When it comes to the Goo Family of Shanxi, they are treated as a prestigious family with a good reputation.
Although, compared to the so-called Four Great Clans:
- The Nangong Clan of Anhui (南宮世家).
- The Peng Family of Hebei (河北彭家).
- The Tang Gate of Sichuan (四川唐門).
- The Murong Clan of Liaoning (慕容世家).
The Goo Family of Shanxi is a few steps behind.
However, many believe that the Goo Family is no less prestigious.
The current family head, Hu Xia (虎俠) Goo Chulun, is one of the hundred great martial artists in Central Plains.
Moreover, he is considered one of the strongest among them.
As a righteous person, his beliefs and sense of justice are well-known among many.
The martial artists of the Goo Family do not oppress the common people but instead protect them from threats.
It's not for nothing that they are called the guardians of Shanxi.
The family's prestige, the goodwill of the common people, and the fact that Goo Chulun's children are already showing outstanding talent among the younger generation all contribute to the Goo Family's solid foundation.
The eldest daughter, Goo Hibi, is already known as the Sword Phoenix (劍鳳) by many, proving her status as a representative of the younger generation.
The second daughter, Goo Yeonseo, also shows talent on par with Goo Hibi, and it is expected that she will easily inherit Goo Hibi's nickname in the future.
As a long-standing righteous family, with a head of the family and a lineage of strong blood, the Goo Family's position will only become more solid over time.
Many are confident that this will happen soon.
I, too, believed this.
Until the only son and young master of the Goo Family betrayed and became a villain.
- Young Master.
The sound of the servant announcing morning brought me back to my senses.
Looking around, I realized that sunlight was already streaming through the window.
"I'm awake."
A slightly hoarse voice escaped my lips.
I hadn't slept at all last night. I couldn't fall asleep because I couldn't understand the situation.
Sighing quietly, I washed my face.
"...Is this really not a dream?"
It's been three days since I, who died of a heart attack, regressed to my childhood.
"Really, what happened?"
No matter how many times I ask the air, there is no answer.
How did I end up like this? I can't figure it out no matter how many times I think about it.
The first day was just empty. Dreaming of a time I couldn't return to made my heart feel hollow.
I ate and even slept with that feeling.
I should have realized it was real when I could taste the food.
But I spent the second day in a daze.
"Stupid me."
It took me three days to realize. What a ridiculous thing.
Turning my head, I looked out the window.
Instead of the damp torture chamber of the Martial Arts Alliance, sunlight was shining through the open window.
The self-reproach for my dullness subsided, and as I recognized the situation, a warmth of joy began to rise in my body.
I had returned to the happiest time of my life, which had been destroyed and fallen into the abyss.
I don't know why this happened, but if it's not a dream but reality...
'No, it has to be reality.'
It had to be.
Any doubt that it might not be was barely suppressed by the overwhelming sense of reality I felt.
If I really have come back to the past, what should I do now? Where should I start?
I needed to organize the countless events that would unfold in the future in my mind.
There were too many things to think about.
While thousands of thoughts were swirling in my head, someone called me from outside the door.
- Young Master.
My train of thought was shattered.
- The family head will arrive at the estate in a little while.
The servant's words made my hair stand on end. It was something I hadn't even thought about, given how overwhelmed my mind had been for days.
"Father is coming..."
Father, who had been away on business, is returning to the estate. I haven't seen him in years, including my previous life.
My head is already throbbing.
The feeling of seeing Father after a long time was closer to fear than longing or joy.
The cold gaze and sharp words he directed at me in my previous life still pierced my heart.
The words that had deeply seeped into me still haunted my mind whenever I had a moment to think.
'You good-for-nothing, how long do you plan to live like this? Do you intend to be a disgrace to the family forever?'
These were the words Father said to me when I was around the age of twenty. I don't blame him. I lived a life that deserved such words.
I could understand, but all the moments I saw back then were stored in my heart.
And it's the same now.
I am still afraid of Father.
- Young Master?
The servant called me again when I didn't respond.
"I'll get ready and come out. How much time is left?"
- About a quarter of an hour (about 30 minutes) from now.
"I need to wash my face, so please prepare that for me."
- I'll prepare it right away.
I could hear the servant's flustered voice. He must have been surprised that I said I would prepare myself, contrary to his expectations.
When I was young, I used to throw a tantrum every morning when I was woken up, throwing everything in sight and causing chaos.
I can't count how many household items I broke.
The reason I made excuses and acted unreasonable was because I didn't want to see Father.
Even now, I still feel uncomfortable, but there's no reason or time to run away.
After the servant prepared the wash, I changed my clothes and tidied myself up.
The servant, who was helping me prepare, kept trembling slightly, which was a bit annoying. Was he afraid I might throw something or wave something around?
A teenager, would he really do that...
'...But I did do that before.'
That's why I couldn't bear to think about it.
When I finished preparing and stepped out of the room, I felt many people's gazes.
