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Chapter 165: What I Want to Show

I recalled the day I first met him.

It was the time when I had just become the Lesser Clan Leader.

The moment I first appeared at the Dragon Meeting, just like now.

Of course, it was a few years later than now.

Usually, when one attains the position of Lesser Clan Leader, they’re regarded as a full-fledged member of the Martial World, not as a mere newcomer.

However, due to some unnecessary pride, there was an unwritten rule about not attending such post-conference gatherings.

The fact that I had obtained the position of Lesser Clan Leader itself was unofficial.

And since I had not ventured outside the clan, I found myself in need of connections now.

Admittedly, considering my personality back then, I wondered if I could even meet people and form friendships…

But what could I do? That was how it was for the clan.

A physical body that had grown compared to before, a soul that was even more rotten.

The intense sense of inferiority and burden of inherited karma were more than enough to ruin a young man.

At present, I would be recognized only for some infamous reputation.

When I think back to the rumors surrounding me at around that age…

The evil spirit of Mount Shan.

The disgrace of the Gu Clan.

Of course, I wasn’t walking around nobly in banquets either.

Honestly, my memories of that day were hazy.

I couldn’t even remember if Wi Seol-Ah was there, if Tang Soyeol was there, or if Moyong Hi-ah was there.

Yeongpung, the Sleeping Dragon… and Thunder Dragon?

I couldn’t say for sure how many familiar faces I even recognized. To be honest, my memory wasn’t clear at all.

That was proof I hadn’t been in a right state of mind.

However, there was one thing I remembered clearly.

– “Nice to meet you, Gu Gongja.”

The hand he extended.

The twinkle in his eyes.

The voice he casually uttered, pretending to be friendly.

All of that was still vivid in my mind.

– “I am Jang Seonyeon.”

Not because of any particular sentiment.

Certainly not because of the heartfelt story about how he approached me while I was alone.

It couldn’t have been a good thing for a young man when another man approached him.

The reason that trivial incident was stuck in my head was a single matter.

– “I’m undeservedly called holy.”

That was simply because it marked the beginning of our entangled fate.

The day of the Friendship Martial Arts Tournament finals had arrived.

Day by day passed, and that day had come.

It was just around the time when the sun was setting.

I couldn’t help but wonder why they scheduled it for such a late hour, but in Hanam, it was probably the most lively time.

Thanks to that, I could eat well and rest thoroughly—it was quite welcome.

“Young Master, do your best!”

Wi Seol-Ah cheered enthusiastically.

Perhaps it was because she had eaten well for lunch; she looked exceptionally bright.

I quietly observed Wi Seol-Ah and ruffled her hair.

“Ugh…”

“I’ll try my best.”

Not sure what “to do my best” meant.

I wasn’t even sure if it was worth the effort.

“It’s freezing, what makes you want to come see this?”

Being the middle of winter, the cold was intense.

Just extending my hands outside made my fingertips hurt.

“But…”

“What do you mean, ‘but’?”

Sometimes Wi Seol-Ah would look at me with those eyes.

Like she was gazing at a child left alone by the water.

Despite being clumsy and silly herself, why did she look at me in such a manner?

Though I had long abandoned a master-servant relationship and just took formalities, looking at her perplexed expression was indeed curious.

“Anyone looking at us would think I’m your mother.”

“…Huh?”

She looked as if she was questioning what I meant, and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

‘Ah, I just mentioned my mother.’

In a moment, I realized my own words and felt a rush of alarm.

Have I forgotten her now?

‘No. I have not forgotten.’

That was something I mustn’t forget.

Someday, not too far from now, it was a question I had to ask my father, a story I wanted to conclude.

Regardless of the wind blowing, I quietly gazed at Wi Seol-Ah’s face.

My hand, which had been ruffling her hair, moved to adjust her hair ornament.

Perhaps it was because it wasn’t a particularly expensive gift.

It didn’t feel that great to the touch.

