Chapter 49: Mount Hua (3)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 49: Mount Hua (3)
I stood frozen, utterly dumbfounded by the shocking revelation of the wrapped stone's identity that I had been tasked with delivering.
The Second Elder, looking awkward after seeing our stunned reactions, continued in a voice noticeably subdued, a far cry from his usual vigorous tone. "...Uh, I won it in a drinking bet, but I forgot to give it back…"
"...You wagered one of the clan's four great treasures in a bet?"
What kind of nonsense is this?
It would have been more believable if he’d just admitted to stealing it… but this?
What kind of clan leader gambles with his own clan's treasure!?
The Second Elder pressed on. "...Don't be too upset. This old man also put up something of equal value."
"...Upset? What are you talking about?"
"Huh? I thought you were sad because you assumed I didn't bet anything worthwhile when the other side staked one of their clan's treasures."
"...What in the world are you talking about?"
And he claims he bet something that rivaled this stone? Since when did the Second Elder possess such an item...?
At that moment, I concluded the Second Elder was simply pulling my leg.
Yeah, there's no way this is actually their clan's treasure.
A smirk touched my lips as I assured myself this was all a joke. "Hey, even if you think I'm an idiot, isn't this joke going a bit too far?"
Not believing a word he said and intent on ending the charade, I began to unwrap the cloth…
Instantly, the soft, unmistakable scent of plums filled the air.
Looking down at the now-unwrapped object in my hand, I saw a round, luminous stone.
I hastily rewrapped it.
…Damn it. No matter how I look at it, this is the real deal.
If a stone that glowed and emitted the fragrance of plums wasn't a treasure, then I didn't know what was.
"How could you wrap a treasure like this in some cheap cloth!?"
"Hey! The clan leader himself gave it to me like that! Why are you yelling at me!?"
"What kind of person wraps a treasure in a rag like this!?"
I felt like I was losing my mind. What was I supposed to do now? I was stuck carrying this treasure all the way to Mount Hua. I never imagined I'd receive one of Mount Hua's great treasures from a member of the Gu Clan.
"...Why are you making me deliver this? Wouldn't it be safer to send it with a dedicated courier?"
"There is no safer option than the one before you right now, so don't worry."
Huh?
I pondered his words for a moment, wondering what he meant… and then I remembered the Sword Venerable who was currently talking to a horse behind me. If the Second Elder and my father knew the Sword Venerable's true identity, then his statement made sense.
…Still, why make me carry it?
My heart had nearly stopped when I first saw the stone. As I held the treasure with trembling hands, the Second Elder spoke with a smile. "Oh, I've already spoken with their clan leader. You just need to go there without a worry."
"So everything was already decided without my consent…"
Why was I always roped into things without any say in the matter? Even as the clan's sole heir, it felt like I was never treated properly.
…Then again, when have I ever been treated well…?
Since the plans were already set, refusing wasn't an option. I carefully tucked the stone into my pocket. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't just ask the Sword Venerable to hold it for me. Thankfully, the stone was quite small and wouldn't be noticeable.
After I had secured the stone, Muyeon addressed me. "Young Master, we are ready to depart."
"I'll be right there."
As I turned toward the carriage, the Second Elder stopped me. "Just like when you went to Sichuan—"
"Yes, I'll return without causing any trouble."
"You say that, but you came back after breaking the Lightning Dragon's arm."
"…"
-Ahem.
"Anyway, where is my sister?"
Gu Huibi, who had been standing beside me just moments ago, had suddenly vanished. When I asked, the Second Elder laughed. "She's probably crying somewhere because she can't see you anymore."
"What?"
"She's likely hiding behind a tree, crying because you're going so far away this time. Don't worry about it."
I let out a hollow laugh at the Second Elder's absurd claim. This was even harder to believe than the fact that the stone I held was one of the clan's four great treasures.
That fiery woman crying because she's worried about me? Yeah, right.
It was far more believable that she was off celebrating being assigned to a distant post where she could tease me from afar. The mere thought of Gu Huibi crying made me chuckle. It was a sight that didn't suit her at all.
"Yeah, anyway, I'll be back."
Our departure was imminent, so I respectfully bid farewell to the Second Elder and boarded the carriage.
"Alright, have a safe journey."
"Thank you, Second Elder. Please take care."
-Neigh!
As soon as I was inside, the horse whinnied and the carriage lurched into motion, marking the beginning of our journey to Mount Hua.
* * *
After Gu Yangcheon left, the Second Elder entered his residence and sensed a presence huddled in the corner of the room.
-Sigh-
He let out a sigh that was uncharacteristic of his usual demeanor. "Were you that sad?"
The figure curled up in the corner flinched at his question. "It's not like Yangcheon is a three-year-old child. Why are you crying like this?"
"He… he's still just a fragile boy…! He even skips meals because of his training…!"
The voice, choked with sobs, belonged to none other than Gu Huibi.
