Chapter 2
“How did you come here, anyway?”
“Am I not allowed to be here?”
“That’s not it… It’s just that there’s no one here except me and Mom.”
“I know.”
“Are you… that ‘child’?”
“…”
The man only frowned and didn’t respond. Instead, he stood up.
“Where’s your mother?”
Eun Sowol couldn’t bring herself to follow the man into the room.
Seeing her mother’s corpse again was simply too painful.
‘When will he come out?’
Through the slightly open door, she peeked in with blurred vision.
The man hadn’t said a word after entering the room.
He simply sat there, staring at her with emotionless eyes.
“…Foolish.”
At last, he spoke.
“Why contact me? Knowing what kind of bastard I am?”
‘…Are they not on good terms?’
“If you’re sick, say you’re sick. If you need help, ask for it. Tell those bastards. Why stay like this until death?”
‘Or… is it love and hate?’
The man’s voice gradually grew more emotional.
Though his head was bowed, making it hard to read his expression, he seemed angry about her mother’s death.
Creak—
“Eek.”
Leaning against the door to get a better look at his face, Eun Sowol accidentally shifted her weight forward and stumbled.
The rusty hinge let out a squeal.
The man lifted his head and looked her way.
Eun Sowol gulped unconsciously.
Maybe it was because the room was dim, but his gaze looked especially sharp and cold.
“Hey.”
“Y-Yes?”
“What’s your name?”
“My name?”
“Do you see anyone else here besides you?”
“Eun Sowol…”
“How old?”
“Five years old.”
“Sh*t, just a baby.”
Startled by the sudden curse, Eun Sowol flinched.
“Alright, Eun Sowol.”
The man stepped out of the room and knelt down to meet her eye level.
“When did your mom die?”
“Three days ago…”
“Do you know the cause?”
“She was bitten by a viper.”
“A viper? Was it a Jade Twin-Headed Snake? Or a Bloodshadow Venom Serpent?”
“…No.”
“Then what bit her that killed her before she could even be treated?”
“A pit viper…”
“What?”
“She was bitten by a pit viper while gathering herbs…”
The man was speechless.
He opened his mouth slightly but only sighed heavily, rubbing his dry face.
“She would have survived if she had seen a doctor immediately.”
“There’s no doctor around here…”
Just descending the mountain took over half a day. The nearest village was so small it could barely be called that, and there wasn’t even anyone resembling a physician.
In the end, she died from a poison that could have been treated easily.
Sighing in frustration, the man noticed Eun Sowol trying to hold back tears.
“Do you know anything about me?”
Shake shake.
“What about your mom’s family?”
Shake shake.
“Then why did you pretend to know me earlier?”
“Mom said someone might come looking for us…”
“That’s it?”
“Yes.”
“Hah, this is frustrating.”
“Who are you? Are you my mom’s friend?”
“Me? Her younger brother.”
“…Huh?”
“I said, I’m your mom’s younger brother. So, I’m your uncle.”
“W-Wait. Mom had family?”
“She didn’t tell you anything, huh? Do you at least know her name?”
“It’s Hwayoung…”
“Her surname?”
“Surname? Um…?”
Now that she thought about it, she didn’t know her mother’s last name. All she ever heard was ‘Hwayoung.’
“Your mother’s name is Dokgo Hwayoung.”
Dokgo…? That Dokgo? The noble Dokgo family?
“My mom is from a prestigious family?!”
“Not just from. She used to be the heir of the Dokgo family. Once upon a time.”
The Dokgo family may not be one of the Five Great Clans, but they were still a famous clan often mentioned in martial arts stories.
“Then are you also from the Dokgo family?”
“No.”
“But… you’re her brother…?”
“I’m illegitimate. I’m not even listed in the family registry.”
What the—? Is this one of those dysfunctional families?
As she looked at him with suspicion, he gave her a look that said, “You got a problem with that?” and she quickly looked away.
“Honestly, I don’t know why my sister contacted me. Even if she was disowned, she could’ve reached out to the Dokgo family again.”
His words had been bothering her since earlier.
Eun Sowol only learned today that her mom’s surname was Dokgo. She hadn’t known anything about her life before they lived together.
To her, Mom was just… Mom.
She’d been born and raised here and had never questioned it.
It’s only because she had memories of her past life that she could think about it like this now. A five-year-old child normally wouldn’t even think this deeply.
But listening to the man who claimed to be her uncle, it seemed her mother had once been a highly respected martial artist and heir to the Dokgo family.
That felt so far removed from the mother she knew.
‘Because my mom was just a regular person.’
“Why was Mom kicked out?”
“I don’t know the details.”
“Huh?”
“It happened after I left the family. So I don’t know exactly what went down.”
“Oh…”
Just as Eun Sowol’s shoulders drooped in disappointment, the uncle continued.
“But I have a rough idea.”
“What is it?”
“Marriage.”
“…What about it?”
“What do you think? Do you even know what kind of man your father is?”
“Well…”
She recalled the handsome face from her childhood memories, smiling brightly at her.
But she couldn’t remember anything more. Just like with her mother, she knew almost nothing about him.
“Just look at where you’re living now. Isn’t it obvious?”
Could it be that her father was some nobody?
It’s true they lived in poverty.
A shabby rural house deep in the forest with no one around.
If her father had money or power, they wouldn’t be living like this.
“Mom said she loved Dad, though…”
“Right. And that love got her kicked out of the clan.”
“But you said Mom was the heir! But she couldn’t even use martial arts!”
“Of course. As the heir, she would’ve learned the family’s secret techniques. They couldn’t just let her leave. They probably destroyed her danjeon before expelling her.”
Destroying the danjeon was practically a death sentence for a martial artist.
Eun Sowol looked shocked, but her uncle remained indifferent.
“She was lucky. They spared her because she was a cherished daughter. If it were someone else, they might’ve cut off her limbs or her heels to keep her from walking. She got off easy…”
As Eun Sowol’s face paled, he finally shut up.
“Anyway. The last time I saw your mom was by chance in a market. I only sent a letter because she told me her address then… and now…”
His gaze, as he looked back at Dokgo Hwayoung’s body, showed a faint tinge of sorrow.
“But… where’s your dad?”
“…Huh?”
Sniffling, Eun Sowol trembled unconsciously.
His face had suddenly hardened, and an icy murderous aura radiated from him.
