Seolhwa imdiately followed the Black Dragon Corps Commander toward the Celestial Tiger Pavilion.
However, before she could et Namgoong Mucheon, there was one obstacle she had to pass.
Standing before the entrance to the pavilion, arms crossed and practically exhaling fire with a murderous glare, was none other than Seop Mugwang.
"You little brat, you—"
The mont he laid eyes on Seolhwa, he {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} flared up in rage.
"Why didn’t you say anything, huh?! When sothing like that happens, you should’ve said sothing! Huh?! I even went to check on you myself yesterday! You couldn’t have said, ‘Oh, now's a good ti to tell him’? Huh?!"
Watching him rage and sputter, Seolhwa calmly thought that he might actually burn himself out and vanish—or explode altogether.
With that thought in mind, she answered coolly.
"But it wasn’t sothing serious enough to ntion."
"And if that's not serious, then what in the world do you consider serious?!"
"It would have to be sothing like poison in my food or setting fire to my bedchamber for it to qualify as serious."
"What...?"
"I used to be in the pleasure house Hwaoru. That place was crawling with filth and sches far worse than anything here. People who wanted dead were constantly around ."
Seop Mugwang’s mouth fell open.
"Compared to that, this is nothing."
Just then, a rumble echoed through the Celestial Tiger Pavilion.
Seolhwa glanced up as the pavilion shook for a brief mont before settling again, then resud walking.
"Grandfather is calling. I’ll be going now."
Without a backward glance, she slipped past the stunned Seop Mugwang and disappeared into the pavilion.
Ryeong, hovering awkwardly nearby, took her place beside the frozen man, who still stood gaping. She was waiting for Seolhwa to finish inside.
‘So this is what Lord Storm Thunder God is really like...’
She cast him a sidelong glance, a mixture of awe and amusent, when suddenly—
Soone smacked the back of her head with a loud thwack.
"Ahhh!"
Grabbing the back of her throbbing head, Ryeong turned with tear-filled eyes to glare at the culprit.
"What was that for?!"
Standing there, fist still clenched, was Namgoong Hyeok, Commander of the Black Dragon Corps.
"You call yourself a guard? You just stood by while the young lady was mocked and slandered by vile rumors? You think that’s guarding her?"
Ryeong, rubbing her aching head and blinking back tears, protested.
"What else was I supposed to do? The young lady ordered to leave it alone!"
"And because she said so, you really just stood there and did nothing? Want another smack?"
As Namgoong Hyeok raised his hand again, Ryeong quickly threw up her arms in defense and shouted.
"Am I supposed to disobey the orders of the one I serve?!"
"Do you even realize how heartbroken the Clan Leader was when he heard about the rumors? You should've at least reported it imdiately!"
"That too was the young lady’s command!"
"You little...!"
Clutching her head again, Ryeong shrieked.
"My lord is the young lady! I only follow the orders given by my lord!"
"Hah..."
Namgoong Hyeok sighed heavily, his hand still awkwardly raised in midair.
To think that this girl, who used to say she hated being a bodyguard more than death itself, now looked ready to die for that young lady... It was almost absurd.
Sighing once more, Namgoong Hyeok finally lowered his hand.
Brushing off his disheveled sleeve, a faint smile lingered stubbornly on his lips for a long while.
****
A knock on the door was imdiately answered by a voice from within.
"Co in."
Entering the room, Seolhwa found Namgoong Mucheon and Chief Steward Namgoong Mun waiting for her.
She offered them a respectful martial salute.
"I greet the Clan Leader."
"Co closer."
Seolhwa stepped forward to stand before the desk.
"I've heard everything. Why did you not tell us? Did I not say that if you faced hardship, you should always ask for help?"
"It wasn’t sothing difficult for ."
Namgoong Mucheon closed his eyes for a long mont before opening them again, recalling the conversation he'd overheard between his granddaughter and Seop Mugwang.
He knew she hadn't lived an easy life. But facing it directly still twisted his heart in a way he found hard to bear.
"I see. Then tell —what would you have do? If it were up to , I would punish everyone spreading these rumors and cut out the root of the problem entirely."
As Clan Leader, Namgoong Mucheon had already formulated a complete response in his mind.
Yet he summoned Seolhwa to ask her thoughts before taking action for one reason alone.
"Was this part of your plan?"
He needed to know whether the rumors spreading were part of a strategy Seolhwa had set into motion, especially given how she had done absolutely nothing in response.
Seolhwa shook her head.
"I had no such intention. But I'd like you to let the rumors be."
Namgoong Mucheon's eyebrows furrowed.
"So you intend to let this grow into sothing bigger."
"I didn't plan it, but since it's happening, I can make use of it."
"Do you have a way to resolve it?"
"I plan to show them sothing."
"And what is that?"
"Power. Overwhelming power—sothing so undeniable that no petty rumor can ever touch again."
Namgoong Mucheon’s eyes glead sharply.
‘She plans to reveal the Breaking Sword Technique at the Heavenly Martial Festival.’
The Breaking Sword Technique—designed specifically to nullify the Namgoong Clan’s prideful sword arts.
Among a clan that placed supre pride in their swordsmanship, there was no more effective way to silence rumors than to shock them into submission.
"Not a bad idea."
The Heavenly Martial Festival would be the perfect opportunity to unveil it.
"In that case, we should also announce that you possess the Heavenly Martial Body."
