༺ Way Back (3) ༻
“…So what brings you guys here?”
I cringed at the sight that greeted as I entered the building.
I had hoped that my senses had sohow picked up wrong presences, but of course, they hadn’t.
Tang Soyeol who was carefully eating her al turned into a statue upon seeing .
While Namgung Bi-ah simply continued to eat with a dumb face, pretending that she hadn’t noticed .
Then there was Wi Seol-Ah who just naturally moved to sit next to them, and started eating as well.
‘…Okay okay, understandable.’
I could understand Wi Seol-Ah’s actions.
I could also—to an extent—understand Namgung Bi-ah’s actions, as I was used to her taking unexpected albeit irritating actions.
However, Tang Soyeol.
Why is she here?
She even seed to be avoiding eye contact with .
“Lady Tang.”
“Y-Yes!?”
All I did was call her na, so what is she so startled for?
“What brings you here?”
“…I- I just happened to coincidentally pass by.”
“…Coincidentally?”
What were the odds that the Lady of the Tang clan, who never traveled outside of her clan, would suddenly choose to step out of her clan and then end up here with everyone?
Plus, I had only just arrived.
I asked Tang Soyeol just in case.
“Were you waiting for ?”
“N-No! What reasons would I have for to wait for you!?”
She was denying it even with her hands, and I agreed, feeling like there was no other possible answer.
“You’re right, but then I wonder why you are here.”
“…”
Tang Soyeol beca silent at this point, as she didn’t have another excuse.
Why are they acting like this? I never was able to understand Tang Soyeol even in my previous life.
‘Maybe she has a crush on ?’
I quickly put that thought away as soon as it ca up.
Unlike Gu Jeolyub and Namgung Cheonjun, I didn’t have a face that would set up for life. Not to ntion, I don’t think I was Tang Soyeol’s type.
And in the off chance, even if she did have a crush on …
I suddenly recalled a mory of her torturing soone with a small poisonous nail, the size of a pinky nail.
I hadn’t been directly tortured by her, but I rembered Tang Soyeol’s expression during it.
It was too much for to handle.
Yeah, she definitely ca here for so sort of business…
I hoped that she would be done with it already and leave soon.
I turned my attention to the crazy bitch from the Namgung Clan after speaking to Tang Soyeol.
“Lady Namgung.”
“…?”
“What brings you here?”
“…Hmm?”
Hmm?
Why is she making that face?
Namgung Bi-ah’s face was telling , ‘Why are you asking such an obvious question?’
I hoped that I had read it wrong.
“Farewell…”
“Pardon?”
As always, Namgung Bi-ah’s brief response irritated .
It was the sa right now. What does she an by farewell? Does she want to say ‘bye’ or sothing?
Or was it code word for hunting humans just like in my previous life?
In my eyes, Namgung Bi-ah still fit the image of a woman who hunted humans.
Of course, I was trying my best to look at her differently.
Which was why I am asking her again.
“Farewell…?”
“I… never said bye.”
“Oh, uh, I’m also here because of that!”
Tang Soyeol quickly chipped in after Namgung Bi-ah’s response.
Oh, I see, so they are here because they never bid farewell huh?
But… Why?
“I explained my situation to the Tang Clan’s Young Lord, you didn’t hear about it?”
“…I did.”
Tang Soyoel responded with a faint voice while Namgung Bi-ah continued to stare at , the look on her face telling that she thought there was nothing wrong with it.
‘…Yeah, I don’t see this as a big problem.’
I guess I didn’t have to look for any ill intents from them since everything had gone well.
In the end, they were just here because they couldn’t give a farewell.
‘…Right, good things are good things.’
I was also admittedly being rude to the people that ca here because they couldn’t give a farewell.
But I didn’t want to involve myself with these crazy won.
I couldn’t emphasize that enough.
“Thank you for coming all the way here. It was good to see you all, and I hope you have a great rest of your lives.”
I answered back with the utmost respect, hoping that they would accept it and leave right away.
They didn’t.
Instead, both their faces showed strange expressions as they looked at .
I guess that wasn’t the reply they wanted…
But then, what exactly did they want from ?
I put that thought aside and asked Namgung Bi-ah. Sothing had been bothering since the mont I noticed her presence;
“Lady Namgung.”
“Hmm?”
“Why are you still here even after the Military Exhibition of Tang Clan has ended? What about the other people from your clan?”
“Cheonjun said he had sothing to do… he said he was waiting for soone.”
Namgung Cheonjun has sothing to do in Sichuan? I an, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.
Even I had sothing to do here, so I guess he must have had his own objectives.
What I was surprised about was sothing else.
“But he allowed you to just co here? He didn’t even follow you?”
It was very surprising to see Namgung Bi-ah here all by herself without Namgung Cheonjun following her.
“Hmm…? He allowed it… he said that you wouldn’t be here anyways…”
‘Allowed her?’
I thought a maniac like him would never allow her to co here, so it was shocking for to hear that he had personally granted her permission.
And he even said he wouldn’t co? What did he an by that?
“But, Lady Namgung…”
“…?”
