”

“…You’ve done well.”

“Not at all. The young fellow is incredibly sharp-witted; he grasped everything in no time. I didn’t even need to explain or assist.”

“He’s an investigator personally appointed by the Grand Young Master. A top talent who excelled as the valedictorian.”

“The future of the Luoyang Sword Faction brightens with such talents gathering. It puts my mind at ease.”

“Accounting Secretary, you are one of those talents as well.”

“Ha, to receive such praise from the Chief Supervisor, it’s flattering.”

“…I won’t forget your hard work.”

“Leave the follow-up to me.”

The middle-aged man, the Chief Supervisor, left the office with seven gold-threaded tassels swaying at his waist.

Left alone in his office, the Accounting Secretary’s gaze lingered on the desk.

A small bundle given by the Chief Supervisor rested there.

* * *

Silence enveloped the waiting room.

Court Lady Seomun, opened her eyes after a brief moment and asked the inspection officer Kang Ho.

“…As long as I don’t leave the court grounds, that would be sufficient, right?”

Kang Ho nodded readily.

“Yes, that would do.”

She glanced briefly at the ledger on the table before discarding her hesitation.

It was no longer the time for primitive solutions.

Without even greeting Yeon So-Hyeon, she turned and left the waiting room.

Her aides followed her.

Kang Ho, cleaning his glasses, spoke up.

“Don’t ever leave the court grounds.”

“….”

Court Lady Seomun, paused for a moment, leaving only a soft chuckle behind as she departed.

Kang Ho shook his head.

“The shamelessness of the powerful is the same everywhere…”

Il-ryeong asked him.

“Is it really okay to let them go like that?”

“Ah, yes. It’s fine. They are not yet criminals, and since the order came from the Inspection Bureau, if they defy it, we can immediately issue a pursuit warrant.”

“What worries me more is what they might plot behind the scenes.”

“Ha. Don’t worry about that.”

He rose from his seat and respectfully addressed Yeon So-Hyeon.

“Your Highness, I must return to report. The situation seems more serious than I thought.”

“Very well. Do so.”

Kang Ho’s gaze turned to the ledger on the desk.

“This ledger…”

Yeon So-Hyeon nodded.

“It’s safer for me to keep it for now.”

Kang Ho glanced at the swords hanging at the maids’ waists and bowed to Yeon So-Hyeon.

“Yes, considering my limited abilities and potential emergencies, it seems best.”

“Understood.”

“Then, I shall return immediately after completing the report.”

Yeon So-Hyeon watched his departing figure and then turned to the trembling protocol court lady in the corner.

“What are you doing there?”

“I, I am…”

“Never mind, go and prepare the meal. It’s already lunchtime.”

“Yes! Yes! Understood!”

She hurriedly ran out, tripping over her legs and falling.

But nobody smiled or laughed at her plight.

“Now then….”

Yeon So-Hyeon sank deep into his chair.

“Inner Court’s Chief Supervisor. How ready are you to make the necessary cuts?”

His eyes sparkled.

The triplet maids unconsciously shrank back.

Yeon So-Hyeon’s demeanor was too serene.

There was neither killing intent nor imposing aura.

Yet, this moment felt more terrifying than the night he had brutally assaulted Elder Yeom’s steward.

* * *

In the Inner Court, a secluded area.

Court Lady Seomun looked around at the other court ladies..

“You’re all familiar with the emergency protocols, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Then, we must do everything we can from now on.”

She swept back her disheveled hair.

“We may have been caught off guard by that naive investigator, but we haven’t even started yet.”

“That’s right.”

She looked at the court ladies.

“Don’t try to stop that naive investigator from reporting. He seems to have a powerful backer. However, we must prevent the Inspection Bureau’s main investigation at all costs.”

The court ladies nodded resolutely.

“Let’s see if we can give that swordless man a taste of his own medicine.”

She gave a brief instruction.

“Everyone, move out.”

The court ladies dispersed instantly.

They were well-prepared for such a situation, knowing how to act, whom to seek help from, and whom to appease.

As everyone left, the remaining room court lady looked at Court Lady Seomun with trembling eyes.

“…Who will you meet first, Court Lady Seomun?”

“The highest-ranking person available right now.”

Court Lady Seomun looked at the room’s court lady.

“Inform the elders of the Bang family within our house as well.”

“Yes, Court Lady Seomun.”

After Court Lady Bang disappeared, Court Lady Seomun began to move.

It was time to delve deeper into the Inner Court.

‘That swordlessman… I’ll definitely pay back this humiliation someday.’

It was only because they had been complacent earlier that they allowed the first strike.

Once they began to exert their influence in earnest, they could overcome a crisis of this magnitude.

At least, that’s what she believed.

* * *

Elder Yeom was having lunch with his family and closest confidants.

True to his martial background, the menu was remarkably modest for an elder of the Luoyang Sword House.

The quantity, however, was enormous, befitting his size.

Then, a subordinate entered, handed him a note, and disappeared.

“Hmm.”

He put down his spoon.

All eyes turned to him.

“…Is it news related to that Grand Young Master?”

