779 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 779 of "The Greatest Warrior's Childhood Friend" - Northern Rabbit Clang. The piercing sound made me turn around. I noticed shattered pieces on the floor. Beyond them, I spotted elegant shoes. Slowly, I looked up at the owner of those legs. Not long after, we made eye contact. "…Mrs. Mi." It was Mrs. Mi. Why was she here? And why now, of all times? Did she hear what I just said? Damn, she must have. That's why she reacted like that. That means... in a word. 'I'm screwed.' It means I'm in serious trouble. 'What should I do?' Cold sweat started dripping all over my body. I sold out my father to save myself, but things would change significantly if Mrs. Mi heard it. How would it change? 'I don't even want to imagine it.' No matter what, I don't want to think about it. Doldol Yi, despite appearances, looks no older than ten. If I just calculate it simply, if he were my father's child... 'No, even before calculating, the fact that Mrs. Mi doesn't know about this child means I'm already doomed.' No matter how many excuses or calculations I come up with, it's sure to be a disaster. "Uh... Mrs. Mi. It's not like that..." A domestic disaster is about to hit like a storm. I'm standing at the edge of that cliff in spirit. What should I do? How do I manage this chaos? Gulp. I kept swallowing dryly, sinking deeper into the swamp of thoughts. 'Damn.' No matter how I think about it, there's no breakthrough. Confessing now seems too late. If things keep going this way, it would mean not just selling out my father but dragging him into ruin. Do I save myself? Or do I make my father an unscrupulous scumbag? It was a very difficult dilemma. Even so, there are duties as a child, but this is a bit... "Mrs. Mi... it's not that I didn't want to tell you... but with my father's circumstances, it's just that..." Selling out my father was the conclusion after not much deliberation. He's still in good health; he should handle this. If it's found out later, I'll probably get a beating. But I'll handle that when the time comes. For now, it's survival first. "First, please hear me out..." As I swiftly moved my mind to think of excuses. Step step. Mrs. Mi, with widened eyes, started walking. As she approached, I cowered and hunched my shoulders unconsciously. However. Swish-! Mrs. Mi didn't come toward me. She passed me and continued onward. The direction was toward Namgung Bia, who was holding Doldol Yi. "…" Having walked over, Mrs. Mi finally approached Namgung Bia. "…Ah." She let out a short sigh and extended her hand. Seeing that, I tensed slightly. …Wait, is she going to slap him? It could be. Suddenly being confronted with a child she didn't know was her husband's was not something she could take lightly. Especially since that ill-natured kid was right there, the possibility of her striking him couldn't be dismissed.... '…Wait.' In that case, isn't my situation nearly identical to his? 'Mistress's child. Ill-natured brat.' I don't seem much different from that kid now. It feels somewhat like spitting on my own face, leaving a bitter taste. Luckily, Mrs. Mi has never hit me before… '…Anyway.' Shouldn't I stop her from hitting him? Or should I just let the situation unfold due to its context? While this dilemma flitted through my mind. Swish. Finally, Mrs. Mi's fingertips touched Doldol Yi. But it wasn't his cheek. "…Hmm?" Doldol Yi tilted his head at the touch. With a hesitant touch, Mrs. Mi stroked the child's hair. "…" From where I stood, her back was all I could see, so I couldn't tell her expression. Mrs. Mi was busily ruffling the child's hair. Perplexed at the situation, I... "Hey..." "Whoa! That scared me-!" Unexpectedly, a voice came to my ear. Thanks to my heightened sensitivity, I'd turned down my alertness for a moment, so I hadn't even noticed Mrs. Mi's approach or anyone else's for that matter. Startled, I covered my ears and looked around, only to realize it was Baek Ryeon Geom approaching. "…What... what is it?" "Well, um." Baek Ryeon Geom, approaching with a significantly hesitant expression and manner of speech, cautiously asked. "…So whose child is he?" "…Huh?" What did she say...? "Obviously... it's not Miss Mi's. Judging by the looks, could it be your mother’s? But that doesn’t seem right, does it?" "…" So that's what she’s implying. “...Well, it’s just that.” "Then could it be the Sword Empress?" "Huh?" I frowned at Baek Ryeon Geom's question. If it's the Sword Empress... she probably meant the Plum Blossom Sword Empress that I know of. "Senior, why mention the Sword Empress all of a sudden...?" "Hm? Oh. Our future nephew-in-law doesn’t know." "Future nephew-in-law? What do you mean... No, what are you talking about in the first place?" "If you don't know, never mind. Anyway, it's not the Sword Empress, right? Then... is it a girl from the Myung family? I bet it must be the kind to practically climb on a stove...no, if she tried, Miss Mi would have already dealt with it...then who is it? Could it be a girl from the Blood Palace? Strange. I heard she’s already engaged." "…" Names kept surfacing one after the other. Names powerful enough to be recognized. The problem was, why were these names being mentioned in this situation? Is this seriously happening? '…Is she trying to figure out the mother’s identity?' Which means... all those names are related to my father. If that’s true, it’s unbelievable. 