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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 10
Chapter Title: Chapter 10
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“What’s the matter?”
“What if something dangerous happens? If we step in directly, someone is bound to notice the guest’s true identity.”
“Hmm…”
Namgung Yeom stroked his chin.
Although the esteemed guest wished to travel alone, and despite this being the Namgung Sega, any trouble would be tantamount to disgracing the family.
“Perhaps assigning escorts would be best…”
Namgung Yeom nodded.
“Assign those with light footwork, if possible. And tell them to avoid drawing attention.”
“Understood.”
“Good.”
It was the esteemed guest from Cheongaekwon, visiting Namgung for the first time in a year.
Nothing should be lacking during the guest’s stay at Namgung.
“Have tea warmed and fresh food prepared for the guest’s return. Just in case, also prepare bathwater and clothes. Ensure meals can be served immediately if requested.”
“Yes, sir.”
Namgung Yeom emphasized again.
“You must exercise extreme caution to ensure the guest's comfort.”
“I will bear it in mind.”
* * *
Namgung has six martial forces.
The Bipunggeomdae, the martial force directly under the Family Head.
And divided by the five cardinal colors: Hwangryongdae, Cheongryongdae, Jeokryongdan, Baekryongdae, and Heungryongdae.
Among them, only the 1st to 10th battalions of each Sword Division were recognized for their skill and allowed to become warriors of the Inner Hall, while the rest were Outer Hall warriors known as Geomdan.
The training ground Ilhwa sought was that of the Jeokryongdan, whose members wore red martial uniforms and plain red sashes.
Inside the training ground, children in red martial uniforms could be seen, and at the center of the ground, on the dueling platform, the Jeokryongdan members were in the midst of their sword technique training.
“Daeyeongeombeop, First Form!”
“Hah!”
As the person with a single gold stripe on their red sash shouted, the warriors with plain sashes uniformly performed their forms.
Even with a dozen or so people performing the forms, there was not the slightest disarray in their disciplined movements.
Ilhwa watched them perform their sword forms for a moment.
In her previous life, these were individuals who would fall like leaves with a single swing of her sword, so they were beneath Ilhwa's notice. But now, it was different.
These were the very roots supporting Namgung. A tree with strong roots does not easily fall.
They would be the starting point for cultivating Namgung's strength.
Ilhwa, who had been seriously observing the Outer Hall warriors' sword training, offered a brief thought.
‘That’s not a sword.’
The movements, honed through countless drills and repetitions, were flawlessly clean and impressively spirited.
As the foundation of Namgung's sword techniques, the swordsmanship was impeccable.
However, their swordsmanship had a grave flaw.
‘Have they never fought in real combat?’
Their technique was perfect, but their swordsmanship was lacking.
What they had mastered was mere movement, not true swordsmanship.
To those unfamiliar with the sword, it might seem fine, but to Ilhwa, who had faced Namgung's swordsmanship her entire life, it was clear.
‘If they were to fight for real, they’d die before they could even use their sword techniques.’
Though it was a basic sword technique, simple enough to be shown to outsiders, Namgung's swordsmanship was not weak.
Yet, they were weak. Very weak.
‘A long way to go, then.’
Concluding her observations with a short sigh, Ilhwa headed towards the weapon rack placed at one side of the training ground.
Knowing the problem didn't mean she could do anything about it immediately, so she decided to put the Jeokryongdan members' swordsmanship aside and focus on her own training.
However, just as Ilhwa was about to pick up a wooden sword.
“Hey, you there!”
A shout calling out to someone was heard.
Ilhwa turned her head in the direction of the sound.
Sure enough, the person with the single gold stripe, who had just been leading the members, was approaching her.
He was the squad leader of the Jeokryong’s 11th unit.
He didn't seem to bother wiping away the sweat, approaching with his sweat-soaked body. He glanced at the wooden sword Ilhwa was about to pick up and said,
“You shouldn’t touch things haphazardly. These aren’t for children to play with, so put it down.”
Ilhwa looked towards one side of the training ground.
Inside the spacious training ground, children who appeared to be Ilhwa's age were practicing sword techniques.
The Jeokryong squad leader followed Ilhwa's gaze to the children and scoffed.
“Those kids are different from you, kid. They’re formally learning swordsmanship. You’re, at best…”
He scrutinized Ilhwa's appearance.
She wasn't wearing a unit uniform, and her clothes didn't look particularly high-quality.
‘At best, she looks like a young servant girl…’
Did she fail the warrior examination?
There were often such children. Those who wanted to learn Namgung's swordsmanship but failed the examination, and then tried to sneak in and learn it even as a servant.
Her bright-eyed observation of their training earlier, and her free wandering around the training ground, fit the description perfectly.
A training ground cleaning duty.
‘This is so annoying. Don’t the senior maids even manage the younger ones?’
