Chapter 257: Before Leaving For Anhui (1)
Rustle…
The first sound that always breaks the quiet silence is the sound of letters being unfolded.
Rustle…
I couldn’t quite figure out what was so urgent, but my father was always busy with work.
As I cautiously entered the Lord’s room, my father looked just as he always did.
“I heard you called for me,” I stated.
Only after my words did my father lift his head and meet my gaze.
“Right.”
He set down the letter he had been reading and, looking at me, began to speak.
“Firstly, you’ve worked hard.”
“It was nothing,” I shrugged off.
“With this, your punishment has come to an end.”
The confinement lasting a few months was over, and likewise, my duty at the frontlines, which had spanned over a year, was now finished.
Thinking about it, it was tough to deem it a punishment since I ended up gaining strength through that process.
Maybe… was it intentional?
That thought gave rise to suspicion within me.
Probably not, right?
Even considering confinement, one would hope it wasn’t intentional in terms of my duty on the frontlines.
My father undoubtedly didn’t know about my ability to absorb Demonic Qi, so his sending me to the frontlines must have been a proper punishment.
At least it was much better than my past life…
Was it one year or two that I spent in my previous life, I mused?
Back then, I crawled through the dirt, dragged along by Gu Huibi’s hand, narrowly escaping death.
That time felt like true hell.
…This time wasn’t so different, I suppose.
If I had to pinpoint the experience, it wasn’t that I was physically exhausted…
It was mentally tiring…
In every possible aspect.
I didn’t particularly want to reflect on those experiences either.
With a slightly sullen expression plastered on my face, my father continued.
“Just as stated in the letter, unless any problems arise, you’ll be departing for Anhui in a few days.”
As soon as the small talk ended, he dove straight into the main topic.
Personally, I preferred getting straight to the point rather than lingering in this uncomfortable atmosphere; it seemed he had always been this way.
Moreover, was he really sending me there, huh?
Anhui…
If someone asked if I had been there, I’d say at least once or twice.
That too, not under the best circumstances; I had visited a few times as a Demonic Human.
But to go there for an engagement…
Life really had its odd twists.
Of course, it was far too late to think about running away now.
…I technically could.
Yet, considering the woman who I imagined might be sleeping at her place or my own, escape felt impossible.
Am I really going to be engaged like this?
Me, getting married? What kind of bizarre fate was this…
Just as I grappled with this unsettling reality, my father made a curious announcement.
“The Lady of the Clan will accompany you on your trip to Anhui.”
“…Pardon?”
Without thinking, I swallowed hard upon hearing my father’s words.
The Lady of the Clan? Was Lady Mi going too?
“…Why?”
The question slipped out before I could stop myself.
To my surprise, Father wore an oddly rare expression.
Though even then, it was so subtle that it was nearly imperceptible unless you were looking closely.
“Why do you ask? That’s a strange question.”
Right. I had inadvertently said that out loud, but considering this trip was an engagement between two clans, having Lady Mi along wasn’t unrealistic since she held the title of Lady of the Clan.
Then… wait.
Sudden realization struck; I turned to my father and inquired.
“Is this why Lady Mi has returned to the clan?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
Only upon hearing my father’s affirmation did I connect the dots—Lady Mi’s early return to the clan was linked to my engagement.
…It made sense since I hadn’t been engaged in my past life.
Not that I deliberately avoided it; my reputation had been in tatters, so no engagement proposals found their way to me.
That thought left a bitter taste.
How poorly did I act for no proposals to come?
It was a noble clan after all; one would expect the honor to propose such engagements.
Yet, that likely wasn’t the sole reason.
Even Gu Huibi, despite the appropriate age, remained unmarried.
…So, Lady Mi is coming with me, huh?
Duty aside, was there discomfort for her in that?
I found myself feeling a bit uneasy about it.
“Well, that’s settled.”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard that there was a conflict with the Hwangbo Clan on the frontlines.”
“…Oh.”
Instantly, I felt flustered; how did he know?
I thought I had kept it well hidden.
“It wasn’t a big deal.”
In all honesty, it hadn’t been.
All I did was snap the knees of a prominent member of the Hwangbo Clan and provoke their younger member to engage in a succession battle, right?
Not that big of a deal.
Back in my day, annihilating entire clans was the norm, and my arguments often revolved around whether to destroy the Central Plains!
Becoming a Lord or not? Not a big deal at all!
Yeah, of course!
Father regarded me for a moment before responding concisely.
“I see.”
He was always satisfied with my brief replies and refrained from probing further.
…It’s a little scary how little he pries.
From what I could remember, it had always been that way. As long as I didn’t cross a line causing a major incident, Father typically let my behavior slide without following up.
Naturally, I kept in mind that if I crossed the line in his view, I would be shot down, so I made every attempt to avoid that.
…Or did I not? Reflecting upon it, I might not have even adhered strictly to such caution.
Regardless,
Following that, I was given a quick overview of upcoming schedules—basic education I was required to undertake as a blood relative and visits to associations linked with the Gu Clan.
“…And everything regarding the schedule will be provided by the Steward.”
“Understood.”
