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Chapter 131: What Are You?

The wind was cold, and the moon was hidden behind clouds at this hour.

A face rose in my mind, one that had asked me a question while wielding a sword.

– “It’s cold at night. What are you out here for?”

Her tightly bound blonde hair glowed even in the darkness.

What time was it, I wonder.

So many things had happened that I couldn’t pick just one.

– “Are you worried about me being cold, or something?”

Though the question may not have been meant kindly, my tone in response was brutally harsh.

An incompetent mind was indeed a pitiful sight.

Yet even with such a tone, her expression remained unchanged.

– “… If that’s not it, then it’s probably shift change.”

– “If you knew, then hurry up and disappear.”

– “Are you okay?”

– “What?”

Compared to the bright golden hair, her eyes had a gentle glimmer.

– “Right now is the most dangerous time.”

– “So what, am I supposed to crawl away just because I’m weak?”

– “That’s not what I meant, but…”

Her words sparked flames from my body.

In comparison to now, it was truly a pathetic level.

The flames that spread outwards couldn’t even match the sword she had raised and flickered away.

With a somewhat uncomfortable expression, she spoke to me.

– “… What are you trying to accomplish by drawing attention like this? Do you want them to come after you?”

– “Stop with the nonsense and just go inside. I’ll manage.”

– “No matter how I think about it, it might be better to wake the sleeping dragon.”

– “Want me to increase the flames this time?”

With a heavy sigh, she ultimately turned her steps toward the barracks.

She lifted the entrance of the barracks and asked me.

– “Gu Gongja, if you get out of here, what will you do?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, I replied as if bewildered.

– “Am I feeling sentimental about the night or something? Why ask such a pointless question?”

If I left this place?

Could I even exit in the first place? The Demonic Gate was a place akin to a jeweled prison.

– “I’m fine; what about you, what do you want to do?”

With no words coming to mind, I asked her back.

Even if I survived and returned from here, all that awaited me was a heavy burden.

So I asked her.

What do you want?

Wi Seol-Ah seemed to ponder my question for a while before she whispered softly.

– “I want to wander a bit.”

– “Wander? You can do that right now.”

At my words, Wi Seol-Ah gave a rare look of disdain.

– “I want to wander in a place with lots of people.”

– “Why dream such an annoying dream?”

– “Well…”

Wi Seol-Ah smiled. Although there was a sense of weariness in her laughter, I chose not to comment on it.

– “I wonder… why do I want to do that?”

She looked exhausted.

There was no way a martial artist who had crossed the confines of a wall would be physically drained.

I turned my head away, watching Wi Seol-Ah walk in slowly.

At that time, I didn’t think of anything.

I just had to survive today and keep my own life intact.

Who would have guessed that time here would stretch so long?

Even after flowing back to live, having lost everything and crawling back in again.

The memories of that time became of great help later on.

And this created a significant change when I recalled you.

Though everyone had forgotten, I alone remembered, and that was enough.

So even if I despair over every choice I made, I will not regret it.

[… The contract has been established. Little ember.]

I hoped that you too would feel the same; I silently wished for it.

Though I was startled by the sudden arrival of Nangong Bi-ah, I wasn’t too surprised, for she was as unpredictable as ever.

[What was with the ‘not surprised’? I was storming inside upon hearing you wanted to see me.]

‘No, I was just a bit taken aback.’

[Well, I guess that makes sense. So, you’ve brought up that ridiculous notion about eating together?]

‘… Noya, you’re getting more insufferable by the day.’

Immediately after eating, Nangong Bi-ah seemed to sleep like she was waiting for it in my room.

“Why are you sleeping in my room anyway?”

She casually took my blanket and rolled herself up, then went cozy and off to dreamland.

“I guess she’s really tired, huh?”

“That’s not the problem… never mind.”

It would only cause me a headache to argue, so I let her be.

The intrusion interrupted my training.

Because of that, it became a bit awkward to pick up where I left off.

And above all, for some reason, I couldn’t shake off the image of Wi Seol-Ah looking gloomy.

“Do you want to eat some rice cakes?”

I tentatively asked.

“No….”

She firmly refused the rice cakes. That was a big deal.

In this urgent situation, hundreds of thoughts raced through my mind.

But there weren’t many ways to express them.

In the end, I had no choice but to ask directly.

“Why do you look so down?”

“… Just things aren’t going well.”

“What things?”

“Various things…”

I had rarely seen Wi Seol-Ah looking like this, appearing so droopy.

Lately, I’d noticed her often appearing forlorn, yet I hadn’t paid enough attention.

Seeing her gradually losing her baby fat was hard to ignore.

After a brief moment of contemplation while watching her slumped shoulders, I spoke.

“Let’s go out.”

“Huh?”

Wi Seol-Ah seemed confused by my words.

“Let’s go take a walk, just for a bit.”

Once she understood the meaning of my words, her eyes widened in surprise.

