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[Mi So-i]

The night when Moyong Biyeon faced Mi Hyo-ran. It was the first time she saw Mi Hyo-ran open her eyes so wide.

She had always thought of her as a cold and unshakable person, yet here she was, so visibly shaken.

Could it be that she’s getting older?

Something that was once rigid seemed to have crumbled a little.

Yes.

Everyone has aged.

After all, it had been over ten years, so it was inevitable.

Every time she recalled this inevitable truth, something uncomfortable stirred within Moyong Biyeon.

Yet, hiding such feelings, Moyong Biyeon spoke to Mi Hyo-ran.

“Long time no see, Mi So-i.”

“…You…”

“Have you been well?”

The face of her old friend, which she hadn’t seen in a while, bore the marks of time.

It wasn’t about the change in skin or wrinkles; there was a noticeable difference in the atmosphere she carried.

Should she say it had become a bit more luxurious?

Just as treasures gain value as time passes, the friend before her had become a more noble person through the years.

Seeing that, Moyong Biyeon thought.

“How unfair.”

“…Excuse me?”

“No, it’s nothing.”

Because of her demeanor, she couldn’t believe that he chose Mi Hyo-ran.

After all, it was the best choice he could have made.

In the past, she used to make excuses like that to herself.

But.

Was that merely an issue of the ‘past’?

Perhaps she was still stuck in that memory.

As Moyong Biyeon slowly became consumed by her recollections, Mi Hyo-ran asked her a question.

“How have you been…?”

“As for me, well, I’ve managed as always.”

“I sent a few letters, but I never got a reply. Was something wrong?”

“Ah…”

That letter was probably resting somewhere in the Moyong Clan.

She had told the clan leader in advance to avoid sending anything her way, no matter what.

Her stubbornness was dutifully upheld by the clan leader.

“I’m sorry.”

What Moyong Biyeon could say to Mi Hyo-ran was the best she had.

She didn’t express any excuses, as she had none, and because it was also the result of her own choices.

“I had a lot on my plate.”

“Is that so.”

Nodding at Moyong Biyeon’s words, Mi Hyo-ran accepted it, and that was that.

Behind doubts like whether that was really true or if such disregard was too much, she left all accusations and resentment aside.

Mi Hyo-ran chose faith and calmness.

Since Moyong Biyeon said so, she decided to believe it.

Seeing her, Moyong Biyeon once again confirmed.

That she still could not surpass Mi Hyo-ran.

“…Mi So-i, you haven’t changed.”

“You haven’t either.”

Moyong Biyeon secretly smirked at Mi Hyo-ran’s remark.

“Just like the last time we met, you’re still the same.”

[…]

Since that time when they had wanted to go their separate ways after everything.

Moyong Biyeon’s appearance had not changed in the slightest.

Be it her looks or her heart.

Should she be pleased about that?

For Moyong Biyeon, it made her feel somewhat ashamed for not maturing at all.

Seeing her like this, Mi Hyo-ran asked.

“Did you come to see me for something?”

“Um… I just happened to be in Hanam and heard Mi So-i was here, so I came to see you.”

“At this hour?”

“I’m sorry for that…”

“It’s okay. It’s been a while since you dropped by.”

The slight edge in her words felt particularly sharp.

Even after time had passed, Mi Hyo-ran’s tone still reminded her of the past.

Amidst the awkwardness, Mi Hyo-ran hesitated and asked a question.

“Then, did you come to see just me?”

[…]

“If it were to see him…”

“No, I came to see only you, Mi So-i.”

Just as Mi Hyo-ran was about to say something, Moyong Biyeon cut her off.

“…That’s not it.”

Once again denying it.

But it was a lie.

Moyong Biyeon’s original intention was to arrive in Hanam and meet that person; it was just that she chose differently at this moment.

The reason for this change in choice was probably that she faced the child of that person.

Was it because she witnessed a young man walking around who resembled him?

Or perhaps this was merely an excuse, stemming from her fear of meeting that person.

Even Moyong Biyeon herself couldn’t be sure.

