Chapter 293: Soothing Her-1
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 293: Soothing Her-1
Sun-woo stared intently at Neung So-hwa with an utterly indifferent gaze.
"............"
Meeting his eyes, Neung So-hwa hung her head low and pressed her lips firmly together.
After the price negotiations for the Ice Essence had been successfully concluded, Sun-woo had summoned her to his room under the pretext of having something to say to her privately.
Upon hearing the summons, Neung So-hwa had followed him without a word of protest. Her conscience was weighing heavily on her. He was undoubtedly angry at her impulsive behavior—an emotional outburst that could have cost them their lives. She assumed he had called her there to reprimand her.
Neung So-hwa braced herself. She felt she deserved whatever scolding was coming. She expected him to lecture her until her ears rang.
However, once they arrived in the room, Sun-woo did nothing but stare at her face with that cold, detached expression. That indifferent silence made her feel even more uneasy. If he was going to berate or punish her, she wished he would just get it over with, but instead, he pressured her with nothing but silence.
To Neung So-hwa, this silent pressure was far more distressing and frightening than a loud, harsh scolding. It felt as though he were profoundly disappointed in her.
Whether Sun-woo was aware of her discomfort or not, he maintained his silent vigil, while Neung So-hwa could do nothing but stare at the floor.
After what felt like an eternity, Sun-woo finally spoke.
"Neung So-hwa."
"....Speak," she replied in a weak voice. The prolonged silence seemed to have drained the life out of her.
"Why do you think I called you here?"
".........I believe you called me to scold me," she muttered, her voice shrinking.
"Correct." Sun-woo nodded. "Then I assume you know exactly what you did wrong?"
".......I have done wrong."
"What, specifically?"
"I failed to set aside my personal feelings and provoked her."
"I'm sure that's not all."
"......I was stubbornly persistent and made things difficult for you, even after you worked so hard to persuade her."
"And?" Sun-woo pressed again.
".......I used my relative superiority to pressure her."
"And what else?"
"...........I do not know." Neung So-hwa shook her head.
"You really don't know?"
"I truly do not. I do not know what other wrongs I have committed." Neung So-hwa looked like she was on the verge of tears as he continued to question her. She couldn't remember anything else. Had she not already listed all her faults? What more could there be?
"You put your life in danger," Sun-woo said, finally breaking the cycle.
".......I am sorry... My stubbornness nearly cost you your life..." Neung So-hwa’s expression grew even more dejected. She realized that her childish behavior had threatened his safety.
Bukgung Yeon was a master who had reached the Profound Realm, often referred to as a Half-Immortal. It was only natural for Sun-woo to be angry after she had incensed such a woman. He had stepped forward for the sake of a friend, only to have his life threatened—how could he not be furious?
Neung So-hwa offered her apology with a face full of regret, knowing full well it was her fault.
"It's not because of my life."
Sun-woo’s response was entirely unexpected.
"Then... what could it be?" Neung So-hwa asked, looking confused.
"I'm angry because you put your own life at risk." Sun-woo spoke each word clearly, his face set in a stern expression.
"Do you even realize you almost died? No matter how much resentment you hold, shouldn't you at least think rationally? You are weak right now. You're so fragile that if the North Sea Palace Master so much as flicked her wrist, your life would be in critical danger. What on earth were you thinking, provoking her like that? Do you have multiple lives? Or were you planning to reveal your status as a Commandery Princess to escape the crisis if things went south?"
Sun-woo’s face flushed red with rising heat as he glared at her. He was genuinely furious. Currently, Neung So-hwa was so weakened that even a third-rate martial artist could easily overpower her. Yet, with what confidence did she dare to confront Bukgung Yeon, a woman who had reached the stage of a Half-Immortal?
The gap between Neung So-hwa and Bukgung Yeon was as vast as the difference between a human and an ant. To put it bluntly, the disparity was so great that Bukgung Yeon could have ended Neung So-hwa’s life with a single breath.
How could she worsen the situation by provoking and confronting her despite such a gap? He couldn't help but be angry. Where did that confidence come from? Was it the belief that she would be just as strong once her seal was released? Was she planning to use her royal status as a trump card? Or did she simply act on impulse, led by her emotions?
Whatever the reason, her actions were foolish and had invited unnecessary danger. It was something that deserved a severe reprimand.
"......I am sorry." Neung So-hwa hung her head low. Sun-woo’s sharp tone pierced deep into her heart.
"Forget it! Don't apologize to me—apologize to yourself!" Sun-woo shouted, his anger still unappeased.
"..........."
Neung So-hwa fell silent. Soon, her eyes began to well up with tears. She had never seen Sun-woo this angry before. Though he often teased her with mischievous pranks, she knew well the kindness hidden beneath his jokes. Now that he was raising his voice and relentlessly criticizing her, fear began to take hold.
The fear that Sun-woo, disappointed in her, might have come to hate her.
To her, Sun-woo was the first friend of her own age she had ever made in her life. The thought that such a friend might hate her felt like the sky was falling. That feeling soon transformed into sorrow, and her eyes grew wet.