“Really? I’m going to buy something delicious when my sister comes back!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I plan to buy a good amount!”

“Buy a lot… okay, let’s buy a lot.”

I grabbed Wi Seol-Ah and brought her to the market.

I thought maybe I should convey my message to Muyeon, but for now, I just went out.

At this point, I wasn’t in a situation where I needed a guard.

“Young Master, where are you going?”

“Just wandering a bit.”

“Really!?”

Seeing her perk up like that was a relief, as it seemed my plan worked.

[Have you had enough of resting?]

I gave a bitter smile at Noya’s question.

Resting.

Not nearly enough.

The purification of demon energy was still ongoing, and while I was trying to contain my energy, it was better to keep moving as much as I could in between.

“Hey, Young Master! Look!”

“Where?”

“Skewers!”

“… Okay, we can eat them, but let’s finish what we have in our hands first.”

Seeing Wi Seol-Ah excited, I thought to myself.

I could let one day slide without training.

After all, the upcoming schedule was tight.

I even asked the napping Nangong Bi-ah if she wanted some, but with half an eye open, she just mumbled and curled back into the blanket, falling asleep again.

Sleeping seemed to be her top priority.

I watched the excited Wi Seol-Ah, whose face was sparkling with joy; it felt refreshing.

[That little girl, she’s the hope of tomorrow.]

Even Shin Noya, who’d seen my past memories, seemed puzzled, but that was reality.

“Young Master! Let’s eat this together!”

She came over with a fruit I didn’t recognize, beaming.

I suddenly realized and was about to pull money from my pocket, but Wi Seol-Ah proudly announced.

“I bought it!”

“What? How?”

“Huh? I just bought it…”

She pulled a little pouch from her clothes and showed me.

When I peeked inside, there was indeed money.

Now that I thought about it, as a maid, Wi Seol-Ah must have received a salary.

The girl who used to refuse to pay for rice cakes had boldly brought back items.

‘She changed a lot without me realizing it.’

It was something that should have been done way earlier, but it was quite surprising considering she lacked common sense for her age.

“Eat this.”

I accepted the fruit offered by Wi Seol-Ah and took a bite.

As soon as it hit my mouth, the sourness spread, and I couldn’t help but grimace.

Noticing my reaction, Wi Seol-Ah burst into laughter.

“Is it funny…?”

“Your face is too funny.”

“That sounds like an insult, doesn’t it? I’m sure that’s an insult.”

Wi Seol-Ah never denied it, right to the end. This girl…

We chatted and wandered around the market.

It had been quite a long time since I last visited this place.

Since I left Hwasan Sect, I hadn’t returned again.

One surprising thing I discovered was.

“Oh, Seol-Ah, you’ve come!”

“Hello!”

“You’ve come back after a long time! Where’s your sister?”

“She’s busy! Just give me that!”

Many people in the market recognized Wi Seol-Ah.

Had she gone out often with the maids without me knowing?

The part where she called out ‘sister’ must refer to Hongwa.

‘If that’s the case, then had the Sword Sovereign allowed this?’

She wouldn’t have been able to come to the market otherwise.

It made sense now why Wi Seol-Ah seemed unfazed while moving around.

The current world may bask in peace, but she wouldn’t be able to bounce around carelessly given her appearance.

I didn’t insist on covering Nangong Bi-ah or Wi Seol-Ah with a veil just to avoid getting caught up in bothersome matters.

“Young Master, you know.”

“…!”

I jumped, startled as Wi Seol-Ah approached so closely without me noticing.

No matter how many thoughts I had running through my mind, I couldn’t sense her coming up right to my face.

I masked my surprise and asked.

“… What is it?”

“Everyone calls you ‘Prince.’”

“Hmm?”

Suddenly?

“It was Soyeol Unni who said so. I don’t think Bi-ah Unni did.”

Most people seem to call me that.

I couldn’t suddenly speak informally to them for no reason.

“That’s…”

Because our ranks and status differ. That explanation sounded understandably simple.

Yet for some reason, explaining it aloud was quite difficult.

Let alone Wi Seol-Ah, who couldn’t stay a maid forever.

Then Wi Seol-Ah jokingly blurted out.

“Gu Gongja!”

It was as if she wanted to try saying it herself.

Having her suddenly call it out caught me off guard.

– Gu Gongja.

Damn those memories surged back.

Her face seemed more mature than now.

With a slightly different expression.

And her voice was lower as she spoke to me in a natural manner.

The sight of her saying that in a completely different situation stayed clearly engraved in my mind.

Had my expression changed significantly? Wi Seol-Ah seemed to cringe slightly.

“Guess it doesn’t suit me after all….”

Seeing Wi Seol-Ah make a sulky face, I came to my senses just a little.

“That it doesn’t suit you? What kind of nonsense is that?”

