LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 591
“Finally, today is the day.”
“It seems like the Elders’ Council has finally come to a conclusion.”
The day has brightened.
After a stroll home in that awkward atmosphere yesterday, thanks to the good news from the Elders’ Council, I was able to wrap things up successfully in the end.
“Ah! Oh! Today! Suddenly my, my heart!”
Miss Zhuge. Why are you suddenly pounding your chest? I don’t even know where to put my eyes.
“I am ready. Shall we go together?”
Barely resisting temptation, I turned my head and with my eyes half-open, I admired the beautiful waves of her chest before saying it nonchalantly.
“Yes. I, I can go out right away!”
When I stepped out with Miss Zhuge, I saw the fluff sitting on the lover’s head in the winter sunlight.
“Miss Zhuge. You have something in your hair.”
“Eh? …Huh!”
A cute scream suddenly escaped. Almost at the same time, Miss Zhuge jumped back like a white rabbit.
“……”
Such a different reaction than usual.
It’s awkward. I barely pretended to be fine after yesterday’s incident, but it became too awkward in an instant.
“Uh, um!”
“I apologize for yesterday.”
Before the flustered Miss Zhuge could say something, I spoke first.
It was an accident. It really was!
If only I had at least a moment to react, I could have said something.
Sitting awkwardly on my thigh, she squirmed here and there. So soft. Those curves are dizzying.
My body was saying, “I’m all good! I’m okay!” without even giving me a moment to respond, accelerating my blood flow in one go.
Who would have known I’d get ready in just a moment?
Miss Zhuge, understanding my words perhaps, shyly averted her gaze and spoke.
“Ah, no. I, I didn’t expect it, and it just touched me. I should say I was surprised because it’s, it’s too big. I heard it wasn’t like this. No, that’s not it.”
“I’ll just die.”
Each voice, filled with consideration yet unable to hide embarrassment, was a lethal blow.
“Eh? No. But actually, I kind of knew. I mean, when we woke up together in the morning. I mean, I peeked a little, but it felt completely different from how it feels to touch. I thought there might be some misunderstanding since it’s inside the pajamas…!”
As Miss Zhuge babbled, my heart got all messily tangled.
“Please relay my will to my father and mother.”
“Master Kang!”
I felt like I could collapse from embarrassment.
“Hey! What are you doing? Isn’t it today?! …What are you two doing?”
While Miss Zhuge and I were stuck in this awkward atmosphere, Gil-san walked into the lodging.
“I, I need to go. Miss Zhuge! Let’s hurry!”
“What’s going on with you two?”
Gil-san observed the state of Miss Zhuge and me, scrunching his brow and asked.
“Nothing happened!”
“What do you mean nothing? It’s always the same!”
As soon as I took a step to head out, we went in opposite directions. I went right. Miss Zhuge went left, and the distance between lovers felt strangely wide.
“How come you just instinctively put your hand on her chest while kissing and the girl screams, making it awkward the next day like it’s some love story?”
“…….”
“…….”
“Uh…? Am I wrong?”
Jeon Gil-san. This guy is surprisingly like a Taoist Master when it comes to romance, huh?
“It’s not exactly like that.”
“Was there something else? What is it? What is it! If there’s a sudden progress in the romance story, call this cousin over! Tell me quickly! Kang Yoon-ho, find something to embarrass that guy quickly!”
“Well, it’s kind of an unavoidable physiological phenomenon…”
“Miss Zhuge. Let’s go.”
Before the lifelong subject of ridicule reached Gil-san, I reached out to Miss Zhuge, who was a little distance away.
“Ah! Yes!”
Fortunately, Miss Zhuge did not reject my hand this time either.
“Hey! You have to tell me what’s going on!”
“You wanted to watch, didn’t you, Gil-san? If you want to see it, follow quietly.”
“Me too? Why didn’t you say earlier! Let’s go!”
There was no time to waste.
Today was the day of the final showdown.
——
“Have you come?”
“Dad!”
“Welcome.”
“Master, Ma’am.”
Upon arriving at the Head Family’s Hall, my father-in-law and mother-in-law, along with the Elders’ Council, were all gathered.
Since this was a meeting to conclude the discussions, there was a slight tension in everyone’s eyes, at least aside from me.
“Aunt! Uncle! I’ve come too!”
Except for one guy.
“…Gil-san?”
“I came because you said you couldn’t do without me. I’ll stay quietly in the corner!”
Gil-san, you were the one whining to be here in the first place. That guy seems to be growing more and more annoying.
After lightly greeting everyone, I slowly walked toward the spot prepared for me.
“Master, since Kang Yoon-ho is here, can we start the final discussion now?”
“Let’s begin.”
Even though the Elders’ Council requested the meeting, the chairman of this assembly was my father-in-law, the Head of the Family. Only after his approval could a representative of the Elders’ Council stand and speak.
Unfortunately, it was the Elder Councilman who had opposed me until the end, not Elder Jang. I began to listen with a tense heart.
“Today, at this meeting, the Elders’ Council intends to conclude discussions on whether Kang Yoon-ho, the heir of Man Geum Battlefield, is suitable to marry into the Zhuge family. Given the time it has taken, we will ensure there will be no dissent within the Elders’ Council moving forward, and everyone will move in the same direction.”
When Elder Lee cast a glance at my father-in-law, as if seeking agreement, my father, as head of the family, nodded in reply.
“Please proceed as the Elders’ Council wishes.”
