13 Outlined Scheme (2)

Seok proceeded to slide the door on one side. As he did so, Sungho was greeted with a long low table placed in the middle of the room along with the people that gathered sitting on the soft cushion seats.

"I have brought Her Highness," Seok announced.

As Sungho revealed himself standing before the entrance, the heavy atmosphere filling the room that immediately gave him shivers welcomed him.

It was daylight; however, the radiance of the room seemed overcast. Additionally, the people inside were not making any noise, deafening his ears from the echoing silence through the room.

With the entire people inside all looking at him from his surprise appearance, one person, however, on the right side of the table stood from the disturbance, shifting his eyes from Sungho to the person who was sitting far on the center seat of the table.

"General," the voice was hoarse and full of menace from growling.

"It's my sister, relax," Hyun Sik gave reassurance; his hand was placed on one side of his face.

Seok continued to escort Sungho inside the room. While he was holding the thick arm of the person beside him who was leading him on the chair near the entrance, Sungho attempted to scan the surrounding area: six seats were provided with five people gathered in the meeting excluding him and his escort.

"You dare bring a bitch while we are on our discussion?" the same voice exclaimed in anger.

'A bitch?' Sungho felt his brows drawing together as Seok helped him take his seat to the other chair placed at the center.

"General Lee, what did you just call my sister?" Hyun Sik grumbled from the word.

Forthwith, a hand that was hammered on the table promptly produced a loud thud through the room. Before things could be more disordered, Sungho took his step to prevent the conflict between the two people and stop their aggression.

"Brother, it's okay. We should have knocked before we barged inside," Sungho reasoned

"But I am not going to step out of the room since I am startlingly summoned to be part of the meeting by my brother. Please continue as if my presence is not here." His low and considerate yet stern voice temporarily shut the person who was whining a few seconds ago.

"... There is no need," Hyun Sik gently replied to him.

'No need? So he doesn't want to tell his sister.' Sungho felt a bit betrayed by the unexpected rejection.

"Hyeon Ju, I want you to meet these men," he began, "Since you have already met Major Seok, I shall start to the ones sitting in my right. These are Major Bin and Captain Park; they are under my command. Please introduce yourselves to my sister so she could recognize you."

"It's a pleasure to meet Her Highness, I am Bin Tae," said the rather high-pitched voice, seemingly from a teenager.

Just after the other, one followed, "Park Chul. Just call me Chul, Your Highness."

When Sungho nodded to the first two men, Hyun Sik continued, "While these fellow men on the other side, General Lee and his nephew are the ones who agreed to help us progress with the plan of the dethroning, they are temporary following my control as well."

"Lee So."

"Lee Daewon. It's a pleasure." What followed the toneless greeting was a business-like sensuous voice full of confidence and was a bit raspy.

"It's nice to know you too, Mr. So and Mr. Daewon," he replied with a smile that gently crept on his lips before he dropped the bomb. "Please be kind to me while we are working with each other to conquer Hwangmok."

'How was that?' Sungho was proud of his sudden remark.

Certainly, he only mentioned the dethroning and the assassination of the king to Hyeon Ju but how could Hyun Sik reject him from giving any clues about the plan? He should not have brought him to the meeting if he kept it like such then.

"Seok" The threat was upon his tone as Hyun Sik called the name.

"I'm sorry, general! I didn't know I wasn't supposed to tell Her Highness," the poor bear behind Sungho pleaded for forgiveness.