“Your sister is pretty, and Bi-ah Unni is also pretty, so it must fit them, but if I do it, I guess it becomes weird… My Young Master’s face was ugly.”

Wait, ugly, huh…?

Those pure-hearted words always pierce right through my heart.

Anyway, could that really be the reason behind her sulkiness? I doubted that was the only reason.

“Leaving everything else aside, considering looks, you too…”

“Huh?”

“… You too…”

I got tongue-tied.

What do I even say? I meant to say you’re pretty too, but it felt like trying to move a boulder stuck in my throat.

In the meantime, Wi Seol-Ah seemed to pick up on what I was trying to say, flashing me a smile.

“What? What is it?”

“… Are you trying to make me say it on purpose?”

“No, Seol-Ah doesn’t know anything.”

For sure.

Somewhere along the line, she must have picked up some bad habits.

“If you don’t say it quickly, I’m going to bite you.”

“What for? Where would you even bite me?”

“You remember the last time you ran away because Grandfather Yun was looking for you? It was so loud….”

“Pretty.”

Despite my half-forced exclamation, Wi Seol-Ah’s face broke out into a beaming smile.

Her face, which had begun to slim down, was gradually reclaiming its previous state.

Her beauty shone stronger each day, and her laughter seemed to charm everything around.

“… You.”

Was she pretending to be sulky just to be cute?

If so, it felt quite unlike her.

[I bet you don’t understand. That girl is far more foxlike than you think.]

‘A fox? Not a bear or a dog?’

Wi Seol-Ah as a fox? That seemed incredibly out of place, as it had back in my previous life.

Noticing my feelings, Shin Noya chuckled.

[To me, it looks like you should just change your eyes, it would save you a lot of trouble.]

Putting Noya’s words aside, Wi Seol-Ah seemed to brighten up at once.

“I’m okay now!”

Saying that, she beamed and moved ahead of me.

Did a couple of words like ‘pretty’ really lift her spirits that much?

It was a soft but heavy emotion.

‘Heavy.’

The feelings she holds for me. The feelings I’d come to hold for her.

‘Yet still.’

I can’t let those feelings go. That’s why I’m living in such desperation.

“Careful not to fall while running like that.”

“If I fall, you’ll pick me back up.”

The way she spoke like she was the sun often caused my thoughts to pause.

– If I fall, you’re supposed to pick me up.

Was it just my imagination?

The way you now say the same thing as back then is…

– So I’ll be fine.

“Yeah, it’s all good!”

“ ”

The way she seemed to ask me not to forget echoed in my heart painfully.

With a cheerful face, Wi Seol-Ah dashed around, only for a moment to trip over a rock.

“Eek!”

She made a bizarre sound as she tumbled.

As I rushed over, thankfully, the food she was holding was safely tucked away.

“Told you not to run.”

I chuckled while extending my hand, and Wi Seol-Ah grasped it and stood up.

“What’s this… I got dirt on me…”

“Well, yeah, Hongwa would surely get mad if she saw.”

“… Oh…!”

Her expression suggested she faced the biggest problem at hand, making me laugh out loud.

“I’ll cover for you.”

“Hey, Young Master… last time you said you’d do that, you let it slip!”

“… Busted.”

How did she know? I certainly slipped up without a clue.

“You’re too much…”

As if expressing her disappointment, she hugged the food she carried closer.

How does this resemble a fox at all?

“Since you’re upset, I might as well get one more….”

“Absolutely not.”

Upon seeing her shocked eyes at my firm refusal, I laughed again.

Eventually, we bought what Wi Seol-Ah wanted.

Once we returned, the final food I bought was dumplings, which she seemed eager to share.

We ate together before dinner, sharing it with the half-awake and groggy Nangong Bi-ah.

By the way, Wi Seol-Ah got in trouble for getting her clothes dirty after Hongwa found out.

She shot me a look asking for help, but caught in the act, I pretended not to notice.

The cute look of betrayal on her face in that moment stuck in my memory.

As time passed, seven days rolled by, and the day arrived for the Dragon Meeting.

I had somewhat planned for it and had set a clear schedule.

However, one unexpected event occurred.

By the carriage where numerous people gathered,

A boy, tall and well-built with a strikingly handsome appearance that slightly surpassed mine, stood in front of me.

Tang Soyeol next to me seemed to be glaring at the boy for some reason, but given Tang Soyeol’s gentle appearance, it didn’t seem to be intimidating.

In this situation, I questioned in disbelief.

“… So, you’re coming along?”

“Yes…”

Not only me, it seemed the boy wasn’t feeling too great either.

Though, it appeared he had straightened his body stiffly like someone on military protocol.

“Are you really coming along?”

At my question, the boy flinched.

With his answer, I let out a deep sigh.

Before me stood Elder Lee’s grandson and once a gifted talent from the Gu Exemplar Sect.

“… I look forward to working with you.”

Gu Jeolyub stood there with a sullen expression.

 

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