Chapter 28
Chapter 28
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: That Child from Back Then
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Namgung Urin had also been watching, so he knew the box under the bed had disappeared.
‘There must be some kind of mechanism, or a tiny crack in the floor.’
Unless that man, Elder Myeong, used some sort of sorcery, there was no reason for the box to just vanish.
If he did know such sorcery, it was something Urin would very much like to learn.
‘Understood.’
Samyeong tapped every corner of the floor under the bed, checking it. There was indeed a spot where the sound was off.
*Click.*
When Samyeong pushed on the floorboard, a section slid away, revealing the box they had seen just moments before.
‘Found it, my lord.’
‘Bring it.’
‘Yes, my lord!’
As Samyeong lifted the box out, he saw there was much more underneath it.
‘My lord.’
‘What is it?’
‘Besides the box, there are many books.’
‘Check them.’
‘Understood.’
Samyeong opened one of the books.
‘This… seems to be a ledger.’
‘Bring that as well.’
‘Understood.’
* * *
The next night, it was time for his dinner with the Iron Blood Sect Leader. Namgung Urin took the box and the ledger he had acquired from Elder Myeong’s room and headed for the Sect Leader’s quarters.
When he arrived, Namgung Urin asked the guard standing watch in front of the residence to hold the box and ledger for a moment. The guard’s expression wasn’t pleased, but he couldn’t refuse.
Namgung Urin opened the door to the Sect Leader’s room and went inside.
The Sect Leader, Han Seo-hui, greeted him with a bright smile.
“Welcome. I’ve been waiting.”
“There’s an unusual amount of food today.”
“I was worried it wouldn’t be enough.”
“Not at all. But you seem especially dressed up today. You don’t have to do that. You are beautiful enough as you are, Sect Leader.”
Namgung Urin said this with his usual indifferent expression.
“...Thank you. I’m glad my efforts paid off.”
A blush spread across the Sect Leader’s face.
“Please, sit and eat.”
“Of course.”
And so, Sect Leader Han Seo-hui and Namgung Urin began a meal even more pleasant than the one they had shared the day before.
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
The Iron Blood Grand Elder was training, replaying his duel with Namgung Urin in his mind. Just then, an energy from somewhere began to probe at him.
The Grand Elder stopped his training, took a defensive stance, and scanned his surroundings.
No one was there.
The presence seemed to be coming from outside the Iron Blood Sect.
‘A master.’
A master on the same level as the Grand Elder was sending his energy toward him. The energy prodded the Grand Elder again.
It was extremely irritating.
“Are you calling me?”
The energy wasn’t provoking him.
*Thump!*
The Grand Elder stomped forcefully on the ground and shot out of the Iron Blood Sect. The presence calling him emanated from a dense forest. The person was using the darkness to conceal himself.
The Grand Elder arrived deep within the forest. He checked his surroundings in case of any trouble, but aside from a single man visible in the distance, there was no one else around.
The Grand Elder slowly approached the man. Even as he drew near, the man didn't so much as stir.
The Grand Elder stopped.
“...Why are you here...?”
It was not a face he particularly wanted to see.
Many years had passed since he had put that person out of his mind.
The man turned toward the Grand Elder and spoke.
“I was just out for a walk.”
“A walk all the way out here? What nonsense. Or perhaps, you have business with me?”
“You could say that. It’s because of my wayward nephew.”
“Your nephew… Urin…”
‘That person’s son…’
“So you knew his name. Still haven’t been able to forget, have you?”
“Shut up! I forgot long ago.”
The Grand Elder’s fierce momentum flared violently.
“Your temper is the same as ever.”
“If you’re just going to spout nonsense, I’m leaving.”
Just as the Grand Elder was about to turn away, the Namgung Family Head, Namgung Yul, spoke again.
“My nephew, Urin, is currently in your Iron Blood Sect.”
“...What kind of ridiculous… bullshit is that?”
There was no reason for a member of the Namgung Family to be in the Iron Blood Sect.
Unless they were insane.
And even if they were, it wasn’t a place one could simply enter just because they wanted to.
“I know, right? Do you think I wanted to come all the way here to spout such bullshit?”
“Then…”
“It’s true. Of course, I only heard about it myself. But it should be accurate. Uhh, what was it? Ah. I heard the Iron Blood Sect Leader was recruiting a special sword brigade, and he joined it.”
Something powerful flashed through the Grand Elder’s mind.
“...No way.”
‘...That boy?’
“It feels strange to say this about my own nephew, but while they say the unexpected can be deadly, he’s the type of man who would hunt down the unexpected itself.”
“No. It can’t be.”
That boy hadn’t used the martial arts of the Namgung. Therefore, he could not possibly be a child of the Namgung.
The Grand Elder knew as much as there was to know about the Namgung’s martial arts. How many duels had he fought against *that person*?
The Grand Elder was certain.
“It seems you have someone in mind, don’t you?”
“The unexpected will not be catching anyone. I was just momentarily mistaken.”
“Tell me about this mistake of yours. My nephew has a knack for making people see things.”
“That boy… did not use a Namgung sword. So it is absolutely not him.”
The corners of Namgung Yul’s mouth lifted.
“Are you still so rigid? If a Namgung wields a sword, it’s a Namgung sword. There’s no rule that says we can only wield the swords within the Namgung Family.”
“Is there anyone more rigid than the Namgung!”
He meant that the Namgung were the epitome of rigidity.
“Tsk. That’s why our Namgung Family has ended up in this state. So, you should be careful too, Grand Elder. And that boy you thought you were mistaken about… it seems he is indeed my nephew.”
The Grand Elder’s eyes widened.
