The head of the Unseong family, Han Baeksa.
Along with him, the people of the Unseong family—including Han Myeongho, Han Yeongsu's father—proceeded forward, leading numerous attendants.
"Father! Over here!"
"Oh! Yeongsu!"
Han Myeongho embraced his son in greeting, then spoke.
"So, everything going well at the academy?"
"Vacation hasn't even been over that long. Everything's been great."
"Good. Well done, my son."
After greeting his son, Han Myeongho looked toward Han Sanghyeok, who was bowing deeply behind them.
"…I see. Sanghyeok is here too."
"Have you been well, Uncle?"
"Yeongsu, I hear there are rare treasures at the capital's auction house. Since this is a good opportunity, I'll buy you a fine weapon."
"I actually needed one."
"Good. Then come along with me."
Han Myeongho disappeared with his son, and Sanghyeok turned his gaze, searching for someone.
Han Baeksa clicked his tongue as he approached his grandson.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk! Are you looking for that attendant?"
"Didn't you say you would bring her?"
"I did. Isn't she right over there?"
Where Han Baeksa pointed, a woman in her twenties was struggling forward under a heavy load.
There were wounds on her face that had yet to fully heal, and her hair was completely disheveled, making her look ill.
"Her injuries haven't even healed yet. How can you make her carry baggage?"
"She still has to work. She's still an attendant of Unseong."
Han Baeksa gave a crooked smile and continued.
"Isn't all of this because you still couldn't make up your mind? If you'd just made a decision that day, both you and that attendant would have been better off, wouldn't you? So this time, do as I say. Betraying once is hard, but betraying twice isn't."
"..."
"I'll be looking forward to it, Sanghyeok."
Han Baeksa tapped Sanghyeok's cheek twice, then seated himself in the palanquin and began moving.
"Eunhee noona..."
Joo Eunhee.
An attendant of the Unseong family.
As Sanghyeok watched her with sorrowful eyes, Joo Eunhee lifted her head and met his gaze.
"Sanghyeok."
She smiled brightly, walked up to him, and spoke.
"Wow, you look great. Is that the Seongmu Academy uniform? The master must be so proud."
"Noona, are you okay? Your injuries—"
"I'm fine. Totally fine. Don't worry."
"Joo Eunhee! What are you doing? Move it, now!"
At the head attendant's thunderous shout, Eunhee clicked her tongue and started back toward the procession.
"Don't worry about me. Go live your life, okay?"
"..."
Joo Eunhee smiled at Sanghyeok and returned to the line.
Watching her, Sanghyeok squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his head.
"…What the hell am I supposed to do? Seriously."
In the plaza before the castle gates, where everyone else was smiling, Sanghyeok alone was sobbing.
"It's been a while, future son-in-law."
Yoo Hyeonseong greeted me warmly and extended his hand.
I shook it awkwardly and replied,
"I told you, I'm not your future son-in-law."
"If you said you'd take responsibility, you should see it through to the end."
Yoo Hyeonseong looked far healthier than before.
His once gaunt face, all cheekbones, was now well-balanced, and his frame had filled out, giving him the look of a proper warrior.
As his condition improved, he practically shone—just like Arin's father would.
It was irritating how women passing by would stop and stare.
Why are there so many handsome people around me?
"I was planning to visit Cheolhyeol-nim and your father anyway. I'd appreciate it if you could set up an appointment."
"That won't be difficult, but I have one request as well."
"Yes, I heard from Arin. It's about a friend, right?"
"Yes. Unseong. I'd like you to keep an eye on Han Baeksa and my friend Sanghyeok."
I spoke carefully.
Unseong was a founding meritorious family and one of the most powerful families in the kingdom.
I was asking him to tail the head of such a family.
Even for the director of the intelligence bureau, this wouldn't be easy to accept—
"That's easy enough."
…Apparently it was.
Yoo Hyeonseong smiled as he spoke.
"Considering what our son-in-law has done for Hwagang, it's hardly a difficult task. And besides, tailing family heads isn't all that uncommon."
I'm not your son-in-law.
But since I was the one asking for a favor, I let it slide for now.
"Is that so?"
"If they're not as clean as Cheolhyeol-nim, the royal family keeps a close eye on them anyway. In that case, Doyun can handle it."
Doyun?
No sooner had Yoo Hyeonseong finished speaking than Jeong Doyun walked out and bowed to me.
"It's been a while, Young Master."
Jeong Doyun, the former patrol captain.
He, too, had come to the capital with Yoo Hyeonseong.
"Captain Jeong! You came too?"
"Please lower your tone. It's burdensome, Young Master."
"Oh come on. You used to be so strict. 'Those who do not work shall not eat,' wasn't that what you said?"
"…Please kill me."
"I'm joking. Just joking."
Yoo Hyeonseong chuckled and continued.
"Doyun may not be great in a straight fight, but infiltration and tailing are his specialties. He'll be a big help. Doyun, follow Seoha's instructions. Understood?"
"It's exactly what I was hoping for. Please use me freely."
Jeong Doyun spoke with a smile.
"All I need to monitor is Han Baeksa of Unseong and Han Sanghyeok, correct?"
"Yes. It seems Han Baeksa has leverage over Sanghyeok."
The woman who had been bleeding was likely Sanghyeok's weakness.
"I'd appreciate it if you could tell me everything you find out—what's going on and what Han Baeksa wants."
"I will carry out the orders."
Jeong Doyun immediately left with his subordinates.
"He's competent. He'll probably even find out the color of Han Baeksa's underwear."
"That's more detail than I really need."
"I was just saying."
Yoo Hyeonseong stood up and said,
"Then, may I meet your father?"
"I'll arrange it right away."
