Hiding his sigh with a sip of tea, Du Min Gyu endured meeting with his latest guests for the sake of propriety, wishing he were anywhere else but here. Perhaps he’d grown maudlin with age, but his triumphant return to glory was not what he expected. No, he corrected, it was exactly what he expected, better in fact thanks to the Imperial Grand Conference and Ryo Da’in’s careful planning and attention to detail. Inside the Ryo Family’s luxurious banquet hall, he sat at the table of honour with Yan at his side and Kyung at his back, while musicians played in the background and dancers performed at the sides. The gathered guests were some of the most influential and prominent figures from across the Empire, all here to pay their respects as they quietly mingled amongst themselves with drinks in hand while awaiting their turn. Three Marshals and two Colonel Generals were here in attendance and anyone without an invitation and with less standing than a Major General would be turned away at the door, else even the Ryo Family Manor would not be large enough to contain all the well-wishers, much less the banquet hall, not with everyone and their grandmother hoping to meet the Heroes of the Empire who’d been commended by the Legate himself.

This was the moment Min Gyu had dreamed of for decades now, to have the world acknowledge his greatness once again, but now that his day had arrived, he wondered why he’d ever yearned for something so... meaningless. What use were fame and reputation? Where were these ‘close friends’ and ‘devoted fans’ a week, or a month, or a year ago? Much as he appreciated the dutiful Da’in’s efforts, which included convincing her notoriously spendthrift of a father to bear the significant cost of tonight’s events, he found it difficult to muster any interest or enthusiasm in the proceedings, instead wishing he were away from all this grandiose splendour and at home across the street, enjoying a quiet dinner with Yan instead of surrounded by a host of fawning flunkies or insincere politicians looking to attach themselves to his rising star.

Hypocrites the lot of them, moving whichever way the wind blew. They sang his praises and gushed with adoration, but he saw past their nonsense for the lies they were. The louder they claimed not to believe the hateful rumours spread by his relatives and the Cho family, the less he believed them, but worse were their curious glances and probing questions, subtle tests to check the veracity of said rumours and verify if he truly was a lecher being manipulated by his young, half-beast paramour or a senile old fool puppeted by foreign powers. What irritated him most was how most of the guests all but ignored Yan’s presence, treating her as little more than a decoration once finished with their appraisal. There she sat, his publicly acknowledged grand-daughter and Terminal Disciple, a warrior who displayed her shockingly advanced Martial skills on stage only a few days past, yet these bigots and short-sighted fools couldn’t see past her horns and offer her a few words of greeting.

Only his appreciation to Da’in and her father kept him from losing his temper, and even that was wearing thin and it showed. After he sent off his latest well-wisher with a forced smile and a nod, Da’in approached with a fresh cup of tea and offered it with a bow. “Teacher Du, is something amiss? Please instruct this foolish student and she will do her best to correct her failures.”

Lamenting his lack of social grace, he accepted the cup and urged the respectful girl to straighten up. “My foul mood is no fault of yours child,” he said loudly enough to be overheard. “Everything you’ve prepared is more than I could ever hope for, and I am overwhelmed with gratitude for you and your family’s efforts.” Placing the teacup aside, he clasped his fist in a salute and greeted the watching guests with a self-deprecating chuckle. “Forgive my foul mood, for I’m a crotchety old man who took grave injury only last night, tired and irritable from the pain of recovery. Please, take no heed of this one’s scowls and grimaces, your presence here is much appreciated and your support well-remembered.”

The guests replied with a chorus of assurances and statements saying his apologies were unnecessary or his foul mood unnoticed as they went through the tired motions of social decorum. What infuriated him even more was Gam’s Sending, delivered without hesitation as the graceless buffoon devoured the food laid out before him. “Bah, barely over a hundred years old and already so frail. I’m five times your age and suffered far more debilitating injuries, but you don’t see me bellyaching about it, now do you? What you need is more meat on your bones. Can’t call yourself a proper warrior being all skin and bones, else you’ll be laid out for weeks every time you take injury. What’s the matter, got no appetite anymore? All this good food and you’ve barely touched a bite. Seems wasteful if you ask me, but no one ever does, even though...”

