Silence flowed in the room.
To raise a hand in this place would an to be on the sa boat as Su Yeongseong.
Of course, the proposal to get rid of Cheon Myeong, who was a thorn in their side, was extrely tempting, but if they were to fail, the burden that would follow was so great that no one could easily raise their hand.
And one person here, Yu Eunseong, was in a different position from the other two, so she was not raising her hand.
'The Young Master is in danger.'
To think that Su Yeongseong had been planning such a thing.
Of course, Cheon Myeong was not a person who would be easily defeated, but seeing Su Yeongseong's current appearance, it seed that he was quite determined to kill Cheon Myeong.
So he would have called the other two candidates, including himself, to this place.
If the other two were to side with Su Yeongseong, it seed that even Cheon Myeong would be in danger.
'It's a good thing I ca to this place.'
They did not know the relationship between her and Cheon Myeong.
So Yu Eunseong was thinking of secretly forming a support force and helping Cheon Myeong.
Of course, if Jang Hyeon and Jo Seokjin were to join hands with Su Yeongseong, she felt that it would be a bit overwhelming with just her own strength.
Even if she went to Cheon Jin and asked for help, it didn't seem that he would believe her words, so she would have to do sothing with only reliable people.
"...I have sothing to ask."
At that mont, after a rather long silence, Jo Seokjin opened his mouth.
Su Yeongseong, who was looking at him as if he were relaxed.
As he slightly extended his right hand forward as if to say 'speak', a question imdiately ca out of Jo Seokjin's mouth.
"Is that information certain?"
"Of course. I have already decided on the place to kill Cheon Myeong."
"If... we were to fail, what would happen?"
He had tried to kill the leader's son.
Moreover, hadn't Cheon Jin already announced that he would forbid the candidates from fighting among themselves outside of the ranking matches?
In fact, participating in Su Yeongseong's plan was the sa as disobeying Cheon Jin's order.
Then, in the worst case, not only himself but also his family could be in danger.
Since it was disobeying the leader's order, it would be beyond the level that Jo Seokjin could handle on his own.
"Why do you ask such a question?"
"...?"
"Just kill him. Then there will be no problem."
"What...?"
Hearing Su Yeongseong's answer, Jo Seokjin was at a loss for words for a mont.
Did he ask that because he didn't know such an obvious thing?
A plan does not always go as intended.
Because he himself had the experience of failing when he had tried to assassinate Cheon Myeong in the past.
At that ti, the assumption that he would fail in the assassination was not in his mind.
"With just that much resolve, what kind of revenge are you going to take?"
"..."
"I have already killed Cheon Myeong thousands... no, tens of thousands of tis in my head. So there is absolutely no way this will fail. In the worst case, I will kill that guy and go, even if it ans we both die together."
From the appearance of Su Yeongseong, who was saying that with a mad laugh, he could tell that he was serious.
If he weren't serious, he wouldn't feel that much of a chill.
Since his determination to kill Cheon Myeong already seed stronger than his own life, it seed that Su Yeongseong was now unhesitatingly even saying the words 'die together'.
'Su Yeongseong... has changed a lot.'
Jo Seokjin did not know Su Yeongseong that well.
However, although there was a side of him that was hard to read, he had thought that he was a rather cautious person, just like himself.
Seeing this appearance now, it felt as if only a demon mad with revenge, without any regard for the consequences, was standing there.
"Now, have you decided on your answer?"
"...Yes, I have."
"Of course. Of course..."
"I'm out."
As that answer ca out of Jo Seokjin's mouth, for a mont, a chill beyond expressionlessness was felt on Su Yeongseong's face.
"What did you... say?"
"I said I'm out."
"...Why? Don't you want to kill Cheon Myeong?"
"If I could kill him, I would."
"Then why! Why are you saying that?"
Su Yeongseong suddenly raised his voice and shouted.
Although he looked quite unstable, like a person who was not in his right mind, Jo Seokjin did not avoid his gaze and said.
"In my opinion, I don't think I can kill Cheon Myeong even if I join you."
"...What?"
"The loss if I fail is greater than the gain if I participate in your plan. That is the reason why I am out."
"..."
As if he had fainted while standing, Su Yeongseong was motionless and said nothing.
And suddenly, an unknown sound ca out of Su Yeongseong's mouth, and the room was soon filled with an unpleasant, monstrous scream.
"Kuaaaaaaaaaa-!"
The three people who naturally covered their ears with their hands at the monstrous scream that Su Yeongseong let out.
It was so bizarre that it made one think that such a sound could co out of a person's voice.