“What are you saying! The Namgung sword…”
“My, my. I just told you to abandon that rigidity. Tsk. My nephew has learned the Namgung sword, but he has also learned other swords. And unless my nephew is a fool, would he use a Namgung sword in the Iron Blood Sect?”
Namgung Yul knew as well.
He knew that his nephew, Namgung Urin, was learning the Primordial Chaos Art.
The Grand Elder was momentarily stunned.
‘...Right. There was a resemblance!’
He had that person’s face…
Have I really… forgotten him?
That person I tried so hard to forget, yet couldn’t… have I truly forgotten him?
Then, he remembered what happened yesterday.
“Damn it.”
The Grand Elder’s brow furrowed.
“Oh dear. Something has already happened, hasn’t it? What is it?”
“Well…”
“It’s fine, just tell me. I’m fully prepared, so don’t worry.”
The Grand Elder recounted the story of yesterday’s duel and the reason behind it.
“Hahahaha. That damn brat. He’ll be catching up to me soon. Phew. How can I bear to see that happen?”
In front of the apologetic Grand Elder, Namgung Yul sighed so heavily it seemed the ground might collapse.
“Well. Is he uninjured?”
“...Yes.”
“Anyway, I’m sorry about this. I’m worried the Iron Blood Sect Leader’s feelings might be hurt for no reason.”
“That won’t happen.”
In truth, he was worried.
He had seen her today, unable to focus on her training, fussing over her clothes to look good for that boy.
“Then that’s a relief. In any case, that boy will never be able to marry, so please tell her not to worry about it.”
“...Is there a problem with him?”
“How should I put this… Hmm. My nephew is a bit… unwell. He can’t feel things like pleasure, sadness, joy, happiness, or misery. You could say his emotions have dried up.”
However, he was currently pleased with the gradual changes he was seeing in his nephew. He was only saying this to offer some words of comfort to the Iron Blood Sect Leader.
“Ah. No wonder.”
Today, the Sect Leader had said she couldn’t get a read on the boy.
There was a reason for it.
“But, why is he in our Iron Blood Sect?”
“Haha. I didn’t mention that, did I?”
Namgung Yul told him about the 500-year-old ginseng, leaving out the part about concocting an elixir.
“This is the first I’m hearing of it. Your information must be wrong.”
That couldn’t be. The leader of the Beggars' Sect had told him.
Besides, his nephew had never failed to accomplish what he set out to do. The problem was that it always ended in some kind of incident.
“I understand. I just came because I was worried about my nephew. And don’t torment him too much just because he’s my brother’s son.”
“If you’re going to spout nonsense, get lost!”
“My, what a temper. I was about to leave anyway. Well then, take care.”
And with that, Namgung Yul departed.
After having tossed a stone into a tranquil lake.
“...Damn it all!”
* * *
“Did you enjoy the meal?”
“Yes. It was delicious.”
“Really?”
She asked again because she couldn’t tell from Namgung Urin’s expression if he had truly enjoyed it.
“Yes?”
His tone implied, *why are you asking the same thing again?*
“I was just wondering if you really, truly enjoyed it.”
“Yes. I truly enjoyed it.”
“Thank you. For enjoying it. That’s why I have something for you.”
The Sect Leader suddenly walked toward a wall, picked up a sword that was leaning against it, and brought it over.
“Here, take it.”
“Isn’t this a sword?”
“It is. As you can see, it’s a sword. Your own sword seemed too shabby for your level of skill. So I thought you might need a sword that befits you. What do you think?”
For a while, the sword Namgung Urin carried had been a reflection of the Namgung Family’s poor state. But not anymore.
Wasn’t the Namgung Family on its way to becoming wealthy?
“It’s a mix of ten-thousand-year cold iron and dark iron. A fine sword. It’s also well-balanced. It looks to be the work of a master craftsman.”
“Oh my. How did you know?”
“I know how to forge swords.”
“Ah. That’s amazing. I truly respect you.”
“It’s nothing special. And I’m sorry, but I must decline.”
“What? Why?”
Her heart, swollen with anticipation, burst and collapsed in disappointment.
“I have something to show you as well. Just a moment.”
“...What is it...?”
Namgung Urin brought in the box and ledger he had left with the guard outside.
“What is that?”
“You should look first before we talk.”
The Sect Leader received the ledger and began to scan its pages. Her eyes grew wider and wider.
All the businesses recorded in the ledger were ones that traded with the Iron Blood Sect. And the amounts were recorded with precision.
Han Seo-hui’s expression was befitting of the woman of Iron Blood.
“Where did you get this?”
“First, please look at the item in the box.”
The Sect Leader threw open the box’s lid.
“It’s ginseng.”
“That’s right. 500-year-old ginseng. It’s quite valuable.”
“And there are ten of these valuable roots. Now, start talking.”
The Sect Leader stared directly into Namgung Urin’s eyes.
“First, let me tell you my true identity. I am the Young Lord of the Namgung Family.”
“…”
An unreadable, subtle expression crossed the face of the Iron Blood Sect Leader, Han Seo-hui.
It was nine years ago.
A banquet for the Anhui Martial Arts Alliance was being held at the Namgung Family estate.
‘Seo-hui, look at that boy over there.’
‘You mean the pale-looking boy?’
‘Yes. That boy is the son of the Namgung Family Head.’
‘He’s cute. I want him as a little brother.’
‘Yes. Wouldn’t it be nice to have him as a little brother. But remember this. That boy will one day become your fiercest rival. Though I, your mother, could not surpass the Namgung Family Head, you will be able to. Can you do that?’
‘Yes. I’m confident. Don’t worry, Mother.’
That… that child from back then…
“Namgung… Urin…”
“So you know my name.”