Chapter 33: Looking for the Hint (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 33: Looking for the Hint (1)
Namgung Cheonjun trembled as he clutched his crotch.
A mixture of blood and drool streamed from his nose and slack lips, choking off any scream. The man who once held a great reputation had been thoroughly humiliated.
The Namgung Clan—the central pillar of the Four Noble Clans and a bastion of the Orthodox Faction. Namgung Cheonjun was meant to become the future lord of that illustrious house.
Yet there he was, crawling on the floor, clutching himself and weeping tears of blood.
“Stop overreacting,” I said. “It didn’t even pop.”
I’d controlled my strength carefully—enough to make him feel the shattering pain, but not enough to actually rupture anything. Or at least, not enough that the injury couldn’t be treated.
I’d done this countless times in my past life. Though I wasn’t yet fully accustomed to this body, the technique came back easily.
Still…
…A little more force, and it would’ve been a real mess.
I’d come dangerously close.
But in the end, no lasting harm was done.
“You… You bastard…” he rasped.
“Oh? You can still talk after all that.” I’d expected him to writhe on the ground for a few more minutes, but he’d surpassed my expectations.
I stepped closer and snapped his arm.
— Crack!
“Aghhh—!!”
He’d been trying to channel his Qi again, so I broke the arm before he could muster it. Even now, I could see the killing intent burning in his eyes.
I smiled down at him.
“Why did you cross the line so many times? I would’ve let you go if you hadn’t tried to use your Qi.”
Namgung Cheonjun had been serious. The Qi he infused into that wooden sword, the murderous aura he’d unconsciously radiated during our duel—he genuinely meant to kill me.
A hot-headed mistake? Perhaps, in the moment. But even now, that same desire lingered in his gaze. Killing intent seeped from his very being.
Feeling certain, I asked,
“How many people have you killed?”
He visibly flinched.
“At least a few dozen, right?”
“Wh-What nonsense!” His voice shook.
Whether he admitted it or not didn’t matter—his reaction was answer enough. Had he only slain evil threats to the weak? I doubted it.
The ominous aura clinging to him was far too thick for someone his age. Others might not sense it, but to me, it was only a matter of time before the truth surfaced.
Why would the scion of a noble clan carry such a heavy, baleful energy? Then again, it wasn’t so surprising when I recalled the Lord of the Namgung Clan from my past life.
— Creeak…
“Ughhh…”
I applied more pressure to his broken arm, wrenching another groan from him.
Now, what to do with him?
I could shatter the arm completely, or even tear it from the socket. But inflicting an irreparable injury would cause serious trouble. Still, I had no intention of letting him walk away unscathed.
Only a fool would show mercy to someone who’d just tried to murder him.
“Young Master Gu…!”
Tang Jooyeok rushed forward.
“Please, stop here. The duel is already—”
Amusing.
So amusing I couldn’t help but laugh aloud.
Tang Jooyeok froze at the sound.
For a few seconds, only Namgung Cheonjun’s pained groans and my cold laughter filled the air. When I finally quieted, I fixed my gaze on Tang Jooyeok.
“You felt his murderous Qi, didn’t you? Someone of your level surely did.”
He had no reply. He’d felt it—knew that Namgung Cheonjun had fought with lethal intent.
“He channeled Qi into his sword, aiming to kill me during a simple spar, and you want me to let it slide?”
That wasn’t how a true martial artist operated. Ignoring a blade aimed at your throat was absurd. At the very least, you had to break the animal’s fangs—if not put it down for good.
“Maybe you think it was a mistake of youth? But he’s older than I am.”
To be fair, I was technically twice his age, but that hardly mattered now.
I increased the pressure on Namgung Cheonjun’s arm. His groans rose in pitch as the bones grated.
Tang Jooyeok spoke urgently, “Cheonjun is from the Namgung Clan! If something happens to him, you’ll face severe consequences!”
“Yes, he is a Namgung. But did you know…?”
— Creeaaaack…
“Aghhhhhhh!!”
