Childhood Friend of the Zenith
Chapter 260: Anhui (1)

Clunk.

The carriage kept moving ceaselessly since we set off.

Splash.

Even though I hadn’t stayed at the clan for that long, I was already heading elsewhere again, but this had almost become a part of my routine ever since I regressed.

…Wait…This isn’t something I should be getting used to!

How did my life get so turbulent?

I could’ve sworn that I wasn’t even allowed to leave the clan in my past life, but to be able to leave so easily now…

I was just taking a guess here, but I just felt like father would allow me to go wherever I want to, no matter the location.

Would he even notice if I ran away from home?

Maybe not

I might have gone a bit too far with that one.

Well, that was just a small hope of mine.

Rustle.

With those lingering thoughts, I took a look at another letter.

The sender of this letter was none other than Tang Soyeol.

Seeing that I had nothing to do inside the moving carriage, I decided to take a look at the letter she had sent this time.

-Young Master, are you having a good time?

-Because I’m not!

Huh, did I misread it?

…Why is she so enthusiastic when she’s not having a good time?

What a weirdo.

Well, the letter was similar to the other ones she sent me.

It seemed that she was unable to come to the Gu Clan even after she learned of my return because the Poison King had gotten hold of her, and he wouldn’t let her go until the Heavenly Dragon Academy opened.

The Poison King huh…

I didn’t really have a lot of memories about him.

Well, I could honestly say that he despised me in my past life and had a pretty bad relationship with him.

I didn’t know if he hated me because I became a Demonic Human or some other reason, but whatever it was, my relationship with the Poison King was far from good.

Which is why, I hope I don’t run into him in this life if possible.

Well, Tang Soyeol did tell me that the Poison King wanted to meet me the last time, but all I had to do was simply avoid him.

I doubt he would come to me.

…Dealing with the Dishonored Venerable is difficult enough, I don’t want to add the Poison King to that list.

The Poison King was surprisingly well-known in the world of assassins.

Although it wasn’t common knowledge as they were a part of the Orthodox Faction, it’s pretty easy to figure out that Tang Clan originally specialized in assassination.

To begin with, the Tang Clan used poison martial arts, and Tang Soyeol also used poison arts along with her dagger.

And the Poison King who mastered such martial arts…

…Could probably kill me if he felt like it.

Of course, there was no way that he would do that while I was in the Gu Clan, but there was still a possibility.

As I was about to finish reading the letter, I felt something moving below and spoke.

“Why are you so restless?”

“…It’s uncomfortable…”

Namgung Bi-ah was in my carriage and using my lap as a pillow while lying down, as if it were natural.

I smirked as I stared at her and then spoke.

“This isn’t because you laid down immediately after you finished eating, right?”

“…Ungh…”

She shook her head to tell me that wasn’t the case.

…Hmm.

Namgung Bi-ah had returned after having a meal with Lady Mi, and judging by her expression, it seemed that something had happened. But no matter how many times I asked her, she refused to tell me.

It doesn’t look like she was scolded.

At least it didn’t seem like anything bad happened.

I wanted to know the reason Lady Mi had called for Namgung Bi-ah.

“Hey.”

“…Hmm?”

“Are you really not going to tell me?”

“…”

As soon as I asked her that, Namgung Bi-ah closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

Though it was pretty obvious that she wasn’t good at acting.

I ended up using a fair amount of strength while pinching her cheeks out of spite.

And seeing how Namgung Bi-ah didn’t react in the slightest, she probably planned to endure the pain till the end.

“Jeez…”

In the end, I simply patted her head softly.

She probably had a very good reason seeing that she wanted to keep it a secret from me.

I glanced outside the window and looked towards the Lord’s carriage, carrying Father and Lady Mi, ahead of us.

Gu Huibi stubbornly insisted on accompanying us as well, even going as far as to say that she’d be an escort, but all that resulted in her being dragged away by her ear by Lady Mi, who lost her temper.

And seeing how moist her eyes were upon her return, it seemed like she was punished to the brink of tearing up.

Wait, does that mean that she’s coming along?

I was dumbfounded on hearing that.

Wouldn’t it be weird if all the blood relatives tagged along?

And we even had Moyong Hi-ah coming along.

So, in the end, it was decided that Gu Huibi would stay behind at the clan and take care of Gu Yeonseo.

