A Troublesome Morning

I opened my eyes.

The moment I did, I sat up. Crack! A loud pop echoed from my bones as I stretched.

"Ah."

How refreshing. My body felt exceptionally light. Was it because I had slept so deeply in a comfortable bed? The stiffness that had plagued me throughout the journey seemed to have completely vanished.

"...Now I feel like I can finally breathe."

The grim look on my face seemed to have cleared up as well. Now that my exhausted body was restored, everything felt right with the world. I was in a great mood. It had been a long time since I felt this cheerful, and waking up in a cozy bed only added to it. Today was off to a pretty good start.

With that pleasant thought, I stood up and slid the door open.

Rattle.

"Oh, hello—"

Rattle—slam.

"..."

I had opened the door, seen something I shouldn't have, and promptly shut it again.

How strange.

"Am I still half-asleep?"

That had to be it. I rubbed my eyes with the back of my hand and opened the door once more.

Rattle.

"Wait, why are you closing—"

Ah, so I hadn't misseen. I tried to slam the door shut in a hurry.

Rattle—thud!

"—the door on me?"

This time, I couldn't close it. A hand had wedged itself in the gap, blocking the door.

Screeech.

I strained to force it shut, but it wouldn't budge an inch. I had noticed it yesterday, too, but this woman's strength was no joke.

"Young Master. It's a lovely morning, isn't it?" Dang Ye-ran said, offering a bright, innocent smile.

Even as she spoke, the pressure from her hand remained absolute.

"...Yes. It was a lovely morning, up until a moment ago."

Key word being was.

"Oh my, did you have a nightmare?"

"I think so."

In fact, I felt like I was still trapped in one.

Regardless.

"...So, what brings you here?"

Why are you here? I asked, putting more weight into the door. It still didn't budge.

"Oh, come now. What do you mean, 'what brings me here'?" Dang Ye-ran replied with her signature, cheerful laugh.

"I told you yesterday."

"..."

"Let's get married."

A sudden throb of pain shot through my temples.

"Was that not a joke?"

"My goodness. I don't make jokes like that."

If she wasn't joking, that made it even worse. What on earth was her motive for bringing up such nonsense? Just like yesterday, it was utterly absurd.

"...I believe I already gave you my answer."

At my words, Dang Ye-ran's eyes widened slightly.

"Ah, that you don't want to?"

"Yes."

The answer had already been delivered. Though I had faltered yesterday when she caught me off guard, my stance hadn't changed. I had flatly rejected her.

Upon hearing my refusal, Dang Ye-ran asked:

"Why?"

She asked as if she genuinely couldn't comprehend it, looking just as baffled as I had been when she proposed.

"What do you mean, 'why'?"

I was the one who should be bewildered here. Why?

"...Do you even like me?"

I asked just in case, but Dang Ye-ran merely waved her hand dismissively.

"Oh, of course not."

Her response was incredibly brazen.

What was wrong with this woman? What was she trying to pull?

"Then why are you doing this to me?"

"Young Master, marriage doesn't always have to be about love. Especially not in my case."

"..."

How cold and pragmatic. But she wasn't wrong. For those belonging to the prestigious clans of the current Murim, that was the reality for ninety-nine out of a hundred.

Still.

"I mean, just look at my parents, for instance."

"...Excuse me?"

Why was she suddenly bringing up the Poison King? A sudden chill of foreboding ran down my spine.

"Take my mother. She ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was so infatuated with your father, Young Master Bang, that she still hasn't gotten over him, yet she married my father..."

"Stop right there."

I let go of the door and slapped my hand over Dang Ye-ran's mouth.

"Mmph..."

What ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on earth was she blabbing about? It was terrifying information.

I had quickly shut her up in case anyone was listening, but then—

Lick.

A repulsive sensation on my palm made me recoil, instantly pulling my hand away.

"Are you insane?!"

I stared at my palm in sheer disgust. A faint trace of moisture glistened there.

Obviously, it wasn't water.

"Your hand is saltier than I expected, Young Master."

"...Are you out of your mind?"

"No. I'm perfectly sane. Don't I look it?"

If you looked sane, would I even be asking?

"Seriously, why are you doing this to me? We just met."

"If we count today, it's our second time seeing each other."

"...Do you even know how old I am?"

"I don't. Do I need to? Age isn't important."

I was going to lose my mind. I really was.

