EP.63 It’s not yours. (2)
It’s not yours (2)
I thought I would go up straight after arriving at Hwaumhyeon where the volcanic wave is.
When we arrived, it was already late at night, so we quickly found a place to stay.
Perhaps because Hwaumhyeon is centered around the Hwasan faction, when a scholar wearing a plum blossom suit appeared, not only Jeomso-i but also the owner of the restaurant appeared and welcomed him.
Thanks to that, I was able to get a room comfortably.
After finding a good place to stay, Shin Hyun and his group went up to the volcano first, leaving behind a few of the students from Yidae, saying they would come pick them up tomorrow.
When I asked if it wouldn’t be better to go right away because of the ghost, he said it would be safer.
I don’t know what that means, but I said okay because they told me to do that first.
I was tired and didn’t have the confidence to climb that high mountain, so I decided to keep my mouth shut and rest.
“The dumplings are here~!”
As I sat down at the table, the food I had ordered started to come out little by little.
I just filled my stomach without having to look around.
As I was chewing on a couple of dumplings, the woman next to me handed me a glass of water.
Lately, it looks like he’s been trying to work particularly hard on something.
“Thank you, you have some too.”
“I, I’m full.”
“…?”
When I looked at her as if to ask if she was telling some ridiculous lie, Wi Seol-ah puffed out her cheeks.
That sight was so funny that I pressed Weeseol-ah’s cheeks.
A funny sound was heard, “Phew-!”
I laughed out loud because the sight was so funny, but Wi Seol-ah immediately started vomiting.
“Sigh… Sigh!”
“Sorry, sorry, I won’t do it anymore.”
It was a lie.
Of course I have to do it again next time, it’s so much fun.
While I was teasing Wi Seol-ah like that, someone appeared and sat down next to me holding food.
It was Yeongpung holding somen noodles.
“… It’s a shame. I should have recommended a better place.”
Are you talking about the place in Shaanxi that is said to have the best dumplings as I mentioned last time?
It was honestly a shame, but I wanted to finish it quickly and go back, so it didn’t matter.
“Is it okay if I don’t come up with you?”
When Shin Hyun and the others climbed up the volcano first, Yeongpung volunteered to stay by their side.
I thought it might be because the treasure was important, but somehow it didn’t seem to be that way.
“it’s okay…”
I could sense an uncomfortable feeling in Youngpoong’s eyes, knowingly or unknowingly.
I didn’t think it was worth asking deeply, so I pretended not to know for now.
When I felt like I was full, I looked at Wi Seol-ah and she was still diligently putting something in her mouth.
Namgungbia, who was watching that, puts something in the bowl and makes a ‘Huh!’ sound.
I’ve been feeling this way lately.
The problem is that after doing it, he sneaks a glance at Namgungbia as if he feels sorry.
If that’s the case, then why do you do that?
Wi Seol-ah pretended not to like it, but then secretly ate the food on the plate.
He looked like he was hesitating about something.
It seems like there’s something he doesn’t like, so he’s trying hard to pretend not to like it.
It seemed that he couldn’t even do that properly because he was so weak-willed.
[Isn’t it cute that it’s so obvious?]
‘…hmm.’
As I watched things not going as planned, I unconsciously placed my hand on Weeseol-ah’s head.
Actually, what I said before was an excuse, I just wanted to touch it.
When my hand touched her, Weeseol-ah flinched.
I was about to take it out right away, thinking maybe he didn’t like it.
Snap!
Wi Seol-ah used her own hand to stop my hand from slipping away.
‘… This is what you want me to do, right?’
I thought it wasn’t that she didn’t like it, so I stroked it lightly.
As I touch her soft hair, a faint smile appears on Wi Seol-ah’s face.
[I guess he’s a real guy.]
‘What are you talking about all of a sudden?’
[Are you pretending not to know? Despite that, your heart is honest.]
As I focused on Shin Noya’s words, my heart was beating faster than usual.
Does the body perceive things differently than the head?
As I try to ignore it and touch my hair, I feel eyes on me from somewhere.
“…huh?”
Next to Wi Seol-ah, Namgung Bi-a sticks her head out and looks at me with blank eyes.
To be exact, it seemed like he was looking at the hand that was stroking the saddle.
“Why do you look like that?”
“…”
Namgungbia did not answer the question.
I just sit there and watch my hands.
It was quite burdensome.
Namgungbia slowly lowers her gaze, which had been quietly watching.
Then, naturally, the head lowered and the crown of the head was revealed.
[… story.]
Shin Noya lets out an exclamation of admiration for some reason.
“What are you doing…?”
I was watching quietly and suddenly thought, ‘Is he telling me to pet him?’
I don’t think so, but there was no reason for him to suddenly do that.
‘Hey, no way.’
Thinking that it might be that, he extended the hand that was stroking Wi Seol-ah toward Namgung Bi-a.
I hesitated for a moment, but I did it just in case.
“Ahh… .”
Wi Seol-ah makes a sound as if she is sorry.
By the time the outstretched hand reached Namgungbia’s head.
“Who’s on the second floor?”
We heard someone coming up the stairs towards us.
“This voice… .”