Putting the cantankerous cretin’s ramblings out of mind, Min Gyu cursed the half-fox for a fool. Eccentric Gam was a warrior he’d gladly stand beside in battle, but otherwise, he wanted nothing to do with the aggravating man or his moon-eyed disciple Wu Gam. The Heaven’s would fall before Min Gyu gave Wu Gam permission to court Yan, no matter how talented or promising he might be. The thought of being related to the rambling eccentric was enough to send a shiver down Min Gyu’s spine, a fate worse than death in his eyes.

Well... he’d make an exception if the relationship was one of step-father and step-son, but sadly, Gam’s gorgeous Divinity of a mother had not deigned to make an appearance. Worse, the Legate demanded they keep any Ancestral Beast involvement a secret, which meant no one could know about his harrowing experience against the fearsome Defiled Mole-woman, nor could he make inquiries about Gam’s mother without drawing unwanted attention.

Ah, but to gaze upon her shapely buttocks once more...

Wishing his would-be step-son could be more like Broken Blade Pichai, who sat silently on the left with eyes closed in contemplative meditation, Min Gyu stewed in irritation until Yan nudged him in the side. The girl said nothing and only surreptitiously glanced towards Da’in sheepishly standing on one side, as if wondering if she’d been right to arrange all this. Poor girl, she’d been seeking his approval of so many years now and refused to give up even after he’d accepted Yan as his Terminal Disciple. Even more laudable was her behaviour following the rumours and his final refusal to teach Seoyoon too. Though the Ryo family grew distant, Da’in defied her father’s orders and drew even closer to Min Gyu in his time of trouble, becoming something of a sister figure and sparring partner to Yan.

The past year revealed much about Min Gyu’s family and so-called friends, and he put far higher value on those who stood by him without gain over those who’d come slinking back once his fortunes improved, and Da’in was undoubtedly the former. Cursing his foul disposition, he gestured for Da’in to step closer now that the crowd had finally relented and left them some space. “No need to worry child, your efforts have not gone unnoticed or unappreciated.” An ill-tempered and domineering young woman, Da’in flushed with uncharacteristic joy as she read too much into his words and he scolded himself for speaking carelessly. “Tell me, why do you think I refuse to take you as my Disciple?”

Taken aback by his abrupt question, Da’in hesitated briefly before answering, bold and daring as always. “Because this lowly one lacks talent and comprehension, not worthy of --”

“Bah.” Snorting in derision, Min Gyu interrupted her with a wave of his hand. “You are the undisputed number one talent of your time, a firebrand who dismantled all opposition with ease. If you are lacking in talent, then what of your defeated peers? What of the rest of the Empire’s young warriors? No child, talent is one thing you never lacked. As for comprehension? Genius is a title used far too often in my eyes, but you are undoubtedly worthy, yet still I won’t take you as my Disciple. Why?”

By now, their conversation was now the centre of attention as the crowd listened in, with many of them wondering the same thing. Few talents could match Ryo Da’in, and even Wu Gam and Falling Rain’s stunning performances failed to measure up, yet still the fabled Teacher Du Min Gyu refused her. Cheeks flushed with embarrassment, Da’in struggled to rein her fabled temper in as she stood with head hung low, unable to understand why he was chastising her in public after all her efforts. Patting her arm, he softened his tone and explained, “If talent and comprehension were all that mattered, I would have taken you in as my Disciple the first time you asked over a decade ago. Back then, you were but a child and already a rising dragon of Central, and although you attributed your achievements to listening in on a few lectures of mine, I had little to do with it. You are a child of the Ryo Family, the daughter of Ryo Dae Jung, and a warrior bound for greatness with or without my help. To call myself your Mentor would be dishonest, for I would have had little hand in shaping the person you would become.” Spreading his hands, Min Gyu concluded, “Just look at what you’ve accomplished without my tutelage, or what your younger brother and sister have accomplished. I could hardly claim you would have done better with my aid, and in fact, you might have suffered for it. Your temperament is unsuitable for my favoured style and I could not bear the thought of ruining such a promising seedling.”

Pushing himself to his feet, he placed both hands on Da’in’s shoulders and looked her in the eye. “Though I did not accept you as my Disciple, all these years you have treated me like your Mentor, and for this, I am grateful beyond words. Since I lack skin thick enough to claim myself worthy of teaching you, I’ve taken the liberty to speak with your parents and asked to become your godfather, and they agreed so long as you are willing. What say you child? Speak your mind, I’ll take no offence no matter your answer.”

