A few seconds of squeezing my eyes shut and shrinking back.
Without the expected shock or noise, Guryeonghwa slowly opened her eyes.
I thought the first thing I would see would be the tip of the wooden sword.
The first thing Guryeonghwa saw upon opening her eyes was someone's back.
It wasn't a particularly broad back, but it was definitely a figure from her memory.
Blaze—
She felt a somehow familiar sound and a sweltering heat.
The wooden sword that had been swinging toward Guryeonghwa was now caught in someone's hand.
Before she could even grasp the situation, the heat filling the surroundings died down.
The owner of the back spoke.
"What are you doing?"
At those words, the woman who was sparring with her instantly averted her gaze.
The face of the person who saved her entered the eyes of Guryeonghwa, who was still spacing out, unable to properly assess the situation.
A boy with fierce eyes and a sharp impression that seemed full of annoyance.
It was her older brother, Guyangcheon.
'I thought it was going to snap.'
My hand is tingling.
I did jump in recklessly because it felt like a big disaster would happen if I didn't intervene, but I didn't intend to interrupt so violently.
Namgung Bia was radiating sword qi, but its intensity wasn't strong.
Still, if I hadn't used my internal energy, my arm would have been shattered.
"What are you doing?"
At my question, Namgung Bia averts her gaze.
Is she admitting that she went a bit too far?
"Why would you even draw sword qi against a kid."
Namgung Bia still doesn't answer.
It seemed like there had been some conversation between the two, but I couldn't hear it properly.
Namgung Bia, who had been hesitating, opened her mouth with a somewhat sullen expression.
"...She said I was ugly."
"What?"
"She's not ugly, though..."
What is she suddenly talking about?
Did Guryeonghwa tell Namgung Bia that she was ugly?
'...She's not so bad-looking that it hurts the eyes, is she?'
Even taking into account that she's my blood relative, Guryeonghwa is definitely on the pretty side.
Especially since she lacked the Gu family's characteristic sharp, awl-like eyes, she seemed even more so.
Still, her looks were nowhere near enough to call Namgung Bia ugly.
I looked at Guryeonghwa and asked.
"Did you call her ugly?"
"...What nonsense are you talking about?"
"I mean, what kind of nonsense is this right now?"
It feels like the conversation isn't connecting.
Guryeonghwa looks at me with an ambiguous gaze.
"Why?"
"...What's your relationship with that person?"
"That person?"
The glance was directed at Namgung Bia.
...Did I not tell her?
Right, I didn't.
"Ah... well..."
"Fiancée."
Just like last time, Namgung Bia cut off my words this time too.
Guryeonghwa froze at Namgung Bia's resolute three syllables.
She looked back and forth between me and Namgung Bia with surprised eyes, then her expression gradually hardened.
It was an expression that seemed to say, "...Why on earth?"
To be precise, 'How could someone like you be with a person like that...?' would be more accurate, wouldn't it?
Whatever it was, it was an uncomfortable feeling.
"...You came all the way here with your fiancée?"
"We didn't come together... We ran into each other on the way."
We literally ran into each other on the way.
From Guryeonghwa's perspective, she might wonder how there could be a coincidence of running into each other on the way from Shanxi to Shaanxi.
...But it was exactly as I said.
Guryeonghwa, who had been staring blankly, seemed to remember something and looked at Namgung Bia with a pale face.
"Fiancée... So?"
Namgung Bia, who was meeting her gaze, was expressionless as usual.
Guryeonghwa brushed herself off, stood up, and approached Namgung Bia.
I was about to step in again, wondering if she was going to pick a fight over what just happened.
Surprisingly, Guryeonghwa bowed her head deeply to Namgung Bia.
"Thank you for the map."
Contrary to her dust-covered appearance, she performed a neat bow.
Namgung Bia looked at her and then brushed the grass off Guryeonghwa's shoulder with her hand.
Guryeonghwa flinched slightly at the touch but immediately continued speaking.
"...I'm also sorry for speaking carelessly."
Why is she glaring at me while saying that?
As Guryeonghwa apologized, Namgung Bia followed up with an apology to Guryeonghwa.
"...I'm sorry too..."
What...?
Why are they suddenly making up with each other?
While I was the only one left bewildered by the incomprehensible situation, Guryeonghwa quickly ran off.
