NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 21 - Storm (1)
Chapter 21. Storm (1)
Seeing Je Gal A Yeon, Yeon Ho Jeong turned his head away with a bored expression.
He should have felt embarrassed, but Je Gal A Yeon didn’t care at all. On the contrary, he looked happy to see him.
“Have you been well?”
“It’s only been two days.”
“I’m glad to see you.”
He couldn’t understand why he was so happy to see him.
Yeon Ho Jeong said to Paeng Dae Ho.
“I apologize for the inconvenience.”
“Huh? Yeah? What? Oh! It’s, it’s fine! It’s not like it’s worn out or anything.”
“Then.”
“Are, are you leaving?”
“Yes, I am.”
“…Uh, take care. See you later.”
With that, Yeon Ho Jeong went to his lodging.
Je Gal A Yeon was about to call him again.
“Miss.”
“Yes?”
“Please find a place to stay.”
“Well, Jun has all my luggage anyway. I’m going to have a drink with a friend…”
“Miss.”
“…”
“…”
“Fine, fine.”
Cho Ro’s warrior bowed his head.
“I’m sorry for being rude.”
“Hey, it’s okay! I remember what my father said. Hey, Jun. Find a nice place to stay!”
“Of course.”
“Ouch.”
“Ack! Why, why are you doing that! My hair is all messed up!”
“I’m doing it because I love you, you know.”
“Love? What love? You’re just mean! Huh? Why are you being mean?”
“…”
“…Let’s go find a place to stay! Come on, let’s go!”
That’s when the Jegal siblings were about to move.
Suddenly, Jeal A Yeon looked at Namung Hyun.
“Huh? Big brother?”
Namgung Hyun said with a slightly awkward expression.
“Long time no see.”
Je Gal A Yeon bowed his head gracefully. He looked completely different from when he faced Yeon Ho Jeong or Jegal Jun.
“How have you been?”
“Fine. How about you?”
“Yes.”
“…”
“Then, see you later.”
Jegal A Yeon was very formal. Anyone could tell that he was a noble lady.
But there was a strange awkwardness. Je Gal A Yeon didn’t seem very comfortable with being formal and facing others.
That’s how the Jegal siblings went to find a place to stay.
Namgung Hyun’s eyes deepened as he watched Jegal A Yeon go away.
When he returned to his place, Yeon Ji Pyeong was already there.
“Brother?”
“Did you come?”
“I called you but you didn’t answer, so I came in just in case.”
“Good, you did well.”
“But Je Gal Miss and Jun came too? I heard their voices from afar.”
Yeon Ji Pyeong’s senses were sharp. He wouldn’t have heard the voices from the gate if he hadn’t focused.
“Yes.”
“That’s good. It’s reassuring to have someone you know.”
“Are you nervous?”
“…A little?”
He was honest.
Yeon Ho Jeong smiled and pointed to the window.
“They seem to have found a place in the west building. Go and have a drink with them.”
“What about you?”
“I’m fine.”
Yeon Ji Pyeong scratched his head.
“Brother, can I ask you something?”
“Anytime.”
“Do you dislike Jegal Miss?”
Yeon Ho Jeong tilted his head.
“No? I don’t have any feelings for her.”
“I see.”
“Why?”
“Nothing. It’s just that you seemed to avoid her before and now too.”
“I don’t have a reason to hate her, but I don’t have a reason to like her either, right?”
Yeon Ji Pyeong’s expression was blank.
It sounded like it didn’t make sense, but it also made sense. But he had never seen anyone who was so clear about their relationships.
“Uh, then I’ll be back!”
“Okay.”
Yeon Ji Pyeong left and Yeon Ho Jeong sat by the window.
He looked happy. He looked down and saw Yeon Ji Pyeong’s back.
‘He looks happy.’
Yeon Ho Jeong’s face was filled with subtle guilt.
‘He wouldn’t have been like that in the past.’
It was too long ago and his memory was vague. But when he came to the late Jisu meeting in the past, it was the time when he hated his brother thoroughly. He probably couldn’t make friends with others because he was watching his eyes.
‘I won’t make him like that again.’