The important thing was that she still did not wish to face him.

Perhaps Mi Hyo-ran noticed such feelings, as she looked at Moyong Biyeon with her curious eyes.

“…Are you okay?”

“Of course! I’m always fine. No problems at all.”

While hiding multiple emotions, Moyong Biyeon smiled.

As always.

Though time had passed, her feelings had only deepened.

Moyong Biyeon thought she had forgotten it all.

That was why she believed she could meet him now.

Yet, the moment she faced his son, she realized that thought was wrong.

She still found it impossible to forget him.

Thus, it meant she couldn’t meet him.

With the heart she had now, she couldn’t face him and smile upon meeting.

That would be unfair to him and unfair to her friend.

Hiding such emotions, Moyong Biyeon continued speaking to Mi Hyo-ran.

“Ah, by the way, Mi So-i, did you know? I met your daughter earlier.”

At those words, Mi Hyo-ran’s expression shifted.

“Daughter? Which daughter…?”

“Your second daughter. Her name was Yeonseo, right? She was a lovely child.”

Mi Hyo-ran sighed in relief.

Thank goodness.

If it were the eldest, it would have been more complicated, but since it was the second, it seemed there was nothing out of the ordinary.

“…That’s a relief.”

“Yes?”

“Nothing. So, what about that?”

Surprised by the sudden mention of Gu Yeonseo, Mi Hyo-ran seemed a bit flustered.

Moyong Biyeon considered mentioning her association with that Peng fellow but decided to move on to a different subject.

“She was really beautiful, wasn’t she? Maybe she takes after you.”

[…]

Seeing Moyong Biyeon’s words, Mi Hyo-ran averted her gaze slightly.

That action made Moyong Biyeon chuckle inwardly.

The shy behavior remained unchanged even after all this time.

“And, I also met the boy who’s been getting popular lately. I think he was Gu Yangcheong.”

“…!”

At her words, Mi Hyo-ran’s eyes sparkled as she turned to look at Moyong Biyeon.

She hadn’t expected Gu Yangcheong’s name to come up here.

“What about that child…?”

“He looked a lot like his father.”

“Baek Cheon-gyeom…”

Moyong Biyeon smiled wryly at the name Mi Hyo-ran uttered.

Hearing her refer to her title felt strangely distant.

“Please don’t call me that, Mi So-i. It feels… odd.”

“Then how should I address you?”

“Just like before, either Moyong So-i or Biyeon So-i is fine. Or if it fits, you can stick to old nicknames like ‘that loser’ or ‘that killer’…”

“I’ll call you Moyong So-i.”

“Okay.”

As Moyong Biyeon brought up the dark history she wished to bury, Mi Hyo-ran hastily interrupted.

Back then, they had both been unnaturally sharp toward each other.

Now it would be just a memory.

Hm hm.

Mi Hyo-ran may not realize it, but at least Moyong Biyeon did.

“Anyway, I saw the child, and they were amazing! They closely resembled my father.”

“Right?”

Since she complimented Gu Yangcheong, a short smile appeared on Mi Hyo-ran’s face.

That smile struck Moyong Biyeon particularly deeply.

From what she understood, Gu Yangcheong was not only the child of that person but also the son of the mischievous brat she knew.

Why did Mi Hyo-ran look like that?

Moyong Biyeon, who had never birthed a child herself, found it puzzling.

But there was one thing she could ascertain.

“Looks like you’ve become a mom, Mi So-i.”

“Excuse me?”

Unlike her previous maiden days, now she was addressed as a mother.

Unlike herself, who remained in the past.

Perhaps that’s why.

Her nephew’s gaze resurfaced in her mind.

Because he shared feelings and moments for a man, just like she had back then, it struck a specific chord within Moyong Biyeon.

She simply hoped that the outcome of her nephew would not mirror hers.

So what should she do?

Would advising her be effective?

“Stop that. Experiencing such love won’t bring anything good.”

Would saying that be convincing?

Probably not.

It was painfully obvious.

