Vigo was jointly managed by the Sungmuiga administration and the Senate.
Since the items stored in Vigo were the property of Sungmuiga, the administration was responsible for their safekeeping and maintenance.
However, the actual authority to research, import, and export these items rested with the Senate.
In other words, removing an item from Vigo required the Senate's approval.
With that in mind, I turned to the Senate Chairman and said,
"I would like to receive the items that chose me during the Cheolseon Ceremony."
The Senate Chairman's eyes wavered for a moment.
"The weapon chosen back then is already at your waist, is it not? Though you were selected by many weapons at the time, you ultimately chose one. Are you now claiming ownership of the rest?"
"According to regulations, the weapons chosen during the Cheolseon Ceremony are to be received regardless of their number. Am I mistaken, Chief Overseer?"
I glanced at my uncle.
He seemed about to scoff in disbelief but instead let out a low cough before answering.
"That's correct. Even our ancestors followed that precedent, receiving the remaining weapons later. The Family Head also agreed to uphold that tradition."
"Hmm… now that you mention it, that is true."
The Senate Chairman clicked his tongue in discomfort.
There were many weapons that had chosen me, but in the end, they would likely only grant me a few for the sake of appearances.
Even if they handed over a few, it wouldn't be a loss to the Senate.
'…Or so they think.'
I let out a slow breath.
This wasn't just about acquiring weapons to absorb with my dark energy.
'If I only wanted weapons, I would have asked Father. But what I truly seek is the Senate Chairman's acknowledgment.'
The moment he approved my right to take weapons from Vigo, in front of all these witnesses, I wouldn't just be receiving weapons—I would be establishing a precedent.
A precedent that the weapons in Vigo were, ultimately, mine to claim.
That I could take them whenever I wished.
'Now, all that remains… is for Father to allow it.'
I turned my gaze to my father.
He stared at me intently, a glint of intrigue flashing in his eyes.
"I permit it. They were always destined to be yours."
"…Thank you."
It was done.
I bowed my head slightly, a smile forming on my lips.
At that moment—
"If you can prove yourself worthy of those weapons, the elders will convene and grant you the rest in due time."
"…!"
A flicker of interest appeared in the Senate Chairman's eyes, while I could only let out a dry chuckle.
As expected of Father.
In simple terms, he was saying this:
I recognize your ownership.
But if you want to claim the rest, prove your worth through accomplishments and earn the Senate's approval.
Father had seen through my intentions long before the Senate Chairman did. And while he accepted my move, he also made sure to balance the scales by considering the Senate's position.
"The Senate Chairman will discuss with the elders to determine the grade and number of weapons to be granted to the youngest."
"…Understood."
With that, the conversation came to an end.
A few days later, I received a notice from the Senate regarding access to Vigo and the retrieval of equipment.
I had been granted four masterpieces.
It was an exceedingly generous reward.
This time, since Father was involved, they hadn't attempted any underhanded tricks like during the cadet reassignment or the recent sparring match.
And so, without anyone's help, solely through my own efforts, I had earned my entry into Vigo.
***
I made my way to Vigo at the designated time.
Unlike most buildings in Sungmuiga, such as the administration offices and the Grand Archive, Vigo stood tall.
It was also built in a modern architectural style, in contrast to the traditional hanok structures of the other buildings.
As I gazed at Vigo, I fell into thought once more.
'Four masterpieces, huh…'
Along with the authority to claim them, I had also received the list of weapons that had chosen me during the Cheolseon Ceremony.
'Which ones should I take?'
The newly arisen concerns persisted even up until the moment right before entering the armory.
Having newly discovered Mujin's abilities, I began to consider the power contained within the weapon as well.
'Receiving a weapon used by an ancestor of the family and using it to gain insight into secret techniques or ultimate skills is also a good choice.'
I recently experienced the ultimate skill, Meteor Shower, which my sixth sister unleashed at a fifth-level mana threshold.
Although I easily countered it due to elemental advantages, the ultimate techniques of the Soongmu family possessed truly formidable power.
If I could learn them in advance, it wouldn't be a bad choice.
'But I wouldn't be able to use them freely.'
Even if I mastered an ultimate skill or secret technique, there were restrictions on revealing them outright—after all, I had never been formally taught.
'It would be great if I could absorb weapons with decent power…'
Thanks to my past life's memories, I knew a lot, but I didn't know every masterpiece weapon.
This dilemma continued even as I arrived at the guards' post.
"Stop."
Clack!
As I approached the outer gate of the armory, the guards crossed their spears to block my path.
Then, upon recognizing my face, their eyes widened slightly.
"You're the youngest master. May I ask the purpose of your visit?"
"I have permission to enter and take out equipment."
I handed them the official document.
"Understood. You may proceed."
The guard saluted with disciplined formality.
I blinked in surprise.
'Did they just salute me?'
Not anyone else, but the guards themselves?
It was the first time I had ever been saluted.
Normally, such respect was a common courtesy for direct bloodline members, but I was an illegitimate child.
Even among the employees handling menial tasks, there were those who mistreated or ignored me.
"Are you not going in?"
"Oh, right. My apologies."
Just as I was about to step forward, I heard a voice.
