Chapter: 788
What did I just hear?
‘I thought I heard “no entry…”’
The First Elder was whistling and avoiding eye contact, but it definitely felt like he said that.
‘No access…?’
No entry or no access.
The difference in words doesn’t matter.
What’s important is that the First Elder is in that state.
‘If he was targeted, who would have done it?’
Judging by what was being said, it seemed like it might involve the Murim Alliance…
No matter how much I thought about it, I just couldn’t wrap my head around it.
‘Why the First Elder?’
How on earth did that old man get himself into such a mess? To me, that was the biggest issue.
Of course, he has a fiery personality and is quite a handful, even within our clan.
“Your expression looks strange. Are you perhaps cursing the old man in your mind?”
“No way.”
He’s quick-witted, that’s for sure.
But at least he’s not the kind of person to live by committing outright crimes.
‘…’
I pause for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts.
Could it really be…?
Fleeting memories from childhood rush back.
“Guh…!”
“Yangcheon-ah?”
Suddenly, I feel a wave of dizziness wash over me.
I think it’s because it’s a memory I’d rather not recall.
I wonder if that old man could be involved. Suddenly, such doubts creep into my mind.
But.
‘…No way!’
There’s no way the alliance would make such a rash decision unless something major happened.
Getting to the point of “no access” is a serious matter.
‘It’s nearly impossible unless they’re defining him as a rogue.’
In terms of martial artists, it could mean he’s marked as rogue.
If other groups are involved, then they distrust the alliance and avoid it.
When the Murim Alliance prohibits access to a certain area, it carries heavy implications.
‘The First Elder…?’
Did the elder of a prestigious family and a master of the proper sect known as Yeom Ah-kwon get banned from Hanam?
What on earth could have led to that?
Moreover, it’s strange that I had never heard about this incident, let alone him being labeled a rogue.
“Elder… What on earth did you just say?”
“What’s the matter?”
“What you just mentioned.”
“So what about it?”
“No, I’m saying that getting banned from coming to Hanam….”
“What are you talking about?”
“…”
I see.
I nod while observing the First Elder’s reaction.
‘Is he trying to play coy?’
It seems the First Elder is starting to pretend nothing happened, as if he’s trying to sweep this under the rug.
Should I just let that slide?
“No, you just said it.”
That’s absolutely unacceptable.
Determined to get an answer, I latch on to the First Elder’s words.
“The First Elder is banned from approaching….”
“Come to think of it, Yangcheon, when you take the head of the household position, I wonder what will happen to the minor house.”
“…Maybe it won’t happen. Was there some incident?”
“Right?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Ha ha ha—!”
“Ha ha ha….”
I backtrack my words quickly.
‘This old man is infuriating…’
It’s clear I can’t outwit the First Elder with mere words.
Though he seems unaware of it, the First Elder definitely knows what I’m concerned about.
He’s warning me not to poke too much or he’ll come after me instead.
‘Rotten old man.’
Because of that, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut for now.
Even after a long time apart, he was still a difficult human to deal with.
Thud. Thud.
A large hand constantly taps my shoulder.
“You seem to be doing well.”
“… If I may ask…”
“Huh?”
“Is it okay for you to be here even with the prohibition…?”
I won’t question why it’s banned, but I need to clarify whether it’s alright to be around.
Wouldn’t this turn into a problem?
With worries, I ask him.
“Hmm? Ah, ha ha ha—! If that’s the case, then it’s fine.”
The First Elder answered with a hearty laugh.
“As long as you’re not caught, right? Hahaha—!”
“…”
Upon hearing his response, I immediately furrow my brow.
‘Sick. That clearly means it’s not okay at all.’
There’s no answer. How can he say that?
As we converse, I feel more and more suffocated.
“Haah…”
I let out a deep sigh I could no longer hold back, and suddenly, I feel a sharp pain in my back.
Smack—!
“Ugh!?”
“Tsk tsk, why does this kid look troubled and sigh like that?”
“…”
Well, it’s because of you.
I couldn’t say that, so I just shook my head slightly.
Anyway.
“That’s settled then… So, did you really come to see me?”
The incident with the level 100 monster and the change of nickname.
Could that really be the reason for his visit?
I asked out of curiosity.
“Well, that wasn’t the main reason, but it was a significant part of it.”
I felt a subtle sense of relief at the First Elder’s words.
This may hold some truth, but ultimately the main reason lies elsewhere.
I focused intently on that.
‘Right, that fits.’
The distance from Shanxi to Hanam, and the time it takes for information to travel there.
Considering all of that, it didn’t make sense for the First Elder to arrive here right after getting the news.
If we have to nitpick, it might be possible.
