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Childhood Friend of the Zenith (Web Novel) - Chapter 1113: The World of Ascension (43)
Chapter 1113: The World of Ascension (43)
This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl
A day had passed.Chirrrp. Chirp chirp.
The sound of insects and birds filtered through the cracks of the window as I stirred awake. It was the sound of dawn approaching.
Creak.
I twisted my stiff body slightly, blinking through the lingering grogginess. With a slight circulation of my inner energy, I dispelled the residual fatigue.
Had I slept for about an hour? I had planned to get a full night’s rest after so many sleepless nights, but at my level, such concerns were unnecessary.
My body could go half a month without sleep. A little fatigue like this could easily be erased with a few circulations of energy.
“You’re awake?”
“...Ah, yeah.”
As I sat up, my gaze met Do Yun’s. It seemed he had finished his training at dawn and had gone to sleep around the same time as me.
But for us to wake up at the same time too...
“You didn’t sleep?”
“Ah, ahaha... That wasn’t my intention, but somehow it turned out that way.”
“Get some sleep. You’ll burn out at this rate.”
“You’re hardly in a position to say that, Baek Comrade.”
“...”
I was momentarily at a loss for words.
I mean, you and I are at completely different levels. But saying that outright felt too arrogant.
So instead of responding, I simply got up.
“Where are you going?”
Do Yun asked curiously. So far, we had only been ordered to wait, meaning there was no real reason to move around unnecessarily.
However...
“I have something to take care of.”
I spoke with a deep frown.
Yes, I had business to attend to early in the morning.
I had to meet my father.
**********
Knock, knock.
Moving through the residence, I soon arrived at my father’s quarters. It wasn’t far, so finding it wasn’t difficult.
I approached the door and knocked lightly, announcing myself.
“Gu... No, it’s Baek Yangcheon.”
“Come in.”
“...”
For some reason, it felt just like when I used to visit my father’s chambers in the future.
We should be the same age now, so why did I feel so tense?
Especially considering...
‘Right now, I’m stronger than him.’
At his age, my father was incredibly powerful. Though he wasn’t yet in the ranks of the greatest prodigies I knew, and certainly not at the level of a true grandmaster...
Even so, if I wanted to, I could defeat him instantly.
And yet...
‘...I still feel nervous.’
Maybe it was something ingrained in my body. Every time I faced my father, tension welled up inside me.
Creak.
As I stepped inside, I saw my father was already fully dressed, reading through a stack of reports.
Where did all those documents even come from?
As I was trying to process my confusion—
“You’re here.”
My father looked up, his crimson eyes gleaming as he gazed at me.
“Sit.”
“...Yes.”
His weighty tone made me move automatically. As I sat down, I noticed a teacup already placed in front of me.
Had he prepared it knowing I would come?
I reached for the cup tentatively, but my father didn’t react. That meant it was indeed for me.
I lifted it and took a sip.
As the warmth spread through my body, I felt the tension start to ease—
“You know why I called you here, don’t you?”
“...”
The tension that had just begun to fade came rushing back.
“...Ahem.”
I cleared my throat, deliberately averting my gaze.
Then—
“Yesterday. I want to know why you were with her.”
“...”
He didn’t beat around the bush.
‘Her’—there was only one person he could mean.
Mother.
‘Why was I with her?’
The answer was obvious.
“If you’re asking why... well, she suddenly showed up, said she was hungry, and asked for food.”
“...”
I spoke the truth, and my father’s brow twitched slightly.
“In fact, I should be the one asking.”
“...”
I had been honest, yet my father’s expression didn’t look pleased.
Was he... annoyed?
I let out an awkward chuckle and shifted the topic.
“Where is the lady now?”
“Mi Lady is taking care of her.”
“Ah, I see.”
“Are you curious?”
“Hm? No, not really.”
It would be a lie to say I wasn’t curious.
But I had no intention of prying.
‘This isn’t my world, after all.’
No matter what I did here, it wouldn’t change anything.
Moreover...
‘It would be troublesome if I altered the future.’
I had no idea what events would lead to the future I remembered.
So I wanted to avoid unnecessary interference as much as possible.
That included anything regarding my mother.
No matter how much I had longed to see her again—
‘I can’t get involved more than necessary.’
I was forcing myself to stay rational despite my emotions.
That said...
‘I do want to solve at least one question.’
There was something about my mother that didn’t add up in this world.
‘Why does my energy perception go haywire around her?’
Every time I got close to her, my energy perception would go berserk. It had already caused a few incidents.
That alone was reason enough for me to avoid being near her.
‘Anyway.’
For now, I had to let this go.
“Is that why you called me here?”
Did my father really summon me just to ask about that?
I doubted it.
‘Surely it’s not jealousy.’
No way, that would be absurd.
I erased the thought from my mind as soon as it appeared.
No matter how I looked at it, my father wasn’t the type to be jealous over something like this.
“...”
But instead of answering, he simply stared at me.