"Young master, I saw your duel. It was inspiring. I will strive to improve as well."
I was slightly surprised but soon smiled.
"Thank you."
"Pardon?"
"For thinking that way. I will also work harder to be worthy of respect from people like you."
Not everyone in the Soongmu family looked down on me for being illegitimate.
If they did, I wouldn't have been acknowledged in the cadet corps or anywhere else.
With that, I silently made my way into the armory.
At the inner gate of the armory, another round of identity verification and an inspection of my belongings took place.
"All clear! You may enter. Please keep this talisman with you to avoid any issues. Additionally, the approved equipment consists of four pieces, all of masterpiece-grade. You are authorized to access floors one through three…"
Only after hearing all the tiresome warnings and confirming the documents was I finally able to enter the armory.
I headed straight upstairs.
There was nothing useful in the basement, and I bypassed the first floor, which housed standard-grade weapons, going directly to the second floor.
As I began reading through the weapon descriptions one by one, my thoughts gradually settled.
'I need to choose items that will be practically useful for this warrior's journey.'
With that in mind, selecting weapons wasn't difficult.
Although it took some time to assess their abilities through dark energy, I eventually found what I was looking for.
Thus, I secured four masterpiece-grade weapons.
***
My body had fully recovered, and all the necessary items for the warrior's journey had been secured through my nanny.
Finally, everything was ready.
Before setting off, I paid my respects to my father and then went to see my eldest brother.
I had planned to greet my uncle first, but he was away on a business trip and unavailable.
My eldest brother greeted me with a peculiar smile.
"So, you're about to depart."
"Yes, I've completed my preparations."
"Spring, huh? Not a bad season. There's no better time for a long journey."
Spring had arrived in full.
Flowers were blooming everywhere, and while the nights were still a bit chilly, the daytime sun was warm.
"Have you greeted everyone else?"
"Yes, I went to see Father first. As usual, he tried to intimidate me."
"Intimidate you?"
A look of curiosity crossed my eldest brother's face.
"He said that since I've caused such a commotion within the family, if I don't achieve satisfactory results on this journey, he'll punish me."
"That… does sound a little scary."
My eldest brother chuckled awkwardly. Then, he gave me a strange smile and gazed at me.
"Aren't you afraid of Father?"
"There's no way I'd be scared. He's still our father, after all."
Lee Myung-jung gazed at his younger sibling with deep eyes.
He wondered how many of their siblings could still say, "He's still our father."
"So, did you also greet our aunt?"
"Yes, it was quite a struggle to calm her down."
"Haha! I can vividly imagine it."
Aside from that, he had already greeted the cadets and other important figures in advance.
He had also greeted his seventh eldest brother, and he considered greeting his eighth sibling as well. However, he heard that they had secluded themselves in training immediately after completing their second year at the cadet academy.
Perhaps the next time he would see them would be after the Musaheng (Martial Journey) was over.
At that moment, his eldest brother spoke in a low voice.
"…Have you heard any news about the sixth sibling?"
I paused for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, I heard they've entered the secluded training grounds."
Right after the duel.
Upon regaining consciousness, the sixth sister had to spend some time in recovery.
Even during her recuperation, she occasionally caused disturbances, and as soon as her body was more or less healed, Lady Baek sent her off to the secluded training grounds.
"For now, the sixth won't be able to retaliate against you. Attacking someone on their Musaheng is unacceptable, so don't worry. I just wanted to reassure you."
His eldest brother's expression was complicated.
Unlike most of the Sungmuiga bloodline, his brother valued bonds with his siblings. It seemed he felt regretful about the fractured relationships among them.
However, he did not put it into words.
Because he knew.
Even though I was of the same direct lineage, I was born a concubine's child, while the others were legitimate heirs.
And in Sungmuiga, that distinction meant everything.
He also knew that I was determined to break free from that constraint.
"That's why I have a request, brother."
"A request? What is it?"
His eldest brother widened his eyes slightly.
No one could offer assistance during Musaheng, so the idea of a request must have surprised him.
"It's not about Musaheng. I need you to take care of my nanny."
"...."
His eldest brother quickly understood what I meant.
They might not be able to target me directly, but harming someone close to me would be easy.
It seemed unlikely that they would go after a mere servant like my nanny—but I couldn't be certain.
In my previous life, I lost my nanny that way.
I had left the estate without much thought, only to return and find her gone.
"…Alright. She can stay here with me while you're away. No one will dare lay a hand on her."
His brother didn't say much.
He simply gave me certainty.
"Thank you so much. I'll make sure to repay this debt."
"Don't mention it. What kind of brother would I be if I couldn't even do this?"
I bowed my head.
After exchanging a few more words, I rose from my seat.
"Then, I'll be on my way now."
"Alright. Come back safely. I look forward to seeing the person you'll become after Musaheng."
With that, I turned and walked away.
For the first time in 15 years, I had gained the freedom to move outside the family estate.
If I had gone on Musaheng at the same age as my other siblings, my time would have been short. But since I'm starting at 15, I have plenty of time.
There were many places I needed to visit, things I needed to obtain, and people I needed to meet.
And so, my Musaheng began.
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