Chapter 228: Going to Battle. (4)

Wi Seol-ah had left.

Without a single letter, without a single word.

She had left Gu Clan with the Sword Master.

‘…Why?’

It was such a sudden parting.

I had expected Wi Seol-ah would leave Gu Clan someday.

But I never thought she would leave this soon.

Moreover.

‘Even Shin-ui.’

The moment the Sword Master left with Wi Seol-ah.

I received news that Shin-ui had also left the Sa family.

I asked Hong-wa about it.

But he said that Wi Seol-ah and the Sword Master had disappeared while everyone was asleep, without telling anyone.

I wondered if they had vanished, so I asked the Sa family.

The Steward simply relayed that the two had left.

‘That means Father knew in advance.’

That the Sword Master, and Wi Seol-ah, would leave.

It meant Father knew.

‘…Why didn’t he tell me?’

It’s a question.

Why Wi Seol-ah didn’t tell me.

Did she not know she would leave?

If so, why didn’t she at least leave a letter?

What on earth could have happened…

As thoughts began to chase their tails.

Swoosh.

I felt someone grab my hand.

It was Namgung Bi-ah, who had been walking with me.

“…Calm down…”

Her gaze looked up at me slightly, as if worried.

Thinking about how my eye level used to be lower was a strange difference.

“What do you mean, calm down? I’m fine.”

I said, trying hard to act like nothing was wrong.

Inside, I was churning like there was an earthquake, but I couldn’t show it.

Of course, even so, Namgung Bi-ah probably knew anyway.

“Did you see?”

“…What…?”

“Her leaving.”

At my question, Namgung Bi-ah shook her head.

Meaning she hadn’t seen it.

“…Right.”

Why did she leave so suddenly?

Why, really.

‘Actually, her staying with the Sa family in the first place was strange.’

Even as I repeated the bitter thought.

Reality was just that.

The very time Wi Seol-ah spent with me.

Was something that didn’t fit from the start.

The second time I met Wi Seol-ah in my past life.

Was when I caused a major incident, got dragged to the Five Swords squad, and was rolling around on the front lines.

Wi Seol-ah back then was very different from the Wi Seol-ah I know now.

That too was just a brief encounter.

The time we properly faced each other was when rumors started spreading that Wi Seol-ah was the Sword Master’s official successor.

In the first place, it was strange that Wi Seol-ah was with me.

Just by coincidence and chance.

With things changing as I regressed.

It was just a twisted, distorted, brief change.

Even knowing that.

The mere fact that Wi Seol-ah disappeared made my mind go blank.

‘We were only together for a moment. Did I think we could stay together forever?’

What a shameless wish.

It was also forgetting my place.

-Young Master!

At the voice that reached my ears, I turned around without realizing it.

Wi Seol-ah couldn’t possibly be there, but still.

‘Am I a fucking lunatic?’

Is it possible to lose one’s mind just because Wi Seol-ah left the Sa family?

Or perhaps it’s because I realized Wi Seol-ah occupied a larger space within me than I thought.

I must be shaking in a way that even I find strange.

---

A few days passed.

Right after finishing my seclusion, I wrapped up the accumulated tasks.

And repeated my training.

The flames I conjured filled and cleared the training grounds repeatedly.

My internal energy, stabilized by seclusion, didn’t seem to tire from mere training.

So I could continuously conjure it.

Drawing my fingertips diagonally.

I burned my emotions with the flames blooming in the air.

Shin No-ya, whom I could ask for advice depending on the situation, is not here right now.

He’s probably asleep for a while.

‘Given how the conversation with that guy went.’

Although the seclusion yielded much.

Conversely, it was a time where my questions deepened.

I had to constantly explore why such a guy was inside my body.

‘So, did I find out?’

No, I didn’t.

Though I couldn’t find out.

I probably gained a vague understanding.

Comparatively, it was truly a fingernail-sized understanding.

But even that was excessive.

‘…I almost got overwhelmed, actually.’

If I had been even a little greedier during the conversation with that guy.

I might have been consumed.

Thinking about it now, that would surely have been the situation.

[…Creak… Click….]

Look even now.

I could feel that guy smacking his lips as if disappointed.

‘…It would have been better if I hadn’t known.’

If I hadn’t properly known the danger level of that guy.

It might have been easier.

At least one thing I’d have to worry about would have decreased.

[…Food….]

At the voice muttering as if displeased.

I clenched my teeth.

‘Be quiet, you’ll eat your fill soon enough even if you don’t rush me.’

[…Grrr….]

The guy made a groaning sound.

But he’ll probably listen.

Whoosh.

The flames I conjured, intertwined with the energy of the Earthly Vessel, still shone a crimson color.

