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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Return of the Namgung Sega's Granddaughter
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A Namgung warrior led her directly to the Inner Hall.
‘I didn't expect to be led straight to the Inner Hall.’
The Sega's structure was divided into the Inner Hall, where the direct Namgung lineage resided, and the Outer Hall, where collateral branches and those not of direct blood, but gathered under the Namgung name, lived.
She had heard that those claiming to be the lost Namgung child were first vetted in the Outer Hall.
‘This way… it's the path to Cheonhojeon.’
In her previous life, Ilhwa had studied everything about the Namgung to bring them down.
She was fundamentally aware of the Namgung Sega's internal structure and knew well what Cheonhojeon was used for.
‘Seop Mugwang must have pulled some strings.’
Since there were warriors accompanying Seop Mugwang, it was clear he must have sent them to inform the family.
Otherwise, there was no way she would have been led directly to the Inner Hall, let alone Cheonhojeon.
In any case, Ilhwa was fortunate to avoid a troublesome process.
Meanwhile, three people remained in Cheonhojeon after the elders and direct lineage members had departed.
They were the Family Head, Namgung Mucheon, the Overseer, Namgung Mun, and Seop Mugwang.
— Tell me, Bipunggeom. Has the child arrived?
The Overseer, sensing the abrupt end to the family meeting, subtly asked Seop Mugwang.
He had heard the news that Seop Mugwang had found a child who appeared to be the Family Head's granddaughter, but he hadn't known the child would arrive today.
— Indeed. A very cute and prickly little one will arrive soon.
— I'll finally see the child.
The Overseer had been curious about what kind of child she would be ever since he heard the news from Seop Mugwang.
To finally see the child.
After a moment of gazing anxiously at the main entrance of Cheonhojeon, the sound of someone ascending finally reached them.
Heavy footsteps climbing the stairs were followed by the light patter of another's walk.
‘She's here!’
A moment later, a warrior and a young girl appeared.
The Overseer reflexively leaned forward to look at the child.
Black hair tied up behind her, slightly upturned eyes. A fair face with rosy, chubby cheeks.
A delicate, upturned nose and firmly closed lips.
‘Young Lady…?’
The child's appearance held the face of Namgung Seolhwa from the Overseer's memories.
Though she had grown taller and shed her baby fat, it was unmistakably the young Namgung Seolhwa.
‘Overseer Grandpa! Me! Hold me!’
Memories of Namgung Seolhwa calling him for the first time and approaching him for a hug resurfaced, and a surge of emotion welled up.
His nose tingled.
— Hehehe, I felt similarly when I first saw the little one. But don't be too quick to judge. Nothing is confirmed yet.
Only after hearing Seop Mugwang's spiritual message did the Overseer quickly compose himself.
He was right. It was too early to jump to conclusions.
This was the moment to identify the Namgung child.
Until it was certain that this child was Namgung Seolhwa, he couldn't afford to be careless with his words or actions.
***
The moment she stepped inside Cheonhojeon, Ilhwa involuntarily flinched, startled, and halted her steps.
It was because a piercing gaze, as if it could penetrate her very being, shot forth and impaled her like an arrow.
As she looked straight ahead, she saw him.
In the deepest and highest part of the tall, majestic Cheonhojeon.
‘Cheonryonggeomhwang… Namgung Mucheon….’
Hair streaked with grey, giving it a silvery hue, and eyes with slightly upturned corners that gave him a fierce impression.
From his firmly closed mouth, no thoughts could be discerned, and from his imposing physique, which exuded grandeur, an overwhelming presence, as if he looked down upon the entire world, emanated.
His profound internal energy felt unfathomable, making it impossible to gauge his realm, yet Ilhwa knew his true level.
‘A Hwagyeong master.’
One who could move objects with mere qi manipulation without touching them, whose body was always as solid as if clad in armor, and who could walk on air.
An absolute master, one of only ten in the entire world.
That immense gap made her feel like a mouse standing before a colossal dragon.
It was a perilous situation where her life could be extinguished with a single flick of his hand.
‘…What is this?’
Ilhwa looked down at her hands.
The moment she faced Namgung Mucheon, her hands inexplicably tingled and itched.
Her chest thumped, and the nape of her neck ached; it seemed she was simply nervous.
Was this what it felt like to be intimidated?
‘It's okay. He's not an enemy now. It's okay.’
Ilhwa clenched her fists and moved deeper into the grand hall.
