Childhood Friend of the Zenith Novel MTL - Chapter 1113

Chapter 1113

A day had gone by.

*Chirp. Chirrrup. Chirp.*

The noise of birds and insects drifted through the window gaps as I began to wake. It was the sound of the approaching dawn.

*Creak.*

I shifted my stiff body slightly, blinking away the last traces of sleepiness. A brief circulation of my internal energy washed the lingering weariness away.

Had I only slept for an hour or so? I had intended to get a full night’s sleep after so many restless nights, but at my current level of cultivation, such needs were trivial.

My body could endure half a month without rest. A little fatigue like this was easily purged with a few cycles of energy flow.

“You’re awake?”

“…Ah, yes.”

As I sat up, my eyes met Do Yun’s. It appeared he had finished his dawn training and retired around the same time I did.

But for us to awaken simultaneously as well…

“You didn’t sleep at all?”

“Ah, ahaha… I didn’t plan it that way, but it just happened.”

“You should rest. You’ll exhaust yourself at this rate.”

“You’re one to talk, Baek Comrade.”

“…”

I was briefly lost for a reply.

The truth was, he and I operated on completely different levels. But stating that directly would have sounded far too arrogant.

So instead of answering, I simply rose to my feet.

“Where are you going?”

Do Yun asked with curiosity. So far, our only order had been to wait, which meant there was no real need to move about.

However…

“I have something I need to do.”

I spoke with a deep frown.

Yes, I had business to attend to this morning.

I had to go see my father.

**********

*Knock. Knock.*

Moving through the residence, I soon reached my father’s quarters. It wasn’t far, so locating it was simple.

I approached the door and gave a light knock, announcing my presence.

“Gu… No, it’s Baek Yangcheon.”

“Enter.”

“…”

For some reason, it felt exactly like those times I would visit my father’s chambers in the future.

We were supposed to be the same age now, so why did I feel so tense?

Especially considering…

‘Right now, I’m stronger than he is.’

At his current age, my father was formidably powerful. Though he wasn’t yet among the greatest prodigies I knew of, and certainly not at the level of a true grandmaster…

Even so, if I wished, I could defeat him in an instant.

And yet…

‘…I’m still nervous.’

Perhaps it was something ingrained deep within me. Every time I faced my father, a reflexive tension surged inside.

*Creak.*

When I stepped in, I saw my father was already fully dressed, reviewing a stack of reports.

Where had all those documents even come from?

As I was wrestling with my confusion—

“You’re here.”

My father looked up, his crimson eyes glinting as they settled on me.

“Sit.”

“…Yes.”

His commanding tone made me move automatically. As I sat, I noticed a teacup had already been placed before me.

Had he prepared it knowing I would come?

I reached for the cup hesitantly, but my father showed no reaction. That confirmed it was indeed for me.

I lifted it and took a sip.

As the warmth spread through me, I felt the tension start to loosen—

“You know why I called you here, don’t you?”

“…”

The tension that had just begun to fade rushed back in an instant.

“…Ahem.”

I cleared my throat, purposely looking away.

Then—

“Yesterday. I want to know why you were with her.”

“…”

He was direct.

‘Her’—there was only one person he could mean.

Mother.

‘Why was I with her?’

The answer was straightforward.

“If you’re asking why… well, she appeared suddenly, said she was hungry, and asked for something to eat.”

“…”

I told the truth, and my father’s eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly.

“Actually, I should be the one asking the questions here.”

“…”

I had been truthful, yet my father’s expression remained severe.

Was he… annoyed?

I let out an awkward laugh and tried to steer the subject elsewhere.

“Where is the lady now?”

“Mi Lady is attending to her.”

“Ah, I see.”

“Are you curious?”

“Hm? No, not particularly.”

It would be a lie to say I felt no curiosity.

But I had no intention of digging deeper.

‘This isn’t my world, after all.’

No matter what I did here, it wouldn’t change a thing.

Moreover…

‘It would be problematic if I altered the future.’

I had no idea which specific events would lead to the future I remembered.

I wanted to avoid unnecessary interference whenever possible.

That included anything to do with my mother.

No matter how much I had ached to see her again—

‘I can’t allow myself to become more involved than necessary.’

I was forcing my emotions to submit to rationality.

That being said…

‘I do want to answer at least one question.’

There was something about my mother in this world that didn’t make sense.

‘Why does my energy perception go wild around her?’

Every time I drew near her, my energy perception spiraled out of control. It had already led to a few incidents.

That alone was a sufficient reason to avoid being near her.

‘Anyway.’

For now, I had to let this go.

“Is that the reason you called me here?”

Had my father really summoned me just to ask about that?

I doubted it.

‘Surely it’s not jealousy.’

No, that would be ridiculous.

I dismissed the thought the moment it surfaced.

No matter how I considered it, my father wasn’t the type to feel jealousy over something like this.

“…”

But instead of answering, he just continued to stare at me.