“Godfather!” Da’in blurted, throwing herself into his embrace while nodding in excitement. “Thank you godfather, goddaughter Da’in will not disappoint.”

“You couldn’t even if you tried, girl.” Patting her head, he turned to Yan and smiled wholeheartedly, for without her suggestion, he wouldn’t have thought of such an elegant solution. Now, his little family had grown by one, and it filled him with more joy than a thousand tense lunches with the Legate or a million compliments from his peers. He had more adoptions in mind, but they would have to wait until his family life was out of the public eye. As the crowd congratulated them, he kept Da’in’s father’s request in mind, to help the contentious and capricious young woman find a suitable husband, for even though Da’in was a lovely young woman of twenty-eight years, her parents had yet to have a single suitor come calling and they worried one never would.

How hard could it be? Little Da’in was so devoted and compliant, any man would be lucky to have her.

Once his new goddaughter joined them at the table, Min Gyu’s mood was much improved and the guests saw this as permission to approach. Suffering through their empty flattery and hot air, he put on a happy expression and counted the minutes until he could leave without causing offence, for even though he cared nothing for their opinions, his goddaughter had worked hard to arrange all this.

As the night wore on, he spotted a familiar face in the crowd and smiled in greeting, but little Jin Tok feigned ignorance and looked away, still angered by what happened after his father’s death. Kai was far from perfect, but he’d been like a son to Min Gyu and it pained him to be estranged from little Jin Tok. As much as he wanted to blame the boy’s mother and uncle for their current circumstances, Min Gyu knew in his heart of hearts the boy was also culpable. It didn’t matter, all he wanted was to be a family again. Jin Tok lacked his father’s boldness and perseverance, but perhaps if Min Gyu put more effort into his training, the boy might amount to something after all.

Maybe. Possibly. He wasn’t overly optimistic, but stranger things had happened...

Cheeks aching with the strain of smiling, Min Gyu was about to excuse himself when a commotion caught his attention. Heads held high, the Bekhai delegation displayed their customary arrogance and disdain as they marched through the banquet hall with their roosequins in tow and ringed by their Death Corps escorts. As if bringing their mounts into the banquet hall wasn’t rude enough, Falling Rain even had the temerity to bring his damned pets along too, those wildcats and bears padding alongside the massive Guardian Turtle of Ping Yao while his black rabbit rode atop her head.

The long-eared creature was almost as arrogant as Rain himself, its nose pointed towards the sky as it lorded over the best and brightest of the Empire from high above.

Leading the Bekhai delegation, Akanai greeted him with a military salute. “Lieutenant General,” she began with a smirk. “Congratulations on your first victory over the Defiled.”

He’d never admit it out loud, but Min Gyu enjoyed their little verbal spars. Before he could answer, their exchange was interrupted by storm of squeaks as Yan’s over-affectionate roosequin brought her shrieking brood over for hugs and treats. Try as she might to resist it, Yan’s smile bloomed as she embraced the creatures, nuzzling them close while the most important figures in the Empire watched on. Well, no matter. His reputation was whole once more and he no longer needed to hide his affiliation with the Bekhai, involuntary though it may be. Coming to his feet, he returned Akanai’s salute with one of his own. Taken aback by his courtesy, the hateful woman fell silent until Min Gyu prompted her along. “And this gentleman is?”

“My husband, Divine Blacksmith Husolt.”

“Ah yes, you crafted Yan’s six-pointed shield. A master of your craft indeed, you have my admiration.” Thus they played their little game for everyone to see as Akanai introduced each member of her family one by one, confirming once and for all that Du Min Gyu was on friendly terms with the Bekhai, as he offered a word of praise or a gesture of fondness for each, whether it be a smile or a wink, a laugh or a compliment. Granted, this was partly because of the boy’s new status and partly because he saw how smitten Yan still was with him despite her best efforts to hide it. Try as he might, he couldn’t refrain from scowling when he came face to face with the womanizing little scamp, standing there with the surly Sumila on one arm and a rabbit-eared damsel on the other, but that wasn’t all. Looming behind him was his Imperial Servant, while off to the side stood Li Song, now the adopted daughter of Akanai and possibly Falling Rain’s fourth paramour, meaning Yan would only be one of five.

