Chapter 134: Don’t Touch That One. (2)

By the time we arrived in Hanam and entered our lodging, it had already turned to evening.

‘Bachunmaru.’

It was clearly a very large building.

I figured it had to be the largest lodging around here.

‘Seems like they made a bit of a fuss at the alliance.’

The Dragon Meeting I participated in during my previous life also had lodgings provided.

However, they only allocated rooms on a first-come, first-served basis or based on the ranking of clans and sects, which sometimes left us without options and needing to pay out-of-pocket.

Of course, once you reached the Gu Clan level, you wouldn’t be at a disadvantage, so I did manage to get a decent room.

In front of the lodging, it appeared that a member of the alliance was checking the post-visit personnel.

“You may enter.”

However, the man looked at Tang Soyeol and Nangong Bi-ah and seemed to think no verification was necessary and let them right in.

It certainly seemed to be due to the prestigious nature of the clan mentioned on their clothing.

The Four Great Clans wouldn’t just be any ordinary clans after all.

“Gu Yangcheong of the Mount Shan Clan… confirmed. You may enter.”

As they granted entry, I felt their curious gaze upon me.

Rather than the silly expression they wore when looking at Tang Soyeol and Nangong Bi-ah, it was a genuine, inquisitive look.

[Is it because I look interesting?]

‘…They are probably just intrigued because I’m a boy from the Gu Clan.’

The fact that I was the son of a martial arts master and the younger brother of a renowned swordmaster likely played a huge role.

The recommendation letter from Elder Lee that I had received was also handed over, but it seemed they didn’t check it.

Perhaps, given that I already had an invitation, they might not need to.

‘But that could get annoying later on…’

It would be better if they didn’t check anything at all.

No matter how chaotically the Martial Alliance handled things, they would definitely verify the recommendation letter later.

Given the number of lunatics among the powerful, failing to flaunt your name could provoke some furious outbursts.

“You will be using the fourth room in the Silver Layer.”

Following the guidance of the staff, I ascended the floors of the lodging.

It became increasingly apparent that the higher the floor, the more prestigious the accommodations.

The two people who had preceded me were probably up on the highest floor right now.

‘Silver Layer isn’t bad, after all.’

As long as I had a decent place to sleep, I was fine, though I preferred a lower floor closer to the dining area.

As for Gu Jeolyub, it seemed he was checked with a recommendation letter since he didn’t have an invitation.

Seeing him alternate glances between his invitation and mine was rather amusing.

“I’ll unpack now.”

“Please do.”

Hongwa and Wi Seol-Ah started unpacking their things as soon as they entered the room.

In the meantime, I decided to step outside and survey the lower floors.

With the Dragon Meeting starting in about seven days, many others were already arriving, not just me.

“…Hmm?”

Among the crowd, I noticed some striking clothing.

Young men in deep yellow outfits, giving off a rough impression.

They seemed to belong to the Huangbo Clan.

Other than the Four Great Clans, these were the first members of another clan I had seen.

‘It’s quite peculiar, isn’t it?’

The most notable figures among the renowned families seemed to be scattered around, while the others remained unrecognized.

“Who are they?”

Which of the Huangbo clan’s members might be among the late arrivals, I wondered.

I was certain there had to be some. Though the Huangbo Clan isn’t on par with the Four Great Clans, they certainly held high status.

Before long, I remembered one person.

“Was Muk-Gwon from over there?”

Muk-Gwon, who would later be called a rising martial master, began his fame at a young age by slaughtering demons with his fists.

While he expressed his hatred and fury towards demons, he was known as Muk-Gwon, named for his moderate and composed persona.

‘In the end, he became a demon himself.’

Yet, he was someone I had under my command, and I remembered his name was Huangbo Seon.

‘But it seems he isn’t among them.’

I didn’t know about his background, but I recollected he was from a collateral line.

That was fortunate.

Reencountering people I had met in my previous life wasn’t particularly pleasant.

“Young Master! We’ve unpacked everything!”

I turned my gaze back at the calling of Wi Seol-Ah from the room.

“Thanks.”

“Deng!”

“How long will it take to unpack your luggage?”

I asked Hongwa.

“Probably… it won’t take more than a moment since we don’t have that much luggage.”

“Then come down after you’re done. Let’s eat together.”

“Ah… about that.”

Hongwa’s awkward smile made me inquire if something was wrong.

“It might not be wise if we join you for the meal, Young Master. We are just…”

“Now you’re worried about that?”

“Y-Yes?”

“What’s with the sudden concern? I’m saying we should eat together.”

It was a place where distinguished families gathered anyhow.

Given the Dragon Meeting, they were likely to draw curious stares from others.

Even though dining with attendants might not be viewed positively by the guests.

“I’ll manage on my end. It’s fine.”

At my words, Hongwa eventually nodded.

From an attendant’s viewpoint, it could have been an uncomfortable situation.

To be frank, it was close to my selfish insistence since my return.

[You’re harboring a somewhat selfish mindset.]

‘Yes, indeed.’

[You know this mentality is shameful.]

‘I’m aware of that too.’

