Chapter 252: Lady of White Flowers, Mi Hyoran (2)
How long has it been?
Not long since I woke up. As I watched the moon rise, it was probably just past midnight.
It was somewhat late for a guest to drop by, but Namgung Bi-ah had no words to say about it.
After all, the guest was quite the exceptional one.
“…”
As Namgung Bi-ah searched every nook and cranny, the lady who sipped the tea she had managed to find exuded an air of elegance.
Despite the traces of time evident in her presence, she maintained her exquisite beauty, and just a glance at her attire revealed it was anything but ordinary.
The heavy silence flowed around them like a thick fog.
What should she say to break the silence? Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t help but resent her lack of conversational skills.
As she fidgeted with her lips, hesitating to speak, the lady sitting across from her broke the silence first.
“I apologize for visiting so late at night.”
The lady smiled gently as she spoke, her smile radiating an elegance that only made it all the more intimidating for Namgung Bi-ah.
“Oh… I, uh… was in the middle of training… so… you don’t have to worry,” she stammered.
“Thank you for understanding. Training, huh? Do you always train at this hour?”
“…Ah, yes…”
“I see. How diligent of you.”
With that, the lady began to write something on a piece of paper she had laid out.
“…Training… at night.”
It looked like she was jotting down something highly significant. Namgung Bi-ah was overly curious but dared not sneak a peek.
It seemed the lady noticed Namgung Bi-ah’s interest too. She cleared her throat lightly, breaking the silence once more.
“Sorry, I just needed to jot something down for a moment.”
“No problem…”
“Is it alright if I call you Young Lady Namgung?”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded in response, instantly regretting it.
She should have spoken up instead of just nodding. Was it her nerves making her feel as if her brain had short-circuited?
“You can just call m—”
The lady abruptly stopped mid-sentence, a clear indication she had more to say but struggled to get it out.
“…Lady Mi. Yes, please call me Lady Mi.”
“Understood…”
“I’m sorry for dropping by so late. I heard that a blood relative of the great Namgung Clan was here, so I took the liberty to come and have a chat.”
Namgung Bi-ah nodded, but was that truly the reason?
It seemed she wanted to talk, but maybe it wasn’t solely because Namgung Bi-ah belonged to the Namgung Clan.
…Why?
Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t pinpoint why she felt that way, but something inside her insisted it was true.
After all, her intuition was rarely wrong.
“Young Lady Namgung, I see you have quite a calm demeanor.”
“…Ah.”
Was that a subtle way of saying she was too quiet and boring?
If so, Namgung Bi-ah wanted to change that perception herself, but alas, she had no means to do so.
In truth, she was the type to keep her mouth shut anyway.
“I wish my daughters could have inherited that trait.”
“Huh…?”
Was she okay?
Namgung Bi-ah struggled to follow the flow of the conversation.
What was happening?
Attempting to suppress her nerves, she scrutinized the lady in front of her.
…The odor… is faint…?
It was barely detectable unless she focused, but that slight odor indicated Namgung Bi-ah’s own level of advancement, significantly enhancing her awareness of such details. Yet, the lady’s presence remained quite subtle.
This alone offered her a measure of comfort.
However, the silence lingered.
Namgung Bi-ah had no idea how to break the stillness, nor did she know how to act around her guest.
After all, Gu Yangcheon was a child of a concubine, and the woman before her was his official wife, which made this social situation quite complicated for Namgung Bi-ah.
Then, she recalled the words Gu Yangcheon once said.
—You really should study a bit of common sense.
Is this one of those situations where common sense comes into play?
If so, she should have taken his advice much earlier on.
Especially if she had foreseen herself in a predicament like this.
“That child,” Lady Mi resumed, breaking the silence once again, causing Namgung Bi-ah to tense up.
…What…?
When she mentioned that child, it distinctly sounded like she was referring to Gu Yangcheon.
What could Lady Mi possibly want to say about Gu Yangcheon?
…Criticism…?
Typically, when a wife brings up a concubine’s child, the words aren’t exactly dripping with praise.
Namgung Bi-ah had witnessed it countless times.
Was she going to drag Gu Yangcheon through the mud for his past mistakes or perhaps for mistakes he never committed?
How should she respond if that were the case?
Should I… get angry at her…?
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn’t hesitate to draw her sword, but now, thinking carefully was crucial.
If she acted recklessly, the blame would solely land on her shoulders.
Understanding this, Namgung Bi-ah contemplated deeply, knowing she must not harm Gu Yangcheon with any actions of hers.
She couldn’t afford to act recklessly if she wanted to remain close to him.
As she braced herself for whatever was to come, tension building in her, she awaited Lady Mi’s words.