How dare this scrawny runt lay eyes on the apple of Min Gyu’s eye. No, not just Yan, the boy had the audacity to eye Da’in too, so bold and daring a philander.

Opening his mouth to condemn the runt for his womanizing ways, a familiar voice interrupted him before he could speak. “And so the truth is laid bare for all to see,” Jin Tok said, sneering as the crowd parted aside, as none of the guests wanted to risk being mistaken for the source of such vitriol. “Du Min Gyu, celebrated hero of Central, is revealed to be nothing more than a foreign puppet.” Clapping sarcastically, Jin Tok scoffed and shook his head. “How far the mighty have fallen. I’m glad my father, Brigadier Cho Jin Kai and Du Min Gyu’s first Disciple, didn’t live to see his hero and Mentor reduced to such a disgrace, wrapped around the finger of his half-beast whore and leaping to obey the commands of a foreign bitch.”

Grabbing Da’in and Yan by the arms, he pulled them both to his side and shook his head. “Don’t,” he whispered, still hoping to make amends with Jin Tok. “Let me speak to him.” Turning to the troubled boy, his words froze in his throat when he saw Rain striding over with sword drawn and a cold glint in his eyes.

Blanching in fear, Jin Tok stumbled away and stuttered, “W-What are you doing? I a-am a law-ab-ab-abiding citizen of the Empire! You think you can kill me to silence my tongue? This is murder!”

“Shhhhhhh... stop yelling, guy whose name I’ve forgotten,” Rain replied, his words inducing a host of scattered, nervous chuckles. Truth be told, no one was sure how much protection his title of Imperial Consort would afford him, but until such a thing was made clear, there were few brave enough to openly stand against Falling Rain. Imperial Scions had gotten away with far worse than murdering an uppity son of a middling merchant family, and Rain’s reputation was of a man who liked to test his limits. Darting forward without warning, Rain swept Jin Tok’s feet out from under him, a victory so effortless it could hardly be called a fight. Stamping his foot down to pin Jin Tok in place, Rain loomed over the prone, frightened boy with an easy smile, so devoid of emotion he could have been smiling at a bug, rather than a living, breathing human. “I want to show you something,” Rain said, giving his short sword a flourish. “So watch carefully and don’t blink, got it?”

Without waiting for an answer, Rain tossed his sword into the air without looking, his eyes focused firmly on Jin Tok’s expression. Higher and higher the blade went, and the crowd joined Jin Tok in watching it spin end over end as it shimmered in the candlelight. Reaching its peak, the sword paused in flight before plummeting back to the earth, so beautifully balanced its razor sharp tip pointed straight down despite the half-hearted throw and perfectly positioned to plunge into Jin Tok’s chest as the boy lay helpless and afraid, his eyes closed and face covered.

Or it would have if Min Gyu hadn’t stepped in to catch it.

Grinning like a cat, Rain nodded in appreciation as he retrieved his sword from Min Gyu’s grasp, sheathing it behind his back with careless ease. Giving Jin Tok a soft kick, Rain scoffed as the boy uncovered his eyes. “Coward. I told you to watch carefully, didn’t I? If you had, you would understand.” Gesturing around the room, Rain continued, “In this room, filled with the greatest heroes of the Empire, there’s only one person who cares about your worthless life, and it’s the man you came to insult.” Crouching down, Rain grabbed Jin Tok by the lapel and pulled him close. “Say what you will about Cho Jin Kai, but your father died fighting the Defiled and I respect his sacrifice. Do not shame his memory again.”

Releasing Jin Tok, Rain straightened up and said nothing about the rest of the allegations before falling back in line with his wives. A correct choice, since protesting would only make it seem like he had a guilty conscience, and truth be told, with his new status, the Bekhai only needed to ask and a dozen different factions would fight for the chance to work with them. It seemed like the anxious and uneasy young man had grown into a proper young hero in this past year and his title of Number One Talent in the Empire not entirely undeserving.

Even then, he still wasn’t good enough for Yan, not by a long shot. The boy would have to do something suitably impressive to win his approval, like... become the youngest Exarch in the history of the Empire or something comparable. Besides, Da’in’s parents were being ridiculous. Twenty eight was far too young to marry, and forty seemed like a much more appropriate age for long-lived Martial Warriors.

Ah... the pains of being father to a daughter...

Chapter Meme