Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1110

Chapter 1110

Our gazes locked, and for an instant, I went completely still. I had been making a conscious effort to ensure this exact situation never occurred.

My father was one reason. Furthermore, if I were to confront my mother in this time, I could predict nothing but difficulty.

If it was at all possible.

Since my goal was to depart from this place, I wanted to steer clear of creating any additional problems.

And yet.

I never anticipated crossing paths with her.

I never imagined I would encounter my mother in a location such as this.

Her hair wasn’t purely white—it held a subtle hint of crimson. And her eyes… they were the very same ones I had seen back in Mangye.

She wore a soft smile, but there was an intangible quality to her—a elusive allure that made her existence feel strangely magnetic.

I swallowed dryly.

Why.

Why was my mother here?

How had I failed to detect her?

Just like the previous time, I had felt no trace of her arrival. Consequently, I had unintentionally let her come so near.

«Hello?»

She looked at me and spoke. Hearing her voice, I faltered.

What was I supposed to say? How should I behave?

After a brief pause to collect myself, I forced my expression to remain blank and answered.

«……Hello.»

I aimed for a tone of complete composure, but my mother’s smile only seemed to grow.

«We’ve met before, haven’t we?»
«Yes.»
«It’s good to see you again. Are you also pleased to see me?»
«Yes. I suppose—»
«What brings you here? Not asleep? Aren’t you hungry?»

«…….»

Before I could even finish my reply, she had already shifted to another subject.

What was this? Why did it feel like my energy was being sapped simply from conversing with her?

We had barely spoken, yet I already felt inexplicably drained.

«I’m a little hungry.»

«Ah… I see.»

She rubbed her stomach as if to underline her statement.

For some reason, I couldn’t help but see Wi Seol-ah superimposed over her.

Even back at the supply wagon… she had been continually nibbling on something, just like this.

Was my mother always this way?

I couldn’t quite recall. I didn’t possess many memories of her to start with.

Even if I had, I doubt I would have remembered a minor detail like her eating habits.

And then—

«I’m hungry.»

«……?»

She said it again. The very same words.

What was I supposed to do about that?

I narrowed my eyes slightly and studied her.

As if anticipating my response, she ventured to speak once more, this time with noticeable caution.

«……Do you have anything to eat?»

To be precise, she glanced around as if surveying her surroundings, almost like she was afraid someone might hear her.

She resembled a child anxious about being reprimanded.

«……Is someone pursuing you?»

«Huh? No?»

She started at my question, her reaction far too transparent.

She might have denied it, but every part of her response shouted yes.

If someone truly was chasing her…

The answer was obvious.

Father?

He was the one who had confined her to that carriage. If she feared anyone, it was most probably him.

Which meant—

She had slipped away.

My mother had left without anyone’s knowledge.

And if that was true—

This isn’t good, is it?

If she were discovered, the situation would become complex.

Hmm.

I considered it for a moment before speaking again.

«I don’t have anything to eat.»

I wasn’t in the habit of carrying food, and searching through another person’s home for a snack seemed absurd.

«Oh… really?»

She looked sincerely disheartened.

What? Was it truly that important?

«There’s nothing…?»
«Yes, nothing. So I believe you should just quietly return ba—»
«Then would you like to go look for something together?»
«……What?»

A moment ago, she had seemed dejected. Now, her eyes suddenly shone with anticipation. And then—

Grab!

«Let’s do that!»

Before I could respond, she seized my wrist.

This was not good.

«Let’s go!»

She abruptly tried to pull me along.

Naturally, if I resisted, I shouldn’t have been moved so easily—

Grip—!

Wait…?

But… she was strong. Far stronger than I had assumed.

Her grip was unyielding—far too unyielding.

What in the world?

This was problematic. This was certainly beyond the level of someone at Hwagyeong.

Which meant—

She still retains her strength?

This indicated that she wasn’t merely a helpless woman.

I had assumed the mother I saw now was different from the one I witnessed in Mangye.

I had believed she would no longer possess her power.

I don’t know if she has all of it…

But at the very least, it was clear she wasn’t entirely without strength.

«Hmm?»

Noticing that I wasn’t moving, my mother looked momentarily taken aback.

Then, as if finding it intriguing, she stared right at me.

«What’s this?»
«That’s what I’d like to know.»
«Uh… what’s happening?»

She still appeared bewildered, as if she couldn’t quite grasp the situation.

Was she genuinely surprised that I wasn’t being pulled along by her strength?

I wasn’t sure.

But regardless—

«I’m not going. Release me.»

I had no clue where she intended to go.

But I couldn’t become more involved. I had no desire to provoke my father or anyone else.

