I first sensed something was off starting from the main gate of the Gu Estate.
Along with sensing several unfamiliar presences.
Because I could feel a restless atmosphere within the Gu Estate.
“They aren’t the Family’s martial artists, are they?”
It wasn’t particularly strange to see martial artists from other families gathered at the Gu Estate, as it had been going on for months.
Since Dang Soyeol, a direct descendant of the Sichuan Tang Sect, was staying here.
Tang Sect martial artists had been residing at the Gu Estate as his escorts, but this felt different.
*My internal energy is bristling.*
It was a unique aura felt from swordmasters like Namgung Bia or Gu Huibi.
The Namgung Family’s martial artists didn’t remain behind separately under the Patriarch’s orders.
So those emitting such auras should only be the Gu Estate’s martial artists, yet it was different from the Gu Family’s unique aura.
I had felt it since the main street.
Amidst the restless atmosphere, whether conscious of it or not, a subtle change was taking place.
Since a change was occurring in the merchant quarter where change was nearly impossible.
I couldn’t help but notice that subtle difference.
And I could tell the cause was external influence, not from Shanxi.
*Someone’s come, it seems.*
Looking around, I saw a few unfamiliar faces.
The ornaments hanging from their light blue martial uniforms were particularly eye-catching—flashy, yet not tacky.
*That kind of appearance… It must be them, right?*
One of the Four Great Families.
A prestigious clan of Liaoyang, famous as a sword sect alongside the Namgung Family.
The Moyong Family.
I distinctly remembered that family projecting exactly this kind of vibe.
*What?*
If these people really were from the Moyong Family, what business could they have at the Gu Estate?
As if I wasn’t the only one who noticed, Gu Huibi, who had been piggybacking on my back, spoke while looking at them.
“Aren’t those the Moyong gigolos?”
“Gigolos…?”
“They look creepy. Slimy.”
I laughed helplessly at Gu Huibi’s words.
Look at her, badmouthing others when she herself looks fierce.
Of course, nothing came to mind that could refute her.
Truthfully, the Moyong martial artists, regardless of gender, tended to be rather excessively decorated for warriors.
*Anyway, what brings them here?*
I hadn’t heard anything about guests coming from the Moyong Family.
Of course, I had done something rather akin to a jailbreak, and Father had also been away from the estate, so it was possible I simply hadn’t heard the news.
Then.
I saw someone walking lightly toward me from among them.
A faint chill felt from her swaying gait.
Combined with her flowing hair and enchanting eyes, it was someone I couldn’t fail to recognize.
However, I was puzzled as to why she was at the Gu Estate.
“Hello, Young Master Gu.”
Seolbong, approaching with a slight smile, possessed the same beauty as always, but for some reason her face had more color than before.
“We meet again. Have you been well?”
“…Why are you here?”
At my blank question, Moyong Huia simply gave a shallow smile.
Someone seeing it might have their heart set ablaze, calling it an innocent smile.
But having seen all manner of unsightly things in my previous life, I immediately knew what that smile meant.
*A fake smile.*
It was the expression Moyong Huia made when she was about to tell a lie.
Or when she was trying to forcibly hide her expression.
*Why the hell is she here again?*
Does she think the Gu Estate is some kind of gathering place?
To think three of the Four Great Families are gathered here.
I was almost scared the Peng Family guy might show up next.
As I was looking with a slight frown, Gu Huibi added.
“Seolbong? What are you doing here?”
…Geomhong.
“It’s been a while. Aren’t you cold today?”
When Gu Huibi spoke with a grin, Moyong Huia’s mask shook slightly.
Do these two not get along?
Since Gu Huibi is called Geomhong, I supposed they must have met at the Dragon Phoenix Conference or something.
Still, the atmosphere wasn’t exactly pleasant.
“…I heard something happened to you.”
“It was nothing serious.”
“It seemed like quite a big deal from the looks of it?”
“Oh?”
Moyong Huia didn’t back down, retorting sharply to Gu Huibi’s rather barbed tone.
Right, these two don’t get along.
And despite being unable to even use her own body properly and piggybacking on me, Gu Huibi sure had the guts to pick a fight.
“So what did you come here for?”
“Do I have any reason to tell you that?”
“What?”
“You’re neither the Patriarch, nor even the prospective Young Family Head…”
Saying so, Moyong Huia glanced at me.
As if preparing for a battle of nerves, the corners of Gu Huibi’s lips rose.
“Would you look at that…? Your words are full of thorns.”
“It’s not like I’m wrong, am I?”
The atmosphere kept growing more bitter.
Enough that Namgung Bia, who usually doesn’t care about such things, quietly hid behind me.
“I came to the Gu Estate on business. Not to play.”
“Business?”
Business…?
