Chapter 211

The man immediately shouted.

“Again! There you go again! I told you to call me Brother!”

The way he was obsessing over that one word confirmed it. This really was Tang Seho.

Why does he look so old?

I could only blink at him in bewilderment. Tang Seho grinned and stroked his chin.

“I’ll forgive you. I know I’m handsome enough to leave you speechless. I look good, don’t I?”

“What the hell? Why’d you grow a beard?”

At my look of disgust, the corners of his mouth drooped.

“...Damn. You think it looks weird too? Should I just shave it off?”

“Yeah. Shave it. Right now.”

He scratched his head and covered the awkward patch of beard with one hand. There was hardly anything left of the boyish face I remembered.

His mouth, however, was every bit as busy as before.

“How could you not send me a single letter? I know you were busy, but would it have killed you to write a few words saying you were alive?”

“Sorry. I meant to, but then I got chased by assassins and forgot.”

“...You were chased by assassins? Seriously? Who sent them? You weren’t hurt, were— No. You’re lying, aren’t you?”

“I’m not.”

“Give me a break. What lunatic would send assassins after someone of Tang blood? How would they ever deal with the consequences? You’re making fun of me because I’ve never left Sichuan, aren’t you? I’m not that ignorant.”

I was curious how my lunatic of an aunt planned to deal with the consequences too. Tang Gak was dead now, so I was rather looking forward to seeing what she would do.

I shrugged and answered carelessly.

“Fine, fine. They weren’t assassins. They were members of the Demonic Sect.”

“Hey! Are you going to keep messing with me?”

But it’s true.

Apparently dissatisfied with my answer, Tang Seho grumbled for a moment before changing the subject.

“Anyway, what in the world have you been doing out there to earn a sobriquet like Poison Butterfly? Have you been going around cutting people down?”

“Something like that.”

“Sister Chohee was thrilled. The moment she heard your sobriquet, she said you needed weapons worthy of it, shut herself up in the smithy, and started making you a new pair of butterfly blades—”

Has he somehow gotten even more talkative since we were kids?

Tang Seho rambled on for quite a while before he began sneaking glances at me. Then he cleared his throat and deliberately lowered his voice.

“Ahem. Hey.”

“What?”

“I don’t hate you.”

He fiddled with his earlobe and stared pointedly elsewhere. I couldn’t help laughing under my breath.

“...I know.”

If he hated me, he wouldn’t have come running in the middle of the night screaming at me to escape. And he certainly wouldn’t have sulked because I hadn’t written to him.

Tang Seho shifted his eyes awkwardly, then hurriedly changed the subject.

“So where are you going? Your quarters?”

“No. The Clan Head’s residence. I’m going to pay my respects to the Clan Head.”

“Do you remember the way? Want me to take you?”

“Do you think I’m an idiot?”

“You used to get lost all the time. Sister Chohee had to take you around. More than once, from what I heard.”

“...”

“Right?”

How the hell did he know about that?

When I clamped my mouth shut, Tang Seho snickered and started walking ahead as though telling me to follow.

I trailed after him without much thought, then stopped short at an unfamiliar sight.

In the middle of the inner compound was a weed-choked empty lot.

It was where Tang Gak’s residence used to stand.

“W-What happened here?”

“You didn’t hear? The day Grandfather came out of seclusion, the whole household nearly got destroyed. Part of the wall was smashed apart, halls collapsed... About five buildings over there got blown away too. Those are new.”

“Grandfather did this? Why?”

“Why do you think? Because of you. The first thing he did after coming out was look for you. But a kid who’d been expelled obviously wasn’t going to be sitting around at home.”

“Ah...”

I stared blankly at the ruined plot. Tang Seho spoke more quietly.

“They probably won’t be able to build anything here for at least ten years. Grandfather ordered everyone to leave the site untouched.”

It was a warning.

A warning not to forget Tang Gak’s end.

Looking at that grim patch of ground, I understood why Uncle Geunmyeong had warned me that some people here would resent me.

The disgraceful death of the Grand Elder had effectively been put on display, and I was the reason.

When my expression darkened, Tang Seho clicked his tongue.

“It wasn’t your fault, so stop worrying about it. Something like this was bound to happen eventually. I was close to Brother Jani too, but... he and the Grand Elder crossed the line all the time. I’m the Clan Head’s son, and whenever he got drunk he’d start spouting nonsense about how he was going to be the next Clan Head.”

“Yeah. I’m not worried about it.”

“Does that look like the face of someone who isn’t worried? You look miserable. I’m telling you, it wasn’t your fault. The adults were the ones acting like idiots.”

“What? Are you allowed to say that?”