"If you only fuss over Yangcheon, Yeonseo will feel neglected."
"Yeonseo can take care of herself perfectly well, but Yangcheon always finds trouble wherever he goes."
The Second Elder found himself at a loss for words. It was true. Just recently, Yangcheon had returned from Sichuan after breaking the arm of the Namgung Clan's heir. Frankly, after hearing the full story, the Second Elder had privately wished Yangcheon had broken the heir's leg as well, but he had to maintain his composure as an elder.
"...I barely got to see him, too…" Gu Huibi continued to weep.
The Second Elder turned away from her. …She might be known as the Sword Phoenix to the world, but to him, she was still a granddaughter who hadn't quite matured.
After watching her for a moment longer, the Second Elder quietly left the room, softly closing the door behind him.
* * *
Approximately seven days later, someone approached the main gate of the Gu Clan estate and knocked.
* * *
Three days before Gu Huibi departed on her mission.
A certain incident had put her in an exceptionally foul mood.
And the person who now appeared before her only made it worse.
"And who are you again?" she asked, her tone devoid of any formality.
While it was customary to show respect regardless of age or status, Gu Huibi was the type who couldn't care less about such conventions—even if it made her seem disrespectful.
The woman before her seemed unperturbed by Gu Huibi's bluntness and simply bowed her head respectfully. "I am Namgung Bi-ah."
She's absurdly beautiful.
That was Gu Huibi's first thought upon seeing Namgung Bi-ah. The servant girl her brother always brought along was already stunningly pretty, but this Namgung girl was on another level. 'The Greatest Beauty of Anhui'… She truly lived up to the title.
How irritating.
"Yeah, I heard that. Why are you here?"
Gu Huibi didn't know why, but she noticed that Namgung Bi-ah's clothes were covered in leaves, dust, and what looked like traces of demon blood, as if she'd fought her way through a rough path to get here.
Namgung Bi-ah responded to the question with firm resolve. "I have come to see my fiancé."
"Fiancé…"
She wasn't wrong, but the word grated on Gu Huibi's nerves. "I heard the engagement isn't completely official yet."
"Oh…" Namgung Bi-ah's expression seemed to ask, It isn't?
Unlike her cold-hearted brother, Gu Huibi got the impression that her brother's intended was a bit… airheaded.
I don't like her.
But Gu Huibi had a piece of information that suddenly brightened her own mood. It was something she hadn't been fond of just days ago, but now it seemed useful.
She addressed Namgung Bi-ah. "Ah, that's unfortunate. My little brother isn't at the clan right now."
"...Little brother?"
"Yeah, my little bro. I'm his older sister."
"...Oh!" Namgung Bi-ah nodded in understanding. "Hello," she said, and modestly bowed her head once more.
Gu Huibi was taken aback by the sudden formality. What the hell?
"...Uh, yeah. Hello," she responded reluctantly.
"Then… Where is he now…?"
"He went to Mount Hua. It's quite far, you see? It's a shame for you, so you should probably just head back home—"
"Mount Hua…!"
Gu Huibi was forced to cut short her cold dismissal. It was because Namgung Bi-ah had broken into a radiant smile upon hearing Gu Yangcheon's location.
It pained Gu Huibi's pride to admit it, but the girl's smiling face was breathtakingly beautiful.
Just as Namgung Bi-ah was about to turn and leave, she paused and asked a seemingly random question. "Are you a sword wielder?"
"...Yeah. Didn't your younger brother tell you about me?" Gu Huibi asked, emphasizing the familial relation.
Namgung Bi-ah tilted her head at the question. Younger brother? She had never heard of such a thing from Namgung Cheonjun. Her brother never made an effort to talk about people stronger than himself. Which meant the woman before her was indeed stronger. Much stronger. Namgung Bi-ah could sense it just by looking—an explosive, yet fluid aura surrounded her. It was similar to her fiancé's, but far more potent.
The realization excited her. A slow-burning urge to fight this woman began to rise within Namgung Bi-ah.
Furthermore, she is a sword wielder?
The woman before her was the perfect martial artist she had been seeking. Namgung Bi-ah felt a strong desire to stay, even for a few days, to convince her to agree to a duel. However,
"...Unfortunately, now is not the time."
"...What?"
"Thank you for telling me." Namgung Bi-ah bowed her head yet again.
"...Uh… Yeah." Gu Huibi felt her mind going numb from the Namgung girl's excessively polite demeanor.
She quickly shook it off and spoke again. "Like I said, my little brother isn't here… So you should return to your own… What the—?"
Gu Huibi stopped mid-sentence, suddenly realizing that Namgung Bi-ah was no longer standing in front of her.
"What the… Where did she go…?"
Gu Huibi stood there for a while, dazed, feeling as though she had just seen a ghost.
* * *
The next day, a letter arrived from the Namgung Clan, requesting the Gu Clan's assistance in locating Namgung Bi-ah should she be seen.
But by then, it was already far too late.