Chapter 33
Before her stood a burly boy with a flat, broad nose.
‘Who is this? I’ve never seen him before.’
From the sash around his waist to the sword on his back, everything he wore was expensive-looking, yet somehow it gave off a tacky impression.
Perhaps it was because of his twisted way of speaking.
“Oh my, it’s so hard to see the precious heir of the Namgung family.”
“Namgung Do, elder brother.”
Namgung Baek sighed as he said his name. It sounded thoroughly exasperated.
‘Namgung Do?’
It was a name she had heard somewhere. Hongseol recalled the gossip she overheard in the kitchen:
“Ah, Young Master! Earlier, Young Master Namgung Do from the branch family was looking for you.”
Only then did Hongseol notice the cloud emblem at the end of Namgung Do’s clothing, symbolizing the Namgung family. However, unlike Namgung Baek’s emblem, this one was split in half.
‘So he’s the young master of the Namgung branch family.’
She remembered hearing from Maeran that the younger brother of the current head, Namgung On, was living nearby with his family.
‘I also heard that his only son was quite skilled in martial arts.’
Hongseol quietly observed Namgung Do.
His face was youthful, like Namgung Baek’s, but he was slightly taller, with a solid, impressive frame.
“The proud Namgung Baek of the main family isn’t even glad to see his cousin after so long? Not even bothering to show his face at tea.”
“As you can see, I’m busy, elder brother.”
Namgung Baek answered in a tone devoid of sincerity. Annoyed, Namgung Do continued to provoke him.
“And what’s that in your arms? I thought you’d be wearing a scarf even in spring because you’re so weak, but is that a kitten?”
Hongseol began to feel frightened under his glare. In an instant, her tail puffed up like a laundry bat. Seeing this, Namgung Do sneered.
“Look at the beastling being cautious. Namgung Baek, since when did the great heir of the Namgung family become one to serve a cat?”
“….”
Whether it’s a cat or a foal, Hongseol thought, she didn’t care. But anger bubbled up inside her despite her fear.
Namgung Baek, as if deeming it unworthy of a response, stayed silent.
“Oh, are you near death, so the Black and Red factions don’t respect you? Is that why you’re raising that cat as a younger sibling?”
Near death?!
Hongseol’s anger flared, her nose turning red.
‘How could someone say such a thing!’
Who could speak so callously of another’s suffering? At least by the code of the martial world she had learned by watching, this was impossible.
‘I knew he’d been poisoned and would die by twenty…’
Yet she never imagined someone would say it so openly.
‘Just hearing I couldn’t use my inner strength made me groan in my room.’
Recalling the wound in her heart now… she couldn’t even imagine what Namgung Baek must feel inside.
Though they weren’t particularly close, she wished she could embrace the much taller Namgung Baek to comfort him.
However, unlike trembling Hongseol, Namgung Baek merely let out a small, dry laugh.
“A younger sibling, huh? Well… maybe.”
“That poor cat. What if elder brother dies soon and stiffens up cold?”
This time, it was not Namgung Baek, but Hongseol who went blank.
Stiffens up cold.
She had already experienced that once.
On a snowy day, at Daechuksan.
The memory of collapsing under a blanket of utter despair resurfaced slowly within her.
‘By twenty, Baek elder brother…’
He would face a lonely death alone.
Thinking of that filled her small heart with a heavy sorrow.
‘Is elder brother really going to be okay?’
Gathering courage, Hongseol glanced at Namgung Baek.
Perhaps from living alongside the constant presence of imminent death for so long, his expression remained calm even under Namgung Do’s provocation. This made her even sadder.
‘He looks so pitiful…’
In that moment, she sincerely wished Namgung Baek could escape his fate and find happiness.
Then Namgung Do’s arrogant voice rang sharply.
“You can’t escape your destined death anyway. So why not give up and just hand me the position of future young master?”
‘W-what did he just say?’
Every hair on Hongseol stood on end.
Knowing the whole family was trying their hardest to save Namgung Baek…
How could he say something like that!
