Chapter 1103: Scorched World.

Immediately after facing Mother.

Even though the next day arrived, the schedule hadn’t changed much.

Because we were still heading to Anhui, and the path didn’t change just because the day had come.

Hiiiiing—!!!

The sound of horses and the wheels moving. I endured the damn noise I’d been hearing for days.

The jolting sensation, making both my shoulders bump against each other, was the same.

It was utterly unpleasant, but I didn’t show it. That was because I’d heard Mi Hyoran-nim’s warning that she’d throw me out if I caused trouble again this morning.

Perhaps because of that, Namgung Jin was also keeping his mouth shut tight this time.

Although the irritation and unpleasantness showing on his face remained.

‘Hmm.’

Leaving that guy behind, I recalled the events that had happened earlier.

It was, of course, the matter concerning Father and Mother.

‘So, it seems they decided to go together after all.’

Morning. Before the carriage departed, Father said something to Mi Hyoran-nim and So-i-ssi.

Hearing that, the eyes of the two women widened, and their reactions clearly showed they were troubled.

When I saw that.

‘It’s because of Mother.’

It seemed Father had informed them that Mother had followed. This meant…

‘Those two also knew about Mother’s existence.’

It meant everyone already knew about Mother around this time. Furthermore.

‘It doesn’t seem like she appeared long ago.’

Judging by their reactions and state, it didn’t feel like Mother’s presence beside Father had been for a very long time.

‘How on earth did they meet?’

How did Father and Mother end up meeting?

Curious about this, I had subtly asked Father about it last night too.

I asked if hiding her was good, but what kind of relationship they had. I asked if she was perhaps a fiancée or something. That’s how I asked, but…

‘Do I have to answer that?’

Father merely responded to me with the coldest words in the world. Meaning, he had no intention of answering.

‘Tsk.’

Can’t I find this out?

‘Still…’

It wasn’t without results.

It was right when I was contemplating what I should do in this world.

‘Now I’m starting to get a picture.’

Father and Do-yun.

And now, Mother has appeared.

Seeing this, it felt like the path I intended to take wasn’t wrong. No matter how I looked at it, this seemed like the right way to go.

Anyway.

So, the method Father chose seemed to be just bringing her along. I saw Mother getting into that large carriage. It was at a level where I could only see it if I was concentrating.

Since her presence was barely felt, Do-yun and Namgung Jin didn’t seem to notice.

‘Is it okay for her to come along?’

Seeing Mother’s appearance, I wondered if bringing her along was the answer.

Her appearance was just like…

‘It was like Wi Seol-ah.’

The appearance when I took Wi Seol-ah around in my previous life. Her appearance had grown, but mentally, she was still so young and difficult to control, just like back then.

‘She’s different from the Mother I knew.’

She was vastly different from the Mother who exuded an overwhelming presence as the Master of Myriad Worlds, or at least the Mother who raised Gu Ryeong-hwa and me.

At this time, I could guess that something was wrong.

‘Hmm.’

What kind of events had happened, and what had unfolded?

Does Mother have no awareness?

Clearly.

‘Mother’s purpose was to appear as a disaster.’

‘Or…’

‘To give birth to the one who would become a disaster.’

And the one chosen as such a target was the bloodline of the Gu family, cursed by the world.

‘Which was Father.’

How did such processes and results follow?

Moreover.

‘If one of the current Father or Mother were to die.’

‘Then I wouldn’t be born.’

‘Wouldn’t that be escaping fate itself?’

Such thoughts flashed through my mind, but…

‘…It doesn’t matter anyway.’

Nothing can be changed. Because of what the ancestor said, it was merely a pointless curiosity.

‘Hoo.’

If this is indeed what needs to be done, for now, I am satisfied that I’ve gotten on the right track.

Now was the time to clearly grasp what this world wanted from me.

Jolt-!

The carriage shook.

Feeling the uncomfortable sensation, I narrowed my eyes.

The carriage was still cramped.

Namgung Jin’s skin felt unpleasant.

---

Several more days passed after that.

There were no particular changes then either.

Kuaaang–!!!

As we entered the mountains, the monsters’ resistance became exceedingly high.

The only difference might be that we were spending a bit more time dealing with them.

‘This too, anyway…’

It will end tomorrow. Calculating it, they said we could reach Anhui by tomorrow night at the latest.

Tuduk.

I dealt with the monster in front of me while surveying the surroundings.

Green and blue monsters were mixed together, but this level was such that anyone among us could kill them all.

“It’s finished.”

I said, clearing away the monster.

Then So-i-ssi, who was in front, nodded.

“All dealt with.”

Father nodded at So-i-ssi’s words.

Behind Father, numerous monsters were piled up.

The thick smell of burning stung my nose.

It must have been burned with flames.

‘Yeah, that’s easier.’

I would have dealt with it like that too. It was truly regrettable that I couldn’t.

‘Sniff.’

It takes so long trying to catch them one by one by beating them with my hands.

Tuk-tuk.

As I roughly shook my hands and wiped them on my clothes.

“Ugh…”

So-i-ssi looked at me as if I were dirty.

“What?”

“Why are you wiping that on your clothes.”

“I have to wipe it, don’t I.”

“There’ll be a valley soon. Couldn’t you have held out until then.”

“…Do you think the carriage is spacious like some people’s? How am I supposed to stay still with blood-stained hands in that cramped space.”

