Chapter 95: Preparation. (4)

Preparation (4)

“I lost….”

Yeongpung, who had been gasping for breath for a long time, barely managed to speak.

The ground around Yeongpung was completely dug up and a mess, a chaotic scene, with broken wooden swords piled up on one side.

His internal energy had run out long ago, and he didn’t even have the strength to hold his sword.

He had repeated the sparring match that started in the afternoon until sunset, so it was understandable.

“You worked hard.”

Yeongpung looked at the owner of the voice.

‘…Strong.’

That was the only thought he had.

Was his name Muyeon? The young man who was said to be Gu Yangcheon’s bodyguard possessed astonishing martial prowess.

With the Jehwajeon festival just around the corner, Yeongpung, who was engrossed in sparring, was glad to have a strong swordsman approach him first, but…

I didn’t know he was at this level….

Yeongpung suddenly thought of Namgung Bi-ah.

He could feel his cheeks instantly flushing red.

It was because a shameful memory surfaced.

It was the cause of his sparring match with Gu Yangcheon, and in a way, a memory of realization that allowed him to steady his mind, but…

He couldn’t help but recall his own immature self.

‘They seem similar…. But the feeling is completely different.’

Yeongpung knew that Namgung Bi-ah was a direct descendant of the Namgung family, the backbone of the Four Great Families, but whether it was her personality or her family’s history, Namgung Bi-ah had no hesitation in practicing her family’s martial arts, even with spectators.

As if saying, ‘Watch if you want to,’ she displayed a beautiful sword dance.

Contained within her restrained sword path were various lines of techniques (Turo).

Something possessed by those who polish themselves without being biased towards a specific sword style; put crudely, Namgung Bi-ah had a chaotic sword path.

Nevertheless, possessing a flexible body and talent, Yeongpung thought that her chaotic movements had become an advantage.

At least, that’s how it appeared to Yeongpung’s eyes.

Still, if they fought, he would lose.

‘This person….’

Muyeon’s case was the opposite.

Neat and skilled, perhaps possessing fundamentally solid basics.

He was, quite literally, the epitome of a typical swordsman.

Yeongpung quickly analyzed the reason for his defeat.

Muyeon’s sword didn’t rely on special changes in his sword path or exceptional senses; it was solely focused on fundamentals.

The reason for Yeongpung’s defeat was simply that Muyeon’s sword was faster and heavier.

With no excuses and a precise reason, Yeongpung sighed.

‘There’s no end beyond the well.’

Seeing Gu Yangcheon shattered his arrogance about his talent, and seeing Namgung Bi-ah made him feel his own inadequacy once more, experiencing shame.

And seeing Muyeon, he felt a sense of futility.

‘I don’t even have time to fill my confidence.’

Yeongpung felt the name ‘Sword Dragon,’ which had stuck to him, becoming increasingly burdensome.

Muyeon calmly extended his hand to Yeongpung.

“Thank you. Thanks to you, I learned a lot.”

“…Not at all. You kept me company all day, so I am the one who should be more grateful.”

Taking Muyeon’s hand, Yeongpung got up.

His entire body was covered in dirt, but a casual dusting off was enough.

Muyeon looked at Yeongpung and said.

“We’ve been outside for too long. I think I need to head back. Are you planning to continue training, Yeongpung-gun?”

“Yes, I think I need to train a bit longer before leaving.”

There was nothing but training to calm his turbulent mind.

At least, that was the only method Yeongpung knew.

Muyeon nodded at Yeongpung’s words.

After finishing the cleanup, he immediately headed down the mountain path to return to the lodging.

Even while walking, feeling the cool breeze, Muyeon’s expression remained stiff.

It seemed like the first time he had spent the entire day sparring without focusing on his bodyguard duties.

‘What meaning did this even have?’

Similar to Yeongpung, Muyeon was also hiding his stifled feelings.

