Special Side Story Episode 12
“Long time no see.”
Hash (亥時).
Suning Guest House (昭寧客棧) located on the western outskirts of Changsha.
I, who was sitting across from Cheon Ga-ryeong and drinking tea, got up from my seat when I felt a sign of popularity outside the door.
‘indeed.’
I was a little surprised.
My senses have become more sensitive than before.
I never thought I would notice you until I got this close.
‘The price of secret magic is definitely different.’
The person who opened the door of the guest room and appeared was a man wearing a plain yellow robe.
His face was covered with a half black and half white mask.
“······.”
King of the weak, Hao Wen Zhou (下午門主).
The moment our eyes met, he paused.
A lot of time has passed.
Unlike Hao Wen-ju, who remains the same as before, I have grown and moved forward to a great extent.
Now, even he wouldn’t be able to estimate my level.
“I see you, Lord Moon.”
Cheon Ga-ryeong knelt down on one knee and bowed respectfully.
There was tension in his voice.
An attitude that is clearly different from what I see in front of me.
It was an appearance that gave an idea of the internal atmosphere of the group she worked for.
“Thank you for answering my call.”
“What is your business?”
“Please sit down first. “I think we have a lot to talk about.”
It was none other than me who called Hao Wen-ju here.
It was extremely rare for him to appear in person at someone’s request.
Not the head of a huge family, the head of the Daemun Sect, or even the leader of the Murim Alliance could tell him to come or go.
Since he was as old as I was, I could ask him to sit down with me alone.
“Sure.”
Hao Wenju nodded and took a seat across from him.
I grabbed Cheon Ga-ryeong’s wrist, who was naturally trying to sit behind me, and pulled her to sit next to me.
“······?”
I took my gaze away from her, who was blinking with a puzzled face.
I poured tea into an empty cup and handed it to Hao Wen-ju and asked.
“How were you?”
“Were we asking about each other’s well-being?”
A neutral voice that is difficult to distinguish whether it is a man or a woman.
A sturdy physique, a protruding uvula, and eerie red eyes.
Memories of the first time I met him came flooding back.
I deliberately chose the same time and place as that day.
The only thing that changed was that Cheon Ga-ryeong was brought along.
“I also ask about the well-being of classmates I see once every ten years or so.”
“Well, that’s true too.”
Hao Wen-ju responded in a calm tone that did not show any emotional ups and downs, took off his mask and placed it on the table.
Cheon Ji-ryeong’s mouth opened slightly.
It seemed like he never expected to show his face in front of outsiders.
‘It didn’t look any different from what I remembered.’
Slim jawline.
White skin, like someone who has never seen sunlight in their entire life.
A handsome face comparable to Song Ok and Ban An.
He was so youthful that it was difficult to consider him old.
The unique strange atmosphere surrounding him still remained.
Even though he had a beautiful appearance, whenever I saw him, I felt rejection rather than liking him.
‘Should I say it feels like I’m looking at a doll rather than a human being?’
I couldn’t feel any of the liveliness that is unique to living things.
I knew this because I had talked to him once.
This is someone who should never be taken lightly.
Now, my level of martial arts is higher, but Hao Wenju’s true fear lies in the heart, not in force.
[How is it?]
[······?]
[Is this a face in my memory?]
Didn’t I realize it only after a long time had passed?
How many confirmations did he go through by saying that one word?
It was so natural that I didn’t feel any discomfort when I was asked the question.
“There was something I wanted to ask the Geomje (劍帝), who has a huge influence on the entire martial arts world.”
“ask?”
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“Something a bit awkward happened. It’s not that big of a deal. It will be easily resolved if you dispatch one of the masters under your command for a while. For example, a tempestuous sword.”
I burst out laughing.
Gwangpungdo was a word referring to none other than Ugajin.
Grand Duke of Yasu Palace (野獸宮).
Although he was not officially named as one of the Ten Heavenly Emperors, he is an absolute expert who is evaluated as a strong man of equal stature.
If he had not been from Namman, he would have become a top 10 expert even before the Geomhu of Botaam.
‘Of course it is. Somehow, he obediently responded to the call.’
Although he said it as if it were a light matter, it was definitely not an ordinary request at a time when the power of an absolute master was needed.
Of course, as he said, it was not a difficult request to grant.
“great.”
“······Do you mind if I hear the details?”
“Is the gale so severe that it could endanger Wu’s safety?”
“Not really.”
“Then that’s it. Please tell Musa Wu the rest.”
I already didn’t like the sight of Suha, who stayed in the training hall every day and just joked around.
At this point, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to send them on a long-term mission and make them pay for food.
Above all, there was no harm in leaving Hao Mun in debt.
Especially if you think about what I will say from now on.
“You became bolder while I wasn’t seeing you.”
“A place makes a person.”
“I will definitely repay you for this.”
“Anyway, there’s something I’d like to ask you when I see you again.”
“What do you want to ask?”
I drew a mischievous smile on my lips.
Hao Wenjue’s eyes narrowed.
I felt hopeful.
Did he really anticipate what would follow?
