EP.63 It's Not Yours. (2)
It's Not Yours (2)
I thought we would go straight up after arriving at Huayin County, where the Huashan Sect is located, but...
By the time we arrived, the night was already deep, so we urgently found lodging.
Perhaps because Huayin County is the center of the Huashan Sect, when a disciple wearing Plum Blossom robes appeared, not only the waiter but even the innkeeper came out to welcome us.
Thanks to that, we were able to secure rooms comfortably.
Shen Xuan's party secured us good lodging, left a few second-generation disciples behind saying they would come pick us up tomorrow, and headed up Mount Hua first.
When I asked if it wouldn't be better to go right now because of the demonic artifact, they said this was safer.
I didn't exactly understand what they meant, but since they told me to do so, I replied that I understood.
I was tired anyway, and lacking the confidence to climb that high mountain right away, I kept my mouth shut and decided to rest.
"The dumplings are out~!"
As I sat at the dining table, the food we ordered started coming out little by little.
Without needing to look at this and that, I filled my stomach first.
As I picked up a couple of dumplings and chewed them, Wei Xue'er beside me handed me a cup of water.
Lately, she seemed to be trying especially hard at something.
"Thanks, but you eat some too."
"I-I'm full."
"...?"
When I looked at her as if asking if she was telling some nonsensical lie, Wei Xue'er puffed out her cheeks.
Finding that amusing, I pressed hard on both of Wei Xue'er's cheeks.
*Puu-*! A comical sound came out.
I laughed out loud at the sight, and Wei Xue'er immediately sulked.
"S-Shi!"
"Sorry, sorry, I won't do it again."
That was a lie.
Of course I had to do it again next time; it was this fun.
As I was teasing Wei Xue'er like that, someone appeared beside me carrying food and sat down.
It was Ying Feng, holding noodles.
"...It's a shame. I should have recommended a place with better food."
Is he talking about the place he mentioned last time, claiming it had the best dumplings in Shaanxi?
Honestly, that was a bit disappointing, but my desire to finish things quickly and return was greater, so it didn't matter.
"Is it alright if you don't go up with them?"
When Shen Xuan and the others went up Mount Hua first, Ying Feng volunteered to stay by our side.
I thought it might be because the demonic artifact was important, but it didn't seem like that was the reason.
"It is fine..."
I could feel an uncomfortable emotion in Ying Feng's eyes, knowingly or unknowingly.
It didn't seem like something to ask deeply about, so I pretended not to notice for now.
When I felt somewhat full and looked at Wei Xue'er, she was still diligently stuffing something into her mouth.
Nangong Bi'a, who was watching that, subtly placed something on her plate, and Wei Xue'er let out a "Hmph!" snort.
It had been feeling like this lately.
The problem was that after doing it, perhaps feeling sorry, she would subtly check Nangong Bi'a's mood.
If she's going to do that, why act that way...
Wei Xue'er acted like she disliked it, but she sneakily ate the food placed on her plate.
She seemed somewhat indecisive.
It looked like there was something she didn't like, so she was trying hard to pretend she disliked this and that.
Because of her soft heart, it seemed she couldn't even do that properly.
[Isn't it rather cute, how obvious she is?]
'...Hmm.'
As I watched her not working out as intended, I unknowingly placed my hand on Wei Xue'er's head.
Actually, the previous thought was an excuse; I just wanted to touch it.
When my hand touched her, Wei Xue'er flinched and shivered.
Wondering if she disliked it, I tried to pull it out right away, but.
*Grab!*
Wei Xue'er stopped my hand from escaping with her own hand.
'...This means she wants me to do it, right?'
Thinking it didn't mean she disliked it, I gently stroked it.
As I stroked her soft hair, a bubbly smile bloomed on Wei Xue'er's face.
[So you are a guy after all.]
'What are you talking about all of a sudden?'
[Are you pretending not to know? For someone like that, your heart is very honest.]
Focusing on Old Man Shen's words, my heart was thumping louder than usual.
