Chapter 009 — Silver Moon Halo (5)
“Are you the newly arrived Celestial Maiden?”
A young woman who had been silently standing behind them, waiting for the State Preceptor to finish speaking, finally stepped forward.
She looked to be around Cheongyeon’s age.
The woman had striking, glamorous features. Her eyelids were slightly full and the tip of her nose was blunt, giving her a stubborn and ambitious impression.
“Celestial Maiden, this is Lady Nam Huyeong, daughter of State Preceptor Namwan.”
At the priests’ introduction, Cheongyeon brought her hands together and gave a slight bow.
At the same time, she recalled what Manu had quietly told her about Huyeong.
His assessment had been simple.
Nothing good will come from provoking her, so stay as far away as possible.
Officially, Huyeong was known as State Preceptor Namwan’s adopted daughter.
However, rumors were widespread that she was actually his illegitimate daughter, born from his indulgent lifestyle.
Her appearance was every bit as extravagant as Namwan’s.
Wing-shaped pieces of cloth spread from her back, and golden ornaments hung from her clothes.
She looked more like the main guest of today’s event than Cheongyeon did.
“I brought a gift for the Celestial Maiden. Please accept it as a token of my sincerity.”
Huyeong covered her mouth with her sleeve as she smiled.
At her command, several servants hurried forward carrying a heavy ceramic flowerpot.
The pot was filled with water, and a lotus stem rose from within it.
However, the flower had already withered away.
Only the blackened seed pod remained.
Among the people of Huiguk, a withered lotus carried an ominous meaning.
It represented coming misfortune.
Or a wish that would never come true.
It was clearly a malicious gift aimed at Cheongyeon on her first official appearance as the Celestial Maiden.
Cheongyeon failed to completely hide her surprise.
Seeing that reaction, Huyeong spoke mockingly.
“I wondered what kind of extraordinary woman you were, but you’re completely ordinary.”
Her lips curled upward.
“You look so inexperienced that it’s obvious you won’t last very long.”
It was hard to tell whether she was muttering to herself or deliberately speaking loudly enough for Cheongyeon to hear.
Huyeong continued with a smile.
“I wonder what sort of trick you used to get into Beopsindang.”
Then she added coldly,
“A fake like you.”
“What do you mean by that? A fake?”
Cheongyeon had been holding herself back because she did not want to cause trouble.
But even she could not remain silent after hearing that.
Huyeong slightly lifted her chin and looked down at Cheongyeon.
“Because the true Celestial Maiden—the one who inherited the noble blood of the royal family and the sacred spiritual power of the State Preceptor—is me.”
She deliberately spoke half a beat slower than everyone else, as though trying to make herself appear elegant and dignified.
Instead, it only felt unnatural.
“Twenty years ago, on the day the State Preceptor performed the miracle of defeating the heretics with his spiritual power, celestial maidens descended from the heavens while carrying me as a newborn baby.”
“...”
“After that, the State Preceptor adopted me.”
Huyeong gave her a meaningful look.
“Surely anyone from Huiguk would know that story...”
Cheongyeon felt that Huyeong had simply taken a story she had heard somewhere and fabricated it into her own tale.
And yet...
Because of Huyeong’s perfectly calm and shameless expression, the story almost sounded believable.
It was as if Huyeong believed she could obtain anything she wanted.
Even someone else’s identity.
Cheongyeon was beginning to understand just how naturally the people of the ground world used schemes and deception in their everyday lives.
“I don’t know what you really are, but you should leave quietly.”
Huyeong’s eyes narrowed.
“Unless you want to make an enemy of the Nam family.”
What should she do?
Cheongyeon might have been intelligent, but even she could not immediately think of a good way to deal with Huyeong.
She tried to keep her voice calm and steady.
“Lady Nam, your words sound very much like a threat.”
Cheongyeon met her gaze.
“I sincerely hope I’m misunderstanding you.”
But Huyeong had no intention of ending the conversation.
“You’re not misunderstanding anything.”
She smiled.
“That position you’re standing in right now?”
Huyeong pointedly looked Cheongyeon up and down.
