Chapter 666
Side Story Episode 7. you will understand
“Water dragon. What are you thinking??”
Baek Su-ryong, who was watching the clouds passing by outside the window, turned his head to Mae Geuk-ryeom's call. Then he smiled sheepishly and answered.
“Just. I wonder how my students are doing.…….”
“Tsk tsk. It's been a few days since Baekryongjang was emptied. Don't worry too much. Aren't they just children?.”
At this moment, Cheongryong Omang was not the only disciple Baek Soo-ryong was curious about, but instead of explaining it to his maternal grandfather, he smiled strangely..
“……Not all children.”
Where is Sagon now, along with his friends who went back to their childhood?.
What are Geon-hwan, Gamyun, and Lee Shin seeing and experiencing?.
Often, just imagining that scene would make Baek Soo-ryong laugh heartily..
“boy. It's bland.”
A calm smile spread across Mae Geuk-ryeom's lips as he saw his grandson's smile. I don't know exactly what the old man was thinking, but he just liked that his grandson smiled often..
“The food will all get cold. Hurry up and eat.”
“yes… … . Hey, hey, grandpa?”
The moment he turned his head to the table, Baek Soo-ryong's eyes wavered as he came face to face with the numerous dishes placed in front of him..
“Why are you doing that? Shall I order a little more??”
“That's not it... … Too many? If you eat it all, you won't be able to go out and walk..”
Baek Soo-ryong tried to be stern, but Mae Geuk-ryeom's expression was stubborn. It was the look in the eyes of a swordsman who had lived his entire life unaware of compromise..
“Are you saying that I can't eat this much because I'm a man? Besides, since my body is not mature yet, I need to eat better..”
“But this…….”
“Uh huh!”
Mae Geuk-ryeom continued speaking, recalling the prescription given by the God of Life and Death to Baek Soo-ryong..
“Have you forgotten that God said that in order to completely recover your body, you must eat well, sleep well, and rest well for a year??”
Although he was clearly a benefactor, at that moment, Baek Soo-ryong felt very resentful of his life and death beliefs. He said a little tearfully..
“Doesn't saying 'eat well' mean 'eat to your stomach'?……?”
Baek Soo-ryong timidly tried to resist, but he could not overcome his maternal grandfather's desperate concern for his grandson..
“Water dragon. Your fame has become the best in the world. Even though the blood religion has disappeared, there will be people who will target you to raise their name. So, you need to recover quickly. Isn't it possible for Hwaebi and Abby to always be by your side like they are now??”
Saying so, Mae Geukryeom placed plenty of meat side dishes and vegetables on his grandson's plate. It was hard to eat in one bite..
Baek Soo-ryong put some food in his mouth and muttered while looking at Mae Geuk-ryeom's eyes..
“I'm a tax saving expert. Even if it's not completely cured, there's almost no enemy for me.…….”
It's a bit hard to say it with one's own mouth, but Baek Soo-ryong was recognized as the best person in the world at the time by the martial arts world..
Even now that I have abandoned the Reverse Heavenly Demonic Art, that remains an unchanging fact..
Mae Geukryeom quietly listened to what he said and nodded, saying it was right..
“Well said. If you have the digestive ability of a world-class expert, this is enough to eat. Come on, hurry up and eat some more. Look, Jeomsoy! Just give me one more plate of duck meat.!”
There was no mistake in every word. Baek Soo-ryong had no choice but to push the food given by Mae Geuk-ryeom into his stomach..
“Heh heh. okay. You eat well. If it's not enough, tell me. I'll buy you as much more as I can.”
Mae Geuk-ryeom watched his grandson eat his food with a happy face. He looked full even without eating..
[Don't just watch, please help me with something.!]
On the other hand, Baek Soo-ryong, who was cornered, sent a message to his father next to him with an expression asking for help, but Baek Moo-heun only emptied his glass in sips like a hanryang..
“This guy. This is all your karma.”
Baek Mu-heun was giggling and leisurely drinking alone. Leaning back on the chair and looking at the passing clouds, there was no picture at all..
It was the first trip the three of us went on together. It was so peaceful like never before that I was worried for no reason..
Mae Geuk-ryeom looked happily at his grandson eating well, but suddenly his expression clouded and he muttered..
“……I'm worried that preparations for the graduation ceremony are going well..”
“Other teachers will probably take care of this well. Didn't you tell us not to worry and push us away??”