And finally, Su Yeongseong stopped his monstrous scream and said, glaring at Jo Seokjin as if to kill him.
"As expected, you are just a loser!"
"..."
"Just looking at you... it feels like my brain is trembling."
Swish-
At that mont, Su Yeongseong's gaze turned to Yu Eunseong and Jang Hyeon.
"You guys aren't losers, are you?"
"..."
"Now! Raise your hands! I'm saying let's raise our hands and kill Cheon Myeong!"
Compared to Jang Hyeon, who was shuddering as if he were looking at sothing dirty, Yu Eunseong opened her mouth with a calm appearance.
"I'm out too."
"Th-then too! You're strange. Did you go sowhere and do drugs?"
"..."
As the two said that, Su Yeongseong again did not show any reaction.
Seeing that, it seed that that unpleasant, monstrous scream would co out again, so the three were preparing to cover their ears early, but fortunately, such a misfortune did not happen.
"...Fine."
Su Yeongseong, who muttered that and turned around. And this ti, he began to laugh as if he were in a good mood.
"It has been clearly proven here. That my desire for revenge on Cheon Myeong is superior to anyone else's."
"..."
"Then I should have it all to myself. You guys... don't even seem to have the qualifications to feel that taste."
Su Yeongseong muttered that and left the room with a laugh mixed with madness.
The silence that continued even after Su Yeongseong had left the room.
A mad wind had swept through, and it seed that the aftereffects still remained in the room.
"I'm glad I don't do drugs..."
After quite so ti, Jang Hyeon muttered with a sigh of relief.
And Yu Eunseong, who was maintaining her silence nearby.
Although she looked fine on the outside, Yu Eunseong was now feeling quite urgent inside.
'That madness... it's not just his personality that has changed.'
The demonic ki that was felt from Su Yeongseong was constantly on Yu Eunseong's mind.
Especially at the end, as the demonic ki beca so strong that it gave her chills, even if no one had participated in Su Yeongseong's plan, Yu Eunseong felt that she could not be at ease.
Because no one could predict what a person with that much madness would do.
If Cheon Myeong were to be careless, it seed that he could be swept away by Su Yeongseong's madness.
"He's completely crazy. If he's that crazy, he might really be able to kill Cheon Myeong."
"What? Then why didn't you participate in Su Yeongseong's plan?"
As Jang Hyeon asked, Jo Seokjin looked at Jang Hyeon as if he were pathetic and said.
"Because he's a madman."
"...?"
"A guy like that has no future. So if I participate, I might be able to kill Cheon Myeong, but I will also fall into ruin with him."
And even if he didn't participate, it seed that Su Yeongseong would go to Cheon Myeong on his own, so he had also stayed out.
If he kills him, it's a gain, and even if he can't, there's no loss for him.
Rather, since one competitor would disappear, wouldn't it be a gain?
Jo Seokjin had made this decision based on that judgnt.
"Aha."
Jang Hyeon, who nodded his head as if he understood after hearing Jo Seokjin's words.
Seeing that, it seed that Jang Hyeon had probably just stayed out because he didn't like Su Yeongseong.
Swish-
At that mont, Yu Eunseong quietly stood up from her seat and was about to leave the room.
"Yu Eunseong."
"..."
"You're not planning sothing behind my back, are you?"
As Jo Seokjin suddenly asked, Yu Eunseong stopped her steps and turned her gaze to that side.
For a mont, Yu Eunseong thought that Jo Seokjin had found out about her relationship with Cheon Myeong, but after hearing his following words, she could see that that was not the case.
"If I find out that you're pulling so trick behind my back, like when you challenged Cheon Myeong to a ranking match... then I'll have business with you before Cheon Myeong."
"..."
"Go on. Weren't you about to leave?"
Jo Seokjin said that and pointed to the door with his eyes.
Then, Yu Eunseong, who soon withdrew her gaze and left the room.
Although Jo Seokjin had given her that warning, from a while ago, only one thought was in Yu Eunseong's mind.
'I have to tell the Young Master about this as soon as possible.'
First, the Chunguidae.
Yu Eunseong moved her steps to the place where Cheon Myeong's direct subordinate unit was.
***
From early in the morning, people had gathered at the main gate of the Ice Palace.
Today was the day Cheon Myeong was to leave the Ice Palace.
Seol Suham and Seol Baekmyo had co out to the main gate themselves to see Cheon Myeong off.
"Thank you for your generous hospitality while I was in the Ice Palace."
Saying that to Seol Suham, Cheon Myeong perford a fist salute.
Seol Suham, who was watching him with a rather complicated expression.
