The Return of the Namgoong Clan’s Granddaughter - Chapter 72
Why does she want to learn the sword from Seop Moogwang?
Why is she asking to be taken on as his disciple?
Is she interested in Seop Moogwang’s sword techniques?
It’s not that. She wants to resemble his sword techniques, but she doesn’t wish to imitate them.
Then why?
After a brief pause to consider the question, Seolhwa lifted her gaze confidently and faced Seop Moogwang.
“I want to follow my own path. Not the path paved by someone else, but my own path.”
“…!”
Seop Moogwang’s eyes widened.
As if he couldn’t believe Seolhwa’s words.
For a true martial artist, it’s natural to want to establish their own martial path and pursue greatness in their technique. However…
Children from prestigious families, with their well-established martial arts, usually prefer to follow the well-trodden path rather than seeking a new path.
There is no need to go through the trouble of taking a difficult and uncertain path when there is an easy and certain path.
During that time, diligently mastering the family’s martial arts could lead to becoming the patriarch or, at the very least, an elder within the clan.
By doing so, they would naturally gain the power and authority that comes from the clan’s name. Therefore, if they were to master martial arts, it would be better for them to study the clan’s own techniques.
But why on earth is this kid?
“Please. Teach me how to use the sword.”
There was a sense of earnestness in the child’s eyes.
As the child is unaware of her emotions, these feelings must be flowing from her subconscious. Since they’re subconscious, she must be sincere.
“…I’m going crazy. Really.”
Seop Moogwang wiped his face with a troubled expression.
* * *
As he headed back to the Patriarch’s quarter, Seop Moogwang scratched his head.
A mere thirteen-year-old is thinking of establishing her own martial arts. Does that make sense?
‘What did I do when I was thirteen?’
She’s truly a tempting brat. That’s why it’s even more impossible.
So, he refused again.
‘I’m sorry, but you should learn Namgoong’s sword. In my opinion, you seem like the future of Namgoong. Namgoong’s sword is something that not everyone can learn even if they want to…’
But the child’s bold answer was this.
‘If Grandfather allows it, will you teach me?’
Who wouldn’t find a child wanting to carry on their legacy endearing?
Even though he was already dying of greed, Seop Moogwang, unable to resist the persistent words, eventually gave in and nodded his head.
‘But don’t be stubborn or pushy. That’s useless.’
“Ah, damn, as expected I should have refused. How can I face Brother now…”
It’s not that she won’t learn Namgoong’s sword techniques, but naturally, the level of achievement will inevitably be lower compared to when focusing on just one.
“He’ll probably refuse appropriately.”
The child’s sparkling eyes floated before his eyes.
Seop Moogwang was shaking his head, trying to clear his thoughts.
“I’m telling you! She was a courtesan.”
“Huh, then the Young Miss…”
At the sound of a conversation he overheard, Seop Moogwang stopped his steps on the roof of the building and looked in the direction from which the voices were coming.
However, his gaze was directed to the path leading to the servants’ quarters. Among the numerous servants, he couldn’t tell who had spoken.
After briefly looking in that direction, Seop Moogwang soon turned and headed towards the Patriarch’s quarter.
* * *
As the sun began to set.
Seolhwa went out into the street with Ryeong.
The sun setting behind Namgoong was not clearly visible due to the cloudy sky, but it revealed its presence with a mysterious hue through the clouds.
“Young Miss.”
Seolhwa looked at Ryeong approaching her. Ryeong was dressed in black clothing that concealed the Black Dragon Guard’s uniform and wore a bamboo hat to hide her identity.
Seolhwa was no different from her.
“Where on earth are you going to dress like this?”
“I have to keep my promise.”
“A promise?”
“I promised the members, didn’t I? That I would resolve everything. I need to help them regain the opportunities they unfairly lost.”
Ryeong let out a low sigh.
“Weren’t you going to tell the Patriarch?”
“Grandfather?”
“Isn’t that the easiest way?”
“Hmm.”
That would be right.
If she explained the situation of the Red Dragon members to Namgoong Mucheon and asked for his help, it would be a problem easily resolved.
However, that would only solve the immediate problem and not the fundamental problem.
“I’ll get help from Grandfather.”
In the end, there would be something the Patriarch would have to do.
“But before that, I have something to prepare.”
“Something to prepare?”
“Mhm. Weakness.”
“Weakness…”
She meant that she would prepare the evidence before reporting their case to the Patriarch.
A claim without evidence becomes mere whining, but a claim with evidence becomes an accusation
‘But…’
“Let’s go. We’ll be late.”
Where exactly does she plan to find that weakness?
Ryeong tilted her head and followed behind Seolhwa, who was leading the way
* * *
Drrrk—
The inn’s door opened. The jingling of bells signaled the arrival of a guest.
The murmur of conversation stopped for a moment, and those who were eating glanced toward the door.
“Welco…! Heuk…!”
