Chapter 24

Chapter 24. A Name That Cannot Be Spoken (5)

Hyeon walked down the long corridor, searching for Bam.

The mercenaries hired by Elder Gyeon watched Hyeon warily, but they were overwhelmed by his imposing presence and didn't dare approach him carelessly.

Dancers performed atop a lavishly decorated revolving stage, while beads threaded onto hanging curtains softly clinked against one another.

Mixed into the thick steam was an incense that caused hallucinations.

Inside each room, people lay stretched out on large cushions, running their hands over one another's bodies. Those suffering from severe addiction could barely even breathe properly.

It truly deserved its reputation as a den of addicts—a place said to numb the minds of the city's people the moment they entered.

Despite the enormous entrance fee, countless people whose bodies and minds had already been ruined spent day after day in this place.

Hyeon frowned as he pulled away the people who tried to cling to him.

At that moment, Elder Gyeon appeared with several attendants.

He wore flowing silk robes that dragged all the way across the floor, and each of his fingers was adorned with a large jeweled ring.

"You pretended to be some great merchant, but it turns out you're actually a criminal corrupting public morals."

"And an insignificant mercenary dares lecture me about proper conduct?"

Elder Gyeon burst into hearty laughter at Hyeon's mocking words, looking as though the accusation were absurd.

Hyeon lowered his voice.

"Enough games. Tell me where my lady is. My patience is already gone."

"Your lady is enjoying herself somewhere safe. Consider it a gift for you as well. Once you see her like that, even you won't be able to keep your heart locked away."

"You dare turn my lady into something for others to feast their eyes on..."

Murderous intent flashed in Hyeon's eyes.

Even Elder Gyeon faltered slightly.

After all, if he provoked Hoyeon, the infamous mercenary captain, too far, his entire establishment could be reduced to ruins.

"Then let us get to the point. I heard something interesting from the people I planted inside Hui Kingdom."

Elder Gyeon's face was flushed red like a drunkard's.

He seemed unable to contain his excitement.

"Not long ago, I heard that a carriage carrying the daughters of the Hae family was taken back after being seized and returned safely to their estate."

"..."

"Whoever did it covered their tracks so perfectly that no one could discover the culprit."

He narrowed his eyes at Hyeon.

"But it isn't difficult to guess who could have done something like that."

Elder Gyeon continued quietly.

"It's already widely known that the Hae family's black magic has reached a remarkable level... You must have seen something there."

His lips curled as he spoke.

"I want to know how I can gain access to that tremendous power. In exchange, I'll send your lady back to you unharmed."

"Whether my lady returns safely isn't something an old man like you gets to decide."

Hyeon lifted his chin and looked down arrogantly at the old man.

"If so much as the tip of one of her fingers is injured, I might peel that wrinkled skin from your body right before your own eyes."

Even though Hyeon was the one who had invaded Elder Gyeon's establishment, he behaved as if he were its owner.

Despite that, the old man didn't seem particularly bothered.

He stroked his beard and smiled.

"I've spent my entire life walking among people who lie around pathetically, intoxicated by drugs."

"..."

"A person can collapse simply because someone finds a crack in their heart. So imagine what could be done with the power to control darkness itself."

The old man's desire to turn even the power of darkness into a means of making money was almost impressive.

But it was not a power an ordinary human could dare to approach.

"Are you confident you can handle it?"

"I don't have many years left to live. Do you think I'd be afraid of something like karma?"

Hyeon shrugged.

"True. It's always the ones with half-baked curiosity who end up shortening their own lives."

Hyeon strode toward the old man.

His sword flashed swiftly through the air.

Sensing the sword energy, Elder Gyeon clutched his forehead and collapsed.

The private soldiers nearby immediately surrounded Hyeon and pointed their swords at him.

"You bastard! Do you even know where you are?!"

"Sir! Are you all right?"

The old man groaned and waved the soldiers back.

When he raised his head, a crimson symbol drawn in blood remained on his forehead.

"There's the mark of evil you wanted. With that much, you should be able to pass through the entrance of hell without much trouble."

