Chapter 264: Anhui. (4)
Led by an attendant of the Namgung Clan, I arrived at the banquet hall.
It was a large building situated in the central area.
Honestly, compared to the banquet hall in the Gu Clan, it looked to be at least five times larger.
'There are few people. Isn't this too big?'
Considering the number of people actually inside the building.
The building did look unnecessarily large.
By the time I arrived at the banquet hall.
Not only had the tables already been set.
Both Clan Heads and Lady Mi were present.
At least some seemed to have arrived early...
Why did they all come so early?
The food still seemed to be in the process of being served.
By Namgung Jin's side, I could see people I hadn't seen before sitting.
'Elders?'
Two old men who seemed to be of considerable age.
Moreover, the sharp aura felt from each one was extraordinary, indicating they were highly seasoned swordsmen.
They seemed to be elders of the Namgung Clan.
Had they attended because it was a banquet?
As I watched in puzzlement, the elders' gazes turned this way.
Blue eyes tinged with tranquility.
Should I call it the unique energy of the Namgung Clan?
Enduring such gazes, I walked forward first.
Slowly, taking steps as upright as possible.
I soon stopped before Namgung Jin and my father.
"Thank you for inviting me to the banquet."
I bowed my head slightly in greeting.
It was just something said out of courtesy.
I was annoyed to death; why hold a banquet on top of everything else.
"You must have had a hard time coming such a long way. Make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you for your words."
At Namgung Jin's words, I raised my lowered head.
We were exchanging words neither of us meant, so it was endlessly uncomfortable.
Especially Namgung Jin, for I could feel a thirst in his eyes that belied his words, which made it even worse.
'It seems this human wants the banquet to end even more than I do.'
Perhaps Namgung Jin is in more of a hurry than I am.
Just what kind of enlightenment had he obtained from the old man's words.
That this human keeps showing such eyes.
'I know that for a martial artist, enlightenment is like quenching a thirst, but.'
Being a martial artist myself, it wasn't something I couldn't understand.
Even I, right now.
If someone said they could resolve a part of me
that lacked something I couldn't even identify.
I might very well show such an appearance myself.
'But annoying is still annoying.'
Knowing the situation didn't make the annoyance disappear.
At best.
'Since I can't resolve it for him right now...'
Even if I understood Namgung Jin's thirst.
There was nothing I could do to resolve it.
Because this damned old man didn't look like he intended to wake up.
Without Shin Noya, I couldn't do a damn thing about that guy's teachings or whatever.
What I had seen of the Namgung Clan's swordsmanship was at best
merely what the Demonic Sword Empress had demonstrated in my previous life.
'Though even that was outstanding.'
In the end, it would be different from the sword of the Nocheonilgeom that Shin Noya had seen.
Putting Namgung Jin's gaze behind me for now and finishing my greetings to my father and Lady Mi.
I went to an empty-looking seat at the end and sat down.
It was a place that looked like my seat no matter who looked at it.
Seeing the seat across from me was empty, that side seemed to be where Namgung Bia would sit.
'Has she not arrived yet?'
Namgung Bia did not seem to have arrived.
Surely she hadn't fallen asleep, right?
Given her personality, it was something quite possible.
In the midst of it all.
I tried to pretend I didn't notice, but I felt gazes here and there.
I didn't bother to raise my head to check.
Yet I felt I could somewhat gauge the nature of the gazes.
'An elder? If not, then who.'
I didn't know what they were trying to see, but as expected of another clan, it was terribly uncomfortable.
Did they think I wouldn't notice?
It was possible.
If it had been at my level from last year, I might not have.
It felt unpleasant, but I didn't want to respond by unleashing my energy.
Because I could already see in advance that all sorts of hell would break loose if I did.
Slowly, I picked up the tea placed before me.
I had intended to calm myself with a sip, but.
A presence was felt outside the banquet hall doors.
Then the attendant waiting near the door spoke.
"The First Young Master is entering."
At the attendant's words, I glanced toward the door.
The First Young Master... speaking of the Namgung Clan's First Young Master, it could only be that bastard.
When I had come to the Namgung Clan, I hadn't seen him, so I thought he wasn't in the main house.
It seemed he was here unexpectedly.
His own sister had come to the main house, yet he didn't show his face.
That wasn't like him.
'Has it been a year?'
Since I hadn't seen him since the Martial Arts Tournament, it must have been over a year.
It was the appearance of our Thunder Dragon.
Someone entered through the banquet hall entrance.
I immediately shifted my gaze.
A handsome young noble with white-blue hair and blue eyes reminiscent of a young Namgung Jin.
That bastard's arrogant face was the same as ever.
'I don't like him.'
My tendency to get annoyed at arrogant faces was the same as ever.
I looked him over with a sidelong glance.
