Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The family dinner had begun, with the entire guesthouse rented out.

My father sat at the head of the table, naturally, with Lady Mi beside him.

The empty seat next to her was probably reserved for the First Elder.

Gu Hee-bi and Gu Yeon-seo were already seated, though Yeon-seo’s eyes were red, as if she’d been crying.

So far, nothing seemed amiss.

It was understandable for her to cry, perhaps from seeing Lady Mi after a long time, or maybe for some other reason.

But what caught my attention was something else entirely.

‘Why are they here?

’I had expected this to be a family dinner, yet there were a few unexpected faces.

First off—‘Why is Namgung Jin here…?

’The Sword King of Namgung, Namgung Jin, was seated near my father.

I honestly thought I was seeing things.

Why was he here?

And not just Namgung Jin—Namgung Bi-ah was here, too.

She waved at me as I walked in.

‘Alright, that’s reasonable.

’After all, I was engaged to Namgung Bi-ah.

Sharing a meal with her family wasn’t too strange.

But then—‘…Why is she here?

’The problem was Wi Seol-ah, sitting next to Namgung Bi-ah.

Wi Seol-ah’s expression was full of confusion, like she didn’t know why she was here either.

When our eyes met, I could see the silent plea in her gaze.

‘Looks like she was dragged here.

’Who brought her?

And why did Father allow it…?

‘…Oh.

’Father knew Wi Seol-ah was the granddaughter of the Sword Saint.

Was that why?

But even so, I doubted he’d personally invite her.

Just then—-…I brought her.

A voice whispered in my ear.

It was Namgung Bi-ah.

-You brought her?

Wi Seol-ah?

-Yes… -Why?

-Is that…a problem?

Namgung Bi-ah didn’t seem to understand the issue, which left me wondering why she thought it was acceptable.

-…Never mind.

Did you get permission?

-Yes, from my mother.

I frowned slightly at her response.

Lady Mi approved of this?

‘Why would she…?

’I turned my gaze to Lady Mi.

As soon as I looked at her, she returned my gaze.

I was about to question her, but she spoke first.

“Are you planning to stand there all night?

” “…I was just about to sit.

”I moved to the empty seat across from Namgung Bi-ah.

It was the only available spot.

Wi Seol-ah was seated beside Gu Hee-bi, who immediately leaned toward her.

“Hey…” “Y-Yes?

” “We’ve met before, haven’t we?

” “…!

”Wi Seol-ah flinched at Gu Hee-bi’s words, which made sense.

She had, indeed, met Gu Hee-bi before.

It was shortly after I had returned to the Gu family from Sichuan.

Back then, Wi Seol-ah was serving as my assistant, and when Gu Hee-bi saw her, she’d said:-Give her to me.

She had wanted Wi Seol-ah to become her attendant.

I remember refusing, only to nearly lose my hair to flames for daring to say no.

It was a rather violent memory.

Gu Hee-bi seemed to remember, too, as she looked at Wi Seol-ah.

“Do you remember me, cutie?

Sister?

” “J-Just a moment…” “I’m glad to see you, but what brings you here, little one?

”Like a predator discovering new prey, Gu Hee-bi pulled Wi Seol-ah into a hug, patting her and stroking her hair.

Wi Seol-ah’s eyes silently begged me for help, but there was little I could do.

Then, Namgung Bi-ah looked at Gu Hee-bi.

“…Excuse me.

” “Hmm?

”Gu Hee-bi scowled at Namgung Bi-ah.

‘It wasn’t quite dislike; more like discomfort.

’Even when I was being punished at the frontline, Namgung Bi-ah stuck close to Gu Hee-bi, exploring battlefields and slaying monsters together.

Gu Hee-bi had hated it, yet Namgung Bi-ah continued to tag along.

Maybe Namgung Bi-ah had a certain fondness for her?

But why?

That was a mystery, but it was the reality.

“…Could you…?

