Oops (2)
It was a summer day when something unexpected happened to Tang Soyeol.
While practicing her poison techniques as usual, she wiped off her sweat and took a sip of some poisonous tea.
Although drinking it was part of her training, there was another reason she enjoyed the brew. She relished its unique bitterness and the slight numbing sensation that tingled on her tongue.
At that moment, her older brother and the lord of the Tang Clan, Tang Jooyeok, casually tossed a comment her way.
“Hey, Soyeol, did you hear?”
“Hear what?”
“I heard Bi-ah is getting engaged.”
“What!?” Tang Soyeol exclaimed in shock. She thought to herself, ‘It’s barely been long since we saw each other, and now she’s getting engaged out of nowhere?’
“Why is sis suddenly getting engaged…?”
“I was just as surprised when I heard. But it seems the news has spread like wildfire in the Beggar’s Sect.”
The Beggar’s Sect, being affiliated with various orthodox factions, typically shares important information with clans and sects periodically.
The significant news this time was that the Namgung Clan’s direct descendant was getting engaged.
Upon hearing the news, Tang Soyeol immediately began to worry.
‘That simple sis is really getting engaged?’
Despite not being widely recognized, Tang Soyeol knew that with her ridiculous beauty, Namgung Bi-ah was also exceptionally skilled in martial arts, ranking among the top young prodigies.
The problem was that Namgung Bi-ah had an exceedingly dull personality compared to the cold demeanor of the Namgung Clan.
‘Hopefully, she hasn’t gotten involved with someone strange…’
Assuring herself that the Namgung Clan wouldn’t let their daughter marry some oddball, she asked, “Brother, which clan is sister Bi-ah engaged to?”
“Well, they haven’t tied the knot yet…”
If Namgung Bi-ah were tangled up with some bad character, Tang Soyeol had decided she would intervene.
Having successfully deflected a marriage talk with Namgung Cheonjun in the past, she felt confident in tackling situations like this.
Tang Jooyeok responded to Tang Soyeol’s inquiry.
“I heard it’s the Gu Clan from Shanxi.”
“…What?” Tang Soyeol asked, doubting her ears.
Tang Jooyeok continued to speak cheerfully, oblivious to Tang Soyeol’s expression, which was starting to falter.
“You know him too, right? It’s that guy from the Gu Clan you met last time who is marrying Bi-ah.”
“…?”
And that’s how Tang Soyeol fainted from the shock that day.
By the fourth day, she was finally able to collect her thoughts.
‘Yeah, it’s not like we knew each other for a long time anyway.’
A huge shock, but she reminded herself that she was from a noble clan and tried to push aside her dizzying thoughts.
Suddenly, she recalled the boy who had caught her attention temporarily.
They had hardly spoken, yet she had been momentarily swayed by his looks.
She thought she could forget him quickly.
On the fourth day…
The boy’s eyes constantly flashed in front of her.
How could she be so troubled just by a boy’s appearance? Still, Tang Soyeol managed to endure.
Time heals all wounds, they said. Surely, she’d feel okay soon.
On the fifth day…
She hadn’t slept a wink.
On the sixth day…
She started skipping meals. She had no appetite.
It was then that Tang Soyeol began to realize something was seriously wrong.
On the seventh day…
“I thought she said she didn’t like him…”
She began to resent her beloved sister quietly. ‘Last time I asked, she said without any emotion that she didn’t like him…’
‘That dull-faced sis is just a fox in disguise!’
Tang Soyeol, now agitated, hurled her pillow, accidentally hitting Tang Jooyeok, who happened to walk by.
On the eighth day…
Tang Soyeol came to a grim realization that if things continued this way, she would really be in trouble.
Her training had gone awry, her meals were neglected, and sleep was a distant memory.
She had to admit that her ailment was lovesickness.
Though it seemed silly to be thrown off by merely a handsome face, she had no choice but to accept it.
Even now, when she thought of those piercing eyes, she would stumble, dazed as if bewitched.
Even before hearing the engagement news, he would often invade her thoughts. But after learning about it, she could no longer stand it.
“What should I do?”
She needed to find a solution.
On the ninth day…
She found an answer.
It was more straightforward than she thought. If she was missing him that much, she could just go see him.
How had she wasted so much time worrying?
With her heart set, she could finally enjoy a hearty meal again.
Her mental framework had oddly started to shift…
And so, on the tenth day, Tang Soyeol approached her father, the Clan Lord. She expressed her desire and need to visit the Gu Clan.
Naturally, her father initially dismissed her, questioning the absurdity of her request. But Tang Soyeol was exceptionally skilled in throwing tantrums. She had no intention of losing this battle.
In her mind, failure here would mean the end of her life. There was no way she could back down now.
She had prepared a handful of justifications, but the Clan Lord matched her persistence, leading to a lengthy argument.
Ultimately, Tang Soyeol emerged victorious.
