Cha Iran lifted the box and looked at the orb.
The surface of the orb was smooth, and its red glow was transparent yet deep.
Looking closely, she saw what looked like human meridians spreading out like a net inside the orb, and a kind of energy shimmered and moved around them.
Was it because it felt as if it were alive?
She had the feeling that she was not the one looking, but that the orb was looking at her.
Just as Cha Iran was carefully closing the box's lid, someone appeared from behind her.
The person who appeared was a woman in black martial robes.
She was Cha Iran's right-hand woman and the most skilled First Assassin of the Cult of Beauties assassination organization.
She too was beautiful, and had indeed passed the preliminaries of the current contest.
The First Assassin bowed respectfully before reporting.
"The Unorthodox Alliance Leader has departed from the Unorthodox Alliance. I expect he will arrive on the day of the main competition."
Cha Iran tilted her head slightly.
"That's faster than scheduled."
In the main competition, eight finalists would be chosen, and the final stage would be held three days after that.
The banquet the Unorthodox Alliance Leader was to attend was on the evening after the finals.
But to arrive not for the finals, but on the day of the main competition?
"It seems he intends to watch the main competition."
Since the Young Cult Master of the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect had intervened, various changes had been occurring.
For those trying to execute their plan, this was not a welcome development.
"His escort?"
"As expected, the Alliance Leader’s guards and the Young Alliance Leader have accompanied him, leading the Thirteen Wolves of the Unorthodox Path."
Cha Iran nodded.
"What about the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Mistress?"
"She is still staying in the guest hall."
"The Evil Heart Laughing Demon?"
"He has not made a move."
Cha Iran spoke to the First Assassin as if giving a warning.
"They are bizarre and strange, making it easy to let one's guard down. But do not forget. The name 'Evil Heart' is attached to their title."
With a sharp gaze, the First Assassin lowered her head.
"Yes! I will keep that in mind."
After bowing respectfully, the First Assassin looked at her leader.
She knew better than anyone what an outstanding assassin Cha Iran was, but their current enemies were formidable.
More flamboyant than the magnificent clothes she was wearing now.
The Young Cult Master and the Evil Heart Laughing Demon, as well as the Unorthodox Alliance Leader and the Young Alliance Leader.
Reading the worry in the First Assassin's eyes, Cha Iran held out the box she was holding.
"Do not worry. The reason for our victory is in here."
The box was firmly shut, but an unknowable, ominous energy shimmered around it.
At last, the day of the main competition of the Greatest Beauty Under Heaven Contest dawned.
Waking at dawn, Lee Ahn went up the mountain behind the inn to train her martial arts.
As she trained, sweating, Geom Mugeuk followed and watched over her.
There were times he had to be away, but he tried to stay by Lee Ahn's side as much as possible.
"I'm so nervous."
She felt most at ease when she was training her martial arts.
After a round of training, Geom Mugeuk asked her.
"Are you feeling a bit better now?"
"I feel like I'll live."
That's what she said, but she was still trembling.
It was nerve-wracking enough to perform martial arts in front of so many people, let alone having to show off her beauty.
Geom Mugeuk understood her feelings better than anyone.
"I'm sorry."
Lee Ahn smiled at Geom Mugeuk's words.
"I'm the one who should be thankful. If it weren't for you, Young Master, when would I ever get to live such an interesting life?"
"Right? Isn't that right?"
Instead of agreeing, Lee Ahn hung her head low and started walking.
"Of course not. I want to run away right now."
Geom Mugeuk smiled and followed her.
When the two of them returned to the inn, a woman was waiting for her.
Surprisingly, she was someone Geom Mugeuk had summoned.
"I asked for her to be sent here."
The woman was someone found through inquiries at the Heavenly Demon Divine Sect's Anhui division.
She was a woman skilled in cosmetics, and she had come to do Lee Ahn's makeup.
"You can't go to the main competition with a bare face, can you?"
Lee Ahn was truly grateful that Geom Mugeuk had taken care of even such details.
She had been worrying about how to do her makeup.
After washing up, Lee Ahn sat before a bronze mirror.
The woman smiled at her and said.
"Life may be short, but eyelashes should be long."
To this woman, makeup was life itself.
It held the same meaning for her as a sword did for a martial artist.
She advised Lee Ahn to wear the white palace gown today, one of the two outfits she had bought.
While applying makeup that suited the dress, she explained the cosmetic techniques in detail.
It was truly the art of makeup being passed down by a woman with the highest skill.
While she was doing the makeup, Geom Mugeuk closed his eyes and controlled his inner energy and mind through energy circulation.