"Where are you going?"
"None of your business!"
Not sure what was so displeasing, she yelled abruptly, then bowed her head slightly to Namgung Bia once more before running down the mountain.
I went out of my way to save her...
"Why is she acting like that...?"
It was truly incomprehensible.
Guryeonghwa went down, and Namgung Bia approached.
She had a somewhat awkward expression.
"...I didn't intend to hit her directly."
I smirked at the words she spat out like an excuse.
"I know."
I knew that the sword qi contained in the sword, the subtly emitted intimidation, and the destination of the sword were all ultimately just threats.
Nevertheless, since I needlessly stepped in, it was partly my fault too.
Looking at Namgung Bia standing awkwardly, I asked.
"Why were you doing that with her?"
"...We were just sparring...?"
"...Right, knowing you, of course you were."
How could a person be so crazy about sparring?
Could she also be possessed by a ghost like me? I genuinely suspected it.
Namgung Bia suddenly asked me.
"Um..."
"Yeah?"
"Someone you know...?"
I briefly wondered what Namgung Bia was asking.
Looking at her gaze, it was in the direction Guryeonghwa had gone down.
Ah, had I never told Namgung Bia?
I spat it out lightly as if it was no big deal.
"She's my younger sister."
"...What?"
I don't think I've ever introduced her.
Was she acting like that without even knowing she was my sister?
Indeed, our faces didn't look alike at all, so that could be the case.
The problem was Namgung Bia's expression after hearing my words.
Living my past life and this life, I had never seen Namgung Bia's expression so vivid.
"...What's wrong?"
How serious must it be for me to ask?
It was the first time I'd seen her make such an expression.
How should I put it... she looked like she was despairing... or maybe shocked.
It was a face mixed with colorful emotions.
Of course, it didn't seem like a very good expression.
"Ma..."
"Ma?"
She started muttering to herself, but her voice was so low that I couldn't hear well.
So I stepped a little closer.
"Ma... mang..."
"What?"
"We're doomed."
The three syllables whispered quietly.
What was doomed? I couldn't grasp the meaning properly.
Namgung Bia originally had a somewhat strange personality, so I decided to just let it pass this time as well.
The next day came.
Fortunately, I was able to get another room yesterday, so I could sleep comfortably on the third night.
Namgung Bia, who looked somewhat dazed for some reason, didn't say much, but Wiseol-a had a face that seemed displeased.
Of course, I was a bit concerned, but perhaps because I had told Hongwa in advance, when it was time to sleep, she was naturally dragged away and disappeared.
Thanks to that, I was able to sleep deeply for the first time in a while.
Shin Noya's nagging was a bit noisy, but I was tired enough to endure even that and fall asleep.
Feeling refreshed, I thought I'd be fine this time and headed out for morning training with Yeongpung.
If I felt this refreshed, I might be able to endure it, right? That's what I thought.
I was wrong.
Was this crazy sect disguising torture as training?
And that to themselves, no less.
With my legs shivering, I returned to my quarters and collapsed on the floor.
Due to the effects of the mental cultivation method, I shouldn't be easily affected by heat or cold, nor should I sweat easily.
To be drenched in sweat...
They say they do this absurd level of training every single day?
It was truly a perverted sect.
[...You rotten bastard!]
Shin Noya cursed as if he was displeased, but I didn't pay him any mind.
Letting it go in one ear had actually become familiar to me by now.
A glass of water was placed next to me as I lay groaning, drenched in sweat.
Wiseol-a, who had approached without me noticing, had given it to me.
"Are you okay, young master...?"
"No... I am not okay."
I was slumped over with my exhausted body.
Suddenly noticing that Namgung Bia hadn't been seen since morning, I asked Wiseol-a.
"Older sister went out earlier!"
She said.
Is she off swinging her sword somewhere?
With trembling hands, not to mention legs, I picked up the glass and drank it quickly.
Seeing how sweet the water tasted, I must have been incredibly thirsty.
While I was drinking, Wiseol-a wiped my sweat-drenched hair with a towel.
It was a meaningless gesture since I needed to wash anyway, but I was grateful.
"Thanks."
"Should I bring you more water?"
"No, water is fine."
I forced my aching arms to move and sat up.
Groaning, I sat down on the floor, and Wiseol-a pressed herself right against my shoulder.
