The General Steward was a man who had been like a father to Jeong-ah. Having lost her own father at a young age, she had been torn from her remaining blood relatives when she was brought to the Sword Clan of Luoyang. The General Steward had taught and guided her with all his heart and soul. She was only human, and like any human, she had made many mistakes and caused her share of trouble. Each time, the General Steward had protected her, always helping her walk the right path.

She was certain that without him, she would have been swept away and lost in the torrential currents of the Sword Clan long ago. He was the only person in this massive organization she could truly trust.

And so, the report he had sent to the Grand Young Master, and the final words it contained, could only strike her as a profound shock.

“However, if she cannot abandon her innate disposition and attempts to make a deal with you, Grand Young Master…”

Her father figure was advising the Grand Young Master to kill her if she proved to be of no use.

Her legs buckled, and the strength drained from her body as she crumpled to the ground. Her face turned deathly pale, and her hands began to tremble violently.

“Urp—!”

She grabbed the railing of the pavilion and vomited onto the dirt floor below. Even after her stomach was empty, she continued to retch for a long time. When the dry heaves finally subsided, she took out a handkerchief with a trembling hand and wiped at her face, which was a mess of tears and snot. Even as she wiped, fresh tears welled up, and a sob threatened to break from her tightly clenched lips. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. Her balled fists were white, drained of all blood.

“…Do you understand why I showed you that report?”

Yeon So-hyeon’s voice was as leisurely as before, but Jeong-ah could feel a frigid darkness flowing beneath its calm surface.

“…Yes, Grand Young Master.”

She straightened her posture, turned to face him, and bowed her head.

“This report contains the General Steward’s loyalty. I daresay you have shown me what true loyalty entails.”

Even a child he treated as his own flesh and blood was nothing before his lord.

“Loyalty…”

Yeon So-hyeon leaned back comfortably and gazed at the ceiling. “I would call it madness.”

How else could one explain the willingness to abandon one’s own child?

Jeong-ah bowed her head even lower. “Under normal circumstances, that might be so.” Her voice, now steady, continued, “But in this place—in the very heart of the Sword Clan of Luoyang, hailed as the greatest family under heaven, a place where all conspiracies and desires for power ultimately converge…” She was once again acutely aware of where she was. She was once again reminded of her own station. “…this is loyalty.”

Yeon So-hyeon lowered his gaze and slowly looked at Jeong-ah. “…Do you still wish to pledge your loyalty, if I will have you?”

Jeong-ah smiled. The smile was like a flower blooming under the bright sun after a passing rain, beautiful and radiant. “No, my lord.”

She prostrated herself, touching her forehead to the floor. “Whether you accept me is solely the master’s choice to make. I will simply serve my master with all my loyalty.”

Yeon So-hyeon sensed that the flower named Jeong-ah had bloomed in full. And that flower carried a deep, dense fragrance.

A fragrance called madness.

“You, Grand Young Master, are my one and only master.”

Yeon So-hyeon smiled. It was a most satisfactory answer.

***

The night at the Wongakjeong was, as always, quiet and peaceful. A gentle breeze rustled through the garden, sending petals of myriad colors scattering into the air to dance in the darkness. It was all thanks to the formation that enveloped the residence, keeping the temperature pleasantly warm.

Jeong-ah lit the oil lamps that had been set out and sat near the brazier, continuing her story. “…And just like that, our family’s prosperous merchant guild collapsed in an instant.”

“The Salt King Guild and a string of misfortunes…”

Yeon So-hyeon still held a book in his hand, but he was listening to her story, occasionally interjecting with questions.

“Yes, my lord. My older sister, who had a brilliant talent for commerce, took many risks with my father, but when so many disasters struck at once, there was nothing they could do.”

“Even if she was your older sister, she couldn’t have been much older than you. Was she skilled enough to be involved in running the guild?”

Jeong-ah took a sip of wine to wet her throat before answering. “My sister is a truly remarkable person. Since she was a child, she was the pride of our family, and she is my pride still.”

Her sister, like Jeong-ah, had been sold off to another family, but she had used her skills to quickly buy back her own freedom. “She now works as an information broker in Luoyang. It seems she has established herself and is beginning to make a name.”

From the way Jeong-ah spoke of her, it was easy to feel the immense pride she had in her sister. “…And according to a letter she sent me a short while ago, she said she found the culprit behind the string of misfortunes that befell our family.”

Her face darkened. “The culprit was none other than the very man who forced the Salt King Guild upon us.”

Her grip on her wine cup tightened. “I can still never forget him. That man with the greasy, bloated face who brought our family to ruin… the man they call ‘Geum-jil.’”

Yeon So-hyeon’s eyebrow shot up. “Geum-jil?”

Jeong-ah looked at him with surprise. “Yes, my lord. That was his name. It did not seem to be his real name, but I remember everyone calling him that. Is it a name you know?”

Instead of answering, Yeon So-hyeon turned his head and stared into the distance. “Geum-jil…”

The memory of last night surfaced in his mind.

***

“Respectable Sir! Thank you! Thank you!”

“Enough with the thanks. Just guide me properly.”

“Th-That way, sir!”