‘The First Elder is a master of Hwagyeong, after all.’
It wouldn’t be impossible if he ran with full effort.
Especially with the martial arts he possesses, which can push the body to its limits.
Looking at that, it doesn’t seem entirely infeasible.
‘…But I hope that’s not the case.’
I’m wishing the Elder wouldn’t have gone to such extremes to get here.
That’s why I feel relief from that answer.
“Do you know how surprised I was when you came? You really startled this old man. Just startling!”
I mess up my hair once again; it feels like there’s no mess left to make.
“… Nothing major happened, right?”
“What do you mean nothing major! You kid…!”
“So, what brings you here? You must tell me that first.”
I interrupt the conversation that felt like it would drag on and ask, causing the First Elder to frown.
He’s a man of considerably intimidating appearance, so I momentarily flinch at his face.
Is he going to get angry? Just as I was bracing for impact.
“… It’s nothing special.”
Fortunately, the First Elder doesn’t seem angry and explains in a rather dismissive tone.
“There’s this old man who keeps whining for me to take him with me.”
“Excuse me?”
“I don’t know if he’s senile or what, but he’s holed up in the back room, refusing to come out. He says he needs escorting.”
“…?”
The more I listen, the more my face contorts.
No matter how hard I try to understand it, it just doesn’t add up.
So.
‘Someone asked you to go along with them… And you’re dragged along as an escort?’
That elder?
He was pulled into something like that?
‘What kind of nonsense is this?’
If that’s not crazy, then what is?
In our clan, there are few people whom even my father wouldn’t dare disrespect, and that includes the First Elder.
While it could be said that my father, being the head of the household, holds a higher position, they maintain a relationship of mutual respect and wouldn’t demean each other.
Even having lived a turbulent life and reigning over his direct lineage, he still holds the position of an elder, making him a highly respected figure.
For someone like the First Elder to come to Hanam as an escort?
“What in the world does that mean?”
“Anyway, you’d think he’d age gracefully, but no, he’s just as stubborn as ever… tsk, tsk. It’s no wonder your daughter despises him so much.”
“Elder…?”
“Anyway, since it’s come to this, let’s go already.”
“… What on earth just happened? And where are we going?”
Despite no resolutions being made, the First Elder suddenly tries to take me somewhere.
I tightened myself, as if to convey that I wouldn’t be going.
“Huh?”
“Excuse me? Where exactly are you trying to drag me off to all of a sudden?”
“Oh, it’s no big deal. That old man wants to see you. Since you’re already here, how about you go and say hi?”
“Do you speak so casually as if you’re just asking me to come eat? Why should I go see someone I’ve never met…?”
From what I gathered, it sounds like he’s someone the First Elder brought along.
While it seems odd that he wants to see me, I have no reason to go, either.
I already have many things to tackle today.
I haven’t even seen my children; I certainly don’t have time to meet someone.
Thus, I was set on refusing to go.
“Um… I don’t really know who it is. That’s true, but it’s hard to say I don’t know them at all.”
The First Elder stroked his beard thoughtfully.
“Technically speaking, you could say it’s your grandfather.”
“…What?!”
The moment those words hit my ears, my expression twisted further.
The mention of a grandfather hasn’t been a pleasant memory for me lately.
*
It was past noon, gradually shifting to bright daylight.
Hanam.
In particular, within certain areas managed by the Baekhwa Association.
Inside, someone strolled along a path that resembled a hill at first glance, exceptionally well-kept.
There were two individuals, both with long hair and featuring strikingly attractive looks.
One was a woman with slightly reddish-black hair, visibly disturbed by the current situation, while the black-haired woman next to her seemed oblivious, preoccupied with admiring the surrounding scenery.
As they took slow steps forward.
Thud.
“…Why did you call me?”
One of the women, Gu Hee-bi, spoke anxiously.
“Seriously. Why did you call me? Did I do something wrong? No… I hid all evidence of my mistakes!”
Knock knock knock.
Gu Hee-bi incessantly bit her nails as if overwhelmed with trepidation.
The other woman, seeing Gu Hee-bi’s nervousness, grasped her arm and said, “Sister, don’t do that.”
“Ah, r-right.”
“Calm down.”
“…But you’re managing to stay calm.”
“… Am I not…?”
Gu Hee-bi’s reassurance sounded shaky.
The woman could sense it. Ever since she received the letter that morning, Gu Hee-bi had been pale-faced, trembling like a leaf.
“Honestly, I’m really fine!”
While it looked like she was forcing a smile, the crinkled corners of her lips betrayed her.
“Right.”
Even as she observed this, the woman nodded.
If it were true, then it was indeed true. It didn’t seem necessary to ask further.
