The man must have caught Yeon's soft voice. Their gazes collided in mid-air.
With that, Yeon got another chance to scrutinize him closely.
'No matter how I look at it, he’s just like Elond. Of course, there's a bit of an Eastern vibe mixed in, but...'
Actually, that's a good thing, right?
It felt like she was seeing a new version of Elond. Elond (with an Eastern twist) stepping out of 2D and into reality. Yeon, upon taking in his appearance, ntally applauded him.
'10 points... 10 points!'
At that mont, a booming voice shattered the silence of Jigak Hall.
"Hahaha! Well, well, if it isn’t Cheon-gang!"
The man who stood up with exaggerated laughter resembled Namgung Jihyeon. No surprise there, as he was none other than the eldest son of the Namgung Family, Namgung Myeong.
"What brings you here? I haven't seen you around lately."
"Well, I just... ca by."
Yi Cheon-gang, whose words trailed off, briefly t Yeon’s gaze. However, the glance lasted only for a mont, so brief that even Yeon, the subject, barely noticed.
"Just thought I'd drop by."
Namgung Myeong nodded at his casual answer. Then, he subtly walked in front of Yeon and Namgung Jihyeon, positioning himself as though pointing them out.
"Good to see you, my friend. The atmosphere was getting chaotic, but thanks to you, it looks like things will settle down."
His earlier silence had turned into this blabbering. Naturally, Yeon narrowed her eyes.
'What’s this guy? He was quiet until now.'
With a grin plastered on his face, Namgung Myeong spoke to Yeon.
"Hwang Bo Soja, let’s call it a day. It’s been a while since we’ve co to this gathering. Wouldn’t it be embarrassing to redden your face like this? Jihyeon, you better calm down too."
'What’s this?'
There wasn’t even a hint of an apology for his younger sibling’s rude behavior. Instead, he was subtly taking the role of a diator. It almost seed like the matter would end there, but...
Thankfully, it seed like Namgung Jihyeon had no intention of letting it slide.
"Brother! We can’t let it go like this. You saw everything just now, didn’t you? That lowly family of mine..."
"Jihyeon!"
Namgung Myeong's stern voice cut off Namgung Jihyeon's words. His gaze swiftly scanned Yi Cheon-gang before returning to his younger sister.
"I told you to stop."
His tone carried an undeniable pressure, and Namgung Jihyeon’s eyes narrowed rebelliously. Still, it seed she was too scared of her brother to argue back.
Yeon watched the close relationship between the two siblings with interest. From Namgung Jihyeon’s overstepping remarks to how things were playing out, it was all rather entertaining.
‘So, the one who stopped the fight must have been Yi Cheon-gang, right?’
But why? What made him so cautious?
As Yeon pondered, the information about Namgung Myeong suddenly clicked in her mind. His connection with Yi Cheon-gang. Furthermore, the relationship between the Namgung Family and the Iga family. Even the hidden history between the two families.
‘Ah, so that’s why...’
The mont Yeon realized this, she impulsively took a step forward. She approached Yi Cheon-gang, who was still standing frozen. Before anyone could stop her, she arrived in front of him and asked.
"Are you the second son of the Cheonhwa Family, Yi Cheon-gang?"
"Ha!"
"Well... that’s..."
The later group at Jigak Hall all beca visibly shaken. It was because of the term ‘Cheonhwa Family’ that Yeon had just used.
In front of Namgung Myeong, calling Yi Cheon-gang that was practically a taboo. The na ‘Cheonhwa Family’ had been taken from the Namgung Family by Yi Cheon-gang’s father, I Baeksan.
"This crazy girl...!"
Namgung Jihyeon, who was about to lash out again, had her arm grabbed by Namgung Myeong. A vein bulged on his forehead as he suppressed his anger.
At that mont, Yi Cheon-gang, who had been silent, responded.
"I don’t know about anything else, but yes, I am Yi Cheon-gang. As for you, Soja..."
"I’m Hwang Bo Yeon."
Yeon’s response made him nod with a strange look on his face. Yeon, who had been quietly observing him, glanced around and then spoke.
"But why is the atmosphere like this? Did I make a mistake?"
