No Dark Secrets In This Book

Episode 155

Han Idal, the head of the Hanra clan, frowned slightly around his eyes. 

It wasn’t particularly because of his daughter-in-law, but her family brought up old memories.

‘Really, it’s not Romeo and Juliet. What is this?’

In his self-evaluation, the noble Demillang family was ruling the world in a dignified manner. It meant that instead of a war asserting extreme supremacy, they were manipulating the chessboard from behind a veil.

Civilians might say that there’s no such thing in 21st century modern society.

But one cannot say something that exists does not exist.

Demillang had instilled fear in the families and clans of the Korean Peninsula to make them bow their heads on their own, or at least so they could not rebel in front of them, and had been fixing the “habits” of the Korean Peninsula.

This was the era the clan leader had lived through.

‘A little more miserable, violent, and barbaric than now…’

There were tyrannies that could not even be recorded.

‘…That time, that period.’

Ah, the time of independence had come, but spring did not come, and the superman on a white horse was nowhere to be seen… Survival was only burdensome…

In such an era, the last royal family said they would not yield even if their lineage ended like this. Even if an era had come where a king was no longer needed.

At least as long as our blood remained, we would fight.

‘Then what should the Hanra do from now on…?’

In his youth, when he was not yet the clan leader, Han Idal had long pondered over this.

The reason Demillang took particular care to tame the Korean Peninsula was because of the unique “vein” of the Republic of Korea. As repeatedly mentioned, pure spiritual energy flowed in the Korean Peninsula.

It is a well-known fact that after the World Tree fell asleep a thousand years ago, the spiritual energy of all lands declined. However, only the Republic of Korea remained unchanged. It did not lose its purity or break its chastity for a thousand years. Therefore, only in the Areah Academy could the ancient mysteries of a thousand years ago operate.

The Korean Peninsula was such a land.

‘Well, you can taste the spiritual energy anywhere as long as the black fog hasn’t devoured the land, but…’

Compared to the Korean Peninsula, the air of other lands is thick and the water is not clear.

In the 21st century, where it is barely possible to feel the energy of an unsullied land only in remote mountains with few people…

In such a situation, if there is a land where the vein of the sleeping World Tree breathes uniquely, who wouldn’t covet it?

‘There was also a saying that the reason Demillang doesn’t consider the option of war is because they cannot let the spiritual energy of the Korean Peninsula decline.’

That’s why Demillang had been gnawing at the Korean Peninsula in a dignified manner.

And in his youth, when his own beliefs were not yet properly established, Han Idal had even thought this out of fear of Demillang:

‘Isn’t the Guiding Star Academy a refuge for the ancestors who could not fully confront the Areah Academy, where the head of the Demillang family is monopolizing the chairman position by inheritance?’

…The Guiding Star Academy usually does not go outside Jeju Island. With the Hanra as its base, even if it is a talent that would receive a failing grade by the Areah Academy standards, they teach them step by step. Therefore, it is evaluated as the only “educational institution” among the “strategist” training institutions, but from a different perspective, it was nothing more than a refuge for losers who lacked the courage to confront Areah and tucked their tails between their legs.

‘…Am I different? Am I really different? Can I live differently? Can I truly fight against them? Ah… I don’t mind dying alone. But for me… Is it my belief to pursue it even at the cost of breaking the lives of those I must protect with my desire? What was it that I truly wanted to grasp…?’

At that time, in his thirties, he could not overcome this crisis and properly developed a demon core. He even hid it and was discovered just before going berserk.

Looking back now, it’s even embarrassing.

No, there are other things to hide. What’s the point of hiding an illness during the period of gradually receiving education on what to do as the next clan leader when becoming one?

To properly receive the handover, he should have disclosed it early and received treatment.

But in his youth, he thought that since the demon core began with the idea of dying for a cause, he should not tell anyone, sit in meditation, reflect, and cultivate himself, and made the matter worse.

‘Oh my, this stupid fool…!’

What dispelled the demon core was… being beaten to death by the clan leader at the time, asking why he acted crazy when he knew it was dying for a cause, and being forcibly employed as a teacher at the Guiding Star Academy.

Honestly, he didn’t think he could learn anything at the Guiding Star Academy. But the clan leader scolded him so much and urged him to go, so he went thinking he was being isolated as punishment. To at least teach the kids.

But on the contrary, he was the one who received the teaching.

‘Teacher! Please accept this carnation!’

