Yongbong Branch Meeting (5)
"This time, you must tell me everything without a single lie."
The intimidating pressure from my father-in-law that I'd only tasted a glimpse of moments ago now fully dominated the surrounding space, reaching out toward me.
But—
"Father! I told you to stop!"
Paeng Soso threw herself in front of me like a shield, and it vanished clean as if it had never been there.
What the hell? Paeng Soso's shielding ability is no joke...
"Step aside! Are you taking that punk's side over your own father?!"
"Of course! No matter how you look at it, you're bullying my husband—I can't just sit back and watch!"
"What...? Your husband comes before your father...?"
My father-in-law looked as shocked as a biologist learning for the first time that the platypus's unique genes first appeared 160 million years ago, with its direct ancestor, Steropodon, already prowling the Cretaceous period just 125 million years ago.
But soon enough, his expression grew even more ferocious.
"You bastard!"
The honorific "young hero" had devolved into "bastard." His aura bypassed Paeng Soso entirely, zeroing in on me alone. On reflex, I circulated the Martial Spirit Divine Art.
Aura was, after all, a combination of intent and inner energy. That's why the Martial Spirit Divine Art—which erected a pillar of will within one's core—could largely shrug off its effects.
But...
"Ngh..."
That only held true when the gap in skill wasn't too vast. No matter how favorable the matchup, the chasm between Peak and Fire Realm was insurmountable. Even with the Martial Spirit Divine Art active, the suffocating pressure clamping my heart left me gasping for air.
Maybe surprised by how I was holding out, my father-in-law twitched an eyebrow in admiration.
"Hm? Not bad—you've got some real skill after all."
"Father!"
Paeng Soso practically screamed it, but he ignored her, ramping up the intensity even further.
"Let's see if you can take any more."
My shoulders and knees buckled against my will. I forced strength into them, holding firm. Just standing there felt like carrying a thousand tons.
Paeng Soso had warned me. The first time we met, he'd try to intimidate me, scare me off. I couldn't crumble easily here. I couldn't give up.
Grit.
I clenched my teeth, spun my inner energy faster, and solidified my intent. I straightened my hunched body and lifted my head.
Then, slowly, one step forward.
This time, I positioned myself in front of Paeng Soso, shielding her.
"You little—! You think I'm the one threatening Soso?!"
...Huh? Wasn't that the right move?
Should I have just kowtowed like a good boy? Some Confucian saint once said you start with full prostrations to your spouse's parents.
Luckily, the standoff didn't last long.
"Enough."
Hong Yeonhwa unleashed her own energy, nullifying the pressure on me.
"Isn't this a bit much for a simple greeting?"
"This is..."
His face stiffened as if he'd sensed something from how effortlessly she brushed aside his aura. Though Hong Yeonhwa herself casually pointed upward.
"We should discuss the rest upstairs."
"......"
Only then did he silently withdraw his aura and nod.
In the end, thanks to Paeng Soso's shield followed by Hong Yeonhwa's, I finally got a chance to talk.
Man, talk about a blow to my pride.
"You probably know this already, but... I'm Paeng Ojin. Soso's father, known in the martial world as the Blade King."
"I'm Jin Sochan."
"This lady is Hong Yeonhwa-ni-ra."
The room was cramped for four people. Sitting stiffly on the hard floor in a tense atmosphere, we finally exchanged names.
For some reason, just hearing them made Paeng Ojin furrow his brow.
"Never heard those names before. Do you have any nicknames?"
"No."
"This lady..."
"Ah, I wasn't asking the ancient one. There's probably a reason you're keeping it hidden."
"Ancient one?!"
The effect was tremendous! Hong Yeonhwa's vision went dark on the spot!
"Was I wrong? With that youthful appearance and profound martial arts that don't match... I figured you were a hidden expert who'd reached the Mystic Realm and succeeded in molting the bones."
"W-Well, close enough-ni-ra. But this lady isn't quite at 'ancient' level-ni-ra. At most, around thirty."
"I get wanting to look young for your lover, but... isn't that way off?"
"H-Huh?"
Hong Yeonhwa faltered at Paeng Ojin's genuinely dubious expression.
