Chapter: 124
It won’t happen just because of that.
On the day I first visited the underground, I asked my father, “What are all these people? Are they even human?” To the question of why such a place existed in the basement of our clan, my father replied:
– “They are all offerings.”
– “And we are the bowls.”
Bowls for what?
I didn’t know. Even when I was led by my father to open another door and face the truth, I still didn’t know.
Back then, I had no clue.
Only after I encountered the Heavenly Demon and lived with others in the Abyss did I grasp some fragments of the truth.
“I dare say my father was wrong.”
We were not bowls.
I couldn’t hold anything. How could I be called a bowl when I was shattered and unable to hold anything at all? Everything seemed to slip through my cracks.
I should have realized this sooner and given up.
It wasn’t something I could run from in the first place.
– “If you desire, I will bring it out for you.”
That’s why I shouldn’t have let those words persuade me.
– “Is the burden heavy? If you want, I can break it for you; it’s not difficult for someone like me.”
I shouldn’t have taken that hand. But back then, I didn’t know any better.
I wasn’t in the right state of mind at that moment, so my decision felt somewhat justified.
Looking back now, it might be more accurate to say that rather than the Heavenly Demon cutting off my burden, it chose to bear it itself.
Perhaps, just perhaps, the reason I was allowed to turn back time was connected to this.
That thought crossed my mind.
Having failed to bear the burden, was I now being punished for it? Such was my suspicion.
“…Ugh…”
I awoke after a long sleep.
It was a struggle to open my heavy eyelids. My head throbbed as if I had spent the whole night experiencing nightmares.
Maybe it was sleep paralysis, or something else, but I couldn’t move my body easily.
“What the…”
Thankfully, it seemed I could still speak.
I could usually break through a sleep paralysis with my Qi; however, there was a strange sensation weighing down on me.
Something soft was touching my hands.
I shook my head at the ticklish sensation on my nose. The scent was oddly familiar.
As my senses cleared, I realized it wasn’t sleep paralysis but rather that my body was being held firmly on both sides.
“…Huh.”
The tickling sensation on my nose turned out to be hair.
White-blue hair…? I noticed a hint of brown mixed in as well.
I didn’t need to think much further. There were only a few people who would do this to me.
I tried to shift my fingers, but even the slightest movement was met with the sensation of soft skin enveloping me.
‘Where…am I touching right now?’
“Mmm…”
“Mmm…”
Perhaps my attempts to move had invoked their reactions. The grip on me tightened even more.
‘…I’m in trouble, aren’t I?’
How did I find myself in this situation again? I scrambled to recall what happened right before I fell asleep.
I remembered that when I entered the room, Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-Ah were already there.
Namgung Bi-ah had said something to me the moment I walked in.
‘Oh…’
I remembered now.
– “Um, Father said I should come here…”
She had come here because Namgung Jin told her to. ‘Wait, why would a father send his daughter to my room at night? That insane old man…?’
Of course, I was also to blame for just passing out when I was so tired.
‘How am I supposed to escape this?’
It was nearly impossible to slip away since they were holding on so tightly.
– “Why try to escape? Just stay like that.”
I heard Elder Shin’s blunt voice, and I couldn’t help but respond, half-enthusiastically.
‘Oh, you’re awake.’
– “Awake? I don’t sleep, to begin with.”
He had mentioned that before.
– “You’re having fun enjoying that soft, jelly-like sensation, so why bother leaving?”
Elder Shin sounded a bit annoyed, his tone taken down a notch.
‘Frustrating as it is, I’m not doing this because I like it.’
– “Frustrating!? Frustrated, you say!?”
The old man had excellent hearing…
“I’ll say this, but I’m not enjoying any of this!”
– “So you hate it?”
‘…’
– “Oh, you rotten little brat! Look at you, struggling to even answer! Enjoying it while pretending not to!”
‘What do you mean by enjoying it? How could a sage utter such vulgar words!?’
– “Vulgar? Ha! Your face is the truly vulgar thing!”
‘You old codger…!’
