Chapter 40
The Way Back (3)
“…So what brings you guys here?”
I frowned at the sight that greeted me as soon as I stepped into the building.
To be honest, I had briefly entertained the hope that my senses had misled me, but that was a foolish thought.
Tang Soyeol, who had been cautiously picking at her meal, turned into a statue upon seeing me.
Namgung Bi-ah, still with her expressionless face, pretended to be completely oblivious as she slurped her noodles.
And Wi Seol-ah naturally plopped down beside them and started eating her noodles too.
‘…Alright, I can see how that could happen. I get it.’
I could comprehend Wi Seol-ah’s behavior; she had always been like that.
I could even somewhat understand Namgung Bi-ah’s unpredictability—after all, I had grown accustomed to her delightful insanity.
But Tang Soyeol, now that was the mystery.
Thud!
Why on earth was she here?
She seemed to shy away from making eye contact with me, practically adopting the ‘I’m a rock’ stance.
“Lady Tang.”
“Y-Yes!?”
bink!
Why the shock just from me calling her name?
“What brings you here?”
“…I- I simply happened to pass by.”
“…‘Happened to’…?”
What were the odds that the daughter of the Tang Clan, known as a precious gem, would randomly stroll through here and stumble upon us?
Especially when I wasn’t even supposed to be around.
I decided to ask Tang Soyeol just in case.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“N-No! Why would I wait for you!?”
She waved her hands dismissively as if trying to brush it off. Yet, based on the circumstances, it felt like there was no other answer that made sense.
“Exactly. But then why are you here?”
“…”
At this point, Tang Soyeol fell silent, as if she had no excuse left.
bloop!
What on earth was going on? I had never been able to understand her, even in my past life.
‘Could it be that she has a crush on me?’
I quickly shoved that thought away as soon as it surfaced.
I was far from being the type to be admired—unlike Gu Jeolyub or Namgung Cheonjun, I didn’t have a face that could earn me a living. And unless Tang Soyeol had a peculiar taste, it didn’t make sense.
Besides, even if she did like me…
snip, snip!
Suddenly, a memory flashed in my mind of her torturing someone with a tiny, pinky-sized poison pin.
I had never experienced it directly, but I could vividly recall the nonchalant expression she held while doing so.
Yeah, no, that was definitely too much for me.
Ugh!
Yeah, she must have some business here or something.
I really wished she could just wrap it up and leave ASAP.
With that thought, I shifted my focus to the crazy lady from the Namgung Clan.
“Lady Namgung.”
“…?”
“What brings you here?”
“…Umm?”
bloop?
Hmm?
Why did she make that face, like I asked something ridiculously obvious?
I really hoped my interpretation was off.
“An introduction….”
“Pardon?”
Just like every other time, Namgung Bi-ah’s curt responses triggered irritation in me.
What’s with the ‘introduction’? Does she mean the usual ‘hello’ greeting?
Or was it code for ‘let’s hunt some humans’ like in my past life?
In my eyes, Namgung Bi-ah still carried that aura of a human hunter.
Of course, I was working hard to look at her differently.
That’s why I decided to ask again.
“An introduction?”
“I… just didn’t get to do it properly.”
“Oh, uh, I also happened to be negligent because of that!”
Tang Soyeol quickly chimed in.
Thwop!
Oh, so they’re here because they missed saying their goodbyes?
‘But… why?’
“I told the Young Master of the Tang Clan about my situation—didn’t you hear about it?”
“…I did.”
Tang Soyeol answered in a raspy voice, while Namgung Bi-ah had this expression, as though she found nothing wrong with it.
‘…Ah, I see, so I guess I can neglect any ill intentions from them considering everything went well.’
So in the end, they were just here because they failed to properly say goodbye.
‘…Right, good things are good.’
In truth, I was being rude to the folks who came here because they couldn’t say goodbye.
But I definitely didn’t want to be dragged into the chaos created by these weirdo women.
I mean seriously.
