Youngest Daughter of the Ultimate Martial Master Namgung Family

Chapter 4

Heeran had had a gut feeling that something grave was happening. But she had never thought that it would be so serious as to threaten the patriarch of the Namgung Family.

“H-how could they do this?”

The soldiers guarding the Patriarch House were among the most skilled they had. The fact that such people had died meant that it would be difficult to guarantee the safety of Hwi, the head of the family.

When Su-ryeon felt Heeran’s body shake, she gently patted her on the back. “It’s okay. There’s nothing for you to worry about.”

“But!”

“Hwi Namgung is safe.”

At her sister’s firm, confident words, Heeran slowly regained her composure. Heeran, who was ridiculed as the Shame of the Namgung Family, had a poor relationship with her siblings, but there was deep affection between Hwi and Su-ryeon. If Eldest Brother Hwi was in danger, there was no way Su-ryeon would be this calm.

With the sound of the door opening, they heard a familiar voice. “If you came here, you should come all the way inside. What are you doing standing out there?”

Heeran quickly turned her head. Hwi had opened the door to the ruined Patriarch House and appeared just as Su-ryeon had assured her he would. While he looked tired, he didn’t seem hurt.

“I thought it would be better here than inside the main house, so I waited.” Hwi looked at Su-ryeon. “Did I judge wrong?”

Heeran frowned at the unintelligible conversation. However, as if he had guessed something, Hwi closed the door behind him and immediately approached his two sisters. “The fact that you’re here means...”

“Yes. The bastards have even crawled into my house. I came all the way here to see if it was the same for you and—sure enough.”

“Just as Uncheon feared, the information must’ve leaked.”

“I know. You’d be a fool if you saw this and didn’t realize it. Uncheon warned that we had to hurry and send off Ahee.”

Heeran, who was still being tightly held by Su-ryeon, suddenly raised her head. Again, her childhood name had popped out. And this time, it was from Su-ryeon’s mouth.

Although they definitely felt Heeran’s stinging gaze, Hwi and Su-ryeon didn’t look at her. With a hardened face, Su-ryeon said, “The situation is serious. We have to send Ahee away first.”

“Her safety can’t be guaranteed just because she’ll be going outside.”

“How can you say that when you see this mess? Those bastards are targeting you! You, Namgung’s patriarch! Don’t you know what that means? It means that it’s not safe within the family!”

Hwi fell silent at the sharp words. “Gangwoo hasn’t returned yet.”

Heeran paled. Gangwoo Namgung? Why was that damned ruffian’s name being mentioned here?

Gangwoo was the bastard who barged into his own home once every few days, threw tantrums, and then left again. How many things had he broken whenever he’d returned?

But while he was mean-spirited and ill-tempered, he also had outstanding martial arts skills. That was why Hwi often sought him out.

But why was that bastard’s name coming out now?

After the attempted poisoning of the Steel Blood Alliance leader’s daughter, Gangwoo had not once visited Heeran. She had thought that he must believe the false accusation against her.

But they’re saying that he hasn’t returned yet? So Gangwoo was outside the residence? Heeran hadn’t heard that.

“He hasn’t come back? He should have arrived today at the latest, right?”

“Yes. That’s why now is not the time.”

“Sh*t.”

Heeran’s eyes widened at Su-ryeon’s swearing. Although she hadn’t interacted with her siblings often enough to know their true personalities, she knew their public personas very well. Su-ryeon Namgung was highly regarded for her elegant words and actions. And yet, right now, such crass words were flowing out of her mouth.

“Those damned b*stards of the senate. They’re pigs who only know how to fill their own bellies! Gluttons who empty the family’s repositories! They took advantage of our absence to twist things up like this!”

As if the conversation just before had touched a nerve, Su-ryeon poured out her anger with swears mixed in.

“Su-ryeon Namgung.”

“Shut your mouth. I’m this close to losing it right now. Starting from Uncheon, we’re all going to have to explain why we weren’t here.”

Hwi looked at her.

“What the hell were we doing before the situation got this messed up?! What was it all for?! Did we forget the reason we made it this far?!” Su-ryeon’s eyes were burning with rage.

Heeran was speechless. She had never seen her older sister like this. Like a lake that merely rippled for a moment after something was thrown into it, she had thought that Su-ryeon was a peaceful person. Even if her sister heard something insulting, she would pause for a moment and then come back at the person with something more, all while gracefully smiling at them.

She had thought that Su-ryeon was only that kind of person, but apparently that wasn’t the case. Heeran’s gaze intensified.

“What was it all for?! Did we forget the reason we made it this far?!”

She had a lot of questions, but she couldn’t voice any of them out loud. It was the same as when she had faced Uncheon earlier.

Heeran’s heart thumped offbeat as she felt the ominous premonition again.

Hwi, who had been silent, then opened his mouth. “Gangwoo will return.”

