Chapter 22 (1/2)

TL: pineapples

***

I’m five years old now but is this real life?

As soon as my eyes opened, I let out a long sigh. I can’t believe that even compared to my previous life my body feels healthiest to date.

“Euuh…”

Raising my body, my shoulders felt stiff. Once I took off my clothes, surprisingly my injuries weren’t that severe. I must have received prompt treatment before.

I gingerly probed the red area of my injuries that had healed and suddenly looked up.

“Wait, what happened to Aku Ryun?”

My last memory was that I pushed all my powers into Baekha. That’s all I could remember.

Since I had even poured my life energy into it and emptied my dantian, I immediately lost consciousness as I felt a twisted pain in my lower abdomen.

So I didn’t know what happened to Aku Ryun and how he managed to evade the assassins. I knew nothing.

I began to recall Aku Ryun’s words before I entered the secret passageway.

“I don’t even know myself why I’m like this. I could just let you be. But when I was about to do that.. I couldn’t. I really couldn’t.”

I knew well that if I returned I would just become baggage to Aku Ryun. I also knew the rational decision instead would be going down to the village and asking for help.

But I couldn’t do that.

Like Aku Ryun couldn’t explain why he did such things, I too did the unexplainable. Even though I knew I wouldn’t help, I couldn’t leave him alone.

“Maybe while he was trying to save me something bad happened…?”

I shook my head as I was thinking those ominous thoughts.

If I’m safe, Aku Ryun must also be safe.

As I was trying to console myself vigorously, the door opened and Seoyoung entered.

“Young Miss!”

Seoyoung threw a basin away and ran towards me.

During the time I had collapsed, she must have been very anxious, so her face was very gaunt.

As she gave me a big hug, tears began to drop from her face.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left my position. I am very sorry.”

“It’s not nanny’s fault. I’m fine now.”

“Young Miss always says that she’s fine.”

“I’m really fine. My shoulder doesn’t hurt one bit. My body is completely fine as well.”

“Your injuries haven’t healed yet, but you say that you don’t feel any pain… Wooo, my lady has seemed to have grown up too early.”

I wiped off Seoyoung’s tears and asked her cautiously.

“So what happened? Is the Young Sect Master safe?”

“Compared to Young Miss, he recovered much faster. He is training right now.”

Ah, that’s good to hear. That’s good to hear.

I let out a sigh of relief as I pictured Aku Ryun nonchalantly training with an expressionless face.

His obsession with closed-door training was not just to build up his strength.

It was because he had something to do during closed-door training. That’s why it was even more amazing.

Resisting the urge to rest, he was a ten year old that worked diligently towards his goals.

Where in the world would you find another ten year old like him?

“How about the assassins? Though it looks like the North Sea Ice Palace sent them, does daddy know?”

Seoyoung rearranged my messy hair. Her expression of hesitation suddenly became determined.

“Since Young Miss will find out eventually, I’ll be frank.”

“About what?”

“Because of these events, the North Sea Ice Palace and the Black Wolf group, the largest organization of assassins in the Central region, were eliminated.”

“Who would… is it daddy?”

“Yes, and the Sect Master officially announced the existence of Young Miss by destroying the North Sea Ice Palace.”

“Then nobody knew about my existence previously?”

“That is not true. Only several important people knew before. But the Sect Master had no choice but to stay away from you. If people knew that Young Miss was precious to the Sect Master, Young Miss would be in danger.”

A scene that I had forgotten suddenly came to mind.

“I don’t deserve to hold your hand. I can’t because you’ll be in danger because of me. So…”

“Don’t approach me. Don’t hold my hand and don’t treat a monster like me as your daddy.”

I thought it was just a dream, but it wasn’t. Cheonma’s heavy confession and the fact that I stroked his cheek were all real.

“The fact that my existence was officially revealed…”

“Since Young Miss is Sect Master’s only child, a proclamation was made that Young Miss is the most precious existence to the sect.”

Seo-ryeong, who was speaking calmly, ground her teeth.

“Now everyone in the Central region will know about this incident. If Young Miss is touched, the only price is death.”