Chapter: 377
A meal that started by renting out an entire guesthouse.
Of course, my father was sitting at the head table.
Next to him sat Mrs. Mi, and the empty seat appeared to be the spot for Elder Il Jang-ro.
Gu Hee-bi and Gu Yeon-seo were also seated.
Gu Yeon-seo’s eyes were particularly red, as if she had been crying.
That was all fine up to that point.
Crying is something that can happen.
It doesn’t matter if Gu Yeon-seo cried because she hadn’t seen Mrs. Mi in ages or for some other reason.
But here’s the problem.
‘Why are they here?’
What bothered me was something entirely different.
I clearly came for a family dinner, but there were some unexpected faces around.
There were people who I wondered why they were here in the first place.
First of all.
‘Why is Namgung Jin here…?’
Namgung Jin, the head of the Namgung family and the King of the Heavenly Sword. He suddenly sat right next to my father. I honestly thought I was seeing things wrong.
What’s he doing here?
Of course, there was Namgung Jin, the King of the Heavenly Sword, and beside him sat Namgung Bi-a.
Namgung Bi-a waved her hand as she opened the door upon seeing me enter.
‘Alright, so far so good.’
It could be acceptable since they are engaged to the Namgung family.
It’s a family meal, after all—eating with the fiancée’s family is no big deal.
I felt okay about that, even if I didn’t expect it.
‘…But what is she doing here?’
The problem was Wi Seol-ah sitting next to Namgung Bi-a.
Looking at Wi Seol-ah’s expression, I could sense her emotions.
She had that look like she didn’t even know why she was there herself.
Our eyes met. Her pupils were shaking madly.
The expression she wore while looking at me was filled with a plea for her life.
‘She seems to have been dragged here.’
But who dragged her?
No, even if she was brought here, it’s strange that my father allowed this…
‘…Ah.’
My father knew Wi Seol-ah was the granddaughter of Geomjon. Was that the reason?
But I couldn’t imagine my father inviting her just for that.
At that moment.
-…I brought her here.
A voice reached my ear. It was Namgung Bi-a.
-You brought her? That… Wi Seol-ah?
-Yeah….
-Why?
-That’s… not okay?
Namgung Bi-a says it as if there’s no problem, but I was even more puzzled as to why she thought this was acceptable.
-…No, this is…
-I got permission.
-You received permission? From whom?
-From mother….
I couldn’t help but frown slightly at Namgung Bi-a’s words.
Mrs. Mi gave her approval?
‘Why would Mrs. Mi do that?’
My gaze instinctively shifted to Mrs. Mi.
As soon as I looked at her, Mrs. Mi was already staring back at me.
Just as I was about to ask a question, Mrs. Mi spoke first.
“Are you planning to keep standing?”
“…I was about to sit down.”
I walked over and pulled out a chair across from Namgung Bi-a.
The empty space was practically the only one visible.
Wi Seol-ah happened to be seated right next to Gu Hee-bi.
Because of that, Gu Hee-bi slowly approached Wi Seol-ah, starting a conversation.
“You…”
“Yes…?”
“Haven’t we met before?”
“…!”
Wi Seol-ah flinched at Gu Hee-bi’s words.
It was no surprise.
She had really encountered Gu Hee-bi in the past.
When I finished my journey in Sichuan and arrived at Gu Village.
It must have been when Gu Hee-bi returned home after her swordsman duties.
It was roughly about a year ago since I returned.
When Gu Hee-bi saw Wi Seol-ah, she said this to me:
-Give her to me.
Gu Hee-bi, who requested that I hand over Wi Seol-ah, who had been serving me as an attendant.
At the time, I thought she was talking nonsense and declared I wouldn’t give her up, which almost got my hair set on fire.
It’s a rather grim memory to call it a memory.
Remembering that moment, Gu Hee-bi looks at Wi Seol-ah and says.
“Hey cute one. Don’t you remember me?”
“W-wait a moment.”
“It’s nice to meet you, but why is our cute one here?”
Gu Hee-bi hugs Wi Seol-ah as if she’s found some scrumptious prey, and begins to pet her all over.
Wi Seol-ah shoots me another look, once again begging for her life.
But that was something I was utterly helpless to change.
At that moment,
Namgung Bi-a suddenly glanced over at Gu Hee-bi and spoke.
“…Excuse me.”
“Huh?”
Gu Hee-bi frowned at Namgung Bi-a’s words.
