Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Namgung Mu Bai didn’t say anything.
“You’ve already tasted blood by holding a competition for the governorship of a province to a bunch of ignorant brats, and if you’re still talking out of your asses, I’m going to kill you all.”
An Bai’s cold gaze swept across the elders, past Mu Bai of the Southern Palace.
“You should be glad I’m not the one who bears the Southern Palace surname.”
With that, An Bai rose from his seat and opened his mouth to speak while glaring at Nan Gong Mu Bai.
“You’ll have to speak next, Jia Zhu. Because I will be the guardian of the child, Nan Gongban. I’ll be the one who can officially intervene and have a say in the competition for the Southern Palace’s Gazoo.”
The Elders exchanged glances with each other, while Nangong Mu Bai stared after An Baek’s back.
Namgung Mu Bai and ten elders.
Moreover, although they were outsiders, several of them, including An Bai, had deep ties to the Southern Palace Family. They all had family connections to the Southern Palace Family.
And An Baek’s words of rebuke made the elders feel uncomfortable.
“……Everyone go home.”
The elders bit their lips as they tried to argue with An Bai’s firm words, and then shook their heads in disbelief.
After the inner circle, the outsiders, and the elders had departed, Namgung Mu Bai was left alone in the empty conference room.
“My Lord.”
The voice from the ceiling made Nangong Mu Bai stir.
“I need to take a short break.”
“……Yes, sir.”
As the head of the Six Great Families, no one could possibly know the responsibility and honor of being the patriarch of the Changcheon Nan Palace Family. Only Zhao Gang, who was the closest aide to the Southern Palace Head, could only vaguely know the inner workings of it.
* * *
“Eh……? Who’s An Daehyeop?”
Daehyeop?
Why would such a title, which should be reserved for those who were known for their business dealings and connections, and who were widely known as business partners, come out of nowhere?
It seems that the definition of cooperation in this era is wrong.
I wouldn’t call a drunkard a daehak.
Seeing my wide-open eyes, Nanny Lele looked at me with wide-open eyes. I just shrugged my shoulders. As she looked at me like that, embarrassment washed over me.
Hagi.
How should I look at my nephew, the one who trained me for over half a year, and who doesn’t even know about my Nan Gongban mother’s brother, my in-laws.
“……amnesia.”
Amnesia was the only word that came to mind.
“I think I know why An Daehyeop is bothering you.”
That excuse didn’t work for the nanny.
She was speechless.
Despite my nervous reaction, the nanny nodded approvingly and began to recite the details she remembered, word for word.
“So, it’s not, uh. I heard that he was called Iron Blooded Swordsman, and then after Mrs. An’s…… funeral, I heard that he was called Iron Blooded Swordsman…….”
An Bai, the Iron Blood Sword Star.
Surprisingly, An Baek was a promising late exponent in the Anhui Province who was able to compete with Namgung Mu Baek, which meant that he was a genius who was highly anticipated by the entire Zhongyuan Martial Realm, and at the same time, he was a prominent figure in the Faction Martial Realm, earning the title of Sword Star.
At the same time, rumors circulated about the marriage of the Southern Palace Prince to An. The marriage was criticized by those around him, who claimed that the Namgung family had arranged the marriage in order to win An Baek. Nevertheless, the marriage was a success, and in the process, I was born.
Namgungban, to be precise.
Wishing for his sister’s continued happiness, but fearing that his presence would make her uncomfortable, An Bai left Anhui and became the most prominent fighter against the Sappers and the Magi who threatened the Zheng Sect.
In those days, a swordsman became a sword king, a sword king, and a sword emperor.
He was about to become the undisputed leader of the Zheng Sect, but something happened to bring him back to Anhui: the death of his mother, Ms. An.
“Grandmaster An was not able to accept the sudden death of Mrs. An…….”
No one could figure out why Ms. An, who was so healthy and beautiful, died so suddenly.
It was said that she went on a rampage afterward. He desperately shouted that he would hold the Namgung family accountable, but after he and the Namgung Mu Baek made a deal, An Bai no longer went on a rampage.
Instead.
From then on, An Baek began to drink alcohol and never left the Namgung family, only looking at the Namgung family and me. Her blood, the only trace of Mr. Ahn left behind.
As she spoke, the nanny’s shoulders trembled slightly. It was as if the memories of the past were washing over her like waves.
But it didn’t make me feel anything. I continued my sentimental commentary in a bland and tasteless manner.
“He must have been devastated,” I said, ”that I’d done such a terrible thing. My only nephew became the Grand Duke of the Southern Palace, and now he doesn’t even hold a sword, let alone fulfill his mother’s wishes. She probably forced him to take up the sword a lot.”
How he must have felt to see the Grand Duke treated like a fool.
It must have been very hard for him to wait until he was fourteen.
But.
“……Not at all.”
The nanny’s words were unexpected.