Baek Mu-heun shrugged his shoulders and said.
After returning from the war with the Blood Cult, I had some time to spare until the graduation ceremony of Blue Dragon Academy..
During that period, the three took a short vacation..
In fact, it was an unexpected, semi-forced vacation given by the Prime Minister..
- Let’s take this opportunity to go to our hometown together, the three of us. If not now, when will I go again because I’m so busy??
Mae Geuk-ryeom tried to refuse, saying there was a lot of work to handle and prepare for, but Roh Gun-sang, who was about to retire, was even more stubborn than that..
In addition, the vice-governor, Kwak Cheol-woo, and Namgung-soo also actively agreed to send the three people on vacation..
-Please come back. Geomchi senior, hasn’t he taken a proper vacation in 30 years??
-To work more efficiently, you also need rest..
It was a trip that started half-way through..
The destination is Baekmugwan in Hoechang, Gangseo, the birthplace of Baek Soo-ryong and where he spent his childhood..
It was also the house where Baek Mu-heun and Mei Rubing, who were touring the river, settled..
Mae Geukryeom was silent for a moment, as if lost in thought, then muttered to himself..
“……It's good to see you coming out.”
“That's right.”
It was time for the father-in-law and son-in-law to quietly watch the scenery outside the window together, except for Baek Soo-ryong, who was having a hard time eating..
“excuse me…….”
When I turned around to hear my trembling voice, I saw a woman approaching me with a nervous expression..
She was the daughter of the inn owner. A shy woman approached and carefully held out the rice cake she was carrying in her hand..
“Oh, it's okay. There's already enough food…….”
Baek Soo-ryong was the first to laugh awkwardly as a sign of rejection in a fairly familiar situation..
However, the rice cake that the woman held out passed Baek Soo-ryong and headed towards Baek Mu-heun..
“Try some of this. Since a while ago, it seemed like you only drank alcohol and didn't eat any snacks... … . Then you give it up.”
Behind the shy voice, my heart was pounding hard. Even if you weren't an expert, you could still notice it..
“haha. Thank you.”
Baek Mu-heun did not refuse, but smiled softly and accepted the rice cake the woman gave him. Then the woman gathered courage and said.
“Hey, maybe…….”
“It just so happens to be my wife’s favorite rice cake. I think I would really like it if you brought it to me. thank you.”
For a moment, the woman's eyes widened and she looked embarrassed, then smiled awkwardly and took a step back..
“ah… … . Well, I see. bon appetite.”
Baek Soo-ryong couldn't help but be amazed by his father's surprisingly natural and skillful rejection..
If there are experts in this field, then my father must have been a top expert..
And Mae Geukryeom glared at his son-in-law with narrowed eyes..
“……As you can see, I didn't do anything.?”
Aside from Baek Mu-heun's resentment, Mae Geuk-ryeom's eyes were full of disapproval..
“Tsk tsk. Isn't this something that wouldn't have happened if you had always behaved properly in the first place?.”
“What did I do??”
“It is wrong to drink alcohol in a guest cup like a hanryang. No matter how old you get, there is no such thing as a noble person doing what you do..”
Beside him, Baek Soo-ryong nodded in agreement..
In fact, Baek Mu-heun had a strange atmosphere even when he was just drinking. Sometimes, I wondered if he had mastered a special technique that could mesmerize people..
‘I think it's just something I was born with.’
Of course, it was unfair for the parties involved..
However, Baek Mu-heun seemed to be used to even this kind of slander, and sighed deeply and tipped the bottle..
“ha… … . If there is anything wrong with it, it would be that I was born handsome. How could my father-in-law, who was born as an ordinary person, know about my hardships?.”
“This guy? Why are you sighing because you did a good job?!”
Seeing him only do stupid things even after decades, Mae Geuk-ryeom swung his chopsticks like a sword, and Baek Moo-heun took them back as if he had been waiting..
Pabababak!
Chopsticks clashed so fast that they were invisible to the eye, sparks flying..
“haha! This is not Baek Mu-heun, who was always held captive by his father-in-law.!”
“I'll show you that some things don't change even after thirty years.!”
Baek Soo-ryong shook his head as he looked at his maternal grandfather and father arguing as usual today..
“Not even kids…….”
Except for the two people fighting from time to time, it was a normal and leisurely trip..