That was why he kept his distance from Jegal A Yeon. Jegal Jun was afraid of him, but Jegal A Yeon wanted to break down that hard wall.
It was actually a grateful thing. It was a great blessing to have someone who came to him without hesitation, even if he was the benefactor who saved his life.
That’s why Yeon Ho Jeong was wary of others.
To be precise, he was wary of himself.
‘I won’t fail this time.’
He saw Yeon Ji Pyeong’s back, full of joy.
He didn’t want to cast fear and emptiness on that lively back. He didn’t want to show a terrible future to his brother and his family.
…At least until the Three Sects Rebellion.
If possible, even after the Three Sects Rebellion.
‘There are enemies everywhere.’
He couldn’t be careless in a situation where he didn’t know who the enemy was. That made him think that his evaluation of Paeng Ga was too early.
Yeon Ho Jeong sat on the floor and turned his head.
His half-opened eyes looked hard and dark like steel.
“I wish I didn’t have to go to Gu Pa Il Bang.”
An hour later.
“Your Highness. The meeting has started. Everyone is asked to gather at the inner hall.”
“What about Mo Yong and Myeong Ga?”
“They just arrived.”
* * *
“It’s been a long time, big brother.”
“Wow! It’s been a really long time! Has it been a year already?”
“It seems so.”
“Wow! You’ve become so pretty in just a year!”
“And you’ve grown bigger, big brothers?”
“Well, I eat well.”
“Hahaha!”
“You’re also very cheap.”
“…I don’t want to hear that.”
The first thing that caught his eye when he entered the outdoor banquet hall was the Paeng brothers. Their imposing stature and boisterous voice that seemed to reach the sky were all factors that attracted everyone’s attention.
But Yeon Ho Jeong’s eyes didn’t go to Paeng Dae Ho or Paeng Man Ho. He looked at the woman who was talking to them.
‘Mo Yong!’
She was a pure beauty who looked younger than twenty. But the power she hid in her body was amazing.
Her potential was even higher than that of the Paeng brothers. And he knew what kind of power she had and who she was.
‘Mo Yong’s daughter.’
Mo Yong Yeon Hwa.
She was a heroine of her generation who led the Mo Yong Sect in place of the martial arts leader Mo Yong. She was a talented lady who was recognized by Mo Yong for her ability, regardless of her personality.
Yeon Ho Jeong turned his head.
She was a woman who had clashed with him recklessly when he led the Black Sect. But that wasn’t important now.
‘First, the Myeong family…’
That’s when it happened.
“Who are you looking for?”
Yeon Ho Jeong turned around.
Je Gal A Yeon was standing there with a smile.
“Did you come?”
“…I think I told you before, but your way of speaking is like an old man.”
“I don’t care.”
“Again, again.”
Yeon Ho Jeong looked at Je Gal A Yeon’s outfit.
“What’s with that outfit?”
Jegal A Yeon smiled.
There was a hint of bitterness in her smile that always seemed bright.
“It’s pretty fancy, isn’t it?”
When he first saw her at Cho Seong Roo, and when she entered the palace, Je Gal A Yeon’s outfit was simple. She was so beautiful that her clothes seemed fancy, but in reality, they were just decent clothes for activity.
Now it was different.
She looked amazing in her splendid dress. The dress with red plum blossoms embroidered on a good quality green silk background matched her bright and beautiful face very well.
Yeon Ho Jeong nodded.
“It’s nice.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it suits you well.”
Jegal A Yeon looked into Yeon Ho Jeong’s eyes.
His eyes were clear. They were so clear and indifferent that they made the viewer feel uneasy.
But Jegal A Yeon’s expression was bright.
She had heard that she was pretty since she was young. But many of those compliments contained negative emotions such as jealousy and desire.
It was the first time she received such a plain compliment from someone other than her family. She naturally felt good.
“Right? It’s a bit too much, but…”
“It’s not too much.”
“Really?”
“It’s not like you’re covered in gold. There are people who wear a thousand times more fancy than you.”
That was true.
There were many people who wore fancy clothes that didn’t suit their status in Heuk Do. They were trying to show off their ability and wealth and gather power. Compared to them, Jegal A Yeon’s outfit was not even ordinary.