It was an act of deviation undertaken to find something, but all Muyeon felt was a terrible guilt for neglecting his duties.

“As a bodyguard, I can’t seem to do anything right…”

Muyeon’s words, casually uttered into the wind, were filled with self-reproach.

How many times had Gu Yangcheon already faced danger?

Perhaps it was because he felt at ease after entering the prestigious Hua San Sect, but Gu Yangcheon had faced a crisis, fighting against a peak-level martial artist.

What was I doing then?

He dared to think about what excuses he might have, but no fitting words came to mind.

I was careless.

Not anyone else, but the bodyguard.

‘Useless.’

Of course, Gu Yangcheon moved around well, avoiding his notice, and Muyeon knew that Gu Yangcheon was gradually reaching a level where he wouldn’t need a bodyguard due to his talent.

But that was a futile argument.

I am the sword and the shield.

Gu Yangcheon should not get hurt, except when I am dead.

It wasn’t passion for martial arts, nor loyalty towards Gu Yangcheon.

This was about responsibility, and the essence that formed his character.

The moment a martial artist loses themselves, they are finished.

It was a famous saying left by the Sword Saint, one of the Three Saints of the World, whom Muyeon respected.

Gu Yangcheon was growing stronger day by day.

When I first saw him, he was clearly a boy who hadn’t even reached second-rate.

The current Gu Yangcheon is first-rate, and soon he will touch the peak.

Such growth occurred in less than a year.

And myself?

How many years have I been here, unable to reach the peak?

Muyeon had always thought he wasn’t in a position to be impatient.

He thought time was still on his side, and that by consistently putting in the effort, he would eventually reach the peak.

‘…But when, exactly, will that be?’

I’m incompetent.

Aren’t I terribly incompetent?

What’s the point of honing one’s sword to protect, if one cannot protect?

Where is my sword heading?

Muyeon didn’t know.

He felt like he had lost the path he had barely found.

What did I gain from the recent sparring matches?

‘I realized what potential is.’

He could glimpse what those who shone endlessly, unlike himself, possessed.

Just thinking about Yeongpung is enough.

His growth during just one day of sparring was visible.

Yeongpung started catching Muyeon’s sword path, which he missed five out of ten times, by the end of the sparring match.

The openings in Yeongpung’s defense, visible to Muyeon, gradually decreased until they were almost imperceptible.

Yeongpung showed clear signs of regret, but conversely, Muyeon had to hide his surprise while watching Yeongpung.

Someday Yeongpung would reach his level, and perhaps even surpass him soon.

Muyeon was convinced that not much time was left until then.

‘And even then, will I still be treading the same spot?’

Guilt and inferiority complex.

He truly felt how thick the wall before him was.

“Inner demons…. Should I call this an inner demon too….”

He had stopped walking without realizing it.

The blowing wind pushed his back, urging him to return to the lodging, but…

Muyeon’s feet seemed stuck to the ground, refusing to move.

‘Just like this….’

Just for a moment, let’s rest for just a moment.

He felt something twisting inside him, making everything a mess.

Let’s rest just a little bit and then go back to the lodging, and then I can just get back to work as if nothing happened.

Muyeon resolved himself.

Then, something reached Muyeon’s ears as he stood still.

-Hwik!

-Hwi-i-ik!

“Hmm?”

It definitely wasn’t the sound of the wind.

To Muyeon, the swordsman, it was a very familiar sound.

His feet, which had been stuck fast, naturally lifted.

Unconsciously, his steps were moving towards the source of the sound.

-Hwi-i-ik! Hwik!

Pushing through the bushes and moving a little, he saw someone swinging a sword on a flat ground of moderate width.

‘…Why?’

He was flustered because the person training was someone Muyeon knew.

“Attendant Wi…?”

It was Wi Seol-ah.

Gu Yangcheon’s personal attendant, a girl who received all the affection from Gu Yangcheon’s staff with her pretty face.

