Childhood Friend of the Zenith
chapter-227

After being dragged back to my home, I washed myself and changed into a clean uniform.

The original uniform I wore smelled so bad that washing it didn't help, so I had to burn it to ashes.

It must have been soaked in sweat.

The enclosed area was so hot that it made my body, which was trained in Fire Arts, sweat like crazy.

Changing the terrain was something I could force through, but I couldn't do anything about feeling thirsty from sweating too much.

Because of that, I drank a lot of water.

I've never experienced such torment before.

Since it was a punishment by closed-door training, I thought it would be reasonable to do it for half a year, but an enclosed space like that was a no-go.

I had done it in my past life.

But it felt different in this life, maybe for some reason.

I didn't waste time in the two months I spent in my closed-door training.

Clench.

Every time I clenched my fist, I felt my Qi surging inside.

I stabilized the energy that used to flow on its own before and it felt like the Qi I originally had became denser and stronger.

Of course, I didn't overcome the Peak Realm to reach the Fusion Realm.

The Fusion Realm wasn't a wall I could break in just two months.

It's disappointing,

But it was funny how I felt disappointed.

What could I expect in such a short time?

The fact that I could stabilize the flow of my Qi and made the process of sending energy to my middle dantian smoother was great progress in itself.

“Thanks to that, my body improved a lot.”

Because of all the Qi I had in my body, it felt like my body grew faster than in my past life.

If my arms and legs got longer, it would be very efficient in real fights, so it was a good thing.

I hope I grow more than I did in my past life.

You never know.

At this rate of growth, wouldn't I be taller than I was in my past life?

“Young Master.”

As I was finishing my preparation after putting on my belt, Muyeon called me from outside my room.

“I'm coming out now.”

I checked to see if I still had any stench on me, but it seemed like I got rid of it all.

I even had to use Qi to remove the smell.

It made me wonder how bad the smell was for me to stink so much.

Drrrr.

When I left the room after sliding the door open, I saw Muyeon slightly lower his head to greet me with respect.

“You worked hard.”

“Eh, not really.”

Someone might think I spent a few years in closed-door training.

After smiling, I observed Muyeon.

He still had a flawless posture and, as if he was signaling that he was on guard, he sent his Qi out to the surroundings.

However, I noticed that the way he used his Qi was different from before.

“It seems like you worked hard.”

“…That is not true.”

“What do you mean that's not true? Too much modesty is annoying, you know.”

Considering that it had only been two months, I had to admit that the level I sensed from Muyeon was different from the average.

If a martial artist overcame their wall for the first time, they usually had a hard time getting used to the new sensation that opened up in their body, along with their five senses and Qi blending together.

They would go wild because they couldn't control the Qi that filled their middle dantian.

It took most people a year to control it, but Muyeon did it in just a few months.

It reminded me that Muyeon had great talent as I expected.

Though Namgung Bi-ah here is an exception.

Namgung Bi-ah, who controlled it right away as soon as she overcame her wall, was an exception.

A mere word like talent was hard to use to describe monsters like her.

After hearing my words, Muyeon smiled embarrassedly.

“These are the things you asked me to get.”

“Ah.”

Muyeon took out a few letters from his pocket and handed them to me.

They were the requests I made to Muyeon before I entered my closed-door training two months ago.

I had a few things I wanted to ask Hao Clan and other clans, and thankfully, they arrived in time.

I was about to open the letters I received when…

“Also, the Lord of the Clan ordered me to tell you to visit him as soon as you are done preparing.”

“…Tsk.”

It seemed like I had to go to Father first.

****************

I would normally have to go to the Lord's room to see Father, but this time, I had to go somewhere else.

He ordered me to go to the meeting room that was used to welcome guests.

What's the reason, I wonder?

After following the steward with slow steps,

I arrived at the destination right away.

Creak.

When I opened the door, I saw Father sitting in the large meeting room.

Furthermore…

Why is she here?

In another seat, I saw Namgung Bi-ah sitting in front of tea snacks that were served to her.

“Come in.”

After hearing Father's approval, I entered the room and observed the surroundings.

Judging by the empty seat next to Namgung Bi-ah, that had to be my seat.

I carefully sat down.

As soon as I sat, I noticed a flowery scent coming from Namgung Bi-ah.

When I glanced at her, she seemed a little different from the usual Namgung Bi-ah.

Did she put on some makeup?

It seemed right to say that she decorated herself a little.

No, she definitely did.

As I observed Namgung Bi-ah politely, Father spoke to me.

“It seems like you made some progress.”

I shook for an instant after hearing him speak with a calm tone.

I thought I was doing a good job hiding it, but Father noticed it as soon as I came.

“I had a little bit of an enlightenment.”