Jegal A Yeon’s face relaxed with a smile.
People who were quick-witted were good at managing their expressions, but she didn’t know how to hide her feelings.
“There’s a seat over there. Let’s sit down.”
“I’m fine.”
“Hey, don’t be so picky. Let’s have a drink.”
He was about to tell her not to be annoying, but he paused.
‘Well.’
If there was a family behind the scenes who wanted to destroy the Yeon family, the successor of that family would surely know that.
They would surely pay attention to him and Yeon Ji Pyeong.
‘Come to think of it, there was no need to act so conspicuously.’
Yeon Ho Jeong nodded.
“Okay.”
“Hehe.”
“Don’t stick to me.”
“You’re so grumpy.”
“Shut up.”
“Isn’t it tiring to live with that personality?”
“If it was tiring, I wouldn’t live like this.”
“Hmm, that’s true.”
“So stay away. It’s hot.”
“It’s chilly today. How can it be hot? Besides, with your martial arts…”
Jegal A Yeon coughed as if she realized something.
“Sorry. Was that unnecessary?”
She was definitely very perceptive. She didn’t think that Yeon Ho Jeong was hiding his martial arts, but she knew that he didn’t want to talk about it.
That’s how they sat down. The food they had prepared in advance was a bit cold, but it was still tasty.
Yeon Ho Jeong willingly filled Jegal A Yeon’s cup. Jegal A Yeon also smiled and filled his cup.
“Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Are all the Yeon family’s martial arts so strong?”
“The Jegal family’s martial arts are not inferior to the main family.”
“Oh? The important thing is not the martial arts, but the person?”
He was quick to catch on. Jegal A Yeon knew how to grasp the other’s intention.
Jegal A Yeon chuckled.
“You’re subtly bragging, aren’t you? Well, you have something to brag about.”
“It’s not a skill to brag about.”
“Are you humble?”
“It’s true.”
Jegal A Yeon read the sincerity in Yeon Ho Jeong’s face. He sincerely thought that his martial arts were not great.
She looked at his face curiously and asked.
“Do you want to be stronger?”
“It’s the desire of every martial artist.”
“That’s true. Then, is your dream to be the best in the world?”
Yeon Ho Jeong’s lips curled up.
It was a slight smile. But it had a lot of weight.
“It’s better to be the best than to be mediocre. Or to be the worst.”
“…Right.”
She muttered without knowing. Jegal A Yeon nodded again and said.
“Right. It’s better to be the best than to be mediocre. Or to be the worst.”
Jegal A Yeon smiled brightly.
“You’re lucky. You have a dream.”
Being the best in the world was not his dream.
Yeon Ho Jeong didn’t bother to say that.
“What about you? Don’t you have a dream?”
“Me? Hmm!”
Jegal A Yeon pursed her lips and pretended to think.
“Wow, you’re so mature. I haven’t thought about my dream yet.”
“Does that make you a child if you haven’t thought about your dream?”
“Hmm, I haven’t thought about it that way?”
Jegal A Yeon poked Yeon Ho Jeong’s arm with her elbow.
“When I talk to you, I feel like I’m a child. I’ve never been called stupid before.”
“Don’t talk nonsense and give me some alcohol.”
“Huh? When did you drink?”
“Give me the bottle.”
“Okay! I’ll pour it for you! You’re so impatient. You didn’t even toast and drank it in one gulp?”
One person drank with a blank expression, and the other laughed and chattered. It was a common combination, but the problem was the atmosphere of the two.
It was a very informal atmosphere. The man and woman looked plain and friendly as they tilted their cups.
The late Jisu, who gathered in the banquet hall, glanced at the two.
For whatever reason, a beautiful woman was smiling brightly and exchanging cups with him. And the young man next to her was also handsome, though his expression was a bit sharp.
The scene made the late Jisu feel a strange emotion. It felt like there was a separate protagonist in this banquet hall.
How long has it been?
“You look very happy.”
Yeon Ho Jeong and Je Gal A Yeon turned their heads.
Dang Yang Seon was walking with a smile, carrying a load on his back.
“I don’t have any friends, so can I join you?”