The main stage was now set.
He didn't know when the scene the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Mistress had foreseen would occur.
It could happen today, or it could be on the final stage in three days.
It was unfortunate for the Heavenly Flower Pavilion Mistress, but that event would not happen.
The makeup did not take as long as expected.
A true artisan showed by example that they do not drag out their work.
No, she showed it with Lee Ahn's face.
A light tap-tap, a smooth glide like this.
Her hand movements were so light it made one wonder if this was enough.
If this woman were a martial artist, her makeup art was the Fast Sword Technique.
"There, it's all done."
With her makeup finished, Lee Ahn turned toward Geom Mugeuk.
The corners of her nervous eyes twitched.
Even she couldn't get used to her reflection in the bronze mirror.
She couldn't judge for herself if she was prettier than before, so she was both worried and expectant of what Geom Mugeuk would say.
Geom Mugeuk, who had been circulating his energy with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
Staring at Lee Ahn in silence, Geom Mugeuk said something incomprehensible.
"From now on, live with this face."
"Are you telling me to wear makeup every day?"
Since his words sounded like, 'Your made-up face is prettier than your real one!', Lee Ahn turned to the woman who did her makeup and joked.
"Your skills are so good, you've become my hostage."
Of course, she had a feeling there was another meaning to Geom Mugeuk's words.
He was not the type of person to tell her, who lived for martial arts, to wear makeup every day.
Indeed, there was a hidden meaning in Geom Mugeuk's words.
"Not that, but live with the feeling this made-up face gives."
If her bare face was purity itself, her made-up face looked intense.
It was difficult to approach her, yet she was beautiful.
Clearly, there was a surprising power in a woman's makeup.
"Don't live with a soft heart. Don't live just being too kind. Don't be the first to speak, and if someone approaches you, tell them to get lost! Live like that."
You can't even live like that yourself, Young Master!
Knowing well the sentiment behind Geom Mugeuk's words, Lee Ahn smiled.
"Yes! If I feel my heart weakening, I'll start by putting on makeup."
"Shall we go then?"
Before leaving, Lee Ahn politely expressed her gratitude to the woman.
"Thank you so much."
"I've already received a large sum of money, so I am the one who should be thankful. I'll see you when you reach the finals."
"Then today might be the last time."
Lee Ahn's modesty didn't work on the woman.
"In three days, I'll pass on the makeup techniques that suit the red palace gown. Look forward to it!"
The woman naturally believed Lee Ahn would advance to the finals.
She had done makeup for countless women, but this was the first time she had seen someone so beautiful, and the first time her work had been so rewarding.
She truly wanted to be taken hostage and do her makeup every day.
And so, Geom Mugeuk and Lee Ahn headed for the Divine Flower Sect.
The streets were teeming with people.
Lee Ahn wore a veiled bamboo hat and covered her clothes with a thin cloak as she moved.
More than a hundred women had advanced to the main competition, so today's event would take quite some time.
Behind the main stage was the largest great hall in the Divine Flower Sect, which served as the waiting room for the participants.
Escorts were not allowed inside that waiting room.
"Lee Ahn."
"Yes, Young Master."
"You know who's in there, right?"
The enemy this time was said to be an assassination organization comprised of beautiful women.
This meant that not only Cha Iran but also several other assassins could be there.
No, they would certainly be there.
"From now on, the only one you can trust is yourself."
Lee Ahn silently nodded.
Just then, a person walked toward them.
It was An Hu-pyeong.
Sa Chu and his martial artists stood lined up at a distance.
"Miss Lee. I wish you the best of luck."
"Thank you."
"You will definitely pass the main competition. I guarantee it."
His words of guarantee sounded exactly as if he would use his influence to make sure she passed.
He did not know that such words were rude to the other person and, in fact, lost him points.
Having lived his whole life thinking only of himself, he had no training in considering others' feelings.
His father, An Cheong-gwang, had raised the Divine Flower Sect to be large and powerful, but the price of that dedication was paid by those closest to him.
Lee Ahn spoke no more with him and entered the great hall.
It would have been nice if she had said a few more words.
Feeling pointlessly disappointed and spiteful, An Hu-pyeong glared at Geom Mugeuk.
A guy he disliked every time he saw him.
A guy he hated for no real reason.
A guy he wanted to drag away, beat up, and thoroughly intimidate.
Therefore, his words could not be kind.
"Guard Miss Lee properly! Got it?"
He was someone who had been escorted his entire life, so he had always looked down on those who served as guards.
"Yes."
His baseless spite led to a question.
