By Zephyria “It is all my fault…. If only I hadn’t said those things, Sister would never have left home….”
Jegal Yeom-gang raised his trembling hands and covered his face.
“The day I became the Young Family Head in place of my ailing sister, she congratulated me calmly…. But that night, I secretly visited her room to surprise her, only to hear her sobbing quietly in the dark…. Knowing that she had been hurting all along despite pretending to be fine, I cannot forgive myself for saying those things.”
“…….”
“I have lived my entire life burdened by guilt. Waiting for the day I could finally apologize to her… But the person who should receive that apology no longer exists in this world. What am I to do now?”
A heavy silence settled over the room.
Seong Mu-yeon and Jegal Un could not bring themselves to say or do anything; they simply gazed at Jegal Yeom-gang.
“It is because of me that Sister abandoned the clan and chose the Demonic Cult. Until the moment she closed her eyes, she must have resented and hated me. I didn’t mean it…. Not knowing that, she must have died believing she was discarded…. When I think of that, I…”
Jegal Yeom-gang could not finish his sentence. A man of advanced age, somewhere between middle and old age, sobbed like a small child.
The reason Jegal Yeom-gang had stubbornly tried to push the position of Family Head onto Seong Mu-yeon was not for Seong Mu-yeon’s sake. It was a tribute to his mother, Jegal Yeom-mi. Since the party involved was no longer of this world, he had treated her son, Seong Mu-yeon, as a substitute for his sister.
“That is not true, Uncle…. Mother did not resent you.”
Seong Mu-yeon carefully placed a hand on Jegal Yeom-gang’s shoulder. Jegal Yeom-gang raised his tear-filled eyes to look at him.
“She told me that this necklace was a gift from my grandfather to strengthen the bond between siblings.”
Seong Mu-yeon reached inside his collar and pulled out a necklace. An identical necklace was shining around Jegal Yeom-gang’s neck.
“Mother never took this necklace off until the moment she passed away. Although she never once spoke of her maiden home, she would occasionally fiddle with the necklace while gazing toward the distant mountains. It was always in the same direction. She missed the Jegal Clan.”
Seong Mu-yeon took off the necklace and pressed it into Jegal Yeom-gang’s hand.
“Mother did not choose the Demonic Cult over the clan. After leaving the clan, while searching for a way to treat her illness, she became embroiled in a battle with the Demonic Cult. She fell into the hands of the Demonic Cult in exchange for saving a child. It was by no means her own will.”
No one knew exactly what had happened after Jegal Yeom-mi left the cave. However, there was no doubt that she had made the best choice possible to survive.
“Fearing that she might bring harm to the clan, she could not even reveal her own name. How is that the behavior of someone who abandoned their family?”
If Jegal Yeom-mi had truly resented Jegal Yeom-gang and the clan, she could have revealed herself proudly without hiding. She could have tarnished the prestige of the Jegal Clan, but she did not.
“…….”
Jegal Yeom-gang stared blankly down at the gold necklace in his hand. Scratched and worn in places as if proving the years she had endured, the necklace possessed its own kind of elegance.
“And… if it is the mother I know, she would not have wanted a heavy position like Family Head. She would have chosen to live freely, leaving the difficult and arduous work to her younger brother. It was only because you held the line, Uncle, that she was able to leave the clan.”
“…Yes, you are right. Sister could never resist anything that seemed interesting…. If I had put her in the Family Head’s seat, she wouldn’t have lasted three months before fleeing in the middle of the night.”
A faint smile appeared on Jegal Yeom-gang’s tear-stained face.
“I won’t even last three months. So please, withdraw your request for me to become the Family Head.”
Jegal Yeom-gang finally nodded. He patted Seong Mu-yeon’s shoulder and wiped his face. Then, overcome with emotion, he suddenly pulled him into a tight embrace.
“Thank you. I am so glad you are here….”
“I’m the one who should be thankful. Thanks to you, Uncle, I’ve cleared my name and I don’t have to worry about how to make a living. Haha….”
While patting his uncle’s back, Seong Mu-yeon shot a fierce glare at Jegal Un, who was standing there blankly and cluelessly.
Why are you just standing there?! Go get a handkerchief!
Only after Jegal Un hurriedly looked around did he remember the handkerchief tucked into his front bodice. Seong Mu-yeon took Jegal Un’s handkerchief and handed it to Jegal Yeom-gang.
“Oh, and Mother actually did it! I believe she found the medical book that was passed down only as a legend. Unfortunately, it seems she wasn’t able to fully decipher it. Once this matter is settled, I plan to go to Xinjiang to look for that book.”
“I-is that true? That is wonderful news. If there is anything I or the Jegal Clan can do to help, do not hesitate to ask.”