Ultimately, what mattered were the preparations for my engagement in Anhui and Lady Mi’s company.
That really seemed to be the gist of it.
Just as I was preparing to part ways, sensing that Father was concluding his tasks…
“…Lord.”
“Hmm?”
I remembered that I needed to ask him about the event that transpired on the frontlines.
The marble that the ancestors had left behind.
The beast referred to it as a seed and warned that sowing it could lead to disaster.
About that marble…
Does Father know about it?
My curiosity spiked.
“The marble located at the center of the forest.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what it is for?”
Pause.
At my question, Father’s hand suddenly froze mid-motion.
His gaze fixed intently on me, and his red eyes seemed to gleam more intensely, triggering an instinct to shy away from that stare.
“Why do you ask that?”
“…I was just curious.”
Could my unexpected inquiry have caught him off guard?
After a brief moment of silence, Father resumed speaking.
“That’s something you do not need to know yet.”
He bluntly rejected my inquiry and returned to his letters.
It was a resolute refusal, yet his words lingered in my mind.
“Not yet…”
Him claiming it wasn’t time for me meant that eventually, I’d be made aware of it.
If my assumptions held any merit, it appeared that Father had knowledge of what that marble was.
Whether he recognizes it as a seed like that bastard told me remains uncertain…
Yet it was evident that the marble held some significance.
The issue lay in:
“No matter how much I ask, he won’t divulge any more.”
If I persisted in pressing the issue, I risked my entire head being set on fire by my father.
…I must protect my hair!
The Immortal Healer had told me before that he could heal everything except baldness or burnt hair.
“…Then my Lord.”
“Do you still harbor more questions?”
“What about the Snow Phoenix?”
This was suddenly a different topic.
Father’s expression momentarily widened in surprise.
“The Snow Phoenix?”
“Since I’m off to Anhui, how should I handle my contract with her?”
I had made a promise to give her warmth since her body refused to accept heat other than my own.
Father and Gu Huibi had attempted to provide her warmth but had failed in dispelling the icy energy within her.
So ultimately, this must relate to my Demonic Absorption Arts?
It seemed undeniable now.
My Demonic Absorption Arts apparently absorbed the cold energy that had taken the life of the Snow Phoenix in my past life.
Though I’m still unsure if I’m genuinely absorbing her energy or simply melting away her Ice Qi with my heat.
Given that I didn’t feel any changes afterward, it felt more like I wasn’t actually absorbing her Ice Qi.
Father was quick to provide an answer to my question.
“I’ve already spoken with the Moyong Clan regarding this.”
“Huh? When?”
I hadn’t gotten a response from Moyong Hi-ah yet and didn’t think it was resolved already…
Oh right, I hadn’t even gone to see her once.
I didn’t realize that I hadn’t actually seen Moyong Hi-ah since returning to the clan…
“What was resolved?”
“Hmm…”
As Father began to respond, he glanced outside the window briefly.
I, curious about what he saw, turned to take a look, only to find nothing apart from some bushes.
“…It seems they are awaiting you. You should hear the rest outside.”
“Huh? Who’s waiting for me…?”
Could it be the Steward?
Father gestured as if he had nothing more to share, indicating I should do the same. This was his polite way of saying to stop dilly-dallying.
So, I lowered my head in reverence and exited the Lord’s room.
Then,
Hey.
I called out to the creature that had been sleeping for so long.
[Grr?]
I felt a shift deep within my Dantian, suggesting the beast had heard me.
Since I would refrain from absorbing Qi for a while, I had encouraged the creature to sleep, yet it seemed to have genuinely dozed off for longer than I anticipated.
It took some time to establish this, however, it appeared he was obedient beyond what I had expected.
It felt akin to nurturing a puppy.
Of course, that was that but…
When are you waking up, old man?
[Grr…?]
It’s been more than a year.
For the creature to communicate with me naturally and absorb Qi more seamlessly, Elder Shin needed to sleep for a while; the contract I had tied to the creature stipulated one year.
Now, months had passed beyond that limit.
Don’t play innocent, you know the time has slipped away!
[…Grrr.]
Wake up already, I have something I need to ask him!
The questions I wanted to pose to Elder Shin revolved around that marble I glimpsed on the frontlines.
Elder Shin was a figure active during the phase when the Gate of Demons first emerged, and he had witnessed the Blood Catastrophe wrought by the Blood Fiend himself.
Given that he operated during that era,
He might just know something about that marble, right?
That was my hope.
Though it was clear that he was from an age long past, it appeared he wasn’t well-versed on terms concerning the Murim Alliance or the Gu Clan.
But who knows?
Above all,
I was beginning to miss Elder Shin’s persistent nagging.
[…Grr.]
Without a response, the creature slowly began fading from presence.
This gesture clearly indicated his intention to return to slumber!
Where do you think you’re going?! Hey, hey!
I knew for a fact the creature heard my call, yet it merely vanished without any reply.
That little rascal.
Should I just perform surgery on myself?
Looks like it doesn’t know I’m somewhat of an expert at thoracotomy, huh?
Not just slicing open, but also capable of incinerating afterward.
If you want that to happen, better show your face while I still have the chance!
“Ah, you’re here.”