Not that there was any particular reason.
I was looking to see if something had changed.
Looking at him like that, surprisingly, there was a change.
'He's stable.'
Back when he had first manifested his thunder energy, that bastard had been quite unstable.
Moreover.
Because he had contained another energy within his body, he had been a complete mess with energies he couldn't control by his own will.
Now those violent energies had become somewhat stable.
The gaze of Namgung Cheonjun, who had entered the banquet hall, also turned this way.
!
The sight of his expression freezing stiffly upon discovering me was quite something.
Even if his energy had changed, his personality seemed to be the same.
However, that stiffly frozen expression.
Changed in an instant to an arrogant smile as if nothing had happened.
Moreover, he even spoke to me as he passed by.
"It has been a long time, Young Hero Gu."
"Right. Long time no see, brother-in-law."
Though it was a remark spat out somewhat tauntingly.
Namgung Cheonjun's expression did not change.
'Oh...?'
He endures this.
Had he trained even in that aspect over the past year?
Namgung Cheonjun, a smirk tugging at his lips, passed me and moved toward the head table.
He too intended to pay his respects to the clan head first.
I quietly watched that bastard's back.
To be precise, I carefully observed his body.
'Is the blood energy... gone?'
The demonic blood energy I had felt from Namgung Cheonjun at the last Martial Arts Tournament.
I had semi-forcibly absorbed and taken that energy at the time.
Perhaps because of that incident, no blood energy could be felt from Namgung Cheonjun's body.
'It vanished completely... Hmm?'
Just as I was about to turn my head, thinking it had all been absorbed and disappeared.
I saw a subtle difference.
If Namgung Cheonjun possessed blood energy, it should have been felt from his dantian.
'What is this.'
Something was different.
*Throb.*
Just as I sensed the difference, it was rather my side that began to show a change.
Heat was felt from my dantian.
[...Krr... rrr...]
Additionally, the freeloader that had been lazing about without any intention of waking up until now also revealed a reaction.
Looking at Namgung Cheonjun's back.
I could realize why my body was reacting this way.
'That bastard...?'
The moment I opened my eyes wide looking at him.
Another sound was heard from the entrance.
"The First Young Lady is entering."
It was news that Namgung Bia had arrived.
I turned my head to look at the entrance.
Someone entered together with a fluttering breeze.
Truly light and graceful steps.
Her modestly clasped hands and slightly lowered gaze created an atmosphere.
Her hair, braided and tied up prettily, swayed.
Her appearance, which I had thought excessively beautiful even on a normal day.
As if she had sprouted wings from just a bit of dressing up, she had soared even higher.
'She's insane.'
So much so that the appraisal I had grown somewhat accustomed to, having looked at her face all day long in the past, had completely shattered.
The heat that had been rising bit by bit as I looked at Namgung Cheonjun.
Had become something I couldn't even remember upon seeing Namgung Bia's face once.
Perhaps I wasn't the only one with such thoughts.
All eyes in the banquet hall were turned toward Namgung Bia.
Especially Lady Mi, who must have been quite surprised.
Her eyes were nearly twice as large as usual.
Namgung Bia, who approached the head table with calm steps, slowly bowed her head.
"I apologize for being late."
She wasn't late.
Not much time had passed yet, after all.
Even so, Namgung Bia paid her respects.
Namgung Jin, watching this quietly, indicated it was fine with a hand gesture.
Afterward, as expected, Namgung Bia took her seat across from me.
Under normal circumstances, she would have sprawled out immediately.
But Namgung Bia, sitting in the neatest posture possible, somehow felt fresh every time I looked at her.
'Isn't she enduring quite a bit of discomfort inside?'
Seeing her pupils tremble slightly.
She looked considerably uncomfortable without anyone to lean against.
Setting that aside.
'She's too much.'
Yes, those words fit perfectly.
She's devastatingly beautiful.
With light powder added to her already radiant face.
The result was a bit too much.
If she were to go outside carelessly looking like that.
It was at a level where anything could happen.
For one, Namgung Bia's surname was Namgung.
And it was only because her level had surpassed the peak.
In a normal situation, it would have been nothing short of a catastrophe.
The old saying that a beautiful woman could bring down an entire nation wasn't just a tale.
Right now, Namgung Bia was truly at such a level.
Compared to the Demonic Sword Empress of my previous life.
Her outward appearance hadn't been much different from now.
But the eyes that had gazed hollowly at the world as if broken.
And the way she had stood expressionlessly as if something had malfunctioned.
It was right to see her as a completely different person now.
'It's fortunate I taught her a thing or two.'
Whether using energy to suppress her presence.
Since I had told her to do all sorts of things, like wearing a veil. It would be somewhat better.
Then.
- You know....
A voice transmission came.