“As expected, I can only rely on you, Uncle. Hehe.”
While the uncle and nephew shared a warm atmosphere, Jegal Un stood awkwardly to the side like a misplaced sack of barley.
“You must have suffered a lot because of me. I am sorry, Un.”
“N-no. Father. Please do not say such things.”
Jegal Un waved his hand with an awkward expression. Seeing how pale he was, it seemed this kind of tender atmosphere was foreign to him. He looked as if he wanted to bolt out of the room this instant.
However, Jegal Yeom-gang did not let him go.
“You must have felt very neglected. Come here.”
“I-I’m fine…!”
Jegal Un was horrified as Jegal Yeom-gang approached with open arms. But it was already too late to escape.
His father had been a stranger even in proximity, maintaining a certain distance his entire life. He couldn’t even remember the last time he had been held in his father’s arms.
“If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have been able to find Mu-yeon. I think I pushed you too hard. I know you’ve been trying your best. When did you grow so much….”
“F-father….”
“With you, I can entrust the clan with peace of mind. I leave the Jegal Clan in your hands.”
Seong Mu-yeon rubbed his nose with a satisfied feeling. Regardless of the heartwarming atmosphere, watching Jegal Un fidget in confusion was quite a sight.
‘Is this what they call killing three birds with one stone?’
Seong Mu-yeon was happy not to be burdened with a heavy position, Jegal Un hadn’t lost his place, and Jegal Yeom-gang had relieved some of his lifelong guilt.
However, the warm atmosphere did not last long.
“Family Head, Young Family Head! It’s an emergency. You must come quickly!”
The door suddenly burst open, and the chief steward shouted urgently. Seeing as he had barged in without notice, it seemed to be a matter of extreme urgency.
“What is it?”
“Mount Hua has urgently summoned the heads of each sect! It seems to be something unusual, so you must go!”
“Understood.”
The Jegal father and son, along with Seong Mu-yeon, hurried toward the Mount Hua quarters. The inn was not far away. However, during the short walk, Seong Mu-yeon felt anxiety creeping up.
The problems scattered before his eyes were finally being sorted out one by one. But since his life had never known a day of peace, he already worried about what would happen this time.
Many people were already gathered densely in the courtyard of the inn.
“Ah, Jegal Family Head! You’ve arrived. We have been waiting for you.”
The Mount Hua disciples who greeted them pushed through the crowd to clear a path. They guided the three not into the building, but into the courtyard.
In the center of the courtyard, the heads of the various sects were already gathered. Along with Mount Hua’s Ma Jin-cheon and Seomun Yuha, and the Haoh Gate, there were more unfamiliar faces than before.
“What on earth is going on?”
As Jegal Yeom-gang approached, Ma Jin-cheon, who had been kneeling on the ground with his back turned, stood up. Then, the reason why people were gathered in a circle in the courtyard instead of going inside was revealed.
Someone was lying unconscious on a blanket spread on the ground.
“Who is that man?”
The strange man had clearly been through something harrowing; his entire body was covered in grime and dried blood, making it difficult to recognize his face. Even the clothes he wore were black, but it was impossible to tell if that was their original color.
Baek Ryeo-il had his hand on the man’s dantian, injecting inner force, but there were no signs of him regaining consciousness.
“We found this man collapsed in a nearby forest.”
Surprisingly, the second young master, Seong Mu-ryong, was there as well. He gave Seong Mu-yeon a nod of greeting and continued.
“From the looks of it, he seems to be a martial artist of the orthodox sects, and he is still breathing. Since we have formed an alliance, we cannot just let an ally die on the road, can we?”
Seong Mu-ryong spoke indifferently.
“However, he is not a disciple of Mount Hua. We checked with other sects, but they said they didn’t know him. Judging by the Family Head’s reaction, he doesn’t seem to belong to the Jegal Clan either.”
“Then where does he belong?”
Gyo Hong of the Haoh Gate asked. Even for the Haoh Gate, it was impossible to track every single small skirmish happening in the vicinity.
It might have been nothing, but because it was a sensitive time ahead of a major battle, everyone’s nerves were frayed over even the smallest variable.
“W-wait a moment. Could this person be Master No Jeok-san, the One Crane of Kunlun?”
Someone in the crowd shouted. It seemed they had only just confirmed the face after pushing through the crowd.
“Now that you mention it… it does look like a Kunlun Sect martial uniform.”
“Move aside! I need to see more closely!”
Once the man’s face was wiped clean, it became clearer.
“It is him. This is indeed Master No. How did he end up in such a state…. Master No! Wake up! Do you recognize me?”
But No Jeok-san remained unconscious.