Chapter: 2
The Little Prince of the Gu Clan (2)
When it comes to the Gu Clan in Shanxi, it is treated as a fairly prestigious noble family.
Although when compared to the so-called Four Great Families:
The Namgung Clan of Anhui,
The Peng Clan of Habuk,
The Dang Clan of Sichuan,
The Moyong Clan of Yo-ryung,
the Gu Clan of Shanxi seems to be a few steps behind.
However, many believe that the Gu Clan will undoubtedly rise to a level on par with them.
The current head of the clan, the Tiger Warrior, Gu Cheolun, is one of the top hundred masters in the Central Plains. In fact, he’s counted among the strongest warriors among those top hundred masters.
His beliefs and sense of justice as a righteous man were renowned even among the martial artists and laymen alike.
Gu Clan martial artists do not oppress commoners; instead, they strive to protect them and fend off threats.
It’s no wonder they’re called the Guardians of Shanxi.
The clan’s prestige, the goodwill of the common people, and of course, Gu Cheolun’s children are already showcasing exceptional talent as martial artists.
His eldest daughter, Gu Huibi, has proven herself as a representative of her generation, earning the title “Sword Phoenix” among many.
The second daughter, Gu Yeonso, shows talent rivaling Gu Huibi and is expected to easily inherit her sister’s nickname in the future.
With a lineage of a righteous clan and descendants continuously excelling, the position of the Gu Clan is set to become even firmer as time passes.
Many were convinced that it would not take long for that to happen.
I too believed it, at least until the only son of the Gu Clan, the young lord, turned into a demon.
“—Young master.”
The morning call from a servant jolted me awake.
Rubbing my eyes and surveying my surroundings, I noticed sunlight streaming through the window.
“I’m awake,” I croaked in a somewhat hoarse voice.
Truth be told, I hadn’t slept at all that night. I was too perplexed by my circumstances to close my eyes.
Haa. After letting out a quiet sigh, I splashed my face with cold water.
“…This isn’t a dream,” I muttered.
It’s already been three days since I returned to my childhood after dying.
“What on earth happened?”
No matter how much I asked the void in front of me, no answers returned.
I’m still trying to figure out how this happened; I could think about it a hundred times and still come up empty.
The first day was just an overwhelming emptiness. Dreaming of a time that could never return made my heart feel hollow.
With that feeling, I ate and even managed to sleep.
Looking back, I should have figured it out earlier the moment I realized I could taste my food.
But instead, I stupidly spent the second day in a daze too.
“What a dumbass.”
How could I only now be waking up to this reality on the third day?
I turned my head to glance out the window.
Instead of the dank torture chamber of the Murim Alliance, bright sunlight poured in through the window.
Once I stopped berating myself for my own tardiness in realizing the situation, joy began to warm my body.
I’ve somehow returned to the happiest time in my life, rescuing myself from a life that had been utterly destroyed.
I didn’t know how this happened, but if this was real and not just a dream—
“No, it has to be real.”
I hoped with all my heart.
I managed to suppress the whisper of disbelief by focusing on how real my body felt.
But then I asked myself,
‘Now that I’m back in the past, what should I do? Where should I start?’
I needed to sort through all the countless events that would unfold from here on.
There were countless matters to ponder.
As a whirlwind of thoughts spun in my head, someone outside called my name.
“—Young master.”
The call startled me, shattering my train of thought.
“The Lord of the house will arrive shortly.”
Chills raced down my spine upon hearing that.
After days of cluttered thoughts, I hadn’t even considered this possibility.
“Father is coming…”
My father, who probably left the clan for work, was returning. While it may have only been a few days in this timeline, it felt like I hadn’t seen him in years, including my previous life.
Already, my head started to throb.
As I thought back to how he had looked at me with cold eyes and said sharp words in the past, fear consumed my heart.
Those harsh words echoing in my mind felt as fresh as ever.
“You’re such a disgrace to our family. When will you change your ways?”
Those were my father’s words. I didn’t resent him for it; I had lived a life that truly warranted it.
I understand this now, but it didn’t diminish the sting of those memories, nor did it change the fact that those words were like chains around my heart.
Even now, after everything, I was still terrified of him.
“—Young master?”
The servant called again, sensing my silence.
“I’ll come out after I’m ready. How much time do I have left?”
“He will arrive in about thirty minutes.”
“I need to wash my face, so please prepare the water.”
“Right away, sir.”
I could hear the surprise in the servant’s voice. It was clear they hadn’t expected me to actually prepare.
In the past, when similar events happened, I would throw a fit, scattering everything around in frustration that I was getting woken up in the morning.
I had probably broken too many things to count in the house.
The reason for my past tantrums was simply not wanting to see my father.
I felt the same discomfort now, but I couldn’t afford to run away again.
After washing up and changing into appropriate attire, I noticed the servant helping me was trembling slightly. Was he worried I’d throw something again?
Surely, a mere ten-year-old kid wouldn’t do such a thing…
…Or maybe I did.
Once I finished preparing, I stepped outside, where a wave of gazes greeted me.
I could hear whispers accompanying those gazes.
“Why is the young master meeting his father?”