“…It’s only because he is a Namgung that he’s still breathing. That name alone is why I’ve held back this much. What if our positions were reversed?”
The Gu Clan was a respected noble house, but compared to the Namgung, we still had a long way to go. If our statuses were switched, would I still be alive? Probably—but the outcome would have been far different.
What if one of those nervous spectators were in Namgung Cheonjun’s place right now?
The answer was obvious.
“I’ve swallowed my anger more times than I can count. You wouldn’t understand, Young Lord Tang, and I don’t expect you to.”
As I spoke, I reached a decision.
I channeled Qi into my arm—roughly the same amount Namgung Cheonjun had used in his sword.
— Crack.
“…!!!”
Namgung Cheonjun convulsed violently. A moment later, a piercing scream echoed through the training ground.
It grew too loud, so I tapped his neck, knocking him unconscious.
Tang Jooyeok rubbed his face in distress. He’d been the one to permit us use of this space—no wonder he felt responsible.
Still, that didn’t mean I’d go easy on this bastard.
Did I mess up?
I recalled the Second Elder’s warning not to cause trouble. What would I say when they found out I’d brutalized the Namgung Clan’s young master?
At least I didn’t kill him.
That would probably be my defense.
The damage was done. The Namgung Clan would surely respond, but when I remembered their current lord, I doubted it would escalate.
There’s plenty of evidence that the Namgung fool started this.
And they wouldn’t dare move too openly against a clan like the Gu.
I turned my back on the unconscious Cheonjun and stood.
For some reason, Tang Soyeol was on her knees, face flushed as she watched me. Namgung Bi-ah, meanwhile, remained stoic. Strange, considering her brother had just been mauled. Her expression held no anger, no resentment—she was like a calm river, flowing on without a care.
“Over here…!!”
Members of the Tang Clan arrived, likely to take Namgung Cheonjun for treatment. His own escorts followed close behind—as expected of a noble clan’s guards, each radiated considerable strength.
One approached me and bowed.
“I am Macheol, the Young Master’s escort.”
Just by his bearing, I could tell he was a formidable martial artist.
“Now that the duel is over,” he said, “we will take Namgung Cheonjun to receive aid.”
“I assume you were watching the whole time, since you aren’t protesting.”
Macheol didn’t answer.
So that explained the strange presence I’d felt earlier.
“Do what you want with him. I don’t care.”
His arm would trouble him for days, but the rest of his injuries would heal within a day. As for where I kicked him… I might’ve been a bit harsh, but it shouldn’t be a serious issue.
…Hopefully.
Namgung Cheonjun was carried off, leaving only a bloodstain on the training ground floor.
Tang Jooyeok still seemed trapped in his thoughts. Perhaps he was the one in the most trouble now.
Why invite us all here if you weren’t prepared for surprises?
I decided not to dwell on it.
In the end, it’s that Namgung fool’s fault. Why cross the line so many times?
“I don’t think I should stay any longer. I’ll take my leave.”
Maybe this would be my excuse to skip the rest of the Tang Military Exhibition. That would give me an extra day to search for the secret vault.
My clan would scold me, but finding the vault was my true objective here. Father might not mind, but the Steward or the Second Elder would certainly have words. Then again, the Second Elder would probably approve of my actions, so maybe only the Steward would lecture me.
As I turned to leave—
“Hm?”
Someone tugged my sleeve.
It was Namgung Bi-ah.
“What is it?”
The Namgung entourage left a while ago. Why is she still here? Does she have something to say about her brother?
She stared at me for a long moment before finally speaking.
“Your name…”
“…What?”
“Tell me your name.”
“I already told you.”
Had she forgotten I’d said I was Gu Jeolyub?
Her gaze didn’t waver.
“That… was a lie.”
“…”
“You lied. Tell me your real name.”
…How does she know?
She looked utterly confident that the name I’d given was false. In my past life, she’d always had an uncanny sense for trivial details.
“…Before I answer, I have a question for you.”
“Go ahead.”
It was an important one. I looked straight into her eyes.
“Why do you always speak so informally to me?”