…One didn’t have to be talented to be human. One didn’t have to have the Five Elements to be human. Being born human meant having the desire to learn and being qualified to learn. If the teacher abandons them for not having outstanding abilities, what would become of that child? That’s not what a teacher should be. It shouldn’t be. At least, that was the teaching Han Idal had received from the clan leader all this time. The heart Han Idal received from the clan leader was like that… He realized. He wanted to give back what he received. If the world gave him a carnation, he wanted to embrace all the flowers that bloomed in the world. From then on, Han Idal became a different person.

If they want to stay in the Hanra after graduation, he will accept them, even if they are a magician. It’s a matter of creating one more outer sect and bringing them in. It’s okay if their abilities are lacking. Because we are family. If only those with outstanding genius can be together, can that be called a family?

He felt like he now understood the heart with which the Hanra had lived like this until now.

The Hanra was a clan of fools, and Idal liked that.

He liked these fools so much that he wanted to die with them.

‘Of course, living together is the best.’

…Coming back to the present, in a world practically ruled by the strategists, opposing Demillang is no different from crawling into the jaws of death.

A sensible clan leader should have stopped the disciples even if they demanded to go out.

However, as a clan leader who knew in his bones why the disciples felt passion, he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Again, it wasn’t just because of worrying about his child. The clan leader strictly separated public and private matters, and this time Demillang had crossed the line.

Yes, they had crossed the line.

The Hanra was different from the mysterious Baekdu Clan, which had long been based in Baekdusan and strictly adhered to the discipline of one-person succession.

The Hanra inherited the honor of the independence movement from ancestors who willingly responded to the call of the times.

It was just an honor, just a nameplate that couldn’t guarantee anything…

But at the same time, it was pride.

The pride of having protected ourselves without being blocked by external pressure.

For the adults, resisting Demillang was the pain and fear of recalling the helplessness they had been tamed to for a long time, but for the youth, it was a reenactment of pride.

Because of that, many warriors participated in the battle while ignoring their own wounds. They were mostly bandaged up, reeking of medicinal scent, laughing and chatting among themselves. The elders, who knew the fear of Demillang better than the youth, were maintaining a state of vigilance, scolding them that it was not the time to laugh.

Of course, no matter how much Demillang, they would not be able to “openly” purge another clan.

Instead, they could secretly poison the food and send assassins.

‘In common sense, we absolutely should not have intervened.’

But the disciples were several times more stubborn and rebellious than he thought, and…

“So if we abandon Ryuseong and enjoy wealth and honor, will the food taste good?”

They grew up well.

‘…I’m quite fortunate too.’

Even though he didn’t do much for them. They must have suffered a lot living in the clan since a young age…

‘I can’t be this blessed with good children…’

Then the clan leader realized, looking at the youth of Areah overflowing with rebellious spirit, that he wasn’t the only one who was fortunate.

Now, he could say this even in front of Demillang:

Do you know what this country has nurtured while you were looking down on them?

‘…Although it seems I’m not fortunate with a daughter-in-law.’

Hmm. This can’t be helped. Since he received many other blessings, let’s take it into consideration normally.

The clan leader decided to let it slide, shaking his head.

“We need to fix our Ryuseong’s habit…”

It happened during the meeting.

* * *

Uh, it’s true that it’s my fault that the words flew out on their own. I admit it.

But in my common sense, when pus accumulates, the flesh must be cut. Ryuseong is no exception. Ryuseong is not some Joseon Dynasty royalty, is he? It’s not like he’ll die if he doesn’t keep his body, hair, and skin received from his parents intact.

Now is such a time. I can’t raise the scalpel when preparations for surgery aren’t even made, but… At least there is a need to be aware of it.

If the person involved can’t do it, then at least those around them should.

“I don’t know what nonsense you’re saying, but please… talk after the meeting is over…”

That’s right. Ryuseong, who was appealing as a sensible person with a very tired voice while grabbing my shoulder, was actually…

“Does that mean I can handle you as I see fit once the meeting is over?”

“Please shut up…”

He was crazy!

‘I’ll bet Cassice Demillang’s left fingernail on it!’

I can swear!

‘Even if you can’t believe it, just listen first. The whole world will find it totally plausible if you hear what I have to say.’

Ryuseong is a non-killing believer.

He does not want to kill people.

But here’s a question.

‘…’

How many do you think we killed to get here?

“I’ll listen to you whether you handle me as you see fit or act crazy, so please…”

Asking again.

Does Ryuseong still seem sane to you?