Gu Hee-bi didn’t like Namgung Bi-a very much.
‘Rather than saying she disliked her, it felt more like she was uncomfortable.’
Even when I was getting scolded and rolling around on the battlefield, Namgung Bi-a would often stick with Gu Hee-bi.
Gu Hee-bi made her discomfort clear, but Namgung Bi-a didn’t care, always trailing behind, exploring battle tactics or slaying monsters.
Could it be that Namgung Bi-a secretly liked Gu Hee-bi?
‘But why…?’
No matter how much I tried to think about it, I couldn’t uncover that mystery, but it was what it was.
“…Me too.”
“What?”
Namgung Bi-a raised her hair like she wanted some affection too.
Gu Hee-bi’s face instantly went blank.
My expression mirrored hers as I looked on.
I never thought she’d ask for that.
And after hearing her, Gu Hee-bi quickly frowned.
“No. You’re not cute anymore.”
“…!”
With a firm rejection stated, she resumed hugging and tormenting Wi Seol-ah.
Meanwhile, Namgung Bi-a’s expression, which had turned pale as if she’d been shocked, was priceless.
Seeing that reminded me.
‘By big, does she mean height?’
That must be it.
‘But no, that’s not important.’
The situation was so amusing that I briefly forgot what was really important.
I quickly sent Namgung Bi-a a message.
-So… did you invite her too?
Namgung Bi-a, looking as if her soul had left her body, stared at me with a questioning glance.
As if asking, who are you referring to?
I pointed with my fingertips at the charming fellow sitting at the end of the table.
There was a handsome young man sitting there, beaming as if excited for a feast.
That kid was the one I least expected to see.
“Wow. I was hungry, so I’m really looking forward to this.”
A young man with a bright smile, completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere.
It was the slumbering dragon, Woo Hyuk.
Just how shocked was I to see that?
Why in the world was a guy who should be eating at a non-partisan restaurant suddenly sitting right here?
I genuinely wondered why that crazy kid was present.
Noticing my doubts, Mrs. Mi addressed me.
“Gongja Woo said that I called him.”
“Madam Mi?”
Mrs. Mi brought that sleeping dragon?
“Yangcheon said he was your friend. Isn’t that right?”
“…That’s correct…But…”
I was curious about why the sleeping dragon showed up, and Mrs. Mi seemed to have brought him.
Wait, did my father approve this…?
Well, since Iron Line had been permitted, maybe that made it okay.
Would this really be fine with the Namgung family head present?
“He readily gave his permission since Lord Namgung considers him a friend.”
“Oh, yes…”
Mrs. Mi smoothly crushed my last question like a pancake.
The reason Lord Namgung wouldn’t mind and even consented was obvious.
‘That guy…’
Namgung Jin had to make a good impression on me.
He would have casually permitted something like this.
Something had changed so dramatically that it could no longer be called a family meal.
Creak.
The back door swung open, and Elder Il Jang-ro appeared from outside.
“Oh, I almost ran late!”
“…Elder?”
“Huh?”
The elder seemed puzzled, looking at me as if wondering why I called him.
The reason I called the elder was simple.
Because he was casually slinging the iron wire over his shoulder like some laundry.
“What’s that…. Never mind.”
I began to ask a question but closed my mouth.
At this point, I felt like things should just go with the flow.
I decided to give up on understanding.
For now, I simply needed to fill my stomach.
Mealtime passed without any unusual occurrences.
Well, I mean, if you’re just eating, what could possibly go wrong?
However, with a large group present, there was a fair bit of conversation to be had.
Namgung Jin and Elder Il Jang-ro were doing most of the talking.
How’s the Heavenly Lord doing?
Why wasn’t Namgung Cheon-jun here…?
Oh, by the way, the reason Namgung Cheon-jun didn’t show up was that he couldn’t get to Shinryonggwan.
I had ordered him not to be anywhere near Namgung Bi-a.
Even if he wanted to come, he simply couldn’t set foot in Hanam.
Amidst all this, Gu Hee-bi was still holding Wi Seol-ah in her grasp.
It looked like she genuinely enjoyed that.
Even upon hearing that Wi Seol-ah was the successor to Geomjon, her attitude remained unchanged.
What stood out the most was the slumbering dragon.
Cheol Ji-seon was eyeing things around restlessly, almost shoving food up his nose.
That crazy kid was genuinely well-fed while showing complete disregard for the uncomfortable ambiance.
