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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 17
Chapter Title: Return of the Namgung Sega's Granddaughter
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“Ha… Haa…”
Namgung Jipyeong, the leader of Jeokryongdan’s 11th squad, couldn’t sleep.
Every time he closed his eyes, he was reminded of his dismal defeat in the sparring match with the child, and his chest felt so constricted that he couldn’t possibly rest.
Namgung Jipyeong eventually threw off his covers, got up, grabbed his sword, and headed for the training ground.
He thought that swinging his sword might clear his mind of unwanted thoughts. But.
Hwoong— Hwoong—
‘I saw the attacks. But I couldn’t block them. Why?’
Unconsciously, he was replaying yesterday’s sparring match alone.
He vividly recalled the child’s movements, the sword paths, and his own weaknesses, repeating yesterday’s match over and over again.
*Crack! Thud!*
His wooden sword shattered, and Namgung Jipyeong slumped to the ground.
“Ha… Haa…”
Only after the wooden sword he had swung all night broke did Namgung Jipyeong stop.
Around that time, he finally accepted it.
‘I can never defeat that child.’
Judging by the aura he felt, even if he surpassed her in the amount of inner energy, he could never defeat that child.
Even if it were a sparring match using inner energy.
Because he had realized that the gap between them wasn’t due to a difference in inner energy.
‘Experience. It’s a difference in experience.’
Namgung Jipyeong looked down at his hands, raw and blistered from swinging the sword all night.
As a distant collateral branch of the Namgung, he was born in a remote village far from the main family of the Namgung.
He had merely trusted in the Namgung surname, sought out Hefei, learned the Namgung sword techniques, and barely managed to cross the threshold of a martial artist.
However, having the Namgung surname didn’t mean they were all the same.
As a distant collateral member with no backing, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t shed the sash of a perpetual squad member.
Even though he was clearly a step ahead in swordsmanship, it was always someone else who got promoted to an inner hall martial artist.
It took a very long time for him to realize the reason, and another long time to accept the reality.
Thus, his dream of rising to a high position as a Namgung was gradually withering away with time.
Perhaps that was why.
‘Everything the child said was right.’
His gradual neglect of training had led to yesterday’s defeat.
A devastating defeat where he couldn’t even lay a hand on a mere child and had to kneel multiple times.
Yesterday’s defeat was partly due to the child’s greatness, but more so because of his own weakening.
“I’ve become quite pathetic, haven’t I?”
At some point, he had simply grown content with his position as an outer hall martial artist.
He had thought that being superior to other outer hall martial artists in swordsmanship was enough.
That eventually made him a loser.
“Ugh.”
Namgung Jipyeong stood up.
Dawn was about to break.
It was already too late to go back to sleep. He decided to swing his sword more until the morning roll call.
As he was discarding the broken wooden sword and heading down from the sparring stage to get a new one,
“Huh…?”
Namgung Jipyeong stopped dead in his tracks.
The child he had sparred with yesterday was standing at the bottom of the sparring stage stairs.
He hadn’t felt her presence, not knowing when she had arrived.
For a moment, Namgung Jipyeong stood blankly at the unexpected appearance, then hastily performed a Pokwon.
“Greetings, Young Hero.”
Ilhwa’s eyes widened at his overly polite greeting.
“You don’t need to be so formal. Please treat me as you did yesterday.”
“Yesterday… I apologize. I mistook you for a newly arrived maid and acted disrespectfully.”
“I think I was the one who acted disrespectfully.”
Instead of clearing up the misunderstanding, she had crossed swords with him.
Since it was he who had been made to kneel in front of everyone, if anyone was to blame, it was him.
“My name is Ilhwa. May I know the Namgung martial artist’s name?”
“I am Namgung Jipyeong.”
“Were you training?”
Ilhwa glanced at the sparring stage and asked.
“Yes. The sword techniques I exchanged with the Young Hero kept swirling in my mind, and I couldn’t bear not to pick up a sword.”
“Swirling in your mind?”
Namgung Jipyeong scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed.
“Because I was frustrated. I don’t mean to belittle the Young Hero, but losing to a child without even being able to land a blow was quite frustrating.”
Ilhwa was inwardly surprised by his words.
Although he was smiling awkwardly, admitting defeat in front of an opponent who had utterly crushed him was not easy.