“It was originally mine.”
The attendants standing behind Huyeong began whispering among themselves and laughing at Cheongyeon.
Huyeong had specifically ordered them to do so beforehand.
She wanted to sway everyone’s opinion against Cheongyeon.
Cheongyeon had never wanted the position of Celestial Maiden.
If anything, there had been times when she wished she could hide the powers of the Celestial Maiden.
All she wanted...
was to learn what she could do in this world.
Cheongyeon took a deep breath.
Then she spoke.
“I don’t care about who is real or fake.”
Her eyes remained firm.
“But if there is something I must protect as the Celestial Maiden of Beopsindang...”
“...then I will protect it.”
Cheongyeon did not shrink back even in the face of Huyeong’s attacks.
Realizing that Cheongyeon was not nearly as easy to intimidate as she had expected, Huyeong looked briefly flustered.
“That’s enough.”
Seongha had been standing nearby with a frown.
He had wanted to avoid getting involved in an argument between the women if possible.
But Huyeong had gone too far.
He could no longer remain silent.
“The Celestial Maiden is someone I, a priest of Beopsindang, personally escorted down from the heavens.”
Seongha looked directly at Huyeong.
“What further proof could possibly be required?”
Huyeong immediately turned toward Seongha and gave him a sweet, charming smile.
“Oh my, did I make my disappointment too obvious?”
She covered her mouth lightly.
“I was only trying to give her a warning.”
Even then, she did not forget to glance sideways at Cheongyeon.
“It looks like things will become quite entertaining from now on.”
Her smile widened.
“I’m looking forward to it.”
At that moment, Namwan cleared his throat and called out to Seongha.
“Priest Jin, I have a proposal concerning the Fifteenth-Day Festival.”
“...”
“Our religious order will cover thirty percent of the festival expenses.”
Seongha reacted suspiciously to Namwan’s unexpectedly generous offer.
He could not predict what condition would follow.
Namwan continued.
“In exchange, my daughter Huyeong will stay at Beopsindang during the festival preparation period.”
There were two main reasons Namwan wanted Huyeong stationed inside Beopsindang.
First, he wanted her to monitor how Beopsindang used the money meant for the Fifteenth-Day Festival.
Second, he wanted her to watch whether Beopsindang planned to use the newly arrived Celestial Maiden for any suspicious purposes.
“The State Preceptor personally granted my request.”
Huyeong could barely hide her joy.
“Just the thought that I’ll be able to see Seongha every single day makes me so happy.”
She looked like a child who had finally gotten exactly what she wanted.
But the way she stared intensely at Seongha carried something far stronger than simple affection.
Obsession.
“That is quite a sudden proposal.”
Seongha’s tone remained cold.
“Beopsindang lacks both the staff and facilities necessary to properly accommodate a member of the royal family. Furthermore, preparations for the festival alone are already more than we can handle—”
Huyeong cut him off.
“I heard there are plenty of empty halls inside Beopsindang.”
She smiled brightly.
“Once they’ve been renovated, I’ll move in.”
Then she added,
“My own people will take care of everything concerning me.”
Her gaze remained fixed on Seongha.
“All you need to do is allow me to stay by your side, Seongha.”
Huyeong continued speaking without paying the slightest attention to Seongha’s cold reaction.
“You possess such remarkable abilities.”
She tilted her head.
“Why are you satisfied with remaining in such an insignificant position as Beopsindang’s Chief Priest?”
“...”
“The Nam family could easily help you rise much higher.”
Her voice was overflowing with sweetness and flattery.
On the surface, it sounded as though she was praising Seongha.
But underneath it lay the authority of the royal family.
She was attempting to break Seongha’s proud and aloof attitude by reminding him of the power she possessed.
Seongha’s response was immediate.
“Please address me by the title appropriate to my position as a priest.”
Huyeong blinked dramatically.
“Oh dear, how careless of me.”
She smiled.
“Thinking about the fond days of our childhood made me call you by your name without realizing it.”
As she spoke, Huyeong suddenly grabbed Seongha’s hand.
