Chapter 34
— — —
Sensing this, Namgung Do unknowingly took a couple of steps back.
“Y-You crazy bastard. Don't tell me someone like you has already reached such a state?”
Even to Hong-seol, who knew nothing of Martial Arts, that fist looked extraordinary.
‘If someone got hit by that fist, it would be a disaster.’
And yet, for some reason, Hong-seol had no desire to stop Namgung Baek.
It was obvious that situations like this, with Namgung Do picking a fight, had been happening his whole life.
‘From now on, no matter what happens, I'm on Brother Namgung Baek's side!’
Hong-seol steeled her resolve.
Terrified, Namgung Do was shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Y-You idiot! Do you think you'll get away with hitting me with that fist? You think the adults will just let you be?!”
“Of course they won't let it be.”
Hearing that, color finally returned to Namgung Do's face.
“That's right! Think carefully!”
A smirk.
Namgung Baek seemed to smirk as he glanced between his fist and the terrified Namgung Do.
The next moment, without hesitation, he drove his own fist into his solar plexus.
“Ugh.”
Unable to withstand the impact, Namgung Baek dropped to one knee, a thin trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.
“Is he an idiot?”
Namgung Do muttered in disbelief.
Swish.
It was as if black shadows covered the sky; in an instant, a dozen or so martial artists rushed over, their faces pale.
“Young Master!”
“Someone has harmed Young Master Namgung Baek!”
“We came because we heard a commotion, but what is this?!”
They were the warriors of the Dongcheon Unit, responsible for the Namgung Clan's security.
“Ugh...”
“Are you all right, Young Master?!”
“Who dared to harm the Young Master?!”
Confirming that the warriors had gathered, Namgung Baek slowly turned his gaze. The warriors' eyes naturally followed his to a single point.
There stood Namgung Do, holding his sword. To anyone watching, he looked as if he had just been radiating killing intent moments before.
“Uh, uhh?”
Only then did Namgung Do realize he had fallen into a trap.
---
Before long, the sun was setting.
A full shijin had passed since Namgung Baek entered the Clan Lord’s Hall.
Hong-seol was pacing back and forth in the courtyard in front of it. She had walked so much that her fine leather shoes were nearly worn through.
A welcome voice called out from somewhere.
“Hong-seol.”
Namgung Baek was trudging down the steps of the Clan Lord’s Hall alone. Thankfully, the blood at the corner of his mouth had stopped.
“Brother!”
Hong-seol dashed up the high steps in a single bound and threw herself into his arms.
Namgung Baek seemed startled by her unusual behavior, but he soon wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
“The evening wind is cold. Have you been waiting for me here this whole time?”
Hong-seol nodded furiously. As she did, her tears soaked the collar of Namgung Baek's clothes. Seeing this, Namgung Baek spoke teasingly.
“I thought you were a mature child, but you're just a crybaby.”
“B-Because you said you were, you were going to die soon...!”
“Why would I die?”
“You can't die, not even when you turn twenty!”
“...”
This time, there was no answer.
Hong-seol looked up at Namgung Baek's face, her eyes filled with tears.
But Namgung Baek simply averted his gaze without a word.
“Waaaaah!”
Hong-seol finally burst into loud sobs.
But Namgung Baek had no promise he could make to her.
He had been poisoned a long time ago.
At first, everyone who saw him looked at him with pity. At times, it was tiresome.
But before even a year had passed, everyone had grown accustomed to the fact that Namgung Baek would die.
Not just the members of the Namgung Clan, but even his own family.
“The Head of the Medical Hall will find a way, I'm sure.”
“Even if there's no way, he gets to live and die as a young master of the Namgung Clan. What regrets could he have?”
“It's a relief for the Namgung Clan that there are two other young masters to carry on the line.”
It was empty, knowing his life had a set end.
So, at some point, Namgung Baek lost interest in everything.
He couldn't taste food, nor did he feel the sting of a scratch on his arm during a spar. That was why he had let Namgung Do, steeped in the branch family's inferiority complex, challenge him without doing anything.
‘My days are already numbered, so what's the point in fighting?’
But tiny little Hong-seol had gotten angry on his behalf.
‘More than just angry. She bravely even scratched the face of the branch family's young master.’