“The first point of discussion is the procedural error. Although you lived together without the family’s permission, we will not raise it as an issue considering you received consent from the family’s mistress, were under supervision of the Head, and that you were ultimately forgiven by the Head.”
“Thank you.”
Living together without permission would be considered a common-law relationship in modern times. Let alone marrying into a prominent family without consent in this era.
It was a significant problem where both parties could easily get flushed, so we needed to address it clearly.
“The second concern is the issue of background. It is true that the Zhuge family has historically assessed people based on their talents and character rather than origins. However, since we are accepting an outsider as a son-in-law, as elders, we had to adopt stricter standards than usual. We hope this serves as an adequate response to your concerns, Kang Yoon-ho. Ahem!”
“I’m grateful for the opportunity given to the black-haired one.”
I replied with a small smile to his awkward cough.
It was the Elders’ Council’s way of saving face, but it was also a consideration possible only because it concerned the Zhuge family.
A daughter from a prestigious family marrying a barbarian was a topic that no other prominent family in the Central Plains could even dream of discussing unless it was the Zhuge family.
“The Elders’ Council recognizes Kang Yoon-ho’s passage through the Hongcheonmirijin in seven days, removing any prejudice regarding his background and confirming that there are no issues with his character. We acknowledge this due to the Head’s exceptional and swift decision. The Elders’ Council is once again in awe of the Head’s decision.”
“I’m glad we could alleviate the elders’ concerns.”
After giving credit to my father, the Elders’ Council finally moved to the main topic.
“Of course, following from the second point, the third issue still remains: Is Kang Yoon-ho qualified as a son-in-law of the Zhuge family? While he has been recognized for passing the Hongcheonmirijin and proving he has no character issues, this alone does not suffice for the direct descendants of the Zhuge family, and therefore we wish to verify his true worth.”
“Has my response been sufficient?”
“Huh?”
“Has my novel been sufficient?”
I don’t know why the question popped out. It might be due to my resentment towards the Elders’ Council that had looked down on me. Or it could have been pride about the book I wrote. Maybe it was my anxious heart awaiting the result, or it could simply be that I was predicting the outcome.
Regardless, I wanted to ask this sudden question. I wanted to hear it from Elder Lee, who had opposed me until the end.
No, I wanted to confirm it with everyone in the Elders’ Council who had raised their voices against me.
“Indeed. It has been enough. It has been sufficient. Ho Pil. Kang Yoon-ho.”
“…….”
I want to hear the recognition.
The black-haired barbarian. Not just Kang Yoon-ho, but the name Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho.
I wanted them to see the me behind the mask of the black-haired barbarian.
“The novel starring the Zhuge family’s main character. It has been likened to the Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Heroes, which the entire Elders’ Council was impressed by, was answered by Ho Pil with a new work called Zhuge Seolrok.”
“Only likened to? It’s way better than the Chronicles of the Wind and Cloud Heroes!”
“Yeah! This is the main character of the Zhuge family! It’s an extraordinary novel that you could brag about anywhere!”
“Zhuge Seolrok! A detective solving mysteries! I’ve wondered how such a novel could be written!”
Excited gasps erupted from the Elders’ Council.
Before I knew it, it had been a year and a half since I started living in this world as Ho Pil. Hearing the name Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho from someone who had opposed me until the end felt special.
“Ahem!”
“Elder Lee is speaking, so let’s talk later.”
“The never-before-seen main character. A capacity never seen before. An story that no member of the Elders’ Council has ever read. But the most astonishing part of it all could be Ho Pil’s ability to write this whole thing in just fifteen days.”
“…….”
“Besides, the fact that you caught a demon. As Ho Pil, much like Zhuge Seolrok, the way he nailed the culprit. Although there were omissions in the process, as a son-in-law of a granddaughter of the non-direct bloodline, the heir of Man Geum Battlefield, we, the Elders’ Council, wish to come to a conclusion. Kang Yoon-ho.”
“Yes, please say so.”
I steadied my trembling chest and lifted my head to gaze at Elder Lee. I took in the looks of all the Elders’ Council members directed at me.
What conclusion would come for me now?
What evaluation would Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho receive from the Zhuge family?
“From today onward, the Elders’ Council of the Zhuge family not only extinguishes its opposition but wholeheartedly supports the marriage of Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho.”
“……!”
Everyone in the Elders’ Council burst into laughter in response to my stunned expression, which left me utterly speechless.
“Of course, there will not be no issues regarding Zhuge Seolrok. The Elders’ Council sees these trivialities as something we can discuss further while maintaining a good relationship as a family.”
“Haha…”
It seems they are really looking forward to the next volume. Mentioning a slight trouble like that made a wry smile escape from me unknowingly.
“Thus, the Elders’ Council will actively support Ho Pil Kang Yoon-ho from now on, a promise that shall not change, just as much as the effort you’ve put in.”
“Thank you…”
“Everything is your credit, Kang Yoon-ho.”
“Master Kang!”
“Miss Zhuge, not yet.”
I barely stopped Miss Zhuge as she tried to approach me.
“Yes? Ah! Yes!”
Only then did Miss Zhuge seem to realize and glance aside.
The Elders’ Council was just an agreement. There was still one final decision left from the most important person.
“Ahem.”
“Father.”
The chairman of this assembly.
“Now, the Elders’ Council wishes to turn the final decision over to the Head of the Family.”
Now, only my father-in-law’s decision remained.