Chapter 164 : So, In Truth
Chapter 164: So, In Truth
Before the guesthouse in the Qinghai where the Poison Demon had been practicing medicine was attacked by the Righteous Will Heroes of the Namgung Clan.
More precisely, it was right after Yul Han met Hwayeong and returned to the Main Fortress.
Namgung Chang-yeon, who had been looking at the bitterly crying Hwayeong with an awkward expression, cautiously asked,
“Miss. Nothing will be solved by crying.”
Startled by the sudden voice, Hwayeong turned around. Her face was a mess.
Seeing that, Namgung Chang-yeon gave a faint smile. But he soon seemed to realize that it didn’t suit the situation and hurriedly apologized.
“M-my apologies. I made a mistake.”
“What’s so funny?”
Hwayeong, whose face was completely soaked in tears, raised the corners of her eyes sharply…
‘She’s cute.’
Barely suppressing the laughter that rose up for a moment, Namgung Chang-yeon shook his head.
“No. What could possibly be funny about me looking like this? It was merely a meaningless laugh that slipped out, so please do not mind it.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“I hate people who lie!”
“Ah! I-I’m sorry. It’s because you were cute, Miss…”
At Namgung Chang-yeon’s words, Hwayeong’s cheeks turned bright red in embarrassment.
“W-what are you saying!”
Hwayeong couldn’t even properly meet his eyes.
Seeing that appearance again, Namgung Chang-yeon found her cute once more.
But only for a moment. When Namgung Chang-yeon recalled his own circumstances, his expression darkened.
“My apologies. I spoke out of turn. Someone like me, what right do I have to…”
“What does one’s standing have to do with a person’s feelings…? Regardless of things like that, it’s simply something you feel.”
At Hwayeong’s unexpected response to his self-deprecating remark, Namgung Chang-yeon looked at her in surprise.
But she was not looking at him. She was looking toward the door.
Only then did he realize that her words were not meant for him but were a reflection of her own circumstances.
And that made him feel sorry for her.
He had entered the enemy camp claiming he would take revenge, yet he hadn’t even managed to strike a single blow before being captured(?). It was ridiculous that someone in that position would pity someone else.
But that was how Namgung Chang-yeon felt.
And that feeling came out as words.
“Please do not give up.”
Namgung Chang-yeon had spoken in the hope of encouraging someone who seemed as disheartened as himself.
But once the words left his mouth, he thought that perhaps they were words he had actually wanted to say to himself.
Hwayeong turned toward him and smiled faintly.
“You shouldn’t give up either, Young Hero.”
It was something she said because she mistakenly believed he was trying to avenge his lover.
But after saying it, she realized that was not right.
She had belatedly remembered that the man’s target of revenge was the Bright Cult.
In other words, she had just encouraged a man to keep raising his sword against the very Bright Cult where the Vice Cult Leader she loved so deeply—enough to suffer lovesickness—belonged.
The moment she realized that, Hwayeong hurriedly changed her words.
“N-no! Give up. She wouldn’t want you to die meaninglessly for something impossible.”
“How could I give up? Even if I cannot save her, if I can at least offer my life and take revenge, then I—”
“Cannot save her…? Don’t tell me she’s still alive?”
“Yes. That child is in their hands… Kuh…!”
At the sight of the man shedding tears at the end of his words, Hwayeong asked,
“Child…? I thought she was the person you loved?”
“Loved? She is a child I cherish like my own life, but love… She is my only younger sister.”
“Ah!”
Only then did Hwayeong realize she had misunderstood.
“Then who has taken her?”
“It must be the Vice Cult Leader. She fell into that man’s hands.”
Hwayeong stiffened instantly and asked in an uneasy voice,
“Your sister… how old is she, perhaps…?”
“She is twenty-three this year. Though she is the daughter of a martial family, she never learned martial arts and her marriage has been delayed. My mother worried endlessly about it. And with her appearance like that, there was much gossip around her, so I was already very worried.”
“Her appearance?”
“Ah! My sister’s name is Hee-yeon. Namgung Hee-yeon.”
The name Hee-yeon was already familiar to Hwayeong.
It was a name the man had called countless times while he was unconscious.
But when the surname Namgung was attached to it, the meaning changed entirely.
“The Most Beautiful Woman Under Heaven!”
At Hwayeong’s wide-eyed cry, Namgung Chang-yeon nodded.
“That’s right. Some might say it’s enviable, but to that child it was no different from a heavenly curse. Even now, just thinking about what hardships she might be suffering because of that…”
Namgung Chang-yeon clenched his teeth tightly before finishing his sentence.
