Chapter: 259
After finishing my wandering around the city, I returned to my residence.
I hurried my steps as Namgung Bi-ah’s intimidating gaze kept poking me in the back, and to my surprise, I arrived earlier than expected.
‘… I really shouldn’t go out looking like that again.’
For someone who didn’t even know where their food was going.
There was no way I could last long in that atmosphere.
Someday.
If possible, we should go out together.
I guess I’ll have to either go alone or only bring one person with me.
If not, it would really be a matter of getting choked up.
Phew!
Slowly, I extended my fist forward.
Even while lost in thought, my movements were still precise.
It must be thanks to the countless repetitions from before.
What’s hard is hard.
Training wasn’t something I could take a break from, so I had to tough it out.
‘As the stakes increase, it gets that much harder to control,’ I mused.
Compressing that increased bet is an even tougher challenge.
Unlike my past life, where I just let whatever I accumulated burst out.
In this life, I needed to learn a more efficient way to use it.
Having just attained a glimpse of enlightenment.
I needed to inflate it and store it in my body.
It was all to ascend to a slightly higher level.
Moving while retracing each small action.
In doing so, I would reduce the moving bets.
Yet, I was determined to reach the desired level of power.
That required intense concentration, and as pain radiated from my lower abdomen as if it were being squeezed.
But I still had to push through.
Crunch!
With my toes lowering carefully.
I recalled the conversation I’d had with Mo Yong-hee just before.
In conclusion,
Mo Yong-hee had mentioned she would be going to Anhui with me.
It was unavoidable because we needed to receive heat periodically.
Coincidentally, there were matters to attend to in Anhui as well.
So she said she would be accompanying me.
Of course, this was something of which I had a fair amount of foresight.
But when she said she was truly going with me, I couldn’t help but be more surprised than I had anticipated.
Regardless of the fact that a blood relative of the Murong family was visiting another family.
What’s more, the Murong family and the Namgung family.
Though quite a bit has crumbled by now.
Even just a few generations ago, they were frequently compared to the four great noble clans.
‘… It seems the Murong family is somewhat lacking right now.’
Just based on martial strength.
If we were to consider the head clan leader, the King of the Heavenly Sword, Namgung Jin, or take into account his son, Nyo-ryong.
Even aside from those two, just thinking of Namgung Bi-ah, who was right next to me, was sufficient.
It probably won’t be easy to find talent like Namgung Bi-ah not just in the Namgung clan but across the entire Central Plains.
She was a woman who had reached her peak at a shockingly young age.
In her previous life, she possessed the power to single-handedly annihilate her own clan.
Of course, someone like Mo Yong-hee also had talent, albeit a different kind.
Rather than outstanding martial talent as a fighter—
Her talents leaned more toward commerce or strategy.
‘… I definitely know that very well.’
Having seen it so many times in my past life, there’s no way I wouldn’t.
Amid those crazy monsters.
The reason so many survivors managed to endure for such a lengthy period was not due to the power of high-level martial metrics gathered together.
It was because Seolbong was exceptionally skilled and efficient at leading people.
Moreover, whenever a situation arose requiring personal sacrifice,
She threw herself into it without any hesitation.
That meant many created reasons to follow her order.
An incomparably cold and rational woman.
Had the laughter been frozen in her cynical atmosphere?
Such a person who never appeared at all.
That was the Seolbong I remembered.
– I’ll cherish it.
“…”
A bright smile had suddenly appeared on her face as she accepted a cheap trinket from me.
It was a face so different from my previous life.
I had never imagined Seolbong could wear such an expression.
I had never even attempted to envision it.
What this suggests is—
‘Just like the Demon Sword Master, she too can change.’
From the current Namgung Bi-ah,
Just as the blood smell felt from the last lifetime’s Demon Sword Master, along with the revulsion and hatred she expressed towards others, including the altruistic male, were now nowhere to be seen.
Following the calming of Mo Yong-hee’s icy demeanor.