“Thank you for coming all this way. It was a delightful meeting, and I wish you both peace for the rest of your lives.”
I said this with the utmost respect, hoping they would take it as a hint to leave right away.
Not a chance!
Instead, both of their faces grew oddly perplexed as they stared at me.
bloop?
I guessed that wasn’t the response they were hoping for…
But what exactly did they expect from me?
I shoved that thought to the back of my mind and directed my curiosity towards Namgung Bi-ah—because something had been nagging at me since I first noticed her presence.
“Lady Namgung.”
“Hmm?”
“Now that the Tang Clan Military Exhibition has concluded, why are you still here? What about the other folks from your clan?”
“Cheonjun said he had something to do… that he was waiting for someone.”
Namgung Cheonjun has something to do in Sichuan? I mean, that wasn’t particularly surprising.
I had my own agenda here, so I figured he must have his own reasons too.
What shocked me was somewhere else.
“But he let you come here? He didn’t follow you?”
It was astonishing to see Namgung Bi-ah here, all on her own, with no sign of Namgung Cheonjun.
“Hmm…? He permitted it… he mentioned you wouldn’t be here anyway…”
‘He let her?’
I figured someone as unhinged as him wouldn’t allow her to come here, which made it astonishing to hear he’d given her the green light.
And he even said he wouldn’t come? What on earth did that mean?
“But, Lady Namgung…”
“…?”
“Did you forget about the deal we made last time…?”
“Hmm…?”
We struck a deal where if I revealed my real name, she wouldn’t bother me.
“I didn’t.”
Namgung Bi-ah responded with confidence, like she was proud she remembered it.
‘But… if you remember that, why the heck are you still here…?’
“Then why are you still here?”
“Why…?”
“You said you wouldn’t annoy me.”
“I never annoyed you…?”
Oh, for crying out loud!
Namgung Bi-ah genuinely seemed oblivious to the fact that just being present was enough to annoy me.
Seems like it’s my fault for not laying out specifics during our deal…
Honestly, I should have explicitly stated such an important detail.
“But what about speaking formally to me?”
Upon my words, Namgung Bi-ah paused, rolling her eyes before finally replying.
“…Young Master.”
…
Should I just smack her?
I thought about this idea seriously.
At this point, it felt like Namgung Bi-ah was leaping at me with a sword drawn, looking for a fight.
Every time I talked to her, I ended up with a splitting headache.
How on earth did I deal with her in my past life?
Ah, right. I just didn’t converse with her.
…So clever of me.
I figured that was the answer.
While I massaged my temples to relieve the headache, Tang Soyeol, who had been silently observing the whole time, hesitated visibly.
It appeared she wanted to voice something, but I was too apathetic to ask her outright.
If I feigned ignorance long enough, she’d probably say it anyway.
“U-Um.”
As expected, Tang Soyeol began to stutter out a question.
“What?”
“If you return to your clan… h-how long will it be until you come back to Sichuan?”
“I’m not sure…?”
Would I really come all the way back here…?
I mean, sure, I’d probably return, but it wouldn’t be anytime soon.
I’d guess it’d take a couple of years at the very least.
I relayed this to Tang Soyeol.
“T-That won’t do… that seems awfully long.”
Tang Soyeol mulled over my response for a few seconds, her mind racing until she finally arrived at a conclusion.
“Do you… happen to have any poisons you like?”
…What?!
“I beg your pardon?”
“Or perhaps, how about dagger techniques…?”
…Dagger techniques?
Did I mishear that?
I could swear she mentioned poison.
Tang Soyeol jumped at my reaction, visibly taken aback.
“W-Wait, maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned that. My brother said it would work though…”
“Lady Tang… Are you feeling alright?”
It looked like she was having some severe headaches… That much was obvious.
At that moment, a hand reached toward the dumplings between us in an awkward exchange.
Snap!
I slapped the hand away, hearing a yelp in response.
I didn’t even need to check who it was.
“Are you finished with yours?”
“…Yeah.”
Wi Seol-ah replied, rubbing her hand.