As I kept fiddling with it, Wi Seol-Ah hurriedly stepped back and created distance.

“Hm?”

Feeling puzzled why I was acting like that, I gestured towards Wi Seol-Ah, and she quickly covered her head with her hands.

Especially the part with the ornament.

“What’s wrong?”

“I… I won’t give it back…”

“What?”

“It’s mine! The one the Young Master gave me… it’s mine!”

Did she think I was going to take the ornament away?

With a glare that didn’t seem to be that serious, Wi Seol-Ah stared at me.

Seeing her like that, I replied.

“I won’t take it. Where would I use that again?”

“W-Well, I could give it as a gift to someone else!”

“…To take something you’ve used and give it to someone else?”

What a shameless and poor thing to do.

“It’s something precious…”

She was hiding it away as if vowing never to let it be taken again, leaving me speechless.

What could it be?

It was hardly anything more than an item picked out roughly by the clan.

Perhaps because of Wi Seol-Ah’s reaction, it felt strangely hard to face her.

Just when I was going to let out a sigh, a soft voice interrupted.

“…I have one too.”

With drowsy eyes, Nangong Bi-ah appeared, looking disheveled.

I sighed a little at her appearance and said, “I told you to sit and rest.”

“…I am resting.”

“Who would call that resting?” It was quite harsh to hear.

Why did she come all the way here when there were perfectly good seats available for the audience?

As a patient, no less!

“It’s fine…”

“Is it fine?”

“…I’m in pain…”

She didn’t seem to give up but made a concerned expression.

Why was she contemplating this…

After a momentary silence, Nangong Bi-ah seemed to have reached a decision and finally spoke.

“…I’m in pain…”

So she hadn’t given up; she had simply resigned.

I couldn’t help but laugh a little.

It was so ridiculous that I found it amusing.

Where did Tang Soyeol wander off to?

Was she off to see Seolbong again?

It seemed Tang Soyeol had frequently visited Moyong Hi-ah lately.

“Well, what of it? Should I give you a hand or something?”

“…Are you really going to?”

“Are you out of your mind?”

Her playful response seemed genuine.

It was going to be her turn on the sparring stage soon, and I felt like my head might explode from the other things.

Of course, I couldn’t just smack a patient for being like this.

If I kept giving her that look, Nangong Bi-ah tried to cover her disappointment and offered her forehead closer.

“What is it?”

“…Pat my head…”

“Why does it seem like you’re getting more childish?”

Shouldn’t I say she had become more innocent instead?

If I reflected on my previous life, she seemed to have changed entirely.

Just a few months ago, she wouldn’t have shown her forehead in shyness, but now she openly asked for it.

Of course, the problem might also lie with me for not vocalizing anything.

‘If this were in my previous life, I would have freaked out.’

I would have frowned and thought, “What’s this crazy girl saying?”

Perhaps these small changes are what gather to shift one’s mindset.

“You said you wanted to show me something last time.”

I asked, touching the delicate white hair flowing down from my hand.

Nangong Bi-ah flinched at my words.

At the same time, I noticed her cheeks turned slightly red.

“…Ah.”

No answer came thereafter.

Only the sight of her bright red ears caught my attention.

Moving my hand, I lightly grabbed her ear.

It was warm.

In this cold weather.

“…Sorry.”

Nangong Bi-ah suddenly apologized.

What was that about?

I looked at her with a slightly surprised expression.

“I couldn’t show you…”

Ah.

Was that what it was?

Nangong Bi-ah seemed to think she couldn’t show me anything because she lost.

What a ridiculous statement, unaware of herself.

She had shown me so much already.

How could she say she couldn’t show anything?

Nangong Bi-ah showed me infinite possibilities.

It was so clear for me to realize how far she could step on her own.

From the very beginning, Nangong Bi-ah wasn’t someone who needed protection.

I never once thought of her as unable to stand on her own.

Does she know?

That right now, she was being called the Sword Dance Hero and the Sword Demoness?

