Sara dashed over as Ho Cheon-an and Miss Yeo Il-ye finished their training session.
“Ho Cheon-an Magician! Let’s play together!”
“Um, I don’t really have any tricks to show right now…”
Ho Cheon-an scratched his head awkwardly. Sure, he could show a simple trick with a coin from his pocket, but he had already shown Sara all his simple tricks ages ago.
“Come on! Just follow me. Got it?”
“Uh, okay.”
Sara tugged at Ho Cheon-an’s sleeve, and he could only allow himself to be dragged along by her insistence.
“Alright! Let’s go explore Podalap Palace with Black Cat Sister!”
“No…”
“Let’s go!”
Sara pulled both Black Cat and Ho Cheon-an along as she ran. While it was a surprising situation for Ho Cheon-an, Black Cat found it familiar.
“Senpai, just go with it.”
“Fine. I got it.”
For Ho Cheon-an and Black Cat, who were outsiders, as well as for Sara, Podalap Palace was uncharted territory. Podalap Palace was a vast fortress spread atop a mountain, so there were many places Sara had yet to visit since she only lived indoors.
With curious eyes, Sara led the way, observing her surroundings.
Ho Cheon-an’s gaze fell upon the flowing hair of Black Cat. It was like white hairs hiding among black hair, the ends of which turned black.
“It seems to be recovering little by little.”
“Yeah. I told you not to worry, right? I can control it just fine.”
“True, but it’s a symptom I’ve never seen before…”
“I think even if I can fully control Nine Yin, my hair will change color if I draw upon its power.”
“Hmm.”
Ho Cheon-an nodded, pretending it was nothing, but inwardly he was slightly worried.
Each time power was drawn, the hair color changed; it was a very noticeable trait. For Black Cat, who had no benefit in drawing attention until she could completely master the lunar power, it wasn’t a great characteristic.
“Hehe, what’s there to worry about with you around? Once Nine Yin is treated, plus…”
Black Cat trailed off, thinking she had a wealth of things to say. Since their meeting at Outcast Inn, Ho Cheon-an had shown so many exceptional skills.
Surely, whatever happened, Ho Cheon-an would be able to resolve it.
Thinking like that, Black Cat chuckled.
Then,
Sara looked at Black Cat.
‘She’s just like a mom.’
Gazing at Black Cat’s eyes and expression, Sara thought. Sometimes, her mother Chai-rang looked at Rano Jingbu with the same kind of gaze.
Sara recalled her conversation with the tribesmen, aided by the exceptional memory of Nine Yin. Chai-rang looked at Rano Jingbu with such a gaze because she loved him, she said.
“Even if you’re looking forward to it… what can I do if I don’t know the outcome…”
“Hehe. Even while saying things like that, you always step up first when something happens.”
“N-no, that’s not…”
Sara continued to gaze at the cheerful face of Black Cat.
* *
“I’m sorry, Sara…”
Sara looked at Rano Jingbu, who had broken his promise for morning martial arts practice.
She couldn’t tell if Rano Jingbu’s sad face was because he felt sorry for her or if he was just upset he couldn’t spend time with her. Sara nodded her head at him.
Though Sara was innocent and carefree, she wasn’t entirely a childish child. In her childlike eyes, an intellect developed from Nine Yin had taken root.
‘Since Ho Cheon-an the Magician saved me… Dad must be busy because of that.’
“It’s okay! Go on!”
“Ugh, when did you grow up so fast… I’m proud of you, my daughter.”
Lately, Rano Jingbu’s tear ducts had been overly sensitive, and hiding his exhaustion behind a smile, Sara waved as she watched him head to the palace, before quickly running off to the lodging that Ho Cheon-an’s group was using.
“Oh, Sara. Y-you’ve come…”
“Shhh!”
Sara shushed Okryong, who was greeting her. Crouching like a sneaky cat, she said to him.
“What I just came here for is a secret, okay?”
“Uh, o-okay…”
Seeing Sara behaving in ways he’d never seen before, Okryong nodded in confusion. As Sara tiptoed quietly into the training hall, Okryong opened his mouth to say something but then shook his head.
Rustle!
‘What a splendid stealth technique!’
