The Swordmaster Who Lives Twice Chapter 26 : Chapter 26

Chapter 26 - Family Head eting (3)

Even if Seo Chang-woo had drawn his sword, there was nothing he could do here.

It would be difficult even if he had planned a well-organized coup, so causing a ruckus in such an agitated state was nothing more than a aningless struggle. He would be suppressed within three seconds.

‘3, 2…’

Kwaaaang!

Just as I thought.

A sudden roar erupted, and the sword Seo Chang-woo held in his hand was shattered.

The one who broke the sword was, surprisingly, a single 500-won coin.

There was no need to think twice about who in the eting hall could display such divine power.

The forr head of the Muwon Sword Family, Han Byeong-cheol.

“Stop right there. It’s too pathetic.”

That old man's technique was fascinating to see again.

From the skill of compressing mana into a coin and striking with it, to the near-perfect mana control.

It was a technique that even I, in my Johan Raven days, would have needed so practice to be able to perform.

I slightly bowed my head towards Han Byeong-cheol to show my respect.

Even if he hadn't done it, soone else would have, but because he did it, the situation was resolved in the cleanest way possible.

Seo Chang-woo, having lost his will to fight, stared blankly at the ceiling with a devastated expression.

He might be regretting it.

Having so naively responded to his brother's summons.

Or at the very least, for not having prepared a coup for a 'what if' situation.

“What a foolish man!”

The one who lanted while looking at Seo Chang-woo was my father’s second older brother, Seo Hyeong-geun.

I knew well the aning behind those words ‘foolish man’.

It ant that he handled things in such a way that it caused problems later.

In fact, it was Seo Chang-woo who had revealed his claws this ti, but it wouldn’t be strange at all if it were Seo Hyeong-geun next ti.

This damned household was full of figures who held grievances against the Main Family.

“Seo Chang-woo, and Seo Young-joon. Step forward.”

My father's stern voice, sothing rarely heard. The two culprits bit their lips, looking like two peas in a pod.

Seo Young-joon’s legs were trembling as he walked forward.

No matter how much a death sentence awaited him, his pathetic appearance was utterly disgraceful.

That’s why he shouldn't have done sothing that deserved death.

“Both of you, raise your heads.”

Even if they were brothers who shared the sa blood, there was no way there would be leniency.

This father and son had crossed the line, by a long shot.

“...Big brother. No, Family Head.”

At the call of ‘Big brother’, my father Seo Joon-wook’s eyes trembled slightly.

Seeing this, my father was definitely not the type of person suited to be the head of a great family like the Haewon Sword Family.

His excellent character was beyond question, but the problem was that he was excessively sentintal.

For that reason, this occasion today was a harsh ti for my father, and it would continue to be a harsh ti.

Because the verdict he himself would pronounce would be a severe one that transcended the realm of sentintality.

“Are you trying to ask for leniency?”

At my father's question, Seo Chang-woo let out a deep sigh and shook his head.

He had given up on everything along with his shattered sword.

“Please, just this boy! Please spare this boy who is still young!”

“What you and your son did was an act of trying to kill soone. And yet you ask to spare him now. Don’t you think that’s too shaless?”

At my father’s words, Seo Chang-woo squeezed his eyes shut.

Seo Young-joon’s face had already turned deathly pale, and his whole body was trembling.

“What you two have done is deserving of death. There will be no room for excuses.”

“I was wrong!! I will live my life in atonent like a dog! So please, just spare my life!”

Seo Young-joon suddenly started wailing, with tears and snot streaming down his face.

“How cowardly. You too were a respectable mber of the Haewon Sword Family until now.”

“Please spare ! Please spare !”

Seo Young-joon began to beg for his life indiscriminately.

To think that a low-life like him dared to think of killing , a hollow laugh escaped on its own.

“Then I shall deliver the verdict. First, Seo Chang-woo and all his family mbers are excommunicated from the Haewon Sword Family in accordance with the family law.”

At my father's declaration, the eting hall buzzed for a mont, but in truth, this was a foregone conclusion.

To aim for a direct descendant of the Main Family, of all people, was no different from a declaration of war.

If this were Kalia where I lived, the punishnt would not have ended with excommunication but would have been the annihilation of the entire clan.

“Next, Seo Chang-woo.”

“…”

There was no leniency anyway.

Only the manner of death was in my father's hands.

“I will give you the opportunity to take your own life.”

This was the last bit of rcy that could be shown to a blood relative.

Seo Chang-woo squeezed his eyes shut and nodded.

The eting hall buzzed again, but my father imdiately cald them with a gesture.

“You may leave a last will.”

I could feel the bitterness he must be swallowing behind that calm voice.

My real father, Billion Raven, had also been like that.

A fratricidal war. He too had suffered from the cruel twists of fate.

To see such a scene again after being reincarnated just felt strange.

“I will take my own life cleanly, so please, just this child.”

My father avoided his brother’s gaze and continued to declare the verdict.

“Seo Young-joon, your cri is worthy of death. You yourself must know that.”

“Please spare !”

“Your father has decided to take his own life cleanly, and yet you wish to live?”

“I will live as if I were dead for the rest of my life!”

My father had already finished deliberating on the verdict before holding this family eting.

The decision he had made in his heart would not be overturned.

Whatever punishnt was handed down, it would be a conclusion that had already been reached.

“I acknowledge that beheading both father and son on the sa day is a harsh act in light of heavenly principles.”

“Please spare !”

“Therefore, for now, your death shall be substituted by your father’s suicide.”

“Th-thank you!! Family Head!”

“However, your dantian will be destroyed so that it can never be restored.”

“What??”

It was indeed a decision befitting the head of a prestigious sword family.

