837 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

The World's Greatest Heavenly Friend Chapter 837 "Me?" She echoed back in surprise at Dokwang's words. Was it my fault that the relationship between Dang Soyeol and Dokwang became strained? Not knowing what he meant, I put on a blank expression. Dokwang continued with a complex look on his face. "No, I misspoke... It's not exactly your fault." "What do you mean by that?" "The last time I saw her, my daughter seemed particularly troubled." The last time... Was that something Dang Soyeol mentioned happened a couple of years ago? "So naturally, I thought it was because of you." "What?" What kind of nonsensical statement was this? To immediately assume it was my fault just because Dang Soyeol seemed down. It was an absurd notion. However... "Most of the time, when my daughter was sad, it was because of you." "..." For some reason, the plausibility of his following words was enough to seal my lips. In this matter, I really didn't have anything to say. When no words came from me, Dokwang gave me a curious look. His expression seemed to say, 'You don't have much to say, do you?' And indeed, I remained silent because there was nothing to say. "So I thought it was the same this time, but she seemed to be struggling more than usual, so I made two assumptions." "Assumptions...?" "The first was... that it was because of you again." At those words, my eyebrows twitched slightly. Assuming meant it wasn’t actually my fault this time. "And the second..." There was a brief silence. The reason for the silence was Dokwang's hesitation. Seconds passed before Dokwang finally spoke again, breaking the heavy silence. "I assumed that my child was still young." "Hmm." I didn't quite understand what he meant by thinking she was still young... 'From what I've heard, isn't that just how parents are?' Someone once said that parents always see their kids as children, no matter how old they get. In my family, that dynamic was so dysfunctional it wasn't even worth considering. But seeing how much Dokwang cared for Dang Soyeol, it was understandable. However, his words hinted at something different. I needed more explanation. Keeping that thought in mind, I silently stared at Dokwang. "I mentioned it, about the first assumption." "You mean thinking it was my fault?" "Yes." "I heard." "I thought so back then. And honestly, I don't think much differently now." "…" That was a candid reply. So I didn't mind it too much. "But the problem was what I suggested as a solution back then. Do you know what I told my child?" "I don't." Adding a bit of a lament to his tone, he continued. "I said, if you want, I can break off the engagement with the Nangong family from the Gu family and have you engaged to the Tang clan instead." "...!" "I said that." My brow furrowed involuntarily. I tried to suppress my rising irritation. But Dokwang seemed to have already noticed my ruined mood and smiled awkwardly. "It seems it wasn't a pleasant choice in your eyes either." "…It’s not about right or wrong. It just doesn’t sound pleasant from my perspective." Despite knowing it was for Dang Soyeol's sake, on my end, it was closer to being unpleasant. Dokwang must have realized that too. Even so, by mentioning it, he must have thought the following words were more important. "Yes, I knew it would turn out like that. And, apparently, my daughter felt the same." "Miss Dang, you mean?" Dang Soyeol was also upset. That seemed to be the critical perspective in this. "When she heard that, she retaliated, saying it was nonsense." "…" "It was the first time. That my child got so angry." Dokwang smiled as he spoke. "This kind of approach was not something she even wanted to start... She criticized what I'd been trying, and at the end." A hint of emotion briefly touched Dokwang's smiling face. "Isn't using such a method a sign that the Tang clan refuses to change?" "…!" "And with that disappointment, she left the clan." "…" I swallowed my words silently. It seemed around that time that Dang Soyeol had left Sichuan to come to the Gu family, under the guise of training. Then she had moved on with Dark King, leading me to believe she left simply for training purposes. 'Was this the issue at hand?' It was something I hadn't known. "When I heard those words, it felt like a spear had pierced my heart. Very deeply." To emphasize his point, Dokwang gently touched his heart. "She was right. When we pledged to bear the clan's sins and turn things around, using such a narrow-minded approach for my child was the peak of foolishness." His self-deprecating voice gradually lost its strength. More than disappointment, there was a glimpse of guilt. It seemed he felt sorry for saying such things to his daughter and making her hear them. Perhaps those were Dokwang's emotions. "So, even if my child ends up hating me, I understand. It was something she had every reason to feel." Was it resignation? His response seemed so. I looked at Dokwang as I pondered. I understood why Dang Soyeol distanced herself from Dokwang. I understood that Dokwang had some fault in this. And I knew that this had upset Dang Soyeol. 'But is that truly all?' Could it really be just about Dang Soyeol's anger? Such a thought sparked as the answer began to form. 'No.' In my view, that wasn't all there was to it. Even if Dang Soyeol had indeed gotten angry, I felt it wasn't entirely because of that one reason. Reflecting quietly on this, I spoke to Dokwang. "Lord Dang." At my call, Dokwang looked at me. His gaze remained somewhat shadowed. "It's just meddling, but I don't think Miss Dang entirely hates you." "…What do you mean?" "Well, coming to think of it…." I added a bit more force to the eyes meeting Dokwang's. How should I put it to make it seem less challenging? I thought about that for a moment. "…Miss Dang resembles you quite a bit." I expressed what I thought in the simplest way possible. It was my honest sentiment. But hearing those words, Dokwang only gave a puzzled expression. It seemed he was having trouble comprehending. "What do you mean...?" "You don’t really need to understand it. It's just something I thought... and also, I think you can ease up a bit on the worrying." "…" I understood what Dokwang was concerned about, but from my point of view, it didn't seem like much of an issue. "As you've said yourself, Miss Dang isn’t young or weak." "…" Dang Soyeol was neither young nor weak. She was, in fact, strong and resilient. I recall how she held her head high, never wavering in any situation. Just as Dokwang had been, I was sure Dang Soyeol would be the same. "If you're still worried, you should try meeting with her." "…But the child..." "Honestly, you've never tried to meet her, have you?" "…" At my remark, Dokwang clammed up. It was evident at first glance. He hadn't tried, out of fear. "Isn't that right?" Silence spoke volumes as affirmation. Dokwang did not utter a word, and that was answer enough. Seeing his reaction, I spoke with a hint of awkwardness. "Try at least having a conversation. Don’t just remain silent." I wanted to say it as nonchalantly as possible, but that was hard to achieve. Despite offering advice, I had no memory of having a proper conversation with my own father. 