I had begun to sense an atmosphere different from her past life emanating from her.
If that is the case, due to me…
Crack—
“Ugh…!”
Could it have resulted from a fleeting thought?
The toes I had been carefully moving now wobbled unexpectedly.
As my movements became distorted, the energy I barely held onto scattered.
It returned to my lower Danjeon.
“…Tsk.”
Realizing this, I let out a brief click of my tongue.
This is why I shouldn’t have any distracting thoughts.
“Today’s training is over.”
When focus breaks, pushing further wouldn’t yield any benefits.
Ultimately, once I’d reclaimed every last bit of the energy remaining in my body.
I moved towards the exit.
‘Somehow…’
Was it due to all the random thoughts crowding my mind?
I didn’t think I would get a good sleep tonight.
*
I am dreaming.
How long has it been since I last had a dream?
And not a nightmare but an ordinary one.
The reason I could tell right away that it was a dream was—
There was no special reason.
‘It feels soft.’
I found myself scratching a cat’s chin.
Since there’s no cat in my place.
So obviously, it must be a dream.
I don’t particularly like cats.
Well, more accurately, I don’t like animals at all.
I was merely petting it because it caught my eye.
Was my hand that soothing?
The cat rubbed its face against my palm.
It was a white cat with blue eyes.
How unique.
I didn’t know such a cat existed.
It looked quite different from the spotted cats I occasionally saw around the neighborhood.
There was a certain air of elegance about it, perhaps?
Just by looking, it was clear this one had a good pedigree.
Purr—
I moved my fingertips quickly to itch its chin.
The cat began to purr.
Clearly, it was enjoying it.
But for some reason, it feels like someone I know.
With its white fur and blue eyes.
Who could it be…?
Surely, it resembles someone.
‘Ah!’
It suddenly clicked.
Isn’t there someone around who matches this description perfectly?
‘Namgung Bi-ah.’
White and blue-eyed.
That’s a perfect match.
This cat resembled Namgung Bi-ah.
Is that why?
For some odd reason, the caressing of its fur felt different.
I shifted my hand from its chin.
I started to stroke its head or gently brush its cheek.
Perhaps because it was a dream, but throughout all this, the cat quietly savored the attention.
At that moment.
Grrrrrr—
Somewhere, the sound of a beast gnashing its teeth could be heard.
I quickly checked behind me.
An unfamiliar black mass was slowly approaching.
‘What the…’
What on earth is that?
I looked back in disbelief at the sudden surge of energy.
The oncoming black shape suddenly rushed at me at full speed.
In my panic, I quickly grasped the cat.
It was for its protection.
Cradling it tightly felt strangely different.
Sure, it looked like a tiny cat.
Yet, it felt as if my arms were completely full.
Was it akin to hugging a person?
The sensation of its softness was simply different.
“Ugh.”
“Hmm?”
A brief yelp echoed.
It was too vivid to be just a dream.
The sensation felt just as real.
Can this even be called a dream?
Perhaps this very feeling of strangeness is what jolted me awake?
“…Hmm?”
Raising my heavy eyelids, I barely managed to check my surroundings.
I was hugging something.
It was remarkably soft and fluffy.
What is that?
A pillow?
As I leaned slightly forward,
I felt something stroking my hair.
Going by the feel of it, it was assuredly a hand.
Once I grasped that, I quickly pulled back, making some distance.
“What, what is it?”
After assessing the situation, I came face to face with what I had been holding.
There, Namgung Bi-ah was standing, her eyes wide open in astonishment.
“… You, you what? What are you doing?”
I asked, startled.
Namgung Bi-ah simply tilted her head in confusion.
“… I just… came to wake you up?”
Considering the absurdity of the situation, this felt even more like a dream.
No way.
Was everything I’d been feeling in my dream actually real?
No, that can’t be right.
If it were true, Namgung Bi-ah wouldn’t remain so composed.
“Are you okay…?”
To my surprise, she cited concern over my abrupt reaction.
“It’s fine. Nothing happened.”
