The Return of the Namgoong Clan's Granddaughter-Chapter 31

After completing her dawn training, Seolhwa promptly prepared herself and headed toward the Celestial Tiger Pavilion with Namgoong Cheongun.

Standing before the stairs leading up to the Celestial Tiger Pavilion, Seolhwa recalled the first day she had arrived at Namgoong.

That day, she had followed behind a martial artist—but now, at her side stood Namgoong Cheongun.

“Shall I carry you?”

“I’m fine.”

“Then, let’s hold hands.”

Seolhwa didn’t bother to refuse.

No—being led by the hand seemed marginally better than being carried in someone’s arms.

The two of them walked hand in hand up the steps to the Celestial Tiger Pavilion.

Cheongun’s hand was ✪ Nоvеlіgһt ✪ (Official version) soft and warm.

She had known it ever since he was willing to give his life for her—her father was a gentle-hearted man.

Even last night, he had clutched her injured hand and, blaming himself, had choked back tears until she managed to console him.

“Come to think of it, the Namgoong people really are a bit dramatic.”

All that fuss over a mere hand injury—how many times did they have to break out into a sweat?

Namgoong Cheongun kept tightening his grip on her hand as they ascended the stairs, as if he were the one feeling nervous.

Seolhwa found it slightly amusing, and she squeezed his hand in return.

And like that, they climbed the stairs and entered the Celestial Tiger Pavilion.

Seolhwa quickly surveyed those who had gathered.

Most were familiar faces.

Some were people she had killed. Others had been slain by the Blood Lords or the Twelve Moons.

A few of them were looking at her with pleased expressions, while others awkwardly cleared their throats and averted their eyes.

Those avoiding her gaze were likely the ones displeased by her return.

“It’s not like everyone’s going to welcome me.”

Namgoong was a massive sect, entangled in countless interests. There were bound to be those who benefited from her not returning.

She had anticipated this, so it wasn’t particularly surprising.

With every gaze falling upon her, Seolhwa walked with Namgoong Cheongun toward Namgoong Mucheon.

Just like on the first day, Namgoong Mucheon was gazing down at her from the head seat of the Celestial Tiger Pavilion.

“I pay respects to the Clan Head.”

“Hello, Grandfather.”

At Seolhwa’s greeting, Namgoong Mucheon’s eyebrows arched in a curious expression.

Staring at her intently, he suddenly let out a hearty laugh.

“So I finally get to hear you call me ‘Grandfather.’ Even though I asked you to before, you never would.”

“I once heard that a handful of affection is scarier than a thousand gold debts. If I weren’t truly a child of Namgoong, I’d have had to leave this place. If I’d gotten attached to you, Grandfather, I might not have wanted to leave—and that frightened me, so I couldn’t bring myself to call you that.”

A few sighs escaped from around the room.

The gazes of the elders resting on Seolhwa were filled with mixed sorrow and pride.

Namgoong Mucheon, too, wore a faintly bitter expression.

“But now that I’ve been acknowledged as your rightful granddaughter, there’s no reason not to call you that.”

Namgoong Mucheon smiled in satisfaction and nodded.

“Good. Call me that often. It pleases me to hear it.”

“Yes, Grandfather.”

As Namgoong Mucheon nodded once more, Namgoong Cheongun stepped forward and spoke.

“Father. I would like to introduce Seolhwa to the elders of the clan.”

“Go ahead.”

Namgoong Cheongun led Seolhwa over to the seated figures.

First, they approached the right side of the Celestial Tiger Pavilion, where a group of elderly figures sat together.

“Pay your respects. These are the senior elders of the clan.”

Seolhwa bowed deeply toward them.

“It is an honor to meet you. My name is Seolhwa.”

The Grand Elders of the Council of Elders welcomed her with warm, gentle smiles.

“You’ve endured much. I hear you returned of your own accord?”

“I used to see you often when you were a baby. There is no greater joy than seeing you come back.”

“To have returned having grown into such a bright young lady—what a great blessing for the clan.”

Each of them offered kind words and reached out to pat her head.

Some even wiped tears from their eyes.

Judging by their sincere responses, there didn’t appear to be anyone among them who was unhappy about her return.

Still, what one sees isn’t always the whole picture.

“They don’t call them ‘old monsters’ for nothing.”

The older one gets, the easier it is to conceal emotion. Put kindly, it’s called wisdom—put harshly, cunning.

Of course, not everyone was like that.

Next came the current elders of the clan.

“I am Namgoong Gibaek, Head of the Disciplinary Hall. I’m glad you’ve returned safely. You should come visit the Disciplinary Hall sometime.”

“I am Namgoong So, Head of the Finance Hall. Thanks to you returning on your own, Lady Seolhwa, the clan saved a hundred gold bars—ow! Why did you hit me?!”

“Because you’re saying pointless things!”

Ignoring the bickering between Namgoong Gibaek and Namgoong So, another figure beside them stepped forward and greeted her.

“I am Namgoong Yeom, Lord of the Outer Hall. We’ve met before, haven’t we? Had I known you were Lady Seolhwa, I would’ve taken far better care of you when you were staying in the Celestial Guest Courtyard.”

“I’m Choryeon, Head of the Medicine Hall. Since we’ve already exchanged quite the intense greeting, I’ll keep this one short.”

She winked—one eye playfully closing and reopening.

There was no sign of Namgoong Mugang, Head of the Martial Hall and second-in-command of the Namgoong Clan.

Following that, Seolhwa exchanged greetings one by one with the elders who did not currently hold high-ranking positions.

None of them openly displayed displeasure, but a few bore clear signs of discomfort toward her.

The greetings with her direct family had already been handled at a separate meal, so that part was omitted.

After a brief exchange with the five division heads of Namgoong’s military forces, Seolhwa once again stood before Namgoong Mucheon.

Namgoong Mucheon slowly surveyed Seolhwa and the gathered members of the Celestial Tiger Pavilion. Then the corners of his lips lifted as he began to speak.

His low voice echoed grandly throughout the Celestial Tiger Pavilion.

“After a full eight years, our Namgoong has recovered the child we lost. This is nothing short of a great joy for the clan.”

His expression radiated utter delight.

Seeing the Clan Head so pleased, the elders and senior members of the clan also broke into warm smiles.

“We sent word across the realm in search of the child—so now, the news of her return must be made known across the realm as well.”

Namgoong Mucheon raised one hand.

“Post the proclamation of her return throughout the Central Plains! Open the storehouses of both the main and branch families and distribute grain to those who come to offer their congratulations! As for the messengers who spread the news—give them double rations, so the word of her return spreads far and wide!”

The clan elders rose in unison and saluted with clenched fists.

“Yes, Clan Head!”

“We must make it unmistakably clear to those who stand against Namgoong—this child they seek is under Namgoong’s protection!”

Namgoong Mucheon rose to his feet, holding the Clan Seal in hand.

“Never again shall we lose a child of Namgoong!”

With a boom, the Clan Seal struck the ground.

The mighty force that surged from the blow rippled out, shaking the very Celestial Tiger Pavilion.

“We must never forget the sorrow of the past eight years, nor the joy of this day!”

“We obey the Clan Head’s will!”

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“We obey the Clan Head’s will!”

At Namgoong Mucheon’s declaration, everyone within the Celestial Tiger Pavilion rose and answered his command with fists clasped.

Their booming voices shook the hall once more.

Namgoong had officially declared the return of the child.

Her name: Namgoong Seolhwa.

The return of the girl who, in time, would be known as the monster born of the Namgoong Clan—and the sky above the Martial Alliance.