That was my firm resolution as I tried to pull my arm back.

«Why not? It sounds like it would be fun.»
«……Huh?»

Another voice chimed in.

I turned, a sense of dread building within me.

And there she was—Hyun Soyeon.

Her face was damp from practice, and she was gazing at us blankly.

Damn.

I narrowed my eyes.

Had I been so focused on my mother that I failed to notice her approach?

No…

Even with my senses suppressed, I should have detected her coming this close.

This…

‘Is it my mother’s influence?’

My mother, whose presence I couldn’t easily feel. What’s more, being near her appeared to dampen my own awareness.

Had it always been like this?

How would I even know?

I had no way of knowing. I had never experienced it before. Perhaps my mother’s very nature felt foreign, causing this reaction.

I’ll set that aside for now.

I decided to table the sensory issue and focused on Hyun Soyeon standing before me.

«Why?»

She looked back at me as if wondering why I was staring.

«If you’re talking that loudly, it’s strange not to hear you, wouldn’t you agree?»
«…….»
«Don’t tell me you were trying to be quiet?»

It was true—my mother’s voice had been loud.

Had Hyun Soyeon overheard? This could become awkward.

«……I wasn’t attempting to be secretive.»
«Eh? Ah.»

I apologized immediately, as eavesdropping on someone’s training was profoundly disrespectful.

«It’s fine. It wasn’t like I was doing anything remarkable,»

Hyun Soyeon replied offhandedly, as if it were of no consequence.

Then, she retrieved a cloth from her pocket and casually wiped her face.

«This is fine now. So, about that—are you going to do it?»
«……What do you mean?»
«You said you were hungry. Are you going to eat?»

Suddenly, food? I narrowed my eyes, confused by her statement. Hyun Soyeon let out an exasperated sigh as if she were the one feeling frustrated.

«I’m hungry as well. I was considering making a bit of a scene, but it’s better to do it together than alone, right?»
«……You’re going to make a scene?»
«Do you want to?»
«No, I—»
«Alright. Then I’ll forgive you for eavesdropping on my training.»
«…….»

I was rendered speechless. Her audacious claim left me momentarily stunned.

«You said it didn’t matter earlier.»
«I did, but thinking about it now, it seems somewhat useful. How about it? I’ll forgive you, so let’s do it? Then.»

Hyun Soyeon beamed and pointed toward my mother, who was watching me with hopeful eyes.

«My mother will keep quiet about this, too.»
«…….»

Ah, correct.

She was unaware that my mother had sneaked out.

Damn.

The situation was becoming more entangled by the second. I felt a sigh building from the sheer complexity of it all.

«How about it?»

Hyun Soyeon smiled as if she knew exactly what was happening, her words laced with mischief.

That was when I understood.

She has the same face as Namgung Bi-ah,
But her interior was entirely different. The understanding solidified in my mind.

«……What precisely are you planning to do?»

Even I could hear the unease in my own tone.

**********

Later that night, we all moved together.

Naturally, the guards from the Namgung family were on patrol, but Hyun Soyeon navigated past them with utter nonchalance.

«I’ve memorized their patrol routes. If we go this way, they won’t spot us.»

She declared boldly that she had memorized the guards’ patterns. How odd and self-assured she sounded.

«Ah, but be careful. I heard the guards fainted earlier today, so they’ve become a bit more alert.»
«…….»

I froze internally. It was obvious to anyone that this was a result of the disturbance I had caused during my attempted break-in.

«Here… like this.»

Hyun Soyeon took the lead through tight alleyways. Where was she taking us? She told me to trust her with confidence and swiftly slipped around one corner after another.

«How long will this take? I’m hungry.»
«Shh. If you speak loudly, I won’t give you any food.»
«……Ugh.»

My mother, who had been complaining, was hushed by a few words from Hyun Soyeon.

After a short time, we halted.

«Here.»

She guided us into a building through a gap where someone could enter unseen.

It truly felt like there were no guards in the vicinity, just as she had promised.

«There are more important areas to guard, so they likely don’t watch this place as closely. It’s simple to get in here.»

I glanced around after her explanation. This place was…

…Connected to the kitchen near the storage warehouse?

It seemed to be an area used by the Namgung family’s servants. The air carried faint scents of cooking utensils and spices.

Without a moment’s hesitation, Hyun Soyeon entered the place she had broken into. Her actions were practiced, as if she had done this countless times before.

Then, she quickly lit a torch and began to illuminate the wall with its flame.

At that moment—

«Ugh.»
«Huh?»
«Wait.»

As the light flared, my eyes met those of a person already inside.

It was Namgung Hyung, chewing on a carrot.

What in the world…

Why was he here…?