Chapter 27
“I’ll choose the clothes after all.”
Namgoong Mu-yeong widened his eyes in disbelief.
“What… you’re going to choose these worn-out clothes?”
Just a moment ago, it seemed like she was going to give in!
Hongseol’s choice left even the seasoned Namgoong Mu-yeong speechless.
Still unable to let go, Namgoong Mu-yeong hurriedly continued.
“If you become my granddaughter-in-law, all our family’s wealth will belong to you. And yet you still insist on choosing these clothes?”
Hongseol nodded firmly.
Then, Namgoong Mu-yeong, feeling completely defeated, pressed his hand to his forehead and asked,
“Are you not satisfied with our Jong-woo?”
Hongseol shook her head.
There was no need to criticize Namgoong Jong-woo in front of her grandfather, who was completely doting. Besides, Jong-woo had little influence on her decision.
“Then why?”
“I… I’ve started enjoying martial arts.”
Hongseol wriggled her fingers as she continued.
“It’s a hard-earned opportunity, so I want to stay at the main house and properly learn Namgoong’s martial arts from the Grand Patriarch.”
And someday, as her grandfather promised, she wanted to heal her illness and soar freely.
That was the dream Hongseol had nurtured.
Hearing this, Namgoong Mu-yeong was left speechless.
The teachings of the Grand Patriarch—no matter how wealthy, even he could never give such an experience.
“So… that’s it.”
Bitter as if biting into an unripe persimmon.
He had thought he’d found a rare, clever, and talented child.
“She looks so small and weak, yet…”
Even by her ability to dodge the sword, it was clear Hongseol was overflowing with talent.
But what Namgoong Mu-yeong truly noticed was her behavior afterward.
“She asked for a private meeting with Jong-woo and immediately handled his prideful attitude.”
This was undoubtedly because she recognized that Jong-woo’s behavior toward Namgoong Mu-yeong himself was inappropriate.
In addition to her natural talent, Hongseol had a righteous and honorable heart.
“A promising child. With just a little guidance, she’ll become a great person.”
And if his own grandson could be by her side, it would be the perfect outcome.
However, if this child wanted to learn beside the Grand Patriarch…
“This is bitter indeed…”
Namgoong Mu-yeong thought he had no choice but to quietly step back.
He believed that the teachings of the Grand Patriarch were the only reason Hongseol would slip from his grasp.
But in truth, Hongseol had another reason she could not tell him:
“Perhaps I already have something like a family.”
Grandfather Namgoong Ho, Maeran, maybe even others… they had simply treated her kindly despite her uselessness.
Just like Namgoong Jong-woo’s family would.
“Of course, this might only be my own thought…”
Even thinking this made Hongseol embarrassed, and she trailed off.
“In any case, I cannot marry Namgoong Jong-woo…”
At that moment,
“Yes, well said, Seol-ah!”
The door flung open with a rush of footsteps as Namgoong Ho suddenly entered.
Behind him, Namgoong Ui-gyeol glared with intensity.
Hongseol’s eyes widened like apricot seeds.
“Grandfather… no… even Grand Master Chanteon is here?”
Seeing them, Namgoong Mu-yeong wore a displeased expression.
“Tsk, did the Grand Patriarch really eavesdrop on someone else’s conversation?”
“What?”
Annoyed, Namgoong Ho fumed.
“You! You allowed an audience under the pretense of giving a gift, only to push my grandson as a marriage candidate?”
Namgoong Ho even emitted a murderous aura toward Namgoong Mu-yeong.
Even from Hongseol’s perspective, sweat appeared on the forehead of Namgoong Mu-yeong, who wasn’t highly skilled in martial arts.
“G-Grandfather?”
As Hongseol tried to intervene, waving her hands,
“The Grand Patriarch is right.”
“W-What, even Grand Master Chanteon?”
Namgoong Ui-gyeol, who had been quietly standing, added more.
“It would be a serious loss of talent if a young lady with such extraordinary abilities as Hongseol were married off to an unsuitable match and left the main house.”
His face was unusually flushed.
