Chapter 1100: Scorched World.

“What did you say?”

With my upper body bolting upright, I asked Do-yun. What did he just say?

‘What did I just hear?’

At the incomprehensible words, I looked at Do-yun and asked again.

“……Who are you getting revenge on?”

To my repeated question, Do-yun replied with a somewhat stiff expression.

“You said Gu Cheol-un.”

“……The Gu Cheol-un I know?”

“That’s right.”

Do-yun nods.

“The Divine Dragon Gu Cheol-un. I have to get revenge on him.”

“…….”

Words welled up to the tip of my throat.

‘What did Father do to you?’

Gu Cheol-un of the Sanseo Gu family.

What did he do to Do-yun of the Sanseo Do family?

I tried to ask about it, but couldn’t.

‘Damn it.’

I swore I wouldn’t get involved, but this looks like something I absolutely have to get involved in.

‘…Do I have to get involved?’

Should I really get involved? I pondered for a moment. Whatever this guy did, it didn’t cause any trouble in the future.

Do-yun was someone I didn’t know, and Father was alive and well, having become the head of the Gu family.

‘Is it right not to interfere?’

Wouldn’t it be better to just stay put? That thought did cross my mind, though.

‘Perhaps.’

I looked at Do-yun and recalled. Along with the arrangements Mother mentioned.

‘Is this the guy?’

Could the task I’m supposed to do here… not be about Father, but related to this guy Do-yun?

Such a thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

---

Two more days passed. During that time, I got along with Do-yun as usual.

We stayed in the dormitory, sharing a room, but didn’t talk much.

If there was training, we participated together, and spent time eating meals together.

No particular difference.

Just ordinary time.

Right after those two days passed.

“Friend Baek. It’s time to go.”

“……Yeah.”

I got up and headed towards our destination. Leaving the quarters and heading towards the entrance of the Azure Dragon Brigade, So-i was already standing there.

And also.

“Huh?”

Seeing the person next to her, I had to react strangely.

“You bastard……”

The other person also scowled at me. A youth with a face swollen purple.

It was Namgung Jin, the Sword Dragon.

“Why are you…! “

“Yo. Nice to meet you?”

I approached him with a smile, but the Sword Dragon only scowled harder.

At his actions, So-i, standing beside him, blocked Namgung Jin.

“…Calm down.”

“Calm down?”

At So-i’s touch, Namgung Jin contorted his face.

“How can I calm down? What did that guy do to me.”

“It was a sparring match.”

“I can’t forgive him…”

“Sword Dragon.”

So-i spoke to Namgung Jin in a chilling tone.

“We’ve gathered for a mission this time, haven’t we? Wouldn’t it be better to leave personal feelings out?”

“…….”

“Or else, I’ll report to the Grand Master. That you don’t seem to intend to go along.”

Grinding his teeth.

At So-i’s words, the Sword Dragon clenched his teeth. Then he abruptly turned his head away.

He looked as if he’d been subdued.

“We’re not late, are we?”

So-i said, looking at Do-yun and me.

To that, Do-yun replied with a wide, silly grin.

“Oh, of course! It’s our first mission, so we absolutely can’t be late!”

“…….”

This liveliness wasn’t visible when he was with me. Is this also an act?

‘He’s good at it?’

It felt like he was quite good. It was to the point where I thought I should learn from him.

“If I had known seniors would come out this early, I should have come out since dawn. I apologize for being a lacking junior. Hahahaha.”

He spoke words not from his heart, coated in honey.

The Sword Dragon showed a displeased look at his words, while So-i didn’t seem particularly bothered.

“…It’s fine as long as we’re not late. There are still people we need to wait for.”

“Who else is coming?”

At my words, So-i narrowed her eyes. Hey, I just asked, why is she acting like that?

I felt slightly wronged.

“…Yes. Normally, missions require going with someone of squad leader level.”

‘Squad leader level.’

Although I received quarters, I hadn’t been assigned to a squad within the Azure Dragon Brigade, so I didn’t know who my squad leader was.

Therefore, I couldn’t know who would be accompanying us.

“Tsk… Of all people.”

The Sword Dragon, with his swollen face, kept clicking his tongue as if displeased about something.

As we waited for a while like that. I came to understand why the Sword Dragon was displeased with the situation.

“They’re here.”

So-i looked towards the entrance.

My gaze naturally shifted as well. An intensely familiar hot aura brushed against the tip of my nose.

‘Ah.’

I wondered who would accompany us if it was squad leader level.

‘…It was someone higher than that?’

A figure higher than a squad leader appeared.

“We greet the Brigade Commander.”

“We… greet…”

So-i immediately bowed her head slightly, and the Sword Dragon, showing his displeasure, paid his respects.

The person who appeared was none other than Father. The Divine Dragon Gu Cheol-un.

Was Father the one accompanying us?