“So what? It’s true. Though Father made the stupidest choice of all. After watching him throw you out, how could any of us respect him the same way we used to? Anyway, we’re here.”

Tang Seho muttered the last part with a thoroughly fed-up expression and pointed ahead.

We had already reached the Clan Head’s residence.

The guards recognized Tang Seho and bowed to him, but when they saw me, their eyes darted around uncertainly as though they had no idea what to do.

Tang Seho’s expression sharpened.

“Hey. Why aren’t you greeting my little sister? She’s the Clan Head’s daughter too.”

Only then did the guards hurriedly bow and step aside.

“Want me to come in with you?”

“No. I’ll go alone.”

“Trying to act tough. Fine. Go on, then.”

I nodded and was about to climb the steps when I came face-to-face with Tang Yeongho, who was walking out with his shoulders hunched.

“Hello, Brother.”

After a moment’s hesitation, I greeted him.

Tang Yeongho’s face twisted. He pretended not to hear me and brushed straight past.

Still a complete bastard.

Tang Seho seemed used to his brother’s behavior and spoke as though it were nothing.

“Don’t mind Eldest Brother. He’s just jealous of you.”

“Huh?”

“You’re immune to all poisons. He spent his whole life as a talentless fool of a young clan head, and then one day his youngest sister suddenly appeared with the very talent he’d always wanted. On top of that, she became the disciple of the strongest martial artist in the clan. How do you think he feels? Of course it eats him alive.”

I stared at Tang Seho.

He kept trying, in his own way, to tell me that none of this was my fault and that I shouldn’t let it hurt me.

This guy...

He really has changed.

When I said nothing, he hurriedly added,

“Not that I’m like that, all right? I know my limits.”

“Brother. Did you finally grow up?”

“Of course I did. I’m your older brother, aren’t I? Just get in there already. I’ll wait and take you back to your quarters afterward.”

“Why?”

“After seeing how these idiots are acting, I’m worried you won’t even make it back by yourself!”

What an absurd thing to worry about.

Apparently, in his eyes I still looked like the clueless fifteen-year-old who had only just been entered into the family registry.

If anyone blocked my way, I could just beat them down and keep walking. Everyone around here looked frail enough to topple over if I poked them.

The guards’ attitude didn’t bother me in the slightest.

Still, Tang Seho’s concern wasn’t unpleasant.

“Fine. I’ll be back.”

Smiling, I stepped over the threshold of the Clan Head’s residence.

******

Tang Muheok looked nothing like the man I remembered.

The sharp gleam that had once filled his eyes was gone, drowned beneath a heavy gloom. Gray streaked his hair at the temples, making him look far older than he truly was.

His vitality had faded so badly that, had I passed him outside, I might not even have guessed he was the Clan Head.

Hiding my surprise, I gave him a formal clasped-hands salute.

“Clan Head. I have just returned to the main estate and came to pay my respects.”

“...I see.”

Even his voice was weak.

Tang Muheok stared at me with unreadable eyes, then covered his mouth with his sleeve and coughed.

The small coughs kept coming. His internal injuries clearly had not healed completely.

Looking at him, I finally understood just how terrible Grandfather’s fury must have been.

...Did he leave him barely alive only because it would be troublesome if the Clan Head actually died?

I had no idea where to look and could only part my lips uselessly until Tang Muheok finally spoke, as though this was enough.

“We are not close enough to have a long conversation. You may leave.”

The calm dismissal carried no emotion at all.

That was what made it so strange.

He had never hesitated to show his disgust for me before.

“Yes. Then I’ll take my leave.”

I answered without protest and turned away.

Yet seeing Tang Muheok reduced to this did not feel satisfying.

If anything, it only made my mood sink.

I had always thought of him as a man so cold that even a needle could pierce him without drawing a drop of blood.

He was my biological father, a man who had stood by and allowed me to die, so I had hated him as much as I pleased.

But this...

He looked so pathetic that even hating and resenting him seemed pointless.

I didn’t know pity and disgust were feelings you could have at the same time.

I stepped outside, trying to settle the turmoil in my chest, and spotted Tang Seho lecturing the guards about something.

“You’re back already?”

“Yeah. More or less.”

Looking a little embarrassed, Tang Seho released the guard whose collar he had apparently been clutching and immediately began inspecting me from head to toe.

He must have been worried Tang Muheok might have laid a hand on me.

Only after confirming that nothing had happened did his expression relax, and he waved me over.

“Come on.”

He deliberately squared his shoulders as he walked ahead.

The sight was not reassuring in the slightest.

Even so, it was enough to lift the heaviness in my chest.

It seemed what happened that day—when he had failed to truly help me—had been bothering him ever since.

...This isn’t so bad either.

I smiled faintly and followed Tang Seho at an easy pace.