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Chapter 10. Why Did You Do That?
Baek Miju, frowning, approached her eldest son, Yeon Mubaek, and whispered.
"Has that girl Yeon always been like this?"
Yeon Mubaek nodded his head.
Baek Miju's expression twisted.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
Yeon Mubaek's words made Baek Miju even more upset, but she held back.
Meanwhile, Namgung Yeon walked into the inner courtyard as if she owned the place, stopping in front of the small room Yeon Jeokha used to use.
Then, she abruptly turned to look at Baek Miju.
Though feeling guilty, Baek Miju forced a smile.
"Yes, that is Jeokha's room."
It was true that this had been Yeon Jeokha's room more than ten years ago. Since then, no one had used it. That room had always been empty since Yeon Jeokha was confined to the storage room at the age of six.
Although she had locked Yeon Jeokha in the storage room, she never used his room for another purpose.
Namgung Yeon took off her shoes on the step and entered Yeon Jeokha's room.
Namgung Cheon hurried to explain to his aunt.
"It seems she is trying to find our younger brother. When Yeon is interested in something, she always finds a solution. We will soon find the youngest."
Baek Miju scoffed to herself.
'Humph! Does she think she'll find him by searching a room that's been empty for ten years? Does she think she's a seer?'
After a while, Namgung Yeon came out with an impassive expression.
She put her shoes back on at the step.
This time, Baek Miju, who had been watching, intervened.
"Dear niece, if you know where Jeokha went, please tell us. All this time I have..."
Before Baek Miju could finish, Namgung Yeon walked past her without a word.
Namgung Yeon's attitude, ignoring her as if she didn't exist, twisted Baek Miju's face. She was being ignored beyond tolerable limits.
Just as Baek Miju was about to say something, Namgung Yeon crossed the courtyard and quickly left through the main gate.
Namgung Cheon, seeing his aunt's stunned expression, bowed.
"It seems Yeon has an urgent matter. I must go too. Aunt, I wish you long life and health. Brother, I take my leave first."
Baek Miju was speechless at the sudden farewell.
These precious guests, whom she had not seen in ten years, were leaving as soon as they arrived.
For her, this was unacceptable.
Instead of scolding his sister and forcing her to stay, how could they just leave like that?
But Yeon Mubaek, far from stopping them, bowed in response.
"Elder brother, I won't accompany you far. Travel safely. I'm sure we'll meet again in the Murim. Please help me when that time comes."
"Of course, we are not strangers. After sharing meals for ten years, there is a bond between us. If you need help, let me know and I will come regardless of the distance."
Baek Miju was at least relieved by the farewell between Yeon Mubaek and Namgung Cheon. That was normal.
The sudden departure of Namgung Yeon after seeing Jeokha's room was far from polite.
When Namgung Cheon moved, the members of the Yeon Family also hurried to the gate.
However, Baek Miju, wounded in her pride, sat on the veranda without moving.
After a while, Yeon Mubaek returned from seeing them off.
"Have they left?"
"Yes. I saw them leave the street with the carriage."
Baek Miju asked sharply.
"Is that girl always like that?"
The anger was evident in her voice.
Yeon Mubaek gave a bitter smile.
"Mother, it was better than I expected. My elder sister always solves any problem she faces."
"Is she that amazing? A fool who barely speaks?"
"It's not that she can't speak, she just doesn't do it much. In Namjikryeseong, her nickname is Beautiful Flower, Poisonous Heart. People say she can read people's hearts."
"Nonsense! It's easy to know the depth of water but not the heart of a person."
"It's not always like that. I've seen her read people's hearts on several occasions. There's a saying: 'You can deceive a ghost, but not the Beautiful Flower, Poisonous Heart.'"
"All tricks."
Baek Miju thought her son had been deceived.
"I was surprised when my sister got upset earlier. She released a killing intent as if she was about to kill someone. Mother, did our younger brother really run away?"
"Why? Do you think I killed that brat?"
"If that had been the case, my sister wouldn't have left so easily. What really happened to our brother?"
Though she didn't like it, Baek Miju didn't scold her son, who seemed mature after ten years.
"I told you he ran away."
"Really?"
Yeon Mubaek asked his siblings.
"You all answer. Did Jeokha really run away?"
Yeon Seolju and Yeon Seungbaek felt a bit guilty at their elder brother's seriousness. But since it was true that Yeon Jeokha had run away, they felt justified.
Yeon Seolju nodded.
"It's true. He ran away and caused a big uproar in the house."
Only then did Yeon Mubaek sigh in relief.
"Ah! If that's the case, it's fine. No one can deceive my sister. She is truly fearsome. Is that Jeokha's room?"
"Yes, brother. But you won't find much."
"Why?"
