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Childhood Friend of the Zenith (Web Novel) - Chapter 1102: The World of Ascension (32)
Chapter 1102: The World of Ascension (32)
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
White hair and ruby-colored eyes.A beauty with a gentle appearance, dressed in a red martial robe that seemed familiar.
‘The Gu martial robe.’
It was the exact type of martial robe worn by the Gu clan.
The robe looked so familiar, I could immediately tell where it came from.
The problem was—
‘Why?’
Why was my mother here?
She was someone who shouldn’t be here.
And of all places, in a carriage carrying provisions?
Her appearance reminded me of Wi Seol-ah.
I lost my words for a moment.
“Mother...”
I almost called out without thinking, but I stopped myself.
I knew well that this wasn’t a situation where I could call her that.
What should I say instead? My mind went blank for a moment.
I couldn’t think of anything to say, so I stood there, lost in thought.
After a short pause, I remembered. Ah, yes. There was only one thing to say in this kind of situation.
“Who are you?”
“A!”
My mother froze for a second.
She was about to speak, but her large eyes rolled around, and I could see it happening.
“Umm... Uh...”
She struggled for a moment before bursting into laughter.
“Hehe.”
“......”
She giggled in such an innocent manner.
What should I do with this? I had no words, frozen in place.
Whoosh.
I felt a burst of heat.
Turning around from the familiar sensation, I saw—
“......”
It was my father.
This time, it was my father who had appeared, looking at me, no—looking at my mother inside the carriage.
“Ah!”
My mother smiled brightly as she met my father’s eyes.
“Cheolwoon!”
She casually called out my father’s name.
“......What is this?”
My father frowned at her response, clearly shocked.
It was obvious he didn’t understand what was going on.
‘He didn’t know.’
It was written all over his face.
He was flustered and had no idea what was happening.
“......”
“Cheolwoon! I’m here!”
Despite my father’s reaction, my mother refused to back down.
She just smiled brightly, making it impossible for anyone to be angry with her.
“Hehehe.”
“......”
My father, exasperated by my mother’s response, sighed heavily.
Then he turned to me.
“Come with me for a moment.”
“......”
It was the first time we were having a conversation alone.
Whether I wanted it or not.
*******
Night in the Forest
Under the dark sky, we entered the forest.
“Ugh!”
My mother let out a gasp as we walked.
It seemed like it was due to the steep mountain path we were climbing.
We made our way up until we finally reached the mountain summit.
Once we reached the spot where the moonlight barely touched, my father and mother finally stopped walking.
“......Why did you follow me?”
My father asked my mother.
“I clearly told you not to come.”
“But I wanted to come.”
“That...”
He seemed frustrated as he spoke, letting out a sigh.
It was a familiar expression, almost like the one he had when he saw me and Wi Seol-ah.
“Does Mi Horan know?”
“No!”
“......”
She was so confident in her response.
It was so confident that I almost lost my words again.
“Mi Horan doesn’t know.”
“......But how did you get on the carriage?”
When I asked how she managed to sneak on, my mother simply nodded and answered.
“I just got on.”
“......”
She just got on.
It was the same response Wi Seol-ah had given me.
Back then, when I asked how she managed to sneak in, she just said she got on.
‘There was no presence.’
Both Wi Seol-ah and my mother didn’t seem to have any presence.
In fact, it was true.
‘No presence at all.’
I could hear the sounds of food being eaten, but I couldn’t sense any presence.
Even now, watching her, I still felt it.
‘Nothing at all.’
Even though I was watching her, I couldn’t feel anything.
It was strange.
It was strange, but I understood why it felt this way.
‘Because my mother isn’t human.’
She was one of the rulers of Man-gye, one of the most powerful beings.
I couldn’t help but wonder if that was why I was feeling this way.
As I pondered this, I quietly observed her.
“Cheolwoon.”
“......What is it?”
My mother called my father and pointed at me.
“He looks like you, doesn’t he?”
“What?”
‘Huh?’
At her words, my father looked at me.
I look like him?
I hadn’t thought about it at all.
‘Me and my father?’
No matter how I looked at it, we didn’t resemble each other.
We weren’t father and son in appearance, at least not in my eyes.
My mother’s words brought a strange sensation.
“Stop with the nonsense.”
My father scowled as he said this, and my mother stuck out her lip and turned her head.
“......”
Seeing that, I awkwardly scratched my cheek.
“Baek.”
This time, my father called my name.
I swallowed dryly.
“......Yes.”