Moreover, she was just a thirteen-year-old child.
A Namgung martial artist, of all people, was openly admitting that he had lost to a child.
“So, I was swinging my sword to clear my head. What brings the Young Hero here so early in the morning? Are you here to train?”
“I was just taking a walk. I happened to hear sounds as I passed by the training ground, so I came to see. I unintentionally saw your training, martial artist. I apologize for the rudeness.”
“Not at all. It would be an honor if someone more skilled than I watched. Did you… notice any improvements from yesterday?”
“Yesterday, your sword felt like you were swinging it just to swing it, but today, it felt like a sword facing an enemy. Did you have a specific opponent in mind?”
At her words, which hit the mark, Namgung Jipyeong flinched.
Ilhwa didn’t miss that small reaction.
“That was me, wasn’t it?”
“Th-that… I’m ashamed.”
Namgung Jipyeong bowed his head deeply.
Not only had he lost, but he was also saying he was frustrated and swinging his sword while imagining her as his enemy.
He wished there was a hole he could crawl into.
“What’s wrong with that? It’s better than a dead sword.”
“…!”
“From now on, train your sword with an enemy in mind. Whether it’s me or someone else. Unless you learned the sword to show off, it’s a tool to face someone.”
The sword Namgung Jipyeong wielded yesterday wasn’t aimed at an enemy. He had merely practiced the Namgung sword techniques through their motions.
In contrast, today’s sword was one that sought to cut down an enemy.
Although it was somewhat hurried and still overly forceful, it was much better than yesterday.
“Since we’ve met like this, may I boldly request a sparring match with the Young Hero?”
“I’d like to, but my arm is like this.”
Ilhwa pulled up her sleeve and showed him her bandaged arm.
Her injured arm was her left, the one she didn’t use for her sword, so a sparring match would be possible if she wanted. But remembering the Head of the Medical Hall, who would surely throw a fit, it was better to restrain herself.
Namgung Jipyeong was startled.
“Are you injured?”
“By accident.”
“Are you alright? Did you receive treatment?”
“The Head of the Medical Hall of Namgung took a look at it.”
“Ah…”
Namgung Jipyeong nodded as if he had realized something.
‘Indeed, she wasn’t an ordinary child.’
If the Head of the Medical Hall, not just a doctor, personally attended to her, she must be an important figure in the family.
“That’s a shame.”
He wished he could cross swords with her again, but he had to swallow his disappointment.
“The Young Hero’s guidance has been of great help to me. Thank you once again.”
“I’m glad it helped. Once my arm is fully healed, there will be another chance to cross swords.”
“Will you be staying in Namgung for long…?”
“Well… if possible.”
If she was recognized as a Namgung child and the Amsi was resolved, she would likely remain in Namgung.
If neither of those things was resolved, she might leave even today.
Namgung Jipyeong’s expression brightened.
Even if she was just a child, opportunities to learn swordsmanship from a master more skilled than oneself were rare.
It was natural to value guidance that allowed one to step further ahead than others in a place where everyone received the same training.
“Then, may I request your guidance, even if only for the duration of your stay?”
Just one exchange of swords had changed the very texture of the aura infused in his sword.
If he learned the sword from this child, he would surely be able to aim for a higher level.
Namgung Jipyeong instinctively knew.
This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a martial artist.
“Just watching my training would be enough! If it’s alright, even if only for the duration of your stay…!”
“Yes. That’s fine.”
At her willing reply, Namgung Jipyeong’s expression, instead, turned blank with surprise.
“R-really?”
“Yes. Watching you is no problem at all. However, would it be alright if I decided the training location?”
Namgung Jipyeong hastily nodded.
“Of course! Then, where…?”
“Come to the Cheongaekwon training ground tomorrow at Myosi (5-7 AM).”
“Ch-Cheongaekwon…!”
Namgung Jipyeong gasped, taking a sharp breath.
He had thought she was no ordinary child, but Cheongaekwon…!
Could this child be the esteemed guest of Cheongaekwon who was causing such a stir in the family?!
The esteemed guest whom the elders of the family were so eager to identify!
The child he had thought could help him achieve martial arts prowess was a being who could potentially change his entire life.
Namgung Jipyeong’s mouth hung open at the identity of the golden rope that had descended before him.
The child smiled sweetly at him.
“Please take good care of me from now on.”
