The Namgung warrior led her straight to the inner hall. I didn’t expect to be taken directly to the inner hall. The Namgung family’s estate was divided into two parts—the inner hall, where the direct lineage lived, and the outer hall, where distant relatives and those who had gathered under the Namgung name resided.
Rumor had it that those who came claiming to be the lost child of the Namgung family were first filtered through the outer hall. This path… leads to the Celestial Tiger Hall. In her past life, Ilhwa had studied everything about the Namgung family to bring about its downfall.
She was well aware of the estate’s internal structure and knew exactly what the Celestial Tiger Hall was used for. Seop Mugwang must have pulled some strings. Since he had warriors accompanying him, he must have sent word ahead to the family.
Otherwise, there was no way she would have been taken directly to the inner hall—let alone the Celestial Tiger Hall. Either way, it saved her a lot of trouble, and for that, she was grateful.
Meanwhile, only three people remained in the Celestial Tiger Hall after the elders and direct lineage members had left—Family Head Namgung Mucheon, Chief Steward Namgung Mun, and Seop Mugwang.
"Hey, Flying Wind Sword. Has the child arrived?"
In the abrupt dissolution of the family meeting, the Chief Steward discreetly asked Seop Mugwang. He had heard the news that Seop Mugwang had found a child who might be the family head’s granddaughter, but he hadn’t known she would arrive today.
"Indeed. A very cute but prickly little thing should be here any moment."
"So I finally get to see this child."
The Chief Steward had been curious about what kind of child she would be ever since he heard Seop Mugwang’s report. Now, he would finally meet her. His tense gaze remained fixed on the main entrance of the Celestial Tiger Hall.
After a moment, the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs reached his ears.
Thud. Thud.
The heavy steps were followed by lighter, quicker ones.
"She’s here!"
A moment later, a warrior and a young girl appeared. Instinctively, the Chief Steward leaned forward to get a better look at the child. Her black hair was tied back, her slightly upturned eyes sharp.
Her fair face still carried a hint of baby fat on her rosy cheeks. A small, straight nose and tightly pressed lips.
"Young Mistress…?"
The girl’s appearance held traces of Namgung Seolhwa’s childhood face. Though she had grown taller and lost some of her babyish features, she unmistakably resembled the young Namgung Seolhwa.
"Chief Steward! Me! You know me!"
A memory surfaced—of Namgung Seolhwa calling out to him for the first time, arms outstretched for a hug. Emotion surged in his chest, and his nose stung.
"Heh, I had a similar reaction when I first saw the little brat. But don’t jump to conclusions yet. Nothing’s been confirmed."
Hearing Seop Mugwang’s telepathic message, the Chief Steward quickly reined in his emotions. He was right. It was too soon to assume anything.
This was the moment to determine whether the child truly belonged to the Namgung family. Until it was confirmed that she was Namgung Seolhwa, he couldn’t afford to act carelessly. --- The moment Ilhwa stepped into the Celestial Tiger Hall, she froze without realizing it.
A sharp gaze, as if piercing through her entire body, shot toward her like an arrow. Looking straight ahead, she saw him. At the deepest and highest point of the grand Celestial Tiger Hall— "Heavenly Dragon Sword Sovereign…
Namgung Mucheon…"
His hair, streaked with gray, and his slightly upturned eyes gave him a stern impression. His tightly sealed lips revealed nothing of his thoughts, and his imposing frame exuded an overwhelming pressure, as if he were gazing down upon the world itself. The depth of his inner energy was unfathomable, but Ilhwa knew his level.
"A master of the Transformation Realm."
A realm where one could move objects with mere energy manipulation, where the body was as hard as armor, and where one could tread upon empty air. One of only ten supreme masters in the world. The sheer gap between them made her feel like a tiny mouse standing before a colossal dragon.
A single gesture from him could sever her head in an instant.
"... What’s this?"
Ilhwa looked down at her own hand. The moment she faced Namgung Mucheon, her fingers tingled strangely, as if numb and itchy at the same time. Her heart pounded, and the back of her neck prickled—likely from nervousness.
Was this what it felt like to be intimidated?
"It’s fine. He’s not my enemy right now. It’s fine."