...What kind of person is this?

I had never encountered anyone like her in my life. Even as we conversed, a profound sense of dissonance filled my head. Not only did she approach me out of nowhere, but...

Marriage?

It would be one thing if she had fallen for me at first sight, but she openly admitted she hadn't. The sheer audacity of demanding marriage under those circumstances left me utterly speechless.

"Sigh."

I let out a long, deep sigh. Trying to steady my reeling mind, I spoke.

"What is your reason?"

When I stared straight at her and demanded an answer, Dang Ye-ran finally hesitated.

"Any further than this is a breach of etiquette. If you won't give me a reason, it's simply rude."

I adjusted my disheveled clothes. It was a deliberate action to calm myself down, and it worked; my head was gradually clearing.

"Mmm..."

"Is it because I found out about your hobby?"

I didn't think that was the sole reason, but Dang Ye-ran's behavior had definitely shifted after I brought it up.

At my mention of it, her brow furrowed slightly. She looked uncomfortable.

"Before I tell you the reason, there is one thing I must clarify."

"I'm listening."

"First of all, what I do is not a hobby."

"Not a hobby?"

Blacksmithing wasn't a hobby? As I stared at her in confusion, Dang Ye-ran continued.

"It is my dream and my goal."

The playful smile that usually graced her face was gone, replaced by a solemn expression.

"..."

A dream and a goal.

I pondered those words, looking into her eyes as she spoke them.

Soon, I reached a conclusion.

"I apologize."

"...!"

Dang Ye-ran's eyes widened as I adjusted my posture and offered a formal apology.

"Oh, no. I didn't mean to demand an apology..."

"No. It is true that I treated your aspirations lightly, so it is only right that I apologize."

"..."

As I spoke with the utmost politeness, Dang Ye-ran, who had been flustered, composed herself. In an instant, the elegant poise of a noble lady radiated from her refined posture.

"...I accept your apology. Thank you for your consideration."

So she was capable of acting like a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠proper lady. That was a bit surprising.

"...So, does your goal have something to do with this current situation?"

"...Yes."

"Why is that?"

"..."

Dang Ye-ran hesitated at my question. I waited quietly for her to answer.

Eventually, she spoke.

"Earlier... did you say it would be rude of me not to give a reason?"

"Yes."

"Then, how about I just be a rude person, and you marry me anyway...?"

"Why would I marry a rude person?"

"I suppose that makes sense." Dang Ye-ran nodded, laughing awkwardly.

"Still, I'm pretty good-looking, aren't I? Can't you just take me in and live with me?"

"..."

I had heard something like this before. Was this how all people who knew they were attractive behaved? Wol Mu-hui of Cheongwol Gate was the same.

I dressed up so pretty today...! Can't you look at me kindly for once...?

"..."

I recalled someone who had thrown a similar, useless tantrum. Shaking my head slightly, I spoke.

"Instead of taking you in, wouldn't I be the one marrying into your family?"

There was no way I wouldn't end up as a live-in son-in-law.

"...That... is also true." Dang Ye-ran didn't deny it.

"But still, can't we work something out...?"

"I'll be taking my leave now."

"Ah."

Dang Ye-ran tried to say something, but I ignored her and stood up. It was obvious she was hiding something she found too awkward to reveal.

Then there's no reason for me to listen.

There was no point in wasting any more time.

What a pain, right from the morning.

I ignored her continued attempts to speak.

"I'm going to change. Get out."

"Oh, wait..."

"Or you can just watch if you want."

I ignored her and pulled my robe open. I figured this would make her leave.

"...Whoa..."

"..."

Instead, she stared with genuine interest.

...I didn't expect that.

Narrowing my eyes, I glared at her.

"...Are you seriously going to watch?"

"Ah...! S-Sorry."

Only then did Dang Ye-ran snap out of it and hurry outside. It seemed she had just spaced out rather than actually intending to watch me undress.

"...Whew."

Finally, I was alone again. As I slowly changed into my martial arts robes, a voice spoke.

The ghost who had been watching the whole time spoke up. It was Yoo Chun-gil, who had reappeared late last night. When I had asked him where he had wandered off to all day, what did he say again? That he had gone for a long walk?

It was the same useless answer as last time.

"That sounds exactly like something my father would love to say."

Never turning away a woman who approaches? What a joke. I knew all too well how a life lived like that ended, just by looking at my father.