And Wi Seol-ah was swinging a sword in the mountains late at night, where no one seemed to be around.

‘Why is she doing that?’

Hwik Hwi-i-ik Hwik!

Because she hadn’t professionally learned swordplay, her movements were crude, clumsy, and full of unnecessary motions, but…

There was a strange power behind them.

‘Is she trying to get some exercise?’

Thinking about what Wi Seol-ah, the attendant, was doing, that was the only explanation he could come up with.

Hwik…

Finally, Wi Seol-ah stopped swinging the sword and tilted her head, looking puzzled.

“This isn’t it, is it?”

“Hmm…?”

Is she talking to herself? Having often witnessed Wi Seol-ah’s pure yet peculiar personality, he wondered if it was the same this time.

“It’s difficult…. This seems right, though.”

As Wi Seol-ah muttered complainingly, Muyeon momentarily gasped.

From top to bottom.

The single sword strike, lightly slashed downwards, was clean, and the movement was accurate even to his eyes.

It was completely different from the crude movements she had been showing until just now.

‘What the…?’

Did I see wrong? He doubted it, even though he had clearly seen it accurately.

“If I do it like this, it’s prettier and more comfortable, so why do I have to do it differently?”

Muyeon checked if anyone else was around at her muttered words, but he sensed no presence.

“…I should go to Grandpa… No, I don’t want to go to Grandpa, Grandpa was mean.”

She slightly frowned as if sulking.

Following that, as Wi Seol-ah slowly performed her movements, Muyeon received even greater shock.

Could it be that neat?

It was clearly not a special move.

She was just slashing, just swinging lightly, but…

Something was different.

How could she do that?

Unlike Muyeon’s shock, Wi Seol-ah quickly stopped the tip of her sword.

“Okay…. I won’t do it.”

As if scolded, Wi Seol-ah reverted to the crude movements Muyeon had first discovered.

Faced with the unfolding situation, Muyeon finally stepped forward.

He couldn’t just stand by and watch.

“Attendant Wi…?”

“Oh! It’s Muyeon oppa!”

Her waving hand as if happy confirmed it was the Wi Seol-ah Muyeon knew.

“What are you doing here…?”

To Muyeon’s question, Wi Seol-ah smiled and said confidently.

“I’m learning the sword!”

“From… who?”

“Well… Un…”

Wi Seol-ah, who was about to answer nonchalantly, suddenly paused.

Her eyes darted around as if startled, then…

“…I was doing it alone.”

“Alone…?”

Her words changed instantly.

No matter how much he checked, Wi Seol-ah was alone.

It didn’t seem like she would lie.

Wi Seol-ah looked at Muyeon and asked.

“Are you heading back now, Muyeon oppa? The young master was looking for you earlier.”

“Ah…!”

Oh no….

The mistake of acting foolishly was already catching up to him.

Muyeon tried to hide his inner thoughts and said to Wi Seol-ah with a smile.

“I couldn’t concentrate today because I was training, so I must apologize to the young master.”

“Huh? No, the young master said, ‘Muyeon is Muyeon, so he must be doing fine on his own,’ and didn’t say much!”

Her cute habit of twitching the corners of her eyes, mimicking Gu Yangcheon, was endearing.

Muyeon unconsciously reached out to pat her hair as if she were his younger sister, but quickly stopped his hand.

Wi Seol-ah was friendly to everyone, but there was an unspoken boundary with everyone.

She particularly disliked being touched or patted.

Only Elder Wi and Gu Yangcheon were permitted such actions, so Muyeon knew this and lowered his hand.

Just as the atmosphere was about to become slightly awkward, Wi Seol-ah asked again.

“So, are you going home now, oppa?”

Muyeon nodded.

“Yes, I’ve had enough rest from work, so I should return.”

Muyeon quietly looked at the small wooden sword Wi Seol-ah was holding and cautiously began to speak.

“Um, Attendant Wi.”

