1159 - Childhood Friend of the Zenith

Crackle-!! In hues of deep blue. Or perhaps a fleeting white. A sensation of an aura brushing lightly against my eyes. The faint tingling that coursed through my body was a power I knew all too well. 'That's lightning energy.' A form of aura mimicking lightning. It was a type of lightning energy. And among them– '…It's the Namgung family's lightning technique.' A lightning energy said to be inspired by the thunder of the skies, developed by the Namgung family. I wondered if it was my imagination for a moment, but there was no way I could be mistaken. 'I've seen it so many times.' I'd witnessed it countless times from Namgung Bia. And even if not– 'Recently with Cheonjon, and when–' I even felt it when handling neve. The imprinted memories within my body assured me it was no illusion. That was indeed the Namgung family's lightning energy. The problem was– 'Why does Hyun Soyeon have it?' How on earth did she harbor that lightning energy within her? "…Miss Hyun? What on earth–" What was going on? Just as I was cautiously speaking– Thud-! "…!" She suddenly dove into my embrace. My reaction was delayed. Caught off guard by the lack of malice, I hesitated. What should I do? Should I respond now? The moment I wrestled with indecision– Tight-! "Huh…?" Hyun Soyeon hugged me tightly, nestling into my arms. My body stiffened as Hyun Soyeon's arms wrapped around my neck. With nothing else to do, my arms hung awkwardly in the air. "…Miss Hyun, what exactly is this…?" "I've found you…." "Pardon?" "At last…." She murmured inexplicable words before pulling away slightly to look directly at me. "I finally found you." "…!" Her eyes widened mine to the size of lanterns. There was something amiss with Hyun Soyeon. 'Her expression.' It wasn't the expression of the Hyun Soyeon I usually knew. Though her black hair was the same, her current blue eyes and somewhat blank look didn’t fit her usual demeanor. Despite the contrasting aura, it reminded me of someone deeply familiar. A figure that often came to mind when I saw Hyun Soyeon. "You—" Managing to find my voice, I asked her, or rather, I had to. "Could you be…?" Just as I began to speak her name– "Wait." The blue-eyed Hyun Soyeon spoke. "I’ll be… there." Crackle-!! With those brief words, lightning energy surged from her body. The bright glow, which lasted but a moment, soon subsided. Sway-! "…!" Hyun Soyeon collapsed, unconscious. I quickly supported her. "What’s going on?" I was taken aback as I looked at her lifeless form. She fainted just like that? I hurriedly shook her, but to no avail. There was no choice. Hum–! I channeled my qi to forcibly rouse her. "…Ugh!?" Hyun Soyeon, who had been unconscious, finally came to her senses. Startled and sitting up abruptly, she glanced around. "What is this…? What’s going on…? Huh? Young Master Baek?" Realizing she was in my arms, she looked at me in surprise. "What’s happening? Why am I here? Oh… could it be?" Hyun Soyeon caught a breath, wrapping her arms around herself cautiously. "…Did you, by any chance, kidnap me with ill intent…?" "Don't spout nonsense…" "It sounded plausible, didn't it?" She laughed broadly as if it had been a joke. I furrowed my brows at her reaction. "But seriously, why am I here? Where is this?" "…Don't you remember?" "No. I lay down to sleep, and now I'm here…? Do I perhaps have sleepwalking?" "…." I swallowed hard. It genuinely seemed that Hyun Soyeon had no memory of the event. This meant– 'Could it have been real?' Was what I had just witnessed truly her? '…Namgung Bia.' The aura Hyun Soyeon exuded had unmistakably belonged to Namgung Bia. * * * Morning came. It was the first day after having moved to the new quarters. With the sounds of birds chirping, announcing the break of dawn, I rose to my feet. "…." Naturally, I hadn’t slept a wink. After such an incident, how could one sleep? My mind was too tangled for rest. 'What in the world?' What had happened? Once Hyun Soyeon regained consciousness, I sent her back with the formal suggestion to visit the infirmary the next day. '…That was Namgung Bia.' Whatever had momentarily possessed Hyun Soyeon's body, it was no doubt Namgung Bia. There's no mistaking it. It was undeniably Namgung Bia for anyone to see. 'How on earth?' How did she appear, albeit briefly, using Hyun Soyeon's body? I couldn't comprehend it. There was no way I could understand. 'This is a different world.' A constructed world. Yet Namgung Bia had pierced through it—moreover, the Namgung Bia I knew. Though she borrowed Hyun Soyeon’s form, she was unmistakably Namgung Bia. Thus, the mystery deepens. 'If only this was the same time frame.' This world was from decades ago when my father was active as a third-generation martial leader. How did Namgung Bia appear in such a place? Furthermore, 'She said she would come?' The words she uttered, asking me to wait for her arrival—those stuck with me. 