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I had to hear the reason first.

My gaze shifted elsewhere.

To the direction where Nangong Bi-ah was.

What she was up to was obvious.

She was probably sleeping in my carriage right now.

“Has the Gu Clan Leader… left?”

“Yes. He departed for Mount Shan first yesterday.”

“…Is that so? I’ve missed him.”

What is this?

Is he trying to seek revenge?

Considering how it went down, it would be understandable, but revenge…

‘That seems unlikely.’

From what I saw back then, it felt almost impossible for Heavenly Lord to take revenge on my father.

Maybe in a group, but as an individual… probably not.

The fortunate part is—

‘That doesn’t feel right.’

Heavenly Lord’s aura doesn’t give off that impression of revenge.

As I watched him with a peculiar expression, he spoke to me.

“I wanted to express my gratitude. I suppose it’s too late now.”

“Gratitude?”

At his words, I instinctively took a step back.

…Gratitude after getting beaten to a pulp? Is there some preference for that kind of thing?

I never thought of Heavenly Lord as such a perverted character.

Seeing my disgusted expression, Heavenly Lord chuckled softly.

“You have quite the imagination. Don’t worry, that’s not my thing.”

“…Well, that’s a relief but….”

“I simply wanted to express my thanks. If not for the Gu Clan Leader, I might not have opened my eyes.”

Might not have opened my eyes?

I got the impression he was rather keen on keeping them closed.

Whatever that nonsense means doesn’t matter.

“The implication of that is related to why you’re heading to the Gu Clan, isn’t it?”

“Is that not the case?”

“…No, it’s not that it’s not the case… I just can’t understand why you’re doing this out of the blue. You could just go to the Nangong Clan, you know? Especially since….”

The investigation regarding the Tang Clan hasn’t properly yielded results yet in the Martial Alliance.

If Heavenly Lord were involved in it, it would mean that he should be undergoing an inquiry from the Alliance.

Of course—

‘If Heavenly Lord threw a tantrum, that could be a whole different story.’

Since he is one of the Three Eminent Beings, if he comes out with a “screw you” attitude, no one would dare touch him.

That doesn’t mean he wants to go to the Gu Clan out of fear.

So I had to ask.

“Is there a reason you’re not going to the Nangong Clan?”

“…”

I wanted to know why Heavenly Lord particularly decided not to go to the Nangong Clan.

After a moment of silence, he directed his gaze elsewhere.

To the place where other members of the Nangong Clan were.

“…It’s still not the right time for me to go.”

Heavenly Lord’s eyes were particularly unsteady as he spoke.

“I won’t go to the Nangong Clan until I correct my mistakes.”

Mistakes?

That sounded quite disconcerting.

‘Did he get burned by fire once and have a revelation or something?’

Did he realize something just before dying?

While I didn’t fully grasp what he was saying, I could tell he had a will to act.

“So you’re planning to crash at our place…?”

That’s what I wanted to say but held back.

“Are you going to stay for a while…?”

“Is that not acceptable? I will fulfill the role of a guest. Though I’m an old man, I’m confident in my helpful abilities.”

His words made me chuckle inwardly.

What kind of role is that, anyway?

Is he planning to play the servant like the Sword Sovereign? That’s something I’d have to politely decline.

‘…That’d be a burden beyond belief.’

Just the thought of the Sword Sovereign cleaning my room and chopping wood for meals made me shudder in anxiety.

How burdensome that was, I can’t even describe it.

‘You’d think I’d be constantly on the brink of throwing up.’

And now, Heavenly Lord is saying he’d take on that role?

Just imagining that was exhausting.

I forced my expression back to stability and addressed Heavenly Lord.

“…Before that, are you alright?”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m asking besides your intention not to return to the Nangong Clan. There are people from the Nangong Clan accompanying us. Are you okay with that part?”

Not going to the Nangong Clan and the fact that there are Nangong Clan members in our party—are those treated separately?

I was curious about that.

Heavenly Lord hesitated momentarily upon hearing my question, then looked into my eyes.

“That’s fine. That too is something I must manage….”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

I interrupted him.

It seemed like this old man was misunderstanding something.

