Chapter 28 Was that why? The man's warning felt as though it had been directed at me.
Perhaps it was nothing more than a guilty conscience reacting on its own. Yes, that might be it. To be honest, I could not think rationally. It was only natural—this was the first time I had resisted him.
I thought I heard the sickening sound of solid bone shifting out of place.
[Kill her.]
When he released his grip, the woman's head fell limply. She was still breathing, but her face twisted in horrific pain.
[I will say it again. Kill her.]
At the command, the wine cup on the table shattered into pieces.
I rose automatically… and only belatedly grasped the situation. The wine the woman poured was not merely strong liquor, but poisoned liquor.
Expectation flickered in his eyes.
That expectation was trust—confidence that I would never defy him.
It was something I had forgotten, but I was nothing more than a puppet that moved to fulfill Salmak's will, its desires, its purpose.
I must not change.
I must not possess a self.
Everything I endured was for that. Why hesitate now? No one would remember me. The place where I belonged was here—among those like me…
[Yeo Il.]
[…]
[Kill her.]
…There was no such fate.
I cut the man down.
When I opened my eyes after steadying my breath,
perhaps because it had been so long since I had concentrated so deeply, my entire body was soaked in sweat. It clung heavily, yet I felt no discomfort.
They never tire of appearing.
My body and mind felt clear and light… yet encountering that unwelcome face again left a lingering irritation.
No sooner had I drained the prepared tea to the last drop than a languid voice, damp with the night air, sounded behind me.
"You're relentless."
It was Jin Cheong-ak.
"You've surpassed the peak realm at such a ridiculous age, and yet every time you regulate your qi, you struggle at the brink of heart demons. Why is that?"
It could not be helped. I only cultivated my internal energy when Jin Cheong-ak was nearby.
If, like Namgung Hui-myeong, I practiced qi regulation daily while staying in the clan, it would be easier to steady my mind and control my internal energy.
But the Namgung Clan was not a safe haven for me.
Wherever we were, the only one I could entrust with guarding me was Jin Cheong-ak. I had no choice but to accept the consequences. It was a truth I did not voice.
Removing my outer garment and exposing my bare back, I soaked a plain cloth in water and wiped myself down.
My skin appeared flawless, yet when my hand passed over my left scapula, an indescribably strange sensation arose.
Though at the moment I reached the supreme realm my body reshaped into near-perfection—
this place, where Salmak's brand was once seared, was the sole exception.
Perhaps because my movements were slow, Jin Cheong-ak, who watched in silence, stepped close and took the cloth from me.
He wiped my body with familiarity.
Lifting my arm as though tending to a child, he washed it clean. When it came time to wipe the front, he dipped the cloth again and handed it back.
"I've worn my mouth thin saying this, but sometimes it's better to speak plainly about the root of your deviation to someone like me. Knots only loosen once you bring them into the open."
I swallowed a scoff.
"A knot? To you? That would be like entrusting fish to a cat."
Jin Cheong-ak laughed low and let out a soft "meow."
Soon after, he placed neatly folded clothes beside me. They were new, stiff women's garments.
"It's something Seol-yeong left an hour ago. The Sogaju (Clan Heir) acquired a pretty jade-green garment for Miss Namgung."
"Namgung Jeok-myeong?"
With his name attached to it, I felt reluctant to touch it.
"He's a peculiar man. He seems to know you're an impostor, yet his behavior is that of a true elder brother. Is there a scheme behind it?"
"Most likely."
I ran my hand over the fine jade-colored fabric.
There was nothing unusual at first glance. I slowly unfolded it and checked every part that would touch the skin. There was no poison applied.
"Wait. If you intend to change at once, I'll step out—"
I abandoned my seated posture and stood immediately, untying my sash. With a sigh, Jin Cheong-ak walked toward the door.
"…I'll step out now. I'll rest in Seol-yeong's room. Unless your life hangs by a thread, do not come looking for me. Please."
Left alone, I changed with practiced ease.
Before living as Namgung Soyo, this was the kind of clothing I always wore—simple garments that women living in luxury within a prestigious clan would never wear.
It was perfect attire for concealing Namgung Soyo's identity.
The Sogaju (Clan Heir) truly is perceptive about worldly matters.
In my days roaming the martial world, I noticed that heirs of prestigious clans were generally clumsy when traveling incognito. Their very bearing set them apart.
Namgung Hui-myeong was no exception.
At the inn, the reason he drove away unwanted guests was not merely his intimidating demeanor, but because at a glance he looked like the son of a wealthy household.
By contrast, the Namgung Jeok-myeong I reunited with here bore the seasoned air of a martial wanderer.
Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded in my mind.
[If you are awake, come out for a moment, Soyo.]
Namgung Jeok-myeong.
I stared at the window swaying in the night wind.
Was he watching?
The moment the light was lit, he must have sent a voice transmission.
I stepped out of the inn.
Outside, turmoil reigned. A storm raged across the sky that had been still moments before.
In the empty street stood a single man—the one who sent the voice transmission.
Namgung Jeok-myeong's face, shaded by a black bamboo hat and dark cloak, was obscured by faint mist. If it was not my imagination, a faint scent of blood lingered about him, not yet washed away by the rain.
He studied me quietly, then let out a soft laugh.
"You chose the color well. The jade shade suits you as though it were part of you."
His voice carried through the heavy rain.
Then he tossed something toward me—an oil-coated umbrella suitable for shelter on a night like this.
Pretending not to see, I bent slightly and felt around until I found it.
"In such weather, where do you intend to take me?"
"It's not far. We will arrive soon."
"Given the circumstances, I fear unforeseen harm."
"Anyone listening would think I were some shameless kidnapper."
"I was not referring to you, Lord Jeok-myeong."
He lifted his head slightly. In the darkness, his black eyes glinted meaningfully.
"Then let me rephrase it. I will tell you something you are curious about. If you wish, follow me."
With that, Namgung Jeok-myeong turned without hesitation and began to walk.
I called out loudly after him.
"Lord Jeok-myeong! Have you forgotten? I cannot see. In unfamiliar places like this, I must be led by the hand."
He paused, then returned and took my hand.
He drew me along slowly—his movement gentle, in stark contrast to his earlier hostility.
Perhaps because of that, I was certain of at least one thing.
Namgung Jeok-myeong believed completely that I was blind.
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