Wei San-ho watched Wei Yan-ho shouting boldly and smiled contentedly.
"Who suggested sending that kid to the negotiation team? Come forward."
No matter that he was his little brother, that crossed the line. Even with Wei San-ho's infinite affection for Wei Yan-ho, he couldn't rationalize it to that degree.
But in that instant, Wei San-ho thought that Wei Yan-ho was originally that kind of guy, so it wasn't that fool's fault but rather the fault of whoever sent that fool forward for negotiations, and he began looking for a scapegoat.
"…Who sent him forward! He said he'd go out himself, and who could stop him?"
"..."
Having failed to find a new scapegoat, Wei San-ho hung his head low.
"The kid is too pure."
"What?"
His little brother had such a pure side that he didn't properly understand the simple principle that one should filter out words people don't want to hear.
Normally, people would call that being clueless or thoughtless, but Wei San-ho insisted on calling it purity.
"...This place is hopeless too."
Critical voices could be heard from behind, but Wei San-ho deliberately ignored those words.
Jo Gong was so angry that smoke seemed to be coming from his ears.
'Eunuch?'
He knew.
From the moment he accepted the fate of being a court eunuch, finger-pointing was unavoidable. Even the humans who groveled before him would curse that the eunuch was running wild where he couldn't see them.
He had no intention of being angry or ashamed about that fact. If he hadn't chosen this path, he would surely be doing the same thing. Being a court eunuch was a path one had to choose while accepting such things.
But!
No one in the world had ever dared to brazenly spout those words in front of him. No one!
"How dare..."
Jo Gong's eyes became bloodshot.
No matter how much he tried to remain detached, there was a part he could never be detached from. Having been stabbed precisely in that spot, Jo Gong clenched his fists tightly.
"What are you all doing!"
"Yes?"
"Capture that crazy bastard right now and make him kneel before me! Didn't you hear me?"
"Ah! We'll do so immediately!"
Just as Yo Song was startled and about to give the attack order, the tiger mask raised his hand high again.
"What now!"
"No, just wait a moment. I have something to say to you. I haven't even spoken yet, but if you're going to act like this, why did you stop us earlier? I think this is rather inefficient, don't you?"
"Kuk kuk kuk kuk."
Jo Gong smiled bitterly.
Anyway, that bastard was destined to be torn to shreds by his hands tonight. In that case, he could listen to whatever he wanted to say.
"Fine, speak. That will be the last words you can say of your own will in your life."
"Eh..."
Wei Yan-ho tilted his head.
"Could you please interpret what that means? My learning is a bit short, so I can't understand when you speak in roundabout ways."
"Just say whatever you want to say!"
When Jo Gong lost his temper, Wei Yan-ho chuckled. Fortunately, his face wasn't visible due to the tiger mask, or else seeing that face would have made his anger surge to the top of his head again.
"Ah, well, it's nothing much, but you came to attack this mountain stronghold, right?"
"Then did I come here to play?"
"You're doing really good work."
"...Huh?"
Wei Yan-ho, wearing the tiger mask, nodded his head greatly and said:
"You definitely should beat up those bandit bastards. It makes no sense for those who eat the nation's salary to leave bandits alone when they're living prosperously, even building mountain strongholds like this. Right?"
Jo Gong nodded reluctantly.
Since he was saying such correct things, he couldn't say it was wrong. He felt somewhat deflated, but for now he had no choice but to acknowledge it.
"But aren't you also a bandit?"
"Oh my! Isn't that exactly what I came here to say? Actually, there are people inside who aren't bandits."
"What?"
Jo Gong tilted his head.
"People who aren't bandits in a mountain stronghold, what does that mean? Are you saying you were captured and brought here by those bandits?"
"Eh... It's not like that, we just stopped by briefly on business. Business... These people kept asking us to help them just once..."
The deer mask grabbed the tiger mask's mouth. But unfortunately, that wasn't a real mouth, so it couldn't stop Wei Yan-ho from freely spouting his words.
"Help them?"
Jo Gong glared.
"Receiving requests from bandit bastards! You must be people who have connections with the bandits. You're worthless scum who don't deserve forgiveness."
"...No, how can an official see the world only in such black-and-white logic? Well... I suppose someone who had to agonize between cutting it off or not would understand, but that must have been really difficult to choose... That decisiveness is really admirable... Mmph mmph!"
This time, Wei Jeong-han properly blocked Wei Yan-ho's mouth and smiled awkwardly.
"This kid is a bit out of his mind..."
A scene of moral corruption was unfolding where a father was criticizing his son, and the son was struggling because his mouth was blocked. But Jo Gong's reaction, not knowing their relationship, was very simple.
Rage.
"Those... Those bastards who deserve to be torn apart, make them kneel before me right now!"
Seeing Jo Gong's face, Wei Jeong-han felt that the situation had gone terribly wrong and glared at Wei Yan-ho while gritting his teeth.
'I should have stopped him even if it meant death when this fool said he could handle it.'
What was he thinking bringing this fool to a negotiation? Since he had brazenly committed an act that shouldn't be done if one had any sense, it was natural that the consequences would return.
Though he caused all sorts of trouble, Wei Yan-ho's results were always excellent enough to make one clap, so he had brought him along with a 'just maybe' mindset...
"Mmph mmph!"
