CHAPTER TEN When the Night Stopped Being Safe
740 Words
The message arrived at noon.
No warning.
No ceremony.
Just a black seal dropped onto House Seo’s main hall floor.
The servants did not touch it.
Nobody spoke.
Lord Seo opened it himself.
Yeonhwa watched from the stairs.
Quiet.
Careful.
Her father read once.
Then again.
Then placed it down.
“…They are targeting students from the tournament.”
Silence.
Yeonhwa blinked.
Students?
Her name was not mentioned.
Yet something in the room felt tighter.
Her father continued.
“Three fighters have already disappeared.”
Pause.
“All last seen near the Midnight Arena.”
Yeonhwa’s fingers rested lightly on the railing.
Interesting.
Her father turned.
“You will stop attending.”
That sentence landed like stone.
She looked up.
“…Pardon?”
He did not repeat it.
Just final.
“That is not a request.”
Yeonhwa’s expression stayed calm.
But her eyes sharpened slightly.
“I see.”
And left the room.
—
That night.
She did not sleep.
Obviously.
Instead—
she changed into dark clothing.
Obviously.
Minji blocked the door.
Arms crossed.
“No.”
Yeonhwa stared.
“…Move.”
Minji did not move.
“You heard your father.”
Yeonhwa tilted her head.
“I did.”
Minji nodded.
“Then behave accordingly.”
Yeonhwa looked at her.
Then said seriously—
“I am behaving accordingly.”
Minji frowned.
“You are holding a sword.”
Yeonhwa looked down.
Paused.
“…That is unrelated.”
—
She still left.
Obviously.
—
The arena was quieter than usual.
Not empty.
But careful.
Like everyone was pretending nothing was wrong.
Yeonhwa moved through the corridors.
Slow.
Listening.
Then—
she stopped.
Footsteps behind her.
Not hers.
She turned slightly.
“…You’re late.”
Taejun stepped into view.
Black robes.
Calm expression.
As if this was expected.
Yeonhwa frowned.
“I did not call you.”
He looked at her.
“You didn’t have to.”
Annoying.
She turned forward again.
“…Why are you here?”
His answer was simple.
“Same reason as you.”
She scoffed lightly.
“I doubt that.”
He didn’t respond.
Instead—
he looked past her.
At the darker corridor ahead.
“The message wasn’t just for your family.”
Yeonhwa paused.
“…You saw it?”
“I intercepted mine.”
Silence.
That was new information.
She glanced at him.
“So you ignored it?”
“I followed it.”
Of course he did.
—
They moved together without agreeing to.
Which was worse than agreeing.
The deeper they went—
the quieter it became.
Until—
they reached the lower tunnel beneath the arena.
Cold air.
Stone walls.
Water dripping somewhere unseen.
Yeonhwa stopped.
“…Something is here.”
Taejun nodded once.
“I know.”
She looked at him sharply.
“You always know things.”
His reply came instantly.
“You notice things late.”
Rude.
Then—
sound.
Footsteps.
Multiple.
From ahead.
Yeonhwa reached for Moonveil.
Taejun didn’t draw his sword yet.
Instead—
he said quietly:
“Don’t rush.”
She frowned.
“I am not rushing.”
He glanced at her.
“You are thinking about rushing.”
She froze.
Unfortunately accurate.
—
The figures appeared.
Three.
Masked.
Not tournament fighters.
Different.
Wrong energy.
Yeonhwa stepped forward—
then stopped.
Taejun moved first.
Not fast.
Not dramatic.
Just correct.
One step.
The closest attacker fell.
No wasted movement.
Second rushed.
Yeonhwa reacted—
too fast.
Too early.
Taejun’s voice:
“Wait.”
She hesitated—
just enough.
He redirected the second attacker toward her.
Yeonhwa caught it.
This time—
clean.
Controlled.
Strike.
Down.
Silence.
Third tried to escape.
Taejun appeared behind them.
End.
—
Quiet again.
Yeonhwa exhaled slowly.
“…That was coordinated.”
Taejun nodded.
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“So this isn’t random.”
“No.”
Pause.
“They are hunting specific fighters.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“…Me included.”
He didn’t answer immediately.
Then—
“Yes.”
That landed heavier than expected.
Yeonhwa tightened her grip on Moonveil.
“…How many know?”
Taejun looked at her.
“Enough.”
Then—
after a pause:
“I told you not to come alone.”
She scoffed.
“I wasn’t alone.”
Silence.
He looked at her.
Then said:
“…You are now.”
And for the first time—
Yeonhwa didn’t argue immediately.
Because she realized something uncomfortable.
He was right.
- Writer