[…Hmph.]

Upon hearing my responses, Shin Noya refrained from continuing the conversation.

The silence indicated he disapproved, though it also meant he was leaving it to me.

After Hongwa went down, I opened all the windows in the room.

To ventilate and also appreciate the snow falling outside.

Even with such heavy snowfall, the streets were quite bright.

It was said to be the safest place in the Central Plains, and that must have maintained such liveliness.

“Safety might just freeze to death.”

Knowing that this fleeting name would collapse in just a few years, I could only laugh.

“I’m craving some alcohol.”

It was a day where I felt like drinking.

I never drank much in my past life, but I had enjoyed it to some extent.

[Why not indulge this time?]

“I should hold back.”

I was well aware that my body wasn’t in the best condition, so I aimed to avoid any disharmony within it.

Thus, I wouldn’t touch alcohol for the time being.

“…Should I ask Tang Soyeol for some refreshing tea?”

That might be similar enough.

With that half-hearted thought in mind, I headed downstairs.

As I mentioned before, there were about seven days left before the Dragon Meeting began.

Thus, the place wasn’t overly crowded yet.

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Those esteemed families wouldn’t find joy in waiting, so those presently here were likely individuals with business in Hanam or those living far away.

Thanks to that, the place was relatively quiet compared to the visible guests.

While amidst this, I was casually chewing on my food, wearing a frown.

“How’s it?”

Wi Seol-Ah asked as she brought forward a plate piled with food.

“…Not bad, but the dumplings we had in the carriage tasted better.”

She placed the plate before me and went to fetch her own food.

Taking a bite, she broke into a beaming smile.

“It’s delicious…”

“It is, but just kind of average.”

“Want some tea?”

“Hmm? Yes, thank you.”

Nangong Bi-ah seemed uninterested in food. Maybe she’d been so engrossed in her conversation that she was only sipping tea.

“What about Young Lady Soyeol?”

“She said she’s taking a moment! She has to redo her makeup!”

“Um… that… please don’t mention it…”

“Ah!“

Surprised by Nangong Bi-ah’s mention, Wi Seol-Ah clapped her mouth shut, but it was obvious that they had all heard.

Makeup… was it really necessary to fuss over eating?

As those thoughts crossed my mind, Noya remarked as if amused by it.

[That’s just how women are.]

‘They don’t really need to bother, do they?’

[…Those girls don’t have to train; perhaps that’s why it’s possible for them.]

‘Last time you said you hated them; now you’ve moved on to hatred…’

Is the escalation of dislike really happening that fast?

As I popped another dumpling into my mouth, I shifted my gaze.

“Why aren’t you eating?”

“…I am eating.”

I directed my gaze towards Gu Jeolyub who was chewing slowly.

“You were just invited to dine; why are you nibbling like that? Are the toils of farmers’ sweat and tears amusing to you?”

“N-No, I’m just surprised you would invite me here.”

“How is it a big deal to invite you here?”

Were they all putting excessive meaning on simply eating at the table?

Gu Jeolyub hesitated but finally spoke up.

“Is it that you don’t find it to your liking?”

“Not at all.”

“…”

“But what does that have to do with eating? Just eat your food.”

If asked whether I liked it or not, I would lean towards the negative side.

If it had just been a simple invitation, I would’ve taken it for granted, but the situation bothered me just because it was Wi Seol-Ah.

Honestly, that might be why I wanted to push Gu Jeolyub a little more, roll him around, and give him a hard time.

The words Elder Lee had said to me lingered in my heart.

-Poor child.

A meaningless phrase had lodged itself annoyingly in my mind.

I’ve been in the position of being trapped in the middle before, so regardless of Gu Jeolyub’s personality or mindset, I felt a bit of pity.

‘Not that I wouldn’t mess with him, though.’

Food is food, and aside from that, I carefully asked Gu Jeolyub, who was slowly putting food into his mouth.

“What did your grandfather say?”

“Pardon?”

“What do you mean, ‘pardon’? It’s basic to watch over me, I don’t get what you’re supposed to do.”

“I haven’t been given any particular instructions.”

Sure, that must be easy to say.

I kind of wished he would calm his trembling gaze.

Why is it that everyone around me seems incapable of lying?

If you were to ask if Gu Jeolyub bothered me, I wouldn’t exactly say so.

He didn’t have anything that particularly irked me.

To put it bluntly, I simply felt a bit sorry for him.

He had decent talent, handsome looks, and a great background.

It was just that his circumstances weren’t quite favorable.

‘Rather than being afraid of those with ambition…’

It was the rottenness around that scared me.

To my eyes, Gu Jeolyub appeared to be just that.

“Figure it out. If possible, keep it subtle. If you mess around and get caught, I’ll really twist your arm next time.”

“W-What do you mean by ‘mess around’?”

He’s still just a kid.

Though treated as an adult, he was still quite young after all, likely just an earnest boy trying his best.

I was the only one who saw it that way; perhaps Elder Lee had no clue either.

As I observed him, something touched my lips, causing me to pull back in surprise.