She hated it. She hated the idea of being loathed by Sun-woo. He was the one who had told her she was precious. He was a special friend who didn't care about her status at all. She didn't want to be hated by him.
Tears pooled in her eyes. Then, a single teardrop escaped and rolled down her cheek. That one drop was the catalyst; soon, a relentless stream of tears began to pour down.
"Heugh... huff... hic... ugh... hnn."
Finally, Neung So-hwa could no longer hold it back and burst into a sob. Her crying soon filled the room.
"I'm... hic... sorry... This lady... hic... was wrong... ugh... hnn..."
Through her sobbing, Neung So-hwa choked out an apology.
"............"
Hearing her tearful apology, Sun-woo could only shut his mouth. He was caught off guard by the sudden turn of events. He had intended to scold her so severely that she would cry her eyes out, and he had indeed been pushing her hard to ensure she never repeated such a foolish mistake.
But he never actually imagined she would cry. This wasn't part of his plan.
Sun-woo was flustered. Unexpected events have a way of temporarily paralyzing the brain. His thoughts came to a halt. Neung So-hwa’s tears were more than just surprising—they were shocking.
Who was Neung So-hwa? She was a member of the Imperial Family, a Commandery Princess of the bloodline of the Son of Heaven, the most noble lineage in the Central Plains. Not only that, she was a brilliant talent who had approached the Profound Realm, the stage of a Half-Immortal, before even reaching the age of thirty.
How could such a woman be reduced to tears by the scolding of a mere commoner like himself? He couldn't understand it. He was bewildered, having no idea how to handle the situation.
".......Hic... ugh... hnn... huff..."
While Sun-woo was lost in his confusion, Neung So-hwa’s sobbing only grew louder. Hearing her, Sun-woo realized he had to do something. He had to soothe her.
"Alright... I get it, so... stop crying..." Sun-woo said, looking at her.
"Hic... huff... ugh... hnn..."
Despite his plea, her crying showed no signs of stopping.
"I said I get it. Don't cry... please, don't cry." Sun-woo begged as he watched her weep sorrowfully. He didn't want to see her like this. To him, Neung So-hwa was a woman who was always confident, quirky, considerate, and full of self-esteem. He didn't want to see such a woman drowning in sorrow.
"Hic... huff... ugh... hnn..."
Neung So-hwa couldn't stop. Once her emotions had burst forth, they refused to be quelled. She cried and cried. In her twenty-eight years, she had never truly cried like this. She didn't even know how to stop. She wept piteously, like a goddess of sorrow carrying all the world's grief.
How long had she been crying?
Suddenly, she felt an unexpected sensation against her body. At the same time, a warm heat spread through her, making her feel at ease.
Her crying stopped instantly, as if by magic. She was stunned to realize that this sensation was a hug, and that the person holding her was Sun-woo.
"I'm sorry... I was wrong. So please, stop crying." Sun-woo’s gentle voice whispered in her ear.
"What... what did you do wrong?... It was I who was at fault..." Neung So-hwa replied, her voice still trembling with leftover sobs.
"No, thinking back, I think I was too angry. I'm sorry... I should have spoken more gently..."
"No... you did nothing wrong... It is just... that I am immature..." Neung So-hwa shook her head at his apology. How could he be the one apologizing when she was the one who had erred?
"Even if you... were to... hate me... this lady... would have no excuse... I allowed my emotions to sway me and disappointed you." Neung So-hwa looked up at Sun-woo with tear-filled eyes. Her voice was thick with emotion.
"Why would I hate you?" Sun-woo asked, his voice growing even softer.
"Do not lie!... Surely... you must be disappointed in me... You must secretly despise me for being a thoughtless woman..." As she spoke, the sorrow welled up again, and more tears gathered in her eyes.
"I don't hate you," Sun-woo said firmly. "How could I ever hate you? You're my most precious friend in the world."
".............Is... that... true?" Neung So-hwa looked up at him with watery eyes.
"Of course it's true."
"But... unlike usual, your voice was loud and your tone was incredibly harsh.... And you weren't joking... and... and..." Neung So-hwa began to ramble, recalling his actions.
Sun-woo reached out and gently stroked her fiery red hair.
"Were you very startled?" he asked. "I'm sorry. It was just because I was so worried about you. I was afraid you'd get hurt. I was afraid you didn't value your own life. I was just so worried. It was never because I hated you."
"............Is that truly why?" she asked, as if seeking confirmation.
"Of course."
"Truly... you treated me so... because I was... precious to you?" she asked in a trembling voice.
"Truly. I can swear it before the gods of heaven and earth," Sun-woo said with conviction.
Hearing the certainty in his voice, the tension finally left her. She buried her face in Sun-woo’s broad chest and began to cry again.
"Hic... huff... this lady... this lady... thought... you... hated me..."
"No, that's impossible... How could I ever hate you?"
"...Hic... huff... I am so glad... so very glad... ugh..."
Sun-woo’s chest began to grow damp with her tears. He pulled her into a gentler embrace and slowly stroked her back to help her calm down.
Neung So-hwa stayed in his arms for a long time, soothing her heart until her tears finally ran dry. Their embrace lasted until a significant amount of time had passed.