‘Is this situation manufactured as well?’

I recalled the time I met the Sword Master. Father was there then too. If the Sword Master gave this order.

‘Could the overseer perhaps…’

…be Father? With a question, I glanced sideways.

I looked at Do-yun.

He showed no change in expression. He said Father was the target of his revenge, but there was no sign of it.

‘Certainly.’

If this guy is acting, he’s incredibly good at it.

As I watched him quietly and nodded.

“Is the preparation complete?”

“Yes. All personnel have gathered.”

At So-i’s report, Father nodded. Then he glanced towards me.

Our eyes met.

With his expressionless face, I couldn’t tell what he was thinking.

It was still the same.

Our eyes met briefly, then Father looked at the Sword Dragon.

His purplish, swollen face. He looked at it intently.

A slight chuckle.

‘Huh?’

If it wasn’t my imagination, Father seemed to have chuckled? It even felt like a sneer.

Namgung Jin seemed to feel it too, and for a moment, his eyes widened.

“Did you just laugh-!”

“The carriage is ready.”

Just as Namgung Jin was about to erupt in anger. A huge carriage appeared from the entrance where Father had entered.

Hiiing-!!

Horses that looked like purebreds appeared powerfully. Moreover, it was a carriage so large it was almost like a residence. Seeing the flag hanging on it.

‘…Baekhwa?’

The emblem of the Baekhwa Merchant Guild was attached. This means… the owner of this voice is.

“Can we depart right away?”

‘…Madam Mi?’

A beauty who got into the carriage and stuck her face out the window.

It was Madam Mi from her younger days.

‘What the?’

Why is Madam Mi popping out here?

While I was failing to grasp the situation.

“…Kkuh!?”

The Sword Dragon saw Madam Mi and suddenly covered his face.

‘Huh?’

I frowned watching him. A slight flush appeared on his purple face. Looking at his ears, they were red too.

‘What the? Why is he like that?’

Why is that guy acting like that again?

It was a very strange sight. He seemed to be trying to hide his face, but doing so only made it more obvious.

“What are you doing? Aren’t you getting on… Huh?”

Perhaps because of that, Madam Mi’s gaze turned towards Namgung Jin.

“Young Hero Namgung?”

“Uh, ah, yes.”

“What are you doing there?”

“…No. There are just some ants on the floor.”

“…You’re looking at ants?”

Mi Hyoran scowled as if asking what kind of bullshit that was. Even I thought the excuse about looking at ants was really strange.

Is his face really that embarrassing? It’s not my place to say, being the one who hit him, but I wondered if he really needed to cover it like that.

So, I watched Namgung Jin for a moment.

‘…No way.’

My eyes widened as I looked at Namgung Jin, then at Mi Hyoran. Repeating this a few times, I thought.

Could this bastard…?

‘Does he have feelings for Madam Mi?’

It was too transparent a reaction to deny. If even I could tell, it was already a done deal.

‘Huh?’

What kind of bullshit is this? As I was momentarily speechless at the situation that was making my stomach churn.

“If you’re ready, get in. You said we need to go quickly.”

Madam Mi seemed to have lost interest in Namgung Jin. She urged us to get in quickly. At her words, Father nodded and boarded the carriage.

“We need to depart, so get ready.”

As he said this while boarding the carriage, we also slowly approached the carriage. Naturally, it was to board.

“Hold it right there.”

Just as I was about to board the carriage, Madam Mi said in a cold voice.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Huh?”

“What?”

Since we obviously had to board the carriage to depart, I tried to step onto it, but Madam Mi blocked me.

What the?

As Do-yun and I looked at Madam Mi with puzzled eyes. She pointed her finger towards the back.

“You guys are over there.”

Wondering what she meant, I glanced behind me, and surprisingly, there was another carriage.

The problem was.

“…….”

That its condition was not good at all.

While that one wasn’t bad looking either, compared to the carriage I was about to board, it was like night and day.

‘You want us to ride that?’

I looked at Madam Mi with an incredulous expression. The carriage clearly had plenty of space.

Even with the large Father and So-i on board, there was still space left, so it shouldn’t be a problem for the remaining people to ride.

Nevertheless, Madam Mi kept pointing at the carriage, seemingly with no intention of switching.

“What are you doing? Let’s go.”

“…….”

At her firm words, I meekly stepped down and moved towards the rear carriage.

Upon boarding the carriage, Namgung Jin was already sitting inside, arms crossed. His thoroughly angry face was a bonus.

“Damn it…”

He didn’t seem angry about riding with me.

No matter how I looked at it, his eyes were fixed on the carriage Madam Mi was riding in.

Seeing that expression, I sat down.

Once Do-yun also boarded, the space became somewhat cramped.

“…….”

“…….”

“…….”

Sitting there, the three guys had the same thought.

It seemed this mission wouldn’t be easy at all.