"...Do you really want to talk like that about someone you met when she was a child?"

I cut off his nonsense before he could start. Dang Ye-ran had mentioned meeting Yoo Chun-gil when she was young. How could he speak of a child he had seen back then in such a way?

Yoo Chun-gil smirked, seemingly recalling something.

"...Ugh."

I gave him a look of pure disgust.

Oh, he wasn't? I had naturally assumed he was.

"...Then what?"

Hmm.

That was high praise.

Moreover, 'growing up well' meant that Yoo Chun-gil recognized her immense value.

He never said anything like that about the Little Blue Sword.

It wasn't bad. Just about that level.

On the other hand, he had called Wol Mu-hui an extraordinary talent.

Does that mean Dang Ye-ran is on that level too?

It was hard to say.

Dang Ye-ran isn't one of the Seven Great Talents.

Though she was famous as the 'Poison Flower', that was merely an epithet she received for being a direct descendant of the Dang Clan. I had never heard of her being particularly strong among the younger generation.

Besides.

The strong one isn't the Poison Flower...

If I recalled correctly, it was one of her brothers.

What was his title again...?

As I racked my brain trying to remember, Yoo Chun-gil spoke.

I clicked my tongue at his suggestion.

"She's not following me because she likes me. She clearly has an ulterior motive, so why should I?"

She had explicitly stated she didn't like me. Yet she was clinging to me, demanding marriage, and refusing to give a reason.

My instincts were screaming at me.

If you get involved, it's going to be a headache.

She was a walking disaster, a breathing magnet for trouble. I shouldn't get entangled with her. Especially since she seemed so bizarre.

My grandmother used to tell me in my past life...

I recalled the words my grandmother had spoken to me.

My grandson.

Yes?

You are blessed with women.

Oh... that's good.

But you only attract crazy ones. And they cling to you like glue.

Oh... that's bad.

Beware of any woman who approaches you. None of them will be sane.

Why don't you just curse me instead?

Having actually experienced it in my past life, I couldn't just brush it off as a joke. Of course, there was a chance things had changed in this life, but... who knew?

It doesn't hurt to be careful.

Calming my mind, I grabbed the door handle. Now that I was ready, I had to go out. Cheon Ui-jin and Do-hyeong were probably already outside.

But before I met up with them...

I have to see the Poison King first.

I had a meeting scheduled with the head of the Dang Clan. Before wrapping up our conversation yesterday, he had requested that we meet around noon today.

Ugh.

Just thinking about it made my face grimace. I really didn't want to go. I had already dreaded it, but after what happened at the banquet yesterday, my reluctance had doubled.

I hope I don't actually end up dead.

I figured they wouldn't kill me since they seemed to need me for something, but I still felt a slight sense of danger.

Tsk.

Still, I couldn't just skip it. I had my own goals to accomplish here as well.

Get it together.

No more incidents. I would move with the sole purpose of maintaining peace. I'd do exactly what needed to be done and get out.

With that resolve, I grabbed the door handle and pulled it open.

"Huh?"

The moment I opened it, I saw an unusually large crowd gathered outside. There were plenty of martial artists who appeared to belong to the Dang Clan.

Among them, Dang Ye-ran, who had left earlier, was facing off against someone. Her expression was completely different from when she had been looking at me.

"...Brother, what are you doing here?"

She was blocking the way as if she would never let him pass. Her heavily scowling face was filled with desperation and a trace of contempt.

Who on earth was he to make Dang Ye-ran react like that?

Curious, I shifted my gaze.

"I believe I told you ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠to get out of my way."

Ah.

The moment I saw him, I knew exactly who he was.

A smirk played on his lips, and his eyes were sharp. He was a young man whose face bore a striking resemblance to both the clan leader, Dang Gyeong-ak, and the young patriarch, Dang Jun.

So it's him.

It was him. The second son of the Poison King, and one of the Seven Great Talents alongside Wol Mu-hui.

The Poison Dragon, Dang Cheon-il.

He was hailed within the Dang Clan as the reincarnation of the Poison Sovereign, a genius of a generation.

Why was someone like him standing outside our quarters?

As I watched with growing suspicion, he spoke.

"Move. I came to see the successor of the Sword Saint."

...Huh?

I furrowed my brows at the Poison Dragon's words.

...Me?

A very bad feeling washed over me.