Chapter 17
Chapter 17
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Translator: True Detective
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Leavetaking
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I tilted my head, watching Hwaryeon stand there frozen after turning away from me.
She'd shoved me away with a look of absolute horror, then kept her back turned, completely ignoring me.
“What's wrong? Are you really sick or something? Look at me.”
“D-Don't...!”
“Don't what? I just want to see your face.”
I grabbed Hwaryeon's shoulders as she kept avoiding me and checked her face.
Her usually pale, flawless skin was flushed red, and she even felt feverish to the touch.
I pressed my hand to her forehead, and the heat was even more intense.
Her face seemed to be turning redder by the second, for some reason.
It was only then that I realized my mistake.
It was early autumn lately, with the weather getting chillier by the day, and I'd dragged her out here to this cold forest path without a second thought.
“This won't do. We'll finish the talk tomorrow. Let's head back to the hall first.”
I quickly shrugged off my overcoat and draped it over Hwaryeon.
“H-Hey... Young Master?!”
“Put this on for now. Are you shivering or feeling dizzy at all?”
“That's not...”
“If you weren't feeling well, you should have said something. We should've talked in your room.”
“R-Room?!”
I took her flustered hand and started back the way we'd come.
She mumbled something for a moment, then obediently followed along.
“Is walking hard? Want me to carry you?”
“N-No! I'm fine.”
Hwaryeon shook her head firmly.
She'd always been the type to hide her illnesses ever since she was little, so I couldn't quite trust her.
“You sure? I still remember that snake poisoning five years ago. And the drunken incident eight years back.”
“...Please forget about those.”
At the mention of her black history she'd rather erase from her mind, Hwaryeon covered her face with her free left hand.
Man, is she really okay?
I tilted my head dubiously but kept walking briskly until we exited the forest path.
The entrance to the path was right in front of Goon Family Manor, so the walls of our house appeared before us.
But there was a dark silhouette standing in front of the wall.
Wondering who it was, I approached—and was shocked to see it was the head of Goon Family Manor, my father.
“Father?”
“Hm? Ja-seong, what brings you out so late at night... Hm?”
Father, who had been surprised to see me, shifted his gaze to Hwaryeon standing beside me and widened his eyes.
“And who's this young lady...?”
“Oh, right—you haven't met her yet? This is Jang Seol-ran, junior disciple of Heavenly Wind Martial Hall.”
At my introduction, Hwaryeon let go of my hand, stepped forward, and bowed in greeting.
“Pleased to meet you. I'm Jang Seol-ran of Heavenly Wind Martial Hall.”
“Ah, I've heard of you. They say the fish in Shimhan River hide underwater out of shame because of you, Miss Jang?”
Sinking Fish.
It meant the fish were too embarrassed by her beauty to surface.
In simple terms, he was complimenting how pretty Hwaryeon was.
For reference, Shimhan River flowed right next to Goon River County.
Hwaryeon bowed her head modestly at Father's praise.
“You honor me too much.”
“Ho ho, not at all. Seeing you today, I know the rumors aren't empty words.”
Father chuckled, but for some reason, his expression grew complicated.
I'd already explained the situation at Heavenly Wind Martial Hall to the family to some extent.
Even if it wasn't intentional, from the perspective of a family that had nearly been wiped out, it wasn't something they could view positively.
Hwaryeon seemed aware of this too, as she kept her head down in Father's presence.
I didn't want to make things uncomfortable for her on top of her feeling unwell, so I decided to excuse myself quickly.
“Father, Miss Jang isn't feeling well, so I'm going to escort her back to the hall.”
“Hm? Ah... I see. But were you two in the woods until now?”
“Yes...? Yeah, we were.”
“......”
Father's eyes widened even more at my answer.
The pupils in his eyes began darting around wildly.
My face and Hwaryeon's once.
Our clasped hands once.
My overcoat draped over Hwaryeon once.
“Ah...!”
Father let out a gasp, as if he'd suddenly realized something.
What? What did he just figure out?
“I see. No wonder you suddenly talked about leavetaking.”
“Father?”
“Well, you're already in your twenties, so it's about that age, isn't it.”
“...Excuse me?”
“Indeed. I understand now.”
“Understand what? No, what have you been realizing and understanding all on your own?”
“Ho ho ho, our Ja-seong has grown up...”
“Father. Are you even listening to me?”
Father, having reached some private enlightenment and convinced himself, placed a hand on my shoulder and said,
“Don't worry. I'll convince your mother and Su-ae somehow.”
“...Pardon?”
Even as I questioned him, Father said nothing more.
He just patted my shoulder and headed back into the manor.
“Uh...”
I had no idea what train of thought was running through Father's head, but one thing was clear.
“At least I won't have to sneak over the wall and run away, right?”
“......”
I turned to Hwaryeon and asked, but her condition looked off.
Her entire face was beet red like a radish—something I'd never seen in the past ten years.