I played it off as something that could happen.

It technically wasn't wrong.

After all, it was a form of enlightenment.

Father didn't ask any further and only nodded in response.

As I quenched my thirst with cold water because I felt thirsty due to this uncomfortable atmosphere,

Father went into the main topic.

“I called you here because of your engagement with Namgung Clan.”

“…Oh.”

Right.

The engagement ceremony was planned for after I came back from the Dragons and Phoenixes Tournament.

I honestly forgot about it.

Because of everything that happened, I kind of put it off to the side.

…Sigh…

No wonder Namgung Bi-ah was here.

It was because of our engagement.

Back then, I told myself that I would run away when the time came, but I realized too late that I was ensnared already.

As I was conflicted in my thoughts, Father spoke while staring at Namgung Bi-ah.

“I do feel sorry for Young Lady Namgung. It may have been our clan's problem, but in the end, it harmed Namgung Clan as well.”

“No… That's not true at all. It was a serious matter.”

“I will let the Lord of Namgung Clan know separately about this matter.”

Considering that Namgung Clan's Lord didn't come even though he was supposed to, it seemed like Father sent a letter to Namgung Clan beforehand.

Namgung Bi-ah, who got an apology in place of her Father, spoke after keeping silent for a moment.

“…My lord.”

“You may speak.”

“Could you please not speak in such a formal manner to me…?”

I flinched as I listened quietly.

I didn't expect to hear such words from Namgung Bi-ah's mouth.

Father seemed surprised too, because I saw his eyes widen more than usual.

However, he returned to his usual expression.

“I will do so after the engagement ceremony.”

He put aside the fact that Namgung Bi-ah was much younger than him and chose not to speak informally to her as she was still an outsider to the clan.

Namgung Bi-ah looked disappointed after hearing Father's response, but her face seemed resigned as she couldn't do anything about it.

Because he drew a clear line between them.

After watching that, I spoke up to interrupt.

“So what's going to happen to the ceremony?”

I had to know what would happen if the ceremony was delayed.

“The original plan was to have the ceremony in Gu Clan, but it will now be done in Namgung Clan.”

Most clans did their engagement ceremonies in the male side of the clan, but he said that Gu Clan would take responsibility, and that the ceremony would be done in Namgung Clan.

…Is that really okay?

It didn't sound like a problem just by hearing it, but this was an engagement between two clans, and there would be many eyes watching.

So having the ceremony in Namgung Clan meant that it could seem like I was going there to live as a son-in-law.

While that wasn't what was actually happening, it could look like that to society.

For that reason, most clans wouldn't give up on having the ceremony in the male side of the clan especially if it was an engagement between two noble clans,

But Gu Clan doesn't really care about that.

Father's words were rather shocking though.

But I didn't care too much either.

Whether it was the son-in-law or what not, none of it mattered once the calamity started.

“…So when would that be…?”

“It will happen after you return from the battlefront.”

It was delayed more than I thought.

If it was after I returned from the battlefront,

It meant that the ceremony would happen after over a year had passed.

It's a good thing that it's delayed,

But I felt concerned for Namgung Bi-ah.

When I glanced at Namgung Bi-ah, she still listened with her expressionless face, and didn't seem too bothered.

“I already spoke to the Namgung Clan about this.”

“Already?”

This wasn't a meeting for us to discuss what we needed to do, but more of a meeting for him to tell us what would happen.

Whatever it was, it was partly my fault that the ceremony was delayed, so I wasn't in a position to talk.

As I glanced at Namgung Bi-ah,

“…I'm okay with it.”

Namgung Bi-ah spoke while staring at Father.

“As long as our engagement isn't broken off, I'm fine with anything.”

“…”

I noticed a bit of emotion mixed in the words she spoke calmly.

Which made me feel worse.

“I sincerely apologize.”

“Not at all. I appreciate your concern.”

Father nodded after hearing Namgung Bi-ah's response.

I definitely heard it there.

That Father quietly whispered, 'Thankfully she's not like her Father'.

It made me wonder what happened in their past for them to have such bad relations.

We had some small conversations after that, but none of them were too important.

After some time passed…

“I apologize to Young Lady Namgung, but could you please give us the room since we are done?”

After hearing Father's request, Namgung Bi-ah stood up respectfully.

Her movement was very proper, which was something I rarely saw.

If you could do that, why don't you do that usually?

Every time I saw her like that, it made me question her.

After all, she seemed so different that it made me wonder if they were the same person.

“…I'll be… leaving first… and I'll wait for you…”

As soon as she turned away from Father, she went back to her usual expression and way of speaking.

Namgung Bi-ah left the room with light steps.

Only Father and I remained in the room, surrounded by heavy silence.

