When the Black Moon Rises - Chapter 44
Chapter 44
Upon exiting the tent, everyone seemed to have anticipated it and was already removing the tents and preparing to move.
In the meantime, the sound of urgent hoofbeats could be heard from afar.
His sons had arrived a step too late.
Ju Gahan and Ju Gayoon, out of breath, dismounted their horses as if leaping off and ran toward Ju Myoungyoon.
“Father! How is Sehwa?”
“Is Sehwa alright?”
“Yes. Fortunately, it seems the exuviation went well.”
“Ha, that’s a relief.”
“Poor thing. To go through exuviation alone in such a place without her parents or older brothers.”
“She hasn’t even spent proper time with her family, and yet she goes through exuviation alone. Father, how can we possibly send such a child to the Baek Clan?”
“That’s right. Even now, can’t we offer our lives to the Mystic Ruler and ask him to reconsider that order, Father?”
“…….”
“Father?”
Ju Gahan and Ju Gayoon called out to their father, who had suddenly become stiff, but the old general did not respond.
At his sons’ words about how could they send her to the Baek Clan, a clue seemed to emerge about something he had been thinking about.
‘Come to think of it, before, when my sons joined me…’
“How could we stay still after hearing about Sehwa going to the Baek Clan? We're both on our way to offer our necks before the Mystic Ruler and beg for reconsideration of this order!”
“How can you burden our fragile sister with such an obligation? Even if we have to lay down our lives, somehow Sehwa must…!”
‘Even though these fellows were openly ranting about it.’
Ju Myoungyoon’s eyes narrowed.
‘Baek Giha, who was listening to it, had no reaction at all. ……As if he already knew that Sehwa would be coming to the Baek Clan.’
He had even knelt down, saying he wanted to become friends. It was an action that no warrior would ever do.
And yet, he didn't say a word about Sehwa’s journey to the Baek Clan.
“I see. So, he is coming with your daughter now. Taking two days on this road……”
‘Also, he seem concerned about the Young Lord and my daughter being together.’
Strangely, the thoughts that had been disorganized the whole time.
Those thoughts that had been confusing Ju Myoungyoon since he had been with Baek Giha seemed to be coming together when he included his daughter.
“If it is alright with you, I would like to receive guidance from the Elder during my stay in the Ju Clan's territory.”
“If the Elder is here, does that mean that the marriage of your children will stop in its tracks?”
“In terms of character, I do not lack in any department….”
“Please continue with what you were saying. What else is there in the conditions for you to be considered as a son-in-law?”
“I am not like that by nature. I am respectful towards elders, my conduct is proper, I do not get into trouble, I am considerate towards the weak and I am… generous. Because my heart is large, I’ll treat my wife well if I am to marry.”
“If it's okay with you, please consider me as your, son, Father.”
“Brothers.”
“……”
Ju Myoungyoon frowned.
‘But is that possible? The Baek Clan Head has never met my daughter before.’
He had been in the Baek Clan territory, and his daughter had only been in the Ju Clan territory until she was sent to the human realm. Where did he even meet Sehwa?
But if that wasn’t the purpose, then his thoughts seemed to reach a dead end again, losing track of the clues and falling apart.
“……”
If he included his daughter, the situation made sense.
If he excluded his daughter, then he couldn't understand what the situation was.
“What I can promise you clearly is that my visit will never be harmful to the Ju Clan.”
‘……Yes. It wouldn’t be harmful to the Ju Clan. It’d only be harmful to my family.’
“Father Myoungyoon.”
“Father Myoungyoon.”
At that moment, Baek Giha, who had transformed back into a human, came out of the tent a step late and called out to him.
Perhaps because of the effects of transforming into a beast, the spiritual power that had yet to subside was still undulating in his body.
Even in that state, he carefully reached out his arm towards Ju Myoungyoon.
“Elder, if it is alright, I will carry your daughter for a while. She has finished her exuviation today under the influence of my aura, so my spiritual power will help her recover faster.”
“…….”
“Father Myoungyoon?”
Ju Myoungyoon, who was lost in thought, looked at Baek Giha and asked.
“Baek Clan Head.”
“Yes.”
“There is one thing I would like to ask you.”
“Yes. Please ask.”
“The one you are using now, that…”
“That?”
“That title, ‘Father Myoungyoon.’”
“Yes.”
“Is it possible that the meaning of 'Father' you're referring to is…”
“Ah, as I mentioned last time, it has a good meaning. Truly. It’s a sign of respect….”
