Chapter 64: Homecoming
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 64: Homecoming
“Huff, huff.”
I lay spread-eagled on the training hall floor.
“Not bad at all. To think you could dodge and block all of that.”
“Through you, Father-in-law, I’ve realized that the North Sea didn’t produce its Martial Gods for nothing.”
The Ice Emperor, Seol Baek-ho, was strong.
If I had intended to fight seriously, I should have gone all out from the very beginning. I had tried to use petty tricks for no reason, only to lose my momentum. From that point on, I had spent all my energy just trying to evade and parry.
Halfway through the duel, it seemed Father-in-law had gotten into the spirit of things, as he began swinging his sword with incredible fervor. I saw an opening where I could have landed a thrust, but I chose to let it go.
After all, this wasn't a life-and-death struggle.
It was a conversation through combat that only men could understand. We swung our blades until we were both exhausted.
“You still have a long way to go.”
“Yes. I am truly glad to see you are in such high spirits.”
“Do well.”
That single phrase, ‘do well,’ carried a multitude of layered meanings.
“So, what do you plan to name the baby?”
“…….”
It seemed the time had finally come to tell him the truth.
“That… actually…”
Boom!
Just then, the doors to the training hall burst open. The Little Snow Unit, the Chief Officer, and Seol Su-hyeok rushed inside.
“Hmph. I clearly gave orders that no one was to enter.”
“Did something happen?”
“That… Palace Lord.”
“Young Master, listen carefully,” Weizhi Young and Seol Su-hyeok spoke simultaneously.
“The Ice Queen has… returned.”
“The lady who will be your mother-in-law is looking for you.”
At their words, Seol Baek-ho and Hyeok Ryeon-yeom stared at each other.
At that same moment.
A guest appeared at the Young Palace Lord’s Hall.
“Young Palace Lord.”
The maidservant guarding the hall recognized Cheon Deung-jin and bowed her head.
“What brings you here?”
“I’ve come to see the Young Palace Lord.”
“Did you have an appointment?”
“No. But I truly wish to meet her.”
Cheon Deung-jin made her request to the maid.
Cheon Deung-jin had also been present at the engagement ceremony. Thus, she was aware of the rumor that the Young Palace Lord, Seol Yerin, was supposedly pregnant. While everyone else was making a fuss, Cheon Deung-jin had accidentally discovered that the Young Palace Lord had been left all alone.
To be alone at a time like that…
Through her own family, Cheon Deung-jin knew that when a woman is pregnant, being left alone can lead to all sorts of troubling thoughts. That was why she had taken the liberty of visiting. It was also a situation where she needed to obtain Extreme Yin Qi.
“……I will send word inside.”
Cheon Deung-jin nodded and waited in front of the hall.
“She says you may enter.”
Fortunately, permission was granted. Upon entering the hall and reaching Seol Yerin’s room, she found the Young Palace Lord looking a bit disheveled. Even with her rubbing her eyes as if she had just woken up, she looked beautiful even to Cheon Deung-jin, who was also a woman.
“Hello. I am Cheon Deung-jin, the Young Palace Lord of Potala Palace.”
“Ah, hello. I’m sorry. I just woke up from a nap… I’m a bit out of it.”
Slap!
Seol Yerin lightly slapped her own cheeks to wake herself up and adjusted her posture.
“So, what can I do for you?”
“Ah, yes. First, I came to offer my congratulations.”
“Pardon? Ah, on the engagement?”
“On the engagement, yes… and also because everyone is saying you are pregnant…….”
Trickle… splash.
“Ah, I spilled it.”
Seol Yerin, who had been pouring a glass of water since she had nothing else to offer, ended up spilling it everywhere.
“A-Are you alright?”
“Ah, yes. And that’s actually not true.”
“What?”
“I’m probably not pregnant. I think I was just dizzy for a moment.”
“Ah…….”
Cheon Deung-jin looked bewildered at the revelation that there was no pregnancy.
“Then, the people outside right now are…….”
“That’s why it’s a huge problem. Do you know of any good way to handle this?”
“…You are a good person, Young Palace Lord.”
“Pardon?”
“I think it’s amazing that you can speak so honestly to someone you’re meeting for the first time.”
Seol Yerin waved her hand dismissively at the praise.
“No, it’s nothing. Thank you. Oh, come to think of it, Gaga mentioned that you need Extreme Yin Qi?”
At the word ‘Gaga,’ Cheon Deung-jin’s eyes wavered.
“Ah, yes. That’s right. Since the Fire Spirit Energy ravaged my body, Hyeok Ryeon Young Master said I need Extreme Yin Qi to recover.”
“That’s perfect then. Shall I give it to you now?”
“Would that be alright?”
“Yes.”
Seol Yerin started to reach out but then hesitated.
“What is it?”
“Now that I think about it… this is a first.”
“Pardon?”
“Lady Cheon is the first person who hasn't frozen up while talking to me this closely.”
Flinch.
She had called her ‘Lady Cheon.’
Cheon Deung-jin had never told Seol Yerin that she was a woman. This meant she had likely heard it from Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
He told her… everything.
For some reason, she felt like she had lost.
“Lady Cheon.”
“Yes, yes?”
“Our statuses are similar, and though we’ve lived different lives… how about we become friends? To be honest, I don’t have any friends.”
