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Chapter 32
“Since this is a gathering where the younger heirs of the great clans meet, it only makes sense to send out someone truly skilled, doesn’t it?”
“…As far as I know, you’ve never formally learned Namgung’s martial arts. And yet you think you can defeat the branch members of the Namgung clan gathered here?”
“There’s nothing impossible in this world, is there?”
“I’ve heard about your unique martial arts from the one who is training my disciples… but can a martial art you devised as a child truly inflict meaningful damage on the high-level techniques of the Namgung clan?”
“You only know which is longer and which is shorter once you measure. If you wish, I can prove it.”
“That wouldn’t be difficult. However…”
He looked toward the gathered youths seated before him. Among the direct line, there was only Dowi. The rest of the direct bloodline were training in the main house and thus unrelated to the academy’s affairs. So they had chosen participants mainly from the branch families around Dowi. Those chosen branch members had at least learned part of the Namgung clan’s martial arts. Naturally, they wouldn’t like this situation.
‘A girl whose name we’ve never even heard before…’
‘And an illegitimate child, no less. She should rank below us branch families.’
Their eyes were far from kind. Yet Sayul accepted those cold gazes without so much as flinching. No—her expression was even colder, as though frost had settled over her face. As if she found it absurd that such insignificant beings dared to look at her that way.
“If you wish, all of you branch members may come at me at once.”
“…What?”
“There are limits to how insolent one can be…!”
They were all older than Sayul. And although she lived in the Namgung main house, her ambiguous status as an illegitimate child was more than enough to aggravate the branch families.
“Your confidence is excessive, young lady.”
He deliberately emphasized “young lady,” mocking the illegitimate child she was.
“Have you even received proper training in the clan?”
A faint sneer hung on their lips. They did know she had taken down all the disciples who were not of Namgung blood—but they believed any branch member could have done the same.
“My unique martial arts alone are enough.”
“Ha? Unique martial arts? Are you claiming to be some grand master?”
Sayul didn’t bother replying to words unworthy of response. There was no need to explain how arrogant her silence must have looked.
“What will you do, Uncle?”
“…The participants are already decided. Still, even if it’s merely a friendly exchange between clans, losing is not an option.”
“Chief!”
“This is unacceptable! Do you truly believe that young lady surpasses us?”
“Since when did your tongues become so loose? As Sayul said, you only know once you try. If you win in a match, nothing will change.”
At those words, the branch members fell silent. In the end, it meant the representative for the inter-clan friendly match would be chosen through sparring. Practically, this meant things would proceed as they already were. They simply couldn’t grasp Sayul’s intentions. To them, she was nothing more than a uselessly pampered noble girl.
‘She may have learned something in the main house, but…’
‘There’s no way an illegitimate child received anything proper.’
Thinking so, they finally agreed. Seeing that, Sayul spoke immediately.
“Then let us begin now.”
“Right now?”
“The sooner things are done, the better.”
With that, Sayul left the chief’s office.
Tap. The door closed, leaving the rest behind with dumbfounded expressions—everyone except Namgung Dowi. He alone couldn’t share their disbelief, remembering the ability he had witnessed when she hunted the demon. He didn’t know how she would fare in pure martial confrontation, but someone capable of eliminating a demon so decisively could not be weak.
“…Be careful, all of you.”
“Come on, brother. It’s not like we’re going to hurt the young lady.”
“We’ll be careful enough. Don’t worry so much.”
“….”
Dowi sighed inwardly. They were still frogs in a well.
For the clan academy’s friendly match, each clan could send four clan members and four disciples. Originally, Namgung Dowi as direct descendant and three branch members were to participate. But since Sayul had declared her intent to join, they had no choice but to determine capability through a duel.
“Brother, what will you do if the young lady gets hurt?”
“…Ha…”
Dowi glanced at the branch brothers clicking their tongues at Sayul with arrogance. If they had been there when she handled the demon, they would never speak so recklessly. Though Dowi had said he was little help dealing with the demon, they had dismissed it merely as his humility.
“Just be careful.”
“Yes, yes.”
Though he warned them to be cautious of Sayul, it seemed they misunderstood—nodding as if he meant to be gentle to her. Dowi sighed again. Perhaps it was better they learned sooner than remain ignorant frogs forever.
“Where will the match be held?”
asked Namgung Kyung-ah, one of the branch members. Chief Wonjong stroked his beard for a moment before choosing the martial training ground behind the chief’s office—a place only clan members, including branch families, were allowed to use. Ordinary disciples could not enter.
“That will do nicely.”
“We also used that place when deciding our lineup.”
Ignoring their chatter, Sayul walked toward the training grounds behind the chief’s office. Far larger than the grounds used by regular disciples, this was likely where Namgung martial arts were secretly taught—since a clan’s martial arts weren’t something to be shown freely.
“How shall we decide the order?”
asked Namgung Sowol. The pre-decided order was Namgung Dowi, Namgung Kyung-ah, Namgung Sowol, and Namgung Yeoncheol. Thus, Yeoncheol should have faced Sayul as the last pick. But—
“All of you, come at me together.”
“…What?”
“Excuse me?”
Sayul removed the hairpin securing her hair. Her white hair cascaded down to her waist like flowing silk. For a moment, the branch members stared blankly—then frowned.
“What are you doing without even a proper sword?”
“This is more than enough.”
“There are limits to arrogance, young lady.”
Sayul smiled faintly. They truly didn’t know who was being arrogant. She almost pitied them. No—she didn’t. It was simply annoying. Humans were always fooled by appearances. How could they not understand how meaningless outward form was in the martial world?
She stood silently in the center of the arena, hairpin in hand.
“Come.”
She beckoned them. The gesture looked almost ghostly, but no one noticed. Dowi folded his arms and stood to the side.
“You won’t step in, Brother?”
“No.”
“Well, you care for her like a cherished younger sister, don’t you? We’ll be careful not to hurt her too much.”
“…Hmph.”
The remaining three exchanged looks. Though she had said they could all attack at once, none truly intended to rush a younger direct descendant together. Two of them nudged Yeoncheol, who reluctantly scratched his head and stepped forward.
“Don’t blame me if you get hurt.”
Sayul let out a laugh without any change of expression.
“That won’t be necessary.”
With a bored expression, she flicked her fingers. Yeoncheol scratched his head, then frowned at her arrogance and drew his sword. He intended to end it quickly.
Thud!
He pushed off the ground and lunged forward. She only had a hairpin. Knocking aside that flimsy thing and placing a blade at her throat shouldn’t have been difficult. But—
Sssk.
‘W-where?!’
Her figure vanished before his eyes. In that foolish instant he stood frozen with his sword raised, Sayul was already standing behind him.
