Chapter 27

At first, I just figured she was avoiding me because I was resting in the medical wing. And thanks to my Master working me like a dog, I couldn’t spare any attention to her.

But now, it's been over two weeks, and she still hasn't shown her face. "Don't tell me the Hyeokryeon Family is actually stopping her?"

They never liked her hanging around me anyway, so it wouldn't surprise me if they were using this whole thing as an excuse to keep her away.

'Tsk. What did a child do to deserve this?'

Something didn't sit right with me.

The incident stemmed from Eldest Brother’s outburst in the first place; that child didn’t do anything wrong.

But meddling in another family’s affairs isn’t a wise decision either.

"Hmm."

After pondering for a moment, I made my decision. "I'll skip review today. Prepare the bath, I have somewhere to visit."

I decided to visit the Hyeokryeon Family directly.

I wasn't planning to cause a scene. Nor did I intend to demand they send her back to Windrock Palace or make similar complaints.  I simply want to visit as a guest and see the kid's face before leaving. That much wouldn't count as excessive interference.

After getting ready, I headed to the Hyeokryeon Family compound with Jin Hayeon and Ouyang Mun.

As we walked, we were greeted by the martial artists and workers of the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult who recognized me. After a short while, we finally reached the front gate of the Hyeokryeon Family compound.

It felt strange.

I had taken Seon-ah's visits for granted and only now realized that this was the first time I was actually visiting the Hyeokryeon Family compound.

'That little one walked this path every day to see me.'

While I was lost in such thoughts, the Hyeokryeon Family's gatekeeper who recognized me offered a greeting.

"Greetings, Eighth Young Master. Please wait a moment while I announce your arrival inside."

"Very well."

The gatekeeper spoke with polite words but without a hint of warmth in his tone.

After waiting briefly, the gate opened and an old man came out to receive us. "I am Hyeokryeon Hak, the steward of the Hyeokryeon Family. Allow me to escort you inside."

We followed the head steward, who was apparently from a minor branch of the family, toward one of the buildings on the grounds.

"My Lady. Young Master Il-mok has arrived."

"Let him enter."

Between what the steward said and the voice from inside, I could figure out who it was.

It was Lady Cheonghwa, Seon-ah's mother.

The head steward acted like his job was done, and Jin Hayeon and Ouyang Mun took the hint and stood with him, ready to wait outside. Though I felt like a civil servant about to face a problematic complainant, I walked into the room with my head held high. After all, I was no longer a civil servant.

"It's been a while, Eighth Young Master."

"It's been a while, Lady Cheonghwa."

We exchanged brief bows with the same polite yet cold manner that characterized Lady Cheonghwa's greeting.

"Please sit." Lady Cheonghwa motioned me to sit and poured tea into the cup from a teapot she had prepared.

After pouring tea into her own cup as well, Lady Cheonghwa asked. "So, what brings you to visit our Hyeokryeon Family in person?"

Since she skipped the pleasantries and went straight to the point, I didn’t bother with them either.

"I haven’t seen Seon-ah for days, so I came in person."

"You speak as if Seon-ah were your subordinate."

"If Seon-ah is staying away of her own volition, I have no intention of making an issue of it. But if not—"

Her gaze sharpened at my reply. "Are you suggesting that her own family is oppressing her?"

“Aren’t you?”

Lady Cheonghwa and I engaged in a staring contest for a while. Eventually, as if deciding it was useless, she lifted her still-steaming cup and took a sip. "That may have been true before, but it's not the case now."

"Then are you saying Seon-ah is staying away of her own volition?"

"That's correct."

Her unflinching answer made me frown.

Honestly, it was hard to believe.

Why would that kid suddenly avoid me out of the blue?

This was the same little one who used to visit almost daily, calling out, "Brother! Brother!"

But starting an argument in this situation by saying 'Don't lie!' would only lead to conflict.

"Then, could I have a conversation with Seon-ah?"

