Chapter: 396
As I finished my meeting with Cheonghae Ilgeom and stepped outside, it was already evening.
There was still some time left before the scheduled meal time, but not enough for meaningful training.
Even if I had a little free time in between, there wasn’t really enough of it to practice, so I was heading to the meeting place first.
‘If I get caught, that old man will be furious.’
If my master finds out that this already busy guy is skipping training, won’t he start beating me again under the pretense of “training”?
‘That guy secretly loves to beat people up.’
It can’t just be my imagination.
It’s gotten to the point where I wonder if Paejon’s “Pae” actually means something different.
From what I can see, it’s clear that the frustration has piled up because I’ve hardly trained due to the aftermath of Banrohwandong.
And wouldn’t you know it, he takes it out on me.
‘… Darn it, I need to get stronger quickly.’
I need to be strong enough not to get beaten up, or at least enough to stand my ground.
Even as I thought about it, I realized I had no solution.
‘What kind of ridiculous situation is it to ignore even the difference in realms?’
Every time I see it, I’m just left dumbfounded.
There was one time I genuinely tried my best and even set up a bet, but—bam!—that ended up completely backfiring.
‘All routes are blocked.’
The reason I stopped betting with Paejon and only opted for physical sparring is not because he has the upper hand; it’s simply that it helps me more.
Paejon cuts off all the movements used for attacking and exploits the gaps in the flow.
Despite the fact that Paejon’s physical skills are at their peak, I, who have reached the realm of fire, still can’t win against him in a fight.
Thanks to this, I’m getting beaten up every time we spar.
In response to this, Paejon has also figured out how to unleash excessive attacks relying solely on my lack of fighting skills and grandiose bets.
‘Just like Shin Noya mentioned before.’
Honestly, I have no arguments to counter that.
My focus has only been on the wide-range attacks and explosive firepower characteristic of flame arts.
Even though I’m part of the martial arts series, I don’t recall ever getting obsessed with boxing techniques.
I’ve been coming to realize that even more recently as I’ve been facing off with Paejon.
Unlike when I used to rely on my experience alone, I’m noticing that I’m lacking in many areas that need to be covered.
‘… A little more.’
No, it’s not just “a little”—it’s a lot of effort that’s required.
Thank goodness for my dogged nature; it is somewhat balanced out by having a capable master by my side.
The same goes for boxing.
Usually, I try to move while casting my flame skill, Tuaqapa Cheonggong, whenever possible.
This makes walking quite painful, but it’s not too inefficient.
However, Paejon seems horrified by my method.
He looked at me as if I’m insane and said, “I certainly didn’t do that.” But given that he didn’t stop me, it’s like he doesn’t mind it.
Of course, it’s not a very pleasant sensation from the perspective of those who observe.
It’s only natural that walking feels like traversing a path of thorns.
Inside my body, it felt like someone was continuously slicing my insides with a knife.
Bearing through this while moving makes me sometimes feel like I want to just switch everything off right away.
‘If I can’t even endure this, how can I move forward?’
It’s just pain at the end of it.
There’s not really anything wrong with the situation. If it were just painful, that wouldn’t really be an issue.
Except for those times I almost faint from the pain.
Stagger!
As I walked, I loosened my posture a bit.
‘… Ah, I almost blacked out there.’
I shook my head a few times to clear my brain.
It seems like problems often arise when I can’t concentrate like this, but still, that’s nothing too major.
What’s important is that while I was messing around, I ended up arriving at a guest house that the Poison King had prepared for me.
Looking up at the splendid tall building before me, I thought,
‘I should’ve walked a little slower…’
It’s closer than I anticipated. Damn it.
It seems that whenever I start thinking absurd thoughts like this, time flies by way too fast.
‘Huh.’
Should I go? I can’t really turn back now, right?
At the moment of hesitation that suddenly emerged…
‘There shouldn’t be any problems, right? What even?’
Taking a deep sigh to regain my composure, I took a step forward toward the guest house.
At that moment—
In an instant, countless pieces of information invaded my senses.
Without showing any sign of panic, I quickly sorted things out in my head.
‘… three on the left. Two above. Four in front.’
I could feel the presence of guards surrounding the guest house as if they were providing protection.
The sharp, spicy scent that brushed my nose and their unique aura indicated they were members of the Tang clan.
‘An escort?’