My age in this life was just twenty. Quite a gap with Hong Yeonhwa. Of course, with my past-life memories, she didn't feel that much older.
A weird way to calculate it, but adding my past and present lives made me older than her. Plus, her usual antics were so cute she sometimes seemed like a teenager, let alone thirty.
But that was just my perspective. To her, I was a kid barely ten years old. And to Paeng Ojin, the age difference probably looked even wider.
"A person needs some shame, you know."
"Shame? What do you...?"
After realizing our views on polygamy differed from hers, I'd been looking into it lately. Before meeting Hong Yeonhwa, I'd lived in the mountains, clueless about the world, so she taught me without suspicion. And it was true.
Anyway, turns out political marriages were common due to the era, so big age gaps in couples weren't rare. Maybe Paeng Ojin thought Hong Yeonhwa and I were one of those—her teaching me martial arts in exchange for my body, like a young woman sold to a rich old geezer for sacks of rice.
"The age gap's too huge from the start. Son-level... no, practically grandson."
"G-Grandson...!"
Hong Yeonhwa floundered, too shocked to speak properly at Paeng Ojin's word choice.
Seeing how satisfied he looked, he probably didn't really think that—he was just messing with her.
...Don't tell me since we called off the aura battle downstairs, now he's going verbal?
"Anyway, enough of that. Let's hear your story."
Having knocked Hong Yeonhwa out with a few words, Paeng Ojin's next target was me.
"Your skills aren't bad, but no nickname...? Got one you're ashamed to share? Like Peach Blossom Young Master or something."
Felt like a damn job interview. A high-pressure one, at that.
Equating me with two women to the Peach Blossom Star—that cursed fate overflowing with lust that wrecked lives. Naturally, Paeng Soso wouldn't let that slide after he targeted Hong Yeonhwa and me.
"Father! The Jin family isn't like that! If anything, I was the one who... Ahem! Keep talking bad, and I'll really get mad!"
"Whoops. Can't even speak now. Fine, no more chit-chat. Time for the main topic... How long you gonna stay like that, daughter?"
Paeng Ojin eyed Paeng Soso like she'd put her left shoe on her right foot—extremely uncomfortable.
And no wonder. She wasn't just glued to my left side; she was full-on hugging me.
Our heights matched, so her face rested on my shoulder. Every whiff of her sweet scent and ticklish breath made my body twitch involuntarily.
But she didn't care, squeezing tighter. Then, like I was a giant doll, she rubbed her cheek against mine and said,
"Hmph! You might bully Jin-gaga behind my back again. Can't do that if I'm stuck like this."
"Soso, he came all the way up here to hear the story. Ease up a bit—it's fine to give some space."
"No way. You know how I felt seeing Jin-gaga grit his teeth, sweating bullets? Absolutely not! Never!"
Now nestled in my arms, glaring daggers at Paeng Ojin. He clutched his chest like a wounded man, then nodded with the look of someone swallowing poison.
"A-All... right... That was my fault. So, please—you two and my daughter. Explain your relationship in detail."
"Ah, sure. Bottom line: both have sworn marriage vows with me."
"And I'm the concubine."
Paeng Soso helpfully pointed out the part I'd glossed over.
"Concubine? Not just anywhere, but a daughter of the Hebei Paeng family—how dare you?!"
What parent wouldn't rage hearing their daughter was a concubine when they had no lack of options? Paeng Ojin shot up in fury.
But,
"No-ni-ra... This lady, this lady isn't that old-ni-ra. Really-ni-ra. Believe me, sir..."
Seeing Hong Yeonhwa still whining, clutching my sleeve in shock, he sat back down.
"I see. Makes sense now."
"N-No, Father! Big Sis Hong didn't force it with power or anything..."
Paeng Soso hesitated, then forced out the rest.
"I wedged myself between them!"
"What...?"
"I... pushed my way in with my body!"
"What?!"
Watching Paeng Ojin's jaw drop—after he'd been so smug moments ago—I thought to myself:
At least it'd be smart to soften the part where horny Paeng Soso barged in right before Hong Yeonhwa and I were about to consummate things.