“Yes?”

“Why are you suddenly practicing the sword?”

To Muyeon’s question, Wi Seol-ah blinked.

Perhaps she was thinking about her answer.

The wait wasn’t long.

Wi Seol-ah soon spoke as if it were nothing.

“The young master comes back injured every day. Someone keeps bothering him, it seems.”

From small scratches to the major incident this time.

When Gu Yangcheon was injured, Wi Seol-ah felt a pain as if her entire chest had been hollowed out.

Even though she wasn’t actually hurt.

Wi Seol-ah hated that feeling.

More than being hurt herself, she hated Gu Yangcheon being hurt even more.

“So, I want to protect him.”

Muyeon was lost for words at her smile, as if it were no big deal.

It was a known fact among all the staff that Wi Seol-ah particularly followed and liked Gu Yangcheon.

It was so obvious, how could they not know?

Muyeon simply thought it was a matter of what could be done and what couldn’t.

Of course, Wi Seol-ah’s movements he had just witnessed were astonishingly excellent, but…

‘She’s just an attendant, after all.’

Muyeon bit his lip at the thought that flashed through his mind unconsciously.

He realized he had unintentionally looked down on and belittled Wi Seol-ah.

Wi Seol-ah, unaware of Muyeon’s thoughts, simply smiled.

Then she exclaimed brightly.

“I’m going down now too! The young master will be waiting.”

She gathered her wooden sword and walked lightly.

Muyeon watched Wi Seol-ah’s retreating back.

‘How ugly, Muyeon. To think that others couldn’t do what I cannot do.’

Even knowing that Wi Seol-ah’s feelings were sincere, he unconsciously harbored a malicious thought.

‘Snap out of it. There’s still a long way to go.’

He couldn’t crumble at a place like this.

Get a grip.

Hoo…

He let out the deeply settled, narrow-minded thoughts with a sigh.

Suddenly, Wi Seol-ah, who had been hurrying away, stopped and approached Muyeon again.

“…Attendant Wi?”

Muyeon unconsciously took a step back.

The Wi Seol-ah who had been smiling brightly was gone, replaced by a suddenly stern expression.

“That’s enough.”

“Huh?”

The voice that came out sounded much lower than usual.

What’s going on?

As if not caring about Muyeon’s reaction, Wi Seol-ah just said what she needed to say.

“At least you seem to know what you need to do, so I don’t think there’s anything more to say.”

Wi Seol-ah’s pale, small hand extended and touched Muyeon’s chest.

Muyeon tried to move, but his body froze for a moment, perhaps startled by the inexplicable atmosphere.

Wi Seol-ah didn’t look at Muyeon, but continued speaking while looking at his chest.

“Don’t be too bound by convention; sometimes you need to break free.”

Thump-

With Wi Seol-ah’s pushing hand, Muyeon stepped back one pace.

The recoil that started in his chest instantly swept through his entire body, echoing.

“Hup…!”

Was this an ambush…?

He even thought that.

Why on earth, Attendant Wi?

In the midst of his confusion, Muyeon tried to summon his internal energy, but the vibration he felt was fleeting.

Soon returning to emptiness, Muyeon hurriedly swept his hand over his chest.

“What was that all of a sudden…!”

He tried to demand what she was trying to do, but Wi Seol-ah had returned to her usual expression.

Smiling sweetly, Wi Seol-ah said to Muyeon.

“That’s what he told me to tell you!”

“…Who?”

Wi Seol-ah didn’t answer Muyeon’s question and ran off towards the lodging.

“…?”

Muyeon’s face, watching her go, contorted slightly.

Was she playing a prank?

He realized for the first time that Wi Seol-ah could act like that.

While breathing a sigh of relief, what Wi Seol-ah said at the end lingered strangely in his mind.

‘Break free from convention.’

It might have just been a casual remark, but it resonated with Muyeon.