While their gazes were directed at me, I didn’t feel any real hostility or ominous vibes.
‘Being continuously observed is rather annoying.’
Thinking of how to deal with it, I decided to use Tuaqapa Cheonggong and increase my speculation to the max.
Phew—!
After using this a few times, I realized this was also possible.
It feels as if the energy is being shifted into a rougher and more aggressive state.
In an instant, qi spread out from my body. Not everywhere, but focused solely on those who were eyeing me.
At that moment, I began to sense flinching movements here and there.
The concealed presence was being disrupted by my energy.
Didn’t they expect to get detected? They seemed to have only a light sense of hostility, maybe realizing I was onto them.
Feeling it, I mulled over it.
‘Should I have some fun with this?’
Maybe I could provoke them a little more?
I’m not particularly fond of secret watchers, so I contemplated going a bit further.
But since this is technically their territory, I decided to cut it off there for now.
Reclaiming my energy seemed to ease the number of gazes on me to some degree. I looked up and fixed my gaze somewhere.
Among those concealed, I chuckled at the one that seemed to be the leader.
When he saw my smile, the masked man’s eyes widened.
He looked quite flustered, and I could feel the atmosphere around him getting shaky.
After glancing at him for a moment, I turned back and resumed my walk toward the guest house, realizing I had seen all I needed.
Walking into the guesthouse, the first thing that caught my eye was the luxurious interior.
The inside was much cleaner and more elegant than I’d expected.
Although I had visited a few guesthouses, this one rented by the Tang clan felt the most opulent.
As I glanced around, someone approached me and bowed respectfully.
“Thank you for coming.”
Judging by their attire, they seemed to be a servant of the Tang clan.
‘Hmm?’
As I assessed the servant, a strange unease washed over me.
Upon realizing what that unease was, I couldn’t help but chuckle in disbelief.
‘Oh my goodness.’
Even this woman, who appeared to be a servant, was an assassin.
She had hidden it so well that I wouldn’t have known if I hadn’t seen her up close.
‘So the man outside wasn’t the leader after all.’
This woman felt even stronger than he did.
“Our master is waiting inside. I shall guide you.”
When the woman said this and turned around to lead me in, I couldn’t help but snap and ask her.
“May I ask you something?”
The woman paused at my question, turning her head back towards me.
“What is it?”
“Is this how things are normally here?”
“… Yes?”
“Is this typical for the Tang clan? You don’t seem like someone who usually serves like this.”
“…!”
When I indirectly asked why an assassin is acting as a servant, the woman’s eyes widened dramatically.
Seeing that, I spoke with the smoothness of a snake.
“Oh, should I pretend not to know? Then I’ll pretend I didn’t know. Just, guide me.”
She stared at me with slightly trembling eyes, then without answering, bowed her head slightly and walked ahead.
It looks like they were indeed trying to hide something.
Having dealt with assassins from all directions in my past life, I’ve become skilled at distinguishing them.
I feel like it’s possible to identify them, unless they’re some unique type of secret agent.
But let’s just assume that’s true for now.
‘They’re all really fighters. What’s going on here?’
Not just the attendant leading me, everyone in sight who claimed to be part of the Tang clan was also a fighter.
The ones who ought to be here in the guesthouse were nowhere to be seen. It was just this bunch from the Tang clan.
Well, that should be expected since I borrowed the entire place.
‘It’s all fighters…’
I found myself questioning if such measures were genuinely necessary.
‘Oh.’
Right as I pondered why the clan was here, it vaguely clicked in my mind.
‘Is this about transporting prisoners?’
Since I need to leave for Sichuan with the Sapa group on Meng’s request, I suspect they gathered extra strength for that.
If not, there really wouldn’t be a big reason to bring this much force.
Feeling the subtle gazes as I wandered through the corridor, I arrived at the extravagant entrance, where the attendant carefully opened the door for me.
“Oh! You’ve arrived.”
As soon as the door opened, a kind-faced middle-aged man stood up to greet me.
It was the Poison King, the head of the Tang clan, who I met the other day.
Upon seeing him, I also concealed my nervousness and responded with a polite greeting.
“I am Gu Yangcheon, a relative of the Gu clan. It is an honor to meet the head of the Tang clan.”
“Ha ha! Pleasure to meet you, Prince Gu. Thank you for accepting my invitation.”
