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Chapter 252: Baekhwa Jumihyeoran

“What’s going on?”

What on earth is this situation?

Rubbing my eyes, I cautiously lifted my head while kneeling.

Hiccup.

There she was, sipping tea right in front of me.

Watching the woman sitting elegantly while enjoying her tea.

It felt so out of place.

Perhaps it’s because she shouldn’t be in my room at all.

That must be it.

Baekhwa Jumihyeoran.

The head of the renowned Baekhwa Merchant Group. The mother of Gu Huibi and Gu Yeonseo.

The current Matron of the Gu Clan was sitting in my room, sipping tea.

Her youthful and beautiful face made it clear where the looks of Gu Huibi and Gu Yeonseo came from, despite her age.

At the same time, she had a somewhat fierce glare that wouldn’t fall short compared to Gu Tae Saeng of the Gu Clan.

Thud.

As the teacup was set down on the table, the sound echoed.

In the silence that filled the room, even that small sound seemed amplified.

Lady Mi’s gaze shifted towards me.

I flinched involuntarily under her sharp gaze.

“It’s been a while.”

Her voice was rather blunt.

Unlike the fiery personalities of the Gu sisters.

Lady Mi maintained a perpetually cold demeanor.

“Father has that feeling too. Who does Gu Huibi take after to be like this?”

Not that I had the right to say anything.

If we were to measure temper, Gu Huibi would probably be on par.

After hesitating for a bit, I pouted and spoke to her.

“…It’s been a while since we last met….”

Pause.

Upon hearing my greeting, Lady Mi oddly froze.

Her gaze, which was fixed on me, exhibited a hint of surprise.

What a strange reaction. Why the sudden change?

“…It’s fascinating.”

“Huh?”

“Receiving a greeting from you. How long has it been?”

Well, had it been that long?

Back when Lady Mi stayed at the estate.

Even though it was uncomfortable, I used to greet her.

But after mother disappeared, I hadn’t greeted her at all.

In that wreckage of my life, there was no chance to muster a greeting.

As I was lost in thought, Lady Mi stood up after finishing the last sip of her tea.

“I just came to see your face since I heard you arrived, so don’t overthink it.”

“…Excuse me?”

“Let’s save the formal greeting for later. For now, your father will be looking for you.”

After saying that, Lady Mi turned and made her way to the door. I was left staring at her back, utterly flustered.

Is she really just leaving after seeing my face?

In this bewildering situation, I didn’t know what expression to make.

“What on earth is going on?”

Could there be some other reason?

Judging her from appearance, it was hard to make a quick conclusion.

To me, she was not a detestable or frightening figure.

More like a burdensome, heavy presence.

Just as she was about to open the door—

Click!

The door swung open, and someone barged into my room.

“Little sister! Again! Skipping meals….”

The intruder was none other than Gu Huibi.

As she stormed in, she found herself face to face with Lady Mi, who was about to leave.

The expression on Gu Huibi’s face transformed, bewilderment and fear mingling.

“Uh… Mother?”

This is amusing.

The words that spilled from her made it sound like a tremor.

Lady Mi’s response, as calm as it was earlier, made cold sweat trickle down Gu Huibi’s cheek.

“…I clearly told you to behave and conduct yourself properly.”

“It’s not like that… I just wanted to look after my sister.”

“Are you just going to make excuses for your wrongdoings?”

With just a few icy words, Gu Huibi was silenced.

It had always been like this, but Gu Huibi seemed especially submissive to Lady Mi.

Rather than being someone who feared nothing, she turned into a meek lamb before her mother.

“…I was just about to find you and Gu Yeonseo. I have quite a bit to say to you.”

“Uh, mother… that is…”

“Follow me.”

At Lady Mi’s words, Gu Huibi looked as if she’d been struck by lightning.

Her expression was as though she was asking for help.

“What do you want me to do?”

There was no way I could help her.

In the end, Gu Huibi was dragged out by Lady Mi without putting up any resistance.

After a whirlwind had passed through, I was left staring at the door they had just left through, still in a daze.

The relationship between the former me and Lady Mi was neither particularly good nor bad.

If anything, it was just that I had been dodging her without any reason.

I had feared and been anxious about her.

The day I strolled through the garden with my mother.

There was an instance when I accidentally ran into Lady Mi.