”Namgung Bi-ah leaned her head closer to Gu Hee-bi, almost asking to be patted as well.

Gu Hee-bi froze, and honestly, so did I.

I never thought she’d actually ask for that.

Gu Hee-bi’s face twisted into a grimace before she replied,“No.

You’re too grown to be cute.

” “…!

”With a cold rejection, she resumed stroking Wi Seol-ah’s hair.

The look of shock on Namgung Bi-ah’s face was unforgettable.

‘By grown, she must mean height, right?

’Probably.

‘But that’s not important right now.

’The absurdity of the situation must have made me forget my priorities for a moment.

I quickly whispered to Namgung Bi-ah.

-So…did you bring him too?

Namgung Bi-ah looked at me, confused, as if to ask whom I was referring to.

I gestured toward the young man sitting at the end of the table, grinning with an irritatingly carefree smile.

He was the last person I expected to see here.

“Ah, I was starving.

I can’t wait for the meal.

”With no regard for the tense atmosphere, the young man, the Sleeping Dragon, Woo Hyuk, beamed.

I was utterly flabbergasted.

Why was he here instead of eating at Wudang?

Just as I was wondering why this madman was here, Lady Mi addressed me.

“I invited Young Master Woo.

”“You did, Lady Mi?

”She brought the Sleeping Dragon here?

“He’s your friend, isn’t he?

” “…Yes, that’s correct.

”I could only assume Lady Mi had dragged him here.

But did Father really allow it…?

Since he allowed Cheol Jiseon, I guess it made sense to allow the Sleeping Dragon, but—“Namgung Jin said he was also your friend, so he had no objections.

”“Ah, I see…”Lady Mi effortlessly answered my last question.

It was obvious why Namgung Jin was fine with it.

‘That man…’Namgung Jin had to stay in my good graces, so he probably agreed without a second thought.

This had turned into something far removed from a family dinner.

Creak.

The door behind us opened, and the First Elder entered.

“I was almost late.

”“…Elder?

”The First Elder looked at me curiously.

I had a good reason for calling out to him.

Because—‘…Why is he carrying that?

’Draped over his shoulder like laundry was Cheol Jiseon.

“Why are you— Never mind.

”I started to ask but stopped myself.

At this point, I felt like resigning myself to whatever was happening.

Deciding to let it go, I turned my attention to filling my stomach.

******************The dinner passed without much incident.

Not that I expected anything dramatic during a meal, but with so many people present, there was naturally some conversation.

Mostly, Namgung Jin and the First Elder did the talking, discussing how the Celestial Lord was doing and why Namgung Chun-joon wasn’t there.

For the record, Namgung Chun-joon’s absence was for the same reason he couldn’t enter Shinryong Academy.

I’d ordered him to stay away from Namgung Bi-ah, so even if he wanted to come, he wouldn’t be able to make it to Hanan.

Meanwhile, Gu Hee-bi continued to cling to Wi Seol-ah, who she seemed particularly fond of, even though she knew Wi Seol-ah was the Sword Master’s descendant.

That knowledge didn’t change her attitude.

Then there was Woo Hyuk, the Sleeping Dragon.

While Cheol Jiseon looked around nervously, eating as if he might choke, Woo Hyuk paid no mind to anyone and ate with a wild enthusiasm.

‘…Oh, come on, you madman…’Honestly, it was a bit much, even for someone like him.

Holding drumsticks in both hands and tearing into them?

Even my father, who rarely paid attention to anyone, was watching him closely.

Still, I refrained from commenting, since something about Woo Hyuk seemed off.

While he looked his usual sleepy self with that silly grin, I could tell there was something different.

The fact that he was here, instead of with the Wudang Sect, was strange enough.

‘And even stranger that my family allowed it.

’Whatever the reason, something was clearly wrong with him.

This was especially evident after the recent attack, where he lost several of his brothers.

He’d tried to act normal, putting on a smile, but I could see through it—it was the same forced smile he wore back in the Demon Realm.