Pause.
The sudden voice cut through my thoughts and made me halt.
Recognizing it was familiar, I turned to find the Steward standing there; however, the voice I had heard belonged to a woman.
I initially thought I was still in the corridor leading outside, but soon realized I had already stepped out.
I must have been too preoccupied with my thoughts to notice.
The Steward bowed upon seeing me.
After nodding back at him, I quickly glanced behind him.
It was because the voice’s owner stood there.
And not one, but two familiar faces too!
“Why are you two here?”
The girl in front nonchalantly brushed her hair aside as she spoke.
“…We said we would meet again, but you weren’t here…”
The girl replying was none other than Moyong Hi-ah.
And the other was…
“…We’re… here to eat together.”
It was, of course, Namgung Bi-ah.
Both seemed to be sneaking glances at each other.
Since their resting faces appeared cold as ice or perhaps due to their feelings towards one another, the ambiance felt rather stale.
Suddenly, goosebumps ran down my arms.
Why is it so wintery even though it’s summer?
My body that rarely caught chills now felt this way in the heat of summer.
“So you were waiting here for me then?”
“…”
“It just happened that way…”
Now I understood why my father was glancing out of the window.
The members of the Clan wielded senses that overlapped most of the familial territory, so he likely recognized who was milling around outside straight away.
Namgung Bi-ah was comprehensible, but I hadn’t expected to see Moyong Hi-ah hanging around.
Letting out a sigh, I looked at Moyong Hi-ah and said,
“But what are you doing waiting outside like this? Especially someone who despises bugs.”
“…I’m sorry. Upon seeing Lady Namgung, I subconsciously—”
As Moyong Hi-ah spoke, her face turned slightly crimson with embarrassment, suddenly halting mid-sentence to regard me straight.
She donned an odd look in her eyes.
“What? Why do you look at me like that?”
“…How do you know that I dislike bugs, Young Master Gu?”
“…Oh?”
Oh no.
I messed up.
Quickly, I scrambled for an excuse.
“…You just seem like someone who wouldn’t like it?”
“This is the first time you’ve mentioned that, though?”
Well, why wouldn’t it be?
This comment, evidently, did not sit well.
Why would anybody believe that a bone-chilling girl would be afraid of bugs?
I had no idea either.
It wasn’t as if I had attempted to learn that; I simply remembered that her startled self would crumble at the sight of a bug-like demon, which put my life at risk each time.
Upon questioning her afterward about that panic, she’d shyly recounted with guilt the tears shed as she answered that she couldn’t handle bugs.
Even though they keep moths at their clan house…
Everyone in the Central Plains knew that the Moyong Clan employed moth-type demons for business, yet the beloved daughter, their precious jewel, hated bugs.
“I accidentally found that out.”
“…That’s not something you ‘just find out’….”
Just as Moyong Hi-ah took a step closer, a hand stretched out and tugged me back.
Suddenly losing my balance, I fell backward into a soft embrace, two white arms wrapping around me.
“…Not so fast…”
It was Namgung Bi-ah, who had silently stepped closer without my knowledge.
“…Sword Dancer.”
As I glanced back, observing Namgung Bi-ah’s intervention, Moyong Hi-ah furrowed her brows slightly.
Seeing that matters were spiraling into chaos, I was about to seek assistance from the Steward, but…
“Hehehe…”
However, he had already faded into the distance, chuckling to himself.
…You’re going to leave me hanging like this?
Was this a survival tactic developed from decades in service?
That was awfully speedy, wasn’t it?
Right then,
Zzap—
A sharp electric sensation coursed from the one holding me.
This tingling sensation was clearly due to Namgung Bi-ah’s Lightning Qi.
Additionally, I felt a chill brushing past my arm, suggesting that it originated from Moyong Hi-ah’s Ice Qi.
Like two cats puffing up their fur, the atmosphere built up, getting sharper.
If I didn’t act soon, I was bound to be crushed between these two!
With no other choice, I finally had to intervene.
Crack—!
“…!”
“Ugh!”
I clapped my hands, amplifying the sound with Qi, dispersing a powerful gust that rattled those nearby.
This move demanded a considerable amount of Qi and I hadn’t anticipated using it in a situation like this…
Observing the stupefied expressions of the girls, I proclaimed,
“Cool it! The Lord is watching from behind.”
“Ugh.”
“…!”
Acknowledging my words, they seemed to recover, slowly reverting their expressions to normal.
This was undeniably the domain of the Lord.
With my father’s sense being most acute here, he surely witnessed everything transpiring.
Now, recognizing the spectacle at hand, Moyong Hi-ah bore a very glum expression.
Namgung Bi-ah seemed to mirror that sentiment.
Seeing this, I cautiously added,
“Let’s head somewhere else first. How about we… eat?”
I recalled that Namgung Bi-ah had come seeking a meal together, which prompted my suggestion.
Interestingly, both girls appeared to catch on and nodded.
…I really need to get them out of here, pronto.
Perhaps it was due to the overwhelming atmosphere; I hastily proposed we head outside.
However, little did I know how foolish of a choice it was to take them out for a meal would soon unfold in under an hour.
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