Wei Yan-ho pushed away Wei Jeong-han's hand that was blocking his mouth and grumbled.
"Why are you doing this! Why!"
"Son."
"Yes?"
"Let me give you a lesson: there are people in this world who are better off not speaking at all. And I think you're that type of person."
"Come on, Father. You need to speak to communicate. If you don't speak, only misunderstandings pile up."
If it weren't you, that would be true.
If it weren't you!
"Just be quiet for now."
"I still have things to say."
"Be quiet!"
Wei Yan-ho pouted.
How should he put it—when he first returned, there was some coddling because his child had suffered and grown stronger in his own way, but lately there was no mercy.
Who could he blame? It was all Wei Yan-ho's own doing.
"I have something to say to Jo Gong."
When Wei Jeong-han, wearing the deer mask, quietly bowed his head, Jo Gong's eyes showed interest.
It was unbelievable that such a sensible person existed next to that deranged fool.
"Speak."
"This may be confusing, but we truly have no relationship with these bandits. We are those who came after hearing that something unusual was happening at this mountain stronghold. We simply came to investigate, so if you intend to subjugate the stronghold, please let us leave."
"Hmm..."
Jo Gong was regaining his composure. Jo Gong, who seemed lost in thought while wiggling his fingers, opened his mouth.
"Your words are proper, but how can I trust and listen to those who wear masks and don't reveal their identities? You must have covered your faces because there's something suspicious about you! Shut up!"
Jo Gong shook his body greatly.
"Watching these wicked ones' scheming makes my ears feel like they're rotting. What are you doing! Kill them right now!"
Wei Jeong-han's eyes sank low.
'Kill?'
The words that had been 'capture them' just moments ago changed instantly. It didn't seem like it was just because he was excited. Above all... judging from the flow of conversation, what Jo Gong should have originally said was to demand proof of Wei Yan-ho's group's identity.
He should have demanded they remove their masks to reveal their faces and identify themselves, but upon hearing that they might not be bandits, he immediately ordered them killed?
'There's something here.'
Wei Jeong-han licked his lips with his tongue.
'That behavior right now isn't about verifying the truth. It's about definitely killing us to prevent word from spreading from here. The Imperial Palace has a reason for intervening in this place, and they absolutely won't let that reason get out...'
What could that reason be that requires going to such lengths?
While Wei Jeong-han's mind was working complexly, Wei Yan-ho stepped forward.
"Don't, don't do it!"
Thought stops for an instant.
This was the time to think, but once that fool started moving forward, all such thinking would be rendered powerless.
"Don't worry."
"What do you mean don't worry?"
"They're trying to kill us all right now."
"...That's right."
Surprisingly, Wei Yan-ho was grasping the situation well.
'Was my child this smart?'
Come to think of it, he was called a prodigy when he was young. How sad it is that one's own child is the most untrustworthy person in the world.
Wei Jeong-han fell into anguish.
Just because he understood didn't mean Wei Yan-ho's dangerousness decreased.
But before Wei Jeong-han could even stop him, Wei Yan-ho pulled something out from inside his chest.
'The golden sword?'
Wei Jeong-han's eyes widened.
That thing, wasn't that the golden sword he pulled out earlier?
The sacred object of the Inspector General.
"That, that sword!"
Jo Gong was startled and craned his neck forward. No matter that he worked in the Eastern Palace, he couldn't not know the sacred object of the Inspector General. Moreover, wasn't that Inspector General their greatest political enemy?
"How, how do you have that sword?"
Wei Yan-ho raised the sword above his head and laughed 'hehe'.
"Now you understand, right? We're not enemies. Rather, I'm someone the Inspector General cherishes."
Wei Yan-ho brazenly spouted words that would make the Inspector General unbuckle his leather belt and charge at him while swinging it, if he heard them.
"So please open the way. We'll quietly slip out."
"..."
Wei Jeong-han's eyes trembled.
Truly his son.
How could he be so bad at reading situations! How!
"Kill... them."
Jo Gong looked at Yo Song with a ghostly face and shouted.
"Kill them! Not even a single ant can be allowed to escape! Kill those bastards in one stroke! Right nowwwww!"
"Eh?"
Wei Yan-ho tilted his head.
"Why is he acting like that?"
"...Didn't he come charging in here to hide something?"
"Right. But I'm also the same kind of official. We're allies, right?"
"...The Eastern Palace and the Inspector General's Office are the greatest political enemies. Especially since you possess the sacred object of the Inspector General — the very head of that office… Do you think those bastards would let you live? Not knowing what information you might obtain from inside here."
"Does, does it work that way?"
Seeing Wei Yan-ho tilt his head as if he couldn't understand, a misty film began to form in Wei Jeong-han's eyes.
"I don't know if you're smart or stupid..."
"Those words... My master used to say that often, but hearing it from Father feels new."
"...I see."
There was no time for leisurely conversation.
"Charge forwarrrrrd! Attack!"
With Yo Song's cry, the government troops began charging.
'What do we do?'
Wei Jeong-han had no choice but to hesitate in agony until the very last possible moment. He couldn't just die like this, but fighting government troops was treason. He couldn't commit treason either.
At that moment, Wei Yan-ho stepped forward one more step and shouted:
"Hey, you eunuch bastard!"
Wei Jeong-han just burst out laughing.
"Heo heo heo heo..."
Heo heo heo.