For Moyong Huia to come here saying it was business meant it was related to the Moyong Family.
*Why would the Moyong Family specifically…?*
Speaking of the Moyong Family of Liaoyang.
Though they were one of the Four Great Families and contributed to suppressing the demonic realm.
What they truly specialized in was business using silk and brocade fabrics made from silkworm-type demonic beasts.
Moreover, the clothes made from these were beautiful and boasted durable composition, making them quite popular among upper-class women.
In other words.
It meant the Moyong Family and the Gu Estate had virtually no professional points of contact.
*Our family has no connection with that side.*
Since we were a family that mainly used heat and fire techniques and kept to ourselves.
There was little need to form ties with the silk or accessories side.
The same went for commerce.
That made it even more puzzling.
*Something that would bring the Moyong Family to the Gu Estate on business…*
No matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn’t figure it out.
Anyway.
“We’ve arrived, so get down now.”
“Little brother, we haven’t completely arrived yet.”
“Noona, you can walk just fine. Stop messing around and get down now.”
It wasn’t that she couldn’t walk because her body had grown weak.
I clicked my tongue once and dropped Gu Huibi as if tossing her aside.
Sure enough, Gu Huibi landed perfectly, then pouted her lips slightly and expressed her displeasure.
“No matter what, isn’t it a bit much to just throw me down like this?”
“Be thankful I didn’t slam you into the ground.”
“You’ve gotten curt, and your personality has gotten nasty. Noona didn’t raise you like this…”
“What are you talking about? I grew up on my own.”
Anyone hearing this would think you raised me like a mother.
Setting aside Gu Huibi, who was grumbling about something, I looked toward the main house.
Setting aside Moyong Huia being here, if she had come for business, it seemed likely that not only Moyong Huia but a high-ranking member from that family had come as well…
Father had quickened his pace upon arriving in Shanxi and headed to the Gu Estate first.
He must have thought we had arrived at a safe zone.
*Could it be that Father knew in advance?*
That a guest had come to the Gu Estate.
Just as I was about to ask Moyong Huia if that was really the case.
Moyong Huia was conversing with Namgung Bia.
“It’s been a while, Miss Namgung.”
“Hel…lo.”
“Ah, should I call you the Sword Dancer now?”
“…?”
At Moyong Huia’s words, Namgung Bia tilted her head.
She seemed puzzled by the term Sword Dancer.
*…She probably doesn’t even know what her epithet is.*
Many had obtained epithets at this Dragon Phoenix Conference.
But the rising stars most famously spoken of in the world were three.
First was naturally me, who had obtained the Dragon’s epithet.
Second was Jang Seonyeon, called the Divine Saint.
Third was Namgung Bia.
Sword Dancer Namgung Bia.
It was an epithet born from the sword dance she displayed at the martial arts tournament and her pre-existing beauty.
Other tremendous names related to her appearance had vaguely attached themselves to her, like the Greatest Beauty of Anhui or the Greatest Beauty Under Heaven.
But in the end, the one that stuck was Sword Dancer.
Though Namgung Bia herself didn’t seem interested at all.
*…How will things turn out?*
In my previous life, Namgung Bia had become a demonic practitioner, but her skill was acknowledged and she inherited the epithet of Sword Empress.
That was why she was the Demonic Sword Empress.
Of course, that was because Gu Huibi, who had been the likely successor to the next generation’s Sword Empress, had died.
Since in this life I had no intention of driving Gu Huibi to her death.
If that was the case, would Namgung Bia never inherit the name of Sword Empress?
Such a question arose.
*Rather, that’s a good thing.*
I didn’t know how it would be for Namgung Bia, but at least for me, it was a good thing.
For her to bear the name of Sword Empress.
To me, it was like a thorn lodged deep in my chest that I couldn’t pull out.
*Truthfully, in terms of talent… it’s ambiguous, but…*
Gu Huibi, called the treasure of the Gu Family bestowed by heaven.
She was one of the most outstanding rising stars of the current generation.
She had already been a swordmaster at the peak when I regressed.
As she was accumulating real combat experience bit by bit, unless an accident like in my previous life occurred, she would naturally grow into a top-class heroine.
Perhaps she might reach an even higher realm than I expected.
But.
When evaluating Namgung Bia’s talent, if one asked whether she was inferior to Gu Huibi.
Unlike before, I could no longer be certain.
*She’s a monster too. One of an incredible level.*
In my previous life, Namgung Bia had been one of the demonic practitioners who had not received demonic arts from the Heavenly Demon, yet.
Together with Noea, the precious treasure of Namgung and her beloved weapon.
She had climbed to a lofty realm through her own strength alone, so her talent must have been extraordinary from the start.
But having actually stood beside Namgung Bia and experienced her skill as a rising star, it was beyond such definition.
