Chapter: 387
“Your body looks okay.”
“…yes.”
After finishing the sparring, I faced my father, who still looked the same.
What was unusual was how hard he was trying to turn his back.
“Why are you turning your back?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Is my face that funny?”
“…no.”
‘It’s true that I don’t want to look because it’s funny.’
If even my father can’t bear to look at me for long, what on earth is happening?
‘In the meantime, why didn’t that sleeping dragon say anything?’
That guy is the bigger problem.
Gu Hee-bi burst out laughing the moment she saw me. If my father couldn’t look at my face for long, then Woo-hyuk must have known about it all along but chose to say nothing.
‘Did that kid do it on purpose?’
It was obvious at first glance that he hadn’t warned me just to make a fool of myself.
There’s no doubt about that.
Since I needed to focus on my father first, I decided to ask him a few opening questions.
“You’re training in a foreign land? What’s going on?”
Originally, my father didn’t train outside. The family estate has a separate training arena, so there’s no overlap.
At least I knew for sure that my father wasn’t going anywhere else to train.
“I couldn’t sleep, so I tried it out for a bit.”
“For just a bit, huh? It seems like you’ve been at it for quite a while.”
I could tell by the lingering heat around us.
The heat had clearly stuck around for some time.
‘So you were at it because you couldn’t sleep?’
Did you stay up all night? That thought crossed my mind just then.
“Third.”
“Yes.”
“Where did you learn that strength?”
“…”
My father cut straight to the point.
He skipped all the small talk about morning greetings and whether I had eaten, diving right into the main issue. I was slightly taken aback.
‘That’s so typical of my father.’
It felt more fatherly in a strange way.
“Strength, huh?”
“Yeah.”
“What kind of strength are you talking about?”
I thought about pretending not to know and making an excuse, but…
“Tua Pa Cheon Mu.”
“…”
I had to bite my tongue when my father casually said that.
“It was the martial arts of the venerable Pae.”
“…no.”
It was true that I drew on my inner energy, wrapping it around my body, but before I could truly deploy it, I ended up getting hit in the face and fainted.
How does my father know this?
Are you saying you caught on the moment you saw me?
“Have you incorporated two kinds of heart techniques into your body?”
“That, uh… just kind of happened.”
Actually, it’s not just two; it’s more like four or five.
Bringing that up wouldn’t make for a smooth conversation, so I kept my mouth shut.
Only then did my father turn back to me.
“Seeing that you’re still fine with two kinds of heart techniques in your body, it seems there’s something to you.”
He seemed more about confirming the results and finding a reason than asking why.
“Yes… well, it seemed like I could do it when I tried.”
“The venerable Pae told you to do that?”
“No, that’s not it. I insisted on learning alongside my family’s martial arts because I couldn’t just give them up.”
“…hmm.”
It seemed my answer didn’t please him much.
But that was the truth. I couldn’t give up my family’s martial arts; I was insisting on it.
“Your Majesty.”
“Speak.”
“Then, did you faint yesterday because you attempted to use two heart techniques?”
I wondered if he knocked me out to prevent my body from exploding.
“Yes.”
And from my father’s answer, I realized it was correct.
After all, pulling out a different heart technique right before someone could give the impression of attempting suicide.
As I awkwardly turned my gaze, my father brought up something else.
“When did you start learning it?”
“A few months back.”
“That means the venerable Pae is currently in Hanam.”
“…”
Oh no, was that a slip of the tongue? I started to feel cautious, fearing that something might go wrong.
“As this is your choice, I will not say anything further. If it’s fine for you to learn, then go ahead.”
“…yes.”
“If you happen to see the venerable one, convey that I wish to see him shortly.”
“Understood.”
I couldn’t help but think that Pae’s face wouldn’t look too pleased when I conveyed that, but what could I do? I had been caught.
I sighed internally and directed my gaze to my father.
“Um… your grace.”
“Yeah.”
“Does that mean the bet is off?”
At my words, my father gazed at me with an enigmatic look.
The sparring session from the previous day was a means to get information about my mother.
Since I had never landed a single successful attack, it meant I lost the bet.
I knew that, but I was just a bit obsessed and wanted to hold onto it.
‘Are you going to feed me because I’m being cocky? I’d better beg.’
It’s really fortunate that I’m not that type of person.
“You’re taking it lighter than I expected.”
“…ahem.”
What I meant was, why would you drag out a discussion that’s already finished?
Even I felt a bit embarrassed, but it wasn’t a topic to overlook. This conversation wasn’t something to bring up without justification.
“Your Majesty, you clearly said yesterday that you would only use one hand.”
“…”
At my words, my father’s eyebrows furrowed deeply.
I could tell just by looking.
My father fully understood what I meant.
In that moment, I sure saw it clearly.
“But why did you use your right arm?”
“…”
The arm my father used to hit my face last night was… his right hand.
“Right?”