'Conversation.' Don't just stand still; try having a dialogue. The words I said came back to haunt me and spawned a question. 'I should try.' It was something I should have done eventually. It would have been better if I had managed it in a past life. I hadn't, though, so I had to do it this time around. With an unsettling feeling, I gently bit my tongue before speaking to Dokwang again. "Anyway... I understand the circumstances now. It’s up to you to make a choice, so I'm sorry for meddling unnecessarily." "…It was helpful; don't worry about it. And, I apologize as well." Referring to the issue with the Nangong engagement and having mentioned intervening in this matter, Lord Dang extended his apologies to me. "Yes." I accepted it without much reaction. Honestly, I could have held onto it, but I chose not to. Considering the relationship with Dokwang, there was no need. Besides, it was better for Dang Soyeol’s sake if I let it go. Just as the conversation seemed to be wrapping up, "And next..." I interrupted, pulling an envelope from my pocket. "Since I can't stay too long, I've organized the schedule a bit." "Organized? You shouldn't have had the time." "Well, I managed to make some time." In truth, my overnight failure with my experiment allowed me some unexpected free time I could use. "For the time being, it seems there are more aspects related to the Dragon's Elixir to look into. You might want to have separate discussions with the merchant guild for further research on this." "The merchant guild?" "The Baekhwa Merchant Guild." "…I see." As expected, it was the Baekhwa Merchant Guild. Hearing the name, Dokwang nodded, understanding the situation. There wasn’t much choice. My only real connection was with that guild, and conveniently as well. "The Sichuan branch head is someone I know well, so there shouldn’t be any issues." Daemokri, the branch head, was a manageable figure, making it convenient for this particular matter. The only concern here was... 'Ideally, using a different source would benefit Mibu as well.' Considering the current perception of the Tang clan in the Central Plains, entering direct transactions might adversely affect the Baekhwa Merchant Guild. Thinking about that, I felt quite sorry to Mibu. 'But there's no other way.' I didn’t have many cards to play regarding this matter. If I were to explore another option, 'The Jeil Merchant Guild.' A guild known as the best in the Central Plains that was interested in me. While using them was an option, 'It's way too risky.' Using an unfamiliar guild could easily become a shackle on my ankles. In the end, it seemed the best course of action was to go with Baekhwa Merchant Guild. "…Will it be alright?" Dokwang asked. He too knew how burdensome this could be. Yet, even after reconsidering, it was the best solution. How long could the Tang clan rely solely on external assistance for supply? Taking Shaolin or Mt. Hua as examples, they had contracts with several guilds to ensure supply. "It will be fine." I had decided to go through with it, so I had to bear whatever came from it. "…If you say so, I won't refuse." "It's something I benefit from, after all." The Tang clan regains its lost achievements, and I get what I want out of it. It's all for the sake of a transaction. After handing over the envelope, I looked at Dokwang and said. "In truth, I would like to see it myself... but I really must be on my way." "Are you thinking of leaving right away?" "Yes. It seems like something is bound to unfold. Oh, but I'll drop by before I go back." "Understood." "Then." With a short nod, I turned and immediately grabbed the door handle. ************************* Thud. Right after Gu Yangcheon left the room, Dokwang watched the door, deep in thought. -You’ve never really tried to meet her, have you? It was a painful truth. Fear of his child's resentment had prevented him from acting. '…Indeed.' He was called out on the very thing he'd been avoiding. It was so piercing that he couldn't even argue back. Why hadn't he considered it more deeply? Why had he avoided such a fundamental matter? 'Has the clan's curse even influenced me?' He initially intended to shoulder the ancestor's sins, yet confronting them in reality was another matter. The blurriness caused by the burden seemed to have masked something so simple. "Sigh…." Dokwang sighed wearily, running a hand over his face. "That was foolish." His voice was filled with self-reproach. And within it, a vague resolution began to take form. At the same time, he stood up. It seemed there was somewhere he urgently needed to go before it was too late. '…I suppose I should properly thank him later.' He resolved to convey his gratitude to Gu Yangcheon when they next met, and with that resolve, he was about to make a move. "…" Something caught his attention, causing Dokwang's body to freeze. As Dokwang reflected on Gu Yangcheon, he recognized a fact he had forgotten. "Heh." He let out a breath of exasperation. The reason being... "I got played." He had failed to ask the questions he intended to, ended up only discussing his own matters, and Gu Yangcheon disappeared after listening, leaving him behind. Dokwang knew this absurd situation was no accident. It was all part of Gu Yangcheon's plan. He had cleverly distracted him and vanished without addressing the main point. "Haha." Realizing this, Dokwang laughed. "As expected... there's no way I can give my daughter to a cunning guy like that." He couldn't hand over his most precious daughter to someone so clever. Despite his resolve, Deep down, he didn't truly mean it.