Yeon acted as though she had no clue. Her expression was similar to the one So Jin had when she had seen Hyeon-oh running away earlier.
"Strange. It wasn’t like this before... Could it be that ntioning Yi Cheon-gang’s na was a mistake?"
Yeon tilted her head slightly, her eyes moving toward Namgung Myeong, who was glaring at her silently.
"Could it be because of the term ‘Cheonhwa Family’?"
Namgung Myeong’s gaze darkened, and sparks seed to fly from his eyes.
"...Hwang Bo Soja, are you challenging ?"
"Huh? Challenge? It’s Namgung ‘Soja’ who started this. You were the one who spoke carelessly about my family."
Yeon’s eyes shifted toward Namgung Jihyeon.
"Lowly, you said? I don’t know how great the Namgung Family is, but you sure have a nerve to talk like that."
"Y-You...!"
Namgung Jihyeon’s head seed ready to explode from her anger. The sound of steam almost seed audible. Yeon almost blurted out, 'Beep, cooking complete,' but she quickly stopped herself.
‘Cook-cook!’
She humd the lody to herself when Namgung Myeong suddenly approached her, his eyes wide with fury as he spat out the words.
"Listen here, Hwang, Bo, Yeon, Soja."
A ferocious aura emanated from Namgung Myeong’s entire body. Simultaneously, an invisible pressure started tightening around Yeon’s neck. The original Hwang Bo Yeon wouldn’t have been able to bear it. But...
Pffft.
Yeon effortlessly shrugged off the pressure. Annoyed by Namgung Myeong’s show of strength, she almost tried to provoke him further but suddenly had another idea.
"Wait a second. If you co at so intimidatingly... Ahh..."
Yeon staggered, her face turning pale. Just as she was about to collapse dramatically, a firm arm caught her. No need to even look, she could guess who the owner was.
"Are you alright?"
A low, soothing voice. It was Yi Cheon-gang.
Heh heh heh, first phase of the personality test: passed.
Not moving a muscle while soone collapses in front of you? Then Elond’s out of the running. Though, northern dukes from RoFan novels tend to be that type.
Luckily, Yi Cheon-gang didn’t seem to be cold-blooded. His voice, though calm, was still understandable enough.
"I’m sorry, Soja. I suddenly got dizzy..."
"Young Miss! Are you okay?!"
So Jin hurriedly rushed over.
‘This innocent thing... I’m fine. So Jin, it’s all just an act.’
However, Yeon’s expression was convincing enough. Her furrowed brow, and even the beads of cold sweat on her forehead, were all real.
"Soja, if you're alright, I'd like to get so fresh air. Would you mind helping out?"
Her voice was so fragile it seed like it might break at any mont. Yeon even showed a bit of cleverness by hiding the slight scrape on her fist from hitting the perverted Seung, slipping it into her sleeve.
Yi Cheon-gang’s response was unexpected once again.
"Of course."
"What?"
"What did this Soja just say... Did I hear that wrong?"
This was a different kind of commotion from before. The Yi Cheon-gang that people knew wasn’t this type. He typically avoided getting involved with others. Normally, he wouldn’t even speak to a stranger, let alone help soone.
anwhile, Yeon, now nestled in Yi Cheon-gang’s broad arms, glanced over at the Namgung siblings. Namgung Myeong, who was gnashing his teeth, was one thing, but Namgung Jihyeon looked as though she were about to faint. If it hadn’t been for her brother’s intervention, she might have even tried to grab Yeon by the hair. Of course, Yeon wouldn’t have gone down that easily.
"Hey, Myeong."
Yi Cheon-gang called Namgung Myeong’s na. His tone was devoid of any emotion, almost oddly familiar. Yet, this familiarity seed to bother Namgung Myeong even more.
"What’s up?"
"I don’t know what’s going on, but now doesn’t seem like the right ti. Would it be alright if I take Hwang Bo Soja out for a bit?"
"...Do as you please."
"Thanks for understanding. Well then..."
Yi Cheon-gang quickly spoke, guiding Yeon out of Jigak Hall.
