Chapter 196
196
Im Seol-yak opened his eyes.
It was an ordinary morning, but his head was unusually clear.
He blinked, wondering what he had done before sleeping last night, and frowned at the hand stroking his hair.
"Are you awake, Seol-yak?"
'Damn it.'
Im Seol-yak, muttering a curse, jumped up. A man with long, light wheat-colored hair was looking at him, his eyes curved in a smile.
"It was a mistake."
Even at the cold voice, Dang-un only smiled.
"Seol-yak. You don't call something you've repeated dozens of times a mistake."
Im Seol-yak's face contorted at the gentle correction.
But he didn't jump up and leave. A white, delicate hand had grasped his.
He flinched at the sensation of fingers interlacing with his, and quickly relaxed his body. It was because he feared that even a small gesture could tear the frail man's body to shreds.
'I'm out of my mind.'
Im Seol-yak, self-deprecating, met the eyes that were looking at him affectionately.
The eyes, shining as if sprinkled with stardust, were so beautiful that he felt like he would be sucked into them if he looked for even a moment.
Those eyes, those eyes.
It was always those harmless eyes that ensnared him.
The eyes of the man he had healed, curious to see him full of life, had become a leash, tightening around Im Seol-yak's neck.
Dang-un, blinking his long eyelashes, said softly.
"I'm fine, Seol-yak. I will wait until Seol-yak makes a decision."
Im Seol-yak snorted at the whisper that seemed to understand everything and turned his head away.
"Nonsense. I already answered."
"If it's because of Grandfather, you don't have to worry. Seol-yak. Grandfather doesn't dislike Seol-yak. He enjoys talking about Seol-yak and the Elder Disciple."
At the confident voice, Im Seol-yak pressed his temples.
'Why did I have to touch the descendant of that hateful bastard…'
He shouldn't have accepted him from the start. He shouldn't have thought it was just a childish whim.
If he had known it was a serious feeling, not just a one-night stand, he would have drawn a clear line.
But…
The sweetness he had tasted once repeatedly broke down Im Seol-yak's will.
Only in the moments he was with this fledgling could he sleep deeply without dreaming.
He could face nights without the fragments of the past stabbing at his heart like shards of glass, without regret or anguish.
It was the rest he had so desperately desired.
"Seol-yak."
"……."
"Seol-yak. You must look at me when you speak."
When Im Seol-yak bit his lip and didn't answer, Dang-un smiled and stroked the inside of Im Seol-yak's wrist with his thumb.
At the gesture filled with a secret meaning, Im Seol-yak firmly, but as carefully as if touching a dandelion seed, pushed Dang-un's hand away.
This was really the end. He mustn't get any more involved. He had to cut it off before that damned old man finished his seclusion.
He sighed and looked at Dang-un again.
"I admit it. I won't deny that you make me comfortable. But that's all. Don't cross the line."
"Seol-yak."
"You are the Tang Clan's Eldest Son. As a direct descendant of the family, you have a duty to fulfill your responsibilities, and it is right to increase your power through marriage alliances and continue the lineage. Don't presumptuously try to push me into the Tang Clan's cage. How many more times do I have to tell you to find a Young lady your age?"
"Why do you keep saying such hateful things, Seol-yak? It upsets me when you ruin your beautiful mouth with words you don't mean."
Im Seol-yak, stammering at the tone as if coaxing a child, buried his face in his hands with a resigned expression.
"……Seeing you shamelessly spout nonsense, you're definitely from the Tang Clan bloodline."
"I'm glad to hear praise from Seol-yak."
"Does my words sound like praise?"
The moment Im Seol-yak, annoyed, tore at his hair, a cautious knock was heard.
"Kyung-ah, come in."
At Dang-un's affectionate call, the paper door opened.
Kyung-ah, bowing politely, approached and placed a small jar of warm water and a washcloth next to the bed.
While Dang-un naturally took the washcloth and wiped Im Seol-yak's arms and legs, Kyung-ah poured tea to quench his thirst, handed it to Im Seol-yak, and waited for the two to finish their business.
It was a scene that would have embarrassed anyone who didn't know them, but the three were only calm, as if they had always been like this.
When Dang-un put on his outer robe after putting down the washcloth, Kyung-ah handed him a letter.
"Is it from the main family? Thank you."
A flicker of emotion crossed Dang-un's face as he smiled and unfolded the letter.
"Oh my."
He let out a strange exclamation, covered the letter, and said, overlapping his hand on the back of Im Seol-yak's hand.
"Grandfather has finished his seclusion, Seol-yak. I must go to greet him."
Unlike Dang-un, who curved his eyes as if it was a good thing, Im Seol-yak looked flustered.
"……W-what did you say?"
The color drained from Im Seol-yak's face at the news he least wanted to hear recently.
Uncle Geun-myeong's reply was quite a long time coming.
I had expected it would take time for a reply to arrive since I had used a Letter Carrier Bird, but as it was delayed, I became restless and couldn't focus on anything.
I was staring blankly into space, halfheartedly tending to my Hidden Weapons, when Yeon-ryang, carrying a fishing rod on his shoulder, strode in with fish strung on kudzu vines.
