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“What did you say?”

I sat up abruptly and asked Do-yun. What did he just say?

‘What did I just hear?’

I looked at Do-yun, confused by his words, and asked again.

“……Who are you seeking revenge against?”

At my repeated question, Do-yun’s expression hardened as he spoke to me.

“Gu Cheolun,” he said.

“……The Gu Cheolun I know?”

“That’s right.”

Do-yun nodded.

“Shin Ryong Gu Cheolun. I must take revenge on him.”

“…….”

Words piled up in my throat.

‘What did Father do to you?’

Gu Cheolun of the Mount Shan Clan.

What did he do to Do-yun of the Mountain West Island Clan?

I wanted to ask more about it, but I couldn’t.

‘Damn it.’

I absolutely didn’t want to get involved, but this seems like something I can’t avoid.

‘……Do I have to get involved?’

Do I really have to? I hesitated for a moment. Whatever this guy did, nothing happened in the future.

Do-yun was someone I didn’t know, and Father was alive and well, having become the Gu Clan Leader.

‘Is it better not to get involved?’

Maybe it’s better to just stay out of it. That’s what I thought, but…

‘What if.’

I looked at Do-yun and remembered what Mother had said about arrangements.

‘Is it this guy?’

Could it be that what I need to do here isn’t about Father but about this guy, Do-yun?

That thought suddenly crossed my mind.

* * *

Two more days passed. During that time, I spent my days as usual with Do-yun.

We stayed in the same lodging, sharing a room, but we didn’t talk much.

We trained together and ate meals together, but nothing particularly special happened.

Just ordinary days.

After two such days had passed…

“Baek, my friend. It’s time to go.”

“……Yeah.”

I got up and headed toward the destination. As I left the residence and approached the entrance of the Blue Dragon Clan, So-i was already standing there.

And beside her…

“Huh?”

I couldn’t help but react strangely to the person standing next to her.

“You…….”

The person also frowned as he saw me. His face was swollen and red.

It was the Sword Dragon, Nangong Jin.

“Why are you……!”

“Hey. Nice to see you?”

I smiled and approached him, but the Sword Dragon only frowned harder.

So-i stepped in to stop Nangong Jin.

“……Calm down.”

“Calm down?”

Nangong Jin’s face twisted at So-i’s touch.

“How can I calm down? Look what that guy did to me.”

“It was a sparring match.”

“I can’t forgive him…….”

“Sword Dragon.”

So-i spoke to Nangong Jin in a cold tone.

“We’re here for a mission, aren’t we? It’s better to leave personal feelings aside, don’t you think?”

“…….”

“Or should I report to the Great Lord that you don’t seem interested in coming along?”

Grinding his teeth, Nangong Jin clenched his jaw at So-i’s words. Then he abruptly turned his head away.

It looked like he had been completely subdued.

“We’re not late, are we?”

So-i looked at me and Do-yun as she spoke.

Do-yun chuckled and replied,

“Of course not! It’s our first mission—we can’t be late!”

“…….”

This was a liveliness I hadn’t seen before. Is this an act too?

‘He’s good at this.’

He’s really good at it. I feel like I should learn from him.

“If I had known the seniors would come out this early, I would’ve been here since dawn. I’m sorry for being such a disappointing junior. Hahaha.”

He spat out words coated in honey, though they were far from sincere.

At his words, the Sword Dragon looked annoyed, while So-i didn’t seem to care much.

“……As long as we’re not late, it’s fine. We still have someone else to wait for.”

“Who else is coming?”

At my question, So-i narrowed her eyes. Why is she reacting like that? I just asked a simple question.

I felt a little wronged.

“……Well, missions usually require a squad leader or higher to accompany us.”

‘A squad leader or higher.’

I had been assigned a residence, but I hadn’t been assigned a squad within the Blue Dragon Clan yet, so I didn’t know who my squad leader was.

I had no idea who would be coming with us, but…

“Tsk…… of all people.”

The Sword Dragon, his face still swollen, clicked his tongue in annoyance.

As we waited for a moment, I realized why the Sword Dragon was so displeased with the situation.

“He’s here.”

So-i looked toward the entrance.

My gaze naturally followed. A familiar, intense heat brushed past the tip of my nose.

‘Ah.’

I had wondered who the squad leader or higher would be, but…

‘……It’s someone even higher than that.’

Someone above the squad leader had arrived.

“Greetings to the Deputy Lord.”

“Greetings…….”

So-i immediately bowed, and the Sword Dragon reluctantly followed suit, though his displeasure was evident.

The person who appeared was none other than my father—Shin Ryong Gu Cheolun.

Was he the one coming with us?

‘Is this another arranged situation?’