“An Daihao only pays a visit once in a while, when he’s worried about the Grand Duke’s health. He’s never tried to force him to do anything or make him hold a sword. This time, he probably came to visit because of the news that the Grand Duke had fallen, although it’s surprising that Yan Yu has somehow declared that he’ll take full-time care of him for a year.”
I was surprised.
“Usually, she says she’ll come when the time is…… right, or when she realizes it herself.”
I was at a loss for words for a moment.
“Of course, we didn’t believe him…….”
We said things like, “What’s the point of changing,” and “If he’s going to change so easily, he must be an idiot.
I couldn’t hear the nanny, but whatever.
I left the nanny’s mutterings behind and thought of Anbaek.
I didn’t realize that I had become Anbaek.
I thought of the male half of his previous life, who had been called a bastard, but who had come back to his senses and set out to save his family.
I see.
I understood the reason why Namgungban could change.
Judging from his confession, his nanny’s steadfastness in the face of all the bullshit he’d been subjected to, and the bickering around him, Namgungban would have been able to pull himself together at any moment.
Namgungban was surrounded by people who kept reaching out to keep him from falling into the pit. From An Baekyi at the center to the nanny who watched over him with great care.
In his previous life, when he had fought battles at the South Palace Wall, he could see the way these good people had worked so hard to correct him and keep his family from falling into illness.
“……I’m a little envious.”
An uncle, an uncle.
A vague, unfamiliar emotion flashed through me.
It was Nanny who brought me back to reality.
“Nanny, don’t be so long-winded. You don’t have to be so nice to him. Just be nice to me.”
The drunkard showed up, and the impression was ruined. Of course it was.
The liquor-poisoned, tongue-in-cheek hostess was nodding at the nanny, who walked up to him and slapped him on the back, while the hostess grumbled about what was so nice about him.
Perhaps the nanny had a higher rank than the hostess.
He slapped the back of a man who was once said to be on par with the head of the Southern Palace family.
She can take all sorts of harassment from me, a man who holds the title of Grand Duke.
Having overcome everything, she now has the power over two men.
Even I am now unable to escape her.
I had already gotten used to her meals and her caring touch, and I couldn’t get away from it.
After another round of laughter, my aunt quickly walked over to me and put her arm around my shoulders.
“It’s my nephew.”
“You smell like alcohol.”
“You son of a bitch……. Oh, no. Kuchhhhh.”
For some reason, the aunt looked at the nanny.
“Come on, honey. You can’t be so obvious.
Even three-year-olds will notice.
Anyway, when I tried to back away, covering my nose at the stench of the liquor, he grabbed me and yanked me to my feet, using me as a shoulder rest.
“I declared today.”
“Declared what?”
“That I will be your guardian.”
His eyes were alive with pride as he spoke. He looked like he was overjoyed that he had finally made the announcement after a long wait.
At the same time, the nanny was overjoyed and exclaimed that it was great.
But then.
“……I don’t like that.”
I said, “No, I don’t like it.
Huh?
The expressions on their faces, the aunt and the nanny, were even worse than the way I looked at them.
You asshole. What are you saying?
Yes, they were looking at me with just such a look.
Hmm, what’s wrong with him.
He doesn’t like me.
* * *
Dodo dodo dodo dodo.
Ouch.
My long strides picked up speed and I was quickly approaching.
Sensing his approach, I turned around and lowered my stance, sweating profusely.
As if on cue, the rambunctious creature rushed toward me, hands outstretched and precariously poised, and I quickly reached out with both hands, slipped them under his armpits, and grabbed him.
“Uh-cha!”
“Hehehehe.”
“Kid, what are you going to do if you fall?”
“Brother!”
It was Namgungwall.
After our first meeting, Namgungwol visited me from time to time.
His white skin and densely packed features were adorable. My cheeks were flushed from running frantically to get here, and my colorful breath and clear eyes couldn’t have been more different.
It was strange to see my childhood self, but somehow familiar.
She was warm enough to be loved and lovable enough to never have to beg for anything.
Yes.
It’s enough to keep him like this.
“You said you’d get hurt.”
“Hehehe. Big brother.”
The kid, who couldn’t have been more than four or five years old, responded to my frown with an innocent smile. I couldn’t help but chuckle.
“What’s the point of smiling, I’m sure he’s looking for you.”
“Woof.”
How could it be a child if its communication was clear?
“Let’s go, he’ll be worried.”
I put down the South Palace wall I was holding and reached out my hand. I wanted to pick him up and carry him, but the smell of sweat and dirt on his body bothered me.
“Hmph. Hold on.”
“Huh?”
“Jomman, jogo, jogo!”
I squinted and slowly looked around. The south palace wall pointed to a row of wooden swords next to a pillar. I quickly realized what he meant.
“He wants me to demonstrate my sword skills.”
“Ugh, martial arts!”
Apparently, I’ve loved swords since I was a kid.
It was a moment when I realized something I didn’t know before.