Recalling the memory, a faint chuckle escaped Namgung Baek.
A baby cat pouncing on a boy well over five feet tall, and one carrying a sword at that.
It was an act of pure recklessness, but thanks to her, he felt a little refreshed.
‘Sometimes, things like that can be a comfort.’
That was something Namgung Baek learned for the first time today.
“The sky is especially beautiful today.”
The two of them sat on a secluded step of the Clan Lord’s Hall, watching the evening glow. With reddened eyes, Hong-seol sniffled and asked cautiously.
“What happened to the young master from the branch family?”
At her words, Namgung Baek gave a rare, wide grin. Then, he whispered softly into the ear of Hong-seol, who was mesmerized by his smile.
“For the crime of striking a direct descendant of the Namgung Clan, he's been banned from the main family residence for a year and confined for two months. And he got a harsh beating from our grandfather.”
“Wow.”
Hong-seol's mouth fell open in awe. Namgung Baek gave an awkward laugh.
“Why? Do you think I was too mean?”
“No?”
Excited, Hong-seol shot up from her seat.
Far from thinking he was mean, she still felt a surge of anger just thinking about what Namgung Do had said to Namgung Baek.
Hong-seol said, her voice slightly choked with emotion.
“I'm on your side, no matter what.”
Surprised by her words, Namgung Baek's eyes widened for a moment before he let out a small laugh and lowered his head.
It was to hide the uncharacteristic sting at the tip of his nose.
After a moment passed.
Lifting his head again, Namgung Baek stared at the distant setting sun to hide his awkwardness. The crimson sun was just beginning to flicker out of sight.
Namgung Baek forced his cracking voice to sound gentle as he asked Hong-seol.
“Ahem, by the way, why did you pounce on Namgung Do earlier? So fearlessly.”
“...I don't know.”
Finally calming down a bit, Hong-seol lowered her head in embarrassment.
In truth, Hong-seol knew very well why she had done it.
It was because she felt sorry for Brother Namgung Baek.
Because no one here knew the sorrow of being different from others better than Hong-seol.
‘Me, who can't use Inner Energy, and him, the brother who will die when he turns twenty...’
Perhaps Hong-seol had always been hoping.
That when her family at the Myo Clan cast her out, someone would stand up for her.
Just as she had found the courage for Brother Namgung Baek today.
She had deliberately said she didn't know why she'd attacked Namgung Do because she was afraid she might burst into tears again.
In fact, she was on the verge of it even now. Hong-seol wrinkled her nose, trying hard not to cry.
Seeing that, Namgung Baek chuckled.
He had pretended not to know when he asked, but in truth, he knew as well.
He knew what was in Hong-seol's heart when she pounced on Namgung Do.
‘In that child's eyes, did I... look lonely...?’
A child cast out from her family for being unable to use Inner Energy.
This small child knew how to approach someone in pain and whisper.
I am the same as you.
I know your pain, so please, have courage.
Perhaps, in this vast Namgung Clan, the only person who understood him was this small child.
Feeling as if he might burst into tears himself, Namgung Baek forced a playful tone.
“You're so tiny, yet you're holding it in. Here, eat this.”
Namgung Baek rummaged inside his robes and held out a rice cake wrapped in a bamboo leaf. Hong-seol's eyes went wide.
“Why are you giving this to me?”
“Isn't this what you wanted to eat when you went into the kitchen earlier?”
Stupid Brother Namgung Baek!
It wasn't just because I wanted to eat it.
I was trying to get a rice cake for Brother Namgung Baek, too, when Lady Yi caught me. And he doesn't even know!
“Hmph.”
But even though she was upset, Hong-seol meekly accepted the rice cake.
The completely cooled rice cake felt strangely warm.
Taking a bite of the rice cake, Hong-seol finally burst out crying with a "Waaah." Seeing this, Namgung Baek, who was beside her, smiled faintly, took out a silk handkerchief, and wiped the corners of her eyes.
Then, he said, half-jokingly.
“Ah, what should I do? It seems my thoroughly infuriated uncle is going to beat up my father in tomorrow's spar.”
Hic!
Hong-seol, who had been quietly chewing her rice cake, hiccuped in surprise.
0 Comments