"Since when have you been escorting Miss Lee?"
"A long time."
"I'm asking, since when!"
Since when had he been escorting Lee Ahn.
"Since she was a kid."
"A kid?"
For a moment, An Hu-pyeong felt puzzled.
Being escorted since childhood? That meant she had a noble status, didn't it?
"What... is Miss Lee's position in the Divine Sect?"
Geom Mugeuk looked at An Hu-pyeong and gave a faint smile.
It felt as if he were mocking him for only asking now, and An Hu-pyeong's expression hardened.
'This bastard is smiling?'
Just as he was contemplating how to crush him.
A woman walked toward them.
Seeing her, An Hu-pyeong was startled.
A woman as beautiful as Lee Ahn was walking toward them.
The beauty, who gave off a completely different vibe, was none other than Cha Iran.
"It seems Miss Lee has already gone inside."
"She just went in."
"Then an opportunity has come for me."
An Hu-pyeong's eyes narrowed as he watched Cha Iran give Geom Mugeuk an enchanting smile.
It was clear she was an acquaintance of Lee Ahn, yet just because he was an escort martial artist, he was conversing with such a beauty.
"How about it? Shall we sneak off for a meal?"
She was tempting him playfully as usual, but there was a clear difference in how Cha Iran felt looking at Geom Mugeuk now.
'You saved him? I can't believe it.'
Ak Gun-hak must have saved him.
He wasn't the kind of person who would just listen to any order.
That was why she had liked him.
So she wanted to ask Geom Mugeuk.
What happened with that man? Why was he trying to leave? Where, by any chance, was he planning to go?
After hearing about him from Hwa Do-myeong yesterday, she couldn't stop thinking about it.
However, the opportunity to hear about Ak Gun-hak would likely not come unless this Young Cult Master was on the verge of death.
"Let's have a drink together tonight to celebrate making it to the finals."
She was saying she would naturally pass, and she expected Geom Mugeuk to refuse as he usually did.
"Let's do that."
At Geom Mugeuk's answer, Cha Iran gave him a look of surprise.
"Even if Miss Lee gets eliminated, you have to keep your promise."
"You too, Miss. Even if you get eliminated, don't be ashamed and come. I'll buy you a drink."
Cha Iran smiled and went inside.
At that moment, An Hu-pyeong, who had been looking for a chance to intervene the whole time, ended up not being able to say a word.
The usual An Hu-pyeong would have definitely interrupted the conversation. 'Who might you be, miss?', 'I am so-and-so', 'It's a pleasure to meet you.'
But he couldn't say anything.
It wasn't because of his single-minded devotion to Lee Ahn.
He didn't know what it was, but it was difficult to approach her carelessly.
The feeling she gave off was clearly that. 'Don't interrupt me right now!'
"Who is that woman?"
"That is Miss Cha Iran."
"Who do you think you are, making dinner plans without Miss Lee's permission? Who are you to tell her to come without shame even if she's eliminated?"
Seeing him converse and even joke with a woman he couldn't say a single word to, his jealousy exploded.
If it weren't for Lee Ahn, he would have ordered Sa Chu and his men to drag him to some secluded place and beat him half to death.
"From this moment on, you don't say a single word! The moment I see you open your mouth, I'll rip it apart!"
After making that threat, he walked over to where Sa Chu was.
Sa Chu, who was just receiving a report from a subordinate, said urgently.
"The Unorthodox Alliance Leader and the Young Alliance Leader have arrived."
"What? The Unorthodox Alliance Leader is already here?"
An Hu-pyeong was greatly surprised.
He had to make a good impression on the Unorthodox Alliance Leader and the Young Alliance Leader, if no one else.
"Where are they? Where are they now!"
"They are probably meeting with the Lord."
"Hurry up and send the men to find out. Especially tell them to contact me immediately if the Young Alliance Leader moves anywhere!"
To him, the more important person was not the Unorthodox Alliance Leader, but the Young Alliance Leader of the Unorthodox Alliance.
He had to get on his good side to make his future life easier.
"I must be the first one to meet him!"
"Understood."
As he was bustling about, he saw Geom Mugeuk in the distance, conversing with someone.
The other person was a young-looking man, but his back was turned so he couldn't tell who it was.
He had ordered him not to say a single word today, yet Geom Mugeuk was talking with the man, smiling brightly.
"This bastard!"
An Hu-pyeong took Sa Chu and his subordinates and strode toward the two men.
"Didn't I say I'd rip your mouth open if you spoke?"
"I really didn't want to."
Geom Mugeuk tattled on the man in front of him.
"This person forced me to talk."