“Keep it a secret.”
“Pardon?”
I squinted at his unexpected words.
I honestly didn’t expect him to be so straightforward. I thought he might offer some kind of explanation, but instead, he just said to keep it a secret.
“Keep it a secret...?”
“Yes.”
“What do you mean? Are you asking me to keep this woman a secret?”
“Yes.”
“......”
I was slightly dumbfounded.
“...Shouldn’t you at least explain?”
“It’s difficult.”
“......”
He wasn’t even going to give an explanation? Just saying it was difficult?
“...So, you’re just asking me to keep it a secret?”
“Yes.”
“...Hmm.”
At his words, I nodded.
He wanted me to keep it a secret?
‘This situation...’
It didn’t seem so bad.
So, I looked at my father and spoke.
“Is this for real?”
“......”
At my words, my father’s expression shifted slightly.
“What do you want?”
“If I ask, will you do it?”
“Depending on what you ask for.”
So, he’d agree to it if I asked.
It was an unexpected response. At this, I glanced at my mother.
She was looking at me, and with a sly smile, she subtly opened her mouth and covered it with her finger.
Her cute expression made me pause as I looked back at my father. If it was a request...
“If you can’t do it, what happens then?”
“......”
My father’s eyes tightened.
He stared at me with a sharp, focused gaze. I flinched. Was he angry?
‘If it’s something he can’t do, is he going to kill me or something?’
It wasn’t out of the question. It would depend on my father’s choice.
As I was thinking this, he suddenly spoke.
“I’ll do it.”
My father said firmly.
‘Wow...’
He was willing to agree to anything.
I awkwardly smiled at his response.
I didn’t really want anything specific. It was just an opportunity to ask for something.
“Nothing big. Um...”
I thought for a moment before speaking to my father.
“Just... make sure you’re on my side when the time comes.”
“......”
At those words, my father’s expression turned complicated.
It was a simple yet difficult request. Especially given my situation.
A person under the scrutiny of the Sword Master.
A figure with an unknown background. My father, as part of his duties, likely had to keep an eye on me as well.
And here I was, asking him to take my side someday. Not exactly an easy favor.
‘Let’s see.’
Let’s see what decision my father would make.
If he refused, how would he react? If he chose to fight me over it, what would happen?
Just as I was pondering—
"Fine."
To my surprise, my father agreed.
Thud.
He pressed his fingers against his forehead. My mother, watching him, simply smiled.
‘From this moment...’
From this moment, they had already been entangled. Seeing them interact like that left me with mixed feelings.
However—
‘Setting aside my own secrets...’
How exactly were they planning to keep my mother hidden?
That was still a mystery, but I soon found out the answer.
*******
Namgung Family, Anhui Province
The Namgung Clan—one of the Four Great Houses and the center of the sword sects.
A prestigious family known for their mastery of sharp, azure-hued swords.
The head of this clan, Namgung Jeohwi, was currently scowling.
Beyond the piles of documents on his desk, he held a single sheet of paper—the reason for his displeasure.
"...The Azure Dragon Division is coming?"
"Yes, sir."
"Why?"
"They are investigating the recent anomalies."
"......"
Namgung Jeohwi’s frown deepened. Investigation? He had already sent a report to the Martial Alliance, but he hadn’t expected them to act this quickly.
‘Something must be going on.’
For the Alliance to move so swiftly, similar events must have occurred in Hanan as well.
"So, the First Young Master and a few others are heading to the Namgung Clan?"
"That is correct."
The mention of the First Young Master made Namgung Jeohwi set aside his frown and smirk slightly.
His son—the Sword Dragon, an exceptional warrior within the Azure Dragon Division.
"Good."
It had been a while since they last saw each other, and the timing was perfect.
‘I've been waiting for that child to return.’
There was someone who had been awaiting Namgung Jin’s return.
It had been bothering him for some time, and now, with his son coming back, the timing couldn't have been better.
"Go inform Lady Hyeon immediately. Tell her the First Young Master is returning."
"Well... about that..."
The man before him hesitated.
"What is it?"
Sensing something odd in his reaction, Namgung Jeohwi urged him to speak.
"Lady Hyeon... she... well..."
Seeing his subordinate struggle to explain, Namgung Jeohwi pressed further.
"Speak already."
"...She ran away."
"...What?"
"She said she was tired of waiting. So, she decided... she would go find him herself..."
"...What?"
Namgung Jeohwi’s expression went blank.
His son's fiancee had gotten tired of waiting and ran away to find him?