“Does he treat you well?”
“…Pardon?”
“That child—does he treat Young Lady Namgung well?”
The question completely caught Namgung Bi-ah off guard, leaving her mind even more blank than it had been.
Does he… treat me well?
She pondered.
Things had gotten slightly better recently, but he still tended to avoid her whenever she approached.
He had promised he wouldn’t disappear, yet he often did so without a word.
Then he returned with some significant injuries.
His words could be sharp.
He also displayed zero awareness of those around him…
…
The more she turned the question in her mind, the more odd it felt.
As Namgung Bi-ah’s expression grew increasingly bewildered, Lady Mi smiled gently.
“I can see it in your expression.”
“…Ah…! Well, that is…”
It was a slip-up.
She should’ve managed her expression better.
Namgung Bi-ah was annoyed at herself for being so vulnerable at such a moment.
“He’s a thorny child, as you know.”
Upon hearing Lady Mi’s words, Namgung Bi-ah had to stop herself from making heated defenses.
“He wears thorns to hide his wounds, so please don’t hold it against him. This is the fault of adults, not of the child…”
Her tone remained calm and steady.
Though her voice bore no evident emotion, each word resonated with an unexpected warmth that eased Namgung Bi-ah’s anxiety.
She was nothing like the lady Namgung Bi-ah had conjured up in her mind.
“Thank you for allowing me to visit so late at night. I shouldn’t take up any more of your time, so I will take my leave.”
With that, Lady Mi stood and slightly bowed her head.
Namgung Bi-ah rushed to stand as well, but Lady Mi gestured for her to remain seated.
It seemed she was signaling that Namgung Bi-ah didn’t need to see her off, but Namgung Bi-ah felt she could not remain seated.
Did she really come for such a brief conversation?
What was Lady Mi truly here for?
Namgung Bi-ah had no means to understand, as their meeting was too short and vague, yet something told her she couldn’t let Lady Mi leave just like that.
“…He’s… a good person.”
After Namgung Bi-ah awkwardly expressed her thoughts, Lady Mi paused in her steps.
“Young Lady?”
“Despite pretending not to care, he looks out for everyone around him.”
As she spoke about Gu Yangcheon, the words flowed smoothly, less hesitant than before.
How fascinating that she could transform so much when it came to him.
“…Even when it appears he’s acting recklessly, he’s always doing it for someone else’s sake.”
Of course, his temperament could be problematic, and his behavior at times over the top. Even though he declared he lived solely for himself, Namgung Bi-ah knew he always cared for those around him.
She had no idea why sometimes his gaze toward her appeared tinged with remorse and regret, but since he never broached the topic, she didn’t push for answers.
Whatever the case, the fact that he cared for others was enough for Namgung Bi-ah.
“…He’s a good person.”
While she articulated her opinion clearly, she still struggled to voice all her thoughts due to her reserved nature.
Lady Mi seemed to reflect upon Namgung Bi-ah’s words for a moment, then softly smiled, the same faint smile from before.
“…Is that so?”
With that, Lady Mi exited slowly, her figure fading into the night.
Left alone, Namgung Bi-ah felt as if she had weathered a storm, finally allowing herself a deep breath.
In recollections to come, she would remember this day as the most tense of her life.
She walked through the darkened path.
Moonlight filtered down, illuminating the way, yet the road remained unclear.
For an ordinary, untrained person, navigating without a guiding light would prove difficult.
However, Mi Hyoran walked the path calmly.
She knew this route well, having traversed it countless times.
There had been a flower to the left.
It was no longer there, but it had once bloomed there.
She hadn’t memorized its name, but it had surely been a white flower.
The grass grew wild due to lack of upkeep, and the trees were not particularly lovely, but Mi Hyoran paid no mind.
She understood well why her husband refrained from caring for this path.
He likely didn’t wish to disturb the garden she had created.
What a foolish person.
That was the extent of Mi Hyoran’s thoughts.
As she ambled through the garden,
“Mujin.”
Suddenly, she called out for someone.
-…Yes, Leader.
A voice came unexpectedly from the air.
Unperturbed, Mi Hyoran inquired gently.
“How have things been?”
-…As people have said, a great deal seems to have changed.
“Examples?”
-The most significant example would be that I think they noticed my presence.
At the words uttered by the man known as Mujin, a flicker of curiosity lit up Mi Hyoran’s eyes.
They noticed his presence?
“Are you sure?”
-Yes. To put it more precisely, it seems they sensed my essence from the moment I encountered you, Leader.
So, he had been aware of Mujin’s presence since entering Gu Yangcheon’s room?
That child?
-Because of this, I couldn’t approach easily, but from afar, he appeared to be markedly different from before.
