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Chapter 35
The disciples who would take part in the friendly match at the Later Branch Gathering had been decided. Jeong Myeongwol, Gwang Jeongu, Ha Min, and Mo Aryeong. Those four. And amid that, a rumor spread that one collateral-line member had been dropped during the review and replaced. Upon hearing the rumor, Myeongwol clawed at her own hair.
“I should’ve clung to him and begged to be trained, no matter what!”
Myeongwol was one of those who showed outstanding talent even among the many disciples. However, because she did not inherit the blood of the Namgung family, she could not obtain further instruction, and as a result she had run headlong into a huge wall. If she had at least become a collateral member of the Namgung family, there would have been even a small path toward advancement, but for her as she was now, there was no answer other than creating her own unique martial art.
“But it’s not like I’m a grandmaster—there’s no way I can just create a martial art so easily.”
Still clutching her hair, she fell into deep thought. Should she grab Sayeol’s pant leg again and cling to him? But if she did that this time, it felt like it wouldn’t end with just one punch.
Myeongwol had a serious mindset toward martial arts. Her ultimate goal of becoming the sword of the Namgung family was because she wanted to become strong and properly be part of a prestigious clan.
“But right now I’m stuck here at the academy, hitting a wall.”
Even so, she couldn’t just leave the academy. All the martial arts she had learned so far were based on the academy’s foundations. If she were to learn some half-baked different martial art here, she could fall into qi deviation, so she was stuck, unable to do anything.
“Got something you’re worried about?”
“Huh, huh?”
Gwang Jeongu came over and stood beside her as she was clawing at her hair. He was the disciple who constantly competed with her for first and second place among the disciples. That didn’t mean their relationship was bad. Jeongu squatted down next to Myeongwol and looked toward the training grounds.
“Everyone else is training because of the friendly match—why do you look like you’re at a funeral all by yourself?”
“Ha….”
Myeongwol let out a sigh and rubbed her dry face.
“I want to get stronger, but I don’t know how.”
“…Same for me, you know.”
“So I tried clinging to the young lady.”
“The young lady…?”
“Yes. The Namgung Sayeol young lady who came this time.”
“…She’s strong, but she uses something completely different from the martial arts the Namgung family used, doesn’t she?”
“Of course I know it can be dangerous to learn something too far removed from what you’ve been learning, but it feels like she knows a way.”
“She’s younger than us, though.”
“What does age have to do with learning?”
“Well, that’s true, but….”
“I asked her once and got turned down. Isn’t there really no way?”
“If you’ve already been refused, isn’t there no way?”
“Aaah, I guess that’s it?”
Myeongwol let out a deep sigh. Seeing that, Jeongu spoke.
“It’s not like there’s no way.”
“What is it?!”
She jumped up and asked.
“Request a spar.”
“A spar?”
“Yeah. You can’t ask for instruction, but you can request a spar, right? If you clash with her, you might see something.”
“Y-you bastard….”
Myeongwol’s eyes sparkled.
“You’re a genius.”
“Geez….”
“I should go right away. Thanks!”
“Yeah, yeah—just don’t get beaten too badly.”
Jeongu waved his hand at her casually. Leaving him behind, Myeongwol headed toward the guest room where Sayeol was staying. She stood in front of the paper sliding door and cleared her throat when a voice came from inside first.
“Come in.”
“Ah, y-yes!”
Slide.
So-hwa opened the door from inside.
“G-greetings, Young Lady.”
“What brings you here?”
“I-I came to request a spar….”
“A spar, you say.”
“Y-yes!”
“I refuse.”
“Y-yes—what?”
Sayeol looked at Myeongwol without any particular expression. Every time Sayeol’s golden eyes looked at her, Myeongwol tensed up.
“What you need right now is not a spar with me.”
“N-not a spar?”
“That’s right. I can’t train you, but I can tell you a method.”
“W-what method is that?!”
“You’re too light.”
“L-light?”
“Yes.”
“Sh-should I gain weight?”
“…….”
Sayeol gazed at her quietly for a moment, and Myeongwol subtly averted her eyes.
“You seem to specialize in fast swordsmanship.”
“Ah, yes. I’m said to be the fastest among the disciples.”
“Because of that, your sword is excessively light. Add more power to your fast sword.”
“H-how do I add more power to fast swordsmanship?”
“That is….”
“Hngh! Hah!”
Myeongwol was performing forms on the training grounds with sandbags strapped to her arms and legs. The surrounding disciples looked at her as if asking what she was doing, but she paid them no mind, gripping her trembling arms and executing the forms with all her strength.
“Looks like the spar didn’t work out.”
“Jeongu, do you know why she’s doing that?”
“Well, she probably heard something from the young lady.”
“Ah, they say some collateral member got pushed out this time, right?”
“Yeah. Guess that’s what happens when you’re not direct line.”
“But is that kind of crude method really the right way to get stronger?”
“Who knows. I guess we’ll see the results later.”
Jeongu stood up from where he’d been squatting, took a spot at one side of the training grounds, and began his own training. If he didn’t want to lose his ranking to her this time, he’d have to work hard too.
“What a bunch of strange ones.”
Another disciple scratched his head and left.
And just like that, a week passed. The academy’s disciples were preparing to leave the academy. Myeongwol now wore the sandbags she had grown accustomed to. At first, it had been difficult even to swing her sword clearly along the path she wanted, but now she could thrust her sword in a fairly convincing manner.
“I shouldn’t be careless even on the way.”
Four members of the Namgung family and four disciples gathered at the academy’s main gate. Along with them were two collateral elders who would accompany them, and Wol and So-hwa—making a total of twelve people ready to depart. Each was given a horse. Sayeol let So-hwa, who couldn’t ride, get on with her.
“Come back safely.”
“We’ll return safely, Headmaster.”
As everyone offered a word of farewell, Wol merely let out a big yawn, and Sayeol quietly sat atop her horse.
“Win everything!”
“Go and show them that our Namgung Academy is the best!”
“Don’t you dare lose!”
With the headmaster and the academy disciples seeing them off like that, they left the academy. The horses kicked forward powerfully, and the collateral elders led the way at the front.
“Young Lady, where is this friendly match being held?”
“They say the Zhuge clan is hosting it.”
“What? The Zhuge clan?”
So-hwa asked in surprise.
“Yes. We’re going to Wuhan.”
“…Will it be all right?”
“We’ll know once we get there.”
Hiiiii!
The vigorous galloping of the horses continued. The horses headed toward Wuhan without rest. They had departed with plenty of time to spare, but they would need time upon arrival to clean themselves up and prepare their bodies in order to display their usual abilities.
After riding all day, they reached an open clearing before the sun set. There, they began preparing to camp for the night. There was a stream nearby, so they watered the horses and drew water for themselves as well.
“Young Lady, please sit and rest!”
So-hwa bustled about among the busy disciples, drawing water and gathering dry branches to start a fire for the camp. She was so capable that the disciples were left with nothing to do. At first, they hadn’t liked the idea of bringing along some random attendant, but seeing her do even their share of the work, their expressions turned apologetic.
“I’ll help.”
“I-I’ll start the fire.”
“No! Everyone, please sit down!”
“B-but….”
“Please hand over the food supplies we got from the academy cafeteria!”
And so, like baby birds, they ended up eating the dinner So-hwa prepared for them. They exchanged glances with one another as they awkwardly ate the camp food.
“Young Lady, you should eat too.”
So-hwa personally served Sayeol’s portion and brought it to her. As for the rest, she left them to serve themselves, as if it were none of her concern.