The servant ran out of the kitchen and couldn’t finish greeting them.
Not long ago, in place of the Namgoong warriors who had dined and left without paying, Namgoong sent a generous payment afterwards.
Since the Namgoong warriors who had been causing trouble hadn’t visited the inn since that day, they thought the Namgoong family had severely scolded them…!
“What are you doing? No empty seats? Are you going to make the guests stand? Huh?”
“N, no! T, this way…!”
The servant glanced briefly at the three intimidating Namgoong warriors and guided them to the empty seats.
The guests who had noticed them were also busy glancing and whispering.
“Nine plates of dumplings, six noodles!”
“Yes, yes…! They’ll be served right away…!”
At that moment, the table rang with a bang!
“Hiik!”
The servant, startled and defensive, suspected that the three were seeking revenge for that incident.
However, contrary to his expectations, the expected blunt pain did not come. Instead,
“It’s the food price!”
The servant lowered his arms and looked at the table at the unbelievable shout.
Surprisingly, there really was silver on the table.
The servant quickly gathered the silver coins and swiftly bowed.
“I’ll bring it out right now!”
Ilryong snorted as he watched the servant disappear into the kitchen.
Sambong, who was sitting diagonally across from him, shook his head.
“Just go to another place. What are you going to do if you’re shaking like that and getting misunderstood again?”
“What do you want me to do when the dumplings and noodles here are the best in this street!”
“What if I meet that guy again?”
“What does it matter! I paid for the food properly! Because of that damn trouble or hardship, this is the first time I’ve lived this honestly!”
Sambong whispered in surprise.
“It’s loneliness…! And don’t speak so carelessly about such things! It’s our weakness!”
Ilryong looked around slightly surprised. Imoe, who was sitting across from him, nodded as if agreeing with Sambong’s words.
“Tch, what the hell is this! Why can’t we just run away? There haven’t been any particular problems since, so it should be fine, right?”
“Ah, whatever! If you want to die, go ahead! If you want to die! Ignorance is bravery! You don’t know what it is, so you’re so careless!”
“What? But this kid…”
It was then.
Tak, tak, tak.
Ilryong, Imoe, and Sambong felt a shiver run down their spines at the familiar sensation.
At the same time, the three of them couldn’t move from where they were sitting at the table.
“It’s been a while.”
Sambong looked at the bamboo hat wearer who was now sitting in front of him.
No, the child is wearing a bamboo hat.
‘What, what is this… What is this kid?’
As the bamboo hat was slightly lifted, the child made eye contact and smiled. Once again, a shiver ran down their spines.
In an instant, he knew. This kid was the master who held their lives in her hands back then.
“The food is here—!”
The servant, carrying a large amount of food, placed the dishes on the table with a delighted expression.
“Oh, it looks like a group that wasn’t here earlier has arrived?”
Seolhwa lifted the bamboo hat and spoke to the servant with a bright voice.
“My uncles said they’d buy me something delicious.”
“Wow, what good uncles―.”
The servant looked at the three of them as if he was surprised.
The three could only silently scream for their lives in their minds and roll their eyes desperately, unable to react in any other way.
“Then, enjoy your meal!”
The servant left.
Ilryong, Imoe, and Sambong felt like crying.
Seolhwa brought a plate of dumplings and placed them in front of them, humming as she picked up the dumplings and ate them.
“This place’s dumplings are the best, right?”
The three of them had no choice but to watch her finish the entire plate of dumplings.
Seolhwa, who had finished a plate of dumplings, quickly emptied a glass of water.
She looked at Sambong across from her, holding her hands together and resting her chin on them.
― If you don’t make a fuss, I’ll let you go.
Sambong’s pupils grew wide.
― The answer was blinking.
Sambong blinked his eyes like crazy.
Seolhwa told Ilryong and Imoe the same thing and soon let the three people’s acupuncture points go.
Only then did the three people take a deep breath and relax.
Seolhwa placed a plate of dumplings in front of them with her own hands.
“Eat quickly. They’ll get cold.”
Sambong, watching her closely, opened the cover of the dumpling basket.
The moment he opened the cover, Sambong briefly thought about throwing the cover at the child’s face.
But at that moment, an unknown sensation crawled up his body like a large snake and squeezed Sambong’s nape.
He couldn’t breathe, his body trembled, and he couldn’t move. Ilryong and Imoe were the same.
Even though she hadn’t touched the pressure points, the three stiffened as the eerily clear voice of the child reached their ears.
“I’ve targeted Pressure Points and Vital Points. Do you think I can’t target Blood Points?”
Storyteller Rolipoly's Words
Hi! If you enjoyed my translation and want to support me, you can buy me a ko-fi. Thank you for your support! I appreciate it~
Support Site
"We require funds to enhance and develop additional features for the site! If you'd like to show your support, consider buying us a Ko-fi. Additionally, explore our more affordable subscription tiers for novels under the Teamaster's name."
Fallen
Damn