“…”

So-i-ssi wore a sheepish expression, perhaps finding my words reasonable.

“Don’t mind me and just do your work.”

“Hmm hmm…”

I said, waving my hand dismissively.

At the same time, my gaze turned towards the carriage.

The carriage where Mother would be.

Her presence was still unfelt.

As I stared intently at the carriage like that.

“What are you looking at.”

So-i-ssi approached and asked. She seemed like she wouldn’t approach earlier because I was dirty.

‘Ah.’

Is it because Mother is inside? She seemed to have rushed over and was trying to avert her gaze.

Perhaps when Father relayed the message, he didn’t mention that I also knew.

“No.”

“I just thought the carriage was really big and pretty.”

“…”

“Ours is cramped, though.”

“That… well…”

Guilt appeared on So-i-ssi’s face. It seemed she knew that the difference in class between the carriage we were in and the one they were in was significant, even from her perspective.

“…Want to switch?”

“…”

Was that what she said after holding back? As soon as I heard it, I burst into a hollow laugh.

“What?”

“Why are you laughing?”

“No.”

“It’s just a bit funny.”

“What did you say…?”

So-i-ssi scowled upon hearing me laugh so openly. But what could I do if it was funny?

So this lady also had this kind of personality back then. It was fascinating.

Just then.

“You two seem close?”

The carriage window opened, and Mi Hyoran-nim poked her face out.

“So-i ssi.”

“It seems you fancy that young master?”

“…Yes?”

At Mi Hyoran-nim’s words, So-i-ssi’s eyes widened.

“What are you…”

“You usually don’t even approach other men, saying they feel too lustful, and you detest them.”

“But you’re sticking close to Young Master Baek, aren’t you.”

Mi Hyoran-nim pointed at us with her chin. As Mi Hyoran-nim said, we were a bit close.

“…!”

At those words, So-i-ssi widened the distance between us. She probably thought we were a bit too close, even from her own perspective.

“Why?”

“Since it’s like this, why not enjoy it.”

“…What did you say?”

“Hwasan Sect doesn’t really care much about marriage issues anyway.”

As Mi Hyoran-nim said that, discomfort flickered in So-i-ssi’s eyes.

“It’s not like that.”

“You know that, Miss Mi.”

“Who knows?”

“…Miss Mi.”

“Oh my.”

“You’re going to get angry.”

Mi Hyoran-nim immediately closed the window upon seeing So-i-ssi’s reaction.

“Ha…”

Seeing that, So-i-ssi let out a sigh. Watching her, I said to her.

“Senior.”

“…Yes?”

When I suddenly called her, So-i-ssi flinched.

“I’m just mentioning it in case.”

“…”

Then, discomfort appeared on So-i-ssi’s face, just like before. Why was she getting uncomfortable like that, as if she knew what I was going to say?

Could she have thought I was going to confess or something?

As if.

Seeing that, I quickly spoke before the misunderstanding could deepen.

“I’m not interested, so don’t worry.”

“Huh?”

“I don’t have the slightest interest in you, Senior.”

“Not even a little bit.”

Considering the age difference. Even if the future Sword Empress was beautiful for her age, I wasn’t interested. Besides, she was also Gu Ryeong-hwa’s teacher.

“Ah… Ah, yes.”

So-i-ssi looked flustered by my words, perhaps because they were unexpected.

“I’m just saying.”

I refuse unnecessary misunderstandings. Besides, there’s no one else who catches my eye anyway.

‘No matter how beautiful she is…’

My gaze naturally shifted to Namgung Jin over there, whose face was still bruised. Because seeing him reminded me of someone.

‘No, I can’t.’

The woman with the fitting blue eyes. I smiled slightly, recalling her.

Just as I was trying to sort out the situation while recalling that.

Kuaaang–!!

“…”

I turned my head at the sound coming from afar.

‘Are there still some?’

It was the presence of a monster.

The species…

‘Bear.’

A monster in the shape of a bear. It was a common type to appear in the mountains.

Its rank is green, perhaps?

Moreover.

‘The direction is this way too.’

The direction it’s running seems to be this way. The others also seemed to sense its presence and readjusted their stances, but…

‘Hmm…?’

Something is strange.

The urgent approaching presence… how should I put it?

‘Escape?’

It feels like fleeing. The presence of something running away from something else.

Huh? This feels familiar. When was it?

Ah.

‘Namgung Bi-ah.’

When I first met Namgung Bi-ah. It seems it was like this back then too.

A monster, fleeing to avoid Namgung Bi-ah.

Kuwaaang—!!!

Burst out from the bushes just like now.

‘And then…’

Hwiririric–!!

Kwadeuk-!!

Although slightly different from back then, something flew in and burst the monster’s head. Without slowing down, the object embedded itself into a tree.

It was a flail.

‘A flail…?’

Just as I wondered why such a thing suddenly appeared here.

“Ah, got it.”

Another life form burst out from the bushes.

“I almost missed.”

It was a woman drenched in blood. The impression was clearly that she was soaked in monster blood, and her originally black hair had become damp with gore.

Squeeeze.

Then she grabbed her clothes tightly and squeezed out the blood.

When everyone was flustered by the sudden appearance.

“…What the?”

The most flustered person was none other than me.

The black-haired woman who suddenly appeared.

“…Namgung Bi-ah?”

Because she looked chillingly identical to Namgung Bi-ah.