Of course, the most common titles were, after all, Anhui’s top beauty or something like that.

Even though she had faced defeat, what Nangong Bi-ah had gained was significant.

In fact, it could be said that she gained even more than I did.

“Don’t worry too much; you’ll be fine since you’ve seen a lot.”

I had never offered reassurance like this before, so the only rough words I could muster were these.

“I didn’t miss anything; I saw everything.”

I spoke clearly enough to convey what I hadn’t known.

So I hoped she wouldn’t keep making that expression.

“Don’t make that sad face and get some rest. It’s cold.”

No matter how shallow the scar was, it wasn’t something that could be so easily moved.

It was clear that she was trying to protect her body.

If my energy didn’t overflow, it would be a reckless method to use.

Though I wanted to add another word, it seemed there was no time for that.

I had to go up soon.

“Take care of her for a bit.”

In the end, I grabbed Wi Seol-Ah and made a request.

Otherwise, it felt like she wouldn’t leave.

“Aw… I want to watch too…”

The problem was Wi Seol-Ah didn’t particularly listen to me.

Fortunately, there was still a way in this situation.

“Wanna go have some tea?”

“I’ll go… Sister, let’s go.”

Wi Seol-Ah’s mention of tea made her perk up.

Only after both of them moved generating disappointed expressions did I slowly step onto the sparring stage.

My mind was overwhelming.

Slowly but surely, I was moving towards the end of things.

Nangong Bi-ah wanted to show me something, so now it was time for me to respond in kind.

As I stepped onto the sparring stage, Jang Seonyeon was already in position, waiting.

He seemed to have suffered considerable injury in the duel with Nangong Bi-ah but looked much better than I expected.

Eyeing Jang Seonyeon, I caught his gaze.

He softly smiled at me and began to speak.

“Nice to meet you.”

– “Nice to meet you, Gu Gongja.”

It was just a light greeting, but for some reason.

It felt like a ringing from my previous life.

The circumstances were different, I was younger than then, and his voice was lighter now.

Why did it sound like that?

“I never thought we would meet like this. I didn’t expect it back when we first met.”

“I knew you would.”

Upon my words, Jang Seonyeon tilted his head.

“Are you saying you knew you’d meet me in the finals?”

“Yeah, I knew.”

Maybe it was because I was supposed to put on a proper front, but the effort I put into maintaining respect slipped away.

Honestly, though, I just didn’t want to show him any formality.

“Isn’t that what this situation is? It was all prearranged.”

“#-”

It was a bit of an excessive statement.

Jang Seonyeon would have reached the finals regardless of any match-up.

‘If not for the initial conflict between us.’

The format was merely different due to various interests and circumstances.

It was destined to happen anyway.

“May I ask why?”

Jang Seonyeon asked.

“What reason? Why are you so certain?”

“No.”

“Well then…”

“Why does Gu Gongja harbor animosity towards me?”

That was a rather chilling question.

Yet he didn’t erase the smile, which was thoroughly uncomfortable.

“I haven’t done anything to evoke enmity from Gu Gongja.”

“That’s right. You’ve done nothing.”

“However, it seems you harbor some dislike towards me. I can’t figure out the reason.”

It was a reasonable statement.

He hadn’t done anything against me.

Not yet, anyway.

I swallowed down the murderous intent that was trying to spring up.

“Isn’t it fine to dislike you?”

“It’s beyond my control how others feel, but I can’t help but feel just slightly wronged…”

But you dislike me too!

As I interrupted, Jang Seonyeon closed his mouth tightly.

He didn’t stop me from speaking; it just had to do with what I had said.

“Right?”

“…How can you think that?”

The smile Jang Seonyeon wore looked cracked.

Why would I think that?

It was simple.

No matter how I looked at it, I was the closest figure to the one he despised.

Knowing how he felt about me, from my past life could easily clarify that.

The incident surrounding the demonic gate during my previous life.

