The moment morning broke, a servant came looking for me.
“The Clan Head requests your presence.”
I was rubbing the sleep from my eyes, just about ready to head off for training, when I got dragged away without so much as a chance to protest. Must’ve been about yesterday.
“Is the Clan Head really that pissed… I mean, angry?”
“I wouldn’t know, my lady.”
The servant, true to someone who served at the Clan Head’s side, was tight-lipped as hell. Damn it. Come to think of it, skipping out on training without saying anything—this was basically the same thing. They did tell my master ahead of time, right?
While my brain spun with all that, we arrived at Moyong Wi’s office. Inside, Lady Eon was with him.
Whatever they’d been discussing, they gave me an awkward look as soon as I walked in. I didn’t even need to guess. Obviously talking about what happened yesterday.
“I already explained to Elder Jegeom that you wouldn’t be able to join training today due to an important matter.”
“Oh, um… thank you…”
“So, about yesterday… did you, ah, rest well?”
“….”
At Moyong Wi’s question, my skin crawled with a fresh wave of goosebumps. Honestly would’ve been less painful if he’d just asked why the hell I’d pulled that stunt and run off.
“Well, see… yesterday! I was just really shocked. I never expected Dang Iheon—no, Young Hero Dang—to say something like that.”
“Ahwa, you really didn’t know?”
“What kind of question is that…! I mean. No. Of course… I didn’t.”
I barely held back a shout, trying to keep my voice even, when Lady Eon, who’d been sitting quietly, finally spoke.
“I didn’t expect Young Hero Dang to do that out of nowhere either. I was quite startled myself yesterday. Perhaps not as much as you.”
Her words carried a faint joke and a small smile. I gave her an awkward smile back. Lady Eon then gently soothed the uneasy-looking Moyong Wi.
“It’s my daughter’s marriage we’re speaking of. As her mother, I would like to discuss it with her properly. Would that be acceptable?”
Moyong Wi looked like he had a lot to say but ended up nodding. Now that I thought about it, I’d never really had a proper conversation with Lady Eon. She didn’t talk much, and she was always with Moyong Wi, so it made sense. During family meals, those three idiots usually dominated the conversation anyway.
Lady Eon led me out of the Clan Head’s office and spoke quietly.
“If what Young Hero Dang said yesterday is not how you truly feel, why not have a conversation with him directly? Avoiding it won’t solve anything.”
“Yes, I was planning to go see him after training and just—uh—have a long, honest talk.”
“Good. This is your marriage, so your wishes are the most important. Come find me after you’ve spoken to him. Then we can talk together with the Clan Head.”
Your father tends to get a bit too affectionate about these matters sometimes, she added in a soft murmur, giving my shoulder a warm little pat before walking off ahead.
Left behind, I shivered, my shoulder still tingling with lingering warmth.
Lady Eon was strangely hard to deal with. Maybe because I’d never had to treat a woman as a superior before? Feeling oddly awkward, I started walking.
Anyway, first on the agenda was dealing with Dang Iheon, who was getting in the way of my grand Moyong Clan escape plan. Marriage? What a joke.
But somehow the bastard must’ve sensed I was coming to wring his neck, because he’d left early in the morning and was nowhere to be found.
“Are you sure you’re not hiding him somewhere and lying to me?”
I rose on my toes and peeked inside. The servant looked about to cry as he tried to dissuade me.
“My lady, I’m of the Moyong Clan too. Would I ever lie to you of all people?”
“Who knows, maybe Dang Iheon gave you something nice under the table.”
“That’s so unfair, my lady…”
His eyes actually welled up. Why are the people working in this house so damn quick to tears? Do they all practice crying or something? I’d honestly be less rattled if he just pulled a sword on me. Watching a grown man tear up was way more uncomfortable.
I backed off with a sigh. I’d just have to show up unannounced later—he wouldn’t be able to dodge forever!
As I turned to leave, Sahyeon, who’d escorted me here, lowered his head and moved ahead to lead the way. I swear I saw that bastard smirking as he bowed. Smug piece of shit.
“My lady. Shall I e-escort you back to your quarters?”
“Drop the pathetic act, there’s no one around.”
“I… don’t quite know what you mean…”
“You know what? Forget talking to you. I’m not going back. I’m headed to the training grounds. Gotta show those brats I’m still alive and kicking.”
