Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1104

Chapter 1104

Drip.

As she twisted the fabric between her pale fingers, dark, bloodied water streamed onto the ground. The garment had clearly absorbed a great deal, judging by the sheer volume being squeezed out.

And the object in her grasp…

‘That’s a flail.’

A spiked iron ball, linked by a chain to a handle. Its brutal purpose was unmistakable at a glance.

‘And that woman is the one wielding it?’

It was deeply unusual to see such a weapon in the hands of a woman who appeared so delicate. It was not a common choice for someone of her demeanor.

Whoosh—! Whoosh, whoosh—!

The woman ceased wringing the blood from her clothes, gave the flail a few experimental swings, and then settled it comfortably against her shoulder.

Then—

«Phew! Much better.»

She used the back of her hand to wipe her brow, a look of clear satisfaction on her face.

«……»

To a casual observer, it might have seemed a harmless scene, but the fact she was drenched from head to toe in the blood of monsters left me utterly speechless.

At that moment—

«…Lady Hyun?»

Namgung Jin’s startled voice came from behind me. The woman with the flail immediately turned her head toward the sound.

«Ah. There you are.»

The easy smile she gave him sent an involuntary shiver down my spine.

«What… How are you here, Lady Hyun…?»

Namgung Jin was clearly in shock, his eyes wide as he stared at the woman he called Lady Hyun.

‘They know each other.’

That much was obvious. But more than that—

‘They look exactly alike.’

The woman I knew—Namgung Bi-ah—and this woman before us were nearly identical.

How could the resemblance be so striking? As the thought crossed my mind—

«Sword Dragon.»

A low voice cut through the air, chilling the atmosphere instantly. When Gu Cheolwoon spoke, everything seemed to freeze.

«Explain. Who is she?»

«……»

All eyes shifted to Sword Dragon. He glanced briefly at Mi Horan, then remained silent, unable to form a reply.

In that tense silence—

«She’s my fiancée.»

The answer came not from Namgung Jin, but from the woman herself.

«Huh?»
«What?»

Surprise rippled through the group. But no one was more shocked than I was.

‘Fiancée?’

I stared at her, my eyes wide.

Fiancée?

‘And she looks exactly like Namgung Bi-ah?’

Ah. I see.

In that moment, I realized exactly who she was.

‘That woman…’

She was none other than the future mother of Namgung Bi-ah.

I became absolutely certain as I watched her smiling face.

*******

Hyun Soyeon.

Age: Twenty-two.

Daughter of the Seonho Trading Company, a prominent merchant guild from Anhui.

She was half a head shorter than the Namgung Bi-ah I knew, but aside from that, their faces were nearly mirror images.

‘How is that even possible?’

Except for her height and the color of her hair, everything was the same.

Looking at her, it was impossible to mistake her for anyone other than the woman who would one day become Namgung Bi-ah’s mother.

The problem was—

‘…What do I actually know about her?’

The truth was, I knew very little about Hyun Soyeon.

I hadn’t heard many stories, and from what I understood, she was already deceased in my own time.

The few vague details I could recall were:

‘The daughter of the most influential trading company in Anhui.’

And because of that status, she was engaged to the Namgung family. That was the extent of my knowledge.

‘But.’

I never anticipated encountering her here.

«Nice to meet you all. I’m Hyun Soyeon.»

Crackle.
Snap.

The campfire popped gently as we settled around it. This wasn’t a great spot to make camp, but the sudden appearance of this unexpected person had forced our group to halt.

«I never imagined I’d have the chance to meet such distinguished individuals.»

She offered a bright smile as she spoke. Her expression was so warm it seemed to light up the immediate area.

‘…Wow.’

She looked just like Namgung Bi-ah, yet she smiled with such effortless ease. I found myself staring, completely captivated—

Tap, tap.

Someone nudged me from the side. I turned to see it was Soi.

«Don’t stare so rudely.»

Had I been that obvious? I nodded at her silent reprimand.

«I was wandering a bit, trying to find the correct route, and then—can you believe it? Monsters appeared out of nowhere! I was in a real bind. It was a stroke of luck that I stumbled upon all of you.»

«……»
«……»

No one offered a response.

In a bind?

‘Lies.’

Just from watching her swing that flail and sensing the bloodlust rolling off of her, it was perfectly clear.

‘She’s at least first-class.’

Perhaps even a peak expert. For the daughter of a merchant, her martial prowess was astonishingly high.

At the very least, she was not someone who could be troubled by mere Green-ranked monsters.

Then—

«Soyeon…»

A voice called her name.

It was Mi Horan.

Hyun Soyeon’s eyes widened slightly as she looked over.

«Oh my, unni! What a wonderful surprise to find you here!»

They knew one another.

Well, of course.

‘They’re both daughters of major trading families.’

Whether it was the Baekhwa Trading Company or the Seonho Trading Company, they were both renowned guilds. It made sense their direct heirs would be acquainted.

«What brings you all the way out here…?»

«Hmm? Oh, well, as I was just saying….»

Hyun Soyeon pointed at someone.

At Namgung Jin.

«I came to find my fiancé. He’s been taking far too long.»

