Chapter 257: Before Leaving For Anhui (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 257: Before Leaving For Anhui (1)
Rustle.
The crisp sound of unfolding parchment broke the heavy silence.
Rustle.
My father was always busy—I never knew exactly with what, but work seemed to consume him.
He looked no different than usual as I stepped cautiously into the Lord’s study.
“You summoned me, Father.”
Only then did he lift his head, his eyes meeting mine.
“Yes.”
Setting aside the letter he’d been reading, he regarded me steadily.
“You’ve done well.”
“It was nothing.”
“With this, your punishment is concluded.”
My months of confinement had long ended, and now my year-plus deployment to the frontlines was officially over. Looking back, it hardly felt like a punishment. If anything, it had been an opportunity—a chance to grow stronger.
Did he plan it this way?
Given how things turned out, the thought had crossed my mind…
Probably not.
The confinement might have been intentional, but the frontline assignment? Unlikely. Father didn’t know about my ability to absorb Demonic Qi. Sending me there was meant to be genuine discipline.
Still, it was far better than last time.
Had it been one year or two in my past life? I’d barely survived after being dragged away by Gu Huibi. That… had been hell.
…This time wasn’t so different, I suppose.
If I had to compare, the exhaustion wasn’t physical. It was mental. Something like that. I didn’t care to dwell on it.
Noticing my sour expression, Father continued.
“As I wrote, barring any complications, you will depart for Anhui in a few days.”
Once the pleasantries were over, he cut straight to the point. Personally, I preferred this—the less time spent in this uncomfortable atmosphere, the better. His personality really never changed.
So he’s really making me go.
Anhui…
I’d been there a handful of times. Not with the best intentions—a couple visits after becoming a Demonic Human. But now? To go for an engagement? I never would have imagined it.
It was far too late to run.
…Well, I could.
But when I thought of the girl probably sleeping soundly back at her estate—or mine—escape became impossible.
Am I really going to marry her?
Me, married? What is happening…
The reality of it sent a strange, unidentifiable emotion stirring within me.
“The Lady of the Clan will accompany you to Anhui.”
“…Pardon?”
I couldn’t help the sharp intake of breath. Lady Mi? Coming with us?
“…Why?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Father’s expression shifted minutely—a rare flicker of something odd. It was so subtle you’d miss it if you blinked.
“Why? That’s a strange question.”
He was right. It was an accidental slip. Of course the Lady of the Clan would join an engagement procession between two great families. It was only proper.
Wait…
A realization dawned. “Is that why Lady Mi returned to the clan earlier than… expected?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
So that was it. In my past life, there’d been no engagement—my reputation had been too tarnished for any proposals to come my way. The thought left a bitter taste. A noble clansman, yet I’d caused so much trouble that not a single family would have me. Though, that likely wasn’t the only reason. Even Gu Huibi, well past the usual age, had remained unengaged.
…Lady Mi is coming with me.
It was her duty, but I wondered if it displeased her. I certainly felt uneasy about it.
“Well, that settles that.”
“Yes.”
“I heard you had an… altercation with the Hwangbo Clan at the front.”
“…Ah.”
The statement caught me off guard. How did he know? I thought I’d covered my tracks well.
“It was nothing serious.”
And it really wasn’t. So I shattered the knees of a Hwangbo blood relative and nudged a younger one into the succession struggle? Big deal. In my day, I’d wiped out entire clans and contemplated burning the Central Plains to the ground. A petty squabble over a title meant nothing.
Right. Absolutely nothing.
Father stared into my eyes as I answered.
“I see.”
As always, he accepted the short reply without further inquiry.
…It’s terrifying how he never presses.
For as long as I could remember, he’d been like this. So long as I didn’t cross some invisible line, he let my mischief slide without scrutiny. Of course, I knew crossing that line meant utter destruction, so I took care to never find it.
…Maybe? Now that I thought about it, I’d never actually considered where that line was.
Anyway.
