I guided the investigation team to a place to stay and walked to the closed-door training center.
The reason I was in charge of the investigation team was simple.
I don’t trust the Murim Alliance.
The Murim Alliance that I knew of was an expert in fabrication.
If unchecked, it could lead to our downfall.
Even in the original story, the Murim Alliance gathered forces and invaded with their “justification”.
Even a three-year-old child knew that sect had destroyed the North Sea Ice Palace.
Nevertheless, the Murim Alliance sent an investigation team citing obvious reasons. Wasn’t it obvious that they had other nefarious intentions?
So I could only be suspicious of the investigation team.
Without even checking, it was obvious how they would act. They would first use the servants and then attack us.
Publicly the Murim Alliance would say that we were the ones who accepted the investigation team and would question our actions. But the sect, which believes that excuses are used by the weak, would remain silent no matter how much they bark.
In the meantime, the Murim Alliance will gather its forces and plan to invade the sect.
Some people were so worried that they couldn’t sleep, but it seemed like my birthday was the only thing in the heads of the elders.
No plans have been made for how to deal with the inspection team.
I was going to say that it would be better to take countermeasures now because I thought this wouldn’t do, but I happened to hear the elders’ conversations.
“I hope the investigators will cause an accident.”
“Why?”
“Isn’t that how I can show off my skills?”
“You don’t look like that but your patience is astonishing. How can you wait until an accident happens? Instead, order your disciples to use the servants as bait.”
“Hoho, that’s an idea. As expected, the Poison King is good at using his head.”
First, even if the servants were used as bait, we would still be driven into an unavoidable situation that we wouldn’t be able to deal with.
In the eyes of the Murim Alliance, we were a good enemy for them. We had created for them the perfect justification they needed so wouldn’t it feel good?
Therefore, I asked Cheonma to kindly give me authority over the investigation team.
I had a strong hunch that I needed to get between the investigation team and the elders.
At this point, I was unsure whether I was spying on the investigation team or protecting them.
Anyway…
“This is the start. I need to stay alert.”
I walked toward the bamboo forest while pondering about the investigation team that I had just guided.
When I opened the door of the closed training center and entered, the familiar smell of moss greeted me.
As I walked inside inhaling the humid smell, I felt Aku Ryun’s presence.
“You’re here.”
From that day on, Aku Ryun didn’t turn me down. Even ate food without saying anything.
‘He must be keeping his promise that he made when we were chased by the assassins.’
I squatted down and laid out the food.
“This is hundred-year-old pickled radish. My nanny said that I’m the only one who would use hundred-year-old pickled radish as a side dish. Since this is good for you, eat it all.”
Listening silently, Aku Ryun sat next to me and picked up his chopsticks.
Looking at him, I could tell he was well educated. Calm usage of chopsticks and his straight posture shone even when sitting casually on the floor.
How heartbroken were his parents who had to die, leaving him behind?
And how deep would his grudge be since he had to watch his parents die?
Funnily enough, when I accepted Cheonma as my father, I could feel Aku Ryun’s wrath.
The cold facts that I had accepted before now hit close to home.
That’s why I decided not to encourage him to escape the sect anymore.
Escape meant delaying his revenge.
The sect was the best place for him to build his strength. Leaving this place would only be disadvantageous for his revenge.
‘So work hard to build your strength and get revenge. I’ll work hard to build up my strength to protect my family’
I glanced at the face of the now eleven-year-old Aku Ryun.
‘Rascal, you’re cool. You’re growing up very well.’
If his growth kept up, he would become at least Cheonma’s height. His body was good without saying but I wish he would gain a bit more weight. But I think that will be difficult.
Though the knife wound between his eyebrows was a little concerning, even that looked good on him.
I unconsciously brushed Aku Ryun’s eyebrows with my fingertips. He stopped eating and looked at me.
“Does it hurt?”
“… it doesn’t hurt at all.”
In the original story, he had an appearance that was good enough to be called a jade beauty.
This was due to the absorption of Life Saving oil and the disappearance of all scars through transformation.
But now that I’ve taken the oil, he will have to wait a long time for that scar to go away.
Until then, I will look at that scar and recall the fact that he saved me.
While I was groping Aku Ryun’s scarl, I suddenly tilted my head when I felt strange.
Ara? Aku Ryun is calmly letting me touch his face?
He’s usually not like this…
Wasn’t he cold and had a ruthless personality?
With his personality, he would ask why I was touching his face without permission and slap my hand away. But now I couldn’t figure out why he was so docile now.
Ah! Maybe….
“Did you get hurt?”
“… why are you asking me that?”
“Because you are staying still even though I’m touching your face.”
His slightly hardening face slowly moved away. While rubbing my now-empty fingertips together, I lowered my arm.
“When are you finished with closed-door training?”
“I have 100 days left.”
“You can’t come out for a bit for my birthday?”
“No.”
“… can you say those words with at least an apologetic look?”
“But I’m not apologetic.”