“…”
She tilted her head at my response.
Then she did the unexpected, spreading her arms slightly.
With a frown, I inquired.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“… Do you want to hug me… or… Or do you want to touch me…?”
“…”
I brushed my reddened cheeks at Namgung Bi-ah’s words.
It seemed clear that this was not merely a dream.
“… No, just fold your arms again.”
“… Okay…”
As directed, Namgung Bi-ah returned her arms to the original position.
Her uninvited entrance into my room wasn’t something out of the ordinary.
It shouldn’t be surprising, yet…
No, it is surprising. I simply got used to it.
Even the servants now seemed indifferent to whether Namgung Bi-ah entered or not.
‘This is genuinely embarrassing.’
Isn’t this likely to be the most embarrassing moment of my year so far?
I never expected it to turn out like this.
“… Step outside. I’ll wash up and join you shortly.”
“…”
First, I needed to cool my face down a bit.
I wanted to send Namgung Bi-ah away after calming down a little.
Yet, for some reason, she merely sat still, eyes fixed on me.
“Why? Do you want to say something?”
In response to my inquiry, she slowly spread her arms again.
“See… I want to hug you again…”
“Get out…”
“… Okay…”
Finally, Namgung Bi-ah left, looking somewhat disappointed.
In a hurry, I called a servant to quickly finish washing my face, then changed my clothes.
The servant’s gaze felt oddly peculiar.
When he caught sight of my flustered expression, he promptly changed his demeanor.
Perhaps my flushed face led him to entertain some strange thoughts.
“When’s our departure?”
“I heard it’s in about an hour.”
“I guess we’ll have time for a meal then.”
I nodded at the servant’s response.
Several days had passed since I’d journeyed out with Namgung Bi-ah and Mo Yong-hee.
Today marked the day I’d set off for Anhui, as my father had mentioned.
My stay at Sega wasn’t extended, meaning my schedule was tight.
I had to take care of quite a few matters in just a handful of days.
Showing my face around to the merchants referenced by my father.
I also had to cram in all the training sessions I’d missed.
Moreover, Gu Hee-bi kept pestering me whenever she found a chance.
And somehow, I seemed to run into Lady Mi all too frequently.
Ah.
Just for the record, at the point where Namgung Bi-ah handed the necklace to Mo Yong-hee,
She had refrained from speaking to me for several days.
It seemed she’d been quite upset.
Even when I tried to approach her, she would ignore me and avoid any interactions.
While I was mulling over how to remedy the situation,
Hongwa, who had been observing my distress, spoke up.
– How about offering her a flower or two? I’m sure it’ll cheer her up.
Initially, I was taken aback by the suggestion.
If flowers could mend feelings, wouldn’t they have cheered up sooner?
After asking if there was anything else I could do,
Hongwa made a face I’d never seen before and sighed heavily.
– … Just a moment, it felt sad for Lady Namgung.
The tone was a rather lamentable one.
Impersonating that sentiment, I collected some flowers and brought them to Namgung Bi-ah.
Just so you know, I picked some white flowers to offer.
Since the only flowers I was familiar with were those my mother had tended.
‘… I’m just grateful that worked out.’
And truly, it did work.
When I handed her the flowers,
Astonishingly, I witnessed Namgung Bi-ah’s expression shift to one of surprise.
Not only that, but she even smiled.
Why did that work?
Aren’t they just flowers?
The emotions of a woman can be quite the mystery.
Once I suited up and stepped outside.
I saw Namgung Bi-ah standing in the garden.
She appeared captivated by the lake in my yard.
There should’ve been nothing in it…
Originally, there would have been carp in that pond.
However, since it seemed too bothersome to manage, I sent them off to Gu Yeonseo’s pond.
“When did you wake up?”
“Hmm?”
“If you made your way all the way to my room, you must’ve gotten up really early, right?”
“…Ah.”
Contrasting my just-finished preparations,
Namgung Bi-ah had evidently completed her grooming long ago.
