The return of the granddaughter of the Namgoong family

The two people, who had been bickering, stopped their conversation and turned their attention when they sensed the presence of Namgung Cheongun and Seolhwa.

At the sight of Seolhwa holding her father’s hand, the corners of their mouths curled into wide grins.

Seolhwa’s attempt to move forward was stopped by the chief guard, who held her back.

After a brief moment of staring each other down, Seom Mugwang snorted and stepped back.

The chief guard smiled gently and stepped forward toward Seolhwa.

“I would like to greet you again, young miss. I am Namgung Mun, the chief guard of the family.”

His respectful greeting was accompanied by a gaze that was dripping with sweetness.

“Hello, Chief Guard. I’m Namgung Seolhwa.”

“Call me Grandfather Guard. You’ve always called me that before.”

“Yes, Grandfather Guard.”

A slight trace of regret passed across Namgung Mun’s face.

“It is a pity that I could not be by your side as you grew up, young miss. Time is truly cruel.”

He let out a bitter chuckle, straightened his back, and stepped aside.

“I have brought some gifts for you, young miss. I hope they will meet your liking.”

Seolhwa, naturally, turned her gaze toward what was behind him, and her expression froze upon seeing the enormous pile of items filling the courtyard.

“What… is all this?”

“These are the jewelry, silks, gold bars, and elixirs that the head of the family has prepared for you.”

“Why for me…?”

“The head of the family instructed that these be given to you, as they are what you should have received over the past eight years. You need not feel burdened, as these are things you would have naturally received if you had stayed with the Namgung family.”

The mountain of gifts brought by the chief guard appeared to exceed or double the wealth Seolhwa had in her past life.

“Would you like to take a look?”

The chief guard led Seolhwa forward.

There were boxes filled with gold bars, the finest silks and fabrics that were the best quality, and various decorations that could only be found in foreign lands.

There were more than fifty different kinds of jewelry, and matching clothing and shoes appeared to number over a hundred.

But that wasn’t all.

Many elixirs seemed incredibly precious, and it would likely take months to consume them all.

“Take a look at this.”

Namgung Mun opened a luxurious small box.

For a moment, Seolhwa squinted as the light reflected off the items inside.

Inside the box was a delicately crafted ornament made of a transparent, glass-like material that emitted a clear, pure light.

The earrings, bracelet, and ring all resembled snowflakes, matching Seolhwa’s name perfectly.

A faint blue glow sparkled in her dark eyes.

“These are things the head of the family had kept with him since before your return, thinking of you. He bought them when he went abroad. Aren’t they beautiful?”

Seolhwa quietly nodded.

The treasures from foreign lands, which she had never seen in her life, were fascinating to her as well.

“Shall I have the servants organize them in your chambers?”

Seolhwa tore her gaze away from the treasures and nodded.

“Have them moved to the young miss’s chambers! If even one item goes missing, I will strike you! Don’t even think about doing anything foolish! Move quickly!”

At the chief guard’s command, the servants he brought and those from the estate hurriedly began to work.

With so many items, it took quite a while to bring everything into the estate’s interior.

Watching the busy servants, Namgung Cheongun muttered quietly.

“It doesn’t seem like something the Jeogyeong family head would easily part with.”

“That’s why it was such a hassle, with them crying and causing a fuss. I had to knock them out on the way here. What can I do? It’s the head’s order,” Seom Mugwang interjected, snorting.

He looked down at Seolhwa with a smug expression.

“It seems like you don’t like it? A little girl.”

The chief guard, who was nearby, jumped up in anger.

“What are you saying? Are your eyes broken? Can’t you see how much she’s enjoying this? And call her ‘young miss’!”

“Once a little girl, always a little girl, right?” Seom Mugwang teased.

“That’s not it!” the chief guard snapped back.

Seolhwa gently tugged at the chief guard’s sleeve.

“It’s okay. I prefer it this way.”

In truth, Seom Mugwang held an important position in the family, but he wasn’t a member of the Namgung family.

He was one of Namgung Mucheon’s people.

The family head, Namgung Mucheon, had created a position for him to keep him close, and the Bipyeong Sword Corps was essentially Mucheon’s armed force.

Therefore, Seolhwa felt more comfortable without being treated as the “young miss.”

Seom Mugwang chuckled and nudged the chief guard with his shoulder.

“See? I’m close with the young miss. Are you jealous?”

“No way!”

“You’ve lost again.”

He chuckled and looked down at Seolhwa.

His gaze was full of admiration.