“Did you forget about the deal we made last ti…?”
“Hmm…?”
We made a deal of her leaving alone in exchange for telling her my real na.
“I didn’t.”
Namgung Bi-ah confidently replied, seemingly proud that she rembered the deal.
But… if you do rember, why are you still here…?
“Then why are you still here?”
“Why…?”
“You said you wouldn’t annoy .”
“I never annoyed you…?”
Oh, for fucks sake.
Namgung Bi-ah genuinely didn’t seem to realize that her being here was enough to annoy .
I guess it’s my fault for not being specific during our deal…
I’m really retarded for not specifying such a key detail.
“But what about speaking formally to then?”
Namgung Bi-ah paused at my comnt, then spoke after rolling her eyes.
“…Young Master.”
“…”
Should I punch her?
I really considered this thought.
At this point, Namgung Bi-ah was practically pulling her sword out and challenging to a fight.
I always got a headache whenever I talked to her.
How did I manage to deal with her in my previous life?
Oh yeah… I just never spoke to her.
‘…How clever I was.’
I think that was the answer.
While I was massaging my temple because of my headache, Tang Soyeol, who had been quietly listening all this ti, visibly hesitated.
It looked like she wanted to say sothing, but I didn’t care enough to ask her about it.
She would probably say it anyways if I just pretended not to notice her.
“U-Um.”
As I expected, Tang Soyeol spoke to hesitantly.
“Yes?”
“If you return to your clan… H-How long will it be till you co back to Sichuan?”
“I’m not sure…?”
Would I ever return all the way here…?
I an, I probably would, but I don’t think it’s any ti soon.
It would probably be at least a few years.
I told Tang Soyeol my answer.
“T-That’s not good… That’s too long.”
Tang Soyeol visibly argued with her own thoughts for a few seconds after hearing my response. Eventually, she seed to have arrived at a conclusion and said.
“Do you… have any poison you like?”
“…Pardon?”
“Or, what about so dagger art…?”
“…Dagger art…?”
Did I hear wrong?
I swear she just said poison.
Tang Soyeol seed stunned upon seeing my reaction.
“I-I knew this wasn’t it. Brother said this would work though…”
“Lady Tang… Are you feeling sick?”
It looked like she was having a headache… A severe one at that.
At this mont, a hand that was targeting the dumplings between us broke the awkward exchange as it snuck forward.
I slapped the hand right away, causing the owner to yell.
I didn’t even have to check who it was.
“Are you done with yours?”
“…Yeah.”
Wi Seol-Ah answered while rubbing her hand.
Then just order another dish. Why are you always targeting mine…?
I let out a sigh and pushed a dish of dumplings towards Wi Seol-Ah.
I didn’t mind, as I didn’t have a good appetite.
Wi Seol-Ah happily started to enjoy more dumplings.
Then from the side, Namgung Bi-ah’s chopsticks aid for the dumplings, which I stopped right away.
“Please order another dish, don’t take others’.”
Namgung Bi-ah stares at with a dumb face.
It looked like her pupils ca alive again once I started looking at her.
“I… have a question, sir.”
“You’re speaking formally to …?”
“That… What happened…?”
The direction Namgung Bi-ah slowly pointed to was my lower abdon.
Namgung Bi-ah, just like Muyeon, noticed the change in .
Tang Soyeol didn’t really seem to care about such things, but Namgung Bi-ah was different.
“I had sothing co up.”
That was the best response I could think of.
Even if I tell her that I found the Golden Nature’s hidden secret treasure, and the giant snake that gave the power…
Hm.
She might actually believe …
I felt like she would be one of the few people who would believe my tale, but there was no point in telling her.
Namgung Bi-ah simply nodded her head at my response.
Then her eyes lit up.
That was not a good sign at all.
There was usually only one follow-up when Namgung Bi-ah showed such a reaction.
“Then what about a duel-”
“I refuse.”
Namgung Bi-ah’s eyes widened following my instant rejection.
“No way…!”
That was a rare mont for Namgung Bi-ah speaking out loud.
What is she even doing…?
Why is she suddenly challenging to a duel when she usually only bothered sword-wielders?
I really don’t like this attention.
“I’ve already used up much of my ti, so I can’t stay here much longer. Therefore, I cannot have a duel with you.”
After saying that, I felt Muyeon staring at with a grudge from behind .
Yeah, I know it’s my fault that we are late, please stop looking at like that…
“Ahem…!”
I let out a fake cough and stood up.
Now that I had finished eating, I had to start moving before sunset.
It took a long ti to co here, so it would be another long trip on the way back.
…Just the thought of it made bored.
Just as I was about to leave, Tang Soyeol suddenly took out sothing from her pocket.
“This, please take it…!”
The thing Tang Soyeol took out was so unknown small bottle and a letter.
“What is this?”
“It’s the invitation for next year’s Military Exhibition…”
“And… you are offering it to for…?”
“I-I want to keep a good relationship with the clans! There isn’t anything else to it…”
We got the invitation every year, but it had a whole different aning when it was an invitation from the family mbers of the main clan.