In the end, he always delivered the final blow about my face.
He must think himself extraordinarily handsome to keep insisting on my appearance!
As I was frowning, Elder Shin began to boast with unwarranted pride.
– “Hmph, when I was young, it was not my sword that caught attention but my nose! It was awfully sharp! Women lined up from the foot of Mount Hua to the main entrance just to get a glimpse, you brat!”
‘Then why didn’t you get into a relationship?’
– “You little piece of—”
‘…What?’
I asked out of genuine curiosity, but Elder Shin simply vanished after hurling some insults my way.
I called for him a few more times, but it was like he was sulking.
For some reason, it felt like his attitude was getting rougher by the day. Was that just me?
‘But seriously, what do I do now?’
It felt like they were shifting in their sleep as their breaths edged closer.
Nervous about being caught in this situation, I figured I’d force myself up, but—
Slide.
“Young Master Gu, I apologize for suddenly intruding…”
“Oh.”
“Ah.”
The one who barged into the room was Tang Soyeol. Upon seeing the ridiculous situation, her face turned beet red, and she quickly covered it with her hands.
“Tang So—!”
“I-I’ll leave now, sorry…”
Without letting me get a word in, she slammed the door shut and darted away.
Only an awkward silence remained…
Hehehe…!
I could hear Elder Shin’s sinister laughter fading away.
To recount what happened afterward, I hastily stood up to go outside, but Tang Soyeol had already left the vicinity.
Upon asking a maid, I learned she had come for a reason. What could it have been that made her leave so quickly?
Although it seemed she came with something to say, I had my own priorities to tackle.
Wi Seol-Ah and Namgung Bi-ah looked half-asleep, so I delivered them each a light thump on the head.
I nearly chuckled at the way they avoided my gaze. I declared I would speak seriously with them upon my return, biting back the urge to explode at them right off the bat.
– “Why scold them? They should be thanking you! What a bad man…!”
I brushed off Elder Shin’s words, letting them slip from one ear and out the other.
The place I headed to that morning was the medical ward in the Gu Clan.
More specifically, I went to the area where the Namgung Clan’s martial artists were receiving treatment.
Naturally, they weren’t too pleased to see me after I’d put them in such a mess.
Giving me a razor-sharp glare was none other than the Immortal Healer tending to their injuries.
“What the hell are you doing? Why’s a kid like you punching adults… Tsk tsk.”
“I’m sorry…”
What he said might sound rather odd, but I couldn’t argue since I was the one who caused the chaos.
“On top of that, you beat them up so cleanly. Was that a coincidence?”
Now, I could do nothing but silently endure his probing.
“Even the trained guards couldn’t pull this off. Thanks to you, treating them was easy, though…”
“Is there anyone with long-term injuries?”
“The one who lost a tooth will suffer a bit, probably for about three months, but they’ll be alright. Your father spent quite a bit on it.”
Phew, that’s a relief.
I assumed that was what my father meant by “sufficient compensation to satisfy them.”
He likely contributed other medicinal ingredients as well, alongside the money.
“Thanks to you, this old man didn’t sleep a wink all night.”
“Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. I’m not sure what all went on, but I doubt you would’ve beaten them up for no good reason. Besides, I didn’t like how I was able to eat and sleep here for free, so I felt I had to contribute something.”
After wrapping up the discussion with the Immortal Healer, I made my way to the men lying down.
While they couldn’t speak their disdain toward me, their eyes clearly reflected their feelings. Still, when I brought up compensation and apologized bowing my head, the atmosphere eased up somewhat.
I even spotted some smiling when they heard about the monetary compensation. Clearly, my father had been generous with the reparations offered.
Knowing how to talk to the steward early in the morning proved beneficial.
The Namgung Clan agreed to shoulder most of the responsibility, allowing the Gu Clan to reach an implicit consensus to compensate the victims.
The perpetrator behind all this remained unknown to me, but with both clans actively seeking information, there wasn’t much I could do but wait.
To me, it seemed unlikely they would manage to capture the culprit, especially if they held power comparable to “him.”
