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About half a beat later, the incident had unfolded. I was surveying the situation while cradling my forehead.

First, I checked the faces of the women sitting haphazardly on my bed.

From the far left, a woman with brown hair mixed with golden strands.

It was Wi Seol-Ah.

I asked her, “What’s going on?”

“Huh?”

As I inquired, Wi Seol-Ah flinched and responded.

Looking at her face, I could see her eyes shaking like they were insane.

I asked her while gazing into those wild eyes, “Why are you all here?”

“…Well, um…”

Wi Seol-Ah glanced to the side, where Nangong Bi-ah was still drowsily swaying as if she hadn’t fully woken up.

What’s with that glance?

Watching quietly, Wi Seol-Ah mumbled her response.

“…My sister said she was going, so I followed.”

“…”

I turned to Nangong Bi-ah upon hearing Wi Seol-Ah’s words.

Nangong Bi-ah rubbed her eyes as if she recognized my gaze and mumbled, “I… wasn’t coming…”

“What does not coming have to do with you coming into my room…?”

“…Huh?”

Nangong Bi-ah looked at me, as if questioning why it wouldn’t be related.

What’s with that look?

It’s true that Nangong Bi-ah sometimes sneaks into my bed to sleep, but I couldn’t understand why Wi Seol-Ah followed suit.

“Why did you follow her?”

“…She said she was going, so I just…”

Avoiding my gaze, Wi Seol-Ah turned red in the ears.

Seeing that, I let out a long sigh.

“…Are you starting to take after her? Why are you trying to sleep in someone else’s bed?”

“I’m sorry…”

“You’re… good.”

I almost said something to Nangong Bi-ah too, but I let it slide.

She wasn’t the type to listen anyway.

Instead, I balled up my fist and knocked my head lightly.

“Ow!”

Nangong Bi-ah let out a small scream and protected her forehead with her hands.

Soon after, the look in her eyes shifted between drowsiness and resentment.

“Why are you staring at me with those wide eyes?”

“…”

“Didn’t you steal my blanket last time?”

“…!”

Nangong Bi-ah’s eyes widened at my words.

Did she really not realize that?

It wasn’t even a secret; she took it quite openly.

“Why do you keep stealing someone else’s bedding?”

“Because I need it…”

“What are you lacking? A pillow? Or a blanket? If you don’t have it, just ask for it. Why take it without asking?”

Nangong Clan is not exactly short on money. I didn’t understand why she was being so miserly.

Nangong Bi-ah narrowed her eyes, seemingly displeased with my words.

“…That’s not it…”

“Then what is it?”

“…Never mind…”

Is she sulking or something? She started avoiding my questions.

As I pondered what warranted her sulking…

I shifted my gaze to the last person sitting on her right.

A woman with pale green hair, looking all pouty and sneaky.

It was Tang Soyeol, who had dinner with us last night.

“…You know…”

My voice made Tang Soyeol flinch.

She seemed to instinctively realize I was addressing her.

“Normally, when entering someone’s room, you wouldn’t barge in like that, would you?”

I referenced how she’d kicked my door open moments earlier.

Usually, one would knock or at least ask if they could come in.

But she just burst into my room without warning.

After hearing my comment, Tang Soyeol looked at me silently, then suddenly turned her head away with her cheeks stuffed up like a squirrel with acorns.

Why is everyone making those kinds of faces?

What did I do wrong?

“What’s with that expression…?”

“Honestly, I messed up too…”

Just as I was about to ask her what was going on, Tang Soyeol squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out, “It’s all the Prince’s fault!”

“…What?”

My expression turned dumbfounded as I looked at Tang Soyeol.

Next to her, Wi Seol-Ah and Nangong Bi-ah nodded in agreement with what she said.

“What did I do wrong…?”

This is absurd.

All I had done today was walk around all day, struggling to avoid notice, and then come to my room to fetch my clothes.

And now they’re blaming me?

As I stared at Tang Soyeol with an incredulous look, they all suddenly got up at the same time, as if they had a signal.

Taken by surprise, I stepped back a little.

Then the three of them stomped towards my door.

Are they really planning to leave like this?

There was a distinct feeling of discontent in their steps, but it seemed like letting them just go would be the better option.

If I stopped them, it felt like it would only drain my energy more.

Just as I was about to allow them to leave, I suddenly called out, “…Wait.”

I stopped Nangong Bi-ah from leaving.

She looked at me with a strangely expectant expression.

I had no idea what she was expecting, but…

…Most likely, what I was about to say wouldn’t meet her expectations.

“…Could you ask the Clan Leader when would be a good time for me to pay him a visit?”

When I mentioned Nangong Jin, Nangong Bi-ah’s beautiful brows knitted tightly.

It wasn’t the right time to ask, but I had to do it since I would need training ahead.

‘It wouldn’t do to let it slide without action.’

To be honest, I would prefer to not deal with it, but given Nangong Jin’s personality, that wouldn’t happen.

He would likely cling to me, wanting to impart every lesson he could.

In this situation, I figured it was better to meet him and resolve this early on.

Thinking that way, I asked Nangong Bi-ah to convey my message.

Upon hearing my request, Nangong Bi-ah kept her frown and replied, “My father… has gone.”

“What?”

I paused for a moment upon hearing her.

Gone…? Where?