Youngpung flinched next to him.
When I took my hand back because it seemed like someone was coming, Namgungbia turned her head toward the stairs.
Judging by Youngpoong’s reaction, is it someone you know?
The clothes of those who came up the stairs were familiar.
Because it was clothes like Yeongpung.
‘Are they from the Volcano faction?’
Could a disciple of the Hwasan faction come down the mountain at this late hour?
I don’t really know much about the sect, but I have a feeling that it might be a problem.
“… What? Who else but us… .”
The young man who was leading the way stopped when he saw us.
To be exact, I stopped when I saw Youngpoong sitting next to me.
Yeongpung also saw him and immediately got up.
“…capital punishment.”
‘hmm.’
Seeing that Yeongpung was a death sentence, it seemed like they were the same third disciples.
It was the first time I had seen the three great disciples, excluding Yeongpung.
Looking at it this way, he is definitely a young man who looks relatively young compared to the other disciples.
“… Youngpung.”
The young man looked momentarily embarrassed when he saw Yeongpung. Why was he so embarrassed when he had met a fellow writer?
“Why the death penalty?”
“Who is there…?”
The writers who followed also stopped in their tracks when they saw Yeongpung, just like the young man.
What is this atmosphere?
As the strange atmosphere continued, the young man asked Yeong-pung.
“… Did you finish your work well?”
“yes….”
“Where are the other private tutors?”
“He went up first because he had something to do, and Shinbyeok and Shinseok are on another floor.”
“I see….”
“… .”
“… .”
The conversation is interrupted for a moment.
Even though I may not be very perceptive, I could tell that this was a very uncomfortable situation.
[… Oh my, I knew you were clueless.]
‘… God Noya.’
Yeongpung hesitated for a moment, then looked at me and quickly came to his senses.
“Ah, this is the Guyangcheon Sohyup of the Gu family. You are an important guest of the Hwasan.”
At Youngpoong’s words, the young man finally looked at me.
No, to be exact, he saw Namgungbia, saw Wi Seol-ah, and then saw me.
This kid…?
“Yes, yes… I am the third disciple of the volcano, Yeongseong.”
The voice of spirituality trembles.
In particular, Yeongpung was seen in the way he glanced at Namgungbia.
[Don’t just look at that kid, look at your fiancée.]
‘yes?’
When I looked at Namgungbia at Shinnoya’s unexpected remark, I saw Namgungbia glaring at Yeongseong.
…glaring? That idiot is glaring at someone?
It’s very subtle.
Still, since I’ve been watching it for a long time, I can tell the change in expression, but it’s a small change that someone seeing it for the first time wouldn’t notice.
Still, it was clear that he was glaring.
Yeongseong coughed briefly as if he realized his shame, then opened his mouth again.
“There must be a reason why the private tutors entrusted their guests to you… . Yes, since the private tutors are here, we should go greet them too.”
“yes….”
“I’ll go first. Get some rest.”
I also greeted the spirit of the lottery.
The sight of the writers moving immediately after the greetings seemed to contain several meanings.
You could also feel it in Youngpoong’s expression, which seemed to be gloomy.
It was only then that I remembered what Youngpoong had said to me before.
‘The other disciples don’t seem to enjoy fighting with me very much.’
I remember Youngpung speaking to me with a shady face. Are you being bullied? The sword dragon of the volcano…?
As if he had read my thoughts, I heard Shin Noya speak.
[… This is something that happens because you have so much talent.]
‘…yes?’
[A dragon appears in a lake where carps swim, so it is not easy to blend in.]
It’s not that I didn’t understand what he was saying.
He is such an outstanding brother, if we were to judge his age by Youngpoong’s, he would almost certainly be the youngest.
Since they got the position of plum blossom inspector at a much younger age than themselves, they might feel burdened, jealous, or not look good.
So are you being bullied like crazy?
Tsk tsk, I can hear Shin Noya clicking his tongue.
[Even so, how can it be like this? There’s no way the higher-ups wouldn’t know about this… The sect is doing well. It wasn’t like this in my time…!]
‘Why do you always go around and around and come back that way?’
[Eyyyy… tsk tsk]
Even though he clicked his tongue, there was regret hidden in Shin Noya’s words.
At that sight, I sighed inwardly and secretly glanced at Yeongpung.
As expected, his complexion seems to have darkened a little.
Yeongpung smiled awkwardly as if he noticed that I was watching him.
“Please finish your meal!”
The voice tried to speak brightly, but the meal ended quickly afterwards.
I was full to begin with because I had eaten enough.
Namgungbia was the type who ate little.
Even Wi Seol-ah was quite perceptive, so she stopped eating because the atmosphere felt strange.
After the meal, Youngpung left for where the other disciples were.
As I got up and started walking to my room, Namgungbia stopped me in front of me.
“Lady Namgung?”
When I called out to her, wondering what was going on, Namgungbia kept looking at me as if she had something to say, but she hesitated and didn’t say anything.
[Little girl, just stretch out your arms.]
‘yes?’
[Don’t use your head when it’s not working, just reach out with your head.]
Shin Noya reached out his hand.
