Right when the conversation had been stretching on for quite some time.
I had to step outside my quarters with an extremely unpleasant expression.
It was only natural.
I had gone through the trouble of being summoned, and just as I tried to have a proper talk, why did it feel like getting interrupted mid-shit?
‘What the hell is this?’
So what was the conclusion?
Why had the old man called me, the so-called First Pavilion Master? And why, of all things, had he asked about the Gu Family?
What reason could that old man possibly have for going through all this?
I was curious about all of it, but it had become impossible to know for now.
‘…Hmm.’
Lady Mi had barged in out of nowhere and started a cold war. As a result, not only had I been summoned for nothing, but I hadn’t even heard a proper answer before getting kicked out.
This was truly a pitiful situation where I couldn’t even vent my frustration anywhere.
‘…Since it’s come to this, should I try eavesdropping just once?’
I briefly considered whether I should use my energy to eavesdrop on the room, resentful at being kicked out, but…
‘Tch.’
I immediately erased the thought.
The fact that Lady Mi launched a surprise attack during the conversation meant that despite the qi barrier being up, she had been listening.
It was probably thanks to the power of an auditory artifact, and conversely, if I tried to eavesdrop, she would likely have a way to detect it.
‘If it’s related to eavesdropping, it’s probably the Cheongeoseok.’
A few auditory artifacts came to mind, but the most likely was the Cheongeoseok. Though it had limited utility, it was suitable for hiding, and if the distance was right, the clarity wasn’t bad either.
However.
‘It’s an auditory artifact that’s easy to detect, so it’s not used often.’
Normally, I would have started by using my qi sense to detect such artifacts.
I just hadn’t considered that Lady Mi might have hidden one in my quarters.
That was why I had failed to detect it.
‘Did she hide this expecting that I wouldn’t notice?’
Had she hidden it in advance, expecting that I wouldn’t detect it?
That was quite possible. It was the kind of foresight one could expect from Lady Mi, after all.
‘…’
It was a bit too late to think of that now.
‘Besides, another qi barrier was erected anyway.’
The moment I withdrew my energy, I knew that another qi barrier had been put up in the room.
‘The level of the qi barrier is Hwagyeong-grade.’
Judging by the density and solidity of the barrier surrounding the area, it seemed to be at least Hwagyeong-grade.
I could probably force my way through it if I tried, but…
‘It would be closer to a gamble.’
In my current condition, the chances of the other side noticing were also quite high.
And on top of that…
‘The old man’s reaction was strange from the start.’
The First Pavilion Master’s reaction toward me.
His reaction had been far too strange. Just what had he been hoping for when he called me?
‘Did he ask if I had any intention of becoming the Family Head?’
Had he asked if I even knew what the Family Head of the Gu Family was?
Had the old man truly called me to ask that?
A doubt sprouted regarding this.
‘Somehow…’
It didn’t seem to be just that. If that had really been his intention, he probably wouldn’t have used this kind of occasion.
In other words.
‘He harbored a different intention from the beginning.’
Something other than wanting to ask me something.
He had indeed wanted to see me once, but that didn’t seem to be the main reason.
To be exact, it felt like he had tried to use me to obtain something.
What he had tried to obtain was probably.
‘Lady Mi.’
Just as he brought up talk about the Gu Family, Lady Mi had kicked the door open and barged in.
From what I could see, that seemed to be the situation the old man had been aiming for.
‘Hmmm.’
What could it be?
What was that old man after, and why did Lady Mi react so violently?
Just as I was deeply pondering this.
“Hee hee hee!”
“Ooh, is it fun?”
“Yeah!”
I turned my head at the familiar sounds.
On the porch outside my quarters. There, Gu Huibi was grinning and waving her hands.
And in the air, Ttolttoli could be seen smiling brightly and enjoying himself.
“…What are they doing?”
Seeing how Ttolttoli’s altitude changed every time she moved her hand, it looked like she was using Void Manipulation.
‘She’s using Void Manipulation to play with a kid?’
I wondered what kind of mad martial artist would do such a thing, but surprisingly, Gu Huibi was doing exactly that.
Rather, she seemed to be enjoying it herself as she smiled and earnestly entertained Ttolttoli.