The Earthly Vessel’s energy allowed the rough Gu family’s internal energy to circulate safely.

And it played a role in suppressing the recoil characteristic of rough martial arts.

Squeeze.

As I controlled it, I clenched my fist.

The internal energy starting from the lower dantian filled the middle dantian.

Making the flames floating in the air denser and increasing their size.

Staring quietly at the flames.

I drew up one more energy hidden within my body.

Thump.

In that moment, my body felt like it expanded, filling with power.

The rising heat burst out, filling the surroundings.

And then.

Whoosh!

The crimson flames gradually turned blue.

“…”

I had overlaid the flames with blood energy.

As I watched the blue flames burning before my eyes, the guy inside my head whined at me.

[…This… isn’t good… not good….]

That guy particularly hated blood energy.

To be precise, he wanted to eat it.

But he seemed to dislike the energy within the body.

‘Stop whining and stay still.’

I didn’t care about that guy’s reaction in the first place.

Controlling the blue flames I conjured, I swung them a few times in the air.

Pop.

Then, I extinguished the flames.

“Hooo…”

It was still an energy that was burdensome to use for long.

“If I force myself to endure it, I might be able to hold on for about half an hour.”

If I really tried to endure it with all my might, I could last that long.

However, that was possible only if I didn’t think about the backlash that would hit afterward.

Drip… drip.

Sweat that didn’t even flow during physical training.

Started pouring down just from trying this a little.

‘As expected, it’s different from the amount of internal energy.’

No matter how much internal energy I had in my body.

Or how well I controlled it.

It felt separate from using blood energy.

“It’s probably best not to use it if possible.”

Unless it’s an extremely dangerous situation, it’s indeed better not to use blood energy.

After all, I needed to know for what purpose the Blood Demon had captured and put this inside me.

As I was roughly finishing my training and taking a breather.

I sensed someone approaching.

“You worked hard.”

“…Ah, thanks…”

I reached out my hand naturally.

But paused for a moment.

It was awkward because the person who always handed me water at the end of my training had changed.

“Young Master…?”

“No, thank you.”

Hong-wa looked at me with a strange expression.

I averted my gaze and drank the water.

After quenching my thirst, I asked Hong-wa in a low voice.

“Nothing arrived, right?”

“Yes, nothing has arrived. You’ve asked that four times today.”

“And you’ve answered four times?”

“Yes.”

“Did I? Sorry.”

I chuckled sheepishly and scratched my cheek.

There was nowhere for anything to arrive from, so it’s understandable if you’re annoyed after asking four times.

“It’s because of Seol-ah, isn’t it…?”

“Not particularly.”

“…”

Hong-wa was still looking at me with strange eyes.

I deliberately ignored him and walked past Hong-wa.

I was drenched in sweat, so I needed to wash up soon.

As I passed, I told Hong-wa.

“Could you prepare some food?”

“…Understood.”

“Right, keep up the good work.”

I walked out of the training grounds, step by step.

Hong-wa, left alone for a moment, let out a deep sigh.

“…Seol-ah, where did you go.”

It was quite a shock for Hong-wa too, that the child he treated like a younger sister suddenly left his side.

But no matter how I looked at it, the Young Master must have been the most shocked.

Isn’t he wandering around with such vacant eyes even now?

Showing such a state just because a single attendant disappeared isn’t a good look for a direct family member.

Considering the usual relationship between Wi Seol-ah and Gu Yangcheon.

Such a reaction was somewhat understandable.

Gu Yangcheon paid particular attention to Wi Seol-ah.

Anyone within Gu family would know that he treated her more leniently than others.

Even as I worried unnecessarily.

Hong-wa quickly shook his head to clear his thoughts.

It pained him too that Wi Seol-ah, loved by everyone, had left.

But it was unacceptable to be caught up in such thoughts and not work.

Hong-wa walked quickly in the direction Gu Yangcheon had gone.

---

After eating.

I walked slowly along the forest path of Gu family.

Of course, Namgung Bi-ah was beside me.

Lately, Namgung Bi-ah also started appearing like this when it was mealtime after training.

‘Didn’t they say Tang Soyeol went to Sa-cheon.’

I already knew this, so I wasn’t particularly surprised.

Tang Soyeol had even told me that he thought he needed to make a quick trip to Sa-cheon.

He said he would come back before my seclusion ended.

But that was impossible.

Considering the distance to Sa-cheon, there was no way it could be done in just two months.

“Speaking of which.”

“…Mm?”

“What are you going to do?”

Walking down the path where light filtered through.

I asked Namgung Bi-ah, who was quietly walking beside me.