He stopped for a moment, wondering if he had found enlightenment, but that was unlikely.

“If enlightenment came that easily… I wouldn’t need to be agonizing over this.”

Nevertheless, thanks to Wi Seol-ah’s small prank, his complicated thoughts seemed to have eased slightly.

Satisfied with that much, Muyeon followed Wi Seol-ah towards the lodging.

---

“…What is it?”

As I sat idly on the wooden floor, Wi Seol-ah entered the lodging, followed by Muyeon.

When I asked Hongwa, she said she went out for a walk, so I had just been reprimanding her for letting the child go out alone this late at night.

I thought I’d have to go find her soon… and just then, Wi Seol-ah appeared.

But.

“Did something happen?”

Muyeon, who followed her in, seemed somewhat strange.

Putting aside his face, which looked full of worries…

‘Am I mistaken?’

It just feels strange… Am I feeling this way because I’m tired too?

Muyeon seemed to notice my gaze and approached me.

“…I apologize.”

“Hm? For what?”

“I took a break from my bodyguard duties without saying anything. This won’t happen again.”

Ah, maybe it’s because I took the day off.

“You need days off too. Besides, you probably trained anyway after saying you were resting, right?”

“…”

“Seeing as you’re not answering, I guess I’m right.”

I knew what emotions Muyeon was showing, but I had no way to solve it for him.

‘It’s different from Yeongpung’s situation.’

If the wall built up by arrogance was Yeongpung’s wall, it could just be crushed and broken, but…

Muyeon had to overcome it himself.

“If something is troubling you, take more rest.”

“…No.”

“Alright.”

Muyeon, stating his intention to do better starting tomorrow, finished his greeting and hurried back.

It must be because he has to stand guard duty separately.

Muyeon’s tired-looking expression bothered me a little.

Is it reaching a dangerous level?

‘I should try to make time later.’

Even if I can’t break through the blocked wall, perhaps I can offer a little help.

Normally, I wouldn’t even pay attention to such things, but regarding Muyeon, I felt it would be okay to put in a little effort.

‘It would be rather unpleasant if talent like that died without blooming.’

Wouldn’t it be a good thing for the future too?

As I was roughly organizing my thoughts, Wi Seol-ah, having washed up, walked towards me.

“Young master!”

“…You.”

I was about to scold her for wandering dangerously in the mountains this late evening, but I swallowed the words.

“I worked hard today too!”

“…Yes, you did well.”

I answered casually and took something out of my pocket, handing it to Wi Seol-ah.

“…Huh?”

Seeing the object in my hand, Wi Seol-ah’s eyes widened considerably.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, I avoided her gaze and added.

“It’s nothing grand, just giving it to you because you worked hard.”

It was a hair ornament with a white sheen.

I bought it last time when I went to the county with Namgung Bi-ah and Wi Seol-ah.

For the record, I bought one for Namgung Bi-ah too, but I haven’t given it to her yet.

“Are you… giving this to me?”

“Don’t you like it? Then I’ll give it to someone else….”

“No!”

She lunged forward and snatched the ornament.

Wi Seol-ah hugged the ornament tightly to her chest and started smiling sweetly.

Her reaction was much better than expected, which flustered me.

Is this really something to be so happy about?

It’s just a cheap trinket, but at this point, I felt like asking Shin Noya.

‘…If it were Shin Noya, would he curse?’

I felt certain he probably would.

Wi Seol-ah examined the ornament back and forth, then, as if she had an idea, started staring intently at me.

I slightly avoided her burdensome gaze and asked.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“Young master.”

“Yes…?”

“Can I kiss you on the cheek?”

“Wh-what did you say?”

“Thank you!”

“Wait…! I haven’t said anything yet…!”

Thinking about it now…

Wi Seol-ah probably never intended to hear my answer in the first place.

And so, the next day.

Finally, the day arrived for the Hua San Sect’s festival, the Jehwajeon.