With five attempts at acting cute, three lakeside strolls holding hands, and the secret hiding of her mother’s snake wine locations, among others, she had put forth a considerable effort.
She didn’t mind the sacrifices; getting to see him was all that mattered.
Honestly, she had no intention of sabotaging her friend’s engagement.
It was a union between two clans.
She realistically understood that it wasn’t up to an outsider to interfere with such arrangements.
She merely wanted to lay eyes on him.
Even if defeat were inevitable, she simply wished to see his face one last time.
As time flowed by…
Accompanied by her clan’s escorts, Tang Soyeol arrived at the Gu Clan. It was a lengthy journey, but it wasn’t uncomfortable, thanks to her father’s thoughtful provisions.
Seasons had changed.
Summer morphed into fall, and Tang Soyeol’s round cheeks had thinned a bit by then.
Upon entering the Gu Clan, the one who came to greet them was the First Elder.
She wondered why her father hadn’t come out to welcome them, but didn’t dwell on it further.
If she had been in her usual mood, she might have felt slighted by the Gu Clan’s apparent disregard, but right now, it didn’t seem that relevant to her.
While leading her to her guest quarters, the First Elder asked, “How did you come to know about our Jeolyub to visit us?”
His voice sounded oddly excited.
‘Our Jeolyub, huh?’
Tang Soyeol pondered whether Yu Jeolyub had a close relationship with the First Elder.
‘Well, it makes sense for people within the same clan to be close.’
She didn’t think much of it.
“Well, it was just a chance encounter… I found out somehow.”
She couldn’t admit that she had been enchanted by his appearance at first glance, so she danced around her words.
The First Elder nodded enthusiastically, expressing his approval.
Soon, they arrived at the guest house. “Please rest here for a while; my boy will be along shortly.”
“O-Okay!”
With that, Tang Soyeol felt her excitement building at the thought of seeing him soon.
What should she say first? “Greeting?” Yes, she should greet him, right?
“What’s been going on? Is that okay? And how should I bring up my reason for coming?”
Amidst a whirlwind of thoughts, she sensed a presence outside the door.
Thump—!
Her heart raced wildly at the unfamiliar sound.
To cool her flushed cheeks, she pressed her cold hands against them.
Yet, the heat refused to dissipate.
‘W…W… What to do?!’
The tension spiked; just the thought of face-to-face contact shot her heart into overdrive.
‘Young Master Jeolyub…’
With an ominous creak, the door opened. Preparing to greet him as planned, Tang Soyeol summoned her courage to speak.
“Y-Young Master Gu, how have you been—”
Upon seeing the boy walk into the room, her words caught in her throat.
The boy entered, looking slightly shy, and asked, “I’m Gu Jeolyub. I heard you were looking for me…?”
“Who are you?”
“Excuse me?”
“Huh?”
“Huh…?”
The realization hit Tang Soyeol.
*
‘Oh no.’
Feeling the resentment in Tang Soyeol’s eyes made me break out in a cold sweat.
I had completely forgotten that I had mistaken their names. I told her clan a different name to avoid involving myself with Namgung Bi-ah or Tang Soyeol, and now it had perfectly backfired.
‘I couldn’t have predicted she’d come all the way here…’
How was I supposed to know that Tang Soyeol from Sichuan would chase me all the way to Shanxi?
Not to mention, she probably knew I was a direct descendant of the clan, yet my silly pride prevented me from revealing my real name.
I never anticipated this mix-up would spiral into chaos.
“Do you realize how confused I was when I asked for Gu Jeolyub, only for some random person to appear?”
Oops…
It seemed she had met Gu Jeolyub already. If I’d known this was how it would unfold, I should’ve borrowed a different name.
Like Gu Jinjin…
banned statements flood back
“It seems you’ve still not woken up if you’re thinking like this…”
“I’m sorry.”
My first priority was to apologize. Ultimately, it was my fault for causing her misunderstandings after she had come looking for me in the clan.
“When I checked, I heard you were still returning from Mount Hua. Your name was different too.”
I understood she waited for me for a long ten days.
“May I ask why you went through all this trouble?”
While Tang Soyeol inquired about my rationale, I could only provide her with the feeble justification of “I thought you might become a nuisance later on.”
Explaining why I felt that way was impossible.
“Back then, I had my reasons…”
“Does sis know too?”
Sis? Tang Soyeol has a sis— Wait.
Curiosity piqued, I asked Tang Soyeol, “When you say ‘sis’, are you referring to Lady Namgung?”
“Yes, Bi-ah sis knows your actual name.”
“Yes.”
So I did tell her as we returned from Sichuan to Shanxi. I think Tang Soyeol was nearby then, but probably didn’t catch it since she was distanced a bit.
Her reply made Tang Soyeol’s head droop. She had a look as if she’d been greatly hurt by this fact.
“Um… Lady Tang?”
“Yes…”
“Are you alright?”
Was it that shocking to learn Namgung Bi-ah knew my real name? Seeing the escalating awkwardness, Elder Shin chimed in.