Her hair looked beautifully styled.
It even appeared she’d applied some light makeup.
“There’s no way you did that yourself. Did Hongwa help you?”
“…Huh?”
I asked, doubting someone with Namgung Bi-ah’s nature would have taken the trouble to prepare for going home.
Especially not the Namgung Bi-ah who was usually quite the heavy sleeper in the morning.
Her clothes also seemed more formal than usual.
The sword that typically hung on her waist was nowhere to be seen.
One could easily tell that someone else did this for her.
“Who did this?”
“… Well, that’s…”
What’s with the hesitance in her response?
Namgung Bi-ah evaded eye contact as if embarrassed by my inquiry.
Did it really have to go that far?
“… It was Mrs. Mi…”
“What?”
My surprise escalated at the unexpected answer.
Mrs. Mi suddenly popped up in this conversation.
“Why would Mrs. Mi do that?”
“… Since I’m going back to my home, it seems right to show that I’ve been doing well…”
So,
This meant Mrs. Mi had sought out Namgung Bi-ah early this morning.
She must have enlisted a servant or someone to wash, dress, and prepare her.
“What’s the meaning of all this?”
I grasped the general idea.
The distance to Anhui isn’t exactly short.
Why start all this fuss already?
As if reading my thoughts, Namgung Bi-ah added,
“… When we arrive, I’ll let you know then too…”
“…”
Yes, that fits.
At least Mrs. Mi will be coming along too.
But the big question was why would she bother Namgung Bi-ah like that?
‘It’s not just about the observable surprise.’
But even if she were to act that way toward anyone else, it seemed quite puzzling.
’I’ve heard things are quite arduous for Gu Hee-bi as well.’
The moment Mrs. Mi returned.
Gu Hee-bi began to collapse.
Originally, during her fiery temperament, it would be quite the fiery stormier than me.
Manners and concepts.
Then she’d get entangled with Mrs. Mi, who valued decorum and dignity.
It was said that she’s been undergoing lessons on those traits and attitudes.
‘Just imagining this gives me the creeps.’
Even when did Gu Hee-bi ever care about such things?
Furthermore, in the current Central Plains scene, if you say “Sword Phoenix.”
Alongside her reputation as the foremost review index,
This fiery personality had already become renowned to the point it followed her around.
Gu Hee-bi’s temperament has always been like this, not just nowadays.
And it won’t change in the future. At least, that’s what the future I witnessed indicated.
But that doesn’t imply she’ll defy Mrs. Mi or run away.
Gu Hee-bi likely holds quite a bit of affection for her mother.
Conversely, Gu Yeonseo seemed to relish such a dynamic.
“So that’s why you barged in to see me so early in the morning?”
“…Uh-huh.”
“You must’ve had a rough time.”
“No…”
No, it wasn’t really like that.
It was curious that a girl who isn’t easily roused managed to wake up before dawn.
Apparently, she managed to wake up after all.
“Let’s go eat first.”
“…Ah…”
Namgung Bi-ah hesitated for a moment.
“What’s wrong?”
I’d heard that we had about an hour left to leave.
There should be plenty of time for a meal.
So I was puzzled by Namgung Bi-ah’s subtle expression at my suggestion.
This time of day, there’s no way Namgung Bi-ah would’ve had anything to eat.
Why the reluctance?
“Is there an issue?”
I asked, puzzled.
Namgung Bi-ah gave a cautious reply.
“…Um, food… Mrs. Mi said we should eat together…”
“What?”
Mrs. Mi?
I felt a bit stunned that she proposed this to Namgung Bi-ah and not to me.
Recently, my encounters with her had seemed to multiply for some reason.
So why would she suddenly propose breakfast this early?
“What’s going on with this? Where should we even go?”
“…”
In response to my question about where we should head,
Namgung Bi-ah shook her head.
As if that was not correct.
“No? Then what the heck…?”
“Just me…”
“Huh?”
“… She told me to come alone…”
“…?”
…Only you?
Why?
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.