When A Friend Calls, You Have To Come. (3)

Those clad in pure white fur approached with steps as if measured by a ruler.

If the Beast Palace disciples were as hot as a dense jungle grown under the blazing sun, the Northern Sea Ice Palace disciples were as fierce as if they had brought the biting north wind and snow.

Though a person’s temperament might not change simply by where they grow up, at least those people seemed to carry the cold wind of the Northern Sea so naturally it didn’t feel strange.

‘To be this different.’

Namgung Do-Wei felt a strangely fresh sensation.

Namgung was also a place where swords were used, but the temperament exuded by the swordsmen of the Northern Sea Ice Palace was somehow exceptional. He naturally thought, “So this is what they mean by a blade-like spirit.”

Their spirits were completely opposite to those of the Beast Palace, which was endlessly free and unbound, whereas the Ice Palace disciples seemed as if the word “discipline” had been molded into them.

Perhaps because of that, unlike the Beast Palace, they felt difficult to approach easily…

“Taoiiiiist!”

…But then.

Among those exuding blade-like spirits, suddenly a man dashed out and fiercely charged toward Chung Myung.

“Huh?”

“Taoist!”

The man showed no sign of hiding his joy and grabbed Chung Myung’s hand firmly with both hands, almost snatching it.

“How long has it been! Have you been well?”

“…Huh?”

“Taoist, you really haven’t changed! I’m relieved! Though I thought it might be awkward since it’s been so long since we met!”

“…Uh?”

“Still, seeing you again like this makes the long journey worthwhile! Goodness, why is the Central Plains so hot! It feels hotter here than the Northern Sea’s midsummer!”

“Ah, no, wait a moment.”

“Yes?”

“I…”

Chung Myung tilted his head with a completely puzzled expression.

“Who are you?”

“…”

The man—or rather, the young man—looked momentarily stunned. But soon after, he burst into a big laugh.

“Ahahaha! As expected, Taoist. You often joked like this.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“I also need to quickly learn this kind of composure from you, Taoist. Why is it so difficult to do that?”

“No…”

“But if I keep trying every day, someday…”

“Hey! Let me speak too! Who are you, brat!”

At those words, the young man froze. Then he looked at Chung Myung with a truly shocked expression.

“T-taoist, do you really not remember me?”

“No, I feel like I’m meeting you for the first time in my life, so why do you keep acting like you know me?”

“I’m So-Baek!”

“Huh?”

“Seol So-Baek.”

“Who? Seol So-Baek? The Ice Palace Lord?”

“Yes! That’s me!”

Now Chung Myung looked blankly at the young man before him. Handsome, with pale skin and a height well over five feet…

“The So-Baek I know was this small.”

“Yes! That’s me.”

“…You?”

It wasn’t only Chung Myung who reacted to that.

“Eek!”

“Seol Young Palace Lord?”

“Really?”

The Five Swords behind Chung Myung reacted strongly as if they couldn’t believe it.

Chung Myung looked the young man up and down several times. He couldn’t quite believe this handsome youth was Baek Cheon…

“Now that I think about it, they do look alike…”

“I told you.”

“Look closely, the eyes and mouth are exactly the same.”

“Where do you even see that?”

“I didn’t expect Jo Gul sahyung’s sharp eyes to notice it, so even if you don’t see it, just believe it.”

“…No…”

Baek Cheon blinked. Now that he heard it, it really seemed he was Seol So-Baek…

“Heh… hahaha.”

Chung Myung couldn’t hide his astonishment as he looked at the grown young man before him.

“Really you are So-Baek?”

“Yes, Taoist.”

“Your voice is completely different too.”

“I think it’s the same, is that so strange?”

“It’s not that… well… yeah. You’ve grown a lot.”

No. At this level, it’s less about growing a lot and more like being a completely different person.

His height seemed to have nearly doubled, and his once chubby, baby-faced features had transformed into a slender, handsome young man’s face. Rather than the typical stern Northern Sea look, he had a somewhat delicate, refined beauty.

“Come to think of it, the last time I saw you was… let’s see… almost four years ago?”

“That’s right. It’s already been four years.”

“…Then it’s natural you’ve changed.”

Because you were at the age of growth… Of course, the gap between what I thought and what I saw was the problem.

Chung Myung’s gaze shifted to the sword hanging at the young man’s waist—no, Seol So-Baek’s waist. Wearing a pure white martial robe and carrying a sword, he now clearly looked like a true warrior.

“It’s been a while, Palace Lord Seol.”

“A great honor, Beast Palace Lord!”

Surprised, Chung Myung quickly turned his head and asked Meng So.

“Do you recognize him?”

“He looks exactly the same, so why that reaction?”

“Y-you say he looks the same?”

“He’s just grown a bit taller, isn’t he?”

Indeed, Meng So was the kind of person who could distinguish ten tiger cubs that looked exactly alike. If he could recognize animals, there was no reason he couldn’t recognize a person.

Seeing him say this, it seemed certain that this was indeed Seol So-Baek.

Chung Myung forced away the subtle awkwardness and greeted with a smiling face.

“Anyway, thank you for coming. It must have been a long journey.”

“Not at all. Of course, I had to come.”

