I'm going too. ⑴
After Gu Yang-cheon left the room.
An indescribable silence lingered between Dang So-yeol and Namgung Bi-a, the only two left in the room.
Had Gu Yang-cheon remained, it would have been a cold atmosphere where one couldn't even breathe.
Namgung Bi-a, who had been quietly observing Dang So-yeol, sat across from her.
Dang So-yeol naturally took out a new teacup, handed it to Namgung Bi-a, and poured the tea.
*Gurgle—*
Even during this time, not a single word of conversation passed between the two.
A fleeting moment that felt like a very long time passed.
The first to open their mouth was Dang So-yeol.
"It's been a while, Sister."
"...Yeah. It's been a while..."
Even as they spoke, they didn't exchange glances. Namgung Bi-a was counting the wood grain patterns on the table.
Dang So-yeol was looking at the tea leaves floating on the tea.
"I thought we'd see each other next year at the earliest, but it's faster than I thought. Right?"
"...Yeah."
"Sister."
"Yeah?"
"Why are you here?"
At Dang So-yeol's straightforward question, Namgung Bi-a momentarily lost her words.
How should she answer? Could she brush it off like usual, half-jokingly saying she was here because she was his fiancée?
Namgung Bi-a already knew. She shouldn't say such things here.
Seeing Namgung Bi-a remain silent, Dang So-yeol took a sip of her tea.
Because her throat was getting drier by the moment. Then, she thought to herself.
*I didn't intend to have this kind of conversation in the first place....*
Letting out a sigh at the tangled conversation, Dang So-yeol brought up another topic.
"...Sister, I heard you might be engaged to Young Master Gu."
She might be.
Since the noble houses had already made the agreement, it was practically a confirmed fact, but Dang So-yeol couldn't bring herself to say they were definitely engaged.
It was her ugly, fragile pride.
Namgung Bi-a didn't nitpick about this. She just quietly nodded.
"Was it also your wish?"
Dang So-yeol asked.
Whether Namgung Bi-a's will was involved in this engagement.
Dang So-yeol still vividly remembered that time.
It was Namgung Bi-a's answer when asked if she liked Gu Yang-cheon.
*'She said no.'*
Namgung Bi-a had said so. That it wasn't affection, that it wasn't romantic attraction.
However, seeing Namgung Bi-a now, Dang So-yeol wasn't confident she still held the same heart and mind.
It wasn't just an abstract sense that she might have changed over time.
Namgung Bi-a's deep blue eyes, once full of emptiness, now held a distinct light.
Her cool skin, which had seemed pale, was filled with a faint blush.
*She had bloomed.*
What was already brilliant as just a bud was now blooming so beautifully that it radiated light.
Beautiful.
Seen from the perspective of another woman, Namgung Bi-a was excessively beautiful.
*'...To an excessive degree.'*
She secretly clenched her fist above her knee. Dang So-yeol was fairly confident in her own appearance.
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In reality, Dang So-yeol possessed a delicate appearance that anyone would call pretty.
She also liked dressing up and enjoyed adorning herself. She was pretty. Dang So-yeol knew this better than anyone, but.
Compared to the woman in front of her, everything felt insignificant.
Namgung Bi-a bloomed with a profound beauty to match.
Was she thinking this way because of jealousy centered around Gu Yang-cheon?
*'...That's not it.'*
The hair ornament tying Namgung Bi-a's long hair briefly caught her eye.
This was Namgung Bi-a, who used to consider cutting even those beautiful locks of hair because they got in the way during training, let alone wearing ornaments.
Such a woman was wearing an ornament.
"Sister...?"
Dang So-yeol called out to Namgung Bi-a again. Only then did Namgung Bi-a shake her head.
Because, in truth, her own wishes had not been involved in the engagement.
"...Still. I think it's a blessing."
"..."
At Namgung Bi-a's answer, Dang So-yeol bowed her head.
It felt like that single word contained every answer.
*'...How did that fierce sister end up like this.'*
She is honest with her emotions.
Whether it was in her gaze that seemed to be looking at someone even when they weren't visible.
Or the warmth mixed into what used to be an icy atmosphere.
Dang So-yeol could tell it all stemmed from harboring someone in her heart.
If Namgung Bi-a had been unhappy with the engagement in the beginning, Dang So-yeol would have thought to help her.
To be honest, a part of her had hoped she would be.
She needed such a justification.
"Sister, you said you didn't like Young Master Gu."
"Yeah."
"Is it still the same now...?"
Dang So-yeol asked.
"No."
Namgung Bi-a answered. Her past self had answered Dang So-yeol like that.
But her answer now was different.
Even as she answered, Namgung Bi-a wondered. Was she admiring the boy?
Honestly, she wasn't sure.
Namgung Bi-a didn't know love. So she couldn't be certain.
She just liked the gazes they occasionally met, and liked the hand that stroked her as she fell asleep.
She liked how he would spout harsh words but secretly try to take care of her.
She liked how he would constantly ask if she had eaten despite his prickly behavior, and the delicateness he showed in noticing even the slightest change in her mood or if her body was tired.