At least I should let them meet.
After that, my father would handle things on his own.
'He's not going to just approve a marriage, right?'
No way. I'm only fifteen.
During the Chuseok period, many events were held.
Lavish processions, fireworks, and specialty markets—events that farmers and commoners could enjoy—were held daily.
However, the only rest permitted to Seongmu Academy students was the single day allowed to greet their families.
After that, normal training resumed, but all the cadets' attention was focused on the Seongmu Tournament.
And there was no way Han Yeongsu would miss such an event.
"Have you ever even fought properly in a practical exam? You always just wandered around talking about goals and traces. Just watch. I'm going to completely crush that bastard Lee Seoha."
Han Yeongsu was strangely confident.
No—he'd always been all bluster, but this time it was especially bad.
Bluster is a double-edged sword.
Unless you're certain your lies won't be exposed, you can't bluff like that.
So why was he acting this way?
If he didn't win, he'd become a laughingstock.
'That confidence must be coming from…'
I looked at Sanghyeok, who was eating with a stiff expression.
He met my eyes and gave an awkward smile.
"What? Got something on my face?"
"Did Han Yeongsu take some kind of miracle pill? Why is he so confident?"
"He's always like that. Han Yeongsu."
That's true.
But this time, he's definitely plotting something.
Just then, Kang Museong posted a notice on the bulletin board.
"The preliminary brackets are out. Everyone check them."
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone rushed to the board to check the matchups.
Out of thirty cadets, sixteen advanced to the preliminaries.
The preliminary round was divided into four groups—Gap, Eul, Byeong, and Jeong—with four cadets in each group.
All four fought at once, and the one who survived advanced to the semifinals.
Arin glanced toward the crowded bulletin board and said,
"You're participating too, right? Shouldn't you check?"
"I don't need to. I already know."
"You already know?"
I smiled faintly and stood up, heading toward Kang Museong.
"You arranged it the way I asked, right?"
"You mean setting it up so you face Sanghyeok in the finals?"
"And making sure Sanghyeok and Han Yeongsu don't meet in the semifinals."
"Yes, I arranged it that way. If Han Yeongsu passes the preliminaries, he'll face you."
"That's perfect. That's more than enough."
The Minor Seongmu Tournament.
This competition among new cadets served as a prelude to the Major Seongmu Tournament.
Because of that, the preliminaries were held behind closed doors, with the semifinals and finals completed in a single day.
I had asked Kang Museong to make the brackets exactly as I wanted.
If not now, when else would I use my instructor connections?
"Oh, and Unseong also selected cadets they wanted placed in Han Yeongsu's group. All from families closely tied to Unseong."
"So he plans to breeze through the preliminaries."
Unseong was a renowned great family, owning so many cities you couldn't count them on one hand.
Unless they were similarly powerful families with political or economic leverage, smaller families had no choice but to cling to great ones.
And most of the kids Han Yeongsu associated with were from families that danced to Unseong's tune.
Kang Museong gave us a moment to look over the bracket, then said,
"The preliminaries start tomorrow. Don't be late to the listed locations."
"Yes, sir!"
The Seongmu Tournament was beginning.
The day of the preliminaries.
Even though it was closed to the public, relatives were allowed to attend, and the training grounds were filled with formidable figures.
The most prominent among them was Cheolhyeol, Lee Gangjin.
"It's been a while, Cheolhyeol-nim."
"Oh! Chief Scholar. You look well, which is a relief. Sitting at a desk all day isn't good for your health."
"You're right. My belly's been growing lately. Hahaha."
The Chief Scholar also served as the head of Seongmu Academy.
After chatting cheerfully, the Chief Scholar looked around the arena and said,
"I've heard all our instructors agree that your grandson has remarkable talent. You must be pleased. Another great figure will emerge in Cheongsin."
"Not just a great figure—he has the talent to even aim for the position of Martial God."
"That much?"
"Personally, I believe his talent surpasses even Geonha's."
Because Lee Gangjin was not one to exaggerate even about his own grandson, the Chief Scholar couldn't help but be surprised.
"Then I suppose the winner is already decided."
"You could say that. The only one who might match Seoha would be…"
Lee Gangjin looked toward Han Sanghyeok, who was preparing.
'That child also had the makings of a Martial God.'
Even though he had only overseen his training briefly, Lee Gangjin rated Han Sanghyeok's potential highly.
Just then—
"It's been a while, Cheolhyeol-nim."
Han Baeksa appeared, accompanied by the members of the Unseong family, and greeted Lee Gangjin.
"Oh, Head Han. This is our first meeting since the entrance ceremony."
"I think I heard you say the winner is already decided. Aren't you being a bit overconfident?"
"It's not overconfidence. It's confidence."
"From where I'm standing, it doesn't look like your grandson will even make it through the preliminaries."
As Lee Gangjin's expression hardened, Han Baeksa waved his hand and continued.
"I don't mean that your grandson is weak. It's just that he's far too dominant as the clear number one. The top always draws attention, doesn't it?"
Han Baeksa turned his gaze to Seoha.
The preliminary match for the Gap group, which included Seoha, had just begun, and the three cadets other than Seoha clustered together as if they had planned it.
"Just like that."
Han Baeksa smiled and went on.
"A strong warrior doesn't always survive the longest, does he? You need people skills as well. Hahaha."
But Lee Gangjin laughed along with him.
"Khahaha! I think you've misunderstood me, Head Han."
"Misunderstood you?"
Han Baeksa was certain Lee Gangjin was bluffing.
But Lee Gangjin spoke with absolute confidence.
"Do you really think I'd call someone strong if they struggled against the combined attack of just three people?"
Smiling, Lee Gangjin looked at his grandson.
The battle was beginning.