I’m sure she didn’t realize it, but Gu Yeonseo was pretty satisfied with the arrangement.

I wonder what her plans are.

I knew that Moyong Hi-ah was coming along as well, but that’s all I knew.

I think she said something about sending a letter to Namgung Clan.

They must be pretty confused as well.

Well, it was definitely strange for the Moyong Clan to attend an engagement between the Namgung Clan and the Gu Clan.

…Once this is over…

It would probably be the start of fall once all this ends.

Fall huh…?

I initially planned to go visit Wi Seol-Ah around that time.

But now, I’m really not sure if I should.

As she expressed in her letter that she wanted to come to me, I didn’t know what to do anymore.

Then…

What should I do?

Training was a must, but I also had to use my time a bit more efficiently.

“It’s difficult.”

“…Hmm?”

“It’s nothing, go back to sleep.”

“Kay…”

Once Namgung Bi-ah closed her eyes again, I sighed as I looked out the window.

Let’s get done with this first.

My current circumstances were too troublesome to worry about other things.

…Engagement huh.

The thing I never expected to happen, was now right before my eyes.

It was weird enough that I was getting engaged, but getting engaged to the Demonic Sword of all people.

No, it wasn’t right to call her Demonic Sword any longer.

I thought to myself as I stared at the girl who was breathing softly while using my lap as a pillow.

I wonder how it came to this.

I would’ve never imagined something like this happening.

I carefully brushed Namgung Bi-ah’s hair.

My palm glided smoothly along her silk-like hair.

By any chance, did you know?

I didn’t know that the two of us could be like this.

No, I might’ve had a vague feeling.

On that rainy night, when I embraced the moon in my arms…

Was perhaps the night I learned that the Demonic Sword’s existence was more significant than I told myself.

And that’s why I kept my distance from you.

Hoping that you wouldn’t make the same decision again.

Judging by her soft breaths, it seemed like she had fallen asleep .

It hadn’t even been that long ever since she shut her eyes.

I couldn’t help but chuckle on seeing that.

“I’m jealous that you’re so carefree.”

After all, it was her easy going character that made Namgung Bi-ah, Namgung Bi-ah.

Even so, this oddly funny situation put me at ease.

******************

Time went by and fall got closer.

It was still hot, but the light breeze marked the change in seasons.

There was still some time for the leaves to fall, but regardless, fall would come.

Just like always.

“Young Master Gu, are you tired?”

“Hmm? Ah no, I was just thinking about something.”

I shook my head at the sudden question.

No matter how much time had passed, it seemed like my idle thoughts wouldn’t go away.

When I glanced to my side, eyes like the clear sky met my gaze.

The precious child of the Moyong Clan, the Snow Phoenix, Moyong Hi-ah.

Moyong Hi-ah had alighted from her clan’s carriage and boarded mine.

As usual, Namgung Bi-ah was half asleep and it seemed like she wasn’t on board with the idea of sharing the carriage with Moyong Hi-ah at first, but it didn’t look like she really cared at this point.

…To be more accurate…

It’s likely because of the heat.

It seemed like Namgung Bi-ah was really struggling against the heat, because there was an unusual amount of distance between us.

And that was because of the heat radiating from my body.

On the contrary, despite the weather being hot, Moyong Hi-ah’s Ice Qi cooled the carriage she was riding.

And that was why Namgung Bi-ah didn’t complain even when Moyong Hi-ah boarded our carriage carriage.

Probably because she preferred ‘this’ over the heat.

Moyong Hi-ah looked at me with a gentle smile.

“You didn’t eat much earlier.”

“Huh? You saw that?”

“I’m always watching you.”

The necklace on Moyong Hi-ah’s neck as she spoke.

It was the one I bought her on the streets last time.

It seems like she really wore it.

It would have been easy for Moyong Hi-ah to buy hundreds of those cheap necklaces if she just sold her own necklace, or even the fan that she always carried around.

I guess she really likes cheap things, huh.

It would have made some sense if the necklace looked pretty, but even to me who had zero aesthetics, that necklace wasn’t.

After all, it was the most basic necklace.

“Hmm.”

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s nothing.”

I stretched my sore body as I replied.

It looked like we were about to arrive at our destination.

Still stretching, I asked Moyong Hi-ah a question.

“You said you had some business in Anhui?”

“Ah… yes. I have things I need to take care of, and I also have some business with Namgung Clan.”

