Chapter 506: Give it to me just once.

Whoa, this is awkward?

This was the thought that flashed through Gwaeseon’s mind the moment he saw Gu Cheolun standing with his hands clasped behind his back.

It had been roughly ten-odd years since he last saw Gu Cheolun, just as it had been for Baek Ryeon-geom.

It wasn’t even worth calling a meeting. It was just a brief encounter while fighting someone from the Demonic Sect, so it wasn’t exactly a significant meeting.

‘What is that?’

Gwaeseon had to swallow a groan as he looked at Gu Cheolun.

The reason was none other than this:

Why he was suddenly in Sichuan. And why he appeared just when Gwaeseon was there, making them cross paths, was unknown, but setting that aside…

‘I can’t feel anything?’

Gwaeseon had to avert his gaze as he looked at Gu Cheolun.

He felt nothing. That was the problem.

He recalled the past. The time he was pushed by that ill-tempered old geezer to fight Hyuk Eo-chun in a life-and-death duel.

What about Gu Cheolun, whom he encountered near the end of that?

As Gwaeseon remembered.

‘He was disgustingly strong.’

Seeing the intense heat radiating from his body, and the presence that lightly pressed down on his surroundings, Gwaeseon had to sense his defeat.

Even Namgung Myung, upon confirming it was Gu Cheolun, had said that if he were an enemy, he should flee immediately.

That level of presence.

That was the level of intimidation Gu Cheolun possessed back then, yet now, he felt nothing.

What did this mean?

Had Gu Cheolun become so much weaker compared to back then that Gwaeseon couldn’t feel anything?

That couldn’t be it. Gwaeseon knew the reason why Gu Cheolun’s presence seemed faded.

It was the opposite, rather.

Gwaeseon was the one unable to feel it. It was because the gap had become too vast.

‘Ha…’

Recalling that, Gwaeseon inwardly let out a breath. A small competitive spirit simmered within him, but…

Fear crushed it first.

To think he’d feel the same sensation he only felt from his own grandfather from Gu Cheolun.

As Gwaeseon endured the cold sweat while watching Gu Cheolun.

Perhaps sensing the gaze, Gu Cheolun also looked towards Gwaeseon.

As the blood-red eyes approached, Gwaeseon’s body trembled slightly.

“Gwaeseon, it’s been a while for you too.”

At Gu Cheolun’s words, Gwaeseon’s eyes widened.

“…You remembered me?”

It was a fleeting connection. They had crossed paths a few times during his younger disciple days, but…

Even that was a trivial connection, and their last meeting was entirely one-sided.

Because of that overwhelming presence, Gwaeseon remembered Gu Cheolun, but…

It was surprising that Gu Cheolun remembered Gwaeseon in return.

As Gwaeseon spoke with surprise, Gu Cheolun tilted his head and replied.

“Because you weren’t someone insignificant enough to be forgotten.”

“…”

“Therefore, I naturally remember.” Gwaeseon wore a strange expression at the words carrying that meaning.

‘This is…’

Experiencing the rumors (?) I’d only heard about felt incredibly subtle.

‘If you were really a woman, I would have fallen for you.’

Gwaeseon chuckled.

It felt like confirming the truth behind the strange rumors that circulated in the past.

Thinking that, he glanced sideways. The problem wasn’t him.

He could feel a trembling, as if an earthquake had struck beside him.

Where had the valiant female general from moments ago gone, replaced by a woman who looked utterly frail?

‘Ah…’

Baek Ryeon-geom couldn’t believe this situation.

Why was that person here? And why were they facing each other?

This was the person she had avoided so much, unable to bring herself to see him.

How long had it been since she last saw his face? The number of days was too great to count.

‘He’s got wrinkles.’

He had changed.

Baek Ryeon-geom thought so.

The young man with deep features, who carried the pressure and loneliness on his back, had now become a middle-aged man.

Wrinkles were visible around his eyes and elsewhere.

However.

‘…’

Baek Ryeon-geom immediately realized that such things weren’t important.

His gaze, that warm look that gently watched over the surroundings.

As time imbued it, she felt it had become much stronger and deeper.

Perhaps it was because she met those eyes.

Thump…

Baek Ryeon-geom realized her heart had started beating far too strongly.

By then, it was already too late.

“…Ah…”

What should she say? Many words came to mind, but they wouldn’t come out.

She couldn’t help it.

Baek Ryeon-geom was in a state where maintaining her sanity was difficult.

‘What do I do.’

It was dangerous. The feelings she had barely managed to distance herself from were stirring just by meeting his gaze.

She had left because she didn’t want this, and she thought she was getting a little better now.

Was it because she had been close to his child and constantly recalled memories of the past? The impact was significant.

‘…If he’d gotten old, he could have at least become unattractive.’

It was unfair. Other people at least became a little less attractive.

Why was this man still the same?

Baek Ryeon-geom really hated that.

That man who remained cool even as time passed. She hated it so much.

“Baek Ryeon-geom.”

“…!”

The deep voice calling her name.

At that voice, Baek Ryeon-geom flinched. Embarrassed by her involuntary reaction, Baek Ryeon-geom bit her lip.

