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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 28
Chapter Title: A Fateful Decision
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“Tomorrow, at the Elder’s Council, I intend to announce Seolhwa’s return. I called you here to introduce her beforehand, so please cherish Seolhwa from now on.”
“Yes, Father.”
“Of course! Absolutely! Whose niece is she anyway! This uncle will give her plenty of piggyback rides! She can pull out all my hair for all I care...! Urgh...!”
Namgung Cheongsan clutched his side again.
Moyong Yeonhwa maintained her gentle smile.
Everyone welcomed the Namgung’s eldest granddaughter. Thanks to the harmonious atmosphere, light conversation flowed freely.
The meal continued without a hitch until...
“I intend to perform Beolmo-sesu on Seolhwa.”
At Namgung Mucheon’s casually dropped words, the dining table instantly froze, as if cold water had been thrown over it.
Only Namgung Hwarin, who didn’t understand the meaning of Beolmo-sesu, whined to her mother for more food.
After a moment of silence.
Namgung Cheongun put down his utensils and asked in a calm voice,
“Is it the Beolmo-sesu I’m thinking of?”
“Is there another Beolmo-sesu then?”
“What I heard... is indeed correct, you mean.”
“Unless your ears are clogged, you heard correctly.”
Namgung Cheongun could no longer speak.
‘The Head of the Medical Hall said there was a problem with Seolhwa’s meridians.’
That must be why.
Father intends to perform Beolmo-sesu on Seolhwa.
He knew that Beolmo-sesu was a difficult and dangerous task even for Namgung Mucheon.
As a son, it was his duty to dissuade his father. But the fact that it was for his own daughter silenced him.
Instead of the hesitant Cheongun, Cheonghae stepped forward.
“Beolmo-sesu? Father, isn’t that far too dangerous?”
Namgung Mucheon’s face crumpled, and he slammed his chopsticks down with a clatter.
“Dangerous? Are you doubting my skill now?”
“That’s not it, Father...”
Namgung Cheonghae glanced at Cheongun, his gaze full of unease.
“Aren’t you the pillar of this Namgung? I’m simply worried that something might go wrong and harm your esteemed body.”
“And what is that, if not doubting my skill?”
“Father...”
“Enough! Say no more! It’s already decided, there’s nothing more to add!”
At Namgung Mucheon’s unyielding will, Namgung Cheonghae instantly realized he couldn’t stop him anymore.
He was always someone who would see through whatever he intended to do, no matter what. He hadn’t brought up Beolmo-sesu to discuss it.
It was simply an announcement of his decision.
‘If this is the case...’
Namgung Cheonghae looked at his son, Soryong.
Ever since the topic of Beolmo-sesu came up, Soryong had been clenching his fists, his head bowed.
He was a stubborn child, just like his grandfather.
He was ambitious in martial arts, excelling more than his peers, but he also couldn’t stand to lose.
Since he was young, he had always said that he would be the next head of the family.
Now, an unexpected cousin had appeared, claiming to be his elder sister, and on top of that, she was receiving Beolmo-sesu, which he hadn’t. How bitter must he feel?
‘Even so, he should control his anger.’
His second son, Namgung Ung, was fidgeting nervously, looking at his older brother’s trembling fists.
Though they were his sons, they were truly different children.
‘Has Father decided on my elder brother as the young master?’
If he’s going so far as to personally perform Beolmo-sesu on the granddaughter who returned after eight years to empower her, it’s safe to assume that.
Namgung Cheonghae himself felt the same bitterness.
“No, isn’t that a bit excessive for a welcome gift for someone who’s returned after eight years? We don’t even know if the child wants it or not, do we?”
As Namgung Cheonghae backed down, it was Cheongsan’s turn.
At his sons’ continued opposition, Namgung Mucheon’s expression crumpled in frustration.
“What’s excessive? It’s been a full eight years! I’m just looking after my granddaughter who suffered for eight years, is that so wasteful to you? You’re built like a mountain, yet your courage is only that much?”
“Ah, that, ‘just that much’...! That’s precisely why I’m saying something...!”
Namgung Cheongsan couldn’t help but shrink under the tiger-like, threatening gaze. However, even if he shrank, he wasn’t one to back down.
“How can Beolmo-sesu be ‘just that much’! It’s not called a ‘heavenly blessing’ or a ‘fortunate encounter’ for nothing!”
“Why, are you jealous? At your age, are you coveting your niece’s things?”
“No, it’s not that...!”
Namgung Cheongsan’s face flushed crimson.
Namgung Mucheon’s remark had accurately pinpointed his true feelings.
