Episode 205
Although he was said to be sick due to old age, he was an absolute expert.
I was able to see through this state with just one glance.
I wasn’t embarrassed because it was something I expected.
I pointed in the direction of Dang Sang-jin with a hand gesture and continued my introduction.
“This is Dang Sang-jin Daehyeop, the head of the Taesang family of the Sacheon Dang family.”
“Poison King?”
There was interest in the Beast Palace Lord’s eyes.
The guards leaning against the walls on both sides flinched and trembled their shoulders.
It seemed that the value of the name Sipcheonje was popular even in the martial arts world.
“So, why did the head of the Sacheon branch of the Murim League and the Taesang family of the Tang family come to visit me?”
“I’ll tell you straight. “The Murim Alliance hopes for peace with the Beast Palace.”
“Reconciliation?”
“To be more specific, I hope to sign a treaty stipulating that we will not invade each other’s territory for the next ten years.”
“In short, we want to conclude a non-aggression pact.”
“That’s right. “I think it’s a mutually beneficial proposition.”
“We benefit each other…”
The Beast Palace Lord’s lips drew an arc.
A meaningful smile.
He got off the bed with slow movements and stood on the ground.
Hobeop, who was waiting leaning against the wall on the right, quickly approached him and helped him up.
After lying in the hospital bed for a long time, his physical condition did not seem to be very good.
His complexion was pale, his limbs were dry, and his waist was slightly bent.
Because he already had a small physique, he looked even smaller.
‘If you think about it, the Beast Palace Lord’s second son also had a relatively small body.’
It seemed to be a genetic trait.
For an instant, the gazes of the Beast Palace Lord and the Guardian crossed.
It felt like they were having a conversation by sound.
The Beast Princess approached in front of me with slow steps and said, pointing outside the window.
“Let’s change seats.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind? “It looks like you have trouble moving around.”
“Don’t worry about me. “I want to get some fresh air outside after a long time.”
* * *
A pavilion located in the middle of a well-maintained garden.
As I sat down across from the Beast Prince, I took out a small wooden box from my pocket and placed it on the floor.
“First of all, before we begin the actual story, I would like to give you the gift I have prepared.”
“A gift?”
“Somyeongdan (小明丹). It is a top-class internal medicine that is said to be made only in Wudang Mountain in the central plains. “It is said to be a medicine for internal injuries, but it is also very effective in increasing energy.”
It made no sense for a delegation dispatched by the Murim Alliance to visit the Beast Palace without bringing any gifts.
Since I had visited the Beast Palace to make peace, there was a need to show at least some courtesy.
At first, I thought about preparing a reasonable amount of gold and silver treasures and silk, but when I remembered that the Beast Princess was lying in a sick bed, I decided to provide two pieces of Somyeongdan.
This would save money and show off a lot.
‘It’s a bit of a waste, but if you complete the mission later and report it to the headquarters, you can receive a corresponding reward.’
One of the city guards stationed behind the Beast Palace Lord picked up the wooden box and checked its contents.
“······.”
He nodded silently, closed the lid of the wooden box, and handed it to the Beast Palace Lord.
The Beast Palace Lord put it down on the seat next to him without even checking the contents of the wooden box.
“I will accept the gift gratefully.”
Soon, the civil servants brought a small table to the pavilion.
Alcohol and food were set out on three tables, all of which were unfamiliar and had never been seen in Jungwon.
Even though I was on a mission, I couldn’t turn down a drink at a time like this.
Dang Sang-jin and I couldn’t resist the Beast Palace Lord’s encouragement and took turns drinking.
The taste of the drink was quite good.
Because it was an alcoholic drink made with fruits rather than grains, it had a strong sweet taste.
I wasn’t worried that it might have been poisoned.
Who would be a fool in the world who would use a poisonous weapon against a poisonous king?
“Let me say it again. “The Murim Alliance hopes to make peace with the Beast Palace.”
“I said it was a mutually beneficial proposition. “Can you hear what I meant by that?”
“I mean it literally. Currently, the Murim Alliance is busy fighting the Great War of True Demons and does not have the ability to guard against enemies behind the scenes. “The Beast Palace is also engulfed in a civil war, so there will be no time to worry about the affairs of the Central Plains.”
“It is a plausible statement, but in reality, I think the benefit that the Beast Palace can gain from signing a treaty is minimal.”
“······.”
“Whether a treaty is signed or not, the possibility of the Murim Alliance invading Namman is extremely low. Unlike the warriors of the Beast Palace who covet the warm and fertile land of the central plains, the warriors of the central plains are not interested in the south. “Isn’t that right?”
I clicked my tongue in my heart and nodded.
Should we really say that he is worthy of being the ruler of the South?
It seemed like he wasn’t just a muscle-brain that excelled at martial arts.
‘It hits right where the pain is.’
As the palace lord said, it was a situation with nothing to regret from the Beast Palace’s perspective.
Even if we don’t make peace, the Beast Palace has nothing to lose.
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This was the decisive reason why the delegation had no choice but to take B’s position.
I filled my empty glass with alcohol and spoke in a calm tone.
