The Looping Tale of the Barbarian’s Childhood Friend
My best buddy was a dear friend, like a heavenly killing star in the sky—bright, bold, and utterly doomed by the scheming Tang Family.
Creating a character for Lady Tang was easy-peasy! Just mix and match every single detail from the original Lady Tang. Voilà!
Unfortunately, my dear friend fell victim to the Tang Family’s plots, meeting an untimely demise. Now, I’m heartbroken, working to uncover the truth behind his unfair death.
But here’s the kicker! I don’t have to risk my life walking a tightrope this time!
Previously, relationships with heroines were like a dangerous balancing act. Whether it was Murong Sang-a’s fiancé or Cheon So-hee’s childhood friend, I had to fight tooth and nail, risking it all to prove my worth!
Step out of line even once, and it’s a guaranteed splat!
Thank goodness I made it to the end of those high-wire acts with them, establishing some closeness—although it was a hair-raising experience!
Now, I’ve engineered a setup that minimizes any threat to my life.
Unlike before, I’m not directly tied to Lady Tang; we didn’t have that “my fiancé is dead” or “I’m looking for my childhood friend” dynamic. Instead, it’s more like we’re both in a similar jam, just knowing each other.
I can empathize with her pain and sorrow, lending a hand along the way. Who knows? We might get closer, or we could part ways while I help her.
One snag in this scenario: our indirect connection means Lady Tang might dodge my attempts to reach out.
So let’s remove any chance of her rejecting my help!
With nothing but truth as my weapon, I can reveal to her that the person she trusted most used her, making her doubt her own path and creating a fog of confusion.
That’s when I’ll swoop in!
“Turns out, there were other barbarians around!”
Lady Tang looked at me, her eyes finally clearing in realization.
But hey, I shouldn’t stop there! She needs to figure out just how trustworthy this guy in front of her really is!
“The first day I met Lady Tang, I instantly recognized what was happening.”
“That makes sense,” she replied, glancing sadly at her blotchy skin.
“The reason I asked for your name back then? Well, if you are the Tang Family’s illegitimate child, then my suspicions would have solidified.”
Not Lady Seong, but Lady Tang. I pointed out her real name that night.
“Ah, so that’s why you didn’t just flirt with me…”
A subtle bitterness seeped from her tone.
Told ya! Is it because you didn’t flatter me?
Well, allow me to oil the wheels a bit!
“Haha! Even if I was wrong about my suspicions, it was an honor to hear the charming Lady Tang’s name directly!”
“Cut the crap. If you want to insult me, go ahead. You think I’m charming? Are you mocking me?”
Lady Tang, clearly displeased, reacted with hostility at what she interpreted as flattery.
Lady Tang, you poor thing. Still can’t catch on to my setup!
Let’s lay it on the line once again:
“My best buddy was also a barbarian. Unlike you, by the end, his skin was utterly wrecked. Yet, we were the closest of friends. Lady Tang, a person’s charm isn’t hidden beneath mere skin!”
I shot her a serious look, as if to say, “You’re born to be loved, glowing with charm! Have some confidence!”
“Ugh. Just…ugh.”
Though she grumbled, there was more embarrassment than malice in her tone.
Truth be told, it’s not completely false. Just a little skin damage—hide behind a black mask like a delinquent girl, and she’d surely look stunning!
Now that I’ve made it clear that I don’t care about her skin, it’s time to emphasize my kindness again.
“No matter what Lady Tang did to me, I couldn’t just leave her be. That’s why I offered you a way to learn the truth.”
“…Thanks for that.” She mumbled a timid thanks, avoiding my gaze, perhaps regretting her earlier remarks.
“I didn’t want to witness another friend’s misfortune.”
I ached to look at her, but my eyes reflected sorrow for an imaginary character—the imaginary buddy who met a tragic end.
“What happened to your friend…?” Lady Tang cautiously asked.
I needed to create the right atmosphere now.
I am the friend of a barbarian who met a tragic fate. Sad thoughts. Sad thoughts.
Definitely something I meant to search for next time but accidentally deleted forever instead, losing track of all the details.
With a heavy heart, I gazed at the ceiling before speaking.
“I’m sorry. It’s too painful a memory to revisit.”
“No! It’s alright.”
She waved her hands, perhaps sensing my discomfort.
“But—”
“Huh?”
“After my friend died, his funeral? His loyal teacher from the Tang Family didn’t even show up. Naturally, considering he viewed my friend not as a pupil but merely a test subject.”
Her voice was tinted with rising anger as she looked down at the floor.
“Not a student, just a mere test subject… I’m a test subject…”
Lady Tang mulled over my words and fell deep in thought.
