“Are you still unable to regain your senses?”
It feels like trying to find the surface of a lake that won’t stop rippling beneath you. Im Ha-yeon’s mind, unable to orient itself, strained to listen to the sounds around her.
“The doctor said you’ll wake up soon.”
A voice that she wished would whisper to her every day floated into her ears. The surroundings felt strangely noisy.
“I’ve done everything I can. The Master of Arcane Fragrance is close by, so I hope you can wait just a little longer.”
It’s a very familiar voice. A voice that tugs at the corners of her fading memory.
“Time is running out. We need to get on the carriage soon.”
“I’ll carry you.”
“I’ll carry Ha-yeon. If she wakes up in an unfamiliar place, it would be better if I were beside her, so she wouldn’t panic.”
“Then so be it.”
Somebody lifted Im Ha-yeon’s body onto a sturdy back. Was it because her body moved suddenly? Her mind, which was about to sink again, shook along with it.
“Ugh! W-where…?”
When Im Ha-yeon managed to open her eyes, all she could see was someone’s strong back. She’s being carried. Who is this? As she weakly turned her head, she saw a familiar black-haired figure.
“Ha-yeon?! Are you awake?”
“My…my body feels strange.”
Im Ha-yeon tried to dig through her memories to understand what had happened.
She had little memory since drinking. Only fragmented images remained. It felt as if her entire body was overwhelmed with fatigue and exhaustion, aching and languid.
“You’ve been poisoned. I detoxified you, but there still remains some poison. Does it hurt a lot?”
“It’s bearable.”
Im Ha-yeon struggled to recall the memory of having taken the poison and nodded her head.
“That’s a relief. We are on our way to the Master of Arcane Fragrance.”
“…What?”
At the unexpected news, her dazed mind surfaced to consciousness.
“There’s not much time to explain everything. Ha-yeon, you must trust me completely from now on. It’s the only way to resolve what will happen next.”
“….”
The urgency in her lover’s voice knocked against her mind. Since she was being carried, she could see outside through the open door. The sunset was dyeing the Yangtze River.
How long had it been? What on earth had happened? She found herself utterly unable to grasp the current situation.
“Where should I start explaining…?”
She could hear his heartbeat. An unusually anxious face. There must be something very serious going on.
Im Ha-yeon’s mind was still hazy from the poison, yet she had enough strength to call out to her anxious lover.
“You.”
“Mm?”
Im Ha-yeon weakly rested her chin on his shoulder and forced a smile.
“Stay calm. No matter what you say, I will trust and follow you.”
“You noticed, huh?”
Kang Yoon-ho’s eyes widened out of surprise before he chuckled softly. Im Ha-yeon found his face irresistibly lovely and pressed her lips against his cheek.
“I’m your Ha-yeon, after all. Just tell me what we need to do without the ‘why’.”
“Ha-yeon…”
She could trust his plans. Even if there were shortcomings, it was her responsibility to fill in those gaps.
Having overcome numerous crises, their mutual trust had already solidified to a degree that no one could sever.
Im Ha-yeon pressed her lips against his astonished face once again. It wasn’t enough. The poison had made her mind more honest to her emotions.
She wanted to feel the softness of things even softer than cheeks. But she had to listen to him. She should have done this sooner. So regrettable, but it couldn’t be helped. Just one more kiss on his cheek…
“Hah…”
Just as Im Ha-yeon was about to press her lips again, an ugh sound came from somewhere, as if protesting that they should stop with the indecent display.
Cough cough. “This isn’t fair!”
“This is the perfect time. Just making eye contact makes me feel all warm inside.”
“Huh?”
Only then did Im Ha-yeon realize that the Arcane fragrance masters were standing around them, looking quite embarrassed.
“Cough cough. It appears your daughter is quite reliant on you.”
And there was another face she found very familiar.
“Hahaha.”
“U-Uh?!”
Only then could Im Ha-yeon fully regain her senses.
“All the Masters of Arcane Fragrance are coming.”
In the top floor of the Juru by the Yangtze River, where a single floor served as one large room, the Master of the Do Sect nodded.
“Really? It seems they’re all rushing out since it’s urgent.”
“Master of Arcane Fragrance! It could be dangerous if a full-scale battle unfolds. It may be better to wait for the right moment…”
“If we go to the next round, will you take care of my winnings?”
“Master…”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance poked her subordinate’s shoulder with her finger, revealing her teeth in a grin.
“Right now! Today! It must be settled in this round! Understand? Once the flow shifts, we need to conclude it today!”
“I’ll call all the warriors of the Do Sect.”
The subordinate nodded at the anxious tone of the Master.
“What about the antidote?”