“I’m fine really… I will be fine. I mean, it’s fine, right?”
“Should we go home?”
“Absolutely not… if I go home like this, I might be killed.”
“Why not?”
“Didn’t you tell me once?”
Gu Hee-bi rubbed her arms like it gave her shivers.
“…There are just two things that truly scare me in this world.”
Only two.
There are only two things that frighten Gu Hee-bi. One of them is.
“An angry mother.”
“Mother?”
“Yes, Mom really becomes terrifying when she’s mad.”
It sends chills just to imagine.
A woman who never learned martial arts, her mother, made Gu Hee-bi feel like a drowned rat.
“…There was that time when I was just fooling around with my younger sibling, and I ended up causing trouble.”
Her younger brother. The only younger brother among them.
She was high on adrenaline and recklessly rolled down from a high spot, thinking it would be fun.
That day, Gu Yang-cheon had been frightened, saying he wouldn’t do it, but Gu Hee-bi pushed him, claiming it would be thrilling.
– “N-no! Sister, this is too sc-screams!”
Back then, Gu Hee-bi hadn’t realized.
She thought Gu Yang-cheon would land safely just like she did from high drops, but he sadly couldn’t.
As a result, he hit the ground and got his face hurt.
A wound that might have left a scar if not treated in time.
Fortunately, Gu Yang-cheon received proper treatment, so there had been no further issues…
‘…But the problem is.’
The problem lies in Mi Hyo-ran, her mother.
Upon hearing the news, Mi Hyo-ran abandoned everything she was doing and rushed back to the Gu household.
After assessing the injured Gu Yang-cheon and the circumstances, she discreetly called Gu Hee-bi.
‘…Oh no.’
Just recalling that day made Gu Hee-bi tremble.
That day was hell.
It was the day Gu Hee-bi learned that words can indeed kill.
Not only had she heard a hundred to two hundred reasons why she shouldn’t have let it happen.
But she had also received terrifying warnings about what would happen if she ever did it again.
How many excruciating months passed, forced to endure a rigorous education on her lacking discernment?
It was so bad that even the stoic family head asked her to stop.
An angry Mi Hyo-ran is more frightening than anything in the world.
That was the sentiment Gu Hee-bi experienced. Whenever Mi Hyo-ran got angry…
‘… she’d send a letter like this.’
Rather than going to fetch her, she ordered Gu Hee-bi to come.
To come and get scolded on her own.
She called her over just as if to prepare her mentally in advance.
Knowing this, Gu Hee-bi’s mind spiraled nervously.
“…W-what on earth…?”
What could she have done this time?
No, to be honest, what accident could have been discovered?
Thinking about it made her head spin even more.
‘There’s just too many.’
She had made far too many mistakes.
Was it an issue that some nameless minor lord got rowdy and made a mess?
Or perhaps the matter of catching a pudgy merchant’s eye who was forcing himself on a maid, burning his own hair in the process? She had heard the merchant had some links to the Baekhwa Association.
If it wasn’t that…
‘Did my mother find out I secretly sold off her prized porcelain?’
That wouldn’t be easy. It turned out to be more than just one or two things. Oh, maybe it wasn’t just one thing that got exposed…
‘What if it’s everything?’
If everything comes to light, that truly would mean death.
Should I just run away?
Yeah, that would definitely be the safer option.
Meanwhile, as Gu Hee-bi made up her mind, she immediately spun around.
“Miss!”
“…”
In her dazed walk, Gu Hee-bi had already reached her destination, and someone was already out waiting to greet her.
Looking at him, Gu Hee-bi forced a grin.
“…Oh… long time no see.”
“I trust you have been well.”
“…Of course….”
“From now on, I shall guide you.”
“Oh, wait, I think I may have left something behind. Should I go back for a moment…?”
“Oh, is that so? The Lord is waiting for you. I’ve received a message to guide you here since it seemed you were taking a while… it’s unavoidable….”
“Let’s go.”
It seems making a run for it isn’t an option anymore.
Gu Hee-bi’s countenance turned pallid as if feeling death closing in.
With a heavy heart, she proceeded to follow the guide.
As it was when she came in, the interior of the residence was exceptionally well-maintained.
It felt almost as if it were a blessing for reaching the end of life.
“Ha ha.”
“Yes?”
“Oh, it’s just that the butterfly looks so strange, it made me chuckle a bit.”
“About the butterfly, you say?”
“Yes.”
While it was a curious answer, the attendant refrained from probing further.
As they resumed their walking, Gu Hee-bi glanced sideways.
White flower buds peeked out from amidst the grass.
“…”
As she looked at those flowers, Gu Hee-bi temporarily diverted her gaze.
Flowers whose names she could barely recall.
