Chapter 6: When fist meets water (2)

The seasons changed.
The hot sunlight lost its energy and became slightly chilly, and the surrounding mountain slopes, which had been colored green, had already turned orange.

The flow of time that was slowly, relentlessly approaching.
Even if numerous heroes died and countless countries disappeared into ashes, this autumn would repeat endlessly.

“……”

…I, who was sitting on the thatched house porch, stood up with a deep sigh. Zhuge Liang’s voice, which seemed to be in a good mood, came from behind.

“Lang! The weather is nice today! Let’s go for a walk together!”

Zhuge Kongming, wearing his usual crane-winged robe and holding a luxurious feather fan. I also nodded with a smile at his words.

“I will do so.”

Since I’ve been cooped up at home lately, it wouldn’t be bad to go out.
It was also because I wanted to see the scenery around the house, which was colored by autumn leaves.

Hearing my answer, Zhuge Liang moved his steps to the gate with a smile. And I just followed him silently.

“……”
“……”

…We walked a few steps, stepping on the fallen leaves on the yard.
Then, the closed gate suddenly rattled loudly, and someone’s loud voice was heard.

“Excuse me! Is Mr. Wolong there?”

“Huh?”
“……?”

At the unfamiliar voice that I hadn’t heard in the thatched house on the Wolong Mountain slope, Zhuge Liang, who was heading towards the gate, looked puzzled.

“Huh? I didn’t call any guests…?”

He mumbled, tilting his head as if he couldn’t think of anyone. Unlike him, I froze in place with a face full of tension.

‘……!!’

…I knew the guest who came with today, that is, autumn. I already knew the owner of the voice outside the gate, and I also knew the reason why he had come to this house.

“Is anyone at home?”

“……”

The voice, which was like the starting point of historical change.
The voice that would change the fate of those gathered here.
An unknown thrill swept through my body as I heard the voice.

“Could it be…!”

…Kongming also began to distort his expression as if he had thought of something as the voice kept coming without stopping.

“I thought it couldn’t be, but he came today!”

Then, he looked up at the sky with a deep sigh. A mixed, complicated voice filled the air.

“I’ve been too relaxed for a while! This is my mistake for trusting a single letter so much!”

Kongming, who was blaming himself for not considering that Liu Bei would visit in the autumn, in other words, the person outside the gate.
Hearing his soliloquy, he seemed to have not thought that Liu Bei, who lived and died for righteousness, would come on a different day than what was written in the letter.

“Oh, wide and wide sky, why are you dragging me into a chaotic world…!”

“……”

As if his future was being predicted, he closed his eyes tightly. And towards him, the one who could be said to be the mastermind of all this, I asked with a haughty air.

“Shall I open the gate?”

“Haa……”

Zhuge Liang sighed, as if the world was about to collapse, at my question. After thinking about something for a moment, he turned his steps back towards his room and mumbled quietly.

“…Welcome the guest well and bring him to my room.”

After that, he disappeared inside the thatched house with a pitiful sigh.
Well, it was a matter of forcibly bringing forward what would have happened a year later, so the shock would be even greater.

But in the long run, this would be helpful for both Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang. I shrugged my shoulders at the matter that had been resolved according to the plan I had made a month ago, and then headed towards the gate to welcome Liu Bei’s party.

“Oh!”

“……”

…As I opened the gate, Liu Bei, who was anxiously standing, turned his head towards me with a smile.

“Ma’am, it’s been a while!”

He said to me with a bright smile.
Well, it wasn’t that long, but I also answered, nodding with a feeling of joy.

“Did Your Excellency have a good time recently?”

Liu Bei said with a cheerful smile to my question.
And behind him, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei glanced at me. As always, they were standing with a displeased expression.

…The atmosphere that was exuding a murderous atmosphere was a bonus.

“……So! Is Mr. Wolong here today?”

…Well, as the simple greetings were over, Liu Bei immediately began to get to the point. To his question, which seemed urgent, I nodded again and answered.

“Yes, my older brother is at home, so you’ll be able to meet him today.”

“Oh!”

His corners of the mouth rose up to his ear at my words that he could meet Zhuge Liang. Then, he grabbed my hand and, with a voice filled with excitement, expressed his gratitude.

“Thanks to you, ma’am, I was finally able to meet Mr. Wolong today! I’m truly grateful.”

“Ah, yes….”

I smiled awkwardly at his words.
Well, since I had made him meet Zhuge Liang in just two visits, when they would have only met in the spring of next year, it was worth being grateful.

“…Now,”

After that, I carefully let go of Liu Bei’s hand and began to guide his party into the house.

