Chapter 13
13
The guest quarters where the Namgung Family's guests stayed were in the opposite direction from Dang Jung's residence.
It was such a long distance that I wondered what Namgung Hwi had been doing to end up at Dang Jung's residence.
I bit my lip and fixed my gaze on the teacup in front of me. My kneeling legs were numb, but I couldn't dare to move.
It was because the Namgung Patriarch's aura was terrifying.
My face, reflected in the lukewarm teacup, looked as pathetic as a frightened rabbit.
I really look pathetic. I shouldn't raise my head.
"Raise your head."
"Yes."
Oops. Scratch that.
At the icy voice, I quickly raised my head. The Namgung Patriarch was narrowing his eyes at me.
As I quickly lowered my gaze, he sighed.
"So... you want to take this child to the Namgung Family."
"Yes, Father."
At Namgung Hwi's clever answer, the Namgung Patriarch rubbed his forehead with a troubled expression.
"Why did you have such a thought?"
"She is a smart child. I want to keep her by my side."
"It's not because she did something that requires you to keep her by your side, is it?"
"Yes? Something that requires me to keep her by my side?"
As Namgung Hwi blinked, not understanding, the middle-aged man's gaze landed on me. I shook my head.
I don't know what you're imagining, but nothing happened. What does a thirteen-year-old know? You're too suspicious.
Only then did the Namgung Patriarch's expression relax.
"No, it's nothing. This father had a foolish thought. The tea will get cold. Drink your tea."
He even laughed heartily, telling me to drink my tea with a refreshed face.
As I fidgeted with my fingers, watching his reaction, the Namgung Patriarch urged me again.
"Drink it."
Would you be able to drink tea in this atmosphere? I was speechless, but I had no right to refuse.
I struggled to pick up the teacup. I couldn't even feel whether the tea was going into my nose or my mouth.
Unlike me, who was out of my mind, the Namgung Patriarch, who was elegantly enjoying the aroma of the tea leaves, opened his mouth.
"Hwi-ah. Let me ask you first. Did you ask this child's opinion?"
"I haven't asked yet. But she will like it."
"Why do you think so?"
"Because Namgung is a good place."
What are you talking about, you rascal.
My spine stiffened at Namgung Hwi's answer. The Young Master thinks that since he likes it, I will naturally like it too. What is this nonsense?
It was a Young Master-like way of thinking, with himself at the center of the world.
The Namgung Patriarch seemed to have not expected that answer either, as he awkwardly rubbed his nose.
The Namgung Patriarch, who was looking at me with a troubled expression, asked.
"What is your name?"
"So-hye."
"No surname?"
"No, I don't have one."
"Parents?"
"I'm an orphan."
It was a polite question, but I couldn't help but feel annoyed.
Dad, I want to raise that puppy. Okay. What breed is the puppy? It only sounded like that kind of tone.
Besides, I'm that puppy. Haha.
"I see. So, what do you think?"
"Yes?"
"If I tell you to go to the Namgung Family, would you be willing to go?"
I forced a smile. I felt a similar sense of déjà vu to when Dang Jung told me to learn Martial Arts Technique from him.
A sense of crisis that my head would fly off if I answered wrong.
I swallowed hard and opened my mouth.
"I am afraid to say this, but..."
"What? Hahaha, there's no need to speak so formally. I am not a member of the Imperial Family. You only need to do that when you are addressing the Emperor or the King."
Ah. Is this not it?
My face flushed at his hearty laughter. I quickly corrected my words.
"Yes. I am sorry, but I am under the tutelage of Poison King Dang Jung. This is not a matter that I can dare to decide."
Elder. Please take care of the aftermath.
As soon as I sold Dang Jung's name, there was an immediate reaction. The Namgung Patriarch looked troubled.
"...Dang Jung, you say?"
"Yes, that's right."
His face darkened, and he scratched his cheek, dissuading Namgung Hwi.
"Hwi-ah. This won't do."
"Why not?"
"Didn't you hear? She is a child under the tutelage of Poison King. If you try to take this child to the Namgung Family, the Tang Clan will sever her Four limbs and meridians and cripple her Martial Arts Technique."
"Yes?"
The exclamation of shock came from my mouth, not Namgung Hwi's.
What is this nonsense? Sever what? Four limbs and meridians? My limbs?
Despite my reaction, the Namgung Patriarch only shrugged and did not blame me for being rude. Rather, he looked at me with pity.
"Didn't you know? That's what it means for a Martial Artist to leave their Sect. And it's the Tang Clan, no less. If you leave the Tang Clan, you'll be worse off than dead."
I had no idea. No, Elder. You only said you'd feed me a lot of meat, you didn't say anything like this.
Goosebumps rose all over my body. I had worried about being poisoned, but I had never imagined not being able to use my limbs.
Namgung Hwi, whose face had also turned pale, opened his mouth heavily.
"I don't quite understand. It's not like she knows the secret arts that only direct descendants are taught."