‘…Please, you madman…’
Isn’t it slightly excessive for someone claiming to be a Taoist to be devouring a chicken leg with both hands?
Even my father, who usually couldn’t give a hoot about what others did, was paying attention to Jamryong.
Still, I didn’t feel the need to nitpick at the guy.
It seemed clear that Jamryong wasn’t in very good shape.
Typically, his eyes appeared dreamy while he bore a slightly vacant expression.
But I could tell that something was subtly off.
It was suspicious for someone who should be part of the nonpartisan faction to be here, engaging like that.
‘It’s also odd that those in my family approved of this.’
I had no idea what was happening, but it was evident that Jamryong wasn’t in any good condition.
Just last raid, he suffered the loss of his kin.
At that point, my gaze caught on Jamryong’s shadowed face.
After that, whenever I attempted small talk, he would flash a smile, acting like everything was fine.
But I knew that smile was just a mask.
It was the sort of grin worn in the Demon Realm.
Even during meals, although he answered “I’m fine” whenever I approached him.
‘This is unsettling.’
I couldn’t shake off that disturbing sensation.
In the midst of everything, Jamryong simply indulged in food, then as soon as the meal ended, he bid farewell and vanished.
Did he really come just for the meal?
‘This is just absurd.’
As I watched, I felt like I’d doted on him for no reason.
I thought he would have something to discuss with me.
Anyway, the mealtime wrapped up like that.
There wasn’t really any significant conversation exchanged since we were only eating…
‘Ah.’
One thing did get brought up, however.
During our meal, Namgung Jin asked my father.
-When would it be appropriate to have the wedding?
I nearly choked on my meal at that comment.
I can’t believe he’d just ask that.
It wasn’t a problem for me; I was of the right age for marriage.
Namgung Bi-a, if not untouched, could easily have heard that it was getting late for her.
Namgung Jin surely found it appropriate to bring it up.
Yet he clearly didn’t anticipate the atmosphere turning sour because of his words.
Wi Seol-ah’s eyes shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Gu Hee-bi’s glare at Namgung Bi-a intensified.
And then.
Namgung Bi-a showed no outer reaction, her gaze fixated solely on me.
That eye contact felt heavily burdensome.
While it wasn’t necessarily a look expectant of an answer, it was still truly inconvenient.
In that situation, my father responded to Namgung Jin.
-It’s still busy for the child, so let’s think about it when things settle down.
Fortunately, the first response was a rejection.
The tall tales of demonic spirits and unnecessary embellishments provided an easy excuse to decline, citing my plans heading to Sichuan.
‘Someday…’
Someday I would face the real discussions.
What should I do then?
Enveloped in those thoughts.
‘The position of the sub-master.’
The title I inherited as soon as I crossed over the age limit in my past life.
If nothing goes gravely wrong, I will inherit it in this life, too.
No, even if there are significant problems, I’d end up accepting it sooner.
‘I thought about running away from home to avoid that.’
After everything so far, things had twisted beyond recognition, revealing truths I had been ignorant of.
I realized that my family had tangled up in not just one or two things.
It’d become nearly impossible to easily escape.
Now that it’s come to this, will I have to bear it?
‘If I could have avoided it, I would’ve done so way earlier.’
At this moment, I couldn’t see any other alternatives.
There are only a few years left, at best.
I found myself buried under many tasks yet to be completed.
‘Is this piling up truly just an illusion?’
I’d prefer it to be, but alas, it likely isn’t the case.
Sigh.
I exhaled, welcoming the outside air. The night view of Hanam shone brightly as usual.
“Ugh…”
Just then, someone stepped outside from the guesthouse. It was Wi Seol-ah, wearing a worn-out expression.
Seeing that, I looked at Wi Seol-ah and asked.
“Are you… not okay?”
“…I’m fine.”
She looked a bit worn out, likely worn down by Gu Hee-bi throughout the day.
“You don’t seem to eat well either.”
“No, I… ate a lot.”
“You’re lying.”
It seemed like she could barely manage one bowl.
‘A lot?’ Yeah, right… If it were under normal circumstances, she would usually devour five bowls at the very least.
“So she… Namgung Bi-a, brought you in?”
“Oh, yes. My sister… suddenly said she had somewhere to go and brought me here. I apologize if it was a nuisance.”
“… It’s no nuisance, so don’t worry about it.”
I might not know about anyone else, but at least I didn’t find it bothersome.
Hearing that made Wi Seol-ah’s eyes briefly widen.