Ttolttoli, on the receiving end, also seemed to be having fun, but….
‘Look at that little guy.’
To me, it was absurd.
‘He can fly on his own. What’s so fun about this?’
Ttolttoli could fly even without using Void Manipulation.
He seemed to be pretending to have fun, trying to match Gu Huibi’s tune.
It was truly a sight to behold.
“What are you doing?”
Watching that, I approached with a scrunched-up expression.
“Huh? You’re back.”
“…”
Frowning, I reached out.
I grabbed Ttolttoli by the back of his neck and yanked him down.
“What is this?”
Holding Ttolttoli, I asked Gu Huibi.
Then Gu Huibi spoke to me with an awkward face.
“Well, the kid looked a little bored…”.
“So you’re using Void Manipulation to play with him? Sister, are you crazy?”
“If you have the ability, you can use it. It’s not like it wears out.”
Like hell it doesn’t wear out.
Do you have any idea how irrational and cost-inefficient Void Manipulation is?
Maybe for a brief moment, but keeping a child floating in the air was absolutely ridiculous.
Knowing that, I looked at Gu Huibi with a somewhat pathetic expression, but…
“So. What is this kid?”
“…”
At Gu Huibi’s question, I had to harden my expression suddenly.
“My younger brother.”
“…”
What should I answer?
I thought for a moment.
Right… What should I introduce him as? Just as I was thinking that.
“…You see. Father’s son.”
I decided to spit out the answer I had used last time.
Lady Mi had given something like permission, so wouldn’t it be fine?
“Ah, I see. Father’s son… Huh?”
Gu Huibi, who had been nodding as if she understood, stiffened rigidly.
“…Little brother. What did you just say?”
“What are you asking? You heard everything.”
“No, I’m saying it because it doesn’t make sense—”
“Then, is he my son?”
“…”
Gu Huibi’s features twisted.
She looked as though she thought that was actually more likely.
Even I think he looks exactly like me, so the latter might actually be more likely, but….
“…That can’t be right. Do you know how old I am?”
“Then. Being Father… no, the Family Head’s son makes sense…?”
“Things like that can happen in life.”
“How can that happen? Little brother, what kind of life have you lived to give an answer like that—”
“I’m a bastard son, after all.”
“…”
Gu Huibi’s mouth clamped shut.
“No, that’s… Why are you bringing that up here all of a sudden…”.
She looked somewhat shriveled up.
I felt sorry for her all of a sudden, but it couldn’t be helped.
“Can’t he be the same… That’s what I mean.”
“…That.”
“Enough about this. Where did she go?”
“Hmm?”
I asked where “she” had gone. Hearing the question, Gu Huibi looked puzzled.
She didn’t seem to know who I was referring to.
“You know. Her.”
“Who are you talking abou— Ah.”
Only then did Gu Huibi react, as if she had figured out the answer.
“Are you talking about Yeoni?”
Yeoni. It was what Gu Huibi called the Heavenly Demon.
“…Yeah. Her.”
Earlier she had been hugging Ttolttoli and throwing a fit, but when I came out, she had vanished.
That was what I found questionable, so I had asked.
“Yeoni went home.”
“She went home?”
I had to tilt my head at Gu Huibi’s answer.
She left suddenly?
“You didn’t stop her…?”
“Why would I stop her when she says she’s going home? Besides. She was gone before I could even stop her.”
“…”
She had been hugging and crying her eyes out, so I thought there was more to it, but she just vanished.
I felt deflated.
The unsettled feeling rose again.
Just then.
“Ah, come to think of it. Little brother. I heard you’ve been amazing these days?”
Gu Huibi asked about my recent affairs.
“Apparently you’re super amazing. You must be happy, right?”
“…Happy my ass.”
“I always knew our little brother would make it big, you know?”
She subtly tried to pat my rear, so I immediately dodged.
“Has this woman gone mad?”
“Oho? Sister was trying to give you some praise, and you run away?”
“Praise me from afar. Don’t do it up close.”
“You’re no fun.”
As she spoke, Gu Huibi burst into laughter.
Watching her, I brought up a different question this time.
“Sister.”
“Hmm?”
“This is just something I’m asking because it surprised me.”