“Just as you instructed, I’ve divided it in two to facilitate negotiations.”
“Well done.”
“The Masters are coming up!”
“Prepare.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance sat down with a stern expression, pretending to seem relaxed while loosening her body.
Some onlookers understood the fate of those who behaved like that at a gambling table, but they refrained from mentioning it.
—
“All it takes is for the invited guests to arrive; why do we have so many unnecessary visitors?”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance welcomed the arriving Masters of Arcane Fragrance at the top floor, along with her subordinates.
“Master of Arcane Fragrance.”
The former Shadowless Thief, Wang, gritted his teeth as he looked at his life-and-death opponent.
“Yes, the Shadowless Thief. Or should I say former? Either way, did you come to think this through? You just need to stamp the seal straight away.”
“The person who can appoint you as the Master is not me!”
“Ah! Right! Our new Master of the Tu Sect needs to stamp it! But you seem to barely be keeping your grasp on consciousness.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance laughed mockingly at Im Ha-yeon, who was struggling on Kang Yoon-ho’s back.
“Cough!”
“Do you think the consent obtained by poisoning the Master would hold any weight?”
She couldn’t let the Master of Arcane Fragrance take control. The Master named Si-mun interrupted their conversation.
“When did I ever?”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance shrugged innocently.
“What?”
“What is this?! This is so unfair! What she ate was not poison, but an elixir! An elixir! I initially meant to consume it, but she stole it and greedily gulped it all down!”
“I can’t believe you’re saying such nonsense.”
The Master of the Arcane Fragrance shot a dumbfounded glare at the Master of Do.
“She touched her danjeon only once. How did she realize what was precious, like a thief? I merely meant to show kindness to the thieving Master!”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance pounded her chest as if she was the victim.
“Are you trying to use underhanded tactics?”
It wasn’t a threat by using poison. She obtained her consent by giving her an elixir. It wouldn’t apply here, but it was a justifiable excuse in the main branch of Hao-mun.
“If it works, it wouldn’t be underhanded anymore. So what do you say, former Master of the Tu Sect? If you bring your daughter to my side, I will graciously forgive her thievery.”
“……”
The former Shadowless Thief grasped the hilt of his blade, indicating a willingness to fight. Anyone could see that he would prefer to fight. However, for the Master of Arcane Fragrance, that much intimidation was far too familiar.
“Think carefully. The moment you recklessly move, the antidote will be gone! The only way you can obtain this drug is to bring your daughter and stand by my side.”
“I can’t…”
Just as Wang was about to refuse,
“…If you give me the antidote, I will support you.”
It seemed Im Ha-yeon had finally regained enough clarity to declare to the Master of Arcane Fragrance.
“Ha-yeon!”
“What are you saying?”
“Master of the Tu Sect! That’s impossible!”
With voices mixed with shock, several warriors of her faction rushed to stop Im Ha-yeon.
“Protect them!”
“Cough!”
Im Ha-yeon’s resolve was the will of the Tu Sect. The warriors beside them stood firm against the Arcane masters trying to intervene.
“You certainly have a different judgment from the old-timers! I’m not harsh to the lad I lent the stakes to! Just maintaining your side means I can double or triple past grievances.”
“I’ll carry you.”
“Are you really going to do that?”
Wang questioned, frowning as he lifted his daughter.
“I’m sick of this.”
Her short words inevitably nodded the heads of the Hao-mun followers gathered around.
“You made the right choice! It would be great if you could stamp the seal for the new Master of the Tu Sect right here.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance handed a piece of paper to Im Ha-yeon.
“The antidote comes first.”
“Oh! Right! Here! The antidote!”
The antidote the Master of Arcane Fragrance presented was neatly split in half. Im Ha-yeon bit her lip and glared at the Master.
“…You’re still being so petty after all this time.”
“I should at least have the debt repayment paperwork prepared, right? The other half will be given once this is all over.”
“Alright.”
“Master of the Tu Sect! How could you betray us!”
Discontented shouts erupted from various corners. But now that the Tu Sect and Do Sect had joined forces, the others had no means to respond.
Carefully, Im Ha-yeon consumed the antidote. There was no need to check if the antidote was genuine or fake. The moment she swallowed it, the remaining poison inside her body began to exit and her energy surged.
Holding the seal that rested on her finger, she declared toward the Master of Arcane Fragrance.
“I, the Shadowless Thief Im Ha-yeon, appoint the Master of Arcane Fragrance Dan-wan-ki as the new Master.”
*
“I finally made it here.”
A suffocating silence wrapped the enormous room after the declaration was made. Maintaining silence, I stared at Ha-yeon, who began to gather qi at a corner.