However, now that his true feelings were revealed, there was nothing left to hide. Namgung Cheongsan shouted defiantly,
“Yes! I am jealous! Can’t I be a little jealous? Huh?!”
“Hmph?”
“Father, you know what Beolmo-sesu means to a martial artist! If you can do something like that, please do it for me! No! At least for our Hwarin...!”
“Hah!”
His last words were the real truth.
“You foolish fellow! Do you have no regard for your own father?!”
“That’s not it, Father...!”
Seeing his grown son throw a tantrum made Namgung Mucheon weary.
“Tsk!” He clicked his tongue, rubbed his forehead, and said firmly,
“Don’t even dream of it!”
“Ah, Father!”
“If I say no, it means no! If you’ve all finished eating, leave now! I need to rest!”
It was a clear dismissal.
It was also a clear expression of his intention not to listen to his two sons anymore.
Namgung Mucheon got up from his seat before his sons even had a chance to rise.
“There’s no point raising these children! They’re all utterly useless!”
“Father!”
“Seolhwa, follow me!”
Namgung Cheongsan urgently called out to him, but Namgung Mucheon didn’t even glance at him, calling Seolhwa instead.
Seolhwa, who had been quietly observing the commotion caused by her, immediately hopped down from her chair.
“You don’t need to come!”
Namgung Cheongun, who had been about to follow and rise, froze in his spot.
Namgung Mucheon turned his body as if there was nothing more to see and swiftly left the room. Seolhwa bowed briefly to everyone in the room, then followed him.
“Fatherrr!”
With Namgung Cheongsan’s wail, the door closed.
***
“One has no regard for his father! One is scheming! And one is spouting childish nonsense! Utterly useless children!”
Even after returning to the room, Namgung Mucheon fumed for a long time.
Even to Seolhwa, who didn’t understand emotions well, it was clearly anger.
What was strange, however, was that despite being next to the enraged Cheonryonggeomhwang, she felt no fear.
Just a short while ago, she might have worried he would kill her in his rage, but such thoughts didn’t even cross her mind now.
‘It must mean they’ve grown that much closer.’
She now knew that Namgung Mucheon cared for her enough to decide on Beolmo-sesu.
The Cheonryonggeomhwang, with whom she would never have exchanged a single word in her previous life, now cherished her.
‘Though it’s probably because she’s his granddaughter.’
Seolhwa stood quietly in a corner of the room, waiting for Namgung Mucheon’s fury to subside.
However, sparks are bound to fly from a fierce flame.
Seolhwa, too, couldn’t escape those sparks.
“You’re always getting hurt!”
Seolhwa blinked at the arrow turned towards her.
“Is your body so insignificant? Why do you treat it so carelessly?!”
She thought about what excuse to make, but then she recalled her conversation with Seop Mugwang.
No matter what excuse she made, she’d be scolded just the same.
“I didn’t know I was hurt.”
In that case, it was better to be honest.
“What? You didn’t know you were hurt?!”
“My senses are dull. It felt wet, and when I looked, I was already injured.”
When she came to her senses, the wound was already there.
She might not know the reason for the injury, but at least it wasn’t a lie.
“Then you shouldn’t have touched the fragments! You must have known it was dangerous!”
‘Hmm...’
Saying she was clearing the broken fragments was a lie from the start. So, even if she spoke honestly, it wouldn’t be the full truth.
Still, she decided to answer as honestly as possible.
“Because I would be punished.”
It was the answer she would have most likely considered first if she had damaged Hyeolma’s item.
“I tried to clear it before Father came.”
That seemed to be the correct answer.
Namgung Mucheon’s face was still stern, but he no longer raged.
Instead, he sighed deeply and rubbed his forehead.
“Alright. That’s enough.”
So, honesty really does work.
“However, even so, avoid dangerous things from now on. Not knowing you were injured is not something to be taken lightly.”
“Yes.”
“Alright. Let’s stop talking about that.”
Namgung Mucheon began to speak more seriously.
“Before I announce your return at the Elder’s Council tomorrow morning, I called you to ask for your will.”
Seolhwa tilted her head.
“My will?”
Did her will matter in announcing her as a child of the Namgung?
“Because the moment you are officially recognized as a child of the Namgung, many things will change.”
“What will change?”
“You will gain much, and you will lose much. As long as the Namgung has searched for you, the interest in the returned child will be high.”
“...”
“Every single one of your actions will be judged, and every word you speak might turn into an arrow of blame. However.”
Namgung Mucheon’s voice lowered even further.
“You will gain the power and honor to crush and overshadow all of that.”
