< Murim Alliance Gathering (1) >
As Hugo was finishing up the healing work, memories of the conversation held before coming here from the Zhuge Family flickered through his mind.
“Are you saying the prince? But the royal lineage was cut off after the Imperial Palace bloodbath…”
“To be precise, it should be called the royal grandson. It’s true that those in the Imperial Palace at the time met with misfortune, but not all of them lost their lives. There were quite a few who managed to escape that fate.”
And one of those was the Crown Princess, who had recently become pregnant with the royal grandson.
After the tragedy of that day, she was able to slip away from the capital with her followers before the world plunged into complete chaos, returning to her family to live in seclusion.
She feared moving recklessly in a situation where both the Emperor and her husband, the Crown Prince, had passed away.
As expected, shortly after, various factions, including warlords, began to stir, bringing disaster to the world, and she focused on keeping a low profile and nurturing herself.
At that time, she was no longer alone.
“I see. So, the one born after that was…?”
“Indeed. He is the royal grandson currently at the Shaolin Temple, Zhu Gang-in.”
He had been born with great difficulty and grew up under the intense care of his mother and maternal family, but unfortunately, his physical condition was never very good since birth.
In a situation like now, where even the renowned doctors they summoned were simply struggling to uphold health in their declining family, there was a limit.
After much consideration, he was entrusted to Shaolin Temple, known for having high-level martial masters.
More than anything, he could rest assured about his safety if he was with the formidable Shaolin Temple.
“Our family, which has produced numerous royal administrators, has connections with them, which led us to this fact. And we found that both he and Hye-mi have similar symptoms.”
“But isn’t that rather confidential? Are you sure you should be saying this?”
“It was, but… over twenty years have passed, and it’s long since lost its significance. Even if a royal heir appears in this situation, it changes nothing.”
Indeed, the current crisis could no longer be resolved with mere intentions as the existence of various powers hung in the balance.
Moreover, a significant number of the warlords already possessed the title of king among the royal family.
‘Well, I suppose a mere child who isn’t recognized as a true royal heir isn’t worth their attention.’
The most critical factor supporting that justification, the deficiency of military strength, had a significant impact.
Therefore, what remained for the royal grandson was literally just his name.
“Of course, one shouldn’t go shouting it from the rooftops, but shouldn’t at least those requesting the treatment know this much?”
“I see. Anyway, understood. Then I’ll go take a look.”
“Hohoho, thank you. Actually, I’ve been feeling uneasy since we’re not complete strangers. I’ll make sure to express my gratitude separately when you return.”
That topic came to an end.
Afterwards, upon arriving at Shaolin Temple, Hugo was introduced by the Zhuge Family and soon had a face-to-face meeting with the patient, and thus, after over a week of treatment, they reached the current state.
“Though his body is recovering, he’s still in a precarious state, so please avoid excessive movement.”
“Thank you so much, divine one. Thanks to you, I can hardly express how comfortable I’ve been lately. I even sleep soundly without bad dreams.”
“Hahaha, don’t mention it. I’ll take my leave now.”
“Oh, then please this way… ”
Despite the insistence to stay, as Zhu Gang-in saw Hugo off while he stroked his chin, he began to sort out his thoughts.
Taking care of his treatment, he had become tangled in the new information he had acquired.
‘He certainly is responding to treatment much faster than Je Gal Hye-mi did. It took her about a month to be able to move at all, yet he’s at a similar level after just a week.’
No matter how skilled he was at this healing process, there were indeed limits to it.
If the difference in results was this stark, he could only think of another reason.
And that would likely be due to the preliminary measures going on among the factions before the Holy Power treatment began.
To arrive at such a conclusion while the medical skills possessed by the Zhuge Family were superior to others means…
‘That the teachings of a high monk meant to give him stability were more effective than any medical attempts made to treat him.’
It certainly looked closer to some kind of divine ailment rather than just a simple illness.
While it could be alleviated through Heinrich’s Holy Power, the problem was that it couldn’t be completely cured.
Unless the root cause was addressed, ongoing treatment would only lead to continuous deterioration.
‘Should he receive divine possession or something? But, is there really such a god in this world?’
There are several religions, including Buddhism and Taoism, but he couldn’t think of a being matching the circumstances they were experiencing.
As he pondered, he returned to the Zhuge Family’s location in the gathering hall.
“Oh! You’ve come, Young Master Han. Thank you for your efforts today.”
At the entrance, the family’s representative and the second son of the family, Zhuge Jung-hyuk, greeted him with a bright smile.
Hugo, responding with a soft smile, subtly observed his behavior.
‘Why is he suddenly acting so friendly?’
There wasn’t much intimacy between them, and their relationship had felt just like a suitable business arrangement.