I did as I was told because I felt like I would get angry if I didn’t do as I was told.
As I slowly stretch out my hand, Namgungbia’s eyes widen.
As the hand approached, Namgungbia even lowered her head.
Just as the fingertips touch, another hand suddenly pops out and strokes Namgungbia’s head.
It was the white and pure hand of Wisul-ah.
“…?”
Namgungbia looked momentarily flustered when Wisul-ah started to poke at his hair, but when he saw that it was Wisul-ah, he lowered his knees even further.
Maybe it was pitiful to see Namgung-bia, who was relatively tall for a woman, and Wi-seol-ah, who was still small, standing on tiptoe?
After touching it for a long time, Wi Seol-ah fell off Namgung Bi-a.
Namgungbia also raised his head again when Wi Seol-ah stepped back.
Wi Seol-ah says something with a proud face.
“I did it!”
At that sight, Namgungbia gently stroked Wi Seol-ah’s cheek.
Namgungbia looks at me again with a blank expression. Was this really what he had been trying to do?
“… Next time… .”
Namgungbia, who was about to say something, closed her mouth.
It seemed like he had more to say, but he just went into his room without saying anything.
I was wondering what on earth this was.
[Have you seen the ear?]
Shin Noya suddenly intervened.
‘Cute?’
[Your fiancée’s ears are red.]
Namgungbia’s return home?
I couldn’t even look into that because I was going in too deep.
I’m wondering what on earth I wanted to do.
“… My sister is nice, but…”
“huh?”
I can hear Wi Seol-ah, who was standing there blankly, muttering something to herself.
“But I won’t give it to you, sister.”
It was a somewhat resolute voice.
This guy also suddenly seemed to be saying something strange, so I was going to ask him what he was saying.
Wi Seol-ah quickly shouted to me, “Good night!” and ran away.
It looks like he’s going to the room where the servants are gathered.
“…What.”
So I was left standing alone in the space where both of them had disappeared.
It wasn’t easy to adapt because their behavior kept changing little by little, as if they were suffering from the heat.
After staring blankly for a while, I went into my room.
I was so tired that my head wasn’t working properly.
As soon as I enter, I bury my face in the soft bed that catches my eye.
Before we knew it, we had come this far.
Now all that was left was to finish the work and go back.
There were still big things to do, like returning the treasure and taking care of my younger sister.
He also decided to think about it tomorrow.
First of all, you need to get a good night’s sleep.
[Ugh.]
I could hear Shin Noya sighing, but I didn’t have the energy to ask why right now.
Just get up and take a look… .
With that thought in mind, I quickly fell into a deep sleep as the wind swept over me.
******************
Tit! Tit!
I slowly opened my eyes to the sunlight streaming in through the window and the sound of birds chirping announcing the morning.
I was sleeping so deeply that I didn’t have the nightmares I usually had every day.
Thanks to that, I was able to wake up feeling refreshed and refreshed.
How long has it been since I slept this comfortably?
As I got up and moved my dull body here and there, I heard a clicking sound in every joint.
“… Ah, that feels refreshing.”
“Did you sleep well?”
It’s a voice I heard while sleeping.
I naturally assumed it was Shin Noya asking.
“Yes, I hope you slept well too, Noya.”
“Then, maybe it’s because you’re getting older and sleeping a lot, but you always sleep well.”
“What do you mean, ghosts don’t sleep…?”
He kept his mouth shut while speaking.
Something was strange.
Is this what Shin Noya’s voice sounded like?
Usually, it felt like a ringing in my head, not my ears.
Today, it was especially clear and the voice felt different.
‘…what?’
Since I was still half asleep, I couldn’t properly grasp the situation, and then Shin Noya appeared.
[…not me.]
… ?
As I listen to Noya’s words, a cold sweat gradually flows down my face.
A chill ran down my spine and I turned my head toward the source of the sound.
There sat an old man with a kind smile.
… in none other than my room.
“Who are you…?”
The old man chuckles lowly at the question.
“I’ve lived a long time, but this is the first time I’ve been treated like a ghost… .”
The old man’s words and small movements stirred the energy in his danjeon.
[…this.]
At the same time, Shin Noya’s panicked voice is heard. It felt like the energy of the plum blossoms that he had been trying to block was coming out.
Could it be an illusion?
The sunlight streaming in through the window feels like it’s mixed with a faint scent of plum blossoms.
The old man calmly strokes his beard.
As I gradually woke up, I began to feel it.
This isn’t a scent coming in from outside the window.
The scent of plum blossoms that filled the room came from the old man.
“I heard that you were sent by Child Guryun.”
The name of the elder comes out naturally from the mouth of the old man.
I swallowed dry saliva, hiding the cold sweat.
The old man smiles faintly as he looks at me like that.
Then he calmly lowered the hand that had been stroking his beard.
Only then could I see the plum blossom pattern drawn on the old man’s chest.
When I found that, my pupils shook rapidly as if there was an earthquake.
The old man introduced himself, making my trembling eyes colorless.
“Nice to meet you, my name is Dohwa, the eldest son of Hwasan.”
I swallowed my breath at the old man’s words.
…Why on earth is this guy in my room?