Once a person reached that expression, it was already too late.

No one understood this better than Moyong Biyeon herself.

So what should she do?

Moyong Biyeon contemplated a means by which she could help her nephew while shedding her unnecessary feelings.

This was merely a thought, as she had already envisioned a method upon coming to meet Mi Hyo-ran.

“So, Mi So-i.”

Moyong Biyeon’s call had Mi Hyo-ran look up.

Moyong Biyeon, who had never been good at handling clever methods, realized that her idea was not particularly brilliant.

As usual, what she was best at was simply throwing herself into the matter headlong.

With a puzzled expression on Mi Hyo-ran’s face, Moyong Biyeon asked.

“Do you happen to need a guard for your son?”

“…Huh…?”

Mi Hyo-ran frowned at the sudden question.

Recalling that moment, Moyong Biyeon scratched her head awkwardly.

“What’s with this guard nonsense?”

Though she shouted, it was indeed a somewhat absurd method.

To help her nephew while attempting to confront the reality of forgetting his father by sticking close to the child.

Wasn’t that a rather ridiculous idea?

Moyong Biyeon was all too aware of that herself.

“What can I do? It’s already been said.”

Having already blurted it out, Moyong Biyeon chose to forget about the past.

True to her nature, she didn’t dwell much on what was behind her.

The only thing she clung to was just this one thing.

Now, Moyong Biyeon was feeling the morning air as she wandered around the campsite.

“Her expression was quite amusing.”

Thinking back to when she announced she would be serving as his guard, Gu Yangcheong’s expression came to mind.

“So similar yet so different.”

As she watched, she began to realize little by little.

While her father rarely displayed any expressions, Gu Yangcheong was rather good at showing his feelings.

Especially when he disliked something, he wouldn’t hide it but instead wore a clear expression of displeasure.

It was quite the rarity, and it left Moyong Biyeon with a small question.

“Just what is it that our nephew found appealing?”

Being her nephew, Moyong Hi-ah must have found something about Gu Yangcheong appealing.

Honestly speaking, while he resembled his father, he only had the fierce demeanor and eyes.

In terms of appearance, he seemed to fall short compared to his father.

Of course, she had seen Moyong Hi-ah giving her a serious look for even mentioning that, so she would prefer not to voice it.

“His personality… is not exactly silent.”

He definitely wasn’t extremely chatty, but he wasn’t quiet either.

Instead, he seemed to lean more towards having a disagreeable temperament, it seemed.

Although rumors tend to be exaggerated, the claims about him having a foul temper didn’t seem too far from the truth.

So summing it all up.

His looks weren’t outstanding.

His personality leaned toward being bad.

He didn’t have a particularly large build, and there were many women around him.

Currently, the only things he possessed were overwhelming talent and a solid future as a martial artist.

Judging by all that, while it was possible that my niece could be drawn to him solely for his prowess, it was hard to imagine her feeling any love for him.

“…What on earth?”

This was something Moyong Biyeon couldn’t easily comprehend.

Thus, the notion that he was overflowing with female attention felt equally incomprehensible.

“If that’s genetic, then fine.”

Just as he inherited talent in martial arts, if this too was inherited, it could make sense.

But no matter how she looked at it, that reasoning didn’t add up.

“…There must be something else.”

He likely possessed a charm she couldn’t see—there had to be something compelling enough to lead her to this point.

Despite not having seen her for a long time, Moyong Biyeon felt confident her niece wouldn’t fall for the likes of a pitiful person.

Knowing that, she wished to support her out of concern.

Only.

“Feeling a bit guilty about it is the problem…”

The reason for wanting to support her was tainted with a lurking desire for vicarious satisfaction in her own life choices.

Well, as long as it’s for the best…

While feeling a sense of discomfort, Moyong Biyeon moved on.

Having just spoken of her role as a guard, she next sought out Gu Yangcheong.

Normally, it would be right to wander around the area to guard him.

However, the reason she intentionally searched for Gu Yangcheong was due to the earlier statement he made.