“What.”
“Why didn’t you come?”
“…”
The smile vanished from Gu Huibi’s face at my words.
It was a rather abstract question, but Gu Huibi seemed to know what I was asking.
Why hadn’t she come?
This was about the raid and the demonic beast incident that had occurred in Hanam last time.
At that time, countless martial artists had shown themselves.
But there were even more who hadn’t shown themselves, and among them was Gu Huibi.
That’s right. Gu Huibi had remained in Hanam but hadn’t appeared during the incident.
“Honestly, I hoped you wouldn’t come.”
I had hoped Gu Huibi wouldn’t come even if the incident broke out. But.
“Still, knowing your personality, it didn’t seem like you wouldn’t come.”
Gu Huibi was not someone who would stay still when such an accident occurred.
She had a dirty personality, but she wasn’t someone who could ignore a catastrophe unfolding before her.
“But you didn’t come. What happened?”
I wasn’t trying to blame her for not coming.
I wouldn’t dare.
As I said before, this was simply curiosity.
Regarding this, Gu Huibi fell silent for a moment. Time passed.
It didn’t seem like she was refusing to answer, so I waited.
And after a while.
“…I wonder.”
Gu Huibi said to me.
“Why did I do that, really.”
“…What?”
“She told me not to go.”
“Who?”
“Yeoni.”
My eyes narrowed instinctively.
‘The Heavenly Demon told her not to go?’
Did that mean the Heavenly Demon had stopped Gu Huibi during the incident?
Why on earth?
Plus.
‘Gu Huibi actually obeyed and didn’t go?’
Even if the Heavenly Demon told her not to, it was stranger still that Gu Huibi had listened.
Thus, I wanted to ask why, but…
“…”
I couldn’t bring myself to open my mouth.
Gu Huibi’s expression was so unfamiliar.
She looked deeply melancholic, yet also seemed to be asking me not to ask.
So in the end, I couldn’t.
“I see.”
As long as nothing happened, it was fine.
Thinking so, I nodded.
In the somewhat awkward atmosphere.
I asked Gu Huibi something else this time.
“By the way, Sister.”
“Hmm…?”
“About her name.”
“Name?”
“Yeah, why do you call her Yeoni, of all things?”
“Ahh.”
Why did she call the Heavenly Demon Yeoni?
It was something I’d been curious about since last time but hadn’t been able to ask.
Why had such a name been given to the Heavenly Demon?
I asked, and…
“It’s because of fate.”
She explained to me.
“…Fate?”
“Yeah. Inyeon (cause and fate). A fate suddenly formed. That’s why she’s Yeoni.”
“…”
“It’s a pretty name, right? I think I picked it well too. Though that child herself doesn’t like it.”
Isn’t it a truly pretty name? Gu Huibi explained with a smile.
Yes, it was a pretty name.
It was a truly pretty name, one that didn’t suit the Heavenly Demon at all.
Perhaps that was why.
“Little brother?”
“Huh?”
“What’s wrong?”
“What do you mean?”
“No, your face looks strange. Did you eat something bad?”
“…”
Hearing this, I touched my face with my hand.
Just as Gu Huibi said, there really did seem to be something off.
Of course, it wasn’t because I hadn’t eaten.
‘Something.’
Something was purely strange.
‘…Yeon.’
Fate.
I felt a sense of alienation from Gu Huibi calling the Heavenly Demon that.
What was this… It was as if.
‘It’s uncomfortable.’
As though that wasn’t her name, yet she was calling her that.
A strange, queasy discomfort.
That was exactly what I was feeling right now.
******************
What came out after that was past the door.
I hadn’t been like this when I went in. It felt like I had come back with a load of worries on my back.
Gu Huibi said she had something to talk about with Lady Mi.
And since there was no reason to bring Ttolttoli along, I had left him there.
The two seemed to get along well, so they’d probably play just fine.
Judging thus, I stepped outside.
“Oh, you’re out.”
“First Elder?”
The First Elder was waiting outside the door.
Seeing that, I widened my eyes. Now that I thought about it, he had come with me, but he hadn’t entered inside.
Why was this large-built gentleman standing in front of the door like a high official?
“Why are you waiting here instead of coming in?”