But apparently, nothing was going my way today.
“Ah, well… someone else booked the training grounds today, so your session has been moved to the a-afternoon.”
“Ha…”
So much damn money, yet they couldn’t build ten more training grounds? When I escape, I’m definitely spreading the rumor that the Moyong Clan is subtly cheap.
I was about to kick a rock in frustration when the annoyingly quick “servant” Sahyeon whisked it off the path. I shot him a glare. He just ducked his head in that insufferable way again.
“What, you showing off how fast you are?”
“If it… seemed that way, then I suppose.”
Fucking hell.
Still, being pissed off gave me an idea for how to make use of this bastard. I slowly stepped up to him, grabbing the back of his neck and leaning in to whisper.
“Hey. You know anywhere private and out of sight?”
For once, Sahyeon actually looked startled.
“Why do you need… somewhere like that…?”
“If you do, take me now. Ideally flat ground, covered by woods so sound doesn’t carry. A stream nearby would be great since I’ll be sweating, but it’s not a dealbreaker. I can just strip off afterward.”
He stared blankly at me for a second, clearly at a loss. Then he finally managed a word.
“And what exactly are you planning to… do there?”
What, did he think I’d ambush him? I let go of his neck with a shrug.
“I need somewhere else to train since the grounds are taken.”
“Ah.”
“Don’t even think of saying you don’t know. Everyone up to shady shit has a secret spot like that. Just share it. I’ll try not to bump into you.”
For some reason, he gave a faint, oddly hollow laugh and looked me over. Then, dropping his usual act entirely, he said,
“Even if I said I didn’t know, you wouldn’t believe me. So sure—I’ll take you.”
***
I’d hoped he’d just show me the spot and fuck off. But no. The clueless bastard sat right there in the shade, cracking peanuts and popping them into his mouth. Then, cupping his face in his hands, he said,
“Feels like our own little private spot now, huh?”
What the actual fuck.
I ignored him and started swinging my sword. Each time the blade sliced the air, the sharp sound helped settle my nerves a bit.
Of course, with that bastard watching, I was careful not to reveal anything that could point to my true background—just repeating the most basic sword forms.
As much as I hated to admit it, this place was perfect for training. Every condition I’d rattled off earlier, it ticked all the boxes. A short walk even led to a stream where I could wash up.
If only he wasn’t here. How nice would it be to “accidentally” slice him down and have the whole spot to myself?
Sahyeon had at some point tossed aside his disguise mask. He didn’t seem to notice my killing intent at all, just rested his chin on his hand and stared straight at me.
“Why the hell do you keep staring? Wanna catch a stray blade to the face?”
“Oh, scary. Don’t worry, I’ll dodge just fine. I’m pretty talented.”
Yeah, with his skill, he wouldn’t get hit by a stray blade anyway. I snorted and turned my back on him.
“Haap!”
I thrust my sword again.
One thing I realized after going through these basics alongside all those snot-nosed kids: in my past life, I never had the luxury of properly drilling the fundamentals.
The Martial Arts World—and especially the Black Ring Sect I’d belonged to—was survival of the fittest, plain and simple. People died mid-training all the damn time, and they’d hang the corpses up on poles for the crows to pick at, just to make sure everyone saw.
If you were weak, that’s what you deserved. If you were weak, you died.
The kid you sparred with that morning could be dangling by dusk, half-eaten by crows. Then you’d have to feel relieved—thank god it wasn’t me.
Naturally, that meant we all focused on how to kill best. Solid foundations? Inner strength? Who cared, when any day could be your last?
Lost in thought, I kept repeating the forms until a whisper brushed past my ear.
“Your wrist twisted a bit to the right.”
My skin broke out in chills. By the time I realized it was Sahyeon’s voice, I’d already swung at him on reflex.
Shit—I tried to stop, but this weak-ass body couldn’t halt a strike that easily.
Luckily, Sahyeon flung his torso back, dodging. My blade narrowly sliced over his nose, clipping a few strands of his hair before it finally stopped.
Rising back with fluid ease, he gave me a calm smile.
“Startled?”
“Why the hell wouldn’t I be? Are you fucking suicidal?”
