Chapter 520 - Let Me Hold It Just Once.
Four teacups placed upon the table.
Setting aside the tea that I didn't even know when it had been brewed and brought, I had to look straight ahead with eyes wide in surprise.
"Just where did you say you're going...?"
What had I just heard? Holding the teacup I had been about to drink from, I stared at Namgung Bia.
Where...? Just where did she say she was going right now.
"The North Sea? Did you just say the North Sea?"
"Yes."
Unbelieving, I asked again, but the answer was the same this time as well.
So I decided to ask something else first.
"...Why there?"
"..."
"Do you even know where that is?"
If the North Sea that Namgung Bia mentioned was the place I knew.
'...Wouldn't that be the Outer Martial World?'
A region beyond the Central Plains where I currently was.
I had heard it participated in the Bloody Calamity caused by the Blood Demon.
It was a place that hadn't participated in the war even when the Heavenly Demon descended and caused a Bloody Calamity.
If the North Sea Namgung Bia was speaking of now was added to that.
'The place where the Ice Palace is.'
Surely, it would mean the region ruled by the North Sea Ice Palace.
I had heard it was a place where snow fell all year round and was filled with bone-chilling cold.
The reason was probably.
'...Wasn't that also the work of a Hundredth-grade demonic beast?'
Records stated it was so.
I wondered if such a vast land could become like that because of a single demonic beast.
'Seeing as they can create rivers and cover entire forests in fog, it might be possible.'
When I recalled the messes my ancestors had caused, I couldn't simply say no.
[An accident, you brat! Do you know how much I suffered!]
I heard one of the gentlemen who had caused that mess flare up, but I ignored him.
Anyway, returning to the topic.
The Outer Martial World forbade entry and exit by outsiders, so it was a place that even the blood descendants of the Martial Alliance or the Great Families could not easily go to.
Especially if it was the North Sea.
'And that side, the Ice Palace is the same, isn't it?'
In the past, when the previous Ice Palace Lord visited the Central Plains.
After he fought the Sword Sovereign and turned the area around Xi'an into ruins, the North Sea was currently forbidden from setting foot in the Central Plains.
Which meant.
It meant that properly traveling back and forth was impossible for both sides.
'But she says she's going to the North Sea.'
No matter how much I thought about it, it was a bolt from the blue.
For those words to come from Namgung Bia's mouth made it all the stranger.
So, I turned my eyes away from Namgung Bia.
"What is this?"
"Ahem..."
At the words I had spat out without realizing, containing my emotions, someone let out a dry cough.
He was the only male among the three who had entered my residence before me.
"Goodness, you'll kill a man with those eyes.... Ease up a little."
The man who kept awkwardly coughing looked somewhat similar to Namgung Bia.
It couldn't be helped, since he was a direct blood descendant of the Namgung Clan, bearing the same bloodline.
"I asked what this is."
When I asked again with a furrowed brow, the man, Wudang Gwaeseon, slowly took a sip of tea.
The gentleman who had abruptly left behind the Noea and disappeared.
To think he had entered my residence out of nowhere a few days later—how was I supposed to take this?
'Honestly, if it were only the matters above, it wouldn't matter.'
So it didn't really matter.
It wasn't like there was anything to steal.
It was something trivial that I could overlook.
The reason I was doing this out of anger was none other than.
"Taking her as a disciple? Who is taking whom?"
The story Gwaeseon had brought up the moment he saw me was the problem.
When I spoke through gritted teeth, Wudang Gwaeseon urgently gestured.
"Young Master, please calm down first...."
"Calm down?"
Calm down, my ass.
I was barely holding back something that was about to burst right now, and he wants me to calm down?
I wanted to flip the table over, but I bit my lip and held it in.
Hoo.
A sigh escaped me naturally.
Was it my imagination, or did the breath I had just exhaled seem to contain heat?
Hiding my grinding teeth, I looked at Gwaeseon and spoke.
"...You are a figure of Wudang, are you not?"
"Indeed. I am a man of Wudang."
Despite hearing all sorts of things, like whether Wudang had produced him, or if he was really a Taoist.
Gwaeseon was a man who lived hearing all sorts of rumors, but he was clearly the disciple of the current Wudang Sect Leader, Wudang Geomseon.
If that was the case.
"Why is Wudang taking her as a disciple?"
"Hmm..."
At my words, Gwaeseon rolled his eyes around and then looked at me.
"First, there seems to be a misunderstanding in your words, so I shall correct myself. Wudang does not want that child."
"Then what is it."
"It is not Wudang, but 'I' who wants her. This has nothing to do with Wudang's will."
At Gwaeseon's words, my furrowed brow narrowed even further.
It was no different from a petty play on words.
Even so, what would change?
I shifted my gaze and looked at Namgung Bia.
Namgung Bia was not offering any particular objection to Gwaeseon's words.
Did that mean this conversation had been formed in advance?
'Ha.'
Why would Gwaeseon want Namgung Bia so out of the blue?
I couldn't understand.
She was a blood descendant of the Namgung Clan like Gwaeseon, but there was the biggest problem that made it impossible.
'She has already reached the peak through a unique martial art.'
