Chapter: 405
As we arrived at our destination, following Pae Woo-cheol’s guidance,
I noticed a carriage I had never seen before entering the campsite.
Somehow, the carriage looked a bit haphazard, and the horse appeared quite tired, heaving for breath.
It seemed that the carriage had been driven rather roughly.
‘… Aren’t you going to die like that?’
The horse looked as if it would collapse at any moment.
Judging by its muscle tone and overall demeanor, it seemed like a fine horse, but—
How on earth do you drive a carriage to make it look like that? I continued walking, glancing pityingly at the panting horse.
As I walked a bit further, I spotted a familiar face.
It was Mo Yong-hee, sprawled out, clutching the carriage as if completely exhausted.
What on earth is she doing over there…?
I cautiously approached her and asked,
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, Your Majesty… ugh…”
Mo Yong-hee didn’t seem to be in very good shape.
Her hair was tousled, and her once-beautiful appearance looked somewhat haggard.
What’s going on? Is she feeling carsick or something?
‘No way.’
Mo Yong-hee is a top-tier warrior. There’s no way she’d be reduced to this just from motion sickness.
“Are you okay…?”
“No…”
“Yeah, you really don’t look okay.”
What on earth happened to her?
“…”
I quietly observed, then took a step closer and knelt on one knee.
Suddenly, when our eyes met, Mo Yong-hee looked at me as if asking why I was staring.
I reached out and gently tucked her hair behind her ear, feeling annoyed that it was sticking to her sweaty skin.
“…!”
Was that the issue? Mo Yong-hee’s eyes widened momentarily.
Then her cheeks flushed slightly as she grabbed my hand that brushed against her face.
“What are you doing?”
“Um…?”
Caught off guard, I looked at Mo Yong-hee with a bewildered expression.
“What’s going on…?”
“What do you mean?”
I asked somewhat confusedly due to Mo Yong-hee’s sudden behavior, but her response didn’t dwindle.
She said,
“Why are you suddenly acting all flirty?”
“What?”
What the heck is this all of a sudden? Who’s acting all flirty here?
“No… Really? Did I eat something weird?”
“It seems like you ate something weird…? Don’t you have a fever or something?”
As I tried to lightly touch her forehead, Mo Yong-hee jumped back in surprise.
“Wha-what’s wrong with you?”
“…no.”
“What happened…? Are you sick?”
I couldn’t understand why she was reacting so flustered. Why was she acting like this?
Just as I began to wonder if there was something odd about my behavior…
‘Hmm.’
Feeling something off, I took a slight step back from Mo Yong-hee.
What if the distance between us seemed to have narrowed somehow?
‘This is.’
Could it be that after my conversation with the Poison King last time, I realized that these feelings were already inside me?
Maybe my growing possessiveness is to blame?
It seemed like something strange was happening in my actions.
‘I need to be careful.’
Just thinking about it made me feel a bit queasy.
An overwhelming wave of unnecessary self-loathing washed over me.
Not yet.
‘Not yet.’
I whispered to myself.
Whatever it is, I shouldn’t hold it or keep it close just yet.
I stood up, leaving behind the weary Mo Yong-hee.
‘They said the White Lotus Sword arrived as well.’
Fortunately, it seemed Mo Yong-hee had arrived without any issues, so I felt I could release my worries for now.
Since the superior had arrived, it was time to greet them. Mo Yong-hee asked the attendant to help her rest, and I decided to go find the White Lotus Sword first.
Just as I was setting my direction to move, I turned around to look at Mo Yong-hee and said,
“Come to me later tonight.”
“…!”
After leaving that remark, I vanished, searching for the White Lotus Sword. Left behind, Mo Yong-hee gazed in the direction I disappeared into, her face showing a slight disappointment.
The young man I had met after a long time felt a bit different.
That change had come across as unexpectedly intense.
Moreover.
‘What the… Really.’
Mo Yong-hee was aware that my words didn’t carry any special meaning.
It was the right time for her to feel that heat. That must be why I called her.
-Come to me later tonight.
The sensation carried in that statement was quite subtle.
Had I said that with intention, it could’ve certainly felt unpleasant, but Mo Yong-hee knew I wasn’t the type to act that way.
That’s why, even more,
“…Anyway, he’s quite sneaky.”
It must be something she wasn’t exactly thrilled about for various reasons.
Finding the White Lotus Sword wasn’t too challenging.
The fact that Pae Woo-cheol had come to inform me meant that Baekryeongeom had moved as soon as he arrived.
When the carriage arrived, there would only be one place for the White Lotus Sword to take off to.