“Kid.”
The Jeokryong squad leader stood very close to Ilhwa.
His significantly larger shadow enveloped Ilhwa.
“Listen, a sword isn’t something you can truly master just by imitating. So, don’t linger here and risk getting hit by a wooden sword splinter. Just finish your cleaning and leave.”
The man snatched the wooden sword from Ilhwa with a sharp *thwack*.
Ilhwa stared at the snatched wooden sword for a moment, then moved towards the weapon rack again.
‘Oh, really?’
The Jeokryong squad leader looked bewildered, seeing the child head towards the weapon rack undeterred, even though he had deliberately put force into his voice to scare her away.
“This tiny brat…”
The Jeokryongdan member stomped over and snatched the wooden sword the child had just picked up again.
Ilhwa’s brow furrowed slightly as she looked at the wooden sword in his hand.
“You ignore an elder speaking to you? Where did you learn such ill manners! You truly need a good scolding to come to your senses!”
“…”
“Where is your assigned servant supervisor?! I’ll speak to the person in charge of you and have them give you a proper dressing-down…!”
“Haa…”
Ilhwa sighed.
She had come to the training ground intending to avoid drawing attention, but somehow, she had ended up attracting more.
‘Should I go back?’
Should she have gone to the Cheongaekwon training ground from the beginning?
As she pondered for a moment, a vein slowly pulsed on the Jeokryong squad leader’s forehead.
Ilhwa’s contemplative expression appeared to him as a display of defiance.
“You…!”
His hand tightened around the wooden sword with a *crunch*.
“You insolent brat…!”
The Jeokryongdan member swung the wooden sword towards Ilhwa’s calf.
But the instant the wooden sword was about to connect with Ilhwa’s calf—
*Thump. Clack.*
Ilhwa lightly pushed off the ground, leaped up, gracefully stepped on the swinging wooden sword, and landed back down.
She hadn't even looked at the swinging wooden sword.
‘Huh?’
The force in the wooden sword vanished as if evaporating instantly.
An uncanny silence lingered for a moment.
*Thump—!*
The Jeokryong squad leader, having lost his balance, tumbled awkwardly to the ground.
“...?”
What just happened?
Why did I…?
The Jeokryong squad leader, unable to grasp the situation, blinked in confusion while still sprawled on the ground.
Meanwhile, Ilhwa, who had caused his fall, calmly picked up the fallen wooden sword and unhurriedly walked away from him.
“Hahaha! Squad Leader! You said you’d rein in the little brat, but why are you sprawled out like that?”
“Did you trip over your own feet? You’re trying to catch a kid, but it looks like you’re the one who got caught! Hahaha!”
From a short distance away, his comrades burst into laughter upon seeing him fallen.
‘…!’
The Jeokryong squad leader’s face flushed crimson.
There was no greater humiliation than this.
To fall so disgracefully, unable to even handle a mere young servant girl?
Fortunately, his squad members didn't think he had been bested by the child.
And unfortunately, the Jeokryong squad leader felt the same way.
“Stop right there!”
The Jeokryong squad leader pushed off the ground and quickly stood up.
The fact that no one knew meant that no one had properly seen the child's actions, but by then, his judgment was already clouded.
‘I don’t know what trick she used, but…’
It must have been his own mistake.
“I said stop!”
After two shouts, the child stopped walking and turned to look at him.
Her expression seemed subtly annoyed.
The Jeokryong squad leader’s eyes blazed with fury.
“Oh, you brat!”
She might have gotten lucky and dodged it once, but not twice!
“I’ll break your legs if I have to, to teach you what manners are!”
*Whoosh—*
The Jeokryong squad leader’s wooden sword once again sliced through the air.
A fierce sound arose, enough to stir the wind—
The wooden sword he swung was aimed at Ilhwa’s leg once more.
*Clack!*
With a crisp sound, a wooden sword spun in circles through the air and flew away.
Unnoticed, the gazes of those observing the situation curved in a parabola, following the wooden sword.
What flew away was the Jeokryong squad leader’s sword.
‘Huh?’
The Jeokryong squad leader was bewildered once again.
Before he could even grasp what had happened, the child swung her arm.
*Thwack—!*
“Gah!”
A dull ache spread through his hamstrings.
A heavy pain, as if struck by a thick club.
*Thump!*
By the time he realized the reason for the pain, he was already kneeling before the child.
Simultaneously, his sword, which had flown a distance, clattered to the ground, and the onlookers turned their gaze back to the two.
“Gasp!”
“...!”
The onlookers’ eyes widened.
Because, somehow, the Jeokryong squad leader was now kneeling before the child.
It had happened in an instant.
A dark shadow fell over the dazed Jeokryong squad leader, who still couldn't comprehend the situation.
“Are you going to do more?”
It was an unbelievably young voice.