"So-hye, let's eat. Should I steam them or grill them?"
"Brother's here? Wow, a big catch. How did you catch them? You could make a living as a fisherman now."
As I made a fuss and took Yeon-ryang's fishing rod, he chuckled and shook the fish, which was as big as his forearm.
"There was a good one in the river. I caught it quickly to give our sister some oily food."
"Let's grill it. Should we light a fire in the yard?"
"Yeah, yeah. Can you get some of the firewood I chopped?"
Nodding, I prepared to light a fire in the yard.
We tacitly agreed not to bring up what happened that day.
We ate together as if nothing had happened, and spent time doing our own things.
But the scars of that day remained like invisible thorns, pricking us from time to time.
"The reply hasn't come yet, has it?"
"Even if a reply comes, it will take some time for Uncle to arrive. But I'll be able to breathe a sigh of relief when Uncle Geun-myeong comes."
Yeon-ryang gave an awkward smile at my answer.
"……I guess so."
He forced a positive response and picked out the fish meat sizzling with oil and placed it on my plate.
Yeon-ryang, who had been hesitating, seemed to want to send me away alone, but when I ignored him as if I hadn't noticed, he couldn't say anything and watched me carefully.
I put the fish in my mouth and changed the subject.
"Did you finish carving the Wooden Sword? You seemed to be trimming it yesterday."
"It's almost done. Do you want to try it later? I don't know if it will fit your arm length, So-hye."
"It will fit. Brother has a good eye. I'll try it on after I go to the market later."
"Okay. Can you buy some salt? And buy a few chickens. Let's boil them thoroughly for dinner."
Nodding and chewing with both cheeks, Yeon-ryang chuckled.
These days, Yeon-ryang was fishing or carving wood as a pastime.
At first, he seemed to be carving small toys for Ju-ryeong to play with or Hidden Weapons for me to practice with, but seeing him making Wooden Swords so quickly, it seemed he hadn't completely given up his attachment to swords.
But he seemed quite peaceful while fidgeting with his hands as big as pot lids, so I didn't bother to stop Yeon-ryang and left him alone.
As long as he doesn't swing it. I have to carry it around so he can't swing it when he finishes carving it.
Determined, I picked up my chopsticks again when Ju-ryeong jumped up and grabbed my knee.
"Kit."
"It's still hot, Ju-ryeong. I'll give it to you when it cools down."
I tapped Ju-ryeong's front paws to tell him to wait, but he shook his head as if that wasn't it.
"Kii!"
Ju-ryeong, pulling at my sleeve, lifted his head and jumped up and down.
Following him, I saw a large hawk circling around the house.
It was the Tang Clan's Letter Eagle.
"Oh, a reply must have come! Brother, I'll go get the letter."
I put down my chopsticks and went outside the Formation to bring in the Letter Eagle.
I'm writing briefly because I'm in a hurry.
The Elder has finished his seclusion.
He was furious at your story and smashed the Council of Elders and ran out. He will arrive within a few days, so prepare yourself.
The letter, scribbled unlike Uncle Geun-myeong, contained the news that Grandfather's seclusion had ended.
A beaming smile leaked out at the long-awaited news.
He really came out before filling three years. He must have been moving very busily to keep his promise.
I smiled brightly and called Yeon-ryang.
"Brother, Grandfather's seclusion is over!"
"Oh, really?"
"He ran out to find me right away. He'll be here soon."
Then anxiety appeared on Yeon-ryang's face.
"So-hye. Then maybe I should go somewhere else…"
"Hey, it'll be okay. Brother."
"Haha, I don't think it'll be okay. He'll twist my neck before you can stop him."
"No. Grandfather doesn't just lash out…"
He does. He's the type to do that.
Oh? I really need to be careful?
My heart sank at the thought that Grandfather might try to kill Yeon-ryang.
No way. Absolutely not. Where else can you find such a kind and gentle Demonic Sect guy?
Turning pale, I quickly picked up Ju-ryeong and hugged him to Yeon-ryang's chest.
"Brother. Just in case, stay close to Ju-ryeong. Put him in a visible place. On your head or shoulder, anywhere high. Ju-ryeong, if you run into Grandfather without me, you have to stop him. Got it?"
"Kit!"
Should I apply some Pursuit Incense so he doesn't touch him? He'll recognize it right away since Grandfather made it.
After hesitating, I took out the Thousand Mile Pursuit Incense from inside the house and smeared it all over Yeon-ryang's body. Yeon-ryang looked dubious and looked around his body.
"What is this? It doesn't smell like anything."
"Pursuit Incense that Grandfather made. He'll recognize it right away if you apply it."
"……Isn't the Poison King going to mistake me for prey?"
Oh, is he?
But there was no way to erase the Pursuit Incense that had already been rubbed all over his body. I awkwardly rolled my eyes and looked back and forth between Yeon-ryang and the Pursuit Incense.
"This is a big problem. This lasts for four months."
"So-hye……."
"It's okay. It's okay. He'll recognize it."
Now that it's come to this, I have no choice but to believe that Grandfather will notice my signal.
……He'll notice, right?