Is her condition deteriorating this fast?
Did she eat something bad?
“This won't do. Get on my back.”
I stepped in front of Hwaryeon and bent at the waist. That's when Goon Family Manor—our house—came into view.
Instead of making her endure the cold wind when she's not feeling well, wouldn't it be better to have her stay overnight in our guest room?
“Hey, why not just stay in our guest room for the night... Huh?”
I turned around to look at Hwaryeon behind me.
But all I saw in the moonlight was my own shadow.
What? Where'd she go?
I straightened up and looked around, spotting Hwaryeon's back as she ran off toward the town.
“...When did she get all the way over there?”
She couldn't even use lightness skill, but damn, she's fast.
Amazed by her surprising speed, I immediately chased after her.
With a few strides, I 'leaped' forward and caught up to her in no time.
“What are you doing running off alone when you're sick?”
“Kyaa?!”
She let out a scream like she'd been startled badly when I spoke right next to her.
Her reaction was more intense than expected, startling me more.
Her eyes were wide as saucers, mouth agape—I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
“Showing me all sorts of new faces today?”
“W-What? When did you get here?”
She must have been really shocked, clutching her chest and breathing heavily.
After a few deep breaths, her breathing steadied.
Her flushed red face returned to its usual pallor.
She looked perfectly fine now.
It'd gotten bad so fast, and now she was fine again just as quick.
“Haa...”
“You okay?”
At the question I'd repeated several times now, Hwaryeon nodded silently.
“I'm fine. Nothing hurts in particular, so you can head back.”
She didn't look like she was lying.
I nodded but didn't turn back.
“I'll at least see you to the hall.”
“I said I'm fine.”
Ah, here we go again with this stubborn girl.
“I'm the one who's not fine. You think it's okay to leave a girl alone in the middle of the road at night?”
“......”
She looked shocked at my words, her mouth opening and closing silently.
Having no comeback, she walked quietly beside me.
“...Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?”
Guess she did have more to say.
She opened her mouth right away again.
“Sudden? When was I ever rude? Aside from joking around, I've always been nice, haven't I?”
“That's not...! Why are you suddenly escorting me home at night...”
“It's not sudden—it's just the first time we've met at night, you and me.”
“...Ah.”
She let out a small gasp as realization dawned late.
I shrugged.
“This is how I've always been. If a girl comes to Goon Family Manor at night, I'd walk her home. It's only proper.”
“...Who?”
“Hm? What?”
“Who did you walk home?”
Hwaryeon's voice suddenly turned icy.
Looking at her face, she seemed seriously annoyed.
What? Why's she suddenly upset? There was no reason for it.
“Answer me.”
She side-eyed the surroundings while demanding an answer.
Wondering why she was asking, I answered honestly anyway.
“Like candy shop Chwi-ah. Or the skewer shop lady.”
For reference, candy shop Chwi-ah was a ten-year-old kid this year, and skewer shop lady was turning fifty next year—knowing heaven's will.
“......”
Hwaryeon fell silent at my answer and resumed walking.
For whatever reason, she seemed in a better mood again.
*
After walking on like that, Heavenly Wind Martial Hall soon came into view.
“Ah, we're here.”
“Yeah.”
Light leaked from inside the building, so Master and Seol must still be up.
Arriving at the front gate, I faced Hwaryeon.
“Then, head in.”
“...Yeah.”
Hwaryeon opened the gate, took one step inside, then paused.
She turned back to me.
“Hm? What?”
“...Young Master. Will you come to the hall again tomorrow?”
“We already agreed on that. What else do you want to talk about?”
“To express our thanks for your help, and... I have a proposal.”
Thanks and... a proposal?
“What is it?”
“I'll... tell you when you come tomorrow.”
What? Tomorrow again?
Not even a teaser like in ads—total cliffhanger.
“Not telling me right away is a *very* bad habit. You should fix that.”
“...Heh. See you tomorrow.”
With a small smile, Hwaryeon bowed and went inside.
I shrugged at the slowly closing gate, then turned to head home.
Thanks, huh...? What're they gonna give me?
I started letting my imagination run wild.
What could it be?
Normally it'd be money...
But I shook my head right away.
Our family was the richest in the village—they probably wouldn't give cash.
Not money, then... a weapon?
Like some legendary sword they'd been hiding?
I pictured a dazzling treasure sword, but that seemed unlikely too.
“Then what's left? Hm...”
Pondering for a moment, a thought flashed through my mind, and I stopped in my tracks.
“No way... a spirit elixir?”
It was pretty plausible.
Given how Hwaryeon and Seol's internal energy had shot up lately, they'd clearly been taking elixirs.
If they had some left and planned to give it to me...?
“P-Please! Please let it be a spirit elixir. Buddha, please...!”
Clasping my hands, I prayed to Buddha—whom I didn't even believe in.
I really hoped it was. What good was this pitiful scrap of internal energy I had?