By Zephyria Hwasan or Namgung? (3)
“……Young master.”
“Yes!”
Namgung Cheon-chu perked up their ears as if not to miss even one of his trivial remarks. Seong Mu-yeon let out an absurd laugh.
“I think you’ve misunderstood. It’s not like that.”
“Then, is everything I’ve heard just a rumor? I heard that Baek Ryeo-il ties Young master to a tree every morning and torments him.”
“…….”
Rumors sure travel fast.
“Th, that’s true, but it’s definitely not what Young master thinks, okay? There’s a justifiable reason.”
“Does someone who throws sand and runs away do that? It’s not just one or two Disciples who witnessed Young master screaming and running away. On top of that, you do the cleaning and laundry! You take on all the chores……! Why are you living like that!”
“Please, listen to me!”
Eventually, Namgung Cheon-chu grabbed Seong Mu-yeon’s hands.
“Instead of that, let’s go to the Namgung Clan right away! I’ll make sure you live without any worries! I swear on the name of Namgung Cheon-chu!”
Seeing Namgung Cheon-chu, who looked like they were about to burst into tears at any moment, Seong Mu-yeon was at a loss. Were they always like this?
At that moment, a hand suddenly popped out and pulled Seong Mu-yeon’s shoulder back. It was Baek Ryeo-il.
“What are you doing? Let’s go.”
“Ah, yes……. Anyway, Young master, I’m fine, so don’t believe the rumors too much. See you tomorrow.”
Baek Ryeo-il and Seong Mu-yeon left Namgung Cheon-chu there and headed to Emerald Pavilion. As Baek Ryeo-il, with his long legs, strode ahead, Seong Mu-yeon had to practically sprint to keep up.
Seong Mu-yeon was puzzled. Judging by his pace, Baek Ryeo-il seemed to be in a bad mood.
“Master Baek, are you perhaps angry about something?”
“Angry? Me? Why?”
“Then why are you walking so fast! Let’s go a little slower. I’m going to lose my breath.”
Baek Ryeo-il’s speed drastically decreased, returning to its usual level. Still, he didn’t even look at Seong Mu-yeon and only stared straight ahead.
Seong Mu-yeon cautiously observed Baek Ryeo-il.
“……Perhaps you’re worried that I might follow the Namgung Clan?”
“As if!”
Baek Ryeo-il snorted roughly.
“Right? I was also too taken aback to know what to do. There’s still plenty of time, so slowly…….”
Baek Ryeo-il suddenly stopped abruptly. He pushed Seong Mu-yeon’s shoulder.
“From now on, you’re sleeping in the Guest room.”
“Yes? Suddenly?”
“The Sect leader said it was okay too, right?”
“But……. Master Baek! Master Baek!”
Baek Ryeo-il didn’t even listen to the answer and strode away. He was so fast it was as if he was using magic. Left alone, Seong Mu-yeon blankly stared at his retreating figure, overwhelmed by the sudden freedom.
“Why is he suddenly like this?”
Seong Mu-yeon scratched the back of his head and turned around. He retraced his steps back to where Namgung Cheon-chu was. Namgung Cheon-chu’s eyes widened as they saw him walking towards them.
“Young master, you’ve returned. Where is Baek Ryeo-il……?”
“He told me to stay in the Guest room from today.”
“Then where have you been staying instead of the Guest room all this time?”
“At Master Baek Ryeo-il’s residence.”
“Yes? Why with that guy? It must have been uncomfortable.”
“That’s how it ended up happening. It was uncomfortable too. But it’s a good thing that he told me to stay in the Guest room from today.”
Seong Mu-yeon and the Namgung Clan people were assigned rooms by Hwasan’s guide. He politely declined Namgung Cheon-chu’s offer to have a cup of tea and went into his room, closing the door.
Seong Mu-yeon looked around his newly acquired room. It was spacious, clean, and he was alone. There was no one to make a mess, no one to constantly monitor him, and no one to threaten him to tie his wrist and sleep.
It was definitely a good thing.
However, Seong Mu-yeon was seized by a strange feeling and tossed and turned for a long time before finally falling asleep.
The next day, Baek Ryeo-il opened his eyes at the usual time.
He inadvertently turned his gaze to the side, but of course, it was empty. The rope that connected wrist to wrist was no longer needed.
‘It’s just comfortable and good.’
He felt relieved to have gotten rid of the eyesore.
He yawned and went to the kitchen to wash his face simply, then left Emerald Pavilion to practice as usual.
A tree stood tall in one corner of the yard, guarding the spot. It felt like he could still hear the desperate cries that once echoed from that place.
‘Hmm?’