In response to his confidant’s question, Elder Yeom, without taking his eyes off the note, answered.

“This child. Even so, you should refer to the Grand Young Master with ‘His Highness’.”

“My apologies.”

Elder Yeom clicked his tongue.

“Everywhere, people who underestimate the Grand Young Master are in abundance.”

In the corner, eating porridge alone, the Law Enforcer Grand Young Masterss, Yeom Baekha sighed.

“What pathetic people…”

Her mutter was a whisper, but Elder Yeom’s confidants swallowed nervously.

Only Baekho, a tiger, was busily tearing into a piece of meat on the floor, oblivious.

“The inspector dispatched by the Grand Young Master has returned to the Inspection Bureau.”

“He must be reporting to the higher-ups now.”

“Yes. This won’t just end here.”

He looked at his confidants.

“I know how much you all usually disregard the Grand Young Master.”

The confidants avoided his gaze.

Even though Elder Yeom, who had met the Grand Young Master personally, had explained his impressions of Yeon So-Hyeon, they were still skeptical.

“So take this chance to see for yourself what kind of person the Grand Young Master is.”

He picked up his spoon again.

“If he’s unarmed, it shouldn’t have escalated like this. If he’s unarmed, there shouldn’t be such a mess.”

He continued speaking while chewing his food.

“Those who thought they knew the Grand Young Master well, who were confident about their understanding of him, will see their misconceptions crumble in the most absurd way.”

Yeom Baekha petted Baekho, who was whining for more meat.

“It’s a pity. If I were healthy, I would have rushed to the Inner Court right now.”

She whispered softly.

“Then, Baekho, you wouldn’t have to worry about your meals for a while.”

The confidants couldn’t move their spoons for a while after hearing her words.

* * *

“Is the Accounting Secretary inside?”

Steward Samgye guarding the office of the Accounting Secretary bowed.

“Yes, he is inside. But he said he’s not receiving visitors.”

“This matter is urgent.”

“There are no exceptions.”

The steward was busy processing documents at his desk.

“It’s not just urgent for me, but also for the Accounting Secretary.”

He didn’t even look at her.

“I told you, there are no exceptions.”

Court Lady Seomun bit her lip.

She hadn’t really expected him to agree to meet her immediately, given her current predicament.

However, in the Inner Court, among those dealing with the budget, the Accounting Secretary was the highest official she, as a practical worker, could approach.

He should have some ways to escape this situation.

If lucky, she could ride on his coattails; even if not, he had the power to avert the worst-case scenario.

“…At least let him know I’m here. We can deal with the reprimand later.”

Steward Samgye shrugged.

It was as if to say, ‘do as you please’.

If they truly intended to block visitors, they would have placed guards at the entrance.

“Accounting Secretary. It’s Seomun, and Steward Samgye, from the Budget Committee.”

She knocked several times, but there was no response.

“If there’s no answer, then perhaps he’s really in a bad mood, and it would be better for you to leave…”

Ignoring the Steward Samgye’s words, Court Lady Seomun abruptly opened the door.

“….”

Steward Samgye was shocked at her audacity to enter the office without permission.

“What madness…”

He quickly got up from his seat and followed Court Lady Seomun.

Upon rushing into the office, he found her collapsed in her seat.

“Accounting Secretary, I apologize! This person recklessly…”

His voice trailed off.

“What in the world…”

His legs started shaking uncontrollably.

Staggering, he almost rolled out of the office as he ran away.

“Is anyone there?! Is anyone listening?!”

The voice of Steward Samgye, shouting frantically, faded away.

However, Court Lady Seomun showed no signs of getting up from where she sat.

Her gaze was fixed across the dark room without any lanterns, towards the desk of the Accounting Secretary.

Under the main beam, a body hung, swaying slowly.

The room was filled with the foul stench of waste emitted from the corpse.

Sunlight streamed through the tightly closed shuttered windows.

A ray of sunlight reflected off the gold-threaded tassel tied around the waist of the corpse.

Six strands of gold thread.

The body was that of the Accounting Secretary.

“…This can’t be.”

The voice that barely escaped Court Lady Seomun’s lips was terribly hoarse.

“This can’t be. It just can’t be…”

What did the Accounting Secretary’s corpse signify?

He was ultimately responsible for the budget of Wongak Pavilion, but he was in a position to avoid accountability with ease.

She tried to get up hastily.

Her knees wobbled, and she collapsed again.

Instead, she crawled.

Reaching the window on all fours, she grabbed the wall to pull herself up and flung the window open.

With the shutters opened, sunlight poured in, revealing the Accounting Secretary’s face.

His face was pale, eyes rolled back, tongue lolling out long.

Nearly collapsing again, she spotted a small silk pouch on his desk.

It was subtly elegant yet lavishly adorned.

Her trembling hands picked up the silk pouch.

As she turned the pouch over on the desk, a black object fell out.

It was a broken obsidian pair of scissors.

The mother-of-pearl inlay, intricately crafted by a master artisan, was partially shattered and scattered.

The sunlight reflected off these mother-of-pearl pieces, dazzling like jewels.

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