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“……”

“……”

Suddenly, I went to his residence and met Nangong Hyeong. He had just woken up, so he was staring at me with somewhat dazed eyes.

Gradually, strength returned to his eyes, and he wrapped his arms around himself.

“……Are you here to kill me?”

He said it with a slightly scared expression.

“……No.”

When I sighed and spoke, Nangong Hyeong suddenly burst into laughter.

“Ahaha. Just messing with you. Your reaction is so boring.”

“……Do you want me to kill you?”

“Ah, no thanks.”

His horrified expression was a work of art. He didn’t seem to be acting, so that was probably genuine.

“So. Why did you come looking for me?”

“To shut your mouth.”

“……Didn’t you just say you weren’t here to kill me?”

“Shutting someone’s mouth doesn’t always mean killing them.”

“Ah, that’s true.”

He nodded as if he understood.

Then.

“Wait a second.”

He went to the corner and pulled something out. It was a table. Where did that even come from?

Then he placed it in front of me and pulled something out of the drawer.

It was two teacups and some tea leaves.

Why was that even there?

“I don’t have much to offer. Want some tea?”

“You don’t look so good. How long has it been?”

The tea leaves didn’t look like they were in any condition to be drunk.

“I don’t know.”

“……No thanks.”

“Alright then.”

Hearing my answer, Nangong Hyeong shoved the teacups back into the drawer.

“Tea’s out of the question. What else do I have?”

“……You don’t have to entertain me.”

“But I heard you should offer something to guests. This is awkward.”

Nangong Hyeong sat awkwardly in front of the table.

“Anyway…… So, how are you going to shut my mouth?”

The way he sat there picking his nose didn’t match his appearance at all.

“I didn’t go to Biwaegun on purpose.”

“Come on, don’t be like that. We’re both players here.”

Nangong Hyeong smirked.

“If you were going to let it slide, you shouldn’t have knocked me out.”

“You were the one who charged at me first.”

“I had a reason. You didn’t. You’re like an intruder, aren’t you?”

“……If we’re being technical, aren’t you also an intruder? Sneaking in is the same either way.”

We both snuck in, that’s true.

“Come on. I’m still part of this family’s bloodline.”

Nangong Hyeong is part of the Nangong Clan.

That’s the problem.

“I’ll just get scolded and that’s it. Shin Ryong. You’re not like that, are you?”

“……No.”

“So tell me. Why did you do it? Do you have business with our family? Ah. Maybe.”

Nangong Hyeong’s eyes narrowed.

“Are you planning to kill my father?”

“What kind of crazy talk is that?”

I frowned at his eerie words. What kind of nonsense is this?

“Ah, no?”

“Are you insane?”

“Why not? It happens sometimes. It’s a bit awkward, but I might let it slide.”

“……What are you talking about?”

Killing his father, Nangong Jeohwi. That bizarre statement made me want to laugh.

Then Nangong Jeohwi pointed to the room with his hand.

“You can see it, right? I’m not treated well in this house.”

“So. Do you want to kill your father?”

“No, but if someone else did it, I wouldn’t mind.”

“You’re crazy.”

“Or even better, burn down the entire Nangong Clan.”

“……Are you insane?”

“A little?”

Nangong Hyeong’s smile felt somewhat bitter.

“Living like this here, it’s hard not to go crazy.”

“……”

A strange silence filled the deep space. Nangong Hyeong was already broken somewhere.

‘Is this why he took Thunder Fang and ran?’

Given his state, it wasn’t that surprising.

“So if it’s something like that, I might pretend not to know.”

“Sorry, but that’s not going to happen.”

If I killed Nangong Jeohwi, who knows what would happen.

Besides.

‘Even if the Blood Qi is unsettling.’

I still don’t know much about it. I’d rather not get involved in the Nangong Clan’s affairs.

Especially for Nangong Bi-ah’s sake.

“……Really? That’s a shame.”

Nangong Hyeong nodded as if he genuinely felt disappointed.

“So, how are you going to shut my mouth?”

“……”

“Nothing comes to mind, huh?”

“……Is killing really the only option?”

“……If you’re talking to yourself, calm down. I can hear you.”

“I said it for you to hear.”

“Wow.”

Nangong Hyeong was impressed by my words.

“You’re also a lunatic, huh?”

“……”

……The fact that he said “also” means he knows he’s not normal, right?

“Death isn’t so bad. But it’s a bit of a waste…… You also have some business here, but it’s not revenge or anything against the Nangong Clan, right?”

“……Just some business.”

“In Biwaegun? As an outsider?”

“……”

“Will you answer if I ask for details?”

“I didn’t prepare any excuses.”

“Ah…… So you’re not planning to be honest.”

Nangong Hyeong looked at me as if he couldn’t believe it.

“This is…… tricky. If I don’t hear it, you might really kill me. Right?”

“……!”

My eyes widened slightly at his words. It was something I had been considering, but I didn’t think he’d catch on.

“Wow, it was true? I was just testing you.”

“I didn’t think about it.”

“Funny. Your eyes just now could’ve killed someone.”

What kind of eyes were those? They were just panicked eyes.

“Scary. So you’re Shin Ryong…… You’re even stranger than I expected. Are you really from the Righteous Faction?”

“……For now?”

I wasn’t actually Shin Ryong, but I didn’t bother correcting him.

Because it seemed like this would work better for now.