Sara awarded herself a perfect ten for her stealth, then parted the bushes slightly to get a better view.
Inside the training hall, Miss Yeo Il-ye and Ho Cheon-an were engaged in combat.
Clang!
When their swords collided, red and blue energies burst into the air. It was a remarkable duel invisible to those without any sense of Qi, but Sara, having suffered through long training in Nine Yin, was sensitive to Qi. Typically, martial artists would build up Qi through training while realizing the mysteries of it, but Sara had it inherently.
‘Miss Yeo Il-ye is amazing too.’
Ho Cheon-an’s energy, faced with the sword of Miss Yeo Il-ye, weakened significantly like a candle flame caught in a strong wind. Observing Ho Cheon-an drawing on his strength, Miss Yeo Il-ye calmly swung her sword.
“While the clash of energies is important, one seems to be overly focused on that.”
Crack!
Miss Yeo Il-ye’s attacking wrist bent slightly. Instead of blades colliding, sword face and blade collided, and Yeo Il-ye skillfully absorbed the reaction force, bringing her sword down towards Ho Cheon-an’s blade in one fluid motion.
“Ugh…!”
Ho Cheon-an groaned. His hand was protected by the sword, but had the attack landed, he wouldn’t have been able to avoid a cut on his upper arm.
“In a duel up to the first level, allowing such a strike isn’t a big deal. It would be a light scratch since it was an attack without strength or weight. While shedding blood is still a loss, it’s a small price to pay for being caught off guard.”
Ho Cheon-an nodded. Normally, missing an opponent’s technique would lead to critical injuries, so a slight wound could be seen as a success. But Ho Cheon-an was now at the Peak Stage.
“However, in battles at the Peak Stage, even small wounds can lead to significant consequences.”
“…That is true.”
Having suffered from Miss Yeo Il-ye and Black Cat’s attacks on multiple occasions, Ho Cheon-an had to admit it. While it was a friendly duel, a lack of strength would eventually lead to deeper injuries in an actual battle at the Peak or beyond. Even minor wounds could lead to serious internal injuries if attacked.
“Up to the first level, those who trade small wounds for large rewards win. However, in a duel between those who can adequately handle these energies, it is the one who does not yield even the smallest wound who prevails.”
Miss Yeo Il-ye turned her sword back into its scabbard as she continued.
“Since you have spent long at Iryu, solidifying your foundation, and with Brother Dan or the teachers helping refine your basics, your foundation is quite solid. But now, you understand, don’t you? The saying that the more you know, the more you see.”
“That is true.”
“All things in the world appear as they are from birth, but depending on one’s perspective and depth of understanding, new aspects are constantly discovered. Hence, basics are similar. No matter how much sweat you shed to hone and sharpen your skills, doing so blindly differs from doing it with insight. Now that you have the minimal capability to wield sword energy, from today onwards, we shall rebuild the misplaced foundation.”
“Hmm, please do.”
So cool.
Sara watched with sparkling eyes as Miss Yeo Il-ye taught Ho Cheon-an with smooth confidence. While the highest techniques of Podalap Palace were the stances, Sara momentarily imagined herself as a swordswoman.
This isn’t bad.
“Just align your legs a bit more this way…”
“Like this?”
“No. Your center of gravity isn’t stable yet.”
Miss Yeo Il-ye personally corrected Ho Cheon-an’s stance. Sara blinked. A stance isn’t static. To explain an organic movement, Miss Yeo Il-ye stayed close to Ho Cheon-an, guiding his limbs.
“So this is it.”
“Good. You grasp things quickly.”
“Isn’t it all thanks to Miss Yeo?”
“Hehe, thank you for saying that.”
Sara blinked as she continued to watch the two in the training hall.
* *
Rustle!
Sara spotted a gap in the wall of the blacksmith’s area and peered in.
Inside were Tang So-yeol and Ho Cheon-an.
“Today, we’ll be laying the groundwork for making a saber.”
“Yes.”
“Since the sabers you’re going to make won’t be on sale, there’s no need for any decorations or handles. The goal is solely to be able to forge the metal.”
“Understood. Practicality is key.”