'What is going on?' It seemed something might be happening in the world I came from. Not good. 'Damn it.' Whatever it was, it wasn't good that events were unfolding without my knowledge. In that case– ZGVPdDc2cnQxMFU0bVlrbnZITXlVdXZFL21HS2p6OTRoNWJLNktQZ3JPTnI5T3RTL1hkVU1VT3QwQlFMZ3V5Vg ‘There might be something happening that I don’t know about.’ Noya from the multiverse had mentioned something. The flow of time here and in my original world is different. In reality, the time Noya was absent might have seemed only a few years, yet in the multiverse, she had spent an enormous amount of time. Believing in such differences in time, I thought it best to return before anything major erupted. ‘Now, however…’ Considering Namgung Bia’s recent appearance, I suspected something might indeed be unfolding. Perhaps events could diverge from what I anticipated or hoped for. ‘Damn it.’ Frustration welled up inside me. Along with it, impatience. ‘Quickly.’ Whatever it may be, I felt compelled to wrap things up as swiftly as possible. "Sigh." I exhaled deeply. To that end, the only course was to move forward. Dragging my uneasy steps, I headed towards the Gu Family's banquet hall. It was the place hinted to me the previous evening. As expected, many people had already gathered there. These were the people who had arrived at Sanseo and the Gu family’s blood relatives. At one end, I spotted Do-yoon and Namgung Jin, with Hyun Soyeon seated next to them. Moreover— "Oh, over here." Next to Gaju's seat of honor, Päjeon sat beside Gu Seong-yeol, waving at me. "…." I eyed the empty seat. It was next to Päjeon and— 'Next to Father.' The place beside my father, Gu Cheol-woon, was vacant. Why there of all places? 'That’s a spot meant for blood relatives.' Clearly, it was intended for the family. While it made sense for Päjeon to be given a good seat due to his stature, my presence there felt inappropriate. Should I really take that seat? I was mulling over the decision when— "Sit wherever you feel comfortable." Jin Yeonryeong, seated next to Gu Seong-yeol, smiled and spoke. "No need to come all the way here." "…Ah, yes." It seemed she sensed my discomfort and offered me a considerate option. Acknowledging her suggestion with a nod, I squeezed in beside Do-yoon. "If everyone is here, let's start the banquet." Perhaps everyone had arrived. Gu Seong-yeol announced the beginning of the banquet. As usual, the Gu Family's gatherings proceeded quietly and somberly. It was a banquet with scant conversation, more about filling one's belly. A stark, typical event befitting a family that didn’t dwell on trivialities. This stifling atmosphere lingered for about half an hour when— "But you know." A woman who had been eating quietly—the Gu family’s blood relative, Goo Sun—spoke up. "It's a pity that there's an empty seat over there. We even have a new sibling now—ack!" Just as she uttered nonsense, Jin Yeonryeong pinched Goo Sun's side firmly with her fingers. "Mommy…!!" "Just eat quietly." "Ouch…." She groaned, clearly in pain. I had noticed before, but her mouth seemed to invite trouble. Then— "By the way." Gu Seong-yeol set his chopsticks down and directed a question at Päjeon. “I didn’t expect you to return here.” My attention was caught by his usage of 'you.' It was intriguing that he addressed Päjeon so casually. Päjeon answered indifferently. “There's nothing to be surprised about. I had to accompany the disciple I barely saved, as he had some business here.” “…A disciple, is it?” Gu Seong-yeol looked in my direction upon hearing this. It was a fleeting glance, but it unmistakably landed on me. “You say you’ve taken a disciple?” “Yes, but…." Päjeon spoke in a somewhat displeased tone. "Why are you speaking so awkwardly? What’s with suddenly trying to act all serious?" "….” The atmosphere became quiet at Päjeon’s pointed remark. "Have you lost your mind since we last saw each other?" Ignoring the mood in the room, Päjeon pressed on. Gu Seong-yeol replied calmly. "I can't stay carefree forever." "That doesn’t sound like you at all." I couldn't help but wonder what Gu Seong-yeol had been like for Päjeon to say such things. ‘He was indeed strange.’ Gu Seong-yeol, who used to be described as a madman of sorts, did not seem as such when I met him in person. On the contrary— ‘He resembled Father.’ His presence and demeanor were akin to my father. Steady and only speaking when necessary. Of course, if compared, Father appeared to carry an even heavier air. Regardless, the resemblance in impression was undeniable. Imagining that such a person was once like me felt inconceivably improbable. “It seems becoming the head of the household drove you mad. You weren't this dull before. Or, have you simply grown old and worn?” "What are you trying to say?" With a fiery gaze, Gu Seong-yeol looked at Päjeon. “Seeing you after so long, if you haven’t grown old and weary, how about we have a match?” "….." Päjeon’s words once again stirred the atmosphere.