The energy of defeat cloaked us. On the contrary, a victor’s smile hung before the Master of Arcane Fragrance.
“I will appoint the Master of Arcane Fragrance Je Jong-mo as the new Master representing Hubei province.”
The representative of the branch directors revealed a document with the names of the supporting directors who stood by the Master of Arcane Fragrance and then rolled it like a baton to hand it over to her.
The Master of Arcane Fragrance, seemingly overwhelmed with joy, lifted the baton high and declared loudly in front of the gathered figures representing Hubei province.
“I, the Master of Arcane Fragrance Je Jong-mo, appoint myself as the new Master!”
To become the new Master of Hao-mun, the conditions required are the agreement of two Masters and a majority of branch directors.
This meant that the Master of Arcane Fragrance had now become the new Master in this very gathering.
“Congratulations!”
“Best wishes!”
“Congratulations on your position as Master!”
The place erupted. The entire floor became a whirlwind of chaos in an instant.
“Cough cough cough Finally! I finally! What’s the Masters doing? Hurry and bow before the new Master!”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance waved the baton of victory toward us.
“Why should we bow?”
The Master of the Ma Sect asked with an indifferent expression.
“The Master’s authority is absolute! You, as Masters, should show proper etiquette!”
One of the subordinates of the Do Sect yelled at us with a sly look. Of course. This is when you curry favor with those in power.
The crowd surrounding the subordinates seemed to lament the missed opportunity, gazing with resentment.
“It’s fine. It’s fine! You seem a little caught-off guard and shy right now.”
“Master.”
“I formally introduce her. Je Jong-mo, who became the Master of Hao-mun today. Soon, she will become the teacher of the Hao-mun and lead us all.”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance greeted us with a drunken expression filled with triumph. Anyone would think she was tipsy.
“…….”
“Ha, I feel like my patience is running out. It’s such a pleasant day, so I think I’ll tolerate it a bit longer. If I offer my knee to pledge allegiance now, I might spare you all your positions.”
“Let me repeat. Why should we bow?”
The Master of the Ma Sect again asked stoically.
“Master of the Ma Sect. Are you losing your eyesight? Did you not see what just transpired?”
Dan-wan-ki spoke as if in disbelief, shaking the symbol of her victory at us. However, the Masters stood grimly silent, offering no response.
Finally sensing something was off.
The smile began to fade from the Master of Arcane Fragrance’s face. Now that she had become the Master, even if there were grievances, Masters were supposed to obey her words absolutely.
Disobedience to her orders was a notion that would never exist.
“The gambler can’t even read the room.”
I couldn’t hold back from laughing, stepping forward toward the Master of Arcane Fragrance.
“Kang Yoon-ho?!”
Did my laughter seem off? It was the first time the Master of Arcane Fragrance frowned since her victory declaration.
“Right. If the Master of the Tu Sect correctly stamped the seal, that means you are the new Master.”
I pulled out something from my clothing that the Master of Arcane Fragrance’s eyes recognized.
“The seal ring?”
“You didn’t even verify if it’s genuine, did you?”
What I retrieved was the genuine seal ring of the Master of the Tu Sect. Unlike the fake one that Im Ha-yeon wore.
“Ha ha ha! It seems you think you can be happy with such cheap tricks! After all, the seal is just a formality! What matters is the Master’s declaration! The seal is meaningless, regardless of what kind of stamp you place!”
The Master of Arcane Fragrance sneered at me as if I were amusing.
While she was technically correct—the authority doesn’t disappear just because a Master loses their seal.
The seal is merely a formality. What matters is the person behind it.
“I guess you still don’t understand.”
But the thing is, my trick isn’t that.
“What?”
“It seems my introduction to the Hao-mun has been delayed.”
“What are you talking about?!”
In a confrontation space devoid of allies, I ignored the shocked look on the Master of Arcane Fragrance and boldly stepped forward.
The antidote is the Master’s last trump card.
Ha-yeon’s antidote would only be received once the Master of Arcane Fragrance was acknowledged, but I couldn’t allow the Master to secure that position. So what should I do?
Is there any way to make her easily abandon her precious hand that she tightly held onto?
Yes.
It’s the agenda of the former Shadowless Thief.
I have learned the Shadowless Body Technique and gained the Tu Sect’s acknowledgment.
I can make my lover, Im Ha-yeon, a person of virtue, and only I, now a single entity as the Shadowless Thief, can execute this.
In reality, it wouldn’t be entirely false that I am the Shadowless Thief. Technically, I’m also the Shadowless Thief. While Ha-yeon might be the one who climbs over the wall at night, I am the one who planned everything.
“Everyone, greetings. The new Master of the Tu Sect. I am Kang Yoon-ho.”