"The Tang Clan is different from Namgung. We allow even collateral relatives to open Martial Arts schools under the Namgung name. The Tang Clan does not. The principle is that all of the Tang Clan's Martial Arts Technique exists only within the Tang Clan. It cannot be leaked to the outside."
"But this child has no Dantian, and she has only learned a little External Martial Arts...!"
"Enough. Hwi-ah. What can't be done, can't be done. It's another Sect's matter."
As he dissuaded him, Namgung Hwi clenched his fist tightly. He seemed quite upset that he couldn't take me.
I was dumbfounded by his reaction. I'm the one who has to live and die in the Tang Clan for the rest of my life, so why are you upset?
I was the one who was truly upset.
I became Dang Jung's disciple without knowing what it meant to learn the Tang Clan's Martial Arts Technique.
I had expected to be deeply entangled with the Tang Clan in the future. But I didn't know it would be so deep that I would have to be buried in the Tang Clan.
Elder. This is a fraudulent contract.
I wanted to kick the damn Tang Clan signboard.
* * *
I opened and closed my mouth, clutching the teacup. I felt like I had to swallow something to calm down.
As I poured the tea into my mouth in one gulp, I came to my senses. I remembered a conversation I had with my boss.
'Severing tendons and destroying meridians is a punishment worse than death. It means cutting off a Martial Artist's life.'
'Ugh, isn't that too cruel? Is it really necessary to cut off their tendons and ligaments while kicking them out?'
'It's a punishment given when a disciple commits a serious crime and is expelled from the Sect. They have to give up everything they received from the Sect, but the only way to give up the Martial Arts Technique they've learned is to cripple their Martial Arts Technique.'
'Then what happens to that disciple? They won't be able to walk, so where do they go?'
'Usually, they crawl around and die, or the Demonic Cult picks them up.'
'...In that case, it would be better to just kill them without pain. If it were me, I'd bite my tongue and die rather than crawl around for the rest of my life.'
Boss. You said it's a punishment given when someone commits a serious crime. These crazy bastards are saying they'll do it just for leaving the family.
Let's just pretend everything that's happened so far was a dream. Please send me home.
I rubbed my tingling nose and took some time to reflect on how my Maid life had become so twisted.
More than that, how do I get out of here?
As I watched for a chance to slip away, someone jumped over the wall of the guest quarters.
The gazes of the people in the guest quarters gathered at the light movements like a flying squirrel.
A smile naturally escaped my lips at the familiar face.
It was Dang Jung.
"It's been a while, Sang, no. Patriarch."
He waved his hand lightly, as if he knew the Namgung Patriarch. It seemed that the Namgung Patriarch's name was Sang.
As soon as Namgung Sang saw Dang Jung, he stood up from his seat and clasped his hands in respect.
"Are you not Poison King? It has been too long."
"There's no need to be so polite. You are now the Patriarch, so I must also observe what I must."
"I am grateful that you say so. But what brings you here?"
"I heard that the child this old man is taking care of is here. There she is. So-hye."
"Yes."
"I don't know how you ended up here. I am in your debt. May I take her with me?"
"Of course."
"Thank you. So-hye. Come here."
At Dang Jung's call, I tried to jump up. I would have if I hadn't had a cramp in my leg.
As I stretched out my leg, which had been numb for a long time, electricity coursed through it, and tears welled up in my eyes.
As I froze in an awkward position, Dang Jung asked, puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
"Elder. My leg is numb."
As I pointed to my unmoving leg with a tearful face, Dang Jung snorted.
"You, you're now using me as a palanquin."
"Aww, Elder."
As I acted cute with a voice mixed with coquetry, he approached with a stern face. Dang Jung sighed and slung me over his shoulder.
A scream naturally came out at the rough touch.
"Ah! Ah! Wait a minute, Elder! Leg, leg! Ack!"
"Quiet. I clearly told you not to leave the residence, and you've already caused trouble."
"That's because... Ugh! It stings!"
"You're exaggerating."
It really stings. My leg is popping like popping candy.
As I struggled and raised my head, Namgung Sang was staring at me and Dang Jung with a dumbfounded face. He seemed surprised at my close relationship with Dang Jung.
"Then I'll be going. No, I shall be going."
"Please be careful on your way, Elder."
Namgung Sang, who quickly composed his expression, greeted Dang Jung. I also bowed my head to him while hanging on Dang Jung's shoulder.
The moment Dang Jung turned his back, Namgung Hwi shouted loudly.
"Hey, So-hye!"
"Why, no. Yes?"
I looked at Namgung Hwi. He was clenching his sleeve with a flushed face.
"The money you spent at the Market street. I'll give it to you tomorrow."
No. You don't have to pay it back. Don't come.
I shook my head to mean that I was declining, but Namgung Hwi seemed to take it as a sign of affirmation and smiled brightly.
"I'll give you double. See you tomorrow."
See what. I said it's okay.
At the cheerful voice, Dang Jung frowned.
"Did you lend money to a Namgung child?"
"No, Elder. Don't look back and let's go quickly. Please."
"You, it seems you think I'm easy to deal with now."
At my urging, Dang Jung grumbled and jumped over the wall.