Where did that man just randomly decide to go all of a sudden?

As I gave her a strange look, Nangong Bi-ah provided a clear answer this time.

“…Anhui.”

She said that Nangong Jin had returned to his homeland in Anhui.

After finishing the conversation, I let the children go first, then asked my attendant to help me change clothes before heading to the cave.

Afterward, just like any other day, I began to train using the Tuapacheonggong while grappling inside the cave, but my mind was occupied with organizing my thoughts.

‘Nangong Jin has returned to Hanam.’

A thought from moments earlier surged into my mind: ‘Why?’

It’s perfectly reasonable for him to leave. It isn’t strange for the head of the Nangong Clan to return home.

However, it was quite peculiar that someone so eager for the advancement of his martial arts would leave without asking me for any enlightenment.

Of course, it was a good thing for me that he left without asking anything…

‘… I had nothing to share right now anyway.’

Initially, I had borrowed a phrase from Shin Noya to impart some wisdom.

Then I’d drawn upon vague information I received from the Demon Sword Queen in my past life when I informed him.

But now, I had nothing I could share with him.

So, in that sense, Nangong Jin’s disappearance didn’t trouble me, but I found myself somewhat concerned about why he had left in such haste.

‘Is there something going on with the Nangong Clan?’

It seemed unlikely that he would so readily depart without a good reason.

Trying to recall if anything had happened recently with the Nangong Clan yielded nothing in my immediate memory.

Kwaddeuk—

The walls of the cave crumbled under the weight of my thoughts.

The reason I reacted so sensitively to Nangong Jin’s departure was simple.

I wondered if I had changed something again.

That was what weighed on my mind now.

‘It’s not just Nangong Jin.’

Things were already not what they were a while back.

Along with the ambush on Shinryong Temple and the ascension of a new leader, there were many changes.

After the upheaval, it should have been Wi Seol-Ah who was slated to take the position of leader.

That timeframe had been pushed forward by at least ten years.

And all due to unforeseen adverse effects.

‘If that’s the case, who will take the next leadership?’

I couldn’t know.

If someone were to throw their hat in the ring, then it would include candidates from both Gu Paibang and the Four Great Clans.

As it had been with the upheaval, many martial artists from powerful families would also be contenders.

Given the drastic turn of events, I was at a loss to wrap my mind around it quickly.

‘This is truly dizzying.’

I felt like I was trying hard to get a handle on my situation.

But in this regard, I was still lacking.

Was I even doing well?

I kicked it into gear to train, convinced that I was doing something, yet I knew all too well that it wasn’t enough.

‘And the changes in my homeland are no different.’

Those abundant changes were unavoidable for the Gu Clan.

The issues arising from me eliminating the previous Elder Lee.

The transformation and reform of Gu Exemplar Sect were those very problems.

Currently, the position of the Gu Exemplar Sect was being covered by the Il Geom Team Leader as a temporary measure, as far as I was aware.

Since he was from that side as well, he would likely perform well, but…

‘By the way, where did the Il Geom Team Leader go?’

I had heard that he had accompanied us on this trip to Hanam since he was originally my father’s guard.

Yet I had never actually seen him.

‘Is he doing something else?’

That seemed highly likely, yet it wasn’t certain either.

‘Muyeon hasn’t come either.’

Naturally, I assumed my guard, Muyeon, would have joined us on this trip to Hanam, but I was informed that he wasn’t present.

Seeing this, it seemed like there might be some deliberate intention from someone at Gu Exemplar Sect to manage Muyeon.

They must have realized his talent when he reached the peak.

Given that he hails from Gu Exemplar Sect, they would think of nurturing him properly.

‘Are they planning to use him as a rumor mill?’

Reflecting on their intentions, I could think of nothing but that.

Strangely enough, it seemed Gu Jeolyub had thought the same thing upon hearing this news, as he had been brooding for a while.

Watching him, the only advice I could give was: if you don’t want to fall behind, work hard.

If indeed, Muyeon managed to secure a position at Gu Exemplar Sect…

‘That could actually turn out well for me.’

In my opinion, that wouldn’t be bad at all.

After facing the Heavenly Demon, I had certainly realized one thing.

‘I need power.’

Not just personal strength, but also an appropriate force to match that strength.

It was clear to me that dealing with foes alone would be a towering challenge.

I had always known this, but after that moment, it became all the more evident.

If I truly wanted to take the place of the Divine Sword, I needed a force to back me.

So, if Muyeon ends up in Gu Exemplar Sect…

I could think about putting in more effort to solidify my own power.

At first, I contemplated joining a specific organization like the Martial Alliance.

But…

‘There’s no reliable place.’

There wasn’t a single group I could trust.

From this perspective, I could tangibly sense how decayed the Central Plains had become.

Given that, it seemed better to create something myself rather than join an unreliable organization.

‘…I’ll make it myself.’

So, even if the alias So Yeomra was utterly ridiculous, and even if I had to grit my teeth over the rumors circulating about it…

I tolerated it all, mindful of the fame that would come alongside it.

Not only that.

I was already organizing individuals, one by one, to absorb or include in my ranks.

But I couldn’t help but think:

‘If… I gather the people I’m considering into one place.’

In the Central Plains, they could collectively be called…

The name of the Righteous Faction would hold no significance whatsoever.

 

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