Squeak.
I patted Seo Gong’s head, which sprawled over Hyeok Gi-rin’s lap like a rice cake.
Seo Gong, who had been worrying Hyeok Gi-rin quite a bit due to his injuries, was fully back to his old self.
Chirp. Chirp.
Though Seo Gong had returned to shape, Bicheongmacha still had not regained its former glory.
It had only been repaired enough to roll along.
I recalled the events of the past two weeks while riding comfortably in Bicheongmacha.
Since the death of Blood Ancestor.
The entities fighting on the battlefield had two major reactions.
They either went berserk or fled.
Two entities went wild, while four ran away. The remaining two were easily dealt with by the Array Formation Teams.
The whereabouts of the major martial artists of Black Forest Room and Gu Mo-seol became a mystery. They must have been preparing to escape by the time they were defeated by Wi Seoryeon.
The martial artists on the side of Blood People and Blood Sect all scattered and fled.
In contrast, Mosan Sect declared its surrender and gave up resistance.
The entity problem, which had been of great concern, was relatively neatly resolved.
The blood art used to tame entities was a forbidden art that only Blood Ancestor could employ, so even if the remnants of Blood Sect survived, they would no longer be able to tame entities.
Additionally, the hidden bases of Blood Sect or entities dispersed across various places would naturally lose their control over time.
Even in the worst-case scenario, Blood Sect’s influence would eventually be extinguished.
Of course, the righteous factions of the world wouldn’t just stand by and let the entities of Blood Sect roam freely until then.
The fate of Black Forest Room, Gu Mo-seol, and Mosan Sect was all left to Martial Forest Alliance.
As for the world’s fate or influence, it didn’t really matter to me.
Wi Seoryeon became a bandaged human as payment for defeating Gu Mo-seol.
Well, since he was the kind of person who insisted on being with Seo Gong even in that state, he’d probably heal up quickly.
By now, he might have gotten up and shaken off the dust.
Wi Ji-cheon, who soared into the air using Void Steps to plummet Hawk Entities.
When he said he had performed the legendary skill of Qigong called Void Steps, I was all hyped up and asked to show me, but he said he forgot.
It seemed that Realization had merely brushed past him.
When I asked him to show me Void Steps, he claimed it had made him equal to me. Including gambling, he said he was still falling behind.
He kept saying things I couldn’t quite understand and seemed suspiciously bright-eyed.
“What’s wrong, senior?”
“Nothing, just.”
“Are you still hurting anywhere?”
At Black Cat’s question, Tang So-yeol grumbled.
“It’s me who’s in pain.”
Usually, Tang So-yeol’s grumbling was just a show, but this time it was genuine. He had been constantly harassed by Tang Do-yeon’s demands for repairing Bicheongmacha.
Tang Do-yeon, who was driving the cart, jumped into the conversation.
“It seems the front axle is slightly bent. Shouldn’t we fix it quickly?”
“Argh! Just let it be!”
Tang So-yeol’s fit sent the group into laughter. This time, even Tang Do-yeon seemed to let out a laugh as if making jokes.
“Pfft. Well, he’ll fix it up quickly, I suppose.”
…That was a joke, right?
Squeak?
Suddenly bursting into laughter seemed to wake Seo Gong, who had been half-asleep. When Hyeok Gi-rin patted him on the back and fed him Spirit Herb, he mumbled while drifting back to sleep.
Since our first meeting, the amount of Spirit Herb Seo Gong had been consuming lately was no joke.
Looks like I need to earn a lot of money moving forward.
Is this also homework?
As I was thinking that, the speed of Bicheongmacha slowed down.
“We’ve arrived.”
As I got off Bicheongmacha, I was greeted by the ordinary mountain scenery.
We had arrived at Cheonghae’s Yonghwi Mountain.
I gathered my things, climbed up the mountain, placed my hand on the familiar rock wall, and bled into it.
“So this is… the Great Hero’s family home.”
“It feels nostalgic.”
The first-time visitors, Dokgo I-seol and Moyong Yeon-hwa, expressed their thoughts. Perhaps due to the considerable time that had passed since my last visit, the grass had grown thick.
It was essentially a greenhouse, so just tidying up the overgrown weeds made the inside of the Array Formation look neat again.
Having finished clearing away the overgrowth, I stood before my father’s mother’s grave and my grandfather’s grave.
Before that tomb, I unpacked what I had brought.
What I had brought was the gravestone.
Mother, Seo In-yeo.
Father, Cheon Cheol-jung.
And Grandfather, Cheon Song-baek.