Oh dear. Is she starting to think what I fear?
What if she realized that she could have been in my friend’s shoes had things worked out differently?
Would she consider if I’m someone she could trust? Perhaps she’d want to know me more…filled with swirling thoughts?
When the mental vines are tangled like that, it’s best to strike while the iron’s hot.
“Lady Tang.”
“Yes?”
Startled from her contemplation, she looked up at me.
“By the way, why are you here? What about the head of your family?”
An already privileged girl missing a week’s worth of guest room fees?
Something clearly went amiss! But hey, I’m not a stranger anymore!
Alright then, Lady Tang. I’ve shown my hand, now it’s time to unveil yours. Spill the beans—what’s been happening?
She hesitated, pondering whether to spill or not, then finally broke the darkness that crept across her face.
“I was kicked out of the Seong Family.”
“What?”
“That insane woman! Look at the state this has put me in!”
Lady Tang lamented, recounting her circumstances.
Seong Se-hwi’s new stepmother—who had caused the Seong Family disaster—betrayed her husband and betrayed her own daughter in the process, choosing to live off Seong Ji-ru while fleeing during the chaos!
Of course, Seong Se-hwi wouldn’t just let that slide. In the end, his stepmother barely managed to grab some valuables before escaping with Lady Tang and a few servants.
Kinda poetic justice, huh?
“So why are you alone?”
Shouldn’t she be with her mother?
“…was.”
She muttered something under her breath angrily.
“Huh?”
“That crazy woman abandoned me!”
Wow. Really? She’s even more impressive than I imagined!
“Weren’t you just saying you both left together? There’s a bond of motherhood! How could a mother abandon her child?”
“If she had known what that bond was! Would she have acted that way at the Seong Family?”
Fair point!
Caught off guard, I looked at her fumbling for words, then she hissed in irritation, starting to explain.
“Like your friend, I often felt pain. There were days of less discomfort or more, but hardly a day went by without pain. Yet strangely, I stopped hurting around two months ago.”
“Two months ago? Just about the day of Seong Ji-ru’s banquet, right?”
“Yep. Around that time.”
Something feels off here.
As I maintained a serious demeanor, Lady Tang continued, encouraged by my interest.
“I had no issues leaving the Seong Family; I wasn’t in pain. The problem surfaced just after we left Daeheung County—it all came rushing back, and since arriving here, the pain has been crippling.”
Leaving Daeheung County triggered her pain?
“Normally, Uncle Tang Geoh would have given me some pain-relieving medicine. But it was gone, and even the pharmacy here couldn’t help, and when the schedule fell apart, that woman just left, telling me to take care of myself, leaving only two servants behind.”
Lady Tang’s expression hinted past frustrations, her anger diverted towards her mother.
Without any aid, those reinforces had vanished, fleeing with the money that remained in the guest room. A bunch of scoundrels! Why leave while shouting insults?
Lady Tang seemed lost in thought, reflecting on what had happened as she roiled in her feelings. While she appeared to struggle with emotions, I could understand her frustration without condoning it.
I gazed at her deep in contemplation. If what she said was true, then her current condition is peculiar.
“Lady Tang, so right now… you don’t feel any pain?”
“Yep. Haven’t felt anything since this morning. It’s been two months since I’ve been this pain-free.”
She swung her arms lightly about, showing off her normalcy!
Oddness alert!
She should still be experiencing pain from her barbarian affliction.
Recently, she couldn’t even get out of bed from pain, and now she claims to wake up healed? Even more peculiarly, she has hobbled through the timeframes corresponding with her supposed life disaster.
A most curious coincidence that aligns closely with someone entwined with her life.
In my mind, the pieces of suspicion began to click together.
I took a long look at Lady Tang.
“W-what? Why are you staring at me?”
As I kept my gaze fixed, she grew uncomfortable, turning her head, avoiding my scrutiny.
Purple hair, green eyes. Sharp features, a rebellious appearance.
Her skin concealed beneath layers, but those curvy attributes were hard to overlook.
If those blotches are fixed, she’d become a real head-turner!
Ding ding!
Memories of the confession Cheon So-hee once made flashed back.
“When I’m next to Yoon Ho, the pain goes away.”
If the Reverse Heaven’s Decree possesses the power to nullify a heroine’s fateful debuff—then how on earth would it affect Lady Tang?
No need for guessing; she already spilled the beans!
Lady Tang of the Barbarian lineage. A woman set to suffer a tragic fate, weighed down by her legacy.
Meanwhile, I possess the ability to nullify her barbarian affliction just by being next to her.
What more could the cosmos align to tell us?
Seems like my hunch hit home!
As I predicted, Lady Tang was also a heroine!