My heart was pounding. I’d almost had to figure out how to hide a corpse.
But the bastard just looked downright amused. Then, reaching out, he lightly adjusted my wrist.
“Seemed like your mind was somewhere else. Better to swing ten times with the right form than a hundred times wrong. You know that.”
Damn it. Couldn’t argue with that. Lost in other thoughts while training… guess my guard was dropping since no one was trying to kill me.
“Where my head’s at is none of your damn business.”
“Funny—you want to kill me, but you still flinch at the thought of actually doing it. So cute.”
I swung again. This time, Sahyeon let out a tiny “eep” and dodged for real.
“It’s fascinating. Your inner strength and body frame are pretty crap, but you’re weirdly at ease with a sword.”
“Yeah? Then make sure you don’t get yourself killed.”
“Doesn’t apply to me.”
Smug bastard. He was still riding high on the fact he’d dodged so easily, and even flicked a peanut into my mouth.
Mmph… annoyingly tasty. Hard to be mad with roasted nuts.
“So where’d you learn to handle a sword like that?”
No way in hell I’d answer that. I just stabbed my blade into the ground.
“Met a hidden master on a sheer cliff in my dreams. Total recluse.”
“That’s bullshit, right?”
“Of course it is.”
“Pfft.”
Sahyeon casually picked up my sword and ran through the same basic forms I’d been practicing. They were simple moves—mostly straightforward slashes and thrusts.
But anyone with real skill could see it. Just how perfect his posture and flow were. Not a single angle off, textbook execution.
I caught myself staring.
His long limbs moved with zero waste, each step and stop clean and precise. Every shift of power made sense.
All those possibilities branching from such solid fundamentals…
And if he added powerful inner strength on top of that… he’d honestly be way stronger than I ever was back when I was Seol Danhae.
I stood there like an idiot, mouth going dry.
When he finished, Sahyeon waved a hand in front of my face.
“My lady? Was I that impressive? Did you maybe fall for me?”
“Hey. Got a question.”
“Not even gonna deny it? What is it?”
I flopped down in the shade where he’d been sitting earlier. Cool breeze hit my sweat-soaked forehead.
Without being told, Sahyeon plopped down right next to me, hugging his long legs to his chest and resting his cheek on his knee, eyes locked on me. Somehow it felt a bit awkward to actually ask now.
“So… let’s say you were trying to get somewhere.”
Same thing I’d asked Dang Iheon. About how to build up inner strength.
Dang Iheon, bless his clueless heart, had answered without catching on. But Sahyeon smiled knowingly before I even finished.
“Oh, that, huh?”
He tilted his head, staring into the distance.
“Is it really worth rushing there so fast?”
“…What?”
“If it were me, I’d stick to the safe path and look for new ways along it, rather than throwing myself into danger. You might find something even better that way.”
Because if you fell off the risky road, that was it—done. But on a safe one, more possibilities could open up.
Dang Iheon’s answer had surprised me, but this bastard’s was even more unexpected. Hearing it…
“You sound just like someone from the orthodox sects.”
“Maybe I am.”
Sahyeon shrugged.
Yeah right. No decent orthodox guy would wear a disguise mask and sneak into someone’s house. I might be from the unorthodox side, but he was way more suspect.
“If you’re orthodox, I’m your little brother.”
He gave me a sheepish grin, like that was a bit harsh, but I sank deeper into thought.
I’d asked the two of them for reference, and they gave completely different answers. My problem only grew bigger.
Believe in possibilities, huh.
Could I really afford that? Someone like me, who’d always been desperate just to survive—who still had to be? It felt like an extravagant, empty fantasy.
While I sat there in silence, Sahyeon suddenly dropped a hand on my head. I flinched, but it wasn’t a hostile touch.
“A good problem to have.”
Just a few words, yet something in my chest squeezed, all prickly and strange. Worries eat up time and make everything a pain—what’s so good about them? Yet there I was, being praised.
By this asshole, of all people.
“Piss off. I’m done here.”
I shot up abruptly. I’d braced for more teasing, but Sahyeon just raised both hands in surrender and nodded, even tossing in a deferential “don’t be late for lunch, my lady” like a true servant before strolling off.
“…What the hell.”
Seriously. I couldn’t figure that bastard out at all.