“It doesn’t matter whether you’re okay with it. The real question is whether they will be okay with it. If they’re not okay with it, what will you do?”

“…!”

Hearing that made Heavenly Lord’s eyes widen.

Though I had no knowledge about the Nangong Clan’s circumstances and planned to stay uninformed about it, I knew for a fact that Nangong Bi-ah was important.

While I didn’t know what their relationship was, if Nangong Bi-ah were uncomfortable with the company—

‘Forget Heavenly Lord; I wouldn’t tolerate it.’

Even if it led to somewhat rougher situations, I wouldn’t take a step back.

‘Besides, my own backup is rather decent.’

Though Heavenly Lord got the better of my father, I had no doubt he wasn’t a weak martial artist.

Right now, I had the support to fend that off.

‘…Even if Pejon isn’t involved, wouldn’t the King of Demons give assistance?’

Essentially, it meant I was feeling somewhat empowered due to having connections.

I kept my tension high as I scrutinized Heavenly Lord.

His expression was far from normal.

Was it that my words upset him? That could be a possibility.

He likely had never heard such words before.

With such shallow concerns, I continued watching.

“I see. I’ve shown a foolish side once again.”

Heavenly Lord’s words were unexpectedly reactive.

As if realizing something he didn’t know before, he nodded.

His blue eyes were radiant, and his breath was calm.

…Was it the Poison King who took the wrong medicine instead of this old man? That sudden thought crossed my mind.

“Thank you, you’ve given me enlightenment.”

“…Uh, yes….”

“I almost messed up big time; I’m glad I realized it now…. If those kids do not want me to come along, then I won’t force myself to go.”

“…”

He had a slight smile as wrinkles formed around his eyes.

Is this really the Heavenly Lord?

Could it be that this is some other assassin in disguise?

Such doubts crept into my mind.

“Uh…”

I was about to say something but ultimately shut my mouth.

Gazing at Heavenly Lord, I could see sincerity in his eyes.

Looking into his eyes, I could tell he was seemingly asking me for something.

“Tsk.”

I couldn’t help but click my tongue at that.

“I understand your words. However, whether to allow you is entirely up to the Clan Leader, so first, I will send a letter to the Gu Clan.”

That wasn’t a clear sign of approval.

Even if Nangong Bi-ah said it was okay and I felt fine with it, in the end, it was my father’s decision.

Though I also planned to subtly suggest that he should absolutely not receive permission.

“Thank you.”

With just that, Heavenly Lord smiled at me.

That kind, gentle expression somehow felt burdensome.

‘He looked terrifying when I saw him in another realm.’

He was surrounded by an ominous killing intent.

The sharp impression he didn’t bother to hide back then was long gone.

Now, a kindly old man stood before me.

They say people mature after hitting someone; perhaps that’s really the case?

I couldn’t tell.

After seizing Heavenly Lord’s Pogo, I first went to the carriage.

Not too far of a distance; I moved while whispering quietly.

“Old man.”

-Yes.

As soon as I called, I heard a voice.

I looked around to find its source.

Among the busy servants carrying baggage, something was sensed.

It seemed like the King of Demons was present.

Typically, I wouldn’t have felt this, but the King of Demons likely intended for me to notice.

-I have a favor to ask.

-Speak freely.

-Could you send just one letter for me?

-Understood.

The King of Demons accepted without hesitation.

I was planning to write about matters relating to Heavenly Lord to send to the Gu Clan.

And for that, I knew I needed the King of Demons’ help for the fastest results.

-I’ll dispatch it immediately.

That likely meant he was planning to send in personnel from the Night Assassins.

…Using those infamous people from the Central Plains in a letter?

I couldn’t really describe the feeling.

While trying to suppress those feelings, I now asked something else.

-And… what of my request from yesterday? What became of it?

That was my main reason for calling him.

The request I made to the King of Demons.

Specifically, to accept Tang Soyeol as his disciple.

When asked about that, the King of Demons responded that rather than accepting it on the spot, he needed to confirm whether it was possible or not.

It seemed that like Tua Pacheonmu of Pejon, the King of Demons’ dark martial arts required certain conditions.

-It should be possible.

Nodding at the King of Demons’ reply, relief washed over me.