"Young Master Il-mok. Don't you think you're being too presumptuous with our Hyeokryeon Family, even if you are the Supreme One's disciple?"

"I'm not going to drag her away. I just want to say hi like any other guest and then head out." As I replied, I also picked up my teacup and took a small sip.

'Sss. How did she drink this?'

I winced at the bitter taste of the scalding tea. But I kept my face neutral, refusing to flinch during this standoff.

Just as the silence stretched, a voice cut through the stalemate.

"Let him meet my granddaughter."

"??"

I turned toward the sound and saw a man whose presence my senses couldn’t detect entering through a side door.

My senses didn’t even notice his presence until he spoke.

The second he showed up, Lady Cheonghwa rose hurriedly, but he waved her back with a gesture. "That's enough, do as Young Master Il-mok wishes."

"But, Family Head..."

Thanks to Lady Cheonghwa's form of address, I finally realized who this man was.

The Head of the Hyeokryeon Family and Lady Cheonghwa's father-in-law. According to Jin Hayeon, he is Hyeokryeon Cheongang, one of the top masters within the cult.

Which meant...

"I pay my respects to the Hyeokryeon Family Head."

Even if I am the Heavenly Demon's disciple, this wasn't someone I could treat casually.

"This is our first time meeting in person. I've heard much about you from the Supreme One and others."

I wondered what kind of stories he had heard.

Though I was curious, I didn’t get to ask as he continued. "Go meet Seon-ah. I'll have the steward guide you."

Without waiting for my response, he turned toward the door I’d entered.

"Steward. Guide the Eighth Young Master to Seon-ah." His voice was heard loud and clear even from a distance as it contained internal energy.

"You may go now."

It was clearly my cue to leave, so I was happy to get out of there.

My purpose was to meet Seon-ah, and I wanted to avoid a battle of wills with that old man. While I could handle someone like Lady Cheonghwa, one look told me that engaging in a battle of wills with that old man would be suicide.

* * *

After Il-mok left, silence briefly fell over the pavilion. And it was Hyeokryeon Cheongang who broke that silence.

"Don't worry about it. We must keep our promise to the Supreme One."

"...Understood, Family Head."

"Our agreement with the Supreme One lasts until the Eighth Young Master enters the Hall of the Demonic Way. If any problems arise with the child until then, or even after, we’ll act as pledged."

After saying this, Hyeokryeon Cheongang turned his gaze toward the pavilion where his precious granddaughter resided.

Toward that pavilion where Il-mok was heading.

* * *

"We’ve arrived, Young Master."

After the head steward led me to Seon-ah's room, the first thing I did was walk up and knock on her door.

Even a child deserves to have their privacy respected.

"Seon-ah."

A rustle from inside hinted that she had heard and recognized my voice.

"D-d-don't come in."

"!!!"

No way, is she really trying to avoid me?

'So this is what it feels like to be a dad with a teenage daughter, huh?'

That feeling when a daughter who used to follow you around saying "I'm going to marry daddy!" starts keeping her distance during puberty, saying "Really! Don't come into my room!"

For a moment, it felt as though my long-healed internal injuries were flaring up again, but I forced myself to even my breathing.

'Wait. Maybe Lady Cheonghwa said something weird to her to make her act like this!'

Barely enduring my injured heart, I spoke again. "Seon-ah, can you just tell me why you're avoiding me?"

"B-because you... you almost d-died! And it was my fault."

"Ah..."

Okay, I was starting to get a picture of why she was hiding from me.

"Don't worry. That wasn't your fault, it was Eldest Brother's men..."

I was about to say mental illness, but realizing there were people around, I quickly adjusted my words.

"He was mentally struggling. It wasn't because of you."

"St-still, I'm scared. I-I'm afraid you might get hurt or die because of me… So-so it's better if we don't see each other."

It took me a second to realize her reasoning was a little different from what I'd assumed. I had assumed she was avoiding me out of fear that I would hate her because I had nearly died on her account.