Swish! Swish!
The clear sound of a sword slicing through the air rang out.
After meeting the martial artists from the Namgung Clan, I arrived at the training area. The sound I heard was Namgung Jin training with his sword.
“You seemed quite busy yesterday,” he remarked.
“I had something come up.”
I had dashed off to my father’s quarters just as he attempted to say something, so he might have had a reason to be angry but his demeanor didn’t suggest he was.
– “Doesn’t he look like he’s holding it in? Sure looks like that in my eyes.”
“…So, you sent your daughter to my room?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask why?”
“Hmm…?”
Namgung Jin’s expression twisted strangely upon hearing my question.
“Isn’t this what you bet on?”
‘Are you out of your mind—’
I was about to say it but recalled my prior remark about wanting his daughter, which shut me up.
“I believe I paid my price for this bet.”
I contemplated asking him how he could do this, given it involved his daughter, but held my tongue. Their familial relationship didn’t seem very warm given the past troubles Namgung Bi-ah had caused for their clan.
Namgung Jin himself wasn’t the greatest character either.
“Considering the engagement is practically confirmed, and you also have feelings for my daughter?”
“…”
I could easily refute that but chose not to.
I was already partially aware of the situation.
“It seems I’m correct since you’re not denying it.”
As soon as he finished, Namgung Jin returned to his training, not caring much about my interests regarding his daughter.
I could feel the power emanating from Namgung Jin just by the sound of his sword.
To be honest, he was a martial artist worthy of the name Sword King. Unfortunately, his opponent was one of the legendary heroes of the past.
Namgung Jin spoke again as if he caught me staring.
“Does it seem pathetic? Of course, to you, it may look that way.”
That wasn’t the case. I was genuinely impressed.
The Namgung Clan had a sword technique that didn’t require Qi and was called the Azure Heavenly Tidal Sword, a point of pride for them. That was also a technique that had been swiftly shut down by Elder Shin before.
– “How could I not shut it down when there are so many openings in there?”
I asked him, “Would you mind showing it to me?”
Namgung Bi-ah didn’t shy away from demonstrating her martial skill, but Namgung Jin was a different story. Not to mention that those from noble clans typically dislike showing off their techniques to others.
I posed the question and, halting his swift movements, Namgung Jin glanced over at me.
“Why should I hide it from someone like you? I’m trying to learn your sword art!”
What he displayed just now differed from Elder Shin’s teachings.
Yet, it appeared he was gradually orienting himself towards Elder Shin’s movements.
Though it didn’t seem to be yielding positive results.
“Is that how you dragged me here?”
“Drag? Anyone would misunderstand if they heard that.”
‘Drag? You were literally waiting for me at the entrance as soon as I exited the medical room!’
“Like I said before, if it means attaining your level of swordsmanship, I could kneel if I must.”
His eyes were serious. Naturally, he was accepting me as his master, setting aside his pride and arrogance.
– “Achieving enlightenment is indeed crucial, but he seems rather desperate.”
Elder Shin’s words indicated that Namgung Jin wasn’t just eager to reach the next level; he had a sense of urgency to it.
“So please, tell me how I can achieve it. I can call you master if you wish.”
“Please refrain from that.”
Imagining someone my father’s age calling me master wasn’t a pleasant thought.
Namgung Jin persisted, pleading for sword techniques, but I had no knowledge of them myself.
‘What am I supposed to do?’
– “I thrive off seeing you flustered like this.”
‘Elder Shin, did you really set this whole thing up without a backup plan?’
– “What do you think?”
‘So the old man really did have a plan in mind!’
His playful voice revealed the answer.
– “I don’t know everything about their sword arts, as I’m not from their clan. However, I know how to guide him in unlocking his potential.”
‘And you will share that with me?’
– “I’ve played enough, and I must keep my promise. But is there something holding you back?”
It wasn’t just something; there were plenty of things indeed.
At least it was reassuring to know I could pass on some insights, but—
“Hmm…”
Namgung Jin’s mask of seriousness couldn’t hide the desperation laced in his expression.
