"Tomorrow, at the Elder Council meeting, I intend to announce Seolhwa's return. I called you here to introduce her to you beforehand, so from now on, I expect you to cherish Seolhwa."
"Yes, Father."
"Of course! Absolutely! Whose niece is she! This uncle will give you plenty of piggyback rides! You can pull out all my hair and I won't say a thing...! Ugh...!"
Namgung Cheongsan once again clutched his side. Moyong Yeonhwa maintained her consistent smile. Everyone welcomed the returned eldest granddaughter of the Namgung family.
Thanks to that, small talk flowed in a warm and friendly atmosphere. The meal was proceeding peacefully when it happened.
"I am going to perform the Bone Marrow Cleansing for Seolhwa."
At the words Namgung Mucheon tossed out so casually, the atmosphere at the dinner table grew cold as if doused with icy water. Only Namgung Hwarin, who did not know the meaning of Bone Marrow Cleansing, whined to her mother to pass her some food. After a moment of silence.
Namgung Cheongun put down the utensils he was holding and asked in a calm voice.
"Is this the same Bone Marrow Cleansing that I am thinking of?"
"Is there another kind of Bone Marrow Cleansing?"
"So what I heard... was correct."
"If your ears aren't blocked, then you heard correctly."
Namgung Cheongun could not continue speaking. 'The Medicine Hall Master did say there was a problem with Seolhwa's Meridians.' That must be the reason.
The reason why Father intends to perform the Bone Marrow Cleansing on Seolhwa. He knew that the Bone Marrow Cleansing was a difficult and dangerous procedure, even for Namgung Mucheon. Therefore, as a son, it was his duty to stop his father.
But the fact that it was for his own daughter's sake sealed his lips. With Cheongun hesitating, Cheonghae stepped forward.
"Bone Marrow Cleansing? Father. Isn't that too dangerous?"
Namgung Mucheon's face crumpled as he slammed down the chopsticks he was holding.
"Dangerous? Are you doubting my skills right now?"
"That's not it..."
Namgung Cheonghae glanced at Cheongun with a look full of anxiety.
"Father, are you not the pillar of this Namgung family? I am worried that if something were to go wrong, your well-being might be harmed."
"And how is that not doubting my skills?"
"Father..."
"Enough! Say no more! It is a matter I have already decided, so there is nothing more to add!"
Faced with Namgung Mucheon's firm resolve, Namgung Cheonghae sensed that he could no longer stop him. He was a man who, by nature, always saw through whatever he set his mind to. He had not brought up the Bone Marrow Cleansing to discuss opinions.
It was merely a notification of a decision he had already made. 'If it comes to this...' Namgung Cheonghae looked at his son, Soryong.
Ever since the topic of Bone Marrow Cleansing came up, Soryong had kept his head bowed, his hands clenched into fists. He was a stubborn child, much like his grandfather. He was ambitious in martial arts and achieved more than his peers, but because of that, he was not the type to accept defeat.
Since he was young, he had always gone around saying that he would be the next Family Head. An unexpected cousin had appeared, an older sister at that. If that wasn't enough, she was now receiving the Bone Marrow Cleansing that he had never received.
How his stomach must be churning. 'Even so, he must learn to control his anger.' The second son, Namgung Ung, watched his older brother's fists tremble with rage, feeling restless and uneasy.
Though they were his sons, they were truly different children. 'Has Father decided on Elder Brother being the next Family Head?' If he was willing to personally perform Bone Marrow Cleansing on his granddaughter who had returned after eight years to empower her, then it was safe to assume so.
Namgung Cheonghae himself felt just as bitter.
"Well, isn't this a bit much for a welcome gift for someone who's returned after eight years? We don't even know if the child wants it or not, do we?"
After Namgung Cheonghae backed down, Cheongsan was next. At the continuing opposition from his sons, Namgung Mucheon's expression crumpled instantly.
"What is so much about it? It's been eight long years! I want to take care of my granddaughter who suffered for eight years, is that such a waste to you? A man with a body as big as a mountain has a heart only this small?"
"Ah, it's, because it's not a small matter...! That's why I'm saying this...!"
Before that tiger-like threatening gaze, Namgung Cheongsan couldn't help but shrink back. However, he was not the type to back down just because he was intimidated.
"How can Bone Marrow Cleansing be a small matter! It's not called a heavenly fortune or a fateful opportunity for nothing!"
"What, are you envious? At your age, you covet something meant for your niece?"
"No, that's not it...!"
