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Chapter 263: Anhui (3)

As soon as we arrived at the Nangong Clan, the first thing I was shown was the guest quarters.

I helped unpack the luggage that the attendants brought in, while I took a look around.

‘…This place seems nicer than my home?’

That much was certain.

It was definitely a wealthy family that knew how to spend their money.

Even the guest quarters they provided were quite impressive.

Of course, given the relationship involved, they wouldn’t have given me a typical room.

Still, it was quite extravagant.

As I casually strolled around the pond, I noticed the koi swimming inside, each one flaunting magnificent scales.

The pond itself was large, and with so many koi, it must require constant maintenance.

“It’s all just a money drain.”

I could only imagine the staggering upkeep costs.

That was as far as my appreciation went.

Given my current mindset, it was hardly surprising that I had long lost any emotional resonance with such things.

Right now, I had to focus on my immediate concerns.

‘The engagement ceremony is in a few days.’

I had expected the schedule for the engagement ceremony to commence right upon my arrival, but it actually wasn’t set until a few days later.

It might be unreasonable to go through with it while feeling exhausted after the journey.

‘Do we really need to wait for several days?’

I had my doubts about that.

I wasn’t sure if there was any point in doing so.

Of course, considering how awkward the situation of waiting for an engagement ceremony is, it probably shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing that we’re given some time.

‘A few days, huh.’

It was true that personal issues had caused a delay in the engagement plans.

To work around that, the Gu family had personally made the trip to the Nangong household.

This was a significant concession, especially since everyone else’s eyes were on us.

Just the fact that the Gu family had come to the Nangong Clan meant that, in the eyes of others, the man was stepping into the woman’s family.

They would likely assign unnecessary meaning to it.

‘They’ll probably start talking about me being a live-in son-in-law or something.’

It would seem that the Gu family had implicitly accepted their inferior position compared to the Nangong family.

That’s how it usually is.

Assigning meaning to every little thing in this damn world makes it anything but easy.

Anyway.

Normally, in a situation like this, to come all this way only to be told to wait several days could be seen as an embarrassment.

In fact, when I first heard the news, I noticed my father’s expression stiffening slightly.

‘Though they are likely discussing this now.’

Having gone to talk among the clan leaders, they must be bringing it up.

If the situation was explained properly, it shouldn’t pose any problems.

‘Is there something else going on?’

I just hoped I wouldn’t be dragged into some annoying situation.

Since trouble always seems to arise whenever I go anywhere, I wished desperately to be left in peace.

Of course, I already knew it was a bit too late for that.

‘Damn it.’

It wasn’t about anything else but the head of the Nangong family.

What should I do? What am I supposed to do?

From the look in his eyes earlier, it seemed he had no intention of letting me off easily.

Honestly, it’s quite impressive that I’ve managed to endure for over a year.

He was aware of the gaps in his martial arts.

And he likely thought that the only person who knew how to fill those gaps was me.

That actually made sense.

How could I speak against Nangong Jin, who is boldly called the Sword King?

The fact that he still harbors such cravings at this stage is quite concerning.

I had practiced the minor differences I picked up from Shin Noya’s words back then, but I couldn’t really advance beyond a certain point.

‘…What should I do?’

I had said back then that I would let him know. But at that time, Shin Noya was awake.

He was a master of the sword.

Not to mention, he had been the one who directly witnessed the glory days of the Nangong Clan alongside the legendary brainchild, Nangong Ming.

Feeling regret that the Nangong sword arts had shattered, Shin Noya had stepped forward, saying he would teach me himself.

Yet now, Shin Noya was dormant within me.

‘But how in the world am I supposed to teach him anything?’

I’ve only ever held a wooden sword during childhood play, and now I’m supposed to impart knowledge to Nangong Jin?

‘This is maddening.’

I was worried sick about how to come up with any excuse to escape from this.

‘Hey. If you’re paying attention to the situation, wake up already.’

[…Grumble?]

‘Stop pretending to be asleep and wake Shin Noya up already.’

Judging by the immediate response to my gentle call, it seemed the beast wasn’t actually sleeping.

‘Are you just going to pretend you didn’t see anything?’

[Growl?]

‘…This is driving me insane.’

The one who consistently plays dumb is incredibly irksome, yet there is a reason I can’t do anything about it.

Before Shin Noya fell asleep, we had spoken about what would happen if he refused to wake up.

At that time, it was mentioned clearly.

Once a year had passed, he would be able to wake up on his own.

That was the promise, so if what he said is true, the current Shin Noya is likely purposely staying asleep.

‘Given the situation, would they have any reason not to wake up?’

If Shin Noya were indeed watching the current state of affairs,

It’s possible he was intentionally not waking up, just to see me suffer…

…Hmm.

‘That probability is pretty high, isn’t it?’

Recalling my past moments with Shin Noya, it was entirely within his character.