'Father. You were more of a libertine than I thought...' It's not just one or two, but how many does he have? A man should have some principles. It felt quite disappointing. Meanwhile, Baek Ryeon Geom's expression, as she mentioned those names, was all seriousness. Watching her with that earnest look, I sighed and said, "Whatever you're thinking, I don't particularly know it well, either." "And if that’s the case, that means there's still a chance, right? Even those damn ones climb up to the roof. Does that mean I couldn't do the same?" "Senior? What are you...?" "Oh, right, my son. Did you have something to say? Go ahead and speak freely." "…Why am I suddenly your son, Senior?" "Sometimes life just throws things at you. Don't worry too much or you'll end up losing your hair, right?" "What kind of life would make something like that happen?" As always, talking with Baek Ryeon Geom felt like it was driving me insane. As if my thoughts weren't already in chaos, I had no time to engage in banter with her. Swish. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mi kept stroking Doldol Yi's hair. Those around couldn't even breathe, watching Mrs. Mi. The child wasn't mine, but my father's hidden son. As soon as those words were spoken, my father’s wife, Mrs. Mi, appeared. This was a nerve-wracking situation, where no one dared to even exhale. Even Dang Sohyeol and Wi Seol-ah, not to mention... 'Where did that old fox disappear to?' I now noticed that the slippery fox was nowhere to be found, having quickly escaped the scene. Even the usually composed Moyong Hee ah was covering her mouth with a pale face. As tension filled the room with an impending sense of doom about what might unfold... "...Would you like to hold him?" "…!" "...Gasp." "...!!" Namgung Bia, who was holding Doldol Yi, spoke those words. Everyone around took sharp intakes of breath. What on earth was she talking about? The problem was. "…" Mrs. Mi paused her hand, which was caressing Doldol Yi. Was she upset with the absurdity of it all? It was indeed a situation where she had every right to be furious. "…" To confirm it, Mrs. Mi didn't utter a single response. She simply stood, watching both Namgung Bia and Doldol Yi. 'Huh?' For some reason, it felt as if Mrs. Mi was hesitating. ...Surely not. 'Does she seriously consider holding him?' It seemed like she was contemplating Namgung Bia’s unexpected suggestion. 'Nah. No way.' It must be a misunderstanding. Mrs. Mi wouldn't do such a thing. Proving my assumption right, after a prolonged silence, Mrs. Mi gave the anticipated response. "No, it’s alright." As expected, a refusal. There was no way she would accept. What woman would want to embrace a hidden child of her husband? It was fortunate that Mrs. Mi didn't explode in anger, at least. 'To think a person could remain so rational.' It was astonishing. If it had been me, I'd have left the place in ruins. She was evidently surprised but remained impressively calm. While I was still marveling at her, suddenly. "First Young Master." "…!" Her voice made me shiver. "Ye-yes…." I barely managed to respond, at which Mrs. Mi turned her gaze towards me. Her face, as ever, was impenetrable. It was difficult to discern what thoughts were crossing her mind. The back of my neck was already drenched in cold sweat. I was doing my utmost not to show it. Just as I was trying to control my breath. Mrs. Mi spoke to me. "We have something to talk about, don’t we?" "…" "Come along with me." "…Ye-yes." With those words, Mrs. Mi started walking. Seeing this, I too began to move my legs to follow. It was the most nerve-racking moment of the year. ****************** It takes a while to walk from Shin Ui’s residence to where Mrs. Mi stays. Especially since Mrs. Mi is an ordinary person, her pace wasn’t fast. I had to match her speed, and what could've been covered swiftly required half an incense stick’s time to reach. The real challenge? 'We didn't share a single word while walking.' Mrs. Mi walked ahead in silence. I trailed behind, unable to even swallow in that uncomfortable quiet. The destination we reached was none other than Mrs. Mi's residence. It was my first time here. Usually, when I needed to see Mrs. Mi, I'd seek her at the merchant leader’s office, or she would come to me. I couldn’t remember ever visiting her place. 'Is it really this large?' I was genuinely surprised. The size of her dwelling was quite extravagant. I thought my place was sizable too, but this was on another level. If not twice as big, there was undoubtedly a massive difference in size. The beautifully maintained garden and the picturesque pathways were strikingly arranged. Even the house we entered was visibly immaculate. "Take a seat." "…Yes." Following her instruction, I promptly sat before her. There were already teacups laid out on the table. It didn’t seem like something Mrs. Mi had prepared herself. Likely, the servants had set it up in advance. My throat felt parched, so I intended to drink first, but... "Is that child the Family Head’s son, you said?" "…Ahem." Upon hearing that, I couldn’t bring myself to drink. I hesitated, rested the tea on the table, and looked at Mrs. Mi. With hands clasped, she gazed at me with piercing eyes. A look seeking explanation, perhaps. What on earth should I do about this? 