The fact that Namgung Bia had already reached the apex through the Namgung Clan's heart method.
Becoming Wudang Gwaeseon's disciple meant.
It meant it was no different from throwing away all that enlightenment and learning martial arts anew.
'...That's crazy. That is.'
It was something only an old man crazy about martial arts would do.
[Calling my master a madman.]
'That old man truly is a crazy person.'
Paejon—that man was exactly the kind of person who fit the description of being crazy for martial arts, so fine.
But Namgung Bia had made such a choice?
I could absolutely not believe it.
"I know what you're worried about, but I have no intention of making her throw away all her martial arts and learn anew."
Gwaeseon seemed to have grasped what I was worried about as well.
He continued his explanation.
"...What do you mean?"
Taking her as a disciple without throwing away all her martial arts? It was even more incomprehensible.
Then what meaning did it have?
'Unless it's a case like mine.'
A case where taking in a different heart method caused no problem in the body like me.
If it wasn't that, it wouldn't be strange to see this case as bizarre.
'Don't tell me.'
At the thought that suddenly flashed by, I stared at Namgung Bia as if glaring.
Surely, she wasn't thinking of taking another heart method into her body?
'That can't happen.'
If that was the case, I had to stop her even if by force.
Just as I was about to ask if that was the case.
I thought that perhaps this was how people felt when they looked at me in the past.
'...'
Recalling how Paejon and my father had treated me as if angry, a minuscule, rat-dropping-sized guilt seeped into my heart.
I deliberately ignored it.
"Well, it doesn't mean making her learn a different heart method.... It's not that."
At Gwaeseon's words, I faintly swallowed dry saliva.
I hadn't said a single word, so how did he know since earlier?
"Taking her as a disciple.... Well, I did say such grandiose words. But it is nothing so great. As the Young Master knows, I already have one disciple, you see."
"...Yes."
The fellow Woohyeok, who was probably sleeping somewhere right about now, came to mind.
"I'm in a state where teaching even that one is difficult, so it's not such a grand relationship."
"Then, what is it you intend to teach?"
"The sword. I don't really know anything great. I merely thought I would teach my niece a thing or two about the sword."
"...The sword?"
Did he mean swordsmanship?
What swordsmanship was he talking about....
"...!"
While grasping the question, something naturally flashed through my mind.
'...This man. Could the sword he's talking about right now be.'
I whipped around and looked at the drawer.
The place where I had stuffed the Noea that had been shouting loudly.
Until now, Gwaeseon had possessed the Noea.
Inside the Noea was something presumed to be Namgung Myeong.
Sir Shin had said he was not Namgung Myeong, but his tone had remained somewhat uncomfortable.
Which meant.
'...Did the Noea know that the Namgung Clan's swordsmanship had fallen into ruin?'
If Namgung Myeong inside there knew this.
And if he had tried to fix it through Wudang Gwaeseon?
'Could the sword he is speaking of now be.'
Was he saying he would teach the Namgung Clan's swordsmanship?
Did that mean Gwaeseon knew the forgotten sword of the Namgung Clan?
While all sorts of such thoughts were tangled together.
"It seems the Young Master knows something as well. Is this the story of that one contained within you?"
"..."
Gwaeseon's voice was heard.
Gwaeseon likely suspected that I harbored something within my body, just as he did.
Grasping that, I asked Gwaeseon again.
"...What you said, Gwaeseon. Does it mean, as I suspect, that you intend to teach the Namgung Clan's sword?"
"It is so."
"Ha...."
Looking at Gwaeseon who nodded, I let out a hollow breath.
"How in the world do you know of that?"
"Hm? Is it so strange that I know? I am, first and foremost, a man of the Namgung Clan."
"No, that's not the issue."
It was a swordsmanship that had already disappeared and degenerated.
Had it not been for Sir Shin's help, I would not have been able to tell even the Sword King.
How would Namgung Hyung know that?
The answer to that was.
"What is the problem? I have a madman attached to me trying desperately to let me know of this."
Gwaeseon spoke thus and took something out from his chest to show me.
It was the Noea. Seeing that, I narrowed my eyes.
'Did he take it from the drawer?'
Without permission while I was away?
Thinking this was crossing a line, I was about to say something.
Gwaeseon subtly continued.
"I am sorry for doing this without permission. I wished to leave it stuffed in there as it was. But this man is so unbearably loud...."
Seeing Gwaeseon offering an apology as if truly sorry, I decided to let it pass for now.
Because I knew what Namgung Myeong acting loud meant.
"..."
"Swordsmanship as well—I did not learn it because I wanted to learn it of my own accord. I learned it only because I had to learn it."
I could vaguely guess the situation.
Though I did not know why Gwaeseon had settled in Wudang and separately learned the sword according to Namgung Myeong's will.
'Even so.'
That did not become the entirety of the reason.
"Why must she go all the way to the North Sea to learn that?"
Making her learn the Namgung Clan's sword all the way in that distant North Sea.
That still had not been explained.
"Is there not a reason for me to tell even that to the Young Master?"
"...What?"
At Gwaeseon's words, irritation surged up in me unknowingly.