"What...?"
"You can lean on me!"
"On you?"
"Yeah!"
Did I look that exhausted...?
Telling me to lean on her.
I always tease Wiseol-a about being chubby or round, but outwardly she had a slender build.
She looked so fragile that she might fly away if I flicked her.
Of course, the monstrous strength she occasionally displayed while doing household chores was an incomprehensible part of her.
But since it was Wiseol-a, I just let it slide.
Leaning on her slightly, true to form, Wiseol-a didn't budge at all.
What an incredibly sturdy body.
[Is it good?]
I almost burst out laughing at Shin Noya's words.
Is it good?
At those words, I quietly stared at Wiseol-a.
Wiseol-a was looking at the pond inside the quarters with her usual expression.
Was she fascinated by the carp in the pond?
'Surely she's not thinking about eating them, right?'
It was unsettling because I couldn't say no, given the things she usually said.
Even if she was, she wouldn't actually eat them...
...Or would she?
As I continued to watch her while leaning on her, Wiseol-a turned her head to look at me.
Meeting my eyes, Wiseol-a immediately smiled brightly.
Her eyes curving like half-moons and the corners of her mouth going up beautifully made my mind go blank for a moment.
Because she was pressed so close, her smile hit me right away.
'...Honestly, her face is a weapon.'
Should I put a veil on her starting now, rather than a few years later?
She looks like this even in servant's clothes, and knowing how she'll turn out when she grows up made me think that even more.
| |.....
I couldn't keep Wiseol-a in my arms forever, though.
Leaving aside her beauty, in many other ways as well.
So I had a question.
What on earth were they thinking?
The Sword Saint, and my father too.
"Young master."
"Yeah?"
I responded to the call, but the next words didn't come.
Wiseol-a called me and just stared at me silently.
As she stared quietly, I felt like I was being sucked into her obsidian-like eyes.
Why does she keep looking at me without saying anything?
Wiseol-a, who had been only looking at me for a while, was about to say something when—
"Guso...!"
Yeongpung appeared brightly.
I feel like this happened last time too...
Is it an illusion?
At Yeongpung's appearance, I lifted my body that was leaning on her.
Seeing that, Yeongpung turned his gaze here and there with eyes that didn't know what to do.
"What is the matter, Dojang?"
"...No, well... I'm sorry. I interrupted."
"...Huh? No, we weren't doing anything."
[I was holding my breath for nothing... That colt-like bastard...]
Even while talking, Yeongpung was still restless.
I thought it was because of me, but the direction he was glancing wasn't at me.
It seemed like it was towards Wiseol-a?
Curious about Yeongpung's reaction, I looked at Wiseol-a's face, but she was just smiling as usual.
"Dojang...?"
"Ah... well, training is over, so I came to see if we could have a meal together..."
I tilted my head at Yeongpung's words.
Why come all the way here, leaving behind fellow disciples?
Don't martial artists usually eat together?
I wondered if there was some circumstance.
Anyway, I had to eat, so I figured it would be fine.
"Ah, I think I need to wash up first, so please sit down for a bit."
Since I had sweated, I needed to wash up a bit.
"Yes...?"
"There's nowhere else to stay outside, so wouldn't it be fine to just wait here for a moment?"
"No, I will either lie on the ground or climb a tree to rest. Please take your time, but hurry up."
"...Everything you say is extreme and contradictory?"
Why is he rambling like that.
"Anyway, please sit and wait for a bit. I'll be right back."
"Wai...!"
It seemed like Yeongpung was calling from behind, but I was hungry and wanted to wash up quickly, so I just dashed off.
'Yeongpung's state is strange today.'
Did he lose his mind from training too much?
That seemed like the most plausible explanation.
As I was heading to wash up, Shin Noya suddenly brought up Wiseol-a.
[...Did you not see that girl's expression?]
"What expression?"
[Are your eyes made of knot-holes that you can't even see that properly?]
What is he talking about?
When I looked, she was just smiling, so what on earth did Shin Noya see?
[...Or did you intentionally ignore it? Looking like a puppy, she's actually a much more fox-like child than I expected.]
What is this old man talking about...?
I laughed it off, thinking he was just saying weird things like usual.
No matter how I looked at it, Wiseol-a didn't give off a fox-like vibe.