Not only could I feel their gazes, but I could also clearly hear their whispers.
- Why isn't everyone going to welcome the family head?
- He used to complain so much about not wanting to get up...
I could hear them gossiping.
To call my war-level chaos a tantrum, people were really kind.
When our eyes met, they were startled and tried to kneel, but I raised my hand to stop them.
What would I have done in the past?
Hmm...
'Don't think about it...'
I probably caused a lot of trouble.
Those two probably couldn't be seen around the estate from the next day.
As I walked, I noticed the flowers blooming brightly. Unlike my complicated feelings, the season was a comfortable spring.
I'm not sure if I'm just now noticing the season or if I'm just mindlessly looking at the flowers.
"Probably the latter."
"Huh?"
The guard who was guiding me repeated.
"Nothing."
After walking for about a quarter of an hour, I passed through the courtyard and the garden and arrived at the front gate of the Goo Family estate.
When I arrived, many people were already gathered.
Most of them were people I hadn't seen in days.
They also seemed surprised to see me here.
Most of them bowed to me. It felt awkward to experience this after a long time, but I didn't show it.
As I walked past many people, I reached those who didn't bow to me.
One of them spoke to me.
"Surprised to see you here."
The one who spoke was a girl with long hair tied back.
She didn't look like she had reached the age of twenty.
She was definitely a beauty wherever she went, but her straight gaze and posture hinted at the presence of a martial artist.
There weren't many people in the Goo Family who didn't bow to me.
Especially at her age, there was probably only one person.
Hongyeom Sword Goo Yeonseo.
The girl was a member of the Goo Family and my younger sister of the same age.
Goo Yeonseo was likely a promising young talent now and would become a renowned female swordsman in the future.
She was in the future, too.
Looking up at my sister, whom I hadn't seen in a long time, I said,
"I had to come."
Goo Yeonseo snorted at my answer.
"Knowing that, you didn't show your face until now?"
Goo Yeonseo scolded me in a cold voice. She was right.
As Goo Yeonseo said, I, as a member of the Goo Family, should have been present at important events, but I had run away based on my own feelings.
"Why did I do that?"
"...What?"
"I was wrong. I'll apologize to the family head later."
At my sincere apology, Goo Yeonseo had a strange expression.
For a moment, she clicked her tongue and said,
"I don't know what kind of act you're putting on this time, but if you're going to play with people, this is as far as it should go. I'm really getting angry now."
She turned her head sharply. As expected, it wasn't easy.
I wanted to say something more, but even that was difficult.
"The family head has arrived."
Following the servant's words, I moved my gaze to the entrance and saw a carriage approaching the front gate.
A red horse, twice the size of an ordinary horse, galloped without stopping and quickly reached the front gate of the Goo Family estate.
After a while, the red horse stopped and panted, and a person got out of the carriage.
A middle-aged man wearing a red robe, a symbol of the Goo Family, with a long scar running across half his face.
His fierce gaze and red eyes, which surveyed the gathered people, made many of them dare not raise their heads.
'...Father.'
He was my father and the head of the Goo Family of Shanxi, Hu Xia Goo Chulun.
A superhuman who could be counted among the few in the vast number of martial artists.
Father's gaze, which had been quickly scanning the crowd, stopped on me.
I met his gaze without avoiding it.
Those fierce eyes were so scary when I was young.
For a moment, Father's gaze moved away. There was no other reaction.
It wasn't surprising. Father was always like that.
"The family head. It's fortunate that you returned safely."
"Chief Steward."
"Yes, family head."
"Is there a sword team currently on standby?"
"The First Sword Team is resting after returning, and the Fourth Sword Team is currently on standby."
"Tell the Fourth Sword Team leader to finish preparations before midnight and come to me."
"Understood. Congratulations on your return, family head."
After a brief conversation, the family head silently moved, and everyone followed.
I also walked, looking at Father's back. Father's back was still large and heavy.
Returning was like a miracle, but there were many tangled and complicated issues.
'At least it's fortunate that it's not too late.'
If I had regressed a few years into the future, it would have been too late to fix things.
This was definitely a stroke of luck.
However, I still didn't know where to start or what to do.
Father, who had been walking at a steady pace, suddenly stopped.
"Have the third one come to my room after the meal."
He spoke without turning around. It was confusing.
The third one must be referring to me.
Why me? Why? What could Father want to talk to me about...
'...There are too many possibilities, and I can't even guess.'
"Understood."
As I answered, Father resumed walking.
I decided to have dinner and then figure out what to do first. It was the first important thing I needed to do after regressing.
"Wuyan."
I whispered the guard's name in a very low voice.
"Yes, young master."
"...Can you take me to the doctor before the meal?"
Wuyan's expression turned serious when I said I wanted to go to the doctor.
"Are you in pain somewhere?"
"...No, I'm sure I'll get indigestion if I eat now, so I want to get some digestive medicine in advance."