His cheerful demeanor felt uniquely different from other clan heads I had met before.
But that didn’t mean I was letting my guard down.
In my personal assessment, I considered the Poison King to be the most unpredictable person among the leaders of the Four Great Houses.
And…
As expected, the Poison King looked at me and asked in a low voice,
“I’ve heard you faced some minor inconveniences coming here.”
And he must be referring to the guards surrounding the guesthouse and the attendant who guided me earlier.
Had he been listening to everything? Maybe the one who guided me just reported back?
After confirming that, I broke into a slight smile and replied to the Poison King,
“Pardon me. I apologize for my rudeness, which stemmed from my curiosity.”
“Oh… not at all! How could that be rude! Youth brings such things, and in fact, I don’t even consider it Prince Gu’s fault, so don’t worry about it.”
The Poison King laughed dismissively, urging me not to be concerned.
In the meantime, I took a quick look around the room.
It’s just me and the Poison King in here; Tang So-yeol is nowhere to be seen.
It seems he noticed my gaze and explained.
“Our daughter will be arriving a bit late.”
“Oh, is there something going on?”
“Well, it’s not exactly that. I was a bit late in informing you of the time.”
“Pardon?”
Hearing this, I asked, wondering what he meant.
The Poison King smiled in his characteristic manner.
“I have something I’d like to discuss privately with you, Prince Gu.”
“…”
I could sense something unusual in his words.
Of course, he would intentionally create a scenario with only the two of us, so I wondered what this might entail.
“Well, if it makes you uncomfortable, I can call for my daughter right now.”
“No, that won’t be necessary.”
While offering to call if I was uncomfortable, I wondered just how many would dare to say they weren’t comfortable right at that moment.
No way… normally I might have shouted that out, but it’s the Poison King we’re dealing with here—Tang So-yeol’s father, no less.
That obvious yet delicate difference forced me to bite my tongue.
The Poison King seemed pleased by my reply.
“Since you must be hungry, it might be best to start with the meal.”
“… Ah, yes.”
The dishes laid out looked universally delicious, yet my hand hesitated to reach for them.
While pondering whether I should eat or not, the Poison King began to chew his food before asking me,
“Hmm? What’s wrong? Feel free to eat.”
“Haha… I’m just feeling a bit unwell.”
“Oh dear! Someone so young shouldn’t be saying such things.”
I nodded in agreement with the Poison King’s concern.
As I thought this over in my mind, I felt a bit relieved—thank goodness it didn’t feel like there was poison.
That’s just common sense, right? The Poison King isn’t a lunatic who would immediately poison his food.
‘Hey, thinking about it, I guess I haven’t done anything particularly wrong, huh?’
Why was I so anxious when the Poison King had no reason to dislike me?
While perhaps other humans might not sense it, the Poison King doesn’t carry any strong memories regarding me personally.
‘Am I allowed to feel at ease here?’
Just as I was about to follow through with my cautious intention to eat, the Poison King interjected,
“Oh, Prince Gu. Can I ask you something?”
“Yes?”
“When do you plan on taking our daughter?”
“… Pardon?”
The chopsticks that were almost poised to pick up my food suddenly froze mid-air.
What did the Poison King just say? I glanced around, questioning whether I had misheard him.
The Poison King was quietly gazing at me with his deep green eyes.
His downward-turned eyelids gave a vague impression of a smile, yet the gaze within felt decidedly icy.
What on earth did he just say?
I found myself staring blankly at the Poison King, while he continued to speak again.
“I shall ask again, Prince Gu.”
With his words, I could feel the air in the room becoming thicker.
“Do you intend to take our Soyeol with you?”
“… What on earth are you talking about all of a sudden?”
I was left breathless by the unexpected comment.
It’s just about the upcoming trip to Sichuan, and suddenly here comes the mention of Dang Soyeol?
And not only that, but a question about taking her with me?
“Wait, did you mean to take your daughter?”
As I asked for clarification, the Poison King narrowed his eyebrows slightly.
“Prince Gu, you seem to have a sharper side than I anticipated.”
“… No.”
“So, you’re implying that you’re merely trifling with our daughter without any intention of taking her away?”
“Me? Trifling with Dang Soyeol? That’s absurd.”
“Not at all!”
At my remark, the Poison King bolted upright.
“It’s obvious that my daughter is pursuing you because she has feelings for you! And now there are even strange rumors circulating. Are you saying you won’t take responsibility for that?”