I wondered why he had sent Namgung Bi-ah away.

…Did I cause some other incident?

I racked my brain for anything I might have done wrong.

As I nervously swallowed in silence, Father spoke to me.

“We checked the First Elder's secret vault.”

My ears perked up at this information.

It had been two months since they had obtained the information, so it was about time they accessed it.

“So what's going to happen?”

“We'll have to verify how much of the problems stored in the secret vault are true.”

The removal of the First Elder from his position, the change of management in Gu Sunmoon, and the trouble I had caused there were all justified by the problems that were found in the secret vault.

That was pretty much what Father told me.

The positions of the Elders could change after this.

For example, the Second Elder could become the First Elder.

The position of Elders was not really determined by ranks to begin with, but such a thing could certainly happen.

As I listened to Father, one thing popped into my mind that I wanted to ask him.

“My lord. May I ask you something?”

“What is it.”

“Did you really not know anything?”

Father stopped his hand that was reaching for his teacup and his gaze pierced me.

“What do you mean.”

“The things that the First Elder was planning behind the scenes. I'm asking if you really didn't know anything.”

Did Father really not know anything at all?

I doubted that.

What I was curious about, was how much he was unaware of.

“…”

We stared at each other calmly for a few seconds.

Father took a sip of his tea without giving any answer.

I looked away first.

I knew he was not going to answer me.

“…When should I start going to the battlefront?”

“You may leave after you cool down your body. Your sister has already left.”

“My sister did already?”

Gu Huibi had already gone to the battlefront?

I wondered if she had fully recovered yet.

“You may get the details from the steward.”

“…Understood.”

After getting Father's signal to leave, I stood up and made my way out.

The reason why I didn't ask him any more questions was because I knew that Father too was holding back on asking even bigger questions.

Even if I did try to probe him further, I didn't think that Father would give me any answer.

Around a week huh.

I estimated that I had about that much time to spend in the clan.

During that time, I had to finish some small and big things.

Having to go to the battlefront is my first problem…

Being forced to spend a whole year there was the biggest problem, but by this point, it was somewhat welcome as well.

Since it was the battlefront, there were lots of demons there.

Which meant that it was also a place where I could get a lot of Demonic Stones.

It was something I definitely didn't like in the past, but this time around, I had changed my mind.

…I do have to feed this beast after all.

I had to feed the tenant that lived in my stomach and I felt the need to increase the amount of energy I possessed.

If I was going to use this power anyway, I might as well do it efficiently.

“Hmm?”

When I left the building to go outside, I saw Namgung Bi-ah standing on the path that led back to my home.

“You told me you would be waiting. You were waiting here?”

“…Yeah.”

“Why stay outside, you should've gone inside.”

“Just because…”

Her light footsteps came towards me.

With each step, I noticed her mysterious flowery scent.

To that, I spoke while smiling.

“You ran away earlier because of my smell.”

“…”

When I spoke to her in a joking tone, Namgung Bi-ah put on a slight frown on her face.

Right as I came out from my closed-door training, Namgung Bi-ah who came towards me, spoke with a frown.

-…You smell.

I heard it clearly.

Namgung Bi-ah said that while staring at me.

“That hurt me more than I thought, you know that?”

“…I wasn't talking about that smell…”

“If that's not the smell, what are you talking about?”

“…Stench.”

“You usually call that smell.”

To be fair, it smelled extremely bad even to my nose, so Namgung Bi-ah's reaction didn't bother me too much.

…Though it hurt me a little.

Namgung Bi-ah walked forward and grabbed my arm.

“What are you doing?”

“…”

Judging by how she was avoiding eye contact without saying anything, it seemed like she was concerned about how I said that I was hurt.

I could just say that I was joking.

But her concern was amusing, so I decided not to say anything.

As we were about to arrive back at my place after walking together…

“But where is she? I don't see her anywhere.”

I asked because I never got to see her after coming out of my closed-door training.

It was because Wi Seol-Ah, who should've come running to me as the first thing, was nowhere to be found.

“Did she go to the streets or something?”

That was possible, but I didn't think that she would, considering today was the day I got out of closed-door training.

As I was about to enter my home with a question in mind…

“Hmm?”

It was because Namgung Bi-ah, who was holding onto my arm, stopped her steps.

As such, I had to stop with her.

“What's wrong?”

I observed, wondering if anything happened, but Namgung Bi-ah only continued to stare at me with a strange expression.

“…What, why are you looking at me like that?”

“Seol-Ah…”

“Hmm?”

Namgung Bi-ah, who had a very careful expression, spoke very quietly, as if she was looking out for me.

“…She left.”

As soon as I heard her, it felt as if I couldn't breathe.