To Hwayeong, his figure felt distant.
Because she immediately understood what kind of hardship she might be suffering.
A prisoner—captured by the Bright Cult, filled with rough men—and the title of The Most Beautiful Woman Under Heaven.
What they might do after taking her from her brother was painfully obvious.
‘W-wait!’
“The Vice Cult Leader took her away?!”
Hwayeong suddenly shouted with such force that even Namgung Chang-yeon, who had been grinding his teeth in frustration, looked at her in shock.
“T-that is correct…”
That meant the thing Hwayeong was imagining right now might be happening between the Vice Cult Leader and the Most Beautiful Woman Under Heaven.
“Don’t give up! You have to save her. I’ll help you. How can I help?”
“Y-you mean you will help me, Miss?”
“Yes. I’ll help you, so make sure you save her!”
Seeing Hwayeong clench her small fists determinedly, Namgung Chang-yeon nodded almost reflexively.
Fortunately, the Poison Demon gave them medicinal herbs and said nothing about Namgung Chang-yeon’s fate.
Thanks to that, Namgung Chang-yeon was able to stay in Hwayeong’s residence while his body fully recovered, without suffering any harm.
To be honest, Namgung Chang-yeon could not understand why they were simply leaving him alone.
When he cautiously asked Hwayeong about it, the answer he received surprised him greatly.
“So you told them I was someone following you around because I’m in love with you?”
“Yes. Otherwise there was no way to save you. I’m sorry for saying that on my own.”
Namgung Chang-yeon waved his hands in denial.
“N-no, how could Miss apologize… No. I should be the one thanking you for trying so hard to save me. This Chang-yeon owes you a great debt.”
“Chang-yeon… is that your name, Young Hero?”
“Yes. Namgung Chang-yeon.”
“Perhaps… Namgung Flying Dragon?”
“That title is too much for me.”
It was the title given to one of the Five Dragons—remarkable Younger Generation Talents of the Hundred Paths.
He was the grandson of the previous Namgung Clan Head and the nephew of the current Namgung Clan Head.
If his late father—who had been the eldest son of the previous Namgung Clan Head—had not died early in battle against the Unorthodox Factions, it was widely believed throughout the Martial World that the Namgung Clan would now be led by his father.
In other words, he was the unfortunate man who lost the position of Namgung Clan Head right before his eyes—a position he might have inherited through his father.
Still, perhaps because he resembled his grandfather—once called the Number One of the Hundred Paths—and his father—once expected to become the greatest expert of the Namgung Clan—his ability was undeniable.
Among the Younger Generation Talents of the Namgung Clan, he was acknowledged as possessing outstanding skill.
Perhaps because she realized that the famous Namgung Flying Dragon she had heard about in rumors was the man before her, Hwayeong began to see Namgung Chang-yeon differently.
He was no longer merely a pitiful man trying to rescue his kidnapped sister.
Rather—
He seemed like a man with the will to face an insurmountable mountain without retreating, all for the sake of his younger sister.
Suddenly, Hwayeong grabbed her pounding chest in shock.
‘Have I gone mad? Why all of a sudden?’
She was shocked because her heart had raced for another man while she loved the Vice Cult Leader.
Namgung Chang-yeon asked her,
“Is something wrong?”
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
“Your complexion has turned red. Are you feeling unwell?”
As Namgung Chang-yeon stepped closer in concern, his scent suddenly rushed toward her.
She didn’t know why it felt so pleasant, nor why it made her so embarrassed.
But Hwayeong’s face turned completely red.
Perhaps it was because she was both shocked and flustered.
Her mind went blank, and she staggered.
Startled, Namgung Chang-yeon hurriedly caught her in his arms.
The shock of realizing she was in the arms of a man who was not the Vice Cult Leader—
And the horror of realizing that she actually felt good about it—
Both plunged her into confusion.
That confusion was so deep and intense that Hwayeong’s breathing grew rapid, her vision darkened—
And she fainted.
Namgung Chang-yeon was completely flustered as he looked at Hwayeong, who had fainted in his arms.
That was when the incident happened.
Shouts rang out, and the clashing sounds of weapons rushed in.
He realized that something serious had occurred.
But he could not leave Hwayeong behind.
He could not allow her to fall into danger.
That was the reason Namgung Chang-yeon could not intervene in the incident that occurred at the guesthouse.