Was my body reacting differently, apart from my head?
As I tried hard to ignore it and kept stroking her hair, I felt a gaze from somewhere.
"...Huh?"
Beside Wei Xue'er, Nangong Bi'a was sticking her neck out and looking at me with blank eyes.
To be precise, she seemed to be looking at the hand stroking Wei Xue'er.
"Why are you looking like that?"
"..."
Nangong Bi'a didn't answer the question.
She was just silently watching the hand.
It was quite burdensome.
Nangong Bi'a slowly lowered her gaze, which had been staring quietly.
At the same time, her head naturally lowered, revealing the top of her head.
[...My.]
Old Man Shen let out an exclamation for some reason.
"What are you..."
Looking at her quietly, I suddenly wondered, 'Could it be she wants me to stroke her head too?'
I didn't think so, but there was no reason for her to suddenly do that if she didn't.
'Nah, no way.'
Wondering if that might be the case, I reached out the hand that had been stroking Wei Xue'er towards Nangong Bi'a.
I hesitated for a moment, but it was just in case.
"Ah..."
Wei Xue'er let out a sound of disappointment.
Just as my outstretched hand was about to touch Nangong Bi'a's head.
"Who's on the second floor?"
We heard someone coming up the stairs toward us.
"This voice..."
Beside me, Ying Feng flinched and shuddered.
As I retrieved my hand because someone was coming, Nangong Bi'a turned her head towards the stairs.
Seeing Ying Feng's reaction, could it be someone he knows?
The clothes of the people coming up the stairs looked familiar.
Because they were the same clothes as Ying Feng's.
'Are they from the Huashan Sect?'
Can disciples of the Huashan Sect come down the mountain at this late hour?
I didn't know much about sects, but I thought it might be a problematic issue.
"...What? Someone else besides us..."
The young man leading the way faltered when he saw us.
To be precise, he stopped when he saw Ying Feng sitting next to me.
Ying Feng similarly saw him and immediately stood up.
"...Senior Brother."
'Hmm.'
Seeing Ying Feng call him Senior Brother, it seemed they were fellow third-generation disciples.
It was my first time seeing a third-generation disciple other than Ying Feng.
Seeing him like this, he was definitely a young man who looked relatively younger compared to the second-generation disciples.
"...Ying Feng."
The young man seemed briefly flustered upon seeing Ying Feng. Meeting a fellow disciple, why was he so flustered?
"Senior Brother, what's wrong?"
"With who here..."
The disciples following behind also faltered upon seeing Ying Feng, just like the young man.
What is this atmosphere?
As the awkward atmosphere continued, the young man asked Ying Feng.
"...Did you finish your task well?"
"Yes..."
"Where are the other Senior Uncles?"
"They had business and went up first, and Senior Uncle Shen Bi and Senior Uncle Shen Shi are on another floor."
"I see..."
"...."
"...."
The conversation cut off like that for a moment.
Even if I'm a bit oblivious, I could tell this was a highly uncomfortable situation.
[...Good heavens, I knew you were oblivious.]
'...Old Man Shen.'
Ying Feng hesitated briefly, then looked at me and quickly came to his senses.
"Ah, this is Young Hero Gu Yangtian of the Gu Family. He is an important guest of Huashan."
At Ying Feng's words, the young man finally looked my way.
No, to be precise, he looked at Nangong Bi'a, then at Wei Xue'er, and then at me.
This guy...?
"Y-yes... I am Ying Cheng, a third-generation disciple of Huashan."
Ying Cheng's voice trembled.
Especially in the way he kept glancing at Nangong Bi'a, Ying Feng's demeanor was evident.
[Don't just look at that kid, check your fiancée.]
'What?'
At Old Man Shen's sudden words, I looked toward Nangong Bi'a, and she was glaring at Ying Cheng.
...Glaring? That blank-faced girl is glaring at someone?
It was very subtle.
Still, having looked at her for quite a while, I could catch the change in her expression, but it was a small change that someone meeting her for the first time wouldn't notice.