My father remained silent.
Seeing him frown was quite intimidating, but I could almost tell that his expression was a mix of bewilderment.
“So, does that mean I won the bet?”
“…”
Still no answer. My father probably tried to pretend like he didn’t know, but there’s no way I’d miss something like this.
I’m better than anyone at pointing out contradictions in others’ actions, so how could I let this slide?
Before starting the bet match, my father sealed one of his hands.
The sealed hand was undeniably his right hand.
Using it at the end means I won, right?
Now I was waiting to see how my father would respond.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Wow.”
I couldn’t help but show my astonishment at my father’s response.
I never thought I’d see the day my father would evade something.
“Is this how you’re coming at me?”
“One, it seems you’re feeling quite regretful, so I’ll give you one more chance.”
“What do you mean? What am I regretting?”
Trying to worm your way out, are we?
What am I supposed to be regretting?
I stared at my father, dumbfounded. Then I had to stifle a laugh.
The fact that my father went this far and acted like that is confirmed.
“…It seems you really don’t want to let me go there.”
“I should have said something from the start.”
“Either way, I have to go. I’m going, no matter what.”
“…”
“Even if you try to stop me, I will stubbornly push through.”
I have to go.
By any means necessary.
I couldn’t just let the divine sword within me disappear like this, and I had to break through to discover what lies inside me.
This matter is one where no matter how much my father tries to prevent it, nothing will change.
As I declared my determination to my father, he fell into silence for a moment, then spoke to me.
“Fine.”
“Yes?”
“You say fine? I was filled with unexpected expectations at his answer.
“If you genuinely wish to go there, I’ll set a condition.”
I had to frown at what my father said next.
“Is it a sparring match? Again?”
It’s a fight I can’t win right away.
I became convinced of that yesterday when I saw the gap between us.
What if I regain all the levels I reached in my past life?
Under the current circumstances, there’s no way I could reach my father.
Another concern would be how long it would take to regain all of my power from my previous life.
“It’s not a sparring match.”
“Then what is it?”
“What’s the current depth of your heart technique?”
“It’s at Chilseong.”
To be more precise, it’s at the entrance to Chilseong.
Thanks to my growth with the Gu Flame Wheel Technique, I reached the Hwagyeong stage.
“Reach the composition. If you do, I will let you know.”
“…what do you mean by composition?”
“Yeah.”
Regarding the composition, it’s the level I had attained in my prior life.
So, are you implying that you’ll tell me once I regain all the powers from my previous life?
‘It’s a little different from that, though.’
It’s bound to be different from my previous life.
Back then, I focused on enhancing my magical energy more than the family martial arts. If I want to reach it now, I’ll be able to achieve it much sooner.
So far, everything seems fine.
“May I ask why… composition?”
The part where you set the condition was more intricate than I had anticipated, which raised my suspicion.
After hearing my question, my father responded without hesitation.
“Because that’s the level you need to survive.”
“…”
I was left speechless by my father’s answer.
I didn’t know how formidable a place it was to impose such conditions, but looking at my father’s expression, I could tell there would truly be no further negotiations.
‘Is this all I can gain from discussing my arms?’
Even if I press about using both arms, there’s no ground to stand on.
From the start, I could tell that the sparring itself occurred out of consideration for my father, so pushing wouldn’t change anything; this was about the best I could do.
‘Composition…’
Although it may say ‘lower two’, the gap is destined to grow increasingly murky with time.
“…Understood. Once I reach the 9th star, I’ll ask you again.”
However, since there’s no way to attain that right now, I had to accept it.
I agreed, but I was also thinking of finding alternatives while raising my level.
My father nodded at my words.
And then…
“…”
“…”
A long silence fell, perhaps because our conversation had reached its conclusion.
It was an exceedingly uncomfortable silence.
As I wondered whether to run away or say something more,
“Third.”
To my surprise, my father broke the silence first.
“Yes?”
“Have you eaten?”
“…”
I was quite taken aback by my father’s question because I felt like I had heard those words somewhere before.
‘Where have I heard that?’
As I pondered for a moment, the answer came rushing back.
‘That’s something I always say.’
There wasn’t anything particular to ask; it was just a blunt way to check if something was wrong, if I was hungry, etc.
“I didn’t… eat.”
“Okay.”
After hearing my response, my father immediately walked past me.
And then he dropped a short comment as he left.
“Then let’s go eat. Follow me.”
“…”
I quietly observed my father’s retreating figure. It oddly felt like I was hearing those words for the first time from him.
You mean we’re having breakfast together?
As I reflected on the meaning of that, I cautiously began to move as well.
“…Yes, Father.”
At my words, my father’s shoulders slightly trembled.
I wondered if it looked strange since I did it for no reason.
But my father didn’t say anything.
What followed was the same silence as before.
But…
Unlike before, the current silence didn’t feel uncomfortable at all.
That felt really strange.
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