The middle-aged man, despite his limp and his battered body, somehow managed to lead Yeon So-hyeon. It was none other than the man who had been getting beaten by the thugs So-hyeon had just devoured.

“If you save my family, I will never forget your grace, even in death! I will ensure my descendants repay this debt!”

He thanked Yeon So-hyeon over and over, then began to plead with him to help his family. “I know it is a shameless request, but I beg of you!”

“…I understand. Now, just lead the way.”

He stumbled and fell several times, but each time Yeon So-hyeon tried to help him, he refused, getting back up on his own to continue leading the way. “There, that way, sir!”

Soon, his shop, which also served as his home, came into view. Bathed in the dim moonlight, his shop was in complete disarray.

“Aigoo, my dear! My dear!”

The middle-aged man was horrified at the sight and rushed into the inner courtyard. “Husband?! What has happened to you?!”

“Father!”

The raw sounds of a heartfelt family reunion echoed from within. With a small sigh, Yeon So-hyeon started to walk inside when his foot stepped on something and crushed it.

“…A mask?”

The wrecked shop was littered with them. There were masks used in wedding ceremonies and masks hung in homes to wish for good fortune.

So he was a mask artisan.

As Yeon So-hyeon stepped into the courtyard, he saw the family clinging to each other and weeping. “Respectable Sir…!”

At his appearance, the mask artisan fell at his feet and performed a deep bow. However, his wife, misunderstanding the situation, knelt before Yeon So-hyeon and began to beg. “Aigoo, Respectable Sir! We will pay the interest soon, so please, just this once, forgive this man! He needs to be in one piece to earn the money to repay you, doesn’t he?”

She then broke down into loud sobs. “No…”

Before So-hyeon could say anything, his children rushed forward and began to cling to his legs. “Please save our father! We’re sorry! Please, just forgive him this one time!”

They even started rolling on the ground. “No, you people! This Respectable Sir is not that kind of ‘Respectable Sir’! He is the one who saved my life!”

It seemed the mask artisan usually referred to the men who came to collect his debts as ‘Respectable Sir.’ After he hastily reined in his family, his wife and children rose with embarrassed expressions. Then, before Yeon So-hyeon could get a word in, they began to perform deep bows.

“Respectable Sir, thank you!” “Thank you!”

At the chaotic yet perfectly synchronized scene, Yeon So-hyeon couldn’t help but let out a dry laugh.

***

“It is a humble place, but please, sit here for a moment.”

The mask artisan guided Yeon So-hyeon into the inner room and settled him in the warmest spot, then stoked the brazier to liven the flames. While his wife brought hot water, he rummaged deep in a wardrobe and brought out a small, hidden jar.

“Tea leaves, sir. They are but a cheap sort, and I worry they will only spoil your palate…”

“It is fine. Put them away.”

This wasn’t some common grain tea. Tea leaves were an incredibly expensive commodity. The artisan called them cheap, but any kind of tea leaf was expensive enough to make one’s jaw drop.

“I couldn’t possibly.”

Before Yeon So-hyeon could stop him, he tipped the entire contents of the jar of carefully preserved tea into Yeon So-hyeon’s cup and poured hot water over them. Next, the children entered, carrying a wooden bowl filled with snacks. They placed the bowl as respectfully as they could on the table, then retreated and knelt on the floor. The mask artisan and his wife then knelt before their children.

“Respectable Sir, thank you!” “Thank you!”

Yeon So-hyeon shook his head as if he couldn’t be helped and lifted the teacup with an elegant grace. “…This is good tea.”

At his praise, the children, who looked to be about six or seven, beamed with joy. “Respectable Sir, this kindness as deep as the sea, how can we ever…”

Yeon So-hyeon raised a hand to stop the artisan’s words. “Enough. I did not do it with the expectation of reward.”

“But, Respectable Sir…!”

“More importantly.” Yeon So-hyeon set his teacup down. “Who were the ones who oppressed you and caused this ruckus here?”

The mask artisan bowed his head low and answered. “…I believe they are men who have a contract with the Black Bone Faction, sir.”

“The Black Bone Faction?”

The artisan began to explain what he knew. “Yes, that is correct. The Black Bone Faction is a terrifying group of the Unorthodox Path, whose leader is a woman called ‘Geum-ju,’ said to be the daughter of the one they call ‘Geum-jil.’”

Geum-jil, and his daughter, Geum-ju. “The Black Bone Faction acts on behalf of this Geum-jil. They are a massive organization that has its hands in everything from private money lending to gambling halls—anywhere they can smell money.”

“And what was your reason for going to a gambling hall?”

The mask artisan pressed his forehead to the floor. “That is their method, sir!”

“Their method?”

The artisan spoke as if vomiting up all his pent-up resentment. “Yes, sir! The interest rates on private loans are strictly limited by law, so they force those who take their loans to participate in their gambling dens to increase the debt!”

“Hah…”

At those words, Yeon So-hyeon gave a bitter smile. The limits on interest rates in Luoyang had been an achievement of his father’s, accomplished in consultation with the government offices.

And the one who had first researched, studied, and given form to that law had been none other than the young Yeon So-hyeon himself.