Chapter 411: The Young Cult Leader Is So Skilled in Schemes

TL: FoodieMonster007

"Let's go up together!"

Seo Nak knew how strange his words must sound. Having seen the letter in Geom Mugeuk's possession, however, he couldn't simply let it be delivered to the Ice Empress.

At his words, Geom Mugeuk, who had been about to ascend to the Empress's chambers, halted.

"Didn't you just say you were on your way down after seeing the Empress?"

"I did. But didn't you express regret just a moment ago? That you couldn't meet the Empress together?"

"I was merely being polite."

As an awkwardness settled over Seo Nak's smile, Geom Mugeuk waved a dismissive hand, feigning a jest.

"Come, let us ascend together."

Following Geom Mugeuk up the stairs, the habitual smile vanished from Seo Nak's face.

If that letter concerned the Fragrant Snow Ice Wine, he had to prevent it from reaching the Empress's hands. Why? Because he had received the Fragrant Snow Ice Wine from the Brewmaster.

He had vehemently denied receiving it in front of Geom Mugeuk and Han Seol. If only Geom Mugeuk had been present, he could have dismissed it as a false accusation from the Demonic Cult, but Han Seol had been there too.

If he, a man respected by all, were to contradict himself, anyone would find him suspicious.

Did he prepare that letter in advance? Or receive it via messenger pigeon? Would there have been enough time for that? What if it's a different letter entirely?

Seo Nak's mind churned with these thoughts. When Geom Mugeuk had first sought him out and brought up the wine, he had dismissed it as a mere ploy to test him.

There really was a letter? What if the Empress sees it? How should I react?

If the handwriting was investigated, it would surely be revealed as the Brewmaster's. Still, he would have to insist it was a forgery, wouldn't he?

The Demonic Cult being involved offered a silver lining, as everyone would believe such a perfect forgery was entirely possible for them.

"What thoughts consume you so?"

At the entrance to the Empress's chambers, Geom Mugeuk had turned to face him.

What thoughts? The thought of striking you from behind, snatching that letter, and burning it.

Seo Nak offered a smile. "Nothing, let's go in."

Geom Mugeuk and Seo Nak entered the Empress's chambers.

When Seo Nak, who had just departed after greeting her, returned, the Ice Empress regarded him with a puzzled gaze.

"Ah, I encountered the Young Cult Leader at the entrance and we ascended together."

"I see."

If they met at the entrance, wouldn't it be normal to greet each other and go their separate ways?

The thought crossed her mind, but she didn't voice it. Instead, she felt a surge of curiosity. It seemed Geom Mugeuk had employed some trick to compel Elder Seo to follow him.

Young Cult Leader, what scheme have you devised?

Geom Mugeuk began to subtly prepare himself, readying a decisive strike. He started with a pleasant anecdote.

"Do you know? I told the Empress that Elder Seo was suspicious."

Despite this, Seo Nak maintained the relaxed smile only an innocent man could display.

"And the Empress replied, 'Elder Seo is absolutely not that kind of person.' She sternly rebuked me."

Seo Nak beamed, expressing his gratitude to the Ice Empress. "Thank you for your trust."

"You are the only one I truly trust."

Indeed, he had lived that way his entire life. Every martial artist in the North Sea Ice Palace acknowledged it.

Now, however, Geom Mugeuk was beginning to saw at that ancient, towering tree.

The Empress emphasized, "Let me reiterate here that Elder Seo is the one I trust most. He is a man who has lived solely for the Ice Palace."

Geom Mugeuk asked Seo Nak. "Does Elder Seo also cherish the Empress?"

"Of course. I cherish the Empress and the Ice Palace more than myself."

Geom Mugeuk fixed his gaze on him, then asked, "Then why did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Why did you kill the Brewmaster of the Hundred Wines Snow Cellar?"

Geom Mugeuk had now gone a step further, directly accusing Seo Nak of the murder. The atmosphere, which had begun with smiles, instantly turned frigid.

"What is your reason for insulting me like this?"

Both the accuser and the one evading the accusation carried themselves with an air of defiance.

At that moment, the Ice Empress felt a subtle sense of incongruity.

She had known Seo Nak for a very long time. Though he usually wore a jovial smile, he was by no means an easygoing person. He was particularly sensitive when it came to his reputation.