Because he stayed inside the room, glaring at the door with the vigilance of a cat protecting its kitten, he didn’t even realize that the commotion outside was caused by the attack of the Namgung Clan’s Younger Generation Talents and the Righteous Will Heroes.
Later, when he learned the truth, he regretted it deeply.
If he had known…
‘Even then… could I really have left Miss Hwayeong behind?’
At that fleeting question, Namgung Chang-yeon was deeply startled.
Because he realized that he was weighing the honor of his clan and Hwayeong’s safety on the same scale.
‘No way…’
Namgung Chang-yeon stared blankly at Hwayeong, who was desperately persuading the Vice Cult Leader and the Poison Demon in order to save the captured Younger Generation Talents of the Namgung Clan.
Because he was so absent-minded, he failed to notice something.
The Vice Cult Leader was watching him with a meaningful gaze.
In any case, thanks to Hwayeong’s efforts, the captured Younger Generation Talents of the Namgung Clan gained an opportunity.
Whether it was because Hwayeong’s few words carried that much power—or because there had never been any intention to kill them in the first place—the Namgung Clan’s Younger Generation Talents survived.
Of course, this meant that a burden would fall upon the Namgung Clan’s main family.
The Vice Cult Leader sought permission from the Cult Leader and decided to return them in exchange for making a deal with the Namgung Clan.
The problem was that, for some reason, the Vice Cult Leader decided that the negotiation would take a long time and declared it would be carried out after returning to the Main Fortress.
Namgung Chang-yeon could not allow only the Namgung Clan’s Younger Generation Talents to be dragged to the Bright Cult’s Main Fortress.
Risking his life, he stubbornly insisted on accompanying them and barely managed to join the procession.
Thus, Hwayeong also joined the group heading toward the Main Fortress.
Namgung Chang-yeon tried to stop her, saying it was too dangerous.
But Hwayeong answered that this was an opportunity.
An opportunity to save his younger sister!
At those words, Namgung Chang-yeon could no longer oppose her.
While riding the carriage together on their way to the Main Fortress, Hwayeong told him something astonishing.
After hearing the entire story, Namgung Chang-yeon asked with a face filled with both shock and joy,
“She’s safe?!”
“Yes. According to what Elder Poison Demon told me, Miss Hee-yeon is staying safely in a place called Seogak. The thing you and I were worried about… fortunately, it never happened.”
“Is that true?”
“The Poison Demon said he heard it personally, so it must be true.”
“Oh! My heavens.”
Seeing Namgung Chang-yeon brighten so much that he even called upon the heavens in joy, Hwayeong said,
“So we must definitely rescue her.”
“Yes. However, Miss must not become involved in that matter.”
“Why?”
“It is far too dangerous. If something goes wrong for me, dying would be enough—but for you…”
“Why would you die!”
Hwayeong suddenly shouted.
Then she quickly covered her own mouth in surprise.
Because she herself didn’t understand why she had become so furious at the thought of Namgung Chang-yeon dying.
In truth, she merely assumed that if he failed, the Most Beautiful Woman Under Heaven would continue staying by the Vice Cult Leader’s side.
And if that happened, something she didn’t even want to imagine might occur.
That was the only reason she convinced herself she felt that way.
Namgung Chang-yeon apologized to her.
“I misspoke. I will never say such things again. So please calm your anger.”
“Really?”
“I promise.”
“Alright. I’ll believe you.”
Only then did Namgung Chang-yeon finally smile brightly again.
To him, Hwayeong began explaining the plan she had come up with.
To be honest, Namgung Chang-yeon hardly heard any of it.
Because he was half-dazed by the scent of her as she leaned close and whispered so that no one outside could hear.
Of course, Yul Han—who was sitting on top of the carriage they were riding—let out a quiet chuckle when he heard the voices from inside.
Thus the carriage carrying the three of them—with Yul Han sitting above—and the wagon carrying the prisoners arrived at the Main Fortress.
The moment they passed through the fortress gate, Hwayeong jumped down from the carriage and began running toward Seogak.
Though Hwayeong didn’t realize it, to reach Seogak—which stood almost at the very top near the main gate of the Main Fortress—one would normally have to pass through countless security checkpoints.
But Hwayeong passed through every single one without being stopped.
—Do not stop her.
It was thanks to Yul Han’s mental voice transmission.
After running with all her strength, feeling as though her heart might burst out of her throat, Hwayeong rushed into Seogak.
Moments later, Namgung Hee-yeon came running out barefoot.
In truth, the situation happened not because of Hwayeong, but because Yul Han had allowed it.
And Yul Han quietly watched as the siblings embraced each other and cried.