I thought he changed a little, but he was cold enough to the point it was about to snow.
I wanted to feed you something delicious, not because it’s my birthday, but because there was going to be a feast then. I let out a big sigh.
“I don’t think I can come for a while from tomorrow. The investigation team arrived today.”
“All right.”
“I told my nanny to take care of the food. She’ll put it right in front of the door. I’ll check later, so don’t leave any leftovers.”
“If someone hears this, he or she will think you’re my mother.”
“Isn’t that disrespectful to a six-year old?”
As I pretended to sulk, Aku Ryun laughed weakly.
“Sometimes I forget your age. Sometimes I feel like you are an adult.”
“Am I that elderly?”
“There’s not many six-year-olds that use the word ‘elderly’.”
That stung. I rolled my eyes and answered strongly.
“Well, that’s nothing. I’m a genius.”
“Since you’re such a genius, you won’t be fooled by appearances.”
“Huh?”
The light in Aku Ryun’s eyes became serious.
“Watch out for the investigation team.”
“…why?”
“You don’t really think that they visited to investigate, do you?”
“I know that much. I don’t plan to be fooled.”
“Don’t trust anyone. It’s been a long time since the Murim Alliance valued their honor more than justice.”
The reason why Aku Ryun joined hands with the Murim Alliance in the original story was not because of his trust in them, but because of their common interests.
“I got it, I’ll keep that in mind.”
“There’s the most important thing left.”
“What’s that?”
Aku Ryun asked in a serious voice.
“Who is the most handsome member of the investigation team?”
The most handsome person?
It was a random question, but I answered it right away.
“Jegal’s Young Sect Master”
“Be most wary of him.”
“……why?”
“Young Miss is weak to good looks.”
I hate myself for not being able to refute him.
But how did he know my weakness?
Aku Ryun answered the unasked question nonchalantly.
“Sometimes you stare at Sect Master’s face. So that’s why I speculated… Am I wrong?”
Well, if Jegal Hyun says ‘do you want to eat with oppa?’, I might consider it…
“Young Miss, what are you thinking of right now?”
Aku Ryun had narrowed his eyes at me.
Oops!
Whenever I was in trouble, I tilted my head with my hands wrapped around my cheeks.
Hundred out of hundred times, I would get out of it with my cuteness.
“uwu? I wasn’t thinking of anything~~”
“I know you were thinking of something weird. You just had a bad expression on your face.”
… except for this guy,
As expected, he’s a formidable fellow. I lowered my hand with a cold face. Then I glanced at his empty chest.
“But… why don’t you do that?”
“What are you talking about?”
“The thing I gave you… the ice flowers.”
“I’m not interested in accessories.”
“It’s not just an accessory…”
But I gave it to you. As a token of gratitude, I just shut up. I gave it to you because I was thankful, but it’s a bit funny to ask why he wasn’t wearing it.
I guess he didn’t like it.
Hiding my disappointment, I stood up energetically.
“I’ll go now. Even if I’m a little late, the grandpas will come look for me. I have to get back quickly.”
Aku Ryun stood up to follow me and took something out of his pocket to give me. It was a necklace that held a small piece of wood.
“What is this?”
“Recently… I saw someone make something like this so I copied it. Inside the piece, I inserted qi so during an emergency it will keep you warm.”
I knew who he was looking at when he made it.
His mother.
With her dexterity, she liked to procure wood by herself, carve it, make it into necklaces, and give them to her husband and son.
I received the necklace.
It was a coarse, unattractive necklace. Not only did he not use proper tools, but the texture was also jagged and the finish was sloppy.
But it held more warmth than any gift I’d ever received.
I made a fuss like a kid who found treasure.
“Wow, that’s so beautiful! Are you really giving this to me? Put it on me! Put it on me!”
Aku Ryun went behind me with an awkward face. I could feel his low breath hitting the back of my neck and his hand tying the knot carefully.
“….?”
He stood still after he put on his necklace.
For some reason, I was standing still because I thought I shouldn’t look back, but suddenly a small voice passed by my ears.
“Happy birthday.”
“….it’s not today.”
“I know.”
Aku Ryun calmly answered and immediately went inside.
Left alone, I stood there. I left the training center.
All the way back, I didn’t know why my ears were warm.
***
Alone, Aku Ryun stared at the seat where the child had sat.
When he put his hand on the seat where the child had sat, the remaining warmth warmed his palm.
“I don’t like it.”
He hated it when the child visited and hated it when she didn’t come.
When it was time for the child to come, he wanted to lock that door so that she couldn’t come in, but he also wanted to lock the door so that she could not leave when she visited.
Just then he wanted to hold onto the child’s wrist and tell her to stay a little bit longer but he endured the urge.
Most importantly, he was annoyed that the child thought that the Jegal family’s Young Sect Master was handsome.
Why was he like this?
“Is it my lack of mental discipline?”
Aku Ryun changed into a training outfit and began meditating.
His shabby training outfit had five dainty ice flower decorations.
—-