But.
"It is due to my personal matter. And my niece has accepted this. I merely think it is no longer the Young Master's place to intervene further."
"..."
There was no way to refute his words.
Because he was right.
The justification of being a fiancé was strong in appearance, yet weak.
In truth, it was something that could be severed at any time, so I could not thrust that forward.
I steadied my breath inwardly and deliberately brought out different words.
"At the very least, it's not a place one can simply go to as one pleases."
"There are ways for all of that. That elder sister will solve it for us."
To my question, Gwaeseon replied with a smile.
If he means elder sister...?
"...Baekryeongeom?"
It was Baekryeongeom, who was beside him.
Baekryeongeom would help them get to the North Sea?
Baekryeongeom, hearing these words.
"No!"
Bam-! She slammed both fists on the table and shouted.
"What do you mean I'll solve it! You crazy bastard!"
"Come now, surely you can do that much."
"What are you saying! What power do I have to do that! Are you insane...?"
"But you do. Elder sister, you certainly do."
Gwaeseon simply smiled broadly, not minding Baekryeongeom's anger at all.
"Wow... I'm going crazy...."
At this, Baekryeongeom flushed as if feeling aggrieved.
But I could see something strange there.
'Something.'
There was something.
Seeing Gwaeseon speak with such certainty, and from Baekryeongeom's reaction, I could faintly tell.
That she was hiding something.
'...Is there really a way?'
A way to go to the North Sea.
Did Baekryeongeom truly possess such a means?
'No, why the North Sea of all places.'
The more the conversation progressed, the more my head hurt.
Why that land she doesn't even know?
What would she do there?
A child who can't even find her way, what would she do in that cold, distant land that she wants to go there?
'I can't send her. Absolutely not.'
I could not send her.
'It's not even a situation where I can go with her.'
There was too much to do here. It was not a situation where I could move about freely.
Moreover, how long would the period be?
'From here to the North Sea, it's too far.'
It was not a distance like Shanxi or Sichuan. It would take quite some time just to go and return.
Knowing that, I was trying to think of a justification to refuse somehow.
"...Let me go."
"..."
Namgung Bia's voice was heard.
"You...."
"...I have to go.... Let me go...."
Her eyes as she spoke were resolute. It was the first time.
For Namgung Bia to come out so resolutely.
"No. Do you even know where that is?"
"...I have to go...."
"Why?"
"Because Uncle.... is going."
Namgung Bia looked at Gwaeseon and said. She said uncle.
Uncle, my ass....
He was indeed her uncle, but something about it pissed me off.
"...I... have to go.... I'll go... and learn the sword."
I don't know.
I really don't know.
Why was Namgung Bia so obsessed with the sword?
What was it to her?
A gradually rising, inexplicable heat was about to flare up to the top of my head.
"I have to. So I can protect you."
"..."
At the words Namgung Bia uttered afterward, I felt all that heat dissipate.
"What did you just say...?"
"No matter how... much I try. Right now... I can't.... So I have to go."
"You, right now...."
"This... is what I must do...."
I tried to speak, but my mouth kept getting blocked.
It wasn't even funny.
Her intention in following all the way to the North Sea to learn the sword was that?
"Who is protecting whom?"
Saying she would protect me.
At such absurd words, I looked at Namgung Bia, but her eyes were still resolute.
The blue eyes that had once been only dim were now clear.
Pupils that even sparkled looked at me entirely.
Without realizing it, I felt like averting my gaze.
Unable to do so, I forcibly endured and met her eyes.
It was annoying.
This entire situation.
With so much work I was dying, and in a situation where time was incredibly scarce.
It felt like they were trying to take away one of my pillars of support, and that made me angry.
"Young Master, for now, let's talk a little more...."
"Just a moment... Could everyone please step out?"
"Hm?"
"It won't take long. I have some things to think about."
"Hm.... Very well."
It was an action that could be considered quite rude, but Gwaeseon nodded and respected my wishes.
Gwaeseon stood up and went out.
"Gwaeseon."
I grabbed Gwaeseon again as he did so.
When Gwaeseon looked at me with a puzzled expression.
"Could you lend me that for a moment?"
"What?"
At my words, Gwaeseon's eyes grew wide.
What I had asked to borrow was none other than the Noea.
"I need it while I think."
I reached out my hand as if asking for it, and Gwaeseon, erasing his momentary fluster, handed the Noea to me.
Sshk.
"...Heheh."
The Noea was received without any resistance.
Seeing that, Gwaeseon let out a hollow laugh.
Because the rejection did not appear this time either.
"I'll... return it shortly."
"If it suits your fancy, keep it. That would be better."
As if he had not even a shred of attachment, Gwaeseon left.
I requested Baekryeongeom and Namgung Bia to step out as well.
The room fell silent after everyone left.
Hum.
After spreading a qi barrier throughout the room, I looked at the Noea and spoke.
"...Now speak."
Unable to hide it at all, my voice was thick with irritation.
It couldn't be helped.
It was a situation I could not be unaware of.
"What kind of damned situation this is."
Namgung Myeong's will was clearly involved in this situation as well.