If she couldn't see him, she would look for him. If she could see him, she wanted to be by his side.
When she approached his side, he would pretend to push her away, but in the end, he would quietly stay there.
Namgung Bi-a lingered by his side.
Was this love? She still didn't know well.
If she didn't know, she could just learn slowly.
If she continued to stay by his side, she would naturally come to know.
Namgung Bi-a didn't know many things, but she was certain of this one thing.
At the firm answer, Dang So-yeol carefully set down her hand that was holding the teacup.
*'Sister is just mistaken because she knows too little of the world.'*
*'An engagement like that won't be good.'*
*'How many good men are there in the world? Think again.'*
Dang So-yeol swallowed the many words that mindlessly surfaced in her mind.
They were words that even she found petty and immature as she thought of them.
She didn't want to go that far.
To Dang So-yeol, Namgung Bi-a was still more precious than Gu Yang-cheon. Because of that, she couldn't say another word.
Just.
*'Why of all people....'*
Why did Namgung Bi-a's fiancé have to be Gu Yang-cheon? She herself had ended up in this state because she was bewitched by his looks, but.
There was also a little unfairness to it.
Should she have rather begged her father to arrange an engagement with the Gu family?
*'Father wouldn't have done it, though.'*
Even with the engagement with Namgung Cheon-jun, he had tried to do it while half shedding tears of blood.
Dang So-yeol remembered how, when she had thrown a tantrum at the time, her father had tried to stop her while smiling at the corners of his mouth.
Eventually, Dang So-yeol let out a sigh. The exhaled breath clearly revealed her complicated feelings.
She was merely bewitched by his looks, but was giving up this hard?
She unclenched the fist she had been gripping tightly.
"I'm sorry."
At the sudden apology, Dang So-yeol's eyes widened.
"What's the sudden apology for?"
"...So-yeol, you're..."
"No, you don't have to apologize, Sister."
It had only been a few months, but Namgung Bi-a had become able to feel various things.
Especially, she had reached a point where she could see people's emotions a little more deeply.
Compared to others, it was still infinitely low, but compared to her past self, that was the case.
And as much as Namgung Bi-a could feel it, Dang So-yeol's emotions were clearly visible on the outside.
At Namgung Bi-a's words, Dang So-yeol smiled slightly.
The seemingly bright smile was filled with regret.
"...Sure, the engagement issue wasn't something you initiated, Sister, but since he's that handsome, you could come to like Young Master Gu too..."
"...Huh?"
Thinking she misheard for a moment, Namgung Bi-a swept back the hair covering her ear. The first word had seemed a bit strange.
"Why?"
"...No. Nothing."
Since it wasn't a situation where she could bring herself to deny it otherwise, Namgung Bi-a immediately gave up on thinking about it.
"I'm the one who should apologize to you, Sister..."
Saying that, Dang So-yeol put the letter she had taken out back into her embrace.
"I'm sorry, but I won't withdraw the invitation I offered to Young Master Gu."
A companion to go to the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering. She didn't know what answer Gu Yang-cheon would give, but even in this situation, Dang So-yeol had no intention of giving up.
It wasn't a resolution to steal Gu Yang-cheon from Namgung Bi-a now.
Having seen Namgung Bi-a's change and even heard her words, Dang So-yeol still couldn't let go of Gu Yang-cheon. Right now, she just wanted to be by his side even for a moment.
I'm ruined.
That was what Dang So-yeol was thinking right now.
*'This is why they say handsome people make you pay for their looks, so you shouldn't stay near them.'*
If she stayed by his side for a bit, wouldn't she get sick of his awful personality?
She hoped faintly, but with that handsome face, she felt like she wouldn't get sick of him until she died.
"...Young Master Gu might refuse, but if he does go to the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering..."
"...It's fine."
"Huh?"
When Namgung Bi-a answered as if it were nothing, Dang So-yeol was rather flustered.
Even her expression was nonchalant. It was a face asking what the problem was.
Normally, wouldn't one hate it or feel anxious? But Namgung Bi-a said it as if it were obvious.
"I'm... going too."
"S-Sister?"
Namgung Bi-a had never attended the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering even once.
Not only did she rarely leave the Noble House, but even her connection with Dang So-yeol was practically a coincidence intertwined with various factors.
Moreover, Namgung Bi-a hated crowded places and the people who clung to her.
"Sister, the Dragon-Phoenix Gathering..."
It was obvious even without looking.
It was a place where the rising stars of each region gathered.
Before competing over who the star of this era was, it was a gathering where all the outstanding men and women convened.
Even Dang So-yeol received tremendous flirtations every time, so what would happen if Namgung Bi-a went?
Since Namgung Bi-a didn't enjoy such attention, Dang So-yeol found it wondrous that she was saying she'd go so casually.
"It's fine."
She was calm. She truly looked like it didn't matter at all.
Namgung Bi-a spoke to Dang So-yeol.
"That person is going."
Where Gu Yang-cheon goes. So it's fine.