“…Hmm.”
Mi Hyoran pondered Mujin’s words, mulling over her swirling emotions.
“Could it be joy, confusion, or perhaps regret?”
It was perplexing.
Even now, emotions remained a complicated matter for her.
She felt anxious about the child’s growth, wondering if he had managed to overcome the scars of the past. Perhaps, for Mi Hyoran, this could even be categorized as hope.
However, labeling her feelings proved difficult.
“Right, they now call him the True Dragon, correct?”
-Yes. I’ve heard it has spread widely across the Central Plains.
She learned that the child had acquired a new title.
She knew he had become the talk among the younger generation as well as occupied a significant spot in many minds.
How did that child manage to achieve such distinction?
Unable to endure the heartache from the scars on his psyche, the young boy had slowly but surely been weighted down.
Yet, he had transformed in this way while she remained absent, as if she had pulled away.
While Mi Hyoran was wrapped up in such inscrutable feelings,
…
Mujin recalled their prior meeting.
He didn’t express it to his Leader, but Gu Yangcheon had perceived much more than just his presence.
I can’t believe I got found out.
The moment he realized the other sensed him, the thought of creating distance crossed his mind, but Gu Yangcheon had cast him a glance of profound annoyance.
Their eyes met, even from that considerable distance.
And then,
[You’re quite bothersome, so please cut it out.]
Mujin was left astonished by this mental communication.
…How…?
The last time Mujin had seen the Leader’s son, he had appeared irreparably broken, in his eyes.
Not in body, but in mind.
Yet what about now?
It’s shallow.
In stark contrast to his palpable presence, the sensation felt too superficial to grasp the fundamentals of his character.
This indicated that Gu Yangcheon was adept at concealing his strength.
How could this possibly happen in just a handful of years?
Although the Leader had distanced himself from the clan, it had only been a few years.
Yet, during that brief period, Gu Yangcheon had managed to metamorphose every facet of himself.
Was it truly achievable purely through self-effort?
Or was there external aid?
Mujin abruptly cast aside the distracted thoughts that had overrun him.
Certainly, there was no way his Leader would remain oblivious to what he was deliberating.
“I see. You have done well.”
-…I did not accomplish much.
As Mi Hyoran resumed walking, she decided to ask Mujin another question.
“By the way, how is your son doing?”
-Ah…
Mujin seemed caught off guard for an instant at Mi Hyoran’s inquiry.
He hadn’t expected his Leader to recall such details.
After taking a moment to gather his thoughts, Mujin replied awkwardly.
-He seems to be doing alright.
It appeared his son had found himself often near the Leader’s son, and judging by his expression, he seemed to be managing well.
“…I’m glad to hear that.”
-Leader.
“Hmm.”
-May I inquire about what transpired during that previous meeting?
When Mujin voiced his curiosity, Mi Hyoran suddenly came to a halt.
“How curious that you would ask me something.”
-…I’m sorry if it’s an intrusion.
“No, there’s no need for you to apologize.”
Her expression shifted.
The fleeting warmth that had been in Mi Hyoran’s demeanor vanished, returning her to a frigid countenance.
“From my observations, that child didn’t appear very promising.”
She was referring to Namgung Bi-ah.
An extraordinarily beautiful girl, yet she seemed lacking for someone claiming noble lineage.
Her potential might be high, and she even held a title dedicated to her, but it hardly met Mi Hyoran’s expectations.
The world held numerous exceptionally talented individuals; in this regard, facets beyond martial prowess were of utmost importance.
I was on the verge of taking action myself.
As for the Namgung Clan.
Though they stood as the core of the prideful Four Noble Clans, they were equally entangled in countless dirty schemes.
The darkness residing there was so profound that even the slightest shard was enough to sever connections or leverage pressure.
What’s more, the White Flowers merchant association possessed too many elements involved in such affairs.
For Mi Hyoran, who struggled to express herself, this was the extent of her capabilities concerning her children.
Mi Hyoran could have fully severed this engagement if she wished.
-…He is a good person…
However, hearing Namgung Bi-ah’s last words, Mi Hyoran momentarily set aside her thoughts.
“While that child may lack some skills, they weren’t bad.”
As she uttered these words, Mi Hyoran resumed her slow pace. Mujin remained silent, his response gone unheard, but she didn’t mind.
…It’s still challenging.
She wished to share as much with her remaining children as she did with her daughters, but she found it exceptionally difficult.
She was uncertain if she even had the right to do so.
Since she wasn’t their biological mother.
As she moved slowly, she glanced back at the spot where the white flowers had once stood.
The spot that harbored the memory of those white flowers.
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