‘Well, neither Jong-woo nor I are that exceptional…’
Hongseol, who had tried to stop them, swallowed hard and eventually gave up.
No matter what she said, she would not get through to these two.
Seizing the brief silence in the tea room, Namgoong Ho shouted like lightning:
“Seol-ah must—!”
Namgoong Mu-yeong quickly interjected:
“Go ahead and speak. Seol-ah must what?”
But once the floor was set, Namgoong Ho trailed off awkwardly.
Quick-witted, Namgoong Mu-yeong immediately realized:
“The Grand Patriarch sees this child as a granddaughter-in-law.”
Yet he hesitated to speak, fearing Hongseol might refuse out of surprise.
Even if they didn’t get along perfectly, having known each other for so long made it easy to read each other’s intentions.
Namgoong Mu-yeong smiled bitterly in his heart.
“A man who fails at raising children still has a good eye for a daughter-in-law. The current medicinal master, and now this child…”
He could envision it.
Though a small child now, Hongseol would one day become a martial arts master dominating the martial world.
Perhaps in a few years, stories would circulate about how she performed the Thunder God Technique just two months after learning martial arts, becoming legendary.
He would have to be content cheering from the sidelines.
“A shame indeed.”
Seeing Namgoong Mu-yeong’s wistful face, Namgoong Ho became even angrier.
“I’ll handle Seol-ah’s marriage myself, so you step aside!”
“If it is truly the Grand Patriarch’s will…”
Namgoong Mu-yeong handed Hongseol a jade box wrapped in silk.
“Here, take it.”
“What is this?”
Namgoong Ho twisted his mouth, displeased.
“It’s a gift from the elder to show gratitude!”
Hongseol hurriedly flapped her short arms, intervening—afraid Namgoong Ho might get angry again.
Receiving the box, Namgoong Mu-yeong transmitted a message telepathically:
— Hongseol, when you are alone, read the letter I put inside this box carefully.
Their eyes met for a moment.
‘It doesn’t seem like anything bad for me.’
Hongseol bowed in thanks.
“Thank you, Elder!”
Namgoong Ho looked displeased even at her showing gratitude, but he couldn’t object to it being a gift.
At that moment, a familiar presence was felt outside, and Namgoong Soo-o entered.
Seeing Hongseol inside, he winked.
‘It’s Uncle Hae-maji!’
Recognizing him, Hongseol’s cheeks flushed with pleasure.
“What brings you here?”
“Apologies for disturbing your conversation…”
Namgoong Ho, still upset, answered irritably.
“Well, if it’s not urgent, I’ll have to scold you for the interruption!”
Namgoong Soo-o, unfazed, replied calmly:
“The head of the family has returned.”
“Oh, really?”
Namgoong Ho’s expression softened with delight. Taking the chance, Namgoong Soo-o continued:
“And Young Master Namgoong Yeol of the branch has also arrived.”
Instantly, silence filled the tea room.
Unaware of the situation, Hongseol hugged the box and looked around innocently.
Hongseol was watching Maeran embroider in her room.
Her eyes followed the colorful threads on Maeran’s fingertips, but her mind was elsewhere.
It was because of what Uncle Jjik-jjik had just told her.
“Jjik (Master! I’ve finally found the answer to your curiosity.)”
“Really? You mean you know who owned the silk robes I wore?”
“Jjik (Yes! That clothing…)”
Hongseol’s expression darkened.
‘Those clothes belonged to the child who inherited the family three years ago.’
Seeing that the family head Namgoong On had made so many of the clothes in various sizes for an unborn girl…
‘She must have been a long-awaited child… Am I really allowed to wear these clothes so carelessly?’
Just thinking about it made the small palms of her hands sweat.
Yet there were no other clothes to wear.
Strangely, though Namgoong Ho was generous in many things, he never made new clothes for her.
‘Could there be some meaning behind it?’
For now, Hongseol wore one of the silk clothes she received on the first day.
She would soon need to greet the returning family head, Namgoong On.
“Maeran, tell me… what kind of person is the head of the Namgoong family?”
“Hm.”
Maeran paused, taken aback by the unexpected question.
