I Am the Youngest Disciple of the Martial Arts World’s Mastermind
Chapter 19
Chapter 19
The Youngest Disciple of the Murim’s Hidden Mastermind
Episode 19
Naturally, such a transparent feint didn’t work at all.
‘Master. What should we do?’
‘What else? We must call Hyeonhak.’
It was because Sahyeong Hyeonhak immediately examined me and even prescribed medicine.
“Drink this, and you will be fine.”
“…Thank youuu…!”
I knew, Danhwi knew, and Master knew that Sahyeong Hyeonhak’s medicine was incredibly effective. But I was terrified that if I claimed to be in pain even after taking it, they might move on to the invasive surgery stage.
“Wow…! It doesn’t hurt at all now…!”
And so, swallowing back a tiny tear, I forced a bright smile.
As Sahyeong Hyeonhak took the empty bottle from my hand, he spoke kindly.
“That is a relief. Saje Soyoung, this is your first journey into the martial world. I am worried as well. Please travel safely, Saje.”
“Yes, sir…!”
Someone of Sahyeong Hyeonhak’s caliber must have known I was faking it. The way he quietly cheered me on without calling me out made him feel like a gentle school nurse.
But, I couldn’t tell them the real reason I didn’t want to go….
As I blinked, my mind a whirlwind of complicated thoughts, Master—who had been watching the whole time—covered his mouth with his fan and let out a chuckle.
Hmph….
Just before I could commit the impudence of glaring at Master, he spoke softly.
“Soso-ya.”
“…Yes?”
When I answered more sullenly than usual, Master lowered his head toward me and snapped his fan open.
Using the fan to block the view of Danhwi and Hyeonhak, he whispered into my ear.
[What you are worried about will not happen.]
“……?”
I realized he hadn’t moved his lips to make a sound; there was no breath against my ear at all.
I also knew that no matter how sharp Danhwi and Hyeonhak’s five senses were, they wouldn’t be able to hear this.
This was a message meant only for me.
On the surface, they were words meant to soothe my worries, but I felt a chill run down my spine, and my entire body froze stiff.
“…Uh….”
What exactly do you think I’m worried about…?
It was as if he had looked right through my thoughts.
How…?
I blinked rapidly and managed to lift my head. Master gave a thin smile and added:
“I mean that on this journey, you will be able to find a purpose for yourself away from Cheongsanbong.”
“Ah….”
…Is that what he meant?
I felt uneasy, but I nodded. Then, Danhwi, who had received the travel pack from Sahyeong Hyeonhak, laughed and ruffled my hair.
“Hey, were you really worried about something like that?”
“A little bit…? I didn’t want to lose to Sahyeong Gwang-eum.”
I forced my lips to move into a smile again.
“Right. Then, before we head out.”
Danhwi grinned and pulled a human skin mask with hair attached from the pack, putting it on with a fluid motion.
Watching him, it didn’t seem like the kind of gruesome thing made from actual human skin like in the ghost stories.
As soon as the mask—which felt like very soft rubber—touched Danhwi’s skin, it adhered naturally.
“Soso. Come here.”
Whoa. It looks so real.
“Yes!”
After transforming into a person with a completely average appearance in an instant, Danhwi crinkled up another human skin mask and pulled it over my face.
“Phew.”
It’s surprisingly comfortable.
“Good. Let’s finish this errand and take that fellow Gwang-eum down a peg.”
Gwang-eum is stuck here unable to enter the martial world because his family was massacred for being a branch of the Namgung Clan. I wondered if it was really okay to rub it in his face like this, but….
A typical eight-year-old is proof of the theory that humans are born evil.
It’s definitely not because I have a personal grudge against Gwang-eum or anything.
I nodded with a bright expression.
“Yes!”
The road to Hwangun County was not easy, starting with the descent from Cheongsanbong.
A dizzying precipice shrouded in clouds.
“…….”
Come to think of it, I was unconscious when I first came up to Cheongsanbong, wasn’t I? I’d only looked down from the top; I didn’t know exactly how high it was.
If I make one mistake….
As if sensing my tension, Danhwi patted my shoulder gently to encourage me.
“Soso-ya. You were a good runner even before you learned from me. I’ll be right behind you, so don’t worry and just run.”
“…Yes! Sahyeong Danhwi!”
“Alright, let’s go.”
