The Return of the Namgoong Clan’s Granddaughter - Chapter 161



Only Noblemtl

Episode 161

* * *

Gyaaak!

A sharp scream echoed through the rough mountain forest.

Fish that had jumped out of the dropped fishing nets were thrashing about on the rocks.

“Ah, ahh… .”

Cho-ryeon looked at those surrounding her with anxious eyes.

The Golden Guard. They were military officers sent from the palace.

One of them stepped forward.

He sneered at her as she sat there shivering.

“You have been on the run for quite some time, but this ends today. Follow me obediently. Your crimes will be punished in the palace.”

Although she was asked to atone for her sins, there was only one punishment that could be given to her when she returned to the palace.

Decapitation.

Since she dared to kill the prince, there was no way she could be spared.

No, before killing him, he was going to be tortured in every way possible to make him reveal why he killed the prince.

Even if you tell the truth, they’ll treat it as a lie and drive you to the brink of death.

‘If that’s the case….’

Chook-

“Ugh!”

Cho-ryeon sprinkled sand mixed with rocks that she could get her hands on at the officer.

While he was looking at the scattered sand, I got up and stepped back.

All she held in her delicate hands was a rock the size of her fist.

Ssrung- srung- srung-

The golden guard drew his sword towards her.

The officer who had shaken off the sand also raised his sword toward her.

“His Majesty the Emperor is waiting for your neck! How dare you, a traitor…!”

Phew-

He ran towards Choryun.

There was no time to throw stones.

Cho-ryeon tightly closed her eyes as the sword of the incompetent sword suddenly struck her. At that moment.

Kaang-!

Someone blocked her path and struck out a sword.

Cho-ryeon opened her eyes as a shadow suddenly swept over her closed eyes.

It was a madhouse.

“Are you okay?”

Cho-ryeon almost burst into tears at his questions as he watched her closely.

Just when she thought everything was over, the realization that there was someone protecting her broke something that had been closed off in her.

I thought my family and all the townspeople were dead and I was left alone in this world.

She realized that the back of someone willing to protect her, the shadow that surrounded her, was something she had needed so much for a long time.

“Why… did you come? I told you to… catch… a rabbit…”

“Do you think I’m going to fiddle around like you? I already caught you and put you away.”

“… .”

“What are those guys?”

Submu-kwang’s voice became low.

The playful expression on his face was the same one I had seen when we first met.

Cho-ryeon couldn’t raise her head.

Whatever the reason, he was the one who killed the prince.

“The royal guard of the palace has come to capture me.”

“Golden Guard?”

As Seobmu-gwang frowned, Mu-gwan shouted.

“That woman is a traitor who murdered the prince and escaped! It is His Majesty the Emperor’s order to capture the criminal, so step aside! If you interfere, it will be considered as going against His Majesty the Emperor’s order, and it will be difficult for you to save your life!”

“Is that true? Kill the prince?”

There was nothing to say.

Choryun nodded.

“It’s all true.”

Now that you know who you are, you won’t have to protect yourself anymore.

To disobey the emperor’s words is treason.

Treason will also not be spared from death.

“I’m fine. So just hand me over to them… .”

“Wow, you really have some guts.”

“…?”

“How could you think of killing the prince? More importantly, is it okay for a member of parliament to kill someone? This was just plain nonsense.”

“… .”

Seopmu-gwang continued to speak playfully, but did not put his sword away.

He was still standing in front of Choryun, guarding the Geumuiwi.

“Are you really going to disobey His Majesty the Emperor’s orders?”

The officer of the Royal Guard also saw the situation and threatened Seop Mu-gwang again, but Seop Mu-gwang still did not put away his sword.

“…why?”

Cho-ryeon was already shedding tears.

“Why are you protecting me…?”

Seop Mu-kwang was silent for a moment at the tearful question.

After a short silence, he blurted out the words.

“I don’t know either.”

“under….”

It was a somewhat impulsive answer typical of him.

A hollow burst of laughter broke out.

Cho-ryeon was a sinner who had not learned martial arts.

Furthermore, he should have been punished for murdering the second prince, but the emperor did not pay much attention to the death of the second prince, who was a troublemaker and caused only major accidents.

So, the only ones chasing her were the 7th rank guard soldiers, the lowest rank among the Royal Guards.

When they discovered the first group, there were only three of them, so the two were able to subdue them and barely escape.

* * *

What did he say when I asked him again later?