“With the Namgung Clan?”

“Yes.”

What business did she have with them?

Now that I think about it…

I could have sworn that Moyong Hi-ah and the Pissing Dragon engaged to each other in my past life.

Maybe it hasn’t happened yet?

That was a possibility.

I think they were over twenty when I learned of their engagement.

It happened after some ti–

Wait.

What’s going to happen now?

It was no secret that Moyong Hi-ah had feelings for me.

She said it herself, and she also displayed them rather openly.

Then,

So, she has feelings for me, but she’ll also get engaged to someone else? Huh.

Wasn’t that a bit too complicated and difficult?

Those kind of thoughts were way too difficult for me.

Was the Snow Phoenix into things like that?

…Of course not.

I wasn’t sure, and it definitely didn’t feel like that, but if I were to think about my past life… I couldn’t be too certain…

Ugh.

…The more I think about it, the more complicated it gets.

When my complicated train of thoughts made me frown a bit, Moyong Hi-ah noticed it immediately and asked.

“Young Master? It looks like something did happen after all, right?”

“It’s nothing. It’s just that my head hur– “

As I tried to make an excuse, as if she were waiting to do so, Moyong Hi-ah reached out to my forehead.

Just as her cold hand was about to touch my forehead,

Tap.

Another hand appeared and snatched her hand.

It was the supposedly asleep Namgung Bi-ah.

“…No.”

“Tsk.”

Moyong Hi-ah clicked her tongue.

“Sword Dancer… you were awake.”

“Yeah.”

Namgung Bi-ah got up as she responded.

What the–

Was she really awake?

Moyong Hi-ah snorted after seeing her like that.

“It seems like I can’t let my guard down.”

“…Me too…”

After responding, Namgung Bi-ah placed her hand on my forehead.

She was doing what Moyong Hi-ah was about to do.

“I don’t have a fever, there's no need to touch me.”

“…It kind of feels like you do…”

Of course it did, but it was not a fever.

From the way she kept touching my forehead repeatedly, it didn’t seem like Namgung Bi-ah had any intention of backing away.

In the end, I had to create some distance from her, as she retrieved her hand with disappointment.

While rubbing my forehead, I asked Namgung Bi-ah.

“Are you okay? It’s been a while since you’ve returned home, isn’t it?”

“Hmm…?”

Namgung Bi-ah simply tilted her head.

It seemed like she was confused by my question.

After all, she wasn’t that fond of her clan.

Which was probably the reason she was staying at the Gu Clan event though she could return to her clan whenever she wanted.

And I also think that I was one of the reasons she was staying at the Gu Clan, but I wasn’t sure.

Seeing her eyes widen slightly, it seemed like Namgung Bi-ah finally realized what I meant by that question.

Then, she responded with a gentle smile.

I was still not used to that smile, no matter how many times I saw it.

“…I’m fine now…”

So, she wasn’t fine before huh.

I didn’t know what kind of life Namgung Bi-ah lived, and I didn’t want to ask her about it unless she came to me first.

Staring into my eyes, Namgung Bi-ah whispered to me.

“…I’m not… afraid anymore.”

Her soft whisper was a critical hit.

And as I was about to ask her one more thing…

-Young Master, we have arrived.

But the horseman’s call made me shut my mouth.

Oh, Gu Jeolyub wasn’t the horseman this time.

I wanted to take him along as well, but the First Army’s Captain dragged him away regarding some business in Gu Sunmoon.

‘Why did he also take Muyeon?

Though I had no idea why he took Muyeon as well.

Well, seeing that it was the Lord’s order, I couldn’t even ask about it.

Clip-clop… clip-clop.

The horses’ footsteps gradually grew slower and quieter, informing us that we were close to our destination.

The expected scene greeted me as I looked outside the window.

“So, I’m really here…”

The heart of the Four Noble Clans, where the Orthodox clan that represented the art of swords resided.

I had arrived at Anhui, the home of the Namgung Clan.

I had a sudden thought as I looked at the entrance.

…Am I forgetting something?

Something was bothering me. I was definitely forgetting something, but I couldn't remember what..

I felt frustrated as a fog settled over my mind.

“…I should remember it soon enough if it’s important.”

I wouldn’t have forgotten if it was anything important.

Yup, it’s not anything important.

I let go of it with a smile, but I forgot another important thing, my premonitions were always correct.

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