The gazes of the three men followed her as she approached.
To the right of the Family Head, Namgung Mucheon, stood the Overseer, Namgung Mun, and to his left, Seop Mugwang.
Seop Mugwang, whose eyes met hers, bared his teeth in a smile. Though less than half a day had passed since they parted, he seemed genuinely pleased to see her.
Instead of a direct greeting, Ilhwa briefly glanced at him, then performed a pokwon towards Namgung Mucheon.
“I greet the Family Head of the Namgung Sega.”
This was the moment she faced an enemy who had been unfathomably distant in her previous life, now as her own kin.
“Welcome.”
Even in his brief greeting, the resonance of his voice sent shivers down her spine.
As she bowed briefly once more, the Overseer, standing beside Namgung Mucheon, cleared his throat and stepped forward.
He asked in a deliberately solemn voice.
“What is your name?”
Ilhwa naturally looked at him.
“My name is Seolhwa.”
The Overseer's eyebrows subtly rose. But he quickly regained his composure and continued to ask.
“I heard you claimed to be the child the family is searching for. Is that true?”
Ilhwa nodded.
“Yes, it is.”
“The child the family is looking for is a boy. However, as you can see, you are a girl. Furthermore, I hear the birthmark on your neck cannot be found?”
“I don't know about that. I just came because I recalled memories of growing up in the Namgung family when I was little.”
“Memories, you say…”
The Overseer stroked his chin, staring intently at Ilhwa.
Though he appeared to maintain a solemn composure, he was anxious.
Whether this child was indeed the one the Namgung had been searching for eight years. His heart wished it to be the former.
This was the first child whose first impression so strongly reminded him of the Young Lady.
“Can you describe those memories in detail?”
Ilhwa nodded.
It was a question she had already anticipated, so she wasn't flustered.
Ilhwa exhaled briefly, then lowered her eyes as if searching her memories.
In everyone's tense anticipation, she slowly opened her mouth.
“A poppy flower path…”
Even at that single, brief phrase, a small crack appeared in the Overseer's expression.
Ilhwa raised her gaze and met his.
“I remember walking on a path full of poppies near a pond shaded by willow trees, holding someone's hand. I don't remember whose hand it was, but…”
Ilhwa looked down at her own hands.
Her wistful expression was filled with longing.
“I remember it being large and rough. And very warm. Though I think I could only hold onto their thumb.”
At her calm voice, Cheonhojeon fell silent as if cold water had been poured over it.
Feeling the chilling atmosphere, Ilhwa clenched her hands.
‘It's certainly surprising.’
Because the place with willow trees, a pond, and a path full of poppies was the Family Head's residence garden, where Namgung Mucheon lived.
‘My past life's memories are this helpful.’
She knew the Family Head's residence garden was full of poppies because she had seen it when she invaded the Namgung in her previous life.
When she had killed all the remaining family members in the Namgung and entered the Family Head's residence, Ilhwa had recalled an inexplicable memory in front of the poppy path.
It was the memory she had just told the Overseer about, walking on the flower path while holding someone's hand.
‘Back then, I thought it was strange, so I burned down the entire flower garden.’
Even though they were ornamental poppies, she had thought they were poisonous weeds.
Because she thought if they weren't, such strange illusions wouldn't come to mind.
Even though, in reality, it was her true memory.
‘I was truly foolish. Even me.’
Ilhwa, scoffing at her past self once more, lowered her clenched fists and raised her gaze.
“I lost my memories from before I was five, so this is all I have. Is it enough?”
At Ilhwa's words, the Overseer, who had been lost in thought, suddenly snapped out of it and was about to speak in a hurry.
Namgung Mucheon, who had been listening silently, raised a hand to stop the Overseer.
He spoke in a low voice.
“Poppies are flowers easily found anywhere in Jungwon. Ponds and willow trees are things that any wealthy person can build and enjoy. Do you think you can prove you are a Namgung child with those?”
Ilhwa raised her head and looked at Namgung Mucheon.
She had already expected that he wouldn't easily acknowledge her as a Namgung child.
After all, thousands of children had come forward claiming to be the Namgung child, and some of them were likely girls.
Furthermore, the birthmark on her neck couldn't be confirmed, so it was only natural. However.
“This maiden cannot understand.”
Namgung Mucheon's eyebrows twitched, arching slightly.
“Cannot understand? What?”
“Isn't it the Namgung who is searching for the lost child? So why must I prove myself?”