Seriously? Then just order another! Why are you always trying to steal mine?
I exhaled sharply and pushed the dumpling dish toward Wi Seol-ah.
I didn’t particularly care, as my appetite was sky-high at the moment.
Wi Seol-ah happily dove into the dumplings without a second thought.
Then, suddenly, Namgung Bi-ah reached out towards the dumplings with her own chopsticks, but I quickly blocked her with an outstretched arm.
“Please order another dish instead of stealing others’.”
Namgung Bi-ah stared at me, her expression vacant.
It seemed the daze in her eyes was returning for a moment.
“I… have a question, sir.”
“Why the sudden formal address…?”
“That… What’s going on…?”
She tentatively pointed to my lower abdomen.
It looked like Namgung Bi-ah, much like Muyeon, realized I was different somehow.
Tang Soyeol appeared less alert to these things, but Namgung Bi-ah certainly was.
“I just… had something come up.”
Honestly, that was the best explanation I could muster up.
Even if I were to tell her about the Golden Nature’s hidden treasure and the enormous snake that granted me power…
Hmm.
She might actually take me seriously…
I felt like she’d be one of the few who would believe my story, but honestly, there was no need to share that.
Namgung Bi-ah simply nodded in response.
Then her eyes began to sparkle—a bad omen, no doubt.
Whenever Namgung Bi-ah had that look, the follow-up was usually quite predictable.
“Then I’ll challenge you to a duel—”
“I refuse.”
Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes widened at my abrupt rejection.
“No way…!”
That was a rare moment to hear such volume from Namgung Bi-ah.
What in the world…?
Why’s she suddenly throwing down a duel challenge when she usually only pays attention to sword cultivators?
I really don’t like getting this type of attention.
“I can’t stay here for much longer since I’ve already wasted enough time. So, I’m not able to duel with you today.”
As I said this, I felt Muyeon’s daggers behind me gazing at me, filled with resentment.
Yeah, I know it’s my fault for holding everyone back; don’t look at me like that…
Ahem…!
I fake-cleared my throat and stood up.
Having finished my meal, I needed to hit the road before sunset.
There was no escaping the tedious trip back, given I had to retrace the same path I took here.
Ugh… just the thought is already making me want to yawn.
Just as I was preparing to leave, Tang Soyeol suddenly pulled something from her robe.
“Please accept this…!”
What Tang Soyeol handed over was a neatly folded letter along with a small bottle of unknown substance.
“What’s this?”
“It’s the invitation for next year’s Military Exhibition…”
“And… why are you giving it to me?”
“I-I want to maintain a good connection between our clans! It doesn’t hold any grand significance…”
We received the invitation every year, but the meaning behind being handed one directly by a member of the clan was completely different.
This wasn’t just a casual offering; it indicated a strong desire for my presence.
I honestly didn’t know how to feel about this situation.
Does she genuinely have feelings for me?
“So… what’s in this bottle?”
Is it some kind of medicine?
When I mentioned the bottle, Tang Soyeol’s face lit up with a smile.
“It’s a poison I particularly like… it’s a gift, so please, if you ever partake in poison training, feel free to use it.”
I nodded at Tang Soyeol’s explanation.
…This girl’s as quirky as they come.
I was certain of that fact.
Rejecting her offer felt impossible, so I begrudgingly tucked it into my pocket.
Already, I was thinking about how to excuse myself from attending next year’s exhibition.
I absolutely cannot go…
“Well, I’ll be taking my leave now. I hope you both enjoy your time together.”
“See you next time.”
Namgung Bi-ah waved her hand lightly, nodding at me for goodbye.
I returned the gesture with some reluctance plastered on my face while accepting her farewell.
“Ah, yes… until we meet again.”
With that, I turned to leave, feeling a wave of discomfort wash over me.
Tang Soyeol also made an unusual move to wave goodbye, though she looked stiff as a statue.
Wi Seol-ah followed behind, her mouth stuffed full with my dumplings.
How on earth did that much fit in her mouth…?
