Childhood Friend of the Zenith
chapter-254

When I saw her fierce eyes, I couldn’t hide the fluster in my voice.

“Umm, why is she… Why is Lady Mi here?”

I directed my question to Moyong Hi-ah rather than Lady Mi herself. Moyong Hi-ah seemed just as surprised by my sudden visit, her expression mirroring my own confusion.

“Y-Young Master, w-why are you…?”

“Khm, I just… had some business.”

In truth, I had no business here. I had come simply to see her, but for some reason, I couldn’t admit that in this situation.

Lady Mi gave no reaction, continuing to sip her tea as if she had known about my arrival from the moment I reached the entrance. She must’ve been contacted telepathically.

Well, Lady Mi couldn’t have responded.

Telepathic communication was a skill only martial artists who had overcome their walls possessed.

Lady Mi didn’t have such abilities which meant…

I shifted my gaze to the wall behind Lady Mi.

So, it’s him.

I sensed a presence, faint and elusive, different from the martial artist I encountered at the entrance. This presence was fainter and sneakier, it seemed like they specialized in the darkness.

“It seems you’ve noticed Eebee as well,” Lady Mi said, following my gaze. “You really have changed a lot…”

“Lady Mi.”

“Sigh… I don’t know what worries you, but I only came to Moyong Hi-ah for business.”

“Business?”

“Yes. I couldn’t just ignore her plans to set up a business in Shanxi.”

It was a plausible reason, but it felt off

The business has been running for months now, why visit only now?

The White Flowers Merchant Association surely knew about the Moyong Clan’s operations in Shanxi, so Lady Mi’s delayed interest was curious.

Is she hiding something?

While the White Flowers Merchant Association wasn’t widely known, it held significant influence in the business world. The Moyong Clan was similarly powerful in the business world, so it wasn’t unusual for Lady Mi to show interest.

Moreover, Moyong Hi-ah seemed to have the upper hand in business dealings, so Lady Mi’s approach made sense.

But at the end of the day, Moyong Hi-ah is still a guest.

She must’ve felt uncomfortable.

Yet, right as I was about to speak to Lady Mi…

“Young Master.”

“Huh?”

“Don’t worry, nothing happened. Also, Lady Mi and I were in the middle of a conversation. Is it alright if I visit you later?”

Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes pleaded me to leave.

She seemed to be saying that I was interrupting something important, so I couldn’t really afford to speak any further.

…I guess they were having an important conversation after all.

I was technically the one who had barged in uninvited, not Lady Mi.

“...I’m sorry for interrupting.”

“No, it’s okay. I understand,” Lady Mi responded, not even glancing my way.

I left, taking a final look at Moyong Hi-ah.

A simple business discussion, huh?

Well at least the atmosphere didn’t feel that way.

It felt off, Moyong Hi-ah was acting odd—she was strangely tense in front of Lady Mi.

If it was purely business, Moyong Hi-ah wouldn’t be this tense.

Instead, Lady Mi would’ve been the one in need of the Moyong Clan’s cooperation, putting Moyong Hi-ah in a more favorable position.

Ugh, I don’t get it.

Whatever it was, I would need to ask Moyong Hi-ah about it later, once their conversation was over

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

After Gu Yangcheon left, Moyong Hi-ah felt her nerves tighten once more. Being alone with Lady Mi was unsettling.

…How unexpected.

Never in her wildest dreams had she expected a visit from the Lady of the Gu Clan, nor did she understand her motives for doing so.

What’s even going on?

From the secret background che—Khm, I mean, the thorough research she did, she knew that Mi Hyoran was the Lord’s legal wife, while Gu Yangcheon was the child of a concubine. It was rather well known that their relationship was strained. So, then, why was she here?

When Moyong Hi-ah first heard that Lady Mi was visiting her as a guest, she couldn’t help but feel suspicious.

After all, there was no obvious reason for her to visit.

Typically, a visit from a clan’s Lady implied discussions of marriage prospects for their children.

Moyong Hi-ah was well aware of her own worth.

Whether it be in terms of beauty, age, or background, she was utterly unmatched.

Furthermore, as she still didn’t have a betrothed, it made sense that the Lady of the Gu clan might consider connecting her with her son.

After all, Tang Soyeol, who had a similar background, was inundated with such proposals.

However…

Lady Mi doesn’t have a son.

As far as Moyong Hi-ah knew, Lady Mi only had two daughters: one was the renowned Sword Phoenix, and the other a girl who was just beginning to show her talents.

Gu Yangcheon and his younger sister, both born of another, were not Lady Mi’s biological children.

So then, why was she here?

Why is she looking at me with such a gaze?

