10. This is what I seek
“Murang, I wish to welcome you as a son-in-law.”
Before he was known by the name Cheonrangmuje.
There was a time when Seo Moon-hwi, the leader of the martial world at that time, came to Bai Murang and said such words.
“What do you think?”
Naturally, it was an absurd statement.
Seo Moon-sega was the most prestigious family controlling the martial world.
Many families wanted to form ties through marriage, so why would he choose Bai Murang as a son-in-law?
“Don’t worry about what others think. I simply hold you in high regard and wish to make you my son-in-law. I hope to stand shoulder to shoulder with Seo Moon-sega and strengthen the martial world together.”
That was an even more absurd statement.
Although Bai Murang was originally part of the Baekdo faction, he was often criticized for being too radical.
Some even called him a black faction member.
He was not someone suitable to become a son-in-law for the one uniting the Baekdo faction.
“However, I believe the martial world needs someone like you, Murang.”
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“Your actions have indeed been radical, but… you have never strayed from the path of righteousness.”
“It was you who eliminated the villains that even the prestigious families of the faction were turning a blind eye to. At times, you even executed corrupt Baekdo members.”
“Your advisors said that ultimately, thanks to Bai Murang taking the lead, sacrifices could be minimized.”
“You clearly possess traits of both Baekdo and black factions. But in my eyes, you are a person who harmonizes black and white.”
“Do you know what it means to harmonize black and white like you do?”
“If you’re not sure, think about it yourself. It might not be appropriate for me to explain it.”
“But Murang… I believe the martial world needs someone like you. The same goes for our Seo Moon-sega.”
“Therefore, become my son-in-law.”
“If someone like you who harmonizes black and white, I believe you can set the world right.”
Looking back, Sirius was more of a mentor to Bai Murang than just a master.
Hence, Bai Murang felt indebted to him… and after he left this world, he showed great care for Seo Moon-hwan and Seo Moon-sega.
But that was a mistaken thought.
If Seo Moon-hwi had expected what Bai Murang did, he should have shown no mercy to Seo Moon-hwan and Seo Moon-sega.
What Bai Murang had to do…
“Sirius.”
He halted his reminiscence at the calm voice.
Opening his closed eyes, he saw Yustia’s face.
“Father is calling for you. You may enter the study.”
“Alright, I understand.”
Sirius rose from his seat.
Before beginning a full-fledged battle with the Yuterus Family… he needed to settle the dispute with the current head of the Regal Family, the master of his present life.
In the study of Lutvein Rigel, there were many books.
However, unlike the ancestral family’s collection, most of them were related to magic.
This was because he had studied magical philosophy at the ‘Academy’ where he taught magic in his youth.
“I apologize for keeping you waiting. The aftermath took longer than expected.”
Lutvein greeted Sirius with a calm demeanor.
As he had sensed when they met last night, he truly exuded a refined aura.
Even in his gaze, a profound intellect could be felt.
‘If he were in the martial world… rather than a lord of the three families, he would be more suited as a distinguished scholar.’
Sirius felt it would be difficult to sway this man with casual talk.
It seemed they would engage in deep conversations.
“However… in the bright light, your complexion has indeed improved. You seem different.”
Staring intently at Sirius’s face, Lutvein remarked.
“Your health seems to have significantly improved.”
“I’ve been training physically.”
“It’s remarkable to see such improvement in just a few weeks. Is there some special method you’ve been using…?”
After saying that, Lutvein’s expression turned serious.
“Sirius.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“If it’s true that the Uterus family intended to kill you and take Justia… I am considering severing ties with the Uterus family.”
Lutvein had long relied on the power of the Uterus family.
It meant giving that up.
“Even if the Rigel family has fallen, there is still a minimum sense of pride.”
“…”
“If you were to bow your head to the Uterus family even after such a calamity, it would be disgraceful in the eyes of our ancestors.”
Lutvein smiled faintly.
“You won’t be used as a sacrificial lamb. The Uterus family may demand your surrender, but I intend to refuse.”
“My lord.”