Wait.
‘What’s with that look?’
What did that gaze mean?
Could it be—
‘Is he actually jealous?’
I was certain there was no way that could be the case.
But as the situation continued unfolding in an oddly suggestive manner, I started to wonder if, just maybe... it could be.
It was because of the conversation I had with Hyun Soyeon before falling asleep.
From her perspective, my relationship with my mother must have looked incredibly bizarre.
‘If my father saw it the same way...’
That would be a disaster.
Just as I was suppressing a cold sweat and hurriedly preparing to explain myself—
“By the way.”
“Do you remember the Grand Magyeong Gate we saw yesterday?”
“...What?”
Right before I could speak, my father brought up an entirely different topic.
“The reason I called you here is because we are going to investigate the Grand Magyeong Gate.”
“...Ah... Ah? Oh, I see? So that’s why.”
“What do you mean?”
“No, it’s nothing. Just... I’m relieved, that’s all.”
As expected. It wasn’t jealousy.
Of course, my father would never feel something as petty as that.
Even in his youth, he seemed like the kind of man who wouldn’t bleed even if you stabbed him with a sword—how ridiculous would it be to assume he could be jealous?
Jealous? Of me? Over my mother?
Thinking about it again, the idea was outright absurd.
I let out a sigh of relief internally.
But then, something felt off.
“We’re investigating? Just the two of us?”
I pointed out the strange part, and my father nodded.
“Yes, the two of us.”
“...Ha... ha...”
“Is there a problem?”
Just the two of us?
The mere thought of it made my throat feel dry.
A problem? There were many problems.
But...
“No, sir.”
“Then prepare yourself. We depart in half an hour.”
“...Understood.”
The real issue was that I had no legitimate reason to refuse.
******
Creak. Thud.
And with that, Baek Yangcheon left the room.
“...”
Left alone, Gu Cheolwoon blinked a few times. Then, he slowly shifted his gaze toward the table in front of him.
Two teacups sat there.
His own cup was still full, untouched.
“...”
Staring at it, he unconsciously replayed the conversation in his head.
Why had he really called Baek Yangcheon here?
He contemplated it.
If it was just to assess the situation, that would make sense.
If it was for the Grand Magyeong Gate, that too would be a valid reason.
No matter how he looked at it, the logic behind his decision wasn’t flawed.
And yet—
Tap. Tap tap.
Gu Cheolwoon absentmindedly tapped his fingers on the table.
A habit he had since childhood.
Tap tap tap.
Something was bothering him.
But for some reason, he couldn’t quite grasp what it was.
A growing sense of frustration welled up inside him.
His brow furrowed involuntarily.
What was so aggravating?
Was it simply Baek Yangcheon’s existence that irritated him? He wouldn’t deny it.
From the very moment they met, something about Baek Yangcheon had rubbed him the wrong way.
Yes, that was the feeling.
The moment he laid eyes on him, he had sensed something off.
A mere young martial artist with an aggressive-looking face—that should have been the extent of it.
And yet, something felt wrong.
But what was it?
He questioned himself.
Yet, no answer came.
There was nothing clear enough to define.
That was the issue.
It was just... irritation.
Especially yesterday.
The image resurfaced in his mind.
A woman’s presence.
A woman who was nothing but an annoyance.
Why had she meddled when she had no place to?
It wasn’t as if his life or circumstances left room for such concerns.
Yet, she had interfered. And now, she was tangled up in this mess.
He wanted to be rid of her.
To erase her.
For so long, that was what he had wished for.
And yet, now...
A certain memory resurfaced.
"Here, eat this too."
A woman who was always scolded for her insatiable appetite.
Yet, she had given her food to Baek Yangcheon without taking a bite for herself.
"Ah, no! That’s mine!"
At the same time, she had tried to snatch back her own portion.
The overlapping images gnawed at him.
Why was it bothering him?
Gu Cheolwoon became acutely aware of the irritation swelling within him.
"Where is the lady now?"
Baek Yangcheon’s question.
"Are you curious?"
His own response.
Ordinarily, he would have never asked something like that.
So why had he done so?
“...”
Tap. Tap tap. Tap...
His fingers, which had been rhythmically tapping the table, suddenly halted.
“...Hah.”
A faint exhale escaped him, carrying with it a hint of heat.
It bothered him.
Was it Baek Yangcheon that irritated him?
Or was it something else?
He didn’t know.
Swish.
He slowly stood up.
Pushing all unnecessary thoughts aside, he locked them deep within himself.
Whatever this was, now was not the time to dwell on it.
‘Focus on the investigation first.’
Understanding the situation with the Grand Magyeong Gate.
And investigating Baek Yangcheon.
That was what he had to do.
Reminding himself of this, Gu Cheolwoon rose to his feet.
He had work to do.
With that thought, he stepped out of the room.
Leaving behind an empty space—
And a table, now bearing deep indentations where his fingers had absentmindedly drummed against it.
