The Ignored Granddaughter of a Murim Family - Chapter 245

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 245
“Is a single apology supposed to settle this? Why aren’t you saying anything!”
Namgung Ryu-cheong stood with his face flushed crimson, his lips pressed firmly shut, offering no response.
The Young Man’s shout came with a face blazing red. His attire was equally disheveled—his undergarments nowhere to be seen, with only an outer robe hastily thrown over his frame.
From deeper within the chamber came the rustling of movement. A quick glance confirmed it was a woman.
A half-naked man and a woman whose form remained concealed.
‘Oh dear….’
So that’s why he’d gone so rigid and speechless.
Despite the situation, I nearly burst into laughter. I bit my lip hard and lowered my head.
After suppressing the urge to laugh, I interjected smoothly.
“An apology has already been offered. Perhaps that’s enough.”
“Who are you? Don’t interfere!”
“I understand that you two couldn’t contain your passionate affection and wished to burn away your youth, but isn’t it your fault for blocking the entrance to a chamber anyone could enter to rest, without even posting a guard?”
“What… Huh!”
The moment I extended my hand and then withdrew it, the Mysterious Man’s eyes closed and he began to collapse to the floor.
Namgung Ryu-cheong looked at me with a furrowed brow. Both his cheeks had turned a vivid crimson.
“Did you just use a pressure point?”
I shrugged my shoulders.
“Why bother with a drunk?”
I casually hurled the unconscious man into the chamber. A short shriek of “Eek!” came from within, but I ignored it and kicked the door shut with my foot.
“….”
I dragged Namgung Ryu-cheong into the chamber where I’d been resting.
‘He didn’t just happen to come here.’
He’d definitely been following me.
“Why did you go in there?”
“…It was a mistake. I confused the doors.”
With the chambers packed so closely together, it was easy enough to mix them up.
I tilted my head and spoke to Namgung Ryu-cheong.
“Would you like to wash your face? It’s all red.”
For someone as upright as Namgung Ryu-cheong, witnessing two young people entangled together must have been quite a stimulating sight.
“Never mind.”
As if time itself were medicine, his complexion quickly returned to normal.
Namgung Ryu-cheong, his brow furrowed, shot me a look and spoke.
“How… how can you be so calm about this?”
“About what?”
“That…!”
Just as Namgung Ryu-cheong seemed about to shout something, he suddenly turned his head away sharply, looking elsewhere.
‘What’s wrong with him?’
The tips of his ears had turned bright red.
‘Wait, was he actually still flustered the whole time?’
I watched with my arms crossed.
Yet Namgung Ryu-cheong’s complexion grew increasingly flushed once more.
I asked with concern.
“…Are you hurt somewhere?”
“No, I’m fine.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong stepped back hesitantly and answered. His voice had grown somewhat subdued.
I tilted my head in confusion.
‘He looks perfectly fine, but is something wrong with his body? Why does his voice sound like that?’
As I approached, Namgung Ryu-cheong flinched and spoke.
“Don’t come closer.”
“What do you mean, Ryu-cheong? Are you really alright?”
Ignoring his warning, I reached out my hand toward Namgung Ryu-cheong.
Crack!
Namgung Ryu-cheong sharply swatted my hand away.
My eyes widened. Namgung Ryu-cheong also seemed slightly startled that the sound was louder than he’d intended.
“No, this is—that’s why I told you not to come close!”
“….”
So I was just worried, and now I’ve been hit and scolded?
Exasperated, I wrapped my hand around itself and lowered my head slightly.
“….”
“….”
A brief silence fell, and the bustling sounds of the Pavilion drifted softly into the chamber.
Soon, a flustered voice was heard.
“Are you alright?”
“….”
I did not answer.
I felt Namgung Ryu-cheong, who had been standing at a distance, hurrying toward me.
“Baek Li-yeon!”
His voice startled and alarmed.
“Haha, I was just joking….”
The moment I lifted my head with a laugh.
Namgung Ryu-cheong’s face was right before mine. We were nearly touching, so close that barely a sheet of paper could slip between our noses.
“….”
“….”
I forgot to laugh—I even forgot to breathe. Namgung Ryu-cheong’s expression had frozen as well. This was undoubtedly the closest I had ever looked at him.
The crimson glow of the lantern illuminated his skin, smooth as porcelain. I felt the faint warmth of his breath against my cheek, and Namgung Ryu-cheong opened his mouth.
“Your hand….”
I startled and reflexively reached out my hand.
With a dull thud, Namgung Ryu-cheong was nearly sent flying backward.