“I’ll take you to my older brother’s room. Please follow me.”

“Khmm….”

…As he went towards the thatched house where Zhuge Liang would be, Liu Bei gulped, feeling both joy and nervousness. Of course, I was also trembling as I guided them.

‘Now, the rest is Liu Bei’s responsibility.’

I had somehow managed to make Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang meet early, but in the end, it was Liu Bei’s role to change Kongming’s mind.
If he made a mistake, their companionship with Zhuge Liang could be completely canceled, so I could only pray that he would persuade Kongming well like in the actual history.

“My older brother is waiting for Your Excellency in the room. Please go in.”

Was this the feeling of a parent taking their child to a college entrance exam?
I tried to hide my trembling hands and guided him to Kongming’s room.

“……”

After expressing his gratitude with a bow, Liu Bei entered the room with a solemn look. The sliding door opened and closed with a dull sound, and I immediately sat down next to it and prepared to eavesdrop on their conversation.

“…This Bei is a humble royal family of Han and nothing more than a man of insufficient virtue, but I have heard your high name from before. Did you remember leaving your name last time?”

“Yes, I am sorry that I could not visit you and have you come to this humble place.”

“……”

The first conversation started quite warmly.
After that, questions and answers continued to go on.

“Please teach this foolish Bei.”

“What do you want to achieve, Your Excellency?”

Confirming the meaning they had,
Confirming their personalities.

Asking questions filled with righteousness,
Giving answers filled with wisdom.

…About 30 minutes after such a profound conversation,

“Please help this Bei and help the countless suffering people!”

The sincere voice that echoed throughout Wolong Mountain, over the thatched house, and,

“I will serve you as my lord for life!”

The voice of a man swearing loyalty.

…It was the moment when the Three Visits to the Thatched Cottage, which should have been made in 207 AD, was made in 206 AD, and a new line was written in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms.

“……Nice.”

The success of the first plan that I had been anxious about,
I closed my eyes and quietly sighed in relief.
Now all that remained was to strengthen the strength of Liu Bei’s army during the newly earned year. A subtle sense of pride echoed through my body.

“……If it’s possible, can you take my humble younger sister?”

‘Huh?’

…And after that, I continued to listen to the conversation that came from inside the room again. Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang seemed to be planning for the future.

“Although she is young, she has high aspirations and her wisdom is high, and she will surely be helpful to the lord.”

“…I agree with the ma’am’s words. In fact, it was thanks to the ma’am that I could meet the teacher today.”

“Th, that’s right….”

The conversation was about recommending me.
My heart began to pound as if it would burst as I listened to the story.

“Then, I’ll bring Lang.”

‘……!!”

…And then, the sliding door opened immediately, and my eyes, who was secretly eavesdropping on the conversation, met with Zhuge Liang’s eyes. He seemed to understand the situation for a moment and then sighed deeply.

“Lang, didn’t I tell you not to eavesdrop or look?”

“I, I’m sorry!”

I quickly bowed my head to him, as if he was trying to hold back what he wanted to scold. Then, Zhuge Liang pointed to the open door and said.

“…Don’t bow your head to me, but to Your Excellency Liu here.”

“……Yes?”

“You will serve him as your lord from now on. Are you perhaps not happy?”

“……”

He spoke in a tone that I knew that he knew that I was eavesdropping, so stop pretending not to know, I peeked my head and looked inside the room.
And inside Zhuge Liang’s narrow room, Liu Bei was smiling brightly like Buddha. Kongming shrugged and continued.

“I won’t force you. If you don’t want to, stay at home with Jun and….”

“No.”

I cut off his words as if it were a knife.
Why did I make you guys meet in the first place?
It was obvious that if I went out into the world without me, the same history would be repeated.

I stood up straight and said to Kongming confidently.

“I will follow Your Excellency Liu and use my wisdom for the world.”

Even if I wasn’t a man of a great stature, since I was born in the era of the Three Kingdoms, I couldn’t just stand still. Wouldn’t it be a rewarding reincarnation to at least leave my name in history?

“……”

I slowly walked into the room and knelt down towards Liu Bei, who was sitting nobly. And I recited my newly given name and vowed to change his life and the rise and fall of Shu Han in the future.

“…I, Zhuge Lang, will serve Your Excellency Liu with loyalty until the day I die.”

Now, it will be recorded in history like this.
‘In 206 AD, Zhuge Liang and his younger sister, who lived on the slopes of Wolong Mountain, came out into the chaotic world following Liu Bei, who visited twice.’
‘And people call this The Two Visits to the Thatched Cottage.’