“He sure doesn’t like waking up in the morning…”
The gossip was clear to hear. Honestly, they were too kind to call my outrage a mere tantrum.
When I locked eyes with two of those whispering, they panicked, trying to kneel, but I simply raised a hand to stop them.
What would I have done in the past?
Hmm…
Let’s not think too hard about it…
I probably would have chastised both of them, and they’d be out of the clan by the next day.
As I walked, flowers in full bloom caught my eye. In stark contrast to my tangled feelings, the outside world was a paradise of spring.
Was it fall or winter when I last saw the Murim Alliance before passing away?
I couldn’t even recall which season it was.
I was either finally having the leisure to observe the seasons, or just dazedly staring at flowers like a fool.
“Probably the latter.”
“Huh?”
The escort beside me asked back.
“Nothing.”
After walking a bit longer and passing several gardens, I reached the front gate of the clan.
By the time I arrived, many people had gathered, most of whom I hadn’t seen in days.
Like everyone else, they were surprised to see me here.
A majority of them bowed their heads and greeted me. It had been a while since I’d been treated like this, so it felt a bit awkward, but I didn’t show it.
As I pushed through the crowd, I finally reached those who didn’t bow.
One of them came up to me and spoke.
“…I really didn’t expect to see you here.”
This girl had tied her long hair back neatly.
She couldn’t have been older than twenty at most.
Undoubtedly, she’d be considered a beauty anywhere, yet a warrior’s demeanor shone through her sharp eyes and poised stance.
There were not many in the clan who dared not show me respect, and among the girls of this age, there was really only one.
The Flaming Sword, Gu Yeonso.
This girl was my blood relative, my younger sister.
By now, Gu Yeonso was likely seen as a promising martial artist with a bright future ahead. In the end, she would achieve great fame as a swordswoman.
That was the future, though.
Looking up at her for the first time in ages, I replied, “It’s a place I’m meant to be.”
She scoffed at my response. “Yet you didn’t bother to show up until now?”
Her tone was cold, and she was right.
I completely ran away when I should have been here as a member of the clan.
“I wonder why I did that, too.”
“…What?”
“I admit my mistake. I’ll apologize to the head of the clan later.”
Her expression turned puzzled after my words.
But shortly after, she shot back, “I don’t know what game you’re playing, but if you’re messing with others, you’d better stop right now or I’ll genuinely get mad.”
With that, she turned her head away.
As expected, this was tough.
I wanted to say something more, but it wasn’t easy.
“The Lord of the clan is arriving,” a servant announced.
At those words, I shifted my gaze to the entrance, where a carriage was approaching in the distance.
The red horse pulling the carriage, visibly larger than any ordinary horse, galloped toward the gate swiftly.
In no time, it crossed the threshold, reaching the crowd.
As the horse came to a stop, the carriage door opened and a figure stepped out.
A middle-aged man in a red robe symbolizing the clan, with a long scar crossing one side of his face.
His fierce gaze swept across the gathering, and many there dared not meet his intense red eyes.
“…Father.”
He was none other than my father, Gu Cheolun, head of the Gu Clan and the Tiger Warrior of Shanxi.
A being who could be counted among the elite, despite the countless masters roaming the Murim Alliance, stood before me.
My father’s eyes brushed over everyone until they landed on me.
I didn’t shy away; our gazes met squarely.
Those piercing eyes had scared me to death when I was a child.
After a brief moment, his gaze shifted away from me, and he continued surveying those present. That was all; no further response.
I wasn’t surprised. He had always been like this.
“My Lord! It’s a relief to see you return safely.”
“General.”
“Yes, my Lord.”
“Are there any sword teams currently organized?”
“The first team has returned and is resting. The fourth team is standing by.”
“Then order the fourth team captain to meet with me before nightfall.”
“Understood. Congratulations on your return, my Lord.”
After a brief exchange, my father began walking away silently, prompting the gathering crowd to follow in his footsteps.
I followed as well, looking at his back which still appeared as large and heavy as ever.
This return to the past felt like a miracle, yet there were countless troubles tangled like a ball of yarn.
‘At least I’m relieved it’s not too late,’ I thought.
Had I returned just a few years later, there wouldn’t have been a chance to change anything. It would have been far too late.
This was certainly a stroke of good fortune.
But even now, figuring out how to unravel all of this was no simple task.
Thud.
My father’s steady footsteps suddenly came to a halt.
“Third son will come to my room after dinner,” he stated without turning around.
And just like that, I was thrown into confusion.
‘“Third son,” does that mean he’s calling for me?’
But why? What reason could my father have to call for me alone?
…There are just too many possibilities for me to pin it down!
“Yes, father.”
My reply followed swiftly as my thoughts swirled.
With a nod, my father continued on, and I had resolved on the first thing I needed to do before dinner; this would be my first important task after returning to the past.
“Muyeon,”
I whispered my escort’s name softly.
“Yes, young master.”
“Take me to see a healer before dinner.”
Upon hearing my request, Muyeon’s expression turned grave.
“Is—are you feeling unwell?”
“Not quite. If I eat now, I’m certain to get sick, so I just want to grab some digestive medicine first.”
“Oh…”
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