Rather, the one who should be saying thanks was Seol Suham, not Cheon Myeong.
The grace that the Ice Palace had received from Cheon Myeong this ti was so great that it could not be asured.
"Really... you don't need a reward?"
"Yes, it's fine."
"..."
Although she had asked several tis, the answer that ca back was always the sa.
She would feel more at ease if she could repay Cheon Myeong as much as she had received.
Since Cheon Myeong kept refusing like that, Seol Suham couldn't help but feel a feeling similar to guilt towards Cheon Myeong.
'I've already received everything I need to receive.'
In fact, Cheon Myeong had been planning to get sothing if Seol Suham had asked him like that.
But hadn't he already received more than enough since coming to the North Sea?
Just by the fact that he had found the Heavenly Demon Sword here, Cheon Myeong thought that he had already obtained a harvest beyond his expectations.
Still, since it wasn't that he didn't know Seol Suham's heart, Cheon Myeong looked at Seol Suham as if he had no choice and said.
"Then, if I need help later, please help from the Ice Palace."
"..."
"That will be enough of a reward."
He hadn't said that just for Seol Suham's sake.
From Cheon Myeong's perspective, the power of the Ice Palace would be a great help.
Since no one knew what would happen in the future, just by receiving this promise, Cheon Myeong could be said to have obtained a great weapon.
"...I understand."
As Cheon Myeong said that, Seol Suham's expression relaxed slightly, as if she had been relieved of a burden.
And at that mont, Seol Baekmyo, who had been hesitating and watching for an opportunity, finally ca forward and called Cheon Myeong.
"Young Master!"
"...?"
"Thank you so much... for curing my illness. I don't think I will ever forget this grace."
As Seol Baekmyo suddenly said that, Cheon Myeong looked at that side with slightly widened eyes.
However, soon, with a light smile on his lips, Cheon Myeong answered.
"I also have many things to be thankful for to you, Young Palace Lord."
This was sincere.
If it weren't for Seol Baekmyo, he would not have been able to treat the ice tiger, and if so, he might not have been able to find the Heavenly Demon Sword.
He had been planning to thank Seol Baekmyo for that anyway.
"Can we... et again?"
In Seol Baekmyo's voice as she said that, it was felt that she was quite sad about her parting with Cheon Myeong.
If she had her way, she wanted Cheon Myeong to stay in the Ice Palace longer.
Although it had not been long since she had gotten to know Cheon Myeong, because of that, her desire to get to know more about Cheon Myeong was strong.
Still, since she could not forcibly hold Cheon Myeong back because of her own greed, Seol Baekmyo had no choice but to express her feelings in this way.
"Of course."
"...Really?"
"Yes, if you co to the main headquarters, Young Palace Lord, this ti, I will treat you."
As Cheon Myeong said that, a bright smile appeared on Seol Baekmyo's face.
Of course, although those words could just be a re courtesy.
Even so, Seol Baekmyo was now very happy just by the fact that Cheon Myeong had answered like that.
"Y-Young Palace Lord..."
At Seol Baekmyo's smile, the people couldn't help but be surprised.
It seed to be the first ti they had seen Seol Baekmyo, who was called the Snow Skin, Ice Flower, smile so brightly.
Not only had the Palace Lord co out to see him off herself, but to think that he had even lted Seol Baekmyo's coldness.
The people beca even more curious about Cheon Myeong's identity.
Swish-
At that mont, Seol Suham held sothing out to Cheon Myeong.
"Take this with you."
What Seol Suham held out to Cheon Myeong was a comb.
Since it looked like just an ordinary comb even on the outside, Cheon Myeong asked Seol Suham with a puzzled face.
"Why are you giving this to ...?"
"It's my sister's keepsake."
"..."
"When my sister left the Ice Palace, all the things she used were disposed of, but I had kept this one thing separately."
Seol Suhwa's keepsake.
Cheon Myeong first received the comb that Seol Suham was holding out and put it in his bosom. And as if that were a signal, he perford a fist salute to Seol Suham.
"Then I will be on my way."
"Yes... go carefully."
With those words, Cheon Myeong turned around without any lingering attachnt and moved away.
Seol Suham, who was watching him silently.
Looking at Cheon Myeong's back as he moved away, Seol Suham sohow rembered the day Seol Suhwa had left the Ice Palace.
'Sister... thank you.'
Perhaps Cheon Myeong's coming to the Ice Palace was possible because of Seol Suhwa's help.
Seol Suham suddenly had that thought and sent her thanks to Seol Suhwa in her mind.
(End of Chapter)
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