Chapter 234
Chapter 234
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 234
Chapter Title: What Did You Say? (1)
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Because Namgung Hak had been away, I'd struck out empty-handed, and a day had passed.
This time, since Eon So-young had tipped me off in advance, I strode toward the family head's quarters with complete confidence.
"Good morning, Madam."
"Did you sleep well last night?"
I'd timed it perfectly to meet up with Eon So-young, and as I greeted the warrior standing guard in front of the family head's quarters, I stepped inside.
By invoking the name of her mother—with whom I'd (publicly) built some rapport last time—I planned to sell the idea that, in these chaotic times with mystery assailants running rampant, it was safer for her to be at the Tang Family stronghold than cooped up in the manor with just the maids.
Of course, if you wanted to get technical, the Tang Family wasn't exactly where I was taking Eon So-young, but there was no need to contact them just to confirm that detail.
"I'll let the family head know you're here."
When I announced myself in front of the office, the maid hurried inside to relay the message. But her expression was strange.
It was like looking at someone who'd shown up where a whole group was standing at rigid attention...
[Come in.]
Namgung Hak's deep voice boomed out, and I realized my legs suddenly wanted to backpedal.
What was this? What was the problem?
The door flew open.
"What's the holdup? Why aren't you coming in? Ah, Mother, you're here too. Please join us."
While I hesitated, Namgung Hak came out and opened the door himself. But there wasn't a gram of welcome in his expression—it was terrifyingly stern.
With his naturally rugged features hardened like that, my instincts were screaming you're screwed like mad. I sneaked a peek inside.
Only then did it click when I saw Huangbo Jun and Namgung Hye with their heads bowed like criminals, shooting sidelong glances our way.
What the hell did you two do to get caught...
I'd been planning to whisk Eon So-young away to Sichuan all carefree-like, but now I followed Namgung Hak into the family head's office.
Eon So-young's face was pretty grim, and mine probably wasn't much different.
But since he wasn't charging at me with a sword to my throat right away, it was clear not everything had come to light from one to ten.
For now, I'd deny everything to the max. Where there's a will, there's a way—even in a tiger's den.
Namgung Hye let out a sigh as she watched the two of us enter like prisoners in tow with her brother.
Why did they have to come looking for her brother right now, of all times? She could guess the rough situation since her mother was with them, but the timing couldn't have been worse.
Last night, Namgung Hye had spoken with Huangbo Jun.
<Hye...>
Namgung Hye had been the first to bare her own shame. She confessed she didn't have the confidence to spend every night without giving in to the flesh. Huangbo Jun clamped his mouth shut.
Should he tell her it might get better? Should he reveal what he was thinking?
He wasn't worried about the loathing in her eyes. The problem was that spilling the truth would only make Namgung Hye suffer more.
In the end, Huangbo Jun couldn't bring himself to tell her the facts.
<It's all my fault... I... I...>
<No. It's all my fault.>
Huangbo Jun offered a gutless apology, lumping it all as his own wrongdoing, and inwardly mocked himself.
That was how the two of them— with only one fully aware of the truth—had come to the family head's quarters to inform Namgung Hak that they wanted the marriage annulled. And that was the current mess.
"So... Young Hero Kang. Out with it now. You must have a reason for coming here, right?"
But Namgung Hak didn't simply accept their claim that they wanted the marriage annulled due to Huangbo Jun's physical issue.
If they covered up Huangbo Jun's problem publicly, the stain would fall on the woman—Namgung Hye.
Namgung Hye herself might not mind, but for Huangbo Jun—who cherished her so much—to allow it meant it wasn't something to worry about that badly.
<Kang Yun, that guy.>
The rest was easy to guess.
The few men with a fairly deep connection to Namgung Hye, plus the handful of guests still lingering at the family manor.
Only one person fit both criteria.
"...Why can't you speak? Is it something you can't say in front of others?"
At Namgung Hak's glance, Huangbo Jun had no choice but to hesitantly leave the room. Seeing that, Namgung Hye felt her mouth go dry.
Before Kang Yun arrived, she'd failed to brush off her brother's dagger-like suspicion with nonchalance.
As a result, Namgung Hak was now openly grilling Kang Yun. Fortunately, Kang Yun wasn't clueless and wasn't blurting out his business right away.
"..."
"If it's hard to say, then I'll spell it out. What exactly happened with Hye?"
"Brother..."
"You stay quiet, Hye. Young Hero Kang, I've never heard of anything this absurd. Surely you came to celebrate Hye's wedding, didn't you?"
"...Yes."
Even under her brother's fierce momentum, Kang Yun answered calmly, as if wearing a mask.
"How could someone like that think of stealing the bride? Do you really believe a martial artist who follows the righteous path would do such a thing?!"