He collided with the decorative stand adorning the wall and crumpled to the floor.
Following that, a decorative stand with a shattered pillar toppled over, and books, ceramics, and other ornaments from within cascaded down upon Namgung Ryu-cheong.
Thud! Crash-bang-bang, crack! Clang!
All of this unfolded in a single instant.
I stood there with my mouth agape before rushing forward in a single bound.
“No, Ryu-cheong! Are you alright?”
From the sensation that registered in my palm, I could tell that my strike against Namgung Ryu-cheong had landed with devastating precision.
This was absolutely not intentional!
Perhaps my body had simply manifested the fruits of my training—my reflexes had propelled me forward before my mind could even deliberate.
Namgung Ryu-cheong pushed against the floor and rose to his feet.
A book that had been draped across Namgung Ryu-cheong’s shoulders tumbled to the ground with a soft thud.
Cough, cough. Namgung Ryu-cheong expelled a dry cough.
I spoke in flustered agitation.
“No, with your skill you could have dodged that! Why couldn’t you block it…!”
Wait? Wasn’t that remarkably similar to what Namgung Ryu-cheong had just said to me after brushing my hand away?
Namgung Ryu-cheong lifted his head sharply, fixing me with a piercing glare.
I laughed awkwardly, my apology laden with genuine remorse.
“A-are you really alright?”
Namgung Ryu-cheong gritted his teeth and spoke.
“I’m. Fine.”
Just then, a voice came from beyond the door.
“I heard a loud noise—is something amiss?”
“J-just a moment, please.”
Despite the chamber being in complete disarray, the Juru Manager proved surprisingly unperturbed. Given that this was a place frequented by martial artists, he seemed accustomed to such incidents. A modest sum of money was sufficient to settle the matter without further complaint.
After managing the situation, I finally exhaled a breath of relief in the ruined chamber.
Fortunately, Namgung Ryu-cheong, who had been buried beneath the fallen stand, sustained no injuries. If I had to pinpoint the most damaged area, it would be where I had struck him… haha.
‘Sigh, I shouldn’t have been playing around like that…’
Overwhelmed by embarrassment, I could not bring myself to lift my head as I spoke.
“I’m truly sorry.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong cast a sidelong glance before brushing dust from his garments.
“It’s fine. We’ve both landed a blow on each other now.”
“Mm.”
As my eyes darted about, I posed a question to break the awkward tension.
“So why did you follow me here?”
“Ah.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong lifted his head as though just remembering, his gaze settling upon me.
“I won’t be able to see you for a few days.”
“Hm?”
“I’m going to focus on my training.”
“Mm?”
I tilted my head in confusion before speaking.
“So… you’re telling me not to come see you?”
“That’s part of it. And don’t worry if you don’t see me.”
“Ah…”
I nodded in understanding.
Namgung Ryu-cheong gazed at me intently before speaking.
“Be careful while I’m gone.”
“Careful?”
“Yes. Especially Wi Gu-jung.”
“Not the Wi Alliance Leader, but Wi Gu-jung specifically?”
“Being cautious of the Wi Alliance Leader goes without saying. As for the Hwangbo Prince incident—it turns out Wi Gu-jung was instigating it from behind the scenes. I couldn’t secure definitive proof, but…”
I frowned slightly.
“So it was Wi Gu-jung acting on his own?”
“I can’t determine whether he received orders or acted independently. But what matters is that Wi Gu-jung was the one who executed it.”
I nodded.
“And the way he provoked you today—it was because dealing with me directly seemed too difficult, so he targeted you instead.”
It was roughly what I’d already suspected.
“But since you got the better of him today…”
Namgung Ryu-cheong looked at me with apologetic and worried eyes.
“According to Gongsun Wol, Wi Gu-jung isn’t the type to let an insult pass. He may harbor resentment toward you. Be careful.”
* * *
Even on the brilliantly lit night street, there were places where light failed to reach.
A dark alley untouched by lantern glow. There, several figures dressed entirely in black had melted soundlessly into the shadows.
A young man emerged into that alley.
Then a low voice came from the darkness.
“Have you said everything?”
“Yes.”
The young man was Namgung Ryu-cheong. Something whooshed through the air beside him in the darkness.
A light catching sound, then the rustle of fabric.
“If you were so concerned, you should have stayed. This task requires nothing of you.”
“No. I’m fine.”
Namgung Ryu-cheong, now completely enveloped in black garments, had become indistinguishable from the alley itself.
“Then, let’s depart.”
With those words, the alley fell silent as if no one had ever been there.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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