To show not just one but two earth-shattering truths at once—
The aftershocks of such a revelation would be more than enough to drown out any lingering rumors.
And beyond that, no one would dare to belittle Seolhwa ever again.
It would be the sa as declaring to the martial world that she would soday surpass even the current generation of the Ten Great Masters.
"We'll postpone punishing those responsible until after the Festival. Will that suffice?"
As expected of Namgoong Mucheon.
With just a few brief exchanges, he had accurately grasped exactly what Seolhwa needed right now.
"It’s more than enough."
"Good."
Namgoong Mucheon gazed at Seolhwa.
When he had first heard the rumors, his rage had nearly driven him mad.
‘I expected she’d remain composed, but even so...’
He had wished she would show so signs of distress. Yet seeing her this detached was bittersweet in its own way.
Perhaps it would have been better if she had cried or thrown a tantrum like an ordinary child, demanding he scold those responsible.
‘After the Heavenly Martial Festival...’
Once the child achieved what she desired, Namgoong Mucheon vowed he would personally root out those who had spread the rumors—and tear out their tongues.
He let out a long, heavy sigh.
"Seolhwa."
"Yes, Grandfather."
"Never forget who stands behind you. You are my cherished granddaughter. Understand?"
It was a statent laden with unwavering trust.
For the first ti, a faint tremor ran through Seolhwa’s otherwise steady gaze.
"...Yes, Grandfather."
"Good. Is there anything else you need?"
At that, Seolhwa suddenly lifted her head.
"There is sothing."
"...?"
"I have a favor to ask, Grandfather."
Hearing the almost urgent tone in her voice, Namgoong Mucheon’s expression—frozen for a mont in surprise—quickly brightened.
"Very well. What is it you need?"
****
After leaving the Celestial Tiger Pavilion, Seolhwa made her way back toward her residence.
She walked in silence, until suddenly she stopped and turned to look beside her.
Feeling her gaze, Seop Mugwang—who had been walking alongside her—flinched and turned his head away, pretending not to notice.
"If you have sothing to say, please go ahead."
"Huh? ?"
"Is there anyone else here besides you, Lord Storm Thunder God?"
"Well..."
Seop Mugwang awkwardly pointed at Ryeong with his finger.
But under Seolhwa’s steady, unblinking stare, he gave a dry cough and shrugged his shoulders, playing dumb once again.
Seolhwa’s brows knitted faintly.
From the mont she had left the pavilion, Seop Mugwang had been trailing her like a shadow—
radiating a thick, oppressive aura that made the passing servants scurry out of their way, casting nervous glances.
The result: far more attention drawn to them than necessary.
"Didn’t you co because you had sothing to say?"
"I told you, didn’t I? I just ca out for a bit of fresh air. Don’t mind —go on ahead."
He clearly had no intention of explaining himself.
Seolhwa sighed and resud walking without further comnt.
And so, Seop Mugwang continued silently guarding the child’s side until they reached the residence.
****
"Miss Seolhwa!"
As they returned, a bright, cheerful voice greeted them at the door.
Both Seolhwa and Ryeong couldn’t help but let small smiles slip onto their faces.
"You’re back! You must be hungry! I’ve prepared breakfast for you! Ah, and the bathwater too! Please, co inside!"
Yeoyul was a truly bright child. So much so that it made one wonder how soone could be so perpetually cheerful.
She chattered nonstop, sticking close to Seolhwa all the way into the room—mostly talking about the dishes she had prepared.
Since the rumors about Seolhwa had started spreading within the clan, Yeoyul had been working extra hard to lift her spirits.
"Oh, right! The Head of the dical Hall stopped by earlier!"
In the middle of untying the knot of her martial robe, Seolhwa paused and turned to look at her.
"The Head of the dical Hall?"
Why would Choryeon visit?
"She left you a decoction. Said it would help boost your energy! Oh, and she left this too!"
Yeoyul rummaged through the pouch tied at her waist and handed sothing to Seolhwa.
It was a sachet.
"It looks like a regular fragrance pouch, but it slls only of dicinal herbs! She said you’d like it... but, um, are there herbs that work just by their scent?"
As Seolhwa accepted the sachet, her eyes flickered subtly.
‘The scent of herbs...’
Whenever she visited the dical Hall, she had often lingered around the herbs, savoring their scents—it had a calming effect on her restless mind.
But she hadn't lingered often. Only a handful of tis.
For Choryeon to rember such a thing and prepare this for her...
Seolhwa brought the sachet close and inhaled.
Just as Yeoyul said, it carried the faint, soothing fragrance of dicinal herbs—not the overpowering sweetness typical of other pouches.
It was gentle yet deep, a scent that seed to settle the heart with every breath.
"...I like it."
Choryeon must have heard the rumors too.
The decoction, the sachet—both were her own way of offering comfort.
‘Back when I was in the Blood Demon Cult, I thought her endless smiling ant she was hiding sothing sinister.’
Had Choryeon always been this thoughtful?
Gazing at the sachet for a long mont, Seolhwa finally tied it firmly to her waist, making sure it wouldn’t sway.
A subtle herbal fragrance wafted up.
"I'm hungry. Let’s eat."
At the sight of Seolhwa’s expression—noticeably lighter than before—Yeoyul’s face blood into a radiant smile.
"Yes, Miss!"
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