If the accusation of killing the Brewmaster was a false one, the Seo Nak she knew would have reacted with more anger, even if his opponent was the Young Cult Leader. Yet, at this moment, she sensed a subtle shrinking in him.

Most importantly, one phrase was missing.

Shouldn't he have asked the Young Cult Leader for evidence?

Unknown to her, that was a phrase Seo Nak absolutely could not utter. If he did, Geom Mugeuk would simply produce the letter from his robes and declare, "Here's the evidence!"

Still, the Ice Empress felt that peculiar incongruity. Even Seo Nak's decision to follow Geom Mugeuk back up had been strange from the start.

Elder Seo, swayed by someone so young?

It was truly a surprising and novel experience.

Then again, she was hardly in a position to judge. She herself had spent sleepless nights after Geom Mugeuk's warning to "look behind you."

While the words themselves weren't extraordinary, the thought that Han Seol was still standing behind her had fortunately lingered in her mind, preventing her from sleeping.

If that were the case, she needed to look back before it was too late. Not just once, as Geom Mugeuk had suggested, but to look back again and again. She had to keep looking back.

Yet, she still hadn't been able to summon her daughter privately.

Geom Mugeuk, who had been confronting Seo Nak, turned towards the Ice Empress. "Oh, by the way, I came to see the Empress today to…"

Simultaneously, Geom Mugeuk's hand moved towards the folds of his robe where the letter was kept.

Seo Nak swiftly interjected, changing the subject. "Young Cult Leader, you mentioned Seol to the Empress, didn't you?"

At this instant, the Ice Empress noted two facts. Firstly, Seo Nak was not one to interrupt someone mid-sentence. Even if he had a rebuttal, he would wait for the other person to finish before speaking softly and calmly.

Secondly, the topic he interjected with was Seol?

Incongruity piled upon incongruity.

Did Seo Nak truly want to say that?

No, of course not. It was a desperate utterance, blurted out the moment Geom Mugeuk moved to retrieve the letter. He knew better than anyone how uncharacteristic it was, but he had to somehow get through this moment.

Would it be better to let him present the letter and then claim it's a forgery?

In the brief silence that followed, the Ice Empress observed.

A smile bloomed on Geom Mugeuk's face as he looked at her. His eyes seemed to say, Observe closely, see what kind of man your Elder Seo truly is.

Geom Mugeuk turned back to Seo Nak. The hand that had been reaching for the letter naturally lowered.

"I mainly advised her to maintain a good relationship with her daughter. The Princess is more delicate than she appears."

"The Princess is delicate? I thought she had an unusually strong personality."

"It seems Elder Seo understands the Princess less than I do, despite me only knowing her for a few days. That's what happens when you don't truly see people, when you only glance. Prejudices accumulate, and you understand them even less."

"You are arrogant!"

Every single word was infuriating, yet Seo Nak had to keep speaking, anything to prevent that letter from being revealed. If Geom Mugeuk could just forget to deliver the letter and leave, he might find an opportunity to retrieve it somehow.

Of course, even at this moment, the Ice Empress's sense of incongruity regarding Seo Nak continued to grow.

Another thought occurred to her, if Geom Mugeuk's words from earlier might also apply to her. She hadn't truly seen Seo Nak, allowing only prejudices to accumulate.

Could this incongruity be the residue of those very prejudices?

How could she deny that she, too, had carried the burden of being the Ice Empress, always looking forward, running her entire life?

The stone Geom Mugeuk had cast struck Seo Nak, creating ripples that continued to spread, reaching even herself.

"You said you were going to the Northern Blood Sect, didn't you?"

"That is correct."

"Then go quickly. It would be rude to be too late."

Geom Mugeuk regarded him with a meaningful smile. "I will."

Geom Mugeuk bowed to the Ice Empress. "I will see you again."

Seo Nak felt a wave of relief. Even if the letter were delivered, he would somehow prepare, but preventing its delivery was the best course of action.

He's going to the Northern Blood Sect? How can I retrieve that letter?

Just as he was feeling that initial relief, Geom Mugeuk turned back to the Ice Empress and spoke swiftly. "This is a surprise gift! I came today specifically to present this to the Empress."

Only then did Seo Nak understand. Geom Mugeuk had been toying with him, pretending to forget, tormenting him until the very end.