“…”
The rumors about the so-called strange happenings left me with little to muster up in response.
I had also heard them.
What did they say again?
Didn’t they mention that Soyeol was obsessed with women and had enticed many noble women?
Heavens, how utterly ridiculous!
‘Who’s chasing whom?’
When did I ever chase anyone?
These folks are out of their minds!
Hearing such rumors left me utterly flabbergasted.
What makes things worse is that not only affects me, but it also creates issues for those around me.
Especially in the cases of Tang Soyeol or Mo Yong-hee, who are the daughters of prestigious families; the sort of rumors the Poison King is talking about could cause significant damage.
Thus, it’s no wonder the Poison King is riled up!
It could spell trouble in the future when deciding to marry someone else…
‘Wait a second.’
When I think about it, I don’t think I ever got married to Murong Xi or Dang So-yeol in my previous life.
Moyong-hee was engaged to Namgung Ga, but that didn’t work out either.
When I think about it, Dokbi lived alone until he died…
Isn’t this a slight injustice done to me?
Of course… but that doesn’t grant me the right to argue with the Poison King right now.
“Your Highness, I didn’t really intend to…”
“Are you suggesting that you’ve kept our daughter by your side without any intentions?”
“…”
“Do you realize how terrible that is?”
I remained silent at the Poison King’s words.
To be honest, I didn’t have much to say in that situation.
Knowing very well that Dang So-yeol harbored feelings for me, I was aware that just keeping her around wasn’t the wisest course.
“… I’m sorry.”
Regarding this matter, I couldn’t conjure up any excuses.
At my apology, one of the Poison King’s eyebrows twitched.
“Apart from your apologies, you still haven’t given me an answer, Prince Gu. Do you intend to take our Soyeol with you or not?”
Does that mean I have to take responsibility for Dang Soyeol right now?
I’m still confused about what kind of answer he expects from me, but his words are riddled with ambiguities.
“It’s a bit awkward to point out, but as you know, I’m engaged. I’m not in a situation where I can take the princess with me…”
The problem lies in the engagement I have with Namgung Bi-a while Dang So-yeol remains part of the core bloodline of the Four Great Families.
Even in a world accustomed to the idea of concubines,
who would ever think to offer a direct descendant of a noble family as a concubine?
This would certainly be the case for the Poison King as well.
“In that case, if you didn’t have an engagement, you would take on some responsibility, correct?”
“Um…”
“If not, can that be taken to mean you cannot accept responsibility for her either?”
“Well, there are significant issues surrounding the circumstances…”
“If the complications with the Namgung clan are the problem, I could intervene directly and resolve it.”
“…!”
The Poison King’s shocking declaration causes my body to flinch.
What that means is that the King would actively jump in to dissolve the engagement with Namgung.
This is an issue that could lead to conflict between the Namgung and the Tang clans, yet the King hops right in.
Would he help end that engagement if it’s what I desire?
Does this hint at the possibility that the Poison King genuinely wants to establish a relationship between me and Dang So-yeol?
But even by proposing such an ultimatum…
“I’m sorry.”
That does not change the fact that I’m not inclined to accept things as they are.
To cancel an engagement with the Namgung clan signifies wrapping up my relationship with Namgung Bi-a.
I never hoped to act on that impulse.
As the Poison King registered my response, his expression morphed.
The pressure in the room grew tight, full of tension.
“In the end, you’re saying you have no intention of taking responsibility.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
“Or what? Are you daring to take our daughter as a concubine?”
“…”
“Prince Gu. I want to know your intentions regarding our daughter. I’m aware she shows affection towards you, but if the future remains murky, I don’t wish for my precious daughter to remain by your side any longer.”
The Poison King’s remarks were valid.
I understood the intention behind his words—it’s better to prevent issues than to allow her to remain close to someone who doesn’t take responsibility.
“This incident will lead to my daughter getting engaged to another noble family.”
“…!”
At the Poison King’s announcement, my eyes widened.
Dang So-yeol is getting engaged?
“Is this the future that has changed?”
There were countless instances where the timeline diverged from my previous life, but why did this particular event resonate with me so strongly?
“… Does that mean that even Da So-yeol knows about this?”
“Do you think that matters? Now that it’s a family matter, my daughter’s opinion doesn’t hold much weight.”