“…”
Namgung Bi-ah broke eye contact, unable to reply.
Is she trying to pick a fight…?
She met my gaze again and finally answered, “If you won’t tell me, I’ll just keep following you… Young Master.”
I nearly stumbled.
…Is she insane?
Did she already know how much I hated being followed? Or that I’d lied?
This crazy woman… Was she always like this, even when young?
“I’m the one who just turned your brother into a bloody mess. You realize that, right?”
“That was Cheonjun’s fault.”
“Even so, why act friendly toward the person who beat him?”
No matter how I tried to push her away, she stubbornly held on. She wouldn’t back down now.
…What if she really follows me forever?
The thought gave me goosebumps. Given the trouble she’d caused in my past life, it wasn’t far-fetched.
“What’s so interesting about me that you’re so fixated on my name?”
Namgung Bi-ah didn’t answer, only continued to stare.
I frowned and rubbed my face, exasperated.
How did it come to this?
“…If I tell you, will you stop being so annoying?”
“Yes.”
“And drop the informal speech?”
“Yes… Young Master.”
Sigh…
I found myself sighing more often these days. After a brief hesitation, I relented.
“…Cheon.”
“Hm?”
“Gu Yangcheon.”
I spat out the name.
“There. Happy? Now I’m leaving. Don’t follow me.”
I turned and walked away briskly.
Namgung Bi-ah repeated the name softly.
“Gu Yangcheon.”
Tang Soyeol, watching from a distance, stared in shock at the expression on Bi-ah’s face.
Namgung Bi-ah whispered to herself,
Gu Jeolyub was fake.
“This one… is real.”
A smile graced her lips—so radiant it seemed to brighten the air around her.
* * *
After the duel, I returned to my guest room.
Fortunately, Wi Seol-Ah didn’t seem upset that I’d been gone so long. She’d apparently spent the time amusing herself with the servants, which made me want to tease her. I ended up lightly bonking her head.
By nightfall, we were seated together—me eating dumplings, her nibbling on yakgwa.
…I messed up.
I shouldn’t have taken things so far. To be precise, I shouldn’t have gone to that feast at all. Not that I regretted beating the crap out of that Namgung fool.
I could’ve torn his right arm clean off, turning him into a lefty, but mercifully, I’d only broken his left. Honestly, I was proud of my restraint.
It was close.
Namgung Cheonjun was a talented swordsman. His form truly reflected his noble heritage, even if his attitude was trash. The only problem was that he was a swordsman of the Namgung Clan.
I’d witnessed their sword art countless times. All because I’d been dragged along by that crazy woman who wanted to eliminate its weaknesses. I’d been forced to familiarize myself with their techniques.
Part of the reason I’d given Namgung Bi-ah my real name was out of a flicker of guilt.
…Though the main reason was the fear she’d actually stalk me forever.
Still, I now had a plausible excuse: I could claim I was too ashamed to attend the rest of the Military Exhibition after causing such a scene. Even if the Tang tried to make me stay, what could they do if I left out of guilt?
The real problem was what awaited me back home. A scolding, most likely… The Steward could be terrifying when angry.
As I brooded, Wi Seol-Ah held something out to me.
A piece of yakgwa.
“Young Master.”
“Hm?”
“Do you want some yakgwa?”
“…You’re offering me food?”
What in the world?
When I looked shocked, she frowned. I laughed at her reaction.
“…Ah, how amusing. What brought this on?”
“Young Master looked really troubled…”
Did I?
Wi Seol-Ah extended the treat, hand slightly shaking. I accepted without hesitation.
The face she made—Wait, he actually took it?—was cu—no, hilarious.
I popped the whole thing into my mouth, enjoying the despairing look on her face. Somehow, seeing her so dramatic lifted my spirits.
“Yeah, what’s the point of a fool like me overthinking things?”
“Th-the yakgwa… gone in one bite…”
I turned away from the despondent Wi Seol-Ah, told her to get some sleep, and headed into my room.
No more overthinking.
Time to focus on the Golden Nature Clan.
Starting tomorrow, things were going to get very busy.