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EP.57 There’s Absolutely No Normalcy! (1)

“What the heck is going on…?”

I was speechless.

Why the heck is that crazy girl here?

This isn’t Mount Shan or some island.

It’s just a nameless mountain, plain and simple.

But encountering Nangong Bi-ah in such a place—does that even make sense?

“What…”

I wanted to ask what kind of nonsense this was, but something else caught my attention first.

The electric energy crackling around me was palpable.

Seeing Yeongpung fly away, the Hwasan Sect disciples immediately drew their swords.

They probably think of Nangong Bi-ah as an enemy to subdue or even assassinate.

I had no time to ponder my next move.

Since I couldn’t rush in and protect, I just shouted out.

“Oh, long time no see!”

“…?”

Was my greeting effective? The countless swords that were about to rain down on Nangong Bi-ah halted in their tracks.

“Sis!”

At that moment, Wi Seol-Ah, who had been watching, dashed over and hugged Nangong Bi-ah.

Nangong Bi-ah seemed momentarily flustered but gently patted Seol-Ah’s head.

With her tall stature, it was easy for Seol-Ah to nestle in.

“Gu So-hyeob, do you know this woman?”

Shin Hyeon approached me with a question.

What was I supposed to say?

Should I just casually mention that I know her?

‘Where on earth did she pop up from all of a sudden…?’

After parting ways, I thought I’d never see her again.

I figured we might meet once regarding the engagement, but beyond that, I never imagined.

Here of all places?

In the middle of nowhere?

‘Did she come looking for me?’

No way, that couldn’t be it.

Nangong Bi-ah is directionally challenged.

Like, seriously bad at it.

If she were supposed to go east, she’d end up heading west, so it couldn’t have just been a coincidence.

There was no chance she came here to find someone.

Finding her way would be impossible for her.

“Junior?”

“Ah.”

Got lost in thoughts about Nangong Bi-ah and couldn’t respond to Shin Hyeon’s question.

First, I had to give a vague answer and figure out why she was here.

“I just know her a bit…”

“She’s your fiancée.”

“…Huh?”

[What?]

Nangong Bi-ah’s voice cutting in brought sudden silence to the previously noisy surroundings.

“…What did you just say?”

I felt like I heard something unbelievable and questioned her.

Nangong Bi-ah tilted her head as if to ask what my problem was.

That must’ve been a mistake, right? Surely, I just misheard that.

“I’m his fiancée.”

Goodness, I hadn’t misheard.

It wasn’t just me startled; everyone around fell silent too.

Especially the gazes of the men glaring at me felt intensely sharp.

‘…Guys, don’t get mesmerized by her looks.’

I wouldn’t want to be hypocritical, but I couldn’t deny Nangong Bi-ah was stunning.

Having seen her completed appearance countless times in my previous life, I still wasn’t tired of it. At least, not when it came to her looks.

If I were my past self, I might’ve drooled hearing that she’s my fiancée.

Whether her hair was a mess covered in dust or her martial robe tattered and filthy, it would never tarnish the beauty she naturally possessed.

Even in such a state, her beauty still shone through.

Those gem-like blue eyes were fixed solely on me.

She wasn’t smiling now, but I could still recall how bright her smile had been earlier.

‘So she can smile, huh?’

In my previous life, I had never seen her smile.

I’d only ever seen her expressionlessly slicing and dicing someone.

Admittedly, it was annoying, but undeniably, her smile was beautiful.

“Sis!”

Wi Seol-Ah, who had been rubbing her face against Nangong Bi-ah’s chest for a while, spoke up.

“Yeah…?”

“How did you get here?”

“I came looking for you…”

“Who?”

Nangong Bi-ah slowly pointed at me with her hand.

…She really came looking for me?

‘How did she even find me?’

She’d have to take a boat and then navigate through the mountains or something.

Or the opposite—she’d need to cross mountains but then unexpectedly wade through a river.

This is a person who’s utterly clueless about basic directions…

And she really came looking for me?

[What a nuisance.]

Without a word, Shin Noya suddenly murmured a curse.

‘…Why are you starting trouble now?’

[Didn’t seeing her beauty stir anything in you? If not, you must have gone completely numb.]

‘Why suddenly insult my appearance? And what’s wrong with me! I’m not that bad looking…!’

[You look like a grasshopper, and your words are just as miserable.]

‘A grasshopper…’

Crap, I needed to settle this soon before things went out of hand.

“Did you inform your clan about coming here?”

“….”

“…Junior?”

“…I did.”

So she didn’t.

Clearly, she hadn’t told anyone she was coming.

The silence between us spoke volumes.

A member of a prestigious family running away like this? What a reckless troublemaker…

‘Are you Pang Woojin? Really, are you…!’

“You mentioned you came to see me.”

“Yeah.”

“Why? Do you have some business with me?”

[Are you really asking that? Are you out of your mind?]

What’s with the sudden rage from this old man…?

His constant ranting was giving me a headache.

At my question, Nangong Bi-ah paused for a moment.

In the midst of everything, her eyes remained glued to mine.

Was she contemplating something again?

“I…”

After a slight hesitation, she opened her lips.

“Gu So-hyeob!”

Right when she was about to speak, Yeongpung shouted as he appeared.

“Let’s do that sparring we missed earlier… right now!”

Yeongpung’s cheerful demeanor was nowhere to be found; instead, he seemed oddly nervous.

“Why is he acting weird…?”

This guy was definitely not right either.

…I just wanted to hurry up and get home.

 

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