Even so, it was definitely a glare.
As if realizing his disgraceful behavior, Ying Cheng let out a light cough and opened his mouth again.
"The Senior Uncles must have a reason for leaving the guests to you... Right, since the Senior Uncles are here too, we should go pay our respects."
"Yes..."
"We will go ahead. Please rest comfortably."
I returned the greeting to match Ying Cheng's cupped-hand salute.
The disciples moving right after the greeting ended seemed to carry multiple meanings.
I could also feel it from Ying Feng's somewhat gloomy expression beside me.
Only then did I recall the words Ying Feng had said to me before.
'The other disciples don't really enjoy sparring with me.'
I remembered Ying Feng saying that with a shadowed face. Is he being ostracized? The Sword Dragon of Huashan...?
As if reading my thoughts, I heard Old Man Shen's voice.
[...It's something he experiences because his talent is too outstanding.]
'...What?'
[A dragon has appeared in a lake where only carp used to swim; there's no way they can easily mix.]
It wasn't that I didn't understand what he meant.
An overly outstanding junior brother; judging by Ying Feng's age, he'd be practically the youngest.
Since he obtained the position of Plum Blossom Swordsman at a much younger age than themselves, they would feel pressured, jealous, and wouldn't view him favorably.
So is he suffering something akin to ostracization?
Tsk tsk, I could hear Old Man Shen clicking his tongue.
[Even so, for it to come to this. There's no way the higher-ups don't know about this... The sect is running well. In my time, it wasn't like this...!]
'Why does it always circle back to that?'
[Aish... Tsk tsk.]
Even while clicking his tongue, regret was hidden in Old Man Shen's words.
At that, I sighed inwardly and secretly glanced at Ying Feng.
As expected, his complexion looked a bit darkened.
Ying Feng, noticing I was looking, smiled awkwardly.
"Please continue your meal!"
It was a voice trying to sound bright, but the meal ended quickly after that.
I had already eaten my fill and was full to begin with.
Nangong Bi'a was a light eater.
Wei Xue'er was also quite perceptive, so she didn't eat more as the atmosphere turned strange.
After the meal, Ying Feng left for the place where the second-generation disciples were.
I also stood up and moved to go to my room, but Nangong Bi'a blocked my way in front.
"Miss Nangong?"
Wondering what was up, I called out, and Nangong Bi'a kept staring at me as if she had something to say, but she hesitated and didn't speak.
[Kid, just reach out your arm.]
'What?'
[Don't use that head of yours that can't even roll, just reach your hand toward her head.]
At Old Man Shen's words, I reached out my hand.
If I didn't do as told, I felt like he would get angry for some reason, so I did as he said first.
As I slowly reached my hand out, Nangong Bi'a's eyes widened.
As my hand approached, Nangong Bi'a even bowed her head.
Just as my fingertips were about to touch, another hand suddenly popped out and stroked Nangong Bi'a's head.
It was Wei Xue'er's white and pale hand.
"...?"
As Wei Xue'er ruffled her head, Nangong Bi'a showed a briefly flustered look, but seeing that it was Wei Xue'er, she lowered her knees even more.
Perhaps feeling sorry for Wei Xue'er standing on her tiptoes, as Nangong Bi'a was tall for a woman and Wei Xue'er was still small.
After stroking her for a while like that, Wei Xue'er backed away from Nangong Bi'a.
Nangong Bi'a also raised her head again when Wei Xue'er stepped back.
Wei Xue'er said with a somewhat proud face.
"I did it for you!"
At that sight, Nangong Bi'a gently stroked Wei Xue'er's cheek.
Nangong Bi'a looked at me again with a blank expression. Did she really block my way for this?
"...Next time..."
Nangong Bi'a, who was starting to say something, closed her mouth.
It seemed like she had more to say, but she just didn't say it and slipped into her room.
I wondered what this was all about.
[Did you see her ears?]
Old Man Shen chimed in out of nowhere.