“There is an advantage.”
“What is that?”
“It is possible to prevent a situation where the successor to the palace lord runs away in the future.”
“I don’t know what you mean by that.”
“Do you know that your fourth son made a deal with the Demonic Cult?”
“······!”
The Beast Palace Lord’s eyes became sharp.
At the same time, the defenders behind them began to unleash a terrifying force.
Tang Sang-jin tried to fight back, but I shook my head and stopped him.
There was no benefit in provoking the other person further here.
“It may be hard to believe, but it’s true.”
“What is the evidence?”
“The reason the Murim Alliance dispatched a delegation in the first place was because they were alarmed by the incident.”
“I would have asked you to present evidence.”
It wasn’t visible to the eye, but I could feel it.
That there is a willful energy floating around, threatening my life.
Among the masters who reached absolute perfection, there were some who could harm their opponents without even touching them directly.
It was often called the state of mind-killing because one could kill an object just by activating one’s will.
Dokgo Woojin had previously performed the same technique against me.
‘The reaction was as expected. There is nothing to panic about.’
He said something insulting to the Beast Prince’s blood relatives to his face.
From their perspective, it was no wonder they felt insulted.
After clearing my throat once, I took out a few items from my pocket and placed them on the table.
“Not long ago, a group of assassins sent by the Demon Cult attacked me and my group. “I was able to use my wits to subdue them, but I ended up in a pretty dangerous situation.”
“······.”
“However, among the assassins, there was one person who used a quite unusual martial art. “It was impossible not to recognize it because it was a martial art with such clear characteristics.”
“The martial arts he used were from the Beast Palace?”
“That’s right. These are the belongings that the assassin had with him. Please check it out.”
As the matter was a serious matter, only the facts had to be conveyed as objectively as possible.
If private opinions were included, it could have acted as a catalyst for conflict.
The guardian who took the summons list earlier accepted the items I offered and delivered them to the Beast Palace Lord.
After examining the items in silence for a while, the Beast Prince sighed and asked.
“Is this the only evidence?”
“There are a few more things. “There is some information obtained by interrogating the captured demons, but it would be difficult to gain the palace lord’s trust if I were to convey it verbally here.”
“······.”
“Do you know that a delegation recently went out to suppress the demonic cultists who invaded the territory of the Harel tribe?”
“I heard the story.”
“Why do you think they entered Nanman at this time?”
“······Is it to contact you?”
“That’s right. The destination they were heading to was none other than the Beast Palace. They were trying to contact the fourth son under the order of the Demonic Cult leader. “The schedule went awry and we ended up in conflict with the Harel tribe.”
“Uhm… … .”
Beads of sweat formed on my forehead.
It wasn’t easy for the absolute master to make a decision and apply pressure.
As I was staring at the Beast Palace lord who was lost in worry with a complicated expression, I continued talking as if driving a wedge into my head.
“They have captured their leader. “If you want to hear the testimony, let’s bring him here.”
“······.”
The beast princess sighed deeply and slowly raised her left hand.
At the same time, the energy that had been irritating my skin disappeared like a lie.
‘I guess I’ll live a little longer.’
I massaged her shoulder with my left hand and quietly observed the Beast Prince’s reaction.
He was immersed in thought while rubbing his chin and opened his mouth with a heavy expression.
“This is not an issue that can be taken lightly.”
“I think the palace lord has some idea of what the demonic lord would have asked for in return for supporting his fourth son.”
“After seizing the hegemony of Nanman, lead your warriors to attack the Wulin army in the central plains. “I would have made roughly that kind of request.”
“If, by any chance, your fourth son ascends to the position of palace guard, the warriors of Southern Manchuria will be driven to the battlefield again before they can even recover from the damage caused by the civil war. “Shouldn’t we avoid such situations?”
“······.”
“If the Beast Palace and the Murim Alliance sign a non-aggression pact, we will be able to prevent the worst situation.”
In order to persuade the Beast Palace Lord, various cases were assumed.
I was worried that he might listen to me and protect his son just because we were blood relatives, but fortunately, that didn’t seem to be the case.
‘It somehow worked out well.’
There was no difference between Jungwon and Namman in that there was a widespread atmosphere of rejection of magic, demons, and magic.
If the Beast Prince was a person with common sense, he would never refuse an offer of peace.
“We recognized the need for a non-aggression pact.”
“if······.”
“There is just one problem.”
However, the answer given by the Beast Palace Lord was completely different from what I expected.
I tilted my head and asked.
“Are you saying it’s a problem?”
“I’m sorry for betraying your expectations, but right now I don’t have the authority to make peace with the Murim Alliance on my own.”
“······What does that mean?”
You don’t have permission.
If the Beast Palace Lord, the pinnacle of Namman, does not have authority, then who does?
“I mean it literally. “As someone who entrusts the affairs of the palace to the military and stays in a separate room, I cannot represent the Beast Palace.”
A bitter smile appeared on the Beast Palace Lord’s lips.
I ended up making a dumbfounded expression at the unexpected story.
‘What kind of ghost talk is this?’
martial arts,