I recalled the time I met the Sword Sovereign. Father had been there then too. If the Sword Sovereign gave this order…

‘Is he the watchdog?’

Could it be Father? I glanced to the side, wondering.

I looked at Do-yun, but…

He showed no change in expression. Even though he had said Father was the target of his revenge.

No awkwardness showed.

‘Definitely.’

If this guy’s acting, he’s ridiculously good at it.

As I watched quietly and nodded my head.

“Are we all prepared?”

“Yes. Everyone is gathered.”

At So-i’s report, Father nodded. Then he glanced my way.

Our eyes met.

I couldn’t tell what he was thinking with that expressionless face.

Still the same.

After a brief eye contact, Father looked at Sword Dragon.

His face was all puffed up and blue. After staring at it for a moment.

Pfft.

‘Huh?’

Unless I’m mistaken, it seemed like Father laughed? And it felt like a mocking laugh.

Nangong Jin must have felt it too, as his eyes widened in an instant.

“Did you just laugh-!”

“The carriage is ready.”

Just as Nangong Jin was about to explode in anger, a huge carriage appeared from the entrance where Father had come in.

Neigh—!!!

Clearly, the horses looked like they were of a good breed, appearing with great vigor. Moreover, the carriage was so large it could almost be considered a residence. And looking at the flag hanging on it.

‘……Baekhwa?’

The emblem of the Baekhwa Sect was on it. Which means… the owner of this voice is.

“Shall we depart right away?”

‘……Lady Mi?’

A beauty leaning out of the carriage window.

It was Lady Mi from her younger days.

‘What the?’

Why is Lady Mi popping up here?

While I was trying to understand the situation.

“……Keuk!!?”

Sword Dragon, upon seeing Lady Mi, suddenly covered his face.

‘Huh?’

I frowned as I watched. His previously blue face turned slightly red. Even his ears were red.

‘What’s up with him?’

Why is he acting like that again?

It’s a pretty strange sight. It seems like he’s trying to hide his face, but doing so only makes it more obvious.

“What are you doing? Not getting on……huh?”

Perhaps because of that, Lady Mi’s gaze also turned to Nangong Jin.

“Nangong Junior?”

“Uh, ah, yes.”

“What are you doing there?”

“……Nothing. Just some ants on the ground.”

“……Watching ants?”

Mi Hyo-ran made a face as if to say, “What kind of nonsense is that?” Even to me, the excuse of watching ants was really weird.

Is his face that embarrassed? Not that I have the right to say anything, but I don’t think he needs to hide it like that.

So, while I was looking at Nangong Jin for a moment.

‘……No way.’

I widened my eyes, looking at Nangong Jin, then at Mi Hyo-ran. Repeating this a few times, I thought.

Is that guy really?

‘Does he have feelings for Lady Mi?’

If he says no, his reaction is too transparent. If even I can tell, it’s already over.

‘Huh?’

What kind of ridiculous situation is this? Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I was at a loss for words when.

“If you’re ready, get on. We need to hurry, right?”

Mi Hyo-ran, having lost interest in Nangong Jin, urged us to get on quickly. At her words, Father nodded and boarded the carriage.

“We need to depart, so get ready.”

As he boarded the carriage and spoke, we slowly approached the carriage as well. Naturally, it was to board.

“Stop right there.”

Just as we were about to board, Mi Hyo-ran spoke in a cold voice.

“Where do you think you’re boarding?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Of course, we had to board the carriage to depart, so we were about to step in when Mi Hyo-ran blocked us.

What the?

With puzzled eyes, Do-yun and I looked at Mi Hyo-ran. She pointed her finger behind us.

“You guys are over there.”

Wondering what she meant, I glanced back and, surprisingly, there was another carriage.

The problem was.

“…….”

Its condition wasn’t exactly great.

It didn’t look too bad, but compared to the carriage we were about to board, it was like heaven and earth.

‘We’re supposed to ride that?’

With a dumbfounded expression, I looked at Mi Hyo-ran. The carriage clearly had plenty of space left.

Even with Father and So-i, who are big, boarding, there was still room. The rest of us could have easily fit.

Yet, Mi Hyo-ran showed no intention of changing her mind and kept pointing at the carriage.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

“…….”

At her firm words, we obediently got down and moved to the back carriage.

Upon boarding, Nangong Jin was already sitting inside with his arms crossed. His angry face was a bonus.

“Dammit…….”

It didn’t seem like he was mad about riding with me.

No matter how you looked at it, his eyes were fixed on the carriage Mi Hyo-ran was in.

I sat down, looking at his expression.

With Do-yun also boarding, it was a bit cramped.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Sitting there, the three of us guys had the same thought.

This mission isn’t going to be easy, that’s for sure.

 

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