* * *
The three of them walked, sometimes moving quickly and sometimes taking a leisurely look at the scenery. Considering their inaction, there was enough time to go home before the graduation ceremony..
Since most of them passed through small rural villages, it was unlikely that anyone would recognize the faces of the three people..
However, with the appearance of handsome men who were harder to see than spirits, local women and girls often glanced at them when they entered the village..
“Son-in-law and grandson, you have become a big source of trouble for Kang-ho. It won't work. When I go back, I have to get at least one bast cotton ball and use it..”
Occasionally, aggressive women would talk to Baek Mu-heun or Baek Su-ryong, and each time, Mae Geuk-ryeom clicked his tongue and sighed..
In particular, whenever women secretly flirted with Baek Mu-heun, he rolled his eyes in disapproval..
“You should consider yourself lucky that you married my daughter early on. If he went on to become a strong player, he would most likely become infamous for being a dirty horse..”
“Su-ryong, did you listen to what your grandfather said? This is why a man must meet a woman well.”
“Anyway, the mouth is still alive…….”
As they got closer to their destination, Mae Geukryeom became more talkative than usual, started arguing with Baek Muheun, and ordered more food for his grandson..
‘I guess you're distraught.?’
‘It's been 30 years, isn't it amazing?.’
The father and son looked at the scene and winked at each other..
On my way to see my daughter for the first time in thirty years.
Even though he seemed calm as usual, he couldn't hide the emotions that sometimes appeared on his wrinkled face or the facial expressions he made when looking around..
There were times, like now, when people would ask me this with an expression that traces the long past..
“……Muheun. Have you ever been to this town before??”
“I came here once when I had just found out that Yakbing had Suryong..”
“Huh! Come on, tell me in detail..”
While watching the two people sitting in a guesthouse at the entrance of the village and talking loudly, Baek Soo-ryong also remembered various memories..
-……Our water dragon. How come my eyes are so similar to my mother's??
In his now intact memories, he sees his mother looking at him with warm eyes..
Although it was a very young age, it was vivid. Even though he was out of breath and tired, he hummed a lullaby in a voice full of affection..
“……Water dragon?”
“you…….”
As Baek Soo-ryong imitated the hum without realizing it, Baek Mu-heun and Mae Geuk-ryeom looked on with surprised faces..
“I just remembered. I think it was a song my mother used to sing..”
“I’m not sure about the lyrics,” said Baek Soo-ryong, scratching his head..
As Mae Geuk-ryeom and Baek Mu-heun were staring at Baek Soo-ryong with expressions that are difficult to describe, an unfamiliar voice intervened..
“Only lullabies sung in the Gwiju region. I guess that's the young man's mother's hometown.?”
It was the first time I saw an old woman. There was white frost on his finely braided hair, not because he had mastered a special skill like Ice Ball, but because his gray hair had naturally stained over time..
“……That's right. My hometown is Gwiju. I guess my daughter remembered that..”
Maegeukryeom answered on his behalf. He greeted an old woman who seemed to be about the same age with a glance. It was nice to meet someone from the same neighborhood..
The old woman was also greeted with a half-moon smile. She was a woman who must have been quite beautiful when she was young, but she slowly got up from her seat and quietly left something in front of Mae Geuk-ryeom..
It was dried fruit. Mae Geukryeom opened his eyes wide and looked alternately at the fruit and the old woman who was moving further and further away..
“Why is this suddenly happening?……?”
Then the woman with beautifully colored white hair rolled her eyes and grumbled softly..
“Well, Yeongtaeng doesn’t notice. He'll come out and talk to you..”
There was no way Mae Geuk-ryeom could not hear those words. His face turned red and he cleared his throat repeatedly..
“Heh, heh heh! Suddenly, what kind of English sentence is there?…….”
Baek Mu-heun, who was watching the scene from beginning to end with a sinister expression, whispered to Mae Geuk-ryeom..
“Father-in-law. I will take back what I said about you being the culprit. You are still young enough.?”
“Shit, it’s noisy, you bastard..”
However, there was no way Baek Mu-heun, who caught Geon-su, would stop. He continued to tease his father-in-law with a sly face..
“You can go out for a while. Yakbing will also understand. Water Dragon, don’t you think so too??”
“Didn't I tell you to shut up?!”
Mae Geuk-ryeom, whose face was red, swung his sword and struck the mouth of his righteous son-in-law with all his might..
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