“First, unlike swords, the focus is on balance. The weight should be close to the handle for ease of handling. Most people in the martial world use the saber since its tip is slender and narrow…”
Tang So-yeol was explaining the differences between swords and sabers as he drew diagrams. Ho Cheon-an stood beside Tang So-yeol, listening and observing the drawings.
“Therefore, the ideal saber shape, when viewed from above, is a thick blade with a narrow handle forming an inverted triangle. This is why using lightweight wood for the handle is essential.”
“Oh, indeed.”
“Today, we’ll design a saber just for you. Whether you choose to create it yourself or buy one, it’s best to have a solid understanding of the specifications you’ll use. So let’s write out the design today.”
“Understood.”
Ho Cheon-an began to sketch a variety of sabers on the drawing laid out before him. He poured out his thoughts, recalling the points he felt were lacking from what he had seen, heard, or used in his daily life.
“You’re great at magic but terrible at drawing.”
“I-I’m sorry!”
“That’s fine. Was this how you intended to draw this part?”
“Um, no, it should curve like this for the fingers to hook…”
“Are you playing around instead of properly mastering Hidden Weapons?”
“Tools are meant to be easy for people to use, aren’t they?”
“Shut up.”
Ho Cheon-an and Tang So-yeol bickered over the design draft. Sara blinked, stood shoulder to shoulder, and quietly watched as they tussled over a single brush before slipping away.
Clatter!
In the process of sneaking away, Sara accidentally stepped on a stone. She froze, startled, but…
“No, what I mean is—!”
“Doing this is an engineering loss…!”
Neither of them seemed to hear her at all, still arguing. Sara took a quiet breath of relief as she distanced herself from the blacksmith.
“This is not the time for that.”
As Sara’s eyes sparkled, running toward somewhere, the argument over the saber design concluded with Ho Cheon-an’s defeat, succumbing to the threat of a pipe.
“You novice disciple. Don’t be greedy; take things step by step. Don’t you think martial arts go the way you want them to all the time? The same goes for the design.”
“Ugh, understood.”
“And so…”
Tang So-yeol lit his pipe and asked,
“What’s this about Sara chasing after your tail?”
“I don’t know. Maybe she just feels like it?”
“Well, it’s not unusual for kids to enjoy hide and seek.”
While Sara’s martial arts skills were incredibly high, she was still just a child who had only recently started to move her body after her drastic growth spurt. Though she might have thought she stealthily crept into the training hall and blacksmith, even Okryong, an expert, had sensed her presence and greeted her.
Even Ho Cheon-an, who had the lowest mastery among Ho Cheon-an’s party, was a true peak expert who could wield sword energy. Everyone could pick up on Sara’s attempts to tread lightly, so they were aware but were feigning ignorance.
Tang So-yeol released a puff of smoke as he spoke.
“How unfortunate. If I had known she would grow up so fast, I would have given her more cheek pinches…”
“Eh?”
“Never mind. Start making that saber according to the design.”
Just then, when Ho Cheon-an was putting stuff in the forge, Sara was running toward Black Cat. Having just finished her training and sipping tea during a break, Black Cat raised a hand at the sight of the running Sara.
“Hey! Hey! This isn’t the time for this!”
Black Cat looked at Sara, confused, her feet tapping anxiously. Was something happening at Podalap Palace?
Seeing Black Cat’s puzzled expression, Sara recalled what happened today.
Even if Okryong caught her, she managed to hush him, so the results of her spying on Ho Cheon-an had been nothing short of shocking!
During the sword training, she had exchanged significant glances with Miss Yeo Il-ye multiple times!
In blacksmithing class with Tang So-yeol, they’d brushed shoulders in a friendly manner, even holding each other’s hands casually!
Yet, on the other hand, what about Black Cat?
Unlike the daily interactions with Miss Yeo Il-ye or Tang So-yeol, they didn’t meet every day and had no special physical contact!
As she looked at Black Cat sipping tea, she thought about it. Other sisters were nice, but Black Cat sister was the best! Other sisters were making all sorts of excuses to plan their tasks, so she had to help her sister!
Resolving her mind like that, Sara clenched her fist and shouted.
“At this rate, other sisters will steal Ho Cheon-an the Magician, whom you like!”
Black Cat spat out her tea.