‘I don’t think you would have killed him for no reason. And I’ve heard dirty rumors about the second prince. It’s a bit strange that you were the one who killed the second prince.’

After safely escaping, he told me honestly why he killed the Second Prince.

After hearing the entire long story, he simply patted her on the head and said, “Good job.”

He didn’t ask any more questions, nor did he criticize her for killing the second prince out of revenge.

Was it from that time?

I fell in love with this man.

Seopmu-kwang opened his eyes with a start.

He closed and opened his eyes a couple of times because his vision was blurry, then turned his head and looked at Choryeon.

Cho-ryeon curled the corners of her lips.

“You’ve been sleeping for a long time? Did you dream of a pretty girl?”

The smile on his face faded slightly at the sight of his still-healed wounds.

“It’s been a while, Your Majesty.”

* * *

As Imoogi said, the power of the formation gradually disappeared.

While the formation was maintained, Seolhwa only repeated the training of using the power of the Imoogi.

Thanks to that, I was becoming somewhat accustomed to controlling and regulating my power.

Although it was still not easy to move only the energy like in a martial arts fight, it was stable to use the medium as the center, such as wrapping the sword with strong energy or strengthening the body.

In the meantime, I heard through Imoogi that Namgung Se-ga had returned to his hometown.

It was expected that I couldn’t wait forever for myself who wouldn’t come back.

[The power of the law has run out.]

The formation was gone, and it was finally time to go back.

After being stuck in the middle of nowhere for a while, I wanted to soak in warm water and sleep in a comfortable bed for the first time in a while.

‘There’s no need to stop by the Volcano Party.’

Since there was no more Yu Kang and the hypnosis problem had been solved, there was no reason to visit the Hwasanpa.

[This way.]

She was about to head straight to Hwaeum, but Imoogi led her somewhere.

As I followed the snake ahead, I came across a small cabin in the forest.

The cabin, standing alone in an uninhabited place, seemed like a part of the forest.

‘Who lives here?’

As I approached the cabin with a puzzled look, someone opened the cabin door and came out from inside.

The person who came out discovered the story.

The two people looked at each other at the same time in surprise.

“miss!”

“… Command?”

It was a command.

The knight of the Snow Flower Escort, Captain of the Black Dragon Corps.

Ling ran towards Seolhwa without even putting on her shoes.

“Welcome back! I was waiting for you, Miss!”

“Sir, why are you here? What is this cabin?”

“While searching the volcano to find the young lady, I happened to come across a hermit.”

“A hermit?”

[That’s the guy I was talking about back then. He’s the guy who told your grandfather about you.]

I see

“I asked him about the young lady’s whereabouts, and he brought her here. He told me to wait here because he didn’t know when the young lady would return.”

“Where is he?”

“You gave me this cabin and left right away. You said it was time to leave the volcano. But… .”

The spirit hesitated for a moment and then spoke.

“He looked very strong. He had obviously learned martial arts, but I couldn’t feel any trace of his power.”

Seolhwa flinched and trembled.

Among those Seolhwa knew, there was only one person who did not show even a trace of aerodynamics.

Blood horse.

‘Could it be that the hermit is as strong as the blood demon?’

Was there a warrior as strong as the Blood Horse during this period?

“More than that, Miss, you came at a good time. I was just about to heat up some water. You must have been tired, so warm up first. I will prepare a meal.”

In case Sul-hwa returned, Ling would heat water and prepare food every day.

‘It was the spirit that said that Imoogi had many guests.’

Instead of following your family, you stayed in the volcano for your own sake.

“Thank you, Spirit.”

The spirit’s eyes widened at Seolhwa’s grateful greeting delivered with a smile.

The young lady’s smile seemed more comfortable than ever.

It was a natural smile, not a forced one.

‘Young lady, you’ve changed.’

The signs of change that had been visible little by little had piled up and finally broken something in her.

She was no longer the stiff, unemotional child she had known.

It wasn’t just that I was young before, but now… .

“what’s the matter?”

Seolhwa looked at Ling with worried eyes.

Was the time spent waiting for her difficult? Even though she only said thank you, Ling’s eyes were sparkling.

“no.”

The sniffling spirit soon returned to her usual spirited expression.

“I will prepare the bath water. Please go in and rest.”

The spirit ran towards the kitchen as if it was escaping.

Soon, smoke began to rise from the cabin.

It was a warm and leisurely feeling that I hadn’t felt in a long time.