This damned bastard! Does he think I'll simply admit it just because he hands that over?

The Ice Empress took the letter Geom Mugeuk offered and began to read. As she confirmed the contents, a startled expression crossed her face.

From that look, Seo Nak was certain it was that letter. Nothing else could have surprised the usually unreadable Empress to such an extent.

"That letter is a fabrication." Seo Nak's voice was low and steady. "When the Young Cult Leader came last time, he threatened me with that fabricated letter. But let me be clear. I have never received the Fragrant Snow Ice Wine."

His tone was calm and composed. Now that he had declared it to the Empress, there was no turning back. The wine had, for him, never been received.

The Ice Empress tilted her head in confusion. "What are you talking about? What Fragrant Snow Ice Wine?"

A sudden chill seized Seo Nak's heart.

It wasn't that letter!

This was the true deception. It was something that could have been left unsaid, yet he had brought up the Fragrant Snow Ice Wine with his own mouth.

"May I see that letter?"

The Ice Empress handed over the letter. It contained a list of several dishes and the names of nearby inns and restaurants.

Seeing this, Seo Nak understood why the Ice Empress had been surprised. At the very bottom of the letter, it read, 'These are dishes your daughter enjoys. Please spend some quality time together.'

"My subordinate, Lee Ahn, has been eating and sleeping with the Princess lately, which is how she found this out. The inns and restaurants listed below are the best places in this vicinity for those dishes. I personally sought them out, so you could dine with your daughter in a different atmosphere."

For the first time, Seo Nak's composure shattered. He revealed a new expression, neither smiling nor hardened. He tried to force a smile, but it wouldn't form.

That emotion was pure fury. His fury wasn't directed solely at Geom Mugeuk. It was also anger and disappointment at himself for being played by such a shallow trick. He had clearly considered the possibility that it wasn't that letter, yet he had been swept up in the strange atmosphere and convinced himself it was.

He did not realize, however, that today's mistake wasn't merely due to a momentary lapse in judgment. It had occurred because Geom Mugeuk had already begun to dismantle his established order.

Still, the walls Seo Nak had built over a long lifetime were thick. He recovered his composure, forcing a casual smile as if nothing untoward had happened.

"I overreacted, thinking the Young Cult Leader was simply too skilled in schemes. I hope the Empress will understand. Earlier, the Young Cult Leader tried to malign me with a misunderstanding."

The Ice Empress nodded, as if understanding everything. "No matter what evidence the Young Cult Leader brings, I trust Elder Seo."

"Thank you, Empress."

Seo Nak glared at Geom Mugeuk this time.

I lost this round.

The admission truly came unbidden.

"Young Cult Leader, whatever your intentions, you won't shatter the trust between the Empress and me."

After uttering those words, Seo Nak respectfully bid the Ice Empress farewell and departed. He should never have come up in the first place, but that detestable fellow had been waiting at the entrance, ready to ensnare him, and he had been helplessly caught.

Once they were alone, the Ice Empress asked Geom Mugeuk. "What is your reason for provoking him to such an extent? Are you trying to show me his true nature?"

She considered his methods too dangerous and extreme if that were the case.

Geom Mugeuk, however, offered an unexpected reply. "No."

"No?"

"While it's true I intend to reveal his true nature, it's not to show the Empress."

"Then to whom?"

Instead of answering, Geom Mugeuk bid her farewell and exited. "Please do visit the places listed there. Your daughter truly enjoys those dishes."

Geom Mugeuk descended from the Empress's chambers.

As he exited the entrance, Lee Ahn rushed towards him, her expression clearly indicating the gravity of the situation.

"Where?" he demanded.

"The Hundred Wines Snow Cellar!"

Geom Mugeuk didn't ask what had happened. If an incident had already occurred, reaching the scene as quickly as possible was the best course of action. He sprinted towards it using the Swift Step.

He arrived at the Hundred Wines Snow Cellar in an instant.

There was a compelling reason for Lee Ahn to have rushed to fetch him.

The place was a sea of blood. Amidst the numerous fallen bodies, a single figure stood. Martial artists of the Ice Palace had him surrounded in layers, their swords pointed at him.

The lone figure, drenched in blood, was the Drunken Demon.