Hyeon let out an empty laugh.

The ground around them rippled and trembled.

Then a black-faced ghost suddenly sprang out from beneath it.

It was Heukgeomgwi.

"Is this one going to be a new offering? Or might he actually be useful for something?"

Heukgeomgwi grinned as he stared down at the collapsed Elder Gyeon.

"He desired the power of darkness so much that he volunteered to become its servant himself. Apparently, he doesn't have much longer to live and wants to take an early tour of the underworld. Handle him however you want."

Hyeon left Elder Gyeon's fate in Heukgeomgwi's hands and turned away.

Whether the old man became a wandering dead soul roaming the Nine Heavens or was chosen by one of hell's Rakshasa women no longer had anything to do with Hyeon.

Hyeon lifted the hanging bead curtains and continued through the countless interconnected spaces that stretched out like an ant colony.

Eventually, he reached the room hidden in the deepest part of the establishment.

A powerful fragrance mixed with the thick steam assaulted his senses.

Hyeon remained alert so that the hallucinogenic effects wouldn't cloud his mind.

When the door opened, a soft light spilled out.

There, inside an enormous steaming bath, was Bam, splashing around in the water.

Bam sent water spraying into the air as she tilted her head backward, her hair sticking tightly against her body.

A mischievous smile spread across her face.

Her blue eyes sparkled beneath her deeply creased eyelids.

Hyeon stepped into the bath and walked through the water toward her.

Seeing her in such a completely defenseless state was almost unbelievable...

But above all else, he breathed a sigh of relief that she was unharmed.

He couldn't see any of the lavish decorations or dazzling lights surrounding them.

His eyes were fixed on only one person.

Was the dangerous emotion he felt at this moment caused by the trap Elder Gyeon had prepared?

Or was it because Bam, a natural temptress by birth, possessed a force that drew him toward her?

Bam stared wide-eyed at Hyeon as he approached.

She still seemed trapped in the hallucination.

Hyeon lifted Bam into his arms and carried her out of the bath.

Her head rested so close that it touched his chest.

Because of the difference in their size, Bam fit perfectly within Hyeon's embrace.

Still held by him, Bam unconsciously began taking one step after another.

The two walked through the long corridor, water dripping from their bodies.

After returning to the inn, Hyeon instructed his subordinates to take Bam to her room.

They brewed medicinal herbs said to help remove toxins from the body and cooled her overheated body, but Bam remained unconscious for quite some time.

Hyeon sat beside her pillow and gently stroked her round cheek and curly hair.

Bright moonlight streamed through the window.

Eventually, Bam rubbed her eyes and slowly sat up.

"Mm..."

As her senses returned, the events of the day came back to her one after another.

Bam was mortified.

She had only meant to play around for a little while...

But in the end, she had made a huge mistake that could have endangered the entire merchant guild.

And worse...

Someone had actually seen her acting so pathetic and foolish.

Bam clenched her teeth and put on a stubborn expression as though she absolutely refused to acknowledge what had happened.

She slapped Hyeon's hand away.

"I don't remember asking you to come get me."

Her voice was full of irritation.

She hated being treated gently after showing weakness.

And more importantly, she needed to make absolutely certain that Hoyeon knew she was still angry with him over what had happened earlier.

Hyeon quietly looked at her.

"Come get you? Did you have some sort of strange dream?"

As always, Hyeon didn't bring up her past mistakes or embarrass Bam by damaging her pride.

Instead, he was already prepared to give her what she wanted.

"I'll go deal with the pirates, just as you ordered. We'll launch a ship into the nearby waters first thing tomorrow morning."

At those words, Bam's anger disappeared instantly.

Was there anything in this world more lovable than a Hoyeon who obediently listened to everything she said?

"Really? Good. It'll be nice to loosen up a little for the first time in a while."

Bam scooted closer beside Hyeon and began excitedly talking about their plans for tomorrow.

Resting his chin on one hand, Hyeon silently listened to his young mistress.

One corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.