‘If he’s scheming against me, I wouldn’t be surprised at all; it only serves to irritate me more.’

I imagined that right now he was probably chuckling to himself, fully conscious but choosing to remain aloof.

So it would be great if he could just get up already.

‘Even if he runs the risk of jeopardizing this situation, he has another reason to wake up.’

‘…I need to address the Thunder Fang too.’

Back when I visited Hanam, there was something that Huang Abul Yeong, a legendary hero and a friend of Shin Noya, mentioned.

Not only he, but also the Thunder Fang, Nangong Ming, was said to possess some form of consciousness at present.

If that statement holds any truth,

Naturally, I expected it would be resting among the treasures of the Nangong family.

‘…Of course, there are exceptions.’

Considering how there is a single cursed treasure wandering outside, that wasn’t a certainty.

In fact, it’s highly probable that the treasure possessed by the wandering treasure was none other than Nangong Ming.

‘Thunder Fang.’

The Divine Sword of the Nangong Clan, known to harbor Lightning.

It was wielded by Nangong Ming, and presently, even though I do not know why, it belongs to the Master of Wudang.

Additionally, in previous lives, it also became the sword wielded by the Demon Sword Queen.

‘If we dare to assume that a soul is inhabiting it, it’s only reasonable to think it would reside there.

Though who knows, given the fame of the Nangong Clan, it wouldn’t be surprising if they had more than one of these treasures.

However, it seems I am not in a position to simply go and take a look at those treasures.

‘Whatever happens, it’s essential that Shin Noya wakes up before I can even consider discussing anything further.’

Yet even at this moment, Shin Noya remained silent.

I did not think he was lost.

As always, I could sense his presence within the depths of my lower dantian.

It was just… so quiet.

“Phew…”

Under the relentless heat of the sun, I let out a deep sigh.

I just came along for a bit of excitement.

But it turned out to be far more complicated getting involved with the Nangong Clan than I had anticipated.

As I was drowning in thoughts about this puzzling situation,

“Hmm?”

I suddenly turned my head to take a look behind me.

What I saw was a scene with a few trees, entirely normal.

Yet when I focused my eyes carefully and scanned the area,

‘What’s going on?’

I felt as though something was watching me.

Trying to be cautious, I raised my alertness to the highest level.

“Am I imagining things?”

Nothing captured my senses.

Even considering that I thought I felt someone’s gaze not far away, it made no sense.

Despite taking the trouble to move closer to scout out the area myself,

There was still nothing special to be found aside from trees standing alone.

“What the heck, that’s unsettling.”

It felt too clear to be just an illusion, yet no matter how much I searched, I found nothing.

Just when I began to wonder if I should continue searching,

“Young Master, the banquet is about to start.” Hongwa appears from afar to inform me of the schedule.

“…I’ll be there shortly.”

“I’ll get ready right away.”

“Alright.”

In the end, I couldn’t investigate further, but my gaze remained fixated on the trees.

For some reason, I felt uneasy right from the start of this first day.

Within the interior of the Nangong Clan, in the quarters of the Princess, there was finally a person present again.

The owner had returned after years of vacancy.

“Miss, can I style your hair?”

The attendant cautiously approached the owner with a question.

Having been with a single owner for nearly ten years now,

She was yet to truly know much about her.

She was someone who preferred to remain inside the room and didn’t like visitors.

Or on the contrary, someone who had hidden herself away all along.

The attendant, the only one who had been close by, still didn’t know her well.

What she did know was that her master was incredibly beautiful, and she seldom spoke.

In fact, although they had the title of a personal attendant, there was no difference from the others.

The lady had always been one to avoid the company of others, preventing anyone from getting too close.

Thus, it was only natural that the attendant paid special care when her long-lost master had returned.

Yet they had to prepare for the banquet.

The clan leader had explicitly instructed her to ensure the preparations were thorough.

While glancing at her master with an anxious heart,

The owner casually glanced back and spoke.

“…I’ll be counting on you.”

Upon hearing her voice, the attendant’s eyes widened.

“Ah…! Yes, yes!”

The attendant could hardly contain her shock.

It was the first time she had ever heard her master speak a word in response.

Not just her face but also the clearly audible voice was remarkably beautiful.

With gentle fingertips, the attendant began to style the white hair.

She was surprised once at the silk-like luster of the hair and marveling twice at the flawless, pale skin even after spending the summer.

‘…Such a lovely person.’

It was puzzling.

I had heard she was renowned enough to even have a nickname in the Central Plains.

So why didn’t the clan leader seem to dote on such a beautiful daughter?

“…You know.”

“Yes?”

As the attendant was carefully grooming the hair or helping with makeup, the owner’s voice startled her again.

This too was the first time she had initiated a conversation.

“What is it, Miss…?”

Could it be that she had made some huge mistake?

