1103 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Chapter 1103 of "Heaven's Strongest Childhood Friend" Immediately after confronting Mother. Even when the next day arrived, nothing much changed in our itinerary. We were still on our way to Anhui, and just because it was a new day didn't mean our path there altered. Heeiiing—!!! The sound of horses and moving wheels. For the past few days, I had endured this wretched noise. The jolting sensation causing my shoulders to knock together was just the same. It was thoroughly uncomfortable, but I made sure not to show it. Mi Hyo Ran had warned that if I caused another commotion this morning, I'd be thrown off. Perhaps that's why Nam Gung Jin kept his mouth tightly shut this time. His face still showed signs of annoyance and discomfort, though. ‘Hmph.’ I left him and thought about past events. Naturally, it revolved around meeting Mother and Father. ‘In the end, it seems like they've decided to come along.’ In the morning, before the carriage set off, I witnessed Father saying something to Mi Hyo Ran and So Yi. Their eyes widened, and a visible sign of uneasiness covered their faces. Upon seeing that. ‘It's because of Mother.’ He must have informed them that Mother followed along. This meant. ‘They were aware of Mother’s presence too.’ It implied that around this time, everyone was informed about Mother's presence. Additionally. ‘It doesn't seem like she appeared too long ago.’ Judging by their reaction and state, it didn’t feel like Mother’s presence by Father's side was long established. ‘How did they meet?’ I was especially curious about how Father and Mother met that I attempted to probe Father about it last night. Questioning discreetly whether she was his fiancée or something similar. Yet his reply. ‘Should I even answer that?’ Father only replied with a cold tone to me. It simply indicated he didn’t intend to tell me. ‘Tch.’ I couldn’t figure it out. ‘Still.’ There was something to gain. While pondering what I should be doing in this world. ‘The picture becomes a bit clearer now.’ With Father and Do Yoon. And Mother’s appearance. It seemed like the path I intended to take wasn’t incorrect. It certainly looked right when assessed thoroughly. Anyway. Father's chosen approach seemed to be just taking her along. I saw Mother getting into the large carriage. I had to focus to even notice it. She was so unnoticeably quiet that Do Yoon and Nam Gung Jin seemed unaware. ‘Is it alright for her to accompany us?’ Seeing her again, I wondered if answers could be found. Her appearance was reminiscent of. ‘Wi Seol Ah.’ Back when I took Wi Seol Ah around in this life. Though she appeared mature, mentally she was still too young and difficult to control back then. ‘She’s different from the Mother I knew.’ Unlike the commanding presence she had as the master of heaven, or when she raised Gu Ryeong Hwa and me, Mother was noticeably different. It hinted that something might have been wrong at this moment. ‘Hm.’ What events have occurred? What happened? Does Mother lack self-awareness? Certainly. ‘Mother’s objective was to emerge as a calamity. Or perhaps.’ To give birth to a future disaster. And her chosen counterpart seemed to be the bloodline of the cursed Gu family. ‘That meant Father.’ How do these processes and outcomes tie together? Furthermore. ‘If either Father or Mother from now die.’ I wouldn’t be born. That scenario would indeed mean escaping fate. Such fleeting thoughts cross my mind, but. ‘... In any case.’ Nothing can be changed. It was merely idle curiosity, given what the ancestors had mentioned. ‘Phew.’ If this is indeed what I’m supposed to do, I take satisfaction in being on the tracks. Now it was time to clearly understand what this world expects from me. Clatter-! The carriage shook. I squinted in discomfort as a result. The space inside was still cramped. Nam Gung Jin's body next to mine was unpleasant. * * * Several more days passed thereafter. Even during that time, nothing significantly changed. Roar—!!! As we entered the mountains, the resistance from the beasts we encountered increased significantly, and dealing with them consumed a bit of time. That was the only difference. ‘This too will be’ Finished by tomorrow. Calculating it, we’d likely reach Anhui by the following night at the latest. Thud. As I took care of the beasts in front of us, I surveyed the surroundings. Green and blue beasts were mixed among them, but either one of us could easily handle them. “It’s finished.” I announced, having cleared away the beasts. So Yi, who was in front of me, nodded in acknowledgment. “All cleared.” With So Yi’s remark, Father nodded. Behind him, a pile of beasts lay defeated, and the acrid smell of burnt creatures filled the air. It seemed they had been scorched by flames. ‘Indeed, that's more convenient.’ I would have handled it similarly had I the means. It was a shame that I couldn’t manage it as easily. ‘Sigh.’ Defeating each one by hand is certainly time-consuming. Flicking the dust off and wiping my hands on my clothes. “Ugh...” So Yi looked at me with disgust. What’s with that look? “What is it?” “Why are you wiping it on your clothes?” “It has to be cleaned off somehow.” “There’s a stream nearby. You could’ve waited.” “... Do you think the carriage is spacious for everyone? How am I supposed to sit idly with blood-stained hands in that cramped space?” "..." Perhaps finding validity in my words, So Yi smiled awkwardly. “Please don’t mind me and carry on.” “Ahem...” I waved my hand dismissively. Simultaneously, my gaze shifted to the carriage. The one where Mother supposedly was. I still couldn’t sense her presence. As I stared intently at the carriage. “What are you looking at?” So Yi approached, asking. For someone who just claimed it was disgusting, she sure came over quickly. ‘Ah.’ Was it because she realized Mother was inside? It seemed like she hurried over intending to divert my attention. Most likely, Father didn’t tell them I was aware. “It’s nothing. I was just admiring how big and beautiful the carriage is.” “...” “Our carriage is cramped, in comparison, isn’t it?” "That's... you see..." Guilt spread across So Yi's face. She seemed well aware of the vast difference in quality between the carriages we were riding and the one they occupied. "... Want to switch carriages?" "...." Was that the best response she could muster after holding back? Hearing it made me chuckle. "What? Why are you laughing?" "It's nothing. It's just amusing." That I was openly laughing made So Yi frown. But what could she do about something funny? To find out that this woman had such a personality at this point was quite fascinating. Just then... "You two seem close, don't you?" The carriage window opened, and Mi Hyo Ran poked her head out. "Lady So Yi, it seems you fancy that young gentleman?" "Huh?" So Yi's eyes widened at Mi Hyo Ran's words. "What do you mean by that...?" "Usually, you don't even approach men, saying their intentions are too obvious and you despise them. Yet here you are, quite close with Baek." Mi Hyo Ran gestured at the two of us with her chin. To be fair, we were standing close. "....!" So Yi immediately distanced herself, realizing how close we were. "Why not enjoy it since it's already like this?" "... What?" "After all, the Huashan Sect isn't all that strict about marriages, are they?" At Mi Hyo Ran's remark, a flicker of discomfort crossed So Yi's face. "It's not like that. You know better, Miss Mi." "Who knows?" "Miss Mi..." "Oh dear, you're upset." Mi Hyo Ran teased and closed the window. "Sigh..." So Yi exhaled deeply in exasperation. Observing her, I spoke. "Senior." "... Yes?" My sudden call startled So Yi. "Just to clarify." "...." Discomfort once again etched onto So Yi's face, similar to moments ago. What on earth did she think I was going to say? Was she under the impression I was going to confess? Of course not. I promptly clarified to defuse any misunderstandings. "I'm not interested, so don't worry." "What?" "I have absolutely no interest in you, Senior. Not even slightly." Considering our age difference. Despite the future Sword Queen's beauty for her age, I remained indifferent. Besides, she was also Gu Ryeong Hwa's mentor. "Ah... ah, I see." So Yi seemed taken aback, clearly not expecting my words. "Just letting you know." I wanted to avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings. There's no one who catches my eye anyway. ‘Even if she is exceptionally beautiful...’ Instinctively, my gaze shifted toward Nam Gung Jin, whose face was still bruised. Looking at him reminded me of someone. ‘That certainly won't do.’ I recalled a woman with piercing blue eyes and allowed myself a faint smile. While thinking back on that, trying to piece the situation together. Roar—!!! Suddenly, a distant noise made me turn my head. ‘Is it still around?’ It was the presence of a beast. And the kind was... ‘A bear.’ A bear-type beast which frequently appeared in the mountains. Its rank was likely green. Even more so. ‘Heading this way.’ It seemed to be charging in this direction. Others sensed it too and readied themselves. ‘Hm...?’ Something felt off. The urgent footsteps seemed somehow... ‘Running away?’ There was a distinct feeling of it fleeing. Fleeing from something. Wait? This feels familiar. When was it? Ah. ‘Namgoong Bia.’ When I first encountered Namgoong Bia. It was similar back then. The beast fleeing from Namgoong Bia. Roar—!!! Just like now, it burst forth from the undergrowth. ‘Next up...’ Whoosh—!! Crunch-!!! Though slightly different than before, something darted out, smashing through the beast's head. Without slowing down, the object embedded itself into a tree. A mace. ‘A mace...?’ Why on earth would something like that suddenly appear here? "I got it." Another figure emerged from the underbrush. "Almost missed it." It was a woman drenched in blood. Likely beast blood, given her appearance, and her normally black hair was slick with crimson. Squeeze. She then gripped her clothes tightly, wringing the blood out. While everyone stood there, bewildered by the sudden appearance. "... What is this?" It was me who found it most astonishing. The black-haired woman who had appeared without warning. "... Namgoong Bia?" She bore an uncanny, chilling resemblance to Namgoong Bia.