Anger boiled so intensely that her mind suddenly became sharp.
She pressed her fluffy lips shut tightly.
Namgung Baek had probably endured these kinds of words countless times simply because he was family.
‘Elder brother must have silently endured them all this time…’
Being used to it doesn’t make the pain disappear.
‘I’m in cat form right now.’
Then, if she punished this wicked young master, he might just dismiss it as something an animal naturally does.
‘I’m scared. But…’
Clenching her teeth, Hongseol spread her right front paw wide.
‘Alright.’
She had sharp claws ready.
Since Namgung Do had appeared, Namgung Baek’s grip on her had loosened.
‘I’ll show that brat what happens when he torments my pitiful elder brother!’
One sharp fang poked out from her mouth, showing her firm determination.
As the fang glinted in the sunlight, she leapt.
“Meow!”
Without giving Namgung Baek a chance to react, Hongseol bravely lunged at Namgung Do.
It was a movement no one could have expected from timid Hongseol.
The rift between her and Namgung Baek didn’t matter in that moment.
“Hongseol!”
Namgung Baek’s urgent voice rang out—but it was already too late.
Hongseol swiftly closed the distance to Namgung Do’s broad face.
“Ah!”
Startled, Namgung Do flailed his arms.
Swish.
His clumsy fists barely brushed past Hongseol’s cheek.
‘I won’t let this go!’
Trembling with fear, she didn’t back down, sinking her claws into Namgung Do’s face.
Everything went as expected.
‘This is for tormenting my pitiful elder brother, you evil brat!’
Shash-shash-shash!
Thin red lines quickly appeared across Namgung Do’s face.
“Ahhhh!”
He exaggerated his pain, shaking his head and screaming. In the chaos, Hongseol, still clinging to his hair with one paw, was sent flying through the air.
Whoosh—.
She nearly hit the ground.
At that moment, Namgung Baek swiftly caught Hongseol and hugged her tightly.
“Enough!”
“Meow!”
Hongseol, still angry, continued to hiss at Namgung Do from Namgung Baek’s embrace.
Seeing Hongseol’s face bleeding, Namgung Do’s eyes gleamed.
“You crazy cat! You’re dead today!”
He drew a blue sword from his back and aimed it.
“I’ll show you the taste of my ‘Cangqiong Dayan Sword Technique’ at rank three!”
Rank three? Hongseol flinched in surprise.
The Cangqiong Dayan Sword Technique of Namgung Yegyeol from the main family had a rank of eight. Rank three was still a remarkable accomplishment for someone his age—that was why Namgung Do was so proud.
“Actually, I was saving this to show you in a duel later, but I’ll test it on this cat first.”
The tip of his sword pointed directly at Hongseol’s neck. Namgung Baek’s expression instantly turned cold.
“How dare you draw a sword in the inner quarters of the Namgung family. What do you think you’re doing, Namgung Do?”
“Finally showing your true nature in your tone. Scared your precious beast’s neck will fly off?”
“Don’t you dare touch her. I warned you.”
“You without a sword—what can you do? This isn’t a formal duel, Namgung Baek.”
He was clearly saying that even if Namgung Baek tried to stop him empty-handed, he wouldn’t hold back.
Glaring at Namgung Baek, Namgung Do spat words of disdain.
“You’re just a corpse waiting to die.”
“Meow!”
Hongseol bristled, ready to leap again.
‘Something’s off…’
Namgung Baek, holding her, remained unusually calm.
“Meow…?”
Suddenly, he gently put Hongseol down.
“Step back for a moment.”
His tone was so serious that Hongseol couldn’t disobey.
Straightening his back, Namgung Baek faced Namgung Do.
“Let me show you what I can do without a sword, as you say, a living corpse.”
A confident smirk twisted his lips.
Placing his feet firmly on the ground, he slowly drew in his inner energy, focusing it into his right fist.
A barely visible, shimmering aura swirled and concentrated around Namgung Baek’s hand.
