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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: A Grandfather's Knee
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Yugang chuckled, scratching the back of his head.
“Oh, you’re here, Senior Brother?”
“‘You’re here, Senior Brother,’ you say…?”
Thump, thump. At Yupyo’s threatening advance, Yugang instinctively took a step back.
“Ahaha, well, you see, Senior Brother….”
“How in the world did you manage to get captured by a Surochae…?”
“Ah….”
Right, I was captured by a Surochae and then rescued.
“Furthermore!”
“!”
“How dare you leave Hwasan without permission! Do you have any idea how worried the elders and our brothers were!”
He had left Hwasan under the Sect Leader's orders, but he couldn't say that, so Yugang just laughed awkwardly.
“Is everyone… doing well?”
“What right do you have to ask that after disappearing on your own!”
“Ahaha… I’m sorry. I just meant to get some fresh air, but I got lost…. Still, thanks to the people of Namgung recognizing and rescuing me, I’m alive to see you again, Senior Brother.”
“Hah….”
“Senior Brother….”
Yugang smiled and lightly tapped Yupyo’s arm.
Yupyo pressed his temples, trying to soothe his throbbing headache, and sighed again.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“Ah, I was a little hurt, but I’m almost all better now.”
“You were hurt?”
“The Namgung family treated all my injuries. I’m perfectly fine now.”
As if to prove he was fully healed, Yugang spread his arms and shook them.
“…Alright. Then hurry and get ready. The elders are waiting, so let’s return to Hwasan.”
“Ah, about that….”
The news that the Namgung family would be accompanying them was good for Yugang, who had been ordered by the Sect Leader to bring Lady Namgung back, but not so for the Hwasan Sect.
Even with the pretext of rescuing Yugang, a sudden visit from the Namgung family was a burden for Hwasan, which had no prior relations with the great family.
“What is it?”
As he hesitated, unsure how to bring it up, a welcome voice was heard.
“Our family has decided to accompany the Young Taoist on his way back.”
Yugang’s expression brightened.
“Lady Namgung!”
He hadn’t seen her since having dinner at Hwarin’s quarters.
This was because Seolhwa had been leaving at dawn and returning late at night.
Yugang was all the more delighted to see Seolhwa after such a long time.
“What do you mean? Accompany you?”
Yupyo asked immediately after a brief greeting.
As if he had expected something of the sort, his question was laced with displeasure.
Seolhwa replied with a smile.
“Have you not yet met my grandfather?”
“…I wished to pay my respects, but I heard he was occupied with an urgent matter.”
As if the Patriarch of Namgung was someone he could meet just by wishing it.
A report must have been sent up that he had arrived at the Namgung estate, but he never expected to be able to meet the patriarch in the first place.
“You’ll probably be able to meet him soon.”
“Is there a reason?”
“Because our family has decided to escort the two Taoists from Hwasan all the way to your sect.”
“…Escort?”
Yupyo’s expression hardened.
“I’m sorry, my lady, but we don’t need an escort.”
“I am well aware of your skills, but this matter was decided by my grandfather.”
“The Sword Emperor…!”
If it was a decision made by the Sword Emperor, the Patriarch of Namgung, Yupyo had no way to refuse.
Even Nomun, an elder of Hwasan who leads the Maehwageomsu, couldn't treat him lightly. How could he, who had only just made it into the top one hundred masters, go against his will?
“He said it was a good thing, as it gives him a chance to meet an old friend in Hwasan.”
“…I see.”
In the end, Yupyo took a step back.
Having already received help from the Namgung family, they would have no way to refuse if the Namgung decided to visit Hwasan anyway.
He was displeased that they hadn't been informed of such a significant matter beforehand, but it was already spilled milk.
“Then when do you plan to depart?”
“Probably tomorrow. My grandfather will send someone separately. You can wait in the quarters where the Young Taoist was staying.”
“I will stay with my junior brother.”
“Alright. Then.”
Seolhwa gave a short farewell and turned away. The brilliant smile she had worn throughout her conversation with Yupyo vanished the moment she turned her head.
Watching her walk away, Yugang and Yupyo turned to each other and spoke at the same time.
“Senior Brother.”
“Yugang.”
“Yes? Ah, you first, Senior Brother.”
“Is something going on in the Namgung estate?”
“…Huh?”
Yugang glanced back at Seolhwa, who was already far in the distance.
Come to think of it, the evening before last, he had felt a strange flow of energy from deep inside.
But since there had been no major commotion afterward, he had just assumed it was the Namgung warriors training.
‘If something major had happened, wouldn't the place have been in an uproar?’
“I'm not sure.”
“I see. Is that so.”
