Inside the carriage, a small, beautiful girl spoke with innocent curiosity:
"Mother, Mother… when will we arrive?"
Her mother replied with a gentle smile, "Don't worry, we'll arrive soon."
The girl frowned slightly. "You already said that before!"
The mother chuckled softly. "Ah–hee…"
A young man in his twenties sat opposite them beside his father and interjected, "Little sister, don't pressure Mother like that."
The father nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Listen to your brother, my dear."
The daughter hesitated, then asked, "Father… why are we going to the Saō Family Manor in the first place? You haven't told us anything."
The son added, "She's right, Father."
The father sighed quietly. "Well… since we're about to arrive, I suppose it's fine to tell you. Saō Ham, the lord of the Saō Family Manor, is an old friend of mine. He practices a martial art known as the Falling Sun Sword Arts."
The son widened his eyes in surprise. "The Falling Sun Sword Arts? Why have I never heard of them in Murim?"
The father replied calmly, "Because it is an art passed down only from the lord of the manor to his successor. Saō Ham has not yet passed it on, as his son is still young. Oh, Shon Ai—look. That is the Saō Family Manor."
Shon Ai gazed at the manor with delight. Her black hair danced in the wind, and her pink eyes shimmered with curiosity, eager to uncover what lay beyond the walls of that isolated estate.
Her mother spoke firmly, "My child, that's dangerous. Come back inside."
—
On the other side, within the manor walls…
"Hey, you brat. You filthy thing. Just looking at you ruins the joy of welcoming our guests. Perhaps it would be better to punish you—don't you think?"
Saō Hyun trembled in fear, his voice breaking. "P‑please… just don't hit me."
Dai Shia snapped coldly, "And you dare to beg? Do you want me to beat you senseless?"
Saō Baek stepped in at once. "Mother, if you strike him now, your clothes will get dirty—and you won't have time to clean them."
She paused, then scoffed. "You're right."
She spat on Saō Hyun in contempt and said, "In that case, go sit over there and raise your hands toward the sky. If you lower them, you'll find out exactly what will happen to you."
Saō Hyun's entire body trembled as he listened. In a barely audible voice, he replied, "Y‑yes…"
Turning away, she said, "Dear Saō Baek, gather your siblings. Let us go welcome the guests."
Moments later…
—
Saō Ham greeted warmly, "My dear friend… it has been so long since I last saw you!"
He embraced him with a laugh. "Shon Mokum! Haha—has it really been ten years? Your black hair has truly begun to gray."
Shon Mokum smiled and replied, "Look at yourself. Your hair and eyes still hold that striking harmony of black and gold—and you've even grown a beard."
He then gestured beside him. "Allow me to introduce you. This is my wife, Su Rien."
She bowed slightly. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
"And this is my son, Shon Mobai."
Mobai bowed respectfully. "The pleasure is mine, Uncle."
"And this is my youngest daughter, Shon Ai."
Saō Ham laughed. "Heh, she looks exceptionally talented—unlike you."
Then he began introducing his own family. "This is my first wife, Dai Shia."
She inclined her head. "The honor is mine."
"My eldest son, Saō Baek."
"It's a pleasure to meet you."
"My third son, Saō Yan. My second son, Saō Ha. And my fourth daughter, Saō Yui."
Shon Mokum laughed heartily. "Haha, they've inherited all of your traits. As for my children, they only inherited my brown hair—though their eyes are the same pink as their mother's."
He then turned teasingly toward Mobai. "Well then, Shon Mobai… why are your eyes pink? Is that not a woman's trait?"
Mobai flushed, flustered. "F‑Father! What are you saying?!"
Laughter erupted from everyone present.
Saō Ham smiled. "Haha, no need to stand around any longer. Come inside—let us enjoy some conversation. After all, it's been an entire decade since we last sat together."
Hours later…