I didn’t know how to act in this situation.

Father was just looking at me.

He didn’t attack me like in past memories.

[You can’t kill him.]

The dagger uncle declared.

[At least with your body, you can’t kill that guy.]

‘Uncle…’

[I can’t accept it. Is it really true, as you said, that guy kills people? He can’t even attack you.]

Originally, if it was the original Cheonmajijun, it would have been like that. Heuksalgwi was definitely a madu who bothered Ji Cheon Wu enough to be treated importantly even in Cheonmajijun.

But Father didn’t take any action. That fact made me sad.

‘It seems like he can’t attack because of me.’

He was enduring loneliness longer than in the original work that I knew.

The Heuksalgwi in the original work would have also been a father.

‘Then how long did Father suffer in pain?’

I couldn’t think for long.

Clang!

Swords clashed.

I blocked Father’s sword that was trying to attack Ji Cheon Wu.

I threw my whole body.

Father persistently tried to attack Ji Cheon Wu. It was probably by the order of the man in black.

But when I interfered by throwing my body, he couldn’t bother Ji Cheon Wu.

I didn’t forget to shout to Ji Cheon Wu.

“Ji Cheon Wu, please track the man in black!”

Ji Cheon Wu followed the fleeing man in black.

‘Someone of Ji Cheon Wu’s level is enough.’

I focused on Father in front of me. I threw my body to block Father, who was trying to follow Ji Cheon Wu.

Again.

Father couldn’t attack me.

‘I hate this.’

I hated this situation.

Why was I possessed into a novel?

Why is Father so foolishly good?

So why, why do I…

If he had been a bad person like my father in the previous life, I wouldn’t have had any hesitation.

I just stopped there.

When I didn’t attack, Father tried to follow Ji Cheon Wu.

Whether I should hold onto Father or let him go like this

[Let him go. If you don’t let him go, they might kill that guy.]

I said to Father.

“Rather, you should have attacked me.”

If that was the case…

No, even so, the result wouldn’t have been different.

I could never attack him.

I put away my sword.

[This is the timeline separator]

Ji Cheon Wu returned after a long time had passed. He couldn’t capture the man in black alive.

“When trying to catch him, he committed suicide.”

I turned my gaze.

Baek Jin-wi was looking at me blankly with a pale, frightened face.

“Pl, please just spare my life…”

“I have no intention of killing you.”

The original plan was to kill Heuksalgwi here and safely send Baek Jin-wi to Baengryong Sangdan.

After that, I was going to wander the martial arts world and chase the Blood Cult.

But all plans went awry.

‘I’ll have to send that guy to Baengryong Sangdan.’

[Are you trying to go according to the plan?]

I shook my head.

‘No, I’ll just stop by Baengryong Sangdan and return to Namgung Sega right away. There’s no time to stay here.’

I had to go to Namgung Sega and tell Grandfather everything.

About what I saw today.

[This is the timeline separator]

After that, I didn’t know what state of mind I was in. Baek Jin-wi kept bowing his head and praising me and Ji Cheon Wu.

“You are truly a great master.”

“My goodness, it was Young Lady Namgung. I thought your martial arts were exceptional.”

“Gasp, this person was the Second Young Master of Cheonmasinyo.”

“Th, the First Young Master of the Tang family is also here?”

“There’s also someone with excellent medical skills!”

He was really a talkative person who was good at flattery.

Tang Hua-ling and Shin So-kyung were startled to see the increased party members.

But Baek Jin-wi, who was noisily chattering, soon noticed my low mood and quieted down.

Baek Jin-wi had a setting of being good at business, so he was also very quick-witted.

“If it’s not rude, you can stay at our guild for a while!”

Originally, I would have gladly accepted his offer.

It was an opportunity to get acquainted with the leader of Baengryong Sangdan.

Shin So-kyung and Tang Hua-ling also had expectant faces, but I firmly refused his offer.

“No, I’m in a hurry to go.”

Baek Jin-wi made a bow and deeply lowered his head.

“Thank you, Young Lady Namgung. The Second Young Master of Cheonmasinyo, I won’t forget this kindness!”

I opened my mouth to Tang Hua-ling and Shin So-kyung.

“I’m going to return to Namgung Sega right away. If your purpose is to wander the martial arts world, it would be better to part ways with me.”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to return to Namgung Sega right away. Did something happen?”

“It’s a matter within the family, so I can’t tell you.”

Even with my firm answer, Tang Hua-ling shrugged his shoulders.

“I actually like it. If you just allow it. I also want to see Namgung Jin Cheon after a long time.”

We immediately changed our path to Namgung Sega. In order to take the fast route, we often had to camp outside without stopping by villages.

I became more and more anxious.