Lady Mi’s gaze was serious, a gaze Moyong Hi-ah had encountered before. It was the same gaze the Lord had when she was almost engaged to the Namgung Clan.

A gaze of appraisal, as if assessing my suitability for their child.

Few dared to look at a direct relative of the Moyong Clan in such a manner.

Perhaps someone like the current Lord of the Namgung Clan, the Azure Heavenly Sword, might be bold enough. But Lady Mi? Yet, her gaze was piercing.

Should Moyong Hi-ah feel offended? She couldn’t bring herself to be.

The intensity of Lady Mi’s gaze and her sheer overpowering presence was suffocating, more so than even the Lord of the Namgung Clan

“I’m sorry, my child seemed to have offended you.”

Moyong Hi-ah forced a smile. “No, please don’t apologize. He was just worried for me, so it didn’t bother me at all.”

“Worry, huh…? Oh~ So you and that child are close enough to worry about each other~?”

Moyong Hi-ah had misspoken, and Lady Mi didn’t give her an inch as she deftly twisted her words.

Moyong Hi-ah felt like she was surrounded by invisible blades, but her composed mask didn’t falter.

“I apologize, but that wasn’t what I meant. I meant to say that he was worried for me as a guest of the Gu Clan.”

“I see.”

Lady Mi just gave a vague response as she continued to sip her tea without further comment.

Moyong Hi-ah maintained her light smile, though she felt unsettled inside.

What were we even talking about?

She had even forgotten about the conversation she was having earlier.

Ah…

She recalled now. They had been discussing the Moyong Clan’s business in Shanxi,her current stay with the Gu Clan, what she liked to eat, her hobbies, whether she could manage her frustration, if she was patient…

…Huh? Wait a sec…

She hadn’t realized then, but in hindsight, their conversation seemed odd.

Moyong Hi-ah sat quietly, observing Lady Mi. Her demeanor hadn’t changed, but her expression, it seemed subtly different.

Do they perhaps not have a bad relationship?

It wasn’t unusual for the legal wife and the child of a concubine to have a strained relationship.

Given Gu Yangcheon’s past as Shanxi’s notorious troublemaker, it was conceivable that Lady Mi harbored resentment towards him, especially when compared to her esteemed daughter, the Sword Phoenix.

But…

Something.

Something gnawed at Moyong Hi-ah.

Her intuition, which had never failed her, was whispering that there was more to this than met the eye.

Ever since her first encounter with Lady Mi, she had sensed the need to leave a good impression, prompting her to send Gu Yangcheon away despite his unexpected visit.

She felt that it was necessary.

Well, I was disappointed, still…

She trusted her instincts.

As Moyong Hi-ah observed Lady Mi, the lady turned away from the window and addressed her directly.

“Hmm~ He did come to meet you and it’ll be mealtime soon anyway, so I shouldn’t impose any longer, right~?”

Her sudden departure caught Moyong Hi-ah off guard, but she refrained from questioning it.

“Oh… then perhaps, we should have a meal togeth—”

“I shouldn’t impose that much on the Young Lady. Besides, I have plans with my husband later,” Lady Mi declined politely, smiling.

“Thank you for your patience with me. I look forward to seeing you again.”

“Not at all… it was truly an honor to have a conversation with Lady Mi.”

Lady Mi smiled, departing gracefully as Moyong Hi-ah sent her off with a respectful bow. Once she was out of sight, Moyong Hi-ah exhaled deeply, the tension finally releasing from her body.

This meeting had been much more difficult than she expected.

She longed to sit and rest, exhausted both physically and mentally, yet…

“Clothes, makeup…!”

Remembering her promise to visit Gu Yangcheon later, she had no time to relax. Rest could wait until she was by his side.

As Moyong Hi-ah’s servants brought fresh clothes, Lady Mi was making her way out of the Moyong Clan’s residence.

Walking in perfect posture, she spoke aloud.

“Hmm, not bad.”

-The girl from the Moyong Clan?

A voice seemed to come from nowhere.

“Yes.”

-For the Leader to show such a positive reaction, you must hold her in high regard.

Lady Mi, known for her cold and brutal demeanor to outsiders, rarely gave praise. Therefore, her words held significant weight.

“She knows how to read her opponent’s expression, and was skilled in hiding her own.”

The girl from Moyong Clan, the Snow Phoenix, was it?

She had spent over a year with Gu Yangcheon on the frontlines. From what Lady Mi heard, the girl had traveled with him for a personal reason.

But.

There definitely had to be another reason she stayed so close to him. It couldn’t possibly be just that.

When Lady Mi asked about the Snow Phoenix, Gu Huibi, she received a rare frown. Gu Huibi had described Moyong Hi-ah as the best at being a fox. She even preferred the girl from the Namgung Clan just because of her simplicity.