Yupyo looked around the Namgung manor with a strange expression.
He felt a vaguely tense atmosphere hanging in the air.
“Alright, what were you going to say?”
“It’s about Lady Namgung.”
Yugang rubbed his chin with a serious expression.
“Doesn’t she seem particularly listless today?”
Yupyo’s eyebrows sank.
He felt like he was beginning to understand why their martial uncle, Nomun, always looked at Yugang that way.
“Stop with the pointless observations and let’s go inside.”
Yupyo walked past Yugang and into their quarters. Yugang remained standing there, still rubbing his chin as he watched Seolhwa.
“There’s no strength in her steps, I’m sure of it….”
Hmm….
* * *
Namgung Mucheon quietly watched his granddaughter who had come to see him.
For a moment, he recalled the image of the child who had been so bold even before the family elders in the Cheonhojeon.
Recalling her boldness brought back the memory of the day she returned to the Namgung estate.
Unlike other children who would burst into tears just from standing before him, she was the child who had looked him straight in the eye and asked why she had to prove herself.
How absurd that had been.
‘Has she grown a bit since then?’
That had only been a couple of months ago, yet the child seemed taller than she was then.
It also seemed like she had lost some of her baby fat.
‘….’
“Come here.”
Namgung Mucheon called to Seolhwa.
“…?”
She had only asked if they could depart tomorrow, so being told to come closer was a bit random, but Seolhwa took a step toward Namgung Mucheon.
“Closer.”
“….”
“There we go.”
Namgung Mucheon swiftly lifted the approaching Seolhwa and set her on his lap.
“?!”
Seolhwa’s eyes widened.
When she turned to look at him with startled eyes, Namgung Mucheon let out a hearty laugh.
“I called you over thinking, if not today, when will I ever get to have my granddaughter on my knee? Do you dislike it?”
“…No.”
“Good. Then, let’s talk like this.”
Seolhwa gave a small nod.
She couldn’t remember ever sitting on someone’s lap, so this could be called her first time, but it wasn’t an unpleasant feeling.
She now vaguely understood what this ticklish feeling in her chest was.
This was a good feeling.
“Alright. What were you trying to say?”
“Can we leave tomorrow? For Hwasan.”
“Right, I heard the disciple from Hwasan arrived. Yes. I’ve already ordered the preparations as you suggested, so we should be able to leave tomorrow.”
She had told him beforehand that hurrying to Hwasan was the way to help Seop Mugwang.
Upon hearing that, Namgung Mucheon had immediately ordered preparations for the departure to Hwasan.
“Grandfather.”
“Yes.”
“Two days ago, that person came to see me.”
“That person?”
“The Lord of Hwaoru.”
“!”
“He said he would harm the Commander.”
Namgung Mucheon’s benevolent expression hardened in an instant.
“Why are you only telling me this now?”
“If I had said this earlier, would the Commander have not gone?”
“….”
Namgung Mucheon couldn’t answer.
Because he knew that even if Seop Mugwang had known the truth, he still would have gone, and he himself would have still sent him.
“I wanted to tell you. I was going to tell you. But….”
Seolhwa looked at Namgung Mucheon.
“I couldn’t. I was afraid that if I told you he had come to see me, you would try to confront him.”
That day, Namgung Mucheon had cut down five members of the Bipunggeomdae with his own hands.
Before being Seop Mugwang’s subordinates, the members of the Bipunggeomdae were people of the main family.
What must Namgung Mucheon have felt, killing them with his own hands? How heavy must the guilt of failing to protect them as the patriarch be?
If he learned that Hyeolma was nearby in such a state, Namgung Mucheon would have undoubtedly sent out a search party on the spot to find and confront him.
And just as she couldn't stop Seop Mugwang, she wouldn't have been able to stop Namgung Mucheon.
She was afraid of that.
“I still find it hard to accept. Both the Commander’s decision to go to Yunnan, and your decision to send him to such a dangerous place.”
Just when she thought she was beginning to understand the beliefs of the orthodox factions, moments like this made them feel distant all over again.
“But I’m sure you did it because it was the right thing to do.”
Even adding her past life, Seolhwa had lived a much shorter life than Namgung Mucheon.
Namgung Mucheon had lived longer, experienced more, and reached a higher realm than her; he surely had things in mind that she couldn't even conceive of.
“That’s why I want to see it. That you can win even after making a disadvantageous decision.”
“….”
“So….”
Seolhwa tightly gripped Namgung Mucheon’s hand that was supporting her.
The hand that was still too large and thick for her own to hold.
“Please live.”
She squeezed with all her might.
“You have to live, Grandfather.”