Seol Yerin extended her hand toward Cheon Deung-jin.
Moved by the kindness of Seol Yerin, who had initially seemed like a cold-blooded ice beauty, Cheon Deung-jin reflexively took her hand.
Shiver—
Extreme Yin Qi began to flow through their joined hands.
“It’s been a long time.”
The wife of the North Sea Ice Palace Lord had returned.
The Ice Queen, Hong Ye-hwa, surveyed her surroundings.
“So, the engagement ceremony was held yesterday?”
“Yes, that is correct.”
Maidservants followed behind Hong Ye-hwa.
“I’m glad it wasn't the actual wedding.”
“We wanted to send word, but…….”
“I know.”
There had been no way to contact her. Leaving the Ice Palace had been her own decision, after all.
“If I had known Yerin was cured, I would have returned much sooner.”
She had received the news far too late.
“Where is the child?”
“…She is at the training hall.”
“And my husband?”
“He is with her.”
“Really? It seems they’ve already become close.”
The palace maids glanced at each other.
Were they close? Could people who were ‘close’ fight each other all through the night? Knowing that North Sea warriors were a strange breed, the maids couldn't help but be confused.
“Where should we escort you?”
“Didn't you say Yerin was sleeping?”
Gulp.
The maids couldn't bring themselves to report what had happened at the engagement ceremony to the Ice Queen. Since the matter wasn't certain yet, they had been ordered to keep their mouths shut.
“…Yes, that is correct.”
“Hmm, your response is slow. Are you hiding something?”
Flinch.
“Well, whatever. I can just hear it from her directly.”
With those words, Hong Ye-hwa made her way toward the training hall. Though she had been away from the Ice Palace for a long time, not much had changed.
Just as Hong Ye-hwa reached the training hall.
“W-Wife. If you had only sent word, I would have come out to meet you.”
“It is an honor to meet you. I am Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.”
Seol Baek-ho and Hyeok Ryeon-yeom appeared before Hong Ye-hwa.
“Oh my, he’s handsome!”
Ignoring Seol Baek-ho entirely, Hong Ye-hwa stood Hyeok Ryeon-yeom up and circled him, observing him intently.
“Pass!”
“Thank you.”
She also liked that he answered without being flustered.
“Where did you find such a son-in-law?”
“……He is from the Demonic Cult.”
“Ah.”
At the mention of the Demonic Cult, Hong Ye-hwa looked back at Hyeok Ryeon-yeom.
“Hwi’s… son?”
At that remark, Hyeok Ryeon-yeom began to break into a cold sweat. He wasn't stupid enough to fail to realize that the ‘Hwi’ she mentioned was his father, Hyeok Ryeon-hwi.
Come to think of it, I had never heard anything about Seol Yerin’s mother. From the moment I first arrived at the Ice Palace, her mother had been absent. Since I couldn't exactly ask if her mother had passed away, I hadn't breathed a word about her all this time.
But seeing her appear before me like this…
I wondered who Lady Seol took after, and it turns out she looks just like her mother.
When Seol Yerin got older, she would likely age just as gracefully. The problem was…
“Do you… know the Cult Leader?”
“Of course I do.”
“He’s not exactly someone you can just not know.”
Father-in-law cut off Mother-in-law’s words.
I don’t think there are many people who can call my father by his name so casually.
Were they rivals in love? I hoped it wasn't some soap opera plot where my father and father-in-law had competed for my mother-in-law’s affections in their youth.
“More importantly, how did you get back?”
“I heard Yerin was getting engaged to a son-in-law, so I rushed back. I couldn't let her think her mother wasn't around, could I?”
She was smiling, but there seemed to be a sharp edge to her words.
“Well, anyway, the wedding hasn't happened yet. Shall we go see our daughter together?”
“That… she needs absolute rest right now…….”
“Let’s go. I will lead the way.”
Fearing Father-in-law might say something strange, I cut him off and began walking toward the Young Palace Lord’s Hall with Mother-in-law.
“Oh, thank you.”
I wasn't sure what kind of person she was yet. However, even in that brief encounter, I could see that Father-in-law found her difficult to handle. If even the King of the Ice Palace found her difficult, I could guess what she was like.
Father-in-law doesn't seem to be in her good graces. She knows my father well enough to call him by name. And she’s someone who left her daughter, who could have died at any moment, to wander around before finally returning.
This was all the information I had for now. The most curious part was what Seol Yerin thought of her mother. My attitude toward my mother-in-law would be decided by that.
In front of the Young Palace Lord’s Hall.
“I’ve come to see my daughter.”
“Ah, the Young Palace Lord is currently conversing with the Young Palace Lord of Potala Palace… I will send word.”
“The Young Palace Lord of Potala Palace?”
It seemed Cheon Deung-jin was meeting with Seol Yerin while I was away. More importantly, Mother-in-law’s eyes seemed to sparkle at the mention of Potala Palace.
“Then I definitely need to go in and see them together.”
“C-Calm down, Wife. First, we must wait for Yerin’s permission…….”
“Permission… I see you’re still overprotecting her.”
Inhale.
Mother-in-law took a deep breath.
Then.
“Yerin! Your mother is home!”
Rumble!
A thunderous Lion’s Roar echoed out, powerful enough to make the entire hall tremble.