It was commonly known as the worst natural disaster that occurred when most of the attendees from the Dragon Meeting were shifted to the demonic gate.

But that wasn’t the true nature of the event.

The main culprit was none other than Jang Seonyeon.

The objective was probably the Sleeping Dragon.

He hated the Sleeping Dragon to an extreme extent.

It wasn’t just an overreaction; the scale of what happened was immense.

But by the time I recognized the truth of this incident, it had already been far too late.

“Stop pretending to be all nice; I can’t stand you, so let’s just keep it comfortable.”

“Ugh.”

“I was trying to play along as much as I could, but it seems that’s not easy to do. So, don’t you dare.”

I struggled to put on a facade.

I held back as best as I could, trying to ignore it.

But eventually, I realized it was unnecessary.

It was something that didn’t suit my temperament.

I figured it might persist if I talked too much.

“Gu Gongja.”

It seemed to grow increasingly difficult for Jang Seonyeon to maintain his strained smile.

It looked like he would manage, but it seemed beyond his capability.

“Your expression looks good. Keep wearing that face; it’ll make my life easier.”

“…How can a bloodline of a great house make mistakes like this?”

“I’m going to make even bigger mistakes starting now, what can I say? I did come here with permission. I can mess up as much as I want.”

Ah, of course, my father hadn’t given permission.

But it’ll be fine. Elder Lee would take responsibility.

Since I spoke without waiting for his reaction, Jang Seonyeon let out a long sigh, adjusting his stance.

“I recognize Gu Gongja. You are a remarkable martial artist with great talent.”

“A lot of people say that.”

It felt somewhat awkward to admit that with a straight face.

It seemed he ignored what I said, as he didn’t stop.

Speaking as if proving the frigid air, his breath was distinctly visible.

“One, you might possess outstanding talent; that’s true, but your humility seems to be quite lacking.”

His words still held merit, but since it was him saying it, my lips couldn’t help but curl upwards.

It felt as though I was witnessing someone else’s dark history.

“So?”

“Gu Gongja, you lack humility. I hope you find some during this martial contest.”

That line was effectively a promise that he’d show me some.

While I had plenty to say, I didn’t feel compelled to voice them.

The glint in his eyes told me all I needed to know.

Perhaps I shouldn’t consider it a good thing, either.

“How nice.”

“?”

Jang Seonyeon looked puzzled by my sudden declaration, but he didn’t falter in his stance.

It seemed he felt something during the duel with Nangong Bi-ah.

“I was a little worried.”

In the moments I spoke, a signal arose, announcing that it was time.

– Final match, representing the Mount Shan Clan, Gu Yangcheong.

“I couldn’t help but wonder what if he turned out to be a nice guy after all.”

“Out of nowhere, what are you saying…?”

“There’s been something I ponders about, but meeting you has resolved that neatly.”

– Representative of the Taeryeong Clan, Jang Seonyeon.

“Ah, just so you know in advance.”

— Start.

“Don’t even think about holding back; you should use everything at your disposal because there’s no point in testing the waters now.”

“What the hell are you even talking about…!”

Bang!

“Gack…!”

As I spoke, Jang Seonyeon suddenly released a groan from an unexpected blow.

Simultaneously, his vision turned upside down.

He felt weightlessness in his chest while a surge of heat surrounded him.

Before he could feel the impact, it didn’t just happen once.

Crash—!

With another impact, Jang Seonyeon’s face planted into the sparring stage.

The bouncing debris and the cracked floor gave a clear indication of how forceful the blow had been.

In that uproar, Jang Seonyeon couldn’t even discern what move had led to this situation.

It had all transpired in the blink of an eye.

‘He must get up soon…’

Forgetting the pain, he made an effort to rise, but a voice resonated right before him.

“First…”

It was a voice resonating as if it came from within a cave.

The emotions thickened around Jang Seonyeon, causing confusion within him.

“Shall I start with your arms?”

His nonchalant words made Jang Seonyeon shudder in fear.

 

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