I had to head to the front lines according to the Sa family’s orders.

Going there wasn’t the issue.

Namgung Bi-ah was the problem. I couldn’t just leave her alone at the Sa family.

“You should probably return to the Sa family for a bit…”

“I’m going with you.”

It was an unexpectedly firm voice.

“…There?”

“Yeah.”

“Why would you go all the way there?”

It wasn’t a short trip.

It wasn’t for a short time either.

There was no particular need for Namgung Bi-ah to accompany me.

Even without this, Namgung Bi-ah would eventually go to the front lines.

It was a place that members of prestigious families visited at least once.

She didn’t need to follow me to the front lines…

“…Because you’re going…”

“…”

I was momentarily stunned by Namgung Bi-ah’s nonchalant words.

It was such a simple and plain statement.

But the weight of the words contained within it was heavier than I expected.

“I… am not going anywhere…”

“What do you mean…”

“…So… you don’t have to worry.”

At her words, spoken while tilting her head.

I felt as if I’d been hit on the head.

‘She worried?’

Namgung Bi-ah spoke as if I had been worrying about something.

But to ask what exactly I was worrying about.

I had something to feel guilty about myself.

I was worried that Namgung Bi-ah might also go somewhere.

That must have been bothering me.

It was a hideous possessiveness that had crept in, unbecoming of my age.

Did Namgung Bi-ah notice this?

“…And…”

As I swallowed the shame that rose to my throat.

Namgung Bi-ah added the rest.

“…Seol-ah will… come back soon… too.”

“…How do you know that?”

“I know… Why don’t you know?”

“What?”

“I know, so why… don’t you know?”

She’ll naturally come back.

Why don’t you know?

Namgung Bi-ah directed a reprimand, though not quite a reprimand, at me with a voice full of questions.

Furthermore, it felt like she was telling me to stop acting foolish and get a grip.

Then, with light steps, she moved one step ahead.

“If she doesn’t come back. We can just go find her.”

“…”

“…I did… that.”

To see you, I did that.

Namgung Bi-ah whispered to me.

Her calmly spoken words felt like they were gently filling the emptiness inside me.

‘Right, I could have just gone to find her.’

It’s such a simple thing.

If you want to see someone, you just go find them.

Why did I struggle and agonize over it?

It’s an unknowable story.

Was it hard to find where she went after disappearing?

‘I guess I didn’t try to find her.’

Because somehow it felt like I shouldn’t.

Because it felt like I shouldn’t hold onto Wi Seol-ah if she left.

I must have thought that alone and taken a step back.

This was precisely the moment when Shin No-ya’s sharp advice was needed.

But of all times, this old man was asleep.

At Namgung Bi-ah’s words, I couldn’t help but let out a choked laugh.

“Right, I just needed to go find her.”

“…Yeah.”

When you’re dumb but also overthink things, this is what happens.

There’s a simple path, but I keep forgetting it.

Perhaps it was because her words were comforting.

The moment I unconsciously reached out to stroke Namgung Bi-ah’s hair.

“…I’m truly sorry to interrupt at this moment.”

An unexpected voice cut in.

Looking to see who it was, it was surprisingly Moyong Hi-ah.

Why is she here…? Was it because I was lost in thought?

Even as Moyong Hi-ah approached, I hadn’t properly sensed her presence.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one flustered.

She was so flustered that the Namgung Bi-ah glared at Moyong Hi-ah with sharp eyes.

“Please don’t look at me like that, Sword Dancer. I actually thought quite a bit about when would be a good time to join the conversation.”

“…”

At Moyong Hi-ah’s words, Namgung Bi-ah let out a rare snort and turned her head.

‘…Why are they on bad terms?’

Namgung Bi-ah, who got along well with Tang Soyeol and Wi Seol-ah.

Somehow seemed to be growling at Moyong Hi-ah.

Approaching that Namgung Bi-ah and closing the distance slightly.

I asked Moyong Hi-ah.

“What is it?”

If it was about the heat energy, I had met with Moyong Hi-ah a few days ago and shared some.

I heard it shouldn’t be too excessive, so I thought we agreed to meet once every seven days and nights.

“Ah, it’s not that… If the Young Master heads to the front lines, our contract creates a problem, doesn’t it?”

“…Yes.”

That would make sense.

The Moyong family side said they would handle this matter, so it was something I hadn’t bothered to worry about.

Could that be the problem?

“So, I decided to go with you too.”

“…What?”

“The front lines. I think I have to go too.”

Moyong Hi-ah said that with a captivating smile.

“Click.”

“…!”

Crack-!

Along with Moyong Hi-ah’s words, I broke out in a cold sweat from the jarring jolt I felt from behind.