When I maintained a forced march even after evening, Shin So-kyung approached and spoke to me.

“Young Lady Namgung, it would be better to rest and then go.”

[Mandu-ya!]

I was blankly walking without properly listening to Shin So-kyung’s words.

If it weren’t for the dagger uncle’s shout, I would have ignored her words.

[I think it would be good to rest. In your current state, nothing will go well no matter what you do.]

I also felt the need for rest. I couldn’t cause harm to the party just because I was confused.

“Let’s rest for a bit. I’m sorry, I’m out of my mind.”

Shin So-kyung seemed very tired and sat down on the spot.

“No, it seems like something big happened, and my stamina is weak, so I’m sorry instead.”

Seeing Shin So-kyung’s appearance, I felt like I was coming to my senses.

‘Get yourself together. Don’t be a nuisance.’

I shook my head vigorously.

[This is the timeline separator]

I looked at the sky.

Indeed, the air in this world is clear.

Whenever I look at the sky at night, I think this, but the stars are extremely visible.

‘But why?’

The sky was definitely clear, but it felt hazy.

[It’s because of the tears.]

Ah, I hurriedly wiped my eyes.

I didn’t want to show an unsightly crying appearance.

‘I haven’t cried much since I was 8 years old.’

Today, I was reminded of Un Ryeong for some reason.

They say childhood memories last a lifetime. When I was sad, Un Ryeong would sometimes come to mind for no reason.

That’s when it happened.

Ji Cheon Wu carefully sat down next to me.

“Are you okay?”

I looked at Ji Cheon Wu.

Ji Cheon Wu was there at the scene together, so he knew what had happened to me. To be honest, I wasn’t okay. I didn’t want to get caught by others feeling this way.

‘What should I do?’

The dagger uncle didn’t answer my question. He probably didn’t know what to say to me either.

“That person… is Namgung Hyun, right?”

I nodded my head.

It wasn’t something that could be kept a secret.

The reason I was hurrying to Namgung Sega was also to tell Grandfather about that fact.

When he brought it up, the reality that I had been ignoring until now felt more real.

“I don’t know what to do. I didn’t know Father was alive like that.”

“…”

“I always dreamed about it. But what I imagined wasn’t a situation like this. I…”

So, what did I want?

Did I wish for Father to be alive while also wanting him to be the original Father?

‘But, but it’s too miserable.’

I felt sorry for Father.

Father had been missing for too long. The disheveled hair, the blackened face from not being able to wash properly.

That appearance of his that had no trace of the father I remembered.

“Is there no way?”

I was selfish.

I had vowed to end Heuksalgwi here, but I let him go in the end because he was my father.

‘What if Father eventually can’t contain his murderous intent?’

Would I be any different from the madu I despised?

“There will be a way.”

At Ji Cheon Wu’s words, I looked at him. It was just an ordinary consolation.

A consolation given to someone’s sadness with a set answer.

‘But when Ji Cheon Wu says it, it really feels like there might be a way.’

Is this also the protagonist’s buff?

I rested my head on Ji Cheon Wu’s shoulder. I felt Ji Cheon Wu flinch.

He patted my back with an awkward hand. It was somewhat funny.

It felt like Ji Cheon Wu had never tried to comfort someone before.

“To be honest, I don’t know how to comfort you. I don’t have any memories of my parents in the first place…”

Ji Cheon Wu continued in a careful tone.

“Don’t try to bear it all alone. There are many people who want to help you.”

“…”

“The people of Namgung Sega are like that, and I’m here too… Let’s find a way together.”

Hearing Ji Cheon Wu’s words, I looked at him. He was right.

That was the reason I was heading straight to Namgung Sega.

[I’m here too!]

The dagger uncle shouted as if he couldn’t lose.

‘Thank you, Uncle.’

At my answer, the dagger uncle vibrated. As if telling me not to forget him.

I patted the dagger uncle and observed Ji Cheon Wu’s appearance.

Big eyes despite not having double eyelids, a sharp nose. Better skin than a woman…

And a massive body in contrast.

‘He really has grown a lot.’

I suddenly had that thought.

Ji Cheon Wu used to be a small child…

Now I have to look up at him because he has grown so much.

When I thought about finding a way together as Ji Cheon Wu said, my eyes naturally closed.

[There’s no point in worrying alone. It would be better to rest now.]

The dagger uncle was right.

Too many things had happened recently.

Going to the reunion of the Five Great Families, saving Baek Jin-wi…

I found out about Father’s situation.

I closed my eyes.

I suddenly felt a wave of fatigue. Tang Hua-ling and Shin So-kyung seemed to have already fallen asleep.

Hearing Ji Cheon Wu’s steady breathing, I gradually fell asleep.