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Chapter 1: Arrival in Hanam

“Zing! It’s been seven days since we arrived at Hanam.”

Today, the sky was blanketed with falling snow. The accumulating snow on the ground turned the world into a frosty wonderland.

Crunch. Each step I took in the thick snow made a delightful sound.

“Wow! Wow!”

Wi Seol-Ah, bundled up in her fur outfit, looked absolutely enchanted by the piles of snow around us.

Well, apparently, Mount Shan doesn’t get much snow or rain thanks to its terrain.

“Brr…”

The weather felt particularly frigid today, and my ears tingled with chill.

“Hey, Young Master! Where are we headed now?”

Bouncing over like a little rabbit, Wi Seol-Ah asked me eagerly.

I reached out and ruffled her silvery hair.

“Well, you’ve grown a bit, haven’t you?”

Just like I had this year, Wi Seol-Ah had also grown. The only difference was that I got a tad taller than her since we were originally about the same height.

I twisted a strand of her hair and said, “To the Martial Alliance.”

“What’s that place all about?”

“It’s home to the mischievous black cats pretending to be white.”

“I know that! We have a similar looking one at home!”

Black cat…?

Perplexed, I tilted my head, and Hong-Wa stepped in to explain, “It’s probably referring to a cat that sometimes visits our residence.”

“We have a cat at our place?”

At my question, Hong-Wa flinched a little.

Uh-oh, did I hit a sensitive topic?

After a moment of hesitation, she firmed up, “…I apologize. I will deal with the cat as it returns.”

“What are you talking about?! I was just asking!”

How could you just deal with a cat like that?!

“Achoo!”

Amidst the awkward conversation, I heard a sneeze behind me.

Turning around, I spotted Nangong Bi-ah, wiping her nose with a handkerchief.

She seemed warmly dressed, but was she actually cold?

Just for reference, the fur coat she wore was a gift from Tang Soyeol.

“Are you cold?”

“…A little.”

“Then at least wrap up warm.”

While I didn’t feel the cold much thanks to my martial arts training, Nangong Bi-ah likely didn’t have it that easy.

In situations like this, typically one would surround themselves with qi to feel warmer.

“…It’s a hassle…”

“What’s so bothersome about it?”

Nangong Bi-ah didn’t seem to agree.

Seriously, how could she find that bothersome?

I glanced briefly at her reddened hands from the cold before reaching out mine.

Curious, she hesitated for a moment but then cautiously extended her own.

“What’s with not wearing gloves when you’re freezing?”

“It’s a hassle…”

“Fine, then.”

Talking to her was starting to give me a headache.

Without further ado, I took her hand and infused it with warmth.

Her hand felt like ice.

If she was going to be cold, she could at least cover her hands with her sleeves or keep them in her pockets.

After pouring some qi into her hand, it quickly turned warm.

However, her face seemed to blush a little.

“Is your face getting cold too?”

Just as I reached out my hand toward her face, Nangong Bi-ah flinched and drew back.

“…C-Cut it out.”

Nangong Bi-ah, realizing her face had reddened, tried to cover it with her clothes.

But when that didn’t work, she resorted to covering her face with her hair.

“…What are you doing?”

Her long hair managed to cover her face, but she looked quite ridiculous doing it.

It was a puzzling and hilarious sight.

Trying to reach her cheek but failing awkwardly, my hand ended up being occupied by Wi Seol-Ah.

“Wow! Young Master’s hand is warm!”

As if feeling happy about it, she rubbed her cheek against my palm.

Each time that soft sensation touched me, I felt a pang of longing.

Observing that strange feeling, I remarked to Wi Seol-Ah, “You’ve lost some weight again.”

“Huh…?”

“Are you begging to be scolded?”

“W-Why would I get scolded?”

“Because it’s a scolding-worthy matter!”

Why did it feel so strange?

I thought I had asked Hong-Wa to make sure she got enough food.

Responding to my thoughts, Hong-Wa hurriedly said, “We’re feeding her three to four meals a day.”

“And supper?”

“She manages to eat that on her own.”

From what I heard, it seemed she was getting enough food, but why wasn’t she gaining weight?

It was a mystery.

Her words seemed genuine, and she seemed thoroughly enjoying her meals.

‘So, how much did she eat back when she did gain weight?’

Just recalling a few months ago made me wonder if she had eaten ridiculously large amounts.

That thought struck a bit of fear within me.

Recently, Wi Seol-Ah had been spending more time alone, and it seemed like she was hiding something.

‘Something she’s hiding from me.’

Even if she was at that age to possibly hide things, it still worried me for some reason.

While I was busy feeling concerned about Wi Seol-Ah, I suddenly sensed a presence approaching us.

