“Huu…!”
My briefly lost consciousness returned, and my eyes snapped open.
*So I ended up losing consciousness after all?*
Holding my throbbing head, I barely managed to catch my breath. Subjectively, it had been barely a moment, but there was no telling what might have happened. Staggering, I straightened myself. Then I realized I had been sleeping with my head resting on something.
Wondering what I had used as a pillow, I turned my head.
“…Huh?”
“...”
I met a fierce, terrifying gaze.
It was my father’s shoulder that I had been resting on.
“...”
“...”
I had to spend a silent moment locked in eye contact with my father.
*I’m screwed.*
That was the only thought in my head. I had apparently even been drooling in my sleep, and traces of it were faintly visible on my father’s shoulder.
My father didn’t say a word, simply watching me in silence.
*What is this? Is he telling me to kowtow? I felt like this was what it meant to be scolded by a stare.*
My pupils trembled violently. I could feel myself shaking. Were those goosebumps rising on my back?
It was definitely goosebumps.
“I apologize….”
Rather than making excuses, I put forth what needed to be said first. Never in my life had I imagined falling asleep on my father’s shoulder.
My father turned his head without offering any particular response to my apology.
Fortunately, it seemed he didn’t intend to say anything.
*This bastard….*
My teeth ground together.
I immediately turned to check the direction where the Blood Demon had been, but the Blood Demon had already vanished. And not just him. The Alliance Chief who had been on the platform and everyone else from the Martial Arts Alliance had already disappeared as well.
…Did that mean?
I shifted my gaze from the platform and looked around.
“...”
And I realized.
The assembly had ended quite a while ago, and everyone was heading outside.
In other words.
I had been sprawled out sleeping for the entire assembly.
*I’m screwed. I’m really screwed.*
A direct descendant of a prestigious family, summoned personally to the assembly, had slept leaning his head on his father’s shoulder while the Alliance Chief and the great families were engaged in debate. Not only that, he had drooled away, sleeping soundly until everything ended before finally waking up.
Cold sweat broke out. I couldn’t help but be conscious of my father’s mood.
Even as everyone around us was leaving, the reason my father had remained behind—was it because I had fallen asleep? I wasn’t sure about that. Because I didn’t think my father was that kind of person.
“…Yangcheon.”
At the pathetic voice coming from beside me, I turned my head. There was Cheoljiseon, his face drained of color.
“…Why are you like that?”
“Why… like this?”
Seeing Cheoljiseon’s expression, I was bewildered. It wasn’t just that he was pale—his eyes looking at me were filled with resentment.
“Why, did something happen?”
“...”
Cheoljiseon staggered as if his soul had left his body.
*Why is he like this?*
“…Do you know how the assembly went?”
“You don’t, do you?”
“Of course you don’t! You were sleeping…!”
“Uh… yeah. True.”
I answered awkwardly at Cheoljiseon’s words. Whatever the reason, it was true that I had been sleeping.
Given Cheoljiseon’s personality, for him to be this furious at me, something significant must have happened. Just as I was about to ask what on earth had happened—
*Rustle.*
My father rose to his feet.
At that movement, I flinched without realizing it.
“It’s over. Let’s go.”
“…Y-yes.”
It was Cheoljiseon who reacted to my father’s words, not me.
*Why is he the one reacting first?*
Watching Cheoljiseon stand up in a hurry, I asked,
“You… what are you doing?”
*What’s with him? Did he get beaten up by my father while I wasn’t looking? Not that my father is the type to beat people up.*
“…Let’s go. He said let’s go.”
Cheoljiseon even tapped my shoulder, urging me to get up quickly.
*What the hell.*
In a daze, I too stood up. Given the situation, it seemed we needed to get out for now.
Outside the hall, many people from other great families and sects were gathered. Among them, I spotted Lady Mi and Gu Huibi.
And—
*Who is that?*
There was a familiar face mixed among them. When I realized who it was, it was none other than the Sect Leader of the Wudang Sect. An old man called by the nickname Wudang Sword Immortal.
While I hesitated, my father walked toward him without hesitation. Perhaps noticing my father approaching, the Wudang Sword Immortal turned his gaze this way.
The old man wasn’t particularly large in stature, but the intent in his eyes was quite sharp.
“It has been a while.”
“I trust you have been well, Patriarch Gu.”
“Yes.”
Watching them exchange greetings, I slowly walked over. Naturally, I had to offer my greetings as well.
“I greet the Sect Leader of Wudang.”
At my greeting, the Wudang Sword Immortal’s gaze shifted to me.
“My son.”
“I see. So this young hero is that Little Yeomra.”
“…I am called such… undeservedly… sir.”
Not wanting to say it was undeserved, I unwittingly faltered in my speech.
What pissed me off most was Gu Huibi standing there, holding back laughter at the sight.
*…Like the crazy sister she is.*
Just you wait. I already knew the nickname Gu Huibi would earn later. Based on this memory, I would tease her relentlessly for it.