–I understand that you have to hide your true appearance as the owner of Haomun, but is there a need to pretend to be a man?
Hao Wenjue’s shoulders trembled.
It was only for a moment, but I, who was watching him closely, did not miss that reaction.
No matter how much Hao Wen-ju was, it seemed like he couldn’t completely hide his emotional agitation when it came to such a topic.
Nevertheless, it was surprising that his face was still expressionless.
-I don’t know what you’re talking about.
-You probably know that I robbed Reporter Cheon’s secret compound located in Banghyeon (房縣).
-Of course I know.
–I read the record left by reporter Cheon. The power of wisdom imbued with Lord Moon is the same as the ability exercised by the Demonic Cult’s past priestesses.
-If it is the power of foresight, then it is also for you…
–I didn’t say it because I didn’t want to correct the misunderstanding, but what I have is not the power of foresight. As I said before, it is true that I have returned.
Hao Wenzhou did not say anything for a while.
Cheon Ji-ryeong came out and looked at him with a puzzled expression.
This makes it clear.
Hao Wenju was a woman, not a man.
The doubt I had all along became confirmed.
My personal doubts were resolved, and I felt relieved.
“So, you called me to check on that?”
“Of course not. “The question I just asked was just a side note.”
“Then let’s get to the main topic.”
Seeing Hao Wen-ju subtly changing the topic made me feel better.
I glanced at Cheon Ga-ryeong, who was looking confused because he couldn’t follow the conversation.
I placed my clasped hands on the table and spoke with a serious expression.
“Give me a thousand small spoons.”
“······May I ask what you mean?”
“I would like to have her as my companion.”
A heavy silence fell in the room.
Hao Wen-ju just stared at me quietly.
Cheon Ga-ryeong, who had a dumbfounded expression on his face, stood up from his seat in a fuss after a while.
“W-what!”
Craddangtang!
A chair fell to the floor, breaking the silence.
You raised your voice, forgetting that it was in front of Moon Joo’s eyes.
He seemed quite surprised.
I looked her directly in the eyes and asked her out loud.
“no?”
“······uh?”
“If you don’t like it, let’s just pretend this story never happened.”
“It’s not that I don’t like poetry…”
“okay.”
After floating the chair out of thin air and putting it back in place, he sat her down again as she was struggling to find anything to say.
She wouldn’t know.
Why do I suddenly summon Hao Wen-ju and say this?
Of course, the head of the Haomen could not marry without the permission of the Lord of the Wen.
Cheon Ji-ryeong, who was in a relatively special position, was no exception.
‘but.’
To put it bluntly, the fact that Cheon Ji-ryeong and I were connected was something that Hao Wen would welcome with open arms.
There was no need to confront Munju, and I could have been sure that permission would have been given immediately if I had just conveyed the message through Cheon Ga-ryeong.
But why did I choose this cumbersome method?
[By any chance, is Cheon Sojeo a biological relative of Lord Mun?]
[······Can I ask why that thought came to mind?]
It was a simple reason.
Because Cheon Ji-ryeong is Hao Wen-ju’s daughter.
‘I don’t know for what reason.’
Hao Wen-ju did not reveal to Chen Jia-ling that they were his parents.
So, it was natural that Cheon Ga-ryeong had no way of knowing.
I am now asking permission from her biological mother.
“It’s a sudden story.”
“You’re talking as if you’re embarrassed, but your expression doesn’t look like that at all.”
“Because I gave that child to you in anticipation of a day like this coming. “You might have guessed it.”
“Can I take this as your permission?”
“Of course.”
Hao Wen-ju nods his head without any hesitation.
Cheon Ga-ryeong, who had a very flushed face and didn’t know what to do, lowered her head.
‘I expected it, though.’
It was a bland ending, in contrast to when he went to the Tang family to get recognition for his relationship with Tang Seo-yeon.
Since it is mutually beneficial, it is natural for this to happen.
The corners of his lips curled up when he saw Cheon Ga-ryeong glancing at him, looking at him.
It was fun to see the reactions.
If it weren’t for Hao Wen-ju, he would have rushed at me right now.
‘Let’s go back and talk to her slowly.’
I turned my head and made eye contact with Hao Wen-ju again.
The words he or she had said to me in the past passed through my mind.
[I ask you this not as the owner of a single door, but as the father of a child. Treat that child well.]
-I promise.
-what?
-I will treat you well. I will not forget the request that Moonju asked me the other day.
–······Thank you for saying that. I trust you.
Hao Wenzhou nods his head slowly.
After emptying the teacup, she picked up the mask and put it on.
As if trying to hide something.
What kind of expression does she have under the mask now?
“uh?”
Cheon Ga-ryeong’s eyes became watery due to my continued actions.
My relationship with Hao Mun is horizontal, not vertical.
She wouldn’t understand.
Why am I being so polite to Hao Wen-ju?
“······.”
I bowed my head politely.
Not as a famous Geomje in the central plains.
Not as an elder of the Murim Alliance.
Not as a customer of Hao Wen.
As a son-in-law with a mother-in-law in front of him.
martial arts,
