Chapter: 506
Wow, this is awkward, isn’t it?
That’s the thought that popped into Goeseon’s head as soon as he spotted Gu Cheol-woon standing there with his arms crossed.
It had been roughly over a decade since he last laid eyes on the White Lotus Sword, as well as Gu Cheol-woon himself.
It wouldn’t exactly qualify as a reunion. They had merely exchanged glances while battling the Sapain, so it was hardly a notable encounter.
‘What the heck is that?’
Goeseon had to swallow hard as he looked at Gu Cheol-woon.
The reason? None other than this.
For some unfathomable reason, Gu Cheol-woon was here in Sichuan, and what’s even more baffling is that he showed up just as Goeseon was around.
‘You’re not feeling anything at all?’
Goeseon had to turn his gaze away from Gu Cheol-woon.
Nothing at all. That was the problem.
He recalled the past—the time he’d been shoved by that foul-tempered old man and was engaged in a life-or-death fight with Hyuk-eo-chun.
What was Gu Cheol-woon like back then?
As Goeseon remembered,
‘Disgustingly strong.’
That oppressive heat that seemed to wrap around Gu Cheol-woon’s body, along with the overwhelming presence that felt like it weighed down the very air around him—Goeseon had a sudden sense of defeat.
Even Namgung Myung had told him to run away immediately if Gu Cheol-woon were the enemy.
That was the kind of presence he exuded.
Back then, his aura had been incredibly imposing, yet now, it felt like nothing.
What was the meaning of this?
Could it be that Gu Cheol-woon had grown so weak that Goeseon couldn’t feel a thing?
That couldn’t be true. Goeseon knew the reason behind Gu Cheol-woon’s faded presence.
In fact, it was the other way around.
Goeseon couldn’t feel it. The gap between them had widened to such an extent that he just couldn’t sense it.
‘Ha…’
Recalling that, Goeseon swallowed hard again. A small spark of pride ignited within him.
Yet above all, fear swept over first.
Who knew he would feel something akin to what he felt from his grandfather while standing before Gu Cheol-woon?
As Goeseon wiped away the cold sweat, he noticed that Gu Cheol-woon was now looking at him too, as if he sensed his gaze.
When those crimson eyes were directed toward him, Goeseon trembled slightly.
“Goeseon, it’s been a while.”
Goeseon’s eyes widened at Gu Cheol-woon’s words.
“…You remember me?”
It was more of a passing acquaintance. They had crossed paths a few times during the post-index era, of course.
Yet even that felt trivial, and their last encounter had been lopsided at best.
Though Goeseon had remembered Gu Cheol-woon due to his overwhelming might, it was truly odd that Gu Cheol-woon remembered Goeseon.
When Goeseon expressed his surprise, Gu Cheol-woon tilted his head and replied.
“Because you weren’t so insignificant that I could forget you.”
“…”
So naturally, he remembered. Goeseon wore a peculiar expression at that phrase laden with implications.
‘Oh boy.’
Experiencing firsthand something he had only heard in rumors felt oddly surreal.
‘If she were a genuine woman, I might have fallen for her.’
Goeseon chuckled.
It was as though he had just uncovered the truth behind the peculiar rumors that had circulated.
With those thoughts swirling in his mind, he casually glanced to the side. The issue wasn’t about him.
It felt as though a quake was occurring nearby, sending tremors through his very being.
The formidable female general who had just been there had vanished, leaving behind a woman who appeared incredibly frail.
‘Ah…’
Baekryeongeom could hardly believe this situation.
Why was that person here? Why was he face-to-face with her?
He had avoided coming here with all he could muster, and all of a sudden, here he was.
How long had it been since he had last seen her face? The days piled up to an uncountable number.
‘Wrinkles, huh?’
She had changed.
The White Lotus Sword acknowledged this.
The young man who once felt the pressure and loneliness burdening his back due to his pronounced features had now aged into middle age.
Wrinkles were visible here and there, especially around the eyes.
One.
‘…’
The White Lotus Sword immediately recognized that such details were not what mattered now.
In those warm gazes that once surrounded and gently protected him.
As time had passed, they felt like they had deepened and intensified.
Was it because he was meeting those eyes?
Thump…
Baekryeongeom suddenly realized how strongly his heart was pounding.
By then, it was already too late.
“…ah….”
What on earth should he say? So many words flooded his mind, yet none exited his lips.
It had to be that way.
The White Lotus Sword was barely managing to keep his wits about him.
‘What do I do?’
It was perilous. The emotions he thought he had finally put out of reach were now starting to stir again merely from locking eyes.
He had wanted to avoid feeling like this, thinking he was moving on at last.
Perhaps, being around his child and reminiscing about the past was at fault. The emotional blow felt heavy.
‘… If he’s aged, can’t he at least look more decrepit?’
It seemed unfair. Other people managed to look a bit less appealing as they grew older.
Why did he still look so good?
The White Lotus Sword couldn’t help but detest this reality.
This man who looked just as fine as the years went by—he irked the hell out of her.