Seol So-Baek smiled brightly and spoke a little shyly.

“Actually, I was a bit worried during that time.”

“Huh? Worried?”

“There were some opinions within the Ice Palace. They said things about the Heavenly Friends Alliance and so on, but in the end, it was just a scheme to pretend to be close and cheaply acquire Northern Sea goods like ice crystals to make money.”

Thud.

Seol So-Baek’s words pierced Chung Myung’s heart mercilessly like a dagger.

“…Is that so?”

“Hahaha. Sorry, Taoist. Since I know you personally, I never thought that way, but those who don’t know you well seemed quite distrustful. Some thoughtless people even insulted you as a fraud pretending to be a Taoist. Hahaha.”

Thud!

“Ah, don’t worry. I sharply reprimanded those people. But people are truly tricky; even though they thought it impossible, since you rarely visit, they wondered if you might have completely forgotten the Northern Sea. Hahahaha!”

Thud!

“There’s no way that could be true. How could I not know how dearly you cherish the Northern Sea? What interest would Taoists living deep in the mountains have in money to come all the way to the Northern Sea? Haha. It’s really nonsense.”

“…”

“Still, I worried that by some chance you had forgotten us, but since you asked to see us, I feel ashamed. You think of us so kindly, yet I had such shameless thoughts. I feel so guilty.”

“Alright, I was wrong.”

“What? Taoist, what did you just say…?”

“Ah, no. It’s nothing.”

The back of Chung Myung’s head was soaked with sweat.

Of course, he couldn’t say he had completely forgotten, but it was undeniable that he had pushed them aside somewhat.

If he had resented that fact, Chung Myung might have shamelessly brushed it off, but since such unwavering faith was shown, he could only feel smaller and smaller.

“Ah, and!”

“Yes?”

“Here! Bring it here!”

When Seol So-Baek shouted, the Ice Palace disciples responded loudly and pulled something from behind. Something very familiar to Mount Hua disciples.

“A cart?”

“It’s huge.”

“Hahaha. If that was made of iron, it would be just like what Mount Hua uses… Is that iron?”

The Ice Palace disciples pulled the huge carts without any sign of difficulty. The problem was that there was not just one cart.

Rumble! Rumble rumble!

At least five carts moved, kicking up clouds of dust.

“W-What is this?”

“I couldn’t come to see you by being empty-handed after so long. These are gifts brought from the Northern Sea.”

“G-Gifts? We also receive Northern Sea goods through the Eunha Merchant…”

“Those are items for sale. These are precious gifts incomparable to those. They are for you, taoist.”

“…Huh?”

“Now, this is…”

Seol So-Baek removed the cloth covering the first cart.

“Eek! W-What is this?”

“These are precious animal pelts brought from the Northern Sea. Seal pelts, gray wolf pelts, and even rare bear pelts from the Northern Sea.”

“…”

“These are priceless items. I stopped by earlier and thought Mount Hua’s winter would be very cold, so I prepared these for the Taoists.”

“…Was Mount Hua cold for you too?”

“I didn’t particularly feel that way, but the Taoists might be cold, right? These pelts will help you stay warm through winter.”

Chung Myung suddenly burst into tears.

“I’m the one to blame, I am.”

Had he ever been treated like this in his life? A man living in the freezing Northern Sea worries about the cold on the mountain and brings pelts… and yet he had abandoned such people…

• Chung Myung, honestly, even I think you went a bit too far.

Ah, I know. I’m feeling extreme guilt right now!

“And in this cart are rare ingredients even in the Northern Sea, gathered over a season. And this is…”

“…You brought all this? It’s overwhelming for me…”

“Oh, burden? Considering what the Taoist has done for the Northern Sea, this is nothing.”

“…”

“Ah, of course, this isn’t brought as repayment. Please think of it as a small token of my sincerity.”

Seol So-Baek licked his lips regretfully.

“If the distance weren’t so far, I would have brought more pears.”

“S-Stop…”

Though Chung Myung would drink even poison if free, if he ate all this, his stomach would burst. Lately, he was repeatedly realizing that he actually had a conscience.

At that moment, Seol So-Baek’s expression darkened slightly.

“However…”

“Yes?”

“We couldn’t procure much of the ice crystals you mentioned. The yield has decreased drastically… I’m sorry.”

“No need to apologize!”

Chung Myung quickly shook his head passionately and waved his hands.

I already scraped together decades’ worth before; asking for more now would make me a robber.

“We managed to gather some quantity, but the quality is poor. In the past, it would have been embarrassing to even call it as ice crystals…”

“Ah, it’s okay. Really, it’s okay.”

I’m not the one eating it anyway.

Just then, as Chung Myung deeply realized that a well-raised Northern Sea Ice Palace Lord like Seol So-Baek was worth more than ten dragon warriors, a sharp voice was heard from somewhere.

“What? So you caught animals and skinned them for no reason? These are utterly despicable people!”

“Huh?”

The members of the Nanman Beast Palace glared fiercely at Seol So-Baek and the animal pelts laid out before him.

“Is there a problem?”

At the same time, Seol So-Baek’s face turned as cold as ice. As if to prove he was the legitimate heir of the Northern Sea Ice Palace, a chilling pressure began to emanate from his entire body.