“Don’t come to find me at night; I’ll be training.”

That was something he had directly mentioned.

What was curious was that, rather than finding that impertinent and annoying, it somehow felt fitting, leaving her with no strong emotional response.

Though Moyong Biyeon didn’t usually worry about trivial matters.

It was indeed a peculiar feeling.

Seeing someone who was a little rude somehow seemed to suit his persona—truly a strange talent.

In a lighthearted reflection, Moyong Biyeon wore a smile.

Continuing to search the forest with a gleaming smile.

“Where could our precious young master possibly be… hmm?”

While searching for Gu Yangcheong, she soon caught sight of a group in the distance.

“Oh….”

As soon as she spotted them, Moyong Biyeon smiled and dashed forward.

What had been a notable distance now shrank in an instant due to her strides.

Thud.

“Hello?”

“Eek!!”

At her sudden appearance, a woman with deep green hair jumped in surprise.

She was Tang Soyeol, the child of the Poison King.

Moyong Biyeon’s eyes sparkled with intrigue.

Her surprise wasn’t due to Tang Soyeol’s reaction.

Rather, it was because the other two women who were present did not appear startled in the slightest.

On the contrary, they were already preparing to stand and greet her as if they had anticipated her arrival.

Moyong Biyeon found that sight fascinating.

“Look at this.”

While the child of the Poison King may boast a charming demeanor, she could not be compared to the two ladies she was currently observing.

Even Moyong Biyeon was taken aback by the beauty of the two.

One was a woman with hair close to white and striking blue locks.

Her half-open eyes, seemingly sleepy, exuded a unique aura.

The other had lustrous brown hair with golden hues, creating a mesmerizing appearance that felt as if one might get drawn in.

Each of them could stand amongst the top beauties of the central plains.

Seeing them, Moyong Biyeon silently nodded.

“Ah, I see.”

With such distinct features, she quickly figured out who these two women were.

The woman with white hair must be the Sword Dance Hero, the child of that reckless brat.

The other must be the Sword Sovereign’s successor, the child of that ancient elder.

“That means.”

All three gathered here were chasing after Gu Yangcheong, just like her niece.

“Sigh.”

Such a sight could only draw a deep sigh—it was excessive abundance in feminine attention, indeed.

Clearly, they inherited nothing from their father, and yet they resembled him the most.

What was more, this Sword Dance Hero was…

“Engaged, right?”

If she was said to be engaged, then she was likely the one with the highest chance of sticking close to Gu Yangcheong.

Recalling that, Moyong Biyeon couldn’t help but smile.

“Hello, gorgeous ladies. Do you know who this older sister is?”

As soon as Moyong Biyeon spoke, Tang Soyeol’s eyes widened, and she greeted with respect.

“I am from the Tang Clan, and it’s an honor to meet you, Sword Dance Hero!”

Following her lead, Wi Seol-Ah and Nangong Bi-ah also bowed their heads.

“I’m honored to meet you, Sword Dance Hero. I’m Wi Seol-Ah…”

“…Nangong Bi-ah….”

“Nice to meet you. You don’t have to be so stiff; you can call me ‘older sister’ comfortably.”

Such beautiful girls they were.

Beyond just their looks, they radiated brilliance that evoked fond memories of that time.

Especially, a woman in love always seemed to shine even more brightly.

In that sense, they were already magnificently glowing.

Like stars in the sky.

Could it be for that reason?

Moyong Biyeon momentarily forgot her goal of finding Gu Yangcheong and felt a playful spirit rising.

“I heard you’re friends with my nephew-in-law?”

Gasp.

Hearing that title leave Moyong Biyeon’s lips, all three froze simultaneously.

Confirming that, Moyong Biyeon continued speaking.

“You’re pretty lucky. Being friends with such beautiful girls…. Please take good care of our nephew. He’s a bit unfortunate since he resembles his father, but he’s a good child.”

“Your nephew… that would be the one referred to as Moyong So-i’s nephew?”

Tang Soyeol’s somewhat bewildered voice evoked a smile from Moyong Biyeon.