“Finally, you’ve returned to your hometown, just as you always wished. How does it feel? To gain so much wealth overnight?”

“I still don’t know.”

Whether wealth was there or not didn’t matter much to her.

What was important was how much she could change and revive the Namgung family.

She hadn’t come back seeking riches or fame, so Namgung Mucheon’s unexpected gifts left her a little dazed.

“I’m happy to have returned to the family.”

“Of course, the gift the chief guard brought was a bit underwhelming. I can’t believe you don’t understand the intentions of someone who serves you so faithfully.”

He sighed and shook his head, then pulled something from under his cloak.

It was an item wrapped in white cloth, about half the length of Seolhwa’s height.

It seemed he had been carrying it all along, but it had been hidden from view because he had been folding his arms.

“Here, little girl. I brought you something you’ll like. A congratulatory gift for your return.”

Seom Mugwang casually tossed the item at her.

Seolhwa caught it by instinct.

It was heavier than she expected.

“I knew it. I knew that Bipyung Sword was suspicious, but really, this?”

“You’re the one who brought so many treasures, yet you’re complaining?”

“This is from the head of the family!”

Seom Mugwang snorted at the chief guard, who was visibly upset, and looked down at Seolhwa.

“Unwrap it.”

Seolhwa untied the knot in the cloth, and as it came undone, the cloth slid away on its own.

“…!”

Her eyes lit up as she confirmed the object hidden inside the cloth.

Seom Mugwang’s gift was a sword.

A sword of that size is just right for Seolhwa to wield.

The gleaming white scabbard was decorated with gold, making it both magnificent and beautiful.

The hilt was wrapped in sturdy leather, perfectly molded to fit the hand, and the end of the hilt was adorned with a red knot.

“Draw it.”

Swish—

The moment she drew the sword, Seolhwa’s eyes trembled.

“It’s so smooth.”

The sensation of drawing the sword was eerily smooth, with a cool and sharp aura emanating from it.

Even without swinging it, she could tell.

“It’s a famous sword.”

And a remarkable one at that.

“Is this… Hancheol?”

Seolhwa turned to look at Seom Mugwang, as if unable to believe it.

Seom Mugwang, seemingly expecting this reaction, chuckled and puffed out his chest.

“Yes. You recognize it.”

“…!”

Hancheol was a rare material that was lightweight yet extremely durable, highly sought after by masters when crafting weapons.

However, it was not only difficult to obtain but also few blacksmiths could properly forge it, making weapons crafted from Hancheol a rare and treasured possession.

‘This is something I couldn’t have in my previous life.’

She had seen such a sword before.

She had possessed four of the six Blood Lords of the Blood Sect.

However, she had never physically held one.

“Is… is this really for me?”

“Yeah. Do you like it?”

Seolhwa absentmindedly nodded her head.

Seom Mugwang burst into a satisfied laugh.

His shoulders were raised higher.

“See? This is what you give as a gift! This is the real reaction of someone who appreciates it!”

He got so excited that he started patting the chief guard’s back repeatedly.

“Three losses, no way out of it! Hahaha!”

The chief guard was frustrated but had to admit defeat.

He had been amazed earlier, but now there was no doubt—Seolhwa’s eyes were sparkling with excitement.

Seom Mugwang chuckled and messed up Seolhwa’s hair.

“I’m glad you like it. By the way, this is a sword I used to carry.”

“…!”

At those words, Namgung Cheongun and the chief guard turned to him in surprise.

Only then did Seolhwa notice the engraving on the sword’s blade—”雷” (Thunder).

Namgung Cheongun called out to Seom Mugwang with a serious expression.

“Lord Bipyung.”

“Huh?”

“Could we have a word?”

“Mm.”

Seom Mugwang raised an eyebrow.

He wasn’t unaware of why Namgung Cheongun was reacting this way.

“Alright, then.”

Seom Mugwang casually shrugged, and the chief guard sighed, shaking his head.

Namgung Cheongun placed a hand on Seolhwa’s shoulder, who was still fixated on the sword and asked.

“Seolhwa, would you like to try using the sword?”

Seolhwa looked up at him with sparkling eyes.

“Go to the training grounds. I’ll be there soon.”

“If that’s the case, young miss, I’ll escort you to the training grounds. I was planning to head there anyway.”

“Thank you, Grandfather Guard.”

“I hope this will be a practical conversation. Let’s go, then… huh?”

By this time, Seolhwa had already walked some distance away.

“Young miss, wait for me…!”

The chief guard hastily chased after her, noticing how light her steps seemed.