Naturally, it was appropriate to head straight to the leader of the group, meaning Baekryeongeom was headed to the Poison King.
With that thought, I made my way to where members of the Tang clan were gathered.
As expected, there was an unusual person seen mingling around the Poison King.
Even.
“It’s been a while!”
The voice I heard was extremely loud too.
The gaze shifted.
Hahaha! The woman exclaimed while facing the Poison King, laughing as if enchanted.
The woman looked exactly the same as when I first met her.
“Should I start calling you the party leader now?”
The lady said, and the Poison King simply smiled, seemingly embarrassed by her words.
“It’s been a while, White Lotus Sword.”
“I heard you became the head of a household.”
“That’s already over ten years ago…”
As the Poison King spoke with disbelief, the White Lotus Sword smiled sheepishly.
“I wasn’t really interested in worldly matters.”
“That aside, may I ask what brings you here, White Lotus Sword?”
The Poison King inquired, curious about her presence.
Upon hearing the question, Baekryeongeom tilted her head.
It was as if she was bewildered about why such a straightforward question was even asked.
“It’s nothing serious, really. My child is going on a long journey, and they asked me to escort them due to their worries.”
“…Are you saying White Lotus Sword is the escort?”
“Yes.”
The Poison King regarded her with suspicion.
I thought the same— it would be strange for someone of Baekryeongeom’s caliber to act as an escort.
‘Are you implying that you came to guard Mo Yong-hee?’
Of course, it wasn’t a situation where the King could express any objection.
There was nothing to say against that.
Besides, having someone of White Lotus Sword’s caliber would help ensure safety during transport, so it was a beneficial contribution for the Poison King.
‘She looks a bit reluctant about it though.’
I don’t know what kind of person Baekryeongeom is, but it seems she possesses some uniqueness, prompting the Poison King to act that way.
What kind of expression does the Poison King have? Given how skilled he seems at politics, what on earth has the White Lotus Sword gotten herself into?
“Anyway, since it ended up this way, please take care of it.”
“…”
What does “it ended up this way” even mean?
As I approached slowly to listen in on their conversation, I couldn’t shake this sense of curiosity about the dialogue.
‘Is this person really a descendant of the Mo Yong Family?’
This character, noted for idealism and calculative behavior, feels utterly unpredictable.
They certainly look like they belong to that group.
But why the discrepancy between looks and demeanor? I couldn’t comprehend it no matter how much I tried.
“Oh, and… oh.”
While having a lively exchange with the Poison King, Baekryeongeom seemed to notice my presence and shifted her gaze this way.
Maybe that’s why? Amidst her dialogue with the Poison King, she quickly approached me.
“Hello!?”
She came up to me and exclaimed with such exuberance.
My ears were ringing from such a spirited greeting.
“We’re old pals, right?”
I was tongue-tied, unable to respond to her seemingly jovial question.
“Good day, senior.”
At that, Baekryeongeom frowned slightly, seeming dissatisfied with my polite address.
“Still with the formal titles? I told you to call me older sister.”
“That’s a bit…”
Addressing a woman of my father’s age as “sister” felt a tad inappropriate, no matter which way you spun it.
‘Moreover…’
What could be the reason?
Did she genuinely come as an escort because of Baekcheon’s request?
I found it hard to believe that was the only reason. It felt more like there was some other reason at play.
‘Not my concern to dig into.’
I thought that it wasn’t something I needed to pry deeper into.
While I felt a reluctance as Gu Hee-bi came to mind when I looked at her,
I had an impression that she wasn’t particularly bad.
Keeping an appropriate distance should suffice.
As I was about to nod in agreement with that thought,
“Then, please take care of me from now on.”
“Uh… Yes… I too will—wait, what?”
I was left in pure confusion at Baekryeongeom’s words.
“Take care of you? For what specifically?”
“Hmm? I mentioned it earlier. I came as your escort.”
“Yes, I did hear that.”
But what does that concern me?
Whether Baekryeongeom is here as an escort or not, surely it doesn’t hold much relevance for me.
“What does that have to do with any of this…?”
“Of course, it does.”
As Baekryeongeom chuckled at my bewilderment, she responded with a spring in her step.
“I came to guard you. So, who else should I report to?”
“What?”
Those shocking words made my head spin.
Did she really mean to say she wasn’t here to escort Mo Yong-hee?
And even more.
“…Me?”
She suddenly decided to escort me? What in the world was going on?
When I looked at Baekryeongeom in a daze, she maintained that ever-bright smile.
“So, please take good care of me, nephew-in-law.”
Because the earlier statement was shocking enough, I barely caught onto the title that followed.
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