“White Lotus Sword.”
“…!”
A deep bass voice called for her.
At that voice, Baekryeongeom flinched. She unknowingly bit her lip at the instinctive reaction she had.
It highlighted how shabby she felt at that moment. Still, she couldn’t let that show. Baekryeongeom managed to spit out words, trying to mask her inner turmoil.
“Oh… long… long time no see.”
Why on earth was her voice shaking again?
Could it be that she felt the need to maintain a youthful appearance even though she was now a middle-aged woman?
Even while she felt embarrassed about her untidy appearance, Baekryeongeom squeezed her eyes shut.
However, Gu Cheol-woon appeared to pay little mind to this.
“How have you been?”
“… Uh, um… yes. I’ve been well.”
“Glad to hear that.”
Thud
Gu Cheol-woon let his feet carry him closer to Baekryeongeom.
She swore she could hear his footsteps echoing in her ears, louder than usual.
“I heard from my wife that you visited once in Hanam.”
“…”
So, it was Lady Mi indeed.
Baekryeongeom found herself unable to hold back her resentment toward Mi Hyo-ran at Gu Cheol-woon’s response.
…She had explicitly told Mi Hyo-ran not to speak of it.
“…I was busy, so I only went to see Miss Mi.”
“Miss Mi, huh.”
Gu Cheol-woon visibly reacted to the title uttered by Baekryeongeom.
Could it be that he didn’t like being called ‘Miss Mi’?
Just then, Goeseon considered that it might be time to rectify Baekryeongeom’s title.
“What a nostalgic name.”
His voice carried a hint of a smile.
At Gu Cheol-woon’s words, Baekryeongeom bit her lip once more.
It was a silent warning to herself.
Don’t lose your composure.
What if this happened again?
“I heard the White Lotus Sword is protecting our child.”
“Ah… that’s… .”
“Thank you.”
“…!”
Baekryeongeom was thrown off balance by Gu Cheol-woon’s unexpected expression of gratitude. A word of thankfulness from his lips?
The unanticipated content made the White Lotus Sword’s spirit tremble.
Seeing this, Goeseon rushed in to offer his support.
“Why is this lady acting all odd out of the blue?”
“…I’m fine.”
Baekryeongeom regained her composure and shook off Goeseon’s arm.
“…It’s not something to be overly thankful for. I just had a slight task to handle.”
“Whatever the reason may be, as a father, I am simply appreciative.”
“Something… has definitely changed. You… too.”
You’ve changed, and as she voiced this, Gu Cheol-woon narrowed his eyes.
“Does it really look that way?”
“Yes. Very much… you seem to have changed a lot.”
She observed he was a bit more loquacious now. His distinct deep voice remained but carried a subtle warmth.
Having reminisced over those days, the differences felt starkly profound.
“Then that’s good.”
Step Gu Cheol-woon advanced another step.
Feeling the distance closing in, Baekryeongeom was tempted to bolt the other way.
The wall she thought she had built up, layer upon layer.
The emotions she had locked away inside, unable to erase.
The wall that she believed had stiffened had cracked in an instant due to this seemingly trivial encounter and conversation.
She had to run away.
This was dangerous. Anything further would only escalate the risk.
Yes, even now, she had to flee. She knew it was rude, but staying there felt like a recipe for disaster.
Although Goeseon was there, preparing to burst into a new adventure, Baekryeongeom stood still.
Thud The sensory prick at her toes threw her into a frenzy.
Rooted in place, her feet refused to budge as though someone had gripped her.
‘…No.’
Baekryeongeom soon recognized that this was her sentimental hesitation, albeit belated.
But it was already too late.
Gu Cheol-woon was standing right before her now.
“Hmm.”
Gu Cheol-woon’s gaze fixed intently on Baekryeongeom.
It appeared strange; he wasn’t looking her in the eyes but rather focusing beside her ear.
Swish
Gu Cheol-woon’s large hand moved in the direction his gaze pointed.
Baekryeongeom wanted to twist and turn her body at the approaching hand, but her tense, rigid form wouldn’t cooperate at all.
Rustle
His fingertips brushed her hair.
As he passed by, Gu Cheol-woon emerged with a leaf in hand.
“Excuse my intrusion.”
“…”
“This was stuck on you.”
Without much sentiment, Gu Cheol-woon burned the leaf away.
Was that the issue?
Even as she watched the ash scatter, something resonated within Baekryeongeom.
Crashhhhhhh—!
It felt like the sound of a thick wall crumbling down.
The emotional fortress Baekryeongeom had meticulously constructed now lay in ruins.
With that, the shamed feelings she barely managed to contain flooded out, overwhelming Baekryeongeom with intensity.
It was like a large tidal wave.
Perhaps because these feelings had been bottled up for so long, that wave hit with unforeseen might.
The tide surged. The water flowed, and in an instant, it felt as though an ocean had formed.
“…”
In that moment, Baekryeongeom became convinced.
‘…Well, this stinks.’
She realized there was no going back to the way things had been.
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.