No one tried to stop the two of them. Just like when Yeon first appeared, their eyes followed, filled with a mix of emotions.
***
After leaving Jigak Hall, Yi Cheon-gang carefully observed Yeon.
She still seed to be in pain.
His gaze was unmistakable, and she asked him.
"Is sothing wrong?"
"It’s nothing."
Strange. It’s definitely her.
Upon closer inspection, it was certainly her. The one who had beaten up the monk on the path earlier.
Even now, seeing her at Jigak Hall, the marks of violence were evident on her fists. Although they vanished into her sleeve like a mirage, Yi Cheon-gang’s sharp eyes couldn’t be fooled.
He’d noticed her pulse on the way out, steady as ever. She had sweated a little, but that too seed intentional. So, the one thing Yi Cheon-gang was curious about was this:
Why is she acting?
"Miss, are you feeling any ~Nоvеl𝕚ght~ better?"
"Yeah, Sojin. I do feel better now that I’ve gotten so fresh air."
"I’m glad, Miss. I thought you were going to collapse..."
Sojin, the young girl, was practically dripping with worry. She seed to have no idea that Yeon’s actions were all part of an act.
Even I can tell, and I’ve just t you. Such an innocent girl.
To put it nicely, she was naive. Honestly, she seed to be a little clueless.
"It seems like you overexerted yourself today, Miss."
"Overexerted?"
The words slipped out of Yi Cheon-gang’s mouth before he could stop them, and Sojin quickly responded.
"Oh, yes. Before we went to Jigak Hall, we t a strange person."
Strange person? Could it be...
"What happened?"
"Well... It was a monk who carelessly exposed his body."
That was right.
But why is Yeon being blad for overexerting herself when the one who was grabbed like a rat was the monk?
It made sense that it might be tough after beating soone up like that. Out of breath, with sore arms.
Still, even if she had overexerted herself, it was hard to associate the current Hwang Bo Yeon with that woman from before. The eyes were just so different. It was almost like a tiger awkwardly trying to imitate a cat, wasn’t it?
Just then, the tiger disguised as a cat spoke.
"Thank you for your help today."
"It was nothing."
"It was sothing. Are you sure you’re okay? Namgung Myeong seed to be a little upset."
"Really?"
Upset, not pouting? Calling Namgung Myeong a child, Yeon’s words left Yi Cheon-gang baffled. The weight of the Namgung Family’s na was heavy, after all. Even if Yi Cheon-gang himself didn’t care much about it.
"You saw it too, didn’t you? The vein on his forehead."
Hwang Bo Soja burst into laughter. It seed she had decided to stop pretending to be hurt, and now her face was completely bright and carefree.
Why has this Soja been so quiet until now?
As the laughter died down, she suddenly said.
"Cheonhwa Family... what’s the big deal about that?"
As soon as Yi Cheon-gang heard that, it hit him. Hwang Bo Soja knew everything about his relationship with Namgung Myeong. She was far more unusual than he’d initially thought.
With genuine surprise on his face, she gave him a cryptic smile.
"Wasn’t it sothing I shouldn’t say in front of the Cheonhwa Family’s second son?"
"No, it’s fine."
Actually, I think the sa way.
"Well, that’s a relief. In fact, it’s all just wordplay, isn’t it? Where in this world is there such a thing as the best under heaven?"
Yes, that’s exactly what I an... Wait, what?
Her unexpected words ca to him like a white butterfly, landing gently on Yi Cheon-gang’s chest. The butterfly stayed for a mont before flying away, carrying with it a huge rock far bigger than its own body. It was the weight of the burden that had been blocking a part of his heart.
Right, it’s all just wordplay. Everyone’s been frustrated because they didn’t realize that.
Caught up in feelings he couldn’t quite describe, he watched as she extended her hand.
"Let’s introduce ourselves properly. I am Hwang Bo Yeon of the Hwang Bo Family."
Yi Cheon-gang, unable to refuse, reached out his hand to hers.
"...Yi Cheon-gang, of the Iga family."
As they shook hands, cold moonlight fell softly upon them. The light not only surrounded the two of them but spread throughout the world. It was a night of true connection.
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