Or rather, it would be correct to say that she sought me out.

That place was the garden of the residence where my mother, Gu Ryeonghwa, and I used to stay.

Could it have been back then?

When I caught a glimpse of her eyes looking at me.

I found myself shrinking under her gaze, overcome with fear.

Encountering the first wife as the child of a concubine had proven to be heavier and more difficult than I had anticipated.

I had no idea how to act around her.

Even if I tried to show good manners, there was no way she’d see me positively.

Especially considering.

With the child of a concubine poised to ascend to the position of clan leader.

Could she really have any reason to look upon me fondly?

I didn’t think so.

Shortly after mother disappeared, when I resented everyone in the estate.

I had also resented Lady Mi.

If you asked why I resented her.

Well, I was just being foolish.

At that time, I had been blaming the world.

Even if she bore no responsibility, I wished to resent something, anything.

Even when Lady Mi had stayed in the estate.

Due to being busy with the merchant group’s affairs, she rarely showed her face in the clan.

Because of that, Gu Huibi and Gu Yeonseo often came to spend time in our residence.

“Did that perhaps bother her?”

She might not have liked it.

Seeing me and my mother spending time with her daughters.

Ultimately, there wasn’t a single good reason for her to view me positively.

Thus, the matter was even more puzzling.

Right after I had turned into a demon.

While becoming a target of extermination for the Martial Alliance and with the Demonic Sect causing chaos in the Central Plains,

It was the Baekhwa Merchant Group that exhausted their resources through sponsorship and resource donations in various places.

When the other merchant groups had to hold their breaths just to survive, focusing on their own survival,

Everyone wondered why she had made such a choice.

The head of the merchant group, Lady Mi Hyo-ran, answered with a flat expression:

– “My son has made a mistake, so as a mother, I’m just looking for a way to take responsibility.”

Mother and son.

Those were words that seemed so out of character coming from Lady Mi.

“…Why is that?”

In a situation where everyone’s eyes were focused on her.

If they were mere flattering words, I could respect that.

However, when considering whether Lady Mi was the kind of person who’d do something just for the public’s eye, I was uncertain.

Though I may not know her deeply, I held that impression of her.

It was evident that she would uphold her words and instead kept exercising her influence.

Even in the future, when her children met their tragic ends, or when the Baekhwa Merchant Group faced crises,

She stood strong and resolute.

“Could it be that she doesn’t resent me?”

Is it even possible?

Considering I had driven her child and husband towards death.

How could she not carry some resentment towards me?

I was a child of a concubine, unrelated by blood.

Even if regression erases the past,

The fact that she still feels like a heavy and burdensome presence hasn’t changed.

Is this guilt?

It was hard to say that it was.

But denying it felt awkward as well.

It was that kind of feeling.

“…Yeah.”

Suddenly, a voice interrupted my thoughts, prompting me to lift my head.

The spacious banquet hall.

All those gathered here were members of the Gu Clan.

At the top sat my father.

And over there was Gu Yeonseo, whom I hadn’t seen in a while.

Though this banquet was held to celebrate the return of Gu Huibi and me,

As always, it wasn’t extravagant.

None of them particularly enjoyed that sort of thing.

I heard that Gu Ryeonghwa had returned to the Sword Demoness and Hwasan, so it was only natural she wasn’t here.

Instead of her, unexpected faces were seated.

“Been a while, huh?”

The person sitting directly across from me was my second sister, Gu Yeonseo.

Yet again, Gu Yeonseo averted her gaze from me.

It seemed she wasn’t particularly interested in attending this banquet either.

However, since her mother was also present, it appeared she had no choice but to come.

“What have you been up to?”

As I observed, I could see she had visibly matured, both physically and in the energy circulating within her.

“Is she around the level of a Third Rank?”

At a glance, that seemed to be the case.

She appeared to be at a stage close to the wall.

She must have put in considerable effort.

Although Gu Yeonseo occasionally made eye contact with me, she turned her head each time, as though our encounters were uncomfortable.

“I heard you’re engaged to the Nangong Clan.”

Rustle.

At Lady Mi’s words, I sensed Gu Huibi stir beside me as she took in the news.

Surprised, I thought, isn’t it me who should be startled? Why is this person suddenly acting like this?

“Did she get in trouble?”

From how she was dragged away earlier, it seemed she had gotten scolded.