“Hmm?”

Intrigued, I turned to find Tang Soyeol shyly approaching us.

“Lady Tang?”

“Gu Gongja-nim….”

She then timidly extended her hand.

That’s strange.

I could have sworn I saw her wearing gloves earlier, and those looked expensive too.

But now, her hands were exposed, bare as they could be.

“My hands feel cold too….”

Before Tang Soyeol could finish her sentence, Nangong Bi-ah suddenly grabbed her hand.

“…My hands are still warm.”

With a lingering warmth left, I rubbed her hand against Tang Soyeol’s.

While her hands were warming up, Tang Soyeol’s expression turned somewhat gloomy.

[What a mess… Or maybe it’s a peculiar mess?]

Shin Noya sighed in a tone of lament, seemingly finding someone thinking along the same line.

“…How can it still be harmonious after all these days?”

It was Moyong Hi-ah, who hadn’t been seen for several days.

After Nangong Cheonjun showed his face and disappeared, I hardly saw Moyong Hi-ah afterward.

But she reappeared by the time we were leaving the Bachunmaru and decided to tag along.

Coincidentally, it was on the way to the Martial Alliance, and given that Tang Soyeol seemed to be taking an interest, no complaints came forth.

Unlike the time at the inn, Moyong Hi-ah’s face still looked mesmerizing without the veil.

Her cat-like facial features exuded a unique allure.

Even standing still, her elegant aura probably came from her relatively striking eyes.

After stealing a glance at her, our eyes met for a moment.

With a gentle smile, she shot me a slight flirtatious glance.

‘What’s going on?’

If ordinary young men saw that smile, they’d probably fall head over heels.

‘What’s with her?’

From my perspective, it was all pretty unimpressive.

The reason for her radiates was clearly not so pleasant.

Moyong Hi-ah was someone very aware of her own beauty.

She knew full well how appealing her face was to men and how to leverage it.

Typically, such a smile indicated she was preparing to captivate her target.

Understanding that intent, any previous fondness I had was beginning to wane.

‘Maybe it’s because I’m getting used to the others around here.’

Staring at Wi Seol-Ah and Nangong Bi-ah made the surroundings feel like nothing more than soft clay.

In response to Moyong Hi-ah’s smile, I merely nodded slightly and shifted my gaze elsewhere.

[Ah, you little rascal.]

‘Yes?’

[Something feels unusually cold lately.]

‘Huh…?’

Do ghosts feel the cold? Weren’t they usually seen avoiding the snow?

[Why is it that all those women keep flocking to you? It’s becoming uncomfortably chilling for me. Am I nearing my end?]

‘Geez, did something happen?’

I felt unreasonably worried, but what’s with this sudden melancholic talk?

[Do you understand my sentiment? I’ve never been able to pursue love because of my duties to the sect!]

‘Why are you directing your frustration at me?’

Things were gradually getting stranger. Was it really necessary for me to seek a beautiful spirit or ghost?

‘But where could I even find one?’

Should I visit Wudang? Or would I end up trying to expel Shin Noya instead?

[What are you implying? Why would you want to expel me?]

‘It’s just that no matter how I look at it, Noya falls closer to being an evil spirit…’

[Come with me. I’ll take you along before I head to the land of the dead.]

Just as Shin Noya seemed prepared to vent his frustrations, Muyeon stepped forward to speak with me.

“Young Master.”

“Hmm?”

“We’ve arrived.”

Before Muyeon could finish, my attention was already drawn to a massive structure before us.

It was far larger than the Gu Clan’s and dwarfed the other factions we visited in Sichuan.

Walls that surrounded a giant fort stood tall and unyielding, housing remarkable buildings within—this was the very heart of the Martial Alliance.

It had been years since I had last seen this place, even accounting for my time travel.

Entering the Martial Alliance wasn’t difficult, especially since I had stayed at Bachunmaru.

I already had plenty of means to prove my identity.

Now, we were waiting in the designated room for the Dragon Meeting to commence.

‘An A-rank room, huh.’

Recalling that Bachunmaru provided me an S-rank room, I couldn’t help but ponder the sudden change in treatment.

‘What’s on my mind? Probably because of Pejon.’

That recommendation letter from the Pejon when I entered Bachunmaru must have reached the higher-ups.

It seemed the privileges bestowed upon me from the Three Eminent Beings had already begun to take effect.

Yet, there was something unsettling about it.

But then again, what could I do? The die was cast.

“The banquet is set to begin in about an hour. If you need to change, please let me know…”

“I’m fine. I brought my own clothes.”

“Understood.”

Although the Dragon Meeting serves to showcase how much potential the disciples had grown over the year, its essence lies in networking.

