Chapter 68
“This is my first time greeting you, First Young Lady. My name is Tak Mu-seong.”
As soon as I sat at the table, a middle-aged man introduced himself to me.
Though he was Tak Joong-hak’s adopted son, he resembled him quite a bit, likely because they were uncle and nephew.
Particularly in his composed demeanor.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Shin Seol-ha.”
“It is an honor to meet you again, First Young Lady.”
“It really is. I apologize for how things ended last time.”
I belatedly apologized for not having properly treated them during the previous gathering.
Of course, it wasn’t my fault, but as the host, I didn’t want to evade responsibility either.
“What happened that day?”
“…Pardon?”
“All I remember is having a delicious meal thanks to you, First Young Lady.”
Tak Seung-myeong added with a gentle smile.
Ah, as expected, he had a way with words.
Was making people feel at ease a tradition of the Tak Family?
Or was it genetic?
As I was lost in such idle thoughts, Tak Joong-hak spoke in a warm tone.
“This one here kept talking about how good the food was, so I put extra thought into today’s meal. I hope it suits your taste, First Young Lady.”
“As the Tak Family Head already knows, I’m the granddaughter of a noodle shop owner. I eat anything well, so you don’t need to worry about that.”
“Ah, you mean the noodle shop famous for its dumplings?”
“…You’ve been there?”
It was my absolute favorite restaurant, but not exactly the kind of place a family head like him would frequent.
A worn-down, humble eatery didn’t match someone of his stature.
“I’ve been twice.”
“Really?”
Seeing my surprised expression, Tak Joong-hak laughed heartily.
“Is there any place I cannot go?”
“No, that’s not what I meant. It’s just that my grandmother’s shop is quite old, so I didn’t think it would be fitting for the Tak Family Head.”
“Being old simply means many people have visited it over the years. The noodles and dumplings were both excellent. Next time, I’m thinking of bringing my son and grandson along.”
The family head smiled broadly and gestured toward the two men.
“Wow, this will boost sales dramatically! My grandmother will be thrilled.”
“Grandfather, you have to keep your promise. If you only take Father, I’ll be disappointed.”
“Hah, fine. Just don’t back out at the last minute.”
“My father usually doesn’t enjoy such food, so it must have been truly delicious. I can’t wait to try it myself.”
Hearing Tak Seung-myeong and Tak Mu-seong also express interest made me slightly worried.
What if they visit and get disappointed by the shabby atmosphere?
Even after reincarnation, prejudices ingrained from childhood weren’t easy to overcome.
“By the way, your grandmother’s love for you is quite remarkable. She spent the entire meal talking about you—so much so that I was rather envious.”
“Wait, my grandmother said all that to you?”
It was true that my Grandmother, Shin Geum, was doting, but she wasn’t the type to ramble to just anyone.
Why was I the one feeling embarrassed?
“Thanks to that, the meal was even more enjoyable. It also made me curious about what kind of person you were, First Young Lady.”
“Since it was just my grandmother and me growing up, I suppose it may seem excessive to outsiders. If my grandmother was impolite in any way, I ask for your understanding, Tak Family Head.”
“I should be the one asking for forgiveness.”
“…Pardon?”
“I was the one who inconvenienced her.”
Tak Joong-hak looked at me apologetically.
Did he mean he felt bad for being a bothersome customer?
The way he phrased it seemed somewhat ambiguous, making me tilt my head in confusion.
“The tea will get cold.”
Just then, Tak Mu-seong offered me some tea.
Somehow, we had been talking the whole time without drinking any.
Following his suggestion, I took a sip before it could cool.
‘Oh!’
This tea was amazing.
It was an eye-opening flavor.
Even though I wasn’t knowledgeable about tea, my taste buds were sharp enough to recognize quality.
This was the best tea I had ever had.
It would have been nice if Seo Ryeon could have tasted it too.
The fact that she came to mind so naturally in this situation must mean I had come to think of her as one of my people.
In truth, leaving Seo Ryeon outside while I sat here alone didn’t feel quite right.
Since there would be more meetings like this in the future, I supposed I needed to get used to it.
“Would you like me to invite the guard you came with inside as well?”
“…Wait, can the Tak Family Head read minds too?”
I was genuinely startled by Tak Joong-hak’s sudden remark.