Every time I spoke to him during dinner, he answered as if he was fine, but it was unsettling.

Once dinner ended, Woo Hyuk excused himself and left immediately.

Did he really come just to eat?

‘Ridiculous.

’I found myself wondering if my concerns had been misplaced.

I thought he might have something to say to me.

Anyway, dinner concluded without any serious discussions, except for one thing Namgung Jin asked my father during the meal.

-When would be a good time for the wedding?

I nearly choked on my food when I heard that.

Of all things, he had to bring that up?

Not that it was out of line.

I was certainly of age for marriage, and if Namgung Bi-ah weren’t a martial artist, people might say she was already overdue.

But I don’t think Namgung Jin expected the atmosphere to turn as tense as it did.

Wi Seol-ah’s eyes shook as if there’d been an earthquake.

Gu Hee-bi’s glare intensified as she stared at Namgung Bi-ah, who, in contrast, looked at me with a calm gaze, as if waiting for a response.

While it wasn’t a look that demanded an answer, it still made me uncomfortable.

My father, fortunately, responded diplomatically.

-The child is quite busy at the moment.

Perhaps we should consider it when things settle down.

It was a refusal, for now at least.

Using the excuse of exaggerated rumors and my upcoming plans to go to Sichuan, he deflected the question.

‘But someday.

’Someday, we’d have to talk about it seriously.

And when that time came, what would I do?

And then, there was the position of the Young Lord.

In my previous life, I received it just past twenty.

I’d probably receive it again, barring any significant issues.

It might even come sooner this time.

‘Running away sounded like a good idea back then.

’But things had become too tangled now, especially with the truths I’d uncovered.

Our family was entangled in more things than I’d realized.

Leaving wasn’t as easy as I’d once thought.

‘If there was a way out, I’d have taken it already.

’For now, I saw no alternative.

I only had a few years left, and there was so much to do in that time.

‘It’d be nice if it were just an illusion that things keep piling up.

’But I doubted I was that lucky.

“Hah…”I took a deep breath of fresh air.

The nightscape of Hanan was still bright.

“Ugh…”Wi Seol-ah emerged from the guesthouse, looking exhausted.

I glanced at her and asked, “Are you okay?

Or…you don’t look okay.

”“…I’m fine.

”She looked weary, likely from dealing with Gu Hee-bi all evening.

“You didn’t seem to eat much either.

” “No, I…I ate plenty.

” “You’re lying.

”She barely managed a single bowl.

Normally, she’d have polished off at least five.

“So…Namgung Bi-ah brought you here?

” “Yes, Sister said we had somewhere to go and brought me here.

Sorry if it was a bother.

” “It wasn’t.

Don’t worry about it.

”I didn’t mind, though I couldn’t speak for anyone else.

Wi Seol-ah’s eyes lit up briefly.

“That’s a relief,” she said with a smile.

I observed her smile and then looked away.

Just like with Namgung Bi-ah, her smile was hard to look at for long.

“I have a question.

” “Yes?

” “Didn’t your grandfather come?

”As soon as I mentioned the Sword Saint, Wi Seol-ah fell silent.

I’d noticed before that whenever I brought him up, her expression darkened.

‘So, even she doesn’t know.

’The attacker was the Black Dragon Sword.

Given his connection with the Sword Saint, I thought he might make an appearance, but he hadn’t.

I glanced at Wi Seol-ah and asked, “So, what are you going to do now?

”“I…”“Are you going back?

Or…”I wanted to ask if she’d come with me, but that wasn’t really for me to decide.

Wi Seol-ah seemed to hesitate, as if hoping I’d suggest she stay with me.

“Think it over.

”Ultimately, it had to be her decision.

As she was about to say something, we heard Gu Hee-bi calling out from behind.

-Where’s my little cutie?

“Eek…!

I have to go, Young Master!