“I can’t send the son-in-law who tried to protect my daughter to his death.”
Lutvein bowed his head in front of Sirius.
“I am sorry. If we had handled things properly, you wouldn’t have had to draw your sword.”
“…”
If he had been a mediocre man, Sirius would have been reprimanded for how this had unfolded.
But Lutvein never did so.
Instead, he vowed to protect Sirius and was offering an apology.
Even in a situation where the family could be in jeopardy.
Just this fact alone made Sirius develop a liking for Lutvein.
While he may not have the ability to revive the declining Rigel family, he was a person of good character.
“I am currently drafting a letter to send to another family. I will ask them to judge the right and wrong of this matter from a neutral standpoint.”
“…”
“The Uterus family is sensitive to the world’s opinion. If another family intervenes, they will move cautiously.”
With a bitter expression, Rutbein spoke.
“I plan to seek help from my eldest and youngest daughters who are in the capital. We must gather our strength… and face this.”
It seemed Rutbein had also made up his mind to confront the Uterus family.
If the Rigel family had decided on that course of action, it was a welcome development from Sirius’s perspective.
“Letting other families know about the situation seems like a good idea.”
Sirius spoke slowly.
“However, there is no need to ask for mediation.”
“What do you mean?”
“Determining right and wrong is something the parties involved should do themselves.”
In front of the surprised Rutbein, Sirius calmly stated,
“I will settle things with the Uterus family.”
“Sirius…”
“It was my doing, so I will take responsibility.”
It was only natural.
Because that was how Sirius had intended to handle things from the beginning.
“Please leave it to me.”
Rutbein remained silent for a while.
After staring at Sirius with pursed lips, he slowly said,
“Sirius.”
“Yes, my lord.”
“You do realize that I am a 6th Circle mage, right?”
“Of course.”
“To be honest, even at my level, there are hardly any adversaries in this region. However… we cannot recklessly fight against the Uterus family.”
“…”
“The Uterus family has a 7th Circle mage… Nael Uterus.”
In this world, the level of a mage is distinguished by the number of circles.
Mages diligently train to increase their circle number in order to use more powerful magic.
Ordinary talented mages hit a limit at the 6th Circle no matter how hard they try.
Without innate talent, one cannot enter the 7th Circle.
And once they reach the 7th Circle, their magical abilities improve dramatically, so those beyond the 7th Circle are called ‘mages’ and are considered beings that those below the 6th Circle cannot contend with.
Nael Uterus was precisely such a 7th Circle mage.
“But judging by your demeanor… you seem to think you can take on even a 7th Circle mage.”
“…”
Sirius remained silent.
He simply gazed at Rutbein with a cool expression.
“Truly astonishing.”
Rutbein sighed in front of that gaze.
“I won’t inquire how you obtained such power. It probably has to do with research and ties that the Canisroot family has had for a long time.”
“…”
“You probably have no intention of telling me. You’ve kept it a secret until now.”
Rutvein’s serious gaze was directed at Sirius.
“But Sirius… I wish you would tell me just one thing.”
“…”
“How do you plan to use that power?”
Rutvein was concerned.
He was worried that Sirius would use that power to destroy the Yuterus family and stain this region with blood.
For Rutvein, such a thing was hard to accept.
“Allow me to explain, my lord.”
Rutvein is a person of noble intellect.
So, with a flimsy story, one cannot win Rutvein’s heart.
It is essential to properly convey what thoughts Sirius holds.
“In this world, there is black and white.”
“Black and white…?”
Sirius picked up a piece of paper and a pen from the desk in the study.
Then, he drew two small circles.
One circle was entirely colored black, while the other was left untouched.
A black circle and a white circle.
Sirius showed these two things to Rutvein.
“Using violence to solve everything, like the Black Society, is black. On the other hand, trying to solve things through means other than violence, as you mentioned, is white.”
The Black Society and the White Society.
You could say that.
“If there is pure black in this world, it could be considered the incarnation of slaughter. It will drench the whole world in blood.”
“…”
“Then, should we pursue pure white? No. Pure white cannot properly confront black.”