He briefed me on the upcoming schedule—the mandatory education for blood relatives, visits to the Gu Clan’s affiliated merchant associations.
“…Finally, consult the Steward for the details.”
“Understood.”
So the key points were my engagement in Anhui and Lady Mi’s accompaniment. That was all.
As I prepared to leave, noticing Father seemed finished with his work…
“…Father.”
“Hmm?”
I decided to ask about what had happened at the front. About the marble our ancestors left behind. The thing that beast called a ‘seed,’ warning it was dangerously fertile.
That marble.
Does Father know about it?
I was curious.
“The marble in the heart of the forest.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know its purpose?”
Pause.
My question made his hand still mid-motion. His gaze drilled into me, his crimson pupils burning brighter than before. I had to fight the urge to look away.
“Why do you ask?”
“…Just curiosity.”
Had my abrupt question startled him? After a moment of silence, he spoke again.
“It is not yet time for you to know.”
With that firm reply, he returned to his letters. A simple refusal, but one word stuck in my mind.
Yet…
So there would come a time when I would learn. And if my guess was right, Father knew exactly what that marble was.
Does he know it’s a seed, like that bastard said?
But now I was certain the marble served a purpose. There was just one problem: pestering him further was futile. If I pushed, there was a good chance he’d scorch all my hair off.
…I must protect my hair.
The Immortal Healer once told me he could cure anything except baldness or incinerated hair.
“…Then, Father.”
“You have more to say?”
“What should I do about the Snow Phoenix?”
A change of subject. Father’s eyes widened slightly in surprise.
“The Snow Phoenix?”
“Since I’m going to Anhui, what about the contract I made with her?”
Her body rejected all heat except mine. I’d promised to provide warmth. Even Father and Gu Huibi had tried and failed to melt the Ice Qi within her.
It must be because of my Demonic Absorption Art, then?
It was nearly undeniable now. My arts seemed capable of absorbing the very Ice Qi that had killed the Snow Phoenix in my past life.
Though I’m not sure if I’m absorbing her Qi or just neutralizing it with my heat.
Since I felt no different afterward, I suspected it was the latter.
Father answered without hesitation.
“I’ve already informed the Moyong Clan.”
“Huh? When?”
I hadn’t heard back from Moyong Hi-ah… and come to think of it, I hadn’t visited her since returning.
Right. I never did go see her.
“What’s the arrangement?”
“Hmm…”
As Father began to reply, he turned his head toward the window. Following his gaze, I saw nothing but ordinary grass.
“…It seems you have visitors. Hear the rest outside.”
“Huh? Who’s waiting…?” The Steward?
Father gestured dismissively. The audience was over.
Bowing respectfully, I left the study.
Then,
Hey.
I called out to the beast sleeping deep within.
[Grr?]
A stir in my dantian confirmed it heard me. I’d told it to sleep while I wasn’t absorbing Qi, and it had obediently hibernated. It was surprisingly compliant—almost like raising a puppy.
But that wasn’t the point.
When are you going to wake the elder?
[Grr…?]
It’s been over a year.
The beast had said Elder Shin needed to sleep for a year so it could absorb Qi more easily and communicate with me. The deadline had passed months ago.
Don’t play dumb. You know the time’s up.
[…Grrr.]
Wake him. I have questions.
I needed to ask Elder Shin about the marble. He’d been active back when the Gate of Demons first appeared, during the Blood Fiend’s reign of terror. Given his age,
He might know about the marble, right?
That was my hope. He was from so long ago he didn’t recognize the Murim Alliance or the Gu Clan, but there was a chance. More than anything, I missed the old man’s nagging.
[…Grr.]
Instead of answering, the beast growled softly and began fading from my awareness. It was going back to sleep!
Where do you think you’re go—…Hey! Wait!
The bastard heard me but vanished without another word.
That little…
Should I just cut my stomach open? It doesn’t know I’m an expert at gutting things—and burning them afterward.
If you don’t want that, come out before I—
“You’re here.”