It was because she felt utterly pathetic in that moment.

However, she couldn’t show it, so Baek Ryeon-geom barely managed to speak, as if trying to cover up her reaction.

“It’s… it’s been… it’s been a while.”

Why was her voice trembling like this again?

Even though she’d become quite the middle-aged woman, did she still want to look young?

Thinking her appearance was too shabby, Baek Ryeon-geom squeezed her eyes shut, but…

Gu Cheolun, however, didn’t seem to pay much mind to it.

“Have you been well since then?”

“…Uh, uh… yes. I, I’ve been well.”

“That’s fortunate.”

Sapak.

Gu Cheolun took a step, slowly approaching Baek Ryeon-geom.

Baek Ryeon-geom felt his footsteps sounded particularly loud.

“I heard from my wife. That you visited once in Hannam.”

“…”

Miss Mi must have said something.

At Gu Cheolun’s words, Baek Ryeon-geom couldn’t help but resent Mi Hyoran.

“…I definitely asked her not to say anything.”

“…I had busy matters… I just saw Miss Mi and left.”

“Miss Mi.”

Gu Cheolun reacted to the title Baek Ryeon-geom used.

Perhaps he didn’t like her referring to her as Miss Mi?

Just as Baek Ryeon-geom considered correcting herself right then…

“That’s a nostalgic title.”

A voice tinged with a slight smile.

At Gu Cheolun’s words, Baek Ryeon-geom bit her lip once more.

It was a warning to herself.

“Don’t waver.”

“What if you end up like this again?”

“I heard that you, Baek Ryeon-geom, are guarding our child.”

“Ah… well, that…”

“Thank you.”

“…!”

Baek Ryeon-geom swayed at Gu Cheolun’s expression of gratitude.

Gratitude from Gu Cheolun himself.

Baek Ryeon-geom’s mind reeled from the unexpected attack.

Seeing that, Gwaeseon hurriedly supported Baek Ryeon-geom.

“Why is this older sister acting crazy all of a sudden?”

“…I’m okay.”

Baek Ryeon-geom regained her posture and pushed Gwaeseon’s arm away.

“…It’s nothing to be thankful for. It was just because of some circumstances.”

“Whatever the reason may be. As a father, I am simply grateful to you.”

“You’ve… changed a lot. You… too.”

“Changed.” Hearing those words, Gu Cheolun narrowed his eyes.

“Do I seem so?”

“Yes. Very much… I feel like you’ve changed a lot.”

You seem to talk a bit more. Your characteristic deep voice remains, but a subtle warmth permeated it.

Because Baek Ryeon-geom recalled and reminisced about those times every day, she could feel the difference even more clearly.

“Then that’s fortunate.”

Thump, Gu Cheolun took another step forward.

At his approaching presence, Baek Ryeon-geom felt like running away if she could.

The walls she thought she had built up layer by layer.

The emotions she had stored within because they couldn’t be erased.

The walls, which she thought might have hardened a little by now, instantly cracked due to this trivial meeting and conversation.

She had to run.

It was dangerous. Any further would be perilous.

Yes, let’s run even now. She knew it wasn’t polite, but she felt like something terrible would happen if she stayed any longer.

Baek Ryeon-geom, about to attempt escape by unleashing her inner energy, regardless of Gwaeseon or anything else…

Uptuk.

She turned pale at the sensation felt at her toes.

Her feet froze like stone and wouldn’t move.

As if someone had grabbed her.

‘…No.’

Baek Ryeon-geom soon realized that it was her lingering attachment, but…

It was already too late.

Gu Cheolun was already standing right before Baek Ryeon-geom’s eyes.

“Hmm.”

Gu Cheolun’s gaze, looking at Baek Ryeon-geom, was strange.

Gu Cheolun wasn’t looking at Baek Ryeon-geom’s eyes, but rather near her ear.

Seuuk.

Gu Cheolun’s large hand moved towards the direction he was looking.

Baek Ryeon-geom wanted to twist her body left and right seeing the approaching hand, but her body, frozen solid, couldn’t even do that.

Sarak.

His fingertips brushed past Baek Ryeon-geom’s hair.

Gu Cheolun’s hand, after passing, held a single leaf.

“Excuse me.”

“…”

“This was stuck to you.”

Without much reaction, Gu Cheolun burned the leaf away.

Could that have been the problem?

Within Baek Ryeon-geom, watching the leaf disappear into ash, a sound was heard.

Warrrrrrr-!

It was the sound of a thick wall collapsing instantly.

The fortress wall Baek Ryeon-geom had diligently built up, containing her emotions, crumbled.

Then, the shamefully contained emotions within poured out and assaulted Baek Ryeon-geom.

It was a massive tidal wave.

Perhaps because she had held it back for so many years. Its force was much stronger.

It surged. The waves flowed and flowed, instantly creating an ocean.

“…”

Feeling that, Baek Ryeon-geom was certain.

‘…I’m screwed.’

That she could never go back to how things were.

---

As the sun set, creating a sunset.