«Wait…»

Namgung Jin’s face contorted in frustration.

«How could you come here while I’m on a mission? I sent word that I was with the Martial Alliance.»

His exasperated remark made Hyun Soyeon click her tongue.

«Oh, please.»

‘Huh?’

I thought I’d misheard.

What did she just say…?

«You were the one who told me to go home and wait if I wanted to see you. And now you’re going back on that? Namgung Jin, have you lost your mind?»

Ah. I had heard correctly.

Hyun Soyeon—

‘She’s fierce.’

Unlike Namgung Bi-ah, she possessed a remarkably bold personality.

«I told you I couldn’t leave because I was with the Martial Alliance, but you kept pestering me to come. So I said—if you wanted, you could just wait for me.»

«And I did wait. So what’s the issue? I even came out to meet you partway. Shouldn’t you be thanking me by now?»

«You can’t be serious…?»

«You’re the one who decided to join the Martial Alliance on a whim, even though our engagement was already arranged.»

«……»

Namgung Jin fell silent.

He was clearly in the wrong here.

«Because of you, both the Namgung Family Head and my father have been put in a difficult position.»

«……»

«And now? You say you have some grand ambition to fulfill at the Martial Alliance, so you can’t return? Namgung Jin. Are you completely insane?»

«……»

Judging by how she continued to lecture him, this was clearly not the first time she had put him in his place.

«And the most irritating part?»

She glanced toward Mi Horan.

«The reason behind all of this is even more annoying. Do you understand that?»

«……»

Namgung Jin averted his gaze. He clearly had no ground to stand on.

«…Phew.»

Even though she seemed to have more to say, Hyun Soyeon held her tongue.

She then turned to address the highest-ranking person present—Gu Cheolwoon.

«Divine Dragon.»

«Speak.»

Father continued to gaze only at the campfire.

«It seems my identity is settled. If it’s not an imposition, may I travel with you? You are heading to the Namgung family, correct? I left in a rush and didn’t bring any supplies.»

At Hyun Soyeon’s request, Father turned to look at her. Under his gaze, she seemed to hesitate for a moment.

But she quickly regained her composure and continued.

«I will see you are properly compensated once we arrive.»

«That will be acceptable.»

«What—!»

At Father’s decision, Namgung Jin shot to his feet.

«Gu Cheolwoon! What do you mean—»

Namgung Jin’s voice was sharp and angry, but in that instant, a crushing pressure erupted from Father.

Kwaaaa—!

«Kuhk!?»

Namgung Jin let out a choked gasp, completely overwhelmed by the force.

«Address me properly, Namgung Jin.»

«Grrghhh…!»

The oppressive energy tightened around his throat, making Namgung Jin tremble violently before he barely managed to force the words out.

«Vice… Lord…!»

The moment he spoke—Thud!—the pressure vanished, and Namgung Jin stumbled forward.

«Cough! Cough…!»

He clutched his throat, coughing and gasping for air. Father didn’t even look at him. Instead, he returned his attention to Hyun Soyeon.

«Since we are going the same way and you will provide suitable compensation, there is no issue.»

«I am grateful for your understanding.»

Though she tried to sound calm, Hyun Soyeon looked visibly unsettled. She hadn’t expected Namgung Jin to be subdued so effortlessly.

…So.

‘That means this woman is coming with us to the Namgung family.’

Since Father had given his decision, it was final.

This was going to be a very strange journey.

As that thought occurred to me, I found myself quietly observing Hyun Soyeon.

«……!»

Suddenly, our eyes met. It was only for a second.

Then, Hyun Soyeon smiled at me.

It was a natural, radiant expression.

A brief moment of exchanged glances. Watching her, a thought formed.

‘It suits her.’

That kind of smile—it would have suited Namgung Bi-ah, too.

The idea lingered in my mind.

*******

Time passed.

Life inside the carriage was not particularly eventful. We continued on toward the Namgung family.

The journey wasn’t terribly long—a day’s travel at most—so I believed I could tolerate it.

‘Damn it.’

The already confined space had become even more cramped.

And the reason was obvious.

«…Could you move over a little?»

«The space is too limited for that. You’ll have to bear it, Namgung Jin.»

Hyun Soyeon had joined us in our carriage.

Mi Horan had placed her with us instead of in her own.

Her reasoning was, «Since her fiancé is here, it should be fine,» and Hyun Soyeon had agreed without objection.

As for Namgung Jin, he had shouted his objections—only to be completely ignored.

Which meant the ones left to deal with the discomfort were the rest of us.

‘Ah, this is frustrating.’

It was aggravating.

How much longer did I have to put up with this?

Just as I was thinking that—

«We have arrived.»

The coachman’s voice called out.

Hearing that, I sighed in profound relief.

‘We’re finally here.’

Anhuiseong.

The home of the Namgung family.

Just as I began to relax, glad the journey was over—

«Huh?»

The coachman suddenly sounded alarmed.

«A-Ahead! The Family Head is coming out to meet us!»

«Hmm?»

At those words, everyone in the carriage widened their eyes in surprise.

«What…!?»

Namgung Jin’s face instantly lost all color.