“Right. I also believe in that idiot’s skills. But when?” Su-ryeon’s sharp gaze was blazing hot, and it pushed back at Hwi as if interrogating him. “How long do you think we can just wait for him? Do you believe that there’ll be enough time for that?”

Hwi was silent.

“The assassins barged their way into the Patriarch House without warning. Uncheon also told me to hurry. That fastidious child said with his own mouth that if we don’t hurry, Ahee will be in danger. Do you really not know what that means?”

“I’ll say the same thing back,” Hwi said resolutely. “Our plan can’t continue without Gangwoo. We have to wait.”

Heeran, who had been quietly brooding over their conversation, flinched. She’d felt Su-ryeon’s arm around her tighten immensely.

“No. We can’t just stay here and wait forever. Uncheon warned us that their attack would come earlier than expected. One mistake...” Su-ryeon chewed on her lip and then continued. “And this all goes to sh*t.”

“One hour. Let’s just wait one more hour.”

“And if that brat Gangwoo doesn’t come in an hour?”

“Then his role will be fulfilled by you.”

It was only after receiving Hwi’s definite answer that the fog of anxiety on Su-ryeon’s face lifted. Heeran had been quietly observing the two this whole time, and she finally opened her mouth. “What does all of that mean?”

Su-ryeon saw that Heeran looked like she wouldn’t back down until she got an answer. She averted her eyes, and Heeran turned her gaze toward Hwi.

“Why did you take me out of that room and bring me here?”

Hwi said nothing.

“Why did you entrust me to Uncheon Namgung? Why is Gangwoo Namgung and my childhood name coming out in your conversation?”

Once again, he did not respond.

“Are you talking about sending me out of here? What are you thinking?!” Heeran’s eyes were ablaze.

Even in a situation where many things were unknown, some details were particularly clear. Uncheon had smiled at her with a face she had never seen before. Su-ryeon hadn’t let her go this whole time. And then there was the conversation just now about how they’d send her off first...

I don’t have foolish expectations.

In fact, she didn’t expect her siblings to say that they cared about her. So she had to know. Why were they doing this?

Hwi’s face hardened at Heeran’s stubborn spirit, which showed that she wasn’t going to back down. It was a tense atmosphere. Despite Hwi’s silence, Heeran did not withdraw her interrogating gaze.

She had a vague gut feeling that if she didn’t get the answer right now, she didn’t know when she’d uncover the truth.

But at the moment when hesitation finally crossed Hwi’s face, a loud noise suddenly rang out. It sounded like metal clashing against metal. And then...

A presence emerged, breaking down the door that Hwi had tightly closed.

“Ugh! Why are you out here and not inside?! I was surprised because it’s a mess inside!”

Heeran’s face contorted when she heard the new, sharp voice that had a childish quality to it. Because of that idiot, she hadn’t gotten an answer from Hwi.

Gangwoo, who now stood inside the doorway, shook the dust off his shoulder and said, “Some pretty formidable things tried to overtake my side, but this place is a sh*t show too.”

Gangoo twisted his mouth and looked around, taking in the assassins scattered about the hallway and the disheveled state of Hwi and Su-ryeon’s clothes. And in Su-ryeon’s arms...

“What the...?! Why are you holding her?”

“It’s not ‘you,’ but ‘Eldest Sister.’ Is your brain full of muscles too, my idiotic Youngest Brother?”

“Ha! That’s enough of that, so kindly explain. Why are you holding her like that and what’s the situation? It’s bound to be because of something the great Uncheon Namgung said, right?”

Heeran chewed on her lips when Gangwoo made eye contact with her and raised his eyebrows.

Right, don’t be delusional. Look at the way those eyes are peering at you.

Gangwoo looked at Hwi as if pressing him. Hwi blinked slowly, then spoke. “Now.”

“What?”

“Take Ahee right now and go. The bastards are moving faster than expected. We don’t have time.”

“What are you saying all of a sudden? It was supposed to be in a week...”

“The situation has changed.”

Gangwoo’s usually flighty face suddenly hardened at Hwi’s firm words. At that moment, loud shouting was heard from beyond the Patriarch House.

“Fire! Fire! There’s a fire in the warehouse! Hurry and bring water!”

“Which b*stards did this?”

“They’re outsiders! Get them!”

“They’re suspicious! Catch them!”

From all directions, they heard the loud clang of the bell signaling intruders and the sound of weapons clashing. Hearing the scream that followed, Heeran’s face turned pale.

Su-ryeon finally let her go, then gave her something. Heeran looked down at her hand when she felt coolness at her fingertips.

“It’s yours now.”

It was a sapphire hairpin with a bluish tinge. Su-ryeon smiled brightly at her.

“That’s it. Now go.”

Su-ryeon then lightly pushed Heeran’s back. Gangwoo grabbed her hand. As she was about to be dragged away, Heeran urgently turned her body.

She made eye contact with Hwi. Suddenly, she couldn’t take it anymore and shouted, “It’s not too late to hand me over to the Steel Blood Alliance! Why are you taking it this far?! Why are you acting so out of character?!”