“That’s a relief, then.”
Seeming to appreciate my words, she smiled brightly.
As I quietly observed Wi Seol-ah’s smile, I turned my head away.
Just like Namgung Bi-a, Wi Seol-ah’s smile was a rare sight.
“I’m curious about something.”
“Yes?”
“Didn’t your grandfather come?”
“…”
As I inquired about Geomjon, Wi Seol-ah fell silent.
I had noticed a trend; every time I brought up the topic of Geomjon, her expression tended to darken.
‘Looks like even Wi Seol-ah doesn’t know.’
The one who attacked was none other than the Black Dragon Sword.
As someone with connections to Geomjon, I had thought they might show up at this meeting.
But Geomjon hadn’t arrived.
In that situation, I turned to Wi Seol-ah and asked.
“So what are you going to do now?”
“I…”
“Are you going back? Or…”
Would she choose to come with me?
I wanted to ask her, but that wasn’t something I could compel with my words.
Wi Seol-ah hesitated, struggling to respond.
Maybe she was hoping I would ask her to come with me.
“Think it over.”
I felt that would be of no meaning.
What was more important was her own will.
After some time, Wi Seol-ah tried to say something.
-Where did that cutie go?
“Yikes…! I’ll take my leave first, Gongja…!”
“Oh, okay, we’ll see each other later…”
At the sound of Gu Hee-bi’s voice from behind, Wi Seol-ah took off without waiting for my reply.
She really appeared to have gone through a tough time.
How rough could it have been?
Watching Wi Seol-ah dash away like that, I thought to myself.
“Geez.”
And now it seemed someone else with business came to find me.
“How have you been?”
It was Namgung Jin.
I had known all along this guy had been secretly watching me, but I was acting oblivious on purpose.
“…Oh, yes. It’s been a while.”
“Ahem…”
Having not seen Namgung Jin for quite some time, there was a peculiar shift in the atmosphere.
The typical obnoxiousness hadn’t disappeared, though.
To put it mildly, it felt a tad muted.
‘…Unless he’s coming to ask me for a lesson of some kind.’
If that was the case, that would be a real bother.
The guidance I imparted was information I knew little about.
Initially, it was what Shin Noya had taught me.
The second was merely tidbits I’d picked up from a past conversation with the Demon Sword Master.
I had nothing left to offer Namgung Jin, and that was quite a predicament.
In the meanwhile, Namgung Jin spoke to me.
“First off, congratulations.”
“What are you referring to?”
“I heard you acquired a new nickname.”
“…Ah, yes.”
Is that meant to be a congratulatory remark?
It felt more like a sarcastic jab.
In the midst of feeling somewhat uncomfortable, Namgung Jin leaned in closer and spoke.
“Um…”
“I have a prior commitment with the head of the household. We’ll meet again later.”
Leaving Namgung Jin behind, who was about to share more, I made a run for it.
Getting caught here would have been genuinely troublesome.
If it went on like this, there would be issues later on, but that was a problem for another time.
So I made an excuse about my father and bolted.
I thought they wouldn’t really come after me, and thankfully, they didn’t seem to.
I kept my eyes on Namgung Jin’s movements while heading to the spot I’d arranged with my father.
And then.
Namgung Jin, left alone, stared after Gu Yangcheon as it gradually faded from view.
His gaze then shifted back towards the entrance of the guesthouse.
As he kept vigil there, he quietly opened his mouth.
“Would it be alright if I did not accompany you?”
At Namgung Jin’s words, someone appeared.
It was his daughter, Namgung Bi-a.
Namgung Bi-a stepped towards Namgung Jin, her lips parting slightly.
“…He has his own matters to attend to.”
“Very well.”
A moment of silence passed.
There wasn’t much progress between the two of them.
The difficulty was that it had been too long to reset their relationship.
Whether it was Namgung Bi-a or Namgung Jin, neither of them was particularly invested in this aspect.
“Elder.”
“Yes?”
Namgung Bi-a responded to Namgung Jin’s address.
“…As per your wishes, I’ve spoken to him.”
“…”
“He gave me a response before heading to Hanam.”
Namgung Bi-a’s eyes flickered strangely at Namgung Jin’s words.
Just who was the ‘him’ he spoke of?
That would be none other than…
“Your great-grandfather wishes to see you.”
One of the three saints.
The Heavenly Lord. Namgung Jeolcheon.
He was currently seeking out Namgung Bi-a.
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