Clenching her fist, Ilhwa stepped further into the hall. The gazes of the three men followed her as she approached. At the center stood Family Head Namgung Mucheon, with Chief Steward Namgung Mun to his right and Seop Mugwang to his left.
Seop Mugwang, meeting her eyes, grinned broadly. Despite having parted ways less than half a day ago, he looked utterly delighted to see her again. Ilhwa gave him a brief glance in lieu of a greeting, then turned to Namgung Mucheon and bowed with clasped fists.
"I greet the Family Head of the Namgung family."
This was the moment she faced the man who had once been her distant enemy—now as his own flesh and blood.
"Welcome."
Even that short greeting sent a shiver down her spine from the sheer resonance of his voice. Bowing once more, she straightened as the Chief Steward beside Namgung Mucheon cleared his throat and stepped forward. In a deliberately solemn tone, he asked, "What is your name?"
Ilhwa met his gaze naturally.
"Seolhwa."
The Chief Steward’s eyebrows twitched slightly, but his expression quickly smoothed over as he continued.
"I heard you claimed to be the child our family has been searching for. Is that true?"
Ilhwa nodded.
"Yes."
"The child we seek is a boy. Yet you, as you can see, are a girl. Moreover, I was told the birthmark on the nape of your neck couldn’t be confirmed?"
"I don’t know about that. I just remembered growing up in the Namgung family as a child and came to find my way back."
"Memories, you say…"
The Chief Steward stroked his chin, studying her intently. Though he maintained a composed demeanor, he was restless. Was this child truly the one the Namgung family had searched for over eight years?
His heart hoped it was so. She was the first child who, at first glance, had reminded him of the young mistress.
"Can you describe those memories in detail?"
Ilhwa nodded.
She had anticipated this question, so she wasn’t flustered. Taking a short breath, she lowered her gaze as if sifting through her memories. Under the tense silence of the waiting men, she slowly spoke.
"The poppy flower path…"
That single phrase caused a faint crack in the Chief Steward’s expression. Ilhwa lifted her eyes to meet his.
"I remember walking down a path full of poppies, holding someone’s hand near a pond shaded by willow trees. I don’t remember whose hand it was, but…"
She looked down at her own hand. A wistful longing filled her expression.
"It felt big and rough. Very warm. I think I could only hold their thumb."
Her calm voice seemed to pour cold water over the hall, plunging it into silence. Sensing the frozen atmosphere, Ilhwa clenched her fist.
"No wonder they’re shocked."
The willow trees, the pond, and the poppy-filled flower path—all of it was in the private garden of the Family Head’s residence.
"My past life memories are really coming in handy."
She knew about the poppies in the Family Head’s garden because she had seen them when she invaded the Namgung family in her past life.
After slaughtering all the remaining family members and stepping into the Family Head’s residence, she had recalled a strange memory standing before the poppy flower path— The very memory she had just described to the Chief Steward.
"Back then, I thought it was so bizarre that I burned the entire garden down."
Even though they were ornamental poppies, she had mistaken them for poisonous weeds. She had believed the strange vision wouldn’t have appeared otherwise. But in truth, it had been her real memory all along.
"How foolish I was."
Mocking her past self, Ilhwa unclenched her fist and raised her gaze.
"I lost most of my memories before the age of five, so that’s all I have. Is it enough?"
Just as the dazed Chief Steward snapped out of his trance and hurriedly opened his mouth to speak— Namgung Mucheon, who had been silently listening, raised a hand to stop him. In a low voice, he spoke.
"Poppies are common flowers found all over the Central Plains. Ponds and willow trees are things any wealthy fool can build and admire. Do you truly believe such things prove you are a child of the Namgung family?"
Ilhwa lifted her head to meet Namgung Mucheon’s gaze. She had already expected he wouldn’t easily accept her claim. Countless children had come forward claiming to be the lost Namgung heir—some even girls.
And without the birthmark on her neck, skepticism was only natural. But— "I don’t understand." Namgung Mucheon’s brow twitched.
"You don’t understand? What?"
"Isn’t it the Namgung family searching for the lost child? Then why must I prove myself?"