Even in the martial arts world, there were such beings.
Those who lean heavily towards either side do not benefit the world.
“So, what you’re saying is…”
Rutvein lifted the pen.
And after drawing one circle, he colored half of it black.
A shape was formed by combining a black semicircle and a white semicircle.
“It’s not enough to have just black or just white, it must be a state where black and white are together… Is that what you mean?”
“It’s a bit different.”
Close to the answer, but slightly different.
“I believe that black and white must harmonize.”
“Harmonize…?”
“Yes, that’s right. Let me give you an example.”
Sirius overlaid a white circle on the black circle he had drawn earlier.
“The nature of the Yuterus family leans towards black.”
“…”
“But he’s struggling to turn the white mask inside out. That’s why he’s doing things that go against reason.”
Drawing a white circle on top of a black one doesn’t make the black disappear.
That’s why it turned into a messy shape that’s hard to describe.
“This is the current form of the Yuterus family.”
“Hmm…”
“Then, what about the Regel family?”
Sirius placed his hand on the white circle he had drawn earlier.
“In my view, the lord seems to pursue white. But due to lack of strength, it’s meaningless.”
“…”
He drew a diagonal line on the white circle.
This time, the white circle lost its meaning.
“If black and white fail to achieve a proper balance like this, they will eventually head towards destruction.”
“Then…”
Suddenly, Rootvein was listening intently to Sirius’s story with a focused expression.
His gaze was akin to that of a scholar.
“How do you determine if balance is achieved?”
“It just needs to align with reason.”
“Reason…”
Many martial artists viewed Baek Mulang as too radical.
But that was based on the actions following the reason Baek Mulang believed in.
The one who recognized that was… the martial arts master Seo Munhwi, who had taken Baek Mulang as his son-in-law.
“If I were to attack the Yuterus family, leaving no child alive, regardless of any remarkable justification, it wouldn’t align with reason.”
“That’s true…”
“On the contrary, turning a blind eye to all the wrongs of the Yuterus family and peacefully reconciling, that too wouldn’t be in line with reason.”
Sirius drew a new shape.
A state where black and white merge into harmony within a circle.
This shape, expressing the principle of Yin and Yang, is called Tai Chi.
“This is what I seek.”
“…”
This was also what Seo Munhwi had hoped for from Baek Mulang.
Not to fall into violence or murder like the black faction.
Not to be swayed by righteousness or dignity like the white faction.
Hoping to lead the martial arts world correctly by embodying the harmony of black and white.
Baek Mulang didn’t meet those expectations.
But Sirius Canisroot would.
***
“Father, I’m coming in.”
Walking into the study, Yustia was taken aback.
Her father was staring intently at the paper on the desk, wearing a serious expression.
“Why is that?”
“Yustia….”
On the paper, a figure blending black and white was drawn.
Rutvein continued to gaze at that figure.
“It seems like the Canisroot lineage has been devoted to academic research for a long time.”
“Pardon?”
“It looks like Sirius, who is only twenty-five, has a deeper insight than me.”
Rutvein sighed.
He felt that Sirius, who studied magical philosophy at the Academy, had a deeper understanding of the world than himself.
“Yustia, the current state of this continent is a mess.”
“Father….”
“The Blackhues harm people without hesitation for their own gain. The nobles only care about their reputation.”
It was a world where black and white were tangled messily.
But perhaps Sirius could correct this.
Like this intricate figure harmoniously intertwined.
“Yes, the original purpose of the five noble families of the continent was to lead the continent in the right direction.”
Rutvein stared at the map hanging on the wall.
The Regell family, once one of the five noble families of the continent, had been pushed back to the northeast corner.
But if it were Sirius… he might revive the Regell family and lead this continent in the right direction.
In that case, what should Rutvein, the head of the Regell family, do?
The answer was already clear.
“Yustia, I want to entrust the future of the Regell family to Sirius.”
“….!”
For the sake of the Regell family, and ultimately, for the entire continent.
Rutvein resolved to help Sirius spread his wings freely.