Wait.

‘What is that look supposed to mean?’

What was behind that gaze?

Could it be—

‘Is he actually jealous?’

I was sure it was impossible.

But as the moment stretched on in a strangely suggestive way, I began to wonder if, just maybe… it was possible.

It was because of the conversation I’d had with Hyun Soyeon before falling asleep.

From her point of view, my interaction with my mother must have seemed incredibly strange.

‘If my father interpreted it the same way…’

That would be a catastrophe.

Just as I was suppressing a cold sweat and hurriedly preparing an explanation—

“By the way.”

“Do you remember the Grand Magyeong Gate we saw yesterday?”

“…What?”

Right as I was about to speak, my father introduced a completely different subject.

“The reason I called you here is because we are going to investigate the Grand Magyeong Gate.”

“…Ah… Ah? Oh, is that it? So that’s why.”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. It’s just… I’m relieved, that’s all.”

As expected. It wasn’t jealousy.

Of course, my father would never be susceptible to something that petty.

Even in his youth, he seemed like the kind of man who wouldn’t bleed if you stabbed him—how absurd was it to think he could be jealous?

Jealous? Of me? Over my mother?

Reconsidering it, the notion was utterly ridiculous.

I internally sighed in relief.

But then, something felt unusual.

“We’re investigating? Just the two of us?”

I pointed out the odd part, and my father gave a single nod.

“Yes, the two of us.”

“…Ha… ha…”

“Is there a problem?”

Just the two of us?

The mere idea made my throat go dry.

A problem? There were countless problems.

But…

“No, sir.”

“Then prepare yourself. We leave in half an hour.”

“…Understood.”

The real issue was that I had no valid reason to refuse.

******

*Creak. Thud.*

And with that, Baek Yangcheon left the room.

“…”

Left by himself, Gu Cheolwoon blinked a few times. Then, he slowly turned his gaze toward the table in front of him.

Two teacups sat there.

His own cup remained full, untouched.

“…”

Staring at it, he unconsciously replayed their conversation.

Why had he truly called Baek Yangcheon here?

He turned the question over in his mind.

If it was merely to assess the situation, that was logical.

If it was for the Grand Magyeong Gate, that too was a sound reason.

However he framed it, the rationale behind his decision wasn’t flawed.

And yet—

*Tap. Tap tap.*

Gu Cheolwoon absently drummed his fingers on the table.

A habit he’d had since childhood.

*Tap tap tap.*

Something was nagging at him.

But for some reason, he couldn’t quite identify what it was.

A building sense of frustration swelled within him.

His brow furrowed against his will.

What was so aggravating?

Was it simply Baek Yangcheon’s existence that irritated him? He wouldn’t deny it.

From the very moment they met, something about Baek Yangcheon had felt off.

Yes, that was the sensation.

The instant he laid eyes on him, he had detected something amiss.

A mere young martial artist with an aggressive demeanor—that should have been the end of it.

And yet, something felt wrong.

But what was it?

He questioned himself.

Still, no clear answer emerged.

There was nothing definite enough to pinpoint.

That was the problem.

It was just… a persistent irritation.

Especially from yesterday.

The image replayed in his mind.

A woman’s presence.

A woman who was nothing but a nuisance.

Why had she involved herself where she didn’t belong?

It wasn’t as if his life or his circumstances permitted such concerns.

Yet, she had interfered. And now, she was entangled in this affair.

He wanted to be free of her.

To erase her.

For the longest time, that was all he had wanted.

And yet, now…

A specific memory surfaced.

«Here, eat this too.»

A woman who was always being scolded for her bottomless appetite.

Yet, she had given her food to Baek Yangcheon without taking a bite for herself.

«Ah, no! That’s mine!»

At the same time, she had tried to reclaim her own share.

The overlapping images grated on him.

Why was it bothering him?

Gu Cheolwoon became acutely conscious of the irritation churning inside him.

«Where is the lady now?»

Baek Yangcheon’s question.

«Are you curious?»

His own retort.

Normally, he would never have asked something like that.

So why had he?

“…”

*Tap. Tap tap. Tap…*

His fingers, which had been rhythmically tapping the table, suddenly stilled.

“…Hah.”

A soft exhale escaped him, carrying a trace of heat.

It bothered him.

Was it Baek Yangcheon that irritated him?

Or was it something else?

He didn’t know.

*Swish.*

He slowly stood up.

He pushed all unnecessary thoughts aside, locking them away deep within.

Whatever this was, now was not the time to dwell on it.

‘Focus on the investigation first.’

Understanding the situation with the Grand Magyeong Gate.

And investigating Baek Yangcheon.

That was what needed to be done.

Reminding himself of this, Gu Cheolwoon rose to his feet.

He had work to do.

With that final thought, he stepped out of the room.

Leaving behind an empty space—

And a table now marked with deep impressions where his fingers had restlessly drummed.