Chapter 1148: Scorched World.

After the schedule was set. I checked the letter to see the detailed situation.

‘Departure is three days later…….

I depart for Shanxi immediately three days later. With the schedule confirmed.

‘The reason?’

What is the reason for going to Shanxi? I checked this as well.

‘Huh?’

A somewhat unexpected phrase is glimpsed.

‘…Return of the demonic artifact. And as part of a secret mission.’

The reason was subtle. What is this return of the demonic artifact?

‘Secret mission?’

A secret not even written in the letter. That was the reason I was heading to Shanxi.

‘What is this secret mission?’

What on earth makes such a lofty term attached?

What did they make the reason out of?

‘What did Father do?’

I wondered what kind of conversation Father and Sword Master had for these words to be written.

“It’s strange, isn’t it?”

As if sensing my feelings, the Azure Dragon Grand Master chuckled and said.

“I find it strange too. Of course. Rather than questioning whatever they are thinking, I simply follow. That is… “

Screeeech. The Azure Dragon Grand Master leaned back deeply into the chair.

“It’s also why you judge yourself valuable and offer unnecessary kindness.”

“…….”

“So…”

The Azure Dragon Grand Master whispered to me quietly with a smiling face.

“Please. I hope you won’t do anything foolish.”

It was a low, clear warning.

“Yes.”

I replied. Even as I replied, I was still full of questions.

‘How did the Azure Dragon Grand Master die?’

Someone of this caliber wouldn’t have died easily. What on earth happened in the past for the Azure Dragon Grand Master to have died?

That was quite puzzling.

---

Creak.

I closed the door and went outside. When I came outside, the sunset had already completely faded, and it had become night.

“Hmm…”

I scratched my cheek while looking at the moonlight. Not only has too much time passed, but…

‘…the mission is bothering me.’

The reason that sent me towards Shanxi keeps lingering in my mind.

The return of the demonic artifact could be understandable, but. Secret. That word kept snagging my thoughts.

‘What could it be.’

Since it’s called secret, they wouldn’t tell me.

‘This feels like it’s going to get troublesome.’

Looking at the situation, it feels like it’s going to get quite troublesome.

‘…Is there no other way?’

I didn’t think I could make it any better than this. Because even in my eyes, this was the best.

‘Right, if I’m going to Shanxi anyway, then anything is fine.’

The only important thing is that I get to go to Shanxi. For now, just this alone was a gain.

“Good.”

I think positively. Even if it wasn’t good, I did. I nodded. Just as I was about to walk forward.

“….”

Something was caught in my spiritual sense. I naturally turned my head and asked.

“Do you need something from me?”

“Oh my.”

At my words, the person peeking at me from the corner reacted. Dark black hair, large eyes, and fair skin.

It was Hyun Suyeon.

“Oh dear. I’ve been caught?”

She said with a playful smile. Seeing that, I had to put on an expression of disbelief.

“You weren’t planning on hiding anyway, were you?”

“Ahaha. That’s caught too?”

If she had intended to hide, she wouldn’t have hidden so clumsily. After all, Hyun Suyeon was also a top-tier martial artist.

“So, what did you need?”

When I asked why she was acting like that, Hyun Suyeon walked towards me and said.

“No, it’s nothing special. I got a bit annoyed, so I ran away?”

“Ran away? From where?”

“Ah, the banquet. Come to think of it, where were you, Young Master Baek? You weren’t seen anywhere during the entire banquet.”

“…There was a banquet?”

“Huh?”

“….”

I didn’t even know there was a banquet. It was also because I had been talking with the Grand Master until now, but…

‘…There was a banquet?’

Was it a banquet that opened when Hyun Suyeon arrived? But they didn’t tell me about it?

“Ah…?”

Hearing this, Hyun Suyeon somehow made an apologetic expression.

“Are you perhaps… being left out?”

“….”

She poked a rather sensitive spot.

“It’s nothing like that.”

“Ah… um… I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing…?”

Receiving an apology made me feel even worse.

“Haaah… So you ran away?”

I’ll gloss over the banquet and being left out. Even if they said a banquet was held, I probably wouldn’t have gone anyway. Really.

“Yes. They were just so annoying.”

It was obvious what was annoying. Since she looks like that, guys must have been busy throwing advances from all directions. The problem is.

“Senior Namgung would have been there too, wouldn’t he?”

Namgung Jin, her fiancé. I thought it would have been fine since he was there too.

“Does that guy care about things like that? He’s too busy looking elsewhere.”

Hyun Suyeon said, shrugging her shoulders. Could that mean…

“…Miss Mi was also at the banquet?”

“Yes. The Deputy Leader was there too?”

“….”

Seriously, everyone went except me. Damn it.

“Ah… perhaps… no, s-sorry…”

“I told you not to apologize?”

“Ah, yes.”

Anyway, since Mi Hyoran was there, Namgung Jin was busy looking at her? Then, judging by the circumstances, the other guys must have roughly seen the situation too.

‘…Is he out of his mind?’

If Namgung Jin has feelings for Mi Hyoran, there could be guys hitting on Hyun Suyeon, who was left alone. The fact that Namgung Jin didn’t stop it. I found that absurd.

‘Even if he doesn’t have feelings for her.’

She’s still his fiancée, and if he lets it be like that, it could cause problems for his family’s reputation too.