To punish with a sharp blade to make an example, but without going too far.

I had no regrets either.

My real target from the beginning was Seo Chang-woo, not Seo Young-joon.

With this, I was able to cut out so of the potential risk factors in the Main Family with a single stroke, and it also served as a stern warning against any rebellion that might arise in the future.

As for Seo Young-joon, even if he had saved his life for now, today’s cowardice would remain a lifelong shackle. He might even co to regret not dying today.

That is, if this guy was even human.

“From this mont on, everyone in Seo Chang-woo’s family will never be able to use the na of the Haewon Sword Family again. That is all. The verdict on you two ends here.”

No one raised any objections to the verdict my father had delivered so far.

Neither the council of elders of the Haewon Sword Family nor my father’s second older brother who attended the eting today just listened to the verdict in silence.

The only procedure left now was the execution of the verdict.

Seo Chang-woo’s suicide and the destruction of Seo Young-joon’s dantian.

The two of them had their eyes closed, preparing for their end.

***

Late at night.

There was a summons from my father.

I thought there would be a eting like this once the Family Head eting was over.

All of this had started because of . It was I who had started with Seo Young-joon and then linked it to Seo Chang-woo to escalate the situation.

“You don’t look too well.”

“Today, I tightened the noose on my own flesh and blood. Isn’t that to be expected?”

Although it was an execution according to the family law, he had personally ordered his brother’s suicide. And he had to watch it with his own two eyes. I felt I could understand his feelings to so extent.

His back as he sat on the terrace, gazing at the moonlight, felt endlessly lonely.

“Father, are you perhaps blaming right now?”

“, blaming you, Ji-han?”

“Seo Young-joon is one thing, but my uncle fell into a trap I set. You know that too, Father.”

“He wouldn't have fallen into a trap if he didn't have a disloyal heart.”

“Still, a person’s heart is…”

“That’s not it. The important thing is the fact that he was a villain who tried to murder a direct descendant of the Main Family and my youngest son. There's only one thing I want to take issue with you about. The fact that you personally took a risk to root out the disloyal elents! That was a very rash action, regardless of the outco.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t ever do that again.”

“Yes, Father.”

Then, a mont of silence followed.

Even after calling , my father didn't have much to say.

He just gazed at the night sky, occasionally tilting his glass, and only asked aningless questions.

Perhaps my father just needed soone to be by his side.

Because the seat of the Family Head was always a lonely one.

“These days, it feels like every day is passing like a storm.”

“What do you an?”

“It ans that a lot of things have been happening all at once.”

“Are you perhaps talking about ?”

“I suppose so. Because a lot of things have happened surrounding you.”

A son who had suddenly changed. He must have been very confused starting from that.

Among them were so moving events, but the anxiety that ca from the other side must have been much greater.

My father, Seo Joon-wook, tried his best not to show it and was considerate of , but I could always feel his worry for .

“Would you like a glass too?”

“Yes. Please give one.”

“I think this is the first ti. Originally, you, Ji-han, were unable to drink even a sip of alcohol.”

“I’ve recovered a lot now. So I will co to your study like this from ti to ti to receive a glass. Unlike my brothers, I haven’t had the chance until now, have I?”

“It’s very nice to hear you say that.”

I drained the glass my father had poured for in one go and then filled his glass with alcohol as well.

And so, we, father and son, shared drinks under the moonlight for a long ti.

It was the first ti I had strayed from the path since being reincarnated into Seo Ji-han’s body.

Because until now, I had been focusing all twenty-four hours of my day solely on recovering my body.

‘Just for one day, well.’

Feeling that the lonely shadow cast over my father’s face was fading a little, it was a more fulfilling ti than ever before.

“I heard from your second brother. Your progress in swordsmanship is much faster than expected?”

“It’s because the Haewon Sword Style is a very interesting sword style.”

“To feel interest instead of frustration, that alone is amazing. Even I felt a wall when I first learned this sword style.”

“I just want to learn the latter half of the Haewon Sword Style directly from you, Father, in the future.”

“Are you saying you will now covet the position of Family Head?”

“I am your son too, Father.”

At my words, my father showed a smile for the first ti today.

Although it was a restrained expression, he was genuinely happy.

“Yes. That’s right. You are my son too.”

“Since we’re on the topic, there’s one more thing I’d like to ask of you, Father.”

“Speak.”

The ti had co for to achieve my first short-term goal.

The timing was very appropriate and exquisite.

“I would also like to form my own sword unit now. Just like my brothers.”

“You, Ji-han, a sword unit?”

“I know you think it’s too early. My dungeon experience is still shallow.”

“Yes. You’ve only cleared two dungeons so far, haven’t you?”

“But I have now learned the first half of the Haewon Sword Style and have beco a proper successor of the Main Family. Dungeon experience is sothing I can build up over ti, and if it’s a foregone conclusion that I will eventually form my own sword unit, then I don’t think now is too early. In fact, isn’t it true that I’ve fallen behind due to my chronic illness all this ti?”

“That is true, but.”

Failing to get permission in an atmosphere like today would be proof that I was a fool.

Now was the ti to bring out the decisive line I had prepared.

“Also, I believe the reason I was threatened with murder twice was largely because I didn't have my own force.”

Even I thought it was a great line.

Because the justification was clear.

As expected, my father's eyes wavered.

“...That could be true.”

“Since you have already allowed to go to dungeons, I would appreciate it if you would allow to have my own independent power for my own safety.”

At my words, my father seed to be lost in thought.

At this point, the answer was set.

He would grant permission but attach conditions. Then I would just have to fulfill those conditions.

It probably wouldn't be too difficult.