Festival Sightseeing – 1

“Huk!”

Soyou let out a short scream and sat up.

Then, she looked around.

Instead of a hard stone floor, she was on a soft bed. It wasn’t the arena.

“You’re awake? You’re in the infirmary.”

The opposite of last time.

Inho was sitting next to her with a serious expression.

He seemed relieved, letting out a long breath and patting his chest.

From her disciple’s dazed face, Soyou could deduce one thing.

“I… lost?”

It wasn’t a question directed at Inho.

Soyou muttered, looking down at her hands.

“……”

Inho, who always maintained a cocky attitude in front of Soyou, didn’t say anything this time.

It wasn’t that he didn’t know how this paradoxical young lady, full of pride and self-loathing, must be feeling.

‘She was stronger than usual.’

However, Soyou wasn’t as childish as Inho thought.

As a proper Martial arts practitioner, she began to replay the match.

Clearly, the intensity of the flames was stronger than usual.

That’s why the consumption of stamina was extreme, and in the end, she even lost her reason.

‘Why?’

Why was it different than usual? What was the difference?

Soyou kept asking herself questions.

“Ah….”

There was one thing that was different than usual.

Before fighting Cheong-yeon, she was very uncomfortable.

Cheong-yeon kept provoking her by mentioning Inho, and Soyou concluded that her composure, which had been crossed by the provocation, had been broken.

‘That sly little fox.’

There was no way that Martial arts unfolded with a disturbed mind could come out normally.

The angry mind dominated the body, and in response to that anger, internal energy soared from the dantian.

The internal energy, which was extracted more than usual, flowed powerfully through the meridians, causing the body to overheat quickly.

When she thought that far, Soyou hated Inho.

She couldn’t bring herself to say that she lost because of Inho.

She knew very well how pathetic it would be to say, ‘I lost because of you.’

So she tried her best not to look at him.

She was afraid that if she saw her disciple’s stupid face, the anger that had barely subsided would flare up again.

“The Divine Doctor said there’s no major problem with your body. Once you’re fully awake, shall we go outside?”

But whether her disciple knew her Master’s heart or not, he was spouting such carefree nonsense.

“Outside? Why?”

Soyou, annoyed by his carefree voice, retorted sharply.

The faint anger in her voice wasn’t conveyed to her disciple.

“Since the Martial arts tournament is over, they’re holding a festival. It seems like a night market has opened too, so going outside for a change of pace….”

“Shut up!! Is a festival important right now?”

Unable to bear it any longer, Soyou yelled, and Inho finally shut his mouth and looked at Soyou.

Inho’s face, as he stared at his Master, didn’t seem to show any fear of her anger.

Soyou didn’t like that either.

“If you’ve been defeated, you should be ashamed and focus on training, that’s the attitude of a true Martial arts practitioner. But how can you only think about playing?”

She threw off the blanket covering her knees and got up from the bed.

Inho also stood up as his Master suddenly rose.

Soyou turned to Inho and glared at him.

It was a form of looking up from below, but the momentum was as threatening as striking down from above.

“Yomryun Skill must always win. So never, ever, utter frivolous words in front of me again.”

Soyou poked Inho’s chest with her finger and left the infirmary.

The door opened and closed violently, and the Divine Doctor, who had been brewing medicine, hurriedly returned to where they were, startled by the commotion Soyou had created.

Inho frowned and scratched the back of his head hard.

“Tsk, she’s unnecessarily diligent.”

Tsk. Inho clicked his tongue and left the infirmary.

Soyou, breathing heavily, headed to her Master’s place after leaving the infirmary.

Yeomjin was drinking alone in his room.

Soyou quietly opened the door and knelt in front of Yeomjin.

“…Is your body alright?”

Yeomjin poured wine into his glass without giving her any attention.

“Yes.”

And then began a long silence.

Nothing was heard except the sound of wine falling into the glass.

Soyou’s lips twitched.

It was as if she was wondering if it was okay for her to speak first.

“Master. I’m sorry.”After a long contemplation, Soyou broke the silence and opened her mouth.”

Even at her beloved disciple’s words, Yeomjin showed no reaction.

Instead, he simply lifted the glass filled with wine and poured it into his mouth.

-Sluuurp

Yeomjin poured wine again.

The clear wine from the mouth of the bottle was poured into the glass.

“So.Yeomjin muttered, reflecting his face in the wine contained in the glass.

“What are you sorry for?”

“…Because I lost to Bingryungong.”

“No.”

Yeomjin cut off Soyou’s words.

“Then… for not being able to control Yomryun Skill myself….”

“No.”

Soyou’s head spun at Yeomjin’s firm words.