“I had a feeling it would be noisy inside.”
“…”
It was truly astonishing insight.
“Besides, judging by your face, it seems this old man’s choice was correct. Tsk tsk tsk. Looks like you went through some hardship in there.”
“…You’re the one who dragged me here, First Elder.”
“Hahahaha.”
Was this old man trying to gloss things over with laughter?
It was truly absurd.
Perhaps because of that laughter, irritation welled up fiercely.
“Just who is that person?”
“Who are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about the First Pavilion Master. Just what is he, going on about the Family Head this and the Gu Family that?”
“That old man did that to you?”
“Yes.”
When I spoke with emotion, the First Elder let out a laugh.
“What a spineless old man.”
It was closer to a sneer.
“He said he would approach it rationally, yet his tricks are no different from the old days.”
“…Just what are you…”
“Forget it. Young man, don’t sulk just because you were subjected to that. You must have a broad mind!”
Whish—!
I turned my head. A hand passed over where my head had been.
I had dodged because the First Elder had subtly tried to mess up my hair again.
“Hehe. Look at this fellow?”
“Please don’t do that. I’m tired….”
Normally I would play along, but right now I was truly mentally exhausted.
My head was already complicated, so I was also in a rather sensitive state.
“Tired, you say? That too is from a lack of training.”
“Training is not a panacea….”
“Ohh, is that so? Then, shall we have a spar to relieve your fatigue, something this old man hasn’t done in a while?”
“…”
Something far more bothersome had popped up.
I didn’t want to train, let alone spar.
I hated it normally, but sparring with the First Elder right now? It was impossible.
I was mentally tired and my physical condition was off too.
So naturally, I tried to refuse, but…
“…No thank you. Right now, I don’t have the confidence to control my strength—.”
I stopped mid-sentence and widened my eyes.
At the same time, I covered my mouth with my hand.
‘I don’t have the confidence to control my strength.’ This was an obvious slip of the tongue.
An attitude that completely belittled the opponent.
And I had spat it out toward the First Elder.
Had he not heard? I glanced at the First Elder.
“Hehe.”
‘…Damn.’
It seemed he had heard me loud and clear.
As evidence, the First Elder’s eyes were smiling, but his forehead was riddled with bulging veins. He seemed to be in quite a foul mood, to the point where heat was visibly rising from his body.
Seeing that, I quickly added an excuse.
“No, Elder, that’s not it. I’m tired and misspoke….”
“Yangcheon.”
“…Yes?”
I answered and lowered my body.
Paaaahng—!
A shockwave exploded in the air.
It was the aftermath of the First Elder swinging his fist.
If I hadn’t dodged, I would have taken it straight to the face.
“Elder…?”
“This old man has been busy lately and hasn’t been able to look after his grandson….”
Shiiik—!! Grab—!
“It’s all this old man’s karma.”
“…!”
A large hand shot out and grabbed me by the collar.
“Hah, so today, let us bear that karma together and have a sincere conversation for the first time in a while.”
“…Elder. No matter how I look at it, this doesn’t seem like a conve—!”
Before I could finish, a blast of wind pressure surged.
The surroundings blurred and pressure bore down on me.
Because the First Elder had grabbed my collar and flung me with all his might.
Kuuuuk—!
My body was launched by the terrifying grip.
Clenching my teeth, I raised my energy.
Hwaruruk—! Flames instantly surrounded me and radiated heat.
Using the resulting recoil, I was able to stop my body.
Kwadeudeudeuk—!!!
My feet scraped against the ground, creating clear marks.
At the moment I barely managed to slow down.
Chiiiiiik—!
“…!”
From somewhere came the sound of boiling steam. Hearing it, I immediately spun my body and dodged.
Kwaaaaang—!!!
With an enormous impact, the ground exploded and debris scattered.
I widened the distance and checked the center.
The once-intact floor was now deeply hollowed out and ruined.
Someone rose from within it.
Shwiiiiiik—!
A body emitting steam.
The First Elder, who had pulverized the floor with a single punch, slowly withdrew his fist.
“Damn.”
Seeing that, I clicked my tongue as if troubled.
‘…This is a bit troublesome.’
By the look on his face, he seemed to be truly furious.