If the owner started speaking first, it surely meant something went wrong.

“What’s your name…?”

“Excuse me?”

“…What is your name?”

Her master asked for her name.

The unexpected question made the attendant sputter, unsure of the purpose behind it.

But ultimately, answering was the priority.

“…I’m Okji. My name is Okji.”

Her voice trembled a bit as she introduced her somewhat clumsy name.

To her surprise, her owner responded without changing her expression.

“Okji.”

“Yes, Miss.”

“…I will remember it.”

“Y-yes? Oh, yes… thank you.”

Lady Nangong Bi-ah repeated her attendant’s name in her mind.

Ten years… The time that had passed from the moment she first saw her attendant to now.

Yet here we are, with the first moment the owner finally remembers her name.

Though not a long time, she had realized just now that she did not know a single name of the attendant.

No, it wasn’t that she didn’t know—it was that she hadn’t wanted to.

As she felt the touch on her hair, Nangong Bi-ah closed her eyes.

Her life had been a hell engulfed in foul smells.

She had been in no position to remember someone’s name.

Now, however, hearing someone’s name allows for the possibility of memory.

“…I’m sorry.”

“Yes?”

Nangong Bi-ah let out an apology.

It was one for the person whose name she had never bothered to remember.

Gradually, she controlled her breathing.

Though her home was still filled with stench,

It was no longer the suffocating, death-like place it had been before.

This could be attributed to her rising realm, or perhaps it was due to ‘him’ elevating to a different realm as well.

Regardless, there was no denying one thing: she had taken a step away from that hellish life.

“By the way…”

“Yes, Miss.”

“…Should I try using that?”

Okji glanced at the direction where her master was pointing.

It was a box containing several embellishments.

These were items meant for the bloodline of the Nangong family, yet from what Okji knew, Bi-ah had never once used those things.

“W-what do you mean by ‘try’?”

“Will the man… like it?”

Her master whispered quietly, seemingly a little embarrassed.

Okji bit back a gulp.

She could never have imagined her master would ever ask something like that.

The faint blush on her master’s ears and cheeks was so beautiful that she couldn’t help but admire her.

Yet at the same time, she couldn’t shake her thoughts.

‘…Is she that fond of her fiancé?’

Just how exceptional is the man for her master to bear such a expression?

Okji was suddenly curious.

“Would you like to try using it once…?”

“Yeah…”

Nangong Bi-ah nodded slightly in response.

Though she hadn’t cared in the past, she now felt she was beautiful.

This was just an objective assessment, without attaching too much significance to it.

It didn’t matter if others noticed or approached her; she found it ultimately meaningless.

Only one person mattered.

As long as he saw her beauty, that was enough.

So if possible, she wanted to appear even more beautiful.

If this is her strength,

Then she hoped to use it to get his attention even more.

Nangong Bi-ah’s mind wandered to someone.

The woman who had often accompanied him recently came to mind.

So beautiful, yet with a cold air about her.

Someone who knew how to dress up differently from her own style.

With abilities that drew people towards her.

‘She is different from me.’

A swirling feeling of emotion took shape within her.

Yet grew thick and heavy.

Nangong Bi-ah recognized this sensation as jealousy and self-doubt.

Unlike when she sought to escape from the stench of the hellish life,

Now, she had the emotional bandwidth to feel such sentiments.

It wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all.

All she had was the title of his fiancée.

“…I need to work harder.”

“Miss? What did you just say…?”

“Umm… it’s nothing….”

Nangong Bi-ah shook her head.

As she did, she recalled something else that happened during the day.

It seemed like those around her had not sensed it, but…

While her father was speaking to the father of her fiancé not far away,

Nangong Bi-ah had felt the gaze of her little brother watching her from a distance.

It wasn’t quite a gaze, but rather—

It was more like she could sense his smell.

Just the thought of it made it hard to breathe.

She wanted to think it was just a misperception, yet something felt off.

While the lingering stench seemed to have calmed to some extent, the cloying stench associated with her brother had grown unmistakably deeper.

Though he was at a distance, Nangong Bi-ah could clearly sense that difference.

It signified that he had become even worse than before.

‘…I hope nothing happens.’

With her eyes closed, she wished for just that.

For her younger brother, who had always followed her closely like this,

And for him, who had come here seeking them as well.

She sincerely hoped nothing would transpire.

“All done.”

At Okji’s words, Nangong Bi-ah slowly opened her eyes.

There was a strange sensation in her ears.

It seemed to be the earrings she had chosen a moment ago.

Nangong Bi-ah then pulled another adornment from her belongings and requested it to be styled in her hair.

Without raising any questions, Okji complied.

This ornament was a hairpiece he had given her in the past.

‘…This is enough.’

She felt a wave of contentment wash over her.

What could a single ornament mean?

Nangong Bi-ah slowly stood up.

Now was the time to head to the banquet hall.

 

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