'What else is there to do? Have to come up with an excuse first.' It was too late to retreat. I needed to start talking, any words at all. "Well... you see. It's like…." The journey here hadn't been short. I had thought of what to say. About to explain to Mrs. Mi with this in mind. "I know it's not true." "...!" Her interrupting words shut my mouth tight. She knew it wasn't true? That statement meant she knew my claim was a lie. Her unexpected words left me dumbfounded, prompting Mrs. Mi to add more. "What could…” “Then, is it true?” "..." Her gaze held unwavering certainty. Should I just confess and present the explanations I had prepared? It seemed a plausible option, but simultaneously. “...No, it’s not true.” In the end, I confessed the truth. Mrs. Mi already spoke with such conviction. Somehow, looking into her eyes, I couldn’t bring myself to lie. "I apologize." "…" As I conveyed my apology, instead of responding, Mrs. Mi took a sip of her tea. No sound was heard as she drank it. Thud. The soft sound of the cup being placed back on the table was all. “…Mrs. Mi.” "Speak." "It's a bit awkward to ask now... but how did you know?" I couldn’t hold back my curiosity about how she had known. Despite everything, should I have even asked this? Suddenly, Mrs. Mi seemed somewhat perplexed. Her expression suggested I might not get an answer. "At first, I thought it might be possible." Contrary to her expression, Mrs. Mi began explaining to me. "Even if you deny it, the resemblance is striking." "…" "To be precise, he resembles you more than the Family Head. But since he can't be your child, there was a moment when I thought perhaps he really could be the Family Head's child." "…But then, why did you think otherwise?" "That's a simple question to answer." Was it my imagination or did Mrs. Mi crack a slight smile? And then, she continued. "Because your father isn't that kind of person." "…!" It was an unexpected answer. I was speechless for a moment. "Your father is someone full of secrets. He doesn't talk much and prefers to keep things to himself." "..." It's apparent at first glance. I doubt if my father speaks more than a hundred words in a year. "But even though he hides other things, he wouldn't hide something like this." "…That is…" "Moreover, even if he did hide it, there's no way I wouldn't know. I am, after all, the leader of the Baekhwa Merchant Group." "..." Gulp. Honestly, I couldn't resonate with her earlier statements at all. But the last part was the easiest to understand. I am the leader of the Baekhwa Merchant Group. The pride and confidence emanating from that statement were clear as day. "So I wanted to ask, who exactly is that child?" "…If I said he's mine, would you believe it?" "I would." "Excuse me?" You would believe it so easily? Her response made me a bit flustered. "Having faith isn't that difficult. But only if you can handle it." "…" Mrs. Mi knew that she wouldn’t believe it. She knew the child wasn't her husband’s, yet she said she'd believe me if I said he was. And when she asked if I could handle such a belief. 'It's about whether you can fully bear the responsibility of that belief.' That statement was far scarier and weightier than simply saying she wouldn't believe it. So, how should I handle this? As countless thoughts crossed my mind. "Or, I might just not ask at all." Her next words made my eyes widen slightly. "What do you mean…?" Not ask at all? "Just as the words imply. I won't inquire about the child's identity. And I might not even punish you for including your father in a lie." "Why is that?" "Well, if I must attach meaning…" Click. Click. A peculiar sound came from the teacup Mrs. Mi was handling. "Because you seem to need it. That's the sole reason I have." "…" "If you need it, do as you will. If you need an excuse, I can provide one." "…Why would you go to such lengths…?" "But." When I was trying to vocalize my confusion, Mrs. Mi raised a firm index finger. "There is one condition." "A condition?" "Yes, one condition." I won’t ask or feign ignorance about your reasons. I’ll overlook the fact that you sold out the Family Head because of your need. But there is a condition attached. Internally, I bit my lip. 'Of course.' Naturally, nothing comes for free. There’s no such thing as a free lunch, especially in matters like this. She was offering leniency about portraying my father as unscrupulous. There had to be a substantial condition involved. I couldn't even predict what she might want. "…What is the condition?" But refusing wasn’t an option. I had to hear what it was first. I braced myself with growing tension, waiting for Mrs. Mi’s response. A few seconds passed like that. "I will take care of that child." "…Pardon?" "That's my condition." "…?" I heard it clearly with my ears… But my brain couldn't quite comprehend it.