To be honest, even if I just went to fight and leave, it felt incomplete. It was more about mingling with the prominent lineages to secure future ties.

Without that, being from a noble bloodline had little meaning.

[Looks like it’s all gone downhill. We didn’t have such dryness in our days.]

To display the results of secluded training and the essence of being a martial artist seemed to be a mere afterthought.

‘This is not the place to do such a thing.’

The Shinryong Temple, an institution fostered by the Martial Alliance’s emissaries, and the concurrently-held Shinryong Festival were surely more fitting.

What’s with all these connections to Shinryong—it’s like the Alliance has a crush on the name.

‘Shinryong, huh…’

Then it suddenly struck me—the massive snake I encountered in Biwa, reminiscent of a dragon.

The golden eyes that stared at me were etched vividly in my memory.

‘Was that too sudden?’

It was probably a thought that came out of nowhere.

Was I just anxious?

‘Being worried in a place where children play around feels silly.’

It had to be a physical form of anxiety.

Thinking that, I decided to move on.

“Young Master, your clothes…”

“Oh, right. Could you help me out?”

Hong-Wa cautiously approached me to help with my outfit.

Changing clothes felt annoying, but I understood why it was necessary.

The first day of the Dragon Meeting was a banquet meant for meeting, chatting, and socializing.

So, here I was, rather reluctantly donned in something presentable.

Even my father, who usually wouldn’t care less, seemed to have put effort into ensuring I wore something appropriate, which made it seem significant.

As I obediently changed, I told Hong-Wa, “Could you skip the accessories?”

“Oh, don’t worry, Young Master. I didn’t bring any.”

“…”

That felt somewhat disappointing.

Typically, moments like this would warrant expressions like “Our Young Master looks so stunning in those glimmering jewels!” along with somewhat exaggerated astonishment.

‘This adaptation is a bit too rapid…’

Was it because of the time Wi Seol-Ah and Hong-Wa spent together?

“Isn’t it too plain?”

“Is this plain?”

The vibrant red fabric and golden embroidery certainly stand out in contrast to some of the more usual attire around.

“This whole outfit is likely worth far more than your total salaries combined.”

It was certainly no ordinary outfit.

At my remark, Hong-Wa’s eyes widened in surprise.

The Gu Clan may appear less grand compared to the other families, yet the materials used for our garments were all high-grade.

“Is money something you really splurge on these occasions?”

That was my father’s logic—always baffling.

Finally, when I searched for a string to tie my hair back, Wi Seol-Ah cheerfully appeared with a string in hand.

“Young Master!”

“Hmm?”

“Can I tie it for you?”

“Tie what in my hair?”

“Your hair!”

“Oh!”

Upon hearing Wi Seol-Ah’s words, Hong-Wa seemed ready to reprimand her, but I motioned for her to stop.

“Sure, go for it.”

“Yay!”

What was so difficult about this?

With my permission granted, Wi Seol-Ah spun around and began fiddling with my hair.

It looked somewhat clumsy, but there was no real issue.

If it looked too off, I figured Hong-Wa would fix it.

‘Wait, did Wi Seol-Ah have a knack for this?’

As far as I could recall, this wasn’t something I remembered her being good at.

Back in my previous life, she couldn’t even tie a proper knot without fumbling.

As expected, the more I let her work at it, the more Hong-Wa’s expression turned desperate.

“…Seol-Ah.”

“Yeah?”

“Leave the rest… to your sister.”

“Why?”

I was curious.

“What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, Young Master. It’s all fine…”

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Feeling like I should trust that face was perhaps unwarranted.

“Your hair is absolutely fine, Young Master.”

“If that’s a lie, then you’re doing the same to your hair right now.”

“…There are just a few small issues.”

Eventually, with a look of disappointment, Wi Seol-Ah stepped back, and Hong-Wa rushed to fix it.

Knock knock.

A presence was felt outside the waiting room.

-Gu Gongja-nim, are you there?

“C-Coming!”

The urgency in Hong-Wa’s movements suggested things were not going as planned.

-Now your Prince wishes to see you… whoa! Great Lord, just a moment…

Suddenly, the door swung open before I had the chance to allow it.

I thought we still had time until the banquet started. What could it be?

“I’m sorry for barging in suddenly…”

I stopped in my tracks upon seeing the man who entered. He also froze when he saw me.

A pleasant-looking middle-aged man clad in a martial robe with the words “Myeong” boldly stitched on it.

And more importantly, he was someone I recognized.

“Great Lord…?”

The Great Lord of the Martial Alliance, Jang Cheon.

The current head of the Martial Alliance was a man who stood as a figure of both respect and fear in the eyes of followers.

Why was he visiting me at this moment?

 

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