The next morning, Bam and Hyeon launched a ship and headed out to sea.

A mermaid figurehead, the symbol of the Rang Merchant Guild, was carved into the ship's bow.

Bam blew a coral whistle and issued orders to the sailors.

As they pulled the yards and square sails taut, the vessel smoothly glided toward the middle of the sea.

Whenever the ship crashed against the violent currents, the ocean surface shattered into white foam and the vessel tilted heavily from side to side.

Bam stared at the glittering sea, where blue scales of light rippled across the surface.

The sight of her narrowing her eyes and blinking her long lashes was beautiful enough to resemble a painting.

After wandering the seas for so many years, Bam had come to understand one thing.

The sea contained the answers to all her questions.

She called it the "premonition of the sea."

A short while later, another ship appeared beyond the horizon.

The Rang Merchant Guild's ships began approaching in formation.

Their plan was to seize the initiative with flaming arrows and crossbows before throwing grappling hooks onto the enemy vessels and boarding the pirate ships.

But once they drew closer, something about the pirate ships' decks felt strange.

They weren't prepared for battle.

Even more strangely, several of the sailors were wearing expensive silk clothing.

Just as Bam prepared to order the attack, Hyeon stopped her.

"My lady, look at that flag. They aren't ordinary pirates. If my memory is correct... that vessel probably belongs to the Yeohae Kingdom's royal fleet."

The unexpected name from Hyeon's lips immediately sent murmurs through the members of the Rang Merchant Guild.

Bam was confused as well.

"Yeohae Kingdom? I thought that country was destroyed several years ago."

"They're probably surviving nobles and refugees. I'll speak with them."

When the Rang Merchant Guild signaled that they had no intention of fighting, the Yeohae side allowed them to approach.

Hyeon crossed the wooden bridge placed between the two ships.

Only after representatives from both sides signaled for the archers to lower their bows did the conversation begin.

"As far as I know, Yeohae Kingdom once maintained friendly relations with Hui Kingdom. Why did you attack ships traveling to attend the Fifteenth Festival?"

Faced with Hyeon's commanding presence, the Yeohae nobles revealed the truth without resistance.

"In the past, Yeohae Kingdom wished to arrange a marriage between the royal families of our two nations, so our young princess was sent to Hui Kingdom as part of an envoy."

Now that he thought about it, back when Hyeon had still been Crown Prince, he had briefly crossed paths with her procession at the royal palace.

Of course, their connection had ended before he'd even properly seen his prospective bride's face.

They hadn't even set an official wedding date.

"However, Crown Prince Namhyun, the person involved in the engagement, disappeared, and Yeohae Kingdom was suddenly destroyed by civil war before being absorbed into the surrounding nations."

"..."

"We fear that our princess may be held hostage in Hui Kingdom—or that she may even have fallen into slavery."

"..."

"We have sent King Nampyeong several official petitions, but none have been accepted. Time has simply continued to pass..."

So the surviving people of Yeohae Kingdom had been roaming the waters off Hui Kingdom as a form of protest against King Nampyeong.

It was also likely that they hoped to reclaim the princess, the sole surviving member of their royal family, and rally their remaining forces around her.

"The Rang Merchant Guild is the official merchant guild overseeing this year's Fifteenth Festival."

Hyeon began persuading the Yeohae nobles.

"If you cooperate with us and remain under our command while the festival is taking place, I'll help you get the princess out."

The Yeohae nobles hesitated, unable to make a decision.

Hyeon's voice grew firmer.

"You can't endure much longer anyway, can you? You've already spent years waging a prolonged resistance at sea."

One noble immediately dropped to the deck and bowed his head, tears streaming from his eyes.

"Please... return our princess to us."

Hyeon answered with a solemn expression.

"I promise."

Bam stepped closer to him and lowered her voice.

"You were just saying that to convince them, right? Why would we ever make a promise like that to these people?"

"I'm glad everything worked out peacefully."

But Hyeon neither confirmed nor denied what Bam had said.

Bam muttered quietly to herself.

"Hoyeon's been strange lately. Really strange."