Did she hear anything there that made her act like this?

“It’s not finalized yet; it’s in the works.”

If all goes as I heard, probably soon I’d be heading to Anhui for the engagement ceremony.

“The Nangong Clan… not a bad family.”

Lady Mi seemed to contemplate those words.

Given that it was a great family, it was somewhat surprising for her to say it wasn’t bad.

“Is the other child an agreeable person?”

“…Huh? Ah, yes… she seems fine.”

Lady Mi’s question caught me off guard for a moment.

I hadn’t expected her to ask me about such things.

Did my answer please her?

Lady Mi nodded her head.

“…I heard she has been staying in the clan.”

“Yes.”

Perhaps she was asleep by now.

Given that this banquet was among blood relatives, Nangong Bi-ah hadn’t attended.

It was an uncomfortable situation.

More so, it seemed she wanted to be here but couldn’t just come over casually.

Rather than her feeling uneasy, I was the one who felt uneasy.

This banquet was quieter than it ought to be.

My father usually wasn’t one to speak much.

And for Gu Huibi, who typically made things lively, to be silent too was quite an awkward atmosphere.

Slurp.

In the silence that persisted, Lady Mi took a sip of tea once more before continuing.

“I heard the Moyong Family’s daughter is doing fine as well.”

I scanned the surroundings as she spoke.

Was she asking someone?

But as I looked around, no one answered her.

Since Lady Mi’s gaze was on me, it dawned on me.

“Is she asking me?”

The feeling was strange and unfamiliar since the day of regression.

“Indeed.”

If she’d heard it, surely it must’ve been conveyed long ago.

What could she be looking to learn from me?

“I heard you approached various avenues, but they were all turned down, yet the Tang Clan and Moyong Family collaborated…”

Ah.

Is she possibly blaming me?

In business, the Moyong Family’s capabilities were formidable. Any merchant group would profit greatly by collaborating with them.

Thus, she must have been turned down by them.

Yet unexpectedly, the Gu Clan had succeeded, creating a slight discomfort in that regard.

“I suppose it’s not something I should be apologizing for.”

Despite that thought, feeling a bit awkward, I glanced at Lady Mi.

She nodded and addressed me.

“I heard you worked hard on that matter. You’ve done well.”

“…Huh?”

Caught off guard by her sudden compliment, I momentarily lost my words.

I hadn’t expected that kind of remark.

“Uh…”

As for Lady Mi, her expression was deep in thought.

It was as if things weren’t going as she had wished.

Or perhaps she was contemplating something entirely different.

“…If only I could manage to avoid concern.”

The unease lingered, and there was no escaping it.

“Why had she returned?”

Lady Mi had left the clan just after my mother disappeared.

When she returned to the Gu Clan in the previous life, I must have been in my early twenties.

Perhaps….

“When it was time for her to rise to the Lesser Clan Leader position?”

That must be it.

“What circumstances could have led to that?”

If there was an issue with the merchant group, she wouldn’t have come back to the Gu Clan without a reason.

She didn’t seem desperate, nor did her actions appear anxious.

Of course, as a capable clan leader, she must have had a knack for hiding those processes.

“I haven’t heard anything about the Baekhwa Merchant Group facing a crisis.”

…Regardless, even if I tried to recall the incidents from my past life,

Given how much had changed due to my interference, they were no longer of any use.

As a bit more uncomfortable time passed,

The banquet reached its conclusion, and everyone began to rise.

My father, who hadn’t spoken throughout the meal, was the first to stand, followed by Lady Mi and the Gu sisters.

Interestingly, Gu Huibi was dragged along half-heartedly.

As they exited, Lady Mi shot me a glance, which nearly choked me as I tried to swallow a dumpling I had stealthily taken.

I barely managed to swallow it down, donning a dazed expression.

“What the heck is going on…?”

I still had no idea what her intentions were.

Was she expecting something from me?

However, since she hadn’t said a word, I couldn’t discern anything.

A short while later.

Whoosh!

While swinging a sword under the moonlight at my residence, Nangong Bi-ah encountered an unexpected guest.

It was her first time laying eyes on this mysterious figure.

“Nice to meet you.”

Immediately upon hearing their identity, her dazed eyes sharpened.

Then, in a calm voice, the guest asked her.

“Could we have a moment to talk?”

 

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