The gravestone with the names of my family, names I had not known before, was placed down.
I knelt in front of the gravestone.
“I’ve completed everything.”
Blood Ancestor has passed away.
The Blood Sect’s base located in Mosan Sect was thoroughly destroyed, and all the secret manuals recording various blood arts were also obliterated.
Therefore, the remnants of Blood Sect scattered across various places would also disperse.
It might be best to eradicate the remnants out of concern for future troubles, but then again, Blood Sect was the place where my mother was born and raised.
I wanted to dismantle the organization of Blood Sect but didn’t want to harm all the people.
If they give up on the martial arts and blood arts they’ve built up, their blood-filled eyes would likely recover, and the followers of Blood Sect would have to make that choice themselves.
“Hmm…”
Before coming here, I had so many words I wanted to say, but now, kneeling before the gravestone, I couldn’t seem to say anything at all.
Upon coming to this place, the words that had swirled in my head were all trivial nonsense.
Many events had transpired since my last visit home.
There were crises, my name has been spread about, and I’ve grown in skill, but none of this felt like achievements I could proudly share with my parents and grandfather.
What would make my parents and grandfather happy was something entirely different.
I gestured to my companions.
They cautiously bowed their heads.
Black Cat. Miss Yeo Il-ye. Hyeok Gi-rin. Dokgo I-seol. Moyong Yeon-hwa.
And Tang Do-yeon, Tang So-yeol, and Seo Gong as well.
More than my achievements in martial arts or my exploits in the Martial World, these bonds with them were what I could proudly share with my parents and grandfather.
“I have tied up all my loose ends, so I intend to live following my relationships now.”
Father. Mother. Grandfather.
This Ho Cheon-an has many overdue tasks.
But even if the process is hard and arduous, I don’t think it’ll be painful.
“So please don’t worry about me anymore, and take your time to relax.”
Although I did want to say more, I decided not to force it out.
If they wish to come, they can come anytime.
My family matters have been revealed to the world, so there’s nothing more to hide, and since the force of Blood Sect no longer exists, there’s no need to be cautious about coming here anymore.
Well… if I have something I want to say, I can just run over and chatter about it.
“Hahaha! Then my sister and I will get ready to leave and go repair Bicheongmacha!”
“Yikes!! Let go!! I want to rest too!!”
“Hahaha, come on now, it was just a joke. Didn’t we promise to fix the axle of Bicheongmacha earlier?”
“Ugh!!”
Tang So-yeol was dragged away.
“Miss Yeo Il-ye, you said you’ve been here before?”
“Yes, in the past…”
“There was such a thing.”
Dokgo I-seol and Moyong Yeon-hwa began to explore the house under Yeo Il-ye’s guidance.
Me, Black Cat, and Hyeok Gi-rin sat on the veranda, watching the scene. Seo Gong seemed to like the veranda, as he wriggled out of Hyeok Gi-rin’s arms and curled up, falling back to sleep.
Black Cat suddenly threw her body onto my shoulder. I wondered when this started but it seemed she really enjoyed this kind of expression lately and often bumped into me like this.
“Senior, what are we going to do now?”
“I have to deal with the piled-up tasks.”
“Hm. There are a lot of piled-up tasks…”
Black Cat chuckled.
“I guess there will be no time to be bored moving forward, right?”
“Yeah.”
Suddenly, Black Cat poked me in the side. She pointed her gaze at Hyeok Gi-rin and grinned mischievously.
“And piled-up tasks should be addressed right away when they come to mind.”
I smiled bitterly. Yeah. That’s also something that needs to be addressed. Rather than piled-up tasks, I could say it was already too late.
“Hyeok Gi-rin.”
“Yes?”
Hyeok Gi-rin, who had been watching Seo Gong, looked at me.
Thinking about it, my bond with Hyeok Gi-rin was long-standing. I had received a lot of help during that long journey.
Considering Hyeok Gi-rin’s true identity, it was something I’d have to thank her for a thousand times over.
“Thank you so much for everything.”
Hyeok Gi-rin, who had momentarily been taken aback by my words, soon smiled gently.
“Phew, I’m glad to hear that.”
“And I’m sorry.”
Hyeok Gi-rin’s eyes filled with curiosity. I grabbed her shoulder.
“Because I couldn’t give you a clear answer despite knowing your feelings.”
“Hm?”
I pulled Hyeok Gi-rin, who had made a shocked sound, close. Her small frame came over without resistance, and soon Hyeok Gi-rin’s face was close to mine.
I could read the confusion and surprise in her large, clear eyes, but I didn’t stop or hesitate.