‘Seriously, he has terrible foresight.’

I let out a sigh at Namgung Jin’s attitude. Does one become like that when blinded by a woman? It’s really not easy. No, even if blinded, one wouldn’t become like that.

‘…What could the reason possibly be.’

I wondered if there was another reason why Namgung Jin fell for Mi Hyoran. Of course.

‘Madam Mi is indeed beautiful.’

Objectively speaking, Mi Hyoran is beautiful. Even considering that she’s not a martial artist and ages quickly, even an aged Mi Hyoran was a beautiful person. However.

‘Still.’

Hyun Suyeon is on a different level. Shall I say her class is different? Yet, I couldn’t understand Namgung Jin being completely smitten with Mi Hyoran while leaving his fiancée aside. And.

‘That woman next to Namgung Jin.’

Hyun Suyeon, who tries to stay by his side without having feelings for him, is equally incomprehensible to me.

“Oh my?”

Seeing me like that, Hyun Suyeon laughed.

“You’re looking at me with pitying eyes?”

“No, I’m not.”

“Don’t deny it. It’s all over your face. Fine. Since I played a trick on you too, I’ll let it slide.”

“….”

“Anyway! Since I ran away, guess who I saw? Young Master Baek! So I waited to chat a bit.”

“You didn’t see me; you waited because you knew I was here.”

“It’s the same thing.”

How is that the same thing? It wasn’t a coincidence at all.

“No… um…”

I tried to say something but closed my mouth.

“…What did you want to talk about?”

I’m interested for now, so let’s hear it. With that thought, I spoke.

“You want to talk, right? Fine. Let’s take a walk, shall we?”

Hyun Suyeon smiled brightly and led the way. Watching her walk as if she knew the way, I tilted my head slightly.

‘…Does she know the way?’

Someone who looks like that usually doesn’t know the way well. I suspected Hyun Suyeon might be the same.

---

My suspicion didn’t last long. Surprisingly, Hyun Suyeon was not directionally challenged.

“…How do you know the way?”

Watching Hyun Suyeon navigate the path nonchalantly, I asked. At my words, Hyun Suyeon turned her head slightly.

“Huh?”

“The way.”

“…How do I know this or that. You just look and it’s clearly the path.”

“….”

Right. Usually, that’s how it is. It’s strange not to know it when it’s clearly the path, though.

“…Some people don’t know the way very well.”

“Huh? Really? At this level, it’s not being directionally challenged, it’s an illness…?”

“….”

I couldn’t bring myself to say that it was your daughter. Just as I was walking, scratching my cheek awkwardly.

“Ah, perhaps.”

Hyun Suyeon looked at my face and asked.

“Is that directionally challenged person your fiancée?”

“….”

She guessed it like a ghost. She was truly a sharp-witted woman.

“Looking at your expression, it’s correct. Your fiancée is directionally challenged?”

“No…”

“Don’t say no. When Young Master Baek looks at me with that expression, it’s always like that, a hundred percent.”

“What kind of expression did I make?”

“A wistful and longing one.”

Pause. I froze in my tracks.

“Because it came to mind. The expression that says ‘I’m dying to see them’.”

“When did I… ever make a face like that.”

“Deny what you should deny. Your eyes are like that. Your fiancée must be quite dear to you?”

“….”

Wistful and longing, huh. Did I have thoughts like that while looking at Hyun Suyeon? I’m not sure. I had never noticed such a thing.

“What kind of person was she? If you like her that much?”

“…Well.”

What kind of person was she? At those words, I naturally looked up at the sky. Just then, the moon was hanging in the night sky. It wasn’t a crescent moon or a full moon, but an ambiguous one. The shape isn’t important. What was important was simply that I saw the moon now.

“That kind of feeling.”

“Eh?”

Hyun Suyeon looked at the moon at my words.

“What? The moon?”

“Yes. The moon.”

“…What about the moon?”

“It’s that kind of feeling.”

“…What is he saying?”

Hyun Suyeon slightly furrowed her brow as if she didn’t understand. What is he saying about the moon? That’s the look on her face. Seeing that, I laughed. Even I find it absurd after saying it, but that’s how it was.

“She’s like the moon. Sometimes she’s hidden by clouds and can’t be seen. Yet, she’s always there. When it feels dark, she sometimes shines brightly to let me know she’s here. That kind of… well, that kind of feeling.”

“….”

Hearing my words, Hyun Suyeon wrinkled her nose. It felt like she heard something she didn’t want to hear.

“Young Master Baek. You’re more sentimental than I thought?”

“…Are you teasing me?”

“Yes, I am.”

“I’m leaving.”

“Ah-! Ahh-! I’m sorry!”

Hyun Suyeon quickly grabbed me.

“I’m sorry for teasing you. I didn’t expect you to openly declare your love like that.”

“When did I ever say such a thing?”

“Huh?”

“Yes?”

Hyun Suyeon looked surprised instead.

“No, when you talk like that looking at the moon, it means you love them, doesn’t it?”

“….”

“Isn’t it?”

“….”

I couldn’t answer. The word ‘love’ made my stomach churn. I had never thought of such trivial words.

“…Let’s go.”

“W-where are you going!”

I couldn’t deny it in the end. As childish as it could possibly be.