Yet, coming all the way to greet him at the door felt too familiar.
However, upon closer inspection, he could tell that Jung-hyuk’s attention was elsewhere.
‘Come to think of it… there seems to be a commotion over there.’
In another area of the guest hall, welcoming outside guests.
As he walked over, absorbed in his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed, but it appeared that other people had just arrived.
Perhaps Zhuge Jung-hyuk had noticed the change in Hugo’s demeanor and explained before he could ask.
“Oh, the Namgoong Family has just arrived. What’s more, it was the small chief, Namgoong Hwang, who came here in person. I’ve seen him a few times when I was small, so I remember him.”
Hugo slowly nodded at the excited tone.
It occurred to him that the Zhuge Family in Hubei and the Namgoong Family in Anhui were located close to each other, so they used to exchange visits.
That being said, the distance between their respective headquarters was even greater than the Shaolin Temple where they currently were.
‘But it’s not like someone would show such a reaction just because a peer came by to rekindle friendship.’
He glanced suspiciously at Zhuge Jung-hyuk, who was constantly looking toward that direction.
Throughout the trip over here, he had experienced Jung-hyuk as a steady and somewhat boring young man.
Even when dealing with peers from the Szechuan Alliance composed of Qingseong, Jeomchang, and Amipa not too long ago, his reaction had been rather bland.
And he understood the reason as soon as he saw the Namgoong Family members who had come to greet them.
“Greetings, Young Master Je Gal. It seems we’ve met again after seeing each other when we were younger.”
“How delightful it is that you remember me. Young Master Namgoong, how have you been?”
After exchanging simple pleasantries with Namgoong Hwang, the small chief of the Namgoong Family, Zhuge Jung-hyuk turned slightly to his side, and a flush appeared on his face.
His gaze was on a beautiful girl who was curiously peeking around.
“Hmm, hello. I’m glad to meet you, Miss So-ran. I’ve heard stories about you, but this is the first time meeting face to face. I am Zhuge Jung-hyuk, second son of the Zhuge Family.”
“Oh! Hello! I’m Namgoong So-ran. Nice to meet you, Young Master!”
With an excited greeting that was returned with a bright smile, Zhuge Jung-hyuk’s mouth twitched.
Hugo couldn’t help but click his tongue and shake his head inwardly.
‘So that explains his unusual excitement.’
It seems he had lost his composure after seeing her arrive with the Namgoong Family.
Undoubtedly, with her neatly tied back hair and the healthy, vibrant aura typical of a martial family, along with her curious big eyes and graceful features, she was indeed an extraordinary beauty who would catch the attention of a young man like him.
Still, seeing the representative of their family acting this way made Hugo feel less than confident.
‘Well, this gathering is meant for socializing among families, so it’s not too surprising. But I never expected the daughter of the family head and the small chief would come here in person…’
Even if this meeting aimed to promote unity among the factions, it was concerning that they could come here without a care for the potential dangers along the way.
Could it be that he felt confident he could handle any situation that might arise…?
“Oh, it’s been a while since I saw you!”
Just then, upon seeing an elder from the Zhuge Family chatting with the arriving figures, he understood that his concern was justified.
“Nah, what brings the mighty Namgoong Woo all the way here!”
“Hohoho! I’ve been cooped up in the family for so long that I thought I’d take a break and see the world. While I’m here, I thought I’d show the kids a bit of the outside world. By the way, how has that military friend been lately?”
“The Grand Chief has been well. He seems to have taken up a hobby of nurturing orchids lately.”
The hefty elderly man, known for his high stature, casually called out to the grand elder of the Zhuge Family.
As his gaze drifted, it landed on the quietly positioned Hugo and sparkled with interest.
‘Well, that makes sense.’
Hugo tried to respond with a polite nod, awkwardly smiling as he dodged the gaze.
It was a completely different kind of pressure compared to when he faced the Mount Wu Sect’s Woon Hyun Jin.
Even though the other side didn’t do anything, just the mere presence was enough to intimidate him.
“Oh? And who’s this young man? It seems like I should have a chat with these future heirs. I may be an old man, but could I trouble you for an introduction?”
Yet, the other party seemed uninterested in letting him off easily.
As the attention of those around shifted toward him, Hugo forced a smile.
“Ahahaha…”
Now retired, the Namgoong Family’s Grand Chief Namgoong Woo.
One of the strongest in the Ganghwan Realm known as the Sword Saint, directly showing concern for him made Hugo feel substantial pressure.
*
“Grandfather, why the sudden interest?”
After finishing greetings with the Zhuge Family and other factions, on the way back to their residence, Namgoong So-ran rushed over to stand beside the Sword Saint, her innocent voice filled with curiosity.
