TYDS 12

Chapter 12

The Youngest Daughter of the Sichuan Tang Clan Was Supposed to Be Hated

A bodyguard.

In truth, it would have been stranger if there wasn’t one.

A bodyguard existed precisely to prevent incidents like the hallucination herb case.

If there had been one from the beginning, none of that would’ve happened.

Why hadn’t there been one until now? Because of the nanny’s words?

‘No, that doesn’t seem right.’

There were still many things I didn’t understand.

While Gong-myo was serving tea, the so-called bodyguard stood in the hallway.

The maids surrounded him, inspecting his body.

‘Did they always do inspections like that?’

Maybe it was because he was unfamiliar.

I stared at his shadow cast on the door and spoke.

“So Jo-man brought him? The bodyguard?”

“Ah, I don’t actually have an eye for martial artists. As you can see, I’m quite weak.”

He waved his hands and lifted his thin wrist.

“In fact, the young master assigned me two tasks.”

“Two?”

“Yes. One was hiring maids. The other was…”

Before Jo-man could finish, the door opened.

A man stepped inside, straightening his sleeves. He stopped the moment he saw me.

‘Wow.’

He was huge. Even sitting on a raised chair, I had to tilt my neck up slightly.

His thick eyebrows and stern expression made his first impression intimidating.

‘A little scary. But… he’s quite handsome.’

While I was silently evaluating his face, Jo-man stood and walked to his side.

He pointed at the man.

“The second task was reintroducing this bodyguard.”

“Reintroducing?”

I had seen him before?

I blinked and examined him carefully. He only lowered his head without reacting.

“Hm?”

I tilted my head.

Then shadows fell over his eyes.

“About half a year ago… you saw me for the first time and fainted while crying, young lady.”

He spoke heavily.

“Me?”

I fainted from crying? I didn’t remember that at all.

“The young lady was… very uncomfortable with people approaching her at that time.”

Jo-man nodded.

‘Huh.’

So that’s why there hadn’t been a bodyguard.

If it was six months ago, I was probably in a very unstable state then, so it wasn’t impossible.

“In fact, security around this residence was doubled compared to others.”

Jo-man clicked his tongue.

“At night, martial artists were reportedly swarming the rooftops like ants.”

“As you’ve improved, the young master decided to bring the bodyguard back.”

The man stepped forward.

“Greetings.”

“I am from the Security Unit, Squad Leader Tang Dam.”

Tang Dam. The name sounded vaguely familiar.

His face was intimidating, but not ugly—just… sharp, like it could cut you if you got too close.

“Are you alright, young lady?”

Jo-man asked carefully, as if ready to dismiss him immediately if I showed discomfort.

Honestly, he was a bit overwhelming, but not to the point of fainting.

“Y-yes, I’m fine.”

I forced myself to sound calm and looked up at him.

“Nice to meet you?”

“You must not speak to me formally.”

“Ah… okay.”

My mouth twitched down.

So strict right from the start.

A typical martial artist.

His posture, his thick neck, his rough hands—all of it matched the stereotype perfectly.

So this is what a direct combat guard looks like.

“But if you’re from the Security Unit… you must be very strong. Is it okay for you to be assigned to me?”

“Martial strength exists to protect others. I will use mine to protect you.”

A textbook answer.

“…If you do not want me, you may dismiss me.”

His head lowered.

For some reason, his shoulders looked tense.

As if he was trying to make himself smaller so I wouldn’t be afraid.

He stepped forward and knelt.

“But if you give me one more chance, I will protect you with my life.”

At that moment—

A voice echoed in my head.

“I will give my life to protect the clan! Who is the final disciple of the martial world!”

‘?!’

A bolt of lightning struck my mind.

Memories flashed like a flood.

I remembered.

The reason I had forgotten these people.

They were not memories worth keeping.

Tang Dam had died protecting the clan.

And Gong-myo had survived the destruction.

Flashback

The fall of the Sichuan Tang Clan.

It did not happen overnight.

Breaking through the city walls of Sichuan and wiping out an entire clan was not simple.

Especially not a clan that specialized in poison and defense.

So the war dragged on for a long time.

“Even recovering bodies is impossible because of that poison dragon’s toxin.”

Stories of my father and brothers’ infamous deeds reached me one after another, and I would cover my ears.

Victory reports and defeat reports came alternately.

Who died, who killed whom.

The youngest died first.

Tang Rim.

Tang Gwiheon.

Tang Eum.

And finally, Father.

When I heard Father had died, my legs gave out in relief.

Finally, I wouldn’t have to hear these painful stories anymore.

Was I heartbroken?

No.

I felt empty. As each death arrived, I became more hollow.

But it wasn’t over yet.

“They’re still fighting a last stand.”

“Wasn’t his name Tang Dam?”

The remaining Security Unit members were still fighting.

I didn’t understand.

Why not run away?

They would die anyway—why not abandon the clan name and survive even a day longer?

They all died soon after.

And with the victory report came Tang Dam’s final declaration, spoken almost like ridicule.

“I will give my life to protect my clan! Hah, what a noble clan indeed.”

“Right, Hee-yeon?”

Someone laughed and called my name.

“Ah… yes.”

I nodded blankly.

That day, I was numb all day.

My body was cold, my head burning.

With Tang Dam’s death, the fall of the Tang Clan became official.

‘He must have known too.’

They all knew they were going to die.

Yet they still fought like that, as if choosing to die together.

Why?

Because they were bound by blood?

Because the clan was that united?

The thought chilled me.

I walked home under the moonlight.

No one was around.

Just like my life.

I was alone. Truly alone.

Then a shadow fell in front of me.

I looked up.

A woman in a cloak stood there.

She approached slowly, carefully.

Her covered face gradually became visible.

A face I had never seen before.

“…Who are you?”

My suspicion came first.

In times like this, she didn’t look like someone with good intentions.

“My name is Gong-myo, young lady.”

Young lady?

I looked around.

There was no one else here.

Why was she calling me that?

Before I could understand, tears suddenly poured from her eyes.

I panicked.

“Did you… mistake me for someone else?”

She shook her head while covering her mouth.

She stood there crying for a long time, trembling.

I didn’t know what to do.

At least she didn’t seem like someone here to harm me.

‘Right. Namgung Dohi promised to protect me.’

She took out a small wooden box.

Very small—fits in one hand.

“Please stay healthy… young lady…”

“I think you’ve mistaken me—”

Before I could finish, she placed the box into my hands.

Then she turned and walked away slowly.

“……”

Moonlight reflected off the dark wooden box.

Dried blood was stuck on the lid.

Inside were dried flower petals.

A familiar scent reached my nose.

All of them were flowers native to Sichuan.

“Gong-myo…”

There was a reason she called me “young lady.”

She was from the Tang Clan.

But how did she survive? I thought everyone inside the city had died.

And why did she come to me?

I had nothing to do with the Tang Clan anymore.

Why did she look at me and cry so helplessly?

Thump. Thump.

The cold blood inside me pulsed again.

I could feel it flowing.

Everyone who carried this blood was supposed to die.

Did she think I would die too?

I crushed the dried petals in my hand.

They turned to dust and scattered into the wind.

“…Idiot.”