“Which Moyong? I’m Moyong too.”

“Ah, w-well….”

“I’m joking. Yes, our nephew.”

“Then… if it’s a nephew-in-law, are you referring to Gu Yangcheong, the Prince…?”

“Huh? That’s right. Our Yangcheon.”

Hearing that, the atmosphere among the three of them shifted once more.

Amid this, Tang Soyeol cleared her throat softly.

She appeared somewhat uncomfortable.

“Anyway, I’m sorry for suddenly interrupting your gathering. I came over to ask something.”

“…Yes.”

“Have you seen our nephew-in-law anywhere? I can’t seem to find him.”

In her understated voice, there was an air that felt slightly chilly.

Despite sensing the chilly aura, Moyong Biyeon did not halt her words.

She wanted to see how they responded.

“If you do see him, please send him my way….”

As she continued to speak, suddenly someone interrupted her.

“I think you’ve misunderstood something.”

“Huh?”

A clearly enunciated voice interrupted Moyong Biyeon, which she initially assumed came from one of the Tang Clan’s children, only to discover it was the child of the Nangong Clan.

With drowsy eyes and a somewhat awkward tone, she appeared rather shy, but unlike their first meeting, a rather unexpected aura emanated from her now.

“What do you mean by that?”

“He is… not the nephew-in-law of the Sword Dance Hero…”

Nangong Bi-ah locked her clear blue eyes onto Moyong Biyeon’s.

Those eyes had a depth that even Moyong Biyeon found difficult to comprehend.

“…Oh?”

Gradually, Moyong Biyeon couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration for the energy radiating from Nangong Bi-ah.

“So this one, huh?”

She was said to be one of the promising late-stage talents, but the presence she had was far more mature than expected.

Furthermore.

Qi perception.

Moyong Biyeon sensed a hint of martial aura from Nangong Bi-ah.

She looked the most gentle, yet was apparently the fieriest among them.

Determined not to allow Moyong Biyeon to walk over her words.

Right then.

Moyong Biyeon casually glanced at the other two.

The child of the Sword Sovereign also had a gaze that sharpened in response to Nangong Bi-ah’s energy, while the Tang Clan child wore an uncomfortable expression.

Viewing their interactions, Moyong Biyeon felt.

“How adorable.”

Rather than thinking these young ones were utterly impertinent, she felt a refreshing joy.

She remembered that she had once been like this.

The memory eluded her.

Could she have been with the current Sword Demoness So-i when faced with the prior Sword Demoness?

At that time, she had also found herself in a similar situation.

Knowing full well she could never win, she had begrudgingly drawn her sword against the Sword Demoness.

What did the Sword Demoness say back then? She couldn’t quite remember.

Though she couldn’t recall the exact words, she distinctly remembered her behavior.

What was the point of speaking to her if she couldn’t replicate the sentiment?

If Moyong Biyeon tried to mimic the Sword Demoness’s tone, she’d likely cringe and end up with thorns on her tongue.

Thus, Moyong Biyeon decided to adopt her own method.

“You ladies seem to take exception to what I just said, didn’t you?”

Hearing Moyong Biyeon’s words, all three flinched.

It wasn’t just her words—they could feel the martial energy behind it.

Nonetheless, contrary to expectations.

“I’m sorry. I meant to tease you a little but perhaps I took it too far. I apologize.”

As suddenly as Moyong Biyeon had apologized, the atmosphere seemed to dissipate.

It was not every day to see a martial master like Baek Cheon-gyeom easily yield an apology, leading them to believe the situation couldn’t really devolve any further.

Thus, though they could choose to brush it off, it was rather unfortunate that Moyong Biyeon was not aiming for that.

Seeing the expressions on the girls’ faces, Moyong Biyeon smiled brightly.

“Then how about we do something fun instead of this?”

As they started to feel puzzled about what she meant, at that moment,

Swish.

Moyong Biyeon drew her sword from the sheath, the moment her energy began to emanate and spread throughout the forest.

 

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