“I also think I may be making a pointless conjecture…… Is it possible that the ‘Father’ means ‘Future Father-in-law’?”
“…….”
Ju Myoungyoon interrupted Baek Giha and stared at him with sharp eyes.
“Answer me. I would appreciate it if you did not resort to a deceitful answer.”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
As the silence lengthened, a cold and harsh wind swept between them.
Sehwa’s two older brothers had also approached them by now.
Ju Myoungyoon’s voice lowered slightly.
“When and where did you meet my daughter? Was it in the human realm?”
“……Ah, no. When did I see your daughter? Today is the first-.”
“If you lie and it is revealed that what you said was false, I swear on the name of my clan that I will never accept the Baek Clan Head as my son-in-law. ……Well, even if you don't lie, I'm not sure if I'll allow the marriage.”
“……”
“Is that too sudden? Now that I think about it, I don't know what confidence I have in setting such a shameful condition. The Baek Clan Head doesn't even have any intention of becoming my son-in-law. I apologize. ……So, where did you meet her? Was it in the human realm?”
“…….”
“It wasn’t today, was it?”
“…….”
“Perhaps.”
Ju Myoungyoon gritted his teeth at this point.
“Perhaps, did you already know that my daughter would be going to the Baek Clan? Is that why you came here, to pick up my daughter?”
“…….”
“…….”
“…….”
A long silence followed.
Ju Myoungyoon called out to his son.
“Gayoon.”
“Yes.”
“Before you rushed over here, were you practicing swordsmanship with the Baek Clan Head again? Your sword is still at the Baek Clan Head's waist.”
“Give it here.”
Gayoon took the sword from Baek Giha's waist and took it away with a cold attitude.
“Gahan.”
“Yes.”
“Repeat what you said earlier.”
“If a teaching is not against the six paths, it could be considered a good teaching, but one must also choose one's opponent carefully. ……I am truly sorry, Father. I will never disobey your words again.”
“Um… Elder.”
Ju Myoungyoon replied as he looked at Baek Giha with cold eyes.
“Why change the title when you were calling me 'Myjang Elder' before?”
“Haha…….”
Baek Giha tried to call out to his two sons again, but the gaze coming from them was even more menacing.
Looking at their expressions, which seemed like no needle could penetrate, Baek Giha's gaze wavered considerably.
‘What, what do I do…….’
Sehwa was carried back home by Ju Myoungyoon.
Youngsun diligently took care of her while she was unconscious.
But.
Bang!
“Something must have happened during her exuviation. Otherwise, there's no way she would still be unconscious after three days. We must deal with Baek Giha!”
Ju Gayoon, whose return date was approaching, slammed the table in frustration and shouted.
‘We barely managed to get a seven-day reprieve, but.’
The Mystic Ruler hadn't even returned from the human realm.
His younger sister, who had finished her exuviation, had not yet regained consciousness, and.
The culprit who had made his older brother and him rush all the way here had shamelessly infiltrated the house.
It was only natural that Ju Gayoon's anger was reaching its peak.
The elder brother Ju Gahan added in an ominous voice.
“I don't understand why Father allowed him to stay in Sehwa's room. If you allow it, Gayoon and I will get the Baek Clan Head to refuse Sehwa's journey to the Baek Clan.”
“That’s right. We might be less capable than him, but our will to risk our lives is stronger than his.”
Ju Myoungyoon sometimes looked towards the door, as if waiting for something, and replied to his sons.
“How can I not understand your feelings? But didn't Elder Jayoon say that the time given was only one week? I'll take care of everything else, so you two should return to your posts now.”
“Father!”
It was at that moment. A maid entered the room with a porcelain bowl on a tray.
“You’re here. Is it well-brewed?”
“Yes.”
As if to show them, the maid opened the lid of the porcelain bowl.
“!!”
“!!!”
Ju Myoungyoon's two sons hurriedly moved away from the bowl, as if they had seen the most potent poison in the world.
“F-Father? Wh-What on earth is that?”
“Do you remember when the Baek Clan Head said that he was tired from his long journey and his feet were trembling?”
“Yes, I do remember.”
“Our Ju Clan is not such a harsh place, is it? It is a specially prepared herbal medicine to treat the tired Baek Clan Head. I have already been bringing it for three days.”
“……Does he eat it?”
Ju Myoungyoon, looking down at the herbal medicine, replied coldly.
“What if he doesn’t? He came all the way here to my home, determined to take that young one, no matter what. If he doesn't like my home’s hospitality, he should go to another home. And if he doesn’t want that, then he must eat it.”
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