But no, she feared being the cause of my danger.

'The side effect of the Blood Fox Crimson Claw Art was excessive obsession.'

Looked like the thought of someone she cared about getting hurt was way more horrifying to her than the thought of them hating her.

But just because I'd figured that out didn't mean I suddenly knew what to do. I was a government worker in my past life, not a psychiatrist.

So I relied on what I knew.

"I'm coming in for a moment."

Before Seon-ah could protest, I nudged the door open and slipped inside.

The room felt dim and heavy.

It looked like she hadn't eaten or washed in days, probably from being tormented by nightmares. Her hair was a greasy mess and her skin looked awful. Seeing her looking like a total wreck, which was just wrong for a kid her age, I carefully walked over to her.

As I approached, she slightly averted her gaze like a wounded cat trapped in a dead end.

"Hmm. You said it’s better not to see me because you’re scared I’ll get hurt."

"..."

"But you know what? Not being able to see you hurt me more."

"!!!"

Seeing Seon-ah flinch while avoiding my gaze, I continued speaking. "Eldest Brother's rampage was like a natural disaster. Sometimes in life, accidents happen even when no one is at fault."

Nobody in the world fits together perfectly. Even families that have been together for ages don't get along all the time.

Everyone has moments where they hurt the people they care about, whether it's with words or by accident.

Despite this, we continue to make friends, family, and lovers.

But we still make friends anyway. Still have families. Still find people to love. And I had done the same.

"Hiding from people because you’re scared isn’t the answer. Actually, it's the opposite. The fact that stuff like that can happen is exactly why you need to stick together with people. You can't get through it alone."

People can't live by themselves.

Back in my old life, there were these people we called shut-ins, who'd just lock themselves in their rooms and never come out. But even they weren't truly living alone.

Though their bodies were confined to their rooms, they were still living while communicating with others somewhere, whether through games or online communities.

"That time too, you ran toward that terrifying First Disciple to save me. I only survived because you bought me time. What if you kept avoiding me, and I got into some other accident and died? If you heard about it later, would you be okay?"

"N-no!"

Finally, the little one cried out and looked at me. I smiled gently while stroking the matted hair of this wounded kitten. "Then promise you’ll protect me next time. And if you’re in danger, I’ll protect you."

After hesitating for a moment, the little one nodded while hunching her shoulders.

* * *

The next afternoon. At the usual time, Seon-ah visited Windrock Palace again.

Unlike yesterday, her hair was clean and she looked all neat.

"Hahaha! Welcome! I'm Ouyang Mun, temporarily serving Young Master in place of Hayeon!"

Faced with this loud greeting from a guy she'd never met, she immediately ducked behind my legs.

"Hahaha. Such a shy young lady."

Ouyang Mun—ever sociable except around Jin Hayeon—kept chattering until Jin Hayeon cut in coldly, "Must be nice, slacking off. Did you think this was playtime?"

"H-hmph! I have time because I've already prepared everything beforehand, unlike a certain rigid workaholic.”

As the two kids started another one of their love-spats, I kicked back and watched the show with Seon-ah.

Who needs TV or the internet when you can just watch a youth drama in real-time?

"Here. Ah~"

For a short while, I watched the two youths' lovers' quarrel, feeding Seon-ah a snack as if I were watching a drama with my niece.

That is until little Seon-ah dropped a nuclear bomb.

"By the way, Big Brother. Does that uncle like Sister Hayeon?"

"..."

"..."

The Windrock Palace instantly fell into silence.

"Wh-wh-what are you saying!! Wh-who likes who!"

Ouyang Mun shouted as if having a fit and slightly turned his head to peek at Jin Hayeon, and upon meeting her eyes that gazed at him like an insect, bolted out of the Windrock Palace. "I-I just remembered something urgent, so I'll be leaving for today!!"

"..."

"..."

Looking around the once-again silent Windrock Palace, I let out a light sigh and murmured to myself.

“Now who’s going fetch my tea…?”