“Hm? What are you talking about?”
“Come on, what do you mean? When we were saying hello to the Zhuge Family just now. Was there something specific about that person? It’s just unusual to see you act like that!”
“Oh, I too was surprised. I’ve never seen you show interest in someone first like that. Besides, he looked younger than me, if I’m not mistaken, only a year or two older than So-ran.”
“Hohoho…”
With his granddaughter’s charming questions and the ordinarily serious grandson chiming in, the Sword Saint stroked his beard with a gentle chuckle.
Now, how should he explain this?
Deciding to be honest with them, he slowly opened his mouth.
“Well, it wouldn’t hurt for you to know. That young man, he’s from another world.”
“…Huh?”
“…What?”
As expected, seeing the blank expressions on his grandchildren’s faces made the Sword Saint smile joyfully as he laughed heartily.
Their conversation was secret enough that there was no worry about others overhearing.
“Those from another world… are they the ones from a different dimension? The ones who use all sorts of fascinating abilities?”
“…That’s certainly amazing. I understand now why you showed interest. They’re said to quickly grow stronger if the conditions are right, and they could indeed prove to be a variable.”
Naturally, these young children had never once seen one of those from another world.
They had only heard about them through stories.
And most of those narratives focused on a particularly infamous figure among those identified as beings from another world, the Thousand Death Demon, who had suddenly vanished, making them even more astonished.
“Wow! I thought they were just myths! I can’t believe they really exist!”
“So-ran, we’re outside the family now. Please behave…”
Despite her brother’s admonitions, Namgoong So-ran’s eyes sparkled as she excitedly nibbled on her bottom lip.
‘The beings from the books! What kind of fascinating abilities does he have? I want to see him!’
Indeed, having thrown a tantrum and successfully snuck away from home to see more of the outside world paid off a little!
To be honest, she had some regret after witnessing the unfriendly atmosphere along the way, but to discover such an interesting incident was waiting for her was exhilarating!
Seeing the children, the Sword Saint grinned and resumed stroking his beard.
“Looks like he’s caught in the perfect crossover. If he were truly a top-tier being, or if he had reached the transcendent level and focused solely on concealment, it would have been hard to recognize him. But the disparity between his physical abilities and skill, as well as his presence and mentality, is something that’s not easily hidden.”
Of course, only he could perceive that subtle difference.
Having finished his thoughts, the Sword Saint stood in a confident stance.
He was expecting a respectful reaction from his grandchildren.
However, the response he received was somewhat different from his expectations.
“…He looked younger than me at a glance. Are you saying he reached the same level as me already?”
As Namgoong Hwang, the eldest son of the Namgoong Family, listened to the story with a serious expression.
He, being the heir to the Namgoong Family, had been nurtured with the expectation of becoming the next chief.
He inherited the talent from his lineage and had been training in the best environment since childhood.
Thus, he took pride and confidence in his achievement of reaching a high level in his mid-twenties.
Among the young heirs of the current era, only a handful could match his accomplishments.
Yet, to think that someone who appeared to be in their early twenties had already reached the same level as him…!
“Eh~ Brother, are you foolish? He’s from another world, you know? So he’ll have an easier time! I’d say he’s likely at a transcendent level or even higher. How disappointing could that be?”
“What nonsense are you saying…! No matter how strange their abilities are, there are limits to them!”
“It’s not nonsense! This is a legitimate ability! Just because you don’t understand it doesn’t mean it’s nonsense!”
“‘You’? Did you just call me ‘you’? You’re asking for it!”
“How rude to a future chief of the Namgoong Family, you little brat…”
Soon, as the siblings began to bicker back and forth, the Sword Saint retracted his shoulders, which had been proudly broad.
He sighed quietly, realizing he may have spoken too soon.
‘Still, the appearance of someone from another world isn’t an everyday occurrence, so it’s important for these kids to know. While they seem to be within the protective circle of the Zhuge Family, a degree of caution is needed. They are smart kids, so surely they’ll know how to conduct themselves.’
Even if they seemed rather immature now, they were known as prodigies within the family.
Surely they wouldn’t act recklessly.
But it wasn’t long before he realized he might have overestimated their maturity.
A few days later.
“Haha… Miss So-ran, what brings you here again today?”
“What do you mean what brings me here? Today’s the day!”
Hugo tried to ignore the jealousy-laden gaze of Zhuge Jung-hyuk behind him as he sighed upon seeing the youthful lady from the Namgoong Family visiting once more.
“It’s the day of the gathering!”
After much commotion and attention, time passed.
Finally, the now-defunct gathering of the Murim Alliance, which existed only in name, was about to begin.
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