Namgung Cheongsan's face flushed red. Namgung Mucheon's jab had hit the nail right on the head, exposing his inner thoughts. But now that his true feelings were exposed, there was nothing left to hide.
Namgung Cheongsan shouted recklessly.
"Yes! I am envious! Is it so wrong to be a little envious? Huh?"
"Hoh?"
"You know what Bone Marrow Cleansing means to a warrior, Father! If you can do such a thing, please do it for me! No! At least for our Hwarin...!"
"Hah!"
That last part was what he truly meant.
"You immature brat! Do you have no consideration for your own father?"
"That's not it...!"
The sight of his grown son throwing a tantrum tired Namgung Mucheon out.
Tsk!
Clicking his tongue, he rubbed his forehead and said firmly.
"Don't even dream of it!"
"Ah, Father!"
"When I say no, I mean no! If you've all finished eating, leave now! I need to rest!"
It was a clear order of dismissal. It was also a clear expression of his will not to listen to his two sons any longer. Namgung Mucheon pushed himself up from his seat before his sons could even stand.
"Raising children is useless! They're all good for nothing!"
"Father!"
"Seolhwa, follow me!"
Namgung Cheongsan called out to him urgently, but Namgung Mucheon didn't even spare him a glance as he called for Seolhwa. Seolhwa, who had been silent during the commotion she had caused, immediately hopped down from her chair.
"You will not come!"
Namgung Cheongun, who was about to stand up and follow, froze in place. As if there was nothing more to see, Namgung Mucheon turned and swiftly left the room. Seolhwa bowed briefly to everyone in the room before following him.
"Fatherrr!"
The door closed on Namgung Cheongsan's final cry.
"One has no regard for his own father! Another is just scheming in his head! And the last one is spouting childish nonsense! Utterly useless children!"
Even after returning to his room, Namgung Mucheon vented his anger for quite some time. Even to Seolhwa, who didn't understand emotions well, it was clearly visible as anger. The only strange thing was that she didn't feel afraid, despite being next to the enraged Heavenly Dragon Sword Sovereign.
Just a short while ago, she would have worried that he might kill her in his fury, but now, such a thought didn't even cross her mind. 'We must have grown that much closer.' She now knew that Namgung Mucheon cherished her enough to decide on the Bone Marrow Cleansing.
The Heavenly Dragon Sword Sovereign, a man she would never have been able to exchange a single word with in her past life, cherished her. 'Though it's probably because I'm his granddaughter.' Seolhwa stood in a corner of the room, silently waiting for Namgung Mucheon's anger to subside.
But sparks are bound to fly from a raging fire. Seolhwa, too, could not escape those sparks.
"You're getting hurt all the time!"
Seolhwa blinked as the arrow of his anger turned towards her.
"Is your body so worthless to you? Why do you treat it so carelessly!"
She thought about what excuse to make, but Seolhwa recalled her conversation with Seop Mugwang. No matter what excuse she made, she would be scolded all the same.
"I didn't know I was hurt."
In that case, it was better to be honest.
"What? You didn't know you were hurt?"
"My senses are dull. It felt wet, so I looked and I was already injured."
By the time she came to her senses, the wound was already there. He wouldn't know the reason she got hurt, but in any case, it wasn't a lie.
"Then you shouldn't have touched the fragments! You must have known it was dangerous!"
'Hmm...'
Saying she was cleaning up the broken pieces was a lie from the start. So, even if she spoke honestly, it wouldn't become the truth. Still, she decided to answer as honestly as possible.
"Because I would be punished."
It was the answer one would first consider if they had broken an item belonging to the Blood Demon.
"I was trying to clean it up before Father arrived."
It seemed to be the right answer. Namgung Mucheon's face was still stern, but he was no longer angry. Instead, he let out a long sigh and rubbed his head.
"Alright. That's enough."
'So an honest answer does work.'
"But, even so, avoid dangerous things from now on. Not even knowing you were injured is not something to be taken lightly."
"Yes."
"Alright. Enough about that."
Namgung Mucheon began to speak in earnest.
"I called you here to ask your will before I announce your return at the Elder Council meeting tomorrow morning."
Seolhwa tilted her head.
"My will?"
Was her will necessary to announce her as a child of the Namgung?
"The moment you are officially recognized as a child of the Namgung, many things will change."
"What will change?"
"You will gain much, and you will lose much. Just as the Namgung have searched for you for a long time, the interest in the returned child will also be high."
"..."
"Every one of your actions will be used to judge you, and every word you speak may return to you as an arrow of criticism. However."
Namgung Mucheon's voice deepened a notch.
"You will gain the power and honor to trample over and overwhelm all of that."