Baek Ryeo-il witnessed a black head repeatedly rising and falling over the fence. It was an attempt to spy on the inside.
He stuck to the fence and waited for the boy’s head to rise again. Soon, the boy, who had raised his head, screamed in horror.
“M, M, M, Master Baek!”
The startled boy clutched near his heart.
“What are you doing here.”
“Ah, th, th, that’s…….”
Kang……. What was his name again? The boy, whose name he couldn’t remember, rolled his eyes wildly before subtly tilting his body to the side. Baek Ryeo-il, who suddenly realized that he was checking the situation inside the residence, asked.
“Did you come to find Seong Mu-yeon?”
The boy, whose intentions had been exposed, blushed and nodded slightly.
“Ah, yes……. Is Young master still asleep? The Sect leader came yesterday. I was wondering what happened, so I came to ask.”
“He’s not here anymore.”
“Yes?! Could it be that he was kicked out?!”
“Aish, my ears. Why is your voice so loud?”
The boy fidgeted and urged him.
“I haven’t even said goodbye yet, this can’t be happening. Where did he go?”
The boy, who had been making a fuss, suddenly stiffened and looked up at Baek Ryeo-il with trembling eyes.
“Don’t tell me……. D, did you kill him?”
“No, I didn’t! He moved to the Guest room! What do you mean kill!”
“Ah. I see.”
The boy scratched the back of his head awkwardly.
“Anyway, he’s not here, so go to the Guest room if you want to find him.”
“Yes, I understand. Thank you. Then, I’ll be going.”
The boy bowed and turned around. Baek Ryeo-il, who had been watching his retreating figure for a moment, added.
“Don’t get too attached to him either. He’ll be leaving soon.”
Baek Ryeo-il headed to the Training Hall without even looking at the boy’s reaction. The sound of the boy’s hurried footsteps running away faded into the distance.
Baek Ryeo-il, who forcibly finished his unsatisfactory training today, returned to Emerald Pavilion with a gloomy mood.
An empty, silent room greeted him. It was a familiar place he had always been in, but somehow the air felt cold.
He was sitting in a chair when he realized that the Food box delivery would no longer come and headed to the dining hall. He ran into Wang Ho-jun on the way.
“Senior Brother! Where is Seong Young master? Why didn’t he come today? The Sect leader returned yesterday……. Could it be that he was kicked out?! You didn’t kill him, did you?!”
“Why are these guys like this today?! I didn’t kill him!”
“No, why are you shouting…….”
“I didn’t kill him.”
Baek Ryeo-il’s voice lowered.
He hurried past Wang Ho-jun. Seong Mu-yeon was among the many people entering the dining hall. He was bursting into laughter, as if something was so funny. Next to him was Namgung Cheon-chu, who was smiling in the same way.
“Senior Brother? Where are you going! Senior Brother!”
Baek Ryeo-il ignored Wang Ho-jun, who was calling him, and left the place.
It seemed like he had caught a glimpse of Baek Ryeo-il.
Seong Mu-yeon, who had inadvertently turned his head, looked again, but only found Wang Ho-jun waving at him.
He had overslept today and couldn’t go to the Finance Division. He wanted to explain to Wang Ho-jun and have a conversation, but Namgung Cheon-chu urged him.
“Let’s go quickly. It’s our turn.”
At Hwasan Sect, you had to go to the dining hall at a set time to eat.
So far, Seong Mu-yeon had been eating at Emerald Pavilion because he was in a situation where he couldn’t move around freely, so it was a kind of exception. From now on, if you didn’t go to the dining hall on time like the other Disciples, you had to take care of your own meals.
Namgung Cheon-chu didn’t seem to like that.
“Taoist Sect are so inconvenient. They have no flexibility. Taoist family are in a position to train, so it’s understandable, but even us guests.”
Namgung Cheon-chu continued to speak cheerfully while putting food on their plate.
“If you go to the Namgung Clan, you don’t have to lift a finger. Young master is the savior of my life, so everyone in the Clan will treat you with the utmost respect. So you’re going to Namgung with me, right?”
“I’m still thinking about it.”
The dining hall was full of Disciples wearing Hwasan’s Taoist robes. Among them, Namgung Cheon-chu and Seong Mu-yeon, who were wearing plain clothes, were conspicuous. They finished their meal while receiving the curious gazes of many Disciples.
It was a different feeling to come to the dining hall like this after always eating with Baek Ryeo-il.
“They say they’re going to send a disciple in the afternoon to show me around Hwasan.”
Come to think of it, Seong Mu-yeon had never been anywhere in Hwasan except for certain places since he came to Hwasan.
He had no idea how wide it was or what was where.