In family matters like these, that sentiment is often the norm.
Establishing relations between clans is not unusual; it’s a means of enhancing influence.
Moreover, Dang So-yeol is the daughter of among the powerful families.
The benefits derived from such an arrangement are abundantly evident.
It indeed struck me that the prior life where no such arrangement occurred was strange.
“Now then, if you hold that viewpoint, I hope you maintain your distance from my daughter.”
“….”
The firmness in the Poison King’s voice stirred something within me.
Everything he said was indisputably true.
But why does it feel so damn heavy?
“Tang So-yeol getting engaged…”
Was that it? Was that why?
A wave of emotion began to roil inside me.
There isn’t a single thing I could argue when everything he said is accurate.
If I cannot accept responsibility, letting her go is the proper thing.
If Tang So-yeol wishes for a different future than what transpired before, the better option would be for her to separate from me and engage with someone else while living a peaceful life.
Rational thinking should have concluded the moment the Poison King voiced that sentiment.
Instead, an uncomfortable feeling surged, choking the words within me.
“Answer me, Prince Gu. Will you comply?”
The urgency in the Poison King’s voice compelled my eyes to quiver.
Why can’t I give an answer?
Even with the notion that Tang So-yeol might have feelings for me.
There’s no way I could accept that, not in this predicament.
What a hilarious twist!
‘… Why don’t I want to let her go?’
I realized I didn’t wish to let Dang So-yeol go like that.
“What am I doing?!”
It isn’t just about her.
Regardless if it’s Mo Yong-hee, Wi Seol-ah, Namgung Bi-a—or any of them.
I don’t want to lose any of those dear to me.
Realizing that brought on droplets of cold sweat.
Along with that, a singular thought swept through my mind.
‘Shit, I’m in trouble.’
It’s too late.
The moment I recognized this, I instinctively knew it had crossed the line.
I didn’t want to face this feeling, yet I had been avoiding it.
A cold dread began to wrap around me, not at all pleasant.
To say that I didn’t want to lose anyone signifies they’ve become priceless to me, morphing into a vulnerability of sorts.
That sensation feels weighty, unnerving.
I had detested this approach and fought against it, but with the Poison King’s words, cracks began to spiderweb through me.
“Prince Gu.”
I shifted my gaze at the Poison King’s prompt. I had to concentrate hard on maintaining my composure.
What was he asking?
Didn’t he just lecture me about letting go of Tang So-yeol?
What’s the answer supposed to be?
I felt like I was trapped in a quagmire of confusion.
Just a moment… perhaps I should ask for some time to think…
“I disagree with that.”
Oh.
In a twist of fate, my mouth spoke the truth long before I had sorted out my brain.
The moment it slipped out, I was shocked into covering my mouth.
Am I losing my mind?
Not just me; the sheer surprise on the Poison King’s face said it all, as the brief moment turned to one of disbelief.
Shoot, this is complicated.
Before I wrap my mind around how to fix this, bang!
The door swings open abruptly, and someone bursts in.
I turned toward the unexpected sound.
“Really!?”
I wondered who it could be, and my eyes widened as I recognized the pleasantly surprised Dang So-yeol.
Redness crept into her cheeks, and her voice was at a pitch that practically soared.
“Prince! Did you really say you don’t want me!?”
“… You?”
Didn’t she say she would be late? How did she suddenly come bouncing in here?
I was fully alert with my energy, so how did I not sense her approach?
“You’re not lying, right? You said you don’t want me, right?”
What’s so exciting to her? She rushed over, clutching my hand.
Flustered by her reaction, I instinctively glanced at the Poison King.
“…!”
From observing the Poison King’s features, I suddenly noticed a shift.
The Poison King, who looked moments away from exploding, now appeared stunned at his daughter.
He sighed a breath of exasperation and addressed Dang So-yeol.
“… Didn’t I clearly say not to come in just yet?”
Even though his voice was laden with frustration, Dang So-yeol didn’t seem to heed it.
Her expression was one of uncontained excitement as she chirped,
“Dad! Did you catch that? The Prince said he doesn’t want me to go!”
“… Oh, yes. I heard that. Quite clearly.”
The moment she spoke, I watched as the Poison King rubbed his head in exasperation.
And as my mind began to piece it together, I gasped.
“This!”
Everything happening right now was orchestrated by the two of them!
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