Chapter 1139: Scorched World.

The quiet and desolate atmosphere inside the carriage thankfully didn’t last long.

Father had merely checked the inside to confirm the carriage’s condition, or perhaps Mother’s condition. Seeing that everything seemed fine, he quickly closed the carriage door and left. However, given the circumstances, I was keenly observing the situation.

“……You don’t have to give me any more.”

I said, tired of being fed, and Mother tilted her head.

“Are you full?”

“Yes.”

Honestly, I wasn’t that full. Martial artists exert themselves so much that their eating capacity is quite something; would a few rice balls really be enough? I was just saying it because it was bothersome.

“Okay. Then the rest is mine, right?”

“……Please, eat it all.”

I really hoped so. I couldn’t understand why Mother insisted on staying by my side and kept trying to give me food. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who didn’t understand this; after Father and Mi Hyoran left, Sso-i, who had come in with them, also looked this way with peculiar eyes and spoke.

“……How curious.”

“What is?”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen that young lady yield her food to someone else.”

“……”

Is her appetite really that strong? Then again, seeing how she ate last time, she seemed to enjoy her food immensely. It was like…

‘She was like Wi Seol-ah.’

Just like Wi Seol-ah, whom I met for the first time after my regression. It reminded me of how she’d eat anything and everything due to her strong appetite. Thinking back to that time…

‘She did give me food back then too.’

She used to yield the food she was eating to me. Why…?

‘Does she think I live starving like that?’

I consider myself someone who eats and lives reasonably well, so I couldn’t figure out why she kept offering me food. Anyway.

‘……It’ll probably pass without issue, I guess.’

Although Father’s gaze after checking the carriage’s interior was unusual, I thought it might just pass without much fuss. He wouldn’t misunderstand, would he? Believing it wouldn’t happen, I asked Sso-i.

“So, when are we departing?”

“The Unit Leader still has things to discuss with the Namgung Family Head, so we’ll depart right after that.”

“Hmm……”

Hearing that, I glanced out the window. I could indeed see Father and the Namgung Family Head talking over there. The Namgung Family Head looked so tired, as if he had aged drastically overnight. Well, considering how many incidents erupted during the night, it was only natural.

‘What are they talking about?’

If I could, I’d want to raise my Ki sense and listen in, but…

‘No.’

Perhaps because Mother was beside me, my Ki sense was acting up again. Then, I saw the Namgung Family Head hand Father a letter. Simultaneously, deciphering his lip movements, I could guess.

‘……Please take good care of the Sword Saint……’

It seemed to be a letter to be sent to the Martial League. I could even interpret the lip movements; thinking I should at least do that, I tried to listen.

Tuk tuk.

“Hm?”

Someone knocked on the carriage. Looking down, it was Hyeon So-yeon.

“What is it?”

“You’re leaving, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then shouldn’t you at least say goodbye? We spent the night together, after all.”

“……What kind of bullshit is that……”

“Spent the night?”

Sso-i reacted first to Hyeon So-yeon’s words. As soon as she heard them, she hugged Mother and pushed me far away.

“Aack!”

“……Night?”

“……Why are you looking at me like that? It’s nothing like that.”

“Nothing like that? Didn’t you come to my quarters late at night before and go into the room together?”

“Damn it.”

I wondered what she was talking about, but it seemed she was referring to the time I visited to ask about Namgung Hyung.

“That’s different.”

“What’s different? Nothing I said is wrong.”

“That’s……”

Isn’t it because of the situation involving Hyeon So-yeon and Namgung Hyung? I tried to say that but closed my mouth. It wasn’t something I could blurt out carelessly.

“Tsk.”

As I clicked my tongue briefly and turned my head, Hyeon So-yeon chuckled.

“I’ve been thinking this for a while.”

“……What?”

“Young Master Baek is a kinder person than he appears. Did you know?”

“What nonsense is that?”

She comes out of nowhere to provoke me, and now she’s giving me undeserved praise? If she had eyes, she should look properly. Sso-i’s expression turned sour upon hearing that.

“I’ll stop joking now. I heard you were leaving without a word, so I just wanted to tease you a bit. It’s too rude to leave without even saying goodbye.”

“This is absurd……. We aren’t exactly on such terms that we need to exchange formal goodbyes.”

“Not on terms for goodbyes? Like I said earlier, we spent the ni-.”

“I shall take my leave first. It was an honor to spend this time with you. Please take care.”

As she was about to spout more nonsense, I cut her off and offered my greetings first. Only then did Hyeon So-yeon smile, seemingly satisfied. The problem was.

‘Her words were smiling, but…’

Her smiling face clearly showed underlying worry and fatigue.

“……The words ‘take care’ were sincere.”

“Then the rest was a lie?”

“About half?”

“Haha……”

Hyeon So-yeon let out a short laugh, then subtly moved closer and brought up another topic.

“Young Master Baek.”

“Yes.”

“The very pretty and lovely fiancée you have back home, who resembles me. Please take good care of her.”

“……Pardon?”

“Don’t get distracted by anyone else. Take good care of her. She has a good personality too, right? Usually, if someone looks as pretty as me, they tend to have a good personality as well.”

“……”

Is she good? I genuinely wondered, but I didn’t bother denying or confirming it.

“……I’ll handle it myself.”

“Alright then. Since we’ve exchanged greetings, I’ll be going now too? I also need to talk with my own fiancé.”

“Yes.”

Hyeon So-yeon turned and walked away after finishing her words. As she walked away gracefully, she suddenly turned her head back to look at me.