What kind of charms did you cast that all girls across the land are smitten with you? Shouldn’t you just collect all hair colors by now?
‘Stop saying that weird stuff, Elder Shin. I’ve only known this girl a few days!’
Besides, I barely spoke to her. Did she truly have a reason to be infatuated with me during those brief exchanges?
Who knows, maybe she’s smitten just by your looks.
‘I can’t believe that came from someone who was just insulting my appearance.’
Right? I didn’t think it was quite that way either.
‘For crying out loud…’
His subtle sarcasm was clear—I felt the annoyance radiating from his tone.
I shifted my focus back to Tang Soyeol. In what felt like a breath, her eyes were alive with a vibrant green hue.
The most impeccable poison martial artist in the history of the Tang Clan.
Though her martial arts ranking wasn’t as high as that of contemporary meteoric geniuses, she exhibited overwhelming strength across various forms of combat.
She was the master who safeguarded Sichuan by poisoning countless demonic beings, now back to sipping tea in her younger appearance.
“Lady Tang… Uh, could I ask first why you sought me out?”
When she heard my query, the light returned to her eyes.
Slap!
Suddenly, she slapped her cheeks with both hands.
What the…??
“It’s okay… It’s unexpected, but this is actually better. You can handle this, Soyeol! This isn’t a big deal for you, right?”
She mumbled to herself. Honestly, it sent shivers down my spine and prompted me to step back slightly.
Looks like this girl’s not totally sane either.
‘Strange, isn’t it? Maybe she has ghosts just like I do.’
Ghosts, huh… Wonder if they’re beautiful?
‘Elder Shin?’
It was just a joke! Don’t take it so seriously!
I swear, the way he said that didn’t sound like a joke at all.
Tang Soyeol, who had been murmuring while rubbing her cheeks, produced something from her pocket.
It was a letter bound with a light blue ribbon. I could guess what it was just from looking at it.
It was something you’d get at least once if you belonged to any clan in the Orthodox Faction, particularly if you were a rising prodigy.
But I doubted she made the journey from Sichuan simply to show me that.
She held the letter close and asked, “Do you know that the Tournament of Dragons and Phoenixes will be held soon at the Murim Alliance?”
“I do.”
Just as I predicted, it was the invitation to the tournament. Since it’s held in winter, there was still plenty of time ahead.
I wonder if I received an invitation as well?
It could be possible, though before I inherited the young lord position in my previous life, I’d never attended any events.
Tang Soyeol took a deep breath, bracing herself, and said, “I came here because I wanted to go with you.”
“Hmm?”
I was momentarily taken aback, unsure of what she meant.
“Lady Tang.”
“Yes.”
“Are you saying you actually traveled all the way from Sichuan just to ask me that?”
“Yes.”
“What?”
The tournament would be overseen by the Murim Alliance and hosted in Henan.
Sure, it wasn’t that far from Shanxi, but there was no reason for anyone to trek all the way from Sichuan to Shanxi, only to move further east to Henan.
Yet here was Tang Soyeol, braving the early season and making her way to the Gu Clan, inviting me to join her.
With her flushed cheeks and gaze darting away, I suddenly remembered Elder Shin’s previous statement.
No way…
Could it be? Does she truly have feelings for me? But why?
No matter how much I rummaged through my thoughts, nothing made sense. Neither this life nor the previous one contained any signs pointing to that.
In my frustration, I decided I had to ask explicitly.
“Lady Tang…”
“Y-Yes!”
“Do you like—”
Before I could finish my question…
Slide.
I turned to the sound of the door sliding open behind me.
Namgung Bi-ah unexpectedly stood there.
“Why are you…?”
I wanted to question why she was here, but instinctively held my tongue upon seeing her unusually cold expression.
Namgung Bi-ah, quietly scrutinizing Tang Soyeol, then shifted her gaze to me.
“Could you step outside for a moment…?”
“What do you mean, ‘step outside’? I’m in the middle of talking to her.”
“Please.”
Her tone carried a firmness that couldn’t be ignored; despite that, I had to respect Tang Soyeol’s perspective on this as well.
With a startled expression, Tang Soyeol glanced between Namgung Bi-ah and me before asserting, “Sir, my business is concluded. I also have something to discuss with Sis.”
So her purpose was exclusively to extend an invitation to the tournament? Even that was shocking.
“Please give my request due consideration.”
“No… Yes, understood for now.”
The atmosphere felt like a storm about to unleash.
I sensed a strong bond between the two yet couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening now.
Hey kid, this isn’t the time to hesitate! Get moving if you want to keep your head!
Following Elder Shin’s advice, I made my way past Namgung Bi-ah and swiftly closed the door behind me.
Meanwhile, an odd chill seeped into my bones despite it being too early in the season, causing me to rub my shoulders unconsciously.
“What in the world… Why is it so cold?”
My confused thoughts welled up; as a practitioner of fire arts, these strange chills made no sense at all.
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