It came from Namgung Bia sitting across from me.
What was going on that she was using voice transmission?
Curious, I examined her face.
Namgung Bia was looking at me with somehow extremely anxious eyes.
- ...How is it?
- What?
- ...W-what do you think...?
So what.
What exactly.
I wondered what she kept asking "how" about.
Unable to understand, I furrowed my brows slightly and studied Namgung Bia.
Namgung Bia asked with a slightly flushed face.
- Do I... look pretty?
As if she couldn't bear to meet my eyes.
She turned her head slightly and asked me.
At the sudden question, I examined her with bewilderment.
This was a question she had asked me once before at some point.
However, back then she hadn't been so hesitant.
Nor had she avoided my gaze.
Though it was the same question as now.
The attitude was different.
Filled with embarrassment.
The tone with which she asked, containing anxiety, was almost.
Overflowing with emotion.
...Uh... hmm.
In contrast, I was still the same pathetic idiot.
Perhaps because I hadn't expected her to ask such a thing.
I couldn't give any answer to Namgung Bia, who still couldn't meet my gaze.
Did I need to offer some profound impression?
My flustered lips moved as I searched my thoughts, but.
Only one phrase came to mind.
- ...You're pretty.
Lacking eloquence as I was, this was the only choice I could spit out.
However, perhaps because I fortunately wasn't wrong.
Namgung Bia broke into a bright smile upon hearing this.
Showing relief, as if it was a fortunate thing.
Moreover, I could feel joy, and it gave me a warm feeling inside.
Watching that smile.
I ended up smiling along without realizing it.
I didn't know why, but I naturally ended up doing so.
And such a Namgung Bia.
Namgung Cheonjun was quietly watching.
The banquet ended without much incident.
Not only did the clan heads not indulge in drinking.
Martial artists who had reached that level in the first place weren't particularly affected by alcohol, after all.
Since it was merely a gathering to celebrate the Gu Clan's visit.
It wasn't prolonged.
Nor was it particularly enjoyable.
'My shoulders still sting, probably because of the gazes.'
I brushed at my shoulder with my hand.
Was it because of the gazes I had felt from all directions?
I felt a bit tired.
'They could've looked moderately. But they were growing bolder with their stares.'
Perhaps because I had pretended not to care.
Not only the elders present at that seat.
Several individuals who looked like martial artists seemed to be staring at me openly.
I didn't know what they wanted to figure out by staring like that.
It wasn't a pleasant feeling.
...Oof-
The moment it ended, I slipped out and walked down a path.
As I walked, taking in the breeze.
Someone beside me spoke to me.
"...Tired?"
"I'm fine."
Namgung Bia was beside me as well.
I had been about to return straight to my quarters, but Namgung Bia had followed me out and suggested we walk together.
Thanks to that, I was able to stop Namgung Jin from approaching.
I had originally planned to quickly claim I was tired and slip away.
This was better.
My eyes naturally went to Namgung Bia's head as she spoke carefully.
Amidst her prettily braided hair, I could see the ornament I had gifted her.
Perhaps because I had noticed it so suddenly.
I asked Namgung Bia.
"Are you going to keep wearing that?"
"You could throw it away and use something else if need be."
Since it was an item far cheaper than the ones she possessed.
It was a question asking if it wouldn't be better to wear something of matching value, but.
" "
Namgung Bia made a deeply hurt expression for a moment.
Huh?
"...Sorry."
Seeing that, I let out an apology without thinking.
Because that was the first time I had seen such an expression.
"...Yes."
Fortunately, the quick apology seemed to work, and her expression returned to normal, but.
I felt the atmosphere grow somehow awkward.
Had I done something wrong?
The path illuminated by moonlight and lanterns was especially beautiful, but.
Thanks to the soured atmosphere, it didn't easily catch my eye.
"I think I may have misspoken...."
I tried to hurriedly add some excuse.
Because Namgung Bia's expression wouldn't easily fade from my mind.
Just as I tried to continue.
"The moon is truly bright tonight."
I had to stop speaking at the voice that cut into my ears.
Across the path.
At the point where a faint light barely kept the darkness at bay.
It was a voice coming from there.
"I don't believe I greeted you properly earlier. So I came here."
Thus spoke the uninvited guest who had come.
His tone was full of courtesy.
Yet a particularly thick mask could be felt distinctly, turning my stomach.
"I trust you have been well."
I turned to face him.
Meeting his eyes, in the darkness he was looking at me with vivid blue eyes.
Soon he looked at me and moved his lips.
"Brother-in-law."
Even though it must have stung as if biting a blade to say it.
The uninvited guest, Namgung Cheonjun, was still smiling.
Seeing that, words popped out of my mouth without thinking.
"What is that piss-ant saying?"
Ah.
A slip of the tongue.