They weren’t Mi Hyo-ran’s favorite flowers, but they were the ones she grew the most.
Gu Hee-bi knew just who cherished those flowers.
“Our Hee-bi is so pretty; these flowers suit her too. Yeon-seo, would you like to come over?”
The person who used to arrange a flower in her ear with a warm yet chilly grasp.
That person’s favorite flowers.
Those were blooming vibrantly in every corner of this place.
Ironically, they were the same flowers that had been tossed aside in the Gu household’s garden.
Lost in thought while gazing at those flowers.
“Miss?”
The attendant called Gu Hee-bi, who quickly snapped her head back.
“I’m coming!”
Shaking off her musings, Gu Hee-bi moved forward. But…
“…”
The black-haired woman following behind stood quietly, observing the blossoms.
Even as Gu Hee-bi gradually distanced herself, she remained fixated on the flowers, as if seeing them imbue her with energy.
“…”
Finally, she too turned and hurried to catch up with Gu Hee-bi.
*
Eventually, they were led into the residence.
As they closed in, Gu Hee-bi’s face grew increasingly grim, but there was no escape.
The fact that the attendant was already present meant that she was firmly under Mi Hyo-ran’s control.
Attempting to bolt would only bring harm to Gu Hee-bi.
If she were caught later, she’d be in even deeper trouble.
‘Fine.’
If I’m going to get in trouble anyway, it’s better to face it now.
After all, she is my daughter; it’s unlikely she would really kill her. So Gu Hee-bi nodded her head.
“Then, I shall take my leave now.”
“Can you stay a little longer…?”
“Excuse me?”
“N-no… it’s nothing.”
She thought about trying to grab hold of the attendant, but that felt a tad shameless, so she resolved to let it be.
The confused attendant walked away.
Gu Hee-bi turned in the somewhat dreary environment.
Always a spacious place to live alone.
Though this wasn’t her actual home, the residences Mi Hyo-ran established in various regions all carried a similar vibe.
Excessively spacious homes for a single person.
As if there were so many rooms, meant to welcome someone.
In truth, given Mi Hyo-ran’s personality, she’d hardly invite or warmly receive anyone. Yet, every place she inhabited felt like this.
In her childhood, Gu Hee-bi had thought she simply liked such roomy properties.
However, as she matured, her thoughts gradually shifted.
Could there be some underlying reason?
Gu Hee-bi mulled over such thoughts.
“…I wonder where Mother is.”
Swallow.
She gulped nervously, scanning her surroundings.
With a face reflecting extreme tension, like heading toward the gates of hell.
Gu Hee-bi’s anxious eyes continued darting around.
At that moment.
-…This…
-Oh!
Voices echoed from somewhere nearby.
‘Could it be that way?’
Following the sound, Gu Hee-bi ventured forth.
The voices became clearer, as if signaling the answer.
– I like it too—!
– Oh? That’s a relief!
– Yes!
– Well then, try this one too.
– Yes! It’s delicious!
– Heehee, you eat so well!
‘Huh?’
Gu Hee-bi’s expression subtly wrinkled.
Something felt amiss.
‘There are two voices.’
Why are there two voices in a place where only my mother should be?
Moreover, one sounded like a child’s voice.
Particularly, it bore a tone that she vaguely recognized.
Somehow, it sparked a desire to toy with the source of the voice.
The other voices were.
– Oh dear, you can’t spill and eat. Come here, and I’ll wipe it for you.
– Uh-huh.
“…”
While the voice was unmistakably her mother’s, Gu Hee-bi hesitated to fully believe it.
‘What is going on?’
She had never heard such a warm and gentle tone from her mother before.
And the dialogues around it felt strange.
“Come here, and I’ll clean it up for you?”
‘That’s absurd.’
This was the same mother who had lectured her on table manners, saying one must not eat messily or they are being insincere.
But now she talks this way?
It was an inexplicable scene, each echo hitting her like thunder.
As she took in the absurdity, Gu Hee-bi move cautiously forward.
– Is it okay if I eat more of this?
– Well then, should I get you something else?
– Yay! I like it, dear!
– Didn’t I tell you to call me by something other than “Lord?”
– Ah, right.
Before she knew it, Gu Hee-bi was standing at the door.
With trembling hands, she gripped the door.
Creek!
The previously shut door swung open.
At that moment.
“I love Grandma—!”
“Likewise, I love my grandchild as well….”
The eyes of Mi Hyo-ran and Gu Hee-bi met, the latter holding a child and smiling within the room.
“…”
“…”
An intense silence stretched between them as they exchanged glances without uttering a single word.
To Gu Hee-bi, this felt like a hell of an entirely different meaning.
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