Unknowingly, Yeon Seolju revealed Baek Miju's secret.
"Jeokha didn't live there. After dad died, he lived in the storage room."
"What?"
Surprised, Yeon Mubaek ran to Yeon Jeokha's room without taking off his shoes.
The small room only had a blanket and a table.
Though it was clean, it didn't seem like anyone had lived there.
Even with his normal eyes, Yeon Mubaek could see that, so there was no way his sister, known as Beautiful Flower, Poisonous Heart, wouldn't notice.
Yeon Mubaek ran out and asked again.
"The storage room, the storage room? Is it the one behind the estate?"
Yeon Seolju, rubbing her arm as if it had been pinched by Baek Miju, timidly replied.
"...Yes."
At that moment, Yeon Mubaek's body moved like the wind and he jumped the wall.
He was so anxious that he used his lightness technique to run.
Baek Miju and the rest of the Yeon Family hurried to the storage room, wondering what was happening.
Yeon Mubaek, with a very tense expression, looked around.
In front of the open storage room door, broken chains were scattered like candy.
Someone had already been there.
The cuts in the chains could only be explained by high-level swordsmanship.
It was undoubtedly the work of Namgung Cheon.
Yeon Mubaek swallowed hard.
Had they locked Jeokha in the storage room?
If it were a feared demon of the Murim, he would understand. But Jeokha was only six years old. There is a big difference between annoying an innocent child and locking him up like a dog.
'Oh no!'
If they had indeed locked a six-year-old child in the storage room for ten years, he might have died.
If that were the case, Waryong Mansion and he himself would be finished before they could take off.
'Mother, please...'
He hoped it wasn't so.
Baek Miju, who arrived panting, tried to justify it.
"It's true that I locked him up, but I didn't kill him. That brat escaped on his own."
Yeon Mubaek, trying to calm his agitated heart, entered.
The small storage room was filled with the smells of dirt and mold.
During ten years with the Namgung Family, he had learned much about the Murim.
When someone dies in a place, traces of their energy and blood remain, and a smell of death lingers.
Fortunately, the storage room only had a damp smell and not a death smell.
At least no one had died there.
'Thank God!'
Yeon Mubaek carefully inspected the storage room.
There were traces of someone living there, with worn-out clothes and an improvised bed.
When he came out, he met Baek Miju's gaze.
"...Why did you do it?"
"I didn't want to see anything related to her. I didn't want to live under the same roof as that brat."
"Then why didn't you throw him out of the house?"
"I wanted revenge on that woman who ruined my life and Waryong Mansion."
Yeon Mubaek shook his head.
His mother lost her reason when it came to his aunt and Jeokha.
"My brother and sister saw it. What will the Namgung Family think of us?"
Baek Miju hadn't expected the visit from the Namgung Family.
She didn't expect that girl to remember Jeokha. But on the other hand, perhaps it was better. If they had seen Jeokha locked up, things would have been worse.
"Hah! At least they won't reveal it. Even if they hate me, they won't say anything to protect his honor."
Yeon Mubaek looked into the distance with a gloomy expression.
It was true.
As a disciple of the Sword Emperor Namgung Byeok, they wouldn't reveal the incident. But from now on, he and Waryong Mansion would have to live under the shadow of the Namgung Family.
Voluntarily obeying was different from submitting by obligation. Yeon Mubaek regretted that his relationship with his master had deteriorated.
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Inside the carriage, Namgung Cheon watched his sister out of the corner of his eye.
She had shown a killing intent at Waryong Mansion, but now she was calm.
He felt heavy-hearted.
Thinking about Waryong Mansion, he couldn't help but remember the small storage room.
"Yeon, are you okay?"
Namgung Yeon, looking out the window, nodded.
Her face showed no shadows, indicating she was fine.
"Do you know where Jeokha might be?"
Namgung Yeon shook her head.
Namgung Cheon asked no more.
Though his sister could read hearts, she was not a spirit. She was just good at observing expressions and contexts.
"Wherever he is, he will live well... If he survived in that hellish place, he will live well."
The sunlight streamed through the window, and Namgung Yeon closed her eyes.
She vividly remembered the day she met Yeon Jeokha ten years ago.
"Mom..."
'No,' she shook her head.
Then, Yeon Jeokha lowered his head with a sad expression.
She gently embraced him.
Soon, hot tears fell on her arm.
She wiped his tears with her sleeve.
Did he think they had become friends?
Suddenly, Yeon Jeokha grabbed her hand and started walking with determination.
They reached a hole in the fence, and he stuck his head in without hesitation.
His small feet moved as he moved away.
She also went through the hole before his feet disappeared.
Jeokha went out into the world through the hole, but this time he didn't come back. He left to live as a human.
Namgung Yeon silently supported him.
I will protect you.