‘Is it finally over?’
Can I finally return to my clan?
While I didn’t feel physically tired thanks to my Qi increase, mentally I was wearing thin.
I trudged towards the carriage, half-stumbling along the way.
Namgung Bi-ah quietly observed Gu Yangcheon’s retreating figure.
Then, a particular remark he made popped into her mind.
“–Why do you keep speaking informally to me?”
Come to think of it… why did I do that?
In hindsight, Gu Yangcheon was younger than her own brother, Namgung Cheonjun.
Yet, that didn’t justify speaking to him without respect.
Even so, it felt oddly comforting.
What was the reason behind it?
Namgung Bi-ah found herself tilting her head in confusion as she struggled to grasp the answer.
“Um…”
Tang Soyeol’s cautious voice broke through her thoughts.
“Hmm?”
“…Do you perhaps like Young Master Gu?”
“…Huh?”
Namgung Bi-ah was perplexed by Tang Soyeol’s question.
“Like?”
“What do you mean by ‘like’?”
“Uh, well, I mean, that is…”
Tang Soyeol stammered at the question, her face turning red as she fell silent.
Looks like even Tang Soyeol was stuck, unable to find an answer.
‘What does ‘like’ even mean?’
Is she talking about a girl liking a boy?
If I had to consider whether I liked Gu Yangcheon as a man, I didn’t think so.
But there was a certain admiration as a martial artist.
He serves a stark contrast to what I initially perceived.
Looking back at the Gu Yangcheon who had once twisted my little brother’s arm.
Is this the same person I met?
I was far from certain.
It was ironic but true.
So I wished to fight with him, only to be instantly turned down…
If someone were to question me about defeating Gu Yangcheon in a duel, I’d still say yes—for now.
It was rather astonishing that even at Namgung Bi-ah’s skill level, she was unsure how to gauge Gu Yangcheon.
Leaving that aside, the fact that Gu Yangcheon didn’t emit that unbearable stench?
He occupies a unique space in my mind…
“…Maybe I do like him?”
Namgung Bi-ah’s offhanded remark made Tang Soyeol look like she was about to burst into tears.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing…”
Tang Soyeol mumbled to herself, “If she’s my opponent… there’s nothing I can do….”
Matter of fact, what does ‘nothing I can do’ mean?
“Hey, what about you, Soyeol?”
“Eh…?”
“The thing you were supposed to give me.”
“Oh…!”
The invitation letter that Tang Soyeol handed to Gu Yangcheon originally belonged to me.
That had been the very nature of our arrangement since that year I first met Tang Soyeol.
But now, she had passed it on to someone else.
Understanding the reason, Namgung Bi-ah felt a strong curiosity brewing within her.
“…I, uh…”
Tang Soyeol stuttered, seeming to have lost her momentum.
Somehow, it felt like she had been stuttering more often of late.
What’s going on with her? Is she ill?
The scent emanating from Tang Soyeol was incredibly faint.
So faint, I could almost not detect it without trying to sniff it out.
This made being around Tang Soyeol feel comfortable.
That’s why I wished for her to remain healthy.
“I just… wanted to try getting a bit closer to him.”
“I see.”
“I’m really sorry, Sister. Were you disappointed?”
“Hmm? I’m okay.”
Even without the clan’s invitation, she could show up without a problem.
There was no need to feel let down over something so trivial, Namgung Bi-ah thought.
“Shall we head back now…?”
Many feelings of yearning filled Tang Soyeol’s voice as she spoke.
What is she yearning for?
So many unanswered questions lingered.
“Yeah.”
Namgung Bi-ah began to walk alongside Tang Soyeol.
Even without Gu Yangcheon present, she still had to step back into a world filled with that foul smell…
But she had grown accustomed to living that way.
So she felt little disappointment.
Thankfully, more than anything,
I feel like we’ll meet again soon.
For some reason, she felt that way.
And Namgung Bi-ah’s hunches had a funny way of turning out accurate almost every time.
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