'Ears?'
[Your fiancée's ears were bright red.]
Nangong Bi'a's ears?
Because she went into her room so quickly, I couldn't examine that much.
As I was pondering what she really wanted to do.
"...Unnie is good, but..."
"Huh?"
I heard the sound of Wei Xue'er, who was standing blankly in the spot, muttering to herself.
"Still, I won't give it to Unnie."
It was a somewhat resolute voice.
She was also suddenly making strange sounds, so I was about to ask what she meant, but.
Wei Xue'er quickly shouted "Good night!" to me and ran away with pattering steps.
It seemed she was heading to the room where the attendants gathered.
"...What."
I stood quietly alone in the space where both of them had disappeared.
Whether they had caught heatstroke or something, their actions kept gradually changing bit by bit, making it hard to adapt.
After spacing out for a while, I also found my room and went in.
It was because I was so tired that my head wasn't working well.
As soon as I entered, I buried my face in the soft bedding that caught my eye.
I had come all the way here before I knew it.
Now only finishing the business and returning was left.
I had to go up to return the demonic artifact and see my little sister, so big tasks remained, but.
I decided to think about that tomorrow too.
First, I needed to get a good sleep.
[Sigh.]
I heard Old Man Shen sigh, but I didn't have the energy to ask why right now.
I'll find out when I wake up...
Thinking like that, I quickly fell asleep overwhelmed by deep fatigue.
******************
*Chirp! Chirp!*
I slowly opened my eyes to the sunlight streaming through the window and the bird sounds announcing the morning.
I had fallen asleep so deeply that I didn't have the nightmares I usually had every day.
Thanks to that, I was able to wake up feeling refreshed and clear-headed.
How long had it been since I slept so comfortably?
As I raised my heavy body and moved around, I heard cracking sounds from every joint.
"...Ah, I'm refreshed."
"Did you sleep well?"
It was a voice heard in my sleep.
I naturally thought Old Man Shen was asking.
"Yes, did you sleep well too, Old Man?"
"Of course, maybe because I've gotten old and only my sleep increases, but I always sleep well."
"What do you mean, why would a ghost sleep..."
I was speaking and then firmly shut my mouth.
Something was strange.
Did Old Man Shen's voice sound like this?
Normally, it felt like it was echoing in my head, not my ears.
But today, it was distinctly clear, and the voice felt different.
'...What is it?'
Because I wasn't fully awake, I couldn't grasp the situation properly, and then Old Man Shen appeared.
[...It's not me.]
...?
At Old Man Shen's words, cold sweat started flowing.
With a chill running down my spine, I turned my head toward the source of the voice.
There sat an old man with a benevolent smile.
...In my room, no less.
"Who... are you?"
At my question, the old man laughed low.
"I've lived for quite a long time, but being treated like a ghost is a first for me too..."
At a single word from the old man, at a single small movement, the qi in my dantian writhed.
[...Damn.]
At the same time, Old Man Shen's flustered voice was heard. It felt like the Plum Blossom qi he was trying so hard to suppress was leaking out.
Was it an illusion?
It felt like a faint plum blossom scent was mixed in the sunlight streaming through the window.
The old man calmly stroked his beard.
As I woke up more and more from my sleep, I began to actually feel it.
This wasn't a scent drifting in from outside the window.
The plum blossom scent filling the room was coming from that old man.
"Child, I heard Gu Lun sent me."
The name of the First Elder naturally flowing from the old man's mouth.
Hiding my cold sweat, I gulped down a dry swallow.
Looking at me like that, the old man gave a slight smile.
Then, he lowered the hand that was calmly stroking his beard.
Only then could I see the Plum Blossom emblem drawn on the old man's chest.
Discovering that, my pupils shook rapidly as if an earthquake had occurred.
Making my trembling eyes useless, the old man introduced himself.
"Nice to meet you, I am the Sect Leader of Huashan, Dao Hua."
At the old man's words, I gulped in a breath of air.
...Why on earth is this man in my room?