Upon checking, Wi Seol-Ah was holding something out to me.

“Young Master. You need to eat your vegetables too.”

“…”

“Look, you’ve eaten everything but the vegetables… Are you a baby? Grandfather said picky eating is for babies.”

“…I was just waiting to eat them later.”

“Liar! I hardly ever see you eat vegetables!”

Being treated like a child by Wi Seol-Ah felt oddly unfamiliar and uncomfortable.

In the end, I reluctantly shoved the vegetables into my mouth.

[Hee hee, you called them a child just a moment ago!]

‘…Life is hard and amusing, isn’t it?’

While slowly filling my stomach, I kept glancing around me.

If there was anything I learned throughout my whole past life, it was that incidents in this type of lodging format were inevitable.

Whenever you gather a bunch of strong-willed individuals, some would definitely make it impossible for things to pass quietly.

Especially if they were young, filled with vigor and libido during the late arrival period.

‘Therefore, I have to be cautious not to let any sparks fly.’

I couldn’t afford to cause any trouble already. If I were to get into trouble, I could wait till after the seven days.

So, I genuinely hoped nothing would happen.

“Young Master, Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“Over there…”

Sure enough, things never flow smoothly according to my wishes.

Following Wi Seol-Ah’s point of interest, I saw a group gathered around a beefy man in yellow clothing.

He was quite large. Not as large as Elder Lee but still impressive.

‘Huangbo Clan?’

It looked like they were members of the Huangbo Clan from the later arrivals I had seen earlier.

Who could it be? A direct descendant of the clan leader?

I didn’t know who the rest of the group were, but given the nature of the Dragon Meeting, they must belong to distinguished families.

And amidst that group was a woman seemingly going through a hard time.

My bite into the dumpling paused as I caught sight of her.

Her face concealed by a veil, there were no defining features indicating which clan she belonged to.

The attire looked somewhat extravagant but not particularly expensive.

Perhaps due to the cold weather, she layered her clothing, concealing her figure.

However, the earrings that glimmered near her ears were the only detail left exposed.

My gaze lingered on that.

Rather than showcasing her clan or revealing anything specific, those were merely her unique earrings.

But they resembled the very earrings that a certain woman had worn until the very end.

‘…Is that you, Guang-Nian?”

Shaking off that momentary hesitation, I bit into the dumpling.

Even this fleeting moment of indecision might be noticed by that terrifying woman.

I quickly averting my gaze, having no doubt she was that person.

I was uncertain why a descendant of the Four Great Clans had already arrived here.

However, I was absolutely determined I wanted nothing to do with her.

‘Given it’s the Dragon Meeting, I had assumed we’d meet eventually.’

Yet, upon actually facing her, many thoughts began to arise.

Most of them negative ones.

“Which clan’s young lady are you? I’m Huangbo Cheolwi. Would you join me for a drink?”

The muscular man introduced himself as Huangbo Cheolwi, gesturing towards the drink in front of the woman.

“I’m already drinking, so I apologize, but let’s do it another time.”

“It would be better to drink together in this cold night, wouldn’t it?”

“I’m really sorry, but I already have prior commitments.”

She politely refused him in a graceful voice.

But Huangbo Cheolwi seemed unwilling to relent, sitting down insistently.

“I am Huangbo Cheolwi.”

“…Yes, I heard that earlier.”

“Have you never heard of the Huangbo Clan?”

“I have heard of it. It’s quite a remarkable place.”

Remarkable, my foot. No matter how it is, they can’t surpass the Four Great Clans.

The young woman sitting opposite Huangbo Cheolwi wearing a veil belonged to the Four Great Clans.

‘Does this oaf even have a brain?’

He might’ve had a drink or two, but coming to the Dragon Meeting should make him a bit cautious.

‘What’s gotten into him acting carelessly like this?’

It felt as if I was looking at my past self, and it was truly embarrassing.

“Isn’t it a bit inappropriate to behave this way when you know all this?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“Wow… your voice is cold. Truly captivating. May I ask you to lift your veil a bit?”

“That’s rude.”

Ignoring him, I continued to eat.

Just looking at him, it appeared Huangbo Cheolwi was visiting the Dragon Meeting for the first time.

He wouldn’t dare to provoke someone unidentified unless unfamiliar.

So I was worried.

It wasn’t that he only put on an act but that he genuinely thought he’d be fine.

He had touched someone he shouldn’t have touched.

Such unfortunate circumstances.

‘At least it isn’t me.’

Pity is still pity, but as long as the sparks don’t fly at me, I had no problem.

“What do you think you’re doing!”

Fortunately, just then, someone stepped in as if trying to mediate.

There shouldn’t be any good that comes from interfering in this.

He seemed rather diligent indeed.

“…What are you doing right now?”

But, of all people, it was our own party…?

Huangbo Cheolwi turned towards the sound of the shout.

His expression darkened as he realized he had crossed a line.

I could only stare blankly upwards at the person.

It seemed he didn’t care about my gaze at all.

A young man burning with the fire of righteousness.

Gu Jeolyub was yelling at Huangbo Cheolwi.