"Brother, Young Hero Kang has nothing to do with it. It's your misunderstanding!"
There was no conviction in Namgung Hye's denial. She herself hadn't fully let go of the suspicion that Kang Yun might have proposed to her.
Meanwhile, Namgung Hak ignored his little sister's words and shot Kang Yun a blazing glare.
"Well? Speak! What do you plan to do about Hye? You don't intend to just leave my sister high and dry after fooling around, do you?!"
But in truth, Namgung Hak's mind wasn't as furious as it appeared to others.
He actually viewed Kang Yun in a pretty favorable light. It was just that the marriage with the Huangbo Family was already underway—otherwise, he'd make a fine brother-in-law.
He'd seen how diligently he protected both his sister and mother.
Now that he knew about Huangbo Jun's issue, they could dissolve the marriage with the Huangbo Family without much fuss. No problems there.
But I can't just hand her over that easily.
Messing with his already-married sister was undeniably wrong, and as the elder, Namgung Hak felt he needed to give a stern warning.
That's why he was pretending to be outraged.
If Kang Yun apologized and promised to take responsibility for his sister, Namgung Hak planned to drag it out a bit before reluctantly agreeing.
He figured this much pressure would naturally make him declare he'd take responsibility.
"I'm sorry. It's hard to give an answer right now."
"...What did you say?"
So Namgung Hak doubted his own ears. But the man's response didn't change.
"I said it's difficult to answer."
Only then did Namgung Hak fully grasp the man's intent. He went through a brief moment of comprehension before moving to the next stage.
A blazing fury began sweeping through his entire body.
I had no idea where things had gone wrong, but Namgung Hak seemed to think his sister would divorce Huangbo Jun and I'd just take her in.
Why the sudden divorce in the first place?
He kept talking about leaving her high and dry, so the divorce seemed certain. But if they were divorcing, they shouldn't have dragged me into it from the start.
It wasn't that I disliked Namgung Hye—far from it. If I hadn't met Eon So-young, even as a secret fling, I might have fallen for that beauty.
Besides, as the woman bearing my child, it was better for me if I kept her close.
But official marriage is another matter.
If I said I'd take Namgung Hye now, I'd have to hold at least a modest wedding with her, making her my public wife.
Then what about the other women?
If I just locked them away like sex slaves, maybe, but my long-term plan was to build up power so the entire martial world recognized my milf harem.
The only exceptions were my mother, still on great terms with my father.
But marrying Namgung Hye would make the women who'd been with me first look like late additions tagging along.
And I couldn't ignore the sense of deprivation they'd feel, hiding in secret while Namgung Hye was publicly acknowledged as my wife.
"Hah... I must have misheard. Surely you said you'd treasure my sister."
But the killing intent boiling from Namgung Hak's body made it clear he wouldn't accept my answer.
Why had Namgung Hye let this ridiculous conversation even start? She knew I was the scumbag who'd knocked up her mom, right?
I was clearly denying Namgung Hak's accusation that I'd made moves on her, but somehow it didn't hold water—even to me, it didn't seem worth listening to.
I exchanged a glance with Eon So-young. She looked extremely flustered too but couldn't intervene between me and our son.
Hah, I thought I'd managed my affinity with him pretty tightly.
He'd seemed quite fond of me before, but now Namgung Hak was glaring like I was his mortal enemy.
If he didn't have a sword in hand right now, it wouldn't be strange if he grabbed the one on the wall and pointed it at me.
But I couldn't. Even if they might all understand, it wasn't something I could decide unilaterally.
"Looks like I'm not feeling well—your voice isn't coming through clearly. Come to think of it, I haven't been training consistently lately. Young Hero, could you perhaps help me out?"
Not changing your words? Then let's spar.
It was practically a challenge to a duel, and Namgung Hye and Eon So-young shot to their feet.
"B-Brother!"
"Hak, isn't this too hasty?"
"It's been ages since you've called me that, Mother."
Namgung Hak flashed Eon So-young a broad smile with his non sequitur, then pulled the sword from the wall into his hand with a grasp of qi.
The pressure bearing down on me sharpened twofold, but I breathed a sigh of relief.
At this level, he clearly didn't know I'd already thoroughly ravished Namgung Hye. That much was fortunate.
But how do I resolve this situation?
If Huangbo Jun didn't take Namgung Hye away like this, I'd have to take responsibility for her.
If I left her here, in a few months, her belly would swell, and the Huangbo Family would flip out.
Huangbo Jun must've thought since I was publicly single, I'd naturally step up if he backed off... So what now?
Namgung Hak's clothes began fluttering in the face of his overwhelming aura, and somehow, it all felt distant to me.