At Danhwi’s signal, I took a deep breath and threw myself off the cliff.
“Remember, keep your center of gravity heavy.”
Following Danhwi’s words, I immediately pressed my body close to the rock wall.
Tak!
After flailing in the air for a few moments, I managed to plant my feet against the wall and transition into a running stance.
Gasp.
At this rate…!
“Now, you won’t fall.”
“……!”
For a second, I had been gripped by the fear that I might plumment. But hearing Danhwi’s calm voice from behind, my heart slowly settled.
“It’s not scary, is it?”
As he said, once I had ground to step on, the fear vanished.
The sensation of falling, which had been nothing but terrifying, began to feel like the wind rushing past my body during a full sprint.
With every step, the surrounding landscape vanished rapidly, as if the world were being folded like paper.
It was a temporary speed gained from the acceleration of running almost vertically down. While I wouldn’t be able to maintain that speed once we reached level ground, it was certain that I had briefly glimpsed the realm of the Earth-Shrinking Art.
“Haa, haa….”
“Not bad.”
As I caught my breath after reaching the base of Cheongsanbong, Danhwi—who had descended while holding one hand behind his back and reading Master’s instructions with the other—gave a smirk.
I craned my neck to look up at Cheongsanbong, hidden high above the clouds, and muttered.
“I didn’t know it was this high….”
“It has to be this high so those Mount Heng Sect bastards don’t even dream of coming up.”
“Ah.”
Right. The Mount Heng Sect is nearby.
“By the way, you….”
Danhwi suddenly frowned and gestured to me.
“Your hair is a mess. Come here.”
“Ah, thanks.”
As Danhwi smoothed out my hair, which had become a bird’s nest because of the wind, he spoke.
“Now, listen carefully while I explain Master’s orders.”
“Yes!”
“Simply put, you are a young lady from a wealthy merchant guild. I am your bodyguard.”
“Huh…? Me, a young lady?”
Isn’t this too much of a promotion from being a beggar? Even if it is fake.
I tilted my head back, pretending to be shocked while my mind raced.
So, for the duration of this mission, Danhwi is my bodyguard?
‘…This is my chance for revenge.’
How much had Danhwi teased me until now? My mouth would hurt just trying to count the instances.
Just you wait.
I let out a wicked laugh internally.
Danhwi continued his explanation.
“From now on, call me Young Hero Hwi. And you are a young lady from a merchant guild in Shaanxi. We are currently passing through Hwangun County in Hubei on our way from Hunan to Shaanxi. You’ll find out what we have to do once we arrive at the location.”
“Yes! Hunan… Shaanxi… Hubei….”
So, Hubei is above Hunan, and Shaanxi is above that?
As I wiggled my fingers, imagining a vague map in my head, Danhwi’s large hand came down on top of my head.
I heard his mischievous voice.
“You don’t need to memorize the complicated geography. What matters is our relationship. I am your guard, and you are the young lady. Understand?”
“Yes! Young Hero Hwi!!”
I answered quickly as his hand moved away, and Danhwi smiled broadly as if satisfied.
“Good.”
‘Hehe.’
And beneath that hand of his, I laughed to myself.
I’m going to work him to the bone!
Hwangun County was a fairly bustling town, several times larger and more vibrant than the village where I had stayed as a beggar. Naturally, the market was much larger as well.
My eyes darted around busily at the sight of the massive marketplace, the likes of which I hadn’t seen since being reincarnated here.
Riding piggyback on Hwi’s shoulders, I pointed at various items displayed on the stalls like a truly spoiled young lady.
“Young Hero Hwi! Buy me this too!”
“As you wish.”
“This one too!”
“Here it is.”
“Wow… dumplings….”
“Give them a try.”
Whenever I gulped while looking at a steaming dumpling stall, Danhwi somehow knew and immediately placed a dumpling in my hand.
“Ow, hot.”
“What is the matter?”
“It’s hot.”
“Give it here, My Lady.”
When I took a bite and yelped at the heat, Danhwi even took the dumpling from my hand, blew on it to cool it down, and then gave it back.
“Here you are.”
“…Th-thank you….”
Why is he so dedicated to the role? It’s actually intimidating.
In the end, my resolve to drive him crazy with demands was the first to break.
No matter how much I annoyed him, Danhwi didn’t even bat an eye.
It was as if he were a veteran at serving spoiled young ladies.
‘And besides….’