“See you again, shall we?”

She said lightly and walked on.

“……”

See you again? Why would we need to? I really didn’t want to. I genuinely thought so.

As if a typhoon had just passed, my energy drained, I closed the window. I hadn’t even managed to see the conversation Father and the Namgung Family Head were having.

“Agh……”

I’m tired. Somehow, I feel more exhausted now than when I fought the Heavenly Venerate. As I leaned back in the chair, half-lying down, exhausted. I felt a sharp gaze from the side. What is it? Glancing over with curious eyes, I saw Sso-i looking at me with contempt.

……Why is this person acting like this again?

“……You had a fiancée too? And yet you were with Young Lady Hyeon…?”

“No……”

“Beast……”

“That… Ah… Never mind.”

I tried to explain but gave up. Everything was too bothersome. Feeling like I didn’t want to do anything, I just closed my eyes.

Deolkeok.

The door opened again. It was Father and Mi Hyoran entering.

“We’re departing.”

Father, having finished his conversation with the Namgung Family Head, spoke casually. Finally, the matter in Hanam was over. After the matter, which seemed light but wasn’t, concluded. I moved my body back towards Hanam.

---

Time passed. Several days had passed since we started our journey from Anhui to Hanam. As usual, no particular incidents occurred. We were able to arrive in Hanam relatively peacefully.

“Your identity has been confirmed.”

Upon arriving in Hanam, we identified our personnel and entered the league. Having the status of the Azure Dragon Unit’s Vice Leader meant that troublesome situations didn’t arise. However, the difference compared to when we departed was…

“……It seems a White-grade demonic beast appeared in Anhui.”

“In Anhui……? A White-grade demonic beast, not a Red-grade one?”

“Yes, they say it was quite a major incident?”

The rumors from Anhui had apparently spread throughout the league, as the personnel were all discussing the White-grade demonic beast.

“……A White-grade demonic beast in this world.”

“Thankfully, they managed to block it with minimal damage, or so I heard.”

“Minimal damage from a White-grade demonic beast? How…… Ah, perhaps it’s because the Heavenly Venerate took action?”

As I recalled Anhui, the Heavenly Venerate naturally came to mind. As long as he was in Anhui, I assumed the handling of the White-grade demonic beast would naturally fall to the Heavenly Venerate.

“Surprisingly, they say it wasn’t the Heavenly Venerate who acted.”

“What? Not the Heavenly Venerate? Then who…….”

“Who knows. They couldn’t properly confirm the identity…… Apparently, an unidentified martial artist handled the White-grade demonic beast and left?”

“Is that possible? Was the White-grade demonic beast not as strong as expected?”

“No. From what I heard…… that unidentified expert was apparently comparable to the Three Venerates…… Huk.”

The person speaking covered their mouth. Comparable to the Three Venerates. That was not a phrase to be uttered carelessly. The Three Venerates, symbols and heavens of the orthodox sects. Being placed on the same level as them was something a righteous person should not say lightly. Therefore, everyone hushed it up, not fully believing the rumor.

‘Has this spread all the way here?’

Listening, I couldn’t help but wear a strange expression. It was amazing how quickly the rumor had spread. I hadn’t expected the events in Anhui to reach Hanam so soon.

‘Perhaps it’s because the number of witnesses is not small.’

That could be the case. How many people witnessed the incident in Anhui? Hundreds participated with full force. It wasn’t strange for rumors to spread.

“Wait.”

Father said to the personnel.

“I will go report to the League Master, so wait here for a moment.”

“Understood.”

The entrance to the League Master’s chamber. We waited there briefly. Mi Hyoran and Mother had already disappeared. Remaining were Do-yun and Namgung Jin. And Sso-i and I.

‘Did he go directly to report to the Sword Saint?’

Normally, the report would go to the Azure Dragon Leader first, then to the League Master, but heading straight to the Sword Saint meant it was a matter of considerable importance.

‘Hmm, then… the Anhui matter is concluded for now.’

Whatever the case, one task was finished. Having completed the mission and returned, I thought I could finally relax a bit. However, matters concerning Shanxi, the Blood Demon, Do-yun, and Mother still remained, so it wasn’t quite time to let my guard down.

‘I do need to catch my breath.’

Given the amount of information gathered, it seemed necessary to take a break and organize it. Just as I was thinking that, trying to take a breath.

Just then.

Chiiiiik.

‘Hm?’

I sensed something unusual. Intense heat. A massive presence.

‘What is it?’

Despite suppressing my Ki sense, I could feel the presence, so I naturally turned my head. At that moment.

“Who is thisssssss—-!!! Hahahaha!!!!”

With a loud shout, someone charged at me. There was no killing intent, so my reaction was slow.

Kwaak-!

“Kkuhk!”

A large hand clasped my shoulder.

“Isn’t this our esteemed Young Master So?! Ahahahaha!!!! I heard you arrived and came running right over…… Huh?”

“……Huh?”

A middle-aged man with a bulky build and a loud voice. Seeing him, I froze. Likewise, the middle-aged man froze upon seeing me. Sparse white hair dotted amongst his still dark hair. A giant exceeding eight feet, with red glinting eyes. He had a fierce appearance, yet he was an infinitely familiar figure. The person I knew better than anyone else was standing there. As I stared at him blankly, the middle-aged man asked me with a bewildered look.

“……Who are you? You’re not that Cheol-un fellow?”

“……”

The middle-aged man who spoke… he was none other than.

‘……First Elder?’

Gu Gyu-ryun, the First Elder of the Gu family. It was his younger days.