Still, according to her, both of them are not suitable.

Yet, Lady Mi believed a touch of cunning was necessary for a girl to survive in this cutthroat world.

That child needs to mature already.

The Snow Phoenix had exceeded her expectations. Lady Mi might be a bit eccentric and have different standards from others, yet even if she lowered her standards, the Snow Phoenix was still impressive.

Her confidence was high and she was adept at reading others.

The ability to praise one’s opponent without diminishing oneself was something rare. Moyong Hi-ah retained her dignity throughout, embodying her noble lineage.

However…

She struggled to hide her emotions.

Lady Mi saw it immediately in Moyong Hi-ah’s eyes when Gu Yangcheon entered the room.

The girl from the Namgung Clan yesterday, and now the girl from the Moyong Clan.

It seems like he has a lot of luck with women.

Not only was he similar in appearance, but also in charm, much like his father.

-So, then, Leader…

As they neared the entrance, Mujin asked.

-Are you going to change the Young Master’s fianc—

“Don’t talk nonsense. What power do I have to do such a thing?”

-…Umm, then why?

The reason she visited the two girls; Mujin was curious about his Leader’s intentions.

Mi Hyoran paused for a moment and looked toward the entrance.

And there, stood Gu Yangcheon.

“…A reason huh?”

With her fixed on himMi Hyoran whispered softly, just loud enough for Gu Yangcheon to barely hear.

“I… I just wanted to see.”

She was simply curious whether his fiancée or the other girl could truly love him. Mi Hyoran knew the importance of a genuine relationship over one formed for rational purposes.

-Hmm, Sis! There’s a petal there!

Mi Hyoran had learned this with her life.

“Did you wait for me?”

“Huh? Ah, yeah…”

Lady Mi approached Gu Yangcheon without a second of hesitation.

“Hmm, were you worried about the girl inside?”

“…I wouldn’t go that far.”

Mi Hyoran’s eyes narrowed ever so slightly at his response. She felt proud that he had grown to care about others, yet she also felt guilty for not supporting him during his developing years.

“Don’t worry. I didn’t harm the Moyong’s child.”

“I never worried about that.”

“Hmm?”

“I know… I know that Lady Mi isn’t someone who would do such a thing.”

Mi Hyoran’s expression shifted subtly, the surprise evident on her face.

“…I never expected to hear that from you….”

Mi Hyoran lifted her hand and reached out towards Gu Yangcheon.

He paused for an instant upon seeing her gesture but thankfully didn’t avoid it.

Did he know?

Just how much courage did it take for Mi Hyoran to reach out to him? She gently reached her arm toward him and picked a leaf that was stuck in his hair.

“...There was a leaf in your hair.”

“…Thank you.”

She hid her shaky feelings, maintaining her calm demeanor. She wondered if he resented her touch, alas she wasn’t brave enough to ask.

With the leaf in her hand, Mi Hyoran walked past Gu Yangcheon without saying anything further. She felt she couldn’t stay there any longer. Her destination was the place where her second daughter was waiting.

“…”

Gu Yangcheon’s expression darkened as soon as he was left alone. It wasn’t because he disliked what had just happened. Rather it was because of the letter in his pocket, the letter given to him by the First Elder, Gu Ryoon.

He had only managed to maintain his composure because of Mi Hyoran. He wasn’t standing at the entrance because he was waiting for someone, but because he was frozen after reading the letter.

Rustle.

He took the letter out of his pocket and opened it once more. He hoped he had just misread it the first time, but unfortunately, the world wasn’t that kind to him. The content inside was the same as when he first opened it.

Inside the letter, written in rough handwriting, was but a single sentence.

A sentence so short that it was hard to even say that it was a sentence.

-I’ll be visiting soon to take a look at you.

There was really only that single line and not much else.

He at first wondered what it was all about, but as soon as he saw the sender at the bottom, he couldn’t help but gasp.

-Your master.

“…Fuck.”

He didn’t have a master, so he wondered what kind of a joke this was, But the real problem was that it was Gu Ryoon who gave him this letter, and all thanks to him I was also being called by a certain title.

All thanks to the darned recommendation letter that Gu Ryoon had prepared, and the rumor that spread thanks to people not believing a single word of what he said. The title that stuck to him…

The Dishonored Venerable’s disciple.

It was just a ridiculous rumor, so Gu Yangcheon desperately hoped that the Dishonored Venerable wouldn’t bother to act on it, but…

“Hahahaha, fuck my life.”

Now it seemed inevitable.

One of the three Heavenly Venerables, someone who was acting as a Young Prodigy in Bi Clan, the Dragon Warrior.

He’s coming after me.