For Namgung Bi-a, that small reason was enough.
After that, a few more awkward conversations were exchanged.
They both had many things they wanted to say to each other, but didn't bother to bring them out into the open.
Namgung Bi-a finished the conversation and came outside.
Gu Yang-cheon was waiting outside, standing quietly. He seemed to be slightly reading the room.
His fierce eyes comically darting around looked incredibly insignificant.
Suddenly, what Dang So-yeol had said came to mind.
*'She said... he was handsome.'*
Were her eyes strange? She couldn't empathize that much with Dang So-yeol's words.
As she was scrutinizing his facial features one by one, Gu Yang-cheon noticed Namgung Bi-a.
He scowled, seemingly curious about what they had talked about.
At that weird expression, Namgung Bi-a burst into a laugh.
"What? Why are you laughing at someone's face?"
"...Nothing."
She quickly smoothed her expression. That was what Namgung Bi-a was best at.
"What about Lady Dang?"
"She said... she'll come back later to talk."
"Then, is she saying to just leave now?"
"Yeah."
In truth, Dang So-yeol hadn't said that. It was something she blurted out seeing Gu Yang-cheon trying to go back into the room.
*'Why did I lie?'*
Why did she do that?
She just didn't want to send Gu Yang-cheon back into the room for a moment.
Gu Yang-cheon wore a questioning expression, but Namgung Bi-a grabbed his sleeve and pulled him along.
"I'm hungry..."
"What, suddenly? We just shared dumplings earlier."
"..."
Right.
She recalled eating dumplings in the carriage on the way here. Actually, because of that, she wasn't really hungry. But this was the only thing that urgently came to mind.
"Hun...gry."
"...Alright. You can just eat, so what. Can we really just leave now?"
"Yeah."
Not knowing Namgung Bi-a's true intentions, Gu Yang-cheon trusted her words and moved his feet.
Gu Yang-cheon might not care about other things, but he had shown that if she was hungry, he would make sure she ate.
*-Other things too, but being hungry is the worst, you see.*
With Gu Yang-cheon's status, he would never starve anywhere, so Namgung Bi-a couldn't understand how he could say such a thing.
Looking at Gu Yang-cheon's back as he walked quietly, Namgung Bi-a approached his side with quick steps.
"What should we eat, what should we eat?"
"...Anything...?"
"Do you know that's the most annoying answer?"
They conversed trivially as they walked side by side. This unremarkable thing was what Namgung Bi-a desired more than anything.
Inside the Patriarch's office of the Gu Family, Gu Cheol-un was facing the Sword Empress.
"You must have been tired today; I said you could rest, so why have you come?"
The Sword Empress had sent word that she would stay at Gu Ryeong-hwa's quarters.
Considering the relationship between the two, Gu Cheol-un judged there wouldn't be a problem and approved.
"There are too many things I want to ask, so it was hard to just rest."
"Things you want to ask... you mean to ask me, Sword Empress."
"Yes."
Gu Cheol-un scanned the Sword Empress with a fierce gaze. The atmosphere was quite different from when they had faced each other a few years ago.
*'It seems the treatment was successful.'*
Gu Cheol-un could immediately tell that the Sword Empress had been slowly deteriorating at the time.
Seeing that, Gu Cheol-un opened his mouth.
"It's a relief that you've recovered..."
"Daeju."
Gu Cheol-un's eyebrows furrowed at the word the Sword Empress spat out, cutting him off.
From Gu Cheol-un's perspective, it was a word he hadn't heard in over a dozen years. Gu Cheol-un said to the Sword Empress with a growling voice.
"Sword Empress, what is the meaning of this?"
"I have something to ask the Daeju."
"Please correct the title. Are you saying you want to wallow in memories now?"
"Is there a reason I shouldn't?"
"It's all in the past, it's all been forgotten."
At Gu Cheol-un's firm words, the Sword Empress sneered.
"From what I see, Daeju, you haven't forgotten anything. Isn't the fact that the former Alliance Leader is staying at the Gu family the proof?"
"..."
The Sword Empress had recognized the Sword Venerable immediately. The Sword Venerable would also know that fact.
However, she didn't reveal it. Knowing that the Sword Venerable, of all people, was hoping for this, she had shown the minimum amount of consideration.
The Sword Empress looked at Gu Cheol-un and spoke.
"When you entrusted Ryeong-hwa to me, you made it a condition not to ask about Cheon-hui. I intend to keep that promise."
"Then what are you doing now?"
"Then, what about the Demonic Realm?"
"...Sword Empress!"
"Although it's been over a dozen years, I still remember."
Even at Gu Cheol-un's shout, the Sword Empress didn't furrow her expression even once. Rather, her face just settled into an even colder and icier look.
"That is precisely why I came all the way here to ask you, Daeju."
The Sword Empress met Gu Cheol-un's fierce eyes and asked.
"Daeju—no, you... what exactly did you experience in the Demonic Realm?"
At the Sword Empress's final question, a blazing aura erupted from Gu Cheol-un's body.