If it wasn’t this, and it wasn’t that, then what was it?

“Master. This foolish disciple. I don’t know the reason.As Soyou spoke with her head bowed, Yeomjin poured the wine into his mouth again and threw out the words as if spitting out the intoxication.

“You did nothing wrong.”

Soyou, who had been looking at the floor, raised her face.

“Yes? What does that mean?”

“I am not disappointed in you today, nor am I angry.”

“Then why….”

“Hmm?”

“Then why are you acting so serious?”As Soyou asked, a little dumbfounded, Yeomjin opened his fan and covered his mouth.”

She smiled at her disciple and giggled.

Since you came with such a serious face, I just adjusted the mood.”

“Master!!”

Soyou’s face turned red as she shouted, and Yeomjin giggled and poured wine again.

It was the last glass.

“Anyway, Soyou. Don’t dwell on wins and losses.”

Yeomjin said calmly as he poured the wine into his mouth.

There is no martial arts practitioner in the world who always wins.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, I don’t want that from you. But….”

“But?”

“Just remember that [the one who wins in the end is the true winner].”

“The one who wins in the end is the true winner….”

Soyou muttered as if not to forget her Master’s words, and Yeomjin lifted the empty bottle and shook it in front of Soyou’s eyes.

“The wine is gone, would you go downstairs and bring some?”

“Yes, I understand.”

Soyou opened the door and left.

Not long after Soyou left.

This time, Inho entered the room where Yeomjin was.

“Leave the door slightly open. I need to ventilate.”

At Yeomjin’s words, Inho opened the door by two finger widths.

“Yes, what brings you here?”

“Grand Master. Did Master not come here?”

Yeomjin’s gaze turned behind Inho’s shoulder.

“Yes, she came.”

“I see. Perhaps Grand Master… if it’s not a problem….”

“If it’s not a problem?”

“There’s a festival outside… would it be okay to go out with Master?”

“May I ask why? Personally, I don’t like the idea of her becoming lax.”

Yeomjin’s eyes lowered. His face clearly showed that he didn’t like it.

“I don’t know much about education, but I know that you shouldn’t push someone who’s discouraged.””

“Hoo…. and so?”

“I dare say. Master needs a change of pace.”

“Your words make sense. Children around Soyou’s age would be like that. But Soyou is a Martial arts practitioner.”

Yeomjin’s sharp gaze was fixed on Inho.

Inho flinched at the pressure, but he swallowed once and rebutted the Grand Master’s words.

“She’s a person before she’s a Martial arts practitioner. Grand Master.”

Yeomjin didn’t say anything to Inho’s words.

It meant to say more.

“I felt it anew after watching today’s match. How outstanding a Martial arts practitioner Master is.”

“But I think there are things she’s given up and buried in her heart.”

“For example?”

“Things that a girl of that age would do.”

“Do you see your Master as a girl?”

“In some cases, yes. It’s presumptuous, but aren’t I older? I may be a newborn when it comes to Martial arts, but I think I’m better at meeting people and seeing the world than Master. Even if I’m just a farmer.”

“Hmm…. those are truly arrogant words. A disciple claiming to be better than his Master.”

“I’m only talking about things other than Martial arts.”

“I know. Alright… even for the sake of your arrogance, I’ll allow it.”Yeomjin’s eyes, covering his mouth with a fan, were behind Inho’s shoulder.”

Towards the small crack in the door.

“Really?”

Inho’s face lit up as he easily received permission from the Grand Master, whom he thought was a big wall.

“There’s no point in being cooped up in the room.” Enjoy the festival with Soyou.”

“Thank you! Grand Master.”

Inho smiled brightly and stood up.

Yeomjin, after confirming that the shadow outside the door had disappeared, gave Inho a deep smile.

“Yes, have a good time.”

Inho, who had left the Grand Master’s room, was looking for Soyou while strolling through the garden.

Namgung Soyou, whom he thought would be holed up in her room, was somehow not in her room.

He wondered if she might be sulking in a corner of the garden, so he came out to the garden, but it seemed he had guessed wrong.

“No, where did she go.”

That damn brat.

Inho said the last words in his heart, fearing that his Master might hear him.

He felt a presence behind the tree, so he ran over with quick steps, and an unexpected person was standing there.

“Oh… hello?”

Cheong-yeon, receiving the moonlight as before and illuminating her face, greeted him slowly.

And Soyou, who had brought wine to Yeomjin and followed her disciple, was watching the scene from afar.

“Huh?”The Divine Doctor clearly said there was no problem, but Namgung Soyou strangely felt a stabbing pain in her chest.”