Fortunately, it appeared Tang Soyeol met the King of Demons’ criteria.

In that case—

-Only follow the conditions set.

-Yes.

The conversation ended there.

The conditions I presented to the King of Demons were simply that he accept Tang Soyeol as his disciple, and if Tang Soyeol rejects or declares he gives up, to accept him then.

I only wanted to provide a pathway.

Ultimately, whether he would walk it or not is up to Tang Soyeol.

I had no idea if this would even help.

Was it really a good idea to have him trained by the King of Demons?

I had no solid confidence in that.

Still, I saw it as the fastest way.

‘If I only go the right way, I might not last long.’

The King of Demons’ convictions made various thoughts flicker in my mind.

I understood I shouldn’t dwell on just that aspect.

Creeeak.

I opened the carriage door. The first thing I saw inside was Nangong Bi-ah.

She was half-asleep, resting her head on Wi Seol-Ah’s lap.

When Nangong Bi-ah woke and saw me, she waved her hand slightly.

“You’re back…?”

“Totally carefree, huh.”

Regardless of what had happened previously, Nangong Bi-ah’s attitude remained unchanged.

That irked me a bit.

It felt like I was the only one worrying.

That slightly annoyed me, so I smacked Nangong Bi-ah’s forehead.

Smack!

“…Ah….”

Nangong Bi-ah, hit out of the blue, showed a nonchalant reaction.

Was that her scream?

She even managed to utter a sound and fell back asleep again.

I couldn’t believe it, honestly.

Wi Seol-Ah, who was gently stroking Nangong Bi-ah, asked me.

“Are you all done?”

While it used to feel the opposite beforehand.

Recently, it seemed like Wi Seol-Ah looked even more like the elder sister.

‘…Has she grown up or something?’

Could it be due to her height, body, or appearance looking much more mature than before?

Perhaps it was also the atmosphere she now exuded.

“No, I still have to head out.”

Preparation for departure wasn’t quite finished yet.

Moyong Hi-ah was commanding outside, so I had to go help her out.

The reason I ducked in was that I had something to say to Nangong Bi-ah.

-Yo.

I called out to Nangong Bi-ah over the voice channel.

At that, she slightly opened her eyes.

-Your great-grandfather came to see me.

“…”

At that news, Nangong Bi-ah, who was about to doze off, jolted upright.

Her disheveled hair showed that she had been quite comfortable.

Maybe because I mentioned Heavenly Lord, Nangong Bi-ah turned to look at me.

-He wants to go with us. What should we do? Should I refuse?

“…?”

Her eyes conveyed confusion.

That would make sense.

Out of nowhere, Heavenly Lord wants to tag along, even I would have a hard time understanding that.

-If you say you don’t want him to, I’ll refuse the offer. If he feels the same way, then he won’t go.

“…”

The relationship between Nangong Bi-ah and Heavenly Lord could be uncomfortable.

If I recall past lives, such a possibility still existed, hence I asked first.

“I don’t care….”

Nangong Bi-ah replied and then laid her head back down on Wi Seol-Ah’s lap.

“…No.”

I had hoped for her to at least refuse it, yet even this didn’t go through.

Damn it.

‘So in the end, I have to hope my father refuses it.’

That seemed to be the only option left for me.

But just two weeks later, I would learn that even my father had betrayed my expectations.

*

As the preparations for the carriage were nearing completion, it ended up being far quicker than anticipated.

The servants were moving frantically, plus Moyong Hi-ah was leading the charge.

“Should we pack some food too?”

“That would be too much for our number. It’s better to stop and buy on the way.”

“Then we’ll do that.”

My role was simply answering the various inquiries Moyong Hi-ah made here and there.

She could have just managed everything on her own, but Moyong Hi-ah insisted on checking with me.

While I was glancing around the vicinity as we spoke.

“Shall we be off soon then?”

I heard a drowsy voice from beside me.

It was Woo Hyeok.

Seeing him, I furrowed my brows.

“Did you just wake up?”

Based on his appearance, he certainly looked like he had just woken from sleep.

“No way, am I right?” I mumbled to myself.

As expected, upon hearing my words, Woo Hyeok grinned.