Namgung Bia’s talent was truly at an overwhelming level.
*…Setting aside that she’s at the peak at that age.*
Her sword trajectory, which had become much clearer compared to when I first met her.
Her internal energy control to the extent of casually using the Hegemonic Sword Form.
On top of that, the abundant internal energy reserves supporting it.
Just looking at this.
Unlike me, who was covered in regression and fortuitous encounters.
Namgung Bia was someone who achieved everything through her talent alone.
*This is why geniuses… I don’t like them.*
The jealousy I thought had almost disappeared was faintly surfacing.
The slowly wriggling emotion was pricking below my dantian.
*[How unsightly. Put it back.]*
Shin Noya scolded in a voice full of disdain.
*Urgh…*
*[How old are you, yet you still haven’t matured? She is your person, so you should embrace and cherish her.]*
He was right.
It was something I knew better than anyone, yet my wretched temperament just wouldn’t go away, constantly flaring up beyond my control.
I shook my head vigorously, trying to shake it off.
For now, I had to sort out the people I had seen at the Heukya Palace.
And focus on purifying the demonic energy in Gu Huibi’s body.
*…Besides.*
Since I had escaped and run out of prison, I was quite worried about how to face those back at my quarters.
*I’ll have to avoid Second Elder for the time being.*
He probably already knew I had broken out despite being told not to, so there was no telling what would happen if he caught me.
“Ah, right!”
Moyong Huia, who had been briefly chatting with Namgung Bia, soon approached me and spoke.
“Young Master Gu.”
“Yes?”
Her slight smile with the corners of her eyes lowered maximized the unique charm Moyong Huia possessed, but…
*Why is she really like that?*
To me, it only amplified my sense of distance rather than making my heart flutter.
Why does she keep making a face full of ulterior motives?
Since the women entangled around me were all abnormal in one way or another, I instinctively grew wary.
And since she was the most black-hearted woman among them, even more so.
Whether she knew of my wariness or not, Moyong Huia calmly continued speaking.
No, she tried to continue.
“It’s just that… I have something to say…”
“Young Master.”
If only the steward hadn’t interrupted in the middle.
“Young Master, the Patriarch commands you to come to his chambers at once.”
“…”
My breath caught at the steward’s words.
Because I immediately realized why he had called for me.
*Here it comes.*
The time to be scolded.
Perhaps because I had anticipated it, cold sweat seemed to form on my forehead.
With me trembling, pupils shaking unknowingly, behind me the steward looked at Gu Huibi and spoke.
“The young lady will be escorted to the infirmary.”
I saw Gu Family martial artists approaching from behind.
They seemed intent on supporting Gu Huibi.
Seeing that, Gu Huibi responded in a languid tone.
“No need to support me. I can walk on my own.”
As if to prove her words, Gu Huibi dusted off the dirt on her body and began walking off on her own in an upright posture.
Hey, if you could walk perfectly fine like that, why were you piggybacking?
*She’s definitely crazy for tormenting me.*
Anyway, I was surely the only sane person in the Gu household.
Leaving Gu Huibi behind, the steward carefully continued to Moyong Huia.
“The Moyong Family’s Fourth Elder has also finished speaking and been guided to his quarters. Young Lady Moyong, please head there as well.”
At the steward’s benevolent words, Moyong Huia nodded slightly.
Moyong Huia seemed to have something to say to me, but she didn’t seem intent on bringing it up again.
“The situation doesn’t seem favorable right now, so I’ll visit again next time, Young Master Gu.”
Ah, she must have sensed something strange in how things were unfolding.
Sharp-eyed too.
*[Brat, with how rotten your expression looks right now, anyone can tell something is off just by looking.]*
“…”
Namgung Bia looked at me with a worried expression, then let out a small word.
“Cheer… up.”
“…Yeah. Thanks.”
Namgung Bia clenched her fists and offered me encouragement.
But I wasn’t comforted at all.
Because the hell before me had erected walls too high.
It couldn’t reach my heart at all.
Without resting my exhausted body, I headed straight to the Patriarch’s chambers.
Somehow, it felt like I always ended up at the Patriarch’s chambers whenever I returned from somewhere.
Entering the room that was familiar yet suffocating beyond compare.
Father was seated at his desk, facing me with the same appearance as ever.
How could someone who had just been camping and undertaking long-distance travel look so calm?
I couldn’t understand it.
The only thing slightly different.
Was that the corners of Father’s eyes were slightly raised.
Anyone could tell that wasn’t a good sign.
Father, who had been examining a document, opened his mouth without casting me a single glance.
“Third.”
“…Y-yes?”
“You’ve caused quite a lot of trouble.”
I could tell in an instant.
*…Screwed.*
In Father’s voice speaking so calmly.
Was contained no small amount of anger.