“I don’t want to die…… But I can’t just let it slide. What should I do?”

If he doesn’t keep his mouth shut, I might have to kill him. Even in such a situation, he remains calm.

The more I see of Nangong Hyeong’s younger days, the stranger he seems.

‘Did he become normal as he got older?’

That gentleman was also strange, but not to this extent.

“Ah, right.”

Nangong Hyeong suddenly spoke as if he remembered something.

“Do me one favor.”

“A favor?”

Suddenly? I looked at Nangong Hyeong with a puzzled expression, and he erased the smile from his face as he looked at me.

“Uh, a favor.”

“What favor?”

“Nothing big. Ah, when are you leaving?”

“…Hmm. About seven weeks, maybe?”

“That’s reasonable. So, you know.”

Nangong Hyeong stepped closer.

“If I need a favor during that time, could you help me out?”

“I’d have to hear what it is first.”

“It’s nothing major. If you don’t want to, you don’t have to. How about it?”

“……”

It definitely seemed like it was going to be annoying.

No matter how I thought about it, it felt like he was trying to shut me up, even if it was forced.

Even though using Demonization or Golden Binding in this era felt a bit awkward, it was better than causing more trouble by pushing too hard.

Thinking that, I told myself, ‘Just endure it three times.’

Tsk.

The image of someone who would become his disciple in the future came to mind.

That was the problem.

‘Damn it.’

Anyway, it’s not helpful.

“Alright.”

“Oh! Really?”

“I’ll try. So, will you shut up then?”

“Of course.”

“Do we really need to use Golden Binding or something?”

“Don’t men go by trust?”

“…Fine, let’s do that.”

I stood up. I don’t know how this conversation even worked.

Is it because I have no feelings for the Nangong Clan?

Or.

‘Because I know Nangong Hyeong as a person.’

Is that why this deal is happening?

It was bizarre, but in the end, it worked.

Just as I was about to leave Nangong Hyeong and step outside the door.

“Ah, and.”

“Hmm?”

I turned back to Nangong Hyeong and said.

“Just so you know, I’m not Shin Ryong.”

“What?”

“Just saying.”

“Eh? Wait—!”

Ignoring Nangong Hyeong trying to stop me, I launched myself into the air.

I flew through the void, and my vision changed in an instant.

‘Ah, right.’

While flying, I suddenly remembered something I forgot.

‘…I should’ve asked what that hole was.’

Why is there a hole under Nangong Hyeong’s residence that connects to Biwaegun?

I wanted to ask, but I didn’t.

‘Sigh.’

Should I go back? I thought about it but decided not to.

Because it wasn’t something I needed to worry about.

After all.

‘If there’s no trace of Nangong Ming’s thoughts in Biwaegun.’

Then I have no business with the Nangong Clan. Now, it’s just Do-yun, Father.

And Mother that I need to care about.

Just as I was flying back to my residence.

Boom-!

“Huh?”

A rough sound brushed past my ears.

Boom-! Clatter! Boom!

The sound of chains moving and repeated loud noises.

I turned my eyes toward the direction of the sound.

The location was the training room inside the clan.

“……”

Boom-! Boom-!

Was it the loud noise?

Without realizing it, my steps moved toward the source of the sound.

As I slowly approached.

“Hup!”

Clatter—!!

There was a beautiful woman swinging a flail with chains.

Crack-!

Despite her graceful movements, the result was violent.

The flail smashed through the head of a wooden human-shaped board.

‘Hyun So-yeon.’

The daughter of the Upper House and Nangong Jin’s fiancée.

Also.

‘The mother of Nangong Bi-ah.’

Anyone could see she was destined to give birth to Nangong Bi-ah in the future.

I heard she was from the Upper House.

‘Why is she doing that?’

Why was such a person swinging a flail in the training room?

It was the same when I first met her.

Just like when I first encountered Nangong Bi-ah in this life. Hyun So-yeon appeared while chasing a Demon Beast.

I recalled that time.

A well-trained body for someone from the Upper House.

Even her realm was that of a top-tier martial artist, and her weapon…

‘A flail…’

Not a sword or a spear, but a flail.

It didn’t match her appearance at all, yet she swung it effortlessly.

“Huff!”

Swish—! Clatter! Boom-!

The flail spun through the air, continuously smashing the boards. The precision of her attacks was remarkably sharp.

‘She’s not just casually training.’

It was proof that she wasn’t just swinging it around.

It also meant she was serious about martial arts.

“Hmm.”

I stared at her intently.

From her focused face, I could sense someone.

Clatter.

The sound of the chains gradually became mistaken for the sound of a sword.

Swish—! Swoosh!

A woman swinging her sword under the moonlight. Nangong Bi-ah overlapped in my vision.

“……”

Because of that, my eyes were drawn. Helplessly.

Even though it was just her training, I couldn’t stop watching.

“Pretty.”

A voice came from beside me.

Hearing that, I laughed.

“Yeah.”

She’s beautiful.

Those words seemed to speak for my heart, and I found myself agreeing…

“…?”

Wait.

“What?”

Why is the voice coming from beside me?

I quickly turned my head. Someone was next to me.

“Eh? Hi?”

When our eyes met, the woman smiled and waved at me.

“……”

A woman with scarlet eyes and a faint scarlet hue, with almost no presence, and white hair.

It was my mother.

 

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