It ant that they really wanted to co.
I didn’t know what to do in this situation.
Does she really have a crush on ?
“Then… What is this bottle?”
Is it so sort of dicine?
Tang Soyeol smiled when I asked about the bottle.
“It’s a poison that I like… It’s a gift, so please feel free to use it if you ever co across training with poison.”
I nodded my head to Tang Soyeol’s response.
…This girl also isn’t normal.
I was sure.
It was hard for to reject her gift, so I first put it in my pocket.
I was sure that I would be able to co up with so excuse so that I wouldn’t go to next year’s exhibition.
I will make sure I don’t go…
“Anyways… I shall take my leave. I hope that you two have a good ti together.”
“Let’s see each other again.”
Namgung Bi-ah slightly shakes her hand and gives a farewell.
My visage shifted a bit at her words, reluctance flashing through it as I accepted her farewell.
“Uh, yes… We shall et again.”
I started walking after accepting her farewell. I really didn’t like it.
Tang Soyeol also gave a farewell which I accepted, although she was frozen like a stone.
Wi Seol-Ah followed with a ton of food in her mouth.
How did all that fit into her mouth…?
‘Is it finally over?’
Can I finally return to my clan?
My body wasn’t feeling tired physically, thanks to the increase in my Qi, but I felt exhausted ntally.
I walked to the carriage, half limping.
* * * *
Namgung Bi-ah looked at Gu Yangcheon fading back.
Then she was reminded of what he had said to her.
– Why are you speaking informally to ?
Co to think of it… Why did I do that?
In the end, Gu Yangcheon was younger than her own brother, Namgung Cheonjun.
But that still didn’t an that she could just speak to him without respect.
But even then, it felt comfortable speaking to him like that.
What was the reason behind that?
Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t even understand herself, which made her tilt her head in confusion.
“Uh…”
Tang Soyeol called out to her.
“Hmm?”
“…Do you perhaps like Young Master Gu?”
“…Huh?”
Namgung Bi-ah couldn’t understand Tang Soyeol’s question.
Like?
“Like?”
“Eh? Uh, what I an is that, uh…”
Tang Soyeol looked startled upon hearing her question.
Her face turned red, and she gradually turned silent.
I guess even Tang Soyeol didn’t know the answer as she couldn’t answer easily.
‘Like’.
I wonder what that ant.
‘Does she an from girl liking a boy?’
If I asked myself if I liked Gu Yangcheon as a man, I felt like I didn’t.
But I was interested in him as a martial artist.
‘He was completely different.’
The Gu Yangcheon I t at first.
And the Gu Yangcheon that broke my younger brother’s arm.
Were they even the sa person?
I didn’t know the answer.
That was the sad truth.
So I wanted to spar with him, but I was rejected instantly…
If soone asked right now if I could beat Gu Yangcheon in a duel, I felt like I could say yes.
That, however, would only be my answer for right now.
It was shocking, the fact that even soone at Namgung Bi-ah’s level wasn’t sure how to assess Gu Yangcheon.
Even putting aside that matter, the fact alone that Gu Yangcheon didn’t produce a horrible sll;
He’s a person that occupies a space in my mind…
“…Maybe I do like him?”
The words Namgung Bi-ah subconsciously said made Tang Soyeol look like she was going to cry.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing…”
Tang Soyeol quietly mumbled to herself, ‘There is nothing I can do if she is the one I’m against…’
What does she an by ‘there’s nothing she can do’?
“What about Soyeol?”
“Huh…?”
“That thing, you were supposed to give it to .”
“Oh…!”
The invitation letter that Tang Soyeol gave to Gu Yangcheon, was originally for .
Ever since I t Tang Soyeol for the first ti, it’d always been like that.
However, Tang Soyeol gave it to soone else this ti around.
That made Namgung Bi-ah ask Tang Soyeol, as she had beco curious.
“…I, uh…”
Tang Soyeol stuttered as she was startled by the question.
I felt like her stuttering had increased recently.
‘What’s the matter with her? Is she sick?’
The stench that Tang Soyeol gave out was quite slight.
I could almost ignore it if I didn’t actively try to sll it.
That made Tang Soyeol a person comfortable to be around.
Which was why I prayed that she wasn’t sick.
“I… wanted to beco closer to him.”
“I see.”
“I’m sorry… You’re disappointed right?”
“Hmm? I’m fine.”
It was possible for her to attend it even without a direct invitation from a direct family mber.
Namgung Bi-ah felt like there was no need to be disappointed for such a thing.
“Shall we go back…?”
Tang Soyeol asked, disappointnt lacing her tone.
What is she so disappointed about?
I had many questions.
“Yeah.”
Namgung Bi-ah moved along with Tang Soyeol.
Without Gu Yangcheon being here, she would have to return to the place with the horrendous stench,
But she was used to such a life.
So Namgung Bi-ah didn’t beco disappointed.
Thankfully though,
‘I feel like we’ll et again soon.’
That was what she felt for so reason.
And Namgung Bi-ah’s predictions were sothing that ca true most of the ti.
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