It seemed my leaving him with no explanation yesterday had further stoked the flames.
I considered the benefits of teaching sword techniques to Namgung Jin. I still had my reservations.
I didn’t know or particularly care about his circumstances. Sure, I thought of utilizing him but the bigger reason stayed with Namgung Bi-ah.
‘If only it weren’t for that.’
I potentially could’ve leveraged Namgung Jin for my gain, but whenever I recalled the girl I saw sleeping in my arms this morning, it was a no-go.
That girl who had wiped out her blood relatives in my past life. Could this timeline be fated to repeat itself?
I held onto the hope it would not.
If possible, I wanted to prevent such a future from unfolding.
“Lord,” I addressed Namgung Jin.
“How about we draw up a contract first?”
With my most sincere smile, I spoke. Upon seeing my grin, his expression darkened as if he had seen something terrible.
‘…Why?’
While Gu Yangcheon and Namgung Jin enjoyed a friendly conversation, Namgung Bi-ah took the time to meet someone, accompanied by Wi Seol-Ah. Typically, this girl who was by her side would engage in constant chatter, but today she sat nervously sipping her tea.
As Namgung Bi-ah drank her tea, the door slid open, and someone entered.
It was none other than Tang Soyeol.
Carefully entering the room, Tang Soyeol paused as she spotted Namgung Bi-ah.
“Sis… Did you put on makeup?”
She sounded startled, her voice trembling with shock.
Namgung Bi-ah looked different compared to the last time Tang Soyeol had seen her with makeup.
The added color made her already stunning face glow.
“…Just a little,” Namgung Bi-ah replied, avoiding eye contact, feeling a bit shy.
“What prompted this? You always said it was too much trouble to look nice, even though I kept telling you to try.”
Upon hearing Tang Soyeol, Namgung Bi-ah turned away again and said, “…He said I looked pretty…”
Her ears flushed with embarrassment as they turned red.
No one bothered to ask who “he” was. All three shared the same person in mind.
“R-Right. You do look pretty… really pretty.”
That wasn’t sarcastic. Tang Soyeol genuinely thought Namgung Bi-ah was a beauty.
That was an understatement; Tang Soyeol thought someone like Namgung Bi-ah could rightly be called the most beautiful in the world.
‘But there’s also that beautiful servant next to her…’
Was she Gu Yangcheon’s servant? The girl who quietly accompanied Namgung Bi-ah was captivating in her own right.
Even considering her youth, her beauty was indeed eye-catching.
‘Is that why Gu Yangcheon keeps her around?’
Tang Soyeol mused. She wondered whether their bond was something more than master and servant.
Tang Soyeol recalled the scene from this morning and felt embarrassed, her cheeks flushing.
In matters of “that,” she had adequate education but it was her first-time witnessing it first-hand, making it challenging for her to deal with.
Tang Soyeol steeled herself and asked, “A-Anyway, what brings you here…?” while trying to suppress her heated thoughts.
At Tang Soyeol’s question, Namgung Bi-ah refocused her attention. The flush in her ears had somewhat receded.
“I… have something to discuss.”
With a more serious demeanor, Tang Soyeol bit her lip as she sat opposite Namgung Bi-ah, matching her intensity.
Namgung Bi-ah realized her throat felt dry and sipped her tea.
“…I slept with him last night.”
Pbbfff—!
Just as Tang Soyeol was about to sip her tea, she heard this shocking statement— causing her to spit it out.
“Hey… you got it all over me!”
“Ahhh…! I-I’m sorry!”
Wi Seol-Ah grumbled while wiping away the mess.
“Sis… what did you just say?”
Even still, Namgung Bi-ah kept her serious tone.
“…I slept holding hands with him.”
“Wait a minute…”
Tang Soyeol’s reaction turned sour. The emotions churning inside her were anything but pleasant.
It felt cold and hostile. She didn’t want to harbor such feelings toward Namgung Bi-ah.
“Sis, I don’t want to hear about this…”
“I might be having his child…”
“…Huh?”
What the?
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