Evening.

I sat idly on the back porch of the temple hall that had been assigned as my lodging, staring blankly at the garden.

Perhaps it was due to the busy day, but my eyes felt dry and I was overcome with a sense of fatigue. I closed my eyes, pressing them with the palms of my hands, and let out a deep breath.

‘Alright, let’s organize my thoughts before speaking to Ha Hyun.’

The matter at hand was nothing monumental.

I find the eldest son extremely annoying, but there was no particular reason I could give to explain this feeling. These two sentences summed it up.

‘Am I fixated on this because I found it strange once, or is it really in the realm of intuition?’

That’s when I sensed it.

A minor commotion was taking place near the entrance of the temple hall. I turned my head slightly and discreetly extended my senses. Although I was limited in how far I could sense, the entrance wasn’t too far away, so I was able to detect the presence of people.

It seemed like about six people who hadn’t learned martial arts had come.

If I noticed, the temple disciples surely must have as well. Probably, someone would go out to greet them when they had time, but I was suddenly curious.

I rose from my seat, walked through the corridor, and headed toward the temple hall entrance.

“Is anyone there?”

“Who is it?”

As expected, the temple disciple, Yu Baek, had already opened the door and was greeting the visitors.

Noticing my presence, Yu Baek turned to me, smiled lightly, and gestured for me to come over. It seemed that it wouldn’t be a problem for me to be there.

I quickly stood beside him to check who had come.

Two servants holding lanterns, one servant carrying a large basket covered with cloth, a woman who looked like a maid, and lastly, a middle-aged woman dressed in simple yet elegant clothes with a somewhat pallid complexion.

“Nice to meet you.”

The lady spoke first.

“I hope I’m not disturbing your rest.”

“Not at all. You must be…”

“My name is Baek So So. My husband is the chief of this place.”

I momentarily paused and widened my eyes.

“Ah, Lady Baek. I am Yu Baek of Hwasan.”

“Yes, disciple Yu Baek. And you are…”

The lady turned her eyes to me, appearing interested in hearing my name.

I hadn’t expected her to speak to me, and I was just about to be lost in thought, so I was a little flustered but managed to reply in time.

“……Ah, I am Ha Hyun.”

“Disciple Ha Hyun, I see.”

Nodding her head, Lady Baek suddenly bowed deeply the next moment. Yu Baek was startled and reached out his hand, but she didn’t lift her head.

“Lady Baek?”

“Thank you. I’ve only now heard that my children have been showing improvement since the arrival of the Hwasan Daoists.”
After finishing her words, the lady slowly lifted her head, her eyes welling with tears.

“My children have all been sick without knowing why, and I was so shocked that I couldn’t even stand up. I didn’t even know that the monks had arrived, but I came to pay my respects as soon as I heard the news.”

The lady, who had signaled to the servant holding a basket behind her, continued speaking.

“I brought some simple snacks for you to eat, as it’s late. I heard that you monks eat, albeit lightly… I tried to bring something light. I hope you will accept it, even if it doesn’t look like much.”

“May all sentient beings be happy. There’s no need to worry, we will gratefully accept your offering. Don’t worry too much, we will do our best with this matter as well.”

“Thank you…”

The lady wiped her tears with the corner of her sleeve.

“Those are all my children, born from my own pain. I can’t describe how much I wish I could suffer in their place. I’m truly grateful. If there’s anything you need, please let me know. Really… thank you. I’m counting on you.”

The lady, who didn’t even have the composure to save face, repeatedly expressed her gratitude with a deeply sincere attitude. While Sage 400 consoled the lady and exchanged a few more words with her, I kept my mouth tightly shut.

‘Biological?’

Lady Baek appeared shocked, and despite her pallor and somewhat subdued expression, she generally looked plain and graceful. Her features weren’t particularly distinct.

A graceful middle-aged lady who had naturally aged while living in a wealthy household.

She was neither a Westerner nor had blue eyes; anyone could see she was certainly from this central region.

‘Is this possible?’

They didn’t look alike at all.

They were fundamentally different from the start. Did either the lady or Danju have a Western ancestor? Was it a dramatic change in social status?

My thoughts were increasingly tangled and unorganized.

It was around that time that Sage 400 finally managed to console the lady and send her on her way. I covertly glanced at Sage 400 as we both returned to the hall. With a sigh of relief, Sage 400, who was checking the basket, looked at me casually and asked,

“You liked sweets, didn’t you? Want to eat some?”