Pause.
An unexpected voice halted my steps. It was familiar, but feminine—not the Steward’s.
Turning, I saw the Steward standing there, but the voice belonged to someone else. I’d been so lost in thought I hadn’t realized I’d already walked outside.
The Steward bowed. I nodded back curtly, my eyes shifting to the figures behind him.
Two familiar faces stood there.
“What are you two doing here?”
The girl in front tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “…We said we’d meet again, but you were never around…”
It was Moyong Hi-ah.
And the other…
“…Let’s… eat together.”
Was unmistakably Namgung Bi-ah.
They stood glaring at each other. Both had naturally cold resting faces, but the frost between them felt personal. The atmosphere was frigid. Unconsciously, I rubbed my arms.
Why is it so cold in the middle of summer?
My body, which rarely felt the cold, was actually chilled.
“You waited here for me?”
“…”
“It… just happened that way.”
So that’s why Father was looking out the window. His senses blanketed the clan grounds; he’d known they were here.
Namgung Bi-ah’s presence I could understand, but Moyong Hi-ah’s was a surprise.
Sighing, I looked at Moyong Hi-ah. “But you shouldn’t have waited out here. You hate insects.”
“…My apologies. When I saw Young Lady Namgung, I instinctively…” She trailed off, her face flushing slightly with embarrassment, then suddenly froze, her eyes locking onto me with strange intensity.
“Huh? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“…How does Young Master Gu know I dislike insects?”
“…Oh.”
Shit.
I’d slipped up. Quick, an excuse. “…You just seem the type?”
“I’ve never been told that before.”
Of course not.
It wasn’t convincing. Who’d guess a girl as aloof as her would be afraid of bugs?
I didn’t know by choice.
I only remembered because, despite being stronger than me, she’d freeze up whenever we encountered insect-type Demons, leaving me to handle them. When I’d asked her later, she’d confessed with guilty sobs that she couldn’t stand them.
…And yet she keeps a moth at home.
It was ironic—the Moyong Clan famously used moth-type Demons, yet their young mistress had this phobia.
“I must have heard it somewhere.”
“…That’s not something you could just—”
As Moyong Hi-ah stepped forward, a hand shot out and pulled me backward. Losing my balance, I fell against something soft, caught by pale arms.
“…Stop.”
It was Namgung Bi-ah, who’d closed the distance without me noticing.
“…Sword Dancer.” Moyong Hi-ah frowned slightly, glaring at Namgung Bi-ah blocking her path.
Seeing the situation deteriorating, I glanced toward the Steward for help, but…
“Hehehe…”
He was already retreating, a smile on his face.
…You’re leaving me here? Is this the survival instinct of a decades-serving Steward? And so quickly?
Then,
Zap—
A prickling sensation spread from the person holding me. Namgung Bi-ah’s Lightning Qi. At the same time, a cold shiver ran down my arm—Moyong Hi-ah’s Ice Qi. They were like two cats with their fur puffed up, and the tension was rising fast. If this continued, I’d be the one getting hurt.
Pow—!
“…!”
“Eep!”
I clapped my hands together, infused with Qi, releasing a shockwave that startled everyone. It was a wasteful technique, Qi-wise, and I never thought I’d use it like this…
As the two girls stared, stunned, I spoke firmly. “Calm down. The Lord is watching from inside.”
“Ah.”
“…!”
Their expressions shifted instantly as they remembered where they were. This was the Lord’s residence, where Father’s perception was strongest. He was undoubtedly observing this entire scene.
Moyong Hi-ah’s face fell into deep dismay. Namgung Bi-ah looked equally chastened.
Seeing this, I spoke carefully. “Let’s not do this here. First… let’s eat.” I recalled Namgung Bi-ah’s reason for coming.
Seeming to read the situation, both girls nodded.
…I need to get them out of here, now.
It was the first solution that came to mind. But it took me less than two hours after saying those words to realize what a colossal mistake it was to have them eat together.