“I just took a short nap. I found a spot with good sunlight. Haha.”

“Get the sleep bugs out of your eyes.”

“What?”

My remark made Woo Hyeok quickly rub his eyes.

Why did a well-groomed guy look like such a mess right now?

While he diligently rubbed at his eyes, I asked.

“You’re going with us, right?”

“Hmm?”

“To my house.”

“Oh, that’s right. We agreed on that.”

Woo Hyeok was heading toward the Gu Clan.

This was of course determined by Gwaeseon’s movements.

Gwaeseon also decided to go to the Gu Clan.

‘…Gwaeseon is following Nangong Bi-ah.’

Not that he was simply tagging along; he mentioned he had matters to attend to in Mount Shan.

‘Did he say he already got permission from my father?’

He seemed to have talked about his stay at the Gu Clan when my father came to visit.

When was that? Without my knowledge, our party has grown quite a bit.

Also…

“Doesn’t it feel like there’s an increased number of leeches at home? I’m probably just imagining things, right?”

“Speaking of which, I’m getting hungry. Does your household serve good meals?”

“…They do serve quite well, but I doubt there will be any food for you.”

“Hey, not a chance!”

Woo Hyeok was acting particularly cheeky today.

He was already a sleep-lover, should I allow him to sleep forever?

Alright, let’s go with that.

As I was deciding to hold onto Woo Hyeok—

“Hyung!”

A voice called from a distance.

Wondering what that was about, I turned to see Paewoocheol.

Surprised, I widened my eyes at the sight.

“What’s up with you?”

“I heard you’re leaving today, so I rushed over.”

“Ha.”

Seeing Paewoocheol’s awkward grin made me exhale.

Though the Paewoo Clan and the Tang Clan were close, they were still quite distinct.

Did he come all the way here just to send me off? While that’s possible, it’s a stretch.

“…How’d you even get in?”

It was not a time when you could just wander in here.

The Tang Clan was prohibiting outsiders from entering right now, so how did he manage to bypass that?

As I pondered that and looked at Paewoocheol—

“I had him let me in.”

Someone stepped out from behind Paewoocheol.

It was the Tang Clan’s Tang Juyeok, a man with hair similar in green color to Tang Soyeol, who appeared to be slightly over adulthood.

He smiled faintly and explained the situation to me.

“He wanted to see Gu Gongja, so I brought him in.”

“Is that alright? Won’t you get in trouble with the Poison King?”

“Haha, the Clan Leader likely has no time to punish me right now.”

He spoke with a smile that seemed too easygoing for someone whose own clan was in big trouble.

Thinking that over, I considered—

‘Tang Juyeok, huh…’

Honestly, I didn’t know much about him.

Though I had a nickname in a past life, I had no idea what he had done.

And I didn’t recall him being exceptionally noteworthy either.

Just an average personality.

That’s what I thought, but—

‘He doesn’t seem like just that.’

The sense I got from Tang Juyeok felt strange.

It wasn’t about seeing a martial artist’s level.

“Thank you.”

“Though this isn’t the way to show gratitude, you’ve actually given us more than we’ve received.”

At my thanks, Tang Juyeok only smiled back.

He reached out and lightly patted my shoulder.

“I appreciate it, Gu Gongja.”

“…”

“The Clan Leader is busy and could not come out. But please convey my gratitude to Clan Leader Gu.”

“…Yes.”

“Oh, and.”

While speaking, Tang Juyeok came a bit closer and whispered to me.

“Regarding the matter you requested, approval has been granted.”

“Oh, that’s a relief.”

I had asked the King of Demons separately about something.

It was whether I could take Nahi with me.

Since she was set up as a Demon and I needed to use the jewelry, it was absolutely necessary.

Thus, I had distinctly requested that from the King of Demons in the past, and it appeared he accepted.

Though I still had this nagging feeling from his strange expression when I heard the answer.

His brows furrowing deeply, looking quite displeased about something.

While trying to figure out the reason for that—

Tang Juyeok said to me.

“That was a bit unexpected.”

“What do you mean?”

“I never thought Nahi would be to your taste, despite her outstanding appearance.”

“…What…? Excuse me?”

 

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