For a moment, I even doubted whether I had accidentally spoken my thoughts out loud.
After all, I did have a history of doing that.
“Haha, not at all. I just noticed that you glanced outside while drinking your tea and guessed.”
“Ah.”
Still, his observational skills were no joke.
Most people would have simply overlooked such a small action.
“If it’s not an inconvenience to the three of you, may I call my guard inside? In fact, there’s something I wanted to ask the Tak Family Head regarding my guard.”
“You have a question for me?”
“Yes.”
Tak Joong-hak, looking momentarily puzzled, signaled to his subordinate.
A short while later, Seo Ryeon entered cautiously, visibly tense, and greeted them.
“I am Seo Ryeon, assigned as the First Young Lady’s guard. It is an overwhelming honor to meet the Tak Family Head of Hyunma Manor.”
“Come, have a seat.”
Once Seo Ryeon settled in, Tak Mu-seong personally poured her a cup of tea.
“The tea is excellent. I called you in so we could settle our bet.”
“Miss S-Shin Seol-ha!”
At the mention of a bet, Seo Ryeon flinched, nearly tearing up.
“A bet?”
On the other hand, Tak Joong-hak and his family looked intrigued.
“You made a bet with your guard?”
“Yes, I was curious. Whether the Tak Family Head would remember my guard or not.”
“Oh? And was it something I was supposed to remember?”
“Do you recall visiting an inn in a place called Hwajeong a long time ago?”
At my question, Tak Joong-hak furrowed his brows in thought.
“Continue.”
“You saw a child there and advised her parents to have her learn martial arts.”
“Ah, so that child was your guard.”
Tak Joong-hak was quick-witted.
Even with a brief explanation, he understood what I was getting at right away.
He stroked his beard thoughtfully, lost in contemplation.
Seo Ryeon was watching him anxiously, more nervous than anyone else in the room.
“Father, I believe it was back then.”
The first to recall the memory was Tak Mu-seong.
“Back then?”
“Yes. We were searching near Cheonsan when night fell, so we stayed at a small inn. It was run by a married couple. Do you not remember?”
They were searching near Cheonsan?
Had they been looking for something there?
For a brief moment, Tak Joong-hak’s expression turned cold but quickly relaxed.
Then, the words he spoke next were enough to bring tears to Seo Ryeon’s eyes.
“You were that little girl. You had three younger siblings, if I recall correctly?”
“Y-You remember all that?”
“I thought your parents might ignore my advice since they had so many children. Learning martial arts costs a lot of money, after all.”
“How could my parents dare to disregard the Tak Family Head’s words? The very next day, they sent me to a martial academy. And now, I serve as the First Young Lady’s guard. I’ve always wanted to express my gratitude if I ever had the chance to meet you again. Thank you so much!”
Seo Ryeon looked as though she was ready to bow to the ground in gratitude.
Well, it was a pivotal moment in her life.
Everyone has those moments where their path changes.
For me, maybe that moment was now.
“You’ve become an excellent swordswoman. That makes me happy.”
Tak Joong-hak gazed at Seo Ryeon with a pleased expression.
He looked just like a kind-hearted grandfather.
There was no trace of the Black Moon Sword Demon, the man who once displayed overwhelming martial prowess in battle against the Blood Cult to defend the Demonic Cult.
“So, who won the bet?”
Tak Seung-myeong asked.
I straightened my shoulders confidently.
“Of course, I won. I knew the Tak Family Head would definitely remember.”
“What’s the prize for winning?”
“The loser grants the winner a wish. Seo Ryeon, don’t forget your promise.”
“Yes, Miss Seol-ha. Whatever you wish for, just say the word.”
Seo Ryeon, still overwhelmed by emotion from Tak Joong-hak remembering her, was clearly not in her right mind.
I wondered if she even knew what she just agreed to.
‘Hehe, got her.’
Now, I just had to figure out how best to use this in the future.
I already had a plan.
“Congratulations, First Young Lady.”
Tak Seung-myeong’s playful tone made me laugh out loud without realizing it.
Just thinking about the possibilities filled me with excitement.
Huh?
Then my eyes met Tak Joong-hak’s, and I felt something odd.
Even though he was smiling, for some reason, a faint ache settled in my chest.
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