” “Oh, yeah, see you later—”Wi Seol-ah disappeared without even hearing my full response, her expression one of pure terror.

She must have had quite a rough time.

Watching her leap away, I wondered how bad it must have been.

“Ahem.

”Another figure approached me.

“Have you been well?

”It was Namgung Jin.

I had noticed him glancing my way throughout dinner, but I had deliberately pretended not to see him.

“…Ah, yes.

It’s been a while.

” “Hmm…”Namgung Jin seemed different somehow, though the usual smugness hadn’t completely vanished.

Maybe he was slightly subdued.

‘Or maybe he’s here to ask for more lessons.

’If that was the case, it was going to be a problem.

The techniques I’d shared with him before were things I couldn’t even claim as my own.

He spoke to me again.

“First of all, congratulations.

”“On what?

”“I hear you’ve received a new title.

”“…Ah, yes.

”Was that a genuine congratulation or a jab?

It was hard to tell.

Before he could say anything more, I cut him off.

“Actually, I have an appointment with my father.

Let’s catch up some other time.

”I hurriedly made my escape.

I didn’t want to get cornered by Namgung Jin right now.

I knew this would lead to issues down the line, but dealing with him now was out of the question.

Using my father as an excuse, I dashed off.

Fortunately, he didn’t seem inclined to follow.

Keeping an eye out, I made my way to the meeting spot I had arranged with my father.

Meanwhile, Namgung Jin stood by the guesthouse entrance, watching me leave.

As he turned his gaze back to the doorway, he spoke.

“Won’t you be going with him?

”Namgung Bi-ah stepped forward in response.

“…He has things to take care of,” she replied.

“I see.

”A brief silence passed.

The relationship between the two hadn’t changed much over time.

At this point, it was probably too late to mend.

“First Daughter,” he addressed her again.

“Yes?

”“…As you wished, I’ve informed him.

”“…”“He said he’ll respond before heading to Hanan.

”Namgung Bi-ah’s expression shifted.

The person Namgung Jin was referring to was—“Your great-grandfather wishes to see you.

”One of the Three Sovereigns, the Celestial Lord, Namgung Jeol-cheon.

I arrived at an open space in Hanan, where I was supposed to meet my father.

I was simply waiting for him to arrive.

It shouldn’t take long.

What should I talk about once he gets here?

‘Perhaps I should start by asking where Mother is.

’This was the most pressing question.

The beast within me, the advice to merge the energy of the Divine Sword—both were related to her.

Moreover—-Within your body lies the Abyss Lord.

That’s what the Blood Demon said to me.

Was this beast so formidable that it even commanded such respect?

Why had my mother placed something like that within me?

To find out, I’d have to locate her.

She was supposedly alive somewhere.

‘And then there’s the Blood Demon.

’The Blood Demon, who occasionally possessed Jang Seon-yeon, had been appearing more frequently.

But our last encounter had been different.

I had a sense that even the scales on my arm might be connected to him.

‘He mentioned enmity.

’Observing my pain, the Blood Demon had noted that it was a manifestation of enmity.

Which meant he knew about it.

‘He said he’d change his plans after seeing this.

’What exactly was his plan?

While I was lost in thought, I felt a presence behind me.

‘Is Father here?

’I turned, expecting to see my father.

“…Huh?

”It wasn’t him.

The presence was so faint that I thought it might have been my father suppressing his aura.

But instead, I was met with someone entirely unexpected.

Clad in light blue martial robes adorned with intricate embroidery, and carrying an ornate sword at his waist, the man before me exuded an air of refinement.

Gone was the ragged man in tattered clothes, hidden under a conical hat.

Before me stood a sharply dressed, distinguished middle-aged man.

“Greetings,” he said.

“…What are you doing here?

”Srrrng.

The man, Moyong Tae, the Lord of the White Sky Sword, unsheathed his blade and looked at me.

“Now, will you tell me your name?

” he asked.

I frowned deeply.

What was this guy up to now?