It wouldn’t be a lie to say the thought of becoming lovers with Hyeok Gi-rin didn’t weigh on me at all.
If I were to be with Hyeok Gi-rin, the entire Huang Nation and Imperial Family would be entangled.
But.
Now, what did it matter?
If there are obstacles, we will overcome them together just like now.
Thus, I pressed my lips against Hyeok Gi-rin’s. The soft sensation made her body jerk in surprise, and I pulled away momentarily before kissing her again.
This time, it lasted a bit longer and was deeper.
Finally, when our lips parted, Hyeok Gi-rin looked up at me with a dazed expression as if intoxicated by the lingering sensation.
That was when Black Cat suddenly interjected.
Her face wore a mischievous smile.
“Did you enjoy it?”
“Ah… uh… ah…”
Did I belatedly realize that she had been watching this whole process, or did I suddenly realize that I had just kissed her?
Well, either way, it was embarrassing.
In an instant, Hyeok Gi-rin’s face turned as red as a tomato.
“I-I also need to go see the house!”
She exclaimed and frantically ran away.
Black Cat burst into giggles at that sight. Such a troublemaker.
“Isn’t that a bit too harsh?”
“Pfft. If it were Hyeok Gi-rin, she would have run away anyway, right? She’s just so cute. Seeing her chuckling with Seo Gong makes me want to carry her with Seo Gong on my lap. Don’t you think so too?”
Black Cat said, patting Seo Gong, who turned away as if annoyed. Although rejected by Seo Gong, Black Cat’s face was filled with a joyful smile.
Watching that scene, I opened my mouth.
“Let’s get married.”
Black Cat’s gaze landed on me.
She looked at me as if questioning if I was serious, and I calmly accepted her gaze and conveyed that feeling.
Finally, Black Cat’s firmly closed lips parted.
“I don’t want to.”
…Huh?
For a moment, my brain froze.
Wait, hold on. The atmosphere was good, and I thought it was perfectly timed; how could I be rejected like this?
“It’s true that I like you, but I’ve really suffered and lost so much because of you, you know?”
Oh.
“Until now, I haven’t said it, but I might have exposed the identity of Wolbok-dang while digging for information. By following you around, my information income has drastically decreased, and as the Lord, I haven’t taken care of my members.”
As she spoke, Black Cat’s expression grew increasingly stern.
“But hey! What about you? You seduced Dokgo I-seol to collapse Sadoryeon and charmed Moyong Yeon-hwa while claiming you were solving the troubles of Shengsu Faction! You really made a big deal out of things with Moyong Yeon-hwa. How could you end up in such a mess?”
“Ah, I’m sorry…”
“Are you really sorry?!”
At Black Cat’s sharp reaction, cold sweat started pouring down my back. As I was sweating buckets, Black Cat sighed and relaxed her arms.
“So I’ll be watching you from now on. To see if you truly do well in the future, and whether you woo other women. Got that?!”
I nodded silently. My answer seemed lacking in assurance, as Black Cat’s expression lifted with confidence and came closer.
Suddenly, Black Cat kissed me.
While I was surprised by the sudden kiss, she said with a gentle smile.
“I really do like you, senior. So you better do well and pass the test quickly!”
With love overflowing from her slightly curved eyes, I silently nodded.
“…Okay.”
Black Cat giggled and went inside. Soon after, Hyeok Gi-rin shouted something, and the house became lively in an instant.
To treat Black Cat well.
I had another task added to my list.
That’s fine.
Regardless of how many tasks there are, even if they are hard and challenging, I don’t think it will be painful.
It seemed like the house tour was finished, as Hyeok Gi-rin, now with a pout, appeared with the others, all laughing.
Is it about time to leave?
I lifted Seo Gong into my arms.
Squeak!
After being disturbed from his sleep repeatedly, Seo Gong finally exploded in anger.
“Ah, I’m sorry! Sleep well in Bicheongmacha!”
As I patted the squirming little creature’s bottom to calm him down, laughter erupted among the group. Looking at Hyeok Gi-rin’s puffed cheeks, it seemed she had been teased.
Hyeok Gi-rin sulked and exited the Array Formation first.
“Honorable Person!”
“Great Hero! Come on over!”
The team waved at me.
“I’m coming.”
I adjusted Seo Gong, who was still complaining in my grasp, took in the scenery of the house one last time, and then turned my gaze toward the grave.
I silently offered a greeting to my parents and grandfather.
I moved on with my steps for the journey that was far from over.
I had completely wrapped up one task.
But at the same time, it was a day when many things were about to begin again.