“They say you are so outstanding that I was curious. Now that I see with my own eyes, I understand. It seems Patriarch Gu is truly blessed with children.”
“You flatter me.”
“To call it flattery—yet even that seems insufficient.”
Having said so, the Wudang Sword Immortal directed a question at me.
“I hear you are close with our Hyeok.”
“Ah. Yes… that is correct.”
The Hyeok the Wudang Sword Immortal spoke of referred to the Sleeping Dragon. Perhaps pleased with my answer, he nodded.
“A friend is a precious thing in life. Please take good care of our Hyeok. He is a child more lacking than you might think.”
“Yes.”
At the Wudang Sword Immortal’s words, I had to laugh hollowly inside. It was so different from the attitude he had shown me in my previous life.
What had he said back then?
Hadn’t he said that hearts only connect between equals?
It was this very old man who had openly trampled on me, declaring that the Sleeping Dragon and I were not of the same class.
Yet now he was asking me to look after him well.
It was a moment that truly made all sorts of thoughts come to mind.
The Wudang Sword Immortal held a slight smile and shifted his gaze back to Lady Mi. It seemed the two had business to discuss.
“Then… I shall hope for a favorable reply.”
“Yes. I shall think on it positively.”
At Lady Mi’s answer, the Wudang Sword Immortal offered a courtesy and headed toward the exit with his sect members. From the feel of it, they seemed to be conducting some business with the Baekhwa Merchant Group.
*The Wudang Sect doing business with the Baekhwa Merchant Group.*
I had no idea what the orthodox Wudang Sect was trying to do with a merchant group.
“Yangcheon.”
“Yes?”
“Are you not hungry?”
Just as a question came to mind, Lady Mi asked something out of the blue.
*Hungry…?*
“Well… I’m fine.”
It was just my stomach. Even if I were a bit hungry, this body wasn’t one that would suffer from starving for a few days. It was of little concern.
Hearing my answer, Lady Mi nodded slightly.
*What, did she really ask because she was hungry?*
Just as I was wondering, Lady Mi brought up something else to my father.
“You’ll go together to fetch Yeonseo, won’t you?”
She meant to fetch Gu Yeonseo, who was staying at the inn. The tone seemed to ask his opinion, but for some reason, it carried an atmosphere where he couldn’t refuse.
Perhaps sensing this, my father affirmed with a nod.
At the same time as I thought my father’s reaction was unusual, Lady Mi added a word to me.
“When it’s done, I intend to rent out an inn for us to share a meal together.”
“Rent… an inn?”
“Yes.”
I wondered what kind of meal required renting out an inn, but it was a well-known fact that the Baekhwa Merchant Group possessed considerable capital, and Lady Mi, its owner, must be an enormous asset holder. That wouldn’t be a problem.
The problem lay on my side.
*That’s a bit uncomfortable.*
As much as I pursued comfort when eating, nothing was more uncomfortable for me than a family meal. Just as I was wondering if I could slip away—
“And for this occasion, at least.”
Lady Mi’s eyes looking at me sank frighteningly.
“I wish for everyone to attend.”
It was a declaration that she wouldn’t let it slide if I tried to duck out.
Surely Lady Mi was an ordinary person without an ounce of internal energy. Yet for some reason, the momentum emanating from her seemed immense.
Perhaps because of that.
“…Yes.”
In the end, I could only nod.
Only then did Lady Mi, seemingly satisfied, turn and head toward the exit.
Watching that, I sent a sound transmission to my father, who was about to follow.
—Patriarch.
My father stopped in his tracks upon hearing my sound transmission. He didn’t turn to look at me, but I could tell he was waiting for what I would say next.
—After the meal is finished. Could you spare me a moment?
There was much I wished to ask my father, so I decided not to hesitate.
—Regarding Mother. There is something I wish to ask you, Patriarch.
“...”
Upon hearing the sound transmission, perhaps because it was about Mother, my father slightly turned his head and looked into my eyes.
I still could not tell what emotion his eyes held. Which meant his gaze was simply that tranquil.
My father, who had been silently watching me,
—Very well.
He gave his assent and simultaneously began walking toward Lady Mi again.
Only after hearing his answer could I exhale the breath I had been holding. Why had I been so nervous about simply asking him to spare some time? I was on the verge of breaking into a sweat.
“Haa….”
Honestly, this was harder than fighting someone. It was equally exhausting.
*Anyway… that’s settled. What remains.*
It seemed my father was somehow taken care of. So what remained was just one thing for now.
I looked at Cheoljiseon, who was standing blankly at my side.
“Hey.”
“Huh…?”
“Tell me now.”
“Mm?”
“The assembly.”
The contents of the assembly that I hadn’t heard a single word of because I was drooling and asleep.
“What happened?”
I needed to hear from Cheoljiseon about what had happened at the assembly.