I was sitting in my quarters, facing Tang Deok. Tang Deok was kneeling on one knee, head bowed. As if to prove it wasn’t voluntary, the veins on his neck were bulging.

Looking at Tang Deok like that, I asked.

“So. What happened?”

“…First, the Elder is gone…”

“Without any complaints?”

“…Yes…”

Tang Deok clearly hated using polite speech, his eyes filled with displeasure.

Of course, there was no way I would care about that.

‘Just left, huh.’

The First Elder of the Tang Clan just left because Tang Deok blocked him?

Why? As I heard the story, I recalled a strange feeling.

I turned my gaze to the item placed on the table.

It was the tea leaves taken from the First Elder.

‘He said he gave those too, didn’t he.’

They were leaves originally intended for Tang Soyeol, which Tang Deok had received.

I heard that when my excuse was used, Tang Soyeol excitedly tried to give them.

‘Hmm.’

There were many parts I couldn’t understand.

I reached out my hand.

Woong-! A small vibration spread, and the bundle of tea leaves floated into the air, approaching me.

Levitation.

It was a power I could use upon reaching the Hwa Gyeong, and…

…it devoured my inner energy like crazy, but it was a power with absolutely no cost-effectiveness.

I grabbed the tea leaves and examined them.

“This isn’t it, is it.”

Right before I left for solitary training, I had summoned Tang Deok and given him orders.

To stick with Tang Soyeol as a bodyguard and block anyone suspicious trying to do something.

The condition was to block all approaches I hadn’t permitted.

Over the past few days, I had wandered the Tang Clan, singling out a few individuals.

As they were all suspicious, I picked only those who seemed relatively acceptable.

The order was to prevent everyone else from approaching.

‘When I heard it from Nari, I thought maybe…’

As soon as the paralysis poison was made, the First Elder sought out Tang Soyeol.

And handed over the tea leaves, you say.

Could this really be a coincidence?

I didn’t think so.

Especially since what Tang Je-mun said lingered.

‘Tang Soyeol is involved.’

Does that mean the First Elder intends to do something through Tang Soyeol?

“…”

I put the tea leaves I was holding into my mouth and chewed them directly.

Pasak.

The texture peculiar to dry leaves was felt, spreading discomfort.

Ignoring it, I chewed and swallowed them vigorously.

“…What is it.”

My doubts grew even larger. I couldn’t feel anything resembling poison in the tea leaves.

Was the paralysis poison not contained here?

Or perhaps, the target wasn’t Tang Soyeol?

Doubt flashed through my mind. Also.

‘What a shame.’

The regret also passed.

If only the paralysis poison had been here, it would have been justification to capture and kill him right then and there.

‘He’s not that stupid, is he.’

After all, if he had mixed poison, he wouldn’t have had the foolish idea of delivering the tea leaves himself.

‘Meanwhile.’

The question is, how much does the First Elder know about Nari?

Nari still had uses, so I intended to utilize her by force if necessary, but…

If it seemed like this might cause problems…

‘Should I take care of it beforehand?’

Wouldn’t that be better? Not right now, but if it’s going to become a nuisance later, it would be better.

Judging so, I looked at Tang Deok.

The guy was looking at me with a contorted face. Seeing that, I chuckled and asked.

“What’s with that look?”

“…What exactly are you planning to do?”

“Hmm?”

“You assigned me to that detestable Tang Clan woman. What exactly is your intention…”

“My intention? I told you properly. I told you to protect her, didn’t I?”

“…Kkeudeuk.”

Tang Deok gritted his teeth.

Seeing that, I inwardly expressed slight admiration.

‘He’s still resisting?’

I had definitely suppressed him with my energy. Yet Tang Deok could still show such emotions towards me.

It’s truly amazing.

Perhaps it was because his body was mixed with that of a demon beast? The compulsion didn’t seem to work properly.

‘Then, I should probably crush him once.’

This guy is useful.

Meaning he’s not someone to be discarded like Nari.

He’s someone I’ll kill eventually, but I need to use him more.

For that, I needed to trample him a bit to ensure he’d be used obediently.

‘Besides, I needed to put him in his place soon anyway.’

Should I do it now? Yes, I was bored anyway, so this works out well.

Thinking so, I stood up.

As I immediately gathered my energy and moved towards Tang Deok…

Kwaang-!

Suddenly, the door to my quarters burst open, and someone rushed in.

“…Huh?”

I had to widen my eyes the moment I saw her. The person who barged in unexpectedly was none other than Baek Ryeon-geom.

That woman, according to Moyong Hi-ah, was supposed to be out and about, so what’s the sudden issue?

Moreover.

‘…Why does her face look like that?’

Her face was flushed red like a ripe apple. Did she drink something since noon?

As I narrowed my eyes and looked at her, Baek Ryeon-geom quickly approached as soon as she saw me.

“Hey!”

“…Why are you acting like this?”

In that moment of utter confusion at